After operating for nearly a quarter of a century under the domain slipknot1.com, the multi-platinum band Slipknot has filed a federal lawsuit against the anonymous owner of slipknot.com, alleging cybersquatting, trademark infringement, and profiting from the sale of counterfeit merchandise.
The lawsuit, which was filed on Wednesday, October 15, is a major move by the band to reclaim their primary domain name from an individual who has allegedly held it since 2001. According to the lawsuit, the website is being used to deceive fans and profit from the band’s name and reputation.
In the legal filing, the band’s lawyer, Craig Reilly, stated (via Billboard) that “the domain name was registered in an effort to profit off of plaintiff’s goodwill and to trick unsuspecting visitors — under the impression they are visiting a website owned, operated or affiliated with plaintiff — into clicking on web searches and other sponsored links.”
The suit further alleges that the website uses pay-per-click advertising that directs fans to counterfeit Slipknot merchandise. The band is seeking ownership of the slipknot.com domain and unspecified financial damages for unfair competition and lost sales. The lawsuit notes that the anonymous owner of the domain uses a post office box located in the Cayman Islands.
The legal battle is the culmination of a 24-year frustration for the band and its fanbase, who have had to navigate to the slightly altered slipknot1.com URL for all official band business.
The move to reclaim their primary domain name comes as Slipknot is entering a new creative phase. The band is currently working on the follow-up to their 2022 album, The End, So Far, with their new drummer, Eloy Casagrande. In a recent interview, Casagrande confirmed the band is actively creating new material.
“We are cooking, we are doing some new music, for sure,” he said. “We have a lot of material right now. We just have to sit and put everything together, start jamming, and it’s happening… So new material is coming, for sure.” The lawsuit is a clear sign that as the band prepares for its next chapter, they are also determined to solidify and protect their iconic brand.
