Experience Hendrix Sues Vodka Seller

07/03/07 Experience Hendrix, LLC, the family-run company founded in 1995 by James Allen Hendrix, father and sole heir of Jimi Hendrix, filed a lawsuit in Federal Court in the Western District of Washington charging that Craig Dieffenbach and his companies have unlawfully used Jimi Hendrix trademarks in an unauthorized, tasteless promotion of his Hendrix Electric brand of vodka. The Complaint alleges that Dieffenbach and his companies intend to deceive the public into believing that Experience Hendrix has authorized this sale of vodka and other products.

The suit charges that Dieffenbach, Electric Hendrix, LLC and other companies he controls have committed trademark infringement, false advertising and other unlawful acts through their marketing of the vodka brand as "a Jimi Hendrix family company."

In promoting the vodka, Dieffenbach told the Los Angeles Times, "It's like drinking with Jimi. The drunker you get, the more you think you're with him." This statement, apparently intended to encourage drinking and drunkenness among Hendrix fans, underscores how Dieffenbach's unauthorized use of Hendrix family trade marks has degraded the Jimi Hendrix legacy.

Janie Hendrix, CEO of Experience Hendrix, recently reacted to these unlawful acts, "We are gravely concerned that there may be a perception that Experience Hendrix has, in some way, authorized this sale of vodka. As a matter of strict policy, we have never promoted an alcoholic beverage. In view of the circumstances of my brother Jimi's death, this attempt to associate his name with the sale of alcohol beverages amounts to a sick joke."

Other members of the Hendrix family are outraged by the vodka's branding and marketing. Bob Hendrix, Jimi's childhood playmate, first cousin and Vice President of Experience Hendrix, observed, "Since my Uncle Al founded Experience Hendrix, we have been committed to preserving Jimi Hendrix's music and artistry. This illegal use of Experience Hendrix trademarks degrades that legacy we've worked so hard to preserve."

Bob's sister Diane Faith Hendrix recently expressed her concerns about Dieffenbach's actions, "There's no doubt that Al would be very upset and saddened by this. Jimi was given a tremendous gift by God that is still raising hope in the hearts of many young and gifted artists. Vodka is not a positive message and it doesn't portray the depth or the essence of what Jimi stood for."

In his advertising and promotion of Electric Hendrix vodka, Dieffenbach has wrongfully used not only the image and name of Jimi Hendrix, but also archived photos of Jimi's band, the Jimi Hendrix Experience. When he recently learned that Dieffenbach had used his image to promote vodka sales, Mitch Mitchell, the original drummer in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, was furious, "I find this despicable. I have never been consulted about the use of my image and reputation in association with any advertisement for this product. This is repulsive and something I would never endorse under any circumstance. Jimi must be turning over in his grave over this."