Former Whitesnake, Manic Eden and Vandenberg guitarist Adrian Vandenberg is once again being taken to court by his former Vandenberg bandmates over the rights to the ‘Vandenberg’ band name.
In a post on his official Facebook page, Vandenberg revealed that he had received a summons by a lawyer representing his onetime bandmates, singer Bert Heerink, bassist Dick Kemper and drummer Jos Zoomer, nearly one year ago. Vandenberg stated that it is Heerink’s, Kemper’s and Zoomer’s intentions to prohibit him from using the ‘Vandenberg’ title.
Vandenberg founded the band in 1981, and released three albums ‘Vandenberg,’ ‘Heading for a Storm’ and ‘Alibi’ before disbanding in 1986 to join the David Coverdale fronted Whitesnake. Every single song, including music and lyrics, as well each album cover and the ‘Vandenberg’ logo was either written or designed by Adrian Vandenberg.
As well as being confused by the suit, Vandenberg is also hurt, as he expressed in his statement: “A sad situation indeed, since I always thought these guys were friends.”
A section of Vandenberg’s Facebook post reads as follows: “…almost a year ago I got summoned by a lawyer representing the three guys who I invited to play in my band at the time in 1981, trying to claim my own name ‘Vandenberg’ and actually trying to prohibit me from using my own name ‘Vandenberg’ through a lawsuit… now how bizarre is that?!?
“These individuals, singer Bert Heerink, bassist Dick Kemper (appropriate first name) and drummer Jos Zoomer, each of them factually not having achieved anything worth mentioning in about 27 years, now opportunistically trying to lift piggyback on the name/ reputation that I was fortunate to build through years of working my ass off with Vandenberg, Manic Eden and Whitesnake. A sad situation indeed, since I always thought these guys were friends.
“The Bert Heerink attempt, is even more pathetic than the others, since I had to fire him from my band a year before I disbanded it, for reasons that I won’t disclose right now. So this individual wasn’t even in my band when I disbanded it. Nevertheless this person attempts to claim my personal name 26 years later (apparently Heerink doesn’t have anything to say at all about his own life, because his ‘wife’ is in charge of this whole thing, Spinal Tap-style)
Vandenberg added that even though a judge had previously dismissed Heerink’s, Kemper’s and Zoomer’s claim, the trio were now pursing the same outcome through different channels. “Naturally the judge wiped their claims away. You’d expect these leeches would crawl back embarrassed under the damp, mossy stones that they’d been hiding under for 27 years, but noooo; right now they’re trying once again to hijack my name through a different route (a ‘trademark office’).
“It is basically like when you invite a couple of people for a ride on the backseat of your new car, and then after the ride these passengers claim that your car is now theirs because they were given a ride in it. Some people have no shame…
“In Holland their first attempt was all over the newspapers, and after several questions from you guys, I promised to keep you up to date about this bizarre situation. Don’t hesitate to let these individuals know your honest opinion about this, whatever it is, they have FB pages.
“I will keep you posted again as soon as news comes up about this surrealistic, but actually sad soap.
Never a dull moment!”
Stay tuned for more details.