Graham Jules
| Graham Jules | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 22, 1967 London, England |
| 🏫 Education | BPP University London |
| 💼 Occupation | Writer, Entrepreneur |
| Notable work | Business Zero to Superhero |
Graham Jules is a London businessman best known for his book, Business Zero to Superhero, and the subsequent legal battle over the use of the word “Superhero” that took place in 2014.[1][2]
Early life[edit]
Jules was born in London in 1967. He became a computer technician for various London financial firms.[2] He graduated from BPP School in London as a mature student with a business law degree (2016).[3]
Career[edit]
Jules saved the money he earned from his computer technician work while he produced some demo tapes that he submitted to BBC, and other radio stations. Those demos were subsequently rejected, which motivated Jules to produce his own music from equipment he bought himself, such as synthesizers and 16-track reel-to-reel recorders.[4] This would lead Jules to form Blam! Studies and Blam! Records, a music production company which would go on to release a number of tracks before it closed in 2000.[2][4] Jules then began to study law and launched the firm “Pop Up World” specializing in the creation of pop-up shops.[1][5]
Founding of Blam![edit]
Jules launched Blam! Studios from his apartment in 1990, borrowing the name from an American pop art painting by Roy Lichtenstein. Blam! Studios provided a place where Jules could collaborate with underground and experimental artists who had trouble accessing equipment.[2] Some of the early hits recorded there include:[4]
- Graham Gold (Kiss Fm)
- Ras Kwame (Baby Shack Recordings)
- Mike "Ruff Cut" Lloyd (Multiple Recordings)
- Lynn Eden (Smoking Beats)[2][6]
Jules launched the music label Blam! Records in 1992. Jules and Blam! Records quickly gained a reputation for turning “experimental music into hits” by mixing the two music genres of four-to-the-floor and two-step which led to many “limited edition re-releases”.[2] Blam! Records would release 13 tracks between '93 and 2000.[2][4]
Discography[edit]
| Year | Title | Artist |
| 1993 | Uplift My Soul (Desire) | X-Plode! |
| 1993 | Play it Right | House-Bang |
| 1994 | Club Essentials Vol 1 | Various |
| 1994 | Can U Feel The Pressure | Stress Factor |
| 1995 | Club Essentials Vol 2 EP | Shirley Gordon |
| 1995 | Gimme Your Love | Sexy B |
| 1996 | Hold Your Head Up High | X-Plode! |
| 1997 | Peace ‘N’ Harmony E.P. | Masters of the Underground |
| 1997 | Club Essentials Vol 3 EP | Jules |
| 1997 | Nice ‘N’ Blak | Jules |
| 1998 | Work it Hard | Big Loud and Massive! |
| 1998 | Garage Flava | Big Loud and Massive! |
| 2000 | Virgin Boot-Leg EP | Mista Jules[7][6] |
Legal dispute over "Superhero"[edit]
In 2014, Jules was about to publish a self-help business book: Business Zero to Superhero when he received a cease and desist letter from Marvel and DC[8] that stated the word “superhero” was a trademark jointly owned by the companies and that Jules had “infringed on their intellectual property”. The letter asserted that Jules’ use of the word “superhero” would cause “confusion and dilute their brand”.[3][5] This forced Jules, a legal student, to postpone the publication of his book[1][9] as he went to court to establish the fact that the word “superhero” has become so widely used that it was part of “everyday language”[1] and is covered under the common lexicon, therefore the trademark Marvel and DC claim is invalid.[8] During the legal proceeding Jules learned that Marvel and DC have sued other companies and have been successful in their efforts in preventing others from using the word “superhero”.[10]
Marvel and DC offered Jules several thousand pounds to change the title of the book, but Jules refused and continued to fight Marvel and DC in court for another two years. He filed an application requesting the UK IPO office to review the validity of the “superhero” trademark.[3][8] During the “statement” phase of the trial, Jules presented the evidence he had gathered and the two companies backed down four days before the final hearing was supposed to take place. Because the two companies pursued no further legal action, Jules was granted usage rights of the claim.[11][12]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Businessman wins battle against Marvel and DC Comics to use 'superhero' in book title". The Telegraph. 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 "How Graham Jules Bootstrapped Blam! Records and Kickstarted 90s UK Garage | My Cherry Pop". Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "US comic book giants defeated by BPP Law School student over right to use the word 'superhero'". Legal Cheek. 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 "Two Step | the UK Garage Sound As Told From Those Who Helped Create It". Backstage Lounge. 2015-05-30. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Quinn, Ben (2016-05-24). "Real-life superhero? Marvel and DC comics back down against Londoner". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Jules- Blam Records 1992-2000". www.grahamjules.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- ↑ "Blam Records". Discogs. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Neil, Martha (May 25, 2016). "Law student prevails against Marvel and DC Comics over use of word 'superhero' in book title". ABC Journal.
- ↑ Bruxelles, Simon (May 25, 2016). "Writer feels like Superman after trademark victory". The Times.
- ↑ Martínez, Paula (May 29, 2016). "The man who won the battle to Marvel and DC to use the word "superhero" in the title of his book". ecartelera.
- ↑ "DC Comics and Marvel back down in "Superhero" battle". marketinglaw. 2016-06-14. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
- ↑ Bland, Archie (2016-05-27). "Comic book superheroes: the gods of modern mythology". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2019-04-30.
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