Rock Star Sues Over 'Frampton Bikini'
Reuters
Thursday, July 22, 2004; 2:44 AM
LOS ANGELES - Rock star Peter Frampton is suing popular surfwear manufacturer Billabong for selling a bikini that features his face on the rear and the phrase "Baby, I love your waves".
The British musician, 54, is seeking unspecified damages and an injunction to stop sales of the "Frampton Bikini" saying the phrase is "an obvious reference" to his 1975 hit record "Baby, I Love Your Way."
Frampton says the Australian-based youth apparel company is also selling a T-shirt and a surf top with his image on it. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Tuesday.
The singer-guitarist was one of the biggest rock stars of the 1970s. His 1975 "Frampton Comes Alive" album briefly held the record as the best-selling live album with sales of more than 16 million copies worldwide.
Representatives of Billabong International Ltd.'s operations could not be reached for comment.