News•April 22, 2019 7:14 PM ET•9,808 views

Cro-Mags lawsuit settled, Harley Flanagan now owns name

For roughly the past year, members of legendary hardcore punk band Cro-Mags have been engaged in a legal battle over use of the Cro-Mags trademark. Co-founder Harley Flanagan has alleged that the band was his idea, but ultimately usurped by vocalist John Joseph, who continued performing using the Cro-Mags moniker following Flanagan's departure nearly 20 years ago. In the interim, the two have had an extremely contentious relationship, one that came to a head in 2012 when Flanagan attacked two Cro-Mags members with a knife prior a New York City concert. Well, it seems as though the two parties have now come to an agreement. Effective August 1st, John Joseph and Mackie Jayson will perform as Cro-Mags "JM", while Flanagan will use the original Cro-Mags name. Joseph, Jayson, and company have issued the following statement:

"As all of our loyal fans and supporters know, John Joseph, Mackie Jayson, A.J. Novello and Craig Setari have been performing as the 'Cro-Mags' for many years. Due to recent litigation involving Harley Flanagan, John Joseph and Mackie Jayson, we have all agreed that for the benefit of our fans and supporters we want to make sure that everyone knows who it is they are coming out to see. Therefore we have reached a settlement designed to avoid any further confusion. The lead singer and drummer on Age of Quarrel, John and Mackie, along with A.J. and Craig, going forward will perform under the name Cro-Mags 'JM' which we have a legal right to use. The 'JM' stands for John/Mackie. Of course, we need some time to make this change. There will be a three month transition where our shows may still be advertised as Cro-Mags and Harley will also be performing as Cro-Mags. During this transition period, to confirm which band you want to see, please check on our websites or social media pages. As of August 1, 2019, all shows under the Cro-Mags 'JM' name will feature us, and all shows under the Cro-Mags name (on its own) will feature Harley. Thanks for your patience as we wrap this up. Now that this is all said and done, we will be working on a new studio album, while continuing to deliver the live performances our fans have come to know and love over the years. A win/win situation. See you out there on the road."

Meanwhile, Flanagan issued this video: