Frank Zappa's widow sues festival over use of his image

The future of a festival in honour of Frank Zappa is under threat following demands by his widow for money for the right to use his name or his trademark moustache.

Gail Zappa is suing the organisers of the open-air Zappanale in the east German village of Bad Doberan, claiming they must pay £200,000 to use her husband's name or change the title of the annual festival.



Gail Zappa, who founded the Zappa Family Trust in 2002, wants a say as to which cover-bands should play at the event. She has also demanded that the logo - his trademark moustache and goatee - be scrapped, claiming she owns the sole rights to use it, and that a statue of Zappa in the village be removed.

A Düsseldorf court is expected to decide on the case within the next few months.