The Sugababes, for those who have managed to avoid pop music for the last decade (and, on balance, we can’t really blame you), are an all girl trio. What’s bizarre / noteworthy is that none of the current line up were original members, those having been totally replaced. Now one of the starting lineup, Keisha Buchanan, is suing the group over the use of the name, claiming she (and another original part) dreamt it up, and the current puppets have no right to it. The new ‘babes have managed to survive and score a top ten hit, but without that name surely they’d just sink into obscurity?

The legal case has been called a ‘landmark’, because if Keisha manages to claim the name, lawsuits against other pop acts, and indie bands (yes, this story is relevant), will inevitably follow. Or maybe it will all collapse and all Keisha will have done is kept her name in the papers for her solo career.  Meanwhile, the other member who thought the name up, Mutya Buena, has applied to the European Trademarks Authority to claim it’s hers, having delayed a claim to now because there aren’t any originals left. They may not get away with this…