Lang Lang community singers’ Elizabeth Gregorovich leader Pam Glover and other
By Melissa Grant
CHINESE piano prodigy Lang Lang has his sights on world domination – including sharing the rights to the Victorian town’s name.
The pianist’s lawyers have written to the Lang Lang Township Committee seeking to share the trademark name.
The only problem is the town has had its name registered as a trademark for more than nine years – and residents are keen to keep it that way.
Township committee president Glen McGregor said the piano whiz was looking to use the trademark name for promotional items – more than 600 of them – such as caps and T-shirts.
“There have been all sorts of suggestions – that we let him use part of it and are paid royalties for it,” Mr McGregor said.
“He can’t do anything unless we let the trademark lapse.”
Rosa Stewart, who has lived in Lang Lang for 62 years, said too many things were tied to the town name to give it away.
“The name of Lang Lang has been here before that man was born,” she said.
“The show has been running for 105 years, the rodeo for 65 years.
“What do we become if we lose Lang Lang?”
Mr McGregor said there was no chance residents would lose their identity.
“We have the trademark on Lang Lang, it’s due for renewal and we will continue to renew that which gives us pre-emptive rights of it,” he said.
“We could give him conditional use of it, the trademark, but it could open a Pandora’s Box – we’d probably have to be very careful about it.
Lang Lang’s letter has been referred to the council, which has its lawyers looking over it.
Cardinia Shire councillor Stuart Halligan said no decision would be made that restricted the township’s use of the word.
“All he virtually wants to do is use the trademark to sell his CDs and apparel,” Cr Halligan said.
For the record, the Aboriginal word Lang Lang means clump of trees.
