San Diego Reader

Elan, a female Latin performer based in San Diego, has filed an 11-count lawsuit against Wailers singer Elan Atias, who recently began using only his first name for solo recordings.

"This is the kind of thing that made my brother and I start our own company," says the local Elan in a press release. The lawsuit alleges "craft, yet overt maneuvering" to use local Elan's name, which she trademarked in 2001. Defendants include Atias, Interscope Records, and the Mitch Schneider Organization public-relations firm. The PR company used to represent local Elan, and a link on its website that formerly led to local Elan's site now sends users to Mr. Atias's webpage.

"I am shocked that now my former PR firm and a label that actually wanted to sign me would try this," says local Elan, who has released several records (including a track with guest guitarist Slash), appeared on the 2004 MTV Latin America Music Awards, and who won a Rolling Stone en Español People's Choice Award. "They thought they could just run us over and get away with it and we wouldn't say anything. They were wrong!"