Perhaps in anticipation of a lawsuit that has seemed inevitable for years, Final Fantasy's Owen Pallett has decided to stop using the name for his band. The violinist/composer—who has also contributed to tons of other Canadian bands, most notably string arrangements for Arcade Fire—will issue future recordings under his own name. This applies to his upcoming album Heartland, which will be released by Domino on January 12. Pallett's complete statement regarding the name change is below.
Friends,
I began playing solo violin shows in 2004. Although it was essentially a solo project, I named the band Final Fantasy, as the experience—and the tone of the material—was reminiscent of the hours and hours I had spent as an adolescent playing those epic JRPGs.
But the laws of trademark infringement exist for good reason, and so I am voluntarily retiring my band name. In the new year, my record Heartland is coming out, and it is my first to be released in many territories, including Japan. With this in mind, I feel it is in my own best interests to definitively distinguish my music from Square/Enix's games.
So, I am no longer playing shows as Final Fantasy. Subsequent releases, including Heartland, will be issued under my own name, Owen Pallett. Prior releases will sometime soon be re-packaged and re-issued.
I thank Square/Enix their kindness and support, and I thank you all for your understanding.
Salud!
Owen