Gene Simmons has withdrawn his application to trademark the hand gesture commonly known as the “devil horns” or “metal horns,” less than two weeks after he filed it with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, according to Forbes.
MAYBE ITS CUZ WENDY DIO RIPPED HIM A NEW ACE.
Simmons says he invented the gesture, though a ton of metal fans disagree and say Ronnie James Dio was doing it before Simmons did, and is the rightful inventor. Wendy Dio, Ronnie's wife/window, is speaking out saying what Simmons is doing is "disgusting."
“To try to make money off of something like this is disgusting,” Dio said. “It belongs to everyone; it doesn’t belong to anyone. … It’s a public domain; it shouldn’t be trademarked.”
Dio also says his attempt is "a joke," is "laughable," and "he's made a complete fool of himself."
The version of the hand gesture that Simmons attempted to trademark actually means “I love you” in American Sign Language, with the thumb extended. The version with the thumb holding two middle fingers close to the palm was popularized by legendary heavy metal singer Ronnie James Dio and used by everyone from rock stars to chefs as a salute of musical inclusiveness and triumph since the ‘70s.