EN VOGUE NEWS + DRAMA

[JumpinJack AJ]

Maxine Jones On En Vogue: "I Can't Work With Those Chicks"; Calls Dawn Robinson "Looney"

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Maxine Jones On En Vogue: "I Can't Work With Those Chicks"; Calls Dawn Robinson "Looney" The estranged member of the hit R&B quartet talks betrayal, her financial status, group in-fighting, and why she will never work with the ladies again

Justin Dwayne Joseph

Posted: 11/17/2014 04:20 PM EST

If you were holding on to the dream of a reunion of the original members of En Vogue---Give It Up, Turn It Loose.

The past few years have been a rocky road for the once platinum selling R&B quartet: Two members were dismissed, management issues plagued the group, and a verdict was handed down in a lawsuit that left two members stripped of their rights to use the group's name professionally.

In an interview with Juicy Magazine, ex-member Maxine Jones, 52, is speaking out against her former groupmates Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron---who are currently touring as a trio using the group's moniker alongside new member Rhona Bennett---and Dawn Robinson ("She's Looney").

ON LOSING THE RIGHT TO USE THE EN VOGUE NAME TO HER FORMER GROUP MATES, CINDY HERRON AND TERRY ELLIS:
“It’s been difficult, and it’s been difficult mainly because I feel like all the years I spent there and what I helped to build – you know, 30 million records sold – and what my input…and to just have nothing to show for it. For a long time…it’s been two-and-a-half, going on three-years now since this whole thing happened, but I was mostly angry for most of that time. It’s not until this year really that I totally embraced the idea of putting it behind me and starting out on my own and starting from scratch. Before that, my mind was in the mode that I’m still in a group, I’m not giving up, I’m going to get some more girls, and I’m going to go out there, and I’m going to be in this En Vogue too. I am a third, I own a third, [and I] own a right to use the name too. That’s how it was originally – that trademark has my name on it too in the Library of Congress. My name is on that trademark, and so that was the thing. It was a big deal to me to first of all, to be forced out, and then my intellectual property to be taken away from me. It just really, honestly, pissed me off.”

ON APPEALING THE DECISION THAT STRIPPED HER OF THE RIGHT TO USE THE EN VOGUE NAME:
“The battle is not over because they’ve won with an arbitrator, and to me, the whole hearing was not fair, unfair to me totally, and so I’m appealing it. Now my case is going before the appellate. The appellate has viewed it and decided it’s worthy of them ruling on. So that’s where it is right now. I’m not giving up --- It’s my legacy. I’ve put in the time, I’ve put in the work, I’ve earned the right, and I’m not giving it up easy.”

ON FEELING BETRAYED BY CINDY AND TERRY:
“Yeah, I totally feel betrayed by them, and I feel like what they did to me, I wouldn’t have expected it from them, and I wouldn’t have dreamt of doing that to them, so I’m hurt. At first I was very, very hurt, and then it went to anger, and it’s still a little bit of all of that there. Before I felt like it was paralyzing – I felt devastated, but not anymore. I’m able to move forward, and I’m grateful for that.

ON DISAGREEMENTS ABOUT MANAGEMENT AND THE GROUP BEING DOOMED FROM THE START:
“It’s a bigger issue [than management]…The problem, is really one of the girls had been screwing around with one of the producers. We were put together by two producers [Denzil Foster and Thomas McElroy], and Terry started sleeping with one of the guys almost from the beginning, and that just kind of devastated us. We were never a unit. When we were re-negotiating our contracts and trying to make it better for ourselves, I remember just going to him and telling him that I made my decision, I was going to stick with the group. And I’ll never forget what he told me because it’s just so true, and it’s still true to this day. He said to me: ‘You are no f*cking group! Can’t you see that? ...Dawn is crazy, she’s all over the place…Cindy don’t have a damn clue, and I got your partner Terry in my back pocket. How you going to call yourself a group when I got your partners, she’s supposed to be your partner Max, and she’s in my back pocket. I’m trying to tell you Max, you’re just going to be left ass out.’ And that’s the dynamic of this group, that’s always been the dynamic. I’m always the one that’s the easily replaceable one.

HER FINANCIAL STATUS WHEN SHE LEFT EN VOGUE:
“When I officially left the group, it wasn’t bad at that point, but it certainly got bad because of course I had no income. It got bad once I lost the arbitrator’s ruling because it totally stopped me from working. Before that, it wasn’t bad because just like Terry and Cindy were going out and calling themselves the whole group, I was doing the same thing, and nobody had a problem. It’s the name, you know, that name and what we built. The reputation behind it, and nobody cared really. As long as they could use that name, it was going to draw the fans out, you know. Once the arbitrator’s ruling came, it just totally stopped me from being able to go out using the name En Vogue, and they said I couldn’t have the name En Vogue, I had to say ‘formerly of’. Terry, Cindy, and their attorneys, anytime a promoter tried to book me and even say Maxine Jones, formerly of En Vogue, they were intimidating them, and telling them they were going to be sued just by having the name En Vogue in the caption. It basically scared away anyone who wanted to hire me.”

ON THE UPCOMING LIFETIME MOVIE, AN EN VOGUE CHRISTMAS:
“Yeah I heard about it. I think it’s wack, and then I saw the trailer… I don’t like it when I’m watching them, I don’t. I don’t because I feel like they’ve calling themselves En Vogue, and they’re not. They’re on Lifetime, and it’s supposed to be, an En Vogue reunion. It’s two of them there, and what, you think you can just get somebody off the street and call it a freakin’ reunion? I don’t think so.”

“It’s not a reunion that’s for sure. I don’t know what it is, and to me, it doesn’t make them look good, and that’s why I don’t mind doing these interviews because to me, I just want everybody to know it’s just Terry and Cindy and some other chick [bennett, pictured above R).

ON DAWN ROBINSON BEING “LOONEY”:
“I have tried everything in my power to work with Dawn ’cause she’s talented and beautiful – there’s not a question about that, but the girl is looney. That’s what I’ll say about it, okay. And I’m not trying anymore, I’m done. That’s never going to happen either again.”

ON THE POSSIBILITY OF HER REUNITING WITH THE LADIES:
“There’s no way. I can’t work alongside those chicks and they tried to see to it that I ended up with zero, with nothing, and totally devastated. No. I will not stand alongside those girls and get on stage with them, no.”

(Photo: C Brandon/Redferns/Getty Images)

http://www.centrictv.com/music/articles/2014/11/17/maxine-jones-on-en-vogue-i-can-t-work-with-those-chicks-calls-dawn-robinson-looney.html

Edited November 26, 2014 by JumpinJack AJ

[bigted]

this really sucks that en vogue can't work it out because they're one of the best groups of all time

[JumpinJack AJ]

Agreed. If I had to rank the best R-N-B/Soul female group of all time, it'd be En Vogue. The voices and they way they blend are perfect. Back up with their looks and style...they have the total package. They just can't all get on the same page.

[JumpinJack AJ]

Dawn Robinson, Maxine Jones unhappy about ‘An EnVogue Christmas’

Nov 25, 2014

By Tracy Scott

Lifetime aired a made-for-TV Christmas movie Saturday, featuring ‘90s R&B group EnVogue, excluding original member Dawn Robinson, and the former “R&B Divas: LA” star was none too pleased.

Dawn threatened to sue the network for airing the An EnVogue Christmas, starring Terry Ellis, Cindy Herron and newer member Genelle Williams,” according to TMZ.

According to reports, Dawn has no rights to the EnVogue name, but wanted her character included in the film, in which she expressed little confidence.

“I have no interest in watching it. It looks horrible. I’m sad for them,” she told TMZ, referencing Lifetime’s much-criticized Aaliyah biopic. “I’m extremely worried that this is going to be a train wreck.”

Apparently, original member Maxine Jones was equally perturbed by the Lifetime film, though, she isn’t planning to file any lawsuits.

I think it’s wack,” Maxine told the HipHopSocialite earlier this month. “I don’t like it when I’m watching them; I don’t. I don’t because I feel like they’re calling themselves EnVogue, and they’re not.”

Even though she’s given up any legal claim to the EnVogue name, Maxine doesn’t like the feeling of being replaced in a group she helped make a success.

“It’s supposed to be an EnVogue reunion. It’s two of them there,” she said. “You think you can just get somebody off the street and call it a freakin’ reunion? I don’t think so.”

Even though an honest-to-goodness EnVogue reunion would include Terry, Cindy, Maxine and Dawn, Maxine said she’s not too sure that would work either.

“I have tried everything in my power to work with Dawn,” she said of the former Lucy Pearl singer who spent one season on “R&B Divas: LA.”

"She’s talented and beautiful. There’s not a question about that, but the girl is looney. That’s what I’ll say about it,” Maxine said. “I’m not trying anymore; I’m done. That’s never going to happen ever again.”

An EnVogue Christmas airs Wednesday, Nov. 26, at 6 p.m. EST and twice in December.

http://s2smagazine.com/2014/11/25/dawn-robinson-maxine-jones-unhappy-about-an-envogue-christmas/

[JumpinJack AJ]

This is pretty nasty. I feel shade between them will keep any of them from successful again.

NEVER GONNA GET IT: En Vogue Lawsuit Ends With Two Members Stripped Of Using Group's Name

By Justin Joseph

Posted: 04/02/2013 12:49 PM EDT

Filed Under En Vogue

What's Good in Music? Certainly not nasty legal battle between the ladies of En Vogue.

According to TMZ, a judge has granted founding members Cindy Herron and Terry Ellis the exclusive right to use the group's name while performing and touring. This after a long battle with former group members and founding members, Maxine Jones and Dawn Robinson, that began in 2012.

The group's squabbles began when Herron and Ellis sued Jones and Robinson for the name and $1 million dollars in damages, claiming the two former members were touring illegally using the "EnVogue" name---Cindy and Terry own the LLC.

The judgement, in favor of the Cindy and Terry, officially strips the other members of using the name. However because damages were not able to be proven, the million dollar lawsuit was not granted.

[JumpinJack AJ]

The singer is set to lose her home for defaulting on mortgage payment

Justin Dwayne Joseph

Posted: 01/19/2015 10:00 AM EST

Maxine Jones' life after En Vogue hasn't been no crystal stair...

According to theJasmineBRAND.com, the 53-year-old R&B singer is set to lose her home, following a federal court order that grants the bank that owns her property, the right to move forward with foreclosure proceedings, following her failure to meet her mortgage payments.

On December 22, the bank filed documents, explaining that Jones took out a $215,000 loan with them back in 2006 to purchase her Palmyra, Virgina property. They claim that she owes a total of $208,025.13, and that amount continues to grow with interest.

Jones filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy on December 18, 2014 in a Virginia federal court, claiming that she is $298,900 in debt, but only has roughly $172,000 in assets. Her debts include $212,000 on her Virginia home, a $32,000 judgement against her won by a private school, $2,000 in unpaid taxes to the state of Virginia, $800 in unpaid telephone bills, $17,000 in unpaid attorney's bills, over $1,000 in medical bills, $22,000 in unpaid taxes owed to the state of California, $440 to T-Mobile, and $539 to Victoria’s Secret.

Despite filing for bankruptcy, Jones was to continue making her mortgage payment of $2,052 a month. She reportedly failed to make payments in October and November.

The decision to move forward with the foreclosure came on January 13, three days before Jones' birthday (January 16).

Jones, who is best known as a founding member of En Vogue, left the group in 2011. She was later sued by her former bandmates Terry Ellis and Cindy Heron, and stripped of using the group's name for business.

[JumpinJack AJ]

Maxine Jones Loses Appeal For 'En Vogue' Rights; Banned From Using The Name

 

The former member of the R&B quartet loses the rights to use the name to bandmates

 

POSTED: 07/02/2015 12:44 PM EDT

Filed Under En Vogue, Maxine Jones, Cindy Herron, Music News, Dawn Robinson, Rhona Bennett, Terry Ellis, Music, Entertainment

Things just got a little more funkier for the "Funky Divas"... 

theJasmineBRAND.com is reporting that a judge has rejected the appeal of Maxine Jones, former member of the R&B quartet En Vogue, as she tried to regain rights to use the group's name for professional purposes. 

ARTICLE: Maxine Jones On En Vogue: "I Can't Work With Those Chicks"; Calls Dawn Robinson "Looney"

Jones as been involved in a multi-year battle with her former bandmates Terry Ellis and Cindy Herron, who filed a $1 million dollar federal lawsuit against Jones back in 2012 for "illegally using" the En Vogue name to book shows. Both Ellis and Herron co-own the trademark. 

ARTICLE: En Vogue Facing $100 Million Lawsuit For 'Failed' Comeback Album

Handed down on June 22, 2015, the court's ruling states that Maxine can never use the band name again to promote herself or any performances. 

The case was then closed the same day. 

Formed in 1989, the quartet featured Jones, alongside Terry, Cindy, and Dawn Robinson, who officially left the group in 1997. 

Both Ellis and Herron continue performing under the En Vogue name as a trio with new member Rhona Bennett.

http://www.centrictv.com/entertainment/music/articles/2015/07/02/maxine-jones-loses-appeal-for-en-vogue-rights-banned-from-using-the-name.html

 

I think this is messed up. I understand the legal side of things, but she should AT LEAST be able to bill her appearances as "MAXINE JONES formally of En Vogue." It's amazing how hateful the girls are towards each other.   Some fans just aren't going to know/remember their names, so that little extra billing holds a lot of power. They need to be realistic, very few people will be supporting the girls when they aren't all together.  Dawn Robinson is the only one who might have a little more pull all by herself.

[JumpinJack AJ]

The madness continues...  Dawn Robinson posted this on her personal Facebook.  I don't wish anything bad to anyone, but it seems like Terry and Cindy kinda deserved this after they've been so destructive to Maxine's career.

En Vogue Sued for Millions After Label Flip

By Marc Schneider | February 13, 2015 9:41 AM EST

 

Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

 

Rufftown Entertainment is suing two original members of En Vogue for over $300 million, claiming the R&B group violated an exclusive recording contract by signing with another label after recent comeback efforts fizzled. 

The suit, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges breach of contract, negligence, interference and fraud.

Rufftown owner René Moore says that he paid Cindy Herron, Terry Ellis and then-member Maxine Jones approximately $190,000 in 2010 in a deal that was to include two albums and touring. The advance included $40,000, plus travel costs, and $150,000 in studio fees.

After the comeback stalled, Jones was replaced in 2012 and they later signed with Pyramid Records. The plaintiffs allege that in July 2014 the current members of En Vogue conspired to sign the new contract with Pyramid, in violation of the terms of the exclusive pact with Moore and Rufftown. Fraudulent and illegal documents were used to promulgate the contract, according to the filing.

The lawsuit lists En Vogue Enterprises, Herron, Ellis, new member Rhonda Bennett, lawyer Allen Jacobi and Pyramid among the defendants. Jones is spared from the suit because she has "substantially performed her obligation under the agreement" except for elements that are impossible because of the "conduct of En Vogue."

Moore is seeking more than $310 million in damages. TMZ first reported on the breach of contract lawsuit.

 

Jones and another original member of the group, Dawn Robinson, briefly formed a new En Vogue in 2012 before a judge ruled that Heron and Ellis owned exclusive rights to the name. Since then Robinson joined the reality show R&B Divas: L.A. and Jones has embarked on a solo career, though legal problems forced her to file for bankruptcy in 2014.

Formed in 1989 in Oakland, the group scored a number of hits in the 1990s including "My Lovin' (You're Never Gonna Get It)," "Free Your Mind" and "Whatta Man."