Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty ImagesTake heart, heavy-metal fans: you can now feel free to flash the popular “devil’s horns” hand gesture without worrying if KISS bassist Gene Simmons will sue you.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Famer filed an application to officially trademark the hand gesture earlier this month, but he now has abandoned his attempt to register the trademark.
According to documents on the United States Patents and Trademarks website, Simmons submitted a request to abandon his application on Tuesday, and the office accepted his request the following day.
Simmons filed his trademark application on June 9, while maintaining that the gesture was first used “in commerce” on November 14, 1974, which coincides with the launch of KISS’ Hotter than Hell tour. Gene also submitted a drawing of the gesture in question, which shows the index and pinky fingers up and the thumb perpendicular, as well as a photo that shows him making the “devil’s horns” while standing next to Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl.
After news of Simmons’ trademark application emerged, various people came forward to criticize Gene, including Motley Crue‘s Nikki Sixx and Wendy James Dio, widow of legendary metal vocalist Ronnie James Dio, who popularized a similar gesture.
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