Joe Jackson plans to launch record label with name that is already taken

As if using the death of his son to plug his new record label didn't give him enough problems, Joe Jackson may run into another snag if he moves forward with the name he has chosen for the operation.

Papa Joe announced plans for his new business venture Ranch Records during interviews before the BET Awards and at a press conference held in the wake of Michael Jackson's death.

The Jackson family patriarch revealed he was developing the label with Chi-Lites singer Marshall Thompson, telling reporters, "I established a record company... and the company is called Ranch Records."

But the news has come as a surprise to Dixon Shanks, owner of Ranch Record Label in Texas – because he registered the firm in 2001.

Shanks found out about the name clash on Wednesday (July 1) - two days after Jackson's announcement - and he's been inundated with calls from members of the media, mistaking his company for Jackson's.

"The last few days, we've been getting calls from all over the country: Rolling Stone Magazine, Toronto Press, (and) Kansas City... to see what's going on with Ranch Records, I guess," he told WENN.

Shanks claims he's not been contacted by Jackson about the copyright issue - but he is vowing to keep hold of his label name.

"As far as Ranch Records goes, they must not have done their research. ...We were here first," he said.