July 11 (Reuters) - The Beastie Boys have sued

restaurant owner Brinker International ( EAT ) in New York

federal court, saying Brinker ( EAT ) used the legendary rap trio's 1994

song "Sabotage" to promote the Chili's ( EAT ) chain without their

permission.

The group said in its complaint filed on Wednesday that

Brinker ( EAT ) unlawfully used "Sabotage" in Chili's ( EAT ) social-media ads,

falsely implying that the Beastie Boys endorsed the

casual-dining restaurants.

Attorneys for the Beastie Boys and spokespeople for Brinker ( EAT )

did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the

lawsuit on Thursday.

The Beastie Boys formed in New York City in 1981 and

dissolved in 2012 after founding member Adam "MCA" Yauch died of

cancer. They were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

earlier that year.

"Sabotage" was a single from the group's 1994 album "Ill

Communication" and gained fame for its music video, a parody of

1970s television police dramas.

The group's lawsuit said that Brinker ( EAT ) posted Chili's ( EAT ) ads to

social media featuring "Sabotage" without a license.

It also said that one of the ads featured "three characters

wearing obvious 70s-style wigs, fake mustaches, and sunglasses"

that "intended to evoke in the minds of the public scenes from

Plaintiff's well-known official 'Sabotage' video."

"The plaintiffs do not license 'Sabotage' or any of their

other intellectual property for third-party product advertising

purposes, and deceased Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch included a

provision in his will prohibiting such uses," the lawsuit said.

The Beastie Boys accused Brinker ( EAT ) of infringing their

copyrights and violating their trademark rights. They asked the

court for at least $150,000 in monetary damages and an order

blocking Brinker ( EAT ) from using their work.

The group won a $1.7 million jury verdict against

energy-drink maker Monster Beverage Corp in 2014 for using its

music without permission.