by John Carle, Sep 18 2009 // 3:45 PM
Back in Guitar Hero 3, video game developer Activision began including various well known guitarists, both living and passed on, as unlockable characters within the franchise. In the series’ most recent iteration, Guitar Hero 5, which was just released on September 1st, deceased rock legends Johnny Cash and Kurt Cobain were including alongside living rockers Carlos Santana, Shirley Manson, and Matt Bellamy. Now while those still with us had complete control over their likeness being used in the game, Cash and Cobain’s legacies, both real life and digital, are in control of their respective estates.
Tabloid darling Courtney Love was left in control of Cobain’s estate and with that came his digital likeness. Recently, someone brought to Courtney’s attention this video that has been floating around YouTube of her deceased husband in what she and others consider a less than flattering light singing and dancing in the roles of various other musicians like Bon Jovi and Public Enemy.
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Posted in: Activision · Editorial · Editorial and Opinion · Games · Music · Video Games
Tagged: Activision, Courtney Love, Editorial, Foo Fighters, Guitar Hero 5, Kurt Cobain, Nirvana
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by Cortney Zamm, Sep 11 2009 // 7:00 AM
Looks like the fans aren’t the only one pissed about Kurt Cobain’s likeness being used for an avatar in Guitar Hero 5. Cobain’s widow, Courtney Love is pretty mad too. But she signed the contract allowing it, according to Kotaku.
Activision told Kotaku, “Guitar Hero secured the necessary licensing rights from the Cobain estate in a written agreement signed by Courtney Love to use Kurt Cobain’s likeness as a fully playable character in Guitar Hero 5.”
The issues started late Wednesday night when Love posted this on her Twitter:
“For the record this Guitar Hero shit is breach of contract on a Bullys part and there will be a proper addressing of this and retraction… WE are going to sue the shit out of ACtivision we being the Trust the Estate the LLC the various LLCs Cobain Enterprises.”
She later admitted that while she had seen an avatar of Cobain during the development stages, she asked to see a “better one”, and had never agreed to let her dead husband’s likeness into the game. Regardless of the merits of Love’s claim, Guitar Hero 5 came out earlier this month, and includes Cobain performing songs by both Bon Jovi and Flavor Flav, further sullying the memory of this revolutionary rock star.
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Posted in: Activision · Games · Video Games
Tagged: Courtney Love, Guitar Hero 5, Kurt Cobain, Legal
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