back to article Cobain band mates denounce dead rocker's Guitar Hero gig

Guitar Hero 5 has failed to hit the right note with the surviving members of grunge band Nirvana. Krist Novoselic and Dave Grohl – now the Foo Fighters' frontman – are reportedly “dismayed and very disappointed” that a digital Kurt Cobain can be used by gamers to play songs by other bands in the latest incarnation of …

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  1. davefb

    coz nirvana

    have never done cover versions of other peoples songs in gigs , oh no. ( checked gig lists, yes they have ;) )

    really makes you wonder about how much time is spent by these people on what they're signing away, when they decide to enrich themselves via the latest music craze..

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Boohoo

    What a bunch of whiners.

    They are of course assuming that anyone would actually want to play along to the sh1t they produced ??????

  3. Rob
    Grenade

    Hmmmm?

    I think that should read, alleged suicide.

    Grenade, cause I'd like to lob one at Courtney Love's.

  4. crypt
    Big Brother

    Dead Can Dance!

    sweet hell - Bill hicks is looking more and more like a prophetic- messiah these days

  5. EdwardP
    Flame

    While...

    ...I loved Nirvana's albums and was of course devastated when he topped himself, isn't this a bit much?

    Should we remove all of Lynard Skynard as well? Jimi Hendrix? John Lennon?

    People die, it shouldn't mean we have to walk on eggshells out of respect for them.

  6. elpumkinhed
    Grenade

    o pls

    Cobain gave up his `soul` the second he made it in the big leagues. His image and his music now belongs to us [the public]...

    If he `would have wanted it` any other way he should have kept his music to himself to begin with...

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Stop

    Loved Nirvana

    but seriously, if you are going to whore your dead husbands likeness around for cash then please read the small print Courtney!

    "Activision has since said that it secured the necessary licensing rights - signed by Love – to used Cobain’s likeness in Guitar Hero 5."

    Either that or Activision are lying (not entireley beyond the realms of possibility!)

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    You missed the best bit

    You can choose Cobain and you can play Bon Jovi's "You give love a bad name"

    Revenge from beyond the grave :-)

  9. Mark Rendle
    Headmaster

    The point

    @davefb: they had control over what they covered. And I doubt they ever did "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting".

    @EdwardP: they're not complaining about the use of Nirvana songs; they're complaining that the Cobain model is an unlockable bonus character.

  10. Fred 1

    Smells like...

    So, is this an example of the famous uncanny valley, where the avatar becomes more creepy the nearer to real it looks?

  11. Richard 102

    Isn't it possible

    ... that Ms. Love signed but doesn't recall signing? Hm, now how could that happen ...

  12. The Fuzzy Wotnot
    Flame

    What a waste of time!

    Could never see what the fuss was all about, show-gazing semi-punk band ( and Husker-Du rip off! ) gets mega-million sales playing watered-down punk-pap to dozy kids who've never heard decent music! Singer can't handle the pressure and decides to sort himself out. Aforementioned dozy kids turn him into some kind of martyr!

  13. Captain Save-a-ho
    FAIL

    Huge FAIL moment

    I'm sure Cobain gives less than a shit in his worm farm, but it's really only his bandmates and family that stand to be hurt. If they can't deal with his death after all this time, DON'T SIGN AWAY RIGHTS of any kind. His bandmates need to talk with his wife (ahem) before they fuss at Activision.

    Big, big FAIL...

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Unhappy

    Maybe they've got a point

    Cobain bopping along with "Smells Like Teen Spirit" etc sounds reasonable. Said ex-celeb's avatar bopping to Elton John "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting" (also on GH5) is not reasonable.

    In which case I really can't see why Activision etc would object - other than the extra work involved - to fixing along the lines that the article suggests that the ex-Nirvana-ites suggest. Not bothered either way about CL's objections - if she got paid for the rights, then surely it's churlish to come complaining when the payee uses those rights.

    Personally, I'm not a Nirvana fan anyway - so if they removed the digital Kurt from GH5, then I wouldn't feel cheated.

  15. Linbox
    FAIL

    @Michael2

    Whilst you might have a point calling the bass player 'wossiname', I think you'll find the saintly tub-thumping Mr.D. Grohl has gone on to be one of the most successful musicians of his generation.

    You spazz.

  16. jai

    pffft

    the only good Nirvana song is the Wierd Al Yankovic version, Smells Like Nirvana

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Bon Jovi

    >You can choose Cobain and you can play Bon Jovi's "You give love a bad name"

    'Dead or Alive' would have been funnier....

  18. davefb

    sulkers

    they also would have had control over the app, if they didn't want to be in it, then they shouldnt have taken the money.

    for the early versions of the apps, it seems obvious that only a few were okay with this, so it does seem that people aren't realising what goes on.

    I also find it staggering that they claim they didn't know, I've worked on a similar product, the stuff you can't do is mind boggling , if they were concerned, they should voice the concerns.

    as for 'they wouldnt cover' , well they seem to have played Cars , Boston songs and even 'seasons in the sun' , so frankly , elton john or bon jovi can hardly be any less 'cool'!

  19. MonkeyBot

    I'm not surprised

    If my income was based on having been married to a dead rockstar, I'd be pissed at not getting a cut too.

  20. windywoo
    Paris Hilton

    I'm with the band on this.

    Nirvana were never comfortable being mainstream, thats half the reason he topped himself. Grunge was never about making loads of money and playing to as many people as possible. For the game makers to take Cobain's image and make him sing along to such tack as "Living on a Prayer" cheapens the message that Grunge was intended to purvey.

    Of course there is no escaping the bullshit these days of record companies putting out ever more similar bands, marketing even when you're taking a piss and sponsorship for the weather.

    Paris because she is an icon for the modern generation. She doesn't have any real skills or talents and is most famous for screwing on camera.

  21. Edward Noad
    WTF?

    So unlocking Cobain...

    ...and playing weird songs in GH5 is wrong, because he's dead. But unlocking Slash and Tom Morello in GH3 and playing weird songs is fine, because they're alive to still have the piss taken out of them for that strange image on your screen?

    Err...

  22. Fred 3
    Jobs Horns

    Title goes here, aparently!

    Im saddened to hear about this... Kurt Cobain was a great inspiration to me.

    Shame to the record labels!!!! hope they go bust and leave music to the people that appreciate and love the stuff!!!!!!

  23. Suburban Inmate
    Thumb Up

    this is off-topic as in not rock, but relevant because...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SaFTm2bcac

    THAT is why music and beats "should"all & be shared.

    Real thinking: bar the thoughtcrime. Goodnight everyone!. I';m off to eat some blah-timing!

    The "Amen Beat" and all that!. -OR- The amen BREAK... FTF... ForTheFail!

    Yeah. FAIL!!!

    Or TehWIN... reallyhard to tell now! blah me nothing

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @windywoo

    Never comfortable apart from taking the wads of cash.

    Hypocrites.

    Don't blame the record companies - blame the whiners that sold out.

    How do you know why he shot himself? Did you discuss it with him right before he redecorated using the contents of his cranial cavity.

    According to his suicide note, he had lost the edge and that's why he killed himself - nothing to do with being guilt-ridden for selling out.

    He and the band could have easily said "No" but they didn't - they took the money and sold out big time.

  25. Dan Howarth
    IT Angle

    Are you all serious?

    Seriously.. it's a computer game. It's not that big of a deal.

    Ok, so they had a pseudo-Hendrix in GH3, and the "real" thing in World Tour... I can't see how Activision _wouldn't_ have got permission before putting out the thousandth title in their top-selling lineup.

    If that woman doesn''t like it, pull the game, take him out, don't pay her a bean. Simple. How does this change our lives? It doesn't.

    Still failing to see the IT angle. :)

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Coat

    Taking Kurt out of the game....

    ....would be fun if Activision provided a digital shotgun upgrade.....

    Seriously, if he was still alive, his band would have long been sidelined to a small mention of music history in the '90s.

    I'll get my coat.

  27. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Selling out

    Firstly, the members of the band are nothing to do with the estate of Kurt Cobain and have no say in the matter. That's all down to Courney Love, so they should be taking it up with her, not with Activision.

    Secondly, former members of Nirvana would never attempt to cash in on the past. That's why they're about to release another live album from the early 90s...

    Thirdly, to the posters who said things like "Grunge was never about making loads of money and playing to as many people as possible." Want to bet? Why do record companies sign bands - to make money, of course! One band by itself does not a movement make...

    I thought Nirvana were fairly rubbish Husker Du wannabes and I won't be buying the game either since I can already play real musical instruments...

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