Axl is fail... Owning the rights to someone who isn't even in his band is just showing how brilliant the law is... On the other hand maybe if he learned to sing like he used to instead of believing he's still great might help his music sell.
Guitar Hero: Guns N' Roses promised to Axl Rose - Report
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Guns N' Roses frontman claims Activision offered him a dedicated game featuring music from 2008 Chinese Democracy album to resolve Guitar Hero III issues.
Axl Rose's 2010 $20 million lawsuit against Activision concerning rights issues stemming from 2007's Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock has taken a new twist. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reason Rose waited until 2010 to sue Activision over Guitar Hero III was because the publisher promised him a dedicated game as a means to settle and resolve the issues he had.
Rose claims Activision made this offer--as well as "other proposals" he says were worth "millions of dollars"--between December 2007 and November 2010. The project was to feature songs from Guns N' Roses' long-in-the-making Chinese Democracy album, which was released in 2008 to very mixed reviews.
The news came during proceedings in a Los Angeles courtroom on Tuesday as part of Rose's ongoing suit against the publisher. A judge tossed out Rose's fraud claim, but will allow his breach-of-contract claim to see trial. A trial is scheduled to begin on February 1, 2013.
Rose sued Activision in 2010 for its use of the virtual likeness of Saul Hudson (better known as the top-hat-donning axe legend Slash) in Guitar Hero III. Rose further alleges that Activision convinced him to lend "Welcome to the Jungle" to Guitar Hero III on the grounds that the game would not feature Slash's likeness or the guitarist's follow-up group, Velvet Revolver.
Slash was featured heavily in Guitar Hero III. He graced the game's cover and was a playable character in the game. Further, songs from Velvet Revolver ("She Builds Quick Machines," "Slither," and "Messages") were made available to gamers as downloadable content following the game's release.
Activision is also currently facing a suit from the Gwen Stefani-fronted rock band No Doubt. In that 2009 suit, the band claimed Activision had no contractual right to allow the group's in-game avatars to be used to perform other artists' songs. Additionally, the suit alleges Activision secretly hired actors to create dance movements that no band member had ever performed. No Doubt vs. Activision will go before a jury in Los Angeles Superior Court beginning October 15.
By
Eddie Makuch, News Editor
Eddie Makuch (Mack-ooh) is a News Editor at GameSpot. He works out of the company's Boston office in Somerville, Mass., and loves extra chunky peanut butter.
42 comments
Since music isn't selling like it used to. I guess artist are finding different ways to make money.
I can cope with thw Axl x Slash thing, but the No Doubt claim is pure stupidityness (is that even a word? :P). I mean, "OMG we are singing other songs and DANCING, IT'S TEH END OF TEH WROLD!" it's just.. lol
amazing how many jealous axl haters are posting. me myself and my brother look foward to this being made and you can hate all you want in the end he has the money and fame while haters live in there mothers basement playing hello kitty adventures hahaha.
1 Like Since when did we start throwing down GNR and defending Activision.
GNR was a great group and its songs will be played way after we all become irrelevant to the next generation of kids.
Activison broke the contract just like they did with No Doubt and they have to pay for it.
1 Like If they were to create a Gn'R GH game, I'd pray that anything but the songs from Chinese Democracy would be on there.
Gun's and Roses was great back in the 1980's. Chinese Democracy at least beat DukE Nukem Forever to market. Both were promised during the days of the Nintendo 64. Axl should not worry about Guitar Hero which has died out. Slash was my favorite and deserved to be in GH 3
1 Like Do you think Axl could be getting confused by Harmonix putting Chinese Democracy in it's entirety into the Rock Band franchise? I mean, Shackler's Revenge was on the RB2 disc, which released before the album was even released. I'm sure the deal to put Shackler's Revenge included the licensing of the rest of the Chinese Democracy album as DLC for the Rock Band franchise. I would be willing to bet that Axl just got Activision's deal confused with the Harmonix deal.
If the last GNR album was actually good, and Axl didn't sound washed up now, he may have actually had a case.
Both parties of people wanted such childish demands and its so petty. Some people obviously have nothing better to do!
3 Like Oh Axl, you never cease to amaze me with how much of a greedy, egotistical d**che you can be. No respect from the gaming community, and no more respect from the music community, and for good reason. GNR died when Slash left, and Axl probably knows that but is unwilling to admit it.
2 Like hang on, Activision are making $$$ off him by breaking contracts - a big no no, no matter who you are.
Wait a second, Rose actually owns the rights to a digital likeness of Slash? That and he calls himself alone to be Guns N' Roses? Axl is an a**hole
No, Rose doesn't own the rights to the digital likeness of Slash. He does own the licensing rights to Welcome to the Jungle which he released to Activision for use in Guitar Hero III under the provision that Activision would not include the likeness of Slash nor any of his songs from his other bands. It is Rose's claim that Activision breached this provision.
@HelIWithoutSin That makes a lot more sense haha. Still stand by that he's an a**hole though. Not supporting his former band-mates.
9 Like LOL, a Chinese Democracy Guitar Hero! I have a newfound respect for Activision for not following through on that one.
I actually feel bad for Activision right now. These law suits are ridiculous and dumb.
In the words of Ron White though "You can't fix stupid"
6 Like If Activision didn't kill Guitar Hero, a Chinese Democracy centric disc surly would have.
That album was balls.
1 Like Axl - a genius that has lost his mind. I love G'n'R, the only and the REAL one. The one that died in the 90's. The current one is some kind of half-baked gnr wannabe, what a pity. Axl would deserve a kick to his balls rather than this offer.
Anyway, I would never purchase a game based on Chinese Democracy and much less if it comes from Activision.
It is unfortunate that the franchise has fell from grace, but it is sad that part of it is due to legal disputes that have yet to be resolved.
Axl always seems like the d!ck of the party (every party has one show up!), but the common denominator in all this is Activision and the Guitar Hero franchise.
Landfills full of plastic guitars and band everywhere hating them.
I like how the music community and the gaming community treat Axl the same way. The man hasn't earned any respect in decades.
3 Like Wait, doesn't he know Slash doesn't exist? Wunterslaush Is a myth. Didn't Axel's dad dress up as Slash when he was a kid? Poor guy. He's still hanging on to part of his childhood.
1 Like Axl you got nothing to say.. GNR died when Slash left.. and became a shitty band.. Slash was the essence of GNR.. so suck it axl.. you're a terrible human being! (if want to know why watch the documentary - A year and a half in the life of Metallica - GNR did a shit thing with the live show.. mostly Axl's fault..dont got any respect for that man..)
9 Like Hey news flash Axl, GN'R died when Slash left. Chinese Democracy was a joke. Let it go brother and be glad you can still claim you were in a great band once.
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