Bon Jovi turned down inclusion in Guitar Hero 5, supports Love

by Ben Gilbert { Sep 17th 2009 at 11:30AM }

Even though his songs have landed in music games far and wide, Jon Bon Jovi said in a recent interview that he turned down Activision's offer to be included as a playable character in Guitar Hero 5. "They [Activision] wanted me to be on that game and I just passed," Bon Jovi told the BBC. "To hear someone else's voice coming out of a cartoon version of me? I don't know," he added, siding with Kurt Cobain's widow Courtney Love, and others tied to the Nirvana estate, against the use of Cobain's likeness in GH5.

Bon Jovi explained that no one at Activision "even broached the subject with me that I would be singing other people's stuff ... I don't know how I would have reacted to that." In the meantime, Activision has retorted that Love did evidently sign a contract -- but according to Bon Jovi's statements, it appears as though she may have not reacted to the fine print.

Tags: activision, bbc, bon-jovi, business, courtney-love, guitar-hero, guitar-hero-5, jon-bon-jovi, kurt-cobain, music, rhythm

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Storm Eagle [Resident Capcom Megafan] @ Sep 17th 2009 11:33AM

Interesting...

D dogg @ Sep 17th 2009 11:46AM

I find it VERY interesting because it's not all about the money or fame. I can respect Bon Jovi's reasoning as a person.

BJ is Gooder @ Sep 17th 2009 12:06PM

I find it ridiculous -

@#$% off Bon Jovi and get over yourself.

Ghen @ Sep 17th 2009 12:09PM

If you lived anywhere near Philly or NJ you'd know that Bon Jovi is as awesome a person as any celebrity can be. Don't take his message the wrong way.

BJ is Gooder @ Sep 17th 2009 12:12PM

And if you lived anywhere else you'd realize he's kind of a douche.

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 17th 2009 12:12PM

Oh for fuck's sake people, it's fucking karaoke.

borland502 (SDF Macross) @ Sep 17th 2009 12:35PM

@"BJ is Gooder"

Care to explain? While I like Bon Jovi's music I can say I know much about the man's life or personality. He hasn't made the news in the way, say Kayne West has. So why do you think he such a dick?

I mean any star is likely to be a least a little egotistical.

JUNG GUNS @ Sep 17th 2009 3:00PM

Captain Planet finally hit the nail on the head.

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 17th 2009 4:12PM

Son, I always hit the nail on the head.

[nail = my penis]
[head = your mother's taint]

/hug

E.J. @ Sep 17th 2009 5:00PM

I love you Captain Plan.... uh, Dad?

Blind Io @ Sep 17th 2009 7:13PM

@Captain Planet
Good point...they should disable the ability to sing Nirvana's songs with your own voice. Seeing as how the average gamer's inability to sing will be translated as a slander on the good name of Cobain

Warlock @ Sep 17th 2009 11:34AM

I'm *really* curious what that contract actually said. From everything I'm reading, it doesn't seem like it was obvious that Activision was going to allow these characters to sing other artists' songs.

Sean @ Sep 17th 2009 11:36AM

She gave them frakking permission to use his likeness, they have the signed papers where she gave it. The only reason she's whining is because people called her out on it. I'm betting she got a pretty decent penny for it, too.

BoomWav @ Sep 17th 2009 12:24PM

Wow! You really watched too much battlestar galactica.

I agree.. they should stop frakking up and get the the frakking point. Otherwise, someone will get frakked. Anyway.. it's only karaoke.. frakkers.

+SAM+ @ Sep 17th 2009 11:39AM

It was all a ploy by Courtney Love and her new husband Bobby Kotick, to make a endless amount of money to fuel their greed as they plan the greatest wedding and prepare to pay for genetically engineered kids that live on money not blood.

+SAM+ @ Sep 17th 2009 11:41AM

@Sean

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Sep 17th 2009 11:43AM

Who cares about Courtney Love?
Who cares about Bon Jovi?
It's as if these two are coming together in an effort to grab some spotlight. Only a matter of time until they begin clawing at each other to get more attention.

JXCgunrunna @ Sep 17th 2009 11:47AM

well seeing as how he is a musician and would actually know how it would feel to have him singing other people's stuff, I feel he is a decent person to hear an opinion from. Unlike you AchNova who is not a musician and wouldnt understand and respect IP in that scene.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Sep 17th 2009 11:54AM

Who the hell is AchNova?
I love how you throw assumptions in my face as if you know of who I am.

I'm just saying, neither of these people have any merit over the situation. Courtney Love has proven time and time again that she will do anything for attention, and Bon Jovi has no real say in any of this because it has absolutely nothing to do with him. So your argument is "because hes a musician and stuff". Does that mean the next person to speak up will be the guy who wrote "Happy Birthday"?

Warlock @ Sep 17th 2009 12:02PM

He took it from your PSN name, he just missed a number or two in that mess of a username

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Sep 17th 2009 12:14PM

Why do you still come here SpyderTaco? You are consistently downvoted, meaning no one values or cares for your opinion. Maybe you'll have better luck on another forum, it's time to move on from here.

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Sep 17th 2009 12:38PM

Actually if you look at my history there is a fair amount of people who are willing to upvote, dare I say even blue my posts. You just happened to have caught me in one of my (many?) disagreements.

Good try, though!

Heh @ Sep 17th 2009 1:05PM

"Actually if you look at my history there is a fair amount of people who are willing to upvote, dare I say even blue my posts."

For every upvote, you get 2 or 3 downvotes. Nice try. You usually get upvoted for something funny, but downvoted when you talk rationally. Makes me wonder, are you here to have a semi-serious conversation or are you here to throw a joke whenever you get the chance?

Also, I 100% agree with Bon Jovi. As a musician myself, I'd hate to have an in-game likelyness of myself sing something like Dragonforce and the etc.

CTC XBL-supapaypamawio PSN-ctclaw @ Sep 17th 2009 2:16PM

What was that SpyderTaco? Your post is too whited out to read.

joshua.nash @ Sep 17th 2009 11:45AM

i think that she should have never signed, even if she is a money grubbing whore, Curt's image should never be used in any game just cause i feel it cheaps his life and death

Michael T [Planeteer | Power of Mr. T] @ Sep 17th 2009 11:56AM

As does misspelling his name.

So, wait, the other dead rockers they've had in there aren't cheapened? Because I'd argue that Hendrix and Cash have far better musical legacies than Cobain does.

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 17th 2009 12:16PM

My thoughts exactly. You make me and the rest of the Planeteers proud Michael T.

XBL: xGeneral DEATHx PSN: Deeth82 [Planeteer | Power of General Hostility and Angst] @ Sep 17th 2009 12:22PM

Even *I* pity tha Nash...

Michael T [Planeteer | Power of Mr. T] @ Sep 17th 2009 12:22PM

I used my power to pity him because he's a fool.

joshua.nash @ Sep 17th 2009 2:16PM

to be truthful i don't really like his music, i just think that they really should not be using his, as for hendrix and cash's images being used in the games, i do agree that it cheapens their legacies and that they have way better music, also sorry for ticking of the planeteers i'll try to make sure my spelling is correct in the future, but you really should be a little nicer(especially Micheal T) cause right now all of you planteers are making Kotick look like the most saintliest man on the planet

Captain Planet [Planeteer | Power of Captain Planet] @ Sep 17th 2009 2:19PM

I knew I gave you that Power for a reason. Pity away!

Michael T [Planeteer | Power of Mr. T] @ Sep 17th 2009 3:07PM

Man, calm down. My rampant pedantry is really just all for show.

And when you have the power of Mr. T, fool-pitying is what you do. Though based on your logical, cogent response, I hereby rescind your "fool" status.

I'll try not let power go my head. Gaia would not approve.

Bobby Kotick @ Sep 17th 2009 8:02PM

We had to get her high off her ass to sign that contract.

uncle jesse @ Sep 17th 2009 11:50AM

Looks like Activision wanted anyone - dead or alive.

Sorry.

Hey Apples @ Sep 17th 2009 11:52AM

Well they are livin' on a prayer the way they've been running their own franchise into the ground.

Peter Moore @ Sep 17th 2009 12:01PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRFUv2rG244&feature=related

rTwelve @ Sep 17th 2009 11:51AM

...I don't like buckcherry

Stankonia @ Sep 17th 2009 11:53AM

It just depends on the person you're talking about. If they put, say, Elvis into the game, it would be seen as a tribute and celebration. But you put in someone like Kurt who was EXTREMELY vocal about his likes and dislikes, then you're doing a dishonor to his legacy.

Just like that damn Kurt Cobain action figure. Kurt probably would have hated it and he would have hated the people who bought it.

And yes, its all Love's fault... her dumb ass signed the contract. She has no qualms about selling Nirvana out, she just knows to take it slowly so too many people don't get on her case about it.