No Doubt suing Activision for Band Hero 'circus act' appearance

by Xav de Matos { Nov 4th 2009 at 4:40PM }

The multi-platinum rock band No Doubt has filed a lawsuit against Activision in a L.A. County Superior Court claiming its likeness was "transformed" into a "virtual karaoke circus act" in over sixty songs in the recently released music title, Band Hero. According to TMZ, No Doubt claims gamers were only supposed to be able to use their likeness with three of its own tracks; however, the band is available as playable characters through the game's entire music catalog.

Of particular note is lead singer Gwen Stefani's displeasure that her likeness can be used to sing "Honky Tonk Woman" by the Rolling Stones -- a song which references sex with prostitutes -- using a male voice and mannerisms. For its "circus act" inclusion, No Doubt is seeking an injunction to halt the "unauthorized use" of the band's name and likeness, as well as an unknown amount of damages (aka mad monies). Seems like Activision can't keep rock stars happy, dead or alive.

[Via TeamXbox]

Tags: activision, band-hero, budcat-creations, gwen-stefani, lawsuit, neversoft, no-doubt, vicarious-visions

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Flo @ Nov 4th 2009 4:42PM

I love No Doubt

Zampano @ Nov 4th 2009 4:53PM

I do not.

DaRabidDuckie @ Nov 4th 2009 5:01PM

I do now.

TachiFoxy @ Nov 4th 2009 6:02PM

Agreed.

Troy Powers (PSN: TroyPowers) @ Nov 4th 2009 6:45PM

I downloaded the greatest hits album for Rock Band.

And I'd do it again!

And, yes, I rock out singing "Just A Girl."

ZeroCorpse @ Nov 7th 2009 12:25PM

Oh, so when Courtney Love makes the same basic claims, everyone calls her greedy and crazy, but when Gwen "baby voice" Stefani does it, you're all on her side?

Hypocrites, much?

Shagittarius @ Nov 4th 2009 4:43PM

I think that her likeness performing a Mic Jagger song would be the best thing that ever happened to a no talent piece of ass like Gwen Steffani.

Shagittarius @ Nov 4th 2009 5:32PM

How come most gamers have such terrible taste in music? Have the game sound tracks rotted their brains?

Enosoma @ Nov 4th 2009 5:44PM

Pantera?

Hafkie @ Nov 4th 2009 5:45PM

Hey now, I agree with you, but having her sing a song from the Rolling Stones would tarnish their reputation, and that can't happen.

If anything, the Rolling Stones should be suing.

T @ Nov 4th 2009 6:17PM

Yeah! Who cares if Activision is going around willfully breaking contracts....No Doubt sucks!

Thank god your taste in music doesn't impact US law.

maveric101 @ Nov 4th 2009 11:35PM

what? game contracts can be good... like Halo's.

The Dark Wayne [Planeteer: Power of the Batusi] @ Nov 4th 2009 4:43PM

isn't that what Gwen Stefani does anyway?

charlie b. @ Nov 4th 2009 5:34PM

ZING!

Ulquiorra Cifer @ Nov 4th 2009 4:44PM

No Doubt should change their name to,
Gwen Stefani and Rejects,
cuz I aint no Hollaback Girls

mean2u @ Nov 4th 2009 10:12PM

LOL!

ballistic3188 @ Nov 4th 2009 4:46PM

if she signed the same sheet of paper that courtney love did. I think you pretty much lost this one.

Ghen @ Nov 5th 2009 6:12PM

Something makes me think that Gwen is just a tad smarter than Courtney and probably has a case here.

fadeoutagain2784 @ Nov 4th 2009 4:46PM

Now I must see a video of gameplay with Gwen Stefani singing Honky Tonk Woman - that just makes me laugh inside.

Hafkie @ Nov 4th 2009 5:11PM

Actually, Band Hero doesn't let you use female singers for male songs. So her complaint is actually impossible.

fadeoutagain2784 @ Nov 4th 2009 6:07PM

That's extremely disappointing to me if it's true. :-(

Hafkie @ Nov 4th 2009 6:14PM

Yeah, it's true. I don't like it, but I guess it pleases some people. I honestly find it funny when I am playing a setlist in RB or GH and my male singer has to sing a song from a female vocalist. Screw realism, I'm having a good time.

kentuckyfried @ Nov 4th 2009 7:03PM

Temidien @ Nov 4th 2009 4:46PM

Wait, so her concerts and videos aren't circus acts already?

Punkrawk Bbob @ Nov 4th 2009 4:46PM

Guess Courtney might not be as crazy as we all thought, eh?

Zampano @ Nov 4th 2009 4:57PM

Oh no, Courtney is just as crazy as we all thought, if not crazier. She's also a pathetic attention-whore. Hence, her frivolous lawsuit. It's actually kind of fitting that Gwen Stefani now has an identical case, 'cause she's one of the few people on this planet who gets on my nerves as much as Courtney Love. Maybe Kanye will sue Activision next, and make it a douchebags-wasting-legal-manhours trifecta!

Mika101 @ Nov 4th 2009 4:48PM

any body who keeps supporting guitar hero is pretty dumb. Nobody wants to play as actual artists. The point is to have a nobody and rank them up to a somebody.

Flo @ Nov 4th 2009 4:51PM

I like playing as my custom character in Rockband2 rather than the actual artist also.

Martin @ Nov 4th 2009 4:57PM

Agreed for the most part, though on GH:M I do drum as Lars.

docalien @ Nov 4th 2009 5:02PM

If you didn't drum as Lars in GH:M, Metallica would probably sue you.

WiredKnight: Keeper of Threads @ Nov 4th 2009 5:52PM

It makes me wonder why Tom Morello or Slash never had any issues with it.

aristokrat @ Nov 4th 2009 6:23PM

Morello and Slash didn't sing.

Rodrigo @ Nov 4th 2009 8:21PM

The only problem is singing with other people voices...

playing instruments in any other music never makes you look ridiculous!

Kev (XBL: ksiddique) @ Nov 5th 2009 12:44AM

I like playing as my Avatar in Guitar Hero 5 rather than the actual artist also.

Dodsfall @ Nov 4th 2009 4:49PM

I wonder what the contract says about where the images can be used in the game. If they were paid for the use of their likeness and it doesn't specify where or how often, I think No Doubt, without a doubt, is out of luck.

aristokrat @ Nov 4th 2009 6:29PM

This thread is full of hate on Gwen Stefani, but this emerging trend of people claiming that their likenesses were used in ways that don't jive with the contracts starts pointing the finger at Activision. I was all too happy to rag on Love last time, but the more prevalent this becomes, maybe it's actually a big case of contract violation.

And come on guys, you don't think Kotick would do something sleazy like this? He has a record of fondness for exploitation, so why is this so unbelievable? I bet he thought these "dumbass" artists would never find out about what he was doing and he thought he could get away with because he thought it was a feature "dumbass" gamers wanted. He thinks he's the smartest guy in the room, but it's all going to come crashing down eventually.

aristokrat @ Nov 4th 2009 6:32PM

And to clarify my point, it's also possible that Activision misrepresented the case to the artists. Perhaps their reps told the artists directly that one thing would happen, drew up a contract stating another thing, and the artists' lawyers didn't know there was a difference between what the artist had agreed verbally to and what was now in print.