Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has launched a $20m lawsuit against Activision, the makers of the Guitar Hero video games, according to NME.
He claims the company "spun a web of lies and deception" to persuade him to licence the Roses' tune 'Welcome to the Jungle' in Guitar Hero III.
The focus of his ire centres on Activision's alleged breach of a promise to exclude all references to the band's former guitarist Slash and his new band, Velvet Revolver, in the game.
In legal papers filed at Los Angeles Superior Court last Wednesday, Rose claims both Slash and Velvet Revolver feature prominently in Guitar Hero III.
He says that in early versions of the game a cartoon image of Slash, with his trademark top hat, sunglasses and nose piercing, appears on the game's cover. Moreover, the company also made three Velvet Revolver songs available as downloadable add-ons.
The writ reads that: "[Activision] began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and [Velvet Revolver] prominently in Guitar Hero III, but also promote the game by emphasising and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N' Roses and the band's song Welcome to the Jungle."
It also claims he's owed damages for the use of another Roses' classic, 'Sweet Child O' Mine' -- according to Rose, he only licenced the song for use in Guitar Hero II, but Activision also used it to heavily promote Guitar Hero III .
Rose's attorney, Skip Miller of Miller Barondess in Los Angeles, said: "This lawsuit is about protecting Guns N' Roses and 'Welcome to the Jungle' and is about holding Activision accountable for its misuse of these incredibly valuable assets."
Since its launch in October 2007, Guitar Hero III has become one of the highest-grossing video games of all time, raking in over $1bn in sales revenue for Activision.
Slash, meanwhile, left Gun N' Roses in 1996. He has yet to object, publicly at any rate, to his likeness being used on the game.
Links:
- Axl Rose sues Guitar Hero makers over animated Slash (Guardian)
- Copyright infringement (Findlaw.co.uk)
- Copyright law Q&A (Community)
- Find a solicitor (Contact Law)
