No Doubt, led by singer Gwen Stefani, has filed a suit in L.A. County Superior Court claiming that Activision has “transformed No Doubt band members into a virtual karaoke circus act,” TMZ.com reported today.
The band’s complaint stems from their inclusion in Band Hero, the latest entry of Activision into the land of fake, plastic instruments.
According the the lawsuit, the band agreed to allow their digital likenesses to appear in the game for their own songs and no others. The band has stated that Activision’s game lets players use the band to “sing, dance and perform over sixty songs.”
Gwen Stefani seems particularly upset that one of those sixty songs includes the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Woman,” which happens to be about “having sex with prostitutes.” Stefani believes this will negatively affect her image. No Doubt is seeking an injunction that prohibits “the unauthorized use of the No Doubt’s name and likeness’ in the game” as well as “an undetermined amount of damages.”
The case comes hot on the heels of Kurt Cobain’s former Nirvana bandmates and widow, Courtney Love voicing their disappointment at players’ ability to use Cobain to perform any song by any artist in the most recent Guitar Hero game.
Activision seems to be missing the point, since creating your own character and band in Rock Band is way more fun and engrossing than using puppet-rigged characatures of your favorite (or least favorite) artists to play someone else’s songs.
