An avatar model of Kurt Cobain has caused quite a stir these past few weeks, with the digital representation’s presence in Guitar Hero 5 setting off some serious controversy. Nowhere more rabid than Cobain’s ex Courtney Love, who filed a lawsuit against the game’s publisher for the deceased grunge rocker’s inclusion. Claiming it as a breach of contract, both the former drummer and bassist of Cobain’s band, Nirvana, have also expressed their displeasure. Activision-Blizzard can now add rock icon Jon Bon Jovi to the feathers ruffled, as the performer mentioned the suit in a recent interview with the BBC.
“I don’t know that I would have wanted it either. To hear someone else’s voice coming out of a cartoon version of me? I don’t know. It sounds a little forced.” the rocker was quoted as saying, going further to describe the failed proposal that could have had a similar version of himself appear in a Guitar Hero release, “I had the paperwork, they wanted me to be on that game and I just passed. But no-one 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.” Despite negating a more personal appearance, many of Jovi’s more iconic tracks (“You Gave Love (A Bad Name),” “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” among others) have appeared in music-rhythm games, the former appearing in the under-fire Guitar Hero 5.