sailaway Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) Link to documents PDFUniversal Music Group is owned by Vivendi,the parent company who also bought Activision in a merger that created Activision/Blizzard in 2007. Activision/ Blizzard are also the makers of Guitar Hero III, which in breech of agreement/features Slash.UMG/ Activision knows full well that recorded music is now in a seemingly irreversable decline,and it has actually led to so-called "360 deals" by signing bands in which the label gets a cut of everything,be it ringtones,itunes,merchandise,concert tickets etc.The court date is set for January 23rd this month.More info below to bring everyone up to date.Guns N' Roses lead vocalist Axl Rose has filed a $20 million lawsuit against Activision for the company's unauthorized use of the song "Welcome to the Jungle" in association with former band member Saul"Slash" Hudson.In court documents filed in Los Angeles and obtained by Radar Online [PDF], Rose accuses Activision of using Slash and his new band Velvet Revolver in the game alongside "Welcome to the Jungle," despite Rose's objections over this juxtaposition and repeated promises from Activision that Slash and Velvet Revolver would not be included in the game."[Activision] began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and [Velvet Revolver] prominently in GHIII, but also promote the game by emphasizing and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N' Roses and the band's song 'Welcome to the Jungle,'" the court documents read.The documents lay out a timeline of e-mails and personal assurances issued by Activision that Slash and Velvet Revolver would not be featured in the game.At one point, Activision Executive VP of Music Affairs Tim Riley allegedly addressed online rumors of Slash's inclusion in the game by telling a licensing representative, "Come on... you can't believe everything you read on the internet."Rose alleges that Activision continued to misrepresent its use of Slash's image and Velvet Revolver songs in Guitar Hero III through to the game's October 2007 release.Rose also alleges that Activision's use of Slash's distinctive, top-hatted image in promotion of the game -- including a prominent appearance on the box art --was in violation of Rose's licensing terms.After the game's release, Activision allegedly offered Rose a Guitar Hero game based around Guns N' Roses album "Chinese Democracy" to make up for the deception, which Riley allegedly apologized for, saying he "can't sleep at night" in a 2010 meeting with Rose.Rose is seeking access to Activision's "wrongfully acquired profits ... in excess of twenty million dollars." Activision representatives were not immediately available for comment on the case as of this writing. Edited January 7, 2012 by sailaway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seely Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Should prove interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlsalinger Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Makes you wonder what the album sales would have been with a Rolling Stone interview, couple of videos and a Chinese Democracy themed Guitar Hero game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner927 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Damn a Chinese Democracy Guitar Hero would've been awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daedalus Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 One of the most ridiculous lawsuits I've ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailaway Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 Makes you wonder what the album sales would have been with a Rolling Stone interview, couple of videos and a Chinese Democracy themed Guitar Hero game.Exactly,it also sheds some light on the key to the Lack of Promotion that was promised,but not delivered and the animosity toward UMG.And,this isn't the only proof of the scumwankery afoot in the music industry ie:Warner Bros CEO Edgar Bronfman says the amount Warner recieves from licensing songs to Rock Band and Guitar Hero is paltry,Mr.CEO also states that they want more money or they won't be licensing any more songs. In response Rock Band,whose publisher is MTV Games are now boycotting Warner Artists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewbacca Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Never liked that GH game, doesn't feel like a game and it certainly doesn't have the same feel of a real guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sailaway Posted January 7, 2012 Author Share Posted January 7, 2012 One of the most ridiculous lawsuits I've ever seen.If it were Frivolous,it would have been dismissed and not assigned a Court Date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGS Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 If im not wrong, u can play the entire CD album in RockBand :xmasssanta: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkAboutYou Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I could understand Axl feeling lied to by Activision but still you can't hide that slash was involved with Welcome To The Jungle. I think 95% of artists would of just been grateful to be featured in the game and receiving the royalty checks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kill Devil Hill Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I think what it was was that Axl wasn't pissed because it was Slash. It was just that he didn't want any member past or present to be featured in the game, because a former member would b disrespectful to the current band and a current member would be disrespectful to the old band. Am I right or did I misinterpret it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNR123GNR456 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I think what it was was that Axl wasn't pissed because it was Slash. It was just that he didn't want any member past or present to be featured in the game, because a former member would b disrespectful to the current band and a current member would be disrespectful to the old band. Am I right or did I misinterpret it?I think your right. I don't think it's the fact that it's Slash playing and being associated with the song that is the problem, I just think Axl didn't want Slash to associated with the song because he's no longer in Guns N' Roses and it was be disrespectful to the new band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlsalinger Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I just think it was misguided. Slash is a "guitar hero" for all intents and purposes, and he did play on jungle. Does appear they were lied to by Activision, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNR123GNR456 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 (edited) I just think it was misguided. Slash is a "guitar hero" for all intents and purposes, and he did play on jungle. Does appear they were lied to by Activision, though.That's what the lawsuit is about. Not because Slash is playing on Jungle, but because Axl was told numerous times that Slash wasn't going to be associated with the song, but he was. Even though Slash did play in Jungle, and was a part of Guns N' Roses, Axl wanted to make sure people didn't make the mistake of thinking Slash is still associate with GN'R, because he's not. Edited January 7, 2012 by GNR123GNR456 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Axl Rose aka God Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Yeah, Axl let Rock Band 2 have the entire album for their game...you can play Chinese Democracy as a whole on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axlsalinger Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 I just think it was misguided. Slash is a "guitar hero" for all intents and purposes, and he did play on jungle. Does appear they were lied to by Activision, though.That's what the lawsuit is about. Not because Slash is playing on Jungle, but because Axl was told numerous times that Slash wasn't going to be associated with the song, but he was. Even though Slash did play in Jungle, and was a part of Guns N' Roses, Axl wanted to make sure people didn't make the mistake of thinking Slash is still associate with GN'R, because he's not.I get that. I just don't really agree with it. Plus they seem to have had a problem using Slash to market the game itself, which is really none of their concern. Jungle was in the game, amd Slash was the guitar player on that song. Of course he's associated with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest RonMexico82 Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Ridiculous lawsuit that only serves to make Axl look like a complete cock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolRanchDressing Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Despite the fact that I would desperately crave a Chinese Democracy Guitar Hero, it's probably for the best that this never came out because the musicianship on display on that album would be impossible for anyone to play at home, except for Fred Savage-esque video game savants. I could see Chinese Democracy developing a negative backlash because it's technically too good for people to enjoy in that way.Although I think it would be hilarious to see a video of Slash trying to play the TWAT solo and failing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGS Posted January 7, 2012 Share Posted January 7, 2012 Despite the fact that I would desperately crave a Chinese Democracy Guitar Hero, it's probably for the best that this never came out because the musicianship on display on that album would be impossible for anyone to play at home, except for Fred Savage-esque video game savants. I could see Chinese Democracy developing a negative backlash because it's technically too good for people to enjoy in that way.Although I think it would be hilarious to see a video of Slash trying to play the TWAT solo and failing.its already in rock band :xmassrudolph: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThinkAboutYou Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I think the huge exposure Slash received from the game really rubbed Axl the wrong wayThe game really helped Slash's career and introduced Slash to millions more potential fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KiraMPD Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I think the huge exposure Slash received from the game really rubbed Axl the wrong wayThe game really helped Slash's career and introduced Slash to millions more potential fans..........true. Now that I think about it Slash's image as a "Guitar God" really took off after that game came out. VR helped a little too, but after GH everyone and their moms started viewing Slash as the epitome of guitar. Then of course the Gibson promotions also drove that point into the public.If I was Axl I'd be a little annoyed/pissed/jealous too... Lol, suddenly remembered something Axl said as Tommy "Nightmare" Smith on GTA; "Look, there's a lotta people that make a living off my name; the owner of this radio station, the Gloryhole theme-park, the President!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoolRanchDressing Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 (edited) It just sucks that he bails on GNR, then continues to make his living off it. Rights to music he recorded is one thing... but going around promoting yourself as "Mr. Guns N' Roses Guitar God" is misleading, and only serves to make it harder for Axl to continue making new Guns N' Roses music. It just keeps that association alive.But that's just my opinion, and I undestand that. What's indisputable is how those assholes at the Guitar Hero lied to him and abused his trust so they could also make money off Guns N' Roses and Slash and the popular misconception that the two are still related. The fact that the head of the company admits to losing sleep over it, and probably shedding a tear or to over the betrayal speaks volumes as to his guilt. To me, putting Slash on a GNR product is like putting George Clooney on a poster for The Dark Knight because you want Clooney fans to buy a ticket. Edited January 8, 2012 by CoolRanchDressing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FuddMckagan Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I am actually glad that he is doing this because I think if they could put Slash in the game why couldn't they put Axl in the game...Because it's called Guitar Hero, not Vocal Hero. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young_Gun Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 Could this be why the tour ended in December?? To make way for the court case? 20 million is fucken big money, even if they settle for 8 million it would still be fruitful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blake-a-mania Posted January 8, 2012 Share Posted January 8, 2012 I am actually glad that he is doing this because I think if they could put Slash in the game why couldn't they put Axl in the game...Because it's called Guitar Hero, not Vocal Hero.Ozzy Osbourne was in it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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