11 September 2009
Newsdesk
DAVE GROHL has slammed the makers of a computer game that features Kurt Cobain.
Grohl and his fellow former Nirvana bandmate Krist Novoselic hit out at game giant Activision after they created a Cobain character for Guitar Hero 5, which was released last week.
The late Cobain's creation can be used to play two Nirvana songs, as well as a range of 85 tracks by other artists - a move which has left Grohl and Novoselic "dismayed and very disappointed".
They said they "didn't know" Cobain's character could be used to play any kind of song the user wants.
A joint statement from the pair reads, "While we were aware of Kurt's image being used with two Nirvana songs, we didn't know players have the ability to unlock the character.
"This feature allows the character to be used with any kind of song the player wants. We urge Activision to do the right thing in 're-locking' Kurt's character so that this won't continue in the future."
The gamemakers said permission had been granted by Cobain's estate and that his widow had provided written permission for the singer's likeness to be a fully playable character in the fifth game of the series.
But Love insisted she hadn't approved this and has now threatened bosses at Activision with a lawsuit.
She wrote on her Twitter.com page: "For the record this Guitar Hero s**t is breach of contract on a Bullys (sic) part and there will be a proper addressing of this and retraction.
"We are going to sue the s**t out of Activision we being the Trust the Estate the LLC the various LLCs Cobain Enterprises", before adding, "there's been four breaches of a very strict contract".
