UPDATE: According to a statement from Activision, Courtney Love did give her consent to Kurt Cobain’s use in Guitar Hero 5. In a statement to Joystiq, the Activision rep stated, “Guitar Hero secured the necessary licensing rights from the Cobain estate in a written agreement signed by Courtney Love to use Kurt Cobain’s likeness as a fully playable character in Guitar Hero 5.”
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ORIGINAL ARTICLE: It was about 15 years ago when rock ‘n’ roll and a generation lost its icon. The band, Nirvana, was part of a movement set to evolve the flashy hair-bands of the ‘80s, and the front man, Kurt Cobain, encapsulated what it meant to be an anti-rock star. Then, in the flash of a shotgun, it was all over. The man who started a music revolution was dead; the band was done, and a bit of worldwide angst faded, revealing sorrow for a fallen legend.
One thing that hasn’t changed since Cobain’s death is his widow, Courtney Love. Her own brand of guitar-centered chick rock lasted about as long as her husband’s, but her career was cut short for lack of originality and ability. She was loud, outspoken, dazed, and overbearing in the early ‘90s, and the same can be said today. Love her or hate her, you have to admit she puts herself out for scrutiny, with nearly everything she does or says.
In her latest spewing of intellect, Love ‘voiced’ her outrage over Kurt Cobain’s appearance in Guitar Hero 5. It was recently announced that Cobain would be a playable character in the fifth installment of Guitar Hero, an addition many found disgusting, while others felt indifferent towards his inclusion. Cobain’s addition in GH5 feels creepy, we admit, but Love’s outrage gives us one thought: Courtney Love needs to shut up!
Love apparently posted on her Twitter account (via Perez Hilton) her true feelings towards Cobain’s inclusion in GH5. She wrote: “For the record this Guitar Hero shit is breach of contract on a Bullys part and there will be a proper addressing of this and retraction," She went on to write, “WE are going to sue the s**t out of ACtivision we being the Trust the Estate the LLC the various LLCs Cobain Enterprises.”
We at PSU ask you this: what is more disgusting, Cobain’s inclusion in GH5, Love’s outrage, or the fact she plans to ‘sue the shit’ out of Activision on behalf of the ‘various LLCs Cobain Enterprises?’ What feels the most upsetting is knowing that Love plans to sue through ‘Cobain Enterprises.’ The grunge king we grew up listening to would never brand himself intentionally, he may have had a fast one pulled on him, but he wouldn’t do that on purpose.
It’s hard to back Cobain’s addition to GH5, but we mostly feel indifferent. It will not be the end of the world to play as Cobain, and it will most likely not make anyone run out to purchase the title. Sooner or later his widow needs to keep her mouth shut. The world cares very little what you think. Although, the fact that her ‘Tweets’ inspired this editorial and news around the Web only helps with publicity for the Love brand, and Guitar Hero 5.