I call marketing stunt. This way at least somebody is talking about Band Hero and No Doubt.

Also I can't wait for people to complain about themselves in Lego Rock Band.

I'm pretty sure No Doubt signed a contract. If they didn't read the fine print on it then that's their fault.

If you sign on to something, then maybe you should know what you're getting into first. Some people are so retarded that it hurts. Didn't they learn anything from the whole Kurt Cobain thing?

I'm behind them on this. They need to stop pulling this shit. Allowing people to play as artists is all GH has right now. It's gimmicky garbage. I don't blame people for not liking it.

@Xhumation:
"I'm pretty sure No Doubt signed a contract. If they didn't read the fine print on it then that's their fault."

@Xzyliac
"I agree people should have some measure over their likenesses but when you willing sign off without reading the fine print...whatcha gonna do? "

Really?

Are you guys honestly so naive as to believe that there isn't an army of lawyers on both sides analyzing the "fine print" of any contracts related to marketing and intellectual properties?

The problem seems that what may be written in the "fine print" - and what the developers actually did might be two different things. That's why there is a lawsuit.

From the original article:
"In a suit filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, the band alleges that Santa Monica-based Activision, the maker of the game, has far exceeded the contractually approved use of likenesses, or avatars, of band members Gwen Stefani, Tony Kanal, Tom Dumont and Adrian Young."

and, "No Doubt’s contract with Activision allowed the company to use the band’s music and likenesses in no more than three of the band’s own songs, the suit states."

@BattyAdroit
Lawyers, even armies of them, screw up all the time. Especially in contracts.

Regardless of what No Doubt claims who's to say they didn't just screw up? The contract also could've had convoluted wording thus giving Acti the upper hand.

I'm just saying musicians aren't very good at knowing what they're signing off in contracts. I don't know why but they just aren't.

What is this bullshit with these retard musicians not wanting their likenesses to play other types of music? Do they think that they're too good to play certain types of music.

I swear, everytime I hear about any musician saying or doing anything outside of their music career, I get the impression that they're a total fucking moron.

But I've always want to see videos of No Doubt performing Gwar!

I really hope they sue Activision for it. And win. I hate the idea of Band Hero.

@Xzyliac
"Anyways again musicians sign shit and regret it all the fucking time. Seriously ALL THE TIME. Why? I dunno! Seriously I wish I had better reasoning and could give you a nice long and thought out rebuttal but all I'm saying is more often than not the artist is at fault here. "

What on earth can you possibly be basing this on? Also, assuming this were somehow magically true, does this automatically make this lawsuit less legitimate?

I can see it now:

The Judge: "Well, since all of these other musicians aren't very good at reading contracts and often have 'buyer's remorse' about what they've signed, we're just going to have to assume that No Doubt is automatically at fault here. The Court going to be forced to throw out yet another trivial lawsuit, regardless of the arguments!"

"...Furthermore, tt doesn't matter that they've been a high-profile band for over two decades or that they have been dealing with licensing issues for longer than most of the readership of Destructoid has been alive, they're not cool and smart like Activision (who are publishing Modern Warfare 2!!!) and therefore, we have no doubt that they're completely incapable of protecting their image, music or personal interests. So, NEXT CASE!!"

Maybe oodles of cash won't always buy you intelligence, but I do know that it can buy you people who don't overly-simplify complex issues! ;)

They're worried about their image, that's fair. But who in the hell is going to try and trash an artists reputation based on something in a video game?

Yeah, No Doubt sucks and Gwen Stefani is a lizard whore from Mars, because they're all in Band Hero. There, I said it.

@Laurence Silva
Since I'm already being way too talkative I'll keep talking.

A)Tool wasn't in GH. Just their songs and some stupid shit venue.
B) Someone did have a problem with Hendrix. I don't believe it was their estate exactly but some individual who had their hand in the license. Anyway the lawsuit died farely quickly and quietly as they all have except for Courtney Love because she has a fat mouth and everyone pays attention to her for whatever reason and now this one because Courtney Love brought this to people's attention.

So either things are getting really shady or this is just news fodder. Both are likely. However again this isn't THAT new. It's just previous attempts died quickly so I'm assuming Acti payed them off real nicely real quickly right up until Courtney Love came along and probably didn't take the bait OR Acti has evil wording.

Either way I'm saying what they did is right entirely. Just, well, legally it may have been.

If No Doubt had any doubts, they shouldve just said "no" to using their likeness on avatars.

@Niero

Holy. Shit. I can't wait until they take Britney Spears without permit.

I think Activision screwed up here and are going to have to settle.

Also, @Prof. Pew
When Qui-Gon signed his contract he didn't foresee Lucas' ability to rape and misuse characters.

Oh, for the love of bad singing, this is silly.

Did any of these musicians (I use that term lightly in No Doubt's case) actually read the contracts? They sure didn't seem to mind signing away for money and publicity. Now play dumb and say Activision took advantage, but really they didn't take advantage if it's in the contract because it's your responsibility to read a contract before signing it (tht's why they exist), and score even more publicity and possible even more money while making teenyboppers think you have so much integrity.

I was fully behind the Kurt Cobain thing. That really did feel like the raping of a dead man when you think how he was and to see his digital self singing, well, No Doubt songs.
If he had come back from the dead, that right there would have made him eat another shotgun shell all over again.
But No Doubt? They're as inconsequential a pop band as there is. People like them and Blink 182, there is absolutely nothing wrong with using in different songs. They were borderline cartoon characters to begin with.

And now they might get to look like they're singing well written songs.

I hope Activision gets it in the butt. S'all I'm saying.

I hate activision so much! there greety pigs,hope no doubt wins and hits activision for alot of money.

no doubt should be happy that people want to use their likenesses for anything

Reading this makes me want to create Gwen Stefani in WWE 2010 just for shits and giggles. And then have her hit by a car (in the game, of course).