The Inquisitr » gwen stefani

No Doubt suing Activision over ‘Band Hero’ appearance

Chris Greenhough — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:07:09 +0000

Californian band No Doubt appears in Band Hero, the latest entry in Activision’s long line of Hero videogames. However, all is not well in the land of licensed music videogame spin-offs.

TMZ reports that band members are unhappy about how their in-game avatars can be used to “sing, dance, and perform” any of the sixty songs in the game, only three of which are by No Doubt themselves. This, claims a lawsuit filed by the band against Activision, “transformed No Doubt band members into a virtual karaoke circus act.”

A particular sore point for the band is the fact that Gwen Stefani’s digital avatar can be used to sing about “having sex with prostitutes” in “Honky Tonk Woman” by the Rolling Stones … in a male voice. That said, Activision seems ready to fight its corner on this, according to a statement it just released:

“Activision has a written agreement to use No Doubt in Band Hero – an agreement signed by No Doubt after extensive negotiations with its representatives, who collectively have decades of experience in the entertainment industry [...] Activision believes it is within its legal rights with respect to the use and portrayal of the band members in the game and that this lawsuit is without merit.”

If you’re sat there thinking, “This totally reminds me of a very similar, recent story,” you may be thinking of Courtney Love’s promise to “sue the shit” out of Activision for its (admittedly tactless) use of Kurt Cobain’s image in Guitar Hero 5.

Personally I don’t get these claims made by artists. I mean, as if anybody actually looks at what’s going on in the background when playing these things. Seriously, I’m so bloody focused on those scrolling bars of colored dots during gameplay that there could be four pieces of human-sized broccoli playing the instruments and I’d be none the wiser.

[Via TMZ]

Gwen Stefani does Elle, and her biggest fan is still Gwen Stefani

Kim LaCapria — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 20:51:26 +0000

Self-satisfied cry-rocker Gwen Stefani spoke at length to Elle magazine about her favorite subject in the world- Gwen Stefani.

In the July issue of the US women’s mag, Stefani aims to clear up rumors that her No Doubt bandmates are newly-jealous of her. No, no- they were always jealous of her. Stefani modestly opines:

“Everybody’s making it like there’s all this new tension, you know, like I stepped away from the band and now they’re jealous of me. And look, maybe there is a little bit of that.”

Stefani goes on to talk about the challenges of balancing motherhood and her career, no doubt newsworthy to the scores of working mothers across the country. Go on, Gwen, tell us what it’s like- we’re rapt!

“I wasn’t even married. Now I’m a wife and a mother of two. It’s a really different role. I always referred to No Doubt as a marriage, because that’s what it’s like to be together for so long and go through what we’ve been through. I can’t really have that relationship with them anymore. My priorities are always going to be my husband and my family now. That’s a huge, huge thing.”

I bet no one else in the band has families or lives to deal with!

Stefani also slanders her fellow pop-songstresses, cheerfully dismissing any work her peers might put into their careers and music. On her solo projects, Gwen chirps:

“I just did the circuit. You write with all the same people Christina Aguilera writes with. And the music’s very programmed and done in this very patchwork way. But it was so fun. I felt like I was playing a character.”

Christina Aguilera! That’s hilarious!

Gwen wrapped up with a peek into her inner turmoil. On future projects, she wisely states:

“I just feel very in between at the moment. Like in my cocoon waiting to blossom. I’m so screwed. I might never be able to write another song… I want so badly to write a record. I want to make every other songwriter jealous. But it’s just not happening right now.”

Congrats to Gwen and Gavin. . . Baby No. 2 is Here

Meieli Sawyer — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 23:15:08 +0000

Gavin Rossdale and Gwen Stefani have a new addition to the family– a little boy named (get ready for it) Zuma Nesta Rock, who was born today at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. G & G wanted the baby to be a surprise (since they were “put[ting] him a black room anyway“), and here he is, their little “goth baby.” Congrats.

Am I the only one who’s slightly creeped out by an all-black baby room?