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YouTube and Universal Music Group are remastering old music videos
YouTube is perhaps the single biggest public repository of music videos, but many are bit outdated, with visuals and audio designed for old TVs with single speakers, and others that could use a bit of an upgrade too. Many videos from major artists will soon look and sound much better though, as YouTube and Universal Music Group are remastering almost 1,000 of them "to the highest possible standards."
No Doubt and Activision don't speak in court, agree settlement instead
No Doubt and Activision reached an out-of-court settlement this week over the band's lawsuit against the publisher, finally bringing an end to three years of legal dispute. The Californian rock band first filed the lawsuit back in 2009, claiming their likenesses were only to be used in Band Hero with their own in-game tracks, not with the entire catalog. Despite Activision's best efforts, the case was due to finally appear in the Los Angeles Superior Court on October 15, but instead the two parties agreed to settle.How things have changed since 2009. Music games like Rock Band 2 and Band Hero were ruling the roost, and No Doubt had only just reformed after the Stefani-imposed hiatus. Three years on and there won't be any more Hero games, while No Doubt recently released their sixth album. Now, following some Push & Shove it seems things will finally Settle Down completely for the Hero franchise so that it can rest in peace.
No Doubt vs Activision goes to trial October 15
The lawsuit between the band No Doubt and Activision, first filed way back in 2009, finally, finally has a court date. After Activision failed to have the suit dismissed in 2010, the suit will go to trial on October 15, reports GameSpot.The suit alleges that the band's likeness was used in an unauthorized manner in Band Hero (remember music games?). No Doubt takes exception to the fact that players can use its band members' avatars to perform any song in the game, even those that aren't by No Doubt. Singer Gwen Stefani was particularly riled about the fact that her avatar could be used to sing songs with male vocalists, with the suit claiming the band's inclusion was tantamount to a "virtual karaoke circus act."Come October 15, the case will go forward in the Los Angeles Superior Court.
No Doubt vs Activision lawsuit cleared for trial later this year
No Doubt is officially allowed to sue Activision over its use of band members' avatars in Band Hero – again. Seriously, we've written this piece, like, three times already. This story is bananas.Sorry.No Doubt, the rock band led by singer Gwen Stefani, sued Activision in 2009, claiming it was used to create a "virtual karaoke circus act;" No Doubt says it only signed off on having its likeness portrayed singing its own songs, but the band is unlockable to play through the game's complete catalog.A Superior Court judge has denied Activision's attempt to dismiss claims from the case, including fraud, violation of publicity rights and breach of contract, and it is expected to (finally) go to trial later this year. Activision says it has a video recording of No Doubt being told about the unlockable features and it is looking forward to presenting its defense.
Maroon 5 singer sues Activision over use of likeness in Band Hero
Adam Levine, lead singer of Maroon 5 (your little sister's favorite band three years ago), is suing Activision for inappropriately using his likeness in 2009's Band Hero, according to a suit found by The Wrap. Levine performed motion capture to have his avatar used in the Band Hero song "She Will Be Loved," but didn't give Activision permission to use his likeness with other songs, which it totally did. Levine alleges that Activision asked other artists for expanded use of their avatars and paid them more in the process. Activision is no stranger to lawsuits like Levine's, losing a similar case to No Doubt in 2010 (Talk about jumping on the Bandwagon late).
No Doubt's Activision lawsuit can go to the next level
The LA Times reports a panel of judges, agreeing with a lower court ruling, rejected Activision Blizzard's appeal to throw out a suit by the band No Doubt over the use of its images in the game Band Hero. In a classic example of making sure to "read the fine print" on the contract, No Doubt sued after the band felt it was turned into a "virtual karaoke circus act," when its in-game avatars could be used to sing songs that were not its own. Two years ago, when this whole situation started, the Guitar Hero franchise (and its spin-offs) were adding billions to the Actiblizzard coffers. The Guitar Hero franchise may be dead now, but the lawsuits carry on.
SingStore Update: Hello, is it No Doubt and A-Ha you're looking for
The U.S. SingStar Store is still playing catch-up with its European counterpart, but today's 60-odd new arrivals should bring us a bit closer to parity. Check out the full list of new tracks, including packs from No Doubt, A-Ha and Lionel Richie and the Commodores, after the jump.
Rock Band Weekly: No Doubt's Tragic Kingdom, Orianthi, Picture Me Broken
Next week's Rock Band DLC adds "the deep cuts" from Tragic Kingdom, No Doubt's 1995 breakthrough album. The singles from that album were actually added to Rock Band way back in December 2008. Those interested in the tracks have the option to buy the full Tragic Kingdom album, just the remaining songs (if they purchased the singles back in the day) or each song individually. Also, as a reminder, PSN updates will change to Tuesday in North America starting next week. So, PS3 owners are now able to pick up their Rock Band DLC on the same day as everyone else. Yay for equality. Check out next week's full list of DLC releases after the break.
Activision fails to have No Doubt lawsuit dismissed
If the whole West, Zampella and Activision kerfluffle is no longer satisfying your desire for daily litigation drama, we'd like to point you to an old friend we haven't heard from in a while. We speak, of course, of the No Doubt vs. Activision lawsuit, in which the former accused the latter of infringing on its right-of-publicity by allowing their in-game Band Hero avatars to be used to sing other recording artists' songs in the game. According to the LA Times, Activision recently attempted to invoke freedom-of-speech protections under the 1st Amendment to have the case dismissed out-of-hand -- a tactic shot down by Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Kenji Machida. Though Activision has the option to appeal this decision, it looks like the folks from No Doubt might have a chance at taking back their intellectual property and forming a new studio under EA. Wait -- we mixed them up again, didn't we? Yeah, we did.
Activision countersues No Doubt, which is likely not feeling 'Hella Good'
Last month, the extremely certain pop-rock outfit No Doubt sued Activision for allowing their likenesses to be used in Band Hero, where players could perform the game's entire catalog of songs as the Stefani-fronted group. According to the complaint, this feature turned the band's appearance in the game into a "virtual karaoke circus act." Earlier this week, The Hollywood Reporter dug up a countersuit filed against the band by Activision, who claimed No Doubt was in breach of a contract between the two parties, and had reaped unjust enrichment as a result. Activision's main response to No Doubt's claim is that that the band requested their likenesses be limited to perform the band's own songs in-game -- however, it made this request "only after the Band Hero programming was finalized." Activision seeks an unspecified amount of damages and interest from the band, as well as court and attorney fees, and a return of all payments dispersed to the band for their initial involvement. Jeez, Activision. Might as well go ahead and ask for the kitchen sink while you're at it. [Via GamePolitics]
This Wednesday: XBLA gets its Qix ++ [update: screens]
Update: We've unearthed some screens of the PSP version, courtesy of Game Watch. There may be some difference between it and the XBLA version, but they'll probably look pretty similar. Peruse them in the gallery below. Microsoft's Major Nelson has announced that Qix ++ is headed to Xbox Live Arcade this week. Apart from the price (800 / $10), that's really all we know. The "++" in the title might be a clue, though, given that Jeff "Why'd you buy Frogger" Minter seems to have an affinity for throwing plus signs at the end of retro game titles. It's also worth noting that Minter worked on the XBLA version of Space Invaders Extreme which, like Qix, is a Taito (via Square Enix) game. For now, with no assets of the game available, you'll have to settle for a video of the original Qix posted after the break. In other news, the Xbox Live Deal of the Week is Rock Band DLC, specifically No Doubt's The Singles 1992-2003 album. The DLC has been discounted from 1600 ($20) to 1200 ($15). Shortcut: Download The Singles 1992-2003 [Xbox.com] %Gallery-79762%
LGJ: Read the fine print!
Each week Mark Methenitis contributes Law of the Game on Joystiq ("LGJ"), a column on legal issues as they relate to video games: CJ Sorg Well, after the incident with Courtney Love and Kurt, it looks like the whole issue of famous musicians in games is back in the press with No Doubt suing Activision over Band Hero. A one time event is an anomaly, but twice in just a few months suggests something else. Of course, both of these all tie back to the contract, and since I'm a transactional attorney who spends the majority of most days negotiating and drafting agreements like these, I'm hoping I can shed a little light on what might be causing the problems. Since I wasn't involved in these particular negotiations nor have I read these contracts, all of what I'm presenting is speculation.But before I begin, I suppose I should answer the simple question, "What is a contract?" I assume that most people reading this have at least some idea, but just in case, it's worth describing in detail. A contract is a legally binding agreement between two parties to perform certain promises in the future. In theory, to form a contract there are five elements: Offer and acceptance, consideration, intent, capacity, and formalities. In reality, it's fairly simple. The parties must have a meeting of the minds, that is agree to the same terms, which is often viewed as an offer by one party and acceptance by the other. Each party must put up something of value, called consideration, for the contract to be valid. The parties must intend to enter into a contract, and be of the appropriate mental capacity to enter into the agreement. And then the agreement is generally recorded in writing, as most jurisdictions have rules that require written agreements, which is then signed by the parties. And that is how a contract is born, in theory anyway.
No Doubt suing Activision for Band Hero 'circus act' appearance
The multi-platinum rock band No Doubt has filed a lawsuit against Activision in a L.A. County Superior Court claiming its likeness was "transformed" into a "virtual karaoke circus act" in over sixty songs in the recently released music title, Band Hero. According to TMZ, No Doubt claims gamers were only supposed to be able to use their likeness with three of its own tracks; however, the band is available as playable characters through the game's entire music catalog. Of particular note is lead singer Gwen Stefani's displeasure that her likeness can be used to sing "Honky Tonk Woman" by the Rolling Stones -- a song which references sex with prostitutes -- using a male voice and mannerisms. For its "circus act" inclusion, No Doubt is seeking an injunction to halt the "unauthorized use" of the band's name and likeness, as well as an unknown amount of damages (aka mad monies). Seems like Activision can't keep rock stars happy, dead or alive. [Via TeamXbox]
Rock Band Weekly: Kings of Leon, No Doubt, Grateful Dead
Rock Band Weekly and Rock Band Wiikly combine forces this week to bring you one superlist of all of next week's DLC. There's a lot of content set to assault Harmonix's game, so we hope you like the bands listed in the headline above -- they make up the majority of what will be available for download. If you dig the band Lush, then we hope you really like "Sweetness & Light."
Rock Band Wiikly achieves sync: Stevie Ray Vaughan, No Doubt, Jimmy Eat World
It appears that Rock Band Wiikly and Rock Band Weekly have achieved sync, as Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood album and No Doubt will be available this week on all current-gen consoles. The Wii's Rock Band Music Store still has a lot of catching up to do, so it also receives a reconstituted serving of Jimmy Eat World.Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood (200 Wii points apiece): "Love Struck Baby" "Pride and Joy" "Texas Flood" "Tell Me" "Rude Mood" "Testify" "Mary Had a Little Lamb" "Dirty Pool" "I'm Cryin" "Lenny" Individual songs (200 Wii points apiece): "New" - No Doubt "Futures" - Jimmy Eat World "Lucky Denver Mint" - Jimmy Eat World "Sweetness" - Jimmy Eat World The tracks will be available tomorrow, March 3, and videos for all of this week's tracks are after the break.
Rock Band Weekly: Stevie Ray Vaughan, a No Doubt cherry on top
It's the Flood! Except this one comes from Texas and not an ancient circular super-weapon floating in space. As we learned yesterday, Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood album will indeed be next week's Rock Band DLC. Tagging along for the ride will be No Doubt.Stevie Ray Vaughan's Texas Flood (1280 / $16) "Love Struck Baby" (160 / $2) "Pride and Joy" (160 / $2) "Texas Flood" (160 / $2) "Tell Me" (160 / $2) "Rude Mood" (160 / $2) "Testify" (160 / $2) "Mary Had a Little Lamb" (160 / $2) "Dirty Pool" (160 / $2) "I'm Cryin" (160 / $2) "Lenny" (160 / $2) Individual song: "New" - No Doubt (160 / $2) All tracks are masters and will be available for download next Tuesday and Thursday for Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively.
Rock Band weekly: No Doubt The Singles 1992-2003
As predicted earlier in the week by the band's official site, next week's Rock Band DLC will feature the No Doubt compilation album The Singles 1992-2003. Two songs, New and Trapped In A Box, have been taken out without explanation. The rest of the songs are as follows: "Just a Girl" "It's My Life" "Hey Baby" "Bathwater" "Sunday Morning" "Hella Good" "Underneath It All" "Excuse Me Mr." "Running" "Spiderwebs" "Simple Kind of Life" "Don't Speak" "Ex-Girlfriend" Each song will be priced individually at $1.99 while the entire compilation will cost $19.99. Look for them next week on Thursday, December 11th on the PlayStation Store.
Rock Band Weekly: Most of No Doubt - The Singles 1992-2003 album
As announced on the band's website, 13 of the 15 tracks from No Doubt's The Singles 1992-2003 album are heading to Rock Band next week. Harmonix has made the official announcement, and it looks like "New" and "Trapped In a Box" are the two songs cut from the list. No Doubt - The Singles 1992-2003 (1600 / $20) Just a Girl (160 / $2) It's My Life (160 / $2) Hey Baby (160 / $2) Bathwater (160 / $2) Sunday Morning (160 / $2) Hella Good (160 / $2) Underneath It All (160 / $2) Excuse Me Mr. (160 / $2) Running (160 / $2) Spiderwebs (160 / $2) Simple Kind of Life (160 / $2) Don't Speak (160 / $2) Ex-Girlfriend (160 / $2) All tracks are masters and will be available for download next Tuesday and Thursday for Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively.
No Doubt to release singles as DLC in Rock Band [update]
Even though the Wii hasn't received Rock Band 2 yet, Harmonix has promised us basically all of the game's DLC, as well as compatibility with other instruments, finally allowing the Wii version of the game to be the actual game. So, seeing as how No Doubt will be releasing 13 songs for download in Rock Band 2 on the Xbox 360 and PS3 next week, we should expect the same to arrive on Wii when we actually get Rock Band 2. So, what tracks are they?Well, they're 13 of the 15 tracks on their "The Singles Collection" album, which, as you might have guessed, features the biggest singles from the band's long career. But, for some reason, two of these songs won't be included as DLC. Which two tracks are they? We're not sure, as No Doubt didn't say which specific tracks would be offered when they posted the news on their official site. So, we'll just have to wait and see.Any No Doubt fans out there? Looking forward to rocking out to their songs in Rock Band 2, or did you already buy Guitar Hero: World Tour and you could care less about Rock Band at this point? And, if you're curious about what song's are featured in No Doubt's "The Singles Collection," then head past the break for the full track list.Update: Thanks to Joystiq, we know what two tracks won't be included: "New" and "Trapped In a Box"%Gallery-19119%
No Doubt's Singles Collection hitting Rock Band DLC next week
The American punk-ska band No Doubt is bringing some of their best tracks to the Rock Band series. At least, according to a posting on the band's official website. The website states that "The Singles Collection" album will be coming to Rock Band on December 9 (probably December 11 for PS3 owners) and will include 13 tracks from the album. Funny thing is, the album has 15 tracks. So what two songs are being cut? We don't know yet, but you can check the full song list after the break. [Thanks Wes!]
