Bon Jovi on Kurt, Guitar Hero 5 controversy

With surviving Nirvana members Dave Grohl and Krist Novoselic expressing their distaste at Kurt Cobain's representation in Guitar Hero 5, and Courtney Love going apeshit on Twitter, the latest person to voice an opinion is none other than Jon Bon Jovi.

The controversy centres around the fact that players can "unlock" the Cobain character and have him lip-synch and throw shapes along with cock rock anthems like Bon Jovi's You Give Love A Bad Name.

At best this is ridiculous, and Jon Bon Jovi seems to agree. The star told the BBC: "I don't know that I would have wanted it either. To hear someone else's voice coming out of a cartoon version of me? I don't know. It sounds a little forced."

Jon Bon Jovi circa 1994. Cobain was never a fan of "big, rich, Harley-riding rock bands". IMAGE: © Karen Hardy/Sygma/Corbis

Currently promoting the band's 11th studio album, The Circle, the Bon Jovi frontman was approached to appear in Guitar Hero 5, but declined:

"I had the paperwork, they wanted me to be on that game and I just passed. But no-one even broached the subject with me that I would be singing other people's stuff. I don't know how I would have reacted to that. I don't know that I would have wanted it either."

Chris Vinnicombe worked with us here on the MusicRadar team from the site's initial launch way back in 2007, and also contributed to Guitarist magazine as Features Editor until 2014, as well as Total Guitar magazine, amongst others. These days he can be found at Gibson Guitars, where he is editor-in-chief.