Ok, just stop it already, Activision. You want to drag the Guitar Hero franchise to the ground as quickly as possible, fine; just don’t bring Hendrix into it. The company recently decided to celebrate the fact that a couple of Guitar Hero performances would take place at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival, an event partly known for featuring one of Jimi Hendrix’s last performances before his tragic death. So how does one celebrate a fake guitar performance? By vandalizing a tribute to a real guitar legend, it seems. Activision decided to deck out a bronze statue of Hendrix to make it look like he was holding a Guitar Hero controller instead of an actual instrument.
Just what do you think you’re doing here, Activision? It’s a known fact that putting a Guitar Hero controller in someone’s hand just makes them look less cool (exceptions include politicians, Hollywood stars, and nude women). This is like some scheme Cobra Commander would try and pull. And then he’d stop himself and say, “No wait, that’s too evil. Cobra!”
Via MusicRadar
45 Comments to Activision Vandalizes Statue of Jimi Hendrix With Guitar Hero
by: Kyoko
On June 9, 2008 at 10:16 pm
That’s a completely fake photo. It’s photoshopped,and quite badly at that.
by: MrMister
On June 9, 2008 at 10:26 pm
What’s everyone’s beef with the direction Guitar Hero’s taking!?
I can understand that GH: Aerosmith and GH: Metallica and the statue is a little much, but I do not see any problem with Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS) and Guitar Hero IV aka World Tour.
by: da soc
On June 9, 2008 at 10:41 pm
I doubt it’s photoshopped, source seems reliable.
“I can understand that GH: Aerosmith and GH: Metallica and the statue is a little much, but I do not see any problem with Guitar Hero: On Tour (DS) and Guitar Hero IV aka World Tour.”
That’s four games.
In what… one year’s span? Yeah.
Couldn’t they have done this to like the giant guitars at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame or something instead?
by: Tony
On June 9, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Yeah very clearly photoshopped image. I’m sure the story is real, but the colored buttons in the image are very fake.
by: lloniel
On June 10, 2008 at 7:02 am
by: Hawkeye
On June 10, 2008 at 10:28 am
What’s wrong with Guitar Hero 4 you say? How about the fact that it’s Rock Band coming out a year later from the guys that continued the guitar hero franchise after Harmonix decided to ditch it for Rock Band.
by: MrMister
On June 10, 2008 at 3:24 pm
“What’s wrong with Guitar Hero 4 you say? How about the fact that it’s Rock Band coming out a year later from the guys that continued the guitar hero franchise after Harmonix decided to ditch it for Rock Band.”
Nothing wrong with a little competition. Never hurt no one.
by: guitrhr0
On June 11, 2008 at 3:54 am
that has to one of the worst photoshopped pictures i have seen
its escpecially sad to see on this site.
by: Erm
On June 11, 2008 at 8:36 am
Right, this isn’t vandalism. If the photo is real it just seems that they were stuck on and they can easily be removed. I doubt a company like Activision would actually nail real buttons and logos on such a historic statue.
It’s stupid but that isn’t vandalism. Vandalism would be if they did screw those in and caused almost permanent damage. If they cut off his head that would be vandalism. If they stuck little buttons on that seem like they can be removed quite easily that isn’t. This is just a silly little thing they did to promote Guitar Hero.
I don’t agree with what they did but it’s pretty obvious that this isn’t long term. I don’t think even Activision would pull such a stunt.
by: lloniel1
On June 11, 2008 at 8:37 am
by: Sickbob
On June 11, 2008 at 8:40 am
yes, it’s only vandalism if the damage is permanent, like graffiti
by: john knowles
On June 11, 2008 at 8:48 am
Very poorly manipulated photograph.
by: torgojones
On June 11, 2008 at 8:49 am
OMG…I just threw up in my mouth a little after seeing how badly this picture was doctored.
by: Zing
On June 11, 2008 at 8:50 am
Haha that isn’t photoshopped.
by: alphahpla
On June 11, 2008 at 9:06 am
lmfao thats not photoshopped
next up for activision: a Stairway to Heaven cover in GH4
by: John thomas
On June 11, 2008 at 9:08 am
LOL, don’t mess with Hendrix!
JT
http://www.FIreMe.To/udi
by: matt
On June 11, 2008 at 9:10 am
You wouldn’t know photoshop if you had it installed on your computer.
The image is real, and the upheaval is silly. Back in my hometown of Indiana PA there is a status of Jimmy Stewart pointing forward. The kids used to put toy guns in his hand every year back when toy guns looked real. People thought it was funny, not a reason to boycott Mattel.
by: Duke
On June 11, 2008 at 9:20 am
Learn to play a real guitar ya bunch of wanker, wannabe, n00bs!
by: Ricki
On June 11, 2008 at 9:21 am
It isn’t photoshoped… they are 3d plastic “buttons” of a sort, like a real company would use, not stickers like some goofy 13 y/o would make and use to do this. And I agree with matt, seems like most of you wouldn’t know photoshop if was smacking you across the face with a wacom.
Anyway, this is TRUELY wrong… don’t insult Legends in their field by bringing them down to the level of common hobbyists. I seriously doubt that you would have ever found Jimmy in his basement, yelling for his mom to bring him more pizza rolls cuz he just HAS to nail this solo.
by: copyland
On June 11, 2008 at 9:27 am
insult all the Legends you want, its a free country. Get a life. If you want to idolize a dead junkie, be my guest. Hendrix was an idiot, convincing other idiots that he had something worthy of notice. Plus he sang like a damn walrus. All you hendrix freaks are afraid to say anything bad about him, and you are clueless about music. I’m glad he’s dead and I hope he stays that way.
by: deathguppie
On June 11, 2008 at 9:31 am
I live just a few blocks from that statue in Seattle. People stick cigarettes in his mouth and all kinds of weird things like scarves in the winter.
This isn’t vandalism it’s just lame, commercialism.
by: Eric
On June 11, 2008 at 9:32 am
C’mon. Just have fun and let it go. Geez.
by: Edge
On June 11, 2008 at 9:39 am
Yeah that is definitely not photoshopped, they just added some big thick stickers to the original statues guitar.
by: jorge
On June 11, 2008 at 9:59 am
hey! screw that this article who is the hot chick on that advertising at the bottom?? Cobra!!
by: JoshApex
On June 11, 2008 at 10:04 am
A) That photo is totally fake. I could have done better than that.
B) It’s hilarious! If activision wants to “vandalize” a statue by putting fake buttons on it, who cares? Assuming that photo is real (which it isn’t), it certainly isn’t permanent. It’s a gag. I think people are waaaayyyy too sensitive to get up in arms about something so trivial.
Guitar Hero is a video game about playing the guitar. Hendrix was an awesome guitar player. Tie in is pretty damn obvious.
by: guitarherooooo
On June 11, 2008 at 10:22 am
Everyone just needs to relax. I feel like so many things are taken too personally. It’s kind of funny. putting a plastic guitar in jimi hendrix is not going to change my opinion on how good a guitar player he is. in fact, if he was still alive he’d probably be pretty bomb at guitar hero.
by: unleash
On June 11, 2008 at 10:43 am
The photo is a fake .. don’t believe me … proof -> http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb218/unleash_x/fake.jpg
The shadow on the GH logo is at a diff angle than other shadows
No water drops on any of the GH “pieces”
The finger on the blue button has no shadow and is harsh .. a bad PS mask job
Above teh blue button is a flat grey paint stroke
The buttons are all at the same blur .. pathetic attempt at depth of field ..
The first button has a flat black side … 100% black is almost never seen in nature.
Also the logo piece is just a foam core cutout (you can see how rough the edges are) …
by: matt
On June 11, 2008 at 10:50 am
Jimmy Hendrix isn’t that great, why are you so pissed? it actually looks like someone ct the pieces out of construction paper and put a cardboard guitar hero logo
by: Roby
On June 11, 2008 at 10:54 am
How stupid do you have to be to think that it is photoshopped? Yeah the guys over at Kotaku are really laughing this one up. God you are all idiots!
by: Ryan
On June 11, 2008 at 11:00 am
Are you guys f*cking idiots? Honestly, its photoshoped, ive been working with photoshop for some 5 years now, and that is just a really sh*tty photoshop job. like unleash said, just check this out:
http://i210.photobucket.com/albums/bb218/unleash_x/fake.jpg
by: Anonymass
On June 11, 2008 at 11:05 am
Dude…he was a guitarist and it’s just a game. They doctored (poorly i might add) a photo as an advertisement. They didn’t call Hendrix a Nazi. He’s not Jesus. It’s just a statue. Chill.
by: unleash_fan
On June 11, 2008 at 11:17 am
Go Unleash! You teach these kids what’s up.
And btw article, sensationalism at its worst. Shame on you.
by: Dayvan Cowboy
On June 11, 2008 at 11:38 am
Wow, how embarrassing for you. It’s an obvious photoshop.
by: poopshire
On June 11, 2008 at 12:38 pm
Alright simply put… Humans are not gods.. We need to stop idolizing them no matter what great of an accomplishment they made. He’s dead, he can’t hear your calls of praise to him. He was a great guitarist during his time, he’s influenced some of our generation’s most famed guitarist but that doesn’t mean we have to be on his dick for everything, even a stupid statue. I can bet you guys are the same guys that would go to a war memorial and crack jokes and talk about how lame it is but as soon as its a rock legend its sacred. Get over it.
oh btw.. LOL OMG PHOTOHSOPEDDP.
by: skamunisM
On June 11, 2008 at 12:49 pm
The buttons are clearly photoshopped, but the Guitar Hero logo looks real. What appears to be a false shadow is actually a reflection. You can see that the shadow along the bottom is correctly oriented.
by: John
On June 11, 2008 at 1:02 pm
If all they did was take a picture and return the statue to its original state, what’s the deal. If they actually broke it or “vandalized” it. No where in the report it it say there was permanent damage. Some people need to chill.
by: Crymore
On June 11, 2008 at 1:09 pm
Cry more, even if the photo was real, they wouldn’t make it permanent.
by: ps
On June 11, 2008 at 1:29 pm
SHOOPED!
by: haha
On June 11, 2008 at 2:03 pm
to all those guys who were like: “omg this is so not photoshopped, its real! you guys are idiots!” – hahahahahahahaha!!! its best to keep your mouth shut if you obviously know nothing about what you are talking about, in this case graphic editing. This photo has clearly been manipulated with some form of graphics program. Who’s the idiot now?
So this probably didn’t really happen. And its rather dissapointing its caused so much speculation. on the other hand, if it did happen, then i’d be a bit bleek with activision, not cool.
by: JimiFloyd
On June 11, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Ok, This is just simply wrong.. Since the Last 2 Guitar hero games that came out didn’t even have Hendrix in them… and too say the least to have a game called “Legends of Rock” and not have one Hendrix song in it, is pure bullshit. This is pure torment for me to say the least, Hendrix was and still is the best musician. Activison should dedicate an entire series to the man himself…
by: JAG ÄR FLIK
On June 11, 2008 at 4:10 pm
why people make this sthing
i dont get why people do
by: Papa Shango
On June 13, 2008 at 5:34 am
BAD BAD PHOTOSHOP WORK!!!
MUST IMPROVE SKILLS BEFORE TOUCHING A GUITAR GOD!
by: facepalm
On June 13, 2008 at 9:55 am
*sigh* For all of you kiddies screaming “oh it’s photoshopped” it’s not. It’s called “out of focus” this tends to happen when you get up from your desk, go outside, and take pictures. I know the thought of this seems scary but trust me…some sun is good for you. As for the buttons and logo it seems to just be cut out on Styrofoam or cardboard and probably left on there with an easy peel adhesive. Activision might do this to be cheeky but they would never intentionally cause damage. As for the whole “how could you do this to a legend?!?!” argument…Well folks, it’s called a prank. Take the stick out of your asses. have a wee bit of fun now and again.
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