Axl Rose files Guitar Hero lawsuit over Slash

Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose has launched a lawsuit against video game-maker Activision over a game in its hit Guitar Hero franchise.

In the suit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Tuesday, the singer says that he only permitted the company to use the GNR hit Welcome to the Jungle in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock under the stipulation that the game would not feature any reference to his former bandmate Slash.

The game creators nonetheless included a character styled after the distinctive former GNR and Velvet Revolver guitarist, wearing dark glasses and his signature top hat perched on a mass of dark, curly hair.

The cover of the game, released in October 2007, also features this depiction of the famed guitarist.

"Activision was keenly aware of Rose's concerns in these regards," the suit claims, "and began spinning a web of lies and deception to conceal its true intentions to not only feature Slash and [Velvet Revolver] prominently in GH III, but also promote the game by emphasizing and reinforcing an association between Slash and Guns N' Roses and the band's song Welcome To The Jungle."

Rose said he has been trying to distance his band from its former guitarist since he left in 1996.

The singer is seeking $20 million US in damages.