THE SEX
PISTOLS
RE-RECORD
'ANARCHY IN
THE U.K.'
FOR GUITAR
HERO™ III:
LEGENDS OF
ROCK
Famous for
Kick
Starting a
Musical and
Cultural
Revolution,
Original
Members of
The Sex
Pistols
Enter the
Studio for
the First
Time in 30
Years
SUNNYVALE,
CA -
September
25, 2007 -
Activision,
Inc. (Nasdaq:
ATVI)
announced
today that
Rock and
Roll Hall of
Fame
inductees
The Sex
Pistols, who
famously
turned down
the award,
recently
returned to
the studio
to re-record
"Anarchy in
the U.K.,"
which will
be included
in Guitar
Hero™ III:
Legends of
Rock as a
master
track. Now,
fans can
perform
their own
live version
of the punk
anthem in
the next
installment
of the #1
best-selling
music and
rhythm video
game
franchise.
The Sex
Pistols were
an obvious
choice for
Guitar Hero,
having
established
themselves
as the
definitive
punk band of
the 1970s.
Unable to
locate the
original
multi-tracks
for
inclusion in
the game,
Activision
invited the
band back
into the
studio to
re-record a
couple of
songs
including
"Anarchy in
the U.K."
Original
members John
Lydon on
vocals,
guitarist
Steve Jones
and drummer
Paul Cook
re-teamed
with
producer
Chris
Thomas,
utilizing
the original
analog sound
desk (circa
1969) that
was built
for George
Martin at
Air Studios,
London,
England in
order to
maintain the
classic
sound.
Thirty years
ago this
fall, the
song was
first
included on
The Sex
Pistols'
only studio
album,
"Never Mind
the
Bollocks,
Here's the
Sex Pistols"
which will
be re-issued
on vinyl on
October 29,
2007, in its
exact
original
format,
including
poster and
Submission
7". The
single
'Anarchy In
The UK' will
also be
re-issued on
vinyl on
October 1,
along with
three other
classic
singles
throughout
October.
Celebrating
this
milestone,
Guitar Hero
III: Legends
of Rock will
be
sponsoring
the historic
Sex Pistols
show at The
Brixton
Academy in
London
taking place
on November
8, 2007.
John Lydon
stated that
"Re-recording
them [the
songs]--what
a stress you
put on us
but we rose
to the
occasion I
think...admirably!"
Adding that,
"a bit of
anarchy in a
video game
is alright
by me."
"It was
great for
Guitar Hero
to, in a
way, get us
back in the
studio. I
wasn't sure
how it was
going to
turn out but
it actually
turned out
great and I
think
everyone
held their
own," said
Steve Jones.
"I like it
[Guitar
Hero]
because my
friends'
kids like
it. And I
like what
kids like."
"Guitar Hero
fans have
been
requesting
more punk
rock in the
game since
its first
iteration,"
said Tim
Riley,
Activision
worldwide
executive of
music. "We
are honored
that The Sex
Pistols went
into the
studio after
30 years, so
that we
could have a
song from
the most
renowned
punk band of
all time in
the game."
"We are
proud to
have joined
forces with
such a
legendary
and
influential
band as The
Sex Pistols
for Guitar
Hero III:
Legends of
Rock," said
Kai Huang,
president
and
co-founder
of RedOctane.
"We are very
excited to
partner with
them on
their 30th
Anniversary
and expose
them to an
entirely new
generation
of fans
through the
game."
Guitar Hero
III: Legends
of Rock will
include
explosive
new content
and features
including a
multiplayer
action-inspired
battle mode,
grueling
boss
battles, a
host of
exclusive
unlockable
content and
visually
stunning
rock venues.
Expanded
online
multiplayer
game modes
will also
allow
axe-shredders
worldwide to
compete
head-to-head
for true
legendary
rock status.
For the
first time
ever, Guitar
Hero fans
will also be
able to
thrash and
burn with
new wireless
guitar
controllers
available
for each
platform.
The game
will feature
a
star-studded
soundtrack
including
master
tracks by
such
legendary
artists as
Guns N'
Roses, The
Rolling
Stones,
Beastie
Boys, Red
Hot Chili
Peppers and
Pearl Jam as
well as
original
songs by
guitar icons
Slash and
Tom Morello.
The sequel
also will
offer a vast
array of
downloadable
content
including
songs from
some of the
most popular
European
bands.
Guitar Hero
III: Legends
of Rock,
published by
RedOctaneŽ
and
developed by
Neversoft,
is rated 'T'
for Teen by
the ESRB and
will be
available
October 28,
2007. For
more
information
about the
Guitar Hero
franchise,
please visit
the
dedicated
community
site:
www.guitarhero.com.
About
Activision,
Inc.:
Headquartered
in Santa
Monica,
California,
Activision,
Inc. is a
leading
worldwide
developer,
publisher
and
distributor
of
interactive
entertainment
and leisure
products.
Founded in
1979,
Activision
posted net
revenues of
$1.5 billion
for the
fiscal year
ended March
31, 2007.
Activision
maintains
operations
in the U.S.,
Canada, the
United
Kingdom,
France,
Germany,
Ireland,
Italy,
Scandinavia,
Spain, the
Netherlands,
Australia,
Japan and
South Korea.
More
information
about
Activision
and its
products can
be found on
the
company's
World Wide
Web site,
which is
located at
www.activision.com.
Cautionary
Note
Regarding
Forward-looking
Statements:
Information
in this
press
release that
involves
Activision's
expectations,
plans,
intentions
or
strategies
regarding
the future
are
forward-looking
statements
that are not
facts and
involve a
number of
risks and
uncertainties.
In this
release they
are
identified
by
references
to dates
after the
date of this
release and
words such
as "will,"
"will be,"
"remains,"
"to be,"
"plans,"
"believes",
"may",
"expects,"
"intends,"
and similar
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These risks
and
uncertainties
include, but
are not
limited to,
sales of
Activision's
titles,
shifts in
consumer
spending
trends, the
seasonal and
cyclical
nature of
the
interactive
game market,
Activision's
ability to
predict
consumer
preferences
among
competing
hardware
platforms
(including
next-generation
hardware),
declines in
software
pricing,
product
returns and
price
protection,
product
delays,
retail
acceptance
of
Activision's
products,
adoption
rate and
availability
of new
hardware and
related
software,
industry
competition,
rapid
changes in
technology
and industry
standards,
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rights,
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developers,
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political
conditions,
integration
of recently
acquired
subsidiaries
and
identification
of suitable
future
acquisition
opportunities,
limitations
on our
ability to
issue stock
and options
and foreign
exchange
rate
changes.
Other
factors that
could cause
Activision's
actual
future
results to
differ
materially
from those
expressed in
the
forward-looking
statements
set forth in
this release
include,
without
limitation,
the further
implementation,
acceptance
and
effectiveness
of the
remedial
measures
recommended
or adopted
by the
special
sub-committee
of
independent
directors
established
in July 2006
to review
Activision's
historical
stock option
granting
practices,
the board
and
Activision;
the outcome
of the SEC's
formal
investigation
and the
derivative
litigation
filed in
July 2006
against
certain
current and
former
directors
and officers
of
Activision
relating to
Activision's
stock option
granting
practices,
the
possibility
that
additional
claims and
proceedings
will be
commenced,
including
additional
stockholder
litigation,
employee
litigation,
and
additional
action by
the SEC
and/or other
regulatory
agencies,
other
litigation
(unrelated
to stock
option
granting
practices),.
, and the
risks
identified
in
Activision's
most recent
annual
report on
Form 10-K
and recent
reports on
Form 8-K.
The
forward-looking
statements
in this
release are
based upon
information
available to
Activision
as of the
date of this
release, and
Activision
assumes no
obligations
to update
any such
forward-looking
statement.
Forward-looking
statements
believed to
be true when
made may
ultimately
prove to be
incorrect.
These
statements
are not
guarantees
of future
performance
and are
subject to
risks,
uncertainties
and other
factors,
some of
which are
beyond our
control and
may cause
actual
results to
differ
materially
from our
current
expectations.