Ladywriter 7,783 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 By Mary Jane Irwin MSNBC contributor updated 8:34 p.m. ET, Tues., March. 11, 2008 It’s unusual for a kindergartner to beg his father to download Accept’s 1984 hit, “Balls to the Wall” to an iPod Nano, but not for Gary Wedbush of Manhattan Beach, Calif. His sons, ages 6 and 9, play 10 hours of “Guitar Hero” a week, and are so obsessed with the game that they’ll wake up early, make breakfast, and get ready for school — all on their own — just so they can squeeze a few more minutes of play into their day. The curious side effect is both kids are now fans of classic rock and, less thrilling for Wedbush, heavy metal. It’s not an isolated case. “Guitar Hero” and “Rock Band” are exposing kids to music that they otherwise wouldn’t pay attention to on the airwaves. “It’s a big part of our secret agenda,” says Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos, whose company created both franchises. The games “are about connecting people with music in a deeper way.” They’re also about reaching a massive audience. “Rock Band” sold 1.5 million units in two months, according to the most recent numbers by The NPD Group market research firm. Fans of the game have already downloaded 5 million songs. And the “Guitar Hero” franchise has sold 14 million units in North America since its launch in 2005. After rocking through “Guitar Hero II,” “III” and “Encore: Rocks the 80s,” Wedbush’s kids compiled iPod playlists containing 50 to 60 classic rock songs by the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd, Megadeth and The Vapors. “My kids spend most of their day driving around with their mom listening to KROQ,” a Los Angeles-area radio station that plays mainstream tunes by the likes of Modest Mouse and The Strokes, says Wedbush. The credit for that? “It really was Guitar Hero,” he says. Young fans of Aerosmith and The Outlaws “Rock Band” has had similar effects on Julie Volchenboum’s four children. Her 11-year-old son plays the game for about five hours a week — and would play more if his screen time wasn’t limited, she says. He has the game’s entire set list, which includes 30-year-old tunes like The Outlaws’ “Green Grass & High Tides,” Aerosmith’s “Train Kept A Rolling” and Deep Purple’s “Highway Star,” and often instigates family-wide dance parties in the kitchen. His habit also has his parents rummaging through their music collection to find forgotten, full-length albums by Boston or The Who. “Rock Band” has even inspired Volchenboum’s son to learn Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” on the piano. “He’s a music connoisseur now,” says Volchenboum, 37. “He can more reliably name a rock song than I can.” The result is intentional, says Paul Degooyer, senior vice president of DVD, gaming, and audio at MTV, which distributed “Rock Band.” Advisors carefully assembled the game — just like an album — to propel players through a broad collection of music. The game “is driving people who might not be into classic rock into it. That’s exactly what we were trying to do,” he says. Older artists see the appeal Beyond influencing young musical tastes, the games have had an impact on classic recording artists. According to Neilson SoundScan, which tracks both digital and retail music, sales of Aerosmith’s single, “Same Old Song and Dance,” increased 136 percent the week after “Guitar Hero III” was released, and skyrocketed 400 percent the week after Christmas. The success prompted Aerosmith to help create “Guitar Hero: Aerosmith,” a musical tour of the band’s history and influences, that is scheduled for release in June. This is in stark contrast to the original, cover song-filled “Guitar Hero.” Its sequel secured the original recordings for only a third of the tracks. Now artists are seeking inclusion in the games. “It's cool to see so many bands working closely with us,” says RedOctane co-founder Charles Huang, whose company published the "Guitar Hero" franchise. Early on, artists “were disengaged and just licensing us music; now they want to be heavily involved. Bands and labels are seeing this as one of the newest ways to introduce music.” The Sex Pistols wanted to be in “Guitar Hero III” so badly that the band reunited to re-record “Anarchy in the U.K.,” because it didn’t have the original master recordings. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23579676/ Look at the flowers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dubird 6,815 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 Yesterday was the deadline for all complaints! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CabbitGirl 4,018 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 haha wow that's pretty funny how the bands wanna be really involved now X'D Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pchan 5,162 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 o_0 ... TRENDY! I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the56ker 100 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 well theres always profit to be made you know? [sIGPIC] http://forums.ancientclan.com/signaturepics/sigpic1654_3.gif[/sIGPIC] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pchan 5,162 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 This is as gay as people beginning to like Spiderman just because a movie came out or like what happened to the Transformers fandom last year. I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eppy 3,446 Report post Posted March 12, 2008 people are finding good music now =D "That fairy needs to stop shouting in my ear, or I'm going to throw her friend I have trapped in the bottle into a lava pit or something. HEY, LISTEN! No, YOU listen. If something's important, just say so without yelling at me. Or fly over to it and change color like you usually do. Just because I'm busy mowing the lawn and hoping I'll find some spare change, doesn't mean I can't hear you." - Link Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zepling 100 Report post Posted March 13, 2008 When I was in high school, there was this kid who used to carry around a guitar case all the time called himself a musician. I was curious and asked to see his guitar one day...turns out it was a Guitar Hero controller. Mayor Quimby I'll admit I used the city treasury to fund the murder of my enemies, but as Gabbo would say, I'm a bad wittle boy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the56ker 100 Report post Posted March 13, 2008 hahahahhahahhahah go figure [sIGPIC] http://forums.ancientclan.com/signaturepics/sigpic1654_3.gif[/sIGPIC] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ladywriter 7,783 Report post Posted March 13, 2008 When I was in high school, there was this kid who used to carry around a guitar case all the time called himself a musician. I was curious and asked to see his guitar one day...turns out it was a Guitar Hero controller. does anybody play guitar hero? are the keys set up like cords at all? Look at the flowers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pchan 5,162 Report post Posted March 13, 2008 All ya gotta do is press buttons X'D. I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the56ker 100 Report post Posted March 15, 2008 yeah thats a custom guitar btw that guy also built an ice version so go with his fire one seen in that pic there but also for people like me i use a normal ps2 controller and pwn all cause no one can play with controller on my skill lvl rawr [sIGPIC] http://forums.ancientclan.com/signaturepics/sigpic1654_3.gif[/sIGPIC] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DeathscytheX 9,732 Report post Posted March 17, 2008 They make for great drunk games. GET A NEW FUNK ON BEFORE YOU GET DUMPED ON! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vincent 2,861 Report post Posted April 17, 2008 I can't believe how much i suck at guitar hero. I've played cello for 11 years and it hasn't helped me at all in being able to find my way around the controller any better. i don't have any problems playing stuff on the beat it's just the buttons and that flip pad thingy are so weird for me. But can you save me? From the ranks of the freaks who could never love anyone... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zepling 100 Report post Posted April 17, 2008 My dad has been playing the guitar for 30 years and he sucks at Guitar Hero so far. We got it yesterday so maybe he'll improve. Mayor Quimby I'll admit I used the city treasury to fund the murder of my enemies, but as Gabbo would say, I'm a bad wittle boy. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
