Breaking News: Jack White a Hypocrite!
So I think we all know what Guitar Hero and Rock Band are at this point. These video games have taken the world by storm by allowing people of ages to immerse themselves in a world of music by playing fake guitars and drums. It's supposed to be fun, entertaining, and even allow people to find new music they never heard before. Widening horizons and such. Well, Jack White doesn't think so:
"It's depressing to have a label come and tell you that Guitar Hero is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music,"
and
"If you have to be in a video game to get in front of them, that's a little sad."
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin had slightly similar comments:
"You think of the drum part that John Bonham did on Led Zeppelin's first track on the first album, Good Times Bad Times," he said. "How many drummers in the world can play that part, let alone on Christmas morning?"
These two are just the latest musicians and artists to take a shot at Guitar Hero and Rock Band. But why? Jack White says "it's sad" that kids are discovering his music through a video game. I ask the question, where else and why not? MTV isn't playing music videos, radio is all but dead. The internet is pretty much the only place to get music these days, and even then, there's so much of it online. What exactly is the issue that kids are possibly becoming White Stripes fans by playing their song on Guitar Hero? None that I can see of.
Sure, playing the Guitar Hero guitar isn't going to teach you squat about picking up a flying V or double neck guitar. But if it drives one kid out of 10, 20 or 100 to go out and pick up the real thing, isn't it worth it. At the end of the day, it's a game. Fact of the matter is, most of the acts featured in the game are popular already. That's why they're in the game to begin with, so the notion that anyone is discovering or experiencing your music through a video game is absurd to say the least.
Jimmy Page, I can respect his opinion. To this day, Led Zeppelin has not been featured in a Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. The White Stripes will have a track featured in Guitar Hero 5. Have fun collecting that royalty check.
NME.com
"It's depressing to have a label come and tell you that Guitar Hero is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music,"
and
"If you have to be in a video game to get in front of them, that's a little sad."
Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin had slightly similar comments:
"You think of the drum part that John Bonham did on Led Zeppelin's first track on the first album, Good Times Bad Times," he said. "How many drummers in the world can play that part, let alone on Christmas morning?"
These two are just the latest musicians and artists to take a shot at Guitar Hero and Rock Band. But why? Jack White says "it's sad" that kids are discovering his music through a video game. I ask the question, where else and why not? MTV isn't playing music videos, radio is all but dead. The internet is pretty much the only place to get music these days, and even then, there's so much of it online. What exactly is the issue that kids are possibly becoming White Stripes fans by playing their song on Guitar Hero? None that I can see of.
Sure, playing the Guitar Hero guitar isn't going to teach you squat about picking up a flying V or double neck guitar. But if it drives one kid out of 10, 20 or 100 to go out and pick up the real thing, isn't it worth it. At the end of the day, it's a game. Fact of the matter is, most of the acts featured in the game are popular already. That's why they're in the game to begin with, so the notion that anyone is discovering or experiencing your music through a video game is absurd to say the least.
Jimmy Page, I can respect his opinion. To this day, Led Zeppelin has not been featured in a Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. The White Stripes will have a track featured in Guitar Hero 5. Have fun collecting that royalty check.
NME.com