One Band’s Fans Will Never Be Guitar Heroes
Playback, which is Yahoo’s gaming news depository (everyone has one) has a small video feature about rock star relationships with Guitar Hero and Rock Band. It is interesting because it also reveals which band still refuses to be featured on the digital stage.
Rock stars who previously put their nose in the air at the thought of being featured in a video game are suddenly open-minded about appealing to a new generation and racking up millions in royalties. Axl Rose, who fought against having his songs used in commercials with the intensity of a burned wolverine, will be debuting songs from his long, long long-delayed album “Chinese Democracy” on Rock Band 2. If you had told me that ten years ago, when I still cared about Axl’s antics, I would have laughed in your face. In your face.
(Oh God why deny it I still am a GN f’n R fangirl.)
But one legendary band still refuses to join in the reindeer games: Led Zeppelin is content with keping their master tapes to themselves and plans to keep things that way. Sorry, fans. No clicky-button Stairway to Heaven for you.
I personally think Stairway to Heaven is overrated. There, I said it.
It’s pretty understandable to want to protect your intellectual property. At least nobody in the band is parroting the usual garbage about how kids need to get out there and learn real guitar.
I can understand band’s not wanting to let their songs be used is cheesey commercials, but I don’t think a musical video game takes anything away from the songs integrity.
Neither do I. But there are definitely some singers out there who miss the point and consider Guitar Hero a cop-out for lazy people who don’t want to learn the guitar. Just like people who play sports games are taking the easy way out instead of becoming a professional athlete.