White and Page Knock “Guitar Hero”

Jack White of the White Stripes and Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin are the latest musicians to take a swipe at Guitar Hero.

They were doing a press conference for the upcoming documentary, It Might Get Loud, which follows their careers in the music industry when White said: “It’s depressing to have a label come and tell you that ['Guitar Hero'] is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music.”  He said that he wasn’t trying to pass judgment on “which format people should get their music in” but he did say that “if you have to be in a video game to get in front of them, that’s a little sad.”

Page chimed in to the discussion adding:  “You think of the drum part that John Bonham did on Led Zeppelin’s first track on the first album, Good Times Bad Times.  How many drummers in the world can play that part, let alone on Christmas morning?”

As someone who grew up with family in the music industry, I understand exactly what they are saying.  I agree that it’s unfortunate that too many kids are learning about music through video games but I also think it’s better than them not learning about it at all.  Who knows how many kids put down that fake guitar and pick up a real one.  I know it’s not as organic as stumbling into a love of music through life experiences but I think it’s equally sad that many of today’s youth have no idea what classic rock sounds like.  If a video helps introduce them to that, I have a hard time complaining.

image: Zuma Press