krist novoselic on playing Nirvana in Rock Band 2

XHonusWagnerX - 1-16-2009 at 12:04 PM

http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2008/12/old_songs...

Rock and roll has been proclaimed dead countless times. After a slump, rock usually bounces back in a wave of new bands and sounds. Things are different today: Rock has found new life with video games, and the phenomenon is leading to a revival of bands that have been around for a long time.

I had my first experience with a video game when I was around 10 years old. It was called Pong. The contest was between two rectangular "paddles" that could only slide up and down the edges of a TV screen. Between them we bounced a small square dot—the ping pong ball—back and forth.

In high school, I jumped into the arcade game craze of the early 1980s. The game that I really enjoyed was Asteroids (and its successor, Asteroids Deluxe). I got pretty good at piloting the little ship and blasting the random asteroids, tiny flying saucers, and pods that threatened my existence in outer space. (Well, the virtual space I could afford for each 25 cents I dropped in the coin slot.)

More recently, while walking through a one-stop shopping center, I encountered the Rock Band 2 video game. It was set up on display for customers to try.

I know about Rock Band, because Nirvana has some songs on it. I had never tried the game before, so I gave it a go. I worked through the menu and found the song "In Bloom." I picked up the little guitar-shaped controller and hit the stage.

I knew the bass line to the song, of course, but I couldn't quite master this new, different way of playing it.

The game reminded me of Space Invaders. I tried to hit the notes cascading down the screen, but could barely keep up.

Meanwhile, this kid was watching me fumble with the game. I became self-conscious and took the controller off. I handed it to him, and he proceeded to jam on the song—and was really good! He had no idea that I was the musician he was emulating on the game, and I didn't tell him.

Life goes on: I walked away to buy some paint supplies, groceries, and other items from the store.

Regardless of my first experience with the game as a player, I'm loving Rock Band. Instead of file sharing, people are actually buying music again! HA!!!

Putting that issue aside, I like how the game makes the player focus on certain components of the music. When I listen to songs, I'll usually tune my ear to the bass line. With Rock Band, you can do that, but also see the procession of notes.

Music is a living thing. It's fun to revisit songs in different forms. For instance, hearing the Beatles' 2006 album Love, a mash-up of their classic tunes, is like listening to this seminal group for the first time! Love takes the sounds and instruments that were buried in the original mix and puts them up front.

Electronica remixes can also result in a complete reinvention of a song. (By the way—can we have more electronica on the radio?)

Good music, film, paintings, books, and other forms of expression draw you into them. The excitement and power of rock fits well with the dynamic new world created by video games. The virtual universe is interactive, providing sensations that are real. Keep on rocking in the free world!!!!!!!

clevohardcore - 1-16-2009 at 01:20 PM

that was a surprise.

BDx13 - 1-16-2009 at 02:00 PM

that's gotta be some what of a weird experience.
wonder if that kid from the store will ever realize.

DaveMoral - 1-17-2009 at 03:20 AM

Probably not, kids these days...

Six66Mike - 1-17-2009 at 05:18 AM

Bet the kid couldn't pick up a real bass and play worth shit. Sure video games are fun, but what happens when these dimwits can't be bothered learning a real instrument because jamming on your tv is more fun.

JawnDiablo - 1-17-2009 at 09:27 AM

My son has Guitar Hero 3 band pack, and i cant for the life of me play it.
i can kinda play alot of the songs here and there on a real instrument, but just cant play that game.
its cool though
because of it he has asked me to load up his ipod with raining blood , ace of spades, overkill, and a bunch of other stuff that surprised me.
he's almost 12.
maybe i should put a stop to it now because i was 12 when i began to have my mind warped by devil music....

moron - 1-17-2009 at 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Six66Mike
Bet the kid couldn't pick up a real bass and play worth shit. Sure video games are fun, but what happens when these dimwits can't be bothered learning a real instrument because jamming on your tv is more fun.

What happens when they can't be bothered to learn how to play a real instrument? Well, I guess they won't start a band. Who cares?

DaveMoral - 1-17-2009 at 02:20 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by juandiablo
My son has Guitar Hero 3 band pack, and i cant for the life of me play it.
i can kinda play alot of the songs here and there on a real instrument, but just cant play that game.
its cool though
because of it he has asked me to load up his ipod with raining blood , ace of spades, overkill, and a bunch of other stuff that surprised me.
he's almost 12.
maybe i should put a stop to it now because i was 12 when i began to have my mind warped by devil music....

BKT - 1-17-2009 at 03:05 PM

Nirvana? Fuck that fucking band.

MM.