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Nirvana bassist tries to play his tune on Rock Band 2 store demo

10:57 PM Thu, Jan 15, 2009 |
By Sheila Lennon    Email this author |   Email this entry

rock-band-2.jpg


krist2.jpgNirvana bassist Krist Novoselic writes Tuesdays as music and politics blogger at Seattle Weekly: This one came shortly after Christmas: Old Songs on a New Screen.

...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.

rock band guitar.jpg

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.

But Krist is a fan -- "Rock has found new life with video games" -- and the comments on this post host a good discussion of whether video-game instruments kill the desire for real ones or are a gateway to them. (How to find your instrument?)

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1 Comments

Larissa said:

Really a great discussion.........

Link | January 16, 2009 1:15 AM
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