White Stripes man slags off music games News

I'd have a lot more respect for the opinion of Jack White, if he wasn't compelled to add to his perceived problem, by making his music available on Guitar Hero.
I think that is what you call a sell-out.

"Here at Eurogamer we've realised we'll never play golf like Tiger Woods or drive cars as fast as Jenson Button either, and are throwing all our videogames in the bin"

LOL

Is there not an argument to be made for the fact that guitar hero / rock band et al. introduce people to music they would otherwise not experience? Is there really enough evidence to draw conclusions on whether games are detrimental or instrumental to people learning to play musical instruments? They all seem to assume kids would otherwise be playing a real guitar, rather than sitting around watching TV.

I think it's a nice chance for talentless wasters like me to at least feel like they're making music and getting involved. Also there must be countless kids who start on Guitar Hero and then want to learn an instrument for real.

I'm kind of in aggreement that when I see really good Guitar Hero players I do wonder if perhaps their time might not have been better spent learning the real thing. But for losers like me who haven't got the time or desire to do so, it's a great substitute. He should take his head out of his arse and realise there are a lot of people who just want to have a little fun.

Games are a bit sad? Well, so's thinking that writing rock music actually makes you a sensitive, emotional, or intelligent person, but I don't see Jack stopping any time soon.

I think White’s comments were more about the discovery of music more than anything else. That he was depressed that the only way to get kids into music was by making it into an interactive element. I wish Page would brighten up, I want to mash buttons on a plastic guitar along to Kashmir and Black Dog

I don't see a hypocrisy in this. You want to get your music out to as many people as possible so fair enough signing up, although the money sure makes it extra special. But why should that stop you from disliking the medium? It's like those who moan about MP3s taking over from CDs but still purchase the former. One can be critical of something while taking it on board. Although I for one see no problem with using Guitar Hero as a medium. Never played the game, but in an age where the music is becoming freer one should be happy to get paid for it.

Jimmy Page's comment is idiotic though.

Yeah, because MTV these days is a viable alternative to get our music needs... *switches on TV* oh, The Hills *turns off TV*.

I don't see guitar hero as a way to get exposed to music to be honest. I have other, more vast channels for that. Guitar Hero isn't about finding new, interesting music, it's about having fun with music you already know. And the "worst" that could happen is that you stumble upon a band you haven't heard of before, like their GH songs and get their album. I don't see how that's sad.

FFS. I'm sick to death of these up-their-own-arse musos slagging off these games (especially, as pointed out, whilst simultaneously putting their own songs in them. Ah, the siren call of the old greenback, amazing how it deafens out the tiny squeaks of conscience). They are GAMES. They aren't meant to teach you how to play the guitar (although more of a case can be made for the drums).

I love it when people simply "don't get it".

It's not about playing musical instruments, it's about playing rock stars with your friends. It's no different to Kareoke.

Rock Band is all sorts of fun. Singstar is nearly as much fun. If you don't like these games, don't play them and don't moan about others having fun. Simple really.

Also Jack White is happy to take the money so I don't get his objection.

I'm sick of this 'play a real instrument' snobbery. Should people play with real guns instead of Call of Duty. It's a GAME you eejits, it's not supposed to be real.

I don't think he objects to the game. He's not happy that the label has told him that the game is how kids experience their music now. Great if you're a big star and someone wants to sign you up, not so hot for those smaller artists. But to be honest, what's new? Most people don't hunt for music, they're just not that passionate about it. They let it come to them and take whatever they're fed. I'm exactly the same with films.

I think 'slagging off' music games is a little sensationalist, no?

Not quite sure you can call Zeppelin awful. :) Not quite my cup of tea, but they were still great at what they did.

shame, if sales were good enough to have a Aerosmith and Van Halen version then imagine a Led Zep and Prince one? (Prince also has the same stance on these games)

And I've realised that I'm never gonna look as good as Lara Croft does in a black and yellow bikini. I've tried it, believe me.

What a Douchebag, I've been able to find new bands all the time and I haven't listened to the radio or watched a music TV show in years.

The fact that i've discovered a load of new bands I like through RB and GH is a major plus.

Music games are games. if I were a big name artist, I'd be happy people could pretend to play my stuff in a fun manor, in much the same way I'd be happy if I was in an action movie and the game of said movie was out. It's probably be rubbish though :P

I don't think anyone would play GH or RB and think they could play for real, it's just a fun game. Plus I've discovered a liking for a few great artists, that I'd have missed out otherwise. I wouldn't say that's sad, presenting your music to a new audience.

He's right though, they're shit.

Normally, when ‘dumbing down’ is afoot, I would happily lead the charge. I believe that we live in a world where our personalities are being systematically sanded down and our autonomy reduced for the sake of profit and that we should fight this trend wherever, whenever possible. Contrary to Jack White’s opinion, I think one way of if not reversing this trend, stemming the blood loss, would be to engage in more activities like Guitar Hero, and less activities like listening to The White Stripes on your iPod. They play rock music for office workers. They write soundtracks to commutes. I think games like Guitar Hero offer a genuinely new way of interacting with music that is somewhere between passive listening and active playing. I say genuinely new because this has literally never happened before in the history of the universe and is pretty sweet.

As for it being a distraction from playing ‘real instruments’ (a distinction that needs to be readdressed in the light of this new interaction), this is the exact opposite argument usually squared at videogames i.e. playing GTA turns you into a murderer. So which is it? Do videogames sap or bolster our behaviours? At any rate, however much a ‘distraction’ you believe Guitar Hero to be, it is certainly no more of one than simply listening through your stereo. So even live music purists will have to admit, ‘real instrument’ > Guitar Hero > passive listening.

"Here at Eurogamer we've realised we'll never play golf like Tiger Woods or drive cars as fast as Jenson Button either, and are throwing all our videogames in the bin. "
Lmao good one. That made me laugh. I also realise I'll probably never shoot anyone in the head with an M4 so I'll bin COD4 while I'm at it.

+1 Slim, yeah instead of everyone going out & buying COD MW2 when its released why don't we all sign up to the army & go fight a real war in iraq or afghanistan

Which is more "sad" - people coming to music through video games or rock stars moaning about it?

I expect he'll start to feel better when the royalty checks start coming through.

Knew this was written by Ellie the moment the sarcasm started to filter through. Made me chuckle away :)

I can sort of see where Jack White is coming from and sort of not.. I mean surely you must already be interested in rock music and like it to want to play the game? so the chances are you already listen to a little rock music. so if a person heard one or two tracks of Jack White's music and likes it, arn't they more likely to go and buy an album, other than maybe just sumbling across some of his music one day. Also, I find that games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero actually make the younger generation want to pick up an actual instrument and learn to play. So on the whole, I really don't see any problems with these music games. I also thought Jimmy Page's comment was stupid..

Bring on DJ Hero! ^^

If they're putting White Stripes tracks into Guitar Hero won't that require an Easy - mode for drums to fully replicate Meg White's drumming style?

And why is my comment displayed in bold when I haven't used the tags to do so?

It's no different to Kareoke

Ah, but it is different to karaoke. At least until somebody gets an album deal, a national tour and makes it to the final of Britain's Got Talent based on practicing pushing buttons in time on a plastic guitar.

Alert! Alert Bold tag leak


Won't somebody please think of the children?

In some pieces on EG, there's one phrase that makes me look up and think 'this one is Ellie's'. This time it was "White somehow managed to see through his tears to sign a contract".

just yesterday I purchased PS2 GH:LoR for €29,90, which seemed quite a reasonable price. I bought it for my kids as well as myself, since I never knew what the fuzz was about. That is clearer now. First thoughts are: yes, it is a fun game. But I was amazed to see how difficult it quickly became. You have this practice mode, where you really need to play the same song time and again in order to hit the notes correctly. Before you can play all songs - I suppose you need to invest hours. All very well, since it is fun.

Since you need to invest so much time to learn these songs, I did start wondering (and will continue to do so) if it would not be better for my 8y old son to invest that amount of time he will undoubtedly need to master GH in playing a real guitar... but what with the ease of which GH leads you to its mastery? You do not have that kind of interactive experience with a real guitar and I can see he'd quickly grow bored of the real thing... So, I do understand the real guitar heroes: in the end, this all leads to nill. I'll have my son have fun with it though. If nothing else, he'll learn some classic songs. Feel the rythm and improve his eye-hand coordination. All of which do seem to be necessary even if you want to play the real instrument...

I could see people who are decent at drumming in Guitar Hero/ Rock Band, becoming decent at real drumming too, as there is almost no difference in terms of coordination and developing a sense of rhythm, even if it misses on the technique side of things (hi hat control, pressure control, etc). I think paying GH guitar can benefit learners in terms of their dexterity, but that's about it.

In the end, the games are just supposed to be fun, and people who moan about them not benefitting the youth are pratts.

I fail to understand why the music peeps get so upset over a game. It gets their music out there to people who otherwise, might not have listened to it.

Music Industry: "Whine whine whine; we aren't making as much money as games, and we aren't growing anywhere near as fast, but we still think we're better than them as an artistic medium."

You know, maybe kids these days don't want to pay however many hundreds of quid it is for a nice guitar only to realise that they can't play for shit and that it was a big waste of money. Games are about fantasy, if that fantasy is to be a rock star in their living room then I suggest that they go buy Guitar Hero or Rock Band. All these music legends who think they know it all about the relationship between music and games can go back to their mansions and cry themselves to sleep at night, for all I care.

I think some artists believe that these games draw kids away from wanting to play/learn real instruments. As a full time music teacher my own experience is completely different. When I ask 11 year old kids how they started liking ACDC et al they usually reply "Guitar Hero".

I often do feel sometimes that yung uns miss out on the experience of clamouring for your favorite band to release a new album. It seems like everything is almost too accessible now...No more mystery around artists and certainly no more larger than life rock stars anymore.

:(

They'd prefer it if people just bought a CD and listened to the music passively? You're not going to learn about music either way, that's not why people buy music. They want to be entertained, and a video game gives them more then just the listening experience.

@youhavenomail

I hope your joking, right? Despite Jimmy's daft comments here, Led Zeppelin in my eyes are still the best rock band ever to walk the face of the earth.

Let's put it in context. Some horrible twats from a record label, intent on establishing multiple revenue streams from what they see as their product (The Stripes), tell Mr White "Yeah Jack, that's how kids are learning about music now. Just sign here."

He naturally feels a bit depressed by this bullshit.

"I hate new ways of making money off my old stuff, I really do."

Music Games could be considered the new MTV, you know, actually exposing people to new bands, songs... hell, even just thinking about music in a different light. I know that thanks to GH and RB I've been exposed to stuff I would never have thought of, especially since the demise of Music actually making up the bulk of MTV's airtime... the less said about Radio the better, at this point.

He should have gone with Rock Band 2, it's quite a ways better then Guitar Hero: WT.

If I were to go solely by these and previous similar comments, it'd strike me that said musos don't really grasp the concept that such games are meant to be entertainment rather than replacement. If anything, it might actually inspire some to learn how to play the real things - I'd wager that's happened in more than a few cases already.

And besides, if it gets people into music period, surely that's no bad thing?

Why has he allowed his music to be used?

Not all artists have control over what and how it is used by their respective labels.

""If you have to be in a videogame to get in front of them, that's a little sad."

Smell the coffee music man videogames are your bitch

he's not slagging off music games though is he? he's saying it's sad that they are learning about music that way, but at least they are learning about music (in a fashion)

Since I started playing Rock Band I've started buying all manner of music, both from artists whose music is included in the game or as DLC, and artists who have never appeared in music games and are unlikely to due to the style of music. Apparently that's a bad thing?

Metallica do seem to have a much better attitude to this. While I don't much care for their choice of rhythm action platforms, they seem to see it as a way to get their music out to more people than would otherwise hear it.

I'm curious as to whether he'd be equally upset to have his music on the soundtrack of a regular game (ie, in a non interactive manner). By extension, would he be annoyed to have one of his tracks on a movie soundtrack? What's the difference?