Rob Zombie and Weezer’s Take on Guitar Hero
By Stephany on Friday, April 18th, 2008 at 2:26 PM PST In Game Companies, Game Consoles, Gamer Life, Games, Microsoft, Sony
There is an interesting post over on Joystick Division where Chris Ward talks about his interviews with both Rivers Cuomo of Weezer and Rob Zombie. The lucky bastard – well, for getting to interview “Mr. Zombie” anyway. Both artists discuss Guitar Hero and what they think about their music being included in music simulation games.
Here are some excerpts from the Rob Zombie interview:
WARD: So, I’ve almost beaten White Zombie’s “Black Sunshine” on Guitar Hero III.
ZOMBIE: Oh good. [laughs]
WARD: What do you think of Guitar Hero? Did they approach you about using the master tracks?
ZOMBIE: Yeah, I mean they come in and ask to do it, and I think it’s great. I don’t play them, but I think it’s awesome.
WARD: What do you think of the guy trying to re-create your voice on the game?
ZOMBIE: I actually haven’t heard it, but I bet it’s pretty funny.
WARD: It’s not too good actually.
ZOMBIE: [laughs] They should just use the original tracks.
Of course they should have used the original track! It’s Rob Zombie for Satan’s sake!
Then comes the more interesting interview- the one with Rivers Cuomo from Weezer. While I have nothing personal against Weezer, what I took from reading the interview was that Rivers was kind of making fun of Guitar Hero fans. I could just picture the look of smug self-satisfaction on his face:
WARD: On a scale of 1-10, how bad could I kick your ass at Weezer’s “My Name is Jonas” on Guitar Hero III?
RIVERS: [laughs] Probably a 10, because I don’t know how to play it! I’ve never played it. I don’t get those games at all. I mean, I haven’t tried them. But they must be fun because people love them. But, to me, it seems like if you’re going to put that much effort into playing something, you should just play a real instrument. [laughs]
Granted, I have to agree that playing a musical instrument is much more fun than a fake plastic one, but the last time I checked, most people who play these games are not guitar gods. Hell, I am lucky to be able to play the cello and piano enough to where it doesn’t make your ears bleed – and even more lucky to be able to play bass on the song “Dazed and Confused by Led Zeppelin” – for the first part of the song anyway, but an orangutan could do that.
What Rivers and other musicians must realize is that deep down inside we all want to be guitar heroes, but lack the discipline to practice, take drugs and sleep with skanky women on the road. We have real jobs, real lives, and other major responsibilities in real-life, and sometimes we just want to plug in our fake guitars and de-stress a bit.
Plus, you shouldn’t make too much fun of us because your record sales have soared thanks to Guitar Hero (I-III) and Rock Band.
Thanks: Chris Ward -Joystick Division (Chris – Next time you decide to interview Rob Zombie, give me a call *wink*)
lol, Rob Zombie’s great!
I just got to interview Sting’s son Joe and his band Fiction Plane for my school’s paper. This is cool too, although I’m not a huge fan of ol’ Rob.
Great article Stephany! I bet Rob Zombie would actually enjoy Rock Band a bit.. but Guitar Hero is for lame people at this point.
Ah, I am not really bashing Cuomo per say, I actually like Weezer VERY much.
“take drugs and sleep with skanky women on the road. We have real jobs, real lives, and other major responsibilities in real-life ”
Come one now…. No need for that comment… And you write that with an artical about Rivers and Rob Zombie… Who are probably the two most Business “real life” men in rock
I was talking Rock Stars in general Lego
No need to defend yourself… it’s just better to save comments like that for articles about rock stars that act like that out in the open.
Yeah, because musicians in general are the back bone of civilization and stand for all that is good, clean, and wholesome in this world.
I liked your article and liked the fact that you address the somewhat smarmy attitute (not saying it comes from either of the two musicians mentioned but rather from the general public) that Guitar Hero makes kids lazy, is anti-instrument, or the gamers are giant dweebs who couldn’t “cut it” with a real guitar.
It’s just a game. And if some 12 year old kid comes into a music shop and thinks that he can play a real guitar because he’s a great GH gamer, then let him think that…he’s 12 for crying out loud. I teach high school kids that think they’re all going to be the next Kobe Bryant, but I don’t go around bursting their bubble (as long as they maintain their grades) because it’s just a part of that idealistic youthful hope that we all had at one time or another. At least the game got them interested in guitar in the first place.
Most of the people I see play aren’t going to challenge Slash to a duel anytime soon. They know it’s just for fun. Heck, I’m 30 and I love GH. When I’m playing I FEEL like a rockstar but I don’t ever think I really am one. I’ve strummed a guitar before and took piano lessons for five years…finger placement, coordination, and sheet music are tough as hell to learn and get good at, and don’t suffer any illusions that a five colored button system is the same as the real thing. And the musicians really shouldn’t complain b/c as the article states, it’s really revived interest for a new generation into classic rock of previous decades. It’s escapism, that’s all, and if anyone makes fun of the players than it’s they who have lost perspective on what this game is or isn’t.