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    Jack White and Jimmy Page Condemn 'Guitar Hero'

    • Posted on Jun 23rd 2009 11:00AM by John D. Luerssen
    • Comments (22)
    Print |  Email More
    Don't expect Jack White and Jimmy Page to be hangin' out in a basement, throwing back a few and rocking out to 'Guitar Hero' anytime soon. For one, yes, they probably have better things to do. But for two, the respective White Stripes and Led Zeppelin guitarists criticized the popular video game as an undesirable way for people to be exposed to music.

    "It's depressing to have a label come and tell you that ['Guitar Hero'] is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music," White said at an L.A. press conference Friday for the upcoming Davis Guggenheim documentary, 'It Might Get Loud.' The film -- which focuses on three masters of the instrument from different generations -- chronicles White, Page and U2's the Edge.

    While White added that he doesn't want to dictate "which format people should get their music in" he said, "If you have to be in a video game to get in front of them, that's a little sad."

    Meanwhile Page said that he can't imagine kids are really learning anything significant about playing instruments through video games. "You think of the drum part that John Bonham did on Led Zeppelin's first track on the first album, 'Good Times, Bad Times,'" he said. "How many drummers in the world can play that part, let alone on Christmas morning?"

    Point taken.
    • Filed under: News, Holy Hell
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    Reader Comments(1 of 2)

    vote downvote upReportLowest Ranked

    King Murphyat 6-23-2009

    Change with the times Old Heads. It appears to be a "I didnt make no money off the game and I feel I should have been recognized on it"

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportLowest Ranked

    sdw10at 6-23-2009

    A bitter washed up old guitarist and the most overrated guitarist out right now don't like guitar hero huh? I play in a band and have toured the east coast-and I frikkin love guitar hero. If this is the way to expose kids to all types of music then what's the problem? I can't help but think these two are just whining to get a headline...

    I think jack white's just jealous he couldn't beat "through the fire and the flames" on easy.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    BlackSunshineat 6-23-2009

    Everytime some artists makes a negative comment, someone has to name call and insult them for such on a forum.

    vote downvote upReportHighest Ranked

    mdish77at 6-23-2009

    The point is the new generation isn't learning anything more than how to play video games. I think it's sad too; Guitar Hero doesn't teach you to play guitar. It may teach you hand-eye coordination, but possibly naturally talented kids who could learn if they picked up a real axe or sat behind a real drum kit, will instead be sitting in front of a TV. Wow. A lot to look forward to.

    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    zeebro1at 6-28-2009

    sdw10...my thoughts exactly!

    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    FMat 12-15-2009

    At least those two guitarists actually have talent, i play GH, but i didnt learn bout music from it

    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    gregat 6-23-2009

    And I think the two above me are idiot morons.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    lmotasat 6-23-2009

    Wow Greg what a lousey comeback. Next time you have a useless comment please duct tape your mouth closed.....Thanks a bunch

    vote downvote upReportHighest Ranked

    bigcitythekiddat 6-23-2009

    i believe what they are trying to say is, that kids should be going out and playing REAL instruments. Kids now a days want to be good at guitar hero rather than suffer and put time into a real instrument. the feeling when playing music and going to that place .."that place" is far greater than any feeling from a video game.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportHigh Ranked

    stephenjartiat 6-23-2009

    VERY WELL SAID !!!

    vote downvote upReportHigh Ranked

    prariwolfat 6-23-2009

    I too thought Guitar Hero was a big waste of time when my nephews got it for Christmas a couple of years ago. Instead, it got them interested in these guitar greats, looking up and downloading their stuff from iTunes and other sites (all legal, no worries). Then my older nphew asked for a guitar this year, so he could REALLY learn to play. So now I se it as a stepping stone. If there is no real interest, it's a harmless game. If there is, it's a good place for a beginner to get exposed to the art.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportHigh Ranked

    lmotasat 6-23-2009

    Now that was well said.

    vote downvote upReportHigh Ranked

    angel64at 6-23-2009

    So Jimmy Page is just an 'old washed up' guitarist huh?
    Disagree with him if you willo on the video game, but remember that this'old guy' can still play circles around most of the young idiots that pass for rock musicians right now. And no, a heavy power chord doesn'
    pass for guitar prowess.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    giancarlobellat 6-23-2009

    As a guitarist myself, I also indulge in the odd game of Guitar Hero. It has shown me good music, but most of the exposure I get to great bands is through recommendations from music lovers I respect. I would then listen to the band through YouTube or whatever and then go out and buy an album.

    However, there are a lot of kids out there who are learning about rock music through the series. Many accomplished guitarists agree that the game could teach many budding guitarists a lot of bad habits, but I think it could still inspire many to go out and properly learn guitar.

    They may have a point in that the musical exposure could be very restricted though.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    joejoewelderat 7-25-2009

    WOW ! PEOLPE ARE REALLY LOSING TOUCH WITH THE REAL WORLD ! Jimmy Page would kick damn near any guitarists ass at just about any song out EVER . still to this day he is a guitar god ! i dont think he is upset at all about not being on the game. if he wanted to be on it he would hes friggin jimmy page dude can do what he wants . jack white on the other hand is a douche bag in general but i agree with him . it is sad that the only way to get kids exposed to music is with a game. KIDS go pick up a real guitar and play zeppelin or white stripes then tell me how easy it was . music is important.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    Donaat 7-30-2009

    Having another outlet for people to find music on is a good thing. It gives kids a sense of history and allows them to experience a large variety of genres. Kids can't afford to buy albums, and artists don't want people pirating stuff so realistically rhythm games are pretty good way to get your music heard. Are they seeing bad in it simply because it's in a lowly video game? Perhaps, if that's the case, I would rather stay grinds wow gold
    and joins raids on WoW.

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    uziel79at 8-10-2009

    hey guys I'm a self taught guitarist and as such have many bad habits now that are hard to shake but playing these games has got me playing better than before, my sense of timing has improved in my strumming and my upstroke/downstroke discipline is increasing the more I play. Kids being exposed to this is only a good thing as far as I can see...nurture a passion for music whatever wherever the source!

    p.s jack white is sad that this is how the youth are exposed to music huh....hasn't stopped them putting "blue orchid" on guitar hero 5 tho has it!!

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    Lensterat 9-01-2009

    These kids today...

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    jefferson erckat 9-02-2009

    guitar hero is fine. as a game.
    It has as much to do with real playing as a car based game does to driving.
    actually ...... I am suspicious of anyone who claims that guitar hero has made them a better player on guitar.

    In fact I would call them a liar.
    A poseur
    The strums and sustains and holding notes are DIFFERENT.
    Don't pose as an "expert"
    If you like guitar hero, kudos. If you want to play guitar, bravo.

    Apples and oranges.

    tell me different?
    " don't piss down my back and tell me it's raining."

    I mean REALLY?

    Jefferson

    Reply
    vote downvote upReportNeutral

    The 4th Manat 9-03-2009

    How I was really exposed to such bands as Led Zeppelin or The White Stripes was really through listening to the radio and checkin out record stores after work and branching out from there, so what they are saying is entirely true, because you really don't need a video game to help you discover or learn to play new music. It takes all the fun out of discovering great artists on your own.

    Reply
    12 Next >

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