EA
Lone rockers no more. The Rock Band videogame integrates guitar, bass, drums and vocals. Learn more about the game systems that feature Rock Band with video game system pictures.
When Bob Dylan stepped onto the stage during his 1966 world tour with The Band behind him, it started a new chapter in rock 'n' roll history. Sure, he'd already plugged in and shocked his hardcore followers a few months before at The Newport Folk Festival. But playing with The Band, who called themselves The Hawks at the time, cemented Bobbie D's momentous shift from acoustic singer/songwriter to bona fide rock star.
Now, this isn't to say that people who play the über-popular video game Rock Band at home compare to the genius of one of America's greatest musicians, but you get the drift. While Guitar Hero brought out the solo Dylan in millions across the world, Rock Band has given those shredders a backing band.
Before you start hurling your picks at the computer screen, allow us to acknowledge that, one, Bob Dylan doesn't appear on either game, and, two, that Rock Band and Guitar Hero are certainly two birds of a different feather. Kind of like the Stones and the Beatles. They share a similar brilliance and lasting influence on today's music, but people will wrestle each other to the ground on who reigns supreme.
Game On |
It's difficult to talk about Rock Band without mentioning Guitar Hero because it essentially picks up where the other left off. Adding bass, microphone and drumming peripherals to the guitar, Rock Band takes players closer to actually making their own music.
The basic objective of rocking as hard as possible remains relatively unchanged with Rock Band. Only this time, it's a collaborative effort, with anywhere from two to four people jamming in sync. And by taking it from the singular hero to the full band experience, you'll have clashing egos, intraband romance and unrated backstage shenanigans in addition to the pounding notes. Depending, that is, on who joins the group.
How has the public received this change? About as well as Dylan and The Band on that famous tour. As of May 2008, parent company Viacom reported 3 million Rock Band bundles sold at the cool price of around $170 each [source: Sliwinski].
But we haven't even reached the first chorus of the Rock Band story. Consider the following pages your backstage pass.
