Category: Music

Coffee Talk #120: What Bands Should Get Their Own Music Game?

My friend and I were talking about Green Day: Rock Band the other day. While we both like Green Day to a certain extent, we’re both puzzled as to why they have their own Rock Band game. Certainly there are better and more deserving bands, no? Perhaps it has everything to do with the band appealing to people in their ’30s and below, but shouldn’t bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones have their own Rock Band games before Green Day?

Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, the start of a new MLB season (go Yankees!), cute Didi Benami getting booted over the incredibly lame Tim Urban, and tomorrow’s Apple iPad launch, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.

My friend and I were talking about Green Day: Rock Band the other day. While we both like Green Day to a certain extent, we’re both puzzled as to why they have their own Rock Band game. Certainly there are better and more deserving bands, no? Perhaps it has everything to do with the band appealing to people in their ’30s and below, but shouldn’t bands like Queen and The Rolling Stones have their own Rock Band games before Green Day?

To be fair, Queen does have their own Singstar game, but this conversation was focused on the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises. In that context you have Aerosmith, Metallica, Van Halen, and, of course, The Beatles. And coming soon…Green Day! Really?!?

With Green Day breaking down barriers to music games, I wanted to see what bands and artists you think should get their own Guitar Hero or Rock Band game. And no, The Monkees: Rock Band is not an acceptable answer.

Harmonix and MTV Working on The Monkees: Rock Band

How do you follow up an excellent game like The Beatles: Rock Band? With The Monkees: Rock Band of course! In addition to bringing the musical stylings of Davey Jones, Mickey Dolenz, Mike Nesmith, and Peter Tork, the game has a few new twists that differentiate it from other music games. For example, maraca and tambourine accessories will be used in the game to accurately convey Jones’ contributions to the band.

In today’s press release, Harmonix CEO Alex Popodopoulous said:

You know, I never really liked The Beatles, but everyone at MTV wanted a game based on them. This is the game I wanted to make. Unlike that game with John, Paul, George, and Ringo, I’m interested in the music this time around. Working on a Monkees game is such an honor and such a personal project.

In terms of movies, it’s like when Matt Damon makes a Bourne movie to make the money. That’s The Beatles: Rock Band. Then he makes the fruity-guy-that-plays-golf-and-talks-to-horses movie that he loves. That’s The Monkees: Rock Band.

Here they come…walking down the street!

Update April 2: Yes, this was an April Fools’ Day post.

Today’s Poll: Heavy Rain vs. Chocolate Rain vs. Mark Rein

In honor of the release of Heavy Rain for PlayStation 3, I wanted to see what your favorite type of rain is (in the context of gaming and nerd culture). In addition to Quantic Dream’s excellent game, you can choose from “Chocolate Rain” by Tay Zonday, Epic Games vice president Mark Rein, and Prince’s outstanding “Purple Rain” (the song, not the movie). Make your choice and leave your explanation in the comments section if you have a moment!

[poll id=”28″]

What Do You Think of the New “We Are the World”?

Check out this video of the new version of “We are the World”. It’s an excellent song that benefits the people of Haiti. If you can buy the song and/or the video, I suggest you do it. It helps out a great cause…and more importantly, it gives you more of a right to rag on this pathetic remake. I loved the original. It was a star-studded single that featured some of the biggest music stars in the world. 25 years later the song has been bastardized by auto-tune and no-talent hacks. Again, it’s a great cause and I think you should buy it, mostly so you can help out the people of Haiti and partially so you can rip it apart.

As an added bonus here’s an old SNL skit featuring Billy Crystal as Prince, with Hulk Hogan and Mr. T as his bodyguards. Some of you might remember that Prince was a no-show at the original U.S.A. for Africa recording of “We Are the World”. The mock song, “I Am Also the World”, cracks me up.


My Hands: Leona Lewis Plays and Talks Final Fantasy XIII

British songstress Leona Lewis plays and talks Final Fantasy XIII in this video that promotes Square Enix’s recently announced FFXIII contest. The singer of “My Hands” — the international FFXIII single — is best known for winning The X Factor, as well as her singles “Better in Time”, “Footprints in the Sand”, and “Happy”.

I don’t mean to be linguistically racist, but I totally cracked up when my friend from Sony pointed out that Square Enix selected an artist with a name that many Japanese people can’t pronounce. He joked that she’s referred to, “Reona Rewis,” at Square Enix HQ. I felt enormously guilty for laughing at that joke.

Nippon Ichi Software Changes Game Title, Pet Shop Boys Pissed?

Nippon Ichi Software has announced that it has changed the name of Holy Invasion of Privacy, Badman! for Sony PlayStation Portable to What Did I Do to Deserve This, My Lord?! So instead of a title that uses an Adam West Batman pun, the game will now make people think of The Pet Shop Boys.

Check out the box art below.

Nobuo Uematsu Meets Jay-Z in Vinyl Fantasy 7: Download Now!

I’ve been listening to Team Teamwork’s Vinyl Fantasy 7 mash-ups for the last couple of hours. This pay-what-you-want download features some unforgettable Final Fantasy VII tracks mixed with hip-hop artists like Jay-Z, Outkast, Ghostface Killah, and more.

Some of it is really cool (I loved “Those Who Fight” with M.O.P. and “Jenova” with Skyzoo + Wale). Some of it didn’t work for me (hip-hop with the Gold Saucer and Costa Del Sol themes?!?). Sadly, Aerith’s theme wasn’t mashed up. FFVII fanboys around the world would have went nuts and I would have been terribly amused.

The download is available in a bunch of formats, including MP3, AAC, OGG, FLAC, and ALAC. It’s definitely worth downloading and if you can throw a few bucks at Team Teamwork that’s cool too. I’d love to hear your thoughts on Vinyl Fantasy 7, so give it a download and a listen.

Here’s the complete track list:

  1. Kool Keith + Tom Waits – Spacious Thoughts (The Prelude) 04:07
  2. Jay-Z – Lucifer (Mako Reactor) 03:17
  3. M.O.P. – Ante Up (Battle!) 03:42
  4. MF DOOM – Air (Barrett’s Theme) 02:35
  5. Outkast + Raekwon – Royal Flush (Sailing from Junon) 03:34
  6. Skyzoo + Wale – Lyrically Inclined (Jenova) 03:18
  7. Gucci Mane – Stoopid (Costa Del Sol) 04:10
  8. Clipse – Fast Life (Sephiroth’s Reunion) 03:52
  9. Dorrough – Ice Cream Paintjob (Gold Saucer) 04:07
  10. Murs – Me and this Jawn (Mideel) 03:02
  11. Slum Village – Get Dis Money (One-Winged Angel) 03:11
  12. Ghostface Killah – Save Me Dear (City of the Ancients) 02:34

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Stephen Colbert Busts Out iPad at the Grammy Awards

Stephen Colbert is awesome and funny…and apparently on the cutting edge of technology since he busted out an Apple iPad at the Grammy Awards two months before it goes on sale. Check out this video of the cute clip that boosted Colbert’s geek cred by a factor of (at least) five.