Nme.com has reported that, in a press conference to promote an upcoming documentary, Jack White and Jimmy Page have criticized the Guitar Hero franchise. The respective luminaries of The White Stripes and Led Zepplin, are upset that video games are introducing kids to music.
Said White, “It’s depressing to have a label come and tell you that [Guitar Hero] is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music…if you have to be in a video game to get in front of them, that’s a little sad.” Page agreed, adding that he couldn’t imagine learning anything significant about music from video games.
Isn’t it nice for the haters that one side can claim that video games teach kids how to commit murder while others can whine that they teach no practical skills at all? Of course, indulging that debate is missing the real point of Guitar Hero. As Geneforge developer Jeff Vogel pointed out on his blog, “Playing [games like Guitar Hero] is not a less involved way of making music. It is a more involved way of LISTENING to music.” If anything, White and Page should appreciate their growing mindshare as well as the room for them in the growing medium. Oh well, I guess no good press goes unpunished.
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Like the article. One quibble: you say “The respective luminaries of Led Zepplin and The White Stripes,” when in the previous sentence, they are listed as Jack White and Jimmy Page. If they are to be respective, they should be listed in the opposite order.
Thanks for the correction! It should be fixed now. I blame the error on learning everything I know about these bands from Guitar Hero.