White Stripes Frontman Jack White Says 'Guitar Hero' Is 'Depressing'
Music-related video games like 'Guitar Hero' and 'Rock Band' can mean an awful lot of things to an awful lot of people, but to musicians, they seem to just be, well, insulting. Noel Gallagher, lead singer of the former super-band Oasis, made his feelings on the subject very well known earlier this year, and now Jack White is sharing a similar sentiment.White is the front man and guitar player of the White Stripes, a band consisting only of himself and his drummer Meg, but he currently devotes more time to leading his other bands, the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather. In various incarnations, his music appears multiple times in 'Guitar Hero 5.' But, he doesn't have to like it.
According to NME, White opined the following on Friday at a Los Angeles press conference: "It's depressing to have a label come and tell you that ['Guitar Hero'] is how kids are learning about music and experiencing music."
"Depressing" isn't quite how we'd describe it, as we've certainly learned a lot more about the tunes we love after playing through them in a game (even if we're only playing a third of the notes and are off-rhythm at that). This all stands as proof, it seems, that even rock stars can be Luddites. [From: NME, via: Joystiq]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
xstatic74 said 10:59AM on 6-24-2009
He's absolutely right, it is depressing. And youre an idiot for saying otherwise.
The future is worse than anyone could have possibly imagined.
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pgh said 6:45PM on 6-29-2009
At first, I shared this sentiment. I'm an amateur musician and the thought of Guitar Hero seemed sad. But then I saw how my nephews moved from playing Guitar Hero to picking up real guitars and I had to wonder. Does it matter how people become interested in music? Is that more important than the fact that they do become actively involved in making music?
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kevin lynch said 11:30AM on 6-24-2009
Jack white should shut the f u c k up! If he's so torn about his part in this colossal waste of time (Guitar Hero) -- then give the money to charity you hypocrite.
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Dylan said 11:36AM on 6-24-2009
Depressing? That picture of him is more depressing.
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Mystery Man said 11:36AM on 6-24-2009
This coming from a band that sucks major @ss means a lot.
Go back to your one f'n hit song with a catchy bass line you little emo female
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Ethan said 12:07PM on 6-24-2009
holy misrepresentation, batman!
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pjbl2223 said 12:44PM on 6-24-2009
The real shame is the lack of music education in our public schools. VH1 is attempting to correct some of this, thank you VH1. These games will assist our children to jump start a long ignored school lesson.
The next shame is the treatment of musicians that actually take the time to learn music in school, and work their education post graduation. Musicians such as Frank Zappa, Kip Winger, and his fellow band mates that will continue to be marginalized because they can construct real music not just notes, and sounds.
I hope that these games will produce such an educated music class that real musicians will finally receive the credit, cheers, and respect they really deserve. This is why my grandchildren are getting the games.
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trevor said 12:58PM on 6-24-2009
Aside from the fact the Music is not really important or useful to any truly practical endeavor. I still enjoy it. I think that we need to view these products as a gateway to real music. They seem uninspired and simplistic today, but as technology improves to the point where you can just plug in a real instrument and have the same experience I think they are fun and put money in the hands of people that may one day make it happen. Imagine the guitar hero portion played with a real guitar as a finger training exercise. With better technology you could then let the user play the song back and the computer could give you all kinds of feedback on the sounds that you are creating. It could allow you to play your part with the band without the band. It could allow you to create a jam band with people you have never met. I'm sure the makers of this game would love to see all that happen. I'm buying and playing and I hope they continue to invest in this technology to the point where the line between the game and a home music studio ends.
Guitar Hero Pro!
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Heimbachae said 1:06PM on 6-24-2009
did you really just say music isn't important? know this: you are part of the problem my friend.
MUSIC IS LIFE. said 1:35PM on 6-24-2009
Trevor: you are whats wrong with this world. Music is one, if not THE most important forces in the universe. Transcending all languages, music has been the glue of society since its inception. Sound is one of the major bases of understanding and emotion for all species. "Not useful to a practical endeavor?"
go read " THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MUSIC" and get an eduation on the SCIENCE of SOUND and how it has affected global history.
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Jonathan said 1:31PM on 6-24-2009
If experiencing the music by fake-playing it in a game is "depressing," then wouldn't experiencing it in a totally non-participatory way by *just listening* to it be even more depressing? Should we stop buying records, Jack?
Speaking of money, if Jack had any problem with Guitar Hero, I imagine he wouldn't have agreed to his music being included, or at least would stop cashing the checks. So how seriously can we take this?
What the heck is the difference if I hear music on a CD, in a video game about music, or for that matter in a video game about plumbers jumping on mushrooms? I honestly don't get it.
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Mikee said 3:29PM on 6-24-2009
I'm sure a 5 year old playing Guitar Hero knows more about good music than Jack White. The crap he makes can barely be considered music.
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BluesK1d said 4:02PM on 6-24-2009
Exactly what does Jack White know about music? If you are a talentless hack like him, you should refrain from making such statements.
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nottygurl2515 said 11:09AM on 7-26-2009
You know I don't understand what the big deal is, it's just a game. As music lovers were always singing our favorite songs from these artist. We sing it in a shower, in front of the mirror, in the street as we are walking. We're always singing. The makers of Rock Band/Guitar Hero are just bringing to us another way of singing our favorite songs and having fun doing it with other people involved.
We know it's not easy to just get up and play an instrument(drums, guitar(which I have myself)) But if this is a way to get kids into wanting to take playing a plastic guitar and push them into learning how to play a real one, is it really so bad.
If you can play a real instrument, good for you. But don't come off like a snob because you think your above playing such games. Where I go on Tuesdays at a bar in the Village(Village Pourhouse) there are some guys/girls that play in real bands and they still jump on stage and play. At the end of the day, it's just a game and your having fun. Unless you forgot how to do that, then it's a shame. Jack White and any other artist who feels the same shouldn't take it so seriously because I'm sure if they had a White Strips song pack on Rock Band/Guitar Hero everybody would line up to sing it.
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Dylan said 3:47PM on 8-07-2009
wow stop hating losers if ur gonna hate on him whyd u click it retards
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WarGhoul said 2:31PM on 8-12-2009
Fact is he is RIGHT, these games make me sick. Lazy azz kids pretending to be rockers when they could find some REAL talent and learn a guitar or bass to play in RL ffs and maybe even get a real band together. But Noooo this day and age is all about doing things as fast, easy and lazy as possible. I actually went out and played REAL drums in the 80s for a couple bands and these games just make me want to puke everytime I see or hear about them...
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