So Guitar Hero is ruining the music business - NOT?

Here's what I want you to do, watch this video first http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zna2nFtY0c - I'll say this was a great night, but was shocked at the amount of people that spoke to me about how "games like this (Guitar Hero, Rock Band) are depriving our children of real music".

Ok, let's focus on one incident in particular, 2 woman (just what I thought) ride up on a Harley Davidson and get off the bike and for some reason 1 talks to me while the other goes inside for Windmill hot dogs.

She was very nice and asked "what's up here?". Me being me I explain about Xfuel, the WRAT and this is a promotional event and the one playing Guitar Hero now is my son.

Well, she goes off on me about how terrible these fake music games are and yada, yada, yada she goes on, because she a "real" musician (would have never guessed she fancied herself an artist - go figure)

Why do people feel the need to bitch at me with all their problems and concerns about the world and where it's heading - do I of all people look like a friggin shrink?????

Anyway, I say to her "You ever heard the song Jukebox Hero, the boy is inspired to play the guitar based on hearing one lone guitar?"

As usual I get the rant back about the game is not same, doesn't have all the notes, not really playing the music, etc.

I just wanted to say "shut the F**K up, get back on your bike and ride the hell out of here!!"

No, I didn't say that, I explain to her that sales in music stores of real guitars has gone up since these games came out, today's youth is being exposed to music that they haven't played on the radio for 20 years and the stations that do play it certainly don't have this demographic listening. The fact that my son wanted a real electric guitar and takes lesson now along with countless other in our town because of games like this is a GOOD thing!

You know she came around, her and her partner stayed awhile watched thanked us for allowing them to see a different side of video games and rode off into the night.

4 lessons / advice here from this story:

1. exposure to music no matter how the kids get it IS A GOOD THING



2. playing any of the music games IS A GOOD THING



3. once again video games has helped bridge the diversity gap, video games know no color, race, preference or religion it IS A GOOD THING



4. parents don't be anal a**holes if your kid wants to play electric guitar and you can afford it - let them!!!! Don't make them learn acoustic guitar first, this is why many kids quit lessons they want to be a JUKEBOX HERO - let them try it on an electric guitar, this IS A GOOD THING

One closing thought - I just don't understand how these 35 year old and up people / parents are able to function at all in life, the fact that they just don't see that Guitar Hero is a video game and that Gibson and Fender make guitars - the two companies are not trying to replace or compete with each other - are these people just that stupid that they can't see this? YES, that is why you have to educates them!