Video games remember when music wasn't just in video games

I like video games, but it seems like there was a time, even in my life, when more people played sports that didn't involve the TV. I love Wii bowling, but I can't help but notice, it isn't really bowling. I hate to be the old curmudgeon, but is this what's happening to music? Will kids ever pick up guitars or keyboards now? Why should parents want to spend all that money on an instrument and lessons when they can just get their kid a video game? Why should they even go to a concert or search out old footage of great bands when they've got this bullshit?





I don't know, maybe I'm wrong and kids will still want to learn guitar, but something about seeing John Lennon and Kurt Cobain reduced to blocky video game characters makes me gag a little. Why did people react so fiercely after Nike stuck Revolution in a sneaker ad, but no one is raging against this machine? Why don't they put Iggy Pop or The Replacements up there? Shit, they might as well add The MC5, Velvet Underground, Black Flag and Dead Kennedy's while they're at it. Would Jello Biafra suck this corporate wang-dang-doodle? Put his face on an ad to sell plastic guitar shaped controllers? Oh wait...

Harmonix and MTV Games today announced 16 tracks from Weezer, Nine Inch Nails, Dead Kennedys and more coming this week to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content for the Wii system.

ugh.

Flowchart of a total eclipse (of the heart)

Click it for bigger.

Curious Poses

Chappelle's Show
True Hollywood Stories - Prince
www.comedycentral.com
Buy Chappelle's Show DVDs Black Comedy True Hollywood Story

So, I caught this classic Chapelle's Show sketch and started wondering Charlie Murphy's Prince story could possibly be true. I poked around the web and found nothing saying it wasn't true, which of course means nothing, but I did find this picture. Seems that Prince was on his high school's varsity team.




Coincidently, today I also listened to the Sound Opinions rock n roll talk show podcast in which they take a look back at the Purple Rain album.

Kind of gave me a whole new appreciation for the man. At the very least, I know not to challenge him in basketball.

P.S. That's right bitches, it's bold purple text, learn to deal.