Singer John Mayer hates Guitar Hero. Band The Jonas Brothers love it. Both miss the point.
Interviewed by Rolling Stone Magazine recently, singer and Jennifer Aniston lover John Mayer expressed his hate towards rhythm action game Guitar Hero stating that no simulated experience can beat the feeling of playing a real guitar.
“Guitar Hero was devised to bring the guitar-playing experience to the masses without them having to put anything into it.
“And having done both, there’s nothing like really playing guitar. I mean, what would you rather drive, a Ferrari or one of those amusement-park cars on a track?”
The Jonas Brothers who are apparently big Guitar Hero fans heard this and in a separate interview defended the game.
“I totally understand John Mayer’s perspective but for me I think it’s a great way to introduce the idea of an instrument to a generation of a young age.
“Maybe you would go on from there and transition into actually learning how to play and things like that.”
While it’s admirable of the teenage band to defend the game both parties have inexplicably missed the point. Guitar Hero is a game first and foremost and isn’t trying to surpass the feeling of playing guitar, rather simulating the experience for those with lack the talent or opportunity to play a real guitar. It’s only trying to provide some escapism and entertainment. Would anyone bash a FPS for not giving them the same feeling of shooting someone in real life? I don’t think so.
Credit, Entertainmentwise
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I could just see it now, a U.S. soldier from Iraq has complaints about Call of Duty 4 and how it is nothing like the real thing. Guitar Hero is indeed just a video game and not meant as some sort of simulation.
Well, it’s just entertainment, to me. It’s not about making me think I’m good at guitar or any of that, it’s just having fun. The Jonas Brothers have a good idea, but in some ways Mayer sounds a little paranoid like it’s going to steal his job, or something – at the very least, it’s clear he doesn’t understand the game. It’s like some Nascar celebrity suddenly coming out to say “Stop playing Nascar 08 on your Xbox 360 and become a real driver!”
Except they don’t do that. If anything, they enjoy games like that, too. It is a game you play, period. There is not going to be a sudden dearth of musicians just because Guitar Hero (or Rock Band!) is out there. My cousin plays guitar in real life – and he’s fairly good at it – and he’s hopelessly addicted to Guitar Hero AND Rock Band. He has two real guitars and three plastic guitars.
So yeah, chalk another one up to a person who doesn’t “understand them there videya-games”.