There's little doubt that the artist line-up for Rock Band 2 is shaping up nicely. Guitar Hero is getting some nice exclusives as well. With Journey, Boston, Metallica, The Who and other top tier acts lending their tunes to the dominant rhythm games, there aren't many superstars left to cross off the list.
One of the artists that continues to elude both Activision and Harmonix is Led Zeppelin. It's been chalked up to a lengthy licensing process, but a recent write-up from the Wall Street Journal helps shed more light on the British band's absence.
According to their management, the band isn't "comfortable" giving up access to its master tapes, the very thing required to edit these things down to Rock Band and Guitar Hero ready formats.
"It ain't about the money," says Peter Mensch of Q Prime Management who handles Led Zep's interests.
In better news, the Wall Street Journal writes that hold outs like Van Halen, Steely Dan and Guns N' Roses all have "deals of varying types in the works" to bring more of their music to gamers. In far, far worse news, so are the Eagles.



I don't play these games,but I was wondering if any Stones songs have been used? Hard to imagine them turning down a few bucks.

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sweetcharmedlife
There's little doubt that the artist line-up for Rock Band 2 is shaping up nicely. Guitar Hero is getting some nice exclusives as well. With Journey, Boston, Metallica, The Who and other top tier acts lending their tunes to the dominant rhythm games, there aren't many superstars left to cross off the list.
One of the artists that continues to elude both Activision and Harmonix is Led Zeppelin. It's been chalked up to a lengthy licensing process, but a recent write-up from the Wall Street Journal helps shed more light on the British band's absence.
According to their management, the band isn't "comfortable" giving up access to its master tapes, the very thing required to edit these things down to Rock Band and Guitar Hero ready formats.
"It ain't about the money," says Peter Mensch of Q Prime Management who handles Led Zep's interests.
In better news, the Wall Street Journal writes that hold outs like Van Halen, Steely Dan and Guns N' Roses all have "deals of varying types in the works" to bring more of their music to gamers. In far, far worse news, so are the Eagles.



I don't play these games,but I was wondering if any Stones songs have been used? Hard to imagine them turning down a few bucks.

I don't think I would want to hear such perfection butchered by the likes of my son and his friends anyway.

Listen, I have never played to that game, but I saw some clips and ads about it.

It is my understanding it is mostly based on "guitar hero performances", as the title of the game indicates - meanning the game would not really suit for the Stones style of playing - which is more grooving than showing off.

Yet, I found this CYHMK amusing demo. But this song is not a classic Stones style. I don't thing this game would fit for Let it Bleed or Fortune Teller.

zep has been saying no alot lately

This is pretty cool.

[www.youtube.com]

A few Stones songs are there - my son says "Paint It Black" and CYHMK are already there. I (and my son) try playing a real guitar as much as possibble. GH is a lot of fun though!

Rock Band is far superior to Guitar Hero, as the developers of Rock Band are actual musicians and don't overchart the songs so horribly just for the sake of high difficulty like the developers of Guitar Hero do.

Who needs f--king Guitar Hero or Rock Band?!!! Pick up an actual guitar (learn to play it first, of course; it's not hard), throw a good Stones or Zep show in the CD player and jam away! Beats hell out of practing scales...

I mean, it surprised me when Zeppelin (read, I'm guessing, Jimmy Page) sold "Rock And Roll" to Cadillac for an advert some years back. Considering that, back in the day, Zeppelin never sold nuthin' to nobody! No singles, no TV promos, etc. So refusing these video games doesn't surprise me...goes to show Led Zeppelin still retains a bit of their original integrity today.

(Now...if only Robert Plant would ditch the bluegrass broad and submit to a tour...can't see it happening though...)

Yo Jesus...check out my link above...Jimmy should take that dude on the road if Bobby doesn't want to sing.

That commercial with Zep was right around the time of some monumental release in stores probably etc...so it was more of a peripheral...reminder...maybe the horrendous The Song Remains The Same? Or maybe that box set of all the albums being reissued - again. Or the BBC sessions or Mothership - SOMETHING.

That's my guess anyway. That seems somewhat logical. Although I'm guessing that if anyone wants some Zep they'll just go to the record store/download it/Amazon.com it.

Well considering Plant/Krauss are coming back around for another round of shows. It doesn't look like Bobby's gonna Rock & Roll again anytime soon.

"It's just some friends of mine and they're busting down the door"

Bingo, that's great, I like this one too.

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Jesus Murphy
Who needs f--king Guitar Hero or Rock Band?!!! Pick up an actual guitar (learn to play it first, of course; it's not hard), throw a good Stones or Zep show in the CD player and jam away! Beats hell out of practing scales...

I mean, it surprised me when Zeppelin (read, I'm guessing, Jimmy Page) sold "Rock And Roll" to Cadillac for an advert some years back. Considering that, back in the day, Zeppelin never sold nuthin' to nobody! No singles, no TV promos, etc. So refusing these video games doesn't surprise me...goes to show Led Zeppelin still retains a bit of their original integrity today.

(Now...if only Robert Plant would ditch the bluegrass broad and submit to a tour...can't see it happening though...)

AMEN!
I hate Guitar Hero , its a mess for music , its just 4 small buttons , hell !

I remember Page apologizing for "Song Remains" (Grant onscreen tho is prescient - predicting gangsta rap by 2 decades!) back in '76..."uh it's not the best show...we were comitted to doing the film, so a soundtrack had to come out I suppose..."). NOW the EXPANDED edition...And the Motherlode is more bloat from the band that never issued a comp til 1990 (now there are what, seven? Not counting the unissued stuff, natch)...I'd rather listen to "Death Wish II" which is pretty damned good than TSRTS or another set that breaks up the original albums...

It's just a game for those who enjoy it. I have never tried it so I can't really comment on its merits, but I do know that there is a large segment of people that really enjoy it.

Should Zeppelin be involved, why not? If Robert Plant does not like it too bad. He is a smug SOB anyways. All his procrastinations over anything Zeppelin is quite old and hypocritical anyways.

Anyone remember around 1983 there was a JOURNEY video game from Atari? It was kind of cool at the time.

Actually, if they had agreed they would have a whole generation of young people exposed to their music...and that is a great thing to have.

Although....putting their songs in a video game is a bit cheap and tacky. It goes against their tight grip of how and when their music is used.

If the Stones did it...I think it'd lend itself nicely. So many great rhythm by Keith for people to play along with... Can't believe only two Stones songs have only been used in these games...

Led Zep's music needs more exposure???

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Jesus Murphy
Who needs f--king Guitar Hero or Rock Band?!!! Pick up an actual guitar (learn to play it first, of course; it's not hard), throw a good Stones or Zep show in the CD player and jam away! Beats hell out of practing scales...

here is the thing,
with radio declining and there being less and less ways to hear the music... these games are GREAT ways to turn young folks on to good rock. I see it happening all the time with kids... they all now jam to GnR and Aerosmith because they know the tunes from guitar hero.
TV spots and games sound tracks are now the way kids hear songs. They then download stuff from the bands they heard on the game or the TV spot.
its the way music gets heard... period.
the times they are a changin'


that said, I love playing Guitar Hero (and I play a real guitar and have been in bands for years)
These music games are very fun and great social games... having a few drinks and passing the plastic guitar around the room is a great way to kill an evening with pals.

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it's_all_wrong
Rock Band is far superior to Guitar Hero, as the developers of Rock Band are actual musicians and don't overchart the songs so horribly just for the sake of high difficulty like the developers of Guitar Hero do.

Good news!
I could never understand what cow bell was doing on a guitar track.....Lol

I think what's actually the funniest thing about these stupid air guitar wanna be games is just how bad people are with

A. rhythm
B. timing
C. see A
D. add A and B together

and how they ENJOY it! Such a fad...

Just what exactly are Zep's hits comps?

The Early And Latter Days
Remasters
Mothership

That's it. I can't think of any others.