my (short) take on Robert and Rockband

[J & S Andelman <plantss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

surprised so many are bashing robert.  he doesn't want to do Zep as 
Zep.  he doesn't want the baggage of living up to Zep standards every 
night.  maybe he just doesn't want to hang around JPJ and jimmy for the 
next 8 months.  maybe he just wants to putt around and do whatever he 
wants to do for whoever wants to see him do it.  not for nothing, but 
isn't that what EVERY 60+ year old wants to do?  if I had achieved 
everything he has by his age, I'd just want to do whatever the hell I 
feel like. 

on the other hand, he can't deny the majesty of Zep and if he can 
re-arrange a song, save his voice, get his rocks off, give the crowd a 
taste, who cares?  I actually didn't go to the RPAK tour (hated the 
venue, bad night, etc..) but had I gone, I would have loved him to throw 
out a zep bone or  2.  sure he may be a walking contradiction, but hey, 
who isn't?  O2 was great.  he (they) proved they could do it and go out 
on top.  he never promised anything more.  I'll take what I can get.

moving on, I've defended RB or GH in the past.  I'm an amateur (read: 
shitty) musician who picked up a guitar 20+ years ago because I saw some 
tool play STH on QVC,  these game are fantastic for what they are.  
games.  I play guitar and will pretty much only play drums or sing on 
RB.  my real-life drummer will only play guitar or bass.  see, it's not 
a substitute but an interface to fantasize in a way that was never 
before possible.  crank the receiver, choose a rocking song ("let there 
be rock"?) and bang away like your on the stage.

beatles rockband is phenomenal.  visuals, sounds, well I guess that's 
all there is.  I picked it up to get my kids involved and for them to 
learn the beatles catalog.  my oldest sang yellow submarine for 20 
minutes.  would he be doing this w/o the game?  doubt it.  my youngest 
is learning how to keep time on drums.  again, awesome.  I teach them 
the real guitar off and on and will soon get a drum kit.  I'm exposing 
my kids to the best music ever in a way they can grab onto at such a 
young age.

a zep RB?  oh man, I would be first in line.  a bonzo avatar beating the 
snot out of a gong?  you gotta be kidding me.  I'd be calling in sick to 
work for a week.