Harmonix wants to know what you'd Rock Band to

by Alexander Sliwinski { Jun 7th 2007 at 4:00AM }

Harmonix has posted an open letter to future rockers asking what they'd like to see in their upcoming title Rock Band. Other than letting us know that the Rock Band guitar will be modeled after the Fender Stratocaster, we really don't know much more about the title. Obviously, the song list isn't complete yet and they need our help. We'll give them song ideas as long as they promise to keep the peripheral prices in check.

Now remember, as much as Harmonix might read our comments to see what people suggest, it's probably best to officially submit them directly. Things we'd like to see are contemporary, but a little off the beaten path. The fear with Rock Band is that because MTV and EA are involved, it's going to be all, like, Total Request Live (is that show still on?). How about some Cake, Beck and Scissor Sisters? Thankfully, Harmonix has always been good about including local Boston bands (their offices are in Cambridge, Ma) in their games to keep some true indie flavor in the mix. We're sure you all have suggestions -- let em rip! But remember, submit them on the official Rock Band site to have some chance of making it count.

Tags: bands, harmonix, list, music, rock band, RockBand

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Chris @ Jun 7th 2007 4:33AM

Rush- Tom Sawyer, neil pert is the greatest drummer alive! its not easy being cheezy

Dirk Dorkelson @ Jun 7th 2007 4:52AM

They let you put in four at a time. Here are the four I did:

Sugar Kane by Sonic Youth
I Found That Essence Rare by Gang of Four
Caress by Brian Jonestown Massacre
Rock Music by The Pixies (hey, they're from Boston ... And I'd love to hear the singer part for that one)

BeckRokk @ Jun 7th 2007 5:04AM

I love Beck and have every CD he's released (aside from a few rarities), and as I make my way through it looking for a song to suggest, I simply don't see anything that can make the cut. The only thing that comes close is The New Pollution, and even then, meh.

All I'm saying is that even though all kinds of music is wonderful in their own ways, they may not make the best videogame entrants. I don't even listen to metal, but in GH and GHII, I can play those songs and be more entertained than by Radium Eyes.

fretnoize @ Jun 7th 2007 5:13AM

Local Boston bands really rock out. Such a cool music scene there. Everyone should support their own local music scene.

RT @ Jun 7th 2007 5:38AM

From the Rock Band site...

"Q: Wait, MTV is involved? Doesn't this mean it's going to be all TRL-esque songs and pizzas on my cell phone?

A: Well, to debate the point, MTV was involved in the original Guitar Hero too, and that had a pretty good setlist. Regardless of that though, we have a single vision, and that's to make the most amazing game about being in and touring with a band ever. Acts like Avril and Britney will never be in Rock Band. We are not jerks."

Purple Haze @ Jun 7th 2007 6:02AM

@Chris

I'll second that, but I had to throw in The Beatles, Black Sabbath and The Hendrix Experience as well.

Also Chris, Ludwig and Justin proved that they have really bad taste in music on the last podcast. Muse? They suck!

DaMadFiddler @ Jun 7th 2007 6:21AM

David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" seems like a good candidate. It's highly recognizable but not played out, and there's a lot of movement and variation in each of the parts. The guitars, bass, vocals, and drums all have interesting parts that would be fun and challenging, but not too difficult for a rhythm game.

RT @ Jun 7th 2007 6:25AM

Um, with respect to Ziggy Stardust...I think it's highly unlikely that Harmonix would retread to songs they've used in their previous games.

Durinthal @ Jun 7th 2007 6:38AM

Third vote for Rush, and I'll toss in Styx (The Grand Illusion), Van Halen (Jump or Panama), and Pink Floyd (Money would be amusing just because it's in 7/4).

Ethan Duffy @ Jun 7th 2007 6:49AM

All I get is a wierd submission error. Shame, maybe the server doesn't like Yeah Yeah Yeahs.

Dirk Dorkelson @ Jun 7th 2007 7:08AM

Pink Floyd would be fun. I almost suggested "Let There Be More Light" from A Saucerful of Secrets.

mc @ Jun 7th 2007 7:23AM

I second more Rush and some Pixies.
And something from Dinosaur Jr.'s new cd would really hit the spot.

Triforceowner @ Jun 7th 2007 7:46AM

Whatever songs they pick, they should be fan favorites of the band as well as easy to get into for the people who do not know the band. I was never a real Guns N' Roses fan, but I played Sweet Child of Mine at my friend's house in Guitar Hero II and now I'm a semi-fan. So the songs should be good to the fans of the bands, but also be universally appealing. Nothing too weird, even though those are some of the best rock songs.

topflight @ Jun 7th 2007 8:09AM

A good current band would be the white stripes. I would love to jam to some ball and a biscuit! And I second pink floyd, comfortably numb would rock!

FermitTheKrog @ Jun 7th 2007 8:01AM

MMMMM Bop by Hanson

Brian @ Jun 7th 2007 8:40AM

LOL @ #1. Seems to me you just go by what others say since you can't even spell the guys name correctly.

MosquitoControl @ Jun 7th 2007 8:16AM

"Local Boston bands really rock out. Such a cool music scene there. Everyone should support their own local music scene."

All the good ones broke up, went on hiatus or moved.
Converge, Cave In, Isis, Old Man Gloom, The Hope Conspiracy, Jaguarz, Mental, The Wrong Side, The Suicide File, American Nightmare/GUTG...

C. Grant @ Jun 7th 2007 8:30AM

Purple Haze: Muse is Ludwig's thing, I was the one saying I loved Heart. C'mon, you're going to tell me you don't sing along to Barracuda in the car?

Jake @ Jun 7th 2007 8:34AM

Led Zepplin. It would be challenging since the band had one of the better drummers, guitarists, and lead singers on it.

AC/DC just because their songs are fun

Slayer because drumming could be quite the exercise.

Metallica because you know it would be easy to get access to their music. ;)

benjamin @ Jun 7th 2007 8:45AM

>asking what they'd like to see in their upcoming
>title Rock Band.
I'd like to see fewer emo teenagers acting as if they can actually play guitar simply because they've 'mastered' GH. I'd also like those selfsame individuals to go die in a fire.

Matt B @ Jun 7th 2007 9:03AM

Thing called love - The Darkness
The thing that should not be - Metallica
Sever - 311
I'll never smoke weed with Willie again - Toby Keith

Monthenor @ Jun 7th 2007 9:03AM

I apparently dig the funkier songs, but none can deny the power of Stranglehold.

Bad Funk Stripe by Grinspoon
Stranglehold by Ted Nugent
Absinthe Party at the Fly Honey Warehouse by Minus the Bear
Summer Romance by Incubus

Matt B @ Jun 7th 2007 9:03AM

Church league softball fistfight - Tim Wilson

Sofun @ Jun 7th 2007 9:06AM

Marquee Moon by Television, a 10 minute guitar masterpiece. I'll second Gang of Four, Pixies and how bout a lil Age Of Greed by Killing Joke :) I'd buy that for whatever they're askin.

c_squared @ Jun 7th 2007 9:20AM

@#16

"All the good ones broke up, went on hiatus or moved."

WTF? what about the murphys or street dogs?

also i hereby nominate the following songs:
Walk -- Pantera
Black Dog -- Led Zeppelin (though this one's quite hard)
Grenades -- Cancer Bats (we can always hope)
Sailin On -- Bad Brains

Oh and if they can get Metallica, they ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO include Master of Puppets

GodisaMyth @ Jun 7th 2007 9:25AM

Many great bands listed so far. And yes, Neil Pert is the man.
Slayer
Lica...the band formerly known as Metallica (there is no Metal in them anymore)
Sytem of a Down
Tool

ThornedVenom @ Jun 7th 2007 9:30AM

Here's what I submitted (hate me if you want, because this is just based on personal taste whilst taking into account the "band playing" factor by trying to choose songs with a less-monotonous-than-usual drumming):

- "Toxicity" by System of a Down
- "The People That We Love (Speed Kills)" by Bush
- "Savior" by Skillet
- "Pencil Fight" by Atomship

Oh, and I have no idea which record labels are involved in Rock Band, MTV being a bit too vague.

Roddie @ Jun 7th 2007 9:38AM

Let's see some !!!, assuming the game could support 8 players...

Kenny @ Jun 7th 2007 9:42AM

Metallica - Master of Puppets
Megadeth - Holy Wars
Led Zepplin - Stairway to Heaven
Alcatrazz - Jet to Jet
DragonForce - Through the Fires and Flames
Dream Theater - Erotomania
Radio Head - Paranoid Android

And can't forget about the classic, Mmmmbop by Hansen.

ROCKBAND Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2346954822

Ian @ Jun 7th 2007 9:41AM

Serve the Servants - Nirvana would be fantastic. The guitar and drums are great

dirty @ Jun 7th 2007 9:43AM

Jenny Says - Cowboy Mouth
Love of my Life- Cowbow Mouth
Black Dog - Led Zeppelin
Stairway - Led Zeppelin

i swear if there is even ONE gay little teeny bopping, emo, punk song on there i'm gonna be pissed. MTV is so freaking gay these days with every single The Cure wannabe bands...god i miss the days of Nirvana, STP, the summer of Black Hole Sun and Blind Melon...Now those bands and songs were great. Not the whiny shit they play now.

Jake @ Jun 7th 2007 10:14AM

I submitted "Walk This Way" and a whole lotta Arctic Monkeys.

Mike @ Jun 7th 2007 10:25AM

Apparently the form on their website is flaking out, these were the four I tried to submit:
"Jimmy Olsen's Blues" - The Spin Doctors
"Sultans of Swing" - The Dire Straits
"Seven Nation Army" - The White Stripes
"Aqualung" - Jethro Tull

Galley @ Jun 7th 2007 10:51AM

Anything from the 80's.

UpIrons @ Jun 7th 2007 11:20AM

Anything by Iron Maiden will do... Up the Irons!

j.lee @ Jun 7th 2007 11:28AM

Transmission - Joy Division
PDA - Interpol
Once in a Lifetime - Talking Heads
Stars - Hum

Twitch @ Jun 7th 2007 9:48PM

Any Dragonforce
Any Machinae Supremacy
Any GWAR
Any Mastadon
30 Seconds to Mars-From Yesterday
AFI-The Killing Lights
Any Steve Vai
Any Malmsteen
Chronic Future-Stop Pretending
Disturbed-Devour, The drum part is amazing
Drowning Pool-Sinner
Flaming Lips-Yoshimi Pt.1
Korn-Freak on a leash
Any Modest Mouse
Any Mushroomhead
My Chemical Romance-Disenchanted
Slipknot-Before I forget
STory of the Year-Until the Day I Die

Why does Harmonix Have to ALWAYS do something Konami did in their Bemani Line of games? Figure out something original.

Meh, nothing is original anymore, in anything. Games, movies, book, its's all been done before.

jason @ Jun 7th 2007 11:58AM

I want PRINCE and not his new stuff his old stuff
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE
PRINCE

Jackholes @ Jun 7th 2007 12:04PM

Ghost Rider in the Sky; The Outlaws

Light My Fire; The Doors

Comfortably Numb; Pink Floyd

Twilight Zone; Golden Earring

Ryabovsky @ Jun 7th 2007 12:37PM

@24:

Thank God! I'm not the only one!

Anything by Can would also be sweet. And "At Home I Feel Like A Tourist" is the perfect Gang of Four song.

Blake @ Jun 7th 2007 1:14PM

@ 16, what about dispatch? Their amazing, but they broke up too =(

Crono @ Jun 7th 2007 1:16PM

Yeah Kenny! I suggested Through the Fire and Flames as well.

I also nominated:
Operation Ground Pound - Dragonforce
I Spit - Sinergy
Home - Dream Theater

Though I'll take anything from Dragonforce or Dreamtheater.

razer @ Jun 7th 2007 1:38PM

The very mention of the uber crap Scissor Sisters and I'm not even remotely interested.. What a bunch of talentless twats!

I think the commentors here have the better suggestions. Pink Floyd FTW!

Joe @ Jun 7th 2007 2:01PM

Renegades of Funk- RATM
Paranoid Android- Radiohead
Alice In My Fantasies- Funkadelic
Stockholm Syndrome- MUSE

(Stockholm Syndrome has a much better guitar part than Knights of Cydonia)

Grunge4Life @ Jun 7th 2007 2:13PM

Lakini's Juice by Live
Cherub Rock by Smashing Pumpkins
Rearviewmirror by Pearl Jam
Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots

Y @ Jun 7th 2007 2:17PM

I would LOVE to play Europa by Sanata, but I don't see that working too well for Rock Band as it's an instrumental. Hopefully it'll pop up in Guitar Hero some day.

As far as Rock Band goes, The Grudge by Tool could be fun. I wouldn't mind more Queens of The Stone Age/Kyuss or Queen either.

Tom @ Jun 7th 2007 2:15PM

"I Write Sins Not Tragedies" by Panic At The Disco
"Punkrocker" by Teddybears
"Candy Daze" by The Vines
"Shuffle Your Feet" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club
"1st Things 1st" by Phantom Planet
"Danger" by Third Eye Blind
"Tired of Sex" by Weezer
"Big Sur" by The Thrills
"Ann Disaster" by Ben Kweller