Rock Band gets 18 Grateful Dead tracks through DLC

by Justin McElroy { Sep 5th 2007 at 11:50AM }

Fresh from the news that Aerosmith is going to be involved with a new iteration of the Guitar Hero franchise, jam band kings the Grateful Dead have cast their patchouli-caked lot with the rhythm rival: Rock Band. The band that's the source of more bloodshot eyes than allergies and swimming pools combined will be giving up 18 tracks for download, including "Truckin'," "Uncle John's Band," "Touch of Grey," "Sugar Magnolia," and "Casey Jones."

It's not yet been confirmed if fans will sell their possessions and begin following you around the country if you download the tracks. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

[Thanks, Copa]

Tags: breakingnews, dlc, rockband

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

konajinx @ Sep 5th 2007 11:55AM

Certainly they'll give this crap away for free, much like they always invited people to record their live shows for free, no? Well, here's reason number one for me not to invest in this game.

Now offer some tracks by Ohio Express or 1910 Fruidgum Company and I'm there.

Neon Jebus @ Sep 5th 2007 11:55AM

Is patchouli a known eye irritant or something? Otherwise I have no idea what you would be referring to.

Shagittarius @ Sep 5th 2007 11:56AM

So is rock band going to allow lyrics that include drug references? If so that would be awesome, It always seemed like it would be impossible to get certain songs due to the lyrical content.

If Rock Band has a more open view when it comes to lyrics this is definately a win for them.

konajinx @ Sep 5th 2007 11:56AM

Erk, make that "Fruitgum" and not "Fruidgum."

mr nimblewick @ Sep 5th 2007 11:59AM

I'm up in the air about the grateful dead. I like a lot of their stuff, but I hate most of their fans.

copa @ Sep 5th 2007 12:34PM

Good news. Harmonix is not offering their fans for download.

DarthDavid @ Sep 5th 2007 12:02PM

At this point (with all the songs listed) I could care less for the price of the bundle cuz I--- will--- get by!!!..I really want those drums.

Shagittarius @ Sep 5th 2007 12:03PM

The Collectors Edition comes with a spliff. Digital Downloads are 10 bucks cheaper though.

License to ill @ Sep 5th 2007 12:18PM

Talk about over rated crappy bands.

No thanks I find their music = garbage...

Russell @ Sep 5th 2007 12:30PM

That's really awesome! I was just thinking the other day about how much I want to play a Grateful Dead song (maybe something like "St. Stephen") on Guitar Hero. I don't think, however, that this will be enough to persuade to spend $200 or whatever they are charging for this game.

Crono @ Sep 5th 2007 1:28PM

You know, its only 200 dollars for the full shebang. If you just want to play guitar, there is a GH3 level pricing option also.

nardwar @ Sep 5th 2007 12:32PM

I'd prefer to sing "lady in velvet" over "dude looks like a lady"

AirIntake @ Sep 5th 2007 12:35PM

I'm not a huge fan of the Dead, so I won't be downloading, but it sure is a step in the right direction.

copa @ Sep 5th 2007 12:38PM

Also, Harmonix announced 4 new tracks for Rock Band:

Maps (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)
Wave of Mutilation (The Pixies)
Celebrity Skin (Hole)
I Think I'm Paranoid (Garbage)

Sean @ Sep 5th 2007 12:39PM

Perfect for all your acid-dropping needs.

doomcloud @ Sep 5th 2007 12:54PM

people who dont bathe are stoked

That Fuzzy Bastard @ Sep 5th 2007 12:58PM

So I gotta spend $200 for Rock Band... And $400 for a 360... And howevermuch for the DLC itself...

And I'm gonna do it. Jesus Christ, Harmonix. Why are you so cruel?!?!?!?

Phranctoast @ Sep 5th 2007 1:07PM

Id take estimated prophet before any aerosmith song in a heartbeat. Of course if they figured out how to implement some of their live jams in there that would kick some ass.

Manic Inc @ Sep 5th 2007 1:17PM

Great band, certainly, and Jerry Garcia is a pretty good guitarist, but does it really suit Rock Band? I can't see their music as the sort to play along to, and I have doubts that the majority of the people who are a fan of these games really know anything about them.

Maybe I'm wrong and it'll go down a bomb. Let's hope. Maybe these kinda games will educate young gamers on older (read, decent) music.

samfish @ Sep 5th 2007 1:21PM

Oh good! Now Rock Band will officially suck as hard as the Grateful Dead!

Alienhead @ Sep 5th 2007 1:25PM

I think I just threw up in my mouth...

Triforceowner @ Sep 5th 2007 2:01PM

Does anyone else not want to download an entire album. Maybe only one track or three off of an album. It's $15 versus $1-3. I think they should have all downloads be capable of individual songs at $1 each.

baby sea tuna @ Sep 5th 2007 2:26PM

Start an internet petition! I mean, look how well it worked when we all complained about the GHII DLC...

PS. This is actually good news. I vote for Mexicali Blues or China Cat Sunflower.

NATO_Duke @ Sep 5th 2007 2:40PM

The perfect idea! Now they can finally get those rich and money hungry hippies to give up some of their hard earned cash on electronics. /sarcasm

I just don't get it. Most greatful dead fans I have known own a cassette tape player and 75 bootleg concert tapes - and thats about it for electronics. Do that many other people want 18 songs from the GD? I just don't think this is the best market approach for those who would get the game in the first place.

Rob Patterson @ Sep 5th 2007 2:49PM

This is great news to me and makes my decision to pick up Rock Band over GHIII an easy one. I would much rather rock out to Grateful Dead or Phish than many of those metal tunes on GHII. Seriously learn another power cord...haters!

konajinx @ Sep 5th 2007 2:55PM

Would that be like a "power chord" by any chance? How does one exactly learn a piece of wire?

Rob Patterson @ Sep 5th 2007 2:58PM

Sorry Rock Speller or do you prefer Spell Hero.

jhayes94 @ Sep 5th 2007 4:07PM

lots of hating against the grateful dead when I bet most of you have never really listened to them. They're the greatest american rock band of all time, no one else even comes close. If you can ignore all of the bad press they get simply because they're labeled a hippie band, then you can listen to some grate music. There's a reason why Jerry Garcia is the most recorded person in history.

dirty @ Sep 5th 2007 4:14PM

That's pretty cool. What's wrong with them putting some Dead on there? Hippies play games too...

Intellectualdiot @ Sep 5th 2007 4:25PM

I don't particularly care for the Dead, but I'm always interested in hearing what content is scheduled to be disseminated through Rock Band. Still waiting for some King Crimson though :)

Well, among other things. We all have our laundry lists, of course.

megaStryke @ Sep 5th 2007 4:26PM

I'm starting to get a little concerned with all the promises of DLC on Rock Band. EA states that we will get new songs every week and full albums and yadda-yadda, but I'm starting to feel like we are being set up for some future disappointment. I mean, has a company yet held to its word on frequent and useful DLC? I mean outside of a bi-monthly release or so? The song packs for GHII are a joke, and I'm not so sure how EA is going to handle their song packs.

Which is why my purchasing decision will be based solely on what comes on the physical disc.

Judd @ Sep 5th 2007 4:32PM

Wow, this is exactly what I've been looking forward to. My whole family are fans of jam bands and I grew up listening to the Dead every weekend.

The problem is they've always been the kind of band whose songs have always been better live. The songs that have had more mainstream appeal like Truckin' or Touch of Gray have never been the most popular songs among their fans. Those songs just aren't going to be as fun to play compared to something like Terrapin's Station or Scarlet Begonias.

Now, can we please start getting some more jam band songs in these games. Phish, moe., Umphreys Mcgess, Widespread Panic, Gov't Mule.

For those who think that fans of games like Guitar Hero aren't into this kind of music, you're completely wrong. I went to a festival this summer where Phil Lesh (bassist for the Grateful Dead) performed, and they had a Guitar Hero kiosk.

Oh yea and I don't drop acid, but thanks for the generalization.

Ty @ Sep 5th 2007 5:21PM

Wow, most of the people posting in this thread are pretty tight ass'd. If you don't like the Dead that's fine but don't be jerks, the neo-hippies from the 90's will be pretty stoked about this. I'm a Phish guy myself, but the Dead offer a lot of very Guitar Hero/Rock Band appropriate music. St. Stephen would be a must DL for me by the way...

Phranctoast @ Sep 5th 2007 11:21PM

Hey Judd. you did mountain jam in NY? Seeing umphreys in oct in nyc, a phil in nov at nokia.

Judd @ Sep 6th 2007 12:59AM

Yea, I was at Mountain Jam. Definitely want to catch Phil at least once at the Nokia Theater. I also just came back from moedown this past weekend.

To keep this comment relevant to the post, I want to say that I feel as though there is a lot of music out there that is great, but just wouldn't fit Guitar Hero/Rock Band.

My favorite band at moedown was Medeski, Scofield, Martin, & Wood. But a jazz band like that will never get into Rock Band, because of their improvisational style and the fact that very few of their songs have lyrics. It's a shame.