Dhani Harrison: Beatles Rock Band will "blow people's minds"

by Richard Mitchell on May 28th 2009 6:30PM

Speaking to musicradar.com, Dhani Harrison, son of the Beatles' George Harrison, took care not to mince his words when discussing The Beatles: Rock Band. Naturally, one would expect that someone so closely connected to the project would be pretty positive about it, but Harrison made himself quite clear, saying, "I'm not hyping in the least when I say The Beatles: Rock Band is going to blow people's minds." He then added that the game will "set a new standard for video games."

Strong words to be sure, but, considering Harmonix's pedigree, it just might be true. We'll find out when we take the game for a spin next week at E3.

Source

Tags: beatles, ea, electronic-arts, harmonix, Microsoft, Nintendo, the-beatles-rock-band, Wii, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (100)

As long as the cover my theme song, I'm sold.

You play Beatles songs with 4 people on 4 different instruments. I don't know about you guys but this revolutionary game BLOWS MY MIND.

Also, once people see the ridiculous price tag for it that will probably blow their minds too.

i no rite
totally not like any other game we've ever seen
ever

it's not like we've seen like fifteen reiterations of pretty much this exact game in the last few months

or anything like that

But it's the Beatles and made by Harmonix, so it's ok!

Could you imagine the outrage if Activision tried to sell a band specific Guitar Hero with new instruments for $250? I think someone would probably suicide bomb Activision's headquarters if that happened.

I didn't mean...to blow your mind. But that $h!t happens to me all the time.

If Activision announced another Hero game this year, I probably would myself.

They're up to either 6 or 9 SO FAR, I lost count.

No doubt Activision is the unmatched whores of the music game genre, but people like to side with Harmonix like they're not doing the same thing. By the end of this year they'll have 5 Rock Band games in 2 years.

Rock band 1 and 2, PsP rock band, Beatles Rock Band, and Lego Rock Band.

The difference is that Harmonix's games are ACTUALLY good. That's the difference between fleshing out a franchise - giving its fans more variety - and whoring out a franchise. I've played all portable and console Guitar Hero's and Rock Bands, and I'm content with giving Guitar Hero Metallica, Van Halen, and Smash Hits a rent, while Rock Band: Beatles is a DEFINITE buy. I love Rock Band, and I can't imagine a good reason for someone to complain about fans getting MORE songs and MORE variety. I assume you wish Harmonix didn't update with new songs weekly? Do you think Rock Band 2 was them whoring the franchise out?

Also, I also don't understand why people have to complain about the $250 price tag on the Special Edition. If I could afford it, I'm sure it'd be worth every penny, but I can't, so I'm going to buy the $60 version. Yeah, you heard me right! You DON'T have to spend $180-$250 on EVERY new music game iteration that comes out. That Les Paul you have lying around will work just fine with this game. And you can't complain about a new game being overpriced at a $60 price...that's just how it is...

Yes, it's completely impossible for this game to be innovating and mind-blowing. I mean, that would be like expecting an FPS to be mind-blowing. But, it's just running around and shooting stuff, so they've all gotta be pretty much the same.

What the fuck

I've seen tmac indiscriminately downvoted before

and I've seen tmac indiscriminately upvoted before

BUT NEVER AT THE SAME TIME

*head explodes*

That was my reaction. So when Im playing this Im going to go "HOLY SHIT WHAT WAS THAT" because playing Beatles songs in a game called "Beatles Rock Band" is going to blow my mind?

I dont get it. Its a pretty poor choice of words, we all know what to expect: Beatles songs in Rock Band. I dont know where hes getting a new standard in gaming from, theyre just songs.

" That Les Paul you have lying around will work just fine with this game."

Sadly, my les paul doesn't come with a usb connection. :(

"and MORE variety"

I'm sorry but what variety are we talking about here. Besides the psp game, it's still the same damn thing with each iteration of Rock Band just like it is with Guitar Hero. I don't see The Beatles: Rock Band being any different.

The only thing that blows my mind here is how over saturated the rhythm genre has become over the course of a single year.

Needs more EBA.

Check my post history before labeling me as an Activision fan plz (unless you weren't, my reading comprehension sucks today)

I don't understand the "Oh my god, not another rhythm game" people. It's it's own friggin' genre of game. Like shooters, sports, racing, fighting. Nobody says, "Damn, that's ENOUGH action/adventure games already!" or "I'm so sick of games where you race cars!"

And, honestly, Rock Band is more fun than ANY other game in my collection. More replay value than ANY other game in my collection. More social value than ANY OTHER GAME IN MY COLLECTION.

So, what you're just pushing buttons on a plastic guitar to different songs. That's about the same as pushing the plastic trigger button playing Gears or Killzone. Pushing you punch and kick buttons playing Tekken. That's kinda how video games work.

I don't give a rip about the Beatles (sorry, Beatles fans) and I don't feel like dropping $250.

So can Harmonix pack some of this mind blowingness into a non-Beatles and not overpriced RB3 and offer it for sale please?

I'd even deal with the Beatlesness, it's really the price that's a killer for me.

Bloody metal fans.

I agree, an RB3 would be brilliant. The least they could do is bring out the RB2 instruments in the UK, I mean c'mon!

Oh, f all you guys. And for the record, I haven't liked metal since the 80s.

I just don't see why I need to spend $250 on the next iteration of a game. Even if I were interested in the songs that came with it (which I am not).

"Bloody metal fans."

Now now, some of us have good taste in music. ;D

"I haven't liked metal since the 80s."

You're missing out. Classic albums came out in the 90s and 2000s.

The hell you guys downvote me for. Or do none of you like bands such as Death, Gojira, At the Gates, Deicide, Isis, Mastadon, Necrophagist, Nile, Behemoth, etc? :\ Classic albums all released in the 90-00s.

no, it will definitely not set a new standard. What a bunch of bullshit it's rock band with new songs

Considering we haven't even seen the game, don't rush to such conclusions.

I'm in agreement with you.

Let's not pretend a repackaged version of Rock Band is MIND BLOWING just because it comes with Beatles songs.

do we have to see it? Do we need screenshots to tell us it's gonna be red blue green orange yellow coming down in a stream that we press while cartoonized versions of the beatles play in the back?

I have one question for you: Have you played this game yet? No? You say you haven't even seen gameplay videos of it yet? But, you are willing to pass judgment on it anyways...

There's something to be said about intelligence here...

i like playing rockband, its pretty fun.. im a gamer of different genres tho. However my rb mates are big beatles fans and uber excited.

I agree, dont jump to conclusions, that guy knows alot more about it than we do.

what i have heard my mates say is that this game will so closely follow the actual career of the beatles that I would think his "mind blowing" comment has something to do with that. perhaps the fact it blew his mind to follow his fathers footsteps and somewhat experience his fathers experiences?

either way kids, we can only wait and see.

come on, dont be an asshole. We aren't talking about neuroscience or nuclear chemistry. We are talking about a music game with Rock Band in the title, by a company that makes music games and nothing else. All their games have pretty much be the same, even Frequency and Amplitude were just hitting the notes that came up. Can you honestly tell me you think this is gonna be much different? Sure it might have a fancier career mode but it's not gonna have a fucking The Sims Beatles in it. If you really believe it's gonna be radically different, then I think you're the one who has something to hear about intelligence you arrogant prick

I don't care who you are or what kind of games you like, but if you start arguing that Rock Band with the Beatles in it is going to let you experience anything like what the Beatles experienced, you are kidding yourself 1000 times over.

Even on a good day, your living room does not equal Shea Stadium.

I'm with "D-Dub" on this one. Go as far back as GH1 and compare that to RB2 or GH:WT and the greatest improvement has been adding more streams of notes / instruments.

Unless this thing comes bundled with a bottle of rum and a horny midget in a suitcase, logically I would doubt that my mind will be blown.

I don't care if it sets new standards or not. Rock Band + Beatles = Instant purchase.

I agree! For some people the price tag might too much, maybe even to some hardcore Beatles fan. It's not for me though! Sure I wish it was cheaper, but my love for Rock Band and The Beatles is just too much.

"Considering we haven't even seen the game, don't rush to such conclusions."
-B3astofthe3ast replying to the Dark Wayne

I'm hoping this is just an absolute love letter to Beatles fans, jammed full of footage, performances, interviews, never-before-scene stuff, etc.

I think when he's talking about the game being amazing and such, he's speaking as, and to, Beatles fans.

I'm with you Awesome-o. Day one!

Let's see if a HMX developed band specific music game is better than the likes of aerosmith or metallica. Although Neversoft didn't set the bar very high, did they?

They did with Metallica, in my opinion. A fantastic game in it's own right.

Aerosmith, not so much.

Your skill in Marketing Hype has got better! (78)

What can I say... I don't give a crap about the Beatles. Is it even rock to start with? Guess this is aimed solely at fans of the group.

"Guess this is aimed solely at fans of the group."

You make it out to be a niche.

is it even rock?
IS IT EVEN ROCK?!

....
i'm...i'm....i'm speechless

Wow. Are they rock?

No, kid. They're emo.

The fact that you asked if they were rock is amazing. I've listened to hard rock and metal my whole life, and I definitely respect the Beatles as one of the groups who pushed the envelope for Rock music.

To be fair, the Beatles often hew closer to the "pop" category than the "rock" category, especially to modern, post-punk rock era ears.

Well, guess that means they ARE rock :P
I was not being sarcastic, I was really ignorant in the matter. Still their music never interested me. Yeah, there's all the respect they deserve for being one of the top bands of last century, but one thing doesn't imply the other.

Pop music at best. They have a handful of "rock songs," but if this game spans their entire career, then it should be Pop band.

Technically speaking though, I suppose their songs may employ a rock beat, but I wouldn't consider them to be a rock band.

$250?! This is better than buying a Wii!! I will probably trade my Wii and all the games I have for it just so I can get this!

*prepares to get downvoted*

That's actually the first comparison that I made in which Rock Band: Beatles was a better deal. I'd like Nintendo systems better if I could actually afford any of their games, but their best games will be $50 'till the system dies. I've played No More Heroes and MadWorld, now to wait for NMH2...

If I owned the Wii I play I'd have sold it a LONG time ago...my younger siblings lost interest in it pretty quickly.

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Dhani Harrison: Beatles Rock Band will "blow people's minds"

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