Nyko Technologies announced today the Metal Pedal, a heavy-duty drum pedal attachment plugs directly into the standard drum set for use with Rock Band 1 and 2, or Guitar Hero: World Tour on all consoles.
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That Gaming Site Writes: "I play real Guitar and Guitar Hero.

Being a fan of both, I've been subject to numerous arguments over and over about how playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band is a waste of time and that 'nerds' should try picking up a real instrument and do something productive for a change. It was in this week's edition of NME (a British Indie Music Publication) that brought me this comment, in an article that........"
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MCV: The Guardian sticks up for gaming following attack from music mag NME
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...Gene Simmons has a lot to say about it.

"I never do anything half way. My AXE controller is the closest thing you can have to being onstage in KISS. I created and designed the Gene Simmons AXE bass guitar and I can't wait for the fans to experience it for themselves," said Gene Simmons. "The Gene Simmons AXE guitar is such a recognizable symbol - people have been asking for a gaming replica ever since Guitar Hero was first introduced."
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Button Masher reports the following rumour: "Now that an update has finally allowed Guitar Hero drums to work in Rock Band 2, a ButtonMasher community member is reporting that the PS3 2.53 firmware update has broken Rock Band drum compatibility with Guitar Hero: World Tour. He says:

"I go to play some GH:WT with my Rock band drum kit tonight and are prompted to do the 2.53 update. So I do…

Once done I start up GH:WT only to find that now my drums are only recognized as a microphone!""
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In a video blog entry on metal outfit Megadeth's official site, shaggy-haired frontman David Mustaine has described those who refuse to embrace new digital publishing methods as "old ****ing dinosaur bands."

Megadeth, naturally, considers itself pretty forward-thinking in this regard: its album Peace Sells...But Who's Buying? has been released as Rock Band DLC.
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Tracks:

Children of Bodom - Are You Dead Yet
Finley - Tutto E' Possibile
Platero y Tu - Hay Poco Rock N Roll
Squeeze - Tempted
Tokio Hotel - Ready, Set, Go
The All-American Rejects - Real World

All above tracks are $.99 (80 Microsoft Points) for a one month limited time window.

Miranda Cosgrove - Headphones On
This track is totally free!

Naked Brothers Band - Body I Occupy
Naked Brothers Band - I Don't Want to Go to School
Both Naked Brothers Band tracks are permanently $.99 (80 Microsoft Points)

DLC is released on Xbox 360 on Tuesday 12/2 and PS3 Thursday 12/4. All tracks are masters.
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Quote:

"The Singles Collection to be released for Rock Band
Posted by IGA on Nov 20, 2008 | Comments (1) | Views: (728)

On December 9th, Rock Band will release No Doubt's The Singles
Collection. Fourteen tracks will be available for download on the Rock Band site ( http://www.rockband.com/music ) for $19.99 or single songs"
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HMXHenry, a dev on the Rock Band forums says,

"Ready for this week's DLC announcement? This week you've got a 3 Pack from The Killers, a 3 Pack from Yngwie Malmsteen, 2 singles from Soundgarden, and 1 single from Lamb Of God! We're not too far away from 500 tracks now.

The Killers 3 Pack!

Mr. Brightside
Smile Like You Mean It
Spaceman

Yngwie Malmsteen 3 Pack!

Caprici Di Diablo
Damnation Game
Red Devil

Soundgarden Singles!

Jesus Christ Pose
Pretty Noose

Lamb of God Single!

Laid To Rest

Each track is available for $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) or $5.49 (440 Microsoft Points) for the complete three packs.

All tracks are masters.

This DLC will be available on 11/25 for both Xbox360 AND the PS3 (thanks to the holiday next Thursday)."
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The spirit of competition between Activision and Harmonix's respective rhythm franchises is still very much alive and well -- shortly after Activision announced that a trio of tunes from post-punk darlings The Killers would be making their way onto Guitar Hero: World Tour as DLC, MTV let it slip to Wired that they would be adding their own Killers triple-pack to the Rock Band Music Store on the very same day (Nov. 25). Man, what a bizarre coincidence!

Two of the three songs which are about to be thrust into Harmonix's already intimidating music library are relative oldies: "Mr. Brightside" and "Smile Like You Mean It" -- but a title from the Killers' new album, Day & Age, will also make an appearance: "Spaceman". The article on Wired mentioned nothing of pricing details -- though it's probably safe to assume they'll match the $2.00 (160) per song/ $5.50 (440) per pack price point we've all come to know and love over the past year.
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HMXHenry, a Rock Band developer, writes:

"Hey gang,

Here's this week's DLC announcement! You have your choice of three different 3 packs, and one single.

Dead Kennedys 3 Pack:
California Uber Alles
Holiday In Cambodia
Police Truck

Mission Of Burma 3 Pack:
Mica
That's How I Escaped My Certain Fate
That's When I Reach For My Revolver

Century Media Girls of Metal 3 Pack:
In This Moment - Forever
Lacuna Coil - Closer
Lacuna Coil - Swamped

Crooked X Single:
Crooked X - Gone

Each track is available for $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) or $5.49 (440 Microsoft Points) for the complete three pack... EXCEPT for the Crooked X Single, which is only $0.99 (80 Microsoft Points).

All tracks are masters.

This DLC will be available on 11/18 on Xbox and 11/20 on PS3."
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Viacom Inc., controlled by Sumner Redstone, will pay the creators of the ''Rock Band'' video-game bonuses exceeding $300 million as part of the 2006 acquisition of their company.

Harmonix founders Alex Rigopulos, 38, and Eran Egozy, 37, received $150 million last quarter for exceeding performance targets, New York-based Viacom said in a Nov. 3 regulatory filing. A final payment in 2009 will exceed $150 million, the company said.
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Amid the flood of third-party instrument peripherals emerging for the new Guitar Hero and rock Band music simulation games, heaven forbid if Gene simmons should miss an opportunity to get his brand on.

The entrepreneurial Kiss bassist and reality tv star has created a replica of the bass he uses while touring, which is compatible with all Playstation versions of both games.
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Todd Hargosh of GiN writes:

"It's no surprise: I'm a Rock Band addict. Sure, I'm currently in the process of testing out Guitar Hero World Tour, and am enjoying it quite a bit (despite a bum orange crash cymbal that will require a tuning kit). But I've always been partial towards Harmonix's music masterpiece.

Of course, with the release of Rock Band 2 last September (on the 360 at least, the PS3 and Wii would have to wait a month longer) MTV wanted to promote the Rock Band franchise even further, and in doing so they announced the Rock Band Live tour. I had a chance to attend last Friday's live concert at the Patriot Center in downtown Washington D.C., and despite not knowing a lot about most of the bands in attendance, I was able to enjoy myself.

The main headliners in the show included Dashboard Confessional and Panic at the Disco, whom I remember from playing their song "Nine in the Afternoon" on Rock Band 2. In addition, both the CAB and the Plain White T's performed in the opening acts, and all proved to be quite entertaining for the crowd in attendance at the arena.

But of course the show was not just about the four bands that performed, it was also a chance for fellow Rock Band aficionados to get together and partake in the game they enjoy playing. Around the venue were several Xbox 360 stations set up to play all the songs from Rock Band 2, complete with the new line of instruments, including the new Fender Precision Bass guitar."
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This Sunday the Boston Globe will name Harmonix, developer of Rock Band, one of the top places to work in Massachusetts.

The rankings were based on a survey collected by an independent company of around 70,000 employees in the state. Harmonix managed to grab the #11 spot on the overall list, #5 on the list of "best small workplaces," and came in at #3 of the "most inclusive" company. If all the rankings were averaged together, Harmonix would earn a solid #2 in the overall "best small inclusive workplace" list.
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GamingShogun writes, "Harmonix, the leading developer of music-based games, and MTV Games, a part of Viacom's MTV Networks, (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), along with distribution partner Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: ERTS), today announced plans to ship Rock Band® Track Pack Volume 2 for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system and the Wii home video game console from Nintendo on November 17, 2008..."
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Rock Band as a franchise is a huge success, and the hard work of the folks at Harmonix has led MTV to a major prize in securing the rights to create a music game featuring The Beatles. But thanks to the success of the Rock Band franchise, MTV will be shelling out $150 million to the former shareholders of Harmonix. This is in addition to the $175 million that MTV Networks paid when they acquired the company back in 2006.
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hmxsean, a Harmonix Developer, writes:

"Hey everybody,

So in addition to the 20 free DLC pack coming out next week we also have a three pack from Presidents of the United States of America (just in time for election day), a new track from Hinder, and a new track from Fallout Boy.

POTUS Three Pack

Presidents of the United States of America- Dune Buggy
Presidents of the United States of America- Feather Pluckn
Presidents of the United States of America- Ladybug

Hinder - Use Me
Fallout Boy - I Don't Care

Each of the POTUS tracks are $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points) or $5.49 (440 Microsoft Points) for the whole pack. The tracks for Hinder and Fallout Boy are $.99 (80 Microsoft Points) each for a limited time (1 month). All tracks are masters.

DLC arrives on Tuesday, November 4th for Xbox 360 and Thursday, November 6th on PS3."
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The Beatles have licensed songs to MTV Networks' Rock Band videogame series, according to several people familiar with the matter, a coup for the Viacom Inc. unit in its battle with rival Activision Inc. for supremacy in the world of rock and roll video games.

The deal, which is set to be announced Thursday by Viacom's MTV and the band's own Apple Corps Ltd., makes the Beatles the next and biggest major band to license its songs to a music-oriented videogame, joining Aerosmith, Metallica, AC/DC and others.
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ButtonMasher writes: Over the long weekend a few ButtonMashers assembled for a BBQ in Wellington to eat some food and play some RockBand, good time were had. But there was a question that arose, when would the downloadable content for RockBand arrive in NZ that is available in the other regions. EA has confirmed that it is in fact on its way, and soon.
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