Rock Band and turkey: a Thanksgiving family test

by Ross Miller { Nov 24th 2007 at 5:15PM }

"Did you bring that Mario game? Your father really wants to try it ... what is that?"

"A plastic drum set, mom," I reply. "We're going to pretend to be rock and roll stars as a family and then I'm going to write about it for work." She stares intrigued for two, maybe three nanoseconds before uttering, "Cool ... How about Wii Bowling? Can we play that?"

Inspired by last year's Nintendo Wii family tests (and just hopeful to get more playtime in), I decided to pack up my copy of Rock Band for Xbox 360 (a daunting task, rest assured) and take it to my parent's house for Thanksgiving.

First off, the roster:

Ross Miller - Guitar, drums, vocals, official band photographer
Kay Miller - Drums, guitar, mother
"Chip" Miller - Vocals, guitar, father
Kevin Loop - Vocals, drums, brother-from-another-mother

Convincing my mom to play was a matter of telling her that there was a Garbage song in the song list - for my dad, Nirvana. After several minutes of going setting up and calibrating the instruments (it's just like a real concert!), we take our positions (mom on drums, dad on guitar, Kevin on vocals), select Nirvana's "In bloom" and ... quickly fail.

The disparaging look of defeat.

After a brief recess and a switch to high heels for my mom to assuage a hurt foot to look more like a rock star, we try Garbage's "I think I'm paranoid" with much better results:

Dad (Guitar on Easy): 68% with 13-note streak
Mom (Drums on Easy): 80% with 38-note streak
Kevin (Vocals on Medium): 87% with 8-phrase streak

It should be noted that during this song my dad inadvertently pulled a Peter Moore. For those who don't remember, that means he accidentally paused the game mid-song. After some lamentation that the Garbage song isn't "I'm only happy when it rains," we rotate instruments and attempt Foo Fighters' "Learn to Fly," only to all fail simultaneously due to the difficulty settings. Accepting our limitations yield much better stats:

Mom (Guitar on Easy): 76% with 26-note streak
Kevin (Drums on Easy): 66% with 19-note streak
Ross (Vocals on Medium): 97% with 16-phrase streak

My dad returns from the darkness, like a comeback king asking for one more moment of glory. We give him the microphone, he chooses R.E.M.'s "Orange Crush" and discovers there are a lot more words than he recalls:

Dad (Vocals on Easy): 75% with 5-phrase streak
Kevin (Drums on Easy): 88% with 26-note streak
Ross (Guitar on Hard): 86% with 49-note streak

During the vocal overdrive, my Dad decided to yell at the virtual crowd. "Hey you in the back, put your pants back on!" (Amusingly, he was rewarded bonus points for this.) One criticism my father has of the game is that he can't hear himself well enough over the pre-recorded vocals. Next up, Soundgarden's "Black hole sun."

Mom (Guitar on Easy): 82% with 27-note streak
Kevin (Vocals on Medium): 93% with 7-phrase streak
Ross (Drum on Medium): 96% with 65-note streak

That was supposed to end our test, but by the time we finished the song we wanted to do one more. We pick the Clash cover, "Should I stay or should I go?" (which, much to my thanks, is a lot better than some of the Guitar Hero 2 covers - "Killing in the name," anyone?).

Mom (Drums on Easy): 75% with 16-note streak
Kevin (Vocals on Easy): 55% with 1-phrase streak
Ross (Guitar on Hard): 97% with 90-note streak

"If you want to be like iggy pop I've got razor blades you can cut your chest with," jokes my dad, who has resigned himself to watching from the couch.

My dog wasn't too fond of the loud tapping, but he does love yellow tennis balls.

Still feeling the urge for more, we play one last song. This time it was Weezer's "Say it ain't so"

Mom (Guitar on Easy): 86% with 51-note streak
Kevin (Vocals on Easy): 86% with 10-phrase streak
Ross (Drums on Hard): 95% with 83-note streak

Final Thoughts

Dad: "Critically speaking, i think the vocals should be at a higher level where you can hear yourself better. The drums were ... I don't have any rhythm. The guitar was somewhat confusing because it only threw me like the red, green and yellow and all of sudden the shiny blue notes in the same column. [The special notes for filling your Overdrive meter - Ed.] Enjoyable group participation game ... no, I really talk like that!" (Chimes in Kevin, "he means party game.")
Mom: "It rocks. I thought it was fun, good exercise. I love the drums, I rock at the drums. [I'm] getting the guitar down. Ain't gonna catch me on vocals."
Kevin had some choice words that we've deemed unprintable. The gist: the game is ridiculous but still fun.

We spend the rest of our time talking about songs we'd like to see in the game - Minus the Bear, Phil Collins, Genesis with Phil Collins, Barry Manilow (?) - and future expansion packs. "Prog Rock Band with a keyboard," suggests my Dad, while Kevin proposes Indie Rock Band with a cello.

My mom decrees that, for better and for worse, I have to pack up the entire game and bring it home every holiday. The general consensus is that the drums are the best part of the game, although it might have something to do with the challenges we were having over trying to strum punk songs on the guitar. It won't convince my parents to buy an Xbox 360 (that honor is still bestowed upon the Wii), but it's definitely a game that my whole family can enjoy together.

Tags: ea, electronic-arts, harmonix, holidash, joystiqfeatures, mtv, mtv-games, mtvgames, rock-band, rockband, thanksgiving, turkey

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

SoxFan13 @ Nov 24th 2007 5:27PM

Great post. I'm about to attempt this myself. Wish me luck. At least your family seems to know these songs!

Misinformed DNA @ Nov 24th 2007 5:41PM

There are options to remove the pre-recorded vocals entirely (or just make them lower volume). You can do it in options before the game or pressing the Y button in the middle of a song.

ill trooper @ Nov 24th 2007 6:45PM

I think you can do it by using the d-pad in-game to raise or lower the mix on the vocals...

Ross Miller @ Nov 24th 2007 7:27PM

Awesome, yeah it works now, thanks.

Neil Christie @ Nov 24th 2007 5:46PM

Why is that man wearing a hat indoors? Doesn't he know it's bad manners?

MR @ Nov 24th 2007 6:10PM

Huh? You have a problem with the man of the household?
How dare you!

Ross Miller @ Nov 24th 2007 7:32PM

Touché, that man can wear whatever he thinks is cool without question. If he wants the hat of Indiana Jones and the shirt of Curios George's owner, who are we to argue?

ThornedVenom @ Nov 24th 2007 5:46PM

Rock Band = real family game.

Iceyburnz @ Nov 24th 2007 5:54PM

They have the Christmas tree up already?

Anyways, looks like a fun time was had by all. On another note, does
anyone know of a way to change your password for comments?

thethirdmoose @ Nov 24th 2007 6:15PM

Click your name, login, change password

Andy @ Nov 24th 2007 6:35PM

click your name, (your post) and then you can got to your profile to change it.

hvnlysoldr @ Nov 24th 2007 6:51PM

Halloween or Thanksgiving is the modern traditional time to put up Christmas decorations.

Iceyburnz @ Nov 25th 2007 12:37PM

Thanks all! I was able to change my password.

Joe @ Nov 24th 2007 5:55PM

My family wouldn't do it unless Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" was on the song list... probably for the best anyways.

Daran @ Nov 25th 2007 12:12AM

Minus the Bear, fuck yeah. Definatley a first pick.

elmersglue @ Nov 24th 2007 6:15PM

Minus the Bear!

Ross, I don't even know you....but you're awesome.

Mikeawesome @ Nov 24th 2007 6:46PM

Oh yes. That too. MTB would likely work out well with Rock Band. Or it could.

Dopple Boppler @ Nov 24th 2007 6:43PM

Minus the Bear definitely garners a "fuck yeah" in the comments section from me. Nice pick Ross.

Ross Miller @ Nov 24th 2007 7:31PM

If only Harmonix could selectively differentiate the top and bottom buttons (perhaps very quick blue highlights) we could double tap through the first MTB albums ... mmm, wishful thinking ...

Platy @ Nov 24th 2007 6:38PM

so ... he liked "that mario game" ? xD

Fletch @ Nov 24th 2007 6:42PM

Garbage and Nirvana were drawcards?

Man... Your parents are AWESOME! :D

Also - prog rock band = totally sweet. Rock Band is sadly lacking in Pink Floyd.

umm....hello??? @ Nov 24th 2007 7:46PM

I was thinking DreamTheater. and if you add the keyboard....well, good luck on expert mode unless you're JordanRudess himself...

Mikeawesome @ Nov 24th 2007 6:46PM

"Indie Rock Band with a cello"

Cursive? I don't think they have very many songs that would fit, but "Big Bang" or "Dorothy at Forty would be RIDICULOUSLY fun to play. Though, those are off "Happy Hollow" which is post-cello player.

Mikeawesome @ Nov 24th 2007 6:51PM

Hah! Now I get what you were getting at. A Rock Band with cello peripherals. Hahaha, well played. I still think I'd like to see some Cursive in Rock Band. :]

Ross Miller @ Nov 24th 2007 7:30PM

When Kevin made the suggestion I first went to Cursive also, but then he retorted that there are plenty of other groups, including Murder by Death. In all honesties, given how the guitar controller is played in a manner completely unlike guitar, you could just flip it vertical and call it a cello.

License to ill @ Nov 24th 2007 6:51PM

I wasn't going to get the game until next year, but I won $2400 at the casino today and saw some RB boxes at wal-mart and decided to pick one up...

It is way better then I thought it was going to be...

umm....hello??? @ Nov 24th 2007 7:44PM

yeah, we also found out my friend's girlfriend is awesome at singing Sabotage....the game is wayyyy more fun than GH. We're playing all evening tomorrow.

wtf @ Nov 24th 2007 6:57PM

Unless the game is named "Madden something something" my family wont go near it.

TrenchyC @ Nov 24th 2007 7:38PM

Seriously, no more Rock Band topics.

wes @ Nov 24th 2007 11:05PM

Take your FPS lovingness elsewhere...Some of us actually like somthing different.

Farseer (GDI) @ Nov 24th 2007 11:42PM

Dude, you didn't have to read it.

Seriously, no more idiotic posts. :p

umm....hello??? @ Nov 24th 2007 7:40PM

I was tempted to bring it to my parents for Thanksgiving, but since the Wii tennis/bowling/golf is the extent of their gaming ability, and they most likely wouldn't have known any of the songs anyways...so I brought it to my friend's house instead, and we got his and his girlfriend's family to play. Good times were had by all.

koheed @ Nov 24th 2007 8:07PM

This Thanksgiving, after dinner, the whole family played Rock Band and Wii Sports. We had five year olds to 73 year olds playing. My dad hopped on drums, and didn't fail. My six year old cousin beat my 26 year old brother in Wii Bowling, more than once!

NobleArc, The Lazy Canadian @ Nov 24th 2007 8:10PM

Huzzah for Garbage. That's one of the reasons I'm interested in getting the game. Not going to, though, as it's $170, and I have no friends to play it with. @_@;;

bill51 @ Nov 24th 2007 9:23PM

Haha, did the same thing. We had a good time. "Gimme Shelter" was the most requested song ... surprise surprise.

jdm @ Nov 24th 2007 10:11PM

Nice post. Played with my family too. On our first song, my sister played bass and put it on 'expert'. At the end of the song, she had 100%... we all looked at her and she just shrugged, "What? Bass is easy."

:)

p.s. If Minus the Bear comes out as downloadable content I'm selling my copy of Rock Band on principle... I mean, not to troll, but come on, Minus the Bear? Really? Ugh. Went to their show in SF last month... terrible, nothing but frat-boys with popped collars. Now... put some Weakerthans in there and that's a different story. :)

Cale @ Nov 26th 2007 12:20AM

man if they put reunion tour up as an album download it would be unreal. I wouldnt need any other songs. Tournament of hearts would be so awesome with the slightly changing lyrics. There is no way that is going to happen though.

ANother crazy album would be sloan's Never Hear the end of it. 30 tracks of goodness. some are kind of short but the variety would make playing throught the album incredable.

Kevin McW @ Nov 24th 2007 10:20PM

You failed to mention our two hour session, with me on drums, to end the night. My wrists haven't been that sore the following morning since....erm. Nothing.

Anyway. My unprintable words were that South Park is basically spot on - but being so inclined anyway, I'll play guilt-free.

I was happy to see QotSA unlocked, as well as some wildcard bands like New Pornographers...now I just needs me some Eels, Cure, Cursive, Cake...if Bear Vs Shark somehow gets in there, too, I'd lose my mind in glee (I can dream, can't I?).

Ross Miller @ Nov 25th 2007 1:17AM

Oh yeah, I actually did forget we had that long-ass late night session while writing this. Mmm ... Cursive, Bear vs. Shark. Oh, and there's a QotSA 3-song pack available for download.

ronald.raygun @ Nov 25th 2007 3:52AM

i would love to see some cake or cure or eels too, when i eventually get the game...

to others though minus the bear just gets on my nerves particularly the singer but get some pinback and that would rock hard tasty abs, washboard style, glistening in the sun. maybe some elvis costello too

Gregory Harbin @ Nov 24th 2007 10:53PM

I like your family. I hope I can get mine into it the same come Christmas.

lexx0 @ Nov 24th 2007 11:33PM

Honestly, I can't see myself buying this game until there is a Tool back, or something similar.

Grendel Pr1me @ Nov 25th 2007 12:38AM

Great read Ross. It gives hope that one day when I fly back out east, I may be able to convince my family of the same thing.

For now, it's the same lamentable task we've all been dealt with - explaining how the Wii works, and if it really is as good as the "Smith's young boy" says it is.

Intellectualdiot @ Nov 25th 2007 12:58AM

I'd be down for both of those suggested expansions. It'd certainly be interesting to see, once and for all, whose fans are more pretentious.

LoopyChew @ Nov 25th 2007 8:33AM

Just to point out that "Should I Stay or Should I Go" is a master track, not a cover (at least, according to the website). That explains why it sounds so authentic.

Jamie Magee @ Nov 25th 2007 9:06AM

I was just saying to my friend yesterday "Just wait until cello hero comes out..." (Mainly because I'm a cellist). Including a cello part in a game like this would be a dream come true for me.

Mamadash @ Nov 25th 2007 12:35PM

As a participant of the game, it was a great family experience. We spent an entire evening without the TV on and talked, laughed, and played.

drun @ Nov 25th 2007 7:58PM

ah...looks very fun...but only two people in my house :(

Curtis @ Nov 26th 2007 5:38PM

I also took rock band up to my grandparents during thanksgiving. Needless to say, we rocked faces everywhere...until we got to Brazil, then my brother broke the whammy bar and my foot busted through the drum pedal during some "Dani California". Now I need to try to return it to Target because I don't want to wait 2 weeks and have to reschedule the bands tour!