Rock and Booze: The Ultimate Combination

For the longest time now, prominent rock acts have subsisted on a heavy cocktail of drugs and alcohol to add that layer of excitement and enthusiasm to their performances.  We need only think of great bands like The Doors, Lynyrd Skynyrd, AC/DC and the Eagles to conjure up an image of fantastic rockers who were simultaneously off their faces.

So how would the consumption of alcohol effect those who like to simulation rock?  My hypothesis was that drinking could only have a negative effect on my ability to play accurately.  But, being the scientific lad that I am, I resolved to put it to the test.

Note that this was a completely scientific endeavour, and certainly not something I just did because I like getting drunk for any reason what-so-ever.

To assist me, I gathered my lab assistants Jacalee and Moose, who would document my progress through the experience.  I publish the results here for your edification and study:

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Photoshop lacked a "Drunken Blur" filter

Since the conception of video games, humanity has longed to nurture two vices at once through the application of drink gaming. Drink gaming, the act of playing games while proceeding to get royally smashed, is an activity steeped in tradition going back to when the very first Pong arcade unit was installed in a bar. Groups of punters would gather to offer up useful advice to the player, usually along the lines of “Up! No, down! Down! Up!” and “Cor, you’re getting KILLED on this one, boy”.

Luckily, many years later, consoles became prevalent and no-one has to experience the local publican’s brains trust ever again. In this post, I’d simply like to wax lyrical about the games that we’ve probably all enjoyed (I know I certainly have!) playing through the bottom of a vodka bottle.  Pour yourself a drink in preparation. (more…)

As a long time fan of the Guitar Hero/Rock Band franchises, I dutifully pre-ordered my copy of Guitar Hero: Metallica yesterday so I can be playing it as soon as possible. I love Metallica’s music, so I’m looking forward to what the demo presented as quite a compitent addition to the Guitar Hero series. Rock Band: The Beatles is also slated for release this year, and I’ll probably grab that too. Adding to the already published RB: AC/DC Live and GH: Aerosmith, it’s obvious that publishers have found a new, cheap and easy way of expanding their music titles (even though some may argue that the quality of a music release is often in it’s range of different musical tastes).

Band tie-in games are obviously an untapped gold mine for developers, and to prove my point, I give to you 8 band branded music games that I’m sure we’d all like to see: (more…)