Guitar Heroine

I thought I would tell you about one of my new leisure activities. It's called Guitar Hero, maybe you've heard of it? Now, I know this thing has been around for quite a while but I am finally getting into it. I was never that into video games, even though I did have my 8th or 9th birthday party at Arnie's Place, a totally awesome arcade I went to when I was a kid. But being the contrarian I am, since everyone was playing them, I couldn't embrace them. The more people talked about them and how great they were, the less I wanted to even look at them. I also must mention that I sucked at most of them as well. I just didn't get it. Until now....

Most of my life has revolved around music. My first favorite band was the Rolling Stones when I was 4 or 5 years old. I also liked Kiss and ACDC at that time. I never studied a musical instrument, I know this is a total crime! But as I grew up, most of my friends were in bands or shared the same obsession with music. I even bought a bass guitar when I was about 23 years old and taught myself to play a few songs. I still really want to learn how to play the lap steel because I love Hawaiian music and old country, both which use this instrument. I have always wanted to be in a band, but I don't really play anything well enough. Anyway, when I first heard of this game, I thought it was an awesome idea. 

I first tried it at my friends' Christmas party. I was awful!! I was mortified. Then, my boyfriend's brother got it about a year ago, and brought it over to our place. Matt and his friends were psyched! They were all instantly good at it! I was too shy to try it in front of all the guys, because I can't do anything in front of people unless I'm really good at it. Some neurosis, that's a whole other blog. After all the guys left I'd ask Matt to show me how to play it. I sat there for 3 hours one night trying to get it, and I still sucked. It made me hate the game. 

But Matt really wanted to get it. So maybe two weeks ago, he brought Guitar Hero III home. It has amazing songs on it!! Watching him play, I couldn't deny my interest any more. I said "All right, I'm gonna try it again." I almost played Barracuda by Heart, quite possibly the most bad-ass guitar riff ever!!!! It was of course, at the slowest practice speed. But the seeds were planted. 

One day Matt came home with a second guitar. For me!! So we could play together! I then found out that you can play the bass or the guitar when you play with two people. Hey, I've played the bass before! Let me tell you, this completely changed the game for me. No longer was I booed off the stage. I was now Kim Gordon from Sonic Youth, I was Flea. I played the Strokes, Guns 'N Roses, I even played Sabotage from the Beastie Boys with that sick bass line in the beginning! It really feels like you're playing. And I'm not all stiff and nervous anymore. I can actually rock out now. 

Gosh, just writing about it is making me wish I knew how to turn it on!! I'll have to wait for Matt to get home from work.