Krist Novaselic stinks at Rock Band

January 16, 2009 Leave a comment

krist

Nirvana bassist Krist Novaselic is easily the most endearing former grunge rocker around.

Not just because he scoots around Seattle in an old minivan.

He writes great posts for the DAILY WEEKLY blog, telling tales from Nirvana’s heyday, ruminating on current events, or just talking about what he’s been up to.

Recently, Krist blogged about his experience playing Rock Band with a charming and amusing anecdote.

I had my first experience with a video game when I was around 10 years old. It was called Pong. The contest was between two rectangular “paddles” that could only slide up and down the edges of a TV screen. Between them we bounced a small square dot—the ping pong ball—back and forth.

In high school, I jumped into the arcade game craze of the early 1980s. The game that I really enjoyed was Asteroids (and its successor, Asteroids Deluxe). I got pretty good at piloting the little ship and blasting the random asteroids, tiny flying saucers, and pods that threatened my existence in outer space. (Well, the virtual space I could afford for each 25 cents I dropped in the coin slot.)

More recently, while walking through a one-stop shopping center, I encountered the Rock Band 2 video game. It was set up on display for customers to try.

I know about Rock Band, because Nirvana has some songs on it. I had never tried the game before, so I gave it a go. I worked through the menu and found the song “In Bloom.” I picked up the little guitar-shaped controller and hit the stage.

I knew the bass line to the song, of course, but I couldn’t quite master this new, different way of playing it.

The game reminded me of Space Invaders. I tried to hit the notes cascading down the screen, but could barely keep up.

Meanwhile, this kid was watching me fumble with the game. I became self-conscious and took the controller off.

I handed it to him, and he proceeded to jam on the song—and was really good! He had no idea that I was the musician he was emulating on the game, and I didn’t tell him.

in bloom
Not Krist’s score.

Life goes on: I walked away to buy some paint supplies, groceries, and other items from the store.

Regardless of my first experience with the game as a player, I’m loving Rock Band. Instead of file sharing, people are actually buying music again! HA!!!

Putting that issue aside, I like how the game makes the player focus on certain components of the music. When I listen to songs, I’ll usually tune my ear to the bass line. With Rock Band, you can do that, but also see the procession of notes.

Novaselic often blogs on the future of the music industry, and he’s clearly embracing new media as a way forward for the troubled rock biz.

In related news, Dave Grohl also noticed the appeal of Rock Band, but only because a hot chick was playing it.

Novaselic has an infectiously optimistic outlook for the future of music in the video-game/digital era:

Rock and roll has been proclaimed dead countless times. After a slump, rock usually bounces back in a wave of new bands and sounds. Things are different today: Rock has found new life with video games, and the phenomenon is leading to a revival of bands that have been around for a long time.

[...]

Music is a living thing. It’s fun to revisit songs in different forms. For instance, hearing the Beatles’ 2006 album Love, a mash-up of their classic tunes, is like listening to this seminal group for the first time! Love takes the sounds and instruments that were buried in the original mix and puts them up front.

Electronica remixes can also result in a complete reinvention of a song. (By the way—can we have more electronica on the radio?)

Good music, film, paintings, books, and other forms of expression draw you into them. The excitement and power of rock fits well with the dynamic new world created by video games. The virtual universe is interactive, providing sensations that are real. Keep on rocking in the free world!!!!!!!

For more from Krist, including musings on arcologies, futuristic mass transit, and drunken Pomeranians, check out his DAILY WEEKLY posts.

Filed under Jams, The Future Tagged with , , , , ,

Reminiscences of an ill-fated bass toss

November 20, 2008 1 Comment

In a post at Seattle’s DAILY WEEKLY blog, Nirvana bassist Krist Novaselic revisits the tragic night he decided to throw his bass in the air following a performance at the MTV music awards. It landed on his head. The evidence:

Krist’s story is entertaining, hilarious, self-deprecating, and believe us when we tell you it has an amazing ending.

Here are some highlights:

I walked around and checked out the stage area. Other bands were showing up. I said hello to the fellows in Pearl Jam and the Black Crowes. Sammy Hagar said hi. There was Howard Stern in a suit made to let his bare buttocks hang out.

I eventually made it to the food service area, where Kurt and Courtney were at a table with their newborn daughter, Frances. They told me that Axl Rose had walked by and Courtney started teasing him. She yelled, “Axl, Axl—you’re the godfather!” Upon hearing this, Axl apparently got very annoyed, walked over to Kurt, and demanded that he keep his woman in line. Kurt turned to Courtney and sarcastically asked his woman to keep in line and left it at that.

We’re pretty sure the actual quote was, “Keep your bitch in line.”

Axl then split. Of course, Kurt and Courtney were musing over Axl’s response in the context of society’s patriarchal tendencies. My thought was that Rose shouldn’t have gotten bent out of shape. He should have walked over and asked to kiss the baby or something!

At the same time, Kurt wanted to play the tune “Rape Me” and was adamant about it. The MTV people were upset. We were being asked from all corners not to. I thought we should play something off Nevermind, do the gig, and leave. Easy, right? No. Kurt was very stubborn and refused to play another tune. There was quite a swirl around this issue.

[...]

I was walking toward the stage and came across my now-friend and colleague, Duff McKagan. I think Duff was also under the influence. He must have heard something from Rose and had a terse word for me. I was already a little bent out of shape and instantly replied with the same sentiment. The production people grabbed me and we continued toward the stage.

I was now even more shook up. One should take the stage in a good frame of mind, but I wasn’t there. Nirvana gets introduced, and we start playing our prank, then switch into “Lithium.” I’m plugged into some awful bass rig that’s distorting terribly. I can barely hear what I’m playing, and the tone deteriorates into an inaudible mess. Fuck it—time for the bass-toss schtick. Up it goes!!!!! I always try to get good air—I bet I hit over 25 feet, easy! But no matter how high it went, I was not on my game— the only time I’ve ever dropped it was then in front of 300 million people. Ouch! I was fine, but I faked like I was knocked out, perhaps expressing my inner torment over a taxing evening. (Maybe I was just embarrassed.)

I stumbled offstage toward the green room with my hands on my forehead. I walked straight into the bathroom and looked at a bloody forehead in the mirror. I washed my face off and put a paper towel to my head. Paramedics came in and put a little bandage on, then handed me a long medical release form to sign. Standing behind them was Brian May, the guitarist of Queen, with a glass of chilled champagne. I signed the release just to get the medics away from me so I could take a sip of Mr. May’s wonderful medicine. Ahh, yes!!! Moments later Dave Grohl burst in. He’d been looking all over for me, only to find me enjoying a calm glass of bubbly with Mr. May. It was a relief for all!

Is there any way that ending could have been more satisfying?? Brian May to the rescue!

Awesome.

[DAILY WEEKLY via ROLLING STONE via Nirvanahead C Dave]

Filed under Jams, Smiles Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.