As if announcing Rock Band 3 weren’t enough to make me work on vacation, Harmonix also unleashed this bombshell this afternoon: Next week will see the debut of four Lady Gaga tunes in Rock Band. Yes, that Lady Gaga.

“Lady Gaga Pack 01” will include “Bad Romance,” “Just Dance,” “Monster” and “Poker Face” — but that’s not all. Also releasing next week will be the Cartman-fronted, South Park-special edition of “Poker Face” that I mentioned a couple Fridays ago.

This is just one of many examples of how awesome Rock Band is.

Anyway, the songs appear to hit next week at usual times, and for the usual $2 apiece, with the whole four-pack going for $6.99 (or 560 Microsoft Points). I’ll have my traditional links and samples for you later this week…but right now, man, I’ve got dinner plans. Have yourselves a lovely evening, because I sure will.

In case you missed it last week amidst all the Rock Band Network launch hoopla, here’s your friendly reminder that 360 and Wii owners can pick up nine new tracks in the main Rock Band store today. The lineup features a track pack from the White Stripes, as well as singles from The Futureheads, Shaimus, the James Gang, and what basically amounts to a killer drum solo courtesy of Neil Peart.

Here’s a random musical connection for you: The James Gang’s Thirds, from which “Walk Away” comes, was produced by Ken Hamann. His son, Paul Hamann, was the engineer for part of the recording of my old band’s first full-length CD, at Suma Recording Studio in Painesville, Ohio. (Here’s a great writeup on the studio. Man, I loved that fireplace.)

No, you didn’t need to know that. I just wanted to share.

As if all that piping-hot RBN action isn’t enough for you, Harmonix just unveiled nine new tracks for the main Rock Band music store. Headlining next week’s release is another three-pack from the White Stripes, doubling the White Stripes quotient in the Rock Band library. (Which is interesting, given that Jack White has called music games “a little sad,” isn’t it?)

The White Stripes	Fell in Love With a Girl
The White Stripes	Seven Nation Army
The White Stripes	You Don’t Know What Love Is (You Just Do as You’re Told)

Also coming next week: Two each from indie bands The Futureheads and Shaimus, a classic from the James Gang, and…wait, what? A song by Rush drummer Neil Peart? A drum-centric cover of the theme to Hockey Night in Canada, you say? Well, that’s just fine by me.

The Futureheads	Decent Days and Nights
The Futureheads	Hounds of Love
The James Gang	Walk Away
Neil Peart	The Hockey Theme
Shaimus	All of This
Shaimus	Tie You Down

The songs hit at the usual times next week, with the Peart and Shaimus tunes going for a buck apiece, and everything else going for the usual $2 or equivalent. (And of course, $5.49 / 550 Wii Points / 440 Microsoft Points for the White Stripes pack.) A playlist! I have one! Only it doesn’t include “The Hockey Theme” — you can find a video here — or  “Tie You Down,” which you can hear at Shaimus’s MySpace page. You can listen to the rest after the break. Continue reading →

This is just your friendly reminder that you 360 and Wii owners get a healthy new lineup of tracks today. Unless you’re in Europe, in which case you don’t get “White Falcon Fuzz” until next Thursday. It’s because of conversion rates or something. I dunno, I am unfamiliar with the ways of your strange land.

The rest of you: You can get yourself some Disturbed, Silversun Pickups, Mother Hips, and TRUSTcompany today for the usual prices.

Time to practice your moody scowl, music fans. The songs debuting in Rock Band next week include not only a three-pack from nu-metal superstars Disturbed, but also a single from Alabama alt-metal act TRUSTcompany. …Er, and four considerably less metallic singles, too.

But let’s start with the Disturbed offering: In honor of the 10th-anniversary reissue of the band’s seminal The Sickness, we get three tracks of the remastered tracks, well in advance of the alum’s March 23 release.

Disturbed	Meaning of Life
Disturbed	The Game
Disturbed	Voices

The lineup of singles is a little more laid-back, with two from indie rockers Silversun Pickups and two from The Mother Hips, whom you may remember from their appearance on the first Rock Band disc. Plus that TrustCo track.

The Mother Hips	Third Floor Story
The Mother Hips	White Falcon Fuzz
Silversun Pickups	Panic Switch
Silversun Pickups	Sort Of
TRUSTcompany	Downfall

The songs hit at the usual times for the usual prices, which is, you know, the usual. Alas, Lego Rock Band rockers, only “White Falcon Fuzz,” “Sort Of,” and “Downfall” will be available to you — and if you’re in Europe you won’t get “White Falcon Fuzz” for either game until March 11, for some reason. But enough of the small print — check out the playlist of all the tracks after the break. Continue reading →

If you own an Xbox 360 gaming console or Nintendo Wii entertainment device — and a copy of Rock Band — you now have the option of downloading seven new tracks from the likes of HIM, The Police, and Marilyn Manson. Many of the aforementioned musical experiences feature rather enthusiastic guitars. You may find this pleasing.

I’ve embedded a new playlist, featuring all the songs debuting today, after the break. Can you do me a favor and let me know if you can see all seven? Especially those of you outside the U.S.? I’d be much obliged.

Continue reading →

The Rock Band catalog debuts another grab-bag of not-entirely-related tracks next week, starting off with a three-song pack from Finnish rockers HIM:

HIM	Heartkiller
HIM	Ode to Solitude
HIM	Wings of a Butterfly

In addition, we also get four singles, including another one from The Police that I cannot wait to play on the drums, one from Marylin Manson, and one from prefab gal group KSM.

KSM	Distracted
Marilyn Manson	The Dope Show
One Night Only	Just for Tonight	N/A	N/A
The Police	Walking on the Moon

The songs hit at the usual times for the usual prices, as per usual. And of course I’ve included a playlist of most of the songs after the break, just for you. I give because I love. Continue reading →