That's exactly what's happening. Guitar sales are up. Many of these kids (and some adults) are starting bands and writing original music. And all this was inspired by a hard-plastic, guitar-shaped controller with colored buttons on its neck. The Guitar Hero and Rock Band guitars are easy targets. They’re miniature-sized, rudimentary and as rock ’n’ roll as a Q-Tip. That said, it's an effective introduction to the real deal, according to one of the biggest names in the real-life game.
“[The game's controller is] more like reading music than it is playing guitar,” Hammett said, “because you're reading notations on the screen and you’re doing the corresponding fingering.”
The band was in Austin for the media launch of the game — and to play a secret show at Stubb's Bar-B-Que, a large venue by South by Southwest standards but a tiny venue by Metallica standards. (Stubb’s holds around 2,500, and Metallica can sell out 18,000-seat arenas in most mid-size markets.)
‘SMALL’ SHOW
The show was supposed to be a surprise, but even Hammett's mom had read about the “secret show” in the weeks leading up to the event.
“Obviously [South by Southwest] is a great launching platform for something like this, and it's always great for us to be able to sneak into a small club and play a small show.”
Hammett said the band isn't yet writing for the next record. They’re too busy completing the tour cycle for their latest, 2008’s Death Magnetic.
“We still have a year and a half worth of touring to do, and we’re going to make it through this tour in one piece and then think about coming up with new music,” said Hammett.
Of his band's induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Hammett can’t help but feel a little old.
“Twenty-five years have to have gone past since the release of your first album [to be eligible for the rock hall], so I feel a little bit like a dinosaur,” Hammett said. “[But I'm proud] that we’re still a valid band, still making music. A lot of bands that get inducted are in the winters of their careers, so to speak. We're still making music and we're still on tour, and it's cool that we're still a band and still creating and trying to be somewhat relevant.”
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