The Editor: Guitar Hero
 | Posted by The Editor on Monday 17 March 2008, 2:18 pm Categories: Education, Entertainment Tags: Tags: cool, GuitarHero, VideoGames |
Teachers love to think that their students think they’re cool. Students love to laugh at the way that their teachers think they’re cool even though they’re desperately not.
I’m usually no different, but recently I achieved true “cool” status.
We were at the Game On exhibition at Melbourne’s ACMI for an excursion last week and were wandering the public gallery after our educational session. The exhibition contains hundreds of computer games spanning the time between Pong and the Nintendo Wii. A group of my kids were playing Guitar Hero and failing miserably. They were on the easy level and could barely bash a right note; the game kept on stopping mid-song and accusing them of failure. Noting an opportunity I purposefully strode up, snatched the guitar, set the game to the hard level, and BLEW THEM AWAY with 95% accuracy. The kids just stood there, mouths agape, in absolute awe of my Guitar Hero skillz. One of them finally breathed, “how did you do that, Ed?”
Just in case you’re wondering, it is hard to be as cool as me.
GrodsThink Ep.29 (26/8/08)
Monday 17 March 2008, 2:27 pm #Chuck A. Spear
Were you playing Welcome to the Jungle by Slash or Rip Rip Woodchip by John Williams?
Monday 17 March 2008, 2:30 pm #The Editor
Baa Baa Black Sheep.
Monday 17 March 2008, 2:34 pm #John Surname
I hope you feel proud of beating little wiener kids.
Monday 17 March 2008, 2:37 pm #Chuck A. Spear
I don’t understand Guitar Hero. Why not just play a real guitar along to the song? Mind you, I don’t yet understand the concept of RSS.
Also, also I want to apologise to John Williams (the classical guitarist who can play) for getting him confused with John Williamson (the true blue balladeer who can’t).
Monday 17 March 2008, 2:39 pm #Bruce
Did you cop any flack from fundie parents for exposing them to Number of The Beast?
Monday 17 March 2008, 2:41 pm #The Editor
Nope. Just for exposing them to John Williamson.
Monday 17 March 2008, 3:09 pm #Dave from Albury
Wow Ed, what’ll you do next week? Put screenshots of your all time pokemon high scores on the overhead projector?
Monday 17 March 2008, 4:01 pm #MrLefty
Chuck, I didn’t either. Except that it somehow found its way onto the 360 last week and IS ACTUALLY FREAKING AWESOME. Whether you play a real guitar or not.
I resisted for a long time - plastic toy guitar controllers? puh-leeze - but caving was worth it, I don’t care what mocking noises anyone makes.
Monday 17 March 2008, 4:03 pm #MrLefty
Oh, if anyone wants to go one step nerdier and play it on their PC, holding the keyboard upside down to simulate a guitar (it kind of works, honestly) - try the freeware Frets on Fire. With any song you like.
Monday 17 March 2008, 4:24 pm #Bruce
…try the freeware Frets on Fire.
I was looking for that link, thanks. ;-)
Monday 17 March 2008, 4:44 pm #Bridgit Gread
Fleshlights, homemade ginger pop and Guitar Hero.
This blog is going downhill.
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:02 pm #MrLefty
How could you put Guitar Hero in the same category as fleshlights? Shame.
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:04 pm #krypto
you know Ed. with flashy stunts like that you are only going to achieve cool status among the extremely shallow “glamour” kids.
If you want to achieve true coolness, you have to garner support among the all important “geeky” clique, that’s where the true talent lies.
I think you’ll fing Ben Lee, Daniel Johns, Nick Cave all fell into this category at school.
The dweebs you are appealing to with video game prowess will grow up to be more your Grant Denyer/ Mark Holden variety of celebrity.
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:05 pm #The Editor
Bridgit has a point. There’s a fair chance you’d find at least two of those items in the homes of chronic bachelors in their teens and twenties. (Not to mention thirty year old married guys…)
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:05 pm #The Editor
That hurts, Krypto.
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:13 pm #krypto
no insult intended Ed. just a reminder not to forget about the dorkier kids hanging back in the background.
You won’t impress them, I’m sure they are into mind numbingly stupid things like tamagotchis.
All I’m saying is don’t neglect them if you want to be mentioned in Rolling Stone in twenty years time.
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:18 pm #Ant Rogenous
How could you put Guitar Hero in the same category as fleshlights?
Have a look at this and tell me there’s no relationship between the two!
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:46 pm #The Editor
Who cares about the dorky kids? I always wanted to be in the cool group at school and if that means I’m in the group as a teacher, ignoring the dorky kids, then so be it.
Monday 17 March 2008, 5:47 pm #The Editor
Holy shit, Ant. That’s me in that vid.
Monday 17 March 2008, 6:25 pm #Damian
Bridgit, how can you put Ant’s ginger beer in the same category as fleshlights? You don’t see Prodos with a bottle of Rogenous Brew in his hand, do you?
Monday 17 March 2008, 6:33 pm #krypto
“fame” has already gone to his head.
Monday 17 March 2008, 7:22 pm #Wah
I used to have a teacher who had long hair, and played Mr Bojangles. All the other teachers wept at his brilliance, but being St Albans kids we set him on fire.
Teach us about shit or fuck off - hippy.
Mr Ed, I challenge you to a round of Singstar!
Monday 17 March 2008, 7:44 pm #rdb
I heard on the grape vine that Ed was an awesome “Astrosmash” and “Commander Keen” player.
Monday 17 March 2008, 7:52 pm #Ant Rogenous
Bridgit, how can you put Ant’s ginger beer in the same category as fleshlights?
Because it’s fucking good. (Boom tish)
Monday 17 March 2008, 7:57 pm #Mikey
Yay for being able to press buttons in sequence! You is the coolest sir…
Monday 17 March 2008, 8:48 pm #Zombie Mao
Mr Ed, I challenge you to a round of Singstar!
Yes Singstar is for real men.
Monday 17 March 2008, 8:53 pm #The Editor
Mr Ed, I challenge you to a round of Singstar!
Sorry. I have a sore throat.