Harmonix's Rock Band may not bestow upon its virtual musicians the finer benefits of rock stardom—public acclaim, free drugs, easy groupies, fun follow up stories about acquired STDs—but it does give those without the musical skills to pay the bills the chance to feel like a professional musician. It just trims off the fat—and a good portion of the fun. But what does a real-life rock and roll veteran think of the Rock Band experience? Slate answers that question in a new piece from Sleater-Kinney guitarist and vocalist Carrie Brownstein. At first, she thumbs her nose at the game writing that it's "a theater group set to music, and just as nerdy" and that the drums "would look at home in a 1980s Flock of Seagulls video." But things change. Hearts are warmed; walls break down.

Brownstein goes on to write of the game's addictive "pretending", forming a one-woman band before her scheduled Rock Band party had a chance to gel. Despite the presence of "green dreadlocks [and] belly button rings" good times were had by all. In the end, however, it echoes the tired sentiment "Well, why don't you just go form a real band?" but still makes for an interesting perspective.

The full list of pros, cons, ups, downs and all that is worth the read, regardless of whether one's a Sleater-Kinney fan or not.

Rock Band vs. Real Band [Slate - thanks, EtchASketchist]

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