Rush, one of the most influential and nerdiest rock groups in the world, is coming to Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock and they’re bringing their 20-minute-long epic 2112 with them.
We don’t usually pay much attention to press releases about one band or another signing up to be in one music game or another. But things change a bit when the band in question is Rush, and when it turns out they’re bringing the 1976 classic 2112 to the party – the whole damn thing – you better believe we take notice.
Why? Because Rush is Maximum Rock for the geek set. Having, at the bare minimum, an appreciation for the band’s work is a prerequisite for full nerd accreditation. Do you think it’s just coincidence that Futurama’s Fry set about defending the Earth from alien invasion with a two-liter of Shasta and an all-Rush mix tape?
The “Quest mode” of Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock will be loosely based on Rush’s massive, album-spanning track 2112. Set in the late 21st century, the song tells the story of a man living under a repressive totalitarian regime who discovers a guitar, tries to bring music to the masses, fails and commits suicide as an invading space fleet launches an attack against the Solar Federation. Hey, it’s 70s prog-rock, that’s just how it goes.
Unlike the frontman of a certain other Canadian band (at least until somebody signed the check), Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson says he’s a fan of the music game genre. “I love the idea of Guitar Hero; they have combined two great things – music and fun,” he said. “I think it’s a great way to introduce people of all ages to music of various styles by all kinds of different bands, while providing a launching pad for kids who want to get into playing music.”
Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock is set for release on September 28 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii.
