One time Rolling Stones bass player Bill Wyman has criticised video games such as ‘Guitar Hero’ and ‘Rock Band’ claiming they are stopping people taking up real instruments.
Bill Wyman was a lynch pin of The Rolling Stones. A founder member of the group, he initially rebelled against the band’s blues purist policy as he felt it would be too boring to play 12 bars throughout their set.
However he was later proved wrong when the group took the Chicago blues classic ‘Little Red Rooster’ to number one. Working with The Rolling Stones for over thirty years he left the group in the early 90s, claiming he wanted to work on something new.
Forming the Rhythm Kings the bass player has focussed on blues music, recording several successful albums. Continually touring, Bill Wyman also found the time to write a lavish history of the blues.
Speaking before the launch of ‘The Beatles: Rock Band’ game Wyman claimed that the introduction of such games has stopped people learning real instruments.
“It encourages kids not to learn, that’s the trouble,” Wyman told BBC News. “It makes less and less people dedicated to really get down and learn an instrument. I think it’s a pity so I’m not really keen on that kind of stuff.”
In previous instalments of the game ‘Guitar Hero’ fans have been able to play along to songs by The Rolling Stones. Speaking at a recording session in Abbey Road, Wyman’s sentiments were shared by Pink Floyd musician Nick Mason.
“It irritates me having watched my kids do it,” he said. “If they spent as much time practising the guitar as learning how to press the buttons they’d be damn good by now.”
