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From random costumes, random dances, and random props, Lady Gaga is just that. Random.  But, I’m glad someone decided to put some geekyness in her new Bad Romance music video. Sexy Latex +  Bondage themes + Nintendo Nun chuck controller. Yup, random indeed.

Click here to view the embedded video.

For the past six days, I’ve been playing DJ Hero a lot.  Not non-stop, but a lot.  Anytime I’ve had a chance between my busy work schedule and the two Halloween parties, I would be playing DJ Hero.  For the people that are still on the fence on this new music rhythm game, go past the break for my review.

Gameplay

If you’ve played with the toy “Bop It”, you’ll instantly love this game. because it’s just like it.  “Bop It” is a spin off of Simon.  But instead of repeating a pattern of colored lights, you would need to follow the instructions of what the announcer says. You either bop it, flick it, spin it, pull it, or twist it.  For DJ Hero, you’re either tapping a color button, “scratching” the turntable, flicking the crossfader, or twisting the effects knob. So, just imagine the toy Bop It, but with a beat and with 93 mash-ups.

Unlike Rock Band, where your hands are just pushing buttons and strumming and are essentially in one position, you’re hands on the DJ Hero controller are everywhere. The big learning curve for this game is the crossfader.  It’s easy to forget what position your crossfader is in at the time.  But, just like any game, with practice it’ll come naturally.

One thing I found rather odd is that there isn’t a full list of songs you can scroll up and down on like Guitar Hero or Rock Band.  To find songs you need to go through several “set lists”.  Each set list has it’s own genre and number of mashed-up songs. And even worse, you need to unlock every set list in order to play the songs in them.

When playing, you’ll notice that there is no such thing as failing. There isn’t a meter that tells you how good or bad you are doing. The crowd never boos at you and the only point of the game is to play for points and stars.  Gaining stars will help you unlock more songs, characters, DJ decks, locations, and outfits.

Also, one last thing about the gameplay isn’t really gameplay at all.  The awesome feature that you can let the game music play on its own like a party jukebox without having to play it is really awesome.

Graphics

With any rhythm game, graphics aren’t really the point of the game and isn’t really focused on during development.  As long as the player can easily see what he/she has to do to “play” the song, graphics are not really a factor. But of course, something flashy will always make the game more pleasing. From the dancers, DJs, stages, and crowds, everything looked very basic to today’s standards in life-like looking graphics.

Sound

Click here to view the embedded video.

93 mashed-up songs is what pulled me into the game.  10 original Daft Punk remixes is what led me to my local GameStop and pre-order my first toy turntable.  If you’re a fan of old school hip hop, real rap, techno beats, and some rock and roll mashed-up, then you’ll definitely love the sounds from this game. If you’re into only country music, keep waiting for that country hero game. There hasn’t been a song I didn’t want to play.  Usually, when I play Rock Band, I always have a set number of songs that I like to play mainly because I know and like those songs. The rest, I couldn’t care less about. But, with DJ Hero, each song was unique.  A mash-up of 2 different genres or songs just makes one awesome song.

Overall

If you liked Bop It, the toy, then get this game.  It’ll keep you busy and entertained with it’s 93 songs. There is somewhat of a learning curve with the crossfader, but keep at it. DJ Hero is out in stores now and is $119.

Looks like Tap Tap Revenge has finally met its match. EA Mobile has hit the iPhone with their famous Rock Band franchise. Two major differences that I see iPhone Rock Band having over Tap Tap Revenge is the 4 player Bluetooth mode and access to more mainstream songs.

iPhone Rock Band will operate just like Tap Tap Revenge. But, just like in the regular Rock Band for consoles, you’ll be able to choose between the 4 main instruments, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Vocals. For Vocals, you’ll just be tapping along. Not singing into the built in iPhone mic. Maybe they’ll do that for a future version of the game?

I wonder what Tap Tap Revenge can do to compete with EA and Harmonix’s music tapping genre game. We’ll just have to wait and see.

I’m a big fan of Mash-Ups.  I acted like a gitty little schoolgirl when I saw and heard Jay-Z perform live with Linkin Park.  I still love it when I find great mash-ups on YouTube.  Then I heard about a game called DJ Hero that will let me act like I know how to mash-up songs and I just went nuts.  After seeing the demo played on stage at E3, I knew that I was going to get the game.  This was even before I saw any tracks revealed from the game.  Now, the full list has surfaced on the internets and I cannot wait for this to get into my living room already.  To see all 95 mashed-up tracks, go past the break.

• 2Pac – “All Eyez On Me” vs. The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)”
• 50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
• 50 Cent – “Disco Inferno” vs. InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life”
• Afrika Bambaataa – “Zulu Nation Throwdown” vs. Freedom Express – “Get Down”
• Beastie Boys – “Here’s A Little Somethin’ For Ya” vs. DJ Shadow – “The Number Song (2009 Version)” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” vs. Blondie – “Rapture”
• Beastie Boys – “Lee Majors Come Again” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk” (Produced and mixed by Cut Chemist)
• Beck – “Where It’s At” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
• Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” Beat Juggle
• Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
• Bell Biv DeVoe – “Poison” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
• Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction” vs. Tiësto – “Elements Of Life”
• Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow” vs. Benny Benassi – “Satisfaction”
• Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. 2Pac – “How Do You Want It”
• Bobby “Blue” Bland – “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City” vs. Connie Price & The Keystones – “Fuzz And Them”
• Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. The Zombies – “Time Of The Season” (Produced and mixed by DJ Shadow)
• Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers – “Bustin’ Loose” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
• Common – “Universal Mind Control (U.M.C.)” vs. Masta Ace – “Jeep A** Gutter (Aaron LaCrate & Debonair Samir ” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. Classics IV – “Spooky”
• Cypress Hill – “Insane In The Brain” vs. David Axelrod – “The Edge”
• Daft Punk – “Around The World” vs. Young MC – “Bust A Move”
• Daft Punk – “Da Funk” vs. N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip”
• Daft Punk – “Megamix 1″
• Daft Punk – “Megamix 2″
• Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim – “Al Naafyish (The Soul)” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Daft Punk – “Robot Rock” vs. Queen – “We Will Rock You”
• Daft Punk – “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions – “Jack Of Spades”
• Daft Punk – “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars”
• Daft Punk – “Television Rules the Nation” vs. No Doubt – “Hella Good”
• David Axelrod – “The Edge” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President”
• Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. DJ Shadow – “Organ Donor (Extended Overhaul)”
• Dizzee Rascal – “Fix Up, Look Sharp” vs. Justice – “Genesis”
• DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)” vs. D-Code – “Annie’s Horn”
• Eminem – “My Name Is” vs. Beck – “Loser”
• Fedde Le Grand – “Put Your Hands Up For Detroit” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn – “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
• Foo Fighters – “Monkey Wrench” vs. Beastie Boys – “Sabotage” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Foreigner – “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs – “DJ Hero” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Foreigner – “Juke Box Hero” vs. DJ Z-Trip ft. Murs – “DJ Hero” (DJ-Guitar mix, produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” vs. Mobb Deep – “Shook Ones, Pt 2″ (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
• Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.” vs. Blondie – “Atomic”
• Grandmaster Flash’s – “Boom” vs. “Tap” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• Grandmaster Flash, DJ Kool, DJ Demo – “Here Comes My DJ” vs. Gary Numan – “Cars” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
• Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. InDeep “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” (Produced and mixed by DJ AM)
• Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” vs. Rick James – “Give It To Me”
• Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” Beat Juggle
• Herbie Hancock – “Rockit” vs. N.E.R.D. – “Lapdance” (Produced and mixed by Grandmaster Flash)
• InDeep – “Last Night A DJ Saved My Life” vs. Cameo – “Word Up!”
• Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
• Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back” vs. Third Eye Blind – “Semi-Charmed Life”
• JAY-Z feat. Pharrell – “Change Clothes” vs. 2Pac – “All Eyez on Me”
• JAY-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Eminem – “My Name Is”
• JAY-Z – “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” vs. Jackson 5 – “I Want You Back”
• JAY-Z – “Excuse Me Miss” vs. Rick James – “Give It To Me”
• Jean Knight – “Mr. Big Stuff” vs. Masta Ace – “Born To Roll”
• Jurassic 5 – “Jayou” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat”
• Jurassic 5 – “Jayou” vs. Herbie Hancock – “Rockit”
• Kid Cudi – “Day ‘N’ Nite” vs. Black Eyed Peas – “Boom Boom Pow”
• Kool Moe Dee – “How Ya Like Me Now” vs. Reel 2 Real featuring The Mad Stuntman – “I Like To Move It”
• Little Richard – “Tutti Frutti” vs. Shlomo – “Beats” (Produced and mixed by DJ Yoda)
• M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• M.I.A. – “Paper Planes” vs. Wale – “Lookin’ At Me”
• Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. David Bowie – “Let’s Dance”
• Marvin Gaye – “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” vs. Gorillaz – “Feel Good Inc.”
• Motörhead – “Ace Of Spades” vs. Noisia – “Groundhog” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• N.A.S.A. – “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB & Fatlip” vs. Isaac Hayes – “Theme From Shaft”
• Noisia – “Groundhog” Beat Juggle (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• Paul van Dyk – “Nothing But You” vs. Sandy Rivera and David Penn – “I Can’t Stop (David Penn Remix)”
• Public Enemy – “Shut ‘Em Down” vs. Beck – “Where It’s At”
• Public Enemy ft. Zakk Wylde – “Bring The Noise 20XX” vs. Justice – “Genesis” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Public Enemy featuring Zakk Wylde – “Bring The Noise 20XX” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Q-Tip – “Good Thang” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat” (Produced and mixed by J. Period)
• Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Beastie Boys – “Brass Monkey” (Produced and mixed by DJ Z-Trip)
• Queen – “Another One Bites The Dust” vs. Daft Punk – “Da Funk”
• Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. Kid Sister – “Control”
• Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Rihanna – “Disturbia” vs. The Trammps – “Disco Inferno”
• Shlomo – “Beats” vs. Billy Squier – “The Big Beat”
• Street Sweeper Social Club – “Fight! Smash! Win!” vs. Beastie Boys – “Intergalactic” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. DJ Shadow – “Six Days (Remix ft. Mos Def)”
• Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. Eric B. & Rakim – “Eric B. Is President” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• Tears For Fears – “Shout” vs. Eric Prydz – “Pjanoo”
• The Aranbee Pop Orchestra – “Bittersweet Symphony (Instrumental)” vs. LL Cool J – “Rock The Bells” (Produced and mixed by DJ Jazzy Jeff)
• The Scratch Perverts Beats and Pieces (Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts)
• The Killers – “Somebody Told Me” vs. Eric Prydz – “Pjanoo”
• Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” vs. MC Hammer – “U Can’t Touch This”
• Vanilla Ice – “Ice Ice Baby” vs. Paula Abdul – “Straight Up”
• Wale – “Lookin’ At Me” vs. Black Eyed Peas ft. Tippa Irie – “Hey Mama”
• Weezer – “Beverly Hills” vs. Evidence, The Alchemist, Aceyalone, Rakaa & 88 Keys – “Fresh Rhymes And Videotape” (DJ-Guitar mix)
• Wild Cherry – “Play That Funky Music” vs. Gang Starr – “Just To Get A Rep” (DJ-Guitar mix)

DJ Hero has posted a new clip to show you a new song produced and mixed by J. Period. Just by looking at the clip and imagining that I had the controller with me at my desk, I started pretending I was playing the game. You know, kind of like when you’re waiting for your turn on the DDR machine, so you start playing right next to it. After some pretending, the game seems kinda complicated. But, I guess I won’t know how complicated it really is until I get my hands on it. Oh holiday season. You’re really going to burn a hole through my wallet this year.

If you haven’t heard yet, the technologic men from outer space (or France), Daft Punk, will be featured in DJ Hero.  Not only will their likeness and songs be in the game, but also some special remixes by Daft Punk.

Daft Punk “Around the World” vs. Young MC “Bust A Move”
Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. NASA “Strange Enough ft. Karen O, ODB and Fatlip”
Daft Punk “Da Funk” vs. Queen “Another One Bites the Dust”
Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Hashim “Al-Naafiysh (The Soul)” – Produced and mixed by The Scratch Perverts
Daft Punk “Robot Rock” vs. Queen “We Will Rock You”
Daft Punk “Short Circuit” vs. Boogie Down Productions “Jack Of Spades”
Daft Punk “Technologic” vs. Gary Numan “Cars”
Daft Punk “Television Rules The Nation” vs. No Doubt “Hella Good”

DJ Hero comes out October 27, 2009.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Next week’s Rock Band DLC has 2 more songs from one of my favorite bands, Tenacious D. I doubt you’ll be able to 5 star any of Tenacious D’s songs.  That is unless you know what a “deep knee rock squat” is.

Tracks available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Sept. 15) and PLAYSTATION 3 system (Sept. 17):
• Anvil – “666”
• Anvil – “Metal on Metal”
• Anvil – “This is Thirteen”
• Dinosaur Jr. – “Pick Me Up”
• Dinosaur Jr. – “The Wagon”
• The Guess Who – “Hand Me Down World”
• The Guess Who – “No Time”
• Tenacious D – “Rock Your Socks”
• Tenacious D – “Tribute”

For those of you who do not know me personally, I am in no way a small guy. Build, weight, height… all over-average. I have been told I am quite imposing, and at times, quite scary. Now, roll back to about 3 years ago…

I was working on a long, mentally taxing project at work. My mood was dark, my attitude was sharpened, and my stress was high. I needed something happy and a bit silly to break that cloud hovering over me.

The solution, J-Pop… more specifically, Perfume.

The real geeky-reveal of this was when a co-worker of mine popped my headphone cord and revealed to the rest of the crew what I had been jamming out to for the last 30 minutes -_-. Thanks.

Click here to view the embedded video.

How can you tell that a person is a true musician.  First off, he/she doesn’t feel the need for auto-tuning technologies. Second, he/she can rock the house by themselves. For example, when Michael Jackson first debuted the “moonwalk” he rocked the house like no one could.  Now, DubFX (the talented man above) isn’t Michael, but he can sure make a beat and a song.

If you’re an instant fan, support this man at http://dubfx.bandcamp.com/

For one more video, go past the break.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Music remixer of movie sounds and soundtracks, Fagottron, has released his latest song “Bangarang.”  Most sounds in the song are from the movie “Hook” and are used as the drum line.  Fagottron, has also created music using Mary Poppins and Willy Wonka.  Check out his YouTube page for those 2 videos and more.