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| By J. MATTHEW COBB Editor-At-Large, PRAYZEHYMNOnline.com Posted: February 3, 2009 |
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MUSIC NEEDS NEW WAYS to reinvent itself. At least, new ways to distribute itself. In today's generation of high-tech advancements, the music world is still struggling to find new ways to keep people coming back for more great music. In the middle of all of the gadget hoopla and cultural fads remain the dominance of the video game.
When Nintendo introduced the NES, the first cool home gaming system, in 1985 to Americans, it made Atari 2600 obsolete and a thing of the past. Generations later after enduring a launch of 16-bit, 32-bit and 64-bit game pads like the Sega Genesis. Super NES, Neo-Geo, Microsoft XBox and the Sony Playstation and others, the video game industry remains a jackpot genre that pumps in over $10 billion annualy and has gone so far to open up their general demographics from being mostly teens and young adult men to covering a large dispensation of women and adults in their forties. Annual reports suggest that the demographics for gamers will continue to grow. With the advent of best-selling, music-oriented games like Guitar Hero, Rockband and American Idol karaoke-related games, the struggling music world seems to be enjoying a hearty extension of life. But one game, notoriously known for pushing the controversial button and challenging parents due to its addictive game play, may just be the most rewarding development in the race to find a cure to stop music's aging process. Grand Theft Auto, created by Rockstar Games, launched in 1997, mixing cool life-like graphics with a combustible mix of car racing, drama, action and adventure. As the series continued onward, the content became more mature, more risque and even more popular. The series exploded in October 2001 when GTA III dropped. Hollywood icons like Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Busey, Ray Liotta and Burt Reynolds came rushing to its side; ultimately bringing fictional characters to life. Part of what makes the game so exciting and addictive includes its accompanying music soundtrack; pulsating in the various car vehicles through multiple radio channels and usually humming along with the game''s adventures. While the graphics of GTA's latter episodes marvel viewers instantly, the music remains the obvious pulse of GTA. The Ballad of Gay Tony, one of the downloadable episodes for the XBOX 360 console and can be played on the GTA console games Episodes from Liberty City, focuses on an incredible wealth of soul, R&B and dance music. The story is also quite fascinating; focusing on Luis Lopez, club bouncer and personal bodyguard for club owner Anthony “Gay Tony” Prince. His journey includes a series of ups-and-downs (mostly downs) as he tries to work with his employer to save his nightclubs and to just stay alive in the city of Liberty (a city obviously resembling New York). But the music remains a gorgeous portal into a world of nostalgic fun and happier, better days.
With over twelve radio stations to journey through, K 109 The Studio stands out as the star of the show. Change's “A Lover's Holiday,” with its infectious Chic beats and female unison chants, is a definite pleaser while offerings from The Trammps (”Disco Inferno”), Rufus & Chaka (”Any Love”) and Peaches & Herb (”Shake Your Groove Thing”) keeps the grooves a-coming. The station even boasts a few forgotten wonders that will surely get music lovers doing Google searches. Machine's “There But for the Grace of God Go I,” set to a super uptempo house pace, tells a narrative of the urban life and tackles familiar social stereotypes, urban legends and political issues that coincide with the environment in Liberty City. Stephanie Mills's “Put Your Body to It,” a beaut produced by R&B hitmakers James Mtume and Reggie Lucas, reminds us that Mills was just as fiery on a disco number as she was on Broadway ballads. Several Chic tracks land on the K 109 including Sister Sledge's “He's the Greatest Dancer and “Everybody Dance.” Probably one of the game's guilty pleasures is its inclusion of Sylvester's “I Need You.” The song, marinated in the Two Tons ‘O Fun gospelish backing vocals and lush strings, introduces a new generation to the contagious soul of Sylvester's Aretha-inspired falsetto. And it's always a pleasure to hear the buoyant intro of Candi Staton's “Young Hearts Run Free” burst from a driving car's stereo. Vice City FM is the next best adventure – loaded with tracks from Hall & Oates (”Maneater”), Terence Trent D'Arby (”Wishing Well”) and Jeffery Osbourne (”Stay With Me Tonight”). The enjoyable inclusion of Swing Out Sister 1986's breakthrough pop single “Breakout” and Robbie Nevil's ” “Cest La Vie,” the super cool background music highlighting Ep. 11 (Blonde on Blonde) on the hit TV series Moonlighting, does a fantastic job in charming '80s babies. On the dance station Vladivostok FM, a surprising remix of Tweet's “Boogie 2 Nite” surfaces from Booty Luv. And the surprises keeps coming with hits from John Legend (”Green Light”), Nu Shooz (”I Can't Wait”) and lots of cool rock (Rod Stewart, Foghart, Doobie Brothers, Bon Jovi and Edgar Winter Group). Probably the most nostalgic moment of the game and probably gaining the most attention is the incorporation of the line dancing at nightclub spots. The game allows the main character, Luis, to interact with club patrons during dance sessions, competitive dance-offs and a spirited line dance – particularly using advanced versions of the 'Electric Slide' and the ever-funky 'Bus Stop'. 'The Bus Stop' line dance is used on the infectious Fatback Band hit “(Are You Ready) Do the Bus Stop.” The R&B top 40 hit was cut in 1975 and proved to be one of the earlier line dances coming out of the '70's disco scene. A scene inserted in the early portion of the motion picture Saturday Night Fever helped broaden the popularity of the underground line dance community; ultimately making way for popular line dances in the 1980s and '90s. The song never got its just due on R&B and pop radio in 1975, but the song along with its corresponding dance steps are entertaining young gamers and generations later. Even if you're not a big fan of killer games and have a very sensitive ear for explicit R-rated monologues, Grand Theft Auto's latest epic – Episodes from Liberty City – promises to please music connoisseurs and curious playmates with boogie-down grooves.
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