Guitar Hero Ascends The Alps
Up And Coming Band Relaxes Prior To Video Launch With Award-Winning PlayStation 2 Game
Wednesday 22 February 2006/... Forthcoming PlayStation 2 title Guitar Hero last night showed that it's not just a game loved by aspiring rocks stars - rock stars themselves just can't keep their hands off it.
XFM favourites The Alps celebrated the launch of the video for their latest single 'Last Dance' with a party, a gig - and a session on the greatest guitar game ever made.
Dan, Sam, Dave and Hezi warmed up for last night's triumphant gig at White Heat with a Guitar Hero face-off during the pre-show party at the Blink Gallery, London.
"Guitar Hero is the best game ever," says Dan. "Guitar-offs have been almost nightly in Alps HQ - we can't put it down. Whilst you can't beat the thrill of playing live guitar on stage to an audience of thousands, this game does come a close second."
The Alps are set for stellar stardom, having picked up a firm fanbase thanks to sessions at Reading and on XFM. Of a previous gig, Disorder Magazine raved: "These four men, in the space of thirty minutes, have raised the bar in terms of class, vigour, style, wit and starkly effortless talent that I will use to judge all bands on from this day forward. Were they really that good? Yes they were."
Guitar Hero, scheduled for release throughout Europe during Q2 2006, allows anyone with a PlayStation 2 to act out their rockstar dreams. Guitar Hero comes complete with a replica Gibson SG controller, combining the latest music technology with an astonishing array of fully-licensed classic guitar songs - resulting in a game which has to be played to be believed. Guitar giants Gibson Guitar are fully behind the game, not only licensing their classic SG guitar for exclusive use with Guitar Hero, but providing music expertise and marketing support.
"Guitar Hero is certainly hanging with the rich, famous and soon-to-be famous," adds Kelly Sumner, CEO, RedOctane. "Bands such as The Alps are young, hip, knowledgeable and highly influential - which is why their love of Guitar Hero is not just appreciated, but a real honour.
"Guitar Hero has won countless awards since its release in America, and we're absolutely confident it will continue its commercial and critical success when published throughout Europe."
Guitar Hero is published in the UK on April 7th 2006. The Alps' single 'Last Dance' is available now from HMV (www.hmv.co.uk) and all good record stores.
www.guitarherogame.com
www.planetofthealps.com
Ends
For more information, please contact:
RedOctane: Simon Byron, Leo Tan or Tom Sargent, BHPR +44(0)1462 456780
simon.byron@bhpr.co.uk / leo.tan@bhpr.co.uk / tom.sergeant@bhpr.co.uk
The Alps: Lisa Southern, Southern PR, 0207 751 2601 lisa@southernpr.co.uk
Gibson Guitar: Jeremy Singer: +(0)207 470 7850 jeremy.singer@gibson.com
About RedOctane: Based in Sunnyvale, California, RedOctane has been innovating in the field of videogames since 1999. Always ahead of the game, the firm began as the world's first online videogame rental service. In 2001, RedOctane introduced the world's first home non-slip dancemat and dancemat covers, and a year later the firm's Ignition dancemat was premiered - subsequently winning a host of peripheral awards. 2005 saw the company step up a gear as it became a Sony PlayStation 2 publisher. Guitar Hero, was released in the US in November 2005 - to universal consumer and critical acclaim. To date, the title has won seven awards, and has an average review score of 93 per cent. RedOctane plans to specialise in the field of rhythm action games, bringing this unique form of family entertainment to a truly mainstream audience. www.RedOctane.com.
About The Alps: The Alps love tunes - can't get enough of 'em in fact! Similar to less fussy post-punkers The Jam, The Police and Elvis Costello, the Greenwich quartet don't muck about when it comes to knocking together the kind of thorny three-minute gems that look set to barge their way into mainstream consciousness. Describing their tunes as 'high tempo foot stomping numbers' the band are a handsome bunch, sporting the same square-jawed matinee idol looks that forever haunt the faded celluloid of Hollywood's golden era. www.planetofthealps.com
About Gibson Guitar: Gibson is known worldwide for producing classic models in every major style of fretted instrument including acoustic and electric guitars, mandolins and banjos. Gibson's digital guitar represents the biggest advancement in electric guitar design in over 70 years. Gibson Guitar Corp's family of brands now includes Epiphone, Dobro, Kramer, Steinberger, Tobias, Slingerland, Valley Arts, Maestro, Baldwin, Hamilton and Wurlitzer. www.gibson.com.
Harmonix is a registered trademark of Harmonix Music Systems, Inc. Frequency and Amplitude are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
RedOctane® is a registered trademark of RedOctane, Inc. "Guitar Hero" is trademark of RedOctane, Inc. Developed by Harmonix Music Systems. ® 2005 RedOctane, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. "PlayStation" and the "PS" Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.