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Duluth rock band in tune with video gamers [Duluth News Tribune, Minn.](Duluth News-Tribune (MN) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Sept. 01--A local metal band is pitching its sound to a new demographic of fans: video gamers. Blue Water Dance, a growly hard-core trio from Duluth, had one of its songs translated into computer software compatible with the video game "Rock Band 3." The song, "Making Love (to a Foreign Woman While Reading Time Magazine)," is now one of about 3,000 extra songs available for download on the Rock Band Network. "Rock Band 3" is part of a series in which users simulate playing real instruments -- guitar, bass, drums, vocals and keyboards -- to one of about 90 mainstream radio hits by following color-coded note progressions on the TV screen. An update to the gaming system allows users to seek out additional tracks, including lesser-known tunes such as "Making Love," on the Rock Band Network. Guitarist and vocalist Ashton George said he is hoping this brings attention to the two-year-old band. "A lot of people are going to see our name," he said. The idea to pitch the song to Rock Band Network came from Blue Water Dance friend and fan Jacob Wykle, who began contacting companies that make tracks into video game-ready music. Colorado-based Offbeat Entertainment agreed to waive fees associated with converting the song in exchange for securing the video game rights to "Making Love." They get the band's percentage of money made when the song is downloaded from the Rock Band Network, but Blue Water Dance retains rights to digital downloads of the song on places like iTunes. George, who penned the song, said this sounded like a good deal. "Our name being on 'Rock Band' anywhere will be such good advertising for us," he said. Offbeat Entertainment's publicist Marlene Palumbo said the company takes a studio track from the band and writes software so that the song fits into "Rock Band." They have worked with established musicians like the band Evanescence. They have also worked with up-and-comers like the modern rock band Before Nine. This is still a relatively new way to find new fans, and one that not a lot of bands are aware of, Palumbo said. "They are not lost among the millions like on CDBaby and iTunes," she said. "Those companies are great, but right now this is the opportunity of a lifetime. There are only about 3,000 songs. If you break it down to genre, there are even less." Offbeat Entertainment's workup of the song is true to the original version -- minus about three "F-bombs," George said. In an animated video of the song created by the company, which is available on YouTube, the band members are played by hard rock archetypes with long hair, tight T-shirts, sunglasses and bulging arm muscles. In real life, Blue Water Dance is made up of Nate Rendulich on drums, Isaac Smith on bass and George. They have been playing together for about two years at venues like The Encounter, The Rex and lots of basements, according to George. Its fan base includes teens and 20-somethings. They are in the process of writing a concept album, and "Making Love" is part of a larger narrative. "In this song, it's about this guy who wakes up to the fact that his life is plastic and shallow," George said. "Throughout the album he explores himself and what that means." George and Wykle played the "Rock Band" version of "Making Love," which has a 3-out-of-5 difficulty rating. George struggled with it a bit, he said. Wykle did okay. "It was cool to play something that friends of mine had created," Wykle said. ___ (c)2011 the Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) Visit the Duluth News Tribune (Duluth, Minn.) at www.duluthnewstribune.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |