Sir Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono Lennon and Olivia Harrison attended Microsoft’s E3 conference in Los Angeles on June 1 for the world premiere of “The Beatles: Rock Band.†The game will be released September 9, 2009 on Xbox 360 (Microsoft), PLAYSTATION 3 (Sony) and Wii (Nintendo). It will compatible with all past Rock Band and most Guitar Hero and third party music video game controllers and microphones.
This edition of the popular video game includes the introduction of using a Three-Part Vocal Harmonies, as well as 45 Songs On-Disc. McCartney, Starr, Ono, and Harrison revealed the first downloadable album will be Abbey Road and the first downloadable song will be “All You Need Is Love,†which will be released exclusively through Xbox Live on the same day with all charity proceeds benefitting Doctors Without Borders/Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The four personally selected this humanitarian charity as the beneficiary of the profits.
Fans and Rock Band enthusiasts alike will be able to follow the footsteps of The Beatles throughout their epic career beginning in The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England, to the breakout Ed Sullivan Show performance, as well as their studio years culminating in The Beatles’ 1969 performance on the rooftop of the Apple Corps Headquarters. The studio years will include “Dreamscapes†that are imaginative environments intended to “capture the essence of The Beatles’ genre-busting musical and fashion transformation.†Also included in the game will be previously unreleased chats between John, Paul, George, and Ringo during Abbey Road studio sessions, as well as unseen photos from the band’s archives.
The latest installment in the Rock Band family will also contain the actual models of the hardware and instruments The Beatles used. They have incorporated the Rickenbacker 325 and Gretsch Deo Jet guitars (used by Lennon and Harrison), in addition to the Hofner bass controller used by McCartney and a Ludwig Rock Band 2 drum set (said to be inspired by Starr) with a vintage replica Beatles kick drum head.
“The Beatles: Rock Band†can be preordered here for U.S. purchases. Don’t forget to check out the game play trailer at http://www.thebeatlesrockband.com.
The first ten songs were made known by Giles Martin, the co-producer of The Beatles’ LOVE project, with additional songs to be revealed at a later date:
I Saw Her Standing There
I Want To Hold Your Hand
I Feel Fine
Taxman
Day Tripper
Back In The USSR
I Am The Walrus
Octopus’s Garden
Here Comes The Sun
Get Backhttp://www.thebeatles.com/core/news/