Quick thought: Why is Harmonix even bothering with making deals with bands and artists to feature their songs in Rock Band and Guitar Hero? The next big version of these games should simply be notes that correspond with a song that you either download to the game system’s hard drive from your own collection or from a connected network drive or Windows Media connection, iTunes, etc. That way you’re not paying silly royalties to the artists or having to use cover bands to play some of the tunes.

Maybe this announcement will be a step in that direction.

No cheating and clicking over to YouTube to find out!

(UPDATE: Wow, looks like I stumped all one of you reading this site!)

• I thought I remembered hearing that Guitar Hero III would have a new guitar with buttons for tapping, closer to the guitar body. I noticed that at least with the wireless 360 guitar, the neck is a separate piece from the body. Hopefully in future games, if they support finger tapping, you can just buy a new neck for your existing guitar.
• The next Guitar Hero better have Molly Hatchet’s “Flirtin’ With Disaster”. And something — anything — by Joe Satriani. If you know GH, go listen to that song and you’ll understand why it’d be fun to play.
• The folks at Infinity Ward are geniuses. They put the crack-like addiction of leveling up into an incredible FPS, Call of Duty 4, and made matchmaking a pure pleasure on XBL. Thank God the game itself doesn’t require a monthly fee to keep your skills and leveling intact.