search supported by:
E-Pledge
May 13, 2008 | 71°F Clear sky

Soundcheck

Carrie Brownstein

On Tour ... in Your Living Room

Friday, January 25, 2008

The videogame Rock Band lets wannabes indulge their rock 'n' roll fantasies. Today on Soundcheck: Carrie Brownstein of the indie group Sleater Kinney compares Rock Band to the real thing. And, NY1 technology reporter Adam Balkin explains the appeal of music games and their impact on the music industry. Later: gospel legends The Blind Boys of Alabama join us for a live performance.

Musicians! Show us your space! Starting today, enter Soundcheck's first-ever Rehearsal Space Photo Contest for your chance to win a free copy of Apple's Logic Studio software bundle. Click below for details.

Photo Contest: Show Us Your Rehearsal Space!



Jukebox Heroes

RockbandIn the videogame Rock Band, players form a virtual rock band and "perform" with a microphone, a miniature Fender guitar, and a plastic drum kit. The objective: send your band to the big leagues. But how does the game stack up to the real thing? We ask Carrie Brownstein, a guitarist and songwriter for the '90s indie group Sleater Kinney who now writes for Slate.com, Pitchfork and NPR. And, New York One News technology reporter Adam Balkin tells us the impact that music video games are having on the gaming and music industries.

Weigh in: Have you played Rock Band? Does it encourage or discourage players from forming real bands? Leave a comment!

More about Adam Balkin
Carrie Brownstein's column on 'Rock Band'
Carrie Brownstein's blog, Monitor Mix


Blind Boys of Alabama

The Blind Boys of Alabama have been around for 60 years and are legends in the world of gospel. The current members are all in their 70s, but they are still at the top of the gospel charts and have recently won four consecutive Grammy Awards. They join us in studio for a live performance.

Blind Boys of Alabama website



Previous Previous Show | Next Show Next

Web tools supported by
Print friendly format
supported by

Listen Live
FM 93.9 Windows 20k
MP3 32k
On Air: Fresh Air
AM 820 Windows 20k
MP3 32k
On Air: The World
Shopping Online?
Start your Amazon shopping on WNYC.org and a portion of your total purchase goes to WNYC.


Audio Search

Search current and archival WNYC broadcasts. More

In The Spotlight
How Do You Get Your Music Fix?
Soundcheck Poll
Tell us how you spend your money on songs, albums and concerts! We'll share the results on May 22. Click for details.
More
Blog Heaven
Soundcheck's Travels around the Globe
John Schaefer goes to North Korea; Soundcheck goes to Austin and to Berlin.

Soundcheck CD Picks of the Week
Each week, the Soundcheck staff digs through their in-boxes for the best, catchiest, or strangest music they can find.
More
Visit Soundcheck's MySpace page
Find out more about the show, view photos and learn about our future guests!
More
Most Emailed