The Air Guitar: An Obituary

The Air Guitar: An Obituary

LONDON, November 24/PRNewswire/ --

- East London Funeral Held as Guitar Hero II(TM), Its 21st Century
Replacement, is Born

- With Photos

Family and friends of the air guitar yesterday paid their final respects
as it was cremated in an East London funeral parlour.

As the funeral party tearfully took their seats, a church
organist and choir performed classic rock hymns such as 'More Than a Feeling'
and 'Heart-Shaped Box'. The guitar-shaped coffin was lead in by three female
gothic pallbearers, and a rock vicar delivered an impassioned tribute to the
once-great fictional instrument. Following the service, the air guitar coffin
was cremated as a Slash lookalike played an emotional solo.

Mourner Anna Starr, 24, said: "There was not a dry eye in the
house. The moving service really captured the spirit of the air guitar as it
played its final note before ascending the 'Stairway to Heaven'."

The air guitar died this week as its 21st Century replacement was
born: Guitar Hero II(R) for the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system,
which hits stores today. Rather than pretend playing air guitar riffs using
fingers and thin air, Guitar Hero II lets anyone look and feel like a true
rock star. The video game uses interactive music technology and the Guitar
Hero SG(R) Controller, modelled after the Gibson(R) SG guitar, to allow
players to thrash along to more than 40 rock classics including 'Sweet Child
O' Mine', 'Freebird' and 'Message in a Bottle'.

Following the service, the funeral party moved to the wake, where
the air guitar's life was celebrated and remembered. Top rock artists White
Rose Movement and LunarMile provided the entertainment, as the evening moved
from a tearful wake into a raging party. Mourners then cranked up the volume
as they rocked out to Guitar Hero II till the wee hours of the morning.

"The air guitar had a good innings," added Chris Tufnell, 23, St
Albans, "but all things must come to an end. The fact is, there's really no
place for the air guitar any more in this PlayStation generation. Strap on
your Guitar Hero SG controller and rock out."

Guitar Hero II is available at stores nationwide starting today
for a suggested retail price of GBP49.99. It is rated PEGI 12+. For more
information please visit www.guitarherogame.co.uk

Note to Editors:

High resolution photographs are available to the media free of charge via
PA Photowire or viewable on www.mediapoint.press.net or www.prnewswire.co.uk

Source: RedOctane

For more information on Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II or Guitar Hero, please contact Simon Byron or Leo Tan at BHPR: T: +44-(0)1462-456780 / e: firsname.surname@bhpr.co.uk

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