"And then, things started to fall apart."
I began to practice even more intensely, without any progress. I had hit my peak and could not get any better. The game that had become my obsession now mocked my efforts. I actually started getting worse, becoming unable to complete songs that I had finished earlier. I avoided playing at parties, in case my friends, my fans, discovered my shameful secret. Eventually I came to terms with my failure to finish the game and stopped playing altogether. The one simple truth that I realized during all of this is that those who cannot do, teach. My success didn't just have to be measured by my actions and achievements. My vindication could come at the hands of my son.
Shortly after the "passing of the torch" idea went up in flames (the poor little guy's fingers were just too small to hit the fifth fret), Guitar Hero 2 was announced. Finally, my prayers had been answered, for I had a new inspiration. I picked up my axe again and started to shred. No longer was I concerned with merely playing well enough to get through a song, I played my own version of practice mode. Failing a song no longer discouraged me if I had managed to refine my technique. And slowly, the results of my re-dedication began to show. My practice paid off at E3 2006, when faced with the demo version of Guitar Hero 2. Russ Pitts and I blitzkrieged through "You Really Got Me" by Van Halen, with me on Lead/Expert and Russ on Bass/Medium.
"After the break, Juggernaut prepares for their reunion tour, talks about plans for the future and pauses to reflect on the long, hard road they've traveled when we go Behind the Music."
If I learned anything from Guitar Hero, it's that Def Leppard was wrong. Fading away is preferable to burning out. I follow the development of the sequel to the game that almost broke me with earnest. Every scrap of information, every rumor and every leaked song list becomes something to collect and analyze. Now, with the Guitar Hero 2 demo disc coming in next month's Official Playstation Magazine and the game itself available for pre-orders, it's time to put the band back together.
JR Sutich is a Contributing Editor for The Escapist and is rumored to have been banned from an online game during its initial design stage.
