Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock

About eight years ago, I received Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock for the Wii for Christmas. It was my first playable experience with the GH series and is still one of my favourite games today (although likely down to nostalgia, even if it is a good game by its own right). It's also responsible for developing my taste in music and introducing me to some of my favourite bands so it'll always hold a special place in my heart, even if it did divide fans who felt the series died when Activision acquired it.
Regardless, the game had a hell of a soundtrack. Iconic Rock songs from decades past, fun modern songs for budding guitarists and insane face-melters to test the seasoned pro. Similar to my post about Rock Band 4, this post will be looking at each of the tracks on the MAIN SETLIST with my personal opinion-based verdict on each of them. If you want me to talk about bonus songs, sorry but I'll only be talking about two of them that are unlocked via Career Mode. Anyway, let's get started!

"3's & 7's" - Queens Of The Stone Age
Starting off...negative, I'm afraid. I despise the drumming that sounds like it's trying too hard to be "different" for the first 80 seconds until Joey Castillo finds a groove that works and the chart has too many chord-based strumming sequences for me to enjoy it as much as others. What really seals my hate for playing this song are the rhythm changes that took me SO DAMN LONG to get used to though. THUMBS DOWN.

"Anarchy In The U.K." - The Sex Pistols
A recognisable Punk anthem, yes. A standard chart, also yes. A rerecording that stays pretty faithful to the original, I guess so. Looking positive, right? WRONG! It's the Sex Pistols and that automatically makes it terrible. They're the epitome of why Punk is a joke of a genre, from their "edgier-than-edgy" attitude towards actually talented Rock musicians during the apex of their career to their fucking shit music. Also, note how I said "standard chart" earlier. It's not a fun chart, it's just a chart. It's got chords, sustains and a 4/4 rhythm with strumming to match. They have no place in Guitar Hero so it's an obvious THUMBS DOWN.

"Barracuda" - Heart
Solid riffing right here and even though it's not near the top of my favourite song list (Hell, it's not even one of my favourite Heart songs), it has a decent chart for where it's placed in Career Mode. A good introduction to gallop-strumming that isn't as difficult as the average Iron Maiden song. The main negative about playing this song is that it's a choke minefield but as far as the music goes, it's a THUMBS UP.

"Before I Forget" - Slipknot
If you thought "3's & 7's" had a load of three note chords, just you fucking wait until you play this one. Awkward chord changes-a-plenty and challenging strum patterns...HOWEVER, if your skills are up to scratch, it can be fun to play. Painful if you've not played in a while but fun up until about three minutes in where the chord sequence becomes even more of a hassle. It also fits in well with the angry 12-year old feel that the Activision Guitar Hero games all share. THUMBS UP.

"Black Magic Woman" - Santana
Good choice of Santana in my books. They could've either gone with a live version/cover of one of his lesser known songs that contains frantic soloing for a higher tiered track but instead opted for one of the most popular ones, putting it just over the halfway point. Granted it's a little bit dull up until "Gypsy Queen" but it's not a terrible choice, especially when it lines up well with the Career Mode plot. You know, if you care about that sort of thing...which I do. THUMBS UP.

"Black Sunshine" - White Zombie
I like the song and I think this is a good cover of the original but now that I've listened to other White Zombie tracks, I'm starting to doubt that this is the best choice. After you've played the killer riff a few times, it all starts to feel a little repetitive. Maybe "Super Charger Heaven" would've been a better choice, as it's got to be the same sort of tier and the lyrics would've made for amazing foreshadowing in the Career Mode plot (as there are many subtle hints in the venues). However, this chart is good for players who want to practice consistent strumming with changing frets simultaneously, I guess. Plus I DO like playing the song. Ah what the heck, THUMBS UP.

"Bulls On Parade" - Rage Against The Machine
So the game is called "Legends Of Rock" and they couldn't get endorsement from Eddie Van Halen or the Jimi Hendrix estate just yet, resulting in Tom Morello from RATM making an appearance. I can buy this, since Morello does have a unique playing style, but of all the songs to pick that showcase his talents, this is the one they pick? A mediocre track with a solo that sounds like someone scratching a nail over a lenticular sleeve? I get that they needed an easier song for early on in the game but it could've been one with more balls like "Guerrilla Radio". THUMBS DOWN.

"Cherub Rock" - Smashing Pumpkins
Considering my entire knowledge of this band before playing the game came from an episode of The Simpsons, I was impressed when I first heard this track. Good riffs, decent solo, an enjoyable song to play! It's also one of the band's better known tracks and slots perfectly into the venue/tier of Career Mode. Overall, it's a perfect fit in the game, which is more than can be said for literally every other Smashing Pumpkins song in GH. THUMBS UP.

"Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll" - Blue Oyster Cult
I know I said no bonus songs but in my eyes, this and the five other Co-Op Career encores are still part of the main setlist even if you do need a friend playing with you to unlock them. Anyway, this is the best song in the game. No arguments, it fucking is. It has an amazing chart, it's a great quality cover and it plays in Career Mode shortly before you're arrested for accidentally setting fire to the neighbourhood (some of you just realised that, didn't you?). Very few charts in the entire GH series have made me as happy as I've been whilst playing this so it's a categorical THUMBS UP from a band who honestly deserve more songs in GH/RB.

"Cliffs Of Dover" - Eric Johnson
Arguably the easiest song of the final tier but definitely the catchiest. Once you get past that intro solo, the verse and chorus will have you tapping your feet along to this cheerful little instrumental. What's more, it has one of those rare charts that syncs perfectly to the rhythm and is made slightly easier if you get a feel for the music...yeah, I just said that. Trust me, songs like this and "What I Got" - Sublime are special. They're entertaining beyond the guitar chart you're playing or song you're listening to. Anyway, before I get even more carried away, it's an easy THUMBS UP.

"Cult Of Personality" - Living Colour
Another rerecord for Guitar Hero with more insane solos, if ever that were possible in this song. This song is probably the cause of a lot of smashed plastic guitars but if you can best it, you're in for a treat. Excellent hammer-on riffing and furious shredding make this an iconic GH track, even if it isn't an iconic Rock hit. Definitely a THUMBS UP.

"The Devil Went Down To Georgia" - Steve Ouimette
The Final Boss of the game and, for some fucking reason, unplayable on the Wii as a complete song. Even though I've never actually played it to the end outside of the battle, it's a fucking sweet end to the game. It requires every skill you've picked up from mastering the game on Expert and makes defeating "the Devil" much more satisfying than if you did it to some other random Metal track. THUMBS UP.

"Even Flow" - Pearl Jam
I would call this a pretty underrated chart, as there isn't really a dull moment throughout the entire track and considering you unlock it about halfway through the game, it's neither mind numbingly easy or blisteringly difficult. It's the perfect balance between challenging and fun (as those who find the track simple to play are likely going for an FC, which CAN be mildly challenging). A great choice for the game too, as there are a limited number of Pearl Jam songs that'd be as fun as this one. THUMBS UP.

"Helicopter" - Bloc Party
I'll be honest, I like the song but it doesn't really feel right for GH3. If anything, it feels like a bonus song that somehow made it into the main setlist. The chart isn't anything special up until a rapid strumming section in the middle and whilst my knowledge on modern Indie Rock isn't spectacular, I'm pretty sure they could've found a better replacement that worked better in Co-Op Career (ignoring the "6 6 6, I think it's 6" line in the song). THUMBS DOWN.

"Hit Me With Your Best Shot" - Pat Benatar
Aside from a fun solo, the song isn't really anything to shout about. However, it's a good track for inexperienced players who have just started (in other words, me when I first started playing) and since it's in the first tier, it rightly belongs in the game. The downside is that experienced players will probably find it boring but hey, it's not the easiest song in the game. That'll be coming a bit later. THUMBS UP.

"Holiday In Cambodia" - Dead Kennedys
A Punk song that doesn't suck on guitar by one of the few Punk bands I can get behind! I knew this song before playing the game so was surprised to hear a weird cover of an extended version with a shitty intro and solo. Luckily, the rest of the song has a fantastic chart that may be a bit strum heavy but it's far from boring. The only downside is that it's a fairly weak cover but apart from that, THUMBS UP.

"Knights Of Cydonia" - Muse
My God, did they pick the right Muse song. A combination of the rapid strumming and the hammer-on triplets can make this pretty damn hard for novice players but fucking awesome for experts. Not only is it one of Muse's most popular songs but it's easily their most fun, right ahead of "Hysteria" and some of the more modern tracks that wouldn't have been available before the release of this game. Similar to nailing the descending triplets in "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll", not much can beat the thrill of nailing the "Bohemian Rhapsody" moment of this song. THUMBS UP.

"Kool Thing" - Sonic Youth
From that epic high, we crash down with an almighty MEH thanks to Sonic Youth, another band from that episode of The Simpsons that myself and probably the guy at Activision responsible for putting this soundtrack together sort of knew about. It's a wet chart with awkward strumming thrown in but instead of talking about how indifferent I am to this song, here's something for you to look out for next time you play it. You know how the guy goes "Tell it like it is!" during the middle-eight? On the Wii version (and presumably others), it always cuts to the bassist with the epic facial hair like he's supposed to be saying that line. It makes me laugh imagining that that's the character's voice. That's all. Oh sorry, wait. THUMBS DOWN. NOW that's all.

"La Grange" - ZZ Top
Controversial opinion time; I personally prefer the GH3 cover of this song to the original. The mix is a shitton better and it doesn't fade out during the solo like the studio version does. Just like any good ZZ Top song, the song is more about the riffing and less about the vocals so it was a solid choice for the game. Not just that but it's a hell of a fun tune too. THUMBS UP.

"Lay Down" - Priestess
One of the many songs in the GH/RB franchise that have skyrocketed a band into further popularity after the game's release, and with good reason. The chart is fun, the song is heavy and whilst it's hardly anything special in or out of the game, it's an all-round good egg. The solo could've been a little bit better, as opposed to just copying the vocal melody like many shitty Guitar solos before, but it's a good filler track for the game. THUMBS UP.

"The Metal" - Tenacious D
When I first heard this song, I knew about Tenacious D and, I confess, I didn't really like them. This song didn't help with my preconceived opinion, even if it does have a fun guitar chart. I still find it kind of annoying to listen to now, even after becoming a fan of The D (phrasing, BOOM!). Something like "Master Exploder" or "Tribute" would've been a far better choice, the latter especially since both the song and game's Career Mode have similar antagonists. THUMBS DOWN.

"Miss Murder" - AFI
To Hell with whatever Rock credibility I have, I quite like this song. At least I like it until the screamy middle-eight section where the song literally and figuratively slows everything down. It has a catchy bassline and the guitar is quite fun for its placement in the Career Mode setlist. I'm guessing this song is popular in the U.S amongst the younger demographic, hence its inclusion in the series after Activision took over. Either way, I'm gonna be generous and give it a THUMBS UP.

"Mississippi Queen" - Mountain
It might be a Rock Radio staple but it's hardly a fun track to play on GH. Even fans of the band or Classic Rock genre would probably agree that there are much better songs that could've been covered for the game. It was likely picked because someone at Activision loved the tune, or maybe they'd just finished watching that episode of The Simpsons with Smashing Pumpkins and Sonic Youth, since that also contains this song. Shame he didn't go for "Shining On" - Grand Funk instead. THUMBS DOWN.

"Monsters" - Matchbook Romance
The final encore from Co-Op Career Mode and quite a challenging Guitar chart at that. Much like "Helicopter", it doesn't feel as worthy as other songs on the main setlist but luckily what it does have going for it is a strong solo that'll come as a surprise to anyone who's never played the track/heard the tune. On that alone, I'm giving it a THUMBS UP as it's fun to play and decent to listen to.

"My Name Is Jonas" - Weezer
Before I played "Cities On Flame With Rock And Roll", this was probably my favourite track to play on Expert guitar. The acoustic hammer-on sections and electric outro are incredibly fun to play for guitarists who have just mastered Expert and whilst the rest of the song is a little chord heavy, it's still a blast to play. As for whether this is the best Weezer song to pick...well, it's probably the most fun Weezer song on Guitar pre-2007 and since it comes from the Blue Album, I'm guessing there aren't many more tunes they could've picked that the fans would be happy with. So yeah, THUMBS UP.

"The Number Of The Beast" - Iron Maiden
Fuck. Yes. Great chart (even if the solo is slightly undercharted), amazing song, perfect tie-in to Career Mode and it's the original version! This song introduced me to Iron Maiden and, I suppose, Metal as a genre. It was the first Metal song on my iPod and I haven't looked back since. THUMBS UP!

"One" - Metallica
It took me a while to appreciate this song. I like the main riff but it just takes too long to get into and once it gets to the solo, it becomes a nightmare. However, Metallica fans love this song and it definitely belongs in the final tier of GH3. I'm not certain which Metallica song could've been better although maybe "Master Of Puppets", since that's probably more of a signature song and fits in with the theme of the Career Mode plot a bit more. Whatever, THUMBS UP.

"Paint It, Black" - The Rolling Stones
Definitely the right choice in Rolling Stones song. It might not have much going on after the first couple of riffs/choruses but it's one of their better riff-based songs that are popular enough to deserve a spot. Shame all the other Rolling Stones songs that'd appear in subsequent GH games would be inferior to this one. You'd think GH would get some belting Stones songs, what with them being one of the few Classic Rock bands on the Activision CEO's iPod along with Aerosmith and Led Zeppelin. THUMBS UP.

"Paranoid" - Black Sabbath
Completing the Holy Trinity of Black Sabbath songs in GH games is probably the easiest track of the three to play. However, it's still fun to play and the cover version is easily as good as the original. There's a bit of odd charting with three-note chords before two-note chords in the verses but it's still fun and certainly worthy of appearing in this game. THUMBS UP.

"Pride And Joy" - Stevie Ray Vaughan
I fucking hate this song. I hate the Blues riff, I hate the sound of Stevie's voice, I hate the awkward soloing and I hate that it's actually quite a popular track because it means any reason I have for shitting all over this song is personal. I suppose it's a good choice in terms of difficulty but it just sounds like such a fucking boring, uninspired song. THUMBS DOWN if you're like me and abhor this track but otherwise, it's alright.

"Raining Blood" - Slayer
Definitely another song that's notorious in the GH community for being such a bugger on your wrists. However, once you nail the strumming patterns and lock down the note sequence on that mental bit after the intro riff, it's actually pretty damn fun! It's no "Cliffs Of Dover" or "My Name Is Jonas" but it provides plenty of thrills for the expert player. It's basically the Running Of The Bulls of the GH franchise. THUMBS UP.

"Reptilia" - The Strokes
Everyone likes The Strokes, right? They seem like one of those bands that nobody has anything bad to say about even though they're not that amazing. This track, however, is definitely one of their good ones with a pretty fun chart too. "Last Nite" could've worked too but I think I prefer listening to this song. THUMBS UP.

"Rock And Roll All Nite" - KISS
This is one of those songs that would've been highly requested if it didn't end up in GH. However, in a way, I'm glad this version made it before the original as the cover uses the solo from one of the live versions. It's a lot more fun than the original/rerecord but if I had to choose any KISS song to be in the game, I would've chosen from many others instead. "I Stole Your Love", "Detroit Rock City", "Hotter Than Hell", "Love Her All I Can", "Uh! All Night", the list goes on. However, this song is likely more popular than all of those combined so I suppose it's a good choice in general. For me personally though, it's a THUMBS DOWN.

"Rock You Like A Hurricane" - Scorpions
Obviously this is a great choice! It's a hugely popular Rock song with a powerful riff and excellent solos. Regardless of what Scorpions songs would be more fun on Guitar, this song is a perfect choice for the game. Not only that but the cover version sounds better than the 2011 rerecord by Scorpions themselves. THUMBS UP.

"Sabotage" - Beastie Boys
Hmmm. Tough choice. On the one hand, I quite like the song and don't hate playing it. Plus, it's definitely one of the best choices of Beastie Boys songs for the series (seriously, why hasn't GH or RB used "Fight For Your Right" yet?). On the other, I doubt anyone would've complained if the Beastie Boys never even touched these music games. Actually, there'd probably be someone. Some stupid cunt somewhere. I'm gonna go with my gut on this and say THUMBS UP, as it's introduced through Co-Op Career and the bass in this song fucking rocks.

"Same Old Song And Dance" - Aerosmith
Yeah, this song was picked because someone at Activision likes the fucking song. You want a fun Aerosmith song on Guitar, you go to the Toys In The Attic or Rocks albums. "Walk This Way", "Back In The Saddle", "Toys In The Attic", "Rats In The Cellar", something other than this Bluesy number. It's not bad on Guitar but it's not amazing either. Plenty of better Aerosmith songs to choose from, this should've been given to Guitar Hero: Aerosmith. THUMBS DOWN.

"School's Out" - Alice Cooper
An easy choice to make if you have to pick an Alice Cooper track. His biggest hit that also happens to have fun riffs and moderately challenging solos. However, I can't say I enjoy playing it that much. I'm not overly fond of the song itself but choosing any other Alice Cooper track instead of this one would be madness in my eyes. That being said, it's a shame neither GH or RB have used "Feed My Frankenstein" as that'd be fantastic on Guitar. Oh well, THUMBS DOWN due to personal taste again.

"The Seeker" - The Who
Hey, it's a song that I also wrote about for Rock Band 4! The main differences are that this cover has doesn't sound as good as the original AND there's an annoying strumming section in the middle, hence why I preferred its use in RB4. With that in mind, maybe a different song by The Who would've been better for GH3. Maybe something like a cover of the original "My Generation", I dunno. However, I remember this song being the main reason I asked for GH3 for Christmas when I was previewing some of the songs on iTunes so it seems only fair that I give it a THUMBS UP.

"Slow Ride" - Foghat
Slow by name, slow by fucking nature. This song is basically only good at being a gentle introduction to a new difficulty. You'd be hard pressed to fail on this one if you're moving from Medium to Hard or even Hard to Expert. However, much like "Mississippi Queen", it's a Classic Rock song that nobody would miss if it were magically removed from the series. THUMBS DOWN.

"Story Of My Life" - Social Distortion
Ah yes, that funny sounding one with what feels like the perfect Star Power path on Expert. It may be pretty repetitive on Guitar but in a very fun way. It's a shame they couldn't get the original version of this song instead of a cover but it's still a perfect choice of song and gets a THUMBS UP from me.

"Stricken" - Disturbed
I guess if they had to pick a song by Disturbed, any track is as good as the last since they all sound damn near identical. At least this one has a pretty fun solo and a solid riff, although I can't say I love the song. Either way, I still play it from time to time so THUMBS UP.

"Suck My Kiss" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Even though I had some difficulty playing the main riff of this song when I was still learning Expert, I bloody love this track now. Great solo and a great choice, since they're one of those bands where you can pretty much choose any fun song and get away with it. It's one of the band's more...how can I put this..."action-packed" songs so it's got that going for it, although "Under The Bridge" or "Dani California" would've also been good. THUMBS UP.

"Sunshine Of Your Love" - Cream
Whilst it's good to have Cream in GH (even if it is a cover), I despise this song. I don't like the riff and I bloody hate the outro, not to mention the godawful solo. I would've gone with "White Room" instead of this but for a second tier track, I suppose this song fills a gap. However, that's all it does as there isn't really anything fun about this song on Guitar. You can thank Eric Boring Clapton for that. THUMBS DOWN.

"Talk Dirty To Me" - Poison
The second song in Career Mode is a bit of a step up from "Slow Ride" although it's still a warm-up song so don't expect much. It has a fun little outro and the solo's not bad. Plus the chorus is fun to play, especially with the volume cranked up. I would say "Nothin But A Good Time" would've been a better choice but that was already used in GH:80's so it has to be a THUMBS UP.

"Through The Fire And Flames" - DragonForce
A bonus song unlocked by beating Career Mode and also widely considered to be the hardest song in the entire GH franchise...and I bloody love it. Ignore the insane chart for a moment, put aside the corny lyrics that plague the well known DragonForce tracks and forget about the shit this band have been getting from people accusing them of speeding up their music in the studio (I've seen them live and can confirm that's horseshit), I actually like the song a lot and listen to it for reasons other than GH. Admittedly most of those reasons are down to Brutal Legend but it's still a decent tune by my standards with a great chorus and intro melody. Obviously it belongs in GH and even though I can beat it on Expert, I've never managed to 5 star it yet. However, I have come close (about 7,000 points away) and one day when I return to playing GH after I get bored of Rock Band, I will get there! THUMBS UP.

"Welcome To The Jungle" - Guns N' Roses
Ugh, this fucking song with its annoying lyrics and shiteawful solo. The song that caused the schism between Axl Rose and Activision, resulting in no more GNR tracks in GH. This is one of the rare times where I actually side with Axl and blame the other party for fucking things up. Most people will say that this is a great song but those people clearly haven't considered how bloody awesome "Paradise City" would've been in GH, even if it would've messed the tiers up. If that song and Slash's appearance in the game was responsible for the lawsuit and not this one, at least something good would've come as a result of the dispute. THUMBS DOWN.

"When You Were Young" - The Killers
Finally, here's a song by a rubbish band. It's not even fun on Guitar, it's just fucking chords and strumming. It's only in the game because OHMYGODILOOOOOVETHISSONG as idiots/Killers fans say. At the time of this game's development, there were hundreds of Alternative bands that deserved a song in the game over these wankers. Needless to say THUMBS DOWN.


Right, let's tally it all up! If my maths is on the ball, it's 32 Thumbs Up vs. 15 Thumbs Down. Pretty clear win for Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock right there. Next time I do one of these posts, I'll probably pick a game from the Rock Band series but hopefully I won't be doing another video game post until 2016.