Classic rockers find new life through video games

FRESNO, Calif. — Kevin Cronin recently spied his son Josh walking down the hall singing "Rock You Like a Hurricane."

This is noteworthy because Josh is 9, nowhere close to old enough to remember 1984.

But there the kid was, singing like the Scorpions.

In Kevin Cronin's world this is a victory — not just as a dad, but as a singer for a classic-rock band.

"When you're 9, you have no concept of what's cool on MTV, you don't know when a record was released," says Cronin, lead singer for 70s/80s rockers REO Speedwagon, which has embarked on a "Can't Stop Rockin'" tour with Styx and .38 Special.

"All you know when you're 9 is that you like a song or you don't like a song. These young kids, they're into REO, they're into Styx, they're into all my buddies' music, and they have no prejudice."

And these young kids Cronin talks about are discovering the music in a way that's original to their generation — video games.

Games like "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" are introducing button-tapping players to the music their dads grew up on.

It's why "Rock Band" is the main sponsor behind this "Can't Stop Rockin'" tour.

Classic rock, believe it or not, is cool again.

"The truth is games like 'Rock Band and 'Guitar Hero' have definitely introduced the young audience to classic rock," says Carter, the program director and on-air personality at Fresno classic rock station KJFX-FM.

"We have youngsters calling in all the time requesting specific songs that they're hearing in 'Rock Band.' The cool thing is that it's tying the kids and the parents together, because it's the music their parents grew up on."

One such youngster is 18-year-old Lacey Stevenson of Fresno.

"I had grown up listening to a lot of classic rock from my dad, but I never grew to appreciate it," she says.

She lists off the artists she listens to, putting Lady Gaga next to Heart and Demi Lovato next to Bon Jovi.

"People are starting to go back to the older classic rock," Stevenson says. "It's kind of cool that you can go back and listen to a lot of stuff that a lot of people aren't listening to."

As for video games, those help her and others her age appreciate the music in a different way too. She plays guitar and sings (myspace.com/laceystevenson), so the musical video games appeal in that way too.