I don't know about the rest of you, but I've played both Rock Band and Guitar Hero with the same ol' plastic guitar since... well, since I've had the guitar.  And, frankly, my plastic baby is going through some wear-and-tear and it's only going to be getting worse this fall with Guitar Hero 5 and The Beatles: Rock Band hitting store shelves.  I've already got the first signs of, what I believe, is carpal tunnel, but that could just be me getting all "crazy" and stuff.  But, that doesn't mean that I'm going to be stopping anytime soon, I'll say that much.  Especially since there is a little surprise for the folks who've pre-ordered Guitar Hero 5.

Anyone who has pre-ordered or will pre-order Guitar Hero 5 through the official Guitar Hero website will receive a copy of the forthcoming Guitar Hero: Van Halen for free.  Isn't that something?  These sons of bitches are trying their hardest to clean my pockets out... and, by God, it is working.

With the release of The Beatles: Rock Band coming out just a week later, this could be an attempt by Activision to lure potential consumers and the already popular fanbase they have.  After all, the release of their competition, The Beatles: Rock Band, is craving a lot of attention from the plastic instrument playing crowds from both factions.  Will they succeed with marketing Guitar Hero 5 that way?  Um... I'm going to pre-order it, so I would say yes in the count of me.  However, that won't stop me from buying up The Beatles: Rock Band and attempting to play and sing along to "I am the Walrus."  I've already got The Beatles haircut;  I look like the spawn of what would happen if Paul Mc Cartney and Forest Whitaker had a baby.  A Beatle nonetheless, however.