The Smithereens also featured

May 18, 2010 06:30 GMT  ·  By

MTV Games and Harmonix have announced that this week fans of the Rock Band music simulation title will be able to download and play a set of tracks from the Grateful Dead, one of the bands with the most dedicated fan base, as well as two tracks from The Smithereens. The tracks are offered for the Xbox 360 from Microsoft, the PlayStation 3 from Sony and the Nintendo Wii.

The songs from Grateful Dead that are included in the downloadable content package are: “Beat It on Down the Line,” “Cumberland Blues,” “Scarlet Begonias,” “Throwing Stones,” “Touch of Grey” and “U.S. Blues.” The tracks have been specifically chosen to show off the fusion of blues, jazz, rock and bluegrass that is the hallmark of the Grateful Dead style. The band was formed in 1965 in San Francisco and they continue to tour now. Fans can get no less than 19 songs from the band on Rock Band, an offer which is sure to make any Deadhead happy.

The Smithereens are for the first time featured in Rock Band with their single “A Girl Like You” taken from the album titled “11,” launched in 1989, and the song “Only a Memory,” which is off the album “Green Thoughts” from 1988.

Those who want to pick up the songs need to look for the Grateful Dead Pack 03, costing 800 Microsoft Points on the Xbox 360 and 9.99 dollars on the PlayStation 3. The tracks can also be picked up separately for 160 Microsoft Points or 1.99 dollars. Those who are playing Rock Band on the Nintendo Wii can only get the songs one at a time for the price of 200 Wii Points.

Fans of Rock Band can also look forward to this fall when Harmonix and MTV Band are set to launch Rock Band 3, a new title in the series complete with new features and new bands.