By
Adam Pugh
Arizona Daily Wildcat
Free DVD music magazine hits Wherehouse Music stores
Grade: A-
Although music magazines plague the shelves at every store, they really only offer a handful of the information readers want. Now, people with a DVD player can watch their favorite bands perform, see interviews and get information about upcoming music without even having to move from the couch.
BroadcastDVD has produced 750 MPH, a DVD magazine available only at Wherehouse Music stores. The magazine is stuffed with music videos, audio clips and film shorts. Following in the footsteps of older CD-ROM music magazines, 750 MPH has taken this software to a new level. Interactive screens act as transitions between each menu, making this magazine the only one of its kind.
The videos on the disc showcase some of today's hottest hard rock bands such as At the Drive-In, System of a Down and Rammstein. The videos are full-length, leaving nothing to be desired by the viewer. Because it features 29 bands and 14 music videos, 750 MPH is fit for viewing a number of times.
However, while interviews with bands like Taproot provide an inside look at band members and their hectic touring schedules, they leave readers thirsty for more.
A film short by the Deftones is featured in another part of the magazine called "shorts." The Deftones incorporate three songs from their latest album, White Pony, in this futuristic look at life through song.
Despite the good ideas incorporated into the remaining film shorts, this section lacks the strength of the rest of the magazine. Clips from Spike and Mike's Sick and Twisted Film Fest spice up the "shorts," yet the remaining cartoons do nothing to keep the flavor alive.
Other key elements to the magazine include the ability to listen to the disc on either a computer or a DVD player as well as providing links to band Web sites. Video game demos are also available for those connected to the Internet. Finally, listeners can access the music of a handful of new bands on the company's Web site - http://www.750mphdvd.com. After listening to the music, an interactive rating system is provided for each song, allowing the band to receive feedback.
When linked to the Internet, the disc provides scores of information about upcoming movies, bands and promotions. For example, Rob Zombie's upcoming film debut "House of 1000 Corpses" is a featured link on the disk.
750 MPH takes an old idea and expands upon it, creating an overall success story. With the price of the DVD costing nothing more than your time - yes, it's free- it's definitely worth every minute.
