The next batch of downloadable tracks for Rock Band and Rock Band 2 may have been leaked a little early, courtesy of the in-game music store and some eagle-eyed ScoreHero forum members. We'd advise you to take it as rumour for now, as the face-melting promise of these tracks would only lead to disappointment if they're incorrect. We're talking about the oft-requested by Luke Plunkett "Jesus Christ Pose" by Soundgarden and a triple shot of Yngwie (Fucking) Malmsteen. Oh, and Lamb of God if that's up your alley. For the rumoured next DLC update, read on.

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Starting a band and rocking the world got a hell of a lot cheaper today, as Harmonix, MTV Games and EA have dropped the price of the original Rock Band Special Edition bundle to just $US99.99 for the Wii and PlayStation 2. That includes Rock Band software, the drum kit, guitar controller and microphone, just in case there was any confusion there.

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It will be a very merry Christmas at the Rigopulos and Egozy households this year as the two Harmonix founders are about to have a December to remember — read: a new Lexus for the wife with obligatory gargantuan bow. In addition to rumoured Jelly of the Month Club memberships, Alex Rigopulos and Eran Egozy have been paid a $US150 million bonus for "exceeding performance targets" last quarter with Rock Band series.

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We know you're impatient for the twenty gratis songs that Harmonix is giving away to Rock Band 2 owners, as evidenced by the ton of foot-stomping e-mails you've sent. They're coming, as you probably know. They may just be coming a little later than expected, as the release of the songs from up and coming artists have hit an "unexpected delay."

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How excited is John Lennon's widow Yoko Ono for the recently announced video game based on The Beatles? "Very excited." Ono tells Entertainment Weekly that she, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and George Harrison's widow Olivia "are actually pretty hip," which made the agreement to licence the band's likeness to MTV Games and Harmonix possible.

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Rock Band owners can appropriately celebrate the election of a new President of the United States of America with the release of three new The Presidents of the United States of America tracks, starting next Tuesday, Nov. 4. That's Election Day for Xbox 360 owners, two days later for PlayStation 3 owners. In all, five new tracks from three artists will be available as rockin' DLC.

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Yesterday's surprise announcement that the deal inked between MTV and The Apple Corps. wouldn't result in a Beatles Rock Band title, but rather an entirely new music franchise left a lot of us scratching our heads.

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If you're a fan of Panic At The Disco! and/or Dashboard Confessional, we have a fairly accurate mental image of your haircut right now. If you're also a Rock Band enthusiast, you might be able to rock out on stage at the Rock Band Live Tour, kicking off this Spring.

The video game branded tour will run nationwide from October 5 to November 14, with virtual bands getting the opportunity to show their Rock Band skills on stage, in between acts. Fame and probably no fortune await you.

How do you get on stage? According to the press release, "Bands will be selected through local radio promotions, national contests and on-site at each show". If that's not your thing, perhaps you'll be interested in the forthcoming downloadable track pack, said to feature each and every Rock Band Live Tour act. I swear, it's in the press release.

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Rock Band 2 isn't going to just take the introduction of a wireless drum set in Guitar Hero World Tour lying down. No, Harmonix has its own wireless drum set planned, according to a product listing on Amazon.com. With a tentative release date of September 14 and a price of $US 89.99, it may mean waiting for an upgrade that's free of ugly cables is just around the corner.

Likewise, Xbox 360 owners will finally cut the chord on the guitar side, as a wireless guitar for Rock Band 2 makes an appearance at the online retailer. As an owner of the PS3 version of Rock Band, I have to say that going wireless makes a world of difference when one is doing high kicks during solos.

Rock Band 2 Standalone Drums [Amazon - thanks, Max!]

Your weekly Rock Band update is in a little early, thanks to tomorrow's American holiday. It's a solid one — two parts Red Hot Chili Peppers, two parts Rush, with a curious re-release in the form of "Working Man". It's listed as an "alternate-take", this time a master track and with an alternate solo. Think I'll take one copy of "Closer to the Heart" to go, please.

• Red Hot Chili Peppers "Snow (Hey Oh)"
• Red Hot Chili Peppers "Tell Me Baby"
• Rush "Closer to the Heart"
• Rush "Working Man" (alternate-take master)

Tracks are $US 1.99 each or 160 Microsoft Points and arrive this coming Tuesday for Xbox 360 owners, Thursday for the PlayStation 3 crowd. Thanks to Smidget for the quick tip.

Editor's note: Rock Band has yet to be released in Australia.