Round Up: Mastodon, Death Row Records, Fender

Toyota Scion promotes metal bands, Death Row Records gets bought up by Canadian firm WIDEawake Entertainment, Fender studies say music games encourage kids towards wanting to play real instruments. Check out today’s Round Up!

• Scion is endorsing a series of free live concerts featuring big names Pig Destroyer, Neurosis, Trash Talk and Mastodon. The first will be in Los Angeles on February 4th, and the second in Atlanta on the 20th. The line-ups will make your jaw go slack. [Prefix]
• Death Row Records, declared bankrupt in 2006, has been snapped up at auction price by WIDEawake Entertainment Group, a young Toronto-based firm. Although some of the involved parties weren’t happy with the proceedings, in the end $18 million was the price paid. It’s an impressive quantity, but quite a bargain for Death Row’s mythical catalogue of Tupac Shakur, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. [LATimes]
• A recent press release reports that a November 2008 informal survey, conducted by Fender and music education organization Little Kids Rock, shows a direct correlation between playing ‘Rock Band‘ and ‘Guitar Hero‘ games and kids being motivated to take up real instruments. While the report is buoyant for the instrument and game industries, parents can expect a return of the popular “it’s educational!” excuse. [MTV Multiplayer]