Umphrey's McGee is scheduled to launch several songs for the brand new Rock Band Network platform upon its release early this year. This new system will allow fans of the band to dig into the music in ways they have never been able to before.

Umphrey’s McGee has been working with former Harmonix Music Systems employee Andrew Buch, an alumni of Berklee College of Music, to author several songs for the program, including “1348” and “Miss Tinkles Overture." Andrew, whose claims-to-fame include the underground release of his mind-numbingly difficult "Trippolette" in the original Guitar Hero, has worked on several games in the Guitar Hero and Rock Band franchises and was a likely choice to prepare the music of Umphrey's McGee for the game. More of his work can be found at www.andrewbuch.com, including video footage of both Umphrey's McGee's music and the Rock Band network re-release of "Trippolette."

Songs will be available to purchase on the Xbox 360 within the next few months, upon public release of the Rock Band Network. For the full story of the Rock band Network, visit Billboard.com and mashable.com. For further information please visit The Rock Band Network.

Artists who submit songs for the Rock Band Network Music Store will be able to choose from multiple pricing tiers for individual tracks and receive a royalty of 30 percent of the retail selling price (excluding tax) for every track purchased through the RBN Store

Songs will debut exclusively on Xbox 360 for 30 days. A selection of standout tracks will then be made available on the PlayStation® 3 computer entertainment system from Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. and the Wii™ home videogame console from Nintendo.

Blue Öyster Cult was one of the biggest mainstays on the psych-rock circuit of the late 70s and early 80s, selling more than 14 million albums worldwide. The first track off their self-titled 1972 album, “Transmaniacon MC,” and one of the group’s most popular tracks, “Godzilla,” (from their fifth album released in 1977, Spectres) are both heading to the Rock Band Music Store next week.
Also included in next week’s update are tracks from 70s space rock group Hawkwind (“Master of the Universe” from 1971’s In Search of Space), former Canadian alternative rock band I Mother Earth (“Levitate” from their 1993 debut Dig), iconic heavy metal rockers Motörhead (“Killed by Death ’08,” re-recorded from 1984’s No Remorse), classic Scottish rockers Nazareth (“Hair of the Dog”, re-recorded from their classic 1974 single) and American rockers Rage Against the Machine (“Bulls on Parade” from their 1996 album, Evil Empire).
Available on Xbox 360 and Wii (Jan. 26) and PlayStation 3 system (Jan. 28):

• Blue öyster Cult – “Godzilla”
• Blue Öyster Cult – “Transmaniacon MC”
• Hawkwind – “Master of the Universe”
• I Mother Earth – “Levitate”
• Motörhead – “Killed by Death '08”
• Nazareth – “Hair of the Dog” (2008 re-recording)
• Rage Against the Machine – “Bulls on Parade”

(All tracks are original master recordings)
These tracks will be available for purchase as individual tracks on Xbox 360 and on Wii on Jan. 26. These tracks will be available Jan. 28 for PlayStation 3.

Price: $1.99 USD, £.99 UK, €1.49 EU (160 Microsoft Points for Xbox 360) per track
$2.00 USD (200 Wii Points™) per track
** Dates for Rock Band game tracks are tentative and subject to change. **