Original Rock Band - playing local AND live, everyone has to have Gold now?

Okay my boyfriend and I have the first Rock Band. He has the Gold Membership, but I don't. Before the big update, which just recently occurred, we had the ability to play together locally, but also with other people in their own homes. Now since this update it seems like *I* have to also have this Gold Membership to play with anyone online, even if I'm the secondary player. I hope this is making sense!

When playing alone I never care to play online. However, when both my boyfriend and I want to play and he wants to play online with whoever, it's now not letting me be a part of it, even though he's the "leader" and has a Gold Membership... even though it used to allow this.

So basically, what I'm asking is this - has this JUST been changed so they can squeeze money out of everyone despite the fact that they're in the same household, or is there something we're doing wrong since the update? If it's the latter, is there some sort of workaround so I don't have to bother getting the Gold Membership, which I'll only use on rare occasions?

Not sure if it matters, but my instrument of choice is drums. :)