GayGamer.net

Hideo: A Theatrical Concert Comes to San Jose This Weekend

2012-05-22T20:20:00Z

If you've been reading the site for a while then you're probably already somewhat familiar with Hideo: A Theatrical Concert of Music from Japanese Animation and Video Games, also known simply as Hideo.

This one of a kind show, described by NPR as 'A video game symphony on steroids' is the brainchild of creator Blair Baker who sought to create the ultimate experience for fans. After attending many video games concerts Blair decided that there was a lot more that these shows could be doing, and so she created Four Lights Productions to do just that.

Hideo combines an original play with live music from anime and video games the likes of Final Fantasy, Megaman, Noir, Wolf's Rain, Chrono Cross and many more. Each song is accompanied by animated projections courtesy of artist Dan Howard.

The world of Hideo is one that is ever expanding via smaller performances known as Overtures (that feature new storylines, characters, and music) as well as original graphic novels. By bringing together live music with theatre, art, stage combat, audience participation, and more Hideo becomes more than just a concert: it becomes an experience unlike any other.

What's more the entire show is entirely by fans for fans. Every single person working on the show is a fan themselves, whether of anime, video games, or the music they feature.

Here's a small taste of what Hideo has to offer:

Hideo began in 2010 and has had two major performances, one in Berkeley and one in San Luis Obispo. Beyond the main stage shows Team Hideo has made its way around the anime convention circuit, even performing as the opening act for Fanime's Masquerade in 2011.

While Hideo won't be an official Fanime event this year, the show will be taking place right across the street from the San Jose convention at the Montgomery Theater so whether you're a con attendee or not you'll get a chance to see it.

If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, will be attending Fanime, or are just a huge fan of live music and theatre then this is one event you won't want to miss. There are four chances to see the show, 2pm and 8pm on both Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th.

Get your tickets at the official Hideo website: www.hideoconcert.com

And be sure to check out the show's official facebook event, and while you're there be sure to give Hideo a like, and maybe even a follow on twitter.

Do not miss this one of a kind show!

~~oh and I'm in it...so see it for me!~~

Adam Sessler Leaves G4

2012-04-26T01:00:00Z

One of gaygamer.net's faves, Adam Sessler, has left G4.

Our friends at Kotaku reached out to Sessler's representative and received the following response:

Television personality Adam Sessler and TV network G4 are parting ways, with Adam's last episode as host of G4′s "X-Play" airing on the network today, Wednesday, April 25. Adam has been hosting the show since it first aired as ZDTV's "Gamespot TV" in July 1998 and he also served as Editor In Chief of games content at G4. His current projects include starring as himself in the Summer 2012 movie "noobz" and consulting with a film production company on theatrical feature adaptations of video games. Adam intends to stay in front of the camera and continue as a key voice within the games industry. He also sings and is available for weddings and bar mitzvahs.

Adam later confirmed his departure via twitter:

Thank you to everyone with your exceedingly kind wishes and thoughts. I think I'll finally take a nap....

Sessler leaves behind X-Play co-host Morgan Webb and Attack of the Show co-host Kevin Perreira as the channel's only remaining personalities from the G4TechTV merger. Webb is now the sole remaining personality from the original TechTV.

In addition to his hosting and editing duties with G4, Mr. Sessler has long been a vocal supporter of LGBT issues in the gaming industry. Last year chimed in on all of that Dragon Age 2 controversy we couldn't stop talking about. He has proved himself time and time and time again as one of the gayming community's most valuable allies. And one of our best friends.

We here at gaygamer.net wish Adam all the best in his future endeavors!

Mario and Luigi Make Out.

2012-04-25T09:00:00Z

Who Needs a Princess Anyway?

Mario and Luigi are quite the popular pair in the world of homoerotic art, it would seem. Last year we shared Muto Magazine's fetish-tastic spread featuring Nintendo's legendary plumber pair and now we've got a video of the two making out courtesy of Director Alex Goddard.

It's pretty hot.

Well...hot if you ignore the whole incest-thing and all the icky feelings it brings up.

Fashionable Fantasy

2012-04-04T18:00:00Z

Quite dapper, Sazh.

Final Fantasy characters are hardly known for their practical outerwear. Unnecessary belts, J-Pop haircuts, buckles for days, asymmetric pant skirts are all part for the course.Truly, over the years the franchise has become known for its fashion as much as, if not moreso, than its gameplay.

So, really, this announcement, via the official Square Enix blog, doesn't come as much of a surprise:

Today we're excited to announce a new collaboration that brings together two different worlds together for something truly unique. Featuring in the latest issue of Arena Homme+, your favourite characters from FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 dispose of their casual clothes in favour for something from the latest Prada 2012 Spring/Summer collection. Dressed to impress, Lightning, Noel, Snow, Sazh and Hope are aiming to look their best for the FINAL FANTASY's 25th Anniversary celebrations.

The real surprise is how...well...normal all of these guys look for once. What will the cosplayers do with this?

Check out the rest under the cut.

]]> "Our Spring issue focuses on a world of direction and escapism, and having a visually stunning videogame franchise such as FINAL FANTASY work alongside us and a leading fashion brand like Prada to create something so unique is incredible," said Max Pearmain, Editor of Arena Homme+. "I've always been interested by the power of videogames and their place in society, and the amount of work that's gone into this project blows my mind. We're incredibly pleased with the result.

Yoshinori Kitase, Producer of FINAL FANTASY XIII-2 added, "The FINAL FANTASY series is known for its creativity and innovation; so working with Prada, a renowned fashion house with such beautiful clothing, was a very exciting opportunity. The images we have been able to create together are vibrant and unique."

Arena Homme+ goes on sale from Thursday 12th April.

So what do you think? Does this Final Fantasy and Prada Men's Collection pique your curiosity?

~~Lack of Snow's fine self is upsetting.~~

Audio File Friday 'Leeni'

2012-02-24T22:00:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

Apologies for the break last week. As I've said before we've got something very exciting on the way and a lot of energy is going towards it, hence no Audio File Friday last week. But it will all be worth it in the end. I promise.

As you may recall, after realizing how few women have been featured here on AFF I've been on the hunt for talented musicians of the female variety to showcase. Now the thing about all of the female artists I've found thus far is that they all seem to be of the singer/songwriter variety. Nothing wrong with that at all, but where are the nerdcore girl rappers or the chiptune loving ladies?

Earlier this week I happened to stumble upon a lady gamer that is both a talented singer/songwriter and a chiptune artist. Best of both worlds! Even better: Supporting her music goes to help suicide prevention efforts by the Jed Foundation. How could you not love her?

She goes by the name Leeni.

]]> Based out of Seattle, Leeni has been an active member of the chiptune music world since 2006. The following year she released her first full album 8-Bit Heart and has since released two more: Labrynth in 2008 and The Only Now in 2011. Her newest EP, Headphones on Your Heart, was created to benefit the Jed Foundation. She's made quite the name for herself, performing at major game music events like Blipfest, Iam8Bit, and the VGXPO.

Leeni describes her sound as '8-bit gameboy synth pop', combining a chiptune aesthetic with soothing vocals and a charming lyrical sensibility. If I Fight Dragons are the Jimmy Eat World of the chiptune world, Leeni would be its indie darling Lana Del Rey.

Speaking of, it just so happens that I found the multi-talented Leeni via her impeccable cover of Lana Del Rey's Video Games:

~~First of all, I need to go dust off my copy of Barbie for the NES and give that a playthrough.~~

This cover takes all of the beauty of the original song and transforms it into something that really speaks to gamers. There's even a clever shout out to Legend of Zelda fans about twenty seconds in. Ladies often get accused of not being 'real gamers' but I don't think anyone could deny Leeni's legitimacy.

Video Games is featured on her new EP, Headphones on Your Heart, along with four original tracks that vary from Katamari Damacy-esque quirky to inspirational and uplifting. What's more 100% of the proceeds from this album go to support the Jed Foundation's 'Love is Louder' movement, to help prevent suicide. As Leeni puts it:

It's been 6 years since Leeni first donned her Gameboy to write her debut album, 8-Bit Heart, and 5 years since her popular track "Headphones On Your Heart" was first composed and released.
Since that time, Leeni has been receiving emails from fans all over the world, telling her a similar story: that the song was the reason they decided not to kill themselves, that it gave them hope...and that it was 'the only reason' they are alive.

These messages have touched Leeni so much over the years that she wants to do more to give back to people who may be running low on hope.

And this "Headphones On Your Heart" EP is her answer. 100% of the proceeds of all of the sales will go to support the Jed Foundation to support its "Love is Louder" movement as well as other programs.

The album is a mere five dollars, and considering you're getting great music and supporting a great cause how could you not be downloading it already?

Headphones On Your Heart (EP) by Leeni

Leeni's most recent album, The Only Now, is my personal favorite, with standout tracks like Conspiracy Theory, Spotless Mind, and Awake:

The Only Now by Leeni

Both The Only Now and Labrynth are available in full at whatever price you'd like to pay via Leeni's official bandcamp, so there is absolutely no reason not to give this eclectic songstress some listens.

Labyrinth by Leeni

And before you get to thinking she's a one-trick pony, some vintage Leeni proves that she can do much more than just chiptune:

I am completely enamored with Ms. Leeni, and can't wait to see what's next for her. If you're just as enamored as me you can get her albums on bandcamp, like her on facebook, and follow her on twitter.

That's all for this week, Audiophiles! I'm getting back to work on ~~exciting things that I'm not supposed to talk about~~ finding more original gaming music for you to fill your iTunes libraries with. Let Leeni take care of you this weekend, and I'll catch you all next week.

Audio File Friday 'FFmusic Dj'

2012-02-10T23:00:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

It's no secret that we here at Gaygamer.net are big Animal Crossing fans. While I go in and out of my AC-binges, our very own Wootini has managed to keep up with his town for literally years now. Animal Crossing: City Folk was released in 2008. It's 2012. That's more staying power than even some of the most lauded of big-budget titles on the market. There's just something about doing chores, picking fruit, and ~~fighting the 1%~~ dealing with Tom Nook that is endlessly satisfying.

What a shame, then, that despite spending nearly a year showcasing original video game covers, remixes, and what have yous, finding good Animal Crossing inspired music worth featuring has proved...not so fruitful.

Until today that is! While plenty of Animal Crossing inspired tracks exists, today I managed to find one that stands out from the pack courtesy of this week's featured artist FFmusic Dj.

]]> Real name Haroon Piracha, FFmusic Dj is a sound designer and composer working in the video game industry. Currently based out of Hollywood, CA, the fan turned industry-pro spend his free time remixing tracks from his favorite game series.

Now before you ask: Yes, as FFmusic Dj's name implies he is quite the Final Fantasy fan. And yes, the bulk of his work is more Square-centric, but that doesn't mean he didn't give his bonus Animal Crossing track any less love:

AnimalCrossing - DJKK (FFmusic Dj Mix) by FFmusic Dj

Who doesn't love KK Slider? His unique vocals add an extra layer of geek to this mellow chill-out track and take the song, no doubt enjoyable on its own, to the next level. Non-Animal Crossing fans might furrow their brow at first listen, but just give it a few and let Slider's sound sink into you. Before long I guarantee you'll be youtubing every possible KK remix there is.

So DJKK is the extremely rare, very well done AC remix, but what about the rest of his work? Well I'm happy to report that all of Mr. Paracha's remixes are just as enjoyable. Take, for instance, this eargasmic progressive trance remix of Kingdom Hearts 2's Passion ~after the battle~ by Utada Hikaru. The song makes a complete 180 about halfway through, and the drop at the 4:55 mark actually got me to get up and go, 'whoah!' When you're dealing with a genre that's built on repetition and rhythm, the well timed surprise is always appreciated.

This trance remix of Final Fantasy 7's Cosmo Canyon, a personal favorite tune of mine, is a complete overhaul of the once-tribal track but is far from unrecognizable. And now I've got uncomfortable images of Red XIII glowstick-raving in my head. Thanks, FFmusic Dj, you've turned me into a furry-raver.

Final Fantasy 6's Relm has never sounded more relaxing than in this spectacular chill-out remix:

Of course, being as big a Final Fantasy fan as he is, FFmusic Dj has got plenty more unexpected remixes for fans to enjoy, like this soothing Final Fantasy 7 Under the Ocean chill-out remix. Riding around in that submarine may not have been very calming with Emerald Weapon lurking around, but with this remix I can pretend that it was.

This guy has also done a lot of work with our friends at OCRemix, including an out of this world Chrono Cross Scars of Time remix. I jump at the mere mention of Chrono Cross, but to hear such a fresh take on this classic is a real treat.

For more FFmusic Dj check out his official soundcloud, Last.fm, tumblr, personal blog, and, of course, hit him up on facebook and follow him on twitter.

That wraps it up for this week! Enjoy FFmusic Dj's mixes and I'll catch you all next Friday.

Audio File Friday 'Mr Trent'

2012-02-03T21:30:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

I hope your week has been treating you well. As I've said week after week my favorite thing about Audio File Friday is getting to getting the chance to showcase as wide a variety of musical genres as possible. When I started this feature nearly a year ago I never thought that I'd find even half of the music I have. But through it all one of my favorite things to see is still a full orchestra going to town on the classics.

Groups like Team Hideo and the Video Game Music Choir have taken steps to bring their fresh take on gaming music arrangements to new audiences. What a challenge it is, though, to put together such grand performances. Especially when the necessary sheet music is hard to come by.

This week I'll be taking a look at the multi-talented Mr Trent and his spectacular gaming arrangements. Somebody give this guy his own personal orchestra to conduct, because he could definitely use one.

]]> Mr Trent, also known as Cody Chavez, is unique in that he spends the bulk of his time arranging video game music for other people to perform. To that end he began 8-Bit 8th Notes, a service dedicated to providing sheet music of video game arrangements. As he notes on 8-Bit's official facebook page:

Video game music has never been readily availably for concert winds bands and most school orchestra's...until now. 8-Bit 8th notes is the first place to bring you quality sheet music of video game theme arrangements for your school winds band or orchestra!
It was the start of the summer of '05 when I attended my first Video Games Live concert, and fell in the awe of the production that Tommy Tallerico put on with Jack Wall. The Classic Arcade Medley and Sonic Suite are the songs of inspiration. After contacting Video Game composer Richard Jacques, I was able to set my gaze up the actual scores for those songs used by VGL. I studied them and learned everything I know about arranging basically from those two scores, and 6 years later here I am today, trying to get my name out in the arranging world.

Many a fan's unsuccessful search for their favorite tunes in sheet music form have led them to Mr Trent, who does what he does entirely for his love of the craft. It's one thing to simply cover a song, but to break the song down and build it back up piece by piece is quite the skill. Were I wearing a hat it would be off right now.

So let's dive in to what Mr Trent has to offer, shall we?

First up is my personal favorite, a Big Band interpretation of Sonic 2's Casino Night, performed by the fabulous Nick Coates Orchestra. I do believe this is the first real taste of the genre we've had here on Audio File Friday, and I couldn't be happier with it.

Next we've got a lively NES Medley as performed by the St. Mary's University Concert Band. There isn't a classic tune missing from this one:

A Super Mario Medley that covers everything from the iconic Mario theme we all know and love to the epic Super Mario Galaxy theme. Everyone and their grandma has covered these Mario tunes, but how often do we get the plumber's entire career captured in seven minute medley form? Courtesy of the Westchester Pops Orchestra.

~~Spoiler alert: Aerith Dies.~~ Aerith's theme from Final Fantasy 7 is one of those songs I like to think is overdone, and it probably is, but I nonetheless whip out the tissues every time I hear it. This one was performed beautifully by the Animatissimo Chamber Orchestra of Peru.

Here's a song that has most definitely not been overdone, but one I wouldn't mind hearing a lot more of: The Ghost N' Goblins Theme. This rag-time remix as performed by Tom Brier is certainly a first for Audio File Friday; when is rag-time ever anything but awesome?

And don't think Mr Trent only arranges for big orchestras; he lets ~~sexually active band geeks~~ marching bands get in on the gaming fun as well:

Mr Trent has arranged more tracks than he knows what to do with, but if you've got an idea of what to do with them and have an orchestra or band of some kind that is in need of well-made sheet music then he's your guy.

You can keep up with Mr Trent and the 8-Bit 8th Notes movement by checking out his official facebook page, soundcloud, and youtube channel.

With the help of talented guys like Mr Trent anyone can put on the video game concert of their dreams. All it takes is a little sheet music.

Audio File Friday 'Malukah'

2012-01-28T06:00:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

So I've realized something that I'm rather embarrassed by: To date, Audio File Friday has only featured female artists about three times: Angela Aki, Lana Del Rey, ~~Rebecca Black~~ and the lovely ladies of the Video Game Music Choir. Now, considering Audio File Friday is fast approaching its one year anniversary and this is a ~~mostly~~ weekly feature...well, that's not exactly a great number. It's a pretty awful number, actually.

Is there just a lack of female gaming artists in the world? Or are they just difficult to find? Are we about to dust off the age old gamer-girl debate? Whatever the case, in the following weeks I promise to make a concerted effort to include more female artists here on Audio File Friday.

This week's artist just so happens to be an extremely gifted young woman who is quite the Skyrim fan and goes by the name Malukah.

]]> Malukah hales from Monterrey, Mexico and first came to my attention when our friends at IGN used one of her covers for a rather touching Skyrim tribute video.

She's made a name for herself through her acoustic covers of Skyrim covers of The Dragonborn Comes, Age of Aggression, and the Malu Canta.

The bilingual gamer girl has a stunning voice, and her talent is far from going unrecognized. She already has over 6,000 likes on facebook, over 6,500 twitter followers, and after a mere two weeks her cover of The Dragonborn Comes has garnered more than two million views; a number that continues to grow by the day.

In addition to her Skyrim covers, Malukah has composed scores for films, music libraries, and some indie game titles as well. And of course she's composed plenty of her own original tracks, each one just as easy on the ears as the last. My personal favorite here is the somber, yet somehow light, I Can't Make it Rain.

Her entire original album, All of the Above, is available on iTunes.

Malukah's success is on the rise, and whether you're a Skyrim fan, an acoustic cover fan, or a just plain good music fan you owe it to yourself to jump on this bandwagon while it's still close to the station. This girl is going places.

Keep up with the talented, and gracious, Malukah on her facebook, twitter, official website, soundcloud, and, of course, her official youtube channel where more gaming covers are sure to be posted in the future.

That wraps it up for this week. Enjoy Malukah's covers while you play Skyrim this weekend, and I'll catch you all right here next week.

Audio File Friday 'Juan Abad'

2012-01-21T00:36:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

I apologize for being MIA of late. I've been busy on some rather exciting projects, some of which concern the very site you are currently browsing. But I won't tease you, rather I'll get back to business; scrounging the net to bring you some of the best original gaming music there is to be found.

This past Winter I found myself pleasantly surprised with Sega's newest release Sonic Generations. It is a true return to form for everyone's favorite blue hedgehog, and quite the nostalgia-fest for long-time fans. Being quite the audiophile myself, one aspect of the game that really stood out was its soundtrack. The game took all the Sonic classics and presented them in both original and newly remixed versions. Being one of gaming's biggest names ~~his unfortunate last decade aside~~ Sonic has always had some of the best music around.

It got me thinking: There has been barely any Sonic-love happening on Audio File Friday. Well I intend to remedy that immediately, with an awesome newcomer known as Juan Abad.

]]> Juan Abad hales from Lancaster, CA. This desert-dwelling lad has quite recently, just last month in fact, ventured out into the world of original hip-hop apparel and music. His original brand Sup Mang Apparel features products that currently range from stylish t-shirts to some surprisingly well done hip-hop beats. I say surprisingly because for someone who just began releasing content there is a high level of quality and polish here, not to mention oodles of potential.

So far, Mr. Abad has two releases, one titled DEAD. Beat Tape, and one titled Sonic Beats Beat Tape. Obviously the Sonic tape is what I'll be covering today, but don't miss out on Juan's original pieces; they pack just as much punch. Breakfast is my personal favorite out of the four tracks.

DEAD Beat Tape by Juan Abad

Now, on to the Sonic Beats Beat Tape. All I have to say is, 'More please!'

Sonic Beats Beat Tape by Juan Abad

Are there any indie rappers reading this who've been wanting to spit some Sonic flow? Well these are the beats you've been waiting for. If I were a rapper ~~one day, one day~~ I'd love to have this guy as a producer because based on these three tracks alone I'm sold! Juan Abad has taken three classic songs from various Sonic games and remixed them into top notch beats.

Mr. Abad's Quartz Quadrant Remix takes the original and completely reimagines it as a mellow groovy beat that's perfect for a little relaxation time.

The D.A. Garden (Little Planet) Remix takes the tropical world-select tune from Sonic CD and turns it into a jazzy, at times almost psychadelic, beat with it's saxophone and easy base line.

Juan is a California native and it certainly shows in these first two tracks, but don't think it's all mellow kick-back music; this guy can deliver the hard stuff too. The third track, a remix of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog Boss theme certainly lives up to its pedigree. The original song already has a certain down and dirty weight to it, and remixed like this it'll have even the nerdiest hedgehog fan grabbing his crotch and nodding his head. ~~Hopefully at least somewhat on beat.~~

Like I said before, 'More please!' This little taste is just so delicious and with any hope this Sonic fan will continue to give us more stellar Sonic-hop ~~Hedge-hop?~~. There is just simply not enough Sonic-hop in the world.

If you're a fan of what Juan Abad has to offer, be sure to ~~peer pressure him into making more~~ go and download both of his EPs, totally for free I might add, via his official Bandcamp. After that you can hit up his twitter, facebook, and tumblr and be sure to follow, like, and...er, follow him on each, respectively.

Let Juan Abad take care of you this weekend, and I'll catch you all ~~next Friday.~~ in just a moment with this week's Audio File Friday Bonus Track: E-Dubble.

Audio File Friday Bonus Track 'E-Dubble'

2012-01-21T00:35:00Z

You didn't think that after three weeks of no Audio File Fridays I'd leave you guys without a bonus track to make up for some of that time did you?

This week's Audio File Friday Bonus Track comes to us courtesy of indie rapper E-Dubble, who first caught my attention in 2010 when he did a little something called Freestyle Friday. ~~Gee...sure does sound familiar~~ Every week for fifty-two weeks straight E-Dubble released a brand new song for his fans, totally free, and usually with some entertaining outros. No small feat. One of those songs just so happens to be one that gamers might enjoy.

Oh and he's super hot. Bear-cub fans, get in line!

]]> The seven foot tall, yes you read that right, E-Dubble is based out of Baltimore, and when not cheering on the Ravens or shopping for large shoes he spends most of his time reciting some of the smartest lyrics in the hip-hop game. This guy's vocabulary alone is enough to astound most anyone but add to that the ability to put all of those big words together in rap-form?

Well, you end up with something like this:

Okay, okay so maybe the song doesn't come off as the most supportive of arcades...rather using them as a metaphor for not fully living one's life, but don't think for a second that E-Dubble is nerd-phobic in the least. His impressive fifty-two week song marathon featured the most clever samples of the nerdiest variety, so I think his geek-cred is solid.

In addition to having some of the smartest lyrics in the hip-hip game, he also has some of the cleanest. Don't misconstrue that to mean he's some watered down rapper for the kids, far from it, rather E-Dubble proves refreshing in that he forgoes the standard offensive language commonly associated with mainstream hip-hop for much more substantial content. If you're curious but weary of the genre ~~I have a few specific commenters in mind~~ then the indie hip-hop world is the place for you, and E-Dub is a great person to start with.

~~Did I mention how hot he is? Or his height? I did? Okay.~~

E-Dubble has one full length album, the aptly titled Hip-Hop is Good which you can purchase on iTunes, Amazon, Napster, and eMusic. All of his music including every single Freestyle Friday track, collected as the Written Thursday Mixtape, can be listened to and then downloaded from his official website.

Be sure to like him on facebook and follow him on twitter, as well. You know the drill by now.

That wraps it up for this week! I'll catch you all next Friday.

Audio File Friday 'Entertainment System'

2011-12-17T01:01:00Z

Greeting Audiophiles!

Community is a vital part of our lives; it brings us together and it keeps up connected. Us gaymers know a thing or two about community, whether it's the gay community, the gaming community, or the gaymer community for which this very site was created.

Creating community is a wonderful, and necessary, thing. Sometimes all it takes is the desire to find others like you, and letting that desire grow and grow until you've created something new. And how invaluable, to have people to share yourself with while simultaneously finding new things that others want to share with you.

Earlier this week two groups that have been featured here before, The Megas and Rare Candy, shared at the exact same time the newest release from this week's featured band, Entertainment System. It got me thinking: These guys all know each other; there's a real community of rock n' roll gamers out there and they're all working together to promote each others' work.

And thank goodness for that, because finding a new artist to feature week-in and week-out is harder than you might think ~~even when you have no life like me~~. Thankfully this week was a no brainer, and artists I already love did all the finding for me.

]]> Entertainment System knows the gamer musician community well, having worked their way up from an admittedly rough start to becoming one of the most well-received gamer groups around. Based out of Baltimore, the group has worked through a handful of incarnations to release five studio albums, tour the country, and even form their own gamer music festival; the Bit Gen Gamer Fest.

Just this last week Entertainment System dropped their newest full length record Rock n' Roll Cereal, a tribute album to Mario and Zelda. Now before you say, 'Mario and Zelda? Again? Yawn.' I know, I know.

And thankfully these guys know too.

From their official website:

Over the years pretty much every video game tribute/remix act has taken a swing at covering selections from 2 of the most well known and loved video game franchises ever, The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. Entertainment System wanted to take a differant approach, all or most acts to cover music from these games typically covered the main themes from each game and including them as almost an obligitory slection on their albums. ES wanted to to give these games and the incredible music that lie within the tribute it deserved so instead of doing one or two selections from the games decided to do an entire album featuring the music of both games to be titled after the Nintendo cereal that featured two cereals in one box, the fruity Legend of Zelda cereal, and the berry flavored Mario Bros. cereal, and so Rock N' Roll Cereal was born. One half Legend of Zelda and the other half Mario Bros. 10 songs in all the new album would be the fifth full length recording put forth by ES...

So don't get your knickers in a twist, the band may be treading familiar water but they also know exactly what they're doing.

Rock n' Roll Cereal by Entertainment System

My personal favorite on this album is without a doubt the Gerudo Valley cover. Many have touched the popular Zelda track, but this is the first time I've ever heard it done like this. Entertainment System draws the listener in with a slow build, before dropping in the rest of the band and taking the song on a wild ride. Towards the end of the song they push an acoustic guitar up against electric guitar wails and the battle is all win for the audience.

The band has a metal edge to them, but aren't afraid to explore non-traditional metal sounds. How could you not love their Super Mario 64 track, a cover of the infectious Bob-Omb Battle Field. Certainly not the expected rock n' roll/metal fare, but it works. And if they can make it work that's all that's important; they could be covering the Wonderpets theme song for all I care.

Equally unexpected, and equally impressive, is their track Bloop Bloop. The mellow piece is like a breath of fresh air on an otherwise high energy album; ironic when you consider it's covering the Super Mario Bros. underwater theme.

Both of the album's Medleys celebrate the traditionally unsung melodies of their respective games for great effect.

Here's a taste of some of their earlier work:

There's a surprisingly small amount of good F-Zero music being covered out there, despite the franchise having some really stellar tracks. Good ol' Entertainment System is here to remedy that.

A collaboration with fellow Audio File Friday-ers The Megas, off of their dual EP Megtainment.

A stellar Final Fantasy Medley, bringing together the music of Six, Tactics, and Seven.

And who doesn't love a band that covers Ducktales? Again they've covered the not-so-often covered while applying their sound to a track you might not expect from a rock group.

Entertainment System certainly lives up to their name, producing some truly entertaining gaming covers that forgo the expected at every opportunity. The only thing to regularly expect out of this group is quality music and a lot of fun.

Be sure to like these guys on facebook, follow them on twitter, and check out their official website for all the latest on them AND the Bit Gen Gamer Fest which brings the gaming music community together.

~~That about wraps it up for this week.~~ We're not done! Be sure to check out this week's Audio File Friday bonus track, from Lana Del Rey!

Audio File Friday Bonus Track 'Lana Del Rey'

2011-12-17T01:00:00Z

But wait! This week's Audio File Friday isn't over yet!

These days its not just hardcore gamers making music that gamers will want to listen to, mainstream artists are dipping their feet in as well. Remember the Kid Cudi track Capcom? With those tracks in mind, Audio File Friday Bonus Track is born.

For our first Bonus Track ever I'll be taking a look at an incredible up and comer that you should all take note of, trust me she's going to be huge. Introducing the gorgeous and immensely talented Lana Del Rey.

]]> The New York born singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey has been making a name for herself as she prepares for the release of her first album early next year. She names Kurt Cobain, Thomas Newman, and ~~the flawless better than your faves~~ Bruce Springsteen as influences on her work, and it shows.

Ms. Rey has a new track that has been taking the internet by storm, Pitchfork Media calling it the best new track of the year, and with a title like 'Video Games' how could I not feature it here?

All of that being said, the song isn't about or for gamers per say, rather it includes lyrics about the playing of video games, but it's still a beautiful song and so I thought, 'why not?' Good music is good music, after all.

Lana's debut album Born to Die is scheduled for release January 31, 2012 and if the rest of it is as good as this one song then I'd say we're all in for quite the treat.

Be sure to check out Ms. Rey's official website, like her on facebook, follow her on twitter, and keep an eye out for Born to Die when it drops.

That about wraps it up for this week. Let both Lana Del Rey and Entertainment System take care of you this weekend, and I'll catch you all back here next Friday.

Audio File Friday 'I Fight Dragons'

2011-12-10T02:25:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

If you can manage to pull yourselves away from Skyrim, Skyward Sword, and other Sky-related endeavors for a few minutes I promise it will be worth it.

This week I've got a treat for you guys, and I call it a treat because it's truly something fresh. I certainly hadn't heard anything like this before this week's featured artist, and that's what Audio File Friday is all about: finding music for gamers of all different genres, including new unexplored ones.

Many a rock band have been featured here, as have many a chiptune artist, but the two styles have yet to meet. Chiptune hip-hop and chiptune Gaga, sure, but a chiptune rock mash-up? Is there such a thing?

Turns out there is, courtesy of a quirky band of gamers known as I Fight Dragons.

]]> I happened to stumble across I Fight Dragons during one of my many late night youtube excursions and the next morning I found myself questioning whether or not their music actually existed. Was it just some wonderful rock/chiptune dream? Thankfully a trip through my viewing history proved that what I had found was indeed real, and was even better the second time around!

From their official website:

What do you get when a Pulitzer Prize WInner, a Nobel Laureate, a Rhodes Scholar, and a Robot all get together and form a band?
This is a question I Fight Dragons would love to know the answer to, along with other important questions like, "what is purple, really?" and "how much brains could a zombiechuck chuck if a zombiechuck could exist a posteriori?"

In the meanwhile, I Fight Dragons content themselves with playing melodic rock-and-roll type music, which they integrate seamlessly with chiptune. For those of you not in the proverbial 'know,' 'chiptune' is new music created on 'obsolete' video game 'soundcards' such as the Nintendo Gameboy. Now you're in the 'know.' Welcome. It's nice here and the bathrooms are in the back to the left if you need them.

In the biographical sense, all 5 members of I Fight Dragons hail from Chicago. In the spiritual sense, they also hail from Chicago. However, in the metaphorical sense, only 4 of them hail from Chicago, while Packy hails from Outer Space (by way of Chicago).
I Fight Dragons are boldly questing forward on a sonic adventure toward total world domination. If that sounds a little intimidating, then they can scale it back a bit and focus on continental domination, or even just tri-county domination if that's still a bit much for you.

The new I Fight Dragons album "KABOOM!" has a lot of capital letters, not to mention an exclamation point, which makes it very exhausting to pronounce, but quite invigorating to listen to. It is a Photo Finish / Atlantic Records release (wha!?!?), and serves as the culmination of their earlier sonic endeavors undertaken with their first two EPs, 2009's "Cool Is Just A Number" and 2010's "Welcome To The Breakdown."

All in all, I Fight Dragons are really interesting. I mean, like, REALLY interesting. So go tell your friends about them. Or if you don't have friends, tell your mom. Say hi to her for me. She'll know who you mean. Trust me. Fine, she probably won't know who you mean. So then maybe you can build a robot and tell the robot. If said robot responds to you then you could probably win a Turing prize or something and I Fight Dragons deserves half the money, so please send it to them with a Self Adressed Stamped Envelope (SASE) and 4 boxtops from Cinnamon Toast Crunch(™) cereal to redeem your prize.

Seriously, go tell someone, quit reading this crap. Dragons OUT.

I told you they were quirky. Well, perhaps quirky doesn't quite cut it. These guys are just plain weird! But weird in the best way; the unique-way. And the thing that makes I Fight Dragons so unique happens to be their music. They seamlessly combine rock and chiptune, with a sound that's more than a little reminiscent of Jimmy Eat World. Actually, Jimmy Eat Anamanaguchi might be a more accurate description of what this band actually sounds like.

But why waste time trying to compare this one-of-a-kind band to other talented artists when I could just share some of their music with you and let you see ~~hear?~~ for yourself!

I FIGHT DRAGONS by Photo Finish Records

The band's first official single, The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth, is part-The Middle ~~no more Jimmy Eat World comparisons I promise~~ and part-Born This Way-esque motivational track, all tightly wrapped together with an 8-bit bow. And the chiptune isn't just a gimmick, it's an integral part of this band's sound right along with the guitars and drums.

If that glorious number didn't completely hook you ~~get the hell out of my post~~ then why not try the slightly more mellow, but equally energetic My Way:

There's something decidedly early-2000s about the band's overall sound, but it all still feels modern and fresh thanks to the ironically old-school use of 8-bit. And when you consider the societal nostalgia-fest that is currently making its way through the 90s, perhaps I Fight Dragons are actually well ahead of the curb.

The best thing about this band is that beyond their gaming-aesthetic they're all ~~legit~~ full-fledged geeks. From the lyrics that speak to geek-centric experiences, and often times manage to speak to LGBT themes as well ~~mandatory gaygamer.net gay observation~~, to song titles like Save the World, Get the Girl, these guys are about as geeky you can get without being antisocial. And what a shame it would be if they were, because then we wouldn't get to hear their stellar music!

Or ever see them live, which is at the top of my priority lists after seeing this live performance clip of their song Money, off of their Cool is Just a Number EP:

And Just Decide from their second EP Welcome to the Breakdown:

They've even made a guitar out of an NES. How could you not love these guys?

Just in time for the Holidays, I Fight Dragons has put their own unique spin on Fountains of Wayne's Alien For Christmas:

If this hand drawn video for 'The Faster The Treadmill' doesn't pull at your heartstrings then something must be wrong.

Some of my favorite Audio File Friday artists are the ones who interact with the fans beyond just the music, and I Fight Dragons does just that through their youtube channel where you can even learn how to transform your old gameboy into the chiptune instrument that until today you've only fantasized of.

~~And Brian is almost too adorable~~

I could keep on embedding and gushing about this band but then the server might get mad at me so I'll leave you with one last taste, an overture that gives you a sample of their entire first album, Kaboom! Now this is what I call eargasm:

You can keep up with I Fight Dragons via their official website, youtube channel, facebook, and twitter.

And if you're feeling ambitious, why not follow each individual member on twitter as well! Hari, Packy, Bill, Brian, and Chad are all ready to be @mentioned so have at it!

I can't get enough. They even make Rick Rolling better! They made. Rick Rolling. Better. Process that for a moment. ~~sorry just have to embed this last one~~

Like I said, a real treat this week. Let I Fight Dragons take care of you and I'll catch you all right here next time.

~~MUST GET BACK TO LISTENING TO THIS BAND SOME MORE~~

Audio File Friday 'Shag'

2011-11-26T00:35:00Z

Happy Turkey Day audiophiles!

Seeing as it's Black Friday, I thought it'd be the perfect opportunity to do another feature on Rebecca Black.

I'm totally kidding.

Whether you celebrate the day or not, it's hard to deny the overall theme of being thankful. I'm sure you got at least a couple of things you're thankful for, even if you don't like turkey or you're not into the whole Pilgrim thing.

One thing I'm very thankful for is amazing fans who take their love of something to new heights; applying their own creativity and unique talents to a project birthed solely from a desire to express their fandom. From cosplay, to viral videos, to visual art, to, you guessed it, music. I'm even more thankful that every week I manage to find musicians that cite gaming as their inspiration, and am able to feature them here.

Hip-hop beat-maker Shag is one such artist, and if given a guess I'd say that when it comes to gaming this guy is probably thankful for a certain green tunic-wearing swordsman.

]]> At just eighteen years of age Shag has already produced an impressive collection of original beats, but more impressive than his musical quantity is the quality of it all. Some artists have their weak moments, those tracks that you politely skip over, but I've yet to find a Shag beat I'm not a fan of. And in case you forgot: eighteen years old.

Were you producing original, professional-level music at that age? I know I wasn't.

As of writing the young beat-maker has fourteen albums and collections, all available via his bandcamp and all worth a, as this aptly titled track suggests, Listen. ~~That is the corniest thing I've ever written here, and I apologize.~~

Shag's work is simple and steady, harkening back to the roots of hip-hop and not getting lost in the overproduced trajectories that is the norm in mainstream hip-hop these days. That being said the music isn't without its surprises; Shag manages to find the right balance between simple rhythm and dynamic sample-use, beat drops, and mood shifts.

Not to overdo the whole, 'omg he's eighteen' thing but for such a young artist there is a surprising amount of deep thought that goes into each album. This guy is really thinking about his music in a craft-analytical way that many young artists overlook, and thankfully he isn't opposed to sharing some of that analysis with his audience:

Keys. As you're listening to this, I want you to think of each individual song as a key. This key should unlock a mental, intangible door somewhere in your head. Let the music through the door and use each individual piece to analyze yourself in some way. I want each listener to have a different experience. It may be corny, but ultimately it's up to you.
If nothing else, just nod your head and put this on while you read, or do homework, or masturbate or something.

Each album's description also brings with it anecdotes about what's going on in Shag's life, and if you really wanted to it might be fun to try to map the music's progression with the snippets we get about his personal ups and downs. Or, you could just kick back and ~~masturbate~~ relax to it.

Here is his most recent album, Keys. My personal favorite track is Breeze, which combines a jazzy piano with some soothing synth chords. And this album isn't without its fair share of saxophone, which is always a big plus for me. ~~sax 4 life~~

Keys by Shag

But why is Mr.Shag being featured here you ask? Well, it just so happens that we've got a gamer on our hands. While Shag's strong catalog is comprised primarily of original beats he has one album that is all about The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Everybody does Ocarina music, it's to be expected when you're one of the most influential games of all time. It takes a talented hand to craft something worthwhile and different with the iconic themes we've heard time and time again. And in this case, the idea of hip-hop Ocarina....well, if you're a gaygamer.net regular that probably sounds familiar.

But fear not! This isn't Ocarina of Rhyme par deux, and Shag will be the first to tell you! While that stellar project, of which Shag is a fan himself, was all about mashing up hip-hop with Zelda tracks, Flyrule is entirely original work: using Zelda as a starting ground. As he puts it it's less remix and more reimagining.

Flyrule by Shag

At this point I'd normally point out the stand out tracks, and I'm going to, but it's hard to pick stand outs when the entire album is stand out.

Shag has made clever use of sound effect samples throughout the album. He's somehow made use of the Title Theme and menu select sound effects in a way that's never been done before. On the bonus track he even crafts a beat almost entirely out of Navi sound clips. It's not as annoying as you might think...but if you're not a Navi fan I'd proceed with caution.

Sometimes all you need is a drum kit, a sample, and a few sound effects as the beautiful Zelda Lullaby beat can attest to.

Sometimes going a little more complicated, and playing around with the original sample, is the way to go as you can see in the Gerudo Valley and Lost Woods tracks.

Spirit Temple and Sheik's Them are probably the most 'produced' this album ever gets, and while Shag does take the original songs to bold new places he does so without ever losing the spirit of the originals.

This album is pretty non-obtrusive overall, but is lightyears away from being anything one might call 'background noise.' It's perfect for getting lost in while you work on another project. ~~or masturbate....thinking of Link~~

Be absolutely positively sure to give Shag a like on facebook, and pick up Flyrule and the rest of his discography as well on his official bandcamp.

That wraps it up for this week. If you're planning a venture into the dark world that is Black Friday, why not let Shag's sick beats help guide your way?

And if you're thankful for any gaming-centric musicians that you'd like to see featured, be sure to let me know in the comments section.

Catch you all next week.

Audio File Friday 'Bad Dudes'

2011-11-18T21:05:00Z

Greetings Audiophiles!

While working on this week's Audio File Friday I realized something. Now sit down, this may come as a shock...Gaga isn't the first anthropomorphic motorcycle person. I know. I know. But be strong, we can get through this together.

And while we're at it, the 'bro' phenomena? Not new either.

Anyone familiar with RPG pillar Chrono Trigger already knew all of this of course, because that game featured Johnny, the subject of this week's Audio File Friday artwork. He's been a bro since before bromances, and has years on Born This Way in the anthropomorphic bike department.

But hey, that's nothing to be ashamed of. Chrono Trigger is, after all, widely considered one of the best RPGs of all time. For many it also happens to be one of the best games of all time. Imitation should be expected! ~~And just to get it out of the way I'm NOT trying to add fuel to the silly Gaga steals everything fire, I swear I'm not.~~

Imitation as well as inspiration. Chrono Trigger pushed the limits of genre and creativity and never went where you expected it to go, qualities shared by this week's featured artists, who happen to be Chrono fans themselves, theBad Dudes.

]]> Taking their name from the classic arcade title, the Bad Dudes isn't so much a band as it is an assemblage of some of gaming music's best and brightest all working together to produce new content for the fans. At least a couple of the names might sound familiar to Audio File Friday followers. The group's founder Mustin is here, whom I'm sure you recognize as leader of The OneUps. We've also got Danimal Cannon who has played with Metroid Metal. With fifteen unique and talented artists working together, each album and EP the Bad Dudes have released has something for everyone. Ambient, rock, metal, jazz, r&b...you name it and they've probably done it. ~~Except country. ONE DAY!!!~~ They came together in 2006 and the rest is history.

The album that got my attention, of course, is their 2009 release Chronotorious; a collection of Chrono Trigger songs remixed to perfection.

CHRONOTORIOUS by Bad Dudes

The title track, Chronotorious, is a reimagining of the game's main theme and mixes electronic synth with some jazzy sensibilities and the occasional guitar appearance. While that might sound like a big ol' mess on paper, in practice the result is pretty mind-blowing.

The third track, Rockin' On Heaven's Door, plays it safe and mellow in the beginning until finally about a minute and a half in guitars show up and then around the two minute mark the song completely transforms into a rock ballad. It's a moment you don't see coming ~~that I totally just spoiled my bad~~ but one that you don't question for a second.

The fourth track, Dethfrog, simply MUST be mentioned if for no other reason than because the lead metal vocalist chants 'Ribbit ribbit ribbit' throughout. Glorious.

B.A.M.F. is a complete jazz tune, and a real stand out on the album, while disodium guanylate sounds like a classic hip-hop beat that has been rolled through Square Enix's PlayOnline system.

Longing of the Wind is a traditional piano piece that shines because of its simplicity on an otherwise busy album.

I could go on and on about this one album, and boy would I love to do so, but doing that would be a great disservice to the Bad Dudes and their eight other albums! Yeah. Eight!

In 2009 the group also released Jingle All the Way, which isn't the Holiday gaming album you might've been hoping for, but does cleverly take 15-30 second gaming jingles and crafts them into full length pieces of music.

JINGLE ALL THE WAY by Bad Dudes

And proving that Shinesparkers weren't the only ones who remembered Samus' birthday ~~I'm looking at you, Nintendo. SMH~~ here's a taste of Bad Dudes' upcoming Metroid Anniversary album. This track is brilliant, taking everyone's favorite hard edged space bounty hunter and giving her a tropical island flair. Complete with steel drums; Caribbean style!

For more on that album, here's a familiar face offering ~~to show us his balls~~ up some info.

Fans of hip-hop will enjoy this mellow Castlevania inspired beat from the group's Castlevania Symphony of the Night Resurrection album, which manages to include everything from church-like chanting to orchestral/rock mash-ups. The track, titled Illusionary Hop, is oozing with late 80s early 90s sensibilities, and is right up the alley of both hip-hoppers and jazz enthusiasts.

This is a group that likes to go where no other video game remixers have been, and this dedication to the unexpected gives their work a freshness you won't find anywhere else. These guys have even crafted an entire album in honor of Super Dodgeball on the NES. Bad Dudes, indeed.

Keeping in character, the Bad Dudes have also taken on the role of villains to take on OCRemix's heroes for the aptly titled Heroes vs. Villains, an entire album dedicated to mashing together the antagonistic hero and villain themes from popular titles. It's an epic undertaking, and each piece is well worth your time.

And from their very first release, the simply titled EP #1, is a brilliant mash up that brings together two of gaming's greatest villains for the very first time.

There are no words for this.

Be absolutely sure to check out the Bad Dudes' official website, it's where you can get your hands on every single one of their releases, bios and contact info for all of the guys, Bad Dudes merchandise, and of course all the latest updates.

While you check your notifications on facebook why not give these Dudes a like, and be sure to follow them on twitter. Aw heck, why not follow every single one of these guys on twitter: Mustin, Kunal Majmudar, Mazedude, Tim Sheehy, Dale North, Joshua Morse, DHsu, Danimal Cannon, zyk0, and DiggiDis.

Phew! That's a whole lot of dude. ~~not complaining tbh~~

That wraps it up for this week, enjoy the sheer variety of unexpected tracks that the Bad Dudes have to offer, and I'll catch you all next week.