Matt Gray Produced Box Set

[Joe Forster[STA]]

Registered, too, just for the occasion. I'm a great fan of Matt Gray's music and I also wondered why. While e.g. Rob Hubbard creates great tunes as in the melody, the instruments sound mostly synthetic. (Yeah, yeah, what do you expect from a synthesizer?!) However, look at the great difference between classic Rob Hubbard tunes and ACE 2: ACE 2 is modern.

I think this modernist style is Matt's forte: drum and bass are as close to real drums and bass guitar as possible and the dedicated drum channel and the octave-jumping bass add to the complexity [edit:] and the occasional double-channel bass to the brutality. (Try beatboxing the drum solos from the game music of The street in Last Ninja 2.) When I'm bored or sad, I listen to SID music to make me feel better. When I'm still bored or sad, I listen to Matt Gray music, mostly Last Ninja 2, but then I'm unable to do anything else, e.g. work, as I can't avoid singing along.

Matt, I read you had bad memories about how you've been ripped off so you didn't want to talk about those times; I found out you've been working with Cher and I tried to contact you via her staff, without success; so I'm very happy that you finally emerged. Please, drop by any and all forum (e.g. comp.sys.cbm) you can find: our good memories related to you will cheer you up. Thank you for your excellent work!

[Ninja Sounds]

Registered, too, just for the occasion. I'm a great fan of Matt Gray's music and I also wondered why. While e.g. Rob Hubbard creates great tunes as in the melody, the instruments sound mostly synthetic. (Yeah, yeah, what do you expect from a synthesizer?!) However, look at the great difference between classic Rob Hubbard tunes and ACE 2: ACE 2 is modern.

I think this modernist style is Matt's forte: drum and bass are as close to real drums and bass guitar as possible and the dedicated drum channel and the octave-jumping bass add to the complexity [edit:] and the occasional double-channel bass to the brutality. (Try beatboxing the drum solos from the game music of The street in Last Ninja 2.) When I'm bored or sad, I listen to SID music to make me feel better. When I'm still bored or sad, I listen to Matt Gray music, mostly Last Ninja 2, but then I'm unable to do anything else, e.g. work, as I can't avoid singing along.

Matt, I read you had bad memories about how you've been ripped off so you didn't want to talk about those times; I found out you've been working with Cher and I tried to contact you via her staff, without success; so I'm very happy that you finally emerged. Please, drop by any and all forum (e.g. comp.sys.cbm) you can find: our good memories related to you will cheer you up. Thank you for your excellent work!

Hi Joe. Thanks for the good comments.

I think the rip off stories may have been blown out of proportion,certainly in the C64 area. The big rip offs came in the record industry. The only times I really lost out in the gaming sector were Hewson going bust owing me money and a promised royalty on certain Nintendo games never materialising. That's in the past though.

BTW I never worked with Cher. I was just involved in one of her hits and that was 15 years ago.

Matt

[Dr.Future]

Matt, it was "Believe" and it was her BIGGEST hit, if I'm right. Don't be so modest!

[TNT]

@TNT: True enthusiasm

Of course, and quite rightly. This game is one of my favorites, not only because of the soundtrack, also the graphics are amazing for a C64 game. But the soundtrack put the game on an even higher level. I just love it. I love the whole series. So that you can see how serious I am, here's a picture of me, taken while working on a convention:


Yes I know, it's quite nerdy, but nevertheless it's the greatest workwear of the entire world.
But don't think that I'm wearing this every day.

Now there's nothing more to do than waiting patiently for the release.
I'm looking forward to it!
Just let me know when the time has come to set the pledge on kickstarter.

[Ninja Sounds]

TNT - Hopefully the Kickstarter will be in the near future,but we need to get the kettle boiling a bit first. I'm obviously still discussing progress here,but if anyone wants to follow the chat on Twitter then here it is https://twitter.com/mattgrayc64

[Cactus]

@TNT: True enthusiasm

Of course, and quite rightly. This game is one of my favorites, not only because of the soundtrack, also the graphics are amazing for a C64 game. But the soundtrack put the game on an even higher level. I just love it. I love the whole series. So that you can see how serious I am, here's a picture of me, taken while working on a convention:


Yes I know, it's quite nerdy, but nevertheless it's the greatest workwear of the entire world.
But don't think that I'm wearing this every day.

Now there's nothing more to do than waiting patiently for the release.
I'm looking forward to it!
Just let me know when the time has come to set the pledge on kickstarter.

Holy shit, dude, I need one of those t-shirts!!!!

[Ninja Sounds]

I've started preliminary work on some of the Last Ninja 2 tracks with a view to put one of them on line as a taster for the boxset project. It'll be interesting to know what LN2 track people would be eager to hear first ?

[Analog-X64]

Welcome to the forums Matt Old time fan. Nice to be able to connect after all these years

[TNT]

Holy shit, dude, I need one of those t-shirts!!!!

That's absolutely no problem, dude! If you really need one, just let me know. For 18 Euros including shipment to England I can print anything on a shirt.

@Ninja Sounds:
My favorite Last Ninja 2 Track is "The Basement" Ingame. Absolutely magnificent!
In my opinion even better than "Central Park" Ingame. That was my favorite 20 years ago.

[NecroPolo]

Picking the fav LN2 tune is pretty damn hard as I love all the tracks for a reason or two. I would say a different fav depending on actual mood I think.

Maybe if I should pick jut one track it would be the Central Park ingame for the reason that most probably this one had the biggest impact, therefore creates the strongest nostalgic effect on people. During the years we talked a lot about SID tunes during demoscene meetings and whenever your name appeared most folks mentioned Central Park among their most fav SID tracks ever.

[Chris Abbott]

But if Central Park was the "teaser", would that satisfy everyone a little _too_ fast?

[Ninja Sounds]

Welcome to the forums Matt Old time fan. Nice to be able to connect after all these years

Hi Analog-X64. You very welcome. Glad you're a fan. Any particular fav tracks?

Matt

[Ninja Sounds]

Picking the fav LN2 tune is pretty damn hard as I love all the tracks for a reason or two. I would say a different fav depending on actual mood I think.

Maybe if I should pick jut one track it would be the Central Park ingame for the reason that most probably this one had the biggest impact, therefore creates the strongest nostalgic effect on people. During the years we talked a lot about SID tunes during demoscene meetings and whenever your name appeared most folks mentioned Central Park among their most fav SID tracks ever.

The in game Central Park certainly strikes a chord with most people I gather. I suppose if you wanted a clip that summed up LN2's sound then you'd go for the intro of this track.

[Ninja Sounds]

But if Central Park was the "teaser", would that satisfy everyone a little _too_ fast?

That's the conundrum. I'm doing prep on various tracks. I've got a good remake/remix of the Central Park loader on the go....

[Mayhem]

I'd say the loader, but either Central Park track would be fine