Commodore Remix

Mayhem wrote:One obvious question I suppose Matt... there are plenty of covers and remixes for your songs on RKO, have you heard them, and if so, do you have any favourites?

I've heard a fair few but there's loads I've yet to hear. I am trying to listen to as many as I can. The many youtube clips of bands performing my tracks has been a real eye opener and an inspiration to get stuck into the intended project.

Actually the one that does spring to mind is Richard Braithwaite's Guitar Remix of Ninja 2 Central Park. It's not a million miles away from how i thought the main riff in 16ths should sound. That track from Ninja 2 is probably my personal favourite of all the 64 stuff I did and I think it was in fact the very first track completed for the entire soundtrack.

Hi NecroPolo

Tremendous thanks for your post. Really pleased I played a small role in shaping your music style and taste. Never knew about the Slayer Of SID nickname. Like it.

All of my tracks were written in my head or on a very basic Casio keyboard. I then had to type in the notes and note lengths and any pitch bends into my assembler. I devised a simple way of the player reading the data and looking for sound patch changes. It was real low level coding though. I had to devise subroutines to handle vibrato (mine was not scientifically correct but it worked), pitchbend, pulse width mods, drum synthesis routines, routines to put a hi hat on every note,etc,etc. It became a problem though because the process of writing in code was stifling my creativity. Because I had moved into producing dance music on synths and samplers using midi and sequencers, I was getting frustrated and lazy with the C64 process of writing. Up until then I had kept the enthusiasm going by introducing filters and all the mods that go with it and that inspired new ideas,but basically the process was holding me up creatively.

I don't play guitar, other than in private and badly for fun. I'm one of those musicians who needed technology to provide the vehicle for me to get my ideas down. I can play keys,but only to get ideas down. I'm no session player,those guys and gals are on it. Fortunately I know quite a few of the very best and I fully intend to involve them in the making of the album. Hopefully it's all going to be documented too. I just hope it doesn't turn into Spinal Tap !

Thanks for the links btw. Cool stuff.

And thanks again for the support.

All the best

Matt

Hi Matt. I just registered here to show my interest if your project gets off the ground. I've been stung a couple of times on Kickstarter but I'd make an exception for this! Best of luck.

The Equalizer wrote:Hi Matt. I just registered here to show my interest if your project gets off the ground. I've been stung a couple of times on Kickstarter but I'd make an exception for this! Best of luck.

Thanks Mr Woodward Have you pledged on some non delivered Kickstarter projects then?

Last Ninja 2... Sound of my youth! Thanks for the memories!

Will add to the starter when it's ready.

When the Turrican Anthology by Chris Hülsbeck was released and everybody talked about it, I clearly had one wish. My wish was and still is that Matt Gray, the composer of the greatest game soundtrack of all time, would also initiate a project like this. Yes, the soundtracks of the Turrican games are fantastic and in case of part 2 probably the best known game soundtrack of the world as well as Chris' masterpiece. But if you ask me, THE masterpiece is the soundtrack of The Last Ninja 2. You can bet your ass that I would always prefer the Last Ninja 2 soundtrack and I would spend twice as much or even three times as much money for an upgraded Last Ninja 2 soundtrack on CD as I spent for the complete Turrican Anthology.

So Matt, if you're planning to re record your best C64 tracks, please don't forget the complete soundtrack of Last Ninja 2. Every single track is a masterpiece. This could be a single project as well. And I'm pretty sure it would be a damn successfull project. Everyone loves the Last Ninja 2 soundtrack! You just have to take a look at the number of remixes on remix.kwed. By the way, forgive me my bad interpretations of your masterpieces I did a few years ago. At that time I just was restarting creating some music after a break of 11-12 years.

If you're planning to do a rework of the Last Ninja 2 soundtrack, I'm ABSOLUTELY IN!
This would be the greatest music release since years!

As a kid at the age of 9 or 10 I recorded the whole Last Ninja 2 soundtrack by holding my ghetto blaster to my TV speaker. Afterwards I used to listen to that sound on my walkman while doing my job as a paperboy. YOU JUST CAN LOVE THIS SOUND!

@TNT: True enthusiasm

@Matt: Will back for sure!

Thanks TNT. Don't worry all the Ninja 2 tracks will be in there. It's just a question of how big the project can be within the budget. That's why I'm starting the ball rolling now with the promotion side. Glad you've had so much joy out of the Ninja 2 soundtrack.

Thanks Dr also.

Kickstarter, the Futurama scale:









Only the first one gets funded. The danger is falling into the "neat" category, where people are glad it exists, but aren't motivated enough to fund it. Kind of like a friend-zone for Kickstarters!

Hello Mr Matt Gray.
Here's another fella that just registered to this board, just to give you my support.
Would love to see a re-record of your work.

The entire collection of Last Ninja 2 songs is also my absolute favorite C64 music. It rocks!
Small anekdote: I remember playing the (game / music) as a kid at Johan Timman's studio (aka the Dutch Moog master) back in 1989.
While I was turning up the C64's volume in the next room, he was recording some synth songs in his analogue heaven studio with my dad who did the production.
Johan stood up and said: "Wow, didnt know a Commodore sounded that cool!"
It was "The Streets" playing from Matt Gray!

Anyway, just getting crazy here but how about a vinyl release?
With a lot of room for album artwork and it would make it even more epic and everlasting.

Cheers,
Jeroen

Hi Jeroen

Thanks for the support and the anecdote. Always nice to hear when another musician pricks up their ears to your work. Sounds like you had the same "problem" I had as a youngster - having your Dad's recording studio in your home. Mine was under my bedroom for 4 years. A lot of metal bands thrashing out til the early hours

Anyway thanks and please spread the word. It's gonna take a big effort on the PR front to ensure the budget get's reached on this. Chris Huelsbeck and his team pulled it off so it can be done. I remember remixing Holiday by Chris very early on in 86. I'd be chuffed to emulate his success nearly 30 years on.

BTW a vinyl version will probably be a higher pledge perk.

Matt

Good afternoon Mr. Gray!

If you have a facebook account and would like to make your way over to here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/compunetcorner/

there a quite a few names you will recognise who would be only too happy to say hello

Steve

Greetings Matt, from Matt Gray in the USA.
Glad to have discovered your post here. I'd like to say that you have some of the best, most enthusiastic fans I've seen anywhere!
I've had some inquiries in the past, folks thrilled to have found you, only to be crushed that it's not.
I'd be happy to point them your way, they'll be thrilled. I don't have any doubt that a new project from you would be well received.

All best - mg

STE86 wrote:Good afternoon Mr. Gray!

If you have a facebook account and would like to make your way over to here:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/compunetcorner/

there a quite a few names you will recognise who would be only too happy to say hello

Steve

Hi Steve. I'd love to make my way over but unfortunately Facebook suspended my account for no good reason after just one day. Initially they said it was until I gave them government ID verification, which I promptly did (despite not being happy about it) and then after reviewing it they said it was closed for good. If I didn't quite despise Mr Z before I certainly do now. They are a law unto themselves.

Please say Hi on my behalf !

Matt

nottheninja wrote:Greetings Matt, from Matt Gray in the USA.
Glad to have discovered your post here. I'd like to say that you have some of the best, most enthusiastic fans I've seen anywhere!
I've had some inquiries in the past, folks thrilled to have found you, only to be crushed that it's not.
I'd be happy to point them your way, they'll be thrilled. I don't have any doubt that a new project from you would be well received.

All best - mg

Hi also to you my American namesake !

That's cool to hear. Please feel free to direct any fans here. Hopefully everyone is up for this project succeeding.

Cheers

Matt