Tommy Tallarico Interview
Interview by Bill “The Game Doctor” Kunkel

Q: Have to start with the question everyone always asks me: Do you still have the gold lame' suit?

A: Yep. Sure do! It’s hanging in my closet… helps to provide light! I haven’t put in on since the mid 90’s but it still keeps me amused so I keep it around. Maybe someday we can retire it to a video game museum or something… or better yet… maybe they should just bury me in it! hehhehehee

The funny thing about the Elvis gold lame jacket is that it was a total spoof gag that I did when I had left Virgin Games in the early 90’s in hopes to grab some marketing attention for my new audio company (Tommy Tallarico Studios). As you’ll remember, back then the industry was a much different place. During that time there were a lot of “suits” running around… no crazy looking developers or artists at these events, no Postal booth babes (yet), etc. It was a funny way to call some marketing attention to myself and REALLY stick out in a crowd. So I dressed up 17 bodyguards, strippers & midgets in funny costumes and had them surround me and follow me around the first E3. It really worked like a charm and 15 years later people will still ask me about. Pretty funny.

Q: How long have you been in the business? I recall meeting you through my friends at Virgin Interactive shortly after you started there -- wasn't that your first game gig?

A: Yeah. It’s been 18 years for me. I moved out to California in 1990. All by myself with no money, job, friends, family, etc. Left my mom, dad & brother (who now work for me) worried and crying on the doorstep. When I arrived in California I was homeless and living under the pier at Huntington Beach. But the first there I picked up a newspaper and got a job selling keyboards at Guitar Center. On my first day of work I wore a TurboGraphix 16 t-shirt and the very first person who walked into the store was Seth Mendlesohn who was a producer at Virgin. He saw my t-shirt and we started talking games. I was then introduced to Dr. Stephen Clarke-Wilson who was running development and within a few days I was hired as the very first game tester at Virgin. I would bug him everyday to allow me to do music & sound for the games. Told him he didn’t even need to pay me for it. The first few games I did the audio for were the original Prince of Persia & Global Gladitors which I was fortunate enough to win audio awards for (thank you Andy Eddy!) so they made me the full time audio guy.

Kind of a crazy story but hopefully it helps to demonstrate that people should never give up and always follow their dreams.

Q: What's the favorite thing you've done in terms of musical game composition?

A: I really enjoyed the work I did for Earthworm Jim 1 & 2. It was such a fun project and close-knit team (we had also done Global Gladiators, Cool Spot and Aladdin together). But from strictly a musical and compositional standpoint I would probably say Advent Rising where I got to write as if it were Italian Opera. We used a 72 piece professional Hollywood union orchestra, 60 person adult & childrens choir (as well as some people from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir).

Q: Why hasn't the market for game-based music taken off in North America the way it has in, say, Japan?

A: Strictly because they have been doing it and appreciating it longer. The audience over in Japan has really enjoyed game music and taken it seriously for over 20 years. And lets face it, some of the greatest game music was written over there during that time (Mario, Zelda, Sonic, etc.). As the quality continues to get better, the U.S. is quickly catching up. The game market over here releases around 30 – 40 game soundtrack a year now! Game soundtracks like Halo are selling in the hundreds of thousands and even reaching the Billboard Top 100 chart. One of my goals from the beginning has always been to show how culturally significant and artistic video game music has become. I think one thing that is a good testament of this happening is my Video Games Live concerts selling out all over America as well as the rest of the world.

Video games in general (over in Japan) have already evolved into their mainstream culture. In the U.S. were starting to get really close but are still probably another 5 – 10 years away from having games be on the same cultural level as say films & television. The reality is that most EVERYONE in America goes to the movies or watches television… but in terms of gaming… its more of the 45 and under crowd who are really into it. As those 45 year olds start becoming grandparents and hitting 60… they won’t stop playing games and it will fully evolve into our culture over here.

Fragging with grandma… fun times ahead!

Q: How do the game composers like yourself feel about the increasing use of pre-existing pop songs in game as opposed to original scores?

A: I think it’s great and it brings yet another level of legitimacy to our industry. The reality is that licensed music will always only have its place in certain games. Sports, driving, etc. But Mario, Zelda, etc. will never have an all licensed soundtrack. Similar to films… Licensed music is used and sometimes it works great with the original score (The Matrix for example). But you’ll never get a licensed score for Raiders of the Lost Ark or Star Wars. It has its place, and when used properly, really compliments the game. I remember when I was working on the first Tony Hawk game. They asked me if I wanted to create original music for the game. I said I’d rather license pre-existing tunes that would speak to the skater world. Not just have me rip-off some punk & ska tunes… so we decided to go right to the sources and get the real stuff. I worked on great for us.

Q: What inspired you and Jack Wall to start this incredible ball  rolling? And did you initially expect it to be ongoing, or was this  just planned as a one or two-shot deal?

A: We started Video Games Live because we wanted to prove to the world how artistic and culturally significant video games (and their music) have become. This is why we created the show the way we did… LOTS of visuals, fun, excitement, interactivity etc. We wanted it to be a celebration of the video game industry. Not just a symphony on stage dressed in tuxedos playing game music. Because of all these visual aspects and the way we present the show, it attracts a non-gaming and mainstream crowd as well as gamers. Our goal is to put on a “show” and have it be an “experience”, not just a classical style symphony recital.

In the very very beginning we were initially thinking we were just going to do just one show a year at the Hollywood Bowl. Maybe get it televised, sell the DVD’s and CD’s, etc. But once we saw the interest and potential from all around the world, we decided we need to figure out a way to “get this show on the road” (pun intended!).

Q: What was the first performance of VGL like? In what ways do you feel the extended run has improved the show?

A: Quite honestly (and I’ve never told anyone this before)… right before I was about to go on for the very first show I was crying in my dressing room. It had been a very stressful couple of months putting it all together (although it had taken us 3 years of hard work to get to that moment). We had over 11,000 people waiting for us and not knowing what it was all about. The worlds media and press was there. I started thinking… if we screw this up it’s really going to look bad for our industry. We had never done anything like this before and really didn’t know what the heck was going to happen. I had never done anything this big in my life in fact. And certainly not live. I’ve always felt comfortable doing my TV shows knowing that if I screwed up… we could just do another take. But live performance is a lot different and a completely new and unique approach. You need to have back-up plans for your back-up plans. I think at that moment I realize… Shit! We don’t have ANY back-up plans for ANYTHING! I just looked in mirror and said… “Fuck it! Rock ‘n Roll!” And before every show (we’ve performed over 50 the past 3 years and are doing 60 performances in 2008) I say the same exact phrase to Jack every night before we hit the stage.

Q: I wanna thank you, Tommy, as an old friend whose work I respect 
tremendously and who has been running with scissors, metaphorically 
or otherwise, for as long as I know you. Not for nothing, but that's 
how you stay on the cutting edge, right?

A: Absolutely!

“Fuck it! Rock ‘n Roll!” J

--Interview by Bill “The Game Doctor” Kunkel