Episode 616: Video Game House Bands (Patreon)

Kevin: When it comes to game music, we live in an age of riches. You can stumble across original soundtracks online, see live performances of covers in just about any genre you can think of, and handily find other performances online. Back in the mid-1980s, however, these soundtracks were just coming into their own, which in turn gave rise to an incredibly curious trend in Japan: the game company house band. These essentially served as a way for companies to promote their own games with flashy arrangements of their own music, oftentimes performed by the very people who had composed them in the first place. Joining me to talk about bands from the likes of Sega, Falcom, Data East and more are Diamond Feit and Brian Clark, showcasing their knowledge, enthusiasm, and excitement for the topic.  Sit back with a nice pair of headphones and relax as Karnov comes to town with a musical ride through a fascinating moment in time.

Edits by Greg Leahy. Art by Nick Wanserski.

• 09:53 - Haruomi Hosono: "Mappy"

• 23:49 - Blind Spot: "Outride a Crisis" | S.S.T. Band: "After Burner"

• 35:08 - Blind Spot: "Space Harrier"

• 38:19 - Zuntata: "Daddy Mulk"

• 49:30 - Zuntata: "Burning Road" | Gamadelic: "Karnov is Coming to Town"

• 59:05 - Konami Kukeiha Club: "Cross Over the Line"

• 1:06:55 - Alph Lyla: "Crimson Fist"

• 1:14:20 - Alph Lyla: "Become a Tempest" | SNK NEO Sound Orchestra: "KD-0084"

• 1:24:26 - SNK NEO Sound Orchestra: "Stone in Santana" ("A Bass Groover")

• 1:31:27 - Falcom Sound Team jdk: "To Make the End of Battle"

• 1:36:34 - ADK Sound Factory: "Zeus Sakuhin 8 Appassionato"

• 1:41:16 - The Primals: "Brute Justice Mode"

• Closing - S.S.T. Band: "Last Wave"