The 'Musicians of Harmonix'

[HyeJinx1984]

We've heard over and over that Harmonix is primarily made up of musicians, but are they all necessarily Rock musicians? The Rock genre is certainly best suited for a rhythm game, at least with the controllers we've been getting since Guitar Hero 1. However are there any R&B, Electronica, World Music, Jazz or other sorts of musicians at the company? After all Frequency and Amplitude were not only Rock based, and Phase let's you play ANY kind of song on your iPod. Are we only seeing one side of HMX because of Guitar Hero/Rock Band?

[Mister_Derp]

Well we know about Freezepop

[schmeankman]

Well we know about Freezepop
Yeah, they pretty much cover the "electronica" section.

Anyway, this is an intresting question.

[HMXDungHeaver]

There are certainly many different types of music represented at the company. Here's an excerpt from Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harmonix)with some information about the bands:

"Due to the nature of titles developed by Harmonix, a large percentage of staff members are well-known in the Boston and US music scene. These include:

* Kasson Crooker and Sean Roche, members of the band Freezepop.
* Jason Kendall, lead singer of the band The Amazing Crowns.
* Ben Carr, member of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
* Daniel Sussman, member of The Acro-Brats.
* Eric Brosius, Terri Brosius and Greg LoPiccolo, former members of Tribe.
* Bryn Bennett, co-founder and lead guitarist in Bang Camaro
* Keith Smith, singer/ guitarist for Anarchy Club, and former singer for C60.
* Dan Schmidt, vocalist and guitarist in Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives.
* Helen McWilliams, Elena Siegman and 'Leanne', members of Vagiant.
* Izzy "Sparks" Maxwell, member of Count Zero, Anarchy Club and Death of the Cool.
* Naoko Takamoto, also known as Plural and a member of That Handsome Devil.
* Ryan Lesser, Jason Kendall, Brian Gibson and Paul Lyons, members of Megasus.
* Brian Gibson of Lightning Bolt and Megasus.
* Phil Beaudreau and Johannes "Rash" Raasina, members of the band Shaimus.
* Ryan Lesser, Dare Matheson, Matt Gilpin, and Jason Warburg, members of The Gert Jonnys.
* Dan Teasdale, Chris Foster, Mike Verrette and Kelly Scott, members of Speck.
* Pete Maguire, is a member of inter:sect.
* Geoff Pitsch, Dan Brakeley, Devon Newsom, and John Eskew, members of Father Octopus.
* Scott Sinclair, member of the Model Sons.
* Aaron DeMuth, member of Libyans.
* Jeff Allen, part of Breaking Wheel (Artillery in Guitar Hero) and Death Of The Cool
* Adam Arrigo, John Drake, Jon Carter and Matt Boch, members of Blanks. and The Main Drag [10][11]
* Kurt Davis, frontman for The Konks"


EDIT: I haven't verified everyone on the list above, but the vast majority is definitely correct. Some of them may have left the company since the entry on wikipedia.

[blackplastic22]

We don't exactly know but listening to the Bonus Tour on RB1, no.

[HyeJinx1984]

I think I read somewhere that Sean plays the Sax right?

[afterstasis]

brian gibson hasn't moved from providence to boston, has he?
i used to be in touch with him, but haven't seen or heard from him in almost three years.

[erickOnasis412]

The Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Sweet! I didn't know one of the members worked at Harmonix.

But this is a really great question.

Hopefully Sean or somebody else can let us know. I'd love to know if any of the Harmonix guys are into hip hop or R&B, and what exactly they've done? I produce hip hop/R&B, as well as play drums in a local rock band me and my friends started - so I'd love to know if any of the HMX guys also do some production (since I know they already do alot of rock stuff) and see what kindof stuff they've done.

[bitrunner]

Well... that explains why the Bonus songs are pushed on the title and in the tutorials... (God if I have to hear 29 Fingers one more time...)

[CCDaDon]

I think I read somewhere that Sean plays the Sax right?

No you read that wrong its "Sean is the sex" :D

[HMXJohnD]

A bunch of us are involved in different musical projects and, more importantly, a ton of us DJ. While most of us are in rock BANDS when it comes to bands (cause, frankly, most bands are of the rock variety), I've played jazz for 12-13 years, and I know a lot of other people have dabbled in other areas (Eran, our co-founder, is a sick clarinetist, for example).

Basically, we're musicians: we might focus in one area, but a ton of us are really well-rounded and are competent at other styles. And, more importantly, we all dig all kinds of music (except for HMXJohnlok, he only likes Boston. on a loop).

ROCK!
JD

[HMXJohnD]

Sorry, to clarify, I said "more importantly, a ton of us DJ" not because it's more important (poor phrasing), but because through DJing a lot of us get involved and show our appreciation of the styles you mentioned above (electronica, world music, r&b, hip-hop) without necessarily performing them.

But yeah. we love music. That list above is BY NO MEANS comprehensive...Matt Levitt (another member of The Main Drag at HMX now) is a sick classical violinist. STRINGS AND WOODWINDS, WHAT??? :)

[HMXDungHeaver]

Eran, our co-founder, is a sick clarinetist, for example.

QFT. I've seen Eran tearing it up on clarinet in the star chamber (awesome room at the HMX office).

[sandswipe]

Eran, our co-founder, is a sick clarinetist, for example

I THOUGHT I remembered seeing a couple of clarinets and a sax or two during the (absurdly long) credits. I remember I was reading a blog or something while they scrolled past, glancing over at the employee pictures every once in a while, and a couple of people held instruments that had absolutely nothing to do with rock, which stuck out to me even though it makes complete sense.

As a poorly trained trombonist myself, I can say that you definitely have an audience for a Jazz Band sequel to Rock Band. Come on HMX, we want to croon and swoon! Get us a sax and piano controller so we can tear it up some Coltrane, Cannonball Adderley, Sinatra, Darin, Keith Jarrett- too many great jazz people to even start listing.




Didn't I read an interview a while back that said that before you started Guitar Hero, you were considering doing some kind of hiphop/DJ game? I can't stand almost every single rap song I've ever heard, but if it was HMX developed I might have to give it a rent.

[HyeJinx1984]

Sweet, thanks for the info!

(I think I win record for most HMX posts within two pages ;) )

[wrldindstries302]

Holy **** a member of Lightning Bolt works for Harmonix?!?! That's awesome!

...any word on a new album?

[Onslaught_fei]

Megasus?!?! MEGASUS?! I want a track now!

And someone from Artillery, the Danish thrash band? No ****ing way.