Music Trivia #02

Remember that post?
Here's another look at some more gaming music and its inspiration!

Still using this Sonic artwork from Yuji Uekawa, at least until I draw something myself :P

This time, let's check some little random "coincidences".

The music director at the studio Treyarch seems to like the cult classic from Interplay, Earthworm Jim.
Or just the use of classical music that Tommy Tallarico (music composer) played around with in both originals Earthworm Jim games.

Earthworm Jim is well known for it's wacky universe; visually, gameplay-wise and musically.

Some of its most remembered tracks aren't in fact the original ones Tallarico composed but the rearrangement of classical music EWJ used in it's more crazy levels:


Here's a link to the music without sound effects.

Due to his cartoony aspect, EWJ used a lot of classical "copyright-free" music. Much like the Looney Tunes, Animaniacs, etc..

Somehow, the music director at Treyarch, Michael McCuistion from what I've read, thought a classical music in a Spider-man game a pretty logical idea:



At the time I thought... hey! That kinda remembers me of how EWJ used classical music for its score!
Maybe a coincidence, right?
Afterall, why couldn't both games use "Funiculì funiculà" from Luigi Denza.

But it's more usual for cartoons than videogames anyway! And specially not a game from 2002 like "Spider-man 2: the movie: the videogame".
Maybe, as a game composer, Treyarch's music director could be influenced by Tallarico, right?

Then, I recently played Spider-man Web of Shadows. Which started pretty much like this:



Geez! Where did I hear "Moonlight Sonata" from Beethoven in a game previously?


Sound effect-less here!

Oh! This can't be a coincidence no more?!

I still haven't tried the Spider-man 3 videogame, that other one inspired by the 3rd movie.
I will probably at some point, if I find it pretty cheap.
But I'm pretty sure I'll find another classical music which already appeard in EWJ 1 or 2.

See, Tommy Tallarico is actually a well established cult videogame composer (and co-creator of the musical event Video Games Live) from western gaming.
And maybe, just maybe, he may have been an inspiration for Treyarch's music composer (career and music style) and he has been leaving little easter eggs here and there.

Who knows...?!

Until next time~