Wir hatten die Chance mit dem ehemaligen Rare Ware Komponisten Grant Kirkhope einige Worte zu wechseln. Hierbei spricht der inzwischen nach Los Angeles ausgewanderte Schotte über seine Zeit bei Rare und seine Karriere.

GentleGamer: Hello Mr. Kirkhope, first of all thanks again for your help and time. I would like to know a few things regarding your carrier. When did you realize that you want to compose music for videogames?

Grant Kirkhope: I didn’t really, being a composer of any kind was furthest from my mind. I’d written some songs for the metal bands I’d played for but never anything more than that.

GentleGamer: How did you got your job at Rare Ware?

Grant Kirkhope: My good friend Robin Beanland was solely responsible for my working at Rare. We knew each other from playing in rock bands in our local area, he was always writing tunes that he thought would suit video games.

He applied to Rare and got a job there and was immediately working on Killer Instinct arcade machine. About a year and a half after he started he suggested that I had a go at writing music for games and recommended some equipment for me to buy and I made a start. I sent five cassette tapes to Rare over the course of a year and never got a reply and then out of the blue I got a letter asking me to attend an interview and to my surprise they offered me a job!

GentleGamer: What was your reason to leave Rare Ware back then?

Grant Kirkhope: That’s a tough one. I wasn’t happy at Rare anymore, I had so many good friends there but I just wasn’t enjoying it like I used to. My last two projects there were “Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise” and “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts” and it just seemed like that was a good time to leave, doing that Banjo game was like I’d come full circle. It was a very sad time for me then, it broke my heart to leave.

GentleGamer: Are you still in contact with some (ex) Rare employees?

Grant Kirkhope: Of course, there aren’t too many people left there that I know now but I still stay in contact with them, I always will.

GentleGamer: What was your reason to leave England?

Grant Kirkhope: My wife and I had always vacationed in the USA as we really liked it and always thought it would be worth a shot at trying to live and work there. When the opportunity at Big Huge Games came up we decided to make the jump and give it a go.

GentleGamer: Any plans for the future?

Grant Kirkhope: Lots! I’ve just been signed to the Gorfaine/Schwartz agency which I’m incredibly excited about. My dream is to hopefully have the opportunity to score a movie … fingers crossed!

GentleGamer: David Wise is working on the “Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze” soundtrack, would you like to work on some old franchises or any franchise as well?

Grant Kirkhope: Yes, from what I’ve heard so far Dave has done a fantastic job! I’d love to work on some old franchises, if they ever make “Banjo Threeie” count me in !!!

GentleGamer: Thank you very much for your time Grant, we wish you good luck with your upcoming projects.

Daniel Vetter

Passionierter Videospieler seit dem dritten Lebensjahr. Angefangen mit dem Nintendo Entertainment System zog sich die Leidenschaft bis ins Erwachsenenalter. Heute als PR-Manager, freier Redner und Texter unterwegs. Zu den Lieblingsreihen gehören Metroid, Smash Bros, Super Mario und Halo 1-3.