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The[Crafty]Gamer: Dan Bull (Generation Gaming Rap)
This week The[Crafty]Gamer features U.K. artist, Dan Bull. While seriously ill, all Bull could do was play games, which eventually sparked the idea of this comprehensive track chronicling the history of video games. Check out the post for the full story, plus listen to the track below for a trip down memory lane.
Full name: Dan Bull
Age: 24
Hometown: Bromsgrove, Worcestershire
Occupation: Freelance musician / designer
Creation: Generation of Gaming (Rap)
Tell us about the track? What’s the inspiration behind it?
I was seriously ill a couple of years ago and all I could do was sit down and play games all day, which was a really fun way to recover. I'm always coming up with lyrics and as I was gaming all day, the lyrics flying through my head were all about games. That's where the idea of making this chronological story came from.
Can you tell us how you put the track together?
A lot of gaming raps are based on quirky 8-bit music and this was such a swinging bluesy piece that I thought it'd be different enough to cut through all the others and get noticed. After that, it was a case of going on a trip down memory lane, listing all the games and consoles I've loved playing over the years, and writing rhymes that summed up why I enjoyed each one. I was given the instrumental by a producer called Devastator Sounds.
What sorts of challenges, if any, did you come across when putting the song together?
The trickiest thing was probably keeping a balance between each console I've had and treating each one fairly. I know how passionate fanboys can be about their respective consoles and I didn't want to be on the receiving end of their wrath! Even so, people still read what they want into the song and are convinced I'm promoting/dissing one console over another.
Is the track available for download anywhere?
Check it out here.
Any Web links to other work?
Most things that I make end up on YouTube - here's my channel. I'm always happy to chat or answer questions, too. The best places to reach me are Facebook or Twitter.
Anything else you’d like to add about yourself?
My aim in life is to do a song about every single thing in the history of the universe. Obviously I'm not likely to succeed, but I'm going to try my best. I have a number of epic projects in the pipeline too so keep your eyes peeled.
Will we hear more video game-themed tracks in the future?
You'll definitely hear more gaming stuff from me. Machinima just asked me to do a series of gaming videos so if you enjoyed Generation Gaming you're in for a treat.
By the way, nobody has yet managed to name every single game in the Generation Gaming video. If someone can list them all 100% accurately, I'll send them a copy of my CD. Check out the track below.
The[Crafty]Gamer has officially moved from the Editor Blogs section to the Features section. Check out our previous entry on David Stonecipher's characters of LOST/gaming crossover here. We are regularly looking for new entries, so if you'd like your work featured, please send me an e-mail to express your interest and I will follow up with details: annette@gameinformer.com.
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