Happy November, listeners! I hope that it was stellar and the beautiful fall is drifting into a clear and ivory winter 
For this month’s episode, we jump into a 1995 score that made a huge impact in the VGM community, if not as a breakout hit, then as a cult classic. The game is EarthBound and its score was composed by Keiichi Suzuki and Hirokazu (”Hip”) Tanaka! So excited, can’t wait to talk with you all about it!
We also have guests on the show! The Canadian VGM jazz combo, “The Runaway Five” is on the show to talk with us about their group, their connection with EarthBound and we get to hear some of their music! To boost this concept up, our big idea is the jazz combo!
Definitely leave your comments on the post - always love hearing from you!
Have a fantastic December, see you at the end of the month
Kenley
Hey Kenley, excellent episode once again! I never actually got to play Earthbound, but I watched my older brother play it about 4 times over haha. Seem to find myself listening to each episode about 3 times to really take them in, nice work!
Oh, I totally just spotted ‘Hundreds of Voices’ in there!
Thanks again for the interview Kenley. Hopefully we’ll see you out in Jan.
This was one mother of an Into the Score episode. I think my favorite segment has to have been the comparison between Earthbound “Zero” and Earthbound tracks that share a common melody. Sometimes I wonder if I would have had the patience to play through the original title on the NES if it had been localized.
According to sources online, the translation had been finished and was ready for stores when NOA decided against releasing it. Earthbound for the SNES, despite its icky marketing campaign, was a gem, the music especially, and it was a pleasure to learn more about it on Into the Score.
Hey Kenley, really glad you did a show on Earthbound! I noticed something kind of interesting. You know the first piece you played, that I believe plays in the bar before you enter Moonside? If you listen very carefully, it sounds like a section of the US National Anthem melody was mixed into the composition. Pretty crazy!
Another great episode. I was in Jazz Band in high school and also did some jazz piano for a while, but haven’t really done anything with it lately, so it was great to delve back into the history.
Now if only Nintendo would release Mother 3 (GBA) in English… not that I’m holding my breath. (Yeah, I know there’s a ROM translation patch out there.)
It’s a pity one of the interviewees had a pretty terrible mike, but what can ya do. Fun interview anyway, and I loved their arrangements.
Hey everyone! Thanks for all of the awesome comments, I really appreciate them all! Sorry for the delayed response, life has been in overdrive lately. But alas - here I am.
@Kyle - thanks, dude! I can’t wait to check out the new FXN! It could be tonight’s project
@Brendan - no worries, man, thanks SO MUCH for being on the show! The interview with you guys was totally the highlight! I’ll try and make it out in January - no promises, but I’ll do my best
@Jeriaska - it was a mother! I’m not really sure how that happened, but all of a sudden, it was an 1:40:00… crazy! I also love the common melody thing, because we don’t often pick that up in games and it’s really cool to bring that to the forefront!
@Chris - thanks for checking out the show! I’ll have to listen for that “Star-Spangled Banner” section of which you speak
I love jazz band. When you played jazz piano, did you read off of charts or did you look at the chords and figure it out? I’m just always interested to see how other teachers do it (because I teach jazz band too!)
@Ben - ahh, jazz band
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Thanks everyone! Keep that discussion going!
Kenley
Hey Kenley -
I actually played trumpet in jazz band and took some jazz piano lessons separately as an extension of the classical piano I’d been taking for ages. Both were quite a long time ago at this point, so I don’t remember too much detail of the methods, and unfortunately I didn’t really stick with them long enough to get into serious improv work so I was mostly just reading off other people’s solos and such. I remember practicing some chord progressions and stuff, but yeah… lost to the mists of time mostly.
I never played earthbound, but this podcast was fantastic - as usual, it’s a great way to relax after a long day of work.
but where’s the next one? It’s nearly a month into the new year - I’m going crazy with the waiting! Maybe just a place-holder post and a teaser hinting at the next subject?