Tag Archives: John Drake

Harmonix said during its podcast this week that it’s working on “three and/or more” original IPs. Some are music games,some are not “full-on rhythm-action games,” according to brand management boss and comm director John Drake. “Some of them are brand new things that we created from our guts and brains here at Harmonix. Some of them are sort of like things we’re explaining the universe of. It’s not Amplitube or Frequency. I’m not talking about Rock Band 4. I’m not talking about the next Dance Central game. I’m talking about new, crazy stuff.”
The has over 20 job listings posted on its site, and Drake said the “overwhelming majority,” are for “unannounced AAA projects that are new IP.” Thanks, Polygon.

With Harmonix breaking off from MTV Games, did you think there’d be any issues with music licensing for Rock Band or Dance Central from here on out? Doesn’t sound like there will be.

More »

It really doesn’t get any clearer than that.

More »

The things I do for you. Truly.

More »

Harmonix PR John Drake has assured that Viacom’s just-announced sale of the firm won’t impact support of its current properties.

More »

Harmonix’s John Drake has told Joystiq that side projects done by members of The Beatles will not be included in the Rock Band game for the band.

However, that doesn’t mean songs created during the solo careers won’t be featured as DLC for the original game.

“The design team really focused on The Beatles: Rock Band being about the four guys,” he told the site. “It’s about the lives and times of these four individuals playing together and the joy that came from the music they made.

“So you won’t see session players, you won’t see the families because it was hard to see where the line would be drawn. I know our creative and executive team spent a lot of time with Apple trying to say, “Do you include Eric Clapton’s solo, or Billy Preston’s keyboard stuff?” So instead, we just made it about those four guys.

“But it is about the defined part of their career, so you probably won’t see Ringo’s solo career, or Wings, or John Lennon’s or George’s songs. It’s going to be just the four Beatles playing together. It doesn’t mean we won’t see any of those songs in Rock Band, or something along those lines.”

More through the link.

Thanks, GoNintendo.

Speaking to Gamespot, Rock Band lead designer Dan Teasdale given some hints at just how much work’s been involved in getting Apple Corp to an announcement stage of the newly confirmed Beatles game. Sounds as though it hasn’t been easy.

“We started the process about 17 months ago, so it’s great to finally talk about it,” he said.

Harmonix PR chap John Drake added: “We’ve been in talks with them for a very, very, long time.

“[Apple Corps CEO] Jeff Jones was saying that they respected and appreciated what Harmonix does creatively for rhythm games… being pioneers in the field, bringing the full band experience, and we, of course, are colossal fans of the Beatles so there’s not too much to think about why it’s a great deal.”

Time isn’t an issue when you’re aiming this high, said Teasdale, who appeared to be “quite pleased” at the signing.

“The Beatles are amazing,” he said. “To make it clear, this isn’t a Rock Band game, this is a new experience for the Beatles. It’s a way to experience the Beatles’ music, it’s a way to bring this to a whole new audience as well as people who are huge fans of the Beatles.

“From our end it’s amazing… The Beatles are the biggest band in the world. They’re music legends, and to be able to bring that experience to everyone is a great honour.”

The game’s out next year. More through the link.