Three Things About San Francisco
1) The Game Developers Conference is going on here this week, and Portal won Game of the Year, Best Game Design, and the Innovation Award – all well deserved. It’s an awesome game, and I’m proud to have been a small part of it. But I’m a little surprised it didn’t get Best Writing (which went to BioShock instead). As I’ve said many times, the song only works as well as it does because of the expertly constructed and subtly conveyed character of GLaDOS, who was given voice by the incredibly talented Erik Wolpaw and Chet Faliszek. If there was a Jonathan Coulton award, they would have won that one this year, I’ll tell you what.
2) I played a short set at the Valve party last night, which closed with me playing “Still Alive” in the game Rock Band with a bunch of Harmonix folks. Yeah, it WAS awesome, you’re right. Plus I got 95% accuracy on the vocals. I guess the secret is out now – the song is going to be available for download in the game sometime in the future (don’t ask when because I don’t know).
3) I can’t remember the other thing. I’m so tired. Oh right, I was on CNET Live today and that was pretty awesome too – they even gave me burritos to eat! If you missed it when it was live, watch it here. Everyone here on the west coast is so nice and their burritos so tasty, maybe I don’t really hate California at all. Maybe I love California.
I’m not just saying that because I have a show here tomorrow night. OK, maybe I am.
NY Times Bloggage
My friend Darin Strauss, who was in a band with me once, and who played the solo on “De-Evolving,” and who is now a famous author, has honored me by including my song in his list of what he’s listening to, posted this week on the NY Times books blog. As it turns out, he’s also a pretty good music writer (with excellent taste).
Not for nothing, but his new, fantastic book is called “More Than it Hurts You” and it comes out in June.
Did I Mention I Need Camera People?
Oh yeah, I did. I’ve gotten a few responses (thank you), but not the overwhelming chorus of thousands I was hoping for. So just a reminder, if you’re coming to the show and you are willing to bring a DV camera and shoot some footage for possible inclusion on the DVD, please send me an email right away. The DVD people have some secret plans and ideas they’d like to discuss with you. Thank you internet (again)!
Yahoo News – How to Become a Rock Star
Yahoo news has just posted a great little video piece about me – there’s some concert footage in there mixed with interviews, me walking around the hood, working in my studio. The whole thing is cleverly done as if I am an actual musician (they fell for it!). The fabulous “jumping in the air at the end of a concert” shot is my favorite. They also use the phrase “Godfather of Geek Rock,” which is pretty awesome, though really it might be more accurate to say I’m the “second cousin” or the “weird uncle.” At any rate, watch and enjoy, and thank you Yahoo News: http://potw.news.yahoo.com/s/potw/61785/how-to-become-a-rock-star
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