Patrick Phelan (composer)
Encyclopedia
Patrick "Pat" Phelan is a respected veteran video game audio composer
, manager
, and producer.
. He learnt how to programme and began to write games. At age 13, he got his first synthesizer
, a Korg MS20 and learning how to program the MS20’s patch bay gave him his grounding in understanding the fundamentals of sound synthesis.
A few years later, he was bought a Commodore 64
. Soon there was a confluence between his gaming obsession his love for sound and music. Influenced by Rob Hubbard
and Ben Daglish
, Phelan began to write music specifically for games. When he progressed to the Atari ST
, Phelan began collecting keyboards and using the ST's built-in MIDI connectors, started to sequence
complex arrangements, classical scores as well as audio for high-powered games.
In the early 1990s, Phelan joined Gremlin Graphics, and was involved in the development of Zool
. Later on, he took on other responsibilities and managed the audio department before eventually moving into more senior creative roles.
Phelan left to set up Full Circle where he provided audio solutions for games, music for TV, consultancy and games design services. His clients included Infogrames, Climax, Headfirst and The BBC.
in 2005 he now works as an Executive Producer.
Phelan, a member of TIGA (The Independent Game developers Association) and Gamerepublic (an Independent Trade Alliance), lives in England.
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
, manager
Talent manager
A talent manager, also known as an artist manager or band manager, is an individual or company who guides the professional career of artists in the entertainment industry...
, and producer.
Background
At the age of 11, Phelan's parents presented him with a Commodore VIC-20Commodore VIC-20
The VIC-20 is an 8-bit home computer which was sold by Commodore Business Machines. The VIC-20 was announced in 1980, roughly three years after Commodore's first personal computer, the PET...
. He learnt how to programme and began to write games. At age 13, he got his first synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, a Korg MS20 and learning how to program the MS20’s patch bay gave him his grounding in understanding the fundamentals of sound synthesis.
A few years later, he was bought a Commodore 64
Commodore 64
The Commodore 64 is an 8-bit home computer introduced by Commodore International in January 1982.Volume production started in the spring of 1982, with machines being released on to the market in August at a price of US$595...
. Soon there was a confluence between his gaming obsession his love for sound and music. Influenced by Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard
Rob Hubbard is a music composer best known for his composition of computer game theme music, especially for microcomputers of the 1980s such as the Commodore 64...
and Ben Daglish
Ben Daglish
Ben Daglish is a composer and musician. His parents moved to Sheffield when Daglish was aged one year old. He is known for creating many soundtracks during the 1980s for home computer games, including Commodore 64 hits as The Last Ninja, Trap, and Deflektor...
, Phelan began to write music specifically for games. When he progressed to the Atari ST
Atari ST
The Atari ST is a home/personal computer that was released by Atari Corporation in 1985 and commercially available from that summer into the early 1990s. The "ST" officially stands for "Sixteen/Thirty-two", which referred to the Motorola 68000's 16-bit external bus and 32-bit internals...
, Phelan began collecting keyboards and using the ST's built-in MIDI connectors, started to sequence
Music sequencer
The music sequencer is a device or computer software to record, edit, play back the music, by handling note and performance information in several forms, typically :...
complex arrangements, classical scores as well as audio for high-powered games.
In the early 1990s, Phelan joined Gremlin Graphics, and was involved in the development of Zool
Zool
Zool is a video game originally produced for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics in 1992.Zool was intended as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. It was heavily hyped upon its initial release, including being bundled with the newly launched Amiga 1200, although not the AGA version with enhanced...
. Later on, he took on other responsibilities and managed the audio department before eventually moving into more senior creative roles.
Phelan left to set up Full Circle where he provided audio solutions for games, music for TV, consultancy and games design services. His clients included Infogrames, Climax, Headfirst and The BBC.
Games developed
Some of the games Phelan helped develop include:- Doctor Who The Adventure Games
- Outrun Online Arcade
- Disney's A Christmas Carol
- New International Track and Field
- Driver 78
- Spooks
- Micro MachinesMicro Machines (video games)Micro Machines is a series of computer and video games featuring toy cars, developed by Codemasters and published on several platforms Micro Machines is a series of computer and video games featuring toy cars, developed by Codemasters and published on several platforms Micro Machines is a series of...
- Slam Tennis
- Alone in the DarkAlone in the Dark (video game)Alone in the Dark is a 1992 survival horror video game developed by Infogrames. The game has spawned several sequels as part of the Alone in the Dark series , and was one of the first survival horror games, after the 1989 Capcom game, Sweet Home...
- Shadow FighterShadow Fighter (computer game)Shadow Fighter is a computer game for the Commodore Amiga, and Amiga CD32 developed by NA.P.S. team and published by Gremlin Interactive in 1994, and became one of the Amiga's best beat 'em up offerings during its final years, competing at the time with the likes of Acclaim's impressive home...
- UEFA Challenge
- Motorhead
- N2O Nitros Oxide
- Soulbringer
- PGA European TourPGA European Tour (computer game)PGA European Tour is a golf game for the Nintendo 64 and Amiga CD32 consoles; it was released in 2000 and 1995 respectively.,The Game Will Eventually Come Out On Wii Virtual Console In 2012....
- Hardwar
- Top Gear 2Top Gear 2Top Gear 2 was the sequel to the 1992 game Top Gear, released on January 1, 1993 for the Super NES, May 24, 1994 for the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive and in 1994 for Amiga...
- Actua SoccerActua SoccerActua Soccer is a football video game series that was developed by Gremlin Interactive as part of their Actua Sports series, and was the first football game to use full 3D graphics...
Series - Judge DreddJudge DreddJudge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
- Fox Sports Golf '99
- Realms of the Haunting
- Fightbox
- NormalityNormality (video game)Normality is a 3D graphical adventure game, released in June 1996 by Gremlin Interactive. All cut-scenes in the game are pre-rendered. The game's engine was later used in the game Realms of the Haunting.-Plot:...
- Sand Warriors
- LoadedLoaded (video game)Loaded is a science fiction-themed top-down shoot 'em up video game that was developed by Gremlin Interactive and published by Interplay. Loaded was released in late 1995–early 1996 on both the PlayStation and Sega Saturn...
- Actua Ice HockeyActua Ice HockeyActua Ice Hockey is an ice hockey video game series composed by two games released in 1998 and 1999, part of Gremlin's Actua Sports series, released for Windows PCs and the PlayStation....
series - Hog's of War
- Slipstream 5000Slipstream 5000Slipstream 5000 is a computer game for the PC, published by Gremlin Interactive in April 1995, and developed by The Software Refinery - better known for Hardwar....
- WhiplashFatal RacingFatal Racing, known as Whiplash in the USA, is a 3D stunt car racing game developed by Gremlin Interactive and published in 1995 for the MS-DOS OS.Fatal Racing can be considered to be a hybrid of Stunts and Destruction Derby...
- UtopiaUtopia (computer game)Utopia: The Creation of a Nation is a strategy video game. It was developed by Celestial Software and published by Gremlin Graphics , in 1991 for Amiga, Atari ST and MS-DOS. It was later released for the Super NES in 1993, by Jaleco in the USA...
- K240K240K240 is a real-time strategy computer game developed by Gremlin Graphics Software Ltd in 1994 for the Amiga. It is a sequel to 1991 Amiga game Utopia: The Creation of a Nation.-Story:...
- Fragile AllegianceFragile AllegianceFragile Allegiance is an open-ended 4X real-time strategy game from Gremlin Interactive, released in 1996 for MS-DOS and Windows 95. The game begins on May 25, 2496 as the player begins their employment with TetraCorp who have set up a new asteroid mining franchise operation in the Fragmented...
- Retribution
- Litil Divil
- LotusLotus (computer games)The Lotus series consists of three racing computer games based around the Lotus brand, released between 1990 and 1992 on various formats.. Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge, Lotus Turbo Challenge 2, and Lotus III: The Ultimate Challenge were developed by Magnetic Fields and published by Gremlin...
series - ZoolZoolZool is a video game originally produced for the Amiga by Gremlin Graphics in 1992.Zool was intended as a rival to Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog. It was heavily hyped upon its initial release, including being bundled with the newly launched Amiga 1200, although not the AGA version with enhanced...
- Premier ManagerPremier ManagerPremier Manager is the name of a football management video game series started in 1992. Published by Gremlin Interactive, it was first developed by Realms of Fantasy, later passed to Spanish company Dinamic Software...
series
Current status
Phelan joined Sumo DigitalSumo Digital
Sumo Digital Ltd. is an independent game development studio based in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Set up in 2003 following the closure of Infogrames Studios Sheffield/Gremlin Interactive...
in 2005 he now works as an Executive Producer.
Phelan, a member of TIGA (The Independent Game developers Association) and Gamerepublic (an Independent Trade Alliance), lives in England.
External links
- Patrick Phelan Developer BIO at Moby GamesMobyGames-Platforms not yet included:- Further reading :* Rusel DeMaria, Johnny L. Wilson, High Score!: The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill/Osborne Media; 2 edition , ISBN 0-07-223172-6...
- Full Circle Audio
- Artist profile at OverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMixOverClocked ReMix, also known as OC ReMix and OCR, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and paying tribute to video game music through arranging and re-interpreting the songs with new technology and software, as well as by various traditional means...
- Reverbnation Page