Rod Abernethy: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|American guitarist, songwriter, and composer}}

[[Image:RodAbernethy3.jpg|frame|right|'''Rod Abernethy''']]

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2025}}

'''Rod Abernethy''' is known throughout Europe, Asia and the Americas for his cutting-edge approach to music composition for video games, television and film. His work spans a vast range of styles, as heard in his creation of award winning scores for EA, Midway, Vivendi/Universal, Sony, Ubisoft, Bethesda/Paramount, Disney/THQ, Activision, Konami, Majesco, Sony, NC Soft, Namco and Nintendo.

{{Infobox musical artist

Rod has more than 65 video games to his credit including RAGE, TERA, EA’s science fiction [[survival horror]] opus and the critically acclaimed Dead Space, Alpha Protocol, The Wheelman, Blacksite: Area 51, Star Trek Legacy, Blazing Angels, and Dead Head Fred. Rod’s score for The Hobbit won G.A.N.G.’s Best Soundtrack of the Year Award in 2003.

| name = Rod Abernethy

| image = Rod-abernethy-jc.jpg

| caption = Abernethy performing live in Raleigh, NC

| birth_date =

| birth_place =

| occupation = Songwriter, guitarist, composer

| years_active = 1975–present

| current_member_of = [[Arrogance (band)|Arrogance]]

| instrument = Guitar, vocals

| genre = Acoustic, folk, video game music

| website = [https://www.rodabernethyguitar.com rodabernethyguitar.com]

}}

Using a powerful blend of orchestral and modern scoring techniques, Rod has received international critical acclaim and endorsements from Computer Music, IGN, GameSpot, Music4Games and Film Score Magazine. During his prolific music career he has recorded for industry giants Warner Bros., Elektra, Atlantic, MCA Records and collaborated with legendary producers Paul Rothchild (The Doors, Bonnie Raitt), John Anthony (Genesis, Roxy Music, Queen) and David Lord (Peter Gabriel, Tears for Fears, The Pretenders).

'''Rod Abernethy''' is a performing songwriter, guitarist, and composer. His music has been used as scores for [[EA]], [[Midway Games|Midway]], [[Vivendi]], [[Universal Pictures|Universal]], [[Sony]], [[Ubisoft]], [[Bethesda Softworks|Bethesda]], [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]], [[Disney]], [[THQ]], [[Activision]], [[Konami]], [[Majesco Entertainment]], [[NC Soft]], [[Namco]] and [[Nintendo]].

Currently, Rod is composing for id software’s new post-apocalyptic action shooter, RAGE. He serves on the Board of Directors of G.A.N.G. [http://www.audiogang.org/ G.A.N.G.] (The Game Audio Network Guild) and has been a featured speaker at the Game Developer’s Conference in San Jose, CA.

Abernethy first appeared on the public landscape with a 1975 LP ''Solo'', produced by [[Don Dixon (musician)|Don Dixon]] from the North Carolina band [[Arrogance (band)|Arrogance]]. He later joined Arrogance as lead guitarist,<ref>{{cite web|first=Philip van |last=Vleck |url=http://www.arrogance.us/articles/back4more.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060716003221/http://www.arrogance.us/articles/back4more.htm |archive-date=July 16, 2006 |title=Legendary Rockers Unite|url-status=usurped |accessdate=July 16, 2019}}</ref> staying with the band through their releases ''Suddenly'' (Warner Brothers,1980) and ''Lively'' (1981). He eventually left Arrogance before the recording of the unreleased, at the time, ''The 5'11" Record'' (1982) to pursue a solo music career composing for films, TV, and video games.<ref name = "Soundiron Interview">{{cite web |first=Jan |last=Hoeglund |title=Rod Abernethy |url=https://soundiron.com/pages/rod-abernethy |website=soundiron.com |accessdate=July 16, 2019}}</ref><ref name = "VGMO Interview">{{cite web |first=Chris |last=Greening |title=Rod Abernethy Interview: Career Highlights Past and Present |url=http://www.vgmonline.net/rodabernethyinterview/ |website=vgmonline.net |date=October 2011 |accessdate=July 16, 2019}}</ref>

==Prominent works==

* '''[[RAGE]]''' id Software/Bethesda

* '''[[Despicable Me]]''' D3 Publisher/Vicious Cycle Software

* '''[[Earth Defense Force-Insect Armageddon]]''' D3 Publisher/Vicious Cycle Software

* '''[[TERA]]''' Bluehole Studios/Korea

* '''[[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space]]''' Electronic Arts

* '''[[Wheelman]]''' Midway/Ubisoft

* '''[[Darksiders]]''' Promotional Trailer/THQ

* '''[[Mad Karts of Madagascar]]''' Activision

* '''[[Eat Lead]]''' D3Publisher

* '''[[Alpha Protocol]]''' Obsidian/Sega

* '''[[Transformers Animated (video game)|Transformers Animated]]''' Activision

* '''[[The Wheelman]]''' Midway/Ubisoft

* '''[[Dead Head Fred]]''' D3Publisher

* '''[[Hour of Victory]]''' Midway

* '''[[Horsez]]''' Ubisoft

* '''[[Star Trek: Encounters]]''' Bethesda/Paramount

* '''[[The Hobbit (Vivendi Game)|The Hobbit]]''' Vivendi Universal Games/Sierra Entertainment

* '''[[Blazing Angels]]''' Ubisoft

* '''[[Lineage II|Lineage II, Scions of Destiny]]''' Promotional Trailer/NC Soft

* '''[[Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows]]''' Midway

* '''[[Rayman Raving Rabbids]]''' Ubisoft

* '''Marvel Universe''' Konami

* '''[[Flushed Away (video game)|Flushed Away]]''' D3Publishing of America

* '''Zathura''' Take 2 Interactive

* '''[[Warhawk (PlayStation 3 game)|Warhawk]]''' Promotional Trailers/SCEA

* '''[[Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War]]''' Stainless Steel Studios

* '''[[Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones]]''' Promotional Trailers/Ubisoft

* '''[[Heroes of Might and Magic V]]''' Promotional Trailers/Ubisoft

* '''[[Jaws Unleashed]]''' Majesco

* '''[[Pac-Man World Rally]]''' Namco

* '''[[Area 51 (first-person shooter)|Area 51]]''' Midway

* '''[[Rise of the Kasai]]''' Sony Computer Entertainment America

* '''[[King Arthur (video game)|King Arthur]]''' Konami/Touchstone Pictures

* '''[[The Sims Bustin' Out]]''' Electronic Arts/Maxis

* '''[[The Urbz]]''' Electronic Arts/Maxis

* '''Wild Wild West''' Warner Bros. Interactive

* '''[[Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc]]''' Enlight Software

* '''[[Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force]]''' Ubisoft

* '''Monster Garage''' Activision

* '''Cabela’s Big Game Hunter''' Activision

* '''Atlantis The Lost Continent''' Disney/THQ

* '''Dora The Explorer''' Monkey Bar Games/Nickelodeon

* '''[[Curious George (video game)|Curious George]]''' Vicious Cycle/Nickelodeon

* '''[[Shinobi (PlayStation 2)|Shinobi]]''' THQ

* '''Altered Beast''' THQ

* '''Looney Tunes Assorted Nuts''' Warner Bros.

* '''Dark Side Of The Moon''' SouthPeak Interactive

* '''Ellis Island''' The History Channel

* '''Atomic Pongling''' Adveractive/Playtonium

* '''Tejumin''' SouthPeak Interactive

As a composer, Abernethy has more than 80 video games to his credit, including [[id Software]]'s [[Rage (video game)|RAGE]], [[TERA (video game)|TERA]], EA’s science fiction [[survival horror]] opus [[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space]] (2009 BAFTA for Use of Audio - Music Co-Producer), Tolkien's [[The Hobbit (2003 video game)|The Hobbit]] for [[Vivendi Universal]], [[Alpha Protocol]], [[The Wheelman]], [[Blacksite: Area 51]], [[Star Trek: Legacy]], [[Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII]], and [[Dead Head Fred]].<ref name = "Soundiron Interview"/><ref name = "VGMO Interview"/>

==Awards==

* '''BAFTA 2009 for Original Score''' Dead Space, music Co-Producer

Abernethy returned to performing live in 2014 and was the Overall Grand Prize Winner of the 2021 International Acoustic Music Awards. In 2019 he was the Grand Prize winner of American Songwriter's Bob Dylan Song Contest. His last album ''Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore'' was released in 2021 and produced by Grammy nominated producer Neilson Hubbard.

* '''BAFTA 2009 for Best Use Of Audio''' Dead Space, music Co-Producer

* '''G.A.N.G. 2007 Special Recognition Award''' ''Rednote Audio for Dead Head Fred''

==Selected works==

* '''G.A.N.G. 2007 Soundtrack Of The Year''' ''Dead Head Fred'' (Finalist)

{{Div col}}* ''[[Normal Isn't Normal Anymore]]'' Rod Abernethy, Songs From Downstairs Records

* '''G.A.N.G. 2007 Best Original Instrumental Song''' ''Blazing Angels II'' (Finalist)

* ''[[The Man I'm Supposed To Be]]'' Rod Abernethy, Songs From Downstairs Records

* '''G.A.N.G. 2007 Best Handheld Audio''' ''Dead Head'' Fred (Finalist)

* ''[[Damaged Core]]'' High Voltage Software, Oculus Rift

* '''G.A.N.G. 2007 Best Handheld Audio''' ''Transformers'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Adventure Time]]'' Vicious Cycle, Cartoon Network

* '''G.A.N.G. 2006 Best Instrumental Of The Year''' ''Star Trek: Legacy'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Pacific Rim (video game)|Pacific Rim]]'' Warner Bros.

* '''G.A.N.G. 2006 Best Arrangement of a Score''' ''Jaws: Unleashed'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Rage (video game)|RAGE]]'' id Software, Bethesda

* '''AIAS 2005 Awards'''-'''Outstanding Achievement for Original Music Composition''' ''Rise of the Kasai'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Despicable Me]]'' D3 Publisher, Vicious Cycle Software

* '''G.A.N.G. 2004 Music Of The Year''''' King Arthur'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon]]'' D3 Publisher, Vicious Cycle Software

* '''G.A.N.G. 2004 Best Choral Performance''''' King Arthur'' (Finalist)

* ''[[TERA: Rising]]'' Bluehole Studios, [[En Masse Entertainment]]

* '''G.A.N.G. 2003 Soundtrack Of The Year''' ''The Hobbit''

* ''[[Dead Space (video game)|Dead Space]]'' Electronic Arts

* '''G.A.N.G. 2003 Best Original Instrumental Song''' ''The Hobbit'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Wheelman (video game)|Wheelman]]'' Midway/Ubisoft

* '''G.A.N.G. 2003 Music Of The Year''' ''The Hobbit'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Darksiders]]'' Promotional Trailer, THQ

* '''G.A.N.G. 2003 Best Live Recording''' ''The Hobbit'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Eat Lead]]'' D3Publisher

* '''G.A.N.G. 2003 Best Original Vocal Song''' ''The Sims: Bustin’ Out'' (Finalist)

* ''[[Alpha Protocol]]'' Obsidian, Sega

* '''TeamXbox Editor’s Choice Awards''' ''The Hobbit''

* ''[[Transformers Animated (video game)|Transformers Animated]]'' Activision

* '''TeamXbox Editor’s Choice Awards''' ''The Sims Bustin’ Out''

* '''The[[Dead TellyHead Awards'Fred]]'' ''Six time winner''D3Publisher

* '''[[Addy|TheHour Goldof Addy AwardVictory]]''' ''Six time winner''Midway

* ''[[Horsez]]'' Ubisoft

* '''The International Film & TV Awards of New York''' (Finalist)

* ''[[Star Trek: Encounters]]'' Bethesda, Paramount

* '''PBS national advertising/marketing award'''

* ''[[The Hobbit (Vivendi Game)|The Hobbit]]'' Vivendi Universal Games, Sierra Entertainment

* '''Golden Reel ITVA Award''' ''Two time winner''

* ''[[Blazing Angels]]'' Ubisoft

* ''[[Lineage II|Lineage II, Scions of Destiny]]'' Promotional Trailer,NC Soft

* ''[[Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows]]'' Midway

* ''[[Rayman Raving Rabbids]]'' Ubisoft

* ''[[Flushed Away (video game)|Flushed Away]]'' D3Publishing of America

* ''[[Warhawk (PlayStation 3 game)|Warhawk]]'' Promotional Trailers, SCEA

* ''[[Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War]]'' Stainless Steel Studios

* ''[[Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones]]'' Promotional Trailers, Ubisoft

* ''[[Heroes of Might and Magic V]]'' Promotional Trailers, Ubisoft

* ''[[Jaws Unleashed]]'' Majesco

* ''[[Pac-Man World Rally]]'' Namco

* ''[[Unaccounted IV]]'' Audiofonics

* ''[[Area 51 (first-person shooter)|Area 51]]'' Midway

* ''[[Rise of the Kasai]]'' Sony Computer Entertainment America

* ''[[King Arthur (video game)|King Arthur]]'' Konami, Touchstone Pictures

* ''[[The Sims Bustin' Out]]'' Electronic Arts, Maxis

* ''[[The Urbz]]'' Electronic Arts, Maxis

* ''[[Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc]]'' Enlight Software

* ''[[Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force]]'' Ubisoft

* ''[[Curious George (video game)|Curious George]]'' Vicious Cycle, Nickelodeon

* ''[[Shinobi (PlayStation 2)|Shinobi]]'' THQ

* ''Altered Beast'' THQ

* ''Atlantis The Lost Continent'' Disney, THQ

* ''Cabela’s Big Game Hunter'' Activision

* ''Dark Side Of The Moon'' SouthPeak Games

* ''Ellis Island'' The History Channel

* ''Looney Tunes Assorted Nuts'' Warner Bros.

* ''Marvel Universe'' Konami

* ''Marvel: Dark Reign'' Vicious Cycle, D3Publisher

* ''Monster Garage'' Activision

* ''Tejumin'' SouthPeak Games

* ''Wild Wild West'' Warner Bros. Interactive

* ''Zathura'' Take 2 Interactive

{{Div col end}}

==References==

<references />

* {{cite magazine |first=Heather |last=Johnson |url=http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_audio_gains_videogames/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813083637/https://www.mixonline.com/mag/audio_audio_gains_videogames/ |archive-date=2012-08-13 |title=Audio Gains In Videogames |date=Oct 1, 2005 |magazine=Mix Magazine}}

==External links==

{{Commons}}

* [http://www.rednoteaudio.com/ Rod Abernethy and Rednote Audio]

* [http://www.rodabernethy.com/ Rod Abernethy - Performing Songwriter]

* {{IMDb name|2030634}}

* [httphttps://mixonlinewww.facebook.com/mag/audio_audio_gains_videogamesrodabernethyguitar/ Rod Abernethy interview in Mixon MagazineFacebook]

* [https://www.newsobserver.com/latest-news/article207522644.html/ Rod Abernethy featured in the News & Observer]

* [http://mixonline.com/sound4picture/film_tv/audio_live_orchestra_hobbit/index.html/ Live Orchestra for The Hobbit]

* [https://www.mixonline.com/news/films-tv/live-orchestra-hobbit/369083 Live Orchestra for The Hobbit]

* [http://www.audiogang.org/ The Game Audio Network Guild website]

{{Authority control}}

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| NAME = Abernethy, Rod

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[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]

[[Category:21st-century American composers]]

[[Category:21st-century American male composers]]

[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]

[[Category:American male composers]]

[[Category:American video game composers]]

[[Category:Living people]]

[[Category:Video game composers]]