A conversation with LucasArts composer Michael Land

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Interviews by Adventure Game Hotspot staff
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Unless you're a game music aficionado or particularly attentive to credits, you may not instantly recognize the name Michael Land. Play just a few notes of his remarkable compositions, however, and you'll instantly be exclaiming, "Oh, THAT Michael Land!"

Yes, Michael is at least partly responsible for many of our favourite LucasArts themes, from the Monkey Island series to Indiana Jones, Sam & Max, Day of the Tentacle and The Dig, having joined what was then still Lucasfilm Games back in 1990. A Harvard graduate, he is not just a skilled musician and composer, but a talented audio programmer as well. Dissatisfied with the sound engine being used at the time of the first Monkey Island, Michael began work on the innovative iMUSE system, with help from his friend and freqent collaborator Peter McConnell. Their groundbreaking creation would go on to become the backbone of many LucasArts scores, giving designers more dynamic control over musical transitions to best fit the on-screen action.

It's an impressive career, making Michael a natural choice for a Tech Talk with Daniel Albu. Once again, Daniel's exhaustive research pays off with an insightful three-hour, in-depth conversation, ranging from Michael's early introducton to music to all aspects of his work at LucasArts, where creativity wasn't just encouraged, it was "part of the business model." As such, inspiration could strike anywhere, at any time – you'll never guess what Michael was doing when LeChuck's theme hit him completely out of the blue! To discover that secret of Monkey Island, as well as anwers to many other questions, sit back, relax, and enjoy learning all about the man behind the music.

Tech Talk with Daniel Albu is part of the Adventure Game Hotspot Network, a collective of talented, dedicated content producers who work entirely independently but have joined forces to promote each other’s efforts. All opinons expressed belong solely to the original creators.