THWOMP Interview: On Video Games and Characters

In Part Seven of this interview series, Brad Stanton and Dave Marshall of the Nintendo® cover band THWOMP chat about video games. This interview was originally published on Suite101.com on July 2010.

Nintendo® cover band THWOMP share their music with gaming enthusiasts young and old. Inspired by the music of video game composers Nobuo Uematsu (Final Fantasy), Koji Kondo (Super Mario Bros) and more music from retro video games will appear in the band’s debut CD coming out in the fall of 2010.

Brad Stanton (lead guitar) and Dave Marshall (keyboards/percussion) from THWOMP take a break from their Animethon 17 and CD release preparations to chat with me. 

THWOMP on Favorite Video Games

Dave: "That’s a really difficult question. The list of games that I’ve played for more hours than I care to admit IS longer than I care to admit...I would say “Super Mario World” is in my Top 15, but the Mario games, aside from that one, they’re OK.

We’re all big RPG fans. We all love “Final Fantasy VI”. “Chrono Trigger” is in there too...“Secret of Mana”... other favorite games...“Super Mario Kart” and then completely different stuff, like “Ultima Online” and “Quake 1”...“Mass Effect”, really was absolutely amazing. Maybe my favorite game ever."

Brad: "It’s like you’re asking me to pick a child...[Super Mario] – that doesn’t even make my Top Ten. Not even close...“Master of Orion II”. Write that down. Put that in the article somewhere. That game is so amazing."

THWOMP on the Final Fantasy Franchise

Dave & Brad: "The only game that we actually stray outside of our format for is “Final Fantasy VII” for PlayStation because it had to be done."

Having said this, FFVII isn't one of the group's favorites. "It's one of the most popular games of all time; but in terms of Final Fantasy, that’s my least favorite," said Dave. "I didn’t really like that one very much. I think that’s where they got away from everything I loved about the Final Fantasy’s of the Super Nintendo® and started to go in this new direction they’re on now. It’s more like a TV show."

If you could be a video game character, who would it be?

Brad: "I’ve never ever thought about that. Who’d I want to be? Man, I don’t know, the guy from “Excitebike”?"

This idea got shot down by Dave, "C’mon. You can do better than that."

Dave: "I’ll go with Commander Shepard from “Mass Effect”. I’m a huge science-fiction fan. Massive. I really love that concept of that universe. I think that’s really brilliant. Rich and believable. The weird thing about that character is that you can make him who you want to. You really get to pick what he’s like.

Brad: "How about Minsc from “Baldur’s Gate”? You get to carry around a huge broadsword and a little hamster you talk to."

THWOMP is a Nintendo® band comprised of Calgarians Brad Stanton (lead guitar), Colin Mitchel (lead guitar), Scott Munro (bass), Scott Moffat (drums), David Marshall (keyboards/percussion) and Kirk McVean (keyboards). The bandmates hope that their musical trip down memory lane inspires listeners to dust off their old gaming consoles and video games. Or lead them buy or rent video games they loved to play while growing up.

For more information about THWOMP, the band or to listen to audio clips, visit their website and Myspace page.

Full interview series: Part 1 – THWOMP’s Origins | Part 2 – Band Names & Niches | Part 3 – Songwriting | Part 4 - Hey! Listen! CD Release | Part 5 - On Gigs | Part 6 - Convention Gigs | Part 7 - Video Games | Part 8 - Fun & Food