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'''Michael John Gordon''' is an Australian composer, record producer, musician, and sound designer, composing music primarily for video games.
'''Michael John Gordon''' (born July 7, 1985) is an Australian composer, record producer, musician, and sound designer, composing music primarily for video games.


Gordon has composed for several first-person shooters, including ''[[LawBreakers]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein: The New Order]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein: The Old Blood]],'' ''[[Prey (2017 video game)|Prey]],'' the 2016 reboot of ''[[Doom (2016 video game)|Doom]]'' and its sequel ''[[Doom Eternal]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus]]'', and seasons one and two of the 2013 fighting game ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]].''
Gordon has composed for several first-person shooters, including ''[[LawBreakers]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein: The New Order]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein: The Old Blood]],'' ''[[Prey (2017 video game)|Prey]],'' the 2016 reboot of ''[[Doom (2016 video game)|Doom]]'' and its sequel ''[[Doom Eternal]]'', ''[[Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus]]'', and seasons one and two of the 2013 fighting game ''[[Killer Instinct (2013 video game)|Killer Instinct]].''

Revision as of 09:02, 17 February 2023

Mick Gordon
Born (1985-07-07) July 7, 1985 (age 39)
Mackay, Queensland, Australia
Genres
Occupations
Years active2002–present
Websitemick-gordon.com

Michael John Gordon (born July 7, 1985) is an Australian composer, record producer, musician, and sound designer, composing music primarily for video games.

Gordon has composed for several first-person shooters, including LawBreakers, Wolfenstein: The New Order, Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, Prey, the 2016 reboot of Doom and its sequel Doom Eternal, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, and seasons one and two of the 2013 fighting game Killer Instinct.

Career

Gordon began his musical career as a jazz / blues guitarist in his teens.[1] He first began to work as a sound designer with Pandemic Studios, where he contributed additional sound design for Destroy All Humans! 2. In 2013, he scored the first season of the fighting video game, Killer Instinct, a reboot of the original 1994 title. The following year, Gordon scored the second season of Killer Instinct and the action-adventure first-person shooter Wolfenstein: The New Order (developed by MachineGames). He returned to the Wolfenstein series in 2015 to compose the score for Wolfenstein: The Old Blood, a prequel to Wolfenstein: The New Order.

In 2016, Gordon completed the score for the science fiction first-person shooter, Doom, the sequel to Doom 64 and soft reboot of the franchise, developed by id Software. His score for Doom won a number of awards including a D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition,[2] SXSW Gaming Award for Excellence in Musical Score,[3] The Game Awards Best Music/Sound Design and was nominated for a BAFTA Games Award for Best Music.[4]

In 2017, Gordon completed the score for the horror first-person shooter, Prey, developed by Arkane Studios. He also worked alongside Martin Stig Andersen to again return to the Wolfenstein series, scoring Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, developed by MachineGames.

In 2020, Gordon completed the score of Doom Eternal; while the music for the game was once again well-received, circumstances around the soundtrack release led to a public falling out between Gordon and id Software and a parting of ways.[5] In November 2022, Gordon addressed this dispute in a lengthy statement on Medium.[6][7]

On 23 June 2020 British rock band Bring Me the Horizon announced they would be working with Gordon on their upcoming release.[8] Vocalist Oliver Sykes discusses how he fell in love with the Doom Eternal soundtrack during quarantine. Being heavily inspired by Gordon's work, the band decided to reach out to him and offer a collaboration. The resulting work, titled "Parasite Eve", was released on 25 June alongside an accompanying music video.[9] The collaboration then expanded into the commercial release, Post Human: Survival Horror, released on 30 October 2020.

id Software controversy

Following the release of Doom Eternal's OST in April 2020, several online music bloggers and fans noted the disparity in quality between the Doom (2016) OST and the one released with Eternal.[10]

On 19 April, Gordon confirmed on Twitter that much of it was not his work.[11] Subsequently, Marty Stratton, an executive producer at id Software, posted an open letter on Reddit that alleged Gordon did not provide the source material for the additional tracks on the OST and that he required a contractual extension to get the OST completed in time.[12]

Following this, public outcry against Gordon reached a level where he received explicit death threats and graphic messages of intent to harm him and his family. Gordon's message accounts, servers and phones were allegedly inundated with abuse, seriously impacting his mental health.[13]

On 9 November 2022, Gordon published an article on Medium explaining his side of the story in the form of a defensive rebuttal of the accusations in Stratton's post.[14] It made several statements that the open letter from Stratton contained lies. He called out claims made by Stratton accusing him of not providing the original source material for the soundtrack, and that Bethesda had to grant him an extension to get the OST done, when in reality, he had not even been contracted to create the OST at the time of the delay. This in turn led to his reputation in the industry being harmed.

Gordon provided a variety of forms of evidence including photographs of emails to verify his claims.[15]

Gordon further stated that when his lawyers requested that the open letter be removed in response to this and other evidence, he was instead offered "a six-figure payout" in exchange for a lifetime gag order without the removal of the original letter. He also alleged that he was not compensated for more than half of the music that ended up being used in the final release of the game.[16]

Musical style and inspiration

According to Gordon's official website, he "utilises a broad range of modern musical sound design and traditional composition techniques in order to be unconstrained by any singular genre," and that it is "inspired by the connection between the audience and the experience."[17]

Gordon's work "considers the role of music as a translation of the world in which it exists rather than a simple accompaniment."[17]

Discography

Soundtrack albums

Title Release date Label Format
A Day in Pompeii 21 August 2012 Self-released Digital download
Killer Instinct: Season One Soundtrack + Original Arcade Soundtrack 14 October 2014 Microsoft Corporation CD, digital download
Wolfenstein: The New Order (Original Game Soundtrack) 19 May 2014 Bethesda Softworks CD, digital download
Doom 28 September 2016 Bethesda Softworks CD, digital download
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus 16 March 2018 Bethesda Softworks CD, digital download
Doom 27 July 2018 Bethesda Softworks Vinyl

Production credits

Year Artist Album Title(s) Notes
2020 Bring Me the Horizon Post Human: Survival Horror "Dear Diary," Additional production
"Parasite Eve"
"Obey" (with Yungblud) Percussion, synthesizer, additional production
"Itch for the Cure (When Will We Be Free?)" Additional production
"Kingslayer" (featuring Babymetal)
"One Day the Only Butterflies Left Will Be in Your Chest as You March Towards Your Death" (featuring Amy Lee)
2021 3Teeth — "Paralyze" (featuring Ho99o9) Production[18]
2022 Monuments In Stasis — Co-production
Motionless in White Scoring the End of the World "Scoring the End of the World" Guest appearance[19]

Works

Year Title Notes Ref.
2006 Hot Dog King Music and sound design [20]
2006 Destroy All Humans! 2 Additional sound design [20]
2007 Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots — [20]
2008 El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera — [20]
2009 Real Racing — —
Need for Speed: Shift Co-composed with Stephen Baysted and Mark Morgan [20]
Marvel Super Hero Squad — [20]
2010 Real Racing 2 Game sound effects —
The Last Airbender — [20]
Need for Speed: World — [20]
Marvel Super Hero Squad: The Infinity Gauntlet — [20]
2011 Shift 2: Unleashed Composed with:
[20]
Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat — [20]
Need for Speed: The Run Additional music [21]
2012 A Day in Pompeii Audio Director; Museums Victoria exhibit [20]
Battle Group Also sound designer —
2013 Real Racing 3 Game sound effects —
ShootMania Storm — [20]
Killer Instinct Season One (2013) and Season Two (2014) [21]
2014 Wolfenstein: The New Order Additional music by Frederik Thordendal [21]
2015 Wolfenstein: The Old Blood Additional music by Michael Tornabene and Casey Edwards [22]
Project CARS Guitars with John J. Harvey —
2016 Doom Additional music by Chris Hite, and Ben F. Carney [23]
2017 Prey Additional music composed by Ben Crossbones, Matt Piersall, and Raphaël Colantonio [24]
LawBreakers Composed with Jaroslav Beck, Dieselboy, Mark The Beast, Malcolm Kirby Jr.
"Faust" and “Toska-9” tracks in the official album 		[25]
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus Composed with Martin Stig Andersen; additional music by Frederik Thordendal [26]
2019 Borderlands 3 Additional Music Support
Original game score by:
[27]
2020 Beautiful Desolation — [28]
Doom Eternal [29]
2023 Atomic Heart [30]
TBA Routine Audio Director [20]

Awards and nominations

Year Ceremony Category Work Result
2006 Game Developers' Association of Australia Best Audio Destroy All Humans! 2 Won
2012 Game Audio Network Guild Best Audio, Other A Day in Pompeii Won
2013 Game Audio Network Guild Best Interactive Score Killer Instinct Nominated
Game Audio Network Guild Best Original Song, Vocal (Pop) Killer Instinct ("Touch Me and I'll Break Your Face") Won
Game Audio Network Guild Best Original Song, Vocal (Pop) Killer Instinct ("I'm Back to Rise") Nominated
2016 The Game Awards Best Music/Sound Design Doom Won
2017 Game Developers Choice Awards Best Audio Doom Nominated
SXSW Gaming Awards Excellence in Musical Score Doom Won
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Doom Won
British Academy Games Awards Best Music Doom Nominated
2018 New York Game Awards Best Music in a Game Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
(Shared with Martin Stig Andersen) 		Nominated
D.I.C.E. Awards Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
(Shared with Martin Stig Andersen) 		Nominated
2020 The Game Awards Best Score and Music Doom Eternal Nominated
Steam Awards Best Soundtrack[31] Doom Eternal Won

References

  1. ^ "Mick Gordon Interview - DOOM Eternal Composer". Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021 – via YouTube.
  2. ^ Makuch, Eddie; Imms, Jason (23 February 2017). "Overwatch Wins DICE Game of the Year, Full Nominees List". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 25 February 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  3. ^ Makuch, Eddie (19 March 2017). "Uncharted 4 Wins Game Of The Year At SXSW Awards". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 29 August 2018. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  4. ^ Erica Webber, Jordan (9 March 2017). "Bafta games awards 2017: Inside and Uncharted 4 lead the way". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Doom Eternal Composer Distances Himself From The Newly Released Soundtrack". Archived from the original on 26 June 2020. Retrieved 23 June 2020.
  6. ^ Valentine, Rebekah (9 November 2022). "Doom Eternal Composer Alleges Unpaid Wages and Abuse in Lengthy Soundtrack Controversy Response". IGN. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  7. ^ Gordon, Mick (9 November 2022). "My full statement regarding DOOM Eternal". Medium. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  8. ^ "10BMTHS2-mick gordon-.mp4". Archived from the original on 13 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022 – via YouTube.
  9. ^ Trendell, Andrew. "Bring Me The Horizon tell us about their new 'survival horror song' 'Parasite Eve' and ambitious 'Post Human' project". NME. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  10. ^ Kent, Emma. "Doom Eternal composer distances himself from soundtrack album". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 12 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  11. ^ Gordon, Mick. ""I didnt mix that..."". Twitter. Archived from the original on 19 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  12. ^ Stratton, Marty. "DOOM Eternal OST Open Letter". Reddit. Archived from the original on 5 May 2020. Retrieved 24 December 2022.
  13. ^ Valentine, Rebekah. "Doom Eternal Composer Alleges Unpaid Wages and Abuse in Lengthy Soundtrack Controversy Response". IGN. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  14. ^ Gordon, Mick. "My full statement regarding DOOM Eternal". Medium. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  15. ^ Gordon, Mick. "2. The OST was delayed before I was under contract". Medium. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  16. ^ Gordon, Mick. "id Software went on to use nearly all the music; over double what they paid for". Medium. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  17. ^ a b "About – Mick Gordon". MICK GORDON. Archived from the original on 19 July 2019. Retrieved 4 November 2016.
  18. ^ Enis, Eli (6 August 2021). "Hear 3teeth Team Up With Ho99o9 On New Industrial Metal Banger "Paralyze"". Revolver Magazine. Archived from the original on 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Motionless In White unleash Cyberhex from new album Scoring The End Of The World". Kerrang!. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2022.
  20. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n "Mick Gordon: Credits". mick-gordon.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  21. ^ a b c Makuch, Eddie (12 May 2014). "Guitarist from Swedish metal band Meshuggah working on Wolfenstein: The New Order". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 31 July 2014. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  22. ^ "What's New in Wolfenstein: The Old Blood". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. 16 April 2015. Archived from the original on 17 April 2015. Retrieved 23 July 2015.
  23. ^ "Mick Gordon working on soundtrack for new DOOM". VGM Online. 17 June 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  24. ^ "Prey - Mick Gordon". Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  25. ^ "Various Artists: LawBreakers (Original Game Soundtrack)". Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  26. ^ "Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus". Mick Gordon. Archived from the original on 22 August 2018. Retrieved 21 June 2017.
  27. ^ "Borderlands 3 (2019) PlayStation 4 credits - MobyGames". MobyGames. Archived from the original on 1 January 2020. Retrieved 1 January 2020.
  28. ^ "Announcing Mick Gordon as composer". thebrotherhoodgames.com. Archived from the original on 18 October 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2019.
  29. ^ Leavey, Jason. "DOOM Eternal – Official E3 Teaser". Bethesda.net. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
  30. ^ Wilson, Mike. "Dystopian Shooter 'Atomic Heart' Will Have Next-Gen Versions; New Gameplay Video Released Featuring Mick Gordon [Video]". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
  31. ^ "The Steam Awards: Winners". Welcome to Steam. Archived from the original on 24 January 2021. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
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