Difference between revisions of "Peter Clarke"

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(removed duplicates, sorted sentences, combined info from 4 interviews and release dates. I also think it's enough to explain the misunderstanding details later on the Double Take Theme page alone.)
 
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'''''Peter Clarke''''' scored [[Commodore 64]] games at [[Ocean Software]] and freelance for [[Software Creations]] and other companies in 1986 and 1987.
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'''''Peter Clarke''''' is a musician best known for scoring [[Commodore 64]] games in 1986 and 1987. His [[Ocean Dries Up]] and [[Mission of Mercy (C64)]] were voted 38th and 94th favorite top [[SID]] in 2000.
  
Peter owned a Commodore 64 and was trying to figure out how to get all of the sounds out of it. One day, around 1983-1984, he was visiting his favorite game store, Bluechip Computers. He met a customer of the store who said he wanted to make video games, and Peter said he wanted to write music for games. The customer recommended [[Electrosound]] to Peter, which he bought and didn't regret. The customer he talked to turned out to be [[Paul Hughes]]. When Paul was developing Repton 3 for [[Superior Software]], he asked Peter to write the music, even though he wouldn't get paid for it. Peter agreed, as he wanted to get his name out. Paul and Peter then worked on Scooby Doo, and Paul ended up getting hired by Ocean Software. In mid-1985, Peter wrote a tune for the Commodore 64 which he gave to Paul, which he gave to Ocean. The song ended up becoming the theme for the game Double Take. Peter also offered the same song to Software Creations game Mission of Mercy, which never got released. One day, Peter saw a monitor in the window of a shop with the title screen of Double Take. The staff roll gave credit to Paul Hughes for the music. Clarke was unhappy, and contacted Ocean, and they hired him so they could use his song. When Peter worked at Ocean, he had to use the Ocean Development System to create music. He left Ocean after 18 months.
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Since 1978, Clarke plays guitar and keyboards in musical and comedy acts. He used to play with analog synthesizers and [[Roland]] TR drum machines.
  
Since 1978, Clarke plays guitar and keyboards in musical and comedy acts. He used to play with analog synthesizers and [[Roland]] TR drum machines. In 1986, he met aspiring game programmer [[Paul Hughes]] at the Blue Chip Computers store in Wigan, Lancashire. Hughes recommended him [[Electrosound 64]] and Clarke found himself finally able to write proper C64 music.
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In 1983, Clarke bought his first computer, a [[Commodore 64]], to play games. He regularly visited the Blue Chip Computers store in Wigan, Lancashire, where aspiring game programmer [[Paul Hughes]] worked on weekends. Clarke later started buying [[:Category:Commodore 64 Editors|music editors]], but found them all lacking. Upon Hughes' recommendation, Clarke bought the brand-new [[Electrosound 64]]. Over the next weekends, he played Hughes his arrangements: first of [[Money, Money, Money]], and then his own compositions.
  
Hughes suggested they work at providing music for developers, and Clarke scored [[Repton 3 (C64)]] for [[Superior Software]] and [[Scooby Doo: Elite (C64)]] for [[Elite Systems]]. Next, Hughes introduced Clarke to [[Software Creations]] and joined [[Ocean Software]], both in Manchester. He wanted Clarke to join Ocean, too, though this was ultimately triggered by a misunderstanding around [[Double Take Theme]].
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Stunned, and inspired by the young [[We M.U.S.I.C.]], Hughes suggested he offer Clarke's music to developers. In this vein, they scored [[Repton 3 (C64)]] for [[Superior Software]] and [[Scooby Doo: Elite (C64)]] for [[Elite Systems]]. Coincidentally, Repton programmer Richard Kay had left [[Ocean Software]] and was co-founding [[Software Creations]]. Hughes introduced Clarke to Kay, while Hughes joined Ocean, both in Manchester. He wanted Clarke to join Ocean, too, though this was ultimately triggered by a misunderstanding around [[Double Take Theme]].
  
At Ocean, Clarke worked in one room with [[Martin Galway]]. Clarke later left and was freelance again after 10 or 11 months.
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At Ocean, Clarke worked in one room with [[Martin Galway]]. At weekends, he played in a comedy band and freelanced for competitor [[Software Creations]]. After 10 or 11 months, Clarke unsuccessfully asked Ocean to let him freelance and left Ocean. Clarke also wanted to focus more on his comedy band than video games, but didn't want to let Creations down. To everyone's luck, [[Tim Follin]] met Creations.
  
Since July 2011, he remixes C64 music. He resides in Blackburn, Lancashire.
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Since July 2011, Clarke remixes Commodore 64 music. He resides in Blackburn, Lancashire.
  
 
==Audio Development==
 
==Audio Development==
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Peter Clarke - 02.jpg|Remix64 forum and SoundCloud, April 10, 2020.
 
Peter Clarke - 02.jpg|Remix64 forum and SoundCloud, April 10, 2020.
 
Peter Clarke - 04.jpg|Twitter, May 25, 2020.
 
Peter Clarke - 04.jpg|Twitter, May 25, 2020.
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Peter Clarke & Martin Galway - 01.jpg|With [[Martin Galway]]. Twitter, May 30, 2021.
 
</gallery>
 
</gallery>
  
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* [https://soundcloud.com/poke16384/sets/remix-64/s-jQEzax6Evox soundcloud.com/poke16384/sets/remix-64/s-jQEzax6Evox] - SoundCloud.
 
* [https://soundcloud.com/poke16384/sets/remix-64/s-jQEzax6Evox soundcloud.com/poke16384/sets/remix-64/s-jQEzax6Evox] - SoundCloud.
 
* [https://twitter.com/PeteC64 twitter.com/PeteC64] - Twitter.
 
* [https://twitter.com/PeteC64 twitter.com/PeteC64] - Twitter.
* [http://www.c64.com/?type=4&id=20 c64.com/?type=4&id=20] - Interview from 26th January 2012.
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* [http://www.c64.com/?type=4&id=20 c64.com/?type=4&id=20] - Interview from January 26, 2012.
 
* [https://www.remix64.com/interviews/an-interview-with-peter-clarke.html remix64.com/interviews/an-interview-with-peter-clarke.html] - Interview from May 24, 2020.
 
* [https://www.remix64.com/interviews/an-interview-with-peter-clarke.html remix64.com/interviews/an-interview-with-peter-clarke.html] - Interview from May 24, 2020.
  

Latest revision as of 14:25, 23 July 2021

Peter Clarke
Peter Clarke - 04.jpg
Born 1958
Birth Place
Nationality British   UK.svg

Peter Clarke is a musician best known for scoring Commodore 64 games in 1986 and 1987. His Ocean Dries Up and Mission of Mercy (C64) were voted 38th and 94th favorite top SID in 2000.

Since 1978, Clarke plays guitar and keyboards in musical and comedy acts. He used to play with analog synthesizers and Roland TR drum machines.

In 1983, Clarke bought his first computer, a Commodore 64, to play games. He regularly visited the Blue Chip Computers store in Wigan, Lancashire, where aspiring game programmer Paul Hughes worked on weekends. Clarke later started buying music editors, but found them all lacking. Upon Hughes' recommendation, Clarke bought the brand-new Electrosound 64. Over the next weekends, he played Hughes his arrangements: first of Money, Money, Money, and then his own compositions.

Stunned, and inspired by the young We M.U.S.I.C., Hughes suggested he offer Clarke's music to developers. In this vein, they scored Repton 3 (C64) for Superior Software and Scooby Doo: Elite (C64) for Elite Systems. Coincidentally, Repton programmer Richard Kay had left Ocean Software and was co-founding Software Creations. Hughes introduced Clarke to Kay, while Hughes joined Ocean, both in Manchester. He wanted Clarke to join Ocean, too, though this was ultimately triggered by a misunderstanding around Double Take Theme.

At Ocean, Clarke worked in one room with Martin Galway. At weekends, he played in a comedy band and freelanced for competitor Software Creations. After 10 or 11 months, Clarke unsuccessfully asked Ocean to let him freelance and left Ocean. Clarke also wanted to focus more on his comedy band than video games, but didn't want to let Creations down. To everyone's luck, Tim Follin met Creations.

Since July 2011, Clarke remixes Commodore 64 music. He resides in Blackburn, Lancashire.

Audio Development

Commodore 64

Clarke used Electrosound 64, Soundmonitor and Martin Galway's driver (also for Software Creations). Hughes converted Repton 3 (C64) and Double Take (C64) to his own, faster driver.

Clarke explains:

For the very early tunes, (before I worked at Ocean) I used Electrosound to compose.. Paul Hughes used to tweak the 'save file'

Once I was at Ocean, I used Martin Galway's music driver.. It was written in 6502 assembly language. I gradually tweaked and rewrote MG's driver as I became more knowledgeable about assembly language.. After Ocean, when I worked 'freelance' I used a re-written version of the MG driver for games like 'Bubble Bobble' etc...

Gameography

Released Title Sample Notes
1986-11-?? Scooby Doo: Elite (C64)
Unreleased Mission of Mercy (C64)
1987-0?-?? Repton 3 (C64)
1987-01-?? Double Take (C64)
With Ocean Loader 2 by Martin Galway
1987-04-?? Gunstar (C64)
1987-05-?? Head Over Heels (C64)
1987-05-?? Kinetik (C64)
1987-0?-?? The Big K.O. (C64)
1987-06-?? Denarius (C64)
1987-06-?? Ocean Loaders (C64)
Ocean Loader 3.
1987-08-?? The Mystery of the Nile (C64)
1987-09-?? Tai-Pan (C64)
1987-09-2? Bubble Bobble (C64)
1987-0?-?? Wizball (ZXS)
1987-10-?? Top Duck (C64)
1987-??-?? Tai-Pan (AST)
198?-??-?? Iron Hand (C64)

Picture Gallery

Links