Alexander Brandon

Alexander Brandon (also known as Siren in the demoscene and tracker community) is an American musician, former member of Straylight Productions, who composed music mostly for games produced by Epic Games, or games based on Epic technology, including Unreal, Unreal Tournament, Deus Ex, Tyrian, Jazz Jackrabbit 2 and the cancelled game Jazz Jackrabbit 3D.[1] Brandon is also a voice actor, having been cast most recently for the parts of Ancano and Amaund Motierre in the Role Playing Game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim by Bethesda Game Studios.

Alexander Brandon
Alexander Brandon in Georgetown, Texas in 2011
Background information
Birth nameAlexander Brandon
Also known asSiren, Chromatic Dragon, Sandman
GenresElectronica, synthpop, pop rock
Occupation(s)Composer, musician, voice actor, voice director, sound designer, audio director
InstrumentsKeyboards, PC, guitar
Years active1987–present
LabelsMateria Collective, Funky Rustic Records
Associated actsStraylight Productions, Michiel van den Bos, Dan Gardopée, Andrew Sega, George Sanger, Kosmic Free Music Foundation, Bryan Rudge

Brandon started composing music at the age of 14 when he got an Ad Lib music synthesizer card for Christmas.[2] He worked in several MOD music groups over his composing years in the late 1990s, including the Kosmic Free Music Foundation. During that time he also composed for several musicdisks such as Return to Stage 9.

Brandon has built several audio departments, starting with Ion Storm Austin in mid-2000. This was followed with an audio director position at Midway Home Entertainment in San Diego until 2007 when he started the audio department at Obsidian Entertainment.[1] In February 2009 he built the audio department at Heatwave Interactive, also providing business development and overall media management. In April 2010 Alex launched Funky Rustic, an independent audio production studio, working out of Georgetown, Texas.

Past nicknames

During his tracker career, Alex has used several nicknames:[3]

  • 1995: first tracks released under the name "Chromatic Dragon"
  • end of 1995: name changed to "Siren"
  • middle of 1996, during KFMF membership: name temporarily changed to "Sandman"
  • end of 1996: name changed back to "Siren"

Note that there were several (two or three) tracker musicians around the world, who have used the nickname "Sandman" independently of Alex.

Influences

Alexander Brandon's influences include Peter Gabriel, Dream Theater, Frost*, Andrew Sega, Steve Vai, and Ozric Tentacles, among others.[4]

Personal life

Brandon lives in Georgetown, Texas with his family.[5]

Works

Video games
Year Title Role(s) Notes
1995TyrianComposer, level designer, writing, story, dialogueWith Andres Molnar
Extreme PinballSound effects
1998Jazz Jackrabbit 2ComposerWith Sean Hiller and Bryan Rudge
UnrealWith Michiel van den Bos, Dan Gardopée and Andrew Sega
1999Unreal Tournament
Tyrian 2000Project leader, writing, dialogue, story, composer
Dark VengeanceComposerWith Andrew Schlesinger, Mark Styles
Vigilante 8Nintendo 64 version, with Dan Gardopée
2000Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense
Deus ExWith Michiel van den Bos and Dan Gardopée
2003Unreal II: The AwakeningWith Jack Wall, Clint Bajakian, Jeremy Soule and Crispin Hands[6]
Battlestar Galactica
Deus Ex: Invisible WarAudio Director, sound effects, music
Activision AnthologyComposer
2004Thief: Deadly ShadowsCinematic post sound effects, special thanks
2005NARCAudio manager
Gauntlet: Seven SorrowsAudio Director, music, sound effectsWith Inon Zur, Rednote Audio and Alistair Cooper
2006Rampage: Total DestructionAudio engineer
MLB Slugfest 2006Dialogue recording
Spy Hunter: Nowhere to RunAudio director
Happy Feet
The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy
The Ant Bully
2007TouchMaster
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer
Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Zombie Ninja Pro-AmSpecial thanks
2008Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of ZehirAudio director
2010Bejeweled 3ComposerWith Peter Hajba and Allister Brimble
Alpha ProtocolAdditional Sound Effects & Foley
2011Bejeweled: ClassicAudio
Deus Ex: Human RevolutionComposerWith Michael McCann and Yohann Boudreault
2012Dust: An Elysian TailWith HyperDuck SoundWorks
2013Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesSound effects
Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded
Aliens: Colonial MarinesAdditional sound design
2014Wasteland 2Sound design
Donkey Kong Country Tropical FreezeContract audio
2016Job Simulator: The 2050 ArchivesAudio
2017Torment: Tides of NumeneraAudio director, sound design and implementation
Aven ColonyComposer
2018Cloney: A Tapped Out Adventure
The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows DeepSound Design/Audio Consultant
UnreleasedJazz Jackrabbit 3Composer

Other work
Year Title Notes
1999AtmosphereS: CulturesWith Dan Gardopée
AtmosphereS: Moods
AtmosphereS: Pulses
audiophonik - music for the scene generationWith various others
2000AtmosphereS: DreamsWith George "The Fat Man" Sanger
AtmosphereS: Rhythms
2008Era's EndWith Bryan Rudge
2010Earthscape
2011Violet Eclectic
Songs for the Cure '11: EsunaWith various others
Impostor Nostalgia
2013Nukem: Duke 3D Remixes
Deus Ex: Sonic Augmentation
Spectrum of Mana
2014The Glory Days Remixed
Just Fun
Just Fun Miami
The Ad Lib Collection
2016Sound Waves: A Tribute to Ecco the DolphinWith various others.
Chronicles of Time: A Chrono Trigger Arrangement Project
2018Just Fun Custom
2019The Belmont AdventureWith various others
2020Conspiravision: Deus Ex RemixedWith Michiel van den Bos

Voice acting
Title Role(s)
Deus Ex: Invisible WarGeneric Citizen, Tracer Tong
Thief: Deadly ShadowsKeepers
Gauntlet: Seven SorrowsThe Emperor
L. A. RushAdditional voices
Mortal Kombat: Armageddon
StrangleholdKwong Fang
The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimAncano, Amaund Motierre
DC Universe OnlineBlack Lightning, Black Adam, General Zod, Major Force and Cyborg
SOL: ExodusThe Commander
Vacation SimulatorAdditional voices
Pagan OnlineDabog
Wasteland 3Additional voices

Books
  • Brandon, Alexander (2004). Audio for Games: Planning, Process, and Production. New Riders. ISBN 978-0-7357-1413-7.

References
  1. Bezeau, François (November 1, 2007). "Alexander Brandon Interview: Going Solo". Game Music Online. Retrieved October 9, 2014.
  2. PixelK1tty (May 16, 2012). "Epic Composer Interview: Alexander Brandon". Epic Games Community. Epic Games. Archived from the original on January 8, 2014. Retrieved September 7, 2014.
  3. "Interview with Alex Brandon". Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2009. My nickname was actually first Chromatic Dragon.. then Siren, then Sandman, then back to Siren.
  4. Alexander Brandon at Fandalism
  5. MAGFest - Alexander Brandon Archived April 20, 2018, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2018-04-19.
  6. "VGM Rush – Unreal II". Archived from the original on September 30, 2008. Retrieved January 10, 2009.

Interviews
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