Rod Abernethy

Guitarist, songwriter, and composer

Rod Abernethy is a performing songwriter, guitarist, and composer. His music has been used as scores for EA, Midway, Vivendi, Universal, Sony, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Paramount, Disney, THQ, Activision, Konami, Majesco Entertainment, NC Soft, Namco and Nintendo.

Abernethy first appeared on the public landscape with a 1975 LP Solo, produced by Don Dixon from the North Carolina band Arrogance. He later joined Arrogance as lead guitarist,^[1] staying with the band through their releases Suddenly (Warner Brothers,1980) and Lively (1981). He eventually left Arrogance before the recording of the unreleased, at the time, The 5'11" Record (1982) to pursue a solo music career composing for films, TV, and video games.^[2]^[3]

As a composer, Abernethy has more than 80 video games to his credit, including id Software's RAGE, TERA, EA’s science fiction survival horror opus Dead Space (2009 BAFTA for Use of Audio - Music Co-Producer), Tolkien's The Hobbit for Vivendi Universal, Alpha Protocol, The Wheelman, Blacksite: Area 51, Star Trek: Legacy, Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII, and Dead Head Fred.^[2]^[3]

Abernethy returned to performing live in 2014 and was the Overall Grand Prize Winner of the 2021 International Acoustic Music Awards. In 2019 he was the Grand Prize winner of American Songwriter's Bob Dylan Song Contest. His last album Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore was released in 2021 and produced by Grammy nominated producer Neilson Hubbard.

Selected works

* Normal Isn't Normal Anymore Rod Abernethy, Songs From Downstairs Records

The Man I'm Supposed To Be Rod Abernethy, Songs From Downstairs Records
Damaged Core High Voltage Software, Oculus Rift
Adventure Time Vicious Cycle, Cartoon Network
Pacific Rim Warner Bros.
RAGE id Software, Bethesda
Despicable Me D3 Publisher, Vicious Cycle Software
Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon D3 Publisher, Vicious Cycle Software
TERA: Rising Bluehole Studios, En Masse Entertainment
Dead Space Electronic Arts
Wheelman Midway/Ubisoft
Darksiders Promotional Trailer, THQ
Eat Lead D3Publisher
Alpha Protocol Obsidian, Sega
Transformers Animated Activision
Dead Head Fred D3Publisher
Hour of Victory Midway
Horsez Ubisoft
Star Trek: Encounters Bethesda, Paramount
The Hobbit Vivendi Universal Games, Sierra Entertainment
Blazing Angels Ubisoft
Lineage II, Scions of Destiny Promotional Trailer,NC Soft
Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows Midway
Rayman Raving Rabbids Ubisoft
Flushed Away D3Publishing of America
Warhawk Promotional Trailers, SCEA
Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War Stainless Steel Studios
Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones Promotional Trailers, Ubisoft
Heroes of Might and Magic V Promotional Trailers, Ubisoft
Jaws Unleashed Majesco
Pac-Man World Rally Namco
Unaccounted IV Audiofonics
Area 51 Midway
Rise of the Kasai Sony Computer Entertainment America
King Arthur Konami, Touchstone Pictures
The Sims Bustin' Out Electronic Arts, Maxis
The Urbz Electronic Arts, Maxis
Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc Enlight Software
Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force Ubisoft
Curious George Vicious Cycle, Nickelodeon
Shinobi THQ
Altered Beast THQ
Atlantis The Lost Continent Disney, THQ
Cabela’s Big Game Hunter Activision
Dark Side Of The Moon SouthPeak Games
Ellis Island The History Channel
Looney Tunes Assorted Nuts Warner Bros.
Marvel Universe Konami
Marvel: Dark Reign Vicious Cycle, D3Publisher
Monster Garage Activision
Tejumin SouthPeak Games
Wild Wild West Warner Bros. Interactive
Zathura Take 2 Interactive

References

^ Vleck, Philip van. "Legendary Rockers Unite". Archived from the original on July 16, 2006. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Hoeglund, Jan. "Rod Abernethy". soundiron.com. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
^ ^a ^b Greening, Chris (October 2011). "Rod Abernethy Interview: Career Highlights Past and Present". vgmonline.net. Retrieved July 16, 2019.