I sat down with Gamerzines and answered their delicate queries...

1. ) You write, record and film all of your reviews, can you explain this process and is it always the same or does it vary from game to game?

Generally I'll spend a day or two writing the song, sometimes it will come easily, other times I'll cry and bang the guitar on the wall until eventually something comes out. Then I'll spend a couple of days recording the song. Most of the time I play all the instruments live, layering them up, recording different parts and then taking them all out again, until I've got something that works, it's a real skill, knowing when to bring instruments in and when to strip back. For the more electronic genres I program sounds and that's a new and fun exploration for me. Making the videos alone is a lot harder. I'll always try and find an interesting location or costume or something that's visually impactful. I use my tripod a lot. Setting up shots can take a long time, going back and forth, doing a take and realising I'd chopped my head out the shot etc. Another way I often do it is walking around with the camera at the end of my arm pointing it at myself. It definitely limits me doing it all alone but that's when you have to get really creative - when you're limited.

2.) Do you think it’s easier to write a critique in song rather what some would call a traditionally-written review?

For me, yes, but that's because I love communicating through music. If I was to sit down a write a traditionally written review I'd get bored. As far as I can tell it's not easy to find something new to say in the written form, a lot of the reviews have a similar format, and writing a song is a much more natural format for me.

3.) There are some obvious favourites in your back catalogue such as the popular Flower and Madworld but is there a particular song you appreciate the most?

That's like saying which of your children is your favourite, not that I have children, but I can imagine that would be a pretty unethical thing to start talking about. Having said that I definitely prefer some over others. If I had to plump for one I'd say Velvet Assassin was a special song to me because it felt like the first one where I really shared something close to my heart and let myself be felt in that. It was a risk in the sense that I felt some kind of vulnerability and exposure in putting it out there, and yet really that's all I want to do; be real.

4.) Are there any games you’ve wanted to lend your unique review style to only to find it a struggle to make something you’re happy with?

Yes quite a few times I tried to review certain games and then just couldn't get anything happening on it. Like Uncharted 2, I thought would be an excellent game to review, I could imagine the video I was going to make too, Indiana Jones costume, somersaults in the sandpit, I was gonna have loads of fun, but then after a week of trying to write a song about it I had to let it go. I'm not quite sure what makes some games work and others not in this style of reviewing. It might have more to do with how I'm feeling that particular week than anything else.

5.) What can fans expect from your new live show on Game People?

I'm going to be talking about the unusual things that happened whilst making each video and what influenced me musically, and how people responded. I'll also be singing a live version of one of the songs every show. Occasionally my cats will be singing too.

Written by Rebecca Mayes

You can support Rebecca by buying Ziner Games



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Rebecca Mayes writes the Rebecca Mayes column.

"Welcome to my blog. I thought I'd let you in on a few of the secrets that go on backstage in the world of Rebecca Mayes."

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