For me it's the Yes album

Ian Absentia · September 09, 2007, 11:12:07 PM

Genesis, Duke. It's the album that frames both 1st ed. AD&D and classic Traveller for me.

A little later, 2nd ed. RuneQuest became closely associated with the XTC album English Settlement.

!i!

Judas · September 09, 2007, 11:26:42 PM

Big Country's "The Crossing".

1983 playing AD&D with stuff like:

I came from the hills with a tear in my eye
The winter closed in and the crows filled the sky
The houses were burning the flames gold and red
The people were running with eyes filled with dread
...
We chased them for miles I had hate in my eyes
Through forest and moors as the clouds filled the skies
The storm broke upon us with fury and flame
Both hunters and hunted washed out in the rain

playing in the background. Against the Giants had a soundtrack!

Wil · September 09, 2007, 11:38:32 PM

My memories of early gaming are tied to "Owner of a Lonely Heart" by Yes, various songs by Foreigner, .38 Special, Pink Floyd and similar music. My friend's parents that I used to game with listened to KMET in L.A., along with (of course) mainstays like KROQ. My early gaming kind of reads like a foray through alternative music of the day...from KMET and D&D to KROQ and other games like Star Frontiers and Top Secret to goth/industrial music and Cyberpunk and Vampire.

Drew · September 10, 2007, 01:50:06 AM

Soundtracks: Alien, Aliens, Conan the Barbarian, The Lord of the Rings (both Bakshi and Jackson versions), Bram Stoker's Dracula, Reservoir Dogs etc. etc.

Basically any film score which has inspired me to write a scenario or three...

Pierce Inverarity · September 10, 2007, 02:21:14 AM

Quote from: flyingmiceMeh. I don't have any music/gaming associations at all, despite the fact that my first gaming group were all musician buddies. Music was music and gaming was gaming.

-clash

Me too. It's funny, I spent far, far more on records than on gaming back in the day, but there was just no communication between the two. It also depends on what you're into, of course. It's kinda hard to factor Morrissey or Haircut 100 into your D&D experience.

Simon W · September 10, 2007, 02:49:47 AM

Quote from: JudasBig Country's "The Crossing".

A much underrated band, in my opinion.

For me:

Wishbone Ash & Jethro Tull

A band called Mostly Autumn (who I saw recently at a festival) have written a large number of tracks inspired by The Lord of the Rings, that might be quite good to have in the background whilst playing LOTR.

http://www.mostly-autumn.com/

-E. · September 10, 2007, 08:46:31 AM

Quote from: Caesar SlaadPink Floyd: Momentary Lapse of Reason.

Particularly the tracks "Dogs of War" and "Another Movie"

I love this thread... just wanted to say

Quote from: Dogs of WarInvisible transfers, long distance calls,
Hollow laughter in marble halls

Always goes through my head before I run an arms dealer or corrupt military official.

Gives me chills, it does...
-E.

Wil · September 10, 2007, 09:09:10 AM

Not quite related to my early gaming years, but there are some games that have very strongly associated songs for me. For instance, when I was reading Tribe 8 for the first time I was listening to a lot of Delerium and because of that I associate several Delerium songs with Tribe 8. I think it actually strongly formed by vision of the world and the game. I also very strongly associate KMDFM's "Anarchy" with Tribe 8 ("I made a god out of blood not superiority. I killed the King of Deceit now I sleep in anarchy."). With Jovian Chronicles, it's select VNV Nation instrumental tracks...when I heard "Saviour" I immediately thought of JC ships clashing in battle.

Skyrock · September 10, 2007, 09:09:26 AM

Well, I never listen to music while gaming, but while doing prep or writing games, I regularly listen to Dub (Sly&Robbie and so on). The slow flow, the repetition and the absence of lyrics help me to calm down, to focus my attention and to fight the silence during these times.

Reimdall · September 10, 2007, 12:26:29 PM

Last of the Mochicans.

Also excellent for the beginning of road trips.

JollyRB · September 10, 2007, 02:59:27 PM

Rick Wakeman's Journey to the Center of the Earth for me.

John Morrow · September 10, 2007, 04:36:22 PM

Quote from: The Evil DMWhat album takes your mind to gaming?

The main non-soundtrack album that makes me think of gaming is Hall of the Mountain King by Savatage, which I use for Warhammer FRP. I've also used the two Portishead albums quite a bit for modern games, so they tend to make me think of role-playing.

Many soundtracks take my mind to the movie more than gaming (including the Conan soundtracks), but there are some exceptions, such as a handful of John Carpenter soundtracks (Escape from New York, Prince of Darkness, and Ghosts of Mars) and the King Arthur soundtrack by Hans Zimmer. I also associate the Halo (first one) soundtrack with gaming, since I've only played the actual game a handful of times in 4-player battle mode.

Xanther · September 11, 2007, 05:56:34 PM

Quote from: The Evil DMWhat album takes your mind to gaming?

I'm sitting here working on a gaming project and I'm listening to Starship trooper from the Yes Album.
My earliest memories of gaming (1978 ) are linked to this song and this entire album-1st edition AD&D and Traveller.

Good times.

Excellent Album. But I'd have to say for fantasy RPG Led Zepplin III does it the most for me, and Heavy Horses by Jethro Tull.

Zachary The First · September 11, 2007, 11:07:36 PM

Quote from: ReimdallLast of the Mochicans.

Also excellent for the beginning of road trips.

What's that one track? "Promenade" or somesuch, is it? Love that one.

John Morrow · September 11, 2007, 11:41:13 PM

Quote from: Zachary The FirstWhat's that one track? "Promenade" or somesuch, is it? Love that one.

The whole soundtrack is excellent, though you are probably thinking of "Promenade", which is one of the stronger pieces

If you can find it (it used to be on iTunes), check out the song "Fermons les yeux" by Kyo, a French pop song. It uses the melody of the Main Title. Also, I've heard Elk Hunt get used in trailers for other movies.