Download Project Majestic Mix : Tribute to Nobuo Uematsu

After the response we got from our retrospective of Project Majestic (KFSS Studios) I went in search of the man who started it all. Stephen Kennedy is living in Alaska now and took time to answer a few questions from the Final Fantasy Radio. We thank him greatly for filling in some history of the group and the amazing times from the start of Video Game music.

Interview with Stephen Kennedy about Project Majestic Mix in April 2011.
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First question should be the last but I was told that I must ask this: Will you personally be doing anymore remixes or is there any music since Project Majestic that you have made ?

Yes. I have done a great deal of original tracks (which I hope to have online in the near future) and am preparing to submit some unreleased arrangements of mine on OCR. I am actually just finishing up my track for the upcoming Wild Arms album ITW on OCR. It is an arrangement of one of the pieces that plays during the ending sequence of the game, and is called “Return to Ashes.” It will be similar in some ways to the “Within’ the Giant” piece I arranged on the Majestic Mix Gold Album. Please look for it when OCR makes the release, and let me know what you think^_^

My first questions that came to mind as I made the original article and from reading that this was a “fan made” project and I think one of the earliest to be done for game music;

a) Did you feel at that time it was going to be so well received and sell out in days for each CD ?

*chuckle* Honestly, I had no idea at the time that it would be so well received. I had huge aspirations for the project to begin with, but it wasn’t until I was well into the project and receiving donations that I realized the project was much much bigger than I could handle all by myself. I never let myself get discouraged when it seemed like it was all impossible, but I did let myself get help. Trying to do everything I was doing alone was not impossible…but I was incredibly short-sighted to want to try and do it all alone. Many things in life are best done together…and I find that in most cases, things done “together” are done “better.”

b) From what I was able to read, you made this without meeting the original members in person. As the project continued did you meet the other players and was there a central group that worked on the CD’s ? Or did everyone contribute to help you organize it all into the final production ?

As the Majestic Mix series continued, I eventually met most individuals that were contributing with only a few exceptions. Initially, however, the only musicians I personally met with were Mustin and Dale North. (in that order) The first album was directed almost entirely by myself. This made communication with artists regarding their music very important, and sometimes difficult. Eventually Mustin and Dale came on board to support/help me, and were a sounding board for ideas I had. They were both a tremendous amount of support for me, and I could not have done many things without them. It should be noted, as well, that a considerable amount of my direction and ideas came directly from the fans. Being a fan made project, I felt it was most important to listen to others, like myself, who grew up with and loved the music of Nobuo Uematsu. To say that “I” did Project Majestic Mix would be a huge discredit to Mustin, Dale, my friends, the musicians, and the fans. Although I’m happy to lay claim to the idea, and being the catalyst for getting the Majestic Mix series started and finished, no single person did these albums. Let’s face it, I wasn’t the first person to ever consider making a videogame music album by fans for fans…i was just more determined than the last to see the idea carried through.

c) Were any of the players at the time like Mustin, Dale North, Alisean as well known as they are now ?

To my knowledge, no. If I recall, much of the genesis of PMM was accomplished prior to OCRs popularity. Videogame music sites were difficult to find, and of those that existed, they were primarily MIDI based. Although some artists were introduced to me by means of OCR, many of the musicians involved gained popularity among fans due to the fantastic arrangements they provided for the album(s), as well as the networking it allowed them. One of my primary goals for the album(s) was to help give the musicians more notice…and I believe we have done that.

d) Since OCRemix was found in 1999, was it influential in your making the group and its players ?

Absolutely. We had several members on the team prior to OCR (through word of mouth/referrals/applications) but OCR proved to be a strong resource for artists present and future. Most of the first albums artists came about by contacting me personally or from referrals after finding out about the project from various sites that plugged the project. From there it was a matter of picking the musicians I felt could give the best representation of what we were trying to accomplish through the music. I think the first album demonstrates that diversity well.

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Finally the last question which i hope is not to much to ask. I have currently quoted from your farewell letter in our retrospective of the group and I thought you might have a revised answer to this;

In retrospect of the Project Majestic Mix is there anything you came away from personally feeling from working with music of Nobuo Uematsu; In either words what was it that made you chose Nobuo and Final Fantasy ? Did you appreciate the composers works more from the remixes you did ? I am not really looking for the insights of the ages but after these years of your work lasting so well and is still loved very much today. What did you take away from it all personally ?

Huge question, but I would like to quote you currently and I know that many would like to hear some words of wisdom from great music maker such as yourself.

Well…that certainly is a big question. *chuckle* I will do my best!

Working with Uematsu-san’s music was certainly a delightful experience. …in fact, that really is putting it mildly. Out of all the video game music I have ever played, it was his music that moved me the most. I have some other obscure games that had music I loved…but Final Fantasy was able to captivate and move me in ways I didn’t know were possible for a game. …and that is in large part due to the music of Uematsu-san.

I actually do appreciate the music of Uematsu-san more now after hearing other artists arrangements. Really, I believe the value of his music shows itself best when coming from others, and from the lasting effects the creation of his music has had on us all. For instance, PMM would not have happened without Uematsu. I would not have met or had the pleasure of meeting a lot of wonderful people because of his music, and ultimately, I would not have met the woman that became my best friend and wife, Jana. And it goes on from there. I would like to think that because of the way Uematu-san’s music impacted me, that the things we have done as a result, have likewise impacted others and so on. …and if I were to go purely by what others have personally told me, I know that we have done just that.

What did I take away from it personally?…other than learning some strong life-lessons, gaining new friends, and marrying the most incredible woman in the world… I learned that God can do amazing things through one single person. It is absolutely amazing how one person can impact so many lives.

For me, the project was intended to be a way to spend less of my life in front of a TV, and more of it sharing God’s Love and helping and encouraging others. I used it as a platform to share my love of Uematsu-sans music and also my love for Jesus Christ, and I wanted people to know that they do have a purpose in life and that it is found in Jesus. A lot of people cringe at that admission, but when all is said and done, it is the heart of PMM. I won’t ever admit to doing things perfectly, being perfect, or even always being the best example of Christ…in fact, if anything I screw up a lot! But my goal never changes. Even when I fail or mess things up, be that relationships, or responsibilities, or music projects, etc. I never give up. I guess if I were to condense all the things that I have learned down to one statement, it would be this:

” Showing the Love of Jesus Christ to others should be the “ultimate” purpose in everything we do.”

What I have learned is that a life lived for self gain is meaningless. We can fill our lives with all the things that this world has to offer (fame, money, relationships, cool computer stuff, video games, music, knowledge, wisdom)…but in the end it is all temporary and fleeting and will never ever ever be enough to fill the void we all ultimately keep trying to fill.

Although these temporal things can be “good” (and certainly help make life bearable) but their weight does not compare to the complete joy of being Loved by the Creator of all things, and experiencing a loving relationship with Him. People are beautiful and precious creations. Even when we don’t always act beautiful or do beautiful things, God Loves us in deep and unimaginable ways; and He has a purpose for us! Showing God’s Love to others should be the “ultimate” purpose in everything we do. …not to simple “do good”, but to sincerely and genuinely Love and respect people. It is hard to do. But it is really the only thing that matters. …and who’s to say you can’t have fun making music while you do that!

PMM has, (and still is) benefited(ing) a lot of people in a lot of profound and life-changing ways.
I simply cannot take credit for that. End point. – Stephen Kennedy