Integrating Music And Gaming With THE LIVING TOMBSTONE

Interview by Kris Peters
Music and video games are no strange bedfellows, with bands such as
Motorhead, Judas Priest, Dragonforce and Iron Maiden, plus a stack
of others having their music forever immortalised in the popular
platform.
But more often than not, the songs are written first, with
executives from gaming companies sensing the potential for more
money by adding the songs in at a later date or as a soundtrack.
But what if there was a band that actually wrote and performed
music that was an amalgamation of the two? A band that combined
electronic rock with gaming culture and internet anthems?
Such a thing exists in the form of The Living Tombstone, an LA
electronic rock outfit with both feet firmly planted across all
three, making them possibly one of the most powerful and
influential bands in the world.
The two founding members - Yoav Landau and Sam Haft are in the
unique position of being both recording artists and influencers in
gaming, and as such have their fingers on the metaphorical pulse of
both realms, which can only translate to something special in the
right hands. And if the last decade of success is anything to go
by, then The Living Tombstone have certainly cracked that elusive
crossover market.
With their first album in six years, Rust, coming out this Friday,
May 30 and an Australian tour looming in July, HEAVY sat down for
an interesting chat with both gentlemen to see if we could pinch
some pointers.
"The name itself is inherently inspired by bands that in and of
itself are things you feel for, like as a concept," Landau
explained, "Like Gorillaz, for example, is a great idea. The name
comes up, and you don't just think about the music; you think about
the entire visual. It is almost like a snapshot or an obsession
over other bands that had this sort of name and idea and big
opaque."
We ask about the live show and bringing all of their musical
elements to life during a performance.
"The band is very much in and of itself, with characters that are
really big and out of this world," Landau answered first. "Gaming
and media culture are very much about how much you feel for them
and the things you're into, so we translate and try to connect it
within our own world."
"We try to have characters people can connect to that are visual
and exciting to look at," Sam added. "Beyond just the experience of
going and seeing a band play live, you're getting to see these
characters perform live."
In the full interview, we had a chat about shoey's and Australian
fans' insatiable appetite for the homemade craze. Sam and Yoav
discussed their creative process, highlighting the collaborative
nature of their work and the integration of gaming into their
music, which has become increasingly relevant in pop culture. They
expressed excitement for their new album, Rust, and their
commitment to delivering a mix of familiar and innovative elements
to connect with fans emotionally.
We spoke more about their live show We spoke more about their live
show and what to expect, the song they had on the movie Five Nights
At Freddy's, the early days of the band and how their vision has
changed, integrating gaming with music and finding the balance in
the creative stage and more.

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