Editing Alexander Brandon

{{Outdated as of|2023|December|17|topic = released music}}
{{Short description|American musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2015}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name             = Alexander Brandon
| image            = Alexander Brandon.jpg
| caption          = Alexander Brandon in [[Georgetown, Texas]] in 2011
| birth_name       = Alexander Brandon
| alias            = Siren, Chromatic Dragon, Sandman
| birth_date       = {{Birth date and age|1974|09|29}}
| origin           = 
| instrument       = [[Keyboard instrument|Keyboards]], [[Personal computer|PC]], [[guitar]]
| genre            = [[Electronica]], [[synthpop]], [[pop rock]]
| occupation       = [[Composer]], [[musician]], voice actor, voice director, [[sound designer]], [[audio director]]
| years_active     = 1987–present
| label            = Materia Collective, Funky Rustic Records
| associated_acts  = [[Straylight Productions]], [[Michiel van den Bos]], [[Dan Gardopée]], [[Andrew Sega]], [[George Sanger (musician)|George Sanger]], Kosmic Free Music Foundation, [[Bryan Rudge]]
| current_members  = 
| past_members     = 
}}

'''Alexander Brandon''' (also known as '''Siren''' in the [[demoscene]] and [[music tracker|tracker]] community) is an American [[musician]], former member of [[Straylight Productions]], who composed [[music]] mostly for [[Video game|games]] produced by [[Epic Games]], or games based on Epic technology, including ''[[Unreal (1998 video game)|Unreal]]'', ''[[Unreal Tournament]]'', ''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]'', ''[[Tyrian (computer game)|Tyrian]]'', ''[[Jazz Jackrabbit 2]],'' and the cancelled game ''[[Jazz Jackrabbit 3D]]''.<ref name="GMO interview">{{cite web|url=http://www.vgmonline.net/alexanderbrandoninterview/|title=Alexander Brandon Interview: Going Solo|publisher=Game Music Online|date=November 1, 2007|access-date=October 9, 2014|first=François|last=Bezeau}}</ref> Brandon is also a voice actor, having been cast most recently for the parts of Ancano and Amaund Motierre in the Role Playing Game ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]'' by [[Bethesda Game Studios]].

Brandon started composing music at the age of 14 when he got an [[Ad Lib, Inc.|Ad Lib]] music synthesizer card for Christmas.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://epicgames.com/community/2012/05/epic-composer-interview-alexander-brandon/|title=Epic Composer Interview: Alexander Brandon|publisher=[[Epic Games]]|website=Epic Games Community|date=May 16, 2012|access-date=2014-09-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140108185410/http://epicgames.com/community/2012/05/epic-composer-interview-alexander-brandon/|archive-date=2014-01-08|author=PixelK1tty}}</ref> He worked in several [[Module file|MOD]] music groups over his composing years in the late 1990s, including the Kosmic Free Music Foundation. During that time, he also composed for several musicdisks such as [http://www.polpo.org/rts9/index2.html Return to Stage 9].

Brandon has built several audio departments, starting with Ion Storm Austin in mid-2000. This was followed with an audio director position at Midway Home Entertainment in San Diego until 2007 when he started the audio department at [[Obsidian Entertainment]].<ref name="GMO interview"/> In February 2009, he built the audio department at [[Heatwave Interactive]], also providing business development and overall media management. In April 2010, Alex launched Funky Rustic, an independent audio production studio, working out of Georgetown, Texas.

==Past nicknames==
During his tracker career, Alex has used several nicknames:<ref>{{cite web
| url     = http://www.deusex-machina.com/articles/alexbrandon.asp
| title    = Interview with Alex Brandon
| access-date = January 10, 2009
| quote    = My nickname was actually first Chromatic Dragon.. then Siren, then Sandman, then back to Siren.
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090113164143/http://www.deusex-machina.com/articles/alexbrandon.asp| archive-date= January 13, 2009 | url-status= live}}</ref>
* 1995: first tracks released under the name "Chromatic Dragon"
* end of 1995: name changed to "Siren"
* middle of 1996, during KFMF membership: name temporarily changed to "Sandman"
* end of 1996: name changed back to "Siren"

Note that there were several (two or three) tracker musicians around the world, who have used the nickname "Sandman" independently of Alex.

==Influences==
Alexander Brandon's influences include [[Peter Gabriel]], [[Dream Theater]], [[Frost*]], [[Andrew Sega]], [[Steve Vai]], and [[Ozric Tentacles]], among others.<ref>[https://fandalism.com/alexanderbrandon Alexander Brandon] at Fandalism</ref>

==Personal life==
Brandon lives in [[Georgetown, Texas]] with his family.<ref>[http://super.magfest.org/guest2018/alexander-brandon/ MAGFest - Alexander Brandon] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420073830/http://super.magfest.org/guest2018/alexander-brandon/ |date=April 20, 2018 }} Retrieved 2018-04-19.</ref>

==Works==
===Video games===
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Role(s)
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="2"|1995||''[[Tyrian (video game)|Tyrian]]''||Composer, level designer, writing, story, dialogue||With Andres Molnar
|-
|''[[Extreme Pinball]]''||Sound effects||
|-
|rowspan="2"|1998||''[[Jazz Jackrabbit 2]]''||rowspan="3"|Composer||With Sean Hiller and Bryan Rudge
|-
|''[[Unreal (1998 video game)|Unreal]]''||rowspan="2"|With [[Michiel van den Bos]], [[Dan Gardopée]] and [[Andrew Sega]]
|-
|rowspan="4"|1999||''[[Unreal Tournament]]''
|-
|''[[Tyrian 2000]]''||Project leader, writing, dialogue, story, composer||
|-
|''[[Dark Vengeance (video game)|Dark Vengeance]]''||rowspan="6"|Composer||With Andrew Schlesinger, Mark Styles
|-
|''[[Vigilante 8]]''||rowspan="2"|Nintendo 64 version, with Dan Gardopée
|-
|rowspan="2"|2000||''[[Vigilante 8: 2nd Offense]]''
|-
|''[[Deus Ex (video game)|Deus Ex]]''||With Michiel van den Bos and Dan Gardopée
|-
|rowspan="4"|2003||''[[Unreal II: The Awakening]]''||With [[Jack Wall (composer)|Jack Wall]], [[Clint Bajakian]], [[Jeremy Soule]] and Crispin Hands<ref>{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080930223247/http://www.vgmrush.com/game.php?id=415|url=http://www.vgmrush.com/game.php?id=415|archive-date=September 30, 2008 |title=VGM Rush – Unreal II |access-date=2009-01-10 }}</ref>
|-
|''[[Battlestar Galactica (2003 video game)|Battlestar Galactica]]''||rowspan="5"|
|-
|''[[Deus Ex: Invisible War]]''||Audio Director, sound effects, music
|-
|''[[Activision Anthology]]''||Composer
|-
|2004||''[[Thief: Deadly Shadows]]''||Cinematic post sound effects, special thanks
|-
|rowspan="2"|2005||''[[NARC (video game)|NARC]]''||Audio manager
|-
|''Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows''||Audio Director, music, sound effects||With [[Inon Zur]], Rednote Audio and Alistair Cooper
|-
|rowspan="6"|2006||''[[Rampage: Total Destruction]]''||Audio engineer||rowspan="10"|
|-
|''[[MLB Slugfest 2006]]''||Dialogue recording
|-
|''[[Spy Hunter: Nowhere to Run]]''||rowspan="6"|Audio director
|-
|''[[Happy Feet (video game)|Happy Feet]]''
|-
|''[[The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy (video game)|The Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy]]''
|-
|''[[The Ant Bully (video game)|The Ant Bully]]''
|-
|rowspan="3"|2007||''[[TouchMaster]]''
|-
|''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer]]''
|-
|''[[Aqua Teen Hunger Force: Zombie Ninja Pro-Am]]''||Special thanks
|-
|2008||''[[Neverwinter Nights 2: Storm of Zehir]]''||Audio director
|-
|rowspan="2"|2010||''[[Bejeweled 3]]''||Composer||With [[Peter Hajba]] and [[Allister Brimble]]
|-
|''[[Alpha Protocol]]''||Additional Sound Effects & Foley||rowspan="2"|
|-
|rowspan="2"|2011||''Bejeweled: Classic''||Audio
|-
|''[[Deus Ex: Human Revolution]]''||rowspan="2"|Composer||With [[Michael McCann (composer)|Michael McCann]] and Yohann Boudreault
|-
|2012||''[[Dust: An Elysian Tail]]''||With HyperDuck SoundWorks
|-
|rowspan="3"|2013||''[[Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2013 video game)|Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles]]''||rowspan="2"|Sound effects|| rowspan="18" |
|-
|''[[Leisure Suit Larry: Reloaded]]''
|-
|''[[Aliens: Colonial Marines]]''||Additional sound design
|-
|rowspan="2"|2014||''[[Wasteland 2]]''||Sound design
|-
|''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]''||Contract audio
|-
|2016||''[[Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives]]''||Audio
|-
|rowspan="2"|2017||''[[Torment: Tides of Numenera]]''||Audio director, sound design and implementation
|-
|''[[Aven Colony]]''||rowspan="2"|Composer
|-
|rowspan="2"|2018||''Cloney: A Tapped Out Adventure''
|-
|''[[The Bard's Tale IV: Barrows Deep]]''||Sound Design/Audio Consultant
|-
|2020
|[[Wasteland 3]]
|Audio Director, voice acting, additional music
|-
|Unreleased
|Dead Matter
|
|-
|Cancelled||''[[Jazz Jackrabbit 3]]''||Composer
|-
|}

===Other work===
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"
|-
!Year
!Title
!Notes
|-
|rowspan="4"|1999||''AtmosphereS: Cultures''||rowspan="3"|With [[Dan Gardopée]]
|-
|''AtmosphereS: Moods''
|-
|''AtmosphereS: Pulses''
|-
|''audiophonik - music for the scene generation''||With various others
|-
|rowspan="2"|2000||''AtmosphereS: Dreams''||rowspan="2"|With [[George Sanger (musician)|George "The Fat Man" Sanger]]
|-
|''AtmosphereS: Rhythms''
|-
|2008||''Era's End''||With Bryan Rudge
|-
|2010||''Earthscape''||rowspan="2"|
|-
|rowspan="3"|2011||''Violet Eclectic''
|-
|''Songs for the Cure '11: Esuna''||rowspan="6"|With various others
|-
|''Impostor Nostalgia''
|-
|rowspan="3"|2013||''Nukem: Duke 3D Remixes''
|-
|''Deus Ex: Sonic Augmentation''
|-
|''Spectrum of Mana''
|-
|rowspan="4"|2014||''The Glory Days Remixed''
|-
|''Just Fun''||rowspan="3"|
|-
|''Just Fun Miami''
|-
|''The Ad Lib Collection''
|-
|rowspan="2"|2016||''Sound Waves: A Tribute to Ecco the Dolphin''||rowspan="2"|With various others.
|-
|''Chronicles of Time: A Chrono Trigger Arrangement Project''
|-
|2018||''Just Fun Custom''||
|-
|2019||''The Belmont Adventure''||With various others
|-
|2020||''Conspiravision: Deus Ex Remixed''||With [[Michiel van den Bos]]
|-
|2025
|''Tournament Rematch: Unreal Tournament Remixed''
|With various others
|}

===Voice acting===
{| class="wikitable sortable" width="auto"
|-
!Title
!Role(s)
|-
|''Deus Ex: Invisible War''||Generic Citizen, Tracer Tong
|-
|''Thief: Deadly Shadows''||Keepers
|-
|''Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows''||The Emperor
|-
|''[[L. A. Rush]]''||Additional voices
|-
|''[[Mortal Kombat: Armageddon]]''||Dairou
|-
|''[[Stranglehold (video game)|Stranglehold]]''||Kwong Fang
|-
|''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]''||Ancano, Amaund Motierre
|-
|''[[DC Universe Online]]''||[[Black Lightning]], [[Black Adam]], [[General Zod]], [[Major Force]] and [[Cyborg (DC Comics)|Cyborg]]
|-
|''[[SOL: Exodus]]''||The Commander
|-
|''[[Vacation Simulator]]''||Additional voices
|-
|''Pagan Online''||Dabog
|-
|''[[Wasteland 3]]''||Additional voices
|}

==Books==
*{{Cite book | last=Brandon | first=Alexander | title=Audio for Games: Planning, Process, and Production | publisher=New Riders | year=2004 | isbn=978-0-7357-1413-7 }}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20061211114821/http://www.gamasutra.com/galleries/audio/alex_brandon/index.htm Developer Bio] at [[Gamasutra]]
*[http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId=947/ Developer Bio] at [[MobyGames]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070928022832/http://atorg.net.ru/music/Siren/ Musicography and tracks collection for 1995–1999] (Chromatic Dragon / Siren period)
*[http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~ankon/mod/list_srn.html Musicography for 1995–2002] (incomplete)
*{{musicbrainz artist|id=21848b19-5a20-4a58-b168-0b5f95524cdc|name=Alexander Brandon}}
*{{IMDb name|0999472}}
*[http://www.ocremix.org/artist/177/alexander-brandon Artist profile] at [[OverClocked ReMix]]

===Interviews===
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050311072007/http://mothership.beyondunreal.com/interviews/alexbrandon.html "Interview with Alexander Brandon"]. MotherShip Server: Kemmerer, Peter (June 1999)
*[http://www.deusex-machina.com/articles/alexbrandon.asp "Interview with Alex Brandon"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113164143/http://www.deusex-machina.com/articles/alexbrandon.asp |date=January 13, 2009 }}. DeusEx-Machina.com: (Jan. 2001)
*[http://www.vgmonline.net/alexanderbrandoninterview/ "Alexander Brandon Interview: Going Solo"]. Game Music Online (November 1, 2007)
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20140108185410/http://epicgames.com/community/2012/05/epic-composer-interview-alexander-brandon/ "Epic Composer Interview: Alexander Brandon"]. [[Epic Games]] (May 16, 2012, archived)
*"[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hcEgw95C7o PC classic commentary: Tyrian 2000 with Alexander Brandon]". [[PC Gamer]] (July 3, 2014)

{{Unreal}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Brandon, Alexander}}
[[Category:American electronic musicians]]
[[Category:American male voice actors]]
[[Category:Demosceners]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Place of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Chiptune and tracker musicians]]
[[Category:American video game composers]]
[[Category:People from Georgetown, Texas]]
[[Category:1974 births]]