Thankfully, those questions stuck to music, and not Tommy's disease-riddled body.

Ick.

Just how absurd?

Game composer and Game Audio Network Guild founder Tommy Tallarico tell the Minneapolis Star-Tribune that the typical fee for a composer is $1,000 per minute of music, sometimes upwards of $2,000. When most games call for one to two hours of music you're talking about composers pulling in $60,000 to $240,000 for a single game.

I'm not sure how that compares to total budget, but I think the mood-setting music of games like BioShock and Prince of Persia and Killzone 2, is well worth the price. It helps shape the experience.

Classical artists score with video games

Portuguese gaming blog RumblePack got an exclusive from Tallarico during a recent Video Games Live performance, with the diminutive composer spilled the beans on several properties they are working on integrating into the show this year. In the video clip below, Tommy announces that Shadow of Colossus, Mega Man, Chrono Trigger, Chrono Cross, Shenmue, and Earthworm Jim were all in the works.

I don't know about you guys, but they had me at Chrono Trigger. If I had to single out the best video game soundtrack ever composed, that's the one right there. The only problem I can see with the addition is that depending on the song selection, I won't be able to attend the concert without crying like a baby.

Exclusivo Mundial: Os novos segmentos do Video Games Live em 2009 [Rumblepack - Thanks Pedro!]

Yeah, we aren't falling for that temporary Zelda tattoo. And neither is your mom. So who's planning on picking this one up? (Fahey, hand down please. We already know.)

Video Games Live CD Releases October 15 [gamelife]

Specifics on pricing and release date were not specified.

A trailer for the DVD release has been added to YouTube and the official Video Games Live web site. Michael McWhertor

Video Games Live in Rio! - DVD & CD Announcement Trailer [YouTube]

VIDEO GAMES LIVE ANNOUNCES DVD & CD RELEASE

Online Trailer Now Available!

Recorded From Award-Winning Sold Out Performances in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Los Angeles, CA - Video Games Live, The #1 video game touring concert in the world, announced today that they will be releasing a DVD & CD from their award-winning sold out performances recorded in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last year.

Online DVD & CD trailer now available:

Hi-res: http://www.videogameslive.com/video/vglbrazil.wmv

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIMFYoQkHvo

"Since we started Video Games Live over 5 years ago we've always received at least a few e-mails and letters each week asking if and when a DVD and CD would be available," said Tommy Tallarico, co-creator of Video Games Live and longtime video game composer. "We're finally proud to announce the first ever live game concert DVD and CD available in the U.S. and throughout the world." Co-creator Jack Wall added "The shows in Brazil were absolutely amazing. The crowds were unbelievable and the energy level was second to none."

Recently, Video Games Live was the recipient of the "Special Breakthrough Achievement Award" at the 3rd Annual Gameworld Awards for their performances in Brazil last November.

The Brazilian shows were sponsored by the biggest corporations in all of Latin America including oil company Petrobras as well as UOL, the principle Latin American internet online provider. Intel, the world's largest semiconductor company were the title sponsors along with media partner Futuro Publishing which helped to make the initial groundbreaking tour a national success. Adding to the already powerful line-up of supporters were the Brazilian Government and the Ministry of Culture, whose commitment to the Video Games Live project speaks volumes for VGL's relevance, significance and future presence in Brazil.

The highly prestigious Petrobras Sinfônica Orchestra performed in some of the highest regarded venues in all of Brazil.

Video Games Live is currently planning its return tour to Brazil for September, 2007. Exact DVD & CD release dates, pricing and ordering to be announced in August.

The second will coincide with BlizzCon '07 in Anaheim, California, going down in early August. Each performance will feature pieces from the musical library of Blizzard games throughout the years.

Wait, does this mean videogame music maven Tommy Tallarico is privy to details on the upcoming Blizzard announcement? Where'd I put his card?! Michael McWhertor

VIDEO GAMES LIVE TO PRESENT SPECIAL CONCERTS AT BLIZZARD ENTERTAINMENT GAMING CONVENTIONS IN SEOUL, KOREA AND ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA

IRVINE, CA - May 14, 2007 - Video Games Live, in partnership with Blizzard Entertainment , announces that it will create and perform special concert presentations for attendees at the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in Seoul, Korea and BlizzCon 2007 in Anaheim, CA. Each unique performance will showcase numerous pieces of music from Blizzard games.

Video Games Live is the most successful live touring game concert in the world. Created in 2002 by veteran game industry composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, Video Games Live has performed in front of over 75,000 people around the world since 2005. Included in these performances was the record setting premiere at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic as well as other countries including England, Brazil, Canada and New Zealand.

"We're pleased to feature Video Games Live at the Worldwide Invitational and BlizzCon," said Mike Morhaime, president and cofounder of Blizzard Entertainment. "They've put on some great performances in the past, and we're looking forward to sharing the experience with our players at these events."

"What a great honor to be a part of these incredible Blizzard events," said game composer and Executive Producer Tommy Tallarico. "It's really great to see how connected Blizzard is to their players, and it's easy to realize why Blizzard's games have become so popular around the world. They really appreciate and understand their audience."

Admission to the concerts will be included as part of the entertainment at both events. No additional purchase will be required.

More information on the 2007 Blizzard Worldwide Invitational in Seoul, Korea, taking place May 19 - 20, 2007, can be found here: http://www.blizzard.com/press/070307-wwi.shtml

Information for BlizzCon 2007 in Anaheim, CA, taking place August 3 - 4, 2007, can be found here: http://www.blizzard.com/press/070412.shtml

About Video Games Live (www.videogameslive.com)
Created by two industry leading video game composers Tommy Tallarico and Jack Wall, Video Games Live (produced under their company Mystical Stone Entertainment, LLC) is the front runner in the field of live game music performance. Video Games Live is an immersive concert event celebration featuring music from the biggest video games of all time. The debut performance launched on July 6th, 2005 at the world famous Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles with the LA Philharmonic with over 11,000 people in attendance making it the largest video game concert in the world.

About Blizzard Entertainment, Inc.
Best known for blockbuster hits including World of Warcraft and the Warcraft , StarCraft , and Diablo series, Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. (www.blizzard.com), a division of Vivendi Games, is a premier developer and publisher of entertainment software renowned for creating some of the industry's most critically acclaimed games. Blizzard's track record includes ten #1-selling games and multiple Game of the Year awards. The company's online-gaming service, Battle.net , is one of the largest in the world, with millions of active users.

I attended the Hollywood Bowl performance of the latest Video Games Live tour, and since game composer Tommy Tallarico is VGL's daddy, we heard a LOT of music from Advent Rising, one of his scores. The music was alright, but the constant praise devoted to a game that I had barely heard of, never played, and whose screenshots were nothing short of drab was extremely irritating.

The game itself elicited no particular ire, but Tallarico himself should never be allowed onstage, much less handed a microphone and permitted to emcee an entire symphony. He is everything about the Los Angeles persona that is hateful: gelled up, suited up, and wearing bright red sneakers in a very blatant attempt to be casual, that only looks forced.

Protip: it takes a special kind of comedian to pull off jokes about child sexual predation, and Tommy Tallarico is not that comedian. Tommy is not even a comedian.

I hate his braying and posturing, and a little of that hate spilled over into the near-continuous referencing of his boring darling, Advent Rising. So I was intrigued by Destructoid's latest edition of Games that Time Forgot, which features the ill-handled title and explains what the thing was about, what went wrong, and why most of us have never played it.

Expect a more comprehensive account of Video Games Live next week. And to be fair, Advent Rising had a very nice soundtrack. Sheesh. Eliza Gauger

Games that Time Forgot: Advent Rising [Destructoid]