Rod Abernethy

Rod Abernethy is a performing songwriter, guitarist, and composer. His music has been used as scores for EA, Midway, Vivendi, Universal, Sony, Ubisoft, Bethesda, Paramount, Disney, THQ, Activision, Konami, Majesco, NC Soft, Namco and Nintendo.

Abernethy first appeared on the public landscape with a 1975 LP Solo, produced by Don Dixon from the North Carolina band Arrogance. He later joined Arrogance as lead guitarist, staying with the band through their releases Suddenly (Warner Brothers,1980) and Lively (1981). He eventually left Arrogance before the recording of the unreleased, at the time, The 5'11" Record (1982) to pursue a solo music career composing for films, TV, and video games.

As a composer, Abernethy has more than 80 video games to his credit, including id Software's RAGE, TERA, EA’s science fiction survival horror opus Dead Space (2009 BAFTA for Use of Audio - Music Co-Producer), Tolkien's The Hobbit for Vivendi Universal, Alpha Protocol, The Wheelman, Blacksite: Area 51, Star Trek: Legacy, Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII, and Dead Head Fred.

Abernethy returned to performing live in 2014 and was the Overall Grand Prize Winner of the 2021 International Acoustic Music Awards. In 2019 he was the Grand Prize winner of American Songwriter's Bob Dylan Song Contest. His last album Normal Isn’t Normal Anymore was released in 2021 and produced by Grammy nominated producer Neilson Hubbard.

Selected works

Normal Isn't Normal Anymore Rod Abernethy, Songs From Downstairs Records The Man I'm Supposed To Be Rod Abernethy, Songs From Downstairs Records Damaged Core High Voltage Software, Oculus Rift Adventure Time Vicious Cycle, Cartoon Network Pacific Rim Warner Bros. RAGE id Software, Bethesda Despicable Me D3 Publisher, Vicious Cycle Software Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon D3 Publisher, Vicious Cycle Software TERA: Rising Bluehole Studios, En Masse Entertainment Dead Space Electronic Arts Wheelman Midway/Ubisoft Darksiders Promotional Trailer, THQ Eat Lead D3Publisher Alpha Protocol Obsidian, Sega Transformers Animated Activision Dead Head Fred D3Publisher Hour of Victory Midway Horsez Ubisoft Star Trek: Encounters Bethesda, Paramount The Hobbit Vivendi Universal Games, Sierra Entertainment Blazing Angels Ubisoft Lineage II, Scions of Destiny Promotional Trailer, NC Soft Gauntlet: Seven Sorrows Midway Rayman Raving Rabbids Ubisoft Flushed Away D3Publishing of America Warhawk Promotional Trailers, SCEA Rise and Fall: Civilizations at War Stainless Steel Studios Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones Promotional Trailers, Ubisoft Heroes of Might and Magic V Promotional Trailers, Ubisoft Jaws Unleashed Majesco Pac-Man World Rally Namco Unaccounted IV Audiofonics Area 51 Midway Rise of the Kasai Sony Computer Entertainment America King Arthur Konami, Touchstone Pictures The Sims Bustin' Out Electronic Arts, Maxis The Urbz Electronic Arts, Maxis Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc Enlight Software Star Wars Trilogy: Apprentice of the Force Ubisoft Curious George Vicious Cycle, Nickelodeon Shinobi THQ Altered Beast THQ Atlantis The Lost Continent Disney, THQ Cabela’s Big Game Hunter Activision Dark Side Of The Moon SouthPeak Games Ellis Island The History Channel Looney Tunes Assorted Nuts Warner Bros. Marvel Universe Konami Marvel: Dark Reign Vicious Cycle, D3Publisher Monster Garage Activision Tejumin SouthPeak Games Wild Wild West Warner Bros. Interactive Zathura Take 2 Interactive