Interviews - Rob Hubbard | Retro Community

Retro Tea Break (2019)

One of the most extensive modern interviews with Rob Hubbard, conducted by Retro Tea Break in 2019. Covers his background in classical music, how he discovered the C64, his compositional methods, working with game developers of the era, and his move to Electronic Arts.

"I read the SID chip manual from cover to cover - I wanted to understand exactly what it could do before I started. Most people just experimented. I wanted to know the theory first." - Rob Hubbard, Retro Tea Break (2019)

Sound Test #13 (2018)

A detailed technical interview focusing on the SID chip's capabilities, Hubbard's programming approach to the interrupt handler, and his view on the differences between the 6581 and 8580 SID variants. Also covers his early session musician career and how it shaped his approach to game music.

"The SID chip was a professional synthesiser chip. People didn't realise that at the time. It had waveforms, envelopes, a filter - everything a real synthesiser had. You just had to know how to use it." - Rob Hubbard, Sound Test #13 (2018)

X'2023 Q&A

A Q&A session at the X demoscene party in 2023, where Hubbard answered questions from the C64 community. Topics included his current musical interests, favourite compositions from his C64 period, and his reaction to hearing modern emulations and remixes of his work.

"It's strange to hear these pieces again. I wrote them so quickly - sometimes in a weekend. I'm surprised they still hold up." - Rob Hubbard, X'2023 Q&A

Remix64 Written Interview

A written interview conducted by the Remix64 community, focusing on how Hubbard feels about the remixing community's treatment of his compositions. He discusses which remixes he's heard, the challenge of adapting SID music to modern production, and what he thinks the original pieces lose and gain in translation.

"Some of the remixes are extraordinary - they take something I did in an afternoon and turn it into a three-minute production. I'm genuinely impressed by what the community has done with this music." - Rob Hubbard, Remix64 written interview

See Resources for links to Remix64's Rob Hubbard catalogue.

c64.com Interview

An in-depth written interview at c64.com covering Hubbard's complete C64 period: his working relationship with publishers, how deals were structured in the era, what he was paid, and the creative constraints (and freedoms) he worked within.

"Publishers would phone up and say 'we need music by Friday'. There was no brief, no temp track - you just listened to the game and wrote something. It was liberating, in a way." - Rob Hubbard, c64.com interview

Zzap!64 - Issue 16 (1986)

One of the earliest print profiles of Hubbard, published in Zzap!64 in 1986. The magazine was at that point running a regular music feature, and Hubbard was already recognised as the standout talent. The interview is a primary document of his approach at the peak of his C64 productivity.

Archived copies of Zzap!64 are available at zzap64.co.uk and via the Internet Archive.