Interview: Patattie Games' Murray Somerwolff discusses Wax Heads

Patattie Games’ forthcoming video game Wax Heads is a love letter to record stores worldwide. In the game, players work at Repeater Records, and it’s their job to make sure the record store is running smoothly. We had a chance to speak to Wax Heads creative director Murray Somerwolff about the game, which will be released tomorrow (May 5) on consoles and PC.

MP3s and NPCs: While there have been plenty of music-based games over the years, one revolving around a record store is pretty rare. What inspired you to work on this title?

Murray Somerwolff: Games and music have been long time passions of mine, and as someone who has played in bands, gone to countless gigs and been attached to the DIY underground subculture, I’ve always been drawn to trying to find a way to articulate that experience inside a game. I think there’s been lots of games that centre around the performance of music, but rarely about music culturally and I often thought that was something ripe to explore.

The eureka moment was while playing Wilmots Warehouse, I looked at the bespoke illustrative abstract tiles and had a funny idea that they would make awesome record covers. Then the idea of a record store lit up in my brain; it just felt like stumbling upon the perfect idea for creating a digital space to talk about music culturally, while having an easy-to-understand premise for a game mechanic.

Once it was in my head, I just couldn’t let it go.

MP3s and NPCs: The record store in the game is named Repeater Records. When it came to finding a name, was that the first one to pop into your head?

Somerwolff: You know, as crazy as it sounds, it was the first one! A friend of mine bought me Fugazi’s “Repeater” album for my 18th birthday, and it made such an impression on me all those years ago, and I’m also a sucker for alliteration, so when it came to making a name for the record store, ‘Repeater Records’ just popped into my head and nothing else could beat it.

MP3s and NPCs: Something that stands out in Wax Heads is the inclusion of music for the various fictional bands featured in the game. What was the process like getting music for these fake bands?

Somerwolff: That was a really fun process. Our composer Gina Loughlin and myself have diverging musical reference points, meaning some of the bands I was mentioning to her she hadn’t heard before.

So for each song Gina was composing, I would send her 3 different references, usually from 3 different bands, to try and amalgamate what this fictional band should sound like. We never wanted anything to feel like it was imitating or parodying an existing band.

And because Gina had no existing baggage with my references, it created an almost interesting fresh and objective lens for her to work with, meaning the final songs had traces of inspiration you could identify, but they felt very much their own thing?

Then in the aspect of the vocals, I’m also very lucky that I have many talented singers in my family and friendships! My wife Daisy, my father-in-law, sister-in-law and a host of friends (and even some of the dev team including myself), all sang on the songs, which then also gave each fake band its own distinctive identity.

MP3s and NPCs: With the rise of video game soundtracks hitting vinyl, can we expect the game's soundtrack to get the same treatment?

Somerwolff: It has been my burning desire to make it so from the very beginning, especially when this soundtrack sounds as good as it does. Somehow, someway - these songs will end up on vinyl.

MP3s and NPCs: How did you find Curve Games for publishing?

Somerwolff: They’ve been great, they’ve supported us every step of the way and allowed us just to get on with it and let Wax Heads be what we want it to be, you can’t ask for more than that.

MP3s and NPCs: What was the first vinyl record you purchased?

Somerwolff: Slint - Spiderland, as soon as I got a record player I knew I had to hear those rhythmic, unsettling bass riffs and janky guitars on record.

MP3s and NPCs: If someone who isn't into music games stumbled upon this title, what would you want them to take away from the experience?

Somerwolff: We made Wax Heads purposefully to make sure it doesn’t appear snobbish or exclusive, where there is no expectation that you need a pedigree in music history to enjoy it.

And in truth the game is beyond being about just music, it’s a celebration of art and community. About taking chances, about protecting what’s important to you and those around you and encountering stories from a wide cast of endearing characters.

I hope that someone who isn’t into music can still be charmed by the authentic experience we’ve created and find something to fall in love with, because Repeater Records is for everyone.

Wax Heads will arrive on PC (via Steam), Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. A demo for the game is available on Steam right now here.