Mr. Pacman

Mr. Pacman is a bitpop (or as the band calls themselves, an "8-bit hero gangsta rock") band from Denver, Colorado. Described as a performance art project as well as a band, Mr. Pacman's live shows include martial arts fighti

Mr. Pacman is a bitpop (or as the band calls themselves, an "8-bit hero gangsta rock") band from Denver, Colorado. Described as a performance art project as well as a band, Mr. Pacman's live shows include martial arts fighting with monsters, outrageous 1980s-style retro-futuristic outfits, and their signature Commodore 64-inspired rock music. The short length of the songs (mostly just over 2 minutes), recent addition of a guitar player, & punk/street hustler attitude could describe the band's music as a unique form of synth pop or electroclash. Furthermore, Mr. Pacman could also fit in the category of outsider music; he has an unusual "karaoke-style" voice and the man who "plays" him (and wishes to remain anyonymous in this article) was admitted to rehab "for playing too many video games." Although most musicians who use the MOS Technology SID chip do so in the studio, Mr. Pacman is the first artist to use it live on stage, with his SidStation; the "Silver Ghost" uses a Commodore 64 as a bass synthesizer.

Mr. Pacman started out as a project by a film school student in 2001 who rapped over Commodore 64 video game music. After one such performance, some Japanese exchange students remarked, "Mr. Pacman is awesome!". The name stuck, and Mr. Pacman now says he's from "Denver, Japan". A running gag based on this is the intentional use of Engrish in the band's e-mail newsletters . Since 2001, the band has expanded to 4 members, adding first the Silver Ghost, then White Tiger, and finally Cockroach 3030 (now known as Anarchy Dragon).