Bob Rice, Trailblazing Agent for Video Game Music, Dies at 79

Bob Rice, who teamed with Journey to release a groundbreaking rock music video game and represented top-notch composers like Steve Ouimette, Sascha Dikiciyan and Inon Zur in the industry, has died. He was 79.

Rice died Wednesday night of COPD at an assisted living facility in Santa Clara, California, publicist Greg O’Connor-Read told The Hollywood Reporter.

More from The Hollywood Reporter

• Pat Robertson, Founder of Christian Broadcasting Network, Dies at 93

• Molly Wolveck, Mother of 'Young and the Restless' Star Kate Linder, Dies at 98 

• Paul Eckstein, Co-Creator of 'Godfather of Harlem,' Dies at 59

Rice created and executive produced what was perhaps the first rock video game, “Journey Escape.” Released by Data Age in 1982 for the Atari 2600 console and narrated by Casey Kasem, it featured band members Steve Perry, Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory and Steve Smith as primitive digitized avatars.

Gamers were tasked in the instructions with guiding each musician “past hordes of Love-Crazed Groupies, Sneaky Photographers and Shifty-eyed Promoters to the safety of the Journey Escape Vehicle in time to make the next concert. Your mighty manager and loyal roadies are there to help, but the escape is up to you!”

In 1992, Rice founded Four Bars Intertainment, which championed video game music as both a creative and commercial art form. His composer clients included Ouimette (Guitar Hero), Dikiciyan (Borderlands), Zur (Fallout), Jack Wall (Mass Effect), Cris Velasco (God of War) and Tom Salta (Ghost Recon).

“The world of music for media lost a remarkable giant,” Zur wrote in a statement. “Bob Rice was a courageous visionary in the video games world and a relentless power in the music industry who had the deepest understanding of what it means to be a composer and what it takes to be a real human being. Bob never stopped hustling and never gave up hope.

“His life lessons were always priceless, and his teaching elevated whomever was open and ready to learn. It was enough just to hear his deep voice, and you knew there was a real power behind you. Every conversation we had during these 25 years of friendship and partnership turned into a mentoring session. And I was always thirsty to hear more, to learn more, to be worthy of his belief in me. The heartaches and the soul are crushed, but I DO know that his being will live with us forever. … Bob WAS and always will be the very essence of music for games. He envisioned this world and made it real.”

On Twitter, Velasco called him “the first agent to see a future [in music] in games.”

Rice started out at age 15 as a concert promoter in Cleveland, and at 16 he was running his own record label and publishing company.

Ten years later, he moved to California to join GRT Corp. as vp sales, marketing and promotion. GRT owned 30 record labels and had equity in another 80. While there, Rice received more than 30 Gold and Platinum record awards featuring artists such as Three Dog Night, Steppenwolf and Tower of Power.

After a 30-year run with GRT, Rice moved into the film business to work with his late sister, Hollywood music contractor Patti Zimmitti, and their clients included Danny Elfman, Elliot Goldenthal and Michael Kamen.

As Four Bars CEO, Rice’s mantra was to deliver to his game studio clients “great music delivered on time and within budget.” He eventually sold the company to the composer agency COOL Music Group in 2013, when he retired.

Survivors include his daughter, Lisa.

Best of The Hollywood Reporter

• Harvey Weinstein's "Jane Doe 1" Victim Reveals Identity: "I'm Tired of Hiding"

• 'Awards Chatter' Podcast: 'Sopranos' Creator David Chase Finally Reveals What Happened to Tony (Exclusive)

Click here to read the full article.