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SAN FRANCISCO--Nobuo Uematsu is a name that many gamers may not know right off the bat, but it's a sure bet you're familiar with at least some of his work. The veteran composer has had a hand in crafting music for more than 30 games, most notably Square Enix's acclaimed Final Fantasy series.

It's somehow fitting that his work on Square's classic RPG series, which gained mainstream awareness with Final Fantasy VII and broke sales records for the RPG genre back when it was released, would again be part of a new breakthrough for video games.

Following the success of last year's Dear Friends: The Music of Final Fantasy concert at E3 2004, a live performance of selections drawn from Uematso's work on the whole series, Square Enix has opted to take his show on the road, with recent performances in Chicago and, last night, San Francisco. Uematsu says more are to follow.

The shows put a spotlight on Uematsu's work and on the man himself, a humble 46 year old who remains grateful but a bit mystfied by all the hubbub around his work.

We had the opportunity to participate in a roundtable with other journalists and Uenmatsu in his dressing room on the morning of the recent San Francsico concert. We found the veteran composer to be a charming professional who mixed a healthy sense of humor with his considerate responses to the queries thrown his way--and someone not above revealing a few choice items of interest, such as what's on the CD deck in his car...surprise: No Doubt, The Cure, rock, classical, and folk.

We wouldn't have guessed either.

GameSpot: Are you surprised at the positive response the Dear Friends tour has received?

Nobuo Uematsu: I was more surprised in Los Angeles last year because the response was much bigger than I thought it would be. That encouraged me to come [to the states] again this year, to be on the tour. I didn't expect that so many people were enjoying Final Fantasy this much.

GS: Do you have any ideas for subsequent concerts?

NU: There are so many things I would like to do, but at this time I would like to keep it secret.

GS: On the work side, in addition to all this tour stuff, are you still working on the music for Advent Children?

NU: Yes.

GS: How is that going?

NU: It's very close to completion. I'll be able to complete composing music for Advent Children in a month or two.

GS: Will that music be at all reminiscent of what you composed for Final Fantasy VII?

NU: Some melodies [will be similar], but basically, the tone of the music is more rock and roll.

GS: Can you explain what sort of ongoing relationship you're going to have with Square Enix once the project that you are currently slated for is done?

NU: I am working for the company on a contract basis, so there's not too much difference between when I was an employee of the company and now. I go to the Square Enix offices all the time.

GS: What level of involvement do you have on your Mistwalker partner's games? Those of Hironobu Sakaguchi.

NU: I am involved with his [new] projects.

GS: In what capacity?

NU: I am writing music for Mr. Sakaguchi, but the storyline has not been completed. I only know the big story. I am trying to create music for that game for Mr. Sakaguchi.

GS: Have you ever considered composing for media other than games?

NU: I would be interested in that, but not necessarily music for movies...for battle scenes, for example. But I would be interested in writing a theme song, a very melodic song, something like that.

GS: Along the same lines, have you ever thought about collaborating with other musicians, and if so, who would you like to work with?

NU: There is no one person I would be interested in working with. However, one person I have worked with is Faye Wong, a very famous singer, but that was kind of like an exception.

I didn't know that Faye Wong was that famous...I had to listen to so many CDs to choose a voice for a theme song. I fell in love with her voice.

GS: How many songs of yours will be on the Final Fantasy XII soundtrack?

NU: Only one. The theme song.

GS: After so many years writing game music, are there ways you feel you have grown professionally?

NU: Personally, I don't think it's so different between that first one, the very first song, and the most recent. But that doesn't mean that I was so [accomplished] from the beginning.

GS: What have you learned about music then, over that period?

NU: I don't necessarily think that I've gained so much wisdom, per se. But one thing that I have learned is [it is necessary] to struggle to write music, to struggle to write something [new].

GS: Do you have a tough time with deadlines?

NU: Getting closer to the deadline, more ideas come to me.

GS: Given the new capabilities of today's consoles, as well as next-gen consoles, are there any instruments or styles of music that you are interested in experimenting with?

NU: I have something in mind, but I would like to keep it a secret for now.

GS: Even though you are still very active, how would you like your work to be remembered?

NU: I never think about that when I am working. I really can't say how I would like my music to be remembered. However, I would like to be remembered as a composer who made it possible to have a concert, an overseas concert, based on the work of a game music composer. That's my answer to your question.