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The company was formed by Steve Blank, former vice-president of marketing for SuperMac Technology 27. and (26 year old) Australian computer programmer Peter Barrett in late 1993. It aims RSG aims to significantly improve the nature and quality of CD-Rom games software, scenarios and production standards to exploit the maturing market for CD-Rom games by "grafting Silicon Valley engineering and game-play with Hollywood production and special effects" (Snider: 110). In order to achieve this the company has attracted what Blank describes as "a high profile team of hit-game creators, software engineering wizards, special-effects magicians, and top Hollywood production designers" (cited in Snider: 110) 28. While RSG is currently dedicated to producing their own 'blockbuster' interactive games such as their debut (1994) CD-Roms Loadstar and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs rather than music CD-Roms, BMG's investment is significant and commercially astute. Aside from actors, the only other major talent input into audio-visual media not included in RSG's in-house talent roster is musical. While the musical elements of computer-games have, to date, been seen as generally disappointing, the increased audio quality available on CD-Roms offers producers and marketing divisions a greater opportunity to exploit this aspect. An investment in RSG offers BMG not only the opportunity of product placement and royalty revenue from RSG games but also the opportunity to develop more creative and aggressive cross-promotional strategies for music product, such as joint CD-Rom, music video, CD sleeve design and press promotion initiatives. Just as film soundtrack tie-ins have been a major boost for the music industry in the late 1980s and early 1990s, so CD-Rom production looks likely to offer major opportunities over the next decade.

Whatever the effect of the CD-Rom on music and/or music video production, the CD-Rom will undoubtedly change (one of) the ways we experience retailed, pre-recorded music. Any new medium or form changes the music experience and has implications for how we relate to music. In the case of the music video, it both created a semi-autonomous cultural practice in its own right and impinged upon the marketing of music, stars and star's images. CD-Rom will change the experience as well - not necessarily the musical aspect itself, but the context that enfolds, 'colours' and contextualises that experience. The extent to which it does so, and the nature of changes made, are only likely to be moderated by one principal factor, the form's own obsolescence. Already, at least two new technologies are hot on its heels, and being explored by music companies: virtual reality (VR) systems and Internet services. In this regard, one of the most interesting CD-Rom systems to anticipate VR interactions has been the Virtual Guitar game program produced by the Virtual Corporation in early 1994. This uses an interface resembling an electric guitar which the player uses to interact with narrative and music programs on a CD-Rom disc. Depending on user competence, the user can eventually progress to performing guitar solos, 'live' on stage as a guest player with the American rock band Aerosmith !

Although even pilot music VR systems are still some way off (see Hayward (1993) for further discussion) , Internet is already here and being as readily explored by old industry players as new 29. In a similar manner to the Grateful Dead's championing of VR 30, the Rolling Stones have been quick to explore the potential of Internet. As of November 1994, Internet users could access "The Official Rolling Stones Web Site" (on http://www.stones.com). Named 'The Voodoo Lounge', after the band's 1994-5 world tour, the site enabled users to access visual material such as album cover designs and even download a selection of Stones' songs. Taking things one stage further, the band also performed live to Internet in November 1994. Together with relatively newer bands, such as the UK group Pop Will Eat itself, who released an audio-visual 'sampler' for their 1994 album Dos Dedos Mis Amigos on Internet (on http://www.elmail.co.uk/music/pwei)31, the Stones have made the first step in exploiting what many industry analysts believe will be the next format.

Predictions as to when Internet will effectively render music CD-Roms redundant tend to opt for a 5-15 year period (from 1995). While some analysts believe the two forms will be able to co-exist and complement each other (at least during a transitional stage), others are more dismissive of both the CD-Rom's future and present attributes. US computer specialist Eric Swenson, for instance, has argued that current music CD-Roms are "pathetic" and has predicted that

Even more conservative industry spokespeople, such as Andrew Bursalm of Philips, has described the Internet as "one of the most innovative and exciting music formats available" and has predicted that "it will be particularly good for fringe music that maybe wouldn't be available elsewhere" (cited in Richardson: 6). Early evidence suggests that this prediction may be accurate. There are already a number of sites promoting unsigned acts, the best known of which is the Internet Underground Ausic Archive (at http://www.iuma.com) which currently holds audio material by over 200 bands. The first Internet format only music 'release' also came on net in late 1994. Entitled Ain't Whistlin' Dixie, the music site is an independent project put together by David Walker, a California based semi-professional folk musician; and comprises a text and graphics intro page and a selection of "traditional music from the British Isles and America, mostly Irish" performed on penny whistle and ocarina (access on http://mothra.nts.uci.edu:80/-dhwalker/dixie). Such sites, along with an ever increasing number of 'fanzine' orientated music information sites are an early illustration of the potential of the medium.

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