Robert Etoll
Robert Etoll | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 20, 1953 Troy, New York, U.S. |
| Education | Berklee College of Music |
| Occupations | Multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, music producer, sound designer, film composer |
| Website | robertetollproductions |
Robert Etoll (born July 20, 1953) is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, composer, music producer, sound designer, and film composer. He is best known for his work as a composer and producer through his company, Q-Factory Music.
Early life
[edit source]Etoll was born and raised in Troy, New York. He began guitar lessons at age seven at Miller's Music and later at the Troy Music Academy. During his teenage years, he also studied piano. He graduated from Lansingburgh High School.
His first band, The Marlins — later renamed Sweet Silence — performed at local CYO and high school dances, block parties, and other community events. In 1971, the group won a local battle of the bands competition and opened for The Grass Roots at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center in Saratoga Springs, NY.
Etoll later attended Berklee College of Music, where he studied guitar performance, composition, and arranging.[1][2]
Career
[edit source]While studying at Berklee, Etoll joined an established horn band that later became Back Bay Brew, a funk-rock-soul group that toured from Boston down the eastern seaboard to Florida. After the group disbanded, he moved to Los Angeles in 1976, where he worked as a session musician and toured Europe with renowned drummer, Alphonse Mouzon.[2]
By the late 1980s, Etoll had signed as a songwriter with Warner Chappell Music and later MCA Music Publishing.[2] His songs were recorded by various artists including The Pointer Sisters, Reba McEntire, and Akina Nakamori.[2]
In addition to songwriting and music production, Etoll composed music for films, documentaries, television series, and game shows. He also served for 18 years as the house composer for Cessna Aircraft, creating music and sound design for corporate campaigns.
A director of one of the films he scored invited Etoll to compose a 30-second television spot for The Godfather Part III for Paramount Pictures, set to air during the Super Bowl.[2] The project marked his entry into music composition and sound design for the trailer industry. Soon after, Etoll founded Q-Factory Music.[3][4][5][6][7]
Etoll contributed as a music producer and composer for the Japanese animated television series Zoids.[8][9][10] He also provided music for the game show Lingo.[11]
During the 1990s, Etoll taught Music for Film and Television for UCLA Extension.[12]
Film and television work
[edit source]Film scores
[edit source]| Year | Title | Role | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Danger Zone | Composer | [9] |
| 1987 | Vampire at Midnight | Composer | [9] |
| 1989 | Danger Zone II: Reaper's Revenge | Composer | [9] |
| 1990 | Danger Zone III: Steel Horse War | Composer | |
| 1993 | Running Cool | Composer | [9] |
| 1994 | Death Riders | Composer | |
| 1994 | Would You Kindly Direct Me to Hell?: The Infamous Dorothy Parker | Composer | |
| 2001 | Never Say Never Mind: The Swedish Bikini Team | Composer | |
| 2002–2007 | Lingo | Composer |
Additional music
[edit source]| Year | Title | Role | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Vampire at Midnight | Score performer | [9] |
| 1992 | To Protect and Serve | Music supervisor | |
| 2003 | Before We Ruled the Earth | Additional music | |
| 2003 | Dinosaur Planet | Additional music, composer | |
| 2005 | Avia Vampire Hunter | Music | |
| 2006 | Monster House | Trailer music composer | |
| 2015– | Disney anthology television series | Producer (Heaven's Triumph) | |
| 2018 | Die 1000 Glotzböbbel vom Dr. Mabuse | Musician | |
| 2023 | Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem | Composer (promotional music) | |
| 2025 | Enigma Black Stage | Producer (Q-Factory Music; Frolicking Mayhem) |
Soundtrack contributions
[edit source]| Year | Title | Contribution | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Danger Zone | Lyrics & music (Bad Men Ridin, etc.) | [9][13] |
| 1987 | Vampire at Midnight | Lyrics & music (Midnight Kiss, Steppin' Right, etc.), Performer | [9] |
| 1987 | Super 88 | Writer (Every Body Tells a Story) | |
| 1988 | Martika | Writer (It's Not What You're Doing) | |
| 1988 | Femme Fatale (Akina Nakamori album) | Writer (“Paradise Lost (Love Is in Fashion)”, “Move Me (Strictly Confidential)”) | |
| 1990 | Viva el espectáculo | Writer (Loca tentación) | |
| 1992 | Love Songs (Jennifer Love Hewitt album) | Writer (“Bedtime Stories”, “First Taste of Love”, “I’ll Find You”, “Listen (To Your Heart)”, “Won’t U B Mine”) | [14] |
| 1994 | Exit to Eden | Performer (Why Can't We Live Together), Writer (Lift Me Up) | |
| 2003 | Dinosaur Planet | Soundtrack contributor | |
| 2004 | The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement | Writer (Genovia Fight Song) | |
| 2008 | First Blood Part II: How to Become Rambo Part 2 | Writer (Urban Soul) | |
| 2009 | A Single Man | Writer (Moon Over Manhattan) | |
| 2012 | Piranha 3DD | Writer, Performer (Head Banger) | [15][16] |
| 2025 | Saipan | Performer (True Believer) |
Discography
[edit source]| Year | Title | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Sound Design, Volume 5 | [2] |
| 2012 | Final Reckoning | [17][18] |
| 2012 | Quest – An Epic Dark Adventure | [2] |
| 2014 | Chemical Rage | [19] |
| 2015 | Story of Life – Uplifting Hopeful Music | |
| 2015 | Rage – Dark Industrial Rock | |
| 2015 | Shadows from Beyond | |
| 2019 | Emotiva (String Quartet) | |
| 2022 | Black and White – Emotional Piano | |
| 2022 | Wondrous Labyrinth | |
| 2024 | Dilemma | |
| 2024 | Final Glory |
References
[edit source]- ↑ "Robert Etoll '73: Striking the right chord". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Robert Etoll '73". Berklee College of Music. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Dalugdug, Mandy (2025-02-26). "West One Music Group adds trailer music production library Q-Factory to its portfolio of labels". Music Business Worldwide. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "West One Music Group Adds Q-Factory Music and Sound Design to Its Collection". Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Q-FACTORY - Premium Sound Design & Trailer Music". West One Music Group. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Xperience Magazine – March 2021 Digital Edition" (PDF). 3 May 2026. RadioRadioX.
- ↑ "West One Music Group expands portfolio with Q-Factory's trailer music and sound design". Atlantica Music. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Zoids (TV Serial) (1999) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-06-15 – via Filmaffinity.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Robert Etol". Allcinema (in Japanese). Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Robert Etoll". VGMdb. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Lingo". IMDbPro. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "UCLA Extension Fall 1998 Course Catalog (Music Connection, 17 August 1998)" (PDF). Electronic Composition for Film and Television. Music Connection / UCLA Extension. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ The Danger Zone (1987) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2026-06-15 – via Filmaffinity.
- ↑ Love Songs (Media notes). Jennifer Love Hewitt. Meldac. 1992. B01K8MNH1I.
{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ↑ "'Piranha 3DD' Soundtrack Features The Limousines, Amber Pacific, All The Right Moves & More". The Playlist. 2012-05-07. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Davis, Edward (2012-05-07). "'Piranha 3DD' Soundtrack Features The Limousines, Amber Pacific, All The Right Moves & More". IndieWire. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ "Final Reckoning". SonicHits. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Lebrun, Clothilde (November 26, 2012). "Q-Factory: Final Reckoning – Trailer Music News". Trailer Music News. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
- ↑ Staff, EDM Sauce (2014-01-30). "Robert Etoll, Famous for Producing Music for TV and Films Shares EDM Album". EDM Sauce. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
