A Score To Settle (Brian McVickar)
Explore every episode of A Score To Settle
| Pub. Date | Title | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Nov 2017 | ASTS 001: "Logan's Run" (1976)/Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album editor and producer | 00:49:16 | |
In this first episode of the podcast, I talk about Jerry Goldsmith's score for the 1976 science fiction movie LOGAN'S RUN and also begin part 1 of my conversation with classic soundtrack album producer and editor Neil S. Bulk. The discussion includes his work on the archival releases of Danny Elfman's score to 1989's BATMAN and Michael Kamen's music for the LETHAL WEAPON series.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 21 May 2023 | ASTS 052: TV Goes To The Movies - ”The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” | 01:22:49 | |
Welcome all to the podcast! In this episode, I continue my mini-series entitled "TV Goes To The Movies", a topic in which I intend to explore TV shows that migrated over to the big screen. As expected, my focus is musically what was or was not carried over from the television episodes of a particular series to its respective theatrical feature, such as the main TV theme.
This time I open Channel D to examine "The Man From U.N.C.L.E." - a popular spy series which aired on NBC from 1964-1968. Its musical template was initially set by legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith, while still early in his career, and subsequently experienced many unexpected tonal shifts. Afterwards I discuss the eight "Man From U.N.C.L.E." "movies", each built from 2-part TV episodes and primarily released theatrically internationally, and lastly wrap up with the 2015 feature film, directed by Guy Ritchie, starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer, with music composed by Daniel Pemberton.
Title playtime index: Intro - 00:00:00 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Theme (Concert Version) (Jerry Goldsmith) - 00:03:59 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Theme (Season One broadcast version) (Jerry Goldsmith) - 00:06:15 Early Jerry Goldsmith TV & Film works - DR KILDARE (TV, 1961), CITY OF FEAR (Film, 1959), THE PRIZE (Film, 1963) - 00:07:10 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (TV, Season One) (Jerry Goldsmith, Morton Stevens, Lalo Schifrin) - 00:15:50 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (TV, Season Two) (Gerald Fried, Robert Drasnin) - 00:28:28 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (TV, Season Three) (Gerald Fried, Robert Drasnin, Nelson Riddle) - 00:39:11 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (TV, Season Four) (Richard Shores) - 00:50:40 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. "movies" (released theatrically internationally) (Gerald Fried) - 00:56:22 THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (Film, 2015) (Daniel Pemberton) - 01:02:49
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 18 Sep 2022 | ASTS 048: Listening To... Music for ”Predator” and ”Prey” | 01:35:49 | |
Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, I present and examine the music composed for the PREDATOR film franchise, from the 1987 original through to the latest installment, PREY, released via the streaming service Hulu in August 2022. My goal is to identify the themes, motifs, instrumentation and approach applied by composer Alan Silvestri (BACK TO THE FUTURE, MOUSE HUNT, THE AVENGERS) to PREDATOR (1987) & PREDATOR 2 (1990) and how this symphonic model was subsequently interpreted in the sequels and spin-offs (or not). Later, PREY eschews much of the previous musical language and charts new sonic territory, with a subtle nod to Silvestri. Additional composers represented in this pulse-pounding episode include John Debney, Brian Tyler, Henry Jackman, Harald Kloser and Sarah Schachner.
Title playtime index: PREDATOR - 00:00:00 PREDATOR 2 - 00:26:25 ALIEN VS PREDATOR - 00:37:10 ALIENS VS PREDATOR: REQUIEM - 00:44:36 PREDATORS - 00:51:52 THE PREDATOR - 1:04:48 PREY - 1:19:23
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 06 Jun 2021 | ASTS 040: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 1-The 1950's | 01:09:25 | |
Beginning with this episode (the 40th!) of the podcast, I plan to present a multi-part analysis into a specific cinematic genre, that being the music of science fiction through the years. The 1950's is often considered the initial Golden Age of Science Fiction, when the genre showcased its own distinctiveness onscreen and gained notoriety in part due to films such as THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL (1951), CONQUEST OF SPACE (1955) and INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS (1956). Music from this decade's theatrical entries is where my listening journey starts, including selections composed by Bernard Herrmann, Leith Stevens, Herman Stein and Nathan Van Cleave.
Of course, this isn’t meant to be an exhaustive or definitive overview in any sense of the word, consisting instead of my own observations of how music for science fiction movies, those involving outer space, invading aliens and time travel, developed its own personality and evolved over time. With luck, my reach won't exceed my grasp and I will endeavor to produce an episode for each decade at least up until the 1990's. As a teaser, I've created a special suite of musical selections from various Sci-Fi film scores from the 50's to the 90's.
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 21 Jun 2020 | ASTS 031: Listening To... "Lethal Weapon" (Part 1) | 00:57:11 | |
Welcome to the next new episode! In another of my "Listening To" series, I am exploring the music of the popular cop/action film series, LETHAL WEAPON, which appeared onscreen in 1987 in its initial installment and then wrapped up in 1998 with LETHAL WEAPON 4. The core cast and crew remained mostly the same throughout the entire production, with Richard Donner as director, superstars Mel Gibson and Danny Glover headlining and music composed by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton and David Sanborn. Specifically, Clapton and Sanborn provided wonderful tonal color via their respective solo instruments, guitar (acoustic, blues, electric) and saxophone.
I open by spotlighting some examples of music for cop & detective movies that preceded LETHAL WEAPON, noting how the styles moved from dissonant, dark orchestral turmoil to downtrodden, lonely sounds that often incorporated popular trends of the time, such as blues, jazz, funk and synth elements. I aim to provide some context for where the LETHAL WEAPON scores both follow this model and chart a new path, the latter through recurring character themes and motifs.
Everyone stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 19 Jul 2020 | ASTS 032: Listening To... "Lethal Weapon" (Part 2) | 01:16:53 | |
Welcome back, everyone! This is part two of my investigation into music of the popular cop/action film series, LETHAL WEAPON, composed by Michael Kamen, Eric Clapton and David Sanborn, and its fusion of rock, blues and orchestral stylings. In part one, I focused on the original, released in 1987, and the first sequel, along with presenting contextual examples from scores for police and detective movies which preceded this series. Here, I continue on into LETHAL WEAPON 3 (1992) and LETHAL WEAPON 4 (1998) while for context I touch upon other scores by Michael Kamen from around the same time period. In the late 1980's and throughout much of the 90's, Kamen's stirring approach of orchestral acrobatics defined the sound of cinematic action, including genre highlights such as DIE HARD, HUDSON HAWK and ROBIN HOOD: PRINCE OF THIEVES.
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 27 Jun 2022 | ASTS 047: Now Playing... ”The Batman”, ”Death On The Nile”, ”The King’s Man” and more! | 01:10:30 | |
Welcome, everyone, to the next episode of the podcast! In this episode, I revisit a sub-series of the show called "Now Playing", during which I showcase recent soundtrack albums to which I’ve been listening. This can include music for both current film releases and classic scores newly issued on album. Below are the titles (and artists) that I present, mostly from the end of last year and the first half of 2022:
VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE - Marco Beltrami ARMY OF THIEVES - Hans Zimmer & Steve Mazzaro THE KING'S MAN - Matthew Margeson & Dominic Lewis DEATH ON THE NILE (2022) - Patrick Doyle UNCHARTED - Ramin Djawadi DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS - Danny Elfman THE BATMAN & JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION - Michael Giacchino TOP GUN: MAVERICK - Harold Faltermeyer, Lady Gaga, Hans Zimmer & Lorne Balfe FIRESTARTER (1984) - Tangerine Dream
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 18 Jul 2021 | ASTS 041: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 2-The 1960's | 01:31:24 | |
Welcome back to the podcast! In this episode I continue on to the next chapter of a multi-part deep dive, into the evolving music of Science Fiction cinema through the decades, with my focus today being the 1960’s. Thus far, we’ve journeyed through the 1950’s scores which were brimming with electric violins, theremins, Novachords, jarring stinger chords and harsh onslaughts of brass and percussion.
Now, as we advance into the 1960's, we'll hear sumptuous symphonic scores for THE TIME MACHINE (1960) and MASTER OF THE WORLD (1961), pop and jazz influences in PANIC IN YEAR ZERO! (1962) and BARBARELLA (1968) and avant garde concert techniques expressed in the music for FANTASTIC VOYAGE (1966) and PLANET OF THE APES (1968). Composers featured here include Bernard Herrmann, Jerry Goldsmith, Les Baxter, Russell Garcia, Akira Ifukube - plus vocal crooning by Frankie Avalon! I also include samples of Alex North's original, unused score for the Stanley Kubrick directed, game-changing 1968 classic 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY.
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Small correction: I mistakenly attribute the score for 1954's 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA to Paul Sawtell and Bert Shefter, but it was composed by Paul J. Smith. Thanks to my attentive listeners!
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| 21 Feb 2021 | ASTS 036: Composer Enis Rotthoff ("Love Sarah") | 00:38:48 | |
Welcome back, everyone! In this new episode, I talk with multi-talented composer Enis Rotthoff. Born in Berlin, Enis is a well established and distinct musical voice in German cinema and in recent years has been been cultivating a similarly impressive reputation here in the United States. He has composed music for diverse films such as GUNS AKIMBO and THE SUNLIT NIGHT and I'm pleased to welcome Enis to the podcast to discuss his latest feature, LOVE SARAH. Released in January 2021, LOVE SARAH was directed by Eliza Shroeder and is now available on all major streaming platforms. Rotthoff collaborated closely with director Eliza Schroeder on the score, recording the music with the Budapest Art Orchestra and also blending electronic sounds with acoustic instruments.
Stay safe out there, wear a mask, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 06 Feb 2022 | ASTS 045: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor-2021 in review | 01:11:15 | |
Welcome to the next new episode! I am pleased to be joined once more by soundtrack album producer and editor, Neil S. Bulk. As heard in previous years, which long-time listeners may recall, I’ve invited Neil back to reflect on his notable projects from the prior year, in this case 2021, for the various soundtrack record labels such as La La Land Records and Varese Sarabande. Topics range from work continuing during lockdown, rescores, film score presentations vs original albums and guessing as to what was happening in 1989 with recorded cues now missing. Titles discussed in this episode include: THE NEXT KARATE KID (Bill Conti/William Ross) STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN, GLORY, FIELD OF DREAMS (James Horner) STRIPES (Elmer Bernstein) CABOBLANCO, THE STRIPPER, S*P*Y*S, TORA! TORA! TORA!, ACE ELI AND RODGER OF THE SKIES (Jerry Goldsmith) THE TIME TUNNEL (1960's TV series) (John Williams, various) THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (Alfred Newman) LOVE ACTUALLY (Craig Armstrong) DANTE'S PEAK (James Newton Howard/John Frizzel)
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Albums discussed now available at: https://www.varesesarabande.com/
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 04 Dec 2022 | ASTS 049: Now Playing... ”Thor: Love and Thunder”, ”Nope”, ”The Woman King”, ”Black Adam” and more! | 01:17:51 | |
Welcome back to the show! In an effort to wrap up 2022, I’m concluding with an episode of the Now Playing sub-series of the podcast. This is following on from the previous Now Playing installment (episode 47) in which I primarily covered the first half of the year, including THE BATMAN and TOP GUN: MAVERICK, with additional notable highlights from late 2021. In this episode, enjoy music from John Williams, Lorne Balfe, Junkie XL, Alexandre Desplat among others! Below are the films and composers represented here, with time index for helpful reference:
Title playtime index: THOR: LOVE AND THUNDER (Michael Giacchino & Nami Melumad) - 00:00:00 NOPE (Michael Abels) - 00:10:29 THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING (Tom Holkenborg aka Junkie XL) - 00:18:53 THE WOMAN KING (Terence Blanchard) - 00:27:18 THE LOST KING (Alexandre Desplat) - 00:34:41 BLACK ADAM (Lorne Balfe) - 00:42:30 BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER (Ludwig Göransson) - 00:53:07 THE FABELMANS (John Williams) - 1:03:57
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 02 May 2021 | ASTS 039: Composer Benji Merrison ("SAS: Red Notice") | 00:29:57 | |
Hello again, everyone! On this episode of the podcast, I am joined by the brilliantly skilled composer Benji Merrison. Benji is based in London and has provided music across a wide spectrum of media, from TV to film, documentaries and art installations. His background includes both formal music schooling as well as music production and engineering. Some of Benji Merrison's previous projects include TV series for BBC 1 such as FORCES OF NATURE, DYNASTIES and GREEN PLANET. Today, I have welcomed him to my podcast to talk about his latest feature film score, for the action thriller SAS: RED NOTICE, directed by Magnus Martens. The soundtrack for SAS: RED NOTICE is available from Lakeshore Records.
Stay safe out there, wear a mask and take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 22 Aug 2021 | ASTS 042: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 3-The 1970's | 01:02:00 | |
Hi again everybody! In this episode of the podcast, my multi-part deep dive into the malleable soundscape of Science Fiction cinema continues, with the focus today being the 1970’s. Well, to be more specific, this episode focuses on the first half of the 1970's.
It was a period when the sweeping symphonic sound of the Golden Age had briefly faded, mostly supplanted by either pop inflected scores and songs, tracked in classical works or experimental, often electronic tones. Sci-fi film scores (and composers) represented here include COLOSSUS: THE FORBIN PROJECT (Michel Colombier), THE OMEGA MAN (Ron Grainer), SILENT RUNNING (Peter Schickele), SOYLENT GREEN (Fred Myrow), LOGAN'S RUN (Jerry Goldsmith) and a suite of music from the four PLANET OF THE APES sequels.
Stay safe out there, stay cool, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 17 Jan 2022 | ASTS 044: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 5-The 1980’s | 01:33:33 | |
Welcome to 2022, everyone! In this first episode of the year, my multi-part journey into the music of Science Fiction cinema and its evolving soundscape through the decades continues. We’re now crossing over into the 1980’s, following on from the seismic shift in film scoring which occurred with the unexpected arrival of STAR WARS in 1977 and its John Williams-penned symphonic score, hearkening back to the sounds of the classical Hollywood era.
This symphonic shadow loomed large over Sci-Fi movies of the 80's, as heard here in music composed by James Horner (BATTLE BEYOND THE STARS, STAR TREK II), John Scott (THE FINAL COUNTDOWN) and Elmer Bernstein (SATURN 3, HEAVY METAL). However, the incorporation of synthesizers into soundtracks increased, both combined with large orchestras and also in solo efforts, such as John Carpenter's ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK (1981) and the inimitable Vangelis score for BLADE RUNNER (1982).
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 03 May 2020 | ASTS 030: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor, 2019 in review | 01:17:27 | |
Soundtrack album producer and editor Neil S. Bulk returns as an honored guest to the podcast to discuss several of his notable film score restorations completed during 2019. He shares behind-the-scenes information and anecdotes from wonderful projects he guided last year for fan favorite record labels, including La-La Land Records, Quartet Records and Varese Sarabande. I ask Neil about his efforts on the 5-disc PLANET OF THE APES box set, which collects all music from the original five films in the beloved franchise.
In addition, we chat about eagerly anticipated expanded album releases such as THE SWARM, THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY and U.S. MARSHALS, all composed by Jerry Goldsmith, THE KARATE KID by Bill Conti and STARGATE by David Arnold. We also spend some time talking James Horner's lush score for LEGENDS OF THE FALL from 1994, and its expanded edition from Intrada Records. This interview was conducted on April 17, 2020. Stay safe and healthy, everyone!
Find these albums available at: https://www.quartetrecords.com/ https://www.varesesarabande.com/
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 10 Feb 2023 | ASTS 050: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor-2022 in review | 01:25:25 | |
Happy New Year to all listeners out there and welcome to the first new episode of 2023! In this inaugural episode of the new year, I am accompanied by popular soundtrack album producer and editor Neil S. Bulk, in what has become a perennial, (hopefully) entertaining and often “inside baseball” type of discussion. Neil and I recap his standout projects from the prior year, 2022, for the venerable soundtrack record labels La La Land Records, Quartet Records and Varese Sarabande. As always, I appreciate when Neil can spend time to relay the details and experiences on these albums!
Below are the films and composers represented here, with time index for helpful reference:
FIRST BLOOD (1982), RAMBO: FIRST BLOOD PART II (1985), RAMBO III (1988) (Jerry Goldsmith) - 00:00:00 MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS (1971) (John Barry) - 00:15:39 CHAPLIN (1992) (John Barry) - 00:19:10 DR SEUSS' HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS (2000) (James Horner) - 00:26:09 TOMORROW NEVER DIES (1997) (David Arnold) - 00:33:43 THE GODFATHER (1972) (Nino Rota) - 00:44:54 PRESUMED INNOCENT (1990) (John Williams) - 00:55:00 DEATH BECOMES HER (1992) (Alan Silvestri) - 1:01:02 L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997) (Jerry Goldsmith) - 1:08:09 THE BURBS (1989) (Jerry Goldsmith) - 1:15:50
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Albums discussed now available at: https://www.quartetrecords.com/ https://www.varesesarabande.com/
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 27 Mar 2023 | ASTS 051: TV Goes To The Movies - ”Mission: Impossible” | 01:48:29 | |
Hello everyone! With this episode of the podcast, I begin a new sub-series entitled "TV Goes To The Movies", a topic intended to explore TV shows which migrated over to the big screen.
In mapping out a potential plan for the podcast this year, I felt motivated to explore this scenario in terms of musically what was and was not carried over from the television episodes of a particular series to its respective theatrical feature. For example, was the TV series' main theme referenced? Was the style of episodic scoring repeated? Was the series composer, or composers, hired on for the cinematic adventures? My plan is to feature music released officially on album from a selected TV series, followed by the films and see if we can identify recurring attributes.
The initial episode in this sub-series is fraught with danger and intrigue... that being MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE!
Title playtime index: MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (TV, 1966-1973) (Lalo Schifrin, et al) - 00:00:00 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (TV, 1988-1990) (Lalo Schifrin, Ron Jones) - 00:36:28 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE (Film, 1996) (Danny Elfman) - 00:44:15 M:I 2 (aka MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 2) (Film, 2000) (Hans Zimmer) - 00:55:37 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 3 (Film, 2006) (Michael Giacchino) - 01:05:47 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL (Film, 2011) (Michael Giacchino) - 01:10:03 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION (Film, 2015) (Joe Kramer) - 01:22:27 MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - FALLOUT (Film, 2018) (Lorne Balfe) - 1:34:22
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 24 Apr 2022 | ASTS 046: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 6-The 1980’s, cont. | 01:38:50 | |
Hello again and welcome back to the podcast! In this somewhat "super-sized" installment of my multi-part trek through the music of Science Fiction cinema, I attempt to close out the decade of the 1980's. The previous installment in this series focused on titles from the years 1980-82. Here, I cover the remaining years of the decade with examples of the competing and sometimes collaborative film music trends - pop & electronic and orchestral.
The 80’s were a peak time of musical surprises, somewhat akin to the 1960’s when we heard a mix of traditional orchestral scores, jazz, pop & rock-based colors as well as avant garde music derived from concert techniques. Following its revival, the large scale orchestral approach continued reigning over much of cinematic Science Fiction, now bolstered by electronic and choral elements. Parallel to this were the experiments in synth and pop styles, connecting the genre to present day (for the time) musical trends. To help identify these unique sonic qualities, I'll sample music from TERMINATOR (Brad Fiedel), 2010 (David Shire), ENEMY MINE (Maurice Jarre), KRULL (James Horner), SPACEHUNTER: ADVENTURES IN THE FORBIDDEN ZONE (Elmer Bernstein) and THE ABYSS (Alan Silvestri), amid more!
*Correction - During this episode, I mistakenly attributed the theme song for the TV series "Cheers" to composer Craig Safan. In fact, while Safan provided the series bumpers and underscore cues, the theme was composed by Gary Portnoy and Judy Hart Angelo.
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 19 Feb 2024 | ASTS 055: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor-2023 in review | 01:23:42 | |
Welcome all listeners out there to the new year and also to the inaugural episode of 2024! To launch into this new year, in this episode I am accompanied once more by perennially popular soundtrack album producer and editor Neil S. Bulk, to continue our conversation in recapping his standout projects from the prior year, in this instance 2023. His work can be heard on album releases from the La La Land, Quartet and Varese Sarabande record labels. As always, I appreciate when Neil can spend time to share the details and experiences on these albums!
Below are the films and composers represented here, with time index for helpful reference:
Intro - 00:00:00 GORKY PARK (1983) (James Horner) - 00:02:36 DAD (1989) (James Horner) - 00:13:15 SNEAKERS (1992) (James Horner) - 00:20:01 THE MASK OF ZORRO (1998) (James Horner) - 00:26:01 MULAN (1998) (Dolby Atmos album releases, score by Jerry Goldsmith, songs by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel) - 00:38:12 LIVE AND LET DIE (1973) (music by George Martin, title song by Paul McCartney & Wings) - 00:45:34 OCTOPUSSY (1983) (music by John Barry, title song "All Time High" by Barry and Tim Rice) - 01:00:00
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Albums discussed now available at:
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 17 Oct 2021 | ASTS 043: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 4-The 1970‘s, cont. | 01:31:04 | |
Greetings everyone! In this new episode of the podcast, my sonic journey through the music for Science Fiction cinema through the decades continues, by closing out the 1970's. This will focus on titles from the 1977-1979 years, and more specifically STAR WARS and the ripples created by that seismic shift of its musical score composed by John Williams. The electronic and avant garde sounds of the genre heard during the early Seventies found themselves supplanted by the return of those of the Golden Age of Hollywood, being the more traditionally symphonic soundscapes.
John Williams features prominently as expected, by way of not only STAR WARS but both CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND and SUPERMAN: THE MOVIE, along with titles by Jerry Goldsmith (DAMNATION ALLEY, ALIEN, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE), John Barry (STARCRASH, THE BLACK HOLE), Laurence Rosenthal (THE ISLAND OF DR MOREAU, METEOR), Brian May (MAD MAX) and others...
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 20 Nov 2023 | ASTS 054: Now Playing... ”Barbie”, ”Oppenheimer”, ”Tetris”, ”The Marvels” and more! | 01:35:34 | |
Welcome back, everyone! To close out 2023, I’m concluding with an episode of the Now Playing sub-series of the podcast to spotlight notable film scores throughout the calendar year. This year provided some surprise blockbusters, such as BARBIE and OPPENHEIMER, along with new entries from major franchises like INDIANA JONES, CREED and THE FAST & THE FURIOUS - with memorable music from many. Enjoy music from a cavalcade of composers - John Williams, Lorne Balfe, Christophe Beck and Hans Zimmer, among others!
Below are the films and composers represented here, with time index for helpful reference.
Title playtime index: ANT-MAN AND THE WASP: QUANTUMANIA (Christophe Beck) - 00:01:37 SHAZAM: FURY OF THE GODS (Christophe Beck) - 00:06:12 CREED 3 (Joseph Shirley) - 00:10:09 TETRIS (Lorne Balfe) - 00:17:29 DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOUR AMONG THIEVES (Lorne Balfe) - 00:24:06 THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE (Brian Tyler/Koji Kondo) - 00:34:09 FAST X (Brian Tyler) - 00:38:24 INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY (John Williams) - 00:42:33 BARBIE (Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, "What Was I Made For?" by Billie Eilish) - 00:53:00 OPPENHEIMER (Ludwig Göransson) - 01:04:02 THE CREATOR (Hans Zimmer) - 01:10:50 THE MARVELS (Laura Karpman) - 01:19:01
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 27 Sep 2020 | ASTS 033: "Dragonslayer" (1981)/Guest Todd Smith (fan chat) | 01:06:36 | |
Welcome to the next new episode of the podcast! It's been awhile since my last episode of this variety, being that it is split into two segments - the first focuses on a notable and favorite score of mine, followed by a segment that is a free-wheeling chat between myself and another soundtrack fan! Modernist composer Alex North's challenging, complex and arresting score for the 1981 dark fantasy film DRAGONSLAYER has long been considered memorable for the genre overall. I briefly present North's background before turning my attention to DRAGONSLAYER, its recurring themes and where it fits among his other epic scores. Afterwards, I talk with a fellow movie music fan and my good friend for more than 25 years, Todd Smith. He shares what scores caught his attention, becoming a soundtrack collector, what makes this music memorable and many mentions of James Horner's music. The beginning of our own friendship is revealed as well, all thanks to the early days of Film Score Monthly. Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 04 Dec 2017 | ASTS 002: Guest Neil Bulk, classic soundtrack album editor/producer (part 2) | 00:49:47 | |
In this episode, I continue my conversation with classic soundtrack editor and producer, Neil Bulk. Some of the topics discussed include his beginnings as a soundtrack fan and collector, re-recordings of movie music, fan demands when it comes to album releases from the niche labels and at the end, Neil tries to get me to actually narrow down my favorite scores.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 17 Dec 2017 | ASTS 003: Listening To... Bernard Herrmann | 00:44:56 | |
In this episode, I talk about and present examples of the music of Bernard Herrmann, a legendary, enigmatic and trend-setting figure in film scores, specifically as the Golden Age of Hollywood began to wane and transition into broader styles and textures. I titled this "Listening To..." and plan to revisit this topic with various composers, whether to present attributes of their overall style or focus on particular genres or even a certain year of their career. This is not a comprehensive biography of the man or his entire career, but more of a brief introduction for anyone who might be curious to learn about what to listen for, in scores such as CITIZEN KANE, VERTIGO, JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS and TAXI DRIVER.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 07 Jan 2018 | ASTS 004: Guest Edwin Wendler, composer | 00:52:52 | |
In this episode, I talk with composer Edwin Wendler about his work in film, such as the short film WRONG HOLLYWOOD NUMBER, in television series, such as "Fear Factor", along with his background in Vienna, what caught his ear in movie music as a fan, his start in the business, collaborations and current trends, big budget movies and more. If you're interested in checking out Edwin's music and career, you can find him on Facebook as well as his website, www.edwinwendler.com. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 21 Jan 2018 | ASTS 005: "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1988)/Guest George S. Nader | 00:58:42 | |
In this episode, I devote the first segment to Michael Kamen's score for the 1988 fantasy film, THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN, directed by Terry Gilliam. It's been a long-time favorite, both of Kamen's output as a composer and also overall among my entire collection. For the second segment, I invited my friend and fellow soundtrack fan, George S. Nader, to discuss one of his favorites, that being Alan Silvestri's score for WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT, directed by Robert Zemeckis and also released in 1988. We then get into the topic of being a fan of movie music and play a game I called "Movie Music Mix Tape". Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 10 Feb 2018 | ASTS 006: Guest Dan Goldwasser, soundtrack album producer and film music journalist | 00:57:57 | |
In this episode, I am talking with soundtrack album producer and film music journalist, Dan Goldwasser. We focus on his work for both archival score releases, such as THE FIRM and AIRPLANE!, and for recent scores, in this case KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE and FERDINAND. I ask him about how these projects are begun, who's involved and roadblocks encountered. We also talk about being a movie music fan and whether this affects shepherding these albums and collaborating with composers. Check out Dan's photography and notes from scoring sessions around Los Angeles at his website, www.scoringsessions.com. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 24 Feb 2018 | ASTS 007: Listening To... Elmer Bernstein | 00:58:06 | |
In this episode, I talk about and present examples of the marvelous music of Elmer Bernstein, specifically his jazz-oriented scores, like THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN ARM, and those in the "Westerns" genre, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN for example. Bernstein was part of the unofficial "second generation" of film composers, along with Alex North, Franz Waxman and others, following on from the "godfathers" of Max Steiner, Alfred Newman and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. He tackled pretty much every genre but there were distinct periods of his career when he was considered the "go-to" guy for jazz scores, then Westerns, then comedies, amid others. This is part of my ongoing "Listening To..." series of the show in which I examine various composers, whether presenting attributes of their overall style, focusing on particular genres or even a certain year of their career. This is not a comprehensive biography of Elmer Bernstein or his entire career, but more of a brief introduction for anyone who might be curious to learn about what to listen for. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 11 Mar 2018 | ASTS 008: Guest Ben Wise, composer and musician | 00:49:24 | |
In this episode, my guest is composer and musician Ben Wise. Ben writes, records and performs both with the indie/folk band TINY Goliath and as a solo artist. In the early 2000's, he began a career scoring commercials (i.e. "jingle writer"), a move which then grew to include web series, animated shorts and short films, including winning awards for the latter. We talk about his musical background, pop music, commercial jingles and film music. Contact Ben on Twitter and Instagram at @benwise and on Facebook at facebook.com/benwisemusic. The folk band TINY Goliath can be found at tinygoliath.bandcamp.com. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 01 Apr 2018 | ASTS 009: Listening To... Jerry Goldsmith in 1982 | 01:03:48 | |
In this episode, I turn my "Listening To..." focus towards the inimitable composer Jerry Goldsmith and specifically, his music for films released in 1982. In that year alone there were five theatrical releases which featured his eloquent accompaniment - POLTERGEIST, NIGHT CROSSING, THE SECRET OF N.I.M.H., THE CHALLENGE and FIRST BLOOD. It was a typically busy year for Goldsmith and he produced several of his strongest, most celebrated scores, resulting in an Academy Award nomination for POLTERGEIST. I examine the aural connections between these efforts, a bit of the concert classical influences and their place in Goldsmith's overall canon. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 29 Apr 2018 | ASTS 010: Guest Marshall Harvey, film & TV editor ("The Burbs", "Matinee") | 00:58:41 | |
In this episode of the podcast, film & TV editor Marshall Harvey takes time to talk with me about the role of music in his editing process, his favorite film music and composers as well as editing the films of director Joe Dante, specifically THE BURBS, MATINEE, SMALL SOLDIERS and LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION. We also discuss discernible shifts in movie music styles in recent years and Marshall shares some stories involving the late, great composer Jerry Goldsmith when working on the aforementioned Dante films. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 19 May 2018 | ASTS 011: Listening To... Maurice Jarre | 01:14:12 | |
In this episode, I focus my "Listening To.." series towards the incomparable and distinctive French composer, Maurice Jarre. Born in 1924, Jarre studied composition and percussion at the Paris Conservatory, beginning his film scoring career in his native France during the 1950's through short films and documentaries. It was then his peerless, epic music for 1962's LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, one of the most highly honored and well-remembered movies, that introduced him to English-speaking audiences, who immediately embraced him. His subsequent career continually flourished until his passing in 2009, chock-a-block with additional musical highlights in films such as DOCTOR ZHIVAGO, IS PARIS BURNING?, THE MAN WHO WOULD BE KING, WITNESS, MAD MAX: BEYOND THUNDERDOME and GHOST. His uniquely melodic and often idiosyncratic style and approach remains a memorable component in all projects he scored. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Jun 2018 | ASTS 012: "Battlestar: Galactica" (TV, 1978)/Guest Mike Hagen (fan chat on TV music) | 01:14:12 | |
Welcome to the next new episode my podcast! This episode has more of a focus on music for television. In the first section I explore the music composed by Stu Phillips for the original BATTLESTAR GALACTICA television series, which aired for one season on ABC in 1978, produced by Glen A. Larson. This show and its music was an early favorite of mine and Phillips composed many wonderful themes and motifs heard through that single season. In the second section I talk with my friend and fellow soundtrack fan Mike Hagen about his favorite scores from TV series of the 1960's and 70's, including STAR TREK, LOST IN SPACE and DANGER MAN, the latter a UK television series aired here in the U.S. as SECRET AGENT MAN. Plus there are other fun recollections of his including his time working at the Tower Records in New York City and also being an extra on "Saturday Night Live"! If you're interested in more of Stu Phillips, check out his website, http://www.stuwho.com/. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 08 Jul 2018 | ASTS 013: Listening To... Hans Zimmer | 01:14:19 | |
Welcome to the next new episode of my podcast! In this episode, I turn my spotlight on composer Hans Zimmer and his music for the movies. Born in 1957, in Frankfurt, Germany, Zimmer's initial musical background was by way of pop music, most famously with the band The Buggles, who had a huge hit in 1979 with their perky tune "Video Killed The Radio Star". Later, he shifted into writing ad jingles before notable British composer Stanley Myers brought him over as an apprentice. Soon, they were co-composing together on a number of film scores. Zimmer quickly graduated to his own solo composing career in 1988 with A WORLD APART, which very soon led to notable big hits such as RAIN MAN, DRIVING MISS DAISY, BACKDRAFT, CRIMSON TIDE, THE LION KING and more. I wanted to look at how Zimmer's unique blend of synths, pop, exotic instruments and traditional orchestral forces changed the soundscape of movie music, starting in the 90's and continuing through to today, as heard in such blockbusters as the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN and DARK KNIGHT series, INCEPTION and DUNKIRK. Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 29 Jul 2018 | ASTS 014: Guest David Das, composer | 01:00:09 | |
In this episode, I am joined by talented composer, songwriter and music producer David Das. We talk about his background in studying music, arranging and composing and how George Gershwin's inimitable concert work "Rhapsody In Blue" provided him so much inspiration and direction. Other topics include writing music for all forms of visual media (trailers, games, dramatic projects) as well as his efforts as president of the non-profit group The Academy of Scoring Arts, which is an organization devoted to the study of influential classical, jazz and film music and is also a way for creatives in the industry to network. Lastly, we discuss various concert classical works, from Mozart to Debussey to Schoenberg and Stravinsky, and their collective influence on movie music, both compositionally and philosophically. You can find David and his work at http://www.daviddas.com and The Academy of Scoring Arts at http://www.academyofscoringarts.org. As a side note, there are few electronic glitches that crop up very briefly in this episode, so my apologies in advance! I also talk about the fascinating and entertaining new memoir by famed musician, film/TV composer and conductor Artie Kane, published by Amphora Editions, titled "Music To My Years: Life and Love Between The Notes", available at amphoraeditions.com/books.
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| 18 Aug 2018 | ASTS 015: Guest Stuart Balcomb, composer | 00:48:39 | |
In this episode, I am joined by well-renowned composer, orchestrator and copyist Stuart Balcomb, talking about his background and career. In addition we discuss the wonderful music he provided episodes of the highly-regarded and popular 1990's BATMAN: THE ANIMATED SERIES, for which Mr. Balcomb was part of an amazing group guided and mentored by the talented and late lamented composer, Shirley Walker. But first, I inquire into his publication of the memoirs of famed Hollywood session player, composer and conductor Artie Kane, titled "Music To My Years: Life and Love Between The Notes". The latter was published by Stuart through Amphora Editions.
Regarding Artie Kane, he grew up as a piano prodigy and initially made a career of performing on radio and stage shows before emerging as one of the top session players for TV and film scores in Hollywood. He also played on albums for many famous pop stars of their day, such as Frank Sinatra. Artie Kane then moved into composing for media, including many popular TV series such as WONDER WOMAN, THE LOVE BOAT and MATLOCK. Then starting in the 90's he became a sought-after conductor on scores for composers including John Williams, Danny Elfman and James Newton Howard. Kane's memoir, "Music To My Years: Life and Love Between The Notes", tracks his life both professionally and personally. the good and the bad, in an honest and entertaining fashion, funny and sometimes heartbreaking, and is an enlightening read for anyone interested in the art and craft of music.
You can find out more about Stuart Balcomb at his website https://www.stuartbalcomb.com/.
You can find out info about Artie Kane's memoir at https://amphoraeditions.com/.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 02 Sep 2018 | ASTS 016: Listening To... John Barry | 01:26:21 | |
Welcome to the next new episode of the podcast! In this episode, my topic is the unmistakable and always resonant music of the unrivaled, brilliant, often imitated but never duplicated John Barry. His unique and indelible film scores have elevated every project for which he composed, from the James Bond series to DANCES WITH WOLVES and so much wonderful music in between. My focus here is mainly on his music outside of James Bond, since I feel that 007 would deserve his own episode, and how Barry's style evolved from the jazz & pop trends of his day to the lush, sonorous orchestral works that garnered him awards and notoriety, heard in scores such as SOMEWHERE IN TIME and OUT OF AFRICA.
John Barry was born in York, England in 1933 and became steeped in the craft of movie-making thanks to the fact this his father owned several local cinemas, allowing the young Barry to watch, observe and absorb films of all types. His formal music studies led to him to the trumpet, then diving into the world of jazz and pop, expressing all of this during the late 1950's and early 1960's primarily through his own band, The John Barry Seven. In a way, he could be considered one of the first film composers who came from the world of pop music, an early example for current composers such as Danny Elfman and Hans Zimmer, themselves formerly from the pop/rock genre.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: www.facebook.com/ascoretosettle https://twitter.com/score2settlepod Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 23 Sep 2018 | ASTS 017: Listening To... John Williams (Part 1) | 01:08:20 | |
In this episode, I am focusing on the music of the most famous and beloved film composer in the world, John Williams. His richly melodic and developed scores have thrilled and stirred audiences for decades, whether accompanying sharks, space ships, wizards or bullwhips. In charting his career and listening for the hallmarks of his style, I wanted to primarily spotlight music before he achieved the superstardom, as well as other movies concurrent to the popular blockbusters that are perhaps less notable or less well-known to general audiences. My aim is to focus a bit more on the John Williams you might not have heard.
Here in part one, I talk about his early career in the 1960's including TV series such as LOST IN SPACE and THE TIME TUNNEL and wacky adult comedies like NOT WITH MY WIFE, YOU DON'T. I continue on to his scores from the 1970's, when the variety of projects expanded along with his musical vernacular. This runs the gamut from THE COWBOYS to THE MAN WHO LOVED CAT DANCING, THE TOWERING INFERNO and THE FURY, all of which showcase Williams's immense compositional range, something often undervalued, along with his ability to perfectly accompany any cinematic story.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 20 Oct 2018 | ASTS 018: Halloween Special 2018 | 01:18:50 | |
Happy Halloween and welcome to the next new episode of the podcast! Getting into the spirit of the season, I felt compelled to join the fun and craft a list of my Top 10 favorite horror movie scores. Admittedly, I'm not much of a horror movie fan, however if a favorite composer provided the music (such as Jerry Goldsmith) or the story seemed especially intriguing (such as Clive Barker's NIGHTBREED), then I found myself motivated to take a look and a listen. This list is of course my own personal favorites and not centered around "most popular" or "most successful" titles, so the "slasher" and "torture" sub-categories aren't represented, with no offense to respective fans of those movies. Instead, you will hear music from horror movies about mad scientists, those set in space, on the open sea and even one example that journeys into Hell. I also share some of my own memories of discovering the films and their scores featured on this Top 10 list.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 11 Nov 2018 | ASTS 019: Listening To... John Williams (Part 2) | 01:19:54 | |
Welcome to the next new episode of the podcast! In this installment I am returning to my focus on that most well-known, renowned and world-famous film composer, John Williams. In Part 1 I charted Williams's career beginning with his TV and early film work in the 1960's and progressed through the 70's, while spotlighting themes and scores that often go unheralded or overlooked. Here in Part 2 I continue on from the 1980's into the current era of his marvelous contributions to cinema, again highlighting often overlooked scores that were composed alongside the popular blockbusters. These include titles such as MONSIGNOR, THE ACCIDENTAL TOURIST, JFK, SEVEN YEARS IN TIBET and MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 02 Dec 2018 | ASTS 020: Christmas Special 2018 | 01:08:08 | |
Welcome to the next new episode of the podcast! To close out the year, I am presenting a special holiday-themed installment, focusing on music from theatrical and TV movies about or set around Christmas. While this will of course represent only a small sampling of the many films found in this genre, my selections here span the years from 1938 all the way to the current century and include such popular titles as A CHRISTMAS CAROL, MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, SCROOGED, HOME ALONE and ELF. Music composed for these films originate from such notable talents as Franz Waxman, Henry Mancini, Danny Elflman and John Williams and from wonderful scores that could really be enjoyed both during the holiday season and throughout the year.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 19 Jan 2019 | ASTS 021: Listening To... Alan Silvestri | 01:37:30 | |
Happy New Year and welcome to first episode of 2019 for the podcast! I am opening up with an installment of my "Listening To..." series, this time diving into the music and career of fan favorite composer, Alan Silvestri. From his days performing drums and guitar and arranging songs for rock bands in the 1970's, to his disco-flavored music for the TV series "CHiPs" and then into his long-time collaboration with director Robert Zemeckis (BACK TO THE FUTURE, WHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT, FORREST GUMP), I present samples of his scores that best illustrate his unique style. His music is often melodic, energetic, rhythmic and wears its heart on its sleeve in terms of emotional content. Outside of the Zemeckis film canon, Silvestri composed wonderfully robust scores for action movies such as PREDATOR, comedies, such as SOAPDISH, Westerns (YOUNG GUNS II), animation (THE POLAR EXPRESS) and even showcased all electronic forays like THE DELTA FORCE. And of course, most recently he's been called into service in the Marvel Cinematic Universe to underscore the adventures of CAPTAIN AMERICA as well as THE AVENGERS.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 02 Feb 2019 | ASTS 022: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor | 01:02:04 | |
In this episode, I welcome back to the podcast Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor, as he graciously shares behind-the-scenes details and stories from the major projects he shepherded last year for various record labels, such as La-La Land Records. I inquire about the expanded album editions of the James Bond epics DIE ANOTHER DAY and THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH, both with music by David Arnold, in addition to the 3-CD, 30th anniversary release of Michael Kamen's DIE HARD, the expansive set of music from the 1960's sci-fi TV series LAND OF THE GIANTS and the deluxe treatment of Elliot Goldenthal's score for ALIEN 3. Find these albums available at https://lalalandrecords.com/.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 23 Feb 2019 | ASTS 023: Now Playing... "First Man", "Wargames", "The Bride Wore Black" | 00:48:04 | |
In this episode of the podcast, I am adding a new, hopefully recurring, segment called "Now Playing", in which I discuss recent soundtrack album releases, whether from a new movie or a classic film. Featured in this installment is Justin Hurwitz's lyrical score for 2018's FIRST MAN, followed by a new 2-CD complete edition of Arthur B. Rubinstein's classic WARGAMES (1983) and finally a stunning new recording by the Basque National Orchestra of Bernard Herrmann's dark and turbulent music for THE BRIDE WORE BLACK, from 1968. The latter two albums are available from Quartet Records at http://www.quartetrecords.com/.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 16 Mar 2019 | ASTS 024: Listening To... Franz Waxman | 01:18:01 | |
In this episode, I explore the rich, melodic and memorable film music of Hollywood Golden Age composer Franz Waxman. Born in Germany in 1906, Waxman was known by his peers as the consummate musician, having studied music in Berlin while supporting himself by performing and arranging pop music of the day in local cafes. Waxman emigrated from Germany to the United States in the early 1930's, along with many talented artists, and became part of that first generation of brilliant musicians who developed and perfected the art of film scoring, alongside giants such as Max Steiner, Alfred Newman and Erich Wolfgang Korngold. I discuss Waxman's place in the early days of the new art form of music for motion pictures (the famed "Golden Age"), plus its development overall for some context, and his evolving style through the highlights during his career, including REBECCA, SUNSET BOULEVARD, THE SPIRIT OF ST. LOUIS and TARAS BULBA.
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter...
Feel free to email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 06 Apr 2019 | ASTS 025: Guest Jeff Bond, author, album producer & editor at Geek Magazine | 01:21:45 | |
In this episode, I talk with Jeff Bond, the author of great books such as "The World of The Orville" and "The Music of Star Trek", plus soundtrack album producer who has penned liner notes for hundreds of albums and the editor at Geek Magazine. He's also an all-around favorite among fans in the community. I ask him about his personal history as a fan of music for film and television, then we discuss his recent album projects such as THE REINCARNATION OF PETER PROUD (Jerry Goldsmith, 1975) and the multi-disc sets of music from LAND OF THE GIANTS, LOST IN SPACE and the original STAR TREK. In talking Jerry Goldsmith, we cover his evolving musical style over the course of his expansive career, from those dissonant, challenging early scores to the more lush and tonal efforts of his later years.
Find many of the albums mentioned in this episode at:
Intrada Records - http://store.intrada.com/ La La Land Records - https://lalalandrecords.com/ Varese Sarabande - https://www.varesesarabande.com/
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Jun 2019 | ASTS 026: Listening To... Elliot Goldenthal | 01:22:26 | |
Hello and welcome back to the podcast! In this new installment of my "Listening To.." series, I am centered on composer Elliot Goldenthal, one of my favorite film composers of the modern era. You might not immediately recognize his name, but Elliot Goldenthal has contributed music to some of the most notable and popular movies of the last few decades. This includes such diverse titles as ALIEN 3 (1992), INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE (1994), HEAT (1995), BATMAN FOREVER (1995), MICHAEL COLLINS (1996) and FRIDA (2002), the latter garnering him the Academy Award for Best Original Score. He showcases an eclectic style and approach ranging from large-scale orchestral music to choral pieces, to jazz, swing and rock, ethnic instrumentation and from very tonal and melodic music to very dissonant and challenging tonalities.
Goldenthal has emerged as a major influential voice in the art form since the 1990's, contributing brilliant and powerful music not only to movies but also live theater, stage musicals and the concert world, the latter in the form of operas, symphonies, ballets and oratorios. In fact, he could be considered primarily a concert composer for whom film is just one slice of his musical pie, so to speak. My primary focus in this episode will be on his incredible score for 1999's TITUS, a film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play, as directed by Julie Taymor.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 14 Jul 2019 | ASTS 027: Now Playing... The World of Hans Zimmer, Quinn Martin Collection Vol. 1, "Robocop 2" | 01:07:06 | |
Hello all, I am back with the next new episode of the podcast! In this installment, I cover a new concert recording and previously unreleased and expanded albums. First, I explore music featured on the new 2-CD "The World of Hans Zimmer: A Symphonic Celebration", a live concert performance recorded in 2018 at the Hollywood In Vienna festival honoring Mr. Zimmer.
Next up is previously unreleased TV music from the 1970's on "The Quinn Martin Collection Vol. 1: Cop and Detective Series" (featuring legendary composers such as Jerry Goldsmith, Lalo Schifrin and Dave Grusin) and lastly, I focus on the expanded limited edition of Leonard Rosenman's unique score for ROBOCOP 2 (1990). The latter two albums are available from La La Land Records and Varese Sarabande, respectively.
La La Land Records - https://lalalandrecords.com/ Varese Sarabande - https://www.varesesarabande.com/ Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter: Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 15 Sep 2019 | ASTS 028: Listening To... "Planet Of The Apes" | 01:35:03 | |
Welcome to the next episode of the podcast! To celebrate the recently released deluxe CD box set from La La Land Records, I am exploring the marvelous music composed for the original PLANET OF THE APES film series - from Jerry Goldsmith's groundbreaking score for the initial entry in 1968 through to Leonard Rosenman's rousing music for the fifth and final film, 1973's BATTLE FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES. This popular and successful series was a forerunner of the serialized, narrative film franchises we see today and showcased its own unique sound world which became a recognizable "sonic stamp" that encompassed five movies, two TV series and several modern reboots. La La Land Records - https://lalalandrecords.com/ Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 22 Mar 2020 | ASTS 029: Film Music For My Father | 01:06:40 | |
Welcome to the first episode of the show for 2020! While it's been a difficult year so far, I trust that everyone is currently staying safe, healthy and sheltered in these unfortunately uncertain times. The podcast has been on hiatus for awhile, but I plan to return with more episodes this year, beginning with this one, which carries a more personal focus.
Last year, 2019, was the 25th anniversary of my father's passing and to acknowledge how he affected my love of movie music, I wanted to devote time to showcasing the film scores he enjoyed and introduced to me. This includes wonderful classics such as THE BLUE MAX, STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE and PATTON from Jerry Goldsmith, music for the James Bond series, LAWRENCE OF ARABIA by Maurice Jarre and Ron Goodwin's exciting music for WHERE EAGLES DARE and 633 SQUADRON. Along with these selections, I share some anecdotes and memories of my dad. I realize this is an unusually personal focus, but I hope you find it entertaining nonetheless! Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
You can email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com | |||
| 14 Mar 2021 | ASTS 037: Composer Grant Fonda ("The House That Rob Built") | 00:39:02 | |
Hello all! In this new episode of the podcast, I am joined by the wonderfully innovative composer Grant Fonda. Grant has contributed music to various multi-media projects, including notable documentaries such as THE DATING PROJECT and the award-winning DOWN THE FENCE, and is graciously taking time to talk about his score for the new documentary feature film entitled THE HOUSE THAT ROB BUILT, which premiered in February 2021. THE HOUSE THAT ROB BUILT was directed by Jonathan Cipiti and Megan Harrington and focuses on the formation of women’s collegiate basketball in the state of Montana, specifically the Lady Griz basketball team as coached by Rob Selvig. Grant Fonda’s music is now available to purchase through the major streaming music services.
Stay safe out there, wear a mask and take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 11 Apr 2021 | ASTS 038: Composer Matthew Head ("Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia") | 00:29:09 | |
Welcome back to the podcast! Marvelously proficient composer, arranger and songwriter Matthew Head joins me on this episode to discuss his background and diverse career. Matthew's soundtracks have garnered Grammy, Emmy, Peabody and NAACP awards and nominations, all while working from his home in Marietta, Georgia. His notable projects include TV series such as GREENLEAF (on OWN), Boomerang (on BET), THE FAMILY and P-VALLEY. Here I talk with Matthew about composing and arranging score and songs for the new Lifetime feature, ROBIN ROBERTS PRESENTS: MAHALIA, which details the life of gospel music legend Mahalia Jackson, starring Danielle Brooks and directed by Kenny Leon.
The soundtrack for ROBIN ROBERTS PRESENTS: MAHALIA, produced by Matthew Head, including both score and songs with performances by Danielle Brooks, is available from ABKCO Music & Records.
Stay safe out there, wear a mask and take care of yourself and each other!
Connect with the podcast on Facebook and Twitter:
Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 06 Dec 2020 | ASTS 034: Listening To... "Star Trek: The Next Generation" | 01:31:50 | |
Welcome back, everyone! In this episode of the podcast, I am charting the musical journey of the popular TV series, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, which ran from 1987 to 1994. THE NEXT GENERATION, or TNG, was a syndicated sequel series to the beloved original STAR TREK series, the first spin-off in what is now a long-running media franchise. Personally, it happens to be my favorite TV series, it's what made me into a Star Trek fan and features some of my favorite music for television.
The three primary composers on TNG were Dennis McCarthy, Ron Jones and Jay Chattaway. My aim, as with other installments in my "Listening To..." episodes, is to identify the hallmarks of the show's overall musical style, where each composer's sound represented this and differed and how the music evolved during its 7-year run.
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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| 10 Aug 2023 | ASTS 053: TV Goes To The Movies - ”The Transformers” | 01:07:16 | |
Hello and welcome back to the podcast! In this episode, prepare to be transformed as I continue my mini-series entitled “TV Goes To The Movies” and now explore the music for THE TRANSFORMERS franchise. As before, my focus is musically what was or was not carried over from the television episodes of a particular series to its respective theatrical feature, such as the main TV theme or scoring style.
During its near 40 year history, from the original 1984 syndicated cartoon series, to the animated and live action movies, the Japanese-only series and more, music for the THE TRANSFORMERS has been remarkably varied. The vocal and score tracks have often reflected current or trendy musical approaches, leading to elements of lush symphonic strains, synth pop, hard rock and jazzy funk all being heard in various incarnations. Now, hold on to your crankshafts and let's transform and roll out!
Title playtime index: Intro - 00:00:00 THE TRANSFORMERS (US, 1984 cartoon series, theme by Anne Bryant & Ford Kinder, score by Johnny Douglas and Robert J. Walsh) - 00:06:17 TRANSFORMERS: THE MOVIE (US, 1986 animated theatrical film, songs by Stan Bush, Lion & Spectre General, score by Vince DiCola) - 00:16:45 THE TRANSFORMERS: HEADMASTERS (1987), TRANSFORMERS: SUPER-GOD MASTERFORCE (1988) and TRANSFORMERS: VICTORY (1989) (Japan, songs & score by Ishida Katsunori, Toshiya Igarashi, Michiaki Watanabe) - 00:31:45 TRANSFORMERS (2007), TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON (2011), BUMBLEBEE (2018) and TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS (2023) (US, live action theatrical films, song "What I've Done" by Linkin Park, scores by Steve Jablonsky, Dario Marianelli and Jongnic Bontemps) - 00:38:18*
*This segment also contains an excerpt from BATMAN BEGINS (2005), composed by Hans Zimmer and James Newtown Howard
Additional tracks heard but not referenced - "Calling You", Theme from TRANSFORMERS: SUPERLINK (Japan, 2004), by Takayoshi Tanimoto "Time Limit", from TRANSFORMERS: LEGEND OF THE MICRONS (Japan, 2002), composed by Hayato Matsuo
Stay safe out there, take care of yourself and each other!
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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| 01 Feb 2021 | ASTS 035: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor, 2020 in review | 01:05:16 | |
Welcome to the first new episode of 2021! I am graciously joined once more by soundtrack album producer and editor Neil S. Bulk to review his projects from the previous year and discuss surprises, roadblocks and highlights along the way. Titles covered in this episode include THE KARATE KID II (1986) and THE KARATE KID III (1989), with music composed by Bill Conti, both available in deluxe editions released from La-La Land Records, completing the trilogy alongside their previous release of 1984's THE KARATE KID.
Following on from this, we discuss HOFFA (David Newman), DARKMAN (Danny Elfman) and the 4-CD set of music from the Irwin Allen produced 1960's TV series VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. Next, we delve into MR. MOM (Lee Holdridge), JACOB'S LADDER (Maurice Jarre) and a batch of 1960's era Jerry Goldsmith scores presented on the new GOLDSMITH AT 20TH (formerly 20th Century Fox) series from the aforementioned La-La Land Records. Neil also adds comments about working on the recently expanded 2-CD edition of Goldsmith's final theatrical score, LOONEY TUNES: BACK IN ACTION, from 2003.
Stay safe out there, wear a mask, take care of yourself and each other!
Albums discussed now available at: https://www.quartetrecords.com/ https://www.varesesarabande.com/
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
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