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A Score To SettleASTS 056: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer - All James Bond Special Part 1Greetings everyone! No need to adjust the streaming app on your device, this is indeed the podcast returning (briefly) from hiatus - and with two brand new episodes! This is to engage in a lengthy conversation with soundtrack album producer and editor, Neil S. Bulk, about his work on the remastered and expanded editions of selected James Bond soundtrack albums, released by La La Land Records.
Since I last spoke with Neil, a fistful of more James Bond titles have received the deluxe treatment. In order to freefall into the excitement and labor involved in pr...
2025-10-241h 37A Score To SettleASTS 055: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor-2023 in reviewWelcome 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 a...
2024-02-191h 23
The Oldest Profession PodcastPamela Churchill HarrimanIn this episode of The Oldest Profession Podcast, host Kaytlin Bailey celebrates the life of Pamela Churchill Harriman, a remarkable woman whose journey kept her at the forefront of history through the 20th century. Born in 1920, Pamela came of age on the cusp of WWII, marrying Randolph Churchill days before Hitler began bombing London. After divorcing the prime minister's son she embarked on a career as prominent socialite and companion of the rich and powerful in the high society of Milan, New York and Paris. Pamela's charisma and wit opened doors to powerful circles. However, it was...
2024-01-0548 minA Score To SettleASTS 054: Now Playing... ”Barbie”, ”Oppenheimer”, ”Tetris”, ”The Marvels” and more!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.
...
2023-11-201h 35A Score To SettleASTS 053: TV Goes To The Movies - ”The Transformers”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 T...
2023-08-101h 07A Score To SettleASTS 052: TV Goes To The Movies - ”The Man From U.N.C.L.E.”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 m...
2023-05-211h 22A Score To SettleASTS 051: TV Goes To The Movies - ”Mission: Impossible”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, o...
2023-03-271h 48A Score To SettleASTS 050: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor-2022 in reviewHappy 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!
Bel...
2023-02-101h 25A Score To SettleASTS 049: Now Playing... ”Thor: Love and Thunder”, ”Nope”, ”The Woman King”, ”Black Adam” and more!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:
THO...
2022-12-041h 17A Score To SettleASTS 048: Listening To... Music for ”Predator” and ”Prey”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...
2022-09-181h 35A Score To SettleASTS 047: Now Playing... ”The Batman”, ”Death On The Nile”, ”The King’s Man” and more!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 - M...
2022-06-271h 10A Score To SettleASTS 046: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 6-The 1980’s, cont.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...
2022-04-241h 38A Score To SettleASTS 045: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor-2021 in reviewWelcome 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:...
2022-02-061h 11A Score To SettleASTS 044: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 5-The 1980’sWelcome 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 T...
2022-01-171h 33A Score To SettleASTS 043: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 4-The 1970‘s, cont.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 pro...
2021-10-171h 31A Score To SettleASTS 042: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 3-The 1970's
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 Schi...
2021-08-221h 02A Score To SettleASTS 041: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 2-The 1960'sWelcome 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 BAR...
2021-07-191h 31A Score To SettleASTS 040: The Evolving Sound of Science Fiction Cinema, Part 1-The 1950'sBeginning 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...
2021-06-061h 09A Score To SettleASTS 039: Composer Benji Merrison ("SAS: Red Notice")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...
2021-05-0229 minA Score To SettleASTS 038: Composer Matthew Head ("Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia")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...
2021-04-1129 minA Score To SettleASTS 037: Composer Grant Fonda ("The House That Rob Built")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 ba...
2021-03-1439 minA Score To SettleASTS 036: Composer Enis Rotthoff ("Love Sarah")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...
2021-02-2138 minA Score To SettleASTS 035: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor, 2020 in reviewWelcome 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 th...
2021-02-011h 05A Score To SettleASTS 034: Listening To... "Star Trek: The Next Generation"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 an...
2020-12-061h 31A Score To SettleASTS 033: "Dragonslayer" (1981)/Guest Todd Smith (fan chat)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 h...
2020-09-271h 06A Score To SettleASTS 032: Listening To... "Lethal Weapon" (Part 2)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...
2020-07-191h 16A Score To SettleASTS 031: Listening To... "Lethal Weapon" (Part 1)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.
2020-06-2157 minA Score To SettleASTS 030: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editor, 2019 in reviewSoundtrack 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 S...
2020-05-031h 17A Score To SettleASTS 029: Film Music For My FatherWelcome 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 i...
2020-03-221h 06A Score To SettleASTS 028: Listening To... "Planet Of The Apes"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"...
2019-09-151h 35A Score To SettleASTS 027: Now Playing... The World of Hans Zimmer, Quinn Martin Collection Vol. 1, "Robocop 2"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 f...
2019-07-141h 07A Score To SettleASTS 026: Listening To... Elliot Goldenthal
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 o...
2019-06-161h 22A Score To SettleASTS 025: Guest Jeff Bond, author, album producer & editor at Geek MagazineIn 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...
2019-04-061h 21A Score To SettleASTS 024: Listening To... Franz WaxmanIn 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 W...
2019-03-171h 18A Score To SettleASTS 023: Now Playing... "First Man", "Wargames", "The Bride Wore Black"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/.
2019-02-2348 minA Score To SettleASTS 022: Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album producer and editorIn 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...
2019-02-021h 02A Score To SettleASTS 021: Listening To... Alan SilvestriHappy 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...
2019-01-201h 37A Score To SettleASTS 020: Christmas Special 2018Welcome 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...
2018-12-021h 08A Score To SettleASTS 019: Listening To... John Williams (Part 2)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...
2018-11-111h 19A Score To SettleASTS 018: Halloween Special 2018Happy 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"...
2018-10-211h 18A Score To SettleASTS 017: Listening To... John Williams (Part 1)
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...
2018-09-231h 08A Score To SettleASTS 016: Listening To... John BarryWelcome 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, s...
2018-09-021h 26A Score To SettleASTS 015: Guest Stuart Balcomb, composerIn 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...
2018-08-1948 minA Score To SettleASTS 014: Guest David Das, composerIn 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...
2018-07-291h 00A Score To SettleASTS 013: Listening To... Hans ZimmerWelcome 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 s...
2018-07-081h 14A Score To SettleASTS 012: "Battlestar: Galactica" (TV, 1978)/Guest Mike Hagen (fan chat on TV music)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...
2018-06-171h 14A Score To SettleASTS 011: Listening To... Maurice JarreIn 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...
2018-05-201h 14A Score To SettleASTS 010: Guest Marshall Harvey, film & TV editor ("The Burbs", "Matinee")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.
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2018-04-2958 minA Score To SettleASTS 009: Listening To... Jerry Goldsmith in 1982In 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...
2018-04-011h 03A Score To SettleASTS 008: Guest Ben Wise, composer and musicianIn 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 a...
2018-03-1149 minA Score To SettleASTS 007: Listening To... Elmer Bernstein
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...
2018-02-2558 minA Score To SettleASTS 006: Guest Dan Goldwasser, soundtrack album producer and film music journalistIn 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.
Co...
2018-02-1157 minA Score To SettleASTS 005: "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" (1988)/Guest George S. NaderIn 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...
2018-01-2158 minA Score To SettleASTS 004: Guest Edwin Wendler, composerIn 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.
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2018-01-0752 minA Score To SettleASTS 003: Listening To... Bernard HerrmannIn 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...
2017-12-1744 minA Score To SettleASTS 002: Guest Neil Bulk, classic soundtrack album editor/producer (part 2)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.
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2017-12-0449 minA Score To SettleASTS 001: "Logan's Run" (1976)/Guest Neil S. Bulk, soundtrack album editor and producerIn 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.
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Email the show at ascoretosettlepodcast@gmail.com
2017-11-2749 min