James Devo's Blog - Posts Tagged "music-writing"

A few friends have read the Wonder and created art and music for it - pop over to the Facebook page...

https://www.facebook.com/thewonderseries

to check out the artwork.

There's also the original music for the trailer and another piece based on the Siege of Maisy by a fan (I'll try putting that up on YouTube soon).

However, I've been having a lovely chat with Gary Sundell on the Dragons and Jetpacks group about "What are you currently listening to?" and we've been sharing our love of soundtracks.

I only write to soundtracks but try to shy away from the obvious so that I don't end up writing about a smuggler and princess escaping an Imperial fleet in an asteroid belt. It doesn't really fit with the Victorian setting of the Wonder...

So I thought I'd list a few of the tracks on the first playlist I put together while I was writing the Wonder. If anyone is interested I'll put up a few more.

From The Thief of Baghdad by Miklos Rozca -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3rK2I...

From Die Another Day - Going down together (no sniggering at the back) by David Arnold
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWyX-...

By John Barry's mate, from Casino Royale - Aston Montenegro by Nicholas Dodd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0zrG...

From Firefly (RIP), Out of Gas/Derelict by Greg Edmonson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tA2fR...

From Finding Nemo by Thomas Newman -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IIL-...

Track 2 from Dr Phibes Rises again by John Gale - you'll have to spotify this one - I can't find it on YouTube...

007 and Counting by... I'm sure you can guess -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWNgb...

Another one for Spotify - Bedtime Story by Jerry Goldsmith from the Capricorn One OST (Great forgotten movie)

To Kill a Mockingbird suite by Elmer Magnificent Bernstein -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5cKS...

Death of Vesper by David Arnold -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQEjC...

Well, that's 10 tracks to keep you going. There's another 52 tracks on this playlist alone, so if anyone shows an interest, I'll share some more.
(Looking back, I was obviously going through yet another Bond OST phase...)

In the meantime, if you write or read to something (ideally something of mine, but I won't hold it against you), please share below.

I'm always looking for new inspiration, and beyond soundtracks, I have willfully esoteric taste, from Sinatra to Sonic Youth, and even some artists that don't start with the letter S...

Cheers

Here's some more, in the order from my playlist, in case you're interested -

More Casino Royale OST. It must have been a thing back then - I'm the Money -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZAEl...

More Basil, not Conan this time, but The Hunt For Red October - very different tone and mood -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8mnj...

John Williams - I normally try to shy away from him when I'm writing as otherwise I just daydream about the movies, but this is just great. - Nocturnal Activities from Temple of Doom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4UWc...

More from Williams' spiritual successor, Giacchino and his faultless work on MOH -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UcVJf...

The Elmer, just casually showing off his skills with the Mag 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iteR...

Ron Goodwin, not generally mentioned, despite his epic, textured score for When Eagles Dare -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kGmx...

Giacchino channelling Barry for the Incredible -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxlE3...

Paul Oakenfold and his utterly overused Zoo York -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDrlO...

I adore James Horner, Star Trek Wrath of Khan is one of the greatest OSTs ever, even if he rips off his own work from Battle Beyond the Stars and would do again for Krull, but this is my favourite standalone moment, from 48 Hours -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkhqi...

Morricone, and in my mind his most iconic tune (without whistling, anyway...)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao4TI...

That's me done for this week. Blow that out your trumpet...

Cheers

This playlist is all rather uplifting. It’s from the third playlist to which I wrote the Wonder, so it’s all rather propelling and motivating, getting both me and characters through that final push…

Let’s start with Jerry, one of his earlier, sexy numbers from In Like Flint – Flint Is Alive;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=en4LZ...

Michael Giacchino can do a decent Williams pastiche, as shown in this Medal Of Honor soundtracks, but here he takes on the Barry himself…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_wvb...

But then he’s not called THE Barry for nothing…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjkzd...

Now for TV based spy fun, by Laurie Anderson, who learnt his trade working with Military marching bands. And it’s quite clear here –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btLAK...

And now the new new Avengers – Silvestri, who started with the disco soundtrack of CHIPS, is all very Super hero here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VGJG...

And then the best moment of Williams from the prequels, although I’m still an asteroid belt fan. EVERYBODY knows this…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt0Uu...

Now I prefer his The Ghost and Mrs Muir but this was on the playlist. From the original Journey to the Center of the Earth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2tPh...

My favourite track from LOTR by far –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdsR8...

Another non-Hitchcock Herrman –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paMlY...

And finally, from one the greatest pieces of Trek, stealing the Enterprise…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aEmAi...

That’s it for this installment. Hope you enjoy.

Also available here -
https://wordpress.com/post/jamesdevo....

Cheers

James