Gene Simmons once said, “if it weren’t for the fans, we’d be nothing.” and it’s something that all musicians and creatives can relate to. Whether a particular property in pop culture takes the world by storm or just one person considers it their Rosebud, when fans grab hold of something you can almost feel the Earth shift from the passion, fervor, and respect for it. After eight years and five seasons, The Boys has come to an end. Fans truly ate it up, and one reason the themes and characters resonated was the great music from Christopher Lennertz and Matt Bowen. We sat with this dynamic duo to talk about…
-
-
Interview…’Metropolis’ Redux Jam Session with Jazzy Jeff Beal
Five-time EMMY winner Jeff Beal’s improvisatory method, sense of timing, and sophistication have made him a favorite of directors including Ed Harris, David Fincher, Oliver Stone, and Rob Reiner, and his contributions to powerful documentaries and dramatic scores for TV shows have shown him to be one of the most distinctive and recognizable composers working today. In addition to his distinguished scoring career, Beal is a prolific composer of concert music. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Beal’s grandmother was a pianist and accompanist for silent movies. An avid jazz fan, she gave him Miles Davis’/Gil Evans’ Sketches of Spain album that would influence his development as…
-
Interview…Henry Jackman and Kevin Olusola on the Cornucopia of Chaos in ‘The Bluff’
Composer Henry Jackman is on the short list of seasoned composers who can concoct and deliver an elevated musical palette. Whether the story is about mutant, vigilantes, pirates or the mighty Kong, his work serves as more than the backdrop to the narrative. It is the jet fuel that courses through the picture and literally makes characters fly. We’ve spoken to him a handful of times over the years and his approach to composition and the ideas he manifests live on long after you’ve left the theater. To help make his latest cinematic confection oh so sweet, he enlisted an equally talented and courageous musician to try things that, as…
-
Interview…Martin MacPhail on the Sound of Adventure in ‘Deathstalker’
We had a fun chat with composer Martin MacPhail. to talk about their work on the ultra rad reboot of Deathstalker. If adventure has one name, then music for the adventure needs two…BLITZ//BERLIN. We spoke to this highly talented and ultra prolific group last year to talk about their career and the trio of genre titles. This time, we dug deep to get into the nitty gritty (and the fun) of the Deathstalker reboot. From the mind (and hands) of Steven Kostanski, this fun throwback film is full of action, humor, excitement and some of the best practical effects & gore since, well, his last film. Herein, he has a…
-
Interview…Composer Tom Howe on Unfailing Optimism of Character and Honesty in Music
Tom Howe is an award-winning composer of over 100 films and television projects like Reminders of Him, Wonder Woman, Exodus: Gods and Kings, The Legend of Tarzan, A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, and Dog Man. From sweeping orchestral scores and imaginative sonic landscapes to iconic main title themes and hit songs, his versatility as a multi-instrumentalist—combined with his expertise in classical, pop, rock, and electronic sound design—has made him one of today’s most in-demand composers. A gifted songwriter, and two-time Emmy nominee, Howe has collaborated with leading artists and songwriters on original main title themes and songs. He co-wrote the Ted Lasso main title theme with Marcus Mumford and the Shrinking main title theme…
-
Interview…Composer Simon Franglen Goes Back to Pandora (Again) to Craft Lush Soundscapes for ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash’
For most things, they say that the third time is the charm. While the latest installment of the Avatar series seems to be trailing the two previous installments by just a bit at the box office, one thing is clear: the music and emotions in this franchise have never run higher. And to that we’re giving hat tips, golf claps, and jumping high-fives to composer Simon Franglen. He’s a pillar in James Cameron’s acoustic armory and has been carrying the musical torch/thematic through-lines established by James Horner for that little blue mega blockbuster way back in 2009. We had the incredible opportunity to speak with Simon about his work on…
-
Interview…Dave Porter Gets Into Mysterious Musical Headspace with ‘Pluribus’
Composer Dave Porter brings his orchestral, rhythmically intricate, and emotionally resonant sound to Vince Gilligan‘s mysterious new series on Apple TV+. Porter, Gilligan’s longtime collaborator, crafted a score that mirrors the moral ambiguity, psychological tension, and humanity at the heart of the story. With a career spanning landmark television, feature films, and innovative orchestral projects, he continues to redefine the possibilities of scoring for the screen. The score for Pluribus (which premiered on November 7) emphasizes the stakes and shifting dynamics of the shows characters. The score blends orchestral textures with a small-scale choir to highlight the series’ unpredictable narrative. Porter’s work is incredibly essential to the nuance of Gilligan‘s…
-
Interview…Laura Karpman on Maximalism, Making Her Own Brand of Music, and Letting the World Catch Up
If you’re a film score fan, you are sure to have your favorite composers as well as a collection of soundtracks that mean a lot to you. Over time, if you listen to any musician’s output you’ll notice grooves and rhythms that some refer to as a calling card. Whether it is the repeat use of an instrument, a style of music they play or the “Horner snarl”, a Goldsmith score is a Goldsmith score, a Williams score is a Williams score, and so on. Now what perks up our ears is when the music we hear is not easily discernible. Is that Doyle or Jackman, is that Shapiro or…
-
Interview…Rusanda Panfili on Serenity, Sincerity and Simply Stunning Strings
Many times, we can be in awe of artists. Why? Because they can do something that, for lack of a better word, seems like alchemy. Sure, their skill and prowess comes from dedication, focus, and decades of practice. Now whether that individual works with stone, strings or a symphony, just being present when they are “on the job” can be a life-changing experience. Let’s go back in time to September of last year when we were star-struck watching Hans Zimmer and crew (aptly named “The Disruptive Collective”) command the stage and leave thousands of film score fans in literal awe. While the music started in his mind, it was made…
-
Interview…Andrew Gordon Macpherson Talks Heavy Sounds and Heavy Metal in ‘Into the Void’
Composers are our jam, and we love getting in the weeds to find out how certain sounds and themes are made. Inspiration can literally come from anywhere. Sometimes, it’s the more obscure and unexpected muses that yield the most memorable themes. While these musicians work with picture (as well as discussions with filmmakers), many times their gut reactions are all it takes to bring amazing sounds into existence. I’ll always cite this example from Patrick Doyle to remind myself that anything is possible. So enter Canadian composer, Andrew Gordon Macpherson, who has tons of experience with all sorts of sounds and styles. His work on Dark Side of the Ring…
