On today’s show, we got the thrilling opportunity to chat with two powerhouse musicians/composers and creators. These superstars have unparalleled talent and vision, and have made waves in the music industry. From crafting unforgettable scores to shaping the direction of major tours and projects, they continue to elevate the music scene in exciting ways. With multiple highly anticipated projects and a growing reputation for breaking new ground, Wow Jones and JimiJame$ are poised to take the world by storm. This highly creative team were handpicked by Tyler Perry to work on this groundbreaking Netflix series after impressing him with their work on Duplicity. The duo created a unique, modern-day soap…
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Interview…Composer Andrew Kawczynski on Nineties, Nuance and ‘Novocaine’
Awards season is in the rear view and 2025 has had some great films so far. Among them is the hard-action film starring Jack Quaid. To pair with the fun on screen, Lakeshore Records announced the release of Novocaine—Music from the Motion Picture featuring music by the super skilled sonicsmith team of composers Lorne Balfe and Andrew Kawczynski. The score features authoritative orchestrations that vividly reflect the action and intensity of the film. Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen and starring Quaid and Amber Midthunder, Novocaine hit theaters in their funnybone on March 14. The film is a callback to the great R-rated comedies of the ’80s and ’90s; it’s got the grit of a…
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Interview…Composer Paul Leonard-Morgan is Dreddfully Good at Creating Musical Chaos
Composer Paul Leonard-Morgan provides a pulse-quickening backdrop to his latest project, Netflix’s documentary Chaos: The Manson Murders. His score weaves swirling orchestral instrumentation and rock elements with throbbing synthetic beats and drones that punctuate the intrigue of conspiracy unraveled in the film. We spoke to Paul in 2020 and since then, he’s been super busy. When we say he’s done a lot, we mean A LOT! His work always impresses us, and this one is a high point for sure. Like most features, providing music for a documentary is a task that should be careful not to crowd or overwhelm the dialogue. Yet with this project, director Errol Morris wanted Paul…
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Interview…Ultraboss on New Year, New Sounds & New Pursuits
When a musician is firing on all cylinders, it can be a thing of beauty. Time and again, we’ve been in awe of the raw power and supreme control of soloists, bands or even a full orchestra. How they elicit emotion and really move the mercury is attributed to their skill, and in many cases they can become immortal with just a single note. When they’re on, they’re on, and you’ll remember the sound forever. That brings us to our guest today. With lightning fast fingers, Ultraboss (the moniker for Austria-based PJ D’Atri) is one of the best shredders on the planet. However, his compositions are even more lethal and…
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Interview…Writer/Director Dante Briggins on Authenticity, Work Ethic, and “Who Dat” The JT Money Story’
As film fans, we are always rooting for an underdog. Whether it’s a movie about sports or academia, anyone who fights and then rises against the odds has our full attention. It’s a very universal story when you gain something rather than being gifted it. We’ve been running this site for 15+ years, and understand that it takes knocking on a lot of doors to get any traction or attention. I’ve written several editorial posts to talk about how lucky we are (after a lot of work), to bring home some amazing interviews and entertainment opportunities. I would never say that we were a success, but have been happy with…
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Interview…Composer Jared DePasquale on Deep Dives Into Audio Soundscapes
For nearly thirty years Jared DePasquale has composed the musical scores for some of Western culture’s most celebrated stories and iconic characters. The recipient of numerous awards and critical acclaim, his work is widely recognized for its ability to musically capture complex characters amidst stories that are rich in texture and meaning. Early in his career, Jared apprenticed under Emmy and ASCAP Award winning composer Joseph LoDuca. With LoDuca, Jared learned the business of composing for A-list projects including the globally syndicated television shows Xena: The Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. Immediately following his apprenticeship, Jared scored several horror films for Full Moon Pictures and Rapid Heart Pictures…
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Interview…Harry Gregson-Williams on the Vocals, Violence and Variety in ‘Gladiator II’
As film score fans, the only thing we love more than revisiting our favorite scores is when a sequel happens and a composer gets to take the themes into new territory. As such, our guest today has expanded not only his own work but many other composers’ efforts. Scan through the site, and you’ll see that we are very fond of Harry Gregson-Williams, and it’s always a treat catching up with him to talk shop. While any acoustic endeavor might be intimidating, how could one even start thinking about working on a sequel to Gladiator?? It’s a perfect film that resounds to this day, and that goes double for its…
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Interview…Director Mika Simmons on the Color, Comedy and Character of ‘My Week With Maisy’
As the year winds down, we’ve been trying to catch up with those creatives whose stories have surprised, entertained or delighted us. In the realm of short films, 2024 featured so many personal endeavors and original tales that shine a light on the human experience. And what more universal story can you ask for, especially this time of year, than a narrative about someone finding their heart thawing? It can be as satisfying for the characters as it is for the audience, and such is the case with Mika Simmons‘ latest directorial effort. In My Week With Maisy, we are introducing to Mrs. Foster (played by Dame Joanna Lumley) as…
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Interview…Composer Andrew Lockington on the Inspiration and Sonic Theatricality of the ‘Landman’ Series
Whether it’s a studio action film or an indie festival film, Composer Andrew Lockington‘s music demonstrates his approach to scoring each project in a unique way by finding a musical language to communicate the relationships and elements of the story that visuals cannot. Andrew’s commitment to pushing the boundaries of film scoring has inspired him to record in places such as the jungles of Papua New Guinea, the tropics of Costa Rica, an ancient temple in Northern Japan, a volcano in Polynesia, and an abandoned subway station beneath central London. His recent projects include the epic Sci-Fi feature Atlas starring Jennifer Lopez with longtime collaborator director Brad Peyton, as well as several…
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Interview…Composer Wilbert Roget II Brings the Emotion and Excitement to Fan-Favorite Games and Properties
On today’s episode, we take a trip to galaxies far, far away, future Earths and adventures replete with robots and robust action. The visuals are impressive, but it’s the expansive score and sound engineering that really sucks us in. We were thrilled to speak to Wilbert Roget II about his work as composer, multi-instrumentalist, and music geek who, as far as we can tell, is living the dream. Roget has done more that dip his toe in fan-favorite and beloved properties; he’s done a back-flipping cannonball into the worlds of Mortal Kombat, Tomb Raider, Call of Duty and score fans are feeling the waves of his gargantuan splash. Now anyone…
