2008-03-25
Gary Seven: The Series
A little while ago we had a band name called "Backdoor Pilot" (which isn't as filthy as it sounds), and I mentioned the original Star Trek spin-off "Gary Seven" which starred Robert Lansing and Terri Garr. If you've never heard of it, its because it was unproduced and never picked up as a series.
But that's not enough to hold back you Internet folks. Texas school teacher Andy Patterson has composed two very authentic sounding theme tunes for the series, produced to sound like they were recorded back in 1967. The attitude is somewhere close to 60's vintage Jerry Goldsmith meets underrated British composer Barry Gray. --Meaning the stylistic tone is perfect.
This is just the thing at which the web excels, bringing you access to stuff that couldn't have existed before (or if it did, you never would have found out about it).
Check out Andy's site about his Gary Seven theme music: http://www.supervisor194.com/openingcredits.html
Also, if he lets me, I'll post a cut similar to what a music editor would have done to make the theme fit a 45 second title sequence.
But that's not enough to hold back you Internet folks. Texas school teacher Andy Patterson has composed two very authentic sounding theme tunes for the series, produced to sound like they were recorded back in 1967. The attitude is somewhere close to 60's vintage Jerry Goldsmith meets underrated British composer Barry Gray. --Meaning the stylistic tone is perfect.
This is just the thing at which the web excels, bringing you access to stuff that couldn't have existed before (or if it did, you never would have found out about it).
Check out Andy's site about his Gary Seven theme music: http://www.supervisor194.com/openingcredits.html
Also, if he lets me, I'll post a cut similar to what a music editor would have done to make the theme fit a 45 second title sequence.
Comments:
<< Home
Hey man,
Just came across your posting of my Gary Seven project. I'd like to hear your 45 second abbreviated version of th credits. Although I based it on shows like Mission Impossible where the credit were at just about a minute.
Andy Patterson
Just came across your posting of my Gary Seven project. I'd like to hear your 45 second abbreviated version of th credits. Although I based it on shows like Mission Impossible where the credit were at just about a minute.
Andy Patterson
Andy, you are a craftsman of uncommon skill and ambition, and I truly mean that. The cut-down was based on exercises in cut downs (reductions) that we did in school. As composers, we hated them, because it drained our music of the little "moments" that gave them flavor. But as music editors, it was always a fascinating experiment to see how you could reduce something with as little impact as possible. The ultimate complement was to fool the composer into not recognizing the cuts. Back during tape days, this was not so easy. So if you could borrow an Emulator II or Ensoniq Mirage, you were the king!
Well Mark,
Thanks for the high praise. I remember the days of working with reel to reel and then we thought we were big time when we got our first four track TaskCam machine.
It's funny, I guess growing up in the era I did, I was subconsciously programmed to write jingles at right at 30 seconds( actually 29.4 to give some fade out time)and theme songs at right at a minute.
It was a lot of fun and got some great attention at Comic Con last summer. Someone there even told me JJ Abrams had seen it and dug it. Waiting for a call still. Ha. I still hope to do more with it and think there's big possibilities for it.
You're evidently a composer too? And thanks for turning me on to Barry Gray. Didn't know him before.
Andy
Thanks for the high praise. I remember the days of working with reel to reel and then we thought we were big time when we got our first four track TaskCam machine.
It's funny, I guess growing up in the era I did, I was subconsciously programmed to write jingles at right at 30 seconds( actually 29.4 to give some fade out time)and theme songs at right at a minute.
It was a lot of fun and got some great attention at Comic Con last summer. Someone there even told me JJ Abrams had seen it and dug it. Waiting for a call still. Ha. I still hope to do more with it and think there's big possibilities for it.
You're evidently a composer too? And thanks for turning me on to Barry Gray. Didn't know him before.
Andy
Ah! The advent of the (relatively) cheap cassette 4 track! I knew a guy who had DBX on his Fostex--sounds like a social disease, but it was something I wanted in my studio very much! I agree with your time cue intuition. Tell me "10 and a bump" and I can nail it even if I have to start in duples and end in triples. We are a vanishing breed, my friend. Formant preserving time compression (like AudioSnap) has made our ability seem less magical.
So Mark,
As a composer, I'm interested in your impressions of both themes. I always wonder which one people like most. Theme one is the most viewed, admittedly my favorite, has more depth to it, and is the one that was shown at ComicCon but I still have a warm place for Theme 2. It is more bubble gum than the first one. I can see the show going in either direction.
As a composer, I'm interested in your impressions of both themes. I always wonder which one people like most. Theme one is the most viewed, admittedly my favorite, has more depth to it, and is the one that was shown at ComicCon but I still have a warm place for Theme 2. It is more bubble gum than the first one. I can see the show going in either direction.
They BOTH work equally well. They seem to me just briefly separated by time, stylistically:
Theme 1 is my pick if the show debuts in the late 60's opposite later seasons of "Wild Wild West".
Theme 2 is my choice if the show is picked up in the early 70's opposite the later seasons of "Mission: Impossible".
Theme 1 is Schifrin by way of Bernard Herman's fandango style (like the ostinatos in “North By Northwest”).
Theme 2 is like Schifrin by way of early 70's action themes, like Mannix, Cannon and Barnaby Jones.
But to be honest, they don't sound especially like anything Schifrin would have written. They have the thumbprint of a unique composer. I do not look at them as any sort of "sound alike" recordings. They are valid and unique themes.
Theme 2 has MUCH to recommend it. It swings and is urbane and stylish. I imagine you combining them in an end title suite for a "movie of the week" version (where you would have more like 90-120 seconds to play with).
Post a Comment
Theme 1 is my pick if the show debuts in the late 60's opposite later seasons of "Wild Wild West".
Theme 2 is my choice if the show is picked up in the early 70's opposite the later seasons of "Mission: Impossible".
Theme 1 is Schifrin by way of Bernard Herman's fandango style (like the ostinatos in “North By Northwest”).
Theme 2 is like Schifrin by way of early 70's action themes, like Mannix, Cannon and Barnaby Jones.
But to be honest, they don't sound especially like anything Schifrin would have written. They have the thumbprint of a unique composer. I do not look at them as any sort of "sound alike" recordings. They are valid and unique themes.
Theme 2 has MUCH to recommend it. It swings and is urbane and stylish. I imagine you combining them in an end title suite for a "movie of the week" version (where you would have more like 90-120 seconds to play with).
<< Home
