J. Bond and score Fans I need your HELP!!!

[KittBash 282]

I started with Bond Music in 97 when David Arnold took over with TND and LOVED IT and I mean listend to it back to back 10 times. I really enjoyed TWINE and DAD. I've immersed myself in Arnold's Bond for so long I would like to learn the old Bond scores.

So now that most of the scores have Been re-released I have a small dilema. I only have so much money and I want the best of the new ones. I already bought the BRILLIANT Goldfinger and The Living Daylights but I Need some opinons on which ones I should go for and which ones I should steer clear from. Here's my criteria for Bond music. ACTION cues and the Bond theme is a definate must!!!!

Dr. NO - All I know is that this one is Monty Norman and the original I don't remember the music at all cause I only saw the movie once about 5 years ago.

From Russia With Love - The only Bond movie I have never seen so I don't know what to think with this one

Goldfinger - have it and Love it!!!!!

Thunderball - I know is a Goldfinger clone so I may get it. any opinions?

You Only Live Twice - If I remember right this one has an eastern flavor and the 007 cue. how about Bond Theme and action!? this one is a complete ????? to me!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - I'm blonde not stupid this one is a must buy!!!!!

Diamonds are Forever - This Barry score has me in a tough spot. I found the orignial EMI cd release of this awhile ago before the announcment of the new cd's and got it. I really didn't like it. There is almost NO action music on it and only hints at the Bond theme! Does the new expanded one Re-deem this one enough for an action music fan!?

Live and Let Die - George Martin Ok this one is pretty campy if I remember right? I do love the Brass section of an orchestra though!

The Man with the Golden Gun - nice theme but I rememeber I wasn't impressed when watching the movie. Am I wrong?

The Spy Who Loved me - Only saw it once and remember the score at all. Nice title song though and I don't know about Hamlisch.

Moonraker - I know is only about 30 min (cause of the lost tapes) and If I remember there was virtually no action music that was at all good so I'm avoiding this one but am openminded if others think it deserves a chance.

For Your eyes Only - this one I remember I half enjoyed. Conti was I know crazy with his use of Disco but for a high energy music fan is this too much? (note: I wasn't born durning the disco days I'm only 20) I have heard the rendition of the Bond theme is was pretty good.

Octopussy - I don't remmeber anything too action packed about it. But I do know the Bond theme is used a bit! any opinions!?

A View to a Kill - again I'm ??? about this one

The Living Daylights - Have it and am really enjoying it.

License to Kill he he opps I accidentally put Live and let die so I edited it! - I know this one isn't on the re-release schedule is that because of the labels!?

Any help on any of these would be great! I've been using Neil's sequencing of Goldfinger (that he posted on the FSM boards) the past couple days and have really enjoyed getting to know the old bond music! But as I listen I get the re-afirmation that No one writes action cues like JW!

Brian99_1

[Justin 2]

You can't go wrong with any of Barry's Bond scores but OHMSS and Thunderball are probably the best Bonds.

Justin -Who also loves The Living Daylights

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Dr. NO - All I know is that this one is Monty Norman and the original I don't remember the music at all cause I only saw the movie once about 5 years ago.

Praise yourself lucky that you do not remember to much about it, and avoid this CD is all cost.

Monty Norman's music is utterly horrible.

The only virtue is John Barry's The James Bond Theme, which is tracken into the film over and over and over again.

From Russia With Love - The only Bond movie I have never seen so I don't know what to think with this one

Barry's first "whole" Bond score, although the main theme is based on a song by someone else.

Outstanding, romanctic and dramatic.

With Barry's 007 Theme to the the high light.

A pity that this CD could not be expanded, and the soundquality is rather poor.

Goldfinger - have it and Love it!!!!!

It's indeed very good.

Thunderball - I know is a Goldfinger clone so I may get it. any opinions?

It's more then just a Goldfinger clone, nice exotic msic fitting for the Carabian setting, and scary under water music.

You Only Live Twice - If I remember right this one has an eastern flavor and the 007 cue. how about Bond Theme and action!? this one is a complete ????? to me!

Get it, it's one of the best out there.

Great oriental flavor (although probably not very authentic.)

This contains the classic Space March cue, a wonderfull title theme, the 007 theme , romantic oiental style music.

Get it...get it...get it...get it!!!

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - I'm blonde not stupid this one is a must buy!!!!!

Wonderfull driving main theme, catchy, romantic secondary themes, gorgeous music for the Alpes, great soundquality.

Perhaps a bit on the repetitive side.

But that's part of John Barry's style.

Diamonds are Forever - This Barry score has me in a tough spot. I found the orignial EMI cd release of this awhile ago before the announcment of the new cd's and got it. I really didn't like it. There is almost NO action music on it and only hints at the Bond theme! Does the new expanded one Re-deem this one enough for an action music fan!?

It should, the original release horribly misrepresents the score.The James Bond Theme is definatly in there, so is a great and eerie theme for Wint and Kid.

Live and Let Die - George Martin Ok this one is pretty campy if I remember right? I do love the Brass section of an orchestra though!

The song is great, other then that i don't really care for this score at all.

The Man with the Golden Gun - nice theme but I rememeber I wasn't impressed when watching the movie. Am I wrong?

The movie is rather weak, and the music suffers a bit from the fact that Barry had 2 weeks to score this film, AND that he had to incorporate some comic elements into it (honkey tonk piano and a slide whistle...ho...ho...ho).

Still, some nice oriental flavoured music, and a cool cue for the scene were Bond flies to Scaramanga's island.

The Spy Who Loved me - Only saw it once and remember the score at all. Nice title song though and I don't know about Hamlisch.

A rather eclectic mix of music, with everything from Disco, to easter sounding source cues to over the top choral music.

It works in the (somewhat) film, but on CD it gets very fragmented.

Also, i believe that none of the cues on this CD is actually from the film, but are actually specially arranged and performed for the album, meaning some cues are expanded by simply playing the same part twice or more, which makes the music wear out it's welcome (The Tanker cue, for instance)

The theme song is outstanding though, and the music does have a kinda hokey 70's appeal.

Moonraker - I know is only about 30 min (cause of the lost tapes) and If I remember there was virtually no action music that was at all good so I'm avoiding this one but am openminded if others think it deserves a chance.

This one is M*THERF*CKING brilliant, for my money the best Barry/Bond score out there.

Brilliant Main theme, dramatic and at times epic, with bonechilling music for a space laser fight, a women being pursued and eaten by savage dogs, a fight upon a cable car, wresstling with a south american serpent, the 007 theme and a utterly brilliant 6 minute wonder called Flight In Space, which s the kind of cue that MAKES people become sound track fans. (this cue is responsible for me being here right now).

You cannot buy 30 minutes of better music, and although the CD is missing it lot, you need to get it...get it...get it...get it....GET IT!!!

Come on, Ricard, tell him.

For Your eyes Only - this one I remember I half enjoyed. Conti was I know crazy with his use of Disco but for a high energy music fan is this too much? (note: I wasn't born durning the disco days I'm only 20) I have heard the rendition of the Bond theme is was pretty good.

It is pretty good, a bit dated, to be sure.

But Conti puts a new spin on the James Bond theme.

There are some pleasant romantic cues, and some nice suspensefull ones.

I love the dramatic piano cue for one of the ski-scenes.

Octopussy - I don't remmeber anything too action packed about it. But I do know the Bond theme is used a bit! any opinions!?

It's OK, rather mediocre theme song (i still wished they ad the guts to write a song with used the title of the film, and have someone like Shirly Bassey sing it...OOOOOCTOPUUUUUSSSSYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!....She's my OOOOOCTOPUUUUUSSSSYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

A View to a Kill - again I'm ??? about this one.

Decent action music, nice Indian flavor, not the most original or memorable, but certainly worth while.

The Living Daylights - Have it and am really enjoying it.

Well, it IS very good, even though the electronics are somewhat dated. (gotta love those 80's drum machines)

Live and Let Die - I know this one isn't on the re-release schedule is that because of the labels!?

You mean License To Kill off course.

Michael Kamen's lone Bond effort and a great action suspense score.

Much maligned because it's very low on theme. The score is similar in style to Kamen's Die Hard, which used several short motives rather them a singular dominant main theme.

Die Hard used Betthoven's 9th as Main Theme, Liocense To Kill uses the James Bond Theme in the same way. (thankfully no music from Aliens)

Kamen gives his score a nice latin feel, and produces some savage acion music which is somewhat similar to what Arnold would later do with TWINE.

I's pick up this one in a heart beat if they inculded it as an expanded score.

Any help on any of these would be great! I've been using Neil's sequencing of Goldfinger (that he posted on the FSM boards) the past couple days and have really enjoyed getting to know the old bond music! But as I listen I get the re-afirmation that No one writes action cues like JW!

JW???...the name is Barry....John Barry.

Expect Neil to contribute to this thread.

Stefancos- who has the expanded OHMSS and the remastered FRWL, and will get You Only Live Twice and Moonraker next.

[Ricard 2,245]

Moonraker - I know is only about 30 min (cause of the lost tapes) and If I remember there was virtually no action music that was at all good so I'm avoiding this one but am openminded if others think it deserves a chance.

This one is M*THERF*CKING brilliant, for my money the best Barry/Bond score out there.

Brilliant Main theme, dramatic and at times epic, with bonechilling music for a space laser fight, a women being pursued and eaten by savage dogs, a fight upon a cable car, wresstling with a south american serpent, the 007 theme and a utterly brilliant 6 minute wonder called Flight In Space, which s the kind of cue that MAKES people become sound track fans. (this cue is responsible for me being here right now).

You cannot buy 30 minutes of better music, and although the CD is missing it lot, you need to get it...get it...get it...get it....GET IT!!!

Come on, Ricard, tell him.

GET IT

For Your eyes Only  

It is pretty good, a bit dated, to be sure.

The Living Daylights  

Well, it IS very good, even though the electronics are somewhat dated.

Seems written by a future Bond music fan regarding Arnold's scores, 15 years from now

[KittBash 282]

nah Stefancos I meant JW as in Williams.... John Williams no Barry Bond music can beat the complex cues Williams writes. albeit the Bond scores are next on my list of Favorite scores. Thanks for giving a little insight on each of the scores.

Brian99_1 - who knows of Neil's love of the Bond scores and wouldn't be surprised if he showed up either!

[Lurker 5]

Dr. NO - All I know is that this one is Monty Norman and the original I don't remember the music at all cause I only saw the movie once about 5 years ago.

The soundtrack is great....if you want to get the James Bond Theme in stereo. Other than that, it's a waste.

From Russia With Love - The only Bond movie I have never seen so I don't know what to think with this one

First of all, go see this movie now. It follows the novel closer than any other Bond film and it's a brilliant film.

The score is also excellent, with several great action moments.

Thunderball -  I know is a Goldfinger clone so I may get it. any opinions?

Not a "Goldfinger clone" at all. It's a very different score, and one that I think can actually stand up to more listenings. Of course, I've heard this one a lot more, too, but I think there is more to the score to Thunderball than to Goldfinger. Word of advice though: by the time this album is done, you may wish Barry had never written the "007 Theme". It just keeps going, and going, and going, and going.

You Only Live Twice - If I remember right this one has an eastern flavor and the 007 cue. how about Bond Theme and action!? this one is a complete ????? to me!

Yes, this album is complete and is certainly worth buying. This could be the finest score written for a Sean Connery Bond film.

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - I'm blonde not stupid this one is a must buy!!!!!

This album belongs in every collection.

Diamonds are Forever -  This Barry score has me in a tough spot. I found the orignial EMI cd release of this awhile ago before the announcment of the new cd's and got it. I really didn't like it. There is almost NO action music on it and only hints at the Bond theme! Does the new expanded one Re-deem this one enough for an action music fan!?

Yes, the original album release of this was terrible. The new album, when played in film sequence is a totally different experience. The score actually works for me now. You want action? Just listen to "Gunbarrel and Manhunt". Want the Bond theme? There is a great rendition of it in "Bond to Holland". Get this album, program the film sequence on your CD player and enjoy.

Live and Let Die - George Martin Ok this one is pretty campy if I remember right? I do love the Brass section of an orchestra though!

I enjoy this score. I can understand how some may not, but for me, this score works.

The Man with the Golden Gun - nice theme but I rememeber I wasn't impressed when watching the movie. Am I wrong?

The score has its moments, but it's not really essential, which is more than can be said about the awful film.

The Spy Who Loved me - Only saw it once and remember the score at all.  Nice title song though and I don't know about Hamlisch.

I like this movie. I like the song. I can't stand the music though. I much prefer Nic Raine's re-recordings on the "Bond - Back in Action II" album.

Moonraker - I know is only about 30 min (cause of the lost tapes) and If I remember there was virtually no action music that was at all good so I'm avoiding this one but am openminded if others think it deserves a chance.

This is a beautiful score. It may not have the hardcore action writing that Barry used in the 60's Bond films, but instead we get some of Barry's best "space" music.

For Your eyes Only - this one I remember I half enjoyed. Conti was I know crazy with his use of Disco but for a high energy music fan is this too much? (note: I wasn't born durning the disco days I'm only 20) I have heard the rendition of the Bond theme is was pretty good.

Yeah, this has some very exciting action music on it. If that's your thing, go for it. And for what it's worth, this is my favorite Roger Moore Bond film. Very few jokes, and a great spy story.

Octopussy - I don't remmeber anything too action packed about it. But I do know the Bond theme is used a bit! any opinions!?

The first Bond score I ever owned. Typical Barry action music. You won't be dissapointed, but I don't view owning this album as a priority.

A View to a Kill - again I'm ??? about this one

I like this music more than Octopussy. Killer main theme and very exciting action music.

License to Kill  he he opps I accidentally put Live and let die so I edited it!  - I know this one isn't on the re-release schedule is that because of the labels!?

You should still be able to find it in stores fairly inexpensively. I thoght Kamen did a nice job with this score. There is a great deal of action music on this album. That seems to be your main interest. Go for it! I have to warn you though, there are also quite a few songs on the album, and well most of them are awful? "Dirty Love" anyone? Ugh.

Any help on any of these would be great!

Right now the albums I'd get would be Thunderball, You Only Live Twice and On Her Majesty's Secret Service. You will not be dissapointed. I've been playing them all a lot lately, and I'm amazed at how good these scores really are. You really can't go wrong with any Bond score by Barry, but those scores will give you the most music for your money.

Whatever you get, enjoy!

Neil

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Seems written by a future Bond music fan regarding Arnold's scores, 15 years from now  

I consider that to be very possible, but if something is dated it does not mean it's still good.

MECO's Star wars tracks are dated, YOU still think they are good, Logan's Run and Supergirl have very anacronistic synths in them, they are still good scores.

Hell, there are people here that even still like music that was written hundreds of years ago.

Stefancos- who just saw FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE, with a wonderfull, but very dated score by Morricone.

[Ricard 2,245]

Seems written by a future Bond music fan regarding Arnold's scores, 15 years from now  

I consider that to be very possible, but if something is dated it does not mean it's still good.

The concept of 'dated' is highly subjective. Some things are usually dated for those who weren't there when they were created.

MECO's Star wars tracks are dated

No, they aren't, in my opinion. And you'd probably agree with me if you had listened to them in 1977.

Logan's Run and Supergirl have very anacronistic synths in them, they are still good scores.

As I said, those supposed 'anachronisms' are extremely subjective. That perception usually depends on your age and the fact that you didn't listen to them until a few years later. In my opinion, none of the synths used by Goldsmith are anachronic (I can't say the same of Zimmer )

[KittBash 282]

Thanks for the input guys I think Thunderball and OHMSS are safe bets to start.

The concept of 'dated' is highly subjective. Some things are usually dated for those who weren't there when they were created.

This is True but I have to say I usually find somthing dated when it is written in a certain style that was only used widely for a very short period of time. I must admit some score that have been labeled "dated" I've enjoyed quite well.

Brian99_1

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

No, they aren't, in my opinion. And you'd probably agree with me if you had listened to them in 1977.

Well...obviously that would have been impossible.

As I said, those supposed 'anachronisms' are extremely subjective. That perception usually depends on your age and the fact that you didn't listen to them until a few years later. In my opinion, none of the synths used by Goldsmith are anachronic (I can't say the same of Zimmer   )

Hmmm....you could be right, and i'll probably be definding Arnold and Zimmer 15 years from now, saying to some youngster that he would agree with me if he listened to those scores when they first came out.

Stefancos- who does consider Goldsmith's 70's and 80's synths to be dated, but also very cool.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Octopussy - I don't remmeber anything too action packed about it. But I do know the Bond theme is used a bit! any opinions!?

It's OK, rather mediocre theme song (i still wished they ad the guts to write a song with used the title of the film, and have someone like Shirly Bassey sing it...OOOOOCTOPUUUUUSSSSYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!....She's my OOOOOCTOPUUUUUSSSSYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!

All-Time High had lyrics by Sir Tim Rice and it's an excellent song with a big Bond feeling to it, and shame on you for thinking otherwise!!!

But of course you don't like any song that's not written in Elvish. :roll:

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

ARE YOU MAD!!!!!

The song is not very Bondian at all.

It's not bad, but it could have been a lot better, like the film itself.

Offcourse bringing hack lyricist Tim Rice on board was a HUGE mistake.

BTW, Ross, why have you not respended to my email?

Stefancos- Who really...really....REALLY wanted to hear the word "pussy" again in the song.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

Tim Rice is never a mistake!! Unless we're takling Disney here. :roll: About him being a hack, I'll just assume you aren't too acquainted to his work, and we'll both live happily ever after.

And I would have responded to your e-mail, but I never got any from you. Can you resend? Try any of these addresses: rmworinsky@yahoo.com; worinskyonline@hotmail.com

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Tim Rice is never a mistake!! Unless we're takling Disney here.  :roll:  About him being a hack, I'll just assume you aren't too acquainted to his work, and we'll both live happily ever after.

Acrtually, his work for the Lion King is the only stuff i've heard that is passable.

And I would have responded to your e-mail, but I never got any from you. Can you resend? Try any of these addresses: rmworinsky@yahoo.com; worinskyonline@hotmail.com

Hmmm....probably did something wong then, i'll email you again.

Stefancos- who will NOT refer to Ross as Ender.

[Elmo Lewis 6]

What else did you hear by him? Aladdin? If you missed any of his Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborations, I pity you.

[KittBash 282]

Well it seems there is a Problem with OHMSS around here I went to two stores and they said they had it but had it brought back when From Russia with Love was in it. They didn't have Thunderball either so I decided to give Conti a chance and bought For you eyes only. I have to say I like it but I certainly would have to be in the right mood for it!

Brian99_1- who won't give up on trying to get OHMSS