"John Williams: A Composer's Life" - Biography by Tim Greiving

[Marian Schedenig 10,855]

Apparently Tim Greiving has just announced the first English biography on John Williams, to be released in 2025:

Quote

 

John Williams in His Adventure on Earth is the first English biography of John Williams, composer of more than a hundred film scores including the Star Wars series, Jurassic Park, Harry Potter, A.I., and Born on the Fourth of July, as well as dozens of concertos and fanfares. The most successful film composer in history, Williams is also arguably the most important single figure in the art form, and this book chronicles his entire life and career through meticulous research and new interviews with his director collaborators (Steven Spielberg, Oliver Stone, Mark Rydell), musicians
(Yo-Yo Ma, Josh Groban), actors (Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford), family, friends, and John Williams himself.

Due Spring 2025 from Oxford University Press.

 

 

https://timgreiving.com/john-williams-a-composers-life/

[Andy 6,451]

Nice!!! Could be great from the description. New interviews from some big names. 

[Edmilson 11,013]

I hope it gets translated to other languages!

[Bespin Copilot 10,078]

I guess we'll buy books if we can't buy CDs anymore! 

[artguy360 2,129]

This could be good if JW really opened up in his conversations with the author. I have noticed that JW has been a little more expansive in his comments in recent interviews.

[DangerMotif 1,293]

 

[Brando 2,631]

This sounds exciting!!

[Smeltington 1,808]

I wonder if Tim was able to get other collaborators involved first, who then helped convince Williams. That'll be cool to hear the story one day. But I'm so glad he got to interview Williams, and I can't wait to read this!!

[Holko 11,684]

Tim's great. This is gonna be awesome!!!

[DangerMotif 1,293]

Is there any examples of Film music stuff that he has written?

thanks

[Holko 11,684]

His blog and many expansion booklets, many of those based on new interviews with the composer or filmmakers.

[igger6 1,024]

This is sensational news! Arguably a bigger deal than the Bouzereau documentary. 
 

I love the description: Star Wars, Harry Potter, Jurassic Park, A.I. and BotFoJ. Yep, that’s pretty much the big five. 

[Incanus 5,882]

Absolutely fantastic news! 

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

Great news, but weird that he's not interviewing George Lucas, Christopher Columbus, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Mark Hamill.

[Tydirium 1,487]

16 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Great news, but weird that he's not interviewing George Lucas, Christopher Columbus, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Mark Hamill.

I agree. Although it would make sense to list her among the musicians, is it possible ASM is one of the “friends”? I’d also count Dudamel in that category; he’s another one I would expect to see in this book. I do wonder which “friends” were interviewed for this (and if they will be named, or just referenced in a general way). Daisy Ridley? Kathleen Kennedy? Leonard Slatkin?

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

6 minutes ago, Tydirium said:

is it possible ASM is one of the “friends”?

 

Sure, as long as she keeps sending those cookies. 

[herunen 22]

1 hour ago, Tydirium said:

I agree. Although it would make sense to list her among the musicians, is it possible ASM is one of the “friends”? I’d also count Dudamel in that category; he’s another one I would expect to see in this book. I do wonder which “friends” were interviewed for this (and if they will be named, or just referenced in a general way). Daisy Ridley? Kathleen Kennedy? Leonard Slatkin?

The book will be launch in 2025, maybe he will have some times to make some new interviews  

Hope it will be translate in french.

[BB-8 5,581]

Where can I pre-order a physical copy in case it is limited and sold out before being released?

;-)

[Steve 676]

1 hour ago, BB-8 said:

Where can I pre-order a physical copy in case it is limited and sold out before being released?

;-)

It will be available as E-Book only unfortunately 🙄😄

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

1 hour ago, BB-8 said:

Where can I pre-order a physical copy in case it is limited and sold out before being released?

;-)

 

At the Disney Music Euphorium.

[BB-8 5,581]

16 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

At the Disney Music Euphorium.

In a leather bound limited and numbered edition with a signed art card (signed by William Ross).

[Marian Schedenig 10,855]

10 hours ago, Bespin said:

I guess we'll buy books if we can't buy CDs anymore! 

 

Wenn sie keine CDs haben, dann sollen sie doch Bücher kaufen!

[JohnnyD 1,652]

This will be an instant purchase! Too bad it is two years out. Shoot!

[Jay 43,956]

8 hours ago, DangerMotif said:

Is there any examples of Film music stuff that he has written?

thanks

 

Just within the last few years, he wrote the liner notes for:

 

La-La Land's Stargate expansion

La-La Land's Days of Thunder expansion

Quartet's The Good The Bad And The Ugly expansion

Varese's How To Train Your Dragon Deluxe

Quartet's Drop Zone expansion

Quartet's The Taking of Pelham 1-2-3 expansion

La-La Land's Waiting For Barbarians

Varese's Love Field Deluxe

Varese's Elf Deluxe

Varese's Blue Velvet Deluxe

Varese's How To Train Your Dragon 2 Deluxe

Varese's Iron Giant Deluxe

La-La Land's Scarface expansion

Varese's Rudy Deluxe

Varese's Tomb Raider 2 Deluxe

Varese's L.A. Confidential Deluxe

La-La Land's The Godfather expansion

La-La Land's Tomorrow Never Dies expansion

 

And I'm sure others as well

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

13 minutes ago, JohnnyD said:

This will be an instant purchase! Too bad it is two years out. Shoot!

 

I wonder if this will come out before the music of The Hobbit book.

[ymenard 61]

I guess it can be done in 300pages, but I could easily see it brought up to 500/600 pages (editor might not like that LOL).  It depends how far in time it will go.

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

It depends on the font size.

[BB-8 5,581]

33 minutes ago, JohnnyD said:

This will be an instant purchase! Too bad it is two years out. Shoot!

I hope we won't be grieving in two years.

 

Btw, did JW really only have one adventure on Earth (and none in space and time)? Escape velocity etc...

 

And what about...girls?

[mrbellamy 7,631]

6 hours ago, Jurassic Shark said:

Great news, but weird that he's not interviewing George Lucas, Christopher Columbus, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Mark Hamill.

 

Just because he didn't put them in as examples doesn't mean he didn't interview them 

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

Let's hope so, but I doubt it.

[mrbellamy 7,631]

By the same assumption this book won't mention Jaws, Indiana Jones, ET, or Schindler's List either! 

[Tom 6,072]

Oxford Press is as good as it gets for top quality, well researched (non-fluff) works.  They have a rigorous review process.  This should be the authoritative reference for a long while.  

[Davis 3,953]

Great news.

And also this one with a foreword by John Williams.

 

[Edmilson 11,013]

12 hours ago, Marian Schedenig said:

John Williams in His Adventure on Earth

The title of the book implies that John Williams is an alien visiting Earth 

[BB-8 5,581]

This calls for "The Fabelmans 2".

 

8 minutes ago, JTW said:

Great news.

And also this one with a foreword by John Williams.

 

 

[Muad'Dib 1,997]

[bollemanneke 4,139]

Can we get Mike Matessino to narrate the audiobook?

[Davis 3,953]

18 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

The title of the book implies that John Williams is an alien visiting Earth 

 

[Bespin Copilot 10,078]

There's a resemblance, it's undeniable.

[Maestro 1,500]

I'm not going to lie—I was excitedly curious how quickly this news would hit JWFan!

 

For those who don't know me, I've been writing about film music and interviewing composers (and directors and actors) professionally for the past decade. Besides the many liner notes, I also write articles and create radio stories for mainstream news outlets like the L.A. Times and NPR. I teach a film music history course at USC. And I've been a card-carrying member of this site since 2003.

 

I won't divulge too much just yet, because it's still a little early, but I was excited to finally make it public that this book is happening. I've been working on it for three years now, and I've interviewed approximately 150 people. The big kahuna, of course, is John Williams. I plan to share the story of how that happened one day, but not yet.

Thanks for your excitement! I can promise you that there are many things (stories, facts, quotes) in this book you have never heard...

 

Tim

[BB-8 5,581]

Wow! Well just thank you @Maestro!

[Jurassic Shark 15,578]

13 minutes ago, Maestro said:

The big kahuna, of course, is John Williams.

 

Can you guarantee it wasn't William Ross?

[Jay 43,956]

Tim, that's awesome!

[Holko 11,684]

@Maestro From all the specialty label releases I got, I think you're easily the best liner note writer I've come across (okay, maybe tied with Mike's best work), I always loved all the attention you put into details, the new interviews you conducted to get more new information. I think this couldn't be in better hands. Hyped as hell!

[Davis 3,953]

16 minutes ago, Jurassic Shark said:

 

Can you guarantee it wasn't William Ross?

William (Ros)s… 🤔

[Bespin Copilot 10,078]

32 minutes ago, Maestro said:

I'm not going to lie—I was excitedly curious how quickly this news would hit JWFan!

 

For those who don't know me, I've been writing about film music and interviewing composers (and directors and actors) professionally for the past decade. Besides the many liner notes, I also write articles and create radio stories for mainstream news outlets like the L.A. Times and NPR. I teach a film music history course at USC. And I've been a card-carrying member of this site since 2003.

 

I won't divulge too much just yet, because it's still a little early, but I was excited to finally make it public that this book is happening. I've been working on it for three years now, and I've interviewed approximately 150 people. The big kahuna, of course, is John Williams. I plan to share the story of how that happened one day, but not yet.

Thanks for your excitement! I can promise you that there are many things (stories, facts, quotes) in this book you have never heard...

 

Tim

 

I'm anxious to read the passages of your book about me!

 

Congrats!

[Taikomochi 1,360]

32 minutes ago, Maestro said:

I'm not going to lie—I was excitedly curious how quickly this news would hit JWFan!

 

For those who don't know me, I've been writing about film music and interviewing composers (and directors and actors) professionally for the past decade. Besides the many liner notes, I also write articles and create radio stories for mainstream news outlets like the L.A. Times and NPR. I teach a film music history course at USC. And I've been a card-carrying member of this site since 2003.

 

I won't divulge too much just yet, because it's still a little early, but I was excited to finally make it public that this book is happening. I've been working on it for three years now, and I've interviewed approximately 150 people. The big kahuna, of course, is John Williams. I plan to share the story of how that happened one day, but not yet.

Thanks for your excitement! I can promise you that there are many things (stories, facts, quotes) in this book you have never heard...

 

Tim

That’s awesome! I don’t know if you heard, but I know a good, little heard anecdote for you to include about Schindler’s List and dead composers…

[Loert 3,050]

15 minutes ago, Taikomochi said:

I don’t know if you heard, but I know a good, little heard anecdote for you to include about Schindler’s List and dead composers…

 

It wouldn't surprise me if when you opened the book it was just that story typed out a gazillion times (kind of like this:)

[DangerMotif 1,293]

[Maestro 1,500]

Ha! I have NO memory of posting that, but it's also no surprise. I've been pursuing this (off and on) for about that long...