The Skyfall Theme

Being the first Bond theme to win Best Song at the Golden Globes, Brit Awards, and Academy awards, “Skyfall” sounds exactly like what a 007 theme song would were it sung by Adele.  Adele and producer Paul Epworth wrote the musical number, with orchestration by J. A. C. Redford, featuring a 77-piece orchestra.  Additional accolades included Best Song at the Critics’ Choice Awards and Best Song Written for Visual Media at the Grammy Awards.

 

 

“Skyfall” was released at 12:07 a.m. on October 5, 2012 as part of the Global James Bond Day, which was a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the release of Dr. No.  The song was an immediate success, going to number one on the UK’s iTunes online store less than 10 hours after it was released.  It reached number two on the UK singles chart and eight on the Billboard Hot 100.  It has sold more than 1.6 million copies in the US and is the first Bond song to sell a million digital copies.  Among worldwide music charts, “Skyfall” peaked in top 10 among several countries, reaching the top spot in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, South Korea, and Switzerland.

 

From initial contact to final product, it took Adele and Epworth 18 months to complete “Skyfall.”  Included in the music is an intentional reference to Monty Norman’s “James Bond Theme” after the first chorus.  Reviews were particularly positive, with many comparisons being made to the Shirley Bassey themes.  Along with Bassey’s influence, Epworth watched the first 13 Bond films for additional inspiration.

 

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins was born May 5, 1988, in Tottenham, north London, England.  At the age of 4, Adele took an interest in singing and cites the Spice Girls as major influences in her singing.  She later became interested in R&B artists, including Aaliyah, Destiny’s Child, and Mary J. Blige, and after accidentally stumbling upon albums for Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald, Adele started experimenting with her voice.  In May 2006, she graduated from the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology.

 

Due to a posting of her demo on MySpace in 2006, Adele was signed to a contract with XL Recordings, which led to her debut album, 19, being certified four times platinum in the UK and double platinum in the United States.  Her second single from the album, “Chasing Pavements,” reached number two on the UK chart and stayed there for four weeks.  Subsequently, she won Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.  Other awards included an Urban Music Award for “Best Jazz Act,” a Q Awards nomination for Breakthrough Act, a Mercury Prize nomination, and a Music of Black Origin nomination in Best UK Female.

 

Following an appearance on Saturday Night Live in 2008, Adele’s popularity in America climbed sharply.  The day after her performance, 19 topped the iTunes charts and ranked at number five at Amazon.com and “Chasing Pavements” rose into the top 25.  The album jumped 35 spots to number 11 on the Billboard 200.

 

Her second album in 2011, 21, was a critical and commercial smash, surpassing the first.  The album went on be certified 16 times platinum in the UK and diamond in the United States.  Adele’s record held the top position longer than any album since 1985 and is the longest running number one album by a female solo artist in the history of the UK and U.S.  It won a record-tying six Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, two Brit Awards, and three American Music Awards.  In total, it has sold 30 million copies worldwide.  Adele became the first artist ever to sell three million albums in the UK in one calendar year.

 

While her first and second singles from 21, “Rolling in the Deep” and “Someone like You,” respectively, were in the top five of the UK singles chart, it made her the first living artist to achieve such a feat since the Beatles in 1964.  With the release of her third single, “Set Fire to the Rain,” Adele became the first artist ever to have an album hold the number-one position on the Billboard 200 concurrently with three number one singles.

 

Billboard named Adele Artist of the Year in 2011 and 2012.  In 2012, she was listed at number five on VH1’s 100 Greatest Women in Music and Time magazine named her one of the most influential people in the world.

 

Adele has one child, with charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki.

 

Paul Epworth, born July 25, 1974, is an English music producer, musician, and songwriter who has worked with artists that include Coldplay, Paul McCartney, Cee Lo Green, Florence and the Machine, Foster the People, John Legend, and Bruno Mars.

 

Along with his producing and songwriting, he is also known for remix work under the pseudonym Phones.  His remix catalogue of music includes selections from U2, P-Diddy, Nine Inch Nails, Interpol, and Coldplay.  Epworth briefly did work under the name Epic Man.

 

For Epworth’s work with Adele he has won four Grammies and an Academy Award.  His production on the number one debut album Made of Bricks by Kate Nash included a writing credit on the hit single “Foundations,” which earned him an Ivor Novello nomination.  Epworth is a member of the Music Producers Guild.  In 2009, Epworth won best newcomer at the inaugural Music Producers’ Guild Awards and the following year he won the Brit Award’s, Music Producers’ Guild Award’s, and Music Week’s Producer of the Year awards.

 

Jonathan Alfred Clawson Redford, born July 14, 1953, is an American composer, arranger, orchestrator, and conductor whose work spans across concert, chamber, and choral music, film, television, and theater scores, and recorded music.  Redford’s youth was influenced by arrange of music, from symphonic, nineteenth-century opera, and film composition to the Beatles, Frank Zappa, Joni Mitchell, and jazz artists.

 

As a teenager, Redford worked as a music arranger for rock ‘n’ roll bands and by his early 20 he was scoring documentaries and educational films.  After moving to Los Angeles in the mid-1970s, he started working in television, with early composing for Starsky & Hutch.  During a 1980s American Federation of Musicians strike, Redford used the time wisely, continuing his education with Hal Johnson, Frederick Zweig, and Walter Scharf.

 

Excluding the time he was on strike, Redford has been writing music at a steady pace since 1976, working with such artists as Steven Curtis Chapman, Bonnie Raitt, and Sting.  Artists that have performed his work include the Chicago Symphony, Israel Philharmonic, Kansas City Chorale, New York Philharmonic, and Utah Symphony.  His work has also been featured in programs at the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, St. Peter’s Basilica, and London’s Royal Albert Hall.

 

Redford has written scores for more than three dozen feature films and 500 episodes of television.  His music on St. Elsewhere earned him Emmy nominations in 1984 and 1985.

 

Redford has authored a book, titled Welcome All Wonders: A Composer’s Journey.

The Quantum of Solace Theme

Marking the first duet in James Bond music history, Jack White of the White Stripes and Alicia Keys collaborated with one another for “Another Way to Die” from Quantum of Solace.  White wrote and produced the track.

 

Initial reviews of the song were mixed, with many believing it to be a good song on its own but poorly done when considered a 007 theme.  According to the 2008 Popjustice Reader’s Poll, the song was voted as the second “Worst Single” of the year.  The US Billboard Hot 100 debut reached only 81, where it spent only one week on the chart.  However, the song did fare better overseas, where it charted inside the top ten in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, and Denmark, where it was certified gold.

 

In 2008, “Another Way to Die” won Best Original Song at the Satellite Awards and received a nomination for the same category at the Critics’ Choice Awards.  The music video was nominated at the Grammy Awards for Best Short Form Music Video.

 

Prior to White and Keys being officially announced as the performers, singers Leona Lewis and Amy Winehouse were rumored to be selected.  Winehouse had even recorded a demo track with producer Mark Ronson, but it was later explained that due to Winehouse’s well-publicized legal issues she was not prepared to record any music at that time.

 

Jack White, born July 9, 1975, as John Anthony Gillis, is the frontman for the White Stripes, but his collaborations with other artists and bands are varied, including Loretta Lynn, Bob Dylan, Beck, the Rolling Stones, and Danger Mouse.  He is the youngest of 10 children and was raised Catholic.  White began playing drums at the age of 6 and in elementary school was influenced by the Doors, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.  In his teenage years he began listening to blues and 1960s rock, which would become the influence that led to the White Stripes.

 

White’s first recorded album was with a family friend when the two were working together at upholstery.  White played guitar and the band was named the Upholsterers.  Eventually meeting Megan White, the two were wed and formed the White Stripes, although they did not present themselves as husband and wife, but as siblings.  The band released six albums and a live album, with their biggest hit being “Seven Nation Army,” which spent three weeks at number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart and won a Grammy for Best Rock Song.  It has even become an international sporting and protest anthem.

 

Along with the White Stripes, White has also been a founding member of the Raconteurs and the Dead Weather.  Along with producing all of his own work through his label, Third Man Records, he has also produced for numerous artists.  His two solo albums have received eight Grammy nominations and both albums have reached the top spot on the Billboard charts.

 

White has won eight Grammy Awards.  In 2010, Rolling Stone ranked White at 70 on its list of the 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time and David Fricke’s 2011 list ranked him at number 17.  White is a board member of the Library of Congress’ National Recording Preservation Foundation.

 

Along with his work on Quantum of Solace he has also contributed to Cold Mountain, where he was also featured in an acting role, The Great Gatsby, and It Might Get Loud, a documentary about the electric guitar.

 

White has married and divorced twice, once to bandmate Meg White, where he took her last name, and again to model Karen Elson.  White has a son and daughter with Elson.  He currently resides in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

Alicia Augello Cook, known professionally as Alicia Keys, was born January 25, 1981.  Keys studied music and dance at an early age, learning classical piano beginning at the age of 7.  She was enrolled in the Professional Performing Arts School at 12, where she majored in choir and began writing songs, and graduated at 16 as valedictorian.  Although accepted to Columbia University, Keys was unable to handle both recording music and attending classes and dropped out of college after a month.

 

It wasn’t until signing with her third record label that she released her debut album, Songs in a Minor, which sold more than 12 million copies worldwide and was certified six times platinum.  Her debut single Fallin’ spent six weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100.  Keys became the most successful new artist of the year and won five Grammy Awards for her work on the album, including Best New Artist and Song of the Year.  The achievement made her only the second American recording artist to win five Grammys in a single night.  Fallin’ was also nominated for Record of the Year.

 

Keys’ second and third albums were also successes, earning her another seven Grammies.  Her live album, Unplugged, debuted at number one in the United States, making her the first female to have an MTV Unplugged album debut at number one.  It was the highest debut since Nirvana’s release in 1994.

 

In total, Keys has released five studio and two live albums and sold more than 35 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide.  She has won 15 Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards, 17 Billboard Music Awards (including Latin and R&B/Hip-Hop ceremonies), seven BET Awards, 16 NAACP Image Awards, two People’s Choice Awards, and numerous other accolades.  Billboard magazine named her the top R&B artist of the 2000s and placed her number 10 on their list of the Top 50 R&B/Hip-Hop Artists of the Past 25 Years.  In 2010, VH1 included Keys on its list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and two years later ranked her 14 on its 100 Greatest Women in Music.

 

Contributions to soundtracks other than Quantum of Solace include Men in Black, Shaft, Dr. Dolittle 2, Ali, Sex and the City 2, 12 Years a Slave, and The Amazing Spider-man 2.

 

Keys has appeared in television cameos on The Cosby Show, Charmed, and American Dreams, as well as film work in Smokin’ Aces, The Secret Life of Bees, and The Nanny Diaries.

 

Having given birth to her second child late last year with husband Swiss Beatz, a hip-hop recording artist and producer, Keys plans to release a series of children’s books.

The Casino Royale Theme

With the announcement of Daniel Craig as the new James Bond, the series went in a grittier, more realistic direction, mirroring the Jason Bourne films.  This rougher tone was also found in the music selections of theme song performers.  Craig's first outing in 2006 was Casino Royale and producers wanted a strong male singer to perform the theme.  They eventually selected Chris Cornell to work with composer David Arnold to create a song that could substitute for the "James Bond Theme" in order to reflect 007's inexperience in the movie.

 

 

Prior to the announcement that Cornell had been selected, other artists were rumored to be in the running, which included previous Bond theme performer Tina Turner and English musician Tony Christie.

 

"You Know My Name" was released early online and reviews were generally favorable, winning the Satellite Award and World Soundtrack Award.  This leaked version, which differed from the final product, peaked at number 20 on the UK Single Download Chart.  While the theme song didn't make it on the film's soundtrack, Cornell did include it on his second solo album.  Cornell and Arnold worked separately before combining their efforts into a single tune.  Arnold has stated "You Know My Name" has the "same genetic material as the Bond theme, but in a different order and in a different shape."

 

In the United States, the song peaked at 79 and 64 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Billboard Pop 100, respectively.  The official release of the single peaked at number 7 in the UK and other top 10 positions were found in Denmark (2), Finland (3), Italy (4), Norway (5), Switzerland (10), and the Netherlands (10).  The single was nominated for a Grammy for Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television, or Other Visual Media.

 

For a complete biography of David Arnold, go here.

 

Christopher John Boyle, better known by his stage name as Chris Cornell, was born July 20, 1964, and raised in Seattle, Washington.  He is currently the lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist for Soundgarden and former lead vocalist of Audioslave.  Cornell has five siblings, several of whom are musicians and singers.

 

Cornell, along with two former members of a Seattle-based cover band by the name of the Shemps, formed Soundgarden in 1984.  Upon signing with A&M Records in the late 80s, Soundgarden became the first grunge band to sign with a major label.  In 1996, following the release of the group's fifth studio album, Soundgarden disbanded, leading Cornell to have a short solo career before joining three of the four Rage Against the Machine band members to form Audioslave.  Beginning in 2001, Audioslave released three studio albums, but Cornell left in 2006 to begin a second stint of a solo career.  Cornell announced a Soundgarden reunion in 2010, which has led to a national tour and new album.

 

Along with his involvement in Soundgarden and Audioslave, Cornell has released three solo albums and was the founder of Temple of the Dog, a tribute band dedicated to his former roommate, Andrew Wood.  Collaborations with other artists include Pearl Jam, Alice Cooper, Linkin Park, Slash, David Cook, and Carlos Santana.

 

Cornell was ranked fourth among Hit Parader's Heavy Metal's All-time Top 100 Vocalists, ninth on Rolling Stone's Best Lead Singers of All Time, and 12th on MTV's 22 Greatest Voices in Music, and was voted Rock's Greatest Singer by readers of Guitar World.  Along with his awards for "You Know My Name" from Casino Royale, Cornell has received 14 Grammy nominations, winning two, an MTV Video Music Award, and a Golden Globe nomination.

 

Cornell has been married twice.  His first marriage, to Soundgarden and Alice in Chains manager Susan Silver, ended in divorce but produced a daughter.  He is currently married to Vicky Karayiannis and has two more children, a daughter and son.

87th Academy Award Nominees

The nominees have been announced.  We are only about five weeks away from the ceremony.  The level at which my cinema-love is rising cannot be charted during this time of award season.

 

While my wife and I host an Oscar-watching party every year, it isn't because I believe award shows validate or solidify what is and isn't the best movies from the year.  Obviously it is a matter of taste for everyone.  What is a great movie to one person may be uninteresting and bland to another.  What I like about award season is that it brings to the forefront a group of movies from the past year (most of which were released in the past three months) that are considered by those in the industry who actually know what is and isn't good work to be the best and we as moviegoers can then view films that might not otherwise have ever be seen or even heard of.

 

Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel lead with nine nominations, while The Imitation Game received eight nominations.  I haven't gone over each nominee and category yet, but the only major snub I have noticed so far is that The Lego Movie wasn't nominated for Best Animated Feature Film.  That is a shame because The Lego Movie is one of the most creative and heartfelt movies of the year, animated or live-action.  Although The Interview got much more publicity because of its politics, The Lego Movie had a much more important message about creativity and free speech.

 

The following are nominees in some of the categories.

 

 Best Motion Picture of the Year

American Sniper

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Boyhood

The Grand Budapest Hotel

The Imitation Game

Selma

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

 

Achievement in Directing

Wes Anderson - The Grand Budapest Hotel

Alejandro G. Inarritu - Birdman

Richard Linklater - Boyhood

Bennett Miller - Foxcatcher

Morten Tyldum - The Imitation Game

 

Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

Steve Carell - Foxcatcher

Bradley Cooper - American Sniper

Benedict Cumberbatch - The Imitation Game

Michael Keaton - Birdman

Eddie Redmayne - The Theory of Everything

 

Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role

Robert Duvall - The Judge

Ethan Hawke - Boyhood

Edward Norton - Birdman

Mark Ruffalo - Foxcatcher

J.K. Simmons - Whiplash

 

Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role

Marion Cotillard - Two Days, One Night

Felicity Jones - The Theory of Everything

Julianne Moore - Still Alice

Rosamund Pike - Gone Girl

Reese Witherspoon - Wild

 

Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

Patricia Arquette - Boyhood

Laura Dern - Wild

Keira Knightley - The Imitation Game

Emma Stone - Birdman

Meryl Streep - Into the Woods

 

Best Animated Feature Film of the Year

Big Hero 6

The Boxtrolls

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Song of the Sea

The Tale of the Princess Kaguya

 

Adapted Screenplay

American Sniper

The Imitation Game

Inherent Vice

The Theory of Everything

Whiplash

 

Original Screenplay

Birdman

Boyhood

Foxcatcher

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Nightcrawler

Goodbye 2014

In response to my wife's request, this will be short and to the point.  It was a great year as my third and final child, Sawyer Dean, was born.  Emery is a wonderful big sister to the new baby and Jack is ... well, Jack is Jack.  He is our toughest kid right now, but I don't think it is because he feels any sort of middle child syndrome.  I rather just think he is full of energy and like all 3-year-olds is testing his boundaries.

 

Starting the middle of January I will be moving buildings at work to start a new position.  It is called Loan Action Specialist, but that is just a fancy term for someone who verifies the reasons loan officers deny or cancel loans.  It is somewhat of a compliance role, which isn't completely different from the quality assurance job I am supposed to be doing now.  I say "supposed to be doing" because instead of quality assurance I am checking legal documents to verify we have all the information necessary when a loan's servicing is purchased.  This is the job of Record Services, which is monotonous, mundane, and ususally done by temps.

 

The birth of my child and changing jobs were the two big events of 2014.  I did have some success in a yearly poker tournament I play in.  It was the second year of the tournament and the first time I finished third.  This year I improved and came in second place, winning $800.

 

Hope your year was also a good one and next year is even better.  Everyone have a safe New Year's Eve.

The Die Another Day Theme

Following an unsuccessful bid to garner success with the previous 007 theme song for The World Is Not Enough from alternative-rock band Garbage, MGM wanted a high-profile artist to perform the 20th James Bond film's theme, "Die Another Day."  It was decided the Queen of Pop, Madonna, was the right choice for the film series' significant milestone.  Receiving co-writing and producing credit was Mirwais Ahmadzai and Michel Colombier composed the track.

While "Die Another Day" was nominated for two Grammies and a Golden Globe, critics were mixed on its sound.  Some liked Madonna's exodus from the traditional Bond sound, but others found its electronic and stuttered editing uninspired.  One of the latter critics was Die Another Day soundtrack composer David Arnold, who, it has been rumored, loathed the tune so much he refused to include it in the film's score.  Along with award nominations praising its quality, the song also received a Golden Raspberry Award nomination for Worst Original Song.

Madonna included the song on her ninth studio album, along with her greatest hits album in 2009, and the single made its way to number eight on the Billboard Hot 100.  It was also the top selling dance song in the United States in 2002 and 2003.  It reached the top spot on music charts in Canada, Italy, Spain, and Romania and was a top ten hit in several more countries worldwide.  In the UK, it debuted at number three.  "Die Another Day" was certified silver in France, gold in Australia, Belgium, and Greece, and double platinum in Canada.

Not counting Sheena Easton's appearance in the opening credits of For Your Eyes Only, Madonna has the distinction of being the only theme song performer to have a cameo in the film.  She plays Verity, a fencing instructor at Blades Club in London.  The song also is the only one in the series that include s a scene from the film being shown as the credits roll.

Born October 23, 1960, in Switzerland to an Afghan father and Italian mother, Mirwais Ahmadzai, is a leader in the French style of progressive electronic dance music.  In the 1980s, Mirwais began as a guitarist in the punk band Taxi Girl and later formed the acoustic group Juliette et les Independents.  He then set off on a solo career in the 1990s.

His collaboration with Madonna began in 2000, and he has produced and co-written songs for three Madonna albums.  His work on Madonna's album Music garnered three Grammy nominations, including Record of the Year.

His other work includes producing tracks for Fischerspooner and Uffie.  He has also produced remixes of songs from Madonna and Franz Ferdinand.

Michel Colombier is a French composer, songwriter, arranger, and conducter whose filmography includes scores for Against All Odds, Purple Rain, The Golden Child, Major League II, Barb Wire, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back.  Colombier was born May 23, 1939, and died November 14, 2004.  Colombier was married to Dana Colombier and had two children.

With the same first and middle name as her mother, Madonna Louise Ciccone was born August 16, 1958.  Madonna gained fame as a singer in the 1980s by pushing social conventions in her music and reinventing herself over the years.  Her music videos were fixtures on MTV when released, despite controversial imagery and suggestive lyrics.

Prior to signing a solo deal with Sire Records in 1982, Madonna worked with music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy.  Recognized as the greatest-selling female musical artist of all time by Guiness World Records, she has sold more than 300 million records worldwide.  She has released 12 studio albums with an upcoming album scheduled for 2015.  According to the Recording Industry Association of America, Madonna is the best-selling female artist of the 20th century and the second best-selling artist in the United States, only behind Barbra Streisand, with 64.5 million certified albums.  Billboard ranked her second behind the Beatles on the Hot 100 All-Time Top Artists.  The magazine also declared her the top-touring female artist of all time.

Along with being a gay icon, her legacy includes influencing current artists Adam Lambert, Backstreet Boys, Beyonce, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Fergie, Gloria Estefan, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Katy Perry, Kesha, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, New Kids on the Block, Nicki Minaj, 'N Sync, Paula Abdul, Pink, Rihanna, Spice Girls, and Taylor Swift.

Madonna has won seven Grammy awards, with an additional 21 nominations, received seven Golden Globe nominations, with two wins, two Ivor Novello Award wins, was named MTV's Artist of the Decade in 1989, and countless other accolades throughout her career.  She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in her first year of eligibility and is a founding member of the UK Music Hall of Fame.

Besides music, Madonna's other ventures include film work, fashion design, writing children's books and founding the entertainment company Maverick.  Her filmography includes Dick Tracy, A League of Their Own, and Evita, for which she won one of her Golden Globes.

While her marriages include actor Sean Penn and director Guy Ritchie, both of which ended in divorce, her list of romantic entanglements include Robert F. Kennedy Jr., comedienne Sandra Bernhard, Warren Beatty, Antonio Banderas, Lenny Kravits, Vanilla Ice, Willem Dafoe, Jose Canseco, Dennis Rodman, and Alex Rodriguez.  Madonna has two children, one with fitness trainer Carlos Leon and the other with Ritchie.

The World Is Not Enough Theme

Don Black returned after more than 25 years to write lyrics for the theme song to The World Is Not Enough, which had the same title.  David Arnold composed “The World Is Not Enough” and it was performed by Garbage, which also produced the theme song with Arnold.  The lyrics were written from Bond girl Elektra King’s point of view, played by Sophie Marceau in the film.

 

 

“The World Is Not Enough” was well received by critics and found its way into the top 40 of 10 singles charts and the top 10 of another four charts, with it reaching number one in Iceland.  Although Garbage’s album tracks vary across several genres and are produced in a post-modern style, the film’s theme song was written to fit the series’ traditional design.  Ultimately it appeared in two “Best of 1999” polls, at 87 on Canadian radio 89X’s “Top 89 Songs of 1999” and Illinois’ Q101 “Top 101 of 1999” at 100.  In 2012, sports and pop-culture blog Grantland listed it as the second best Bond theme song behind “Goldfinger.”

 

Following release of the film, two song-writers sued Eon, MGM, Universal Music, and Universal Studios for copyright infringement regarding a four-note sequence found in “The World Is Not Enough,” claiming it was a derivative of their song “This Game We Play.”  The accusers went so far that they posed as employees of composer James Horner in an attempt to catch Don Black and Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson on tape revealing when he had composed the film’s theme song to strengthen their case.  Ultimately it was decided those involved in writing and recording “The World Is Not Enough” had no prior knowledge of “This Game We Play” and the court rejected the plaintiffs’ claim.

 

Don Black had previously written lyrics for “Thunderball,” “Diamonds Are Forever,” and “The Man with the Golden Gun.”  His full biography can be found here.

David Arnold, born January 23, 1962, oversaw the composition of five James Bond soundtracks on a row, starting from Tomorrow Never Dies and going to Quantum of Solace.  Other major Hollywood soundtracks he has written include Stargate, Independence Day, Godzilla, Shaft, Zoolander, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Hot Fuzz.  Television credits include British television’s Little Britain and Sherlock.

 

Arnold started composing while working with director Danny Cannon, who initially created short films for which Arnold was asked to contribute music toward.  Shortly following his major film debut, he was hired for Stargate, which excerpts from the soundtrack are the third most commonly used for film trailers.

 

It was the producing of Arnold’s fan-inspired album “Shaken and Stirred: The David Arnold James Bond Project” that led to his hiring for Tomorrow Never Dies.  Original 007 music man John Barry was complimentary of the work and recommended Arnold to Bond producer Barbara Broccoli.  His other credit to the Bond series is contributing to the main themes for Activision’s GoldenEye 007 video game.

 

Work outside of film includes being appointed Musical Director for the 2012 Olympic Games and 2012 Paralympic Games in London.

 

Arnold has collaborated with Pulp, Natasha Bedingfield, Melanie C, Bjork, Chris Cornell, and Shirley Bassey.  He is a member of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors and has received an honorary degree from University of West London.  His awards include Grammy, Ivor Novello, BBC Radio, and Creative Arts Emmy wins and a BAFTA nomination.

 

With a Scottish lead singer, many believe Garbage is a band formed in the United Kingdom, however, in actuality it was started in Madison, Wisconsin, in 1993.  The other three members of the band, bassist Duke Erikson, guitarist Steve Marker, and drummer Butch Vig are American musicians.  All four members are involved in the songwriting and producing process.

 

 

The band’s musical style has varied over the years, including genres ranging from trip hop, grunge, and 1980s rock to techno, power pop, and shoegazing.  According to record producer Steve Marker, Garbage has attempted to "take pop music and make it as horrible sounding as we can."

 

Through some tumultuous times and a few breakups, the band has released five studio albums and sold more than 17 million units worldwide, with its debut album being a surprise hit, being certified double platinum in the UK, United States, and Australia.  The group has received seven Grammy nominations, two BRIT nominations, 16 MTV Video Music Award and MTV Europe Music Award nominations, with an additional two wins, two Broadcast Music, Inc. award wins, and three Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award wins and an additional nomination.

The Tomorrow Never Dies Theme

While the soundtrack’s composer David Arnold had written a theme tune for 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies to be performed by k. d. lang, a decision was ultimately made to go with Sheryl Crow’s “Tomorrow Never Dies,” co-written by Mitchell Froom.

 

 

Although reviews were critical of Crow’s song, claiming lang’s version, which was eventually moved to the end credits of the film and renamed “Surrender,” was a superior theme song for the film, “Tomorrow Never Dies” found its way into the Top 20 of several European music charts, including the United Kingdom, Belgium, Finland, Poland, and Switzerland.  However, the song failed to make it on the Billboard chart in the U.S.  Despite the lack of radio interest in the United States, “Tomorrow Never Dies” did receive Golden Globe and Grammy nominations, but lost out to Titanic’s “My Heart Will Go On” both times.

 

The melody of “Surrender” can still be heard in Arnold’s score for Tomorrow Never Dies.  The full song can be heard here.

Mitchell Froom is an American musician and record producer and was born June 29, 1953.  Froom’s musical career started as a keyboardist in a few bands throughout California.  His first producing credits were for the first three Crowded House albums, which led to work with Richard Thompson, Los Lobos, American Music Club, and Suzanne Vega, whom he married in 1995.

 

Froom has produced more than 60 albums since the early 1980s.  While partnered with engineer Tchad Blake, Froom worked with artists that included Paul McCartney, the Bangles, Elvis Costello, the Corrs, Indigo Girls, Randy Newman, Pearl Jam, and Bonnie Raitt.  Froom’s Grammy nominations include Record of the Year and Producer of the Year.  His song “Noodletown,” from one of his two solo albums, won an Emmy when it was used as the theme song for PBS’ Sessions at West 54th.

 

Having been married three times, Froom has three children, one from each marriage.  He is currently married to singer Vonda Shepard, most famously known for her regular performances on Ally McBeal.

Sheryl Suzanne Crow, born February 11, 1962, is an American singer and guitarist, whose songs incorporate elements of pop, rock, folk, country, and blues.  With the release of eight studio albums, two compilations, a live album, and numerous contributions to soundtracks, Crow has sold more than 17 million records in the United States and 50 million worldwide and had seven number one hit singles.

 

Prior to becoming a full-time singer, Crow worked as a music teacher in Missouri.  Her teaching job during the day gave her the time on weekends to sing in various bands.  She also started out by performing backing vocals for Tina Turner, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, and Bob Dylan.

 

Winning nine Grammy Awards, out of 32 nominations, Crow has worked with the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Prince, Eric Clapton, Luciano Pavarotti, Willie Nelson, B. B. King, George Strait, Tony Bennett, Kid Rock, Sting, Loretta Lynn, and Miranda Lambert.  In 2012, VH1 included Crow at 25 on its list of the 100 Greatest Women in Music.

 

Crow has appeared on television, including 30 Rock, Cougar Town, Hannah Montana, and One Tree Hill.  Her music has been featured in films that include Boys on the Side, Big Daddy, Cars, Bridget Jones’s Diary, and Alfie.  She also wrote the theme song for Katie Couric’s talk show, Katie, which won a Daytime Emmy Award.

 

While Crow has never been married, she has been romantically involved with actor Owen Wilson and cyclist Lance Armstrong.  Crow has adopted two children and the family lives on a 154-acre ranch outside of Nashville.

The Goldeneye Theme

With the announcement that Tina Turner had been selected to perform the title song for an upcoming James Bond production, U2 lead singer and guitarist Bono and the Edge wrote "Goldeneye."  British composer Nellee Hooper produced and mixed the theme song.

 

Although the 1995 film Goldeneye ushered in a new actor to play 007 in an era where the Cold War was no longer a threat, audiences were quite receptive to the change.  As much as the film was enjoyed, so was Turner's single, which after the movie was released "Goldeneye" was included on Turner's following album, Wildest Dreams.

"Goldeneye" was a Top 10 hit in the United Kingdom and made its way inside the top five in several European countries, including Austria, Finland, Poland, and Switzerland.  In the United States it was only able to peak at 22 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs.

Paul David Hewson, better known to the world as Bono, was born May 10, 1960.  While mostly known for being the vocal frontman for the Irish band U2, Bono is also a venture capitalist, businessman, and philanthropist.

Writing nearly all the lyrics for U2's songs, Bono's lyrics are often rich in social, political, and religious themes.  Along with his work as a member of U2, Bono has also worked with Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Luciano Pavarotti, B. B. King, Green Day, Tom Petty, Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Bruce Springsteen, Tony Bennett, Jay-Z, and Rihanna.

Bono's philanthropy includes a great amount of activism in Africa, with the founding of DATA, EDUN, the ONE Campaign, and Product Red.  The National Journal named Bono the most politically effective celebrity of all time.

Television and film appearances include The Simpsons, Entourage, and Across the Universe.

In 2002, Bono was named one of the Top 100 Britons in a general public poll, despite being Irish.  The UK's Queen Elizabeth II granted him a knighthood, he has been made a Commander of the French Order of Arts and Letters, and in 2005 he shared the Time Person of the Year with Bill and Melinda Gates.  In a Rolling Stone list of the top singers of all time published in 2008, Bono was listed at 32nd.

Bono married Alison Stewart and the couple have four children.
 

David Howell Evans, who, like Bono, uses a stage name that has taken on a life outside of his musical act, is best known as the Edge.  Edge , born August 8, 1961, is the band's guitarist, keyboardist, and vocalist.  Edge has included several genre styles in his music, including African roots, industrial, and alternative rock.  His work with artists outside of U2 include Johnny Cash, B. B. King, Jay-Z, and Rihanna.  In 2011, Rolling Stone named Edge the 38th best guitarist of all time.

Among the band's many philanthropic endeavours, Edge also co-founded Music Rising, a charity to support musicians affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Edge has been married twice, having met his second wife, Morleigh Steinberg, when she worked as a belly dancer on the band's Zoo TV Tour.  They have two children together.
 

In 1976, Bono and Edge, along with Edge's brother Dik Evans and Adam Clayton, answered a school bulletin to form a rock band with Larry Mullen Jr.  Dik eventually left the group and with only four in the band they named themselves U2.

U2 has released 13 studio albums and are one of the best selling bands of all time, having sold more than 150 million records worldwide.  The group has won 22 Grammy Awards, which is more than any other band, and the 2003 Golden Globe for Best Original Song, "The Hands That Built America," from Gangs of New York.  U2 was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, their first year of eligibility.  Other accolades include 11 Q Awards, seven BRIT Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards, three NME Awards, two Juno Awards, and one American Music Award.

 

Rolling Stone and VH1 put U2 at number 22 and 19, respectively, on its lists of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time" and in 2004 Q listed them as the fourth biggest band based on album sales, time spent on the UK charts, and largest audience for a headlining show.  In 2010, eight of U2's songs appeared on Rolling Stone's updated list of the "500 Greatest Songs of All Time" and five of the bands albums made the magazine's "500 Greatest Albums of All Time" in 2012.

Bono and Edge have also written the music and lyrics for Broadway's Spider-man: Turn Off the Dark and the Royal Shakespeare Company's London Stage adaptation of A Clockwork Orange as well as being co-owners of the Clarence Hotel, a refurbished 49-bedroom five-star hotel in Dublin.

Anna Mae Bullock was born November 26, 1939, but she is best known by her stage name of Tina Turner. Along with singing and dancing, Turner is also an actress and author.

Turner's career began in the mid 1950s as a featured singer in Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm, known as Little Ann. It wasn't until 1960 that she took to the stage as Tina Turner, as part of Ike & Tina Turner Revue. The group had a sting of hits in the 1960s and early 1970s, including "A Fool in Love," "River Deep - Mountain High," "Proud Mary," and "Nutbush City Limits."

Ike and Tina were wed in Tijuana in 1962, however, Ike claims the marriage was never legal. According to Turner in her autobiography I, Tina, she claimed several instances of severe domestic abuse that led to the split and subsequent divorce from Ike in 1978. During her time with Ike, Turner built a cocaine habit and attempted suicide once by taking 50 Valiums prior to a show.

She rebuilt her career with new hits, among them "Let's Stay Together" and "What's Love Got to Do with It," and live performances.

Crowned the Queen of Rock and Roll, Turner has won eight Grammy Awards and sold the most concert tickets of any solo artist ever. Her record sales have totaled more than 100 million worldwide, Rolling Stone named her the 63rd greatest artist of all time and in 1991 she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Three of Turner's singles are in the Grammy Hall of Fame. She has stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and St. Louis Walk of Fame.

Her filmography includes a role in the rock musical Tommy, a starring role in the Mel Gibson blockbuster Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, and cameos in Arnold Schwarzenegger's Last Action Hero and Ally McBeal.

Turner has two sons, one with Kings of Rhythm saxophonist Raymond Hill and the other with Ike Turner. Following a 27-year romantic relationship, Turner married German music executive Erwin Bach in 2013.

Nellee Hooper, born in 1963, is a producer, remixer, and composer whose work began in the late 1980s as a DJ and member of a band that would become Massive Attack.  His film work as a soundtrack composer began with Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, which won him a BAFTA.

Hooper has produced six Grammy-award winning albums and, along with U2, has collaborated with Madonna, No Doubt, Smashing Pumpkins, Sinead O'Connor, and Bjork.  He has received Q Magazine's Best Producer Award and twice been Music Week Producer of the Year.

The Licence To Kill Theme

Although original “James Bond Theme” guitar player Vic Flick and Eric Clapton were initially approached to compose a theme song based on a new version of the 007 film series theme song made famous in 1962’s Dr. No, the idea fell apart and Gladys Knight was ultimately selected to sing something different written by Narada Michael Walden, Walter Afanasieff, and Jeffrey Cohen.

 

“Licence to Kill” made its way into the Top 10 in the United Kingdom and the song is based on the horn line from “Goldfinger,” which resulted in royalties for the original writers John Barry, Leslie Bricusse, and Anthony Newley.  The theme song is the longest in the series, coming in at five minutes and 12 seconds.  It is also noteworthy that the music video for “Licence to Kill” was directed by Daniel Kleinman, who would go on to design the title sequences of six of the following seven Bond films.

Narada Michael Walden, born simply Michael Walden on April 23, 1952, is an American producer, drummer, singer, and songwriter whose career spans three decades.  Walden was given the name Narada by guru Sri Chinmoy in the early 1970s.

 

Walden has owned and operated Tarpan Studios, a recording studio in San Rafael, California, since the mid-1980s.  His accolades include multiple gold, platinum, and multi-platinum awards and Grammys for Producer of the Year, Album of the Year, and R&B Song of the Year.  He was also named one of the “Top Ten Producers with the Most Number One Hits” by Billboard.  His number one hits over the years have included collaborations with Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross, Sister Sledge, and The Pointer Sisters, with his musical genres ranging from rock and pop to jazz and jazz fusion.

 

Along with Licence to Kill, his other soundtrack work includes Beverly Hills Cop II, The Bodyguard, for which he won his Record of the Year Grammy, 9½ Weeks, Free Willy, Mannequin, and Bright Lights, Big City.

Walter Afanasieff was born Vladimir Nikitich Afanasieff on February 10, 1958, and is best known for his long-time association with Mariah Carey.  Afanasieff started as a working jazz musician in 1980 and later formed The Warriors with Walden and guitarist Joaquin Lievano.  This led to Walden and Afanasieff’s future workings together, including Whitney Houston’s self-titled debut album in 1985, which is his best-selling album to date.

 

Afanasieff’s relationship with Mariah Carey led to her most successful song, “Hero,” which he co-produced, co-wrote, and on which he played all of the music tracks.  “Hero” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained there for four weeks.  Afanasieff and Carey, along with Boyz II Men, hold the record for the longest run at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for 16 weeks total with “One Sweet Day.”

 

Along with Carey and Whitney Houston, Afanasieff’s other collaborations include Richard Marx, Lionel Richie, Luther Vandross, Destiny’s Child, Kenny G, Michael Bolton, Toni Braxton, Andrea Bocelli, Barbra Streisand, Christina Aguilera, Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony, Babyface, and Josh Groban.

 

Afanasieff won the 1999 Grammy Award for producing “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion for the film Titanic.  Other successful soundtracks include Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Hunback of Notre Dame.

 

Unfortunately it is difficult to find any biographical information for Jeffrey Cohen.  He is a soul and funk songwriter who worked extensively with Walden.  His discography credits include working with Aretha Franklin, Lionel Richie, Santana, The Pointer Sisters, Sister Sledge, Patti LaBelle, and the San Francisco 49ers football team.

 

Gladys Knight, born May 28, 1944, is known as the Empress of Soul.  She is a four-time Grammy award winner and reached the pinnacle of her success in the 1960s and 70s with her group Gladys Knights & the Pips.

 

After winning Ted Mack’s Original Amateur Hour TV show contest at the age of 7, Knight and her family formed the Pips a year later, going on tour by the end of the 1950s.  Gladys Knight & the Pips joined Motown Records in 1966 and recorded several hit singles, including Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” and the Grammy Award-winning “Neither One of Us (Wants to Be the First to Say Goodbye).”

 

The group toured as the opening act for Diana Ross and The Supremes, to which, according to Knight in her memoirs, Ross kicked her off the tour because the audience was more receptive to Knight’s soulful performance and overshadowed Ross.

 

Gladys Knight & the Pips later moved record labels, to Buddah Records, and scored another Grammy Award with “Midnight Train to Georgia.”  Following by legal issues to record away from the band, Knight eventually reunited with the group and in 1980 signed with Columbia Records.  The Pips retired following a 1988 tour, to which Knight embarked on a solo career.

 

Knight has sung alongside Dionne Warwick, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Patti LaBelle, Ray Charles, and Johnny Mathis.  Her television acting credits include Benson, The Jeffersons, A Different World, Living Single, The Jamie Foxx Show, Las Vegas, and 30 Rock.

 

Gladys Knight & the Pips was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 1989 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.  Knight has received four Grammy Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the Society of Singers ELLA Award.  She was also included on Rolling Stone’s list of the Greatest Singers of All Time.

 

Knight has been married four times and has three children, 16 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

Latest Bond Movie Is Titled 'Spectre'

Along with the official title of the film, Spectre, Bond 24's cast was unveiled, confirming Christoph Waltz, David Batista, and Lea Seydoux, and revealing the newest additions of Monica Bellucci and Adam Scott, who is best known as Moriarty from the British TV series, Sherlock.

A brief synopsis was included at the press event: A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organisation.  While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive, Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

 

At this point I will say that if you haven't seen previous James Bond movies, especially from the 1960s, then this is your spoiler alert.  I will pose my idea of when the film will take place in the 007 timeline based on the above poster.

 

Still here?  Okay then, let's get rolling.

 

At first glance the poster simply looks like a bullet hole through glass, but on closer inspection it seems the cracks in the glass form tentacles.  It is similar in design to the SPECTRE logo that members would wear on a ring.  It looked like this:

If you group the above picture along with the final image from the sixth James Bond film, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, you might see where I am going with this theory.  The image I am referring to is this:

Prior to the announcement this morning, it was rumored that Christoph Waltz would be playing Bond arch villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld.  Bringing Blofeld back to the series could pose a few continuity problems, but the image from the poster for Spectre leads me to think the events of the movie will take place following the death of Tracy.  How SPECTRE is involved in the plot I couldn't say, but the broken glass that looks like the SPECTRE logo has to mean more than just a cool design for a poster.

The Living Daylights Theme

Despite the Norwegian band A-ha’s insistence that John Barry had no creative input for “The Living Daylights,” the soundtrack’s composer is included, along with A-ha guitarist Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, in the credits for writing the 15th James Bond film’s theme song.  Along with co-writer, Barry received credit as producer of the track, while A-ha was selected to perform the tune, which makes them the only non-British, non-American musical act to perform a James Bond theme song.  The group had such a disappointing working relationship with Barry that they released a second version of the song on their third album in 1988.  You can listen to the re-worked version here.

 

Although “The Living Daylights” peaked at number five in the UK, spent time at the top of the musical charts in Norway, broke in the top ten in several European countries, and is a fan favorite among 007 moviegoers, the song failed to break into the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States.

 

The song’s music video was shot in the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios, which was built specifically for the Bond franchise in 1976.

 

This was the final Bond soundtrack Barry would be a part of.  The list of Bond films he worked the music for includes Dr. No, From Russia with Love, Goldfinger, Thunderball, You Only Live Twice, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Diamonds are Forever, The Man With the Golden Gun, Moonraker, Octopussy, A View to a Kill, and The Living Daylights.  His full biography can be read here.

 

A-ha formed in Oslo in 1982 and was founded by Morten Harket, Magne Furuholmen, and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy.  The group is the biggest music export from Norway.  A-ha’s breakout album was their biggest success, yielding two number one hits.  Of those two hits, one is “Take On Me,” probably best known for its ground-breaking music video that included pencil-sketch animation and live-action combination called rotoscoping.  The music video, which is still considered to be one of the best of all time, became such a hit in the United States it received eight MTV Video Award nominations, winning six.

 

The group released nine studio albums and was together until 2010, with a five-year stretch from 1994 to 1999 where the band went on a hiatus.  The band has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, was nominated for a Grammy Award and American Music Award, won 10 Spellemannprisen Awards, which is the Norwegian equivalent of a Grammy, and holds a Guinness World Record from 1991 for drawing the largest paying audience at a concert with 198,000 people in Rio de Janeiro.  In 2012, the three members of A-ha were appointed Knights of the 1st Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav for their contribution to Norwegian music.

 

A-ha songs have been covered by a range of artists and bands, including Coldplay, Madonna, Tori Amos, the Jonas Brothers, Pitbull and Christina Aguilera.