Film and Soundtrack Talk

On Her Majesty's Secret Service - James Bond 007

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On Her Majesty's Secret Service - James Bond 007 〰️

In this week's edition of Film and soundtrack talk we will be taken through a journey of one of the best films in the James Bond catalogue by me, Jacob Price. As a lifelong fan of the series, I have always had my top five Bond films in the back of my mind always knowing that they are subject to change and usually do. However, there's always been that one film that I could not get my head around why everyone in the Bond community held this film to such a high authority. Until one Sunday evening while I was on one of my weekly Bond marathons, I decided to watch On Her Majesty's Secret Service. I thought to myself “Why not give it one more go? This must be the one where I finally fall in love with this film?” And I don’t know whether it was the fatigue of having been watching films all day or the vodka martini I was drinking but I watched the entire film in one sitting and as the credits rolled...the penny finally dropped. I could now see that this was one of the best films in the entire series. I had always respected the film due to its impact and fantastic soundtrack it possessed but there were certain elements I had never fully connected with until now.

I am a strong believer that films should be watched with little to no interruptions. Of course, there are benefits to being able to stop a film halfway through to get a drink or a snack however, there's a reason that films being played in the cinema do not come with a pause button. To fully engage with the story, characters, music and outcomes of a film it must be watched and enjoyed as a 2-and-a-half-hour journey where one allows themselves to become lost in the story. James Bond films do this perfectly as we are transported to different locations often exotic and magical which makes it easier to become lost in the world of a film. However, it is not just the locations, the story or characters journeys that we must lose ourselves in. It is the soundtrack. In many films (especially the Bond films) the main score will be sprinkled throughout the film at various moments often highlighting a significant moment within the story. A film that does this perfectly is On Her Majesty's Secret Service. 

I was always aware of the impact that On Her Majesty's Secret Service had to the franchise as we must only turn to the most recent film in the series ‘No time To Die’ and notice the influence that On Her Majesty's Secret Service has on the film. From the score itself borrowing Louis Armstrong’s ‘We Have All the Time in The World’, the On Her Majesty's Secret Service theme tune and even seeing one of the film’s main characters meet a similar end to one of the characters in On Her Majesty's Secret Service. 

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

John Barry is one of the most influential and most notable figures in the James Bond franchise. Providing the music to countless Bond movies, he has left his mark on the film's legacy through his legendary soundtracks and scores including On Her Majesty's Secret Service. I have a few favourite bond soundtracks with Casino Royale being No.1 (scored by David Arnold). However, On Her Majesty's Secret Service has always been in my top 3. The film is essentially a love story between James Bond (George Lazenby) and Tracy (Diana Rigg). The score that accompanies it is an absolute triumph. For example, the love scenes between Bond and Tracy are paired with a very soft and melancholic score that follows the two falling in love. From riding horses together through the forest and taking long walks through beautiful gardens while the score (We have all the time in the world) plays over the top of the scene. However, it must be said that the romantic elements to the score are not just what makes this soundtrack great. The skiing scenes in Austria where Bond is being chased by our infamous main villain (Ernst Stavro Blofeld) and his henchmen from the top of Piz Gloria all the way to the bottom of the mountain has intense bellowing baritone horns, trumpets and saxophones which adds a real suspense to the scene. 

At the climax of the film Bond and Tracy are finally wedded. Now, if you’ve seen the film, you will know that Tracy meets a tragic demise by the hands of Blofeld and his henchwoman Irma Bunt an assassination carried out on the happiest days of Bond’s and Tracy’s lives. When it is revealed that Tracy has been shot and killed an instrumental theme of, We Have All the Time in The World plays in the background which makes this gut retching tragedy all the more devastating and without this we (as an audience) wouldn’t feel the pain for these characters as much as we already do.

A good soundtrack can really make a movie. When I watch a film, I often listen out for how good the soundtrack is and I attribute this to watching the James Bond films as a boy and now a young man, teaching me what good cinema soundtracks should sound like. On Her Majesty's Secret Service is one of the best Bond scores in the entire franchise and is still relevant today as it was 50 years ago.

Jacob Price 

The Four Owls 21/4/22 Clwb Ifor

Being such a big fan of Hip Hop, I am genuinely gutted I haven’t seen this band sooner. With DJ Jazz T coming to stage first to open the gig, showing off his impeccable DJ skills to a pumped crowd who immediately surged to the front of the stage as soon as the music started. Soon after he was joined by the masked men to open, and the fun began at Clwb Ifor Bach.

Starting off the gig with their iconic owl masks on, made it difficult at first to see who they were but one voice sounded so familiar to me but couldn’t for the life of me think where from. For the first couple of tracks while the masks were on, I made it a game to try and think of who it could be like a solo version of the Masked Singer. It must have been my confused look on my face which my friend picked up and shouted, “You know that’s Verb T right?”.

It was not just Verb T that I was impressed by though, but with the talented MC Leaf Dog, FlipTrix and BVA, they demonstrated how important it is to know not only their own lyrics but their fellow MC’s too because their timing was impeccable, and they didn’t miss a beat all night.

Wetting the whistle with a swig of beer between verses the group pushed it and got better and better as the night went on, so good in fact that about halfway through they had some of the crowd up on stage to enjoy it on a completely new level.

As the night drew on, the classics started to come but not before a brilliant scratching interlude reminding everyone how talented Jazz T is. It was now time for the last two tracks of the night, and they saved the best for last ending with Assassination which made the crowd ignite followed by my favourite track of the night Think Twice.

After the gig and as we took a quick browse at the merch on the way out, as is tradition, the Owls were quick to swoop in signing vinyls and t-shirts. A very nice touch after a very impressive performance. 

Jonathan Woolway

Alabama 3 - The Tramshed 14/4/2022

It was Alabama 3’s turn last night to fill The Tramshed full of funk and bass and they didn’t disappoint. Getting straight into it with Tranquilize Yourself Britannia, the harmonica build up from the talented Nick Reynolds was captivating and caught everyone’s attention in a packed-out venue.

And then it was time for the frontman himself to take the stage. Dressed in his traditional cowboy hat and jet-black glasses combo Larry Love made his entrance and the crowd went wild. A quick hello, swig of his can and he got straight on with it.

Performing a lot of their music from their latest album Step 13, with an altered addition of Whacked while naming South Wales place names in the build-up, I must admit I was quite impressed not only with his diverse vocals but that he had done his homework on where he was performing. (It wasn’t until after the gig that I realised that he was a Caerphilly boy all along!)

Being a huge fan of the hit series Soprano’s, I was very eager to hear Woke Up live but was caught off guard with it being played so early in the set that I was intrigued to know what’s coming after that, and boy did they deliver with my favourite song of the evening Have You Seen Bruce Richard Reynolds, a song that Larry gave way to Nick to perform which is all about the 1963 Great Railway Robbery where over £2 million was taken. A great combination of storytelling lyrics with a sensational harmonica chorus.

I was just about ready to throw the coat on and rush to the nearest kebab house when they left the stage, but my gut told me they were not done yet and to no surprise, they came back to the stage to perform Too Sick to Pay and Road Goes On to a very satisfied crowd.

Jonathan Woolway

How has the music industry come together in support of Ukraine?

It's been over a month since Russia invaded Ukraine, within that time there have been many casualties, and people have had to flee home for safety. However, during this awful time of crisis, one positive that has occurred is the unity across the world in support of Ukraine. Many musicians have been rallying support, using their status and fanbases to spread awareness and encourage them to donate to charities and campaigns that aim to help those in need during this time. 

There have been many concerts that have given all the funds raised to charities helping Ukraine such as the recent “Concert for Ukraine” that saw some of the biggest musicians like Ed Sheeran and Camilo Cabello perform. The winner of the Eurovision song contest in 2016, Ukrainian singer Jamala, also performed, having fled her home two weeks ago stating that her family and friends were still in bomb shelters back in Ukraine. 

The proceeds from the concert all went towards the Disasters Emergency Committee's Ukraine Humanitarian appeal which is helping to provide food, water and shelter for refugees in Ukraine. According to ITV, the concert raised over £13million as of 30th March. The concert for Ukraine was broadcast live on 29th March on ITV but is available on-demand via the ITV Hub. According to ITV, the concert raised over £13million as of 30th March. The concert for Ukraine was broadcast live on 29th March on ITV but is available on-demand via the ITV Hub. 

The support has continued across the globe from musicians to organisations, and campaigns, and we even saw this on one of music’s biggest nights, the annual Grammy Awards. The 64th edition of the Grammys occurred recently and they partnered with Stand Up For the Ukraine campaign to raise awareness about the country's current situation. They promised to feature a special segment dedicated to Ukraine which saw President Zelenskyy make an appearance in a pre-recorded video as he gave a powerful speech that began with, “what is more opposite to music? The silence of ruined cities and killed people”. He continued, "our musicians wear body armour instead of tuxedos. They sing to the wounded in hospitals. Even to those who can't hear them. But the music will break through anyway." He ends his speech by pointing out the importance of music during difficult times and that we all must offer support. 

Zelensky's speech then led to John Legend's performing his new song "Free," during which he invited Ukrainian musicians and a poet to perform with him. Legend said on his Twitter he wrote the song “after a week of seeing the horrific images of the senseless, brutal invasion of Ukraine.” “I know I can't end any wars with a song,” he continued, “but I had to write this song as my prayer, my contribution to the chorus of voices calling for peace and freedom for all people.” After the performance, the audience was directed to ways to donate in support of Ukraine. 

During a difficult time, it has been heart-warming to see the music industry rallying together to raise funds for active organisations bringing relief to those in distress. Even during awful times like this, music can bring people together and offers comfort and creates hope for those who are desperately in need of it. Our support for those in need matters now more than ever. 

Nathan Sung

A Conversation With Lydia From Tribeless

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Lydia McDonald is the vocalist of South Wales alternative quartet Tribeless, who have shared the stage with a plethora of bands including Those Damn Crows, Skindred and Florence Black.

Tribeless released brand new single ‘Solitude’ on April 1st 2022. In this interview we discussed the new track, how the pandemic hit them and how she is feeling about their brand new tour. Beginning on the 16th of April in Bristol, Tribeless will be the supporting act for UK based Led By Lanterns. This tour is a great opportunity to spread their music to a different audience. This is what Lydia had to say about the tour and what date she is the most excited for ‘I am incredibly looking forward to the tour!, the show that I am most looking forward to is the Manchester date as the venue looks absolutely amazing, the crows can see you from all angles as it’s in the middle of the room! it’s called Satan’s hollow, what a sick name too!’.

Tribless will also be performing at the Lincolnshire General Mayhem festival on April 22nd. New single ‘Solitude’ is the catchy new single by the band, Lydia describes what it’s like pushing the boundaries with their music and making something a bit different ‘ we’re still writing very punchy rock type of songs, but this song was purely to show people we have a vulnerable side to us, and a more softer side¡ We’re not always hard hitting all of the time (as much as it is awesome) we also want to show people that there variety in our music !). The new single is being produced by Romesh Dogangoda, who is known for working with Funeral For A Friend, Mötorhead and Holding Absence.

I discussed with her how it was to work with him ‘absolutely amazing, Romesh is so lovely to work with, he’s very motivating and is absolutely great overall, I did love working with him on vocals, he makes them sound amazing. He’s worked with so many successful artists, such as bring me the horizon, so that’s even cooler! The guy knows how to make a song sound INSANE’ The pandemic brought the music industry to its knees, pushing back projects and tours to leading bands to quit. Whilst some bands used the time away to have a break and come back refreshed or used it to write new material.

This is how the pandemic affected Tribeless ‘ when the pandemic hit in March 2020, we had just recently come back from your supporting Those Damn Crows, it was so awesome! We enjoyed every minute of it and started to see an increase with our followers the social media presence was getting better, but then the pandemic hit and we kinda lost momentum over time, things started to dwindle, but we got right back into it at the start of 2021 with new members and a new single ‘Formed By Us,’ which did incredibly well! Lydia describes Tribeless as ‘fearless, thrilling and filled with so much passion!’

Check out new single ‘Solitude’ here!

https://youtu.be/ucnahDfjBQ0

Check out ‘Formed by Here’!

https://youtu.be/R7oiQlEZies

Check out Tribeless’ Facebook here!

https://m.facebook.com/tribelessband/

Film & Soundtrack Talk

In the house – in a heartbeat. 28 days later and its seminal score.

28 days later is one of the most well-regarded and well-rounded zombie horror films ever made. With Danny Boyle at the helm as director and a stellar cast to boot with stars such as Cillian Murphy, Naomie Harris, and Christopher Eccleston.

28 days later has gone on to be a cultural hit and most people may find the song to be synonymous with an outbreak of a zombie apocalypse if one was to ever break out with its dreary tones and a tip toe style of piano playing makes you truly wonder what could be lurking around the corner. 

‘In the house – In a heartbeat’ is a song that can only be described as a brooding beast waiting to be unleashed upon the crowd. The song starts with the piano and the bass, with the guitar being brought in at around the thirty second mark while drums being played softly in the background with very slight hits of the ride cymbal and the banging on the floor tom to keep the song moving.

It’s not until the use of crashing cymbals do you realise that what we’re hearing is echoing the action that’s taking place on screen. We see our main protagonist of Jim (Cillian Murphy) fighting desperately to get back to his group as he mows down various enemies including zombies and most notably his group’s captors. The soundtrack bellows through the screen and like all (good) movies have you rooting for the character even more. 

At the climax of the action, the song comes to a surprising conclusion. The song wraps itself up with a very mellow almost dream like end utilising soft guitar playing and the rest of the instruments being put to one side. This dream like end echoes how the film feels towards the conclusion of the story.

The film is shot in a very grainy way that adds to the grit and style that the film portrays. The streets are empty, everything has been shut down and humanity as we know it has gone. Although, at the very end when our group escapes the clutches of evil and appears to have made it to a safe place the film is being shown in a much less grainy and grittier look and style and is much more vibrant, colourful, and inviting which mirrors the end of the song.

 In the house – in a heartbeat truly encapsulates the sense of despair that an apocalypse would make you feel and for a song to do that is a mark of a true classic.

Jacob Price 

Retro Album - Rumours

‘Rumours’ by Fleetwood Mac turns 45 - My top five tracks

Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Rumours’, which celebrated its 45th anniversary in February, is arguably one of the greatest and most well-known albums of all time. Of course, I have always been a fan of the classics like ‘Go Your Own Way’ and ‘Don’t Stop’, however it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I really started enjoying Fleetwood Mac’s music. This is thanks to my favourite artist, Harry Styles, who is good friends with Stevie Nicks, and has performed with her numerous times. This is when I discovered a new love for their music, particularly ‘Rumours’. Don’t get me wrong, it was incredibly difficult to choose a top five for this album, however these are the songs I find myself listening to the most.

5. Never Going Back Again

The bubbly melodies of ‘Never Going Back Again’ are what gave this track fifth place for me. Despite its subject matter (Lindsey Buckingham wrote the song about his breakup with Stevie Nicks), the song is incredibly catchy and just lovely to listen to. 

4. Second Hand News

The opening track of Rumours takes fourth place for me. Its upbeat, folk-y tones make it the perfect album opener, setting the tone for the songs that follow. Buckingham’s vocals make the song (which is again about he and Nicks’ breakup) joyful and timeless, and is arguably deserved to be a lead single on the album.

3. The Chain

‘The Chain’ is one of Fleetwood Mac’s most recognisable songs. The first time I heard this song was when Formula 1 was playing on TV as a child, as the iconic instrumental had been the theme tune for years. ‘The Chain’ has the most amazing build-up, and both Nicks and Buckingham’s lead vocals complement each other beautifully. Another reason as to why this track is number three in my ranking is Harry Styles’ iconic cover (which I have seen live twice) and this made the song even more lovable. 

2. You Make Loving Fun

It was a close call between my top two tracks, and ‘You Make Loving Fun’ just missed out on the number one spot. The song was written and sung by Christine McVie, and was the final single to be released from the album. I love everything about this song, from the lyrics to the guitar melodies. ‘You Make Loving Fun’ is a fan favourite from the album, and I think its bouncy and playful energy has something to do with this. I love the song purely for how fun it is, and it definitely deserves second place in my ranking.

1. Dreams

‘Dreams’ is my absolute favourite from Rumours, and is also my favourite Fleetwood Mac song of all time. There is nothing not to like about the song. The lyrics, written by Stevie Nicks, are genius, and the instrumental immediately brings a smile to my face. ‘Dreams’ is the kind of song I love to play when I’m going for a walk on a Spring or Summer’s day, it has a sunny kind of energy to it. The catchy chorus is what makes the song for me. The distinct drum beat and Nicks’ vocals make it ‘dreamy’ if you will, and this song is one that I will never fall out of love with, which is why it is number one in my ranking of top five songs on ‘Rumours’. 

Chloe Mullis

Live Review - Bleak Soul - 17/3/22 - The Moon Club

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Bleak Soul is the project of multi instrumentalist and ex guitarist of As It Is, Ben Langford-Biss. After departing from the band in 2019, he announced that he would be performing under the alias ‘Bleak Soul’ and releasing single ‘Why Am I Here?’ demonstrating what was to be expected from future releases.

His debut album ‘Existential Meditation’ was released in May 2020 and included tracks ‘Death of A Stranger’ and ‘Exist’, following on from this his second album ‘Shouting With Nothing To Say’ was released in March of 2022.

The ‘Shouting With Nothing To Day’ tour is spread over six UK dates including Cardiff, London and Brighton with support from The Nightmares and Autumnboy.

Kicking off the night was emo rapper Autumnboy who currently has two EPS titled ‘Ghosts of a Broken Record’ and ‘Dead Flowers on The Windowsill’ and creating heart filled tracks such as ‘Nevertheless, I Persist’ and ‘Brighter’. There was clearly a lot of effort put into his performance and I will definitely be catching Autumnboy next time they perform in Cardiff.

Newport based goth rock band The Nightmares took to the stage next to perform a moody and atmospheric set. Referred to by Kerrang! As ‘coffin loads of promise’ the band has previously toured with Salem and James and The Cold Gun. Even with only singles out the band has paved a way for a successful future in the South Wales music scene, the song that stuck out to me was 2019 single ‘Dorothy’.

Then it was time for a stunning performance from Bleak Soul, supporting the release of his new album ( the show was performed with a full band). The stand out track for me was 2021 single ‘Learning to Cope With Living’, I have no doubt that Bleak Soul will be performing at large venues in the future with the potential that his live shows entail.

Bethan Stewart