THE SCORE - Winter 2016

VOLUME XXXI NUMBER FOUR WINTER 2016

T H E C R E A T I V E P R O C E S S

WORKING AWAY, AWAY: Alternative Spaces For The Composer And Songwriter

By Lynn F. Kowal

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e all need our space. Creative space.

Work space. Meeting space. Business space. Thinking space. Some of us like to work where it’s active and energized and some of us like it to be zen and chill.

Many of us bundle these needs into our home space, too. I am all for multitasking and getting the most out of every resource, but there are times when one space does not fit every need.

Most days, we juggle a multitude of responsibilties. Not only are we chasing that perfect melody or turn of phrase, but we have many more mundane tasks to get through— emails to read and return, phone calls to make, paperwork to catch up on, planning out our next gig. It can be very helpful, and actually healthy to step out of the usual routine and get some fresh perspective.

Now, I am not talking about another full studio space where you can bring in players for recording or to jam out a new track. I am talking about finding small spaces for those days where you have more quiet goals for your work, those days when you can grab your laptop, headphones, USB/MIDI keyboard and head out to an energizing spot.

The Reasons To Get Out...

Let’s start with one easy scenario. You are working hard on a project and are “stuck.”

You feel uninspired. You find yourself procrastinating and trying to delay working on the project at-hand by fussing about your studio, “cleaning up” and re-arranging things in an effort to jumpstart your creative flow (or distract yourself from deadline panic). You need to jog your energy level and creative focus by changing up your surroundings and get you out of your rut.

Alternatively, you may be meeting a potential client or collaborator for the first time and prefer to meet away from your studio.

Particularly if your primary creative space is in or adjacent to your home, meeting new people in neutral/safe territory may be advisable. Once a working relationship is established, it is less awkward to bring them into a more personal space.

Another reason might be that you have a great studio, but have limited business office equipment and space. Having access to a high speed printer/copier or a really big conference table can be extremely helpful if you are printing out parts and assembling scores.

You may need a business center for a few days every now and again and temporary facilities can be inexpensive alternatives to purchasing additional machines and supplies.

Luckily, in L.A. we are

Then again, there are those high profile meetings where a little bit of “wow factor” can be advantageous in creating a first impression.

working” daily/weekly/

Luckily, in L.A. we are surrounded by a wealth of choices in workspaces from the small and inexpensive coffee shop options, to the “co-working” daily/weekly/monthly rental facilities to the luxe, private club spaces.

Each option brings its own set of solutions and its own set of considerations that, once thought through and properly integrated into your creative routines, can enhance your productivity and provide additional tools and benefits that go along with sharing resources.

Since I was personally curious about finding creative work spaces for upcoming projects, I spent some time trying out a variety of spots all around L.A. I figured I would give them a test run and write about what I found.

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surrounded by a wealth of choices in workspaces from the small and inexpensive coffee shop options, to the “comonthly rental facilities to the luxe, private club spaces.

C O N T E N T S

Willie Dixon: The Last Interview 5 Tech Talk 7 Diane Warren: Unfiltered 12 Musical Shares 23

F R O M T H E E D I T O R ' S D E S K

Looking Back

By Lori Barth

President ASHLEY IRWIN Vice Presidents ARTHUR HAMILTON CHARLES BERNSTEIN Recording Secretary JONATHAN DAVID NEAL Treasurer/CFO CHRISTOPHER FARRELL

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t has been a hard year on many fronts. Many things need sorting out, which is an understatement. But let’s look ahead to 2017 and hold the hope that everything will get better and move in the right direction. Thanking all of our SCL Members for their readership, support and kind words regarding The Score. Have a very happy holiday and best g wishes for the coming year.

The SCORE LORI BARTH, Senior Editor Advisory Board ALAN BERGMAN MARILYN BERGMAN CHARLES BERNSTEIN BILL CONTI CHARLES FOX JAMES NEWTON HOWARD QUINCY JONES ALAN MENKEN THOMAS NEWMAN LALO SCHIFRIN MARC SHAIMAN HOWARD SHORE ALAN SILVESTRI DIANE WARREN PATRICK WILLIAMS CHRISTOPHER YOUNG HANS ZIMMER In Memoriam Advisory Board Members ELMER BERNSTEIN JOHN CACAVAS JERRY GOLDSMITH MAURICE JARRE PETER MATZ DAVID RAKSIN Directors RAMON BALCAZAR LORI BARTH FLETCHER BEASLEY MICHAEL LEHMANN BODDICKER RUSSELL BROWER DENNIS C. BROWN GEORGE S. CLINTON MIRIAM CUTLER RON GRANT BENOIT GREY IRA HEARSHEN LYNN F. KOWAL Hélène Muddiman GREG PLISKA ELIZABETH ROSE ADRYAN RUSS GARRY SCHYMAN ELIZABETH SELLERS AUSTIN WINTORY Past Presidents JOHN ADDISON RICHARD BELLIS BRUCE BROUGHTON JAY CHATTAWAY RAY COLCORD JAMES DI PASQUALE DAN FOLIART ARTHUR HAMILTON MARK WATTERS ISSN 1066-5447 Society of Composers & Lyricists 8447 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 401 Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Ph (310) 281-2812

Office@thescl.com

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DIAMOND MEMBERS Van Alexander Kristen Anderson-Lopez Lori Barth Alan & Marilyn Bergman Dennis C. Brown Chantal Burnison Carter Burwell

Ray Charles George S. Clinton Bill Conti Clint Eastwood Dan Foliart Charles Fox Elliot Goldenthal

Arthur Hamilton James Newton Howard Mark Isham Robert Lopez Johnny Mandel Peter Melnick Randy Newman

Mike Post J. Peter Robinson Lalo Schifrin Richard Sherman David Shire Alan Silvestri Mark Snow

Dennis Spiegel Mike Stoller Matthew Strachan Patrick Williams John Williams Maury Yeston

DIAMOND SPONSOR / SPECIAL FRIENDS Jay Cooper

PLATINUM MEMBERS Mark Adler Avni Altin John Beal Marco Beltrami Amin Bhatia

Steven Bramson Nicholas Britell Alf Clausen Joseph Conlan Mychael Danna

Alexandre Desplat Bear McCreary Garth Neustadter Joey Newman Thomas Newman

Atli Orvarsson Gary Rottger Howard Shore Carlo Siliotto Edward Trybek

Kubilay Uner Angela Rose White Austin Wintory

PLATINUM SPONSOR / SPECIAL FRIENDS Beth Krakower

Derek Machann

GOLD MEMBERS Cato Jack Allocco Elik Alvarez Sara Andon Neil Argo Alexander Arntzen Sebastian Arocha Morton Charles-Henri Avelange Ramon Balcazar Steve Barden Nathan Barr Joe Barrera Jr. Jeff Beal Joel Beckerman Brian BecVar Charles Bernstein Burak Besir Edie Lehmann Boddicker Michael Lehmann Boddicker Peter Boyer Bill Brendle Richard Bronskill Kevin Brough Russell Brower Dan Brown Jr Benedikt Brydern Kenneth Burgomaster Dennis Burke Bill Cantos Kristopher Carter RC Cates Sacha Chaban Jay Chattaway Simone Cilio Shawn Clement Elia Cmiral Jerry Cohen Kaveh Cohen Jim Cox Leah Curtis Imre Czomba Chanda Dancy Jana Davidoff

Tim Davies John Debney John DeFaria David Delhomme Arhynn Descy Massimiliano (Max) Di Carlo John Dickson Kevin Dorsey Joel Douek Dennis Dreith Bruce Dukov Robert Duncan Laura Dunn JC Dwyer Stephen Endelman Joel Evans Sharon Farber Liz Finch Arlene Fishbach Shelley Fisher Pablo Flores Attila Fodor Andy Forsberg Alexandre Fortuit Pam Gates Grant Geissman Alexander Geringas Jim Gilstrap Scott Glasgow William Goldstein Joel Goodman Mark Graham Harry Gregson-Williams Lorna Guess Christine Hals Crispin Hands Wayne Hankin Bruce Healey Reinhold Heil Linda Herman Shari Hoffman Lee Holdridge Scott Holtzman

Trevor Howard Russ Howard III Wei-San Hsu Asuka Ito Joel Iwataki Corey Jackson Clydene Jackson Ken Jacobsen Garrett Johnson Quincy Jones Federico Jusid Seth Kaplan Dave Kinnoin Grant Kirkhope Christopher Klatman Kevin Kliesch Lynn F. Kowal Michael A. Lang Didier Lean Rachou Christopher Lennertz Tori Letzler Mark LeVang Michael Levine Katherine Liner Michael Lira Charley Londono Zoe Lustri David Majzlin William Malpede Gerard Marino Tracey Marino Vance Marino Billy Martin Benjamin Mason Harvey Mason Arlene Matza-Jackson Michael McCuistion Joel McNeely Jeffrey Michael Bruce Miller Bryan Miller Tricia Minty Brian Moe

Pru Montin Greg Moore Mitchel Moore Sandro Morales Jeff Morrow Helene Muddiman David Murillo Jonathan Neal Eimear Noone Abby North Matt Novack Liam O’Brien Cindy O’Connor Greg O’Connor Bijan Olia Anele Onyekwere Julia Pajot Hannah Parrott Nate Pennington Greg Phillinganes Art Phillips Stu Phillips John Piscitello Kim Planert Chandler Poling Mikel Prather Damir Price Judi Pulver Mac Quayle J. Ralph Ron Ramin Trent Reznor Allan Rich Lolita Ritmanis Carlos Rivera Dan Romer Atticus Ross Enis Rotthoff Adryan Russ Jeff Russo Steven Saltzman Paula Salvatore David Schwartz

Garry Schyman Tony Scott-Green Roxanne Seeman Elizabeth Sellers Batu Sener Leon Serchuk Rochelle Sharpe Fletcher Sheridan Ryan Shore Michael Silversher Helen Simmins-McMillin Gregory Smith Scott Smith Stanley Smith Mark Smythe Arturo Solar Sally Stevens Neil Stubenhaus Karen Tanaka Jeremy Tisser Charles (Ched) Tolliver Pinar Toprak John Torcello Tyler Traband Genevieve Vincent Jay Wadley Jack Wall Diane Warren Mark Watters Beth Wernick Frederik Wiedmann Alan Williams David Williams Eyvonne Williams Jonathan Wolff Gernot Wolfgang Catharine Wood Doug Wood David Wood Christopher Young Maciej Zielinski

GOLD SPONSORS / SPECIAL FRIENDS Amy Andersson Barend Bendorf Todd Brabec Les Brockmann Jonathan Broxton Jon Burlingame Andrew Cohen

Ray Costa Laura Engel Susan Friedman Jeffrey Graubart Ken Helmer Sabrina Hutchinson Lynda Jacobs

Anne Juenger Costa Kotselas Richard Kraft Roxanne Lippel Patty Macmillan Kimberly McMichael Stacey Neisig

Nick Redman John Rodd Juan Rodriguez Michael Ryan Jeffrey Sanderson Bonnie Silver Henry Stanny

John Tempereau Robert Townson John Traunwieser Alexander Vangelos Vasi Vangelos Jordan Von Netzer Steven Winogradsky

P R E S I D E N T ’ S M E S S A G E

Making Lemonade

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By Ashley Irwin

’m writing this as I travel on a train between Newcastle and Sydney in Australia, a few days after the U.S. presidential election. It’s always interesting to see how those in another country perceive the American election process. Eight years ago, when Mr. Obama defeated Mrs. Clinton for the Democrat nomination, I was in Jordan and completely taken by surprise at the disappointment of so many with whom I came in contact over the fact that Hillary had not won the primary, given I was in a male-dominated middleeastern society. For the past few days I’ve spent much of my time “talking people down off the ledge” as I’ve explained the electoral college, the three branches of government and many other American political idiosyncrasies.

In every election there must be a winner and a loser and while there is every reason for caution, even trepidation, over what a new administration may bring, I would like to posit a ray of hope.

For more than three years now PROs, publishers, music creators and their representative organizations (like The SCL) have been working in concert to reform the music licensing process and the prevailing consent decrees that govern the major portion of it.

Under the guidance of former Register of Copyrights, Maria Pallante, a comprehensive report containing recommendations embraced by virtually every stakeholder has been summarily ignored by the current administration’s Justice Department who instead has opted to reinterpret age-old language in the existing decrees in order to introduce 100% licensing, a practice designed to prevent the marketplace determining the value of music.

As if this was not onerous enough, the recent “re-assignment” and ultimate removal of Ms. Pallante by Dr. Carla Hayden (Librarian of Congress), a presidential appointee barely a month into her 10-year tenure, proved to be the final act of vengeance inflicted on music creators by this administration. The disrespect and condescension was complete.

I’m hardly a conspiracy theorist but the evidence has become insurmountable. It’s been reported that the tech companies of Silicon Valley gave 116 times more money in campaign contributions to the Democrats campaign than it did to the Republicans, and the Google lobbyists made over 150 visits to the White House during the Obama presidency, far more than any other special interest group. Had Mrs. Clinton won the election, would the Justice Department’s disdain for music creators have continued?

We’ll never know. But with Mr. Trump’s election to office, I am hopeful we can begin with a clean slate and make our case anew.

On many occasions during my discussions with the current Justice Department, I have stressed the value of the “Great American Songbook” and the “Great American Soundtrack” to the USA, both culturally and economically. But the DOJ has consistently dismissed my claim, rather insisting that they “don’t anticipate anything would change under 100% licensing,” despite admitting an economic impact study had never been undertaken nor even considered. However, when I suggested the only recourse available to composer and songwriter members of ASCAP and/or BMI to avoid the jurisdiction imposed by 100% licensing may well be resignation from their U.S. society for the refuge offered by many foreign PROs, I seemed to touch a nerve. Again, I was told “we don’t anticipate that happening” and they may well be right. But given Mr. Trump’s platform of encouraging companies to bring their overseas’ earnings back to the U.S., I believe a case can similarly be made with respect to the royalties earned by music creators that could potentially remain overseas should there be a mass exodus.

Understand this is, in no way, meant to be a political rant in favor of Mr. Trump, merely a pragmatic assessment of what I believe may be possible; a glimmer. Let’s hope, for all of g us, that I’m right.

Had Mrs. Clinton won the election, would the Justice Department’s disdain for music creators have continued?

We’ll never know. But with Mr. Trump’s election to office, I am hopeful we can begin with a clean slate and make our case anew.

This issue of THE SCORE is dedicated to Ron Grant in gratitude for his immeasurable service to The SCL for over a quarter of a century.

The many logos, trophies and graphics he designed convey our image to the world, while our video archives exist because of his tireless effort and a fervor for our community. The SCL is forever in his debt.

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N O T E S F R O M N E W Y O R K

Autumn In New York

By Mark Suozzo and Danny Gray SCL NY’s Fall events have included: Song Placement Workshop

Turtle Bay Music School; Thursday, Sept. 8th Guest panelists: Wellington Lora and Mark Frieser Moderators: Elizabeth Rose and Mark Roos Film Industry Mixer

The Roost; Thursday, Sept. 29th

Fall 2016 Mentor Program Kickoff

Man Made Music, Thursday, Oct. 13th Fall 2016 Mentees: Michael Parsons, Julian Crowhurst, Andreas Haberlin, Dominique Gagne, Graham Southern, Ryan Majoris, Andrew Shapiro, Liam Fox O’Brien Screening: Arrival with ­Composer Johann Johannson

AMC Loews Lincoln Square, reception at Tavern on the Green; Monday, Oct. 24th

Pictured at the Fall 2016 Mentorship Kickoff are, L-R: Danny Gray, Allison Leyton-Brown, Ryan Majoris, Greg Pliska, Dominique Gagne, Graham Southern, Michael Parsons, Julian Crowhurst, Liam O’Brien, Chris Hajian, Mark Suozzo, Andrew Shapiro, Andreas Haberlin

Composers John Williams and David Newman with BMI’s Vice President of Film, TV & Visual Media Relations, Doreen Ringer-Ross

Hollywood Is Bowled Over By John Williams And David Newman

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MI composers/conductors John Williams and David Newman returned to the Hollywood Bowl for three nights over Labor Day weekend to give audiences more groundbreaking performances of film music.

During the magical nights under the L.A. stars, aptly entitled “Maestro of the Movies,” Williams conducted his scores from blockbuster films including the Star Wars sagas, E.T., Harry Potter and Superman, as well as his new Spielberg collaboration, BFG, among others. David Newman, who kicked off the evening, led the L.A. Philharmonic on a musical tour through other classic film scores, including Forrest Gump, Mission Impossible, North by Northwest, as well as excerpts from Sunset Boulevard, Sabrina, Star Trek: Into Darkness g and The Godfather.

PMA Honors LeMone & Cox

Pictured at the Song Placement Workshop are, L-R: Mark Roos, Wellington Lora, Mark Frieser, Elizabeth Rose, Greg Pliska

The Production Music Association (PMA) presented ASCAP’s Shawn LeMone with its Ambassador Award and Peter Cox was honored with the Hall of Fame Award.

Pictured at the Arrival screening are, L-R: Andreas Haberlin, Johann Johannson, Danny Gray, Ryan Majoris, Julian Crowhurst, Andrew Shapiro, Dominique Gagne

Peter Cox 4

Shawn LeMone

H I S T O R Y M A K E R S

Willie Dixon (1915-1992): The Last Interview Interviewed by Lori Barth

Willie Dixon has been called “The Father Of The Blues” and is one of the most influential blues artists of all time. Not only was he a major catalyst between the blues and rock era, but he worked to promote blues around the world and established the Blues Heaven Foundation. Many major blues artistis like Howlin’ Wolf and Bo Diddley recorded his songs, but many of the American and English rock groups like The Rolling Stones recorded and performed his songs as well. Some of his works that you might recognize are “Hoochie Coochie Man,” “Little Red Rooster,” “I Just Wanna Make Love To You,” “Seventh Son,” “Back Door Man,” “Bring It On Home,” and “Can’t Judge A Book.” I had the good fortune to sit down and talk to Willie at the end of his life. This interview was supposed to be published in Words & Music Magazine but they went out of business, so it is finally time for the world to read this.

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hen I was five years old, my mother used to have us sing in a little church called Spring Hills Baptist Church in Vicksburg, Mississippi. I sang solo and the song was somethin’ about “I come to the garden…and he walked with me and he talked to me and he tells me I’m his own.” I’ll remember that, I guess, for the rest of my life.

From then on I’d sing in the choir and sing in the streets and the fields and everywhere else everybody was singing. And I’ve been writing songs practically all my life. At least one time I figured that I’d use them as poems instead of songs. And when I was quite young, I thought by writing poems that meant something; I could sell them.

By the time I decided to get away from home, I must have had two or three books of poems. I didn’t know how to get rid of them so I left them down South. I just forgot about them. When I came to Chicago and got involved in music, I started thinking some of them over and re-wrote some of ‘em.

My mother used to write poems herself. She told me to relate these things to the facts of life and various things like that. I made two or three little poem books but nobody paid no attention and I couldn’t sell them. So I started to convert them into different types of songs.

I started singing them down South just to myself. I had never sung them in public.

When I came to Chicago, during the time I was prize fightin’, I met this fella called Leonard Caston, (they called him ‘Baby Duke’

­ aston). They used to sit around gymnasiC ums all the time and play the guitar and sing.

They had a little crew of two or three guys that used to go out and sing together at night.

And they’d pass the hat at taverns and beauty parlors and barber shops and up and down the street. And whatever they got, they split it up among themselves.

When I got expelled from fightin’, he told me, “Man, why don’t you go out with us and sing? We could use a good bass.” Well, at that time I was particularly considerin’ myself as a bass singer because we was imitating the things like the Mills Brothers would do, like imitating a bass instrument. The group was called The Bumping Boys.

After that I got involved in another group and added another man.

We recorded under the name The Five Breezes (Willie Harstone, Jimmy Gilmore, Baby Duke Caston, myself and another guy, Fred Walker).

Walker, who we called the “Cool Breeze”, was a kind of a showman.

He would stand out in front and direct the group and sing once in a while. We got to the place where we were doin’ pretty good!

That’s when we first started doin’ some of my songs. We had time enough to practice and get ‘em together, and we recorded some of them years ago for the Bullet Recording Company, and we finally got on Columbia with the Big Three Trio. And from there—­ everywhere.

Baby Duke Caston figured that since I sang bass pretty good, he’d make me a bass fiddle.

Blues are the true facts of life that’s expressed in words and songs: Desperation, feelings, understandin’, wisdom, knowledge and experience.

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Willie Dixon Interview Continued from Page 5

He made it out of a big tin can with one bass string on it and a board, and he taught me how to play it. And I got to where I could play that thing pretty good.

We worked a lot of places with that tin can. So I decided I’d get a bass. And by fooling around with that can, it made the bass easy for me to play.

After The Five Breezes broke up, I started writing for everybody. I had so many songs at that time. I wrote about everything. My parents had always told me about the blues bein’ the true facts of life. My father used to tell me, “You can write about anything.” And that was it—I started writing about everything. If a guy wanted a song about anything, I didn’t care what it was… a bird, a tree, a piano, a horse, a dog, a rat, anything, I’d make up the song!

It started me to thinkin’ about the facts of life. And in the facts of life, there are so many different things to write about. That’s why you can never run out of songs, especially if they’re true songs to the facts of life. Anyway, I started writing about ‘em and haven’t been able to quit since.

Lester Maro was a man that was a go-between the blues artists and the recording company. He would always make contacts for people like Memphis Slim, Montgomery Blind John, Tampa Red and all those old artists.

I’d go around him all the time and he found out that I knew a pretty good deal about harmony. He would have me assist him in a lot of things. And anytime he wanted a song for somebody, he’d say, “Hey, make up a song like this…,” and I’d make up a song.

There was another little ol’ guy called Leroy. (His real name was Poncho something.) Leroy wrote a lot of songs and he played one of those tin can basses. He was sellin’ his songs for five, ten dollars. I had enough to sell so I’d sell mine too. In fact, we wasn’t getting’ no royalties or nothin’ in those days. I would sell bunches of songs.

My name was on some of the songs, and some of ‘em wasn’t. Some of the songs I sold when I was down South to country and western groups. They’d say, “We’ll put your name on it.” And the records would come out and have my name on it. Some of the records I 6

kept for a long time just because they had my name on them. They were those great big ol’ thick 78 recordings.

After a while, they get dry and rot and you go to pick them up and they would break all to pieces. And that was it. I can remember some of the songs like, “Duck to Jitterbug,” “The Laundryman,” “Sweet Louise.” I can’t remember all of them, but most of them I know once I start to singin’ and foolin’ with ‘em.

These songs got pretty popular when they started playing radios.

Years ago they had little crystal radios.

You had to put plugs in your ears, and they’d have an antenna long as from here across the street and you could hardly hear a thing. They only had a few radio stations. And we could hear these songs on the radio once in a while.

We’d call up everybody and say, “Hey, someone come hear me on the radio.”

Everybody would put the earphones in their ears and listen a while and we’d be fightin’ over the earphones.

We [Big Three Trio] got a little thing where we was singing every Friday night on the radio down South before we came to Chicago. We’d go on and everybody would be gathering around one radio. The recording situation was beautiful, especially when we knew we could be heard over the radio. We wasn’t getting’ no money or nothin’ like that. None of the blues artists were getting’ no money, you just be playin’ to be on the radio.

Once in a while, me and Lester Maro would get a statement from the Columbia people. We’d get $100 after a couple of years, something like that. Sometimes when we recorded, they’d pay us maybe twenty-five dollars. That was big money in those days. Anyway, it got to be to play for it, we’d run around all over the country making a hundred dollars a week for the trio.

I hadn’t been playing before with Lester Maro and with all the real old talent. But later, when I started recording with them and trying to make types of arrangements that would sell, I got a chance to meet just about everybody.

And, I had a song for everybody.

Times changed after Lester died.

That’s when I got involved with the Chess Recording Co. They wanted me to play bass with them and do some producing and arrangement for the company. So I went into Chess. That’s

when I met everybody because everybody wanted a recording at that time.

And that was starting around ’51.

That’s when Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Robin Nighthawk and Little Walter were recording. In fact, Chuck Berry, when he first came to the studio, had written some songs. We wouldn’t accept ‘em because they was too much in what they called the hillbilly or country and western style. We sent him back to St. Louis and told him we didn’t like that style. We made a few suggestions that he fix it up with blues things, so he went back and stayed a couple of weeks and called up again.

He came up and recorded it and we liked it. In fact, the first time we recorded him was right there in the studio on 48th and Cottage Grove in Chicago.

We had so much confidence in him that we put around 30,000 records right on the floor to be sold. He had never sold those kind of records before. He made “Wee, Wee Hours” and “Mabellene.” I played on all of the first things Chuck Berry done, all of the first things Bo Diddley done, and Muddy Waters, Robin Nighthawk, Bill Walters and John Brim.

Bo Diddley wrote the song “Who Do You Love?” during that time. I slightly arrange it then for him when I was working for Chess Recording Co., and I played bass on it. As a matter of fact, most the things that he done early in the Chess days, I was doin’ with him.

Later, when the company doin’ the movie “La Bamba” got ready to rerecord the song, they contracted me again to make a new arrangement to it to give it a little more drive.

Cab Calloway got “Signifying Monkey” off a record the Big Three Trio had made for Lester Maro. We called it “The Jungle King” when we first made it. It was made as a toast to the kids in school. You see, there was a boy in school named Eddie Cooper. He was a born cartoonist because when he was about in the 4th grade, this guy would go to the blackboard the minute the teacher walked out and start drawing different pictures. He had an animal or something for everybody in the room and he’d go tellin’ different stories.

We’d be laughing like mad, sometimes the teacher would come in and whip everybody in the school because we’d be laughing so. The teacher would send a note home and I got a whippin’

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T E C H T A L K

Vienna Ensemble Pro 6 and Umlaut Audio Sample Libraries

By Fletcher Beasley Vienna Ensemble Pro 6

Vienna Symphonic Library recently upgraded their plugin hosting platform, Vienna Ensemble Pro, to version 6. VE Pro is an essential application for media composers who need access to large sample libraries from every session they run and can be loaded on the same computer as the DAW or on slave computers connected to the master via ethernet cables. VE Pro includes a server application that hosts virtual instruments like Kontakt and a plugin that runs in the DAW allowing the sequencer to access sounds hosted in the VE Pro servers as if they were loaded directly in the DAW. If you work on projects with multiple sessions that share the same sound palette, you should be using VE Pro. Version 6 is a major upgrade that addresses my primary complaint with previous versions. Past versions of VE Pro had individual windows within the server corresponding to each instance of the VE Pro plugin, which could lead to visual chaos when there were multiple instances in the server. Vienna has rectified this by putting each instance in a tab that can be accessed from a single server window. Tabs can be color-coded and reorganized all within the server interface.

This makes for an elegant streamlined look that is much easier to navigate.

The application has been rewritten for efficiency so there are significant speed improvements with much less CPU overhead. It certainly feels snappier and more responsive.

I’ve noticed that my templates load faster and I’m up and running more quickly when moving from one template to another. VE Pro 6 is backwards compatible and I’ve had no problem opening my old projects. Version 6 saves in a new file format so projects created in the new version cannot be opened by version 5 or below.

New features include autosave, for easy recovery in the event of a crash, the ability to disable channels to save memory and CPU power while keeping the data intact, organization of channels within folders, color coding of channels and tabs, and a myriad of other new cosmetic and useability features.

VE Pro 6 is a great upgrade that provides big improvements to an already excellent program. Experienced users will have no

problem adjusting to the new feature set as it has been intuitively laid out and solves many workflow complaints of the previous versions. I do, however, recommend waiting to upgrade between projects since you will want to test your templates to make sure that you don’t have any issues specific to your system. While I have not experienced any problems using VE Pro 6 with Logic Pro X and Ableton Live we all have different setups and you don’t want to discover that you have an issue on your system in the middle of a pressing deadline.

Umlaut PADS, ARPS and uBEAT

Umlaut Audio is a Los Angeles based Kontakt developer that has made a name for itself developing custom Kontakt libraries for composers. Recently they launched a series of Kontakt based sample libraries running on Native Instruments’ free Kontakt player.

Umlaut has three products out—PADS, ARPS and uBEAT. PADS is a collection of synthesizer pad sounds that can be easily customized using Umlaut’s intuitive interface. The library features over 140 presets and 80 timbral sources.

Each preset combines two sound sources that can be mixed together with separate controls for each sound source, as well as a modulation and effects section. Presets are categorized as clean, complex and rhythmic.

I wasn’t blown away by the presets, but it is easy to customize the sounds to your liking, though I would have liked a more descriptive categorization system for the sound sources.

Umlaut has done a great job of creating an interface that provides quick access to parameters without overwhelming the user with options. Sound sources are easy to switch between and there is a randomize button to change sound sources without changing other parameters, a feature that I wish more virtual instrument manufacturers would employ.

You can mix between layers from a knob in the center of the interface that can be assigned to a MIDI Continuous Controller (CC) and there are three modulators found on a mod tab that can be applied to the sound sources. It doesn’t feature the complex modulation routing of many synth plugins but gives plenty of options to fit most needs. The interface is well suited for media composers working on a

Umlaut has done a great job of creating an interface that provides quick access to parameters without overwhelming the user with options.

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A

2016 ASMAC Golden Score Awards

SMAC honored Alf Clausen and William Ross at their 2016 Golden Score Awards held at the Skirball Center on November 6, 2016. The evening was a smashing success with many film and television luminaries in attendance.

L-R: ASMAC President Kim Richmond, Alf Clausen and William Ross

L-R: ASCAP’s Rachel Perkins, Alf Clausen, Dan Foliart and ASCAP’s Shawn LeMone

L-R: Lori Barth, Jon Burlingame and Leonard Maltin

L-R: John Williams with William Ross L-R: William Ross with David Foster L-R: Chris Ledesma with Alf Clausen

Tech Talk Continued from Page 7

quick deadline who need to tweak the sounds to their liking.

ARPS is a library of percussion sounds designed to help composers quickly create custom rhythm beds.

The name is slightly deceptive because, since it doesn’t play tonal sounds, it isn’t an arpeggiator in the traditional sense of the word. But you play it like an arpeggiator by holding down combinations of keys to get variation in the percussion sound sources. ARPS comes with four presets – KickARPS for low end kick percussion, MidARPS for mid range, TickARPS for the tickey hi hat-like sounds so prevalent in film scoring and PercARPS for hand drumtype sounds. Within each patch are presets that provide composers with good starting points for rhythmic beds.

ARPS’ interface is a real strength.

All parameters are well laid out so it is 8

L-R: Alan Silvestri and William Ross

quick work to customize your rhythmic bed. Effects are accessed as tabbed buttons at the bottom of the interface and can be turned on and off with keyswitches for on-the-fly variation. I got good results by playing different chord shapes on the keyboard as the sequence ran, creating interesting evolution to the patterns. This is not a library that is designed to generate realistic sounding percussion patterns, so don’t expect to emulate your favorite hand drummer while holding down a major chord, but it does a nice job of building rhythmic beds that vary over time. I would have liked more information about the various sample sets, but it worked pretty well to find key combinations I liked by letting my ear be the guide.

Umlaut’s latest library uBEAT is a drum machine library featuring a number of kits divided into elektro, hiphop and hybrid genres. The product can be purchased as a bundle or separately

for each kit style. The sound quality is good and this library would be a solid choice for composers who need to utilize the sounds and beats of current electronic styles in their productions as it also includes a healthy number of kits and preprogrammed beats that can be dragged directly onto your sequencer’s timeline as MIDI regions. The sounds in the kits can be swapped out from the samples Umlaut provides and each sound can be effected individually so it isn’t necessary to route each drum to a separate aux track for mixing purposes.

The MIDI beats are useful and provide good starting points for programming.

Umlaut’s libraries are worth checking out. Each library has a great interface that excels by providing easy access to the most important parameters to shape the sound of the instruments, allowing for quick customization under a deadline. If the sounds are to your taste, they could make a useful g addition to your next project.

N E W G E A R

Audio Imperia’s Terraform And Kush Audio’s Hammer DSP EQ & Omega Transformer

By Jack D. Elliot Audio Imperia’s Terraform — Cinematic Motions

Terraform, produced by award-winning sound designer and composer Paul Ortiz, offers a wide range of tonal (split into low, mid and high), percussive and ambient motions. It’s important to note that Terraform was recently renamed, formerly called “The Underscore.” Motions (Loops) are included in Terraform, using electric guitars, electric bass, synthesizers and sound design presets.

The library’s custom engine includes ten Step Modulators (four Volume, four Pan, one Low Pass and one High Pass) and a dual FX layout. Five categories are included and are set up in Ambient, High Tonal, Low Tonal, Mid Tonal and Percussive. All are set up in major, minor, 4/4, and 3/4 time signatures. I really like this layout, which makes finding sounds a lot quicker.

So, now some more details about the sounds and presets. The Ambient folder contains drones, chords and pads. The High Tonal folder includes metallic sounds, synth plucks, guitar-based phrases and other highpitched melodic sounds. The Low Tonal folder covers synth and electric bass, including sharp percussive phrases as well as more ambient filter-based patterns. The Mid Tonal folder covers the middle ground with a number of synths, chords and arpeggios. The

last folder is the Percussive folder, which is one of my favorites. It includes pulsing kicks, ticks, metallics, shakers and much, much more. It is often hard to find libraries with alternate time signatures other than 4/4. So having the two time signatures here really is a surprise bonus. Terraform includes major and minor variations but a lot of the loops are very neutral and work perfectly with any style. There is a lot of competition for these types of libraries, but the sounds here are high quality, as Audio Imperia is known for professional sounds that you will hear in many films, television shows, and video games.

Conclusion: Terraform is a very useful library, and will make a great addition to your arsenal. In my opinion, it is great to have as many quality tools to work with as possible, and Terraform is a strong contender.

Rating 9/10.

Kush Audio — Hammer DSP EQ

Terraform is a very useful library, and will make a great addition to your arsenal.

Kush Audio and A-Designs Digital have joined teams to make A-Designs Hammer DSP EQ. Hammer DSP is a tube-based EQ, utilizing the same custom proprietary 4x oversampling algorithm they developed for Electra DSP and Clariphonic MKII. It will run you $149, plus you need to have an Ilok 2. It is compatible with Mac AU/VST/AAX and Continued on Page 22

Alliance For Women Film Composers The Alliance for Women Film Composers held their annual meeting in October at the home of George S. Clinton and his wife Charlotte. Here are a few photos.

L-R: Nora Kroll Rosenbaum, Miriam Cutler, Chandler Poling, Lolita Ritmanis, Laura Karpman, Catherine Grealish, George S. Clinton and Kathy Bostic

All in attendance at the meeting

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What’sHappening

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By Lori Barth

The Echo Society, an LA-based collective of like-minded composers, musicians, and artists, gathered on Wednesday, August 31, in the Theatre at Ace Hotel to perform unheard pieces they wrote specifically for the event, which brought together the Society’s largest ensemble of musicians to date.

ongratulations Alexandre Desplat for receiving the Max Steiner Film Music Achievement Award in Vienna on October 4, 2016.

Composer T. Griffin, director Kristi Jacobson, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, BMI composer Nathan Larson and director Rachel Boynton

L-R: Sandra Tomek, Laura Engel, Solrey Lemonnier, composer and honoree Alexandre Desplat, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross and Robert Townson g g g

Patrick Doyle

The 30th Braunschweig International Film Festival presented film composer Patrick Doyle with its Lifetime Achievement Award on November 7-13, 2016, in honor of the Scottish composer. The festival screened eight of his films, ranging from 1989 to 2015 as part of a Retrospective Series in “Music and Film.”

BMI proudly partnered once again with the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP) on September 20 to sponsor a panel discussion entitled “How Music Makes the Doc,” featuring directors Rachel Boynton and Kristi Jacobson, and composers T. Griffin and Nathan Larson. Moderated by BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, the panel provided powerful insights into the process of scoring for documentaries and the relationship between composer and director.

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On August 26, composer Blake Neely opened his home to host Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s first composer circle.

Director Kenneth Lonergan and composer Lesley Barber attend the TIFF Premiere of Manchester by the Sea At the 2016 ASCAP Invitational Golf Tournament L-R: Shawn LeMone, ASCAP SVP of Membership; David Vanacore; Paul Williams, ASCAP President and Chairman; Dave Merenda

L-R: Laura Karpman and director Eleanor Coppola at the premiere of Paris Can Wait at TIFF

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Pictured at the composer circle are, L-R: Deborah Lurie, George S. Clinton, Layla Minoui Hall, Sherri Chung, Tricia Steel, Edward Rogers, Tony Morales, Christopher Lennertz, Austin Wintory, Michael Levine, Jeff Cardoni, Laura Karpman, Daniel James Chan, BMI’s Doreen RingerRoss, Blake Neely, René G. Boscio, Kaveh Cohen, Felice Mancini, Danger Koskenmaki, Chris Bacon, Ludwig Goransson and Danny Lux 10

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L-R: Dustin O’Halloran and Hauschka attend the UK premiere of Lion

L-R: Echo Park Creative Director and World Soundtrack Nominee Rob Simonsen, and composers Jeremy Zuckerman and Deru (Benjamin Wynn)

SESAC’s Erin Collins with composer Leigh Roberts and director/producer Tom Donahue at the recent Society of Composers & Lyricists film screening of Thank You For Your Service

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What’sHappening

n Wednesday, October 19, the World Soundtrack Academy announced the winners of the 2016 World Soundtrack Awards in Capitole, Ghent, where award-winning composer Jeff Beal was named Television Composer of the Year and composer Joe Kraemer won the prestigious Discovery of the Year award. Howard Shore won the Fimucité Award. g g g

Top Row L-R: ASCAP’s Jennifer Harmon, CW3PR’s Jana Davidoff, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross and Krakower Group’s Beth Krakower. Bottom Row L-R: Joe Kraemer and Jeff Beal g g g

BMI’s Ray Yee brought together BMI executives, music supervisors, managers, record company and publishing executives for a day of golf at Braemar Country Club in Tarzana, CA with proceeds going to Education Through Music Los Angeles on August 22. Seventeen teams competed and concluded the day with a barbecue at the club’s dining room.

L-R: Dan Carlin (winner of the 2016 FMF Ambassador Award), ASCAP’s Michael Todd, FMF’s Agata Grabowiecka, ASCAP Board member Richard Bellis and ASCAP’s Shawn LeMone at Festiwal Muzyki Filmowej at the Krakow Film Festival g g g

By Lori Barth

At Comic-Con pictured in the green room prior to the BMI/White Bear PR “I Love That Song: Composing, Scoring and Singing Superhero Style” panel are L-R: producer and lyricist James Tucker, composer Michael McCuistion, BMI’s Anne Cecere, White Bear PR’s Chandler Poling and composers Lolita Ritmanis and Kristopher Carter

At Comic-Con in the press room after the “Musical Anatomy of a Superhero” panel are L-R: composer John Ottman, BMI’s Anne Cecere and composers Blake Neely, Tom "Junkie XL" Holkenborg and Tyler Bates g g g

As a sponsor of the annual Woodstock Film Festival again this year, BMI produced and moderated its insightful “Music in Film” panel on Saturday, October 15 at Kleinert James Gallery in Woodstock, New York.

Pictured at the ASMAC luncheon are BMI’s Ray Yee and guest speaker and composer Nathan Wang g g g

Pictured are the tournament’s 2nd place winners: Matt Koskenmaki, Bennett Salvay and Daniel Salvay with BMI’s Ray Yee L-R: Composer Jacques Brautbar, ASCAP SVP of Membership Shawn LeMone, and ASCAP’s Rachel Perkins pose with P22 Mountain Lion of Hollywood, perhaps Griffith Park’s most famous resident, at Nordic Noir

Pictured during the festival are, L-R: co-founder and executive director of the Woodstock Film Festival Meira Blaustein; God Knows Where I Am co-director/producer Jedd Wider, composer Paul Cantelon, songwriter Angela McCluskey, narrator Lori Singer, BMI’s Charlie Feldman and God Knows Where I Am co-director/producer Todd Wider 11

Diane Warren: Unfiltered INTERVIEWED BY LORI BARTH

Diane Warren, one of the most recorded songwriters of the 20th century, has had songs in over 100 motion pictures, has had eight Academy Award nominations, has won one Emmy for “Til It Happens To You,” as well as a Golden Globe, 14 Grammys, three consecutive Billboard Music Awards for Songwriter of the Year, as well as having had nine number one songs and 32 Top 10 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She is the first songwriter in the history of Billboard to have seven hits, all by different artists, on the singles chart at the same time. If that’s not enough, Diane was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and has received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Score: A lot has changed since we used to have a radio next to our bed and we’d fall asleep to the music. We had vinyl, singles and albums. Now it’s all downloads, streaming and listening on our iphones and ipads.

What is the difference in the listening experience for you now?

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Diane: I mean, it still comes down to listening to a song you love, wherever you hear it.

Score: It doesn’t matter what you listen on?

Diane: No, sometimes I’ll listen on my phone. It’s like a transistor radio if it sounds good on my phone…

Score: Did you have a radio by your bed when you were little?

Diane: Oh yeah, I had a radio everywhere I went. A little portable transistor radio. I’m from L.A. so it was KFWB, KRLA, KHJ. Score: We know your dad was a big supporter of you and bought you your first guitar. What was it that made you want to become a songwriter?

Diane: I just loved music when I was little. I have memories of hearing (even before I could speak) because I have older sisters. I got to hear everything my sisters and mom and dad would listen to. I remember hearing Elvis Pres-

ley and Buddy Holly a lot. I was born in 1956 so whatever records were from 1956, I still remember that. The radio was on in my mom and dad’s house.

I remember when I was a little kid, I’d say to my friends who lived in the neighborhood, “Let’s have a band, but I want to be the songwriter.” Isn’t that weird? I didn’t really want to be in the band, I just wanted to be the songwriter.

I remember looking at a single my sister had, it was “Up On The Roof,” and I remember seeing Goffin and King, and I thought, I want to be in those little parentheses. It was a weird thing, almost like I was psychic. I don’t even know what gave me the idea that I had the talent or anything. My dad bought me this little guitar from Mexico and he took me to a guitar teacher and the guitar teacher said, “Mr. Warren, don’t bring your daughter back. She’s tone deaf.” I didn’t want to do those stupid scales. I wanted to make up my own little songs. I was about eleven.

Score: I think you just sort of come with it.

Diane: You do. It’s like anything. What makes an Olympic swimmer? Somehow they discovered they had that talent, but they were also born with that talent.

important. If it’s not a strong lyric or a strong melody, it doesn’t matter. You have a weak song. If you have a great melody and a shit lyric, you still have a weak song.

Score: For a lot of the composers there is a turning point. But with songwriters that doesn’t really happen—you just are.

Score: Do you like all the songs you write or do you think some are good and some are bad?

Diane: Well, I heard the Beatles, I think the Beatles were that for me. I remember just being so blown away, like watching the Ed Sullivan show and even before that making my mom buy me a “Meet The Beatles” album. That was the first album I ever had.

Score: You said you’ve been writing songs since you were little.

Diane: When I was eleven I started and when I turned fourteen I became literally obsessed to the point where I just didn’t do anything else. I had friends but my friends would go out and party and do whatever and I would just sit in the bathroom because it had great acoustics. I’d sit and just play my guitar and sit there and write songs. My dad got me this shed behind my house because I drove him crazy by playing one thing over and over…that’s what I’d do, play one thing over and over.

Score: That’s how we used to do it.

Diane: I still do that. So my dad said, “We’re getting you a shed by the pool in the back with a little heater,” and I’d go there every day and into the night and I didn’t have a life. No different now. I just got so obsessed and I’ve never looked back. And I’m not less obsessed now, I’m a workaholic still.

Score: Title, melody, chorus, lyrics.

Which comes first?

Diane: Depending on the song. I like to have a title. But sometimes it’s just like I’m playing around with the chords.

Score: Do you have a title book?

Diane: I jot things down all over the place on little pieces of paper. I’m not that organized. I should be.

Score: So it is always different?

Diane: It’s usually never a lyric by itself.

Score: Is one more important than the other in the long run?

Diane: Words or music? I think it’s all

Diane: I love them when I am writing them. I spend a lot of time on each song I write. I love a lot of what I do; I feel strongly, let’s put it that way.

Score: What is your process for writing?

Diane: My process is the same, it’s the one I’ve always had. I show up and I get to work. That’s what I do. I don’t know the secrets of my process or the formula.

Score: You just show up and start writing.

Diane: Yeah.

Score: Do you use any technology?

Are you technologically savvy?

Diane: You know what my technology is? I use a cassette and a Walkman, and keyboards and a guitar. That’s what I do.

Score: And then you hand them off when you do your demos.

Diane: Yeah. I have studios with all the latest stuff.

Score: Can you run any of the gear?

Diane: No, I can’t do shit.

Score: Do you care?

Diane: No. I’ve got people to do that.

I’m too A.D.D. for it. I don’t know how I’d learn. I can’t even use a computer. I know how to use my Samsung and my Blackberry.

Score: But you’re very good at Facebook. [both laugh] Talk about the difference between writing a song for a film as opposed to just writing a song for an artist.

Diane: Well, ok…to me they’re similar.

I’ll tell you what’s similar and what’s different. What’s similar is it has to be a great song, right? That goes without saying. At least with me I want to think every song is going to be a great song. I do everything I can to make it a great song. The difference is, when you write a song for a movie, as you know,

you have a committee and you have opinions, you know, people can overthink things. When you write a song for somebody, you just give it to them.

No one’s overthinking it. But what I do with a song for a movie is that it has to work perfectly within that movie.

That’s the most important thing. But equally important to me is that it works outside that movie, even if you never saw that movie. Like “Til It Happens To You.” Score: Yes, that would be a great song anyway.

Diane: Yeah, thank you, but in that movie it relates to what it relates to and it becomes this anthem for the whole sexual assault and rape and giving a voice to what was in the shadows. But then you hear that song and it could be about anything you go through.

“Til It Happens To You,” you could have gotten fired, you could have lost somebody, you could have been bullied. There are a million things where people say it’s gonna be okay. No it’s not, how do you know it’s going to be okay—fuck you. So I wanted that song, and everything I do for a movie, to be outside of that movie and be whatever.

Let it be what your own movie is.

Score: What’s the first thing you do when you get on a project and you read a script?

Diane: I let the computer in my mind do the work. There’s a couple movies I just did songs for and it was like that. I didn’t even know… One of these movies I am so excited about. It’s called Marshall, and it’s about Thurgood Marshall, the first black judge. Reggie Hudland directed it, and it’s a great movie.

I read the script, and it’s a funny story how I got involved in that movie.

When I worked on the video for the Lady Gaga song, at the time the song was never even going to come out. It was so frustrating, but that’s a whole other story. They were shooting the video and I was reading an article in the Huffington Post about Jackie Fuchs, who used to be Jackie Fox in the Runaways. She became a Harvard lawyer later but the article was all about how she was raped by Kim Fowley, her manager/producer.

And it went viral, it became this huge thing, and I remember reading it.

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Diane Warren Continued from Page 13

It was weird to read it the day they were doing that video. I met her one time but I didn’t really know her. I thought, you know, I’m going to send her the Gaga song. Maybe she’ll get some comfort out of it. So I sent her the song and she was crying and r­ eally happy I sent it. Like it helped her and we became friends. We were having lunch a couple months ago and she said, “My cousins wrote this movie about Thurgood Marshall that Reggie Hudland is directing.” I said, “Oh my god, Reggie Hudland did the Oscars, and I got to know him at the rehearsals with Gaga. He’s a great guy and what a cool story about Thurgood Marshall. I want to hear about it.”

It’s interesting because I met her through the other song, it all kind of tied in and I read the script. Oh my god, this is such a great script and so interesting. What kind of song do I write? And I came up with one of my best songs I ever, ever wrote for a movie. So I’m really excited about that.

Score: What else are you working on?

Diane: There’s a couple of other movies. There’s one that Burt Reynolds stars in. It’s called Dog Days and it’s about him playing a character like a version of himself. And he’s so old, and it’s just this beautiful story. I love it so much. I wrote something sort of in the country world for that. The other one I did for Marshall is like “A Change Is Gonna Come” for 2017. It’s really cool, it’s like a Sam Cooke song.

There’s a bunch of other things I’m doing too. There’s this documentary, it’s pretty heavy that I am doing a song for right now. It’s about Syria and when I saw it it was so heartbreaking because you really see what happens to these young people, and what’s happening with their government. I want to do justice to that one.

As long as something touches me.

Those are three totally different types of movies. And the one I am going to write for this movie is going to be totally different than those. It will be more of a world thing.

Score: What annoys you the most when you are working with people?

Diane: That they’re not animals. Ani-

mals are so much easier. Well, I usually write by myself. As long as people are cool. It bothers me when someone’s not honest, or when someone is being an asshole, just in general. You’ve gotta be cool. It’s like I always pride myself in being a good person too, but that’s really important. I think that’s what gives you longevity. Treat everybody right, no matter who they are. Especially when you don’t need them.

Score: I know that you write predominantly on your own, but when you have to write with somebody, is it ­really hard?

Diane: Well, I never have to.

Score: If you want to?

Diane: It’s not hard, no. I just want to get it done really fast so I can go back to my own stuff.

Score: You’ve been writing in the same room in this building on Sunset for many years. Nothing has changed or moved (I was in that room years ago)...

Diane: Yes, it’s still there, but I am moving.

Score: That’s what I want to talk about. We know you’ve purchased a new building for your offices. Are you going to move this room, will it change or will you move everything exactly like it is?

Diane: I’m trying to move it pretty much similar, although the 31 years of dust and stuff probably won’t come with me. I’m going to try and make it close to it, as close as I can, because I really like that room.

Score: Do you only write in that room or do you ever write at home?

Diane: I have two rooms. And I have two rooms in the new place too that look the same. I have the same carpet in both rooms. But it’s going to be weird. I don’t know, I still might keep the room here. It’s like freaking me out to think about it. But it’s a really cool building and on one floor there’s five studios.

It used to be Solar Records, and then Babyface and then Atlantic. A lot of rap stuff was done there so I have bulletproof glass courtesy of Suge Knight, who I guess did a lot of stuff there. It’s cool, it’s just the next chapter.

Score: Since you have studios, are you interested in producing artists?

Diane: Not really. I just want to write. I just know what I do. I stay in my lane. I mean, I’ll go in there and give my opinions, but I’m not a producer.

Score: I have a feeling your songwriting has never been about money.

Diane: Never.

Score: …that you’d wake up every day and write another song. What is it that motivates you and keeps you going?

Diane: Okay, I don’t write a song every day. I take about a week on a song.

I just love doing it and it’s breathing to me. If I couldn’t do this I would die, literally would die. I never did it for the money. Although it’s cool to make money doing it. But believe me, there were some years I didn’t make a dime.

I was never in it for the money. It’s like, “Wow,” I see a building with my logo on it that used to be on my little cards I used to print myself. So it’s kind of cool to think wow, I’ve come a long way. But I don’t think about it. As soon as I think about it, I’ll forget about it.

I’ll just go back to my room and work on the song I’m writing right now. I just want to keep doing it. Even when people bring up, “You wrote that song [blah blah blah],” it makes me want to slit my wrists, I don’t care about that song. It’s not that I don’t care, I care about my work. I’d rather talk about what I’m doing now or what I’m about to do, not something I did 20 years ago.

Score: Just keep moving.

Diane: Yeah, like the rear view mirror doesn’t really work. It’s the one that goes straight ahead.

Score: We’ve heard you are a workaholic. When do you take time out and what do you do for fun?

Diane: I don’t take a lot of time off but I go to dinner. I don’t really have a huge life. I was supposed to go out of town for my birthday to Hawaii, but there were the hurricanes. So I am actually going next week Thursday through Sunday. It’s like a three day vacation with some of my friends I grew up with. What do I do for fun? I don’t know… go to a movie. I’m right across the street from the Arclight and I still don’t even hardly want to go across the street to see anything most of the time.

I go out to dinner with friends, or just end up staying here.

Continued on Next Page

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Diane Warren Continued from Page 14

Score: Do you like staying home and hanging out or do you prefer to be here?

Diane: I’d prefer to be here. I have a nice house but it has never felt like home. Where I work is more my home.

I don’t really work at home as much when I go home. It’s usually later.

Score: What kind of stuff do you listen to, or don’t you listen to anything?

Diane: I listen to things to stay up on what is current so I always know what’s going on. So, do I go home and listen to music? No, never. I’ve been doing that all day long so I just go home and watch a crime TV show or something.

Score: What makes a lasting, memorable song in your opinion?

Diane: A great melody, first and foremost, right? And like I said before, everything has to be memorable. It could be a memorable record, then it’s production. It isn’t a great lyric—it’s just a fun record. I mean, it’s got to be hooky, you know.

Score: But when we think about the Great American Songbook, all of your songs will last. But not many songs fit in that lasting quality, with the exception of artists like Sting and Paul Simon.

Diane: There’s not a lot because I do listen to everything that’s out and I think, is anybody really going to give a shit about that song in five years, even a year? It’s really cool production, and it’s really sonically interesting, but if you strip it away and play it on a guitar, there’s nothing there. It’s the one line over and over and it’s cool when it’s a cool dance track with it, when there’s something instrumentally cool.

But stripped down as a song, it’s not going to be covered 50 times, like the great songs are.

Back row L-R: Heather McIntosh, Kathryn Bostic, Julia Newmann, Penka Kouneva, Lolita Ritmanis, Lisa Coleman, Lesley Barber, Nora Kroll-Rosenbaum. Front row L-R: Miriam Cutler, Starr Parodi, Nan Schwartz, Sharon Farber, Wendy Blackstone, Germaine Franco, Lili Haydn, Laura Karpman

The Women Who Score: Soundtracks Live

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By Adryan Russ

n August 19, 2016, more than 1500 people witnessed a once unbreakable barrier smashed to smithereens when Grand Performances and The Alliance for Women Film Composers (AWFC), in association with The Film Music Society and White Bear PR, presented an outdoor concert of film, television and video game music at Grand Performances California Plaza, featuring the music of 21 composers—all women: Lesley Barber, Wendy Blackstone, Kathryn Bostic, Jessica Curry, Miriam Cutler, Sharon Farber, Germaine Franco, Lili Haydn, Laura Karpman, Penka Kouneva, Nora KrollRosenbaum, Heather McIntosh, Wendy Melvoin & Lisa Coleman, Julia Newmann, Starr Parodi, Rachel Portman, Lolita Ritmanis, Nan Schwartz, Shirley Walker and Diane Warren. Their work, divided into film genres, tend to define the composers themselves: The Protectors, The Seekers, The ­Heroes, The Icons, The Rebels, and The Dreamers.

AWFC composers will tell you their goal is to disband the organization in five years so they no longer need to be referred to as “women composers” or “female composers”—just composers. Their diverse work—brilliantly performed by a 55-piece orchestra and 30-voice chorus, with some of the creators conducting or performing their own pieces—was proof enough that it will happen. The SCL congratulates all of these composers for their outstanding accomplishments.

SCL Golf Outing

Score: If you can’t walk down the street and sing it….

Diane: More so that, if you can’t walk down the street and sing it, it’s not a great song.

Score: I know you want to get back to work. Thank you so much for taking a few minutes out of your day to g talk to The Score.

Pictured at the SCL Golf Outing held on September 12 at Brookside Golf Club in Pasadena are—Standing L-R: Dom Aiken, Matthew Doughty, Derek Machann, Paul Tuvman, Glenn Jordan, Jeff Silbar, Dylan Price, Chris Saranec, Billy Martin, Dave Merenda, Wayne Hankin. Kneeling L-R: Ed Reyes, Rama Kolesnikow, Matt Harris, Andy Forsberg, Conor Jones 15

Alternative Spaces Continued from Page 1

When choosing a workspace for yourself, keep in mind the following questions: Access—Use/rent space by the day, week, month?

Amenities—Wi-Fi’s a given, but what about printers, copiers and other standard business equipment?

Environment—Is the vibe of the space conducive to music creation?

Does it suit your individual style? Is it comfortable and spacious enough that you can feel free to stretch out and be yourself? Is there natural light? Do you want natural light?

Sound level—Is it possible to make a little noise yourself, if necessary? Are there closed-off rooms for private phone conversations? What is the general sound level of the work environment?

Does the location have music playing throughout the general space?

Sip ‘n’ Bite Factor—Are snacks/ drinks, kitchen facilities included?

Parking—How easy to find parking and how long can you park near the space?

Security—Is it safe to walk to and from the location at all hours of the night? Is it safe to work alone at night? Is there a place to lock up your equipment?

So, where to?

Oh, The Places You Can Go...

COFFEE SHOPS: The default solution for many is the local coffee shop, of course—an endless supply of caffeine coupled with free Wi-Fi and, boom, you are in business. I love carving out a small space in the corner where I can spread out my stuff and dig into the nitty-gritty. Personally, the coffee shop/sandwich shop scenario is great for getting my emails done, updating calendars, archiving documents and maybe a little daydreaming. I find these places work well for alleviating the tedium that comes along with the less creative responsibilities in my day.

The average price for use is $10 (cup of coffee and a sandwich or piece of pie).

My favorite spaces in the coffee shop realm ended up being: The Coffee Table—1958 Colorado Blvd, Eagle Rock 90041, (323) 255-2200, www.eaglerockcoffeetable.com. This 16

spacious location has large tables and plenty of electrical outlets particularly in the big, back room. A solid menu provides all-day fuel and in the afternoon an adjoining portion of the restaurant opens up that includes a full bar and an energetic lounge vibe.

Republic of Pie—11118 Magnolia Blvd, North Hollywood 91601, (818) 308-7990, www.republicofpie.com. This is a neighborhood favorite that has a wide selection of savory and sweet pies, excellent coffee and a variety of workspaces. I have held many meetings here and always found a spot to suit. I especially like working on my own in the back room that has a very relaxed mood with low light and several large tables and couches. There tends to be music playing all the time, so noise-cancelling headphones are recommended.

Interactive Cafe—215 Broadway, Santa Monica 90401, (310) 395-5009, www.interactive-cafe.com. Admittedly, this cafe is less functional for long days of work, but I’ve been stopping in here since the 1990s when I was still largely East Coast-based. The coffee’s good and the food’s passable, but there is something about this place that works for me when I am just trying to barrel through work. It’s not as touristy and crowded as many other spots in Santa Monica, yet is just a few blocks from the beach and right by the Third Street Promenade.

CO-WORKING FACILITIES: The last few years have seen the rise of many new “co-working” spaces around town and there is much to be said for joining these member facilities. Most have flexible rates and can be customized for each individual’s time and space needs with monthly membership fees based on features and access. It is relatively easy to set up a free trial day/tour so that you can try the spaces on for suitability.

These tend to be large, open facilities designed to accommodate dozens of workers at a time. Private offices are plentiful, but come at an additional charge. All the expected supplies are there for copying and printing. Superfast Wi-Fi, lounges with a variety of television options, conference rooms, quiet phone call rooms and stocked kitchens are the norm. Some have their own coffee bars and most have end-ofweek happy hours as well as monthly

special events and seminars.

What I find most exciting about spending time in a co-work environment is the fact that there are genuine opportunities to be had in sharing creative space with those outside of—but related to—the composer/ songwriter world. Since I visited these places with my music keyboard under my arm, many other workers came over to talk and wanted to know what I was working on, etc. I met software and game designers, writers, directors and entrepreneurs in a stunning array of varieties. I seemed to be the only music person around and I have to say, the connections I made have real promise.

While the spaces themselves are very quiet and suited for serious work, the energy of hope radiated from so many of the people working there. I really tried so soak up their electricity and match their dedication. As someone who spends the majority of her time alone while at work, I cannot overstate how amazing it was to be surrounded by the fortifying buzz of experiencing everyone else’s dreams in action.

One more thing, for those who live outside of Los Angeles, if you are coming into town for work, these places are perfect for setting up shop for a week or so. Average cost of use is $150-250/month depending on usage and most locations will work out even more flexible terms.

My favorites of the co-working set: The Muse Rooms—942 Vineland Ave 2 & 3, North Hollywood 91601, (818) 823-4717, www.themuserooms. com. This is a smaller co-work space with a decidedly non-corporate feel.

They have ample tables of every size, couches, little seating nooks with curtains for privacy (one even has a fireplace). The overall vibe is decidedly zen. Their kitchen is well-stocked and there’s an actual phone booth for quiet calls. I really got a lot done in this space and loved taking time to sit and listen to a few albums on their turntable. This is definitely old-school funky in the best sense!

Cross Campus (variety of locations including Pasadena, Downtown LA, Santa Monica and South Bay)—87 N. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena 91103, (626) 298-8420, www.crosscampus.us.

The Pasadena location really has everything I look for in its variety of

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Alternative Spaces Continued from Page 16

workspace options and overall vibe. It was really easy to run in and get to work quickly. They host many networking events and encourage communication between all the workers.

WeWork (12 Los Angeles locations) —312 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica 90401, (877) 673-6628, www.wework. com/l/los-angeles. This is definitely the largest of the co-working facilities based purely on number of locations in L.A. and around the world. Plenty of room at all levels of membership and each location has its own vibe. The Santa Monica location is a great blend of creative energy and getting-it-done structure. The staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.

The Wow Factor...

There is no impression like a first impression and there are few locations in town that deliver on a true wow like SoHo House—9200 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood 90069, (310) 432-

9200, www.sohohouse.com/houses/ soho-house-west-hollywood. Set on the top floors the 9200 Building, SoHo House takes the workspace concept to amazing heights. While there are plenty of places to set up and work including plenty of tables, sofas, small sitting rooms, etc., SoHo House is in its own category when it comes to everything else. There are no printers or copiers and phones are not allowed. Yes, that’s right, phones are not allowed—not for talking, not for taking photos. I know that sounds odd and yet, that’s part of the charm. People are actually talking to each other. In person.

SoHo House also has a rooftop garden, a screening room, restaurant, bar and outdoor patio that provides some the best views of the city in all directions. These spaces make working feel like a getaway and spending time in the carefully curated environment can be a real confidence booster. While membership is by an application selection process and requires two recommendations from current members, if accepted, the fee still comes in around $175/month ($85/month with

their under 27 membership) although membership fees are paid annually.

That sounds reasonable, keeping in mind that it only covers unlimited use of the facility but does not include any food or beverages. Still if you are looking for a lofty space with that little extra sheen of “I have arrived,” this might be the workspace for you.

There you have it. From local coffee shops to garden seats in the sky, there are many options out there when choosing to shake up your everyday routine. Taking your work on the road, so to speak, can provide a real boost in creativity and maybe give you a change of environment that brings fresh perspective to your work. So, go out and explore and maybe I will see g you there, working away.

Lynn F. Kowal is a composer, songwriter and SCL Board Member.

Women Composers In Media Concert

C

ongratulations to Women Composers In Media on a fabulous concert held by Women in Film at the Wilshire Ebell Theater Sunday, October 30. The event was MC’d by Tracy McKnight and featured 10 women composers in film, television and video games: Eimear Noone, Julia Newmann, Ronit Kirchman, Layla Minoui Hall, Jojo Draven, Dara Taylor, Karin Okada, Nami Melumad, Arhynn Descy and Catherine Grealish. Special congratulations to guest of honor Deborah Lurie!

L-R: Moderator/Composer Benoit Grey, Sonoton Production Music Producer/Director Elisabeth Oei, Composer/Songwriter Vance Marino, Composer/Songwriter Rie Sinclair; Composer Dan Beyer

Production Music Association/SCL Panel

P Featured Composers from the Women Composers in Media concert, L-R: Lolita Ritmanis (President, the AWFC), Julia Newman, Jojo Draven, Layla Minoui, Reema Iqbal (BMI), Nami Melumad, Dara Taylor, Deborah Lurie (Honoured composer of the evening), Ronit Kirchman, Eimear Noone, Catherine Grealish, Arhynn Descy

ayment Models for Production Music Creators was moderated

by Benoit Grey, Chairman of both the Seminar Committee and the Production Music Committee of The SCL. This panel featured music creators, producers, and publishers who explained the various income deals and agreements that sustain the professional environment for composers and songwriters. The panel explored the meaning and details of concepts such as work-for-hire, creative fees, music production fees, performing rights income, licensing fees and the other various ways that music creators can earn a living in the production music world.

17

Willie Dixon Continued from Page 6

again about it.

I thought it was so funny, I started making little poems about the monkey, you know, the signifying monkey. Then I found out the older people liked it as well as the youngsters. I started having little pamphlets made of it and I could go to the beauty parlors, barbers shops, wherever people was, and sell ‘em.

Some went for a nickel or a dime, I finally got a fellow with a printing press to press 500 of them because it was funny to him. Now, when I came to Chicago, I started to sell them too. This was years before it was ever recorded.

Everybody wanted “The Signifying Monkey.” I never thought the song would be popular, and then I recorded it. Then everybody recorded it.

Muddy Waters was the first one that got “I’m Your Hoochie Coochie Man.” We had sung it a couple of times on stage with the Big Three Trio. We’d come over where he was working at night on the South Side of Chicago and jam with him. He would tell me he liked the song and he would see if he could get his manager to accept some of the songs. I guess he told Chess about it and he said, “Man, I want that song you singin’ about the hoochie coochie man.”

Muddy had heard the song several times and when I went over there one

B

night he say, “You got that song with you?” I say, “Yea, I got it.” So we went into the washroom with his guitar trying to play it and I was showing him how simple it was to play. He liked it so well he said, “Man, I’m gonna do this number right now time I go on the stage before I forget it.”

And I showed him this little riff so it would be easier. He couldn’t read or write very well so he remembered the part he could read. He said, ‘’When I go on this time, you come down front and you kinda tell me if it’s right or where I’m goin’ wrong.” And from then on, that was one of his main songs.

After “Hoochie Coochie Man,” Chess said, “Oh man, you’ll never write another song like that no more.” I said, “Man, I already got some!” Every time I’d give them one, they’d be turning bigger and bigger. After while, Howlin’ Wolf got to the place he felt like I was givin’ Muddy the better songs. And Muddy said I was givin’ Howlin’ Wolf the better songs. And they had a little thing goin’ on about that.

Both of them was doin’ real well with my songs. But the thing about it was that Chess Company was always tellin’ Muddy, “Dixon’s gettin’ all the money,“ and they would tell me, “Muddy’s gettin’ all the money.” Kept on thinkin’ he was gettin’ the money, and Muddy told me one day, “Man, I thought you was takin’ all the money from the song, that’s why I can’t get

Continued on Next Page

BMI Joins Sundance Institute’s Film Music Program

MI proudly collaborated for the fourth year with the Sundance Institute’s Film Music Program to present the Sundance Institute Music and Sound Design Labs at Skywalker Sound in California. BMI’s Vice President, Film/TV Relations, Doreen Ringer-Ross, joined the program as a creative advisor, providing her knowledge and expertise to the participants.

As a founding supporter of the Composers Labs, BMI has played a critical role in the long-term development of the program. In addition, the Company has furthered the careers of many film composers by presenting a composer/director roundtable each year at the Sundance Film Festival.

18

none.” I said, “Well, that’s the same they told me.” Come to find out they was getting’ the money and neither one of us was gettin’ any!

I wasn’t too aware of the copyright law. I used to write a lot of songs and mail them to myself and they tell me that was as good as a copyright. Now a lot of times they would say that they had copyrighted it themselves. When they found that I had some of them mailed back to me, they didn’t know which ones, and so sometimes the company would copyright them for me.

I felt like if it was on the record, that was good enough proof, and it was to an extent. But I hadn’t the least idea that the record would crumble in a second and you had nothing. When I got involved with BMI and the Goodman Brothers, then I found out a better way of handling these things. I had hundreds of songs before I got any copyrighted, and I had many of them out there in the public. But so many people knew they was mine, it was no trouble.

When I was a kid, my mother and father used to read to us and I used to notice in the Bible they was always talkin’ ‘bout the Seventh Son. He was supposed to have been a lucky person and then there’s this thing about the people in New Orleans who are from Algeria Island where people are superstitious and believe in witchcraft. Some of these people were called the Seventh Son and the Seventh Daughter.

Pictured at the Sundance Institute Music and Sound Design Labs at Skywalker Sound in California are, L-R: composer fellows Alexis Grapsas, Amritha Vaz, Morgan Kibby, BMI’s Doreen RingerRoss, composer fellows Amie Doherty, Gus Reyes and Jermaine Stegall

L-R: creative advisors Ed Shearmur, BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, Sundance Film Music program director Peter Golub and composer and creative advisor Blake Neely

Willie Dixon Continued from Page 18

Most people never actually speak the things that they actually desire.

There’s a lot of times when somebody else says the thing you really want to say at heart—it hits the nail on the head and you don’t have to say it. Just like, how many times do a person look at somebody and wonder, “That’s a very nice person, I wonder what kind of disposition….” Then sooner or later, some guy looks and thinks, “I sure would like to make love to her.” He says it to himself and she might be thinking the same thing, but people don’t want each other to know their minds.

When somebody else can say it for you, it do you a lot of good to let you know someone else is thinking that same thing. This is why I feel that I’ve been able to make a lot of the songs successful—because they’re saying the things that the average person wouldn’t actually walk up to another and say, “I Just Wanna Make Love To You.” Memphis Slim and I got to talking over a period of time and we said, “Man, both of us are supposed to be pretty well-known blues artists, yet we can’t get enough work to keep our families going.” In the fifties we had done a duet, he played piano and I played bass, and we went all over the country.

But a lot of the places wouldn’t even play blues, just like now. You go to a lot of stations today and you tell them you got a song, and if you say it’s a blues they say, “Well, we don’t have that type of program, we won’t play blues.”

Everybody knows that most all of American music actually came from the blues. I’ve made some songs of many types but by somebody puttin’ a left hand boogie to it, they call it boogie woogie. And another guy put a couple of hot licks in it and they call it jazz. The next guy dedicate it to heavenly affairs and he call the same thing spiritual and it’s the same identical tune.

Blues are the true facts of life that’s expressed in words and songs: Desperation, feelings, understandin’, wisdom, knowledge and experience.

When you have these type of things, then you can write about and put all the positive thoughts to it.

Anyway, Memphis Slim and I was talkin’ about it and we said, “Some-

L

SESAC Signs Randy Newman

egendary songwriter and film composer Randy Newman, whose musical compositions have earned Oscars, Grammys and Emmys, has signed with SESAC for representation.

“There is no question that Randy Newman’s contribution to music is unparalleled, with songs that are timeless and music scores that are memorable.

His career has spanned almost 50 years, a tribute to his brilliance as a composer and musician,” said John Josephson, Chairman/CEO of SESAC. “We are proud to welcome Randy to the SESAC family of affiliates.”

Newman’s many honors include six Grammys, three Emmys, two Academy Awards, and a star on L-R: SESAC’s Erin the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Additionally, he was Collins and composer inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Randy Newman

body’s gotta start promotin’ these blues.

At that time there wasn’t a blues organization or blues foundation or nothin’ in the country. Everywhere we went we would go talkin’ about promotin’ the blues. People would say nobody’s interested in blues. But we started tryin’ to promote them here and in other places.

Then we decided that maybe if we went to Europe, the people don’t know as much about the blues over there as they did about them here. But the people over there was more aware of the blues than the people here.

While we were working at the Gate of Horn in Chicago, this lady named Aviva came in and said she was from Israel, and she had a club over there in Jaffa. Josh White had been to Israel and he told Slim and I, “Man, you ain’t gonna get much money but it’s a good thing to experience the Holy Land.”

We decided we’d go over there and take a chance. We thought the pound in Israel was like the pound in England, but the pound in Israel was only worth 33 cents of American money. The pound in England was worth two dollars and eighty cents American money. When it come time to pay and we found out these pounds wasn’t worth but 33 cents, we were really disgusted.

We decided to come back to France and we had all these Israeli pounds.

We’d been saving them up, nobody in Israel wanted to take them. They was only lookin’ for American dollars. We had to go to Switzerland to get the money changed. And when we got it changed, we didn’t have nothin’.

We went to Paris and Memphis Slim got a job at the Trois Manier because he had been there before. He was payin’ the rent and buyin’ the food and I was working for him. Meanwhile, we were still tryin’ to communicate and promote the blues. We was tryin’ to make some arrangements so that we could get the blues known all over the world.

We got a fella called Bob Norse to book us on the weekends at other places since we only worked at the Trois Manier during the week and he would get us five hundred dollars for a night’s work for a concert.

We found out that Big Bill Broonzy, the old guitar player, had been tellin’ people he was the last of the blues players and there wasn’t no more. So we began tellin’ people there was thousands of blues players there in Chicago and all over America. Then we ran into the Lipman and Roth Concert Bureau.

They had been doing shows for everybody and we got them interested enough to say they was gonna try to promote one blues show and see how it would work. That’s how the American Folk Blues Festival started in Europe.

Every year they would send and get people out of America for the festival.

I came back to America each year because I had family here, but Memphis Slim decided to stay over there, even though he had a family here. He felt he could better expose the blues over there because people appreciated it more than they did here. But you know how Americans are. We get jealous of things when we find somebody else Continued on Page 22 19

L-R: Abel Korzeniowski, Jeff Russo, Diane Warren, Mac Quayle, Duncan Thum, Martin Phipps, David Lawrence, Robert Duncan, Michael Levine, Johnny Klimek, Chris Bacon, Ricky Minor, Ashley Irwin, Riki Lindhome, Paul Leonard-Morgan, Kate Micucci, Sean Callery, Jeff Beal

L-R: SCL President Ashley Irwin, Adryan Russ, Miriam Cutler and Gernot Wolfgang

2016 Emmy Nominee Reception

L-R: Nan Schwartz and Mark Adler

The 2016 Emmy Nominee Reception was hosted by the Television Academy and The Society of Composers & Lyricists on September 8, 2016 at the Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills.

This is always a great night for all. Congratulations to all the nominees!!!

L-R: Sean Callery, Music Peer Group Governors Rickey Minor and Michael A. Levine and Lynn F. Kowal

L-R: Jack Elliot, Lori Barth, Greg O’Connor L-R: Nominees Russ Patrick and Bob Reagan L-R: Judi Pulver, Arlene Matza-Jackson and Jon Jackson

L-R: Ray Costa, Tracy McKnight, Laura Karpman L-R: Rupert Parkes aka Phototek and his wife Stephanie Chao-Parkes

L-R: Dominic Messinger, Roxanne Seeman, Jill Meyers and John Tempereau

L-R: Diane Warren and Greg Phillinganes take a selfie 20

L-R: Lisa LeMay, Rickey Minor, Laura Dunn L-R: Dara Taylor, John and Joan Beal and Lynn F. Kowal

SCL Events August 10 — “Kontakt for Composers—21st Century Sampling Setups” Seminar with David Das at AFI. L-R: Seminar Chair, Benoit Grey, David Das, SCL President Ashley Irwin

October 25 — La La Land Screening, ArcLight Hollywood. L-R: Director Damien Chazelle, Composer Justin Hurwitz, Moderator BMI’s Doreen Ringer-Ross, Producer Marc Platt, SCL President Ashley Irwin

August 18—Jesse Stone: Lost in Paradise Screening, DGA Theater. L-R: Exec Prod & CoScreenwriter Michael Brandman, Actor Tom Selleck, BMI’s Anne Cecere, Composer Jeff Beal, Moderator Jon Burlingame, Director Robert Harmon, SCL President Ashley Irwin

October 26 — SCL Annual Membership Meeting, The Garland.

L-R: SCL President Ashley Irwin, Composer Robert Lydecker, SCL Board Member/Moderator Chris Farrell, Composer Jon Ehrlich, Composer Sean Callery, Composer Roger Neill September 4 — SCL Night at the Hollywood Bowl/Annual Picnic. L-R: Composer John Williams, SCL Board Member Lynn F. Kowal, SCL President Ashley Irwin

September 28 — Thank You For Your Service Screening, Raleigh Studios, Chaplin Theater. L-R: SESAC’s Erin Collins, Composer Leigh Roberts, Director Tom Donahue, SCL Board Member/Moderator Lynn F. Kowal

October 22—Hacksaw Ridge Screening, The London Hotel Screening Room. L-R: SCL President/ Moderator Ashley Irwin, Composer Rupert Gregson-Williams

October 29 — Sing Out, Red Rock at Sportman’s Lodge. Front row, L-R: Publisher, PEN Music Group Michael Eames; SCL Board Member & Sing Out Host Adryan Russ; Publisher, Angry Mob Music, David Quan

October 17 — Production Music Conference, SCL Seminar “Payment Models for Production Music Creators.” L-R: Composer Rie Sinclair, Composer Dan Beyer, SCL Board Member/Moderator Benoit Grey, Composer Vance Marino, Producer/Director, Sonoton Production Music Elisabeth Oei

November 1 — Nocturnal Animals Screening, ArcLight Hollywood. L-R: Moderator Zach Laws, SCL Board Member Lynn F. Kowal, Composer Abel Korzeniowski

November 2 — Loving Screening, Landmark Theater. L-R: BMI’s Anne Cecere, Composer David Wingo, SCL Board Member/Moderator Chris Farrell 21

Willie Dixon Continued from Page 19

got somethin’ we want too. And especially if it came out of America.

When Memphis Slim and I used to work in Piccadilly Square in London, a lot of kids would come to the back door where they didn’t allow them. We’d open the door and let them stick their heads in and stay there and listen to us play. They’d say, “Man, we gonna play those songs when we got a group.”

They had all kinds of groups, but who would be payin’ attention to this.

And sure enough, time passed and next thing I know, here they were singin’ my songs. I used to put lots of songs on tape recordings and tell the guys, “Anybody that wants to use them, let ‘em long as they put my name on it.”

There’s a whole lot the world don’t know about the blues. I feel like the blues have been neglected for generations. When you don’t know the history of a thing, you don’t know how to appreciate it a lot of times. And the more a person learn about anything the better they can understand it. And that’s how I feel about the blues.

I know if the world knew the history of the blues and various things that the blues stood for, we would have a much better world, a more peaceful world. I have a record I just got pressed called, “It Don’t Make Sense You Can’t Make Peace.” I’m mailin’ it out to various

recording companies so they can get the idea that will influence the older people as well as the younger people about the peaceful solutions that can be in the world.

The Blues Heaven Foundation was actually made to publicize and advertise the blues, as well as give ideas to the various people that for generations have lost their songs and haven’t been able to collect any of their benefit from ‘em. I hope to give them an idea of how to protect themselves and how to get some of the benefits of what they done years ago, as well as give people the knowledge and history of the blues.

One of the main things about gettin’ a song over is the time bein’ right for it. When a person is writin’, he has to try and be in the rim of time that’s existin’ today so people can think about it.

This is why the young songwriter has to write accordin’ to the time and things people are thinkin’ about and talkin’ about and are interested in. that’s the most important thing, try and relate. Write to the times and the rhythms and pattern that the people like to hear. If you make it sound like somebody else’s thing, they’ll accept it —but you gotta make it a little different. You gotta always be able to put a little new, a little different tone quality in, but the facts still exist whether it’s good, bad, right or wrong, let it be the g facts.

SCL Premier Partners SCL members can find out the member discount details and how to contact Partners on our website.

ALFRED MUSIC AUDIO PERCEPTION BANDZOOGLE BIG FISH AUDIO BLACK LION AUDIO CINEMATIC STRINGS CINESAMPLES COMMERCIAL SCORING WORKSHOP FOCAL PRESS AND ROUTLEDGE MUSIC GUERILLA FILM SCORING GRAPHICALLY ENHANCED MANUALS JAN-AL-CASES LUDWIN MUSIC PUBLICATIONS MEGATRAX RECORDING STUDIOS MELROSE MAC MUSIC BUSINESS REGISTRY MY MUSIC MASTERCLASS NOTEFLIGHT PAGU BATONS PC AUDIO LABS PUREMIX THE RICHARD BELLIS MASTER SERIES SAMPLELOGIC SONIC FUEL STUDIOS SONOKINETIC SOUNDIRON SPITFIRE AUDIO TUNECORE UCLA EXTENSION

SCL AMBASSADORS BURT BACHARACH

New Gear Continued from Page 15

Win VST/AAX. I have heard the hardware version A-Designs released, and it is the Ferrari version of mastering EQs. Like any plugin, it is not going to be exact, but the plugin nails it extremely well. It has dual-mono, and three-band stepped frequency EQ with a “floating Q”. This varies based on how much gain is being applied, and the actual frequency and dynamic content of the audio. Each channel has six knobs (three detented knobs for fixed frequencies and three volume knobs, one for each frequency).

There are also three switches (one for EQ in /out, one for 84 Hz low cut filter, and another for an 8 kHz hi cut filter).

The plugin is loaded with over 60 22

custom UBK presets. All you gearheads will be very happy with the EQ, which is so smooth with a beautiful retro feel.

Definitely different than a lot of other EQ plugins. And that’s why I like it.

ALAN & MARILYN BERGMAN CARTER BURWELL

GEORGE S. CLINTON CHARLES FOX

ELLIOT GOLDENTHAL DAVE GRUSIN

ARTHUR HAMILTON

ALAN SILVESTRI MARK SNOW

MIKE STOLLER

PATRICK WILLIAMS PAUL WILLIAMS

MAURY YESTON

JAMES NEWTON HOWARD

In Memoriam:

ROBERT LOPEZ &

RAY CHARLES

Kush Audio — Omega Transformer Model A and Model N

MARK ISHAM

Two very simple, to-the-point plugins. They tame the digital harshness, take the edge off of sounds to warm them up, and do a good job smoothing out the transients. It sounds great before hitting your compressor, and will add punch and dimension to the sound. The plugin is influenced by the A for API, and the N for Neve, and the graphic knobs reinforce it. These plugins can definitely add some intense grit, but also give the retro vibe as well. g Definitely worth owning.

JOHNNY MANDEL

KRISTEN ANDERSON-LOPEZ RANDY NEWMAN MIKE POST

LALO SCHIFRIN

RICHARD SHERMAN DAVID SHIRE

VAN ALEXANDER HAL DAVID

RAY EVANS

EARLE HAGEN JACK HAYES

JERRY LIEBER VIC MIZZY

ROBERT SHERMAN

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD BILL CONTI

GINNY MANCINI

QUINCY JONES

HONORARY LIFETIME MEMBERS JAY L. COOPER, ESQ. CLINT EASTWOOD

DENNIS SPIEGEL JOHN WILLIAMS

M U S I C A L S H A R E S

BY CHARLES BERNSTEIN

Film Music: Brand or Generic?

“G

eneric” is rarely used as a compliment. Few people aspire to create generic products or works of art.

Being generic simply means that something lacks a distinctive identity, or maybe it can be mass-produced.

To counter this, we have “brand names.”

Just about everything we consume, drive, wear, see or use comes with a brand name and a logo stamped on it. Creating a brand is pretty easy. Simply choose a name, a symbol, and some engaging mythology to tout.

New businesses will pay lots of money to get “branded” by professionals. But, we can probably agree that it takes more than a name, an image and a story to produce something of true enduring value. To really flourish, a brand needs to be something worthy or distinctive to begin with. Maybe the greatest brands are simply the names of people or entities that have proven themselves over time to be innovative, highly desirable or somehow exceptional.

Art, music and literature also have their generic products and identifiable brand names. In painting, masters like Rembrandt, Picasso and Andy Warhol are certainly brand names. So are distinctive authors like Jane Austen and Charles Dickens, or even Dr. Seuss and Beatrix Potter. Beethoven is certainly a brand name, to which we can add Bach, Mozart, Schubert, Wagner, Tchaikovsky, and on and on. We know what these names stand for. Nobody had to “brand” these people.

They simply emerged by virtue of their mastery and their enduring accomplishments.

Hollywood and the movie business is no exception to branding. MGM was a brand name in musicals and Disney in animation.

High profile film directors and movie franchises also have their brands. Legendary directors like Ernest Lubitsch, John Ford, Federico Fellini, Stanley Kubrick, or some more current ones like Spike Lee, Alejandro Iñárritu and animation creators like John Lasseter and Hayao Miyazaki can all be called brand name directors. Of course, we have brands in film composers. And sometimes composers can become part of a particular director’s brand. John Williams has famously lent his talents to defining Steven Spielberg’s renowned style. The same can be said of composer Nino Rota and Federico Fellini, Danny Elfman and director Tim Burton, Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone, and a host of others.

Among film composers, we also have individual brand names. Yet, there is no shortage of generic music out there. These days, fans and critics alike can be heard complaining that so much film music is just “too generic sounding.” It is a way of saying that a lot of scores are sounding typical, general, neither engaging nor unique—and are probably flat out derivative or imitative. Aside from lacking originality, generic scores tend to be interchangeable. That is, such scores sound so general as to reflect a whole genre rather than a specific film. Fortunately, a score like Jerry Goldsmith’s The Omen (1976) sounds specifically like “the music from The Omen” and not just some generic “horror music.”

The same can be said of other horror classics like Krzysztof Komeda’s score for Rosemary’s Baby or Bernard Herrmann’s for Psycho. On the other hand, there is a lot of generic “scary film music” out there that has no specific identity and could just as easily be in one horror movie as another. This musical interchangeability applies not just to horror, but to action, rom-com, and all the other film genres.

So, how does a single film score create a brand identity for itself and bond with one particular film? There are reasons why some scores pop out as trademarks while others get lost in the generic mire, but the reasons are not always easy to identify. Let’s consider two famous scores of the Old West. Elmer Bernstein’s music from The Magnificent Seven (1960) certainly stands out as a special signature score. The sound is distinctive. From the three staccato chords in the opening bar, the sonic logo for this film is already set. It was not just a re-hash of some all-purpose Hollywood Western movie music. Elmer created a brand, a musical statement that forever represents one particular John Sturgis film, (later to be co-opted by another brand, Marlboro). Then there is Ennio Morricone’s score for Sergio Leone’s The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966).

This music is so idiosyncratic and powerful as to forever evoke that unique, highly stylized film. As with The Magnificent Seven, this score also went on to enjoy quite an after-life as it came to define an entire “Spaghetti Western” sound.

It’s true that not all films need to be branded with a unique musical signature. But when it works, there’s nothing better. So, how can a composer begin to achieve a special branded imprint? For the answer we probably have to

Aside from lacking originality, generic scores tend to be interchangeable. That is, such scores sound so general as to reflect a whole genre rather than a specific film.

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start with the film itself. Something in the story, the characters, the ambiance of the movie may yield a clue. It’s up to the composer to dig deeply and discover some distinctive sound, maybe an infectious melodic idea, perhaps a stylistic flourish or special timbre, something that can capture the film’s essence. The aim is to come up with an “iconic” marker for the film. “Icon” comes from the Greek word meaning “image” or “picture.” The end result should be a sonic snapshot or thumbnail that captures something deep in the soul of the film. Maurice Jarre’s score for The Tin Drum (1979) is memorable decades later for its unique musical signature, especially a particular overtone-rich blown pipe effect (and of course a percussion ensemble featuring a tin drum). John Williams seems to have the innate ability to brand each of his scores, often using traditional orchestral means. His music seems to magically bond forever with each film.

Consider such diverse examples as Star Wars (1977), Superman (1978), Monsignor (1982), ET (1982), Schindler’s List

(1993), Harry Potter (2001), each bearing its own recognizable themes and memorable musical stamp.

In pondering this issue of brands and generic, maybe we should take a step back and look at the bigger picture, and consider our place in the scheme of things. As members of the human race we might be considered generic, transitory and interchangeable. The same might be said of vegetation and other life forms. But as humans aren’t we also unique and special individuals, with the potential to be brands unto ourselves? The sudden arrival of social media seems to have amped up this ­issue. In a sense, every image and ­“story” posted to personal media can be seen as an act of branding, presenting a kind of Internet “avatar” of the living breathing person. Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, put it this way, “Think about what people are doing on Facebook today. They’re… building an image and identity for themselves, which in a sense is their brand.”

Branding goes back centuries. Originally administered with red-hot irons, it has been used for many things, from stigmatizing criminals to identifying

animals on a cattle ranch, and now to telling the world about products and who we are through Internet technology. Where film composers fit into this historical scramble for identity is hard to say. Composers and other creative people may not find branding to be a particularly easy or pleasant experience. But as with cattle, it may prove to be practical and insure against wandering off into the wilderness and getting g lost. © Charles Bernstein 2016 www.charlesbernstein.com

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