WORK 2020-2024
2020-2024 I completed two film soundtracks,
'THESIS' - an alternative documentary directed by Carl Grinter, covering the full journey of the Apollo 11 crew from blast off to splashdown in a completely linear timeline - giving a thought provoking comparison to the human adventure and the human need to communicate and survive.
'A Better Man' - a psychological drama directed by Rebecca Tranter, looking into the dark recesses of a damaged mind and a hidden past best forgotten.
2024 has also seen the release of 'RETROFREEFORM', a synthesiser album using faithful replicas of analogue synthesisers as used by artists such as Vangelis and Jean Michelle Jarre
One day in 1975, my musical influences enlarged dramatically upon hearing Vangelis’ seminal album ‘Albedo 0.39’.
The soaring analogue synthesizers, coupled with the processed Fender Rhodes, changed my life forever.
I put down my guitar and recorded on my then two cassette decks linked, anything I could find that made a musical note and effected it, multilayered it and strived to get that synthesiser sound. Bearing in mind that Vangelis was using among other synthesizers, a Yamaha CS-80, which were then over £9,000 – well out of my price range!
This way of writing continued for 4 years, using processed electric guitars, bells, flowerpots, any kitchen utensil and even a child’s Bontempi Organ. Then in 1979 - a revelation - electronics designer Chris Huggett and musician Adrian Wagner designed built and brought out the Wasp synthesiser, for only £200!
This was a game changer for many of us poor musicians and was the start of a lifelong love of all things keyboard and synths. The rest, as they say, is history.
This album ‘RETROFREEFORM’ I have written and recorded on modern faithful replicas of those analogue synths, to recreate that pure analogue sound us synthoians love, from Vangelis to Jean Michelle Jarre and everyone in between.
Whether you are new to analogue electric music, or an old hand, I hope this album inspires, returns you to earlier times or hopefully you just plain enjoy!
Brian.
For those techno’s, here is a list of the synths and their an analogue counterparts.
Korg Kronos II – using the built in MS-20, Polysix, DX-7, Fender Rhodes, Grand Piano, CX-3,
MOD-7 and other ‘sampled’ sounds
Arminator (CS-80 Emulator)
Cherry Audio GX-80 (Fantastic CS-80 Emulator)