John Carpenter / Alan Howarth

GloryConan · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:41 pm **Posts:** 163

First, I am a big fan of Jerry Goldsmiths work. I also like Horner, Poledouris, Barry, Fielding, Morricone (I recently found LE PROFESIONNEL for 5 bucks in excellent condition, that was a good find) etc.

But I also treasure all my Carpenter Soundtracks (Vinyl and CD). My two favorites are Escape from New York and Halloween III. I never get tired to listen to these two. I sometimes think that there are two groups of listeners. One that cleary prefers classical scores (Goldsmith, Williams, etc) and one that goes for electronic scores (Carpenter, Tangerine Dream). Can one listen and like both categories? What do you think about this and what are your favorite Carpenter Scores?

Or am I the only one ;-)

Poll: Only ten titles possible in poll. YOU CAN CHOOSE 3 TITLES! The Thing is excluded because he only wrote "additional music", Dark Star excluded because the fun begins with "Assault On Precinct 13" (I think ;-)

GoblinScore · **Joined:** Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:44 pm **Posts:** 682

Welcome GC, this is a good friendly forum you'll see.

I'm like you, I love it all, depending on mood,situation,even time of
day, can spin between Carpenter/'Dream/Glass and Rozsa/Goldsmith/Tiomkin,
you name it. I think there are more of 'us' than you would imagine

I love Carpenter's early scores, but as music changed, so did his scoring, or interest,
so it's a fairly steady decline - I still dig out VAMPIRES, BODY BAGS, etc from time
to time, and VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED has glimpses of that 80's sequence-y brilliance.

GloryConan · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:41 pm **Posts:** 163

You are absolutely right. Steady decline is the right Definition. The same goes for his films.

I like his work from ASSAULT to PRINCE OF DARKNESS. I still haven't checked out VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED (i have seen the film twice though...). Maybe I should get it.

Cheers
Phil

digitalscreams · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:42 am **Posts:** 51

Hi GloryConan

Im a big John Carpenter film and music fan. My favourite soundtracks of his are Assault On Precinct 13, The Fog, Escape From New York, They Live, Big Trouble In Little China and Prince of Darkness. I have these on CD and Vinyl. Im currently looking into Halloween III as we speak...

I would definitely say I have a bias towards electronic/synth soundtracks....especially late 70's and 80's scores. I own Dawn of The Dead (1978), Day of The Dead (1985), The Running Man, (1987), The 'Burbs (1988), The Hitcher (1986), Breakin' 1 & 2 (1984), The Shining (1980), The Warriors (1979), Miami Vice (1985), Fright Night (1985), Labyrinth (1986), Raw Deal (1986) etc etc...

One of the things I really love about these scores is that they often listed the equipment used in the recording. John Carpenter's signature sound on Assault came from the Moog Modular 900 series. He used it to great effect for the bass and string sound. On The Fog he worked with Alan Howarth who introduced him to the Sequential Circuits Prophet 10 analog synthesizer. The Prophet 10 was responsible for most of the haunting bass, drones, detuned strings and effects. The Prophet 10 was known to be unreliable (used to overheat) so around 1980/1 they started using the Prophet 5. The Prophet 5 can be heard all over Escape From New York. Its a classic synth...I have one sat beside me. I made a little sound clip years ago after watching one of Carpenters films. Take a listen...and you'll hear some characteristic sounds http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS4tnBKF ... re=related (you'll even hear the drone sound used in Alien and the whale sound used in Star Trek IV The Voyage Home. These were factory presets). Yes I am a total music/synth geek :lol:

I like orchestral stuff too...Im actually getting really into it and discovering what I like. I love BattleStar Galactica, Battle Beyond The Stars etc. I have also discovered newer scores...such as Johan Soderqvist's Let The Right One In...which is combines orchestration and some synths. It is truly breathtaking (for me atleast). Check it out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2APXqzX2Bk

I just love film soundtracks...they're works of art.

Jago

GloryConan · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:41 pm **Posts:** 163

Hi Jago

I will check out the links. Thanks!

Do you know or have Edgar Froese KAMIKAZE 1989? He is one of the founders of Tangerine Dream. Check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANkjdoDMK6E

Hard to find and not everybodyy cup of tea ;-)

phil

T. Newman Fan · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2012 11:01 am

I'm sure that there are many people who very much like both purely orchestral and heavily electronic scores. I was really into Carpenter and Howarth's scores, but my interest has subsided lately.

Village of the Damned is a very good Carpenter score with a fantastic introductory march. Body Bags is another lesser known Carpenter score that sets an effective mood. They Live has an infectious bluesy theme that stands well with its repetition.

GloryConan · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:41 pm **Posts:** 163

CocoNut Joe · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2012 2:16 pm

Well this was a cruel thread...How am I suppose to choose only one Carpenter

My interest in filmmusic is to blame on mr Carpenter and especially Escape from N.Y, Big Trouble in little China, The Fog and Prince of darkness...
I love both electronic scores and orchestra scores, but Carpenter is KING I tell ya...
i own them all and the only one I´m soso about is his score to Dark Star (yes i even like his heavy metal Ghosts of Mars)

No I change my mind...Carpenter is GOD :mrgreen:

GoblinScore · **Joined:** Thu Dec 15, 2005 10:44 pm **Posts:** 682

That Froese album, Kamikaze, is a good one Phil - all of Froese's solo work is worth
seeking out, it's pretty much in line with TD's scores/records.

TD is becoming like EM - Morricone that is - so much out there, I've fallen hopelessly
behind - and, sad for me, I used to collect all for both these artists!

When it's used right, electronic scores can be perfect - I miss the heyday of the 80's,
when analog synths were all that - but if you look back at old articles from that time,
man - the haters! Funny how things change....

JohnnyUtah · **Posted:** Thu Feb 16, 2012 9:19 pm

Carpenter is one of my Top 5 favorite composers as I am a huge fan of Synth/Electronic scores. I own all of his scores (as well as the Howarth collaborations) and listen to them routinely. They simply never get old.

The Fog is my favorite followed by Escape From New York and Halloween III (which is criminally underrated, IMO).

GloryConan · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:41 pm **Posts:** 163

GloryConan · **Joined:** Wed Feb 15, 2012 3:41 pm **Posts:** 163

digitalscreams · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:42 am **Posts:** 51

Thanks for the heads up on Halloween III.

For some reason it passed me by...but now that I've checked it out I actually REALLY like it. For those of you who are interested...this is the equipment list:

RECORDERS AND EQUIPMENT

Stephens 821-A 24 trk
Tascam 80-8 8trk
DBX 155 Noise Reduction (2)
Otari 5050 B 2 trk
Otari Mk III-4 trk
Sony VO-5850 3/4"
VTR Sony 1900 Video Monitor
BTX 4500 Synchronizer
Furman PQ-6
Parametric EQ
Furman RV-1 Reverbs (2)
Technics Cassette RM-88
Delta Labs DL-4 Digital Delay
Dellta Labs DL-5 Harmonic Computer
Moog Vocorder
Technics Pre-Amp
Furman Stereo 2 way Crossover
Crest 250 Amp (Highs)
Altec 9440 Amp (Lows)
Altec 60-4E Speakers
Sequential Circuits POR-FX MPL 500
JVC VIDSTAR 1/2" 3300 VTR

INSTRUMENTS

Prophet-10 w Poly Sequencer
Prophet-5 w Poly Sequencer
ARP Avator (2)
ARP Swauencer
Sequential Circuits Programmer Mdl.700
Linn LM-1 Drum Computer eq.

If you ever wondered what JC and AH used to make their signature haunting, dark, atmospheric, moody string sounds, drones and FX....it was the Sequential Prophet 5 synthesizer. You can hear it all over this soundtrack, The Fog and Escape From New York.

Jago

digitalscreams · **Joined:** Tue Jan 03, 2012 7:42 am **Posts:** 51

Here's a video showing the Prophet 5 in action. You should notice the distinctly John Carpenter style tone...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40RiwZJg ... OdHGJUumg=

Jago

JohnnyUtah · **Posted:** Sat Mar 10, 2012 1:17 pm

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John Carpenter / Alan Howarth

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