The so called "Suicide Song" – please don’t kill yourself I hardly have any readers anyway …

I grew up watching a lot of SciFi series aimed at kids – it still was the space age and we all wanted to Astronauts (and not bloody rapper or skinny super models).

Barry Gray composed the soundtracks of many famous British TV shows.

I love his style: driven, funky and almost always cheerful. A bit militaristic sometimes – but most SciFi was based on military organizations: like SHADO in UFO or Captain Scarlet.

His music also reflected the positive attitude to the future – something we finally lost in the 1980’s (thank you so much Riddley Scott and Chernobyl).

Click player below to start the UFO – Opening Theme:

Click player below to start the Mysteron Theme from Captain Scarlet:

Click player below to start the Loch Ness Monster Suite:

I am a huge soundtrack fan. A good score paints images and stories right into my mind – even when I haven’t seen the movie. Because soundtracks follow the great tradition started by Richard Wagner by using themes for moods, characters and places in the movie they have more of a "story structure" compared to normal classical music.

The score for "House of Flying Daggers" (which is a brilliant movie by the way) mixes symphonic elements with Chinese drums and flute. The mood ranges from total tranquillity and beauty to fierce battle scenes.

Highly recommended!

You can listen to excerpts on Amazon.com and obviously buy it there as well: Amazon.com: House of Flying Daggers (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack): MP3 Downloads

Philip Glass is one of the few soundtrack composers that is famous for his movie and classical work as well.

His style is hypnotic, often a bit weird and unusual compared to music from great soundtrack composers like John Williams or classical ones like Beethoven. But he certainly is unique – and therefore not for everybody.

I personally love his hypnotic violin waves and delicate themes. It’s an almost surreal music – I guess that is why it was chosen for Koyaanisqatsi (1983) and later for Mishima (1985).

The Mishima soundtrack is a permanent item on my play lists for now over twenty year – and I am still loving it.

Click to play “November 25: The Last Day” (which is very similar to the Main Title):

Click to play “1937: Saint Sebastian”:

Click to play “Kyoko’s House (“Stage Blood Is Not Enough”)”:

Once again this music is not “easy listening”, but it’s well worth exploring. If you only want to buy one Philip Glass CD ever – than I recommend “Mishima”.

More? Philip Glass @ Wikipedia and Philip Glass @ Amazon.com

I love soundtracks. It when it comes to composers the late Jerry Goldsmith is a God amongst the Giants of classic soundtrack makers.

He has created many memorable themes and great orchestral scores for many famous and not so famous movies. This Maestro produced soundtracks like mortal men like you and me breathe.

His “Planet of the Apes” soundtrack is one of the most unusual tracks you can find. Strangely harmonic, yet disturbingly creepy. I still think that the movie itself would only be half as good without the soundtrack.

Click to play “Main Title”

Click to play “The Revelation”

It certainly isn’t “easy listening” – it’s actually very demanding music. But if you listen to it with your headphones on in the dark you suddenly will find yourself in an amazing vision of your own. This music inspires wild and bizarre images in your mind … or maybe nightmares …

More? “Planet of the Apes” @ Wikipedia

I am a big fan of symphonic soundtracks – they are the next best thing to classical music. The Godzilla soundtrack is pretty cool, has some great cheesy themes and moods. Just turn on that soundtrack and imagine yourself destroying Tokyo or Osaka.

Or watch this super cool old Godzilla trailer. Or watch this original Japanese Trailer for Godzilla vs Gigan. Ah, the joy of destruction!

More? Godzilla @Wikipedia or a gazillion video on YouTube