IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE MADE AWARE WHEN FUTURE PROJECTS BECOME AVAILABLE,
THEN PLEASE
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS
NOT A MONEY MAKING EXERCISE
IT HAS BEEN DONE PURELY FOR
THE LOVE OF MUSIC
AND WE ARE HAVING AN ABSOLUTE BLAST
BELOW YOU WILL FIND LINKS TO THE FEATURED ARTISTS ALONG WITH BASIC NOTES EXPLAINING MUSICAL CHOICES AND INSPIRATIONS
THE JAMES BOND THEME - RAY BARRETTO
Kicking things off with this slightly campy rendering of the James Bond Theme by 'The King Of The Conga' - Ray Barretto.
YOU KNOW MY NAME - CHRIS CORNELL
On the ropes, and looking a little punch drunk after the sub par Die Another Day, the series was in desparate need of a reset.
Not only did the producers commision one of the stand out Bond themes, Casino Royale is considered by many, to be one of the very best official Bond films of the lot.
The magic of John Barry certainly contributed to the Bond phenomenon and helped it achieve the status as the most important film series ever.
Thunderball could be one of John Barry's best Bond scores, this Latin Jazz version by 'The King Of The Conga' will keep you on your toes.
I'm not that familiar with the work of DJ Pilizhao, but this is from an album of frenetic Breakbeat reworkings of fairly cool theme music, Star Wars, Enter The Dragon and..... Knight Rider?
Slotting in to link the genres.
Although, I'm not too sure what genre the previous entry fits??
007, A FANTASY BOND THEME - BARRY ADAMSON
James Bond is the man!
007 (SHANTY TOWN) - DESMOND DEKKER
This link may be a bit tenous, but it'll make sure that your ears are alight.
ANOTHER WAY TO DIE - JACK WHITE & ALICIA KEYS
Jack White following the new trajectory set out by Chris Cornell, plus the traditional power vocal of Alicia Keys to keep it all in line with the earlier format.
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE - THE PROPELLERHEADS
I've been a fan of the Bond films since watching Moonraker on Boxing day some time in the early eighties. Imagine my delight when this Wall Of Sound 12" took pride of place in my collection. The unmistakable drum patterns of The Propellerheads mixed with the very best Bond theme of the lot.
This also contains the amazing score to the opening sequence of You Only Live Twice at the breakdown halfway through as a bonus.
That section of music can also be heard on my Space themed project from a few years back, P MINUS ONE with a remixed version by Leftfield.......Synergy!
The absolute stand out track from an album of truly awful Bond Themed covers. In a slightly better version of the current universe, Miss Guðmundsdóttir would have recorded at least one of the officially released Bond themes.
NO TIME TO DIE - BILLIE EILISH
I did attempt to have this follow on from the James Bond Theme by Ray Barretto, but wanted to go with something that delivererd more of a punch. Placing this at the mid point works on this occasion.
007 IN AFRICA - UPTEMPO PLAYERS
More Dub to tie in with Bond's Jamaican roots.
THE JAMES BOND THEME - LTJ BUKEM
Time for a little bit of Liquid Bond with this Logical Progression that follows perfectly from the previous Dub sound.
Another entry from the David Arnold project that kept me going through some very tough times of recouperation.
If Björk did ever get to perform a Bond theme in my fantasy universe, then I would have to insist that LTJ Bukem produces the whole score....
ESCAPE FROM PIZ GLORIA - JOHN BARRY
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE ('69)
Doubling up (of sorts) on the OHMSS theme because I like it that much!
The actual film is always in my preferred top five of Bond films, it would have been my outright favourite if Timothy Dalton had been cast.
Mixing these two together has proved quite pleasing to the ear (if you like LTJ Bukem and John Barry?) Luckily for me, a couple of musical practitioners that I find very pleasing to the ear in their own right.
It's 1977, and time for Rog to hit the dance floor.
Continuing the dramatic ski chase theme by linkng up two of the most dramatic ski chases ever filmed. These sequences are a high point of the series, and are often referred to as the benchmark in cinema.
FILLET OF SOUL MEDLEY - GEORGE MARTIN (FEAT. BJ ARNAU)
I've already featured the original Live And Let Die theme on one of my early travel cassettes PLANETMEECH 120. I very nearly included one of the large number of popular cover versions, but thankfully opted for this alternate offering that was actually performed in the film.
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN - LULU
THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN ('74)
My old pals Skinner and Roly would describe this and the last track as sounding quite 'chixty'. I'm pretty sure that it's a made up word, but I think I know what is meant
A lesser known track from the Tomorrow Never Dies Soundtrack that plays out over the closing credits.
This was the first Bond film I saw in the cinema after moving to London, also coinciding with my decision to catch up with all the Ian Fleming novels on my daily commute.
WHERE HAS EVERYBODY GONE? - THE PRETENDERS
Part of the incidental music used in this film, which was actually my very first cinematic Bond experience.
I must admit to being a complete non Radiohead listener. I really cannot explain this inconsitency, because I have heard from one or two people that they are supposed to be quite good. This song is probably one of the high points of this whole mix, and a real crime that it got overlooked in favour of Writing's On The Wall by Sam Smith.
This really would have been one of the better Bond themes!
On the strength of this, I think I'd better catch up and start some serious Radiohead listening...
*I've just listened to the Sam Smith track again, and it is inferior to this, but because of the association with the film and the trademark titles, does just about get a pass.
I suppose if you ask say...Chas & Dave to record an official Bond theme, then even that would also get a pass???
Apologies if you're expecting to hear Dame Shirley Bassey, this is as close as we get I'm afraid. Moonraker is definitely my favourite Shirley Bassey theme in the series, which I have already committed to P MINUS ONE, my Space themed show from a few years back.
WE HAVE ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD - LOUIS ARMSTRONG
ON HER MAJESTY'S SECRET SERVICE ('69)
This should always trigger an accute emotional response.
I may not be able to continue, just the thought of that ending could set me off again.
IF THERE WAS A MAN - THE PRETENDERS
Another lesser known track, this from the Living Daylights Soundtrack that also plays out over the closing credits. I think I'm slightly more keeen on The Pretenders than KD Lang, so this goes at the end.
ALTERNATIVELY, FOLLOW THE LINK BELOW FOR THE 60 MINUTE
APPLE MUSIC 'SOFT EDIT'