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									| September 12 ---> Hans Zimmer Birthday |  
 
 
 
								
									| January 2004
 
 
												
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 "The Last Samurai"
 soundtrack
 Music composed, arranged & produced by Hans Zimmer
 CD Tracks
 1 A Way of Life 8:03
 2 Spectres in the Fog 4:07
 3 Taken 3:35
 4 A Hard Teacher 5:44
 5 To Know My Enemy 4:48
 6 Idyll's End 6:40
 7 Safe Passage 4:56
 8 Ronin 1:53
 9 Red Warrior 3:56
 10 The Way of the Sword 7:59
 11 A Small Measure of Peace 7:59
 Total time: 59:46
 
 
 Performed by THE HOLLYWOOD STUDIO SYMPHONYConducted by BLAKE NEELY
 Vocals : DELORES CLAY
 Fiddle : CRAIG EASTMAN
 Cello : STEVE ERDODY
 Navajo voices : BENJAMIN HALE
 Koto : JUNE KURAMOTO
 Taiko drums : EMIL RICHARDS
 Shakuhachi : BILL SHULTZ
 Flute : FRED SELDEN
 Synthesisers : HANS ZIMMER
 Orchestrations : BRUCE FOWLER, SUZETTE MORIARTY, LADD MCINTOSH
 Engineered by : SLAMM ANDREWS, ALAN MEYERSON
 Music Editor : MARC STREITENFELD
 
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												December 2003
													| Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer weaves the distinctive sounds of traditional Japanese instruments into his powerful original score for The Last Samurai, which marks his 100th feature film collaboration. He adds a layer of cultural nuance to the action by incorporating elements of shakuhachi, (bamboo flutes), koto (a 13-stringed instrument similar to a zither) and taiko, literally "fat drum," used in Japan in a variety of settings including courtly, religious, cultural and military. Taiko were employed on the battlefield since the 5th century to signal commands that could be heard across great distances
 The Oscar winner ("The Lion King") combined traditional Japanese instruments (koto strings, shakuhachi pipes, taiko drums) with unconventional Western orchestra (just strings and brass) and synthesizers for a massive West-meets-East approach to the story of a Civil War hero in 19th-century Japan.
 "Japanese music of the 1870s is completely inaccessible to most Western audiences. It would not work dramatically. In fact, it's the antithesis of drama." So he decided to use Western melodies, but try to apply a Japanese aesthetic to them. Also, he notes, there are vast stretches of images and music, with no dialogue. "Musically, we go through a big metamorphosis," he adds, just as Tom Cruise's character changes from a drunken, cynical American soldier into a respected samurai. "I track him all the way through basically by giving the other (Japanese) characters more and more weight, musically. I wanted the American to find a home, to find peace, in Japan."
 
 Golden Globe nomination: Best original score
 
 
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													| Zimmer scores in movies: "Spanglish" (2004) - confirmed
 "Secret Window" (2004)
 "Something´s Gotta Give" (2004)
 "Collateral" (2004)
 "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005) - confirmed
 "Over The Hedge" (2005)
 
 
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 German born Hans Zimmer is a pioneer in the use of digital synthesizers, advanced computer technology, electronic keyboards and their successful integration with the traditional orchestra in music for film and television.
 Moving to London, Hans began composing jingles for Air Edel Associates and teamed up with Trevor Horn and Geoff Downes as "The Buggles" to produce the worldwide hit, Video Killed the Radio Star and subsequent album The Age of Plastic. By 1980 Hans was pioneering the use of computers live on stage while working with the group Ultravox.
 Then he enjoyed a period of stardom in Italy with the avant garde band Krisma, before returning to London to develop his next project with Warren Cann of Ultravox, culminating in a series of unique concerts at the London Planetarium.
 It was shortly after this that Hans met and began working with the film composer Stanely Myers. Realizing the importance of incorporating the two musical forms, electronic and classical, they set up "Lillie Yard Studio" in London with the very latest state of the art musical technology.
 Zimmer continued to work out of "Lille Yard Studio" as his partnership with Myers strengthened. They worked very successfully on Jerzy Skolimovshi's Moonlighting, Success Is The Best Revenge and The Lightship; Nicholas Roeg's Insignificance and The Castaway. They then went on the compose the music for the box office hit My Beautiful Launderette (Best Picture Evening Standard Awards).
 In 1986 he worked solo on Working Title's Vardo and he then went on to work with Ryuichi Sakamoto, and David Byrne, to produce the soundtrack for the award winning epic The Last Emperor. This was followed by another teaming with Stanely Myers for the score of Nature and the Beast. He then wrote scores for Philip Saville's Wonderland, and Paperhouse for director Bernard Rose at Working Title. Then for Vestron he composed the music for the Faye Dunaway, Klaus Maria Brandauer feature Burning Secret.
 In 1988 he was asked to compose the music for a small budget, ground breaking film about South Africa, A World Apart. Based on a true story, this film was not just a coming of age of the voice of the struggle, but a turning point in Hans' career. As a result he was asked to write the Oscar nominated score for the box office smash Rain Man.
 Through 1989 Hans scored Ridley Scott's Black Rain and then his third Oscar contender, Driving Miss Daisy. He followed this with the score for the Universal release Bird on a Wire, Paramount's race car drama Days of Thunder starring Tom Cruise, Fox's thriller Pacific Heights, allowing Hans to work with Oscar winning director John Schlesinger.
 In 1991 Hans completed the scores for Peter Weir's GreenCard (Golden Globe Best Comedy), Ridley Scott's Thelma & Louise, Ron Howards fireman epic, Backdraft, Richard Donner's film Radio Flyer, and Franc Roddman's mountaineering thriller, K-2.
 1992 began with Hans working on his second south African film, The Power of One for director John Avildsen. The epic scope of this movie allowed Hans a unique opportunity to write both songs and music with a South African lyricist to create haunting tribal anthems to support the historic struggle of the film.
 Hans then went to work with Penny Marshall on A League of Their Own about the first all woman baseball league, starring, Geena Davis, Tom Hanks and Madonna. Hans finished up 1992 working with Barry Levingson on Toys starring Robin Williams. The most popular music from that film, however, was ultimately the songs contributed by Enya.
 1993 started with scoring the American version on La Femme Nikita and Point of No Return starring Bridget Fonda. This was Hans' second collaboration with director John Badham. Hans then worked with director Percy Adlon of his film "Younger and Younger, reteamed with executive producer Penny Marshall for Calendar Girl and also with Tony Scott, who directed Days of Thunder for the Quentin Tarentino story of True Romance. Hans' score for the Disney surprise hit Cool Runnings did blistering business at both the box office and in the charts. Hans' next release was the criticaly acclaimed I'll Do Anything written and directed by James L. Brooks, starring Nick Nolte. Hans also composed the original score to Bille Augusts' House of The Spirits which is doing amazing buisiness in Europe. 1995 efforts included such films as Nine Months (for which Hans wrote the theme before production started) and Something to Talk About.
 Two enormously popular soundtracks were released in 1995. The score for John Boorman's Beyond Rangoon combines ethnic pipes and voice with synthesizer. Later in the year, the submarine thriller Crimson Tide was a huge success at the box office and Zimmer received high praise for his choral, action-packed score.
 In 1996, he wrote a wealth of material for seven films, beginning with John Woo's Broken Arrow. This gave Hans the chance to score a western (sort of) --he had originally wanted to score Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven. Next, he scored the summer hit The Rock with Harry Gregson-Williams and a short recording for The Fan. His score for The Preacher's Wife (unreleased as of 1999) was nominated for an Academy Award. He continued with what he considers his best score: Two Deaths. Other releases of the year included The Whole Wide World and Muppet Treasure Island.
 The most classical of his works, Smilla's Sense of Snow was scored in early 1997. Next for Hans was Old Friends and The Peacemaker.
 Zimmer has composed the music for over 70 feature films.
 In addition to his composing work, Zimmer heads DreamWorks' film music division. His appointment marks the first time that a composer has headed the music department of a major studio since the days of Dimitri Tiomkin at MGM and Alfred Newman at Twentieth Century Fox.
 
 
  
 
 
								
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													| Hans Zimmer
 Discography / collaborations
 
 
 A League Of Their Own -Composer
 
 A World Apart -Composer
 
 An Everlasting Piece -Composer
 
 As Good as it Gets - Composer, Music Arranger, Music Producer, Song Producer
 
 Backdraft -Composer
 
 Beyond Rangoon -Composer, Music Producer
 
 Black Hawk Down -Composer
 
 Black Rain -Composer
 
 Broken Arrow -Composer, Score Arranger
 
 Castaway (LP) -Cocomposer (additional music)
 
 Cool Runnings -Composer
 
 Crimson Tide -Composer
 
 Driving Miss Daisy -Composer
 
 Drop Zone -Composer
 
 Fan, The -Composer
 
 Fools of Fortune -Composer
 
 Gladiator -Co-composer
 
 Gladiator, More music from -Co-composer
 
 Green Card -Composer
 
 Hannibal -Composer, Music Producer
 
 Histoire d'O Chapitre II (Story of O.II) -Co-composer
 
 House of the Spirits, The -Composer, Music Arranger
 
 I'll do Anything -Composer
 
 Insignificance (LP) -Co-composer
 
 Invincible -Composer
 
 Johnny English -Co-composer (additional music) (the theme)
 
 K2: Music inspired by the film -Composer
 
 Last Samurai- -Composer
 
 Lion King -Composer
 
 Matchstick Men -Composer
 
 Millennium -Composer
 
 Mission: Impossible II -Composer
 
 Muppet Treasure Island- Composer
 
 My Beautiful Laundrette (LP)
 Additional music
 
 New Music in Films- Composer
 
 Nine Months -Composer
 
 Pacific Heights -Composer
 
 Paperhouse -Co-composer
 
 Peacemaker, The -Composer
 
 Pearl Harbor -Composer
 
 Pledge -Co-composer
 
 Point of No Return -Composer
 
 Power of One -Composer
 
 Prince of Egypt -Composer, lyricist
 
 Radio Flyer -Composer
 
 Rain Man -Composer
 
 Regarding Henry -Composer
 
 Renaissance Man -Composer
 
 Riding in Cars with Boys -Composer
 
 Road to El Dorado - Co-composer
 
 The Rock -Co-composer, Music Producer, Score Arranger
 
 Smilla's Sense of snow -Co-composer
 
 Something to Talk About -Co-composer
 
 Spirit: Stallin of the Cimarron -Composer
 
 Tears of the Sun -Composer
 
 Thelma & Louise -Composer
 
 Thin Red Line -Composer
 
 Toys -Composer, Musician
 
 True Romance -Composer
 
 Wings of a Film, -Live album
 
 Younger and Younger- Composer
 
 Official soundtrack releases with other Hans Zimmer contributions
 
 Antz -Music Executive Producer
 
 Endurance -Music Producer
 
 Face Off -Score Producer
 
 Fame L.A. -Score Producer (TV Series)
 
 Last Emperor -Score Producer
 
 Liar-Sound Advisor
 
 Lion King - Broadway Co-composer
 
 Mask of the Phantasm (Batman: The Animated Movie) -Synthesist
 
 Memoirs of an Invisible man -Synthesist
 
 Pirates Of The Caribbean -Music Producer
 
 Rhythm Of The Pride Lands -Song Arranger
 
 Shrek -Music Producer
 
 Spy Kids -Music Producer
 
 Spy Game Assistance to Harry Gregson Williams
 
 White Squall -Music Producer
 
 With Friends Like These... -Music Producer
 
 Rare releases of soundtracks composed by Hans Zimmer
 
 
 
 
 
 Hans Zimmer
 Filmography
 
 
 
 2005
 
 Kingdom of Heaven Composer
 
 Over The Hedge Composer
 
 
 2004
 
 King Arthur Composer
 
 Shark Tale (a.k.a. Sharkslayer) Composer
 
 Spanglish Composer
 
 The Lion King 1 1/2 (a.k.a. Lion King 3:Hakuna Matata) rumour Composer
 
 Collateral rumour Composer
 
 Something's Gotta Give Composer
 
 
 
 2003
 
 The Last Samurai Composer
 
 Matchstick Men Composer
 
 Threat Matrix Co-composer (TV Series) (the theme)
 
 Pirates of the Caribbean Music Producer
 
 Tears of the Sun Composer
 
 Johnny English Co-composer (additional music) (the theme)
 
 2002
 
 Live From Baghdad Executive Music Producer
 
 The Ring Composer
 
 Spirit: Stallin of the Cimarron Composer, Music Producer
 
 Black Hawk Down Composer
 
 
 2001
 
 Riding in Cars with Boys Composer
 
 Invincible Composer
 
 Pearl Harbor Composer
 
 What About Joan Composer (TV Series Theme)
 
 Hannibal Composer, Music Producer
 
 The Pledge Co-composer
 
 Shrek Music Producer
 
 Spy Kids Music Producer
 
 King of the Jungle Executive Producer
 
 Spy Game Assistance to Harry Gregson Williams
 
 
 2000
 
 An Everlasting Piece Composer
 
 Mission: Impossible II Composer
 
 Gladiator / More music from... Co-composer
 
 The Road to El Dorado Co-composer
 
 Chicken Run (Special thanks)
 
 1999
 
 El Candidato Composer (TV Series)
 
 Die Motorrad-Cops: Hart am Limit Composer (Theme)
 
 Chill Factor Co-composer
 1998
 
 Das Dritte Reich - in Farbe Composer (TV)
 
 Endurance Music Producer
 
 The Last Days Composer
 
 The Prince of Egypt / Collect.Edit Composer, lyricist
 
 The Thin Red Line Composer
 
 Antz Music Executive Producer
 
 With Friends Like These... Music Producer
 
 Jack Frost (piece from Backdraft) Deceiver Sound Advisor
 
 
 1997
 
 As Good as it Gets Composer, Arranger, Music Producer
 
 The Lion King - Broadway Co-composer
 
 Scream 2 (piece from Broken Arrow). Song Writer: "Brothers", "Secure"
 
 The Peacemaker Composer
 
 The Borrowers Score Producer
 
 Fame L.A. Score Producer (TV Series)
 
 Face Off Score Producer
 
 Smilla's Sense of snow Co-composer
 
 Liar (a.k.a. Deceiver)vSound Advisor
 
 
 1996
 
 The Rock Co-composer, Score Arranger, Music Producer
 
 The Preacher's Wife Composer
 
 The Fan Composer
 
 Muppet Treasure Island Composer
 
 High Incident Composer (TV Series Theme)
 
 Broken Arrow Composer, Score Arranger
 
 White Squall Music Producer
 
 
 1995
 
 Two Deaths Composer
 
 Something to Talk About Co-composer
 
 Nine Months Composer
 
 Beyond Rangoon Composer, Music Producer
 
 Crimson Tide Composer
 
 Rhythm Of The Pride Lands Song Arranger
 
 
 1994
 
 I'll Do Anything Composer
 
 Monkey Trouble Co-composer (additional music)
 
 Renaissance Man Composer
 
 Drop Zone Composer
 
 The Lion King Composer
 
 Africa: The Serengeti Composer
 
 The Critic Composer (TV Series Theme)
 
 
 1993
 
 Ryori no tetsujin (Iron Chef) Composer (TV Series, From Backdraft)
 
 Calendar Girl Composer
 
 Cool Runnings Composer
 
 Point Of No Return Composer
 
 Younger and Younger Composer
 
 The House of the Spirits Composer, Music Arranger
 
 True Romance Composer
 
 Space Rangers Composer (TV Series)
 
 Lifepod Co-composer
 
 Sniper Co-composer (additional music)
 
 Mask of the Phantasm (Batman: The Animated Movie) Synthesist
 
 Aspen Extreme Song writer "The Driver - Part 2"
 
 
 1992
 
 Millennium Composer (TV Series)
 
 The Power of One Composer
 
 Radio Flyer Composer
 
 Where Sleeping Dogs lie Composer
 
 Toys Composer, Musician
 
 A League of Their OwnvComposer
 
 Memoirs of an Invisible man Synthesist
 
 
 1991
 
 Regarding Henry Composer, Synthesist
 
 K2: Music inspired by the film Composer
 
 Backdraft Composer
 
 Thelma & Louise Composer
 
 White Fang Co-composer (additional music)
 
 
 1990
 
 Green Card Composer
 
 Pacific Heights Composer
 
 Fools of Fortune Composer
 
 Chicago Joe and the Showgirl Co-composer
 
 Days of Thunder Composer
 
 Bird on a Wire Composer
 
 Maniac City new! Komponist
 
 Nightmare at NoonvCo-composer
 
 To the Moon Alice Composer (TV)
 
 Showtime 30-Minute Movie, the Composer (TV)
 
 Mumm new! Composer (TV commercials)
 
 
 1989
 
 First Born Composer (TV Series)
 
 Diamand Skulls (a.k.a. Dark Obsession) Composer
 
 Prisoner of Rio (a.k.a. Wiezien Rio) Co-composer
 
 Driving Miss Daisy Composer
 
 Black Rain Composer
 
 Arcadia Composer
 S.P.O.O.K.S. Composer
 Bread Composer (TV)
 
 1988
 
 The Fruit Machine (a.k.a. Wonderland) Composer
 
 Paperhouse Co-composer
 
 Spies Inc. (a.k.a. Codename: Chaos) Composer
 
 Nature of The Beast Co-composer
 
 Taffin Composer
 
 Twister Composer
 
 A World Apart Composer
 
 Burning Secrets Composer
 
 Vardo Composer
 
 Elphida Composer
 
 Rain Man Composer
 
 
 1987
 
 Comeback Composer (TV)
 
 The Wind Composer
 
 Castaway Co-composer (additional music)
 
 Terminal Exposure (a.k.a. Double Exposure) Co-composer
 
 The Last Emperor Score Producer
 
 
 1986
 
 Seperate Vacations Co-composer
 
 The Zero Boys Co-composer (additional music)
 
 My Beautiful Laundrette Co-composer, Music Producer
 
 
 1985
 
 Insignificance Co-composer
 Dreamchild Co-composer
 
 Wild Horses Co-composer
 
 The LightshipvCo-composer
 
 
 1984
 
 Histoire d'O Chapitre II (Story of O.II) Co-composer
 
 Success is the Best Revenge Co-composer
 
 Blind Date Co-composer
 
 
 1983
 
 Eureka Co-composer
 
 
 1982
 
 Moonlighting Co-composer
 
 
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									| Awards 
 
 
 2003
 
 The Last Samurai
 
 Golden Globe Nomination
 - Best original score
 
 Spirit: Stallion Of Cimarron
 
 Golden Globe Nomination
 - Best original song: "Here I Am" from Spirit: Stallion of Cimarron
 
 2002
 
 Spirit: Stallion Of Cimarron
 
 Fennecus Awards 2002
 Song Score - Original or Adaptation
 
 Black Hawk Down
 
 World Soundtrack Awards Nomination (2002)
 - Best Original Soundtrack of the Year - Orchestral
 
 Spirit: Stallion Of Cimarron
 
 World Soundtrack Awards Nomination (2002)
 - Best song: This is where I belong' from Spirit: Stallion of Cimmaron
 Hannibal ASCAP Award
 Top Box Office Films
 Pearl Harbor ASCAP Award
 Top Box Office Films
 
 Pearl Harbor
 
 Golden Globe Nomination (2002)
 Best Original Score
 
 2001
 Mission: Impossible II ASCAP Award
 Top Box Office Films
 The Road to El Dorado Saturn Award Nomination
 Best Music
 Gladiator Bafta Award Nomination
 Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
 Gladiator Saturn Award Nomination
 
 
 Hannibal
 
 World Soundtrack Awards Nomination
 WSA Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
 
 Pearl Harbor
 
 World Soundtrack Awards Nomination
 WSA Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
 
 The Pledge
 
 World Soundtrack Awards Nomination
 WSA Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
 
 An Everlasting Piece
 
 World Soundtrack Awards Nomination
 WSA Best Original Soundtrack of the Year
 
 2000
 
 Gladiator
 
 Academy Award Nomination
 Best Original Score
 Gladiator
 
 Golden Globe Award
 Best Original Score
 
 Gladiator
 
 Grammy Award Nomination
 Best Score Soundtrack Album
 Gladiator ASCAP Award
 Top Box Office Films*
 Gladiator Golden Satellite Award
 Best Original Score
 Gladiator Sierra Award
 Best Score
 Gladiator Online Film Critics Society Award Nomination
 Best Original Score*
 Gladiator Chicago Film Critics Association Nomination
 Best Original Score
 
 1999
 
 The Prince of Egypt
 
 Saturn Award Nomination
 Best Music
 
 1998
 
 The Prince of Egypt
 
 Grammy Award Nomination
 Best Soundtrack Album (producers award)
 
 The Thin Red Line
 
 Academy Award Nomination
 Best Original Dramatic Score
 
 The Prince of Egypt
 
 Academy Award Nomination
 Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
 
 The Prince of Egypt
 
 Golden Globe Nomination
 Best Original Score
 
 The Thin Red Line
 
 Golden Satellite Award
 Best Original Score
 
 1997
 
 As Good As It Gets
 
 Academy Award Nomination
 Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
 
 1996
 
 The Preacher's Wife
 
 Academy Award Nomination
 Best Original Musical or Comedy Score
 
 Crimson Tide
 
 Grammy Award
 Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture
 
 1995
 
 The Lion King
 
 Academy Award
 Best Original Score
 
 The Lion King
 
 Golden Globe Award
 Best Original Score
 
 The Lion King
 
 Grammy Award
 Best Musical Album for Children*
 
 The Lion King
 
 Grammy Award Nomination
 Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture
 
 The Lion King (song:Circle of Life)
 
 Grammy Award Nomination
 Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists/Best Background Arrangement: Circle Of Life
 The Lion King Bafta Award Nomination
 Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music
 The Lion King Chicago Film Critics Association Award
 Best Score
 The Lion King The Sammy Awards
 Best Score of the Year
 
 1992
 
 Thelma & Louise
 
 Bafta Award Nomination
 Best Original Film Score
 
 1989
 
 Driving Miss Daisy
 
 Grammy Award Nomination
 Best Instrumental Composition Written for a Motion Picture
 
 1988
 
 Rain Man
 
 Academy Award Nomination
 1988 Best Original Score
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									| What is the difference between score- and song-soundtracks?
 
 Hans Zimmer: A score is the most orchestral sound that underlies the film. The music is specially written for the film. In most cases, a pure score-CD is released of a film. Although often there is only a CD with songs. Sometimes, a mixed CD, with both score and songs, is put on the market.
 
 
 
 Who is Hans Zimmer?
 
 Hans Zimmer: For years, Hans Zimmer has been one of the most successful composers of filmmusic in Hollywood. Born in Frankfurt am Main, he started his career in England, where he worked with composer Stanley Meyers. After some co-compositions for Meyers, soon commissions followed for projects of his own.After this came his move to Hollywood and he finally broke through with his music for Oscar-winner Rain Man.
 
 
 
 What does Hans Zimmer have to do with the oldie Video Killed The Radio Star?
 
 Hans Zimmer: Before Hans Zimmer became active in filmmusic, he was a member of the 1980s band The Buggles, that scored a hit with their Video Killed The Radio Star, in 1979. If you would dig up an old TV-performance, you can recognize Hans Zimmer behind the synthesizer.
 
 
 
 What goes behind Media Ventures?
 
 Hans Zimmer: Media Ventures is the L.A. based music-studio of Hans Zimmer and his partner, Jay Rifkin. Zimmer himself described MV as School of Sounds. Zimmer founded the firm to give young, talented composers a career-start in Hollywood.
 
 
 
 What is the link between composers like Harry Gregson-Williams, Mark Mancina & Co. And Hans Zimmer?
 
 Hans Zimmer: These composers are or were colleagues in the soundfactory of Zimmers Media Ventures. Zimmer works closely with his people on a whole range of different projects. Harry Gregson-Williams for instance, conducts numerous Zimmer-scores. Nick Glennie-Smith wrote shorter passages for Zimmers Nine Months, Hans Zimmer on the other hand produced for example the score for Jeff Ronas White Squall or John Powells Face/Off. Some co-productions are not even accounted for by a credit.
 
 
											
 
 Which modular system did you start off with ?
 
 Hans Zimmer: The Roland System 700. It's pretty much on every movie that I ever did in England such as 'Thelma and Louise'. Part of it just got used as the greatest auto-panner in the world!! Because with film stuff, when you put things out of phase they go to the back, so I'd make these really elaborate patches up, and put half the mix through it and it would throw it to the back and round to the front and delay one side... all that sort of stuff. Like real kids stuff, great fun!!!
 
 Did you ever use any modular synths live and what sort of problems did they create?
 
 The system 700 and Moog went on tour. At the Old Vic in London they have a revolving stage which is on a slant, and if anybody hits the revolve switch by accident, everything starts falling towards you - which is pretty frightening. Also we played at the "Reading Festival". We had played warm up gigs at the Marquee using the Roland Micro-composer which would start everything off. Nobody would ever count the bars, rather just look over and say "oh bar 16 we are in on bar 17" - but at Reading, the sun was blazing down so nobody could see the display and we all realised it too late. We all came in like 2 bars late, the sequencer playing absolutely the right thing and all of us 2 bars late!! Of course we never caught up!!! I just looked over at Warren Caan (Ultravox drummer) and shrugged my shoulders and he went "switch the f**ker off!!!"
 
 Which modulars do you use right now?
 
 Hans Zimmer: I have the Roland System 100M. I have the Jupiters and all that sort of stuff - a Yamaha CS 80 with midi. I also like the Roland JD 800 and 990's but I'm afraid the D50 has been switched off for an awfully long time, and I don't think it is going to be switched on again in a great hurry!!!
 
 excerpts from (c)-analogsynths.com
 
 
 
 
 
 What's an example of something that can go wrong that would make you have a bad day?
 
 Hans Zimmer: Writing a tune that you think is really good, and then come in the next day and you realize it's completely ghastly. You just have to throw it out and start again. Actually that is not so bad as sitting there and just not coming up with ideas. And there are days like that. There are more days without the ideas than there are days with ideas.
 
 Your film music career is then your dream job, exactly what you want to do.
 
 Hans Zimmer: Absolutely. Whenever other interesting things come along, and they do come along, I get sidetracked for 10 seconds. It is surprising what happens when I sit back in this room. I have a great time writing. It is more satisfying than anything else. You just want to shut the world out and be completely selfish, and just write.
 
 Most of your music have electronic elements in them.
 
 Hans Zimmer: Yeah, that is where I come from. Maybe I am not smart enough to separate orchestra or electronics. I just think if it makes a noise, use it. A lot of my stuff has fun sounds as well, a lot of percussion, etc. Anything that makes noise is allowed to be in the score.
 
 Do you ever miss living in Germany?
 
 Hans Zimmer: Noooo. I am a gypsy. Wherever I can do music, I am happy. So you know, it is beside the point where I am. There are composers who work from Europe in Hollywood, but I just need to be where the film is. So wherever the film is, I am going to be, because I actually need to go to the cutting room and ask dumb questions. See everybody else's process and be involved.
 
 Since you have traveled so much, where do you think is the most beautiful place on earth?
 
 Hans Zimmer: Australia. I've spent quite a bit of time down there. In fact I was down there recently, a couple of times again. There is something about the people and the lifestyle, it is just a gorgeous place. I think, if I could, I would move to Sydney. The problem is that it is so far away. Recently I flew from Sydney to Europe, and it was a 28 hour flight. But because it is so far away, you still do feel you get creative, unspoiled ideas down there. And a different way of working, and a different way of looking at things. From what I have seen, I just really like the lifestyle and the people. I've always had an interesting time there.
 
 excerpts from (c)-cinemusic.net
 
 
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