Rock Musicians doing Film Music

Cooder in particular has such a specific style. Paris, Texas is lovely and I'd find it hard to imagine someone elses score in that film. He has a style that fits a certain style of film but yes, it is limiting.

Haven't heard that one - must pick it up. I like almost all his work, though his film music is really more "instrumental accompaniment" than "dramatic underscore" I would suggest.

Fully agree: I tried a couple of his scores and came to pretty much the same conclusion.
Glad to read I'm not the only one!

True, but there's nothing wrong with that: Cooder has never put himself forward as a film composer but rather a folk artist who now and then happens to be called upon to do music for films.

And I have to say that when he does it generally it works exceedingly well: The Long Riders -my favourite score by him- as a film is really elevated by the use of those odd, old instruments and rough-edge feel.

In fact, I tend to be generally less impressed when such clear "niche" artists try and work on a more generalist level: Cooder's Geronimo, for example, is certainly not bad, but I visit it very rarely because he has tried and compose it along far more generally accepted lines and styles...which simply isn't very interesting to me!

That probably goes for many of the other artists mentioned above as well: in keeping with their particular forte, they create a unique (to them) sound that gives the film a certain mood and feel (one would assume that is why they were chosen to compose a score in the first place!).
When they try and break out of that mold, the magic -generally- is gone!

Yes, that was my point?

Well, I'd be hard pressed to come up with someone who has done that Ry Cooder sound.
Also, I find Knopfler's guitar work exceedingly recognisable (though I am no fan).

So yeah, I'd definitely say "unique".
To those who don't like it as well. But "not liking it" is a completely different point.

Well, he has Glaswegian roots and he seems to really like that.

We need it desperately. Actually, it is a long time request.

Good call on The Long Riders Martijn, I'd forgotten that one

A damn fine film too.

Mark Snow was never a rock musician per se. The New York Rock & Roll Ensemble (which he had with Kamen in the early 70's) was more a group of classically trained students doing classical music with a rock vibe (or vice versa). Far more classical than even Electric Light Orchestra. It's pretty cool, though - I've heard their ROLL OVER album from 1971.

Ooh. That is HARSH (sounds like a Southall comment).

Or, or, sounds like reality

John Barry

No. He was doing the JB7 before he did his first film score ( Beat Girl ).