Simon Reynolds talks in this video interview with horror master John Carpenter about his soundtracks and the music that inspired them:
Carpenter’s music for horror classics such as Halloween (1978) and The Fog (1980) were startlingly effective in their simplicity, and brought a new sonic palette to film scoring with their focus on synthesizers. The Carpenter sound has recently been revived by a wave of underground artists inspired by its otherworldly menace.
Carpenter talks about his love of early electronic soundtracks by Lois and Bebe Barron (Forbidden Planet), how he got interested in synthesizers and some of his more well-known soundtracks.
Part 2 of the John Carpenter interview:
Is it me, or is the audio TOO QUIET?
It’s definitely low, which is too bad, because the interview is pretty good.
Decent interview. The audio is very bad, but I was able to get through it with earbuds. The interviewer is a little too uncomfortable and wordy which would try anyone’s patience. Plus Carpenter is getting old and he’s not looking too healthy these days.
I love a lot of Carpenter’s music. Pretty much anything from Assault to whatever was before Prince of Darkness is great.
Too bad he’s not a gearhead because it sure sounds like he is from the sound design and techniques in his tracks. I guess Howarth did all of that.
Thanks for posting.
The sound is too low! Weird, considering this is a music website…
LOUDNESS WAR!!! for interviews, lol.
Nice interview!
Regarding the low sound, and bit of mumbling…
Did someone catch the synth band reference, as latter done carpenter inspired music… Dylan something… Matrix something?
Love love LOVE the dude’s movies, soundtracks and everything, but jeez… he comes across as such a miserable blowhard here.
I can’t hear a damn thing they say on my MBP !?!
I think Carpenter struggles along manfully here in the flow of one of the most excruciatingly inept interviews ever. I’m not saying I could do any better, but don’t keep harping back to “Dark Star” when the interviewee has already tried to make it clear that he can barely remember it.
I wish I’d known about the meeting in September; I’d have gone.
Oh god, I’ve just noticed that there is a part 2. Nope, I can’t cope with that.
John Carpenter is such an inspiration for scoring films. I do wish the interviewer had asked more questions about his opinion on soundtracks/synthesis/current state of film music…. as opposed to making alot of comments about what he liked about Carpenters soundtracks.
Good interview either way.