• Abstract and Figures
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01. THE HEAT IS ON 07. ST ELMO’S FIRE BEVERLY HILLS COP (MAN IN MOTION) ST ELMO’S FIRE 02. BACK IN TIME BACK TO THE FUTURE 08. GLORY OF LOVE THE KAR ATE KID 03. PARTYMAN BATMAN 09. RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU STAKEOUT 04. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING 10. HUNGRY HEART THE JEWEL OF THE NILE RISKY BUSINESS 05. WALK THE DINOSAUR 11. IN YOUR EYES THE FLINTSTONES SAY ANYTHING 06. PLAY WITH ME 12. COME AND FOLLOW ME BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT SHORT CIRCUIT ADVENTURE VOCALS BY JOE STILGOE CONDUCTED & ARRANGED BY EVAN JOLLY WORDS BY JOE STILGOE Growing up in the 80s in Southern musically, could have passed for 50s England wasn’t much like the movies, standards. Working with the incredible but on the daydreamy days I would arranger and orchestrator Evan Jolly, the imagine I was Tom Hanks in Big, task became much easier as he too was Michael J Fox in Back To The Future, a child of the 80s, living life vicariously Judd Nelson in The Breakfast Club and through the big screen and wishing for sometimes even Mary Stuart Masterson a glamorous life of shiny jackets, BIG in Some Kind Of Wonderful. I fell in love hair and leg warmers, but also for that with the music from American films, as life to be scored by Nelson Riddle or those films seemed to have everything I Johnny Mandel or Billy May or Sammy longed for - the wide streets with white Nestico. In a twist of fate, as we were clapboard houses, perfect front lawns brought together for this by the team at and strangely amenable older residents Silva Screen, Evan and I were destined with hoses, the bikes with armchair seats to work on this together - we’d known ridden by the kids in ET, the sense of each other for years since studying for a adventure and stories in Stand By Me, music degree together. I still remember the massive drums and massive choruses the conversation at our university jazz bar from those ballads that only the 80s (every Tuesday in the staff canteen) when knew how to deliver. All that was missing Evan said “Joe, if you ever get to record for a boy who would go on to dream of a big band album, can I be the arranger?” singing with a big band was that - big To which I of course replied, “That won’t bands. I don’t remember any big band ever happen, but YES”. music from the 80s, or at least, none that reached me. So, for this album, So, here it is. A labour of love, not I thought we’d bring it all together. What only from me and Evan, but from these if all these songs from all these life- exceptional musicians who also can changing movies were actually think of nothing more fulfilling or life- big band classics? enhancing than spending three days at Angel Studios recording brilliant So, we set to work, pulling together a set arrangements of iconic songs and trying of songs all sourced from my favourite collectively to summon up the spirit of films of the decade, paying particular the 1950s, and the true big band sound attention to those that, lyrically and that has inspired us all. 1. THE HEAT IS ON 4. WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, 7. ST ELMO’S FIRE (MAN IN MOTION) 10. HUNGRY HEART Hard to disassociate this song from THE TOUGH GET GOING I have an album at home, whose front I’ve always loved the simple, and very images of Eddie Murphy and Judge We wanted a nod to Nelson Riddle on cover is mostly taken up by John Parr’s 50s, chord structure and sentiment of this Reinhold running around with guns and this so we used the original riff from Billy’s fabulous hair, and for me he is the complete Springsteen song. I never thought I would pale grey suits, but listening again to this original and transposed it for swinging embodiment of 80s gloriousness, as is this record a song by The Boss, as our musical song there was something that screamed woodwind. The band add classic meaty song. We all remember the song more than paths don’t tend to meet a great deal, BERNSTEIN to me. So I suggested Evan 50s backing vocals and hopefully the ghost the film. I’d be very happy listening to the but I’ve always loved this one, and with an we imagine this as the lost song from of Boyzone is forever expunged from this opening trombone chorale on a loop. Rick arrangement inspired by Count Basie we West Side Story. classic of the decade. wanted us to include the classic intro from think it now sounds like a classic standard. the record, so this was the compromise. 2. BACK IN TIME 5. WALK THE DINOSAUR Higher and higher! 11. IN YOUR EYES I’m still hoping, somehow, I get to drive a I had this single on vinyl, bought with pocket Oh, this song! Heartbreaking lyrics and a Delorean, play the guitar to Chuck Berry’s money from Woolworths. It was during my 8. GLORY OF LOVE classic Peter Gabriel melody that doesn’t cousin and meet Christopher Lloyd. I had ‘all songs are good if they have animals in Peter Cetera has such a distinctive go where you think it will, but somehow a geography teacher called Doc Brown the title’ phase (not one I’ve veered too far voice we thought we should move where it should. I’m so glad we found this once, but that’s not the same. I want from, it must be said). Was Not Was didn’t as far away from the original as possible. song. We used tracks like Peggy Lee’s 1.21 jigawatts and a flux capacitor in release much, but I always thought this song We built the big band as if an orchestra, Folks Who Lived On The Hill and Dinah my life. Also, I would love to go back was a belter so I’m thrilled to get the chance with lovely woodwind tones and Washington’s Mad About The Boy as to 1955. This song was playing on the to record it. We took the dinosaur for a walk muted brass,so the song still has inspiration for the arrangement. Tip radio in Marty McFly’s room - the less to the Cotton Club for this one. that emotional weight without of the cap to Mr John Stokes for that famous of the two Huey Lewis songs on ever unleashing the big 80s drums trombone tone! the soundtrack, but it’s always been a FACT: Pete Beachill (trombone) played on that powered the song so fondly favourite, not just for the memories the original session in 1988. remembered from The Karate Kid. 12. COME AND FOLLOW ME of the film, but the sentiment of the This was Evan’s shout. We’d been trying yearning to experience the 50s. 6. PLAY WITH ME 9. RHYTHM IS GONNA GET YOU to find a great closer for the album, I think I watched Bill And Ted’s Excellent Anyone remember Stakeout? Emilio something that would tie it all together 3. PARTYMAN Adventure about 70 times when I was Estevez and Richard Dreyfuss looking and lead us out with that joyous spring The bright yellow cover, the black Batman younger. Clearly it’s a bit of a thing for me - through curtains? Well, I do. And this in the step that 80s films gave us back in logo… Prince and Batman were my new movies about going back in time… This song absolutely killer tune from Gloria Estefan the day. Short Circuit was the film of all obsessions aged 9, so to dig this one by Extreme is completely bonkers, which fits is part of the soundtrack, not only to playground conversations. Something out and give it the big band street-beat the film perfectly, and I thought it would make the film but to memories of me and my about funny robots that captivated treatment was a dream come true. a great Louis Prima-style swinger, especially brother hiding behind bushes with children, and still does to this day. We (P.S. Michael Keaton will always be as big bands are all about playing (in every plastic binoculars, waiting for the big changed this song into a big jazz waltz the greatest Batman, in my humble, sense). Duck duck goose is also my daughter’s boss nasty crime guy to come round that made us all very happy in the studio. and correct, opinion). favourite game, so this is for you, Sylvie. the corner. Still waiting… I hope it does the same for you! THANK YOUS ALBUM CREDITS Firstly, a huge thanks to Rick and all Vocals: Joe Stilgoe Strings recored by Jan Holzner the team at Silva Screen for making this Saxes: Martin Williams, Jamie Talbot, at Smecky Studios, Prague project happen. A labour of love for us Phil Todd, Phil Knights, Gemma Moore Album Mixed & Mastered by Rick Clark 80s kids, and all the time and effort is Trumpets: Andy Greenwood, Louis much appreciated. To Evan, for the most Dowdeswell, Simon Gardner, Craig Wild wonderful set of big band arrangements Trombones: Jon Stokes, Callum Au, Solos: I could wish for, and cool calm conducting Pete Beachill, Mark Frost, Simon Minshall in the studio. We always said we’d do a Piano: Rob Barron, Ross Stanley The Heat Is On: record together! To the musicians, who & Joe Stilgoe Martin Williams - Tenor Sax were simply incredible and played like a Guitar: Tommy Emmerton dream.

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