CTPT emplate: CD_DPS1 COLOURS Compact Disc Booklet: Double Page Spread CYAN Silva Screen Records MAGENTA Customer YELLOW Catalogue No. SILCD1487 BLACK Job Title Thunderbirds Are Go Page Nos. 2-3 THUNDERBIRDS - MUSIC FOR THE 21ST CENTURY Thunderbirds - a name richly evocative of high-flying A major reason for the success of Thunderbirds was that, adventure; edge-of-the-seat excitement; last minute rescues although dismissed by some as merely a puppet show and the turbo-charged heroic exploits of the Tracy family predominantly aimed at children, it aspired to the standards and the fantastic craft that make up International Rescue. of full-blooded feature films. Barry Gray’s lavish orchestral scores were a significant ingredient in what became an When the team launched into action back in 1965, they iconic status over the decades. Once again, Ben and Nick were accompanied by Barry Gray’s rousing Thunderbirds Foster aim high, employing similar orchestral sounds in a March - one of the most famous and instantly recognizable score, which emulates the world of the major motion picture. TV themes ever written. A documentary crew was present at AIR Studios in London Now International Rescue is back - re-invented for a new on Tuesday 7 May 2013 to capture the new version of Barry generation and presented in a unique mix of CGI animation Gray’s theme being brought to life by a brass ensemble. and live-action model sets. ITV Studios announced in 2013 a This was an extended recording of the new arrangement co-production with New Zealand based Pukeko Pictures, in which was required for an early promotional item and which association with WETA Workshop, famed for their work on would subsequently be edited down and repurposed for the movies such as The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Twenty-six half- episodes themselves (by which time the string sections had hour episodes of Thunderbirds Are Go were to debut on ITV been added). Also performed were a number of interstitials, and its children’s channel CITV in 2015. The Tracy brothers, break bumpers and stingers for use throughout the series Tracy Island, Lady Penelope, Parker and FAB 1, Thunderbirds to link scenes and end acts. One of these was referred to 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5 - all present and correct - and The Hood, back as ‘F-A-B’ which used the three notes named F, A and B; B in the shadows, plotting world domination. natural formed a Major/Happy version while B flat offered a Minor/Dramatic rendition. Another such item was based on Tackling a remake of a successful classic is nearly always the Morse code signal for ‘SOS’. a poisoned chalice, and not something to be undertaken lightly. To have the respect for those who have gone before is The original episodes generally ran to 48 minutes; the new very important, and so the Tracy brothers are most fortunate shows would clock in around 22 minutes. Thus the original that their new generation of missions to help those in distress opening titles, complete with exciting glimpses from the find them carried on the wings of - appropriately enough mission to come, ran to almost 90 seconds with a leisurely - another team of brothers. Ben and Nick Foster grew up 67 second playout. In the new format, these elements would admiring so many highly respected television scores of the need to be compacted into 45 seconds and 30 seconds 1960s and 1970s, drinking in the rich and distinctive themes respectively. and incidental scores. Naturally, that included the extensive catalogue of the man whose strident militaristic march made The closing title theme, string sections for the main theme, the Thunderbird craft fly so successfully in the first place: some recurrent cues for the series (such as Launch) and Barry Gray. the scores for the episodes Slingshot and Crosscut were CTPT emplate:CTPT emplate: CD_DPS1 CD_DPS1 COLOURSCOLOURS CompactCompact Disc Booklet: Disc Booklet: Double DPageouble Spread Page Spread CYAN CYAN Silva ScreenSilva Records Screen Records MAGENTMAA GENTA CustomerCustomer YELLOWYELLOW CatalogueCatalogue No. SILCD1487 No. SILCD1487 BLACK BLACK Job TitleJ oThunderbirdsb Title Thunderbirds Are Go Are Go Page NoPsa. 4-5ge Nos. 4-5 recorded inrecorded mid-September. in mid-September. To recapture To therecapture full orchestral the full orchestralthe original. the And original. when AndThunderbirds when Thunderbirds is revived againis revived - as again - as feel of the originalfeel of the series, original the Fostersseries, thearranged Fosters to arranged have most to haveall most brilliant all formats brilliant inevitably formats areinevitably - in another are - in50 another years, 50 years, of the scoresof therecorded scores by recorded the City by of thePrague City Philharmonicof Prague Philharmonic the challenge the forchallenge a new generationfor a new generationof composers of composerswill be to will be to Orchestra. Orchestra.55 musicians 55 musicianswere involved were withinvolved the firstwith ofthe firstbalance of theirbalance creative their talents creative alongside talents notalongside just Barry not Gray,just Barry Gray, recordings recordingsat Smecky at Music Smecky Studios Music in StudiosPrague. in In Prague. late Inbut late also thebut music also of the Ben music and ofNick Ben Foster and Nick which Foster they whichtoo will they too will October, theOctober, Foster brothersthe Foster returned brothers to returned Prague to recordPrague to recordhave grown have up with. grown up with. the scores thefor scoresRunaway, for FireflashRunaway, and Fireflash EOS. andDubbing EOS . onDubbing on the episodesthe began episodes with began Crosscut with at Crosscut the start at of the October; start of October; all instalmentsall instalments were dubbed were at dubbed Hackenbacker at Hackenbacker Studios, Studios,Background Background and track andnotes track by notesAndrew by Pixley,Andrew with Pixley, with an audio anpost-production audio post-production studio in Londonstudio inwhere London the wherethanks the to thanksBen Foster, to Ben Nick Foster, Foster, Nick Sam Foster, Thompson Sam Thompsonand and Fosters workedFosters with worked Nigel withHeath Nigel and HeathKiran andMarshall; Kiran theMarshall; Giles the Ridge Giles Ridge name ‘Hackenbacker’name ‘Hackenbacker’ was an alias was used an aliasby Brains used inby the Brains in the original seriesoriginal and seriesascribed and as ascribed his real as name his realin various name in various related merchandise.related merchandise. In early December, In early December,incidentals incidentalsfor for the openingthe two-parter opening two-parter- Ring of Fire- Ring - and of FireSpace - and Race Space Race were performedwere performedin Prague. Thein Prague. next three The episodesnext three - Underepisodes - Under Pressure, UnpluggedPressure, Unplugged and Skyhook and - Skyhookwere then - werescored then scored with adaptionswith ofadaptions existing ofcues existing and newly cues andcomposed newly composedcues cues recorded inrecorded London. in London. “The Thunderbirds“The Thunderbirds theme has alwaystheme has been always about been these about really these really big, grandiosebig, brassgrandiose march brass sounds march that sounds Barry Graythat Barry had inGray had in the originalthe theme original so wetheme haven’t so we abandoned haven’t abandoned that at all. that at all. We’ve madeWe’ve it a little made bit itmore a little dramatic, bit more a dramatic, bit more modern,”a bit more modern,” explained Ben,explained while NickBen, commented:while Nick commented: “I think we were“I think able we were able to give it theto scalegive itit thedemands, scale it anddemands, it’s fantastic and it’s to fantasticbe able to be able to do that becauseto do that I think because it makes I think a massiveit makes difference...a massive difference... It’s It’s actually quiteactually a difficult quite thinga difficult to recreate thing to music recreate that peoplemusic that people love and peoplelove and know, people and know,what we and were what really we were keen reallyto do keen to do was to keepwas as tomuch keep of as the much magic of ofthe the magic original, of the give original, it a give it a modern spin,modern make spin, it feel make fresh, it makefeel fresh, it feel make absolutely it feel absolutelyof of now. Hopefullynow. we’ve Hopefully succeeded.” we’ve succeeded.” It’s a soundIt’s which a sound builds which upon builds what uponhas gone what before,has gone with before, with respect. It offersrespect. new It offersalternatives new alternatives without aiming without to replaceaiming to replace CTPT emplate: CD_DPS1 COLOURS Compact Disc Booklet: Double Page Spread CYAN Silva Screen Records MAGENTA Customer YELLOW Catalogue No. SILCD1487 BLACK Job Title Thunderbirds Are Go Page Nos. 6-7 TRACKLISTING RING OF FIRE PART ONE FIREFLASH TUNNELS OF TIME 1: 10,000 FEET AND CLIMBING 23: TROUBLE IN THE HOOD 42: AT THE PYRAMID OF THE LAUGHING KING 2: THUNDERBIRDS MARCH 24: MAJOR LANDING GEAR FAIL 43: LADY P INVESTIGATES 3: THE LAUNCH 25: FIREFLASH LANDING 44: INTO THE TEMPLE 4: DR MEDDINGS IN A FIX 26: IF I DON’T MAKE IT 45: DEEPER INTO THIS ACCURSÉD TOMB 5: SEAQUAKE 27: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED 46: POINT OF NO RETURN 6: AN INTERNATIONAL RESCUE 47: IT’S NOW OR NEVER 7: THE HOOD - HE’S BACK! UNPLUGGED 28: THE LUDDITES SKYHOOK RING OF FIRE PART TWO 29: SAVE ONE LIFE - THEN SAVE THE WORLD 48: THUNDERBIRD 2 IS GOING DOWN 8: PREVIOUSLY ON THUNDERBIRDS ARE GO 49: INTERNATIONAL RESCUE MEETS ITS MATCH 9: HALO JUMP RUNAWAY 50: CRISIS AVERTED 10: SUNRISE 30: THE TRAIN THAT COULDN’T SLOW DOWN 11: ALAN