A look into the musical world of Trevor Rabin: composer, performer, and a man of many careers.
Introduction:
A series of essays wherein I explore the numerous musical identities of my favorite musician: from child prodigy to teen idol to guitar hero to singer/songwriter to award-winning in-demand film composer.
Featuring news/updates and commentary/analysis of Trevor's career and associated projects. Comments are disabled but please feel free to contact me at rabinesque.blog@gmail.com.
This past Sunday the second annual Concert on the Bluffs event was held at Malibu Bluffs Park, once again featuring Trevor's niece Indiana Woodward and fellow dancers from the New York City Ballet. The theme was American Classics, including such orchestral works as George Gershwin's Rhapsody In Blue, and the opening remarks were delivered by a well-liked long-time resident, actor Pierce Brosnan.
And so it was apt that today a thread was posted at the Yesfans discussion forum asking members to guess three songs which would be added to the setlist. I responded that it was difficult for me to guess but in the interests of being a good blogger I'll make an effort here.
"South Side of the Sky"
(Jon mentioned this one in a recent interview, so it's potentially a lock.)
"I Am Waiting"
(Another song Jon has mentioned, it seems a likely choice from Talk.)
"Shoot High, Aim Low"
(I'm hoping that perhaps now they'll find themselves the equal of this song, as Trevor had named it as a definite inclusion for the last tour.)
Bonus guess:
"Starship Trooper"
(Just because I want them to bring this one back so badly.)
If you've got guesses you want to share, hit me up on email - and we'll know who is correct tomorrow!
Spotted on Instagram: here's a nice photo to remind us of that recent stellar event...what I like about this particular grouping is how it spans three different eras of Yes along with members of a band who was deeply influenced and admiring of them as an ensemble.
Posted today is an interview with Rick and Trevor conducted during the Guitare en Scene festival - with the interesting detail that ARW was a last-minute substitution on the bill for Kansas. Rick does most of the talking, but that's normal for our windy (in more ways than one) ranconteur.
So let's enjoy this greeting from Trevor, posted earlier in the week...
You might notice that he appears to be wearing an Argentinian soccer jersey, so maybe this is supposed to be a hidden clue in regards to future touring? Wait, this is the Internet, I don't want to start a viral rumor or anything. But we do know we'll be seeing Our Trev in person or in videos on social media very very soon, wherever we are!
GROUPLOVE is a busy band this summer - touring in support of Big Mess and Little Mess, as well as playing various festivals - and yesterday they released a new single, so their #1 fan was quick to alert the masses.
REMEMBER THAT NIGHT!!!
Grouplove's new song...you gotta listen... For my ears their strongest single to date.... https://t.co/CTKIptra3H
Featuring a fierce vocal by Hannah Hooper and a really interesting percussion-driven dynamic arrangement, this song definitely places the band much more on the indie pop side of their particular aesthetic.
It's all because I'm a cheeky Cockney geezer! I think it's a lot of work and little bit of luck. I've always had a good work ethic and a can-do approach to music and that seems to stand me in good stead.
- Lee Pomeroy, 2014
Regular readers of the blog will note that since the 2016 ARW tour I've taken quite a shine to Lee Pomeroy, but who can blame me? He is an amazing bass player, and his resume and professional reputation only serve to underscore that impression. But I also know there are any number of people (especially in the UK) who are asking: where have YOU been?! And my answer is: I don't know. I feel rather out of the loop, believe me.
It was touching to observe many fans online feeling a bit sad at Lee's absence during the Japanese tour (with no offense meant to the capable Iain Hornal) which brought the realization that Lee plays in no less than three different bands every year, at least of late. And so it serves to emphasize that Our Guys were fully enthusiastic in terms of including Lee as part of ARW even with the consideration of his prior commitments.
Not paying attention in prior years means I missed out on a lot of great playing...but wait - this is the 21st Century and we have YouTube to save us from total ignorance of such things. And let me tell you: there is a lot of footage of Mr. Poms out there on the Internet (I have spent months watching it and there's still footage I haven't seen). Because, as he's stated in several interviews, his philosophy was and is to play as many gigs as possible, so there's plenty of his work to enjoy in various genres. Lee seems to fit effortlessly into whatever situation he finds himself in, I have yet to hear him play something where I thought: no, that's not quite right. He is always right on time. So I thought I'd curate what I believe is some of the significant work of Lee's career as a performing musician - if, like me, you're just learning of this man's greatness. Or if you already know, you can experience some of the highlights once more. But this is gathered according to my specific tastes/impressions, so there are gigs I've left out, I'm aware of that.
Genaside II
This clip is from 20 years ago and a true testament to the archival nature of YouTube, immortalizing the moment which Lee has cited as his big break (playing festivals on a bill with The Prodigy, this performance was for 350,000 people in Moscow's Red Square and broadcast on MTV), and you can, in fact, spy a few shots of a long-haired bass player holding down the low end of "Mr. Maniac" from the album Ad Finite. Leelater joined trip-hop band Archive for several years.
English Rock Ensemble
Those who knew of Lee's work with the ERE found it no surprise that he was selected for ARW; Lee has been playing (and goofing around) with Rick Wakeman for nearly twenty years now.
These two performances of "Merlin the Magician" - five years apart - are an interesting snapshot illustrating how Lee displays incredible chops, but further experience has brought refinement to his overall style.
From the 2005 Made In Cuba DVD release:
This performance from the 2010 Cropredy Festival features an example of the aforementioned silliness.
The Tar Babies
The UK-based version is a pub band which everyone involved with does for fun and they have an excellent repertoire of cover songs, as well as a retro vibe which is reflected in their choice of stage attire. Lee has performed with them periodically for over ten years now. This first video from 2011 isn't the best quality but I selected it for two reasons:
-1- they play my favorite Pink Floyd song
-2- they also play Focus' "Hocus Pocus" with Lee on lead yodel. And Lee has also actually performed with Focus (the photographic evidence is on his website).
This next video isn't the best quality visually but sound-wise it's really great. It's an excerpt from their 2007 performance at Music on the Meadow - I don't know what the guys are playing but it sounds fusion-y (and if someone recognizes it, please email me and tell me what it is!). This was the first video I ever saw of The Tar Babies with Lee on bass and I was completely sold. I don't believe Lee has time to play with them on a regular basis now, but one just never knows when he might turn up again.
Headspace
A progressive metal ensemble which is the passion project of all its' members, the core is Lee, Adam Wakeman and Damian Wilson, who originally performed together in Rick Wakeman's English Rock Ensemble in 2000-2002 (Damian and Lee also played on Rick's 2003 album Out There). With all of them so busy in other bands and projects, the only way they could spend any time together was to form another band, and so they rounded it out with mutual friends Richard Brook (however, Darby Todd is their current drummer) and Pete Rinaldi. They've released three recordings (an EP and two full-length albums) but haven't performed often, so when they do it's something very special. I love this band, and I really want everyone else to love them too, but I realize that's rather an unrealistic goal. But if you think you might like them, please give them a chance!
This particular video takes a commitment of your time and attention, but as their epic it's entirely worth it, trust me. It is also the only known recording of this song (from their album I Am Anonymous) in performance.
It Bites
This UK-based prog-pop band has been around since the mid-80s and Lee was a fan from the beginning, so it was a dream come true for him to get the job, originally for the tour to support the release of The Tall Ships in 2008. Now you might already know that It Bites had a sort of stage uniform in those days - everyone wore white. But in Lee's first appearance with the band. he was the black sheep.
His role then progressed to what John Mitchell referred to as "a real bass player" for the band on their next album Map of the Past, and he initially participated in the subsequent tour, but I do not believe he's actually played with them since 2011-12 so it's not clear if Lee is even in the band any longer.
"All in Red" was It Bites' first single back in 1986 and I'm particularly enamored of this version, which is a bonus feature on the It Happened One Night live DVD, presumably from the soundcheck for the gig which was filmed.
"Great Disasters" is from The Tall Ships and this footage is from the live DVD, I love the vibe of this song, it's somewhat retro but it does hew to that line between genres which the band seems to straddle.
Three Friends
Another dream job for Mr. Poms was touring with this offshoot of beloved and influential prog rock band Gentle Giant, and this particular song (one of my GG favorites) is a great example of what Lee means when he says that Ray Shulman is "the funkiest bass player in prog rock." This performance is from 2013, featuring great interplay between Lee and guitarist Gary Green.
Steve Hackett's Genesis Revisited
Speaking of dream jobs, playing in a band which celebrates the music of Genesis with an actual member of Genesis is the very definition of an offer Lee would never refuse. And we see him here in the GRLive at Hammersmith DVD release adeptly handling Mike Rutherford's double-neck bass guitar duties on "Dance On A Volcano" originally from A Trick of the Tail.
Anderson Rabin & Wakeman
I offer no commentary, only the request that you sit back and experience this man performing the music of his original bassist hero with love and respect and joy.
I received an email a few weeks back which reminded me I had missed something... Are you going to review Little Mess? I think it's pretty cool!
Ah yes I totally forgot to comment about the release of GROUPLOVE's new EP Little Mess, which was originally a Record Store Day exclusive and then released to digital distribution on May 5th.
The title is, naturally, a reference to these tracks having been recorded during the sessions for Big Mess in Seattlewith producer/engineer Phil Ek. The overall character of the first three tracks: "Tell Me A Story," "Torso" and "MRI" is somewhat more subdued when compared to the songs which did make it onto the album, although I think "Torso" was a strong contender, it hearkens back - in my estimation - to the sonic palette of Spreading Rumours. Even with a slower tempo "MRI" is probably the heaviest song they've recorded in quite a while, and it frames Hannah's lead vocal quite nicely.
Also included is a live version of "Enlighten Me" which features backing vocals from a very enthusiastic audience. The live arrangement has a really great dynamic, starting out with just Christian's vocal and acoustic guitar and then ramping up to a full band blowout for the ending.
"Adios Amigos" reminds me of "Beans On Pizza" in terms of its' playful attitude but it's got that gung-ho go go go infectious spirit which is pure GROUPLOVE for sure.
With gratitude to good friend of the blog Cee for her generous gift of this book.
Over the years Trevor has given a great many interviews regarding his scoring work, but rarely has he been placed in a continuum of film scoring professionals - thus his appearance in the new documentary film SCORE is one of those occasions. The companion book of interview transcriptions contains 25 exchanges with some of the most well-known composers such as Howard Shore, Randy Newman, Quincy Jones, Marco Beltrami, Bear McCreary and Brian Tyler, a selection of UK-based composers including John Powell, Patrick Doyle and Rachel Portman, and the man who is arguably the most successful contemporary film composer in the industry - Hans Zimmer - as well as a few composers who have been a part of his Media Ventures/Remote Control Productions stable, such as Harry Gregson-Williams, Henry Jackman and Steve Jablonsky. There are also interviews with directors James Cameron and Garry Marshall.
As someone who has read/heard most of those aforementioned interviews, Trevor's chapter is of interest to me even as it does contain various responses/anecdotes which he has proferred in previous exchanges, but when one considers he spent 20 years working as a film composer and being asked to discuss his labors then it's an entirely reasonable consideration that many of the same stories are shared.
Although the interview primarily focuses on Trevor's process and the sort of "nuts-and-bolts" aspect of his then-profession, it starts out with a more biographical tangent as regards his musical upbringing and training. He then segues into how having a background in performing and recording rock music informs some of the aspects of being a film scorer.
One interesting question was: Why do you think orchestral music is thought of as being "less cool" than pop or rock music? and Trevor's response speaks to his overall regard for classical music and how it has influenced his own work.
I think if young people just gave themselves the chance to listen - maybe there should be a short list of really cool things to listen to, because if you have to go through 100 symphonies, you're going to get pretty bored, you know.
As I mentioned in a previous entry regarding Trevor's participation in a classical music-for-guitar project, Trevor also took part in an anthology titled Exile on Classical Street, originally released in 1996, which meant to do just that: make classical music relevant for the younger generation, featuring the participation of some of the biggest names in music selecting their favorite pieces. So in terms of "a short list of really cool things to listen to," I'd say Trevor has already accomplished that - although it's difficult to know how successful this notion was 20 years ago. Nowadays it seems like a perfect idea for Spotify, as it is a platform known for its' curated playlists.
His larger point is that there's nothing particularly innovative in the world of scoring or music in general, so it does serve listeners well to be acquainted with classical music.
Trevor provides a lot of insight regarding scheduling, the chronology of his particular process, how "terrifying" it can be to come into a project and make certain the thematic foundation is laid down before the real work can begin. He describes his penchant for "undertures" which he had mentioned in prior interviews, writing thematic underscore to present to the director and hopefully divert from the reliance on temporary score (or "temp-itis" as Trevor refers to it). One aspect I found intriguing is how specific each theme is for Trevor once it has been composed:
And then the movie gets cut, so you have to take that into consideration, and then, weeks in, the director will come in and say, 'I like that theme, but maybe we shouldn't use it on him. Maybe we should use it on him, and use the other theme on him.' And it's not a jigsaw puzzle; you can't do that. It all has to be re-written. So there are many things that can cause detours.
There was another response I found very interesting in light of recent interviews. In regards to whether or not Trevor ever considers a score truly finished, he replied:
I have not written a score yet, out of close to four dozen movies, where I haven't thought at the premiere, "Ah, I'd like to do that again."[...]
The significance is that of late Trevor has been saying he composed fifty film scores over the course of his career, and stating it as he did in this interview is more accurate because the actual total - if we're referring to films - is 42, which is, technically, "close to four dozen." Or 43, if you count The Exorcist prequel twice, since there were two versions of that film.
Another discussion I found interesting was regarding how much music Trevor writes for a film, which is a consideration he has discussed in prior interviews. For example, in this 2012 panel with composers Randy Newman, Michael Giaccino and David Newman, Trevor is asked a question regarding that very subject which I had submitted the day of the event at the invitation of KPCC.
But even if asking for restraint, Trevor reveals that more music is written than used, because some of it may be rejected or changed out during the scoring process. The composer also has to consider the sound design of a film in terms of creating a score, especially those films which feature prominent special effects.
Towards the end of the interview Trevor is asked about the use of "Titans' Spirit" during Barack Obama's acceptance speech to the Democratic National Convention at Mile High Stadium in August 2008. For context I am providing a video of the event entire, but "Titans' Spirit" is not played until approximately 47:22:
For those three-or-so minutes, it is an incredibly stirring experience which is not only quintessentially American, but a perfect expression of the concept of triumph and how it makes people feel. And its' recurring appropriation in other contexts is both unsurprising and an example of how Trevor can bring an emotion to life in a universal fashion.
And as I have noted previously, because it was composed as a piece of score and Trevor was performing work-for-hire, he does not control the licensing of it:
Did you ever get paid for that being publicly?
No! No, you don't get paid for that. It's looked upon as news. I wasn't asked, and I don't think I got paid for it.
As is Trevor's wont, he manages to get in a quip as well.
It's funny, particularly on Remember the Titans, the music, for me, was written so specifically for that. I never really thought about whether it could be used elsewhere, and then to hear it at Obama's speech, and it worked so well, I kind of got a lump in my throat. It was quite amazing. It might have been him, but I like to take credit for it. 'Yeah, it was all me, it had nothing to do with what he said.'
I recommend the book to those who are devoted fans of Trevor's scoring work, as well as for anyone interested in the genre in general as it contains a wealth of insights and behind-the-scenes glimpses throughout, in addition to taking us beyond the documentary in the sense that these are full-length interviews. I will note, however, that each chapter begins with a list of credits and awards for the applicable composer and those included for Trevor aren't as thoroughly researched as they should have been because they fail to note Trevor's Grammy award for "Cinema" and I think they should have specifically cited his Henry Mancini Award as well.
