[Thor Joachim Haga]

Sure. It was great talking a bit to Drecker, I’ve been a fan for 35 years. She said Bel Canto worked best under pressure, so I guess they could have done a score. Also nice to see Ketil Bjørnstad, he has actually done some film scores, like this fine one from 1982:

Cool! I think Bel Canto (or Drecker solo) would do great with film music. And wow, that track by Bjørnstad was great. I knew about the title, but had never checked it out. I became familiar with Bjørnstad through my parents, who have several of his albums (like those Kirkelig Kulturverksted things, I think he was part of that), as well as various other things, like LEVE PATAGONIA. Did you meet Bjørnstad too?

[Malte Müller]

Never heard of Bel Canto (the band I mean ;-)) before, will give those two tracks a listen sometime later.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Bel Canto is an iconic band in Norway, especially for my and Jon’s generation. World music, electronics, synth pop, alternative…it’s all mixed together. Great stuff.

[Malte Müller]

Feel free to post some of their “hits”, maybe I indeed know them without knowing them 🙂

[Thor Joachim Haga]

This is their biggest hit, probably:

[Jon Aanensen]

Bjørnstad asked me politely to move when I stood in the doorway talking to Drecker after the concert, LOL. I had the cover to the synthbased album Before The Light (feat Bjerkestrand) with me, but I never got the chance to give it to him for signing.

Full ENGLER I SNEEN album. Movie based on a Bjørnstad novel.

https://www.discogs.com/master/613427-Ketil-Bj%C3%B8rnstad-Engler-I-Sneen

[Malte Müller]

This is their biggest hit, probably:

Thanks, will listend later and see I recognize it from somewhere

[Malte Müller]

Thanks, will listend later and see I recognize it from somewhere

Listened to it. Pleasant listening but it does not really ring a bell.

[Cailin]

Of course, NAMES would be great, but it’s okay if you won’t.

I know you’ve met everyone Thor, so my list is hardly impressive, but these encounters were certainly very special to me. 🙂 I also don’t want others to feel bad who haven’t had any meet-and-greets. I’m not more of a devoted fan than anyone else on here, I just happened to be in close proximity to unique film music events at one time in my life.

I got to say hi, and shake hands with James Newton Howard after a concert at UCLA (he was carrying his sleepy kid in one arm, and shook my hand with the other).

At the same concert, I got a picture with Alan Silvestri in the audience during intermission and gushed to him about my favorite score of his, Van Helsing. The camera flash was off, so the picture is blurry, but I don’t mind – such a fond memory. 🙂

There too, Michael Giacchino had just conducted and debuted a suite from his score to The Incredibles, and I said hello and probably said something like “great job”, as he exited past me in the aisle after the concert. I did not know who he was yet, since he really hadn’t done any movies so far, except for that one. Just a young guy at the beginning of his feature film career – oh to see him now!

I had a friend working on a book about film composers, and he took me to his follow-up interview with Christopher Young. We met Chris at his studio in Culver City, so I got to see his jack-o’ lantern collection in person. It definitely made quite the impression, floor to ceiling! I got a picture with him there and he also gave me an autographed copy of Sweet November, which I had never heard at that point. But I told him I really enjoyed The Shipping News a lot. He must have thought I’d enjoy Sweet November too. Which of course, I do!

I went to a CD signing event at Creature Features in Burbank. Nearly ran over David Newman in the nearby neighborhood, trying to find parking. There were many composers there with a video game or horror genre specialty (which isn’t my main area of listening). But I was delighted to meet Lee Holdridge, and also David Newman there, who both signed CDs I brought. I said hello to Bear McCreary, and I’m pretty sure Tyler Bates was there too. But I really wasn’t familiar with either of them at the time (this was 20 years ago!). But I was excited to meet John Ottman who had just scored Superman Returns (BIG Superman fan here!). He autographed my copy of Usual Suspects, and also signed a Superman Returns poster for me that hangs on my living room wall today. We got a picture together too. I wish I had taken many more pictures at that event, but I was just so nervous and excited to be there, surround by many of my musical heroes. John Powell was supposed to be there, but had to cancel last minute. It would have been wonderful to meet him!

I met and got a picture with Mark Isham in the lobby of the 35th Anniversary Varèse Sarabande concert in San Pedro. There were other composers there too (like Hans Zimmer, John Debney, Brian Tyler, Christopher Lennertz, Danny Elfman, John Powell, and Cliff Eidelman…Christopher Young and Michael Giacchino were there too) but I wasn’t able to see or meet anyone else up close.

Other than that, I’ve breathed the same air as John Williams, so to speak, as in I saw him conduct at the Hollywood Bowl, but he was so far away, it probably doesn’t count.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

I’d say that’s very impressive! Great stories.

[Cailin]

Haha, thanks! Now that I live in a small town again, what’s really impressive to me is that I drove to all these places through the LA traffic! What you wouldn’t do for your favorite composers, right?!

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Indeed. I love how you provided some extra details now that you hadn’t said before when we talked about this – like almost running over David Newman, greeting Giacchino before he was a big thing, and that massive 35th Varèse shebang (I have the CD set that came out for that), which sounds like a who’s who of big shots at the time.

[Malte Müller]

Certainly an impressive list. Especially compared to my non exisiting one (not even a local one I met ;-)). Living around LA certainly provides some more occasions for the famous ones.

[thx99]

I’ve “met” John Williams, though it was more of a “can I take an awkward selfie with you” moment than anything else. That was at the Thomas Hooten “Concerto for Trumpet and Orchestra”/BotFoJ recording sessions. The moment took place at the end of the sessions and Williams was pretty tuckered out. Met Shawn Murphy at the same sessions.

I attended the John Williams 90th birthday concert at the Kennedy Center back in 2022 and went to the gala dinner afterward. I didn’t get to meet up with Williams again, but I did get to meet and chat a little with Thomas Newman and Alan Silvestri who were both in attendance at the concert and gala dinner. Both were super nice.

Years ago I met Hans Zimmer on the vendor floor of an Audio Engineering Society convention. He was walking with another guy, and I stopped him and said I was a fan and shook his hand. He was very gracious. I later realized the other guy he was walking with was Harry Gregson-Williams, and I felt bad for not acknowledging him. LOL At another AES convention, I met Shawn Murphy and chatted with him for about 10 minutes; this was long before the Hooten sessions above.

[Cailin]

What fantastic meets and photos @thx99! Lucky you!! Special moments indeed.

[Thor Joachim Haga]

Yes, you even managed to have a 3-in-1 with Newman, Silvestri and conductor Stéphane Denève, Doug. I’ve always wanted to interview Thomas Newman, he’s on my top list. And Williams goes without saying, but that train has long since left the station.

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