MODERATE SPOILERS AHEAD: After many months (or arguably years) of anticipation, the “BSG” prequel series “Caprica” premieres tonight on SyFy.  Originally released as a two-hour film on DVD last spring, with a subsequent soundtrack album release in June, most hard-core BSG fans have probably already experienced this.  For any of you who don’t know, “Caprica” is a prequel series to “Battlestar Galactica” that chronicles the origins of the robotic Cylon race that will ultimately wipe out most of humanity.

Those of you who have been enjoying the soundtrack CD know that this two-hour film introduces several important melodic and rhythmic themes.  Beginning next week, you will finally hear that musical world expand and develop into exciting new ideas, themes, melodies, songs and score.  I also just tonight approved the final “Caprica Main Title” which you will hear next week (and it kicks ass).

I plan on blogging detailed entries about each episode, so check back each week after you’ve seen the show.  And if you’re watching the pilot tonight for a second or third time, try to pick out the variations of the Graystone and Tauron Themes that are woven throughout the score.

There’s little I can say about the “Caprica” pilot that I didn’t already cover in my blog last spring, when the DVD came out.  So, I’m reposting that entry with updated sound clips so you can hear the themes being discussed…

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Battlestar Galactica | 33 Comments »

Next month, La La Land Records will release the final* official Battlestar Galactica soundtrack album: Battlestar Galactica: The Plan / Razor. This CD includes cues from the two straight-to-DVD films that flanked either side of Season 4. The first track features a very special musical guest: Scott Ian of Anthrax!

The album comes out February 23rd.  Here’s the official track list (as usual, you heard it here first!):

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Albums, Battlestar Galactica | 68 Comments »

Finally… Finally… Finally!

I’ve been teasing you loyal blog readers about a big announcement for weeks, and here it is: NBC Universal and Apple have finally worked out their issues and, at long last, my scores for Battlestar Galactica are available on iTunes.

This has been an annoyingly arduous process for me.  Seeing the episodes in the top downloads on iTunes every week for years while my scores were relegated to physicals discs was a drag.  So, this is a big step.  But we’re still only halfway there. There’s a bunch of material that’s supposed to be there still missing (like Season 1 for example!). The Eureka soundtrack will also be on iTunes soon.

Best of all, there is (and will be even more) exclusive iTunes content available.  First up, the world premiere music video and single of “Apocalypse (Theme from ‘The Plan’)” performed live by the Battlestar Galactica Orchestra in concert are now on iTunes.

Raya Yarbrough sings the Gayatri Mantra in the “Apocalypse” video.

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Albums, Battlestar Galactica | 112 Comments »

SPOILERS ARE PLANNED: My score for Battlestar Galactica evolved dramatically over the 4 seasons. Character themes were introduced, developed and occasionally abandoned as various instrumentalists and soloists expanded the sonic palette of the music. The score progressively became more expansive, richer, and wildly varied with each episode. While this approach was musically inventive, it did result in certain musical threads being left incomplete.

The Plan, the newly-released straight-to-DVD movie and final swan song of the series afforded me a unique opportunity to return to the roots of the story arcs in the first two seasons and complete them with the thematic, instrumental and melodic material I had developed in Seasons 3 and 4.  ”Retconning” is a term I’ve heard used to describe reinterpreting or re-envisioning past events.  Well, The Plan gave me the rare opportunity for some musical retconning, and I took it!

After a clever visual pun with the Universal logo (the planet in the background is Caprica, not Earth!), The Plan opens with a reprise of the opening title text, recited by the cylons themselves.  Over this sequence, the electric violin, duduk and yialli tanbur play in unison the first statement of the only new theme I wrote for this film, The Plan Theme:

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Battlestar Galactica | 163 Comments »

ONE NIGHT ONLY: On October 24th, the Golden State Pops Orchestra will perform a special tribute to composer Stu Phillips to commemorate his 80th birthday.  He will conduct his scores from the original Battlestar Galactica, as well as several other projects.  Richard Hatch and other new and original BSG alums will be there, and I will be there as a special guest, conducting my new arrangement of Stu’s classic theme!

My piece will be a combination of the various moments in my scores in which I quoted Stu’s timeless melody, drawing from “Colonial Anthem” from Season 2, “Husker in Combat” from Razor and, of course, “The Heart of the Sun” from the final episode.  Some of my own, original BSG themes will weave in there as well.

If you missed the summer concerts in downtown Los Angeles, San Diego, or my ballet, Prelude to War, in Germany last spring, this is your last chance this year to hear my Galactica score performed live in concert.  Since the concert program also includes Stu’s “Theme from Battlestar Galactica,” I want my “Colonial Anthem” to have all the unique qualities and sounds that set my score apart.  So, the orchestra will be joined on stage by BSG Orchestra superstars Paul Cartwright on electric violin, Chris Bleth on duduk and M.B. Gordy on taikos and ethnic percussion. (UPDATE: The line-up has changed.  See the bottom of this entry).

And even if you did see any of the previous shows, this one will be entirely different, since it involves a full orchestra!  This concert will truly be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the classic and re-imagined Galactica scores together on one program.  There will also be a drawing to win CDs and other goodies signed by me and Stu.

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances, Interviews | 82 Comments »

I will be signing copies of the Battlestar Galactica Season 4 soundtrack this Sunday, September 13th, at 1pm at Dark Delicacies in Burbank, CA.  Also present will be Nathan Barr (True Blood) and composing duo Nicole Buetti and Dirk Montapert (Dead of Night).

I will also be signing Caprica, Eureka, Rest Stop: Don’t Look Back, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles and the first three Battlestar Galactica CDs.

DARK DELICACIES
4213 W. Burbank Blvd., Burbank, CA 91505
Sunday, September 13th, 2008, 1pm
www.darkdel.com

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Albums, Battlestar Galactica, Video Games | 82 Comments »

Lame. Today I finally got my BSG Complete Series BluRay Box Set from Amazon (yes, I had to buy my own, which is surprisingly not the “lame” part).  To ship it to me, Amazon basically threw it in a cardboard box without additional packing material.  And since the box set packaging itself is essentially another cardboard box, it was all smashed up by the time it got here…

… resulting in a hilariously ironic memento of my years working on this series.  I was going to bitch to Amazon and make them send me a new one, but the more I look at this pathetically lopsided cube-turned-trapezoid that I paid over $200.00 for, the more it makes me laugh.  :)

Ok, complaints about packaging aside, there are actually a lot things about this release I’m genuinely excited about.  I’ve seen a handful of episodes in high-definition, at various screenings and press events, and the picture quality was always amazing.  The VFX in particular are incredibly detailed.  So, I’m looking forward to watching the whole series again from the beginning in high def, especially because I’ve never watched an episode again after its original air date with only a few exceptions.

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Battlestar Galactica | 102 Comments »

“What you’re going to hear tonight are the musicians that have literally given us some of the finest music the world’s ever heard.”
- Edward James Olmos

I’m back from a whirlwind week in San Diego for Comic Con, and have lived to tell the tale!  I’ve collected here just a few of the memorable highlights from our Battlestar Galactica Orchestra concerts…

First of all, the interview above is among my most vivid memories of Comic Con ‘09.  Edward James Olmos was being interviewed by NBCSanDiego.com and literally pulled the mic out of the host’s hands.  He immediately took over the production, interviewing me and the two vocalists in my band, Raya Yarbrough and Brendan McCreary.  This would be just one of countless surprises I experienced during these shows.

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 96 Comments »

The long-awaited soundtrack for Battlestar Galactica: Season 4 is finally out, and rocketed up the sales charts on Amazon.  In fact, La La Land Records was forced to scramble to print more discs after their initial run sold out in pre-orders alone.  For the past week, it has been in the TOP TEN MUSIC SALES (peaking on the day of its release at #4), as well as the #1 selling TV SOUNDTRACK and, surprisingly, the #1 selling MOVIE SOUNDTRACK!

Immediately following our successful concerts at Comic Con last week, this phenomenal reaction to the album release is, of course, a welcome surprise.  However, I must confess that my greatest sense of achievement comes from simply getting this music out there.  My work on Season 4 began almost exactly two years ago, and since then, I’ve given every ounce of my passion, energy and dedication to the singular goal of writing and producing the best music I possibly could for Galactica’s swan song.  Watching fan reaction to the episodes was satisfying, but it was maddening having the score cues simply sitting in my studio for so many months (or in some cases years), and not being able to share it with all of you.

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Albums, Battlestar Galactica | 213 Comments »

Hey Gang… 

Wow.  So much going on at Comic Con here. The first day was INTENSE!  Richard Hatch’s panel was amazing and I think the first live concert we played was easily the best show the Orchestra has put on yet.  Eddie Olmos was an amazing MC, and the surprise visits from Richard Hatch, Luciana Carro and Michael Hogan brought the house down… not to mention the surprise duet with me and Katee Sackhoff playing All Along the Watchtower on piano.

I’ll eventually write an entry about the shows, and put up some photos and media clips.  But, in the meantime, check out our official Twitter (@bsglive) and the blog that we’re running on the official band website (bsgorcestra.com).  Percussionist Jonathan Ortega is writing it up and he has great insight, cool photos, and a wicked sense of humor!

The only thing that bummed me out tonight: I saw some General Admission audience members being turned away from the signing after the show and it just made me crazy (I always wanted to do a big signing for everybody in the first place).  Starting tomorrow, I’m going to make damn sure that EVERYONE at the concerts can come to the signing afterwards.  I want a chance to meet all of you!  Consider this an official announcement!

Besides, we’re selling the Season 4 CDs and every other record I’ve done as well as limited edition posters, including this killer design by Andrew Craig.  You can all pick them up and get them signed by the entire orchestra!

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 104 Comments »

Hey gang, I’m getting ready to head down to San Diego for Comic Con tomorrow night.  It’s going to be a crazy week, but I’m looking forward to rocking out the House of Blues with all of you on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.  I’ll also make a few appearances at the convention and wanted to let you know about them.  If you’re around, stop by and say hi!

THURSDAY, JULY 23rd:

Richard Hatch: Battlestar Retrospective Panel
Comic Con Convention Center – Room 6A
12:30 – 1:30PM

Moderated by actor/author Richard Hatch (Tom Zarek, Capt Apollo), this panel includes writer / producer Michael Taylor, science advisor Kevin Grazier and myself, providing a review, discussion and Q&A of Battlestar’s past four seasons and dramatic ending.

The Music of Battlestar Galactica
Live Concert Performance Hosted by Edward James Olmos
7PM (doors open) to Midnight
House of Blues San Diego, 1055 Fifth Ave.
Tickets Available from Ticketmaster
(the promotional password is “frak” for a cheaper rate!)

Each night of our shows will be a little different, but the THURSDAY NIGHT performance will be extra special.  Not only is it the first place on Earth to get autographed season 4 CDs, but you’ll hear world-premiere performances of new Galactica music from “The Plan” before anyone else.

Oh, and the Thursday night show will feature an EXCLUSIVE SURPRISE PERFORMER: a guest pianist who will join me onstage for a duet of the pivotal piano music from Someone to Watch Over Me that she… well, I don’t want to spoil it.  :)

UPDATE 7-22: We just confirmed another surprise guest for Thursday, and a few more for Friday and Saturday.  I’ll give you a hint:  One of them is a Cylon and another one was a suspected Cylon!  :)

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 49 Comments »

Battlestar Galactica | 76 Comments »

Hot off the press…  Battlestar Galactica: Season 4 soundtrack CDs!  (I took this picture 5 minutes ago.)

This album is currently in the TOP 100 MUSIC SALES on Amazon, and has actually been the #1 selling TV soundtrack for over a month.  I just learned that La La Land Records has SOLD OUT of their initial printing, two weeks before the official release date, and are rushing to get more discs manufactured to meet demand.

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Albums, Battlestar Galactica | 101 Comments »

Today, we launch the official Battlestar Galactica Orchestra website, which debuts with a surprise announcement concerning the incredible MCs for the shows!  Check it out: www.BsgOrchestra.com

Pretty amazing special guests, right?  I am so excited to share the stage with them!  

This new website is the result of a design competition I announced last week.  The Grand Prize included, among other toys, exclusive access to soundcheck and 2 VIP Passes to our July concerts in San Diego.  Two runners-up would also get signed CDs and posters.

We got so many outstanding submissions that it took us longer than we hoped to go through them all, but we have can finally announce the winners! (taiko drum roll, please…)  

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 52 Comments »

As you know, I am performing live in concert with The Battlestar Galactica Orchestra at the House of Blues San Diego on July 23rd, 24th and 25th, the week of Comic Con.

A few months ago, I asked all of you for suggestions for the Season 4 soundtrack album, in a blog post called “The Season 4 CD: What do you want to hear?”  Well, I need your ideas again!  What do you think should be on the set list for our big HOB concerts?

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 92 Comments »

With the success of our recent concerts at The Roxy Theater and California Plaza, I think its time my band, The Battlestar Galactica Orchestra, gets its own website.  Over the past few years, I’ve received frequent and generous offers from BSG fans around the world, volunteering to pitch in with web design services.  Now the time is right and I need YOUR help.  I’m challenging you loyal fans to a web design contest.

The BSG Orchestra needs a site that can provide media from previous concerts, information on upcoming shows, updates on potential international performances in 2010, a forum for fans, and details on the possible LIVE CONCERT DVD AND ALBUM in the works for release later this year (shhhhhhhh! More about that soon!).  

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 34 Comments »

I wrote my first cue for Battlestar Galactica: Season 4 in August, 2007 and finished scoring the series finale in February, 2009.  Earlier this year, I posted a blog entry asking all you fans what you wanted on the album.  And, wow, you guys certainly responded!  

I kept that blog post handy while I was making my selections for the album.  In fact, several of the tracks that made the final cut were ones I wouldn’t have considered were it not for an astute fan mentioning it here on this blog.

Narrowing the selections down to only two discs was difficult enough, but then my entire team and I spent months recording, mixing, editing and compiling that two years’ worth of effort into the ultimate listening experience.  I even composed or expanded several pieces specifically for the album, and spent weeks compiling material for the expanded 20-page CD booklet that will accompany each album.  And I spent this week at Bernie Grundman Mastering in Los Angeles, putting the finishing touches on this epic journey, in preparation for a July 21, 2009 release date!  (UPDATE: The release date is now July 28th.)

Now, I can finally announce the official album track list and provide a glimpse of the cover:

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Albums, Battlestar Galactica | 134 Comments »

A big thanks to all the fans who turned up at the California Plaza in Downtown Los Angeles, last Saturday!  The evening was a complete success.  BrEndAn’s Band opened first, finishing their set with Brendan McCreary’s original song “When Will the Work Be Done,” that was featured in the “Battlestar Galactica” finale.  As the sun set, the Battlestar Galactica Orchestra took the stage…

For the last song, Kara Thrace herself, Katee Sackhoff, joined me on stage at the grand piano to play “Kara Remembers” (from the forthcoming Season 4 Soundtrack Album).  I played the left hand part, and she plucked out the Final Four Theme, just as she did in the climax of Someone to Watch Over Me.  Once we had the Final Four Theme going on the piano, the band snuck in, building to “Heeding the Call” and finally “All Along the Watchtower.”  The writers and director of Someone To Watch Over Me were in the audience, so this was a very special moment for Katee and me.

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 125 Comments »

Finally!  Tickets are now on sale for the “Music of Battlestar Galactica” Live at the HOUSE OF BLUES in San Diego during the Comic Con convention: July 23, 24 and 25th!  Get them fast, because they are going to sell quick!

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 31 Comments »

What a week!  I’ve been in final rehearsals for tomorrow’s big free concert in Downtown LA.  If you’re in the area, don’t miss this incredible event under the stars.  There will be some VERY EXCITING surprises that I wish I could spoil for you now, but it’s only a day away… might as well save it for tomorrow.

You are all welcome to bring a video camera or take photos at tomorrow’s concert.  If you get some video or stills, I’d be grateful if you could share them with me: the higher quality the better.  After the concert, just leave a comment below and we’ll coordinate with you.

UPDATED: Photography is fine, but DO NOT USE A FLASH! Thanks!

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Battlestar Galactica, Concerts / Performances | 60 Comments »