• Bear McCreary

    Composer for film, television and videogames. Credits include "Battlestar Galactica," "The Walking Dead," "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles," "Caprica," Step Up 3D, "The Cape," "Human Target," "Dark Void," "SOCOM 4," "Trauma," Wrong Turn 2, "Eureka" and the Rest Stop films. This blog focuses on the scores to "Battlestar Galactica" but other projects and various aspects of film music are frequently discussed.
  • "One of the best blogs in the business. It's a fascinating look at the process of making music for film and television and the care he takes with aligning the score with the twists and turns of each character's plot lines." (THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER)
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    « The Themes of “Caprica”
    OFFICIAL DATES: “Music of Battlestar Galactica” SoCal Tour, Summer ‘09! »

    Battlestar Auction Panel This Thursday

    Posted by Bear McCreary on May 5th, 2009

    As many of you probably already know, this week is the second and final BATTLESTAR GALACTICA AUCTION, May 8 – 10, 2009 at the Pasadena Convention Center:  your last chance to own a little piece of BG history… at least until half the stuff ends up on eBay again for ten times as much in a few years!

    (This piano is up for auction, however Slick’s piano from Joe’s Bar was sadly destroyed because it was deemed damaged beyond repair.  Too bad.)

    Thursday May 7th is PREVIEW DAY and there are some very special events happening (all the details are available at the official site).

    At 6pm, I’m taking part in the Production Executive Panel.  The official line-up also includes sound designer Daniel Colman, producer Harvey Frand, VFX superviser Gary Hutzel, co-producer Paul Leonard, director Michael Nankin, director Wayne Rose, editor Andy Seklir and the dynamic writing due of Bradley Thompson and David Weddle.  I will screen an exclusive sneak-peek at the Music Documentaries included on the forthcoming Season 4 Blu Ray and DVD sets.

    In other news, this has been an interesting week for Battlestar-related projects.  I’ve been working away on the Battlestar Galactica Season 4 Soundtrack CD for weeks already.  All of your comments and suggestions have proven invaluable as I’ve gone through each episode cue by cue, looking for the best moments for the album.  I’m not quite finished picking out the tracks, but almost there.  Hopefully, I’ll have a track list done in a month or so.

    Even at this early stage, I can assure you all this record will live up to and quite possibly exceed its wildly inflated expectations.  This 2 disc set will be the crowning achievement of my Galactica career, and I can’t wait to share it with all of you.

    But the album is not the only BG project getting underway for me right now (and no, I’m not talking about “Battlestar Galactica: The Plan”).  I have several VERY exciting announcements in the coming weeks, and at least one will be made in the next 48 hours.  I wish I could frakkin’ tell you guys right now, but I have to wait until all the details are finalized.

    I’ll give you a hint at what this is all about: Summer 2009.

    See you Thursday night in Pasadena.

    So Say We All!

    -Bear

    Posted by Bear McCreary on Tuesday, May 5th, 2009 at 11:35 pm.

    20 Responses to This Blog Entry:

    OMG, I’d love to have this piano. Could be a little complicated getting it to good old Germany, though. And I can’t afford it anyway. Or play.

    Can’t wait to hear what announcements you have to make. Whatever it is, I’ll buy it *g* Especially if it’s what I think it is.

    Best,
    René

    Left by Lex on May 6th, 2009

    Heh. 48 hours it is, then, Mr. McCreary. 48 hours.

    Left by GungaDin on May 6th, 2009

    Can’t wait for the S4 album. *drools*

    Could we perhaps get a small teaser or two to keep us going until the release? Maybe something like Kara and Slick’s version of Watchtower/Final four (five?)-theme/whatever it ended up being called? Or some of the battle music from Daybreak? *makes bambi eyes*

    Incidentally, “Prelude to War” and “Storming New Caprica” have joined pieces such as “Final Duel/Into the Death Star” by John Williams and “Lord Cutler Beckett” by Hans Zimmer in the rather small and exclusive club of musical pieces that literally drive a chill down my spine. You’re officially my new musical drug dealer, I hope you’re happy with yourself.

    Left by Sutekh on May 6th, 2009

    “…Slick’s piano from Joe’s Bar was sadly destroyed because it was deemed damaged beyond repair.”

    Frakking ignorants! Bear, now that Slick’s piano is destroyed, you HAVE to give us the samples. For the well-being of … the fleet I guess :D

    So there will be live BSG music as soon as this summer? Cool! So what’s the deal? Where will it be? Who will be involved?

    Wow, this turns out to be a good day… I’m going to see Star Trek tonight, one of my favorite bands finally released their album which turned out better than I expected and Bear McCreary is teasing us to death. :D What more could I wish for? :D

    Left by keytars_forever on May 6th, 2009

    I’m wondering if Slick’s piano was ‘destroyed’ while it was being moved, and if the ‘remaining parts’ were rolled into a truck on its way to your house… :)

    Left by Konrad on May 6th, 2009

    Bear: “I’ll give you a hint at what this is all about: Summer 2009.”

    If this is anything akin to a tour, I’ll just consider it a mildly delayed birthday present, however, all the news pretty well covers the actual day. Thankee sai!

    Left by Brian on May 6th, 2009

    Also, it seems the final five and Kara Thrace would make rather fitting figures for the season 4 album cover.

    Left by Brian on May 6th, 2009

    Uh, the tease!

    Can’t wait to find out what season four’s tracklist is going to be.

    And does one of your super secret special announcements have anything to do with Lalaland’s 100th release? It seems they like a good tease as much as you do. :)

    And because it can’t be said often enough: Thanks for this awesome blog and your wonderful music – keep on jumpin’!

    Kudos,

    Left by penumbra on May 6th, 2009

    Thought just occurred to me: any chance of the samples you created from the Joe’s Bar piano ever getting released?

    Left by DocFaustus on May 6th, 2009

    Rendezvous here in 48 hours? You bet!!
    I can’t wait. I too expect an early birthday present!!

    Left by Ravenna on May 6th, 2009

    Bear wrote: “at least until half the stuff ends up on eBay again for ten times as much in a few years”

    I guess you mean that literally. I check up on the auctions on eBay and constantly see, “That item has been removed.”

    Left by Tcreek on May 6th, 2009

    I wish that I could afford those props.

    Left by walabio on May 6th, 2009

    I just live in the wrong part of the world ;( but on the other hand, I would spend way too much over my budget, so maybe it’s good I don’t live near Pasadena!

    A live concert this summer? WOW! Where? Hopefully in Europe as well. It has acutally been 48 hours since your blog, so I bet you’ll answer this one soon ;)

    I am looking so much foward to the double-disc set of BSG season 4!

    So much excitement :)

    Left by Sandra on May 7th, 2009

    Sutekh… “Could we perhaps get a small teaser or two to keep us going until the release?”

    I hope so. It’s still too early, though.

    “Incidentally, “Prelude to War” and “Storming New Caprica” have joined pieces such as “Final Duel/Into the Death Star” by John Williams and “Lord Cutler Beckett” by Hans Zimmer in the rather small and exclusive club of musical pieces that literally drive a chill down my spine.”

    I think the cue from the assault on the colony from “Daybreak” will join those ranks as well. :)

    penumbra… “And does one of your super secret special announcements have anything to do with Lalaland’s 100th release? It seems they like a good tease as much as you do. :)”

    Golly, I dunno. :) (shrugs)

    DocFaustus… “Thought just occurred to me: any chance of the samples you created from the Joe’s Bar piano ever getting released?”

    It’s possible. They’re ok, but not really useable commercially. However, they do sound EXACTLY like that piano sounded. Maybe one of these days.

    Sandra… “It has acutally been 48 hours since your blog, so I bet you’ll answer this one soon ;)”

    Wow, you’re really keeping count! Hang tight for another 6 hours. :)

    -Bear

    Left by Bear McCreary on May 7th, 2009

    i’m kind of glad i didn’t check your blog until today, because now i don’t have to wait as long for the big announcement… and it’s just in time for my birthday, too (gotta admit that’s a little weird)! i hope another hint could possibly be “time to plan a road trip”…

    Left by madjeepgirl on May 7th, 2009

    Hey Bear,

    As you have finished a good part of track selection now i think i have a very interesting suggestion
    (you could also call it a big plea/request but it’s well thought out – it would mean additional advertisement for the BSG album and great fan service)

    If we get a late summer/early fall soundtrack release that would mean another five months wait for the album.
    We as your fans can of course listen to the music in the actual episodes over and over again (though sometimes buried in sound effects), but what if you would release one or maybe even two finished tracks on your blog/website. They would be just listenable in a satisfying quality and they would amp the excitement for this great release once again.

    And now the big part: Let the fans decide from a list of 4-5 tracks you could live with getting released prior to the album which complete track would be put online on your blog through a poll or something similar.

    You could do this for example in about a month and/or in the summer again. You wouldnt loose anything. The people here will buy the album regardless if you preview something or not, but in the best case you can reach some new people and in every case it would be a nice fan service.

    I beg you just think about it, it’s a win win situation :)
    (and i’m sure as it will be a 2 disc release that one or two tracks prior can’t be such a rights-problem with the label/studio)

    All the best,

    Left by Fedragal on May 7th, 2009

    “Even at this early stage, I can assure you all this record will live up to and quite possibly exceed its wildly inflated expectations.”

    OH MAN. That is probably the best thing you could ever say… I’m so very very excited. In order to satiate my needs for more of your music, I just got myself the Eureka and the Sarah Conner Chronicles soundtrack. But I still find myself playing my BSG playlist over and over again.

    Left by silverlain on May 7th, 2009

    I just found out that Slick’s musical sketches (some of which are ones I wrote out personally) were supposed to go for $300 – $600 and went for a stunning $3750. Holy frak!

    -Bear

    Left by Bear McCreary on May 17th, 2009

    I just found out that Slick’s musical sketches (some of which are ones I wrote out personally) were supposed to go for $300 – $600 and went for a stunning $3750. Holy frak!

    LOL That didn’t really surprise me at all. I knew the $300-$600 estimate was *way* to low.
    The double of Kara’s music portfolio went for $710 on e-bay so I knew that Slick’s music would sell for at least $1500. There are several of us on the auction forum that would probably have paid that or a lot more for Slick’s piano. I asked about it right after the episode aired and was told it was not part of the inventory. There are a lot of people who are a big fan of your music and that episode so I knew it would sell for a lot.

    Yvonne

    Left by ROSFORPRES on May 17th, 2009

    Yvonne… “LOL That didn’t really surprise me at all. I knew the $300-$600 estimate was *way* to low.”

    Well, it sure surprised me. It’s crazy, to think that when we were writing out sketches for production we were creating valuable works of art! Never crossed my mind…

    I’ve said it a million times, but its a damn shame they didn’t hang on to that piano that Slick played. Even if it was in pieces, someone would’ve bought it. Hell, I would’ve bought it myself.

    -Bear

    Left by Bear McCreary on May 26th, 2009

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