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Post by felixdeburgh on Oct 16, 2021 17:22:30 GMT
The legendary composer has died at the age of 84 after battling pneumonia. We will all have heard some of his compositions at one time or another, whether it be the themes from Countdown, Grange Hill, Dave Allen or Channel 4 News but he was also responsible for so many library tracks that were used in films and TV or sampled in rap tracks.
RIP.
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Post by fordcapri on Oct 17, 2021 0:26:42 GMT
Very, very, very sad to have heard this. When your phone rings at 1 a.m. with a text, you know it's unlikely to be good news. Met Alan several times and this laptop was actually paid for by him so that I could view and log hi-def video footage. He was a great bloke and a true legend of the genre. I know a great many people are going to be deeply saddened today. Thanks Al.
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Post by jjmolloy on Oct 17, 2021 12:23:41 GMT
Saw Channel 4 news the other day for the first time in years and was delighted to hear that theme still used. RIP
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Post by McCann on Oct 17, 2021 14:33:23 GMT
Quite a CV of catchy and iconic tunes. The Dave Allen tune always sounded cool and fitted the show perfectly.
I see from Wikipedia that his daughter sang the Opus III number 'It's a fine day' which will be on TOTP soon as an early 1992 hit.
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Post by fordcapri on Oct 17, 2021 15:21:28 GMT
Quite a CV of catchy and iconic tunes. The Dave Allen tune always sounded cool and fitted the show perfectly. I see from Wikipedia that his daughter sang the Opus III number 'It's a fine day' which will be on TOTP soon as an early 1992 hit. Here she is, together with her dad, talking to me in 2012. As you can see, I had my hair cut in an appropriate fashion to meet the leader of the Mohawks!  Here she is again, with Brian Bennett this time.  And finally, Big Al in an appropriate pose...  |
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Post by jno on Oct 17, 2021 17:43:43 GMT
Tragic, so many superb tunes. RIP.
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Post by ltd on Oct 20, 2021 18:28:08 GMT
Radcliffe and Maconie show featured his arrangement of The Sweeney theme on their show of the 17th, and were mightily impressed by it. Has a mad prog-funk middle section that you don't expect if you're only familiar with the TV version. Great stuff.
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Post by fordcapri on Oct 21, 2021 10:23:21 GMT
Radcliffe and Maconie show featured his arrangement of The Sweeney theme on their show of the 17th, and were mightily impressed by it. Has a mad prog-funk middle section that you don't expect if you're only familiar with the TV version. Great stuff. Don't know that one... but then he recorded so many. The last LP I bought, off ebay, was one of his! His version of The Persuaders theme, albeit part of a medley, is one of the best versions I have heard. I don't think Alan ever made a bad recording! |
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Post by fordcapri on Oct 21, 2021 18:42:32 GMT
And finally...
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Post by artyboy1973 on Oct 21, 2021 21:18:22 GMT
So sad to hear of the passing of Alan Hawkshaw. I loved his music for Arthur C Clarke’s Mysterious World Series and I recently listened to some of the library music he did which was used on the Blake’s 7 episode Duel. His music styles fell into all genres.
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Post by Portland Road on Oct 21, 2021 21:31:09 GMT
I don't know the range of Alan's music that the serious library music fans know. Though what I do know is superb. I became aware of him during the 'easy listening revival' that commenced around the mid-90s. I love the late-60s period of MOR/library music to which Alan and Keith Mansfield were central  R.I.P. Alan Hawkshaw. |
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Post by felixdeburgh on Oct 25, 2021 20:40:31 GMT
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Post by fordcapri on Oct 26, 2021 8:06:42 GMT
Typical Guardian ignorance! Sorry... couldn't resist that. |
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Post by Portland Road on Oct 28, 2021 6:36:11 GMT
I bought the 'Mohawk' compilation CD which I played very often in the mid-2000s. Highly recommended  |
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