December 2012
Guild Tidings
The official publication of
The International Songwriters Guild
Volume 17, No. 12
NEXT MEETING - Christmas Party, 5:00pm Sunday, December 2nd, 2012
Officers:
Newsletter/Articles
Jeff Mason, jeffrey_mason@me.com
Meeting Coordinator/Critique scoring/CFMA Liason
Matthew Campbell, matthew_sax77@yahoo.com
Membership/Certificates/Contact
Susan Foster-Trewick, susiecool2001@yahoo.com
407-760-2153
E-mail Contact, isgorlando@gmail.com
Website
Carlos Colon, videosaysitall.fl@gmail.com
352-267-5911
Treasurer
Asli Goncer, asli@cfl.rr.com
Secretary
Jacquelyn Gould, songsuite@gmail.com
The International Songwriter’s Guild meets at 5 PM on the first Sunday of every month at the
Central Florida Musician’s Union building, 3020 East Robinson (at the extreme east end of
Robinson, near Orlando Executive Airport ) in Orlando.
Songwriters, composers, performers, publishers, and the curious are encouraged to join us. Non-
members are invited to attend a meeting or two to get a feel for our group and what we do. For
more information, visit our website at www.isgorlando.org or myspace page at
http://www.myspace.com/internationalsongwritersguildorlando
The meetings will be structured as follows: 5:00 to 5:30, business and introductions. 5:30 to
6:00, presentation by a guest speaker (when scheduled), 5:30 or 6:00 to 8:00, song critiques.
Please bring a CD or mp3 player or perform your song live, and bring 10 or more lyric sheets.
If we have at least 5 songs by members who wish to be scored, and 6 members scoring, then we will
have them entered in the Monthly competition. Everyone is encouraged to write constructive
comments on the lyric sheets.
The Spy Who Loved Me
By Jeff Mason
Sometimes life imitates art and unusual coincidences take place. While
researching and preparing this article about the James Bond musical franchise, a real life spy
scandal broke out in Washington.
Another strange coincidence took place on Friday, October 5, 1962. That date
marked the release of The Beatle’s first single Love Me Do and was the UK premiere of the first
James Bond movie, Dr No. Both of these events created two significant musical franchises which
continue today, fifty years later.
Last week a new James Bond movie, Skyfall, opened and continued a tradition of
seeking out the biggest names in music to supply a title song and help market the movie. The new
title song written by Adele and Paul Epworth is a fine addition to the franchise and harkens back
to the impressive Goldfinger sung by Shirley Bassey. Adele’s song was released on October 5 and
there is no coincidence in that fact, just astute marketing and promotion.
Beginning with the first movie one of the most influential contributors to the
series was John Barry. It was Barry’s arrangement of Monty Norman’s James Bond Theme that helped
spawn a new genre of spy songs. The music is a distinctive blend of rock, pop, be-bop, jazz and
classical. Barry employed strong brass chordal arrangements, sustained strings for suspense and
percussion in his sound tracks. Another element I’ve enjoyed in listening to soundtracks is the
inclusion of unusual instruments. In his 1965 score for another espionage movie The Ipcress File,
he featured the cimbalom, an Eastern European concert hammered dulcimer. This mysterious sound
can also be heard in the 1949 film The Third Man. The instrument used in the theme song, also
known as The Harry Lime Theme, is another type of hammered dulcimer called a zither. Anton Karas
wrote and performed The Harry Lime Theme which would become a huge international hit. The spy
genre with it’s colorful, foreign locations benefits from the use of unusual and exotic
instruments.
Lalo Schifrin’s Theme from Mission Impossible and Jerry Goldsmith’s theme for The
Man From U.N.C.L.E. are just two of the musical themes which owe a debt to John Barry’s
groundbreaking work on the Bond movies. Johnny River’s rendition of Secret Agent Man is another
homage to Monty Norman’s song. Elvis Costello’s Watching The Detectives and Mark Knopfler’s
Private Investigations are also indebted to the Bond franchise. Listen to the interplay between
acoustic guitar and marimba in Knopfler’s composition.
Other notable contributions to the Bond catalog are Paul McCartney’s Live and Let
Die, Marvin Hamlisch’s elegant Nobody Does It Better sung by Carly Simon, Tom Jone’s Thunderball
and another Shirley Bassey classic Diamonds Are Forever. Even Louis Armstrong got in on the act
with We Have All The Time In The World. I was impressed by Jack White’s Another Way To Die in
2008.
I discovered a fine book by Jon Burlingame titled The Music Of James Bond reviewed by
Jay Rubin, author of the The Complete James Bond Encyclopedia. Rubin writes, “A magnificent work.
Not only has Mr. Burlingame assembled a meticulously researched history of the James Bond music,
but, being an expert on musical scoring and composers, he offers a degree of music appreciation
and insight that few possess.” It is not only an enjoyable read, but a valuable tool to anyone
considering writing for today’s lucrative film and television market.
It seems to me that the spy genre song will never go away and judging by the Petraeus
scandal, now would be a perfect time to try composing one. See you next month.
ISG Bulletin Board
Videography and website management services at a price you CAN AFFORD. Capturing your wedding or
event on video may not be in your budget but you’re hoping that you may have something left over
to hire a videographer. I will fit your budget. My goal is to offer my services to those who
otherwise would have to pass because of funds. This is your special day and you most definitely
want to capture those moments. Visit my website at http://www.videosaysitall.com . Thanks and
call me anytime (352-267-5911)…Carlos Colon
Meeting space graciously provided by Central Florida Musicians Association, Local 389. You are
invited to join the largest union in the world, representing the interests of the professional
musician. Visit their website at afm389.org for more information. You may reach them by phone
at: 407-894-8666.
We’re always looking for material for the newsletter. If you have any information that you would
like to see added to the newsletter, please see Jeff Mason at the meetings or email him at
jeffrey_mason@me.com . Please keep your articles brief and to the point. Print deadline for the
newsletter is approximately two weeks prior to the monthly meeting.
Classified advertising may be placed free of charge to members in good standing with the ISG.
For more information on display advertising and/or classified advertising for non-members, please
contact Jeff by the print deadline (usually the Friday 16 days prior to the monthly meeting);
email is best ( jeffrey_mason@me.com ).
Why isn't your gig announced here? Call us with your appearance schedule!
Open Mic Night hosted by Matthew "Sax" Campbell
Thursdays, 7-10pm, sign-up starts at 6:45
Quokka Coffee
131 Broadway Ave. (corner of Broadway & Monument)
Kissimmee, FL 34741
free music
Organic fair trade coffee, beer, wine, sandwiches, salads, and pastries with specials
Full P.A. and 6 string acoustic guitar provided
family-friendly atmosphere
Rain or shine
Matthew
Jeff Mason Gig Schedule
Tijuana Flats,
444 S. Hunt Club Blvd,
Apopka, Fl, 32703,
407 774 0402
Tuesdays from 6 p.m.
Weather Permitting
Current members please send us your website info if you would like your site to be listed in the
ISG members page. Also if you have any songs that have placed first in the monthly critiques,
please send the mp3's to isgorlando@gmail.com if you would like to have them featured in the ISG
MySpace page. http://www.myspace.com/internationalsongwritersguildorlando
Past Certificate winners can be found at
https://sites.google.com/site/isgsusiecool/home/resultslist-2
No Critique competition for November
New members always welcome!
© 2012 ISG