To begin, 3-2-1 is finally over. What did Tom reject, and what’s he walking away with?
In the meantime, Chris MD posed an intriguing question yesterday: who was better: Ed Welch or Zack Lawrence? Lawrence of course has some great tunes to his name – Peak Performance for Treasure Hunt, Force Field for The Crystal Maze and Rock Revolution for Interceptor (although that’s basically a cover), I just don’t think you can beat the eighties synth stylings of Ed Welch:
Man, I really want to watch Knightmare now. Awesome.
Incidentally, Perfection is getting rerecorded 14th-23rd September at the London Studios. Lost in TV have the details.
Cover or no, I still think Rock Revolution is the single greatest game show theme tune yet, but Ed Welch probably has at least three or four shows in the top twenty… and you can probably add at leat a second of the Knightmare themes, maybe the third, and possibly even a second Catchphrase tune. If you judge them by their top one, top two or maybe even top three, Lawrence gets my nod, but if you consider the whole of their ouvres then it’s Welch by a nose.
Sounds like they had to evacuate the Big Brother UK house because of a freak downpour – it certainly really lashed it in Cambridge for about half an hour earlier in the evening. It also sounds like they’re back in in some capacity though.
It’s the bomb scare from BB4 all over again!
Wow, that’s some proper flooding:
http://bb-cache.channel4.com/bigbrother/video/2010/Aug/17/housemates-evacuated-after-freak-storm/play.c4
Interesting question. I’ll have to do some more investigating here.
I’ve seen some of “Knightmare” on YT, and should pay some attention to the rock-flavored opening theme.
This may give this Yank the incentive to look on YT for episodes of “Interceptor” (they’re all there, I think) and “Treasure Hunt” (don’t know about that one).
I can say this–I knew I was hooked on “The Crystal Maze” when I found “Force Field” imbedded in my head as I was walking into a thrift shop (or charity shop, if you prefer), the day after I’d seen my first episode on YT. If that isn’t catchy, I don’t know what is!
On a very preliminary basis, I’d have to go with Lawrence–but that may change upon further investigation.
Memo to self: must identify before completely disagreeing with the host. Damn you, deep-fried hard disk. Ahem.
I stand by my anonymous comment last time. I do question whether Rock Revolution passes muster as a cover. Though the piece is written to be played allegro con fuoco (with vigour and animation), the general approach seems to be to play it allegro con austin (slow and spluttering). Lawrence’s version takes the piece’s vigour and translates it into an action piece, suitable for an action-and-adventure show.
Of course, if someone can name an Ed Welch piece I’ve forgotten, and is better than Theme From “Catchphrase”, I think I’d have to transfer my vote that way.
Theme from Blockbusters? Quiz Wizard or whatever it was called.
*giggles at allegro con austin*
The only biggie that you didn’t include in your previous analysis was the Knightmare symphony in three movements. Whether you rate it as better than the Chorale Chips or not is an open question.
Though not better than ‘Catchphrase,’ ‘Defenders of The Earth’ was pretty good.
Talking of shows with great music, I’m really enjoying You Bet! on Challenge (8am weekdays, 9am on +1) – though I suspect its presence may be a summer holiday treat. Today’s show, the first of the 1993 season, dispensed with the studio completely and had the five challenges dotted around the British Isles, with one celebrtity backer per location, local audiences perfoming the voting and video tape inserts showing other celebrities’ votes.
Yes, You Bet! had great music. I asked Jonathan Sorrell on MySpace a few years ago if he still had the brilliant clock music, but apparently it’s all with the production company.