Monday 8 March 2010

Vampyres soundtrack



The soundtrack for Brit lesbo-vamp gore fest Vampyres has been available for a while now, but thought I'd give it a bit of a plug. If your thing is attractive women in big velvet coats wandering around foggy graveyards, or having your throat ripped out by naked popsies, then you could do worse than tracking down the DVD. If you'd prefer to be serenaded by the music from the film whilst driving around dreaming of attractive women in big velvet coats wandering around foggy graveyards, or having your throat ripped out by naked popsies, then why not buy the CD?

CDSML 8464
James Clarke
The Wildcats of St. Trinian’s (1980) & Vampyres (1974)
Original Film Soundtracks

This Vocalion release contains the first ever commercial issue of James Clarke’s scores for the films ‘The Wildcats of St. Trinian’s’ (1980) and ‘Vampyres’ (1974). Both soundtracks blend funk and jazz with orchestral scoring and feature the talents of many of Britain’s leading session musicians of the 1970s, including Alan Parker (guitar), Les Hurdle and Frank Clarke (bass guitar), Harold Fisher and Chris Karan (drums), John Taylor and Alan Hawkshaw (keyboards) plus the musical direction of Frank Barber (‘Wildcats’) and Syd Dale (‘Vampyres’). Highlights from the ‘Wildcats’ score include the sophisticated, Fender Rhodes led disco-funk of Girls’ Disco, the easy listening grooves of Swimming Sequence, the cheeky charm of Harry’s Strut (Flash Harry) and Work Apace, the latter an absolutely gorgeous reworking of Malcolm Arnold’s St. Trinian’s School Song. 1974’s ‘Vampyres’ is probably best described as ‘erotic horror’, a torrid tale of two modern-day bisexual female vampires whose bloodlust is matched only by their voracious sexual appetite. James Clarke’s score evokes an atmosphere of unease, menace and dark, sexual tension, perfectly in keeping with the film itself. These qualities are particularly in evidence in Main Titles, blending driving rhythms with Alan Parker’s horrific ‘fuzz’ guitar, and The Legend of the House and The Big Woodland, each of which feature, in parts, intimate harmonies tinged with a sense of foreboding. Stalking is in the best tradition of horror movie music, opening with a ‘stab’ chord and punctuated throughout by the razor-sharp sound of Alan Parker’s ‘fuzz’ guitar, ominous timpani rolls and creepy, tremulando strings. Bisexual female vampires and their prey have never been better depicted in music! The accompanying booklet contains insightful liner notes written by James Clarke and Oliver Lomax, plus rare film stills and original film poster artwork. Remastered from the original analogue stereo tapes. First time on CD.
 You can buy the CD direct from:
http://www.duttonvocalion.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=CDSML8464

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