If you don't own Bring me the Head of Alfredo Garcia I'd recommend that, its beauty to behold with its orchestra - Jerry's ideas were splendid somewhat atmospheric but that's expected from western thrillers, Quartet expanded you'll love it.
Thanks a wild bunch for that, James! I've never heard such an extensive interview with Fielding. As I'm in a lockdown country I'll be able to listen to it all while painting the house.
I think compilations is a great way into a composer's work for the newbie. As such, I heartily recommend Fielding's two FILM MUSIC compilations. They are very hard to find these days, last time I checked, but perhaps you'll find them on some streaming platform. Includes some of his greatest work (although nothing from THE WILD BUNCH, for example, which you'll need to acquire separately).
mortenbond never got back to us on this, and he asked the question six months ago! Hey mort, if you're still looking in, HUNTERS ARE FOR KILLING is the way to go. That Matt Helm pilot was never released, but there's one in a similar tone which nobody has mentioned yet, and that's THE ENFORCER. Jerry Fielding wrote a lot of more important scores than THE ENFORCER, but that's the one I always go back to whatever mood I'm in.
As regards the interview upload - well, I've just listened to it all and it's great. He was one mean melonfarmer that guy was! Great stories about his tough upbringing. I'm already forgetting half the stuff, but it was interesting to hear him talk about his scores for the "quite good" Michael Winner films, after having said that he doesn't understand how anybody would want to watch a piece of shit like THE SENTINEL. Quite poignant too to hear about how he was having to slow down, that he was off the amphetamines and that he "hoped" to be able to sleep at night and not suffer from deadline fever.
Interesting to hear how he said that he wanted his name taken off the credits of DEMON SEED because of the replacement score he was forced to write. That might be covered in the liner notes of the FSM release, I don't recall offhand.
And really interesting to hear him say "You watch out for Clint Eastwood. In five or six years he's gonna be one of the most important directors out there".
So much to absorb in this interview. Gypsy thugs on buses, blacklisting, the "threat of videotapes", the "Why does it take three guys to orchestrate a score?"... Now it takes fifteen.
