April 21, 2011

JOHN BARRY'S KNACK SOUNDTRACK

The Spy Vibe world lost one of the great composers recently when John Barry passed away in January. We celebrated his career, including the James Bond films and The Ipcress File, and highlighted Barry's score to the mod classic, The Knack... And How to Get it (1965). Screen Archives Entertainment announced today that they are releasing a limited-edition run of the soundtrack (1,000 units), transferred directly from the MGM studio master tapes. The new release will not include dialog from the film, which fans may remember hearing on the out-of-print Ryko CD from 1998. From Screen Archives Entertainment:

"Long-awaited and necessary new edition of a master classic by John Barry—one of his most influential works from the sixties. The Knack…and how to get it—winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1965—is an unforgettable film, a symbol of a generation, and a true witness of its time. Smart and sexy, the film was the first collaboration between John Barry and Richard Lester (a partnership that would be repeated in 1969 with Petulia and in 1976 with Robin and Marian). Barry's music is vibrant, funny, powerfully melodic, and well-remembered as an icon of the Swinging London movement.

The Knack was previously released on CD by Ryko in 1998 but that version has been out-of-print for many years. Our edition is based on a new transfer from the original stereo tapes housed in the M-G-M vaults, resulting in sound quality that is much improved. We have removed the dialogue included on the Ryko edition to offer the same musical experience and track order prepared by Barry for the original 1965 United Artists Records LP. The deluxe booklet includes 24 pages with lots of stills and new liner notes by Geoff Leonard and Pete Walker. A necessary tribute, sadly posthumous, to one of the greatest, most celebrated and influential composers in film history: John Barry." Spy Vibe John Barry obituary here. More posts about satire & surrealism (Peter Sellers, Richard Lester, John Lennon, etc) in Swinging London here.

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