The Magic of the Music in 'A Star is Born'
If like me, you have friends who are obsessed with Lady Gaga, you may have been dragged to the cinema to see 'A Star is Born'. I don't really know what I thought I was expecting, but I wasn't expecting a masterpiece.
I went to see it pretty much as soon as it came out, so I didn't know it would go on to gather all these nominations – I didn't know Bradley Cooper would be so good as a musician, I didn't know Gaga would be so good as an actress, and I didn't know the ride I'd be taken on.
I don't really tear up over movies generally, and I didn't over this one either. I sobbed. I cried like a baby. I don't think I can ever watch this movie ever again, just because I don't know if I can withstand the emotional rollercoaster. The music is so good. The story is so good. It's exactly what a movie should be.
And then, presumably as a part of the award season, Cooper surprised Gaga's audience at a recent performance of hers, and it all just came back to me.
It's just unbelievable.
This video explains how Bradley Cooper just "learned to become a musician" for the sake of this film, like that is something one just does and how the music always had to be performed by 'real musicians' (as opposed to casting actors for the band) – and how the process of directing the movie and bringing the storyline of the film also begat the sound itself, including the opening track 'Black Eyes' which Cooper himself wrote.
Then Gaga goes on to explain how as she and Mark Ronson started writing 'Shallow' from "Ally's (her character in the movie) perspective" they didn't realise what a part of the narrative every sentence performed musically would become – and also how writing "as Ally" brought out this new style of songwriting and voice that was unlike any of her other work.
The level of talent and skill at play here is just of the highest possible level. It's truly magical how the music and the movie come together to tell a story that has been told and retold since 1937.
The video is from Lady Gaga's ENIGMA residency in Vegas which runs through 2019.
Not sure if Bradley Cooper will show up again though, based on how reluctant he was to get on stage.
No upcoming events
what else is on our Radar?
- you watching yet? Stranger Things • a Playlist We're hooked on Netflix' Stranger Things, which is strange and wonderful and full of amazing music and characters. To quote: Their electronic soundtracks, while very modern and cutting-edge, also inevitably evoke the sounds of ’80s music (most notably Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, and John Carpenter). So we felt that having a synth soundtrack would do exactly what we wanted to achieve with the show: It would feel both modern and nostalgic at the same time. Fri Jul 22 2016 20:16
- A Legend Dies Alan Vega Tributes have been flooding in for Alan Vega, the singer for the legendary band Suicide, since he passed away at the beginning of the week. Suicide have been cited as one of the most influential bands to come out of New York with the punk explosion in the seventies. Those inspired range from Jesus & The Mary Chain, Depeche Mode, Joy Division and Bruce Springsteen, who played their song Dream Baby Dream as a cover. Thu Jul 21 2016 10:04
- At 3 in the morning When Opportunity Knocks Photo by Sonja LangfordCCZ license Sun Jul 17 2016 17:08
- #PMJsearch We Vote for Eleni Kalaitzis Have we mentioned that before? Sun Jul 17 2016 16:38
- please Make it Stop And pray if you're prone to that sort of thing. Or just think and center yourself. Fri Jul 15 2016 16:50
- and beat the bots How To Get The Good Seats With everybody and his brother trying to get tickets to see Hamilton a lot of effort has gone into trying to make sure that those who buy tickets are actually going to go see the show. Thu Jun 30 2016 20:44
-
Going Corporate
Festival Season Going Corporate
We came across these three articles this week, all variations of the same theme.
Fri Jun 17 2016 17:34
- The legendary Miles Everything is Beautiful in memory of Miles Davis Tue Jun 14 2016 16:43
- It's Cabaret Voltaire Time Nag Nag Nag The wonders of time and space brings us to the eternal question: "Why are we here?" Quick search on the interwebs bring us artefacts of curiosity.And sometimes hints of why and how. No wonder we have retromania raging.Cabaret Voltaire were from Sheffield, England and were operational in the latter part of the 20th century. With their approach to electronic music they paved the way and are still inspirational to many aspiring musicians in rock or electronic.NagNagNag is one their finest and continues to be a modern anthem. Thu Jun 09 2016 10:57