INNER CITY BEAT-DETECTIVE THEMES, SPY MUSIC AND IMAGINARY THRILLERS 1967-1975.

dereksmusicblog ♦ March 7, 2014 ♦ 1 Comment

INNER CITY BEAT-DETECTIVE THEMES, SPY MUSIC AND IMAGINARY THRILLERS 1967-1975.

KPM Music, De Wolfe Music, Amphonic Music and Conroy. These names may not mean much to many people. However, for sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs alike, this means musical gold. One of music’s best kept secrets is library music. This has been the case for many years.

Ever since the dawn of hip hop, library music has proved a source of inspiration for sample-hungry hip hop producers and crate-digging DJs alike. Library music has also proven popular with music lovers with discerning musical tastes. This was never meant to be the case.

Library music was meant to be used by film studios or television and radio stations. It was never meant to be commercially available. The music was recorded on spec by music libraries. They hired often young unknown composers, musicians and producers. Once recorded, record libraries sent out demonstration copies of their music to production companies. If the production companies liked what they heard, they’d license it from the music libraries. That was how it was meant to work.

Often, the music recorded by library companies was never licensed. Since then, it has lain unheard in the vaults of music libraries like KPM, De Wolfe, Amphonic and Conroy. This includes the music on Inner City Beat-Detective Themes, Spy Music and Imaginary Thrillers 1967-1975 which was recently released by Soul Jazz Records. It features twenty-four slices of jazz, funk and easy listening. It’s like returning to what was a golden period in television and cinema.

Anyone who grew up during this period, will be aware it was one of the golden eras of British television and cinema. No wonder. Programs like The Persuaders, The Sweeney, The Avengers, Department S, The Protectors, The Champions and Randall and Hopkirk Deceased) were a regular occurrence on British television. Sometimes, the soundtracks to these television programs were just as memorable. Ironically, the soundtracks were often recorded on spec by music libraries. They hired often young unknown composers, musicians and producers who are responsible for what are some of the most memorable television themes ever. Sadly, the same can’t be said of the twenty-four tracks on Inner City Beat.

Many of the the twenty-four tracks on Inner City Beat were never licensed. So this marks their debut. These tracks bring back memories of the late-sixties and early seventies. They’re truly evocative. Listening to tracks by Syd Dale, Norrie Paramor, Dave Richmond, Reg Tilsley, Brass Incorporated, Francis Coppieters and Johnny Hawksworth is like being transported back in time. These pre-PACE times saw the police get their man by fair means and foul. Usually, this means car chases, punch-ups and doors being kicked in. There was nothing cerebral about these testosterone fuelled days. It was action packed and all over within an hour. The same can be said of Inner City Beat

Peter Reno and Barry Stoller’s Sparks opens Inner City Beat. It’s a track from the Music De Wolfe music library. It’s taken from their 1974 album Super Ride. It’s a real fusion of influences. Everything from easy listening, funk and rock is combined, to create an unmistakable early seventies sound.

Syd Dale features twice on Inner City Beat. His first contribution is the funky, jazz-tinged, dramatic and cinematic Danger Musicians At Work. Written by Syd, it features on his 1967 album Impact And Action. His other contribution is The Hell Raisers, which features on The Sound Of Syd Dale, which was released on KPM Music. Again, it’s dramatic, with jazz, easy listening and funk combining to create a quintessential mid-sixties British sound.

Clive Hicks’ Transit has a moody sound from the get-go. That’s down to the hissing hi-hats, broody bass and washes of keyboards. Then there’s the rasping horns. By now, it’s reminiscent of an episode of The Sweeney. You get the feeling something is going down. It’s a real scene setter. Released on KPM Music on their 1975 compilation drama, it’s one of Inner City Beat’s highlights.

Norrie Paramor was a prolific British composer. His recording career started way back in the fifties. By 1974, he was writing library music. Theme from New Scotland Yard was a track from his 1974 album Law Beat, released by Contour. On Law Beat, he covers the themes to various crime dramas. They bring back a whole host of memories.

Francis Coppieters features twice on Inner City Beat. His contribution  are Funky Chimes and Cross Talk. Both tracks are from Francis’ 1975 album Piano Vibrations. It was released on KPM Music. The best of the two tracks is the mellow, languid and dreamy Funky Chimes.

Dave Richmond contributes Gotta Getaway and Heavy Lead to Inner City Beat. Gotta Getaway features on the 1973 KPM Music compilation Look On The Bright Sid. Heavy Lead, a fusion of funk and jazz, features on KPM Music’s 1975 compilation The Hunter/Adventure Story. It has a moody, dramatic and cinematic sound that sounds like it was recorded in 1975.

Reg Tilsley Ode To A Stone is quite different to other tracks on Inner City Beat. It’s the rocky sound that’s different. What follows is a real genre-melting track. Everything from rock, jazz, funk and psychedelia is combined to create a track with a late-sixties sound. It features  on Reg’s 1967 The Music Of Reg Tilsley. Released on Music De Wolf it represents the sound of swinging London. Reg’s other contribution as the Reg Tilsley Orchestra. The Ratcatchers is a track from the 1967 album Top TV Themes, which was released on Fontana.

Fuel Injection, Crossflow and Dynamic Patterns are three tracks from Ernest Copley which featured on Industrial-Openings And Endings. This was a compilation released by Conroy in 1972. It also features Johnny Hawksworth’s Workshop and Conveyor Belt. These tracks are variously evocative, dramatic and cinematic, painting pictures in your mind’s eye.

Jazz-tinged and dramatic describes Brass Incorporated’s On a Bicycle Made for Three. It and Come One, Come All were taken from Brass Incorporated’s 1972 album Have Band-Will Travel. It was released on Amphonic Music. Written and produced by Sydney Dale this is a much prized item among record collectors. No wonder. If  On a Bicycle Made for Three is anything to go by. It’s one of the highlights of Inner City Beat.

David Lindup wrote Men of Action and Superformance, which feature on KPM Music’s 1967 compilation Impact And Action. Funk-fuelled, jazzy and dramatic, it’s credited to The European Sound Stage Orchestra. Another track from this compilation is Johnny Pearson’s Grand Prix. A fusion of funk, jazz and rock, it has an unmistakable sixties sound. Johnny also contributes Product Efficiency, from KPM Music’s 1970 compilation Speed And Excitement. Its cinematic sound makes it perfect for an early seventies detective series.

The International Studio Orchestra are responsible for the two other tracks on Inner City Beat, High Diplomacy and Police Five. They’re tracks from their Double Or Quits album. It was released in 1970, on Music De Wolfe. Peter Milray wrote Double Or Quits and Johnny Hawksworth penned Police Five. Not much is known about The International Studio Orchestra. Most likely, they were an anonymous group of session musicians. Having said that, it only takes one listen to realise that these musicians are hugely talented. It’s just a pity we don’t know more about them?

The mainly anonymous, young composers, musicians and producers responsible for library music could never have known the music they recorded would have. This includes the music on Soul Jazz Records’ recently released compilation Inner City Beat-Detective Themes, Spy Music and Imaginary Thrillers 1967-1975. These compilation of library music is what has inspired a whole host of people. I’d go as far say it’s touched everyone’s life either directly or indirectly.

It’s touched everyone’s life. I mean everyone. This includes children growing up in the seventies, weaned on cartoons like Dangermouse, viewers of TV quizzes or current affairs programmes. Then there’s hip hop producers like Jay-Z, Doom and Guilty Simpson. Or what  about film producers like Quentin Tarantino and cutting-edge DJs? Each and everyone of them have been inspired and affected by library music. Despite this, library music is still one of music’s best kept secrets. Hopefully, not any more.

Library music is a musical treasure trove awaiting discovery. Whether its easy listening, funk, jazz, pop or soul, there’s something for everyone. You could be about to embark upon a musical voyage of discovery. After hearing Inner City Beat-Detective Themes, Spy Music and Imaginary Thrillers 1967-1975, you’ll want to hear more of music’s best kept secret, library music. Much of this music is from composers and musicians who many people won’t yet be aware of. However, I’ll warn you, library music is becoming increasingly rare. No longer will you find it in car boot sales, charity shops or second hand stores. So, you’ll need to dig deep. Maybe, however, you’ll be lucky and strike musical gold. If not, at least you can enjoy the delights of Inner City Beat-Detective Themes, Spy Music and Imaginary Thrillers 1967-1975, which contains one of music’s best kept secrets, library music.

INNER CITY BEAT-DETECTIVE THEMES, SPY MUSIC AND IMAGINARY THRILLERS 1967-1975.