Andrew Ford (1) (1957–)

Andrew Ford is a national treasure, that much is true. Despite his boundless volumes of knowledge, he writes as if we are sharing a wine over olives & cheese. Clearly, he comes from a generation that values real content & anecdote over the smarmy validation equatable to acedemic death. Although this book touches on every corner of the film composition world, the balance between content and Ford's personal dictum as a real-deal composer comes through in his questions to people who have carved show more a career for themselves. But by the end, you are ever aware that there are no real rules, there is no real unified job description , there is no real correct way for scoring music for the filmed experience. You are aware that Hans Zimmer's army of formulaic orchestrators are no better than the director that has had to score his/her own film because there was just no more money. Illuminating, awesome and FUN book. show less

As a long time fan of Van the Man I found this book a delight. As well as picking apart and contextualising a large number of his songs, it builds a thoughtful picture of this artist's use of voice as instrument. This is not a biography - nor is it really about the music - it is about the words/vocalisations as expressions of spirit and soul.

A remarkable two part analysis both of Morrison the man and of the intellectual and social subculture he inhabits. This is a musicological book, not a biography. The title is a delight.