Howard Goodall Composing RDX

News

Well well well! Hasn’t today been exciting? First we get our first official glimpse of the crew in situ, then we then get a very brief mention into what Howard Goodall is currently upto:

@HowardGoodall: Just received my first rough cuts of the new Red Dwarf series, looking forward to viewing and putting some music on them. Kipper-time!

So Howard Goodall is only going to go and do the bloody music for Red Dwarf X, isn’t he?

This is marvellous news. Considering how back in February we had these bombshells to contend with. We still saw a glimmer of hope when Richard Naylor proceeded to rifle through my Dropbox (now, you) containing the library of unused cues from Series 1 – VII for potential clearance. (Series VIII didn’t have any music other than commercials songs and the Blue Midget music)

Then in March we get this exchange between Howard and Doug…

@DougRDNaylor: Are you 100% sure there’s nothing in the budget left for a little bit of incidental magic? Even if you ditch the wrap party?

@Howard_Goodall What wrap party?? Scotch eggs needed as meteorites for miniature reshoot. Call you Monday :)”

While I’m all for using the unused cues from earlier series so as to keep Goodall’s sound and strengthen the ‘classic’ feel to this new series, there must have been a reason why the cues were unused in the first place, right? In my opinion, some of the cues are excellent and it’s a shame they weren’t used, but if I’m honest there were only a small handful, some are not so great and though it may come as a complete shock, they sound rather dated. Fancy that!

It seems Howard has already had a crack at Remastering the MkI theme tune, which he did as part of a Classic FM Radio show a while back, but also presumably for the new series? Who knows. Well, Howard will won’t he? (You can hear a snippet of the this new version HERE) So it always seemed likely that he could maybe have has his eye on scoring the new series, but this confirmation is just terrific news.

Whether the music is produced by software only, software mixed with live recordings or even with orchestral stuff is debatable, but Doug seems to be able to extract haemoglobin-brilliance out of a solid-sedimentary-matter-type-budget so who knows what the hell we’re going to end up getting!

PS Please document this process for a DVD Extra please GNP! Thankyou, sorry, bye, bye, thankyou, sorry.

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74 Responses to Howard Goodall Composing RDX

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  1. si / April 26, 2012 at 5:58 pm / #

    OH FOR FUCK’S SAKE MAKE IT BE OCTOBER NOW PLEASE

    Reply

  2. Potor / April 26, 2012 at 6:03 pm / #

    what a day…

    Reply

  5. Kris Carter / April 26, 2012 at 7:10 pm / #

    Looks like Doug sold Carbug after all! :)

    Reply

  6. MANI506 / April 26, 2012 at 8:05 pm / #

    I’m so happy I could cry right now, awesome news!

    Reply

  7. thomasaevans / April 26, 2012 at 9:20 pm / #

    Fantastic news!!!!!!! – but i hate that new version if the theme.

    Reply

  8. MANI506 / April 26, 2012 at 9:47 pm / #

    Was Howard’s last original contribution to Red Dwarf the music at the end of Stoke Me A Clipper or was there any other original music after that in series VII?

    Reply

  9. si / April 26, 2012 at 9:52 pm / #

    Was Howard’s last original contribution to Red Dwarf the music at the end of Stoke Me A Clipper or was there any other original music after that in series VII?

    What about The Munchkin Song?

    Reply

  10. MANI506 / April 26, 2012 at 10:42 pm / #

    Oh yeaaaahhhhh! So Howard didn’t bow out of Dwarf with as much class as I thought he had, but that munchkin song was really funny at the time.

    Reply

  11. Nick R / April 27, 2012 at 10:00 am / #

    The utterly fantastic Avengers movie, and then the first Red Dwarf X publicity photo and this news all in one day. Excellent!

    Reply

  12. my brook is babbled / April 27, 2012 at 10:48 am / #

    Nice to see everyting coming together, i just hope the writing is as good.

    p.s. I liked Series 7 and 8. (I know-smite me down)

    Reply

  13. Jonsmad / April 27, 2012 at 12:50 pm / #

    Very Good, All Happy.

    Reply

  14. Blisschick / April 27, 2012 at 5:22 pm / #

    Yeah, not too crazy about the theme redux. The pipe organs are a bit ostentatious.

    Reply
  15. G&T Admin

    Danny Stephenson / April 27, 2012 at 5:26 pm / #

    …but …but the pipe organs have always been there….

    Reply

  16. Pete Part Three / April 27, 2012 at 5:35 pm / #

    Hopefully they’ll leave the feem toon alone..Howard is a major asset but there’s no need to use him for stuff that doesn’t need changing. I’m getting a flashback to the Remastered project where they got their hands on some technology and thought “we’d better use this. A lot” and then pimped* out series 1-3 with cartoonish Skutters and a bunch of crud that didnn’t need to be there.

    “Pimped” = ruined
    “Remastered” = shit stained

    Reply

  17. Blisschick / April 27, 2012 at 10:43 pm / #

    >>…but …but the pipe organs have always been there…

    *scratching head*

    The only place I recall hearing the “new” version of the theme song is with the audio books. Never with the actual show. Unless I am totally wrong, which is entirely possible. Anyway, I’m still not too crazy about it.

    Reply

  18. thomasaevans / April 27, 2012 at 10:50 pm / #

    It sounds like a cheap sci-fi compilation cd version. What’s wrong with the iriginal? Synth cannot beat real instruments.

    Reply

  19. Alex VS / April 28, 2012 at 12:34 am / #

    The only place I recall hearing the “new” version of the theme song is with the audio books. Never with the actual show. Unless I am totally wrong, which is entirely possible. Anyway, I’m still not too crazy about it.

    The version of the theme on the audiobooks is the series III onwards one.

    Reply

  20. HelloMabel / May 1, 2012 at 3:15 am / #

    I’m constantly impressed by the G&T crowd; we are about as dedicated as any fans of anything anywhere.

    I learned in film music classes that the point of a soundtrack is to augment the emotions of the plot, not necessarily to be intrinsically noticed and appreciated (though it’s lovely when that does happen). As such, it would be perfectly excusable to overlook the news of who the composer will be – but we celebrate Goodall just as we celebrated the use of model shots and a live audience. Admittedly his absence from 8 and BTE was glaring, but even so, the fact that he is SO appreciated by fans makes me as a musician very happy. Nice to see some of you showed him the love on Twitter, too. G&T is a happening place; I think I’ll stay awhile. :)

    Reply

  21. N3CR0M4NC3R / May 2, 2012 at 1:09 pm / #

    looks like they are happy for now…

    slight x glimpse in BG aswell

    Reply

  22. si / May 2, 2012 at 2:46 pm / #

    Ridiculously, seeing that X in the logo makes me really excited. Why isn’t it October yet?

    Reply

  23. Pete Part Three / May 2, 2012 at 3:29 pm / #

    They look like they’re about to make sweet music together.

    Reply

  25. Phil / May 2, 2012 at 4:42 pm / #

    >The version of the theme on the audiobooks is the series III onwards one.

    Yeah, but it’s likely she’s hearing it differently due to inconsistent equalization settings on her TV and her…car stero? iPod? Whatever she uses to listen to the audio books.

    Listening to an album or song on one and then the other, with the settings differently adjusted, can make it sound like an entirely different piece of work, so I suspect that’s why she never twigged it was the same mix.

    Reply

  26. Blisschick / May 2, 2012 at 9:55 pm / #

    iPod. All close up and personal-like. Although, I have worn the headset to watch the DVD’s while hubby is on the computer, and never noticed it then, either. Maybe it’s all about context. *shrug*

    Reply

  27. MANI506 / May 3, 2012 at 8:42 am / #

    Heartwarming photo. I’m working my way through the Red Dwarf DVDs ahead of the new series I’ve been paying special attention to the music cues. Great to have Howard back.

    Reply

  28. Alex VS / May 3, 2012 at 5:32 pm / #

    Yeah, but it’s likely she’s hearing it differently due to inconsistent equalization settings on her TV and her…car stero? iPod? Whatever she uses to listen to the audio books.

    Listening to an album or song on one and then the other, with the settings differently adjusted, can make it sound like an entirely different piece of work, so I suspect that’s why she never twigged it was the same mix.

    You misunderstand me. The remastered version on amazon there is the series I & II theme. The one on the audiobooks is a rerecording of the theme as it is from series III onwards.

    Reply

  29. thomasaevans / May 3, 2012 at 11:03 pm / #

    Awwww love the picture! Everything’s coing together this time folks….

    Reply

  30. Phil / May 4, 2012 at 1:31 pm / #

    >rerecording

    Ah, got it now.

    Reply
  32. G&T Admin

    Ian Symes / May 4, 2012 at 3:15 pm / #

    Put porn behind them.

    Reply

  35. si / May 4, 2012 at 4:05 pm / #

    MY EYES, MY BEAUTIFUL EYES!!!!!

    Reply
  37. G&T Admin

    Danny Stephenson / May 4, 2012 at 4:26 pm / #

    Rich. For me, can you make it a recursive image please?

    Reply

  39. p2p_productions / May 4, 2012 at 7:08 pm / #

    >V strong.

    I jest. Why? ‘Cause I love.

    >Rich. For me, can you make it a recursive image please?

    Like this, Dan? Uh, why? :)

    Reply
  40. G&T Admin

    Danny Stephenson / May 5, 2012 at 1:12 am / #

    Lol i meant the picture of the lads is also the picture on the tv. And so on, and so on, and so on. Etc…

    Reply

  41. p2p_productions / May 5, 2012 at 11:14 am / #

    Looks like I picked the wrong week to quit amphetamines…

    …And someone get me Rex Kramer.

    Reply

  43. p2p_productions / May 5, 2012 at 12:45 pm / #

    LookiehereIcandiggrease’nchompin’onsomebunsanddraggin’throughthegarden.

    Reply

  44. Ben Kirkham / May 8, 2012 at 4:23 pm / #

    > LookiehereIcandiggrease’nchompin’onsomebunsanddraggin’throughthegarden.

    Doesn’t that translate as ‘I’ll have a fish,’ P2p?

    Reply

  45. p2p_productions / May 8, 2012 at 7:54 pm / #

    Ain’t no thang. CheckitBleedbrowasON – didn’trip – butthefolkswasfreakin’manheyandthepilotswerelaidtotheboneHomesoBloodhammeredoutandjammedjetshiptightenedthatbadsuckainsidetherunawaylikeamotha’f'sheit…

    Reply

  46. si / May 15, 2012 at 8:51 am / #

    So, Howard’s just Tweeted this:

    @Howard_Goodall: http://twitvid.com/ULHLF – Spoiler-free sneak audio preview of #RedDwarf X hot off the musical press

    …So that’s nice. :)

    Reply

  47. si / May 15, 2012 at 8:58 am / #

    Looking back through Howard’s tweet’s there’s this – ANOTHER PICTURE!

    @Howard_Goodall: 6.05 this morning: the #RedDwarf Score-athon continues… http://pic.twitter.com/h7GWdUPK

    Okay, let’s see if I can do this…

    Yay! Thankyou G&T Twitter. I knew it’d come in handy somewhere.

    Reply

  48. Adam Bailey / May 15, 2012 at 9:11 am / #

    Oh wow, that’s…different.

    Obviously Red Dwarf in places, but also quite a different take.

    Reply

  49. NoFro / May 15, 2012 at 10:31 am / #

    Quite a spoilery picture. It’s a scene from an episode I saw filmed but I won’t say which one. Quite a lot happening in the scene as can be seen and I expect that Goodall’s picture raises quite a few questions for those who haven’t seen the episode. In fact, one of the screencaps that can be seen there was from a bit that hadn’t been filmed at the time of the recording and I was curious to see how that’d turn out. It’s nice to get a sneak peek of it.

    Reply

  50. si / May 15, 2012 at 11:35 am / #

    Looking at the picture, I would say that it might be considered spoilery for anyone who actually knows what’s happening/which episode it comes from, but for the rest of us, it doesn’t seem that spoilery at all, Just Cat, Kryten and Rimmer in the Drive Room.
    As for the other, smaller screenshots above it, my eyes are so shocking, I can’t actually make enough out to spoil anything. :/

    Reply

  51. pendo86 / May 15, 2012 at 11:59 am / #

    I never considered it to be spoilery at all until NoFro suggested it was. Now I can’t help but think there’s a huge reason why Lister’s not there.

    Reply

  52. NoFro / May 15, 2012 at 12:03 pm / #

    Maybe not spoilery but the pictures definitely encourage speculation in a way that no other images really have.

    Reply

  53. genericnerdyusername / May 15, 2012 at 12:06 pm / #

    I can’t glean anything plot-wise from that photo, though it does get me excited to see the new series.

    Reply

  54. Alex VS / May 15, 2012 at 12:10 pm / #

    Looking at the picture, I would say that it might be considered spoilery for anyone who actually knows what’s happening/which episode it comes from, but for the rest of us, it doesn’t seem that spoilery at all, Just Cat, Kryten and Rimmer in the Drive Room.
    As for the other, smaller screenshots above it, my eyes are so shocking, I can’t actually make enough out to spoil anything. :/

    Well at the very least it’s the first look at one of the guest stars. With a zoom in and a close look you can make some logical assumptions though.

    Reply

  55. Alex VS / May 15, 2012 at 12:16 pm / #

    I never considered it to be spoilery at all until NoFro suggested it was. Now I can’t help but think there’s a huge reason why Lister’s not there.

    Though one assumes that the last small shot is Lister from the scene shot after the audience recording.

    Reply

  56. Carlito / May 15, 2012 at 12:26 pm / #

    > Oh wow, that’s…different. Obviously Red Dwarf in places, but also quite a different take.

    This is the Red Dwarf era, post-New Who. That could be a Murray Gold score.

    Reply

  57. Squeaky Gibson / May 15, 2012 at 12:39 pm / #

    That music score is certainly a very different path and can’t be accused of copying previous themes. judging by images, is Kryten talking some one (possibly Lister) on monitor, interesting

    Reply

  58. Adam Bailey / May 15, 2012 at 3:00 pm / #

    That image of Kryten talking to someone on a massive screen almost looks like Genius Holly from White Hole.

    Have to assume that it would have been leaked by now if Hattie was back though. :(

    Reply

  59. pendo86 / May 15, 2012 at 3:14 pm / #

    Looks like Howard Goodall has deleted the two tweets. Gutted! I never got chance to listen to his sneak preview of music. Anyone still got it?

    Reply
  60. G&T Admin

    Jonathan Capps / May 15, 2012 at 3:38 pm / #

    This link seems to be still working:

    http://www.twitvid.com/ULHLF

    It’s called ‘Going for the Phone’ which will mean a lot to anyone who saw that particular episode. Love it.

    Reply

  61. pendo86 / May 15, 2012 at 3:41 pm / #

    That just excited me!! It sounds like classic dwarf!

    Reply
  62. G&T Admin

    Jonathan Capps / May 15, 2012 at 3:45 pm / #

    Due to being INCREDIBLY BUSY AT MY PLACE OF WORK WHERE I AM A VERY IMPORTANT MAN your comment was the first time I’ve seen that he posted a music clip, so thanks for that!

    Reply

  63. pendo86 / May 15, 2012 at 3:53 pm / #

    And thank you for reposting the link for me because i presumed the music was gone with the tweet. =D

    Is anyone able to make that into an MP3? I want it in my iTunes with all the other RD cues. =)

    Reply

  64. Phil / May 15, 2012 at 5:24 pm / #

    >I never considered it to be spoilery at all until NoFro suggested it was.

    Agreed. I had no idea how any of this could possibly be a spoiler until several folks outlined for me precisely how this could be a spoiler.

    Reply

  65. Pete Part Three / May 15, 2012 at 6:38 pm / #

    It breaks at least 7 of G+T’s Spoiler Rules, including the one about the billy goat.

    Reply

  66. Mr-Stabby / May 15, 2012 at 8:25 pm / #

    I know i’ll probably be attacked by Dwarf heavies for saying this, but i don’t actually like the sound of that music cue. The composition actually sounds fantastic, but the synth doesn’t do it justice by a long shot in my view. That cue NEEDS to be played by an actual orchestra. Just imagine the music from ‘Stoke me a Clipper’ played on that same synth, it would sound terrible.

    Unless i’m missing the obvious and it’s a temp track.

    Reply
  67. G&T Admin

    Danny Stephenson / May 15, 2012 at 8:57 pm / #

    I hate to be the stick in the mud but I’ve gotta say dude, I agree with ya. I like the composition but the sound set really lets it down. i’m all for a retro feel and everything but I really hope this is a temp track. Those tympani samples haven’t changed since the Series III cues!

    Reply

  68. Pete Part Three / May 15, 2012 at 9:13 pm / #

    I’m not keen on the choral-ly bits (?) but I rather like the plinky-plonky bits.

    Music journalism is clearly my forté.

    Reply

  69. NoFro / May 15, 2012 at 9:46 pm / #

    > The composition actually sounds fantastic, but the synth doesn’t do it justice by a long shot in my view.

    Agreed. Does sound very Dwarfy to me. Especially the “plinky-plonky” bits.

    Reply

  70. thomasaevans / May 15, 2012 at 10:39 pm / #

    Apologies for posting this In the other story. Twat.

    Reply

  71. performingmonkey / May 16, 2012 at 1:00 am / #

    Got any spare cash to pay an orchestra then? -.-

    The main thing is that this (at least to my ears) sounds like Dwarf incidental music!

    Reply

  72. gracieakins / June 18, 2012 at 10:21 am / #

    Nice… this news made me happy… yippiee its good to listen that everyone is coming together for this….

    Reply

  73. HelloMabel / July 26, 2012 at 10:30 pm / #

    Mr. Goodall tweeted yesterday: “So excited about Friday’s #London2012 Opening Ceremony and my little musical contribution(s). An honour to be involved. Danny Boyle=genius.”

    I’d missed the news that he was involved. Did you all know about this?

    Reply
  74. G&T Admin

    Danny Stephenson / July 26, 2012 at 11:41 pm / #

    I didn’t know he was involved. That’s pretty cool. I’ll try to find out more.

    There are rumours Mike Oldfield has been working on something for the Olympics as well. Very eclectic mix of people involved here.

    Reply

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