Bear McCreary Sits Down with Billy and Dom!

[@monaghanfan18]

Thank you for hanging up my artwork in your studio, gents. 🥰 I hope you enjoy it.

[@sharonlotter6689]

which one is it?

[@monaghanfan18]

@@sharonlotter6689 It's the one above Billy in the frame. :)

[@sharonlotter6689]

@@monaghanfan18 I love that one!! 🥰 well done 👏

[@monaghanfan18]

@@sharonlotter6689 aww, thank you so much!

[@OnlyxInxDisturbia]

Hey do you know the address to send fan art to?? Maybe I’m just not smart but I can’t find it anywhere haha

[@MPKnipey]

Bear’s excitement and passion for his craft is awesome. Great podcast!

[@lau03143]

I've been listening to the Rings of Power soundtrack at work pretty much on repeat for the last couple of months. He totally nailed it.

[@dominikstarck5340]

Bear McCreary is a true music genius. Doesn't hurt that he's a charming, intelligent cinephile as well. Love this conversation.

[@Blasto2x]

He also did the Black Sails theme, one of my favorites!

[@Hockeyguy8541]

THANK YOU! Black Sails needs more recognition. Genuinely one of the best TV shows ever made. Very similar to Game of Thrones but SO MUCH BETTER.

[@GeekFurious]

If someone had asked me for the most perfect podcast trio possible, I'd have chosen these 3.

[@mysterybeliever]

Listening to This Wandering Day I got emotional and listened to it on repeat for like two hours after hearing it.. so good on so many levels

[@stevenripley5831]

In the top ten of my favorite interviews and podcasts ever. You three together are beautiful. Thank you.

[@lethalchicken1173]

This one is absolute gold. Just a nonstop delight. THANK YOU Billy, Dom and Bear! I loved every moment of the three of you interacting. Also Bear has such a command of language. During the interview, every thought was insightful and well articulated, very stimulating and informative. Thanks so much for sharing your creativity with the world. And Billy and Dom, so positive and supportive--you put out good vibes into a world so often full of spite and angst. Thank you for leading the way in admiring a new and unique addition to the LOTR universe!

[@ilovemycaptain]

And it was only last week that I was thinking, "I wish Billy and Dom would get Bear McCreary on the podcast!" Thanks, guys!

[@ladyms7840]

Here again after nerd of the rings interview with bear. You two are a treasure and i never tire of your friendship

[@Radz-kc5ri]

Love this! I've been following and collecting Bear's music for 18 years now. What a journey! His score for Rings of Power is prenominal! This has been great to watch. Thanks guys!

[@faithh3895]

re ROP, I agree with Billy - it is cool to see the places, like Moria, in their former state -- and I agree with Dom that it is cozy!

[@samuelleask1132]

Bear is a legend, he’s doing such amazing work

[@samanthaskeoch3519]

I recently came across your podcast and I'm really enjoying it. Its just the tonic I need to pick me up if I'm having a bad day. You make me smile and laugh. Absolutely love you Billy and Dom. Xxx

[@collettehagen2380]

Ohhhh Bear McCreary is my favorite composer. His work is so moving and beautiful.

[@Blisterdude123]

Bear McReary is a legend in the composing game, and if he keeps going the way he's going, putting the work in, on his current trajectory, he'll go down in history.

[@nataliefaust7959]

What pisses me off is all the Rings of Power haters trashing him like he's a nobody.

[@Blisterdude123]

@@nataliefaust7959 They've gotta validate their bizarre loathing for a TV show somehow. So anything and everything peripherally related to it must also be the worst thing ever.

[@zachm2331]

@@nataliefaust7959 Which is really weird considering Bear basically got Howard Shore’s blessing for RoP.

[@nataliefaust7959]

@@zachm2331 Which just shows reality doesn't matter to these people. Besides, who wants an angry mob of Battlestar Galactica fans out for your blood? XD

[@andy2069]

I have voiced how much I dislike his score on the RoP show. I like some of this work a lot. But I hate his RoP score. I get a lot of hate for it and for why I explain hating it. The one place I get almost exclusively feedback in support of hating it, are in composer forums. There are really brutal things in how he scored it. It's stale and procedural and just bad.

[@FreakieFan]

I would LOVE Howard Shore to join this podcast some day! What a goldmine of info he could share!

[@duckman2443]

That coziness you mentioned in Rings of Power, I felt it too. I think it was more of being in Middle Earth again. Whenever I think of The Lord of the Rings, it gives me similar feelings of gathering with friends and family for Thanksgiving. Rings of Power is tapping that same vibe in me too.

[@SenzuGreens]

Bear has become one of my top 3 composers. I first found him in God of War (2018) and then King of Monsters. Shine on!

[@tykjenffs]

I don't think I'm on a limb saying the best thing about ROP is Bear's soundtrack. Awesome podcast!

[@Rcuos]

Well it certainly isn't the writing, directing, acting or plot...

[@andy2069]

The music is actually terrible tho. It's devoid of theme or motif ever and it's just random procedurally generated snippets of notes glued haphazardly together. This is a modern scoring thing that grew out of composers writing too heavily relying on notation software. It's not even music. It's like treating a score like A manufacturing factory job.

[@SecondUniverse101]

well actually it's the only good thing in ROP imo ...but even the good music was not perfect with some scenes - this series is a big mess from an artistic view

[@tykjenffs]

@@Rcuos ^

[@willb1405]

I don't think I'm on a limb saying RoP is pure dogshit

[@aliens4143]

This is amazing.

[@markussjobergh2605]

This was a great episode, Bear seems really nice. Love the energy he brings

[@Suriano2004]

Really enjoyed this one guys!

[@kathrynboland7975]

"The sum total of everybody's work becomes this thing...that's very easy to worship, and we want to worship, it's fun. But it's really just people stepping up to the plate and bringing to the project what they had to bring on the day. That's all it is!" "We like to think we're cool, and people think we're cool, but the life of an artist is so vulnerable, we really have to be boldly unafraid to look like a complete idiot." "That's the great thing about art: everybody gives to everybody else." ....can Bear McCreary be my artistic mentor? 😭 The sheer wisdom tho. Also Billy's pure excitement, like a giddy kid -- I love it so much 🥺💙 Lastly, Billy and Dom had me cracking up 😂😂😂 within the first thirty seconds. No one else can do that for me (besides Mike Birbiglia and Jim Gaffigan, but they're my fave comedians). Humans of pure goodness and delight 🥰🥰 THANK YOU THANK YOU as always for one of the best hours of my week! 🤩🧅

[@DesireeStamat]

His work on Battlestar is phenomenal. It made me a fan from that first episode 33.

[@jmfoster]

Thank you all for another great podcast! You're doing the Lord's work!

[@Highcastle_of_Geek]

Just started watching and I already know this will be legendary. Bear McCreary is just the best, love all of his work.

[@tattooedsiren]

Yesss, the Frighteners is so underrated!

[@74gould]

I’ve been a mega-fan of Bear’s work since BSG. ❤ Great episode, guys!!!!!! 🙌🏻

[@erigon0448]

Great podcast💯🤩

[@mhirhcp]

Isn't it Balin's tomb you're in though? Anyways, another great one guys! I enjoyed it even though I don't like ROP.

[@ladyms7840]

love you two. brings me joy just to hear the intro :)

[@ReillyKimberly]

What a wonderful thing to wake up to on my birthday morning. I was hoping you would have Bear on and here he is. I could listen to you three discussing music for hours. Makes me want to go watch Battlestar Gallitica now.

[@jonpiano5182]

Happy Birthday!

[@Hockeyguy8541]

Go watch Black Sails instead

[@brondageorge]

No mention of his work on Black Sails, that was criminal - his Black Sails stuff is epic!

[@ZChronicNebula]

Wow!

[@Hockeyguy8541]

THANK YOU!!!! Black Sails deserves so much more recognition it's genuinely an AMAZING show

[@jaanaffi]

Thank you again for the great podcast 💛💛❣️ I started something new today and I was a little bit unsure about it. Thought what might make me feel better 🤔... Wore my yellow The Friendship Onion T-shirt today and that was it! Today was great! And it became even greater when I saw that the podcast had popped out earlier - YES, thank you, guys 💛💛💛❣️ Love the music from Rings Of Power❣️

[@devonwilliams9576]

Billy, I'm pretty sure the Durin from Rings of Power is not the same Durin from the Tomb in Moria. He'd be the Durin from the Hobbit Trilogy though Edit: i misremembered the name lol, it was Balin, not Durin

[@ChizzAir]

The tomb in LotR is actually Balin's from the Hobbit. He went to reclaim Moria.

[@devonwilliams9576]

@@ChizzAir oh yeah haha. Had a feeling I was getting that wrong

[@kurikokaleidoscope]

OK WOW THIS IS INCREDIBLE

[@rachelkatoch2869]

Hi guys! Love it! I'm a huge fan of Ennio Morricone and I think the Mission is one of the most beautiful soundtracks as is the love theme from Cinema Paradiso. Very cool guest. And i also am loving The Rings of Power! Love you both as always and I always always look forward to the show! Thank you!

[@ga_s6]

Love you guys!!!!!! You make my days better !!!!! Thank you so much !!!!! 😊

[@diannawoodlands8200]

Great show as usual

[@grahamsiebring5227]

I don’t like ROP as a show, but I really appreciate McCreay’s music and his passion for what he does.

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thanks, Dominic! Thanks, Billy! Thanks, Bear! 🧅 I've enjoyed Mr. McCreary's compositions from OUTLANDER, FOUNDATION, THE RINGS OF POWER, THE SERPENT QUEEN, CAPRICA, BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and, probably the most lengthy/consistent of all, from THE WALKING DEAD. #TheFriendshipOnion #BillyBoyd #DominicMonaghan #BearMcCreary

[@Hockeyguy8541]

Check out his work in Black Sails, it's incredible.

[@danielledriscoll6057]

There are no minor seventh chords in Lord of the Rings; what's the matter with you?! 😂 that whole exchange had me laughing so hard

[@travisboothe5670]

I hope y'all make a "Do you know the answer" t shirt for the merch store.

[@JuanMTossi]

Definitely one of the (few) highlights of TRoP

[@selena3863]

Thank you all for doing the cast. Love it.❤❤

[@cosplayannie]

Oh, I've been waiting for this one! Bear did such a phenomenal job capturing the different moods of characters and places of Rings of Power, listening to the soundtrack makes me so emotional. I can't wait for more. Thank you for this insight 🙏🏻❤️

[@andy2069]

No he didn't!! Aaaahhh I hate this so much. Why does nobody understand how terrible this score is? It's.god awful and completely conceptually and fundamentally spits in the face of the LOTR movie's scores. He doesn't build themes or motifs at all really and the score itself is almost entirely just tiny procedural snippets of music glued together randomly. It's almost as if he just composed little segments of random music then put them all on a big soundboard and then triggered them as samples while watching the scenes play. And I'm.not trying to hate. If you enjoyed it then that's cool. But it's objectively bad. I have a music degree but I'm not claiming that means much. He's certainly much more successful as a composer than I am. But I truly hate this modern scoring trope. He's not alone. Most modern movies with an orchestral score are like this. And if you cut up each tiny cue segment and put them on a sound board from any marvel movie or blockbuster, you could use those interchangeably in RoP too instead. None of it is related, thematic, or even repeated enough to sound remotely cohesive to the project.

[@cosplayannie]

@@andy2069 It's sad knowing that so many people who could just leave those alone who enjoys things, like this soundtrack or this show, instead we get told everyday why we shouldn't like something. Others don't get to decide if something made me emotional or not, I very much can recognize the different themes. If you don't like it yourself, don't watch it and keep your negativity to yourself. Thanks for giving Bill and Dom clicks but move on.

[@JohnnyFromAzkaban]

@@andy2069 "But it's objectively bad" Cool story bro.

[@ay2431]

Loved the show and the music was a huge part of it. I‘ve been listening to it nonstop ever since it came out and this episode was amazing!

[@cotevallejos7230]

Bear is a genius! I’ve always been mesmerized by his soundtracks, especially from Outlander!

[@Hockeyguy8541]

Check out his work in Black Sails, it's his best music

[@colinleat8309]

I've loved every podcast they've done so far, but this one is their best! Having Bear on was truly amazing. I could watch this interview for 10 hours and still want to watch more 🤘🖖😁

[@claracarmona5388]

I absolutely love The Friendship Onion 😍🥰❤️

[@AndJamTracksForAll2014]

This is an excellent interview. very interesting stuff.

[@this.is.a.username]

I still jam to All Along the Watchtower, what an iconic, spellbinding, chilling song to have one of the greatest reveals on TV to.

[@giacomoses]

After watching 7 episodes of Rings of Power, Bear McCreary and his music is the most consistently great thing the show has produced

[@willb1405]

*only great thing

[@narnianprincessedits]

Fun episode guys! I personally am not a fan of ROP but I have some friends who enjoy it, and they always bring up how much they enjoy Bear's music in the show. So after hearing so much about the music from them, it was neat seeing you two interview him and hearing about his process writing the music for the show and other projects. And now some of my favorite moments 🤪 3:09 "I, sTeVe, WiSh ThAt LiFe WaS lEsS lIkE a FiLm!" 5:25 Dom: "What did you jump on?" Billy: "Uhh..." Dom: "PETE JACKSON!" 1:03:06 Billy: "...because we do like to eat, we're Hobbits after all" Lol anytime they refer to themselves as Hobbits makes my day 😄 Sending you both lots of love and looking forward to the next one ❤❤

[@thenerdfaraway]

Billy, Dom... would you please do us all a solid and put your faces on some F.O. shirts? Thank you!

[@DougUnfunny]

Funny how Bear brings up Ilia's Theme as beautiful theme, one my favor theme that I find beautiful is also by Jerry Goldsmith on the Score to The Mummy. The end credits has this romantic theme for Evey that plays that is so lovely.

[@chaserz4201]

Bears Black Sails intro is unparalleled!!

[@fayes5547]

I've not even watched this yet and I've liked it. I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU GUYS GOT HIM IN THE SHOW!!!! JUST WHEN I THOUGHT YOU COULDN'T GET MORE AWESOME YOU ABSOLUTELY NAIL IT WITH AN AMAZING GUEST!!!! (Sorry so excited it's all in caps 😊)

[@kenkie3173]

You guys were in Balin's tomb, not Durin's. Balin was the dwarf played by Ken Stott in The Hobbit.

[@veronicacresanto9664]

This man is the greatest composer of our generation. Everything that's composed in the coming generations, will be a result of Bear McCreary. He's the Beethoven of film and television.

[@scatmancrothers]

god this guys can talk. i've listened to him on a couple of podcasts and the interviewers don't get a word in. i do appreciate his nerdyness for movies though.

[@MasterChron]

I appreciate your guy's opinion on the show, and am happy to hear you've found enjoyment with it. But I'd say to take care with labeling those that don't enjoy it as trolls, it's disrespectful. Many of us are simply not appreciative of Amazon's effort to leave Tolkien's themes behind, and replace them with ideologies from our modern world. The show certainly is beautiful, and the work that has been done on it is amazing (lifted up by many talented artists) but the core of the show is not Tolkien and we are naturally let down by that. Great podcast as usual though, I always enjoy you guys, and I've been a fan Bear McCreary since Battlestar!

[@thehunter7422]

18:55 those were some mad bars right there lol

[@elizabethanne8729]

It’s Mark!!!!

[@sandyr1789]

GENIUS episode! All three of you made such a FANTASTIC show! THANK YOU to each of you!

[@katieborkin9524]

Bear's great. His score for Rings of power is spectacular.

[@YrnehLrak]

What a happy episode 😍

[@VinStJohn]

The moment Bear started talking about the one episode they got to do of Battlestar Galactica, I thought to myself, "Was it :33, one of the best hours of television ever produced!?"

[@_jamescube]

I've loved the animated Return of the King since I was a kid. So hearing Bear talk about "Where there's a Whip there's a Way" brought a smile to my face.

[@jean-paulaudette9246]

That song was the mental soundtrack for my commute to work for decades.

[@sergimon9595]

His work on God of War (2018) was AMAZING

[@romeldamaso2448]

This is a great show!

[@JojosRainbowAdventure]

I love how supportive you are of fans ❤

[@JojosRainbowAdventure]

If I actually get invited to be on this podcast I will cry 😭

[@jchandlersabeast]

Dang 2 am. This comes out. Ill get some coffee and Let’s do this!

[@mrhanekoma86]

Alright, so it’s time I voice my own little tale here. In middle school, you wouldn’t have caught me within a half mile of a book on my own accord, however, we had a program called “accelerated reader”. I needed a certain amount of points to pass English. I spent an afternoon in the Library and realized I could earn enough points if I passed the quiz on the fellowship of the ring. I made it to buckleberry ferry before I gave up, read the back cover and the synopsis, and passed the test. Fast forward to freshman year in high school, I’m watching the first film of the trilogy, merry says “buckleberry ferry. Follow me.” I have my Leo DiCaprio pointing at the screen moment, followed be another hour and a half of some of the most epic film I’d ever seen. Howard shore’s score had much to do with it, but I immediately went home and found my mothers’ copy of the trilogy and started reading where I’d left off in middle school. I didn’t ever really stop.

[@sharonlotter6689]

I've realized that Billy has a lot of random items in his kitchen lol

[@elendil7]

Excellent show. Love Bear. Thank you guys! P.S. tell us about your t-shirts.

[@jordanhurd1988]

I was introduced to Bear McCreary via his great score for Child’s Play (2019).

[@travisboothe5670]

I hope Billy and Dom listen to Winged Hussars by Sabaton!

[@zefmanx]

I would love to hear where there's a whip in rings of power or even better, 15 birds in 5 fir trees

[@jadewalker2443]

3 clarinets, a snare drum, and a cello - sounds like the composer’s version of “Chopped”

[@GGG-rb6if]

Of course Billy was cast as Mark in RENT! Would have loved to see his take on the character

[@tattooedsiren]

Bear's theme for black sails is amazing. I was so obsessed when it was airing I made it my phone ringtone.

[@Shelly11716]

I like to think this is funky - in a way that it reminds me to take time to myself and it's okay to be not okay 😊 "It Gets Better" - Bears in Trees

[@brookewooldridge7206]

Dom growls like Roy Kent.

[@ConstantVigil]

Really hyped for his work on God of War: Ragnarok

[@johanna7254]

BSG was amazing, still one of my favorite shows and scores ever! I actually had the soundtrack on CD haha

[@ozymandiascakehole3586]

Thanks! Nice podcast! Didn't like Rop though.

[@BigRoBaggins88]

they make chocolate filled Bamba, and trader joes sells both regular and chocolate flavor!!

[@sarakirk9542]

I have literally been binge watching The Walking Dead since mid August! Am caught up to series 11 and awaiting the last episodes. The fact Bear did the main titles for the series is amazing. Wierd that both Viggo from LOTR and Norman Reedus from TWD are only two characters who can make long wet straggly hair look sexy Aragorn and Daryl Dixon both 🔥🔥 Jerry Goldsmith did the soundtrack and score for Disneys Mulan 😍😍😍- to say I love that film is an understatement. The music is just out of this world

[@Hockeyguy8541]

Check out Black Sails, Luke Arnold does the wet straggly hair amazing.

[@erskine1984]

Bear's greatest work is on God Of War 2018 for PlayStation. Such a phenomenal soundtrack

[@flare9570]

50:00 just a bookmark

[@prestonrutherford873]

Love this, though I think Dom's seat needs to be closer to the other couches, especially when there's a guest

[@Hockeyguy8541]

Bear's BEST work in my opinion is Black Sails. Best TV show on the air. Hands down. Period. Very similar to Game of Thrones but SO MUCH better. GO WATCH IT! I'm actually upset none of them mentioned Black Sails at all. It deserves so much more recognition.

[@iceomistar4302]

I would say his best work was Human Target, I hated Black Sails

[@Hockeyguy8541]

@@iceomistar4302 Can I ask why?

[@iceomistar4302]

@@Hockeyguy8541 I am a big fan of Robert Louis Stevenson, I didn't really like how they tried to fill in gaps in his story.

[@StriderZessei]

Godzilla: King of the Monsters is my favorite of the new Godzilla films, due in no small part to Bear's score.

[@Hamzakhan-dt3gv]

Nice video and I never heard of bear mccreary

[@bhavens9149]

Star Trek the movie tried to go 2001 Space Odyssey on us all - philosophically it is about how creatures want to be one with their "creator" so the Voyager probe who is Now sentient, discovers humans are the creators and doesn't just want to download its data, but to join with its creator, becomes one with one crew person. so interesting perspective on philosophical perspectives, but it wouldn't have done as well without that wonderful Goldsmith score. okay my tuppence.

[@smileyface2987]

DOM! billy.

[@r.c.c.10]

I really liked his work. However I have one critique: the leitmotifs are a bit too overused, mainly Galadriel's. It sounds everytime she's onscreen and without much change. That aside, the orchestration is very good. My favorite tunes are "Bronwyn and Arondir" and "Elendil and Isildur".