How the Escape From New York music was made (feat. Alan Howarth)

[@matuloco]

This is the most comprehensive analysis I've seen/heard: Part interview, part documentary, part tutorial. You achieved something amazing, congratulations on your talent and your hard work.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you!

[@xombiekat13]

This was great. The music from those early Carpenter movies is embedded in my DNA. They were the coolest thing I had ever heard as a kid and I never forgot that feeling.

[@lucianf7157]

Amazing

[@NightBirds31]

I am the person who reissued the soundtrack of the movie 'Assault on Precinct 13' via a Parisian label. I had bought with my brother the original multitrack soundtrack, which I still have. Great dear Alex to see Alan here !

[@matzomaniac]

"Tangerine dream, those are my boys" hahaha! Ice cold !

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cool as a cucumber.

[@matiasgoinheix366]

Carpenter's films are awesome. A total legend and inspiration.

[@Stevali1966]

When i first watched this film on video back in 1982. I was total a blown away by this dystopian tale and the score just drives the film on.

[@jonwide6689]

“Something like this” - then goes on recreating a perfect version of the theme, lol! You’re the best 👊😎

[@AlexBallMusic]

Haha. Well, it's ballpark. Helps that the vintage gear I have sounds very similar out of the box. The Pro~One is the identical chipset to a Prophet~5 rev 3 for example, so that makes it a bit easier!

[@jonwide6689]

Alex Ball What about the Furman spring reverb? Did you talk any about how outboard processing shaped the mood?

[@AlexBallMusic]

Actually, we didn't talk about outboard beyond the tape machines and a modded Princeton amp. But reverb and panned and delayed lines are key to the sound as I discovered when recreating. The whole interview was 45 minutes and we talked about loads of stuff, so I'll stick that up at some point too.

[@jonwide6689]

Alex Ball that would be awesome! Here’s my take on a Escape-ish track when I started out a couple of years ago: soundcloud.com/oscillian/escapism

[@AlexBallMusic]

@@jonwide6689 That's very cool. Like the tone of your track and the gradual build.

[@digitalmusicalart3494]

The theme from Escape From New York, is my favorite theme song from a movie. I was mesmerized when I first heard it. Great Work!!!

[@AlexBallMusic]

It's a classic! Thanks for watching.

[@ScottWozniak]

This is a masterclass in understated simplicity. ❤️

[@AlexBallMusic]

Absolutely! Pieces that slot together to make the whole.

[@rexterrocks]

I think his music before 81 was amazing.The 'Assault on Precinct 13' soundtrack is one of my favourites.

[@GNeuman]

I have an AOP13 cover on my channel, mostly done on my Minimoog

[@MusicalWizardryMarcoIannello]

I went to see John Carpenter live at the Albert Hall, here in Manchester, last autumn, and they opened the set with the main theme from "Escape from New York". I went literally straight up to heaven!

[@ian_b]

I hope you didn't literally mean "literally" there! :)

[@MusicalWizardryMarcoIannello]

@@ian_b nearly 😂

[@AdamElteto]

We are all glad he had that initial "necessity", every score he and Alan Howarth have done is a classic.

[@mullahviking]

Words can't describe how incredible this is. I really like the Escape from New York theme, and wondered how the Chords went. I got so much more. Thank you Alex Ball

[@AlexBallMusic]

Glad you enjoyed it, it was a great experience making this and speaking to Alan.

[@flipnap2112]

this was great. when HBO first came out they would play the same 4 movies over and over for months.. "Escape from New York" was on my TV nonstop and I watched every single time. Fell so in love with that movie. Later in the years I would see "making of" documentary's how they lined the buildings with dayglo paint lines to simulate computer wireframes. Jamie lee did the VO in the beginning. James Cameron worked that set as well. They did such an amazing job and they really lucked out with that burned down city, think it was Chicago? but dam man, the soundtrack was just spot on. that bass line ha ha, loved it. That whole era was amazing.

[@zooblestyx]

"Do you have a previous Police record?" "No, but I think I still got a couple of Sting albums."

[@6581punk]

(At a job interview) "Do you have a Police record?" "Yes, Walking on the Moon".

[@Mick-Ozz]

Thank you Alex and Alan for your immense contribution

[@Dis-Emboweled]

Alan Howorth is THE MAN to thank next to Georger Lucas for the full amazing movie music and sound experience we love today. Great video

[@jonwide6689]

This soundtrack is what got me into the whole future retro music project. Thanks for making these videos Alex, it’s amazing ❤️

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, deeply ingrained in my psyche too! Same for many of us of a certain age.

[@flashback2029]

This is gold! John & Alan were such an epic synth duo.

[@MakeSomething]

Just an absolute great interview and bio! I love the history teaching videos and appreciate the time and effort. Bravo!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Many thanks!

[@stevemt3238]

Alan, Your music has immortalized you.

[@pawebany6382]

One of my most favourite soundtracks ever.

[@ernestbuckley8671]

This is fantastic. I was 8 when I first saw Escape From New York and to this day, it is still one of my top 5 movies... why? The Music! Same goes for Halloween 3. What do these movies have in common? Same composers. Great stuff.

[@airfixx_8952]

Late in finding this video; but thank you so much for all the time effort you put into this project..... The interview, the storytelling, the theory breakdown and, of course, the recreations were awesome..... JC & Alan are absolute gods as far as I'm concerned. Would love to see a deep dive into Helloween 3 one day.............

[@neuzethmusic131]

Splendid! Love John Carpenter sooo much! His soundtracks 🖤 and especially Escape From New York and the first Halloween are exceptional films! Alan is great, too. Thanks for this special, Alex!!

[@Dis-Emboweled]

The 69th street bridge music sounds a bunch like Big Trouble in Little China! Love it!

[@Netm8kr]

BRAVO. I remember my dad taking me to see this movie when it came out. The synths have influenced me every since. Years ago, I made a humble attempt at the main theme. Using my Roland MV8000, and random E-MU racks for patches. You definitely, are rekindling my midi-life passion. Keep em coming. Peace...Netm8kr

[@DarkSideofSynth]

That's a nice way to have breakfast on a Sunday morning. Brilliant. I love John Carpenter's style and Alan is ideed a wizard.

[@AlexBallMusic]

So competent is so many disciplines. One of those guys who must be incredibly handy to have on your team!

[@DarkSideofSynth]

@@AlexBallMusic Absolutely. I remember seeing another interview here on YT of him telling his story in his studio a few years ago. So interesting.

[@f.herumusu8341]

Wow! This is way beyond an average KZbin Video. The amount of research, the production, ... everything is waaaay beyond it. You should sell that as a documentation to major TV networks!

[@tinshedmodular8096]

What a great interview. Being of an age where I saw these movies when they came out, albeit on dodgy VHS tapes, I always loved the soundtracks to John Carpenters movies. This is a fantastic insight into the time and dedication that went in to making these timeless movie classics. thank you ! 69th Street here I come.

[@symbiat0]

Except there's no 69th Street bridge. There IS the 59th Street bridge on the east side...

[@adamant5550]

Dodgy VHS tapes are the only real way to watch John Carpenter movies

[@LUXXLY]

Gonna grab a coffee and start my day with this, brilliant channel btw.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks. Thought people might like a Sunday morning viewing. :)

[@browe]

John Barry, John Carpenter, Alan Howarth... loving your choice of film composers. Having spent years in a cover band of The Police, your outro is certified rad.

[@FintanMoloney]

Every production you do is better than documentaries I have seen on big budget TV networks. Great job mate. Really enjoying all your content.

[@jo03rsxs]

To this day still listen to all of his musical scores. They are absolutely brilliant and emotion drawing, I’ve never heard musical scores that can evoke the emotion that these men were able to achieve. Absolutely amazing work!

[@jacksongarland3272]

This is an amazing way to spend 25 minutes for us Carpenter/Howarth/synth-head groupies. Excellent!

[@justinavery8664]

You and Duke are "A" number One!!

[@tomahzo]

The story about how he incorporated the LM1 is just crazy - man, I love stories from those days. Such exciting times!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep! Went to Roger's garage and grabbed an early serial and got him to mod it. Inventing the technology whilst they went along!

[@tomahzo]

@@AlexBallMusic That's exactly right! It's during that magic time in history when synth makers, computer pioneers, hackers and surf culture all came together to form culture and create new technology (a lot on the US west coast... think Linn, Sequential, Oberheim, Commodore, Ensoniq, E-mu). Also... "Man, I need quarter notes, eighth notes etc... so he modified it for me". WTF? ;D. I guess that still happens today but these days it's mostly a question of having software developers add a feature in a VST plugin. The thought of having Roger Linn dive into the circuitry with a soldering iron is a bit more romantic to me ;) (yeah, I know, there's a fair share of software and digital electronics in the LM1 too... but still! :D)

[@NeedITDeathHeated]

This movie and score are phenomenal. Carpenter has such a unique style about his work, what a legend.

[@kilonaliosI]

amazing, straight to the point, no effort to entertain, surgically accurate and eye-opening. A thumb up is an insult to the quality of this film, but for now that's all I can offer. Keep up the great work :)

[@AlexBallMusic]

And it's comments like this that keep me going. Thank you!

[@jarikoskenniska299]

Great to hear Alan explain all methods "How to" they put all together! -Thx for nörding out this Masterpiece of a soundtrack!

[@MPB059]

Escape from New York is one of my favorite movies! Thank you for this video!

[@AtCloseRange]

Thanks for this Very good video. I grew up with John carpenter's movies and love his minimal approach of electronic music. Escape is one of their best score for sure.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep agree. The first and one of the most enduring.

[@difquin]

Late to the party here, and let me start with something only vaguely related: I never saw a Carpenter movie growing up (too spooky for a '79 kid), but I recently played the Ashes (Doom total conversion) games (highly recommended!) and read somewhere, that the games' soundtrack composer John S. Weekley used Carpenter's work as a base for the general vibe of the soundtrack. There's also plenty of Escape from New York visual references in the games, so I decided to dig up and watch the movie on an archive website. When the main theme hit, I got literal goose bumps. It was weirdly instantly recognizable, retro futuristic, wonderfully analog. Then I found Carpenter's Anthology albums on Spotify, and when hearing The Fog, Halloween and The Thing it was super obvious where Weekley drew his inspiration for the games' soundtrack (which is also absolutely wonderful!). Then - even after being a subscriber years - I happened upon your video with Howarth, and I honestly got short of breath when you recreated the theme so unbelievably faithfully. Lump in throat and all. Well done sir!

[@torley]

Gripping, compelling throughout. Wonderfully insightful firsthand interview with Alan Howarth, and terrific reconstructions of various cues. Outstanding analysis of the main theme - BRAVO, ALEX!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks! Yes, was amazing to get the story from the horses mouth.

[@desolate_horizons]

Massive thanks to you and Alan!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks!

[@halcyo]

Amazing dive into this one! Keep doing these breakdowns of scores and other works!

[@loweroctaves]

Legendary✨✨✨not sure if any other director other than kubrick has managed to make so many cult classics. Thanks for this video and the nostalgia.

[@viveladecadence]

At 05:48 I was like 'How does Police fit in there sound-wise?' (and yes, it's been way too long since I listened to the whole soundtrack instead of just the main title) and when 'Snake Shake' came on and I heard the bassline it was clear how they were inspired by tracks like 'Driven to tears'. Fantastic video, thanks.

[@Denver_Risley]

Love all those scores and all that awesome old gear. Carpenter's albums of "Lost Themes" are terrific.

[@jneiberger]

I haven't thought of this movie in many, many years. All it took was seeing the title of this video and the music from that movie came flooding back. John Carpenter's music is so distinctive. The music for Prince of Darkness was understated and perfect.

[@Kkidzz]

Pro-1 is such a great piece.... V. Clarke always said it's his Desert Island synth: hard to argue. Thanks for this lovely interview.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, I use it pretty much every day.

[@jacobsteel]

love this mini documentary so much. so many nuggets. watching it again now. brilliant. thank you! 🙏

[@nevereadyone]

Thanks for a really cool breakdown and the interview parts! Loved the movie when i was a kid and the music was a big part why i loved it. More of these videos please!!!

[@Lykw1dSloth]

Man these sounds bring me back, grew up on Carpenter films, Ty...

[@juanar4305]

A simple and beautiful theme

[@MMCEnsemble]

This is so good! Love all the photos and the interview is just great! Glad Alan still has his prophet. One of the best soundtracks!!🎥📺

[@SyncdAlien]

Fantastic beyond belief! 😍 Thank you so much for this. 😍😍😍

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks for watching.

[@mayfieldgage]

This and Big Trouble score is just amazing

[@chadjohnson-authormusician8072]

Incredible video. Thanks so much for putting this together! Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish!

[@androoow]

holy sh** !! i know carpenters music VERY well.. big influence in my life and my decision to buy synths along with vangelis ..and had i not seen the vid of you reconstructing main title , i swear it was the original !!!! stunning.. and excellent video ... thanks for the effort.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, gotta love Carpenter. But it's interesting how much of the sound is Alan's doing, particularly as he was doing all the programming. Glad you enjoyed the remake. Having vintage gear certainly helps get a similar vibe. :)

[@NeuronalAxon]

I NEED this kind of quality documentary about the Halloween OST.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Maybe Alan will speak to me again nearer October. He was involved in all the sequels. Would be a good one.

[@NeuronalAxon]

@@AlexBallMusic - That'd be wonderful. Looking forward to it.

[@SPAZZOID100]

NeuronalAxon “Season of the Witch”

[@guycore5478]

18:04 69th Street Bridge always threw me. I never knew where the downbeat was, either on the G or the E flat. Thanks for showing the sheet music.

[@Olliebear38]

Such a cool piece. Love this theme! Rock n Roll .

[@neiljvoice1603]

Thank you for posting this, great to see Alan still has some of the original kit. This is my favourite John Carpenter/Alan Howarth score and its the reason I have my own studio now. First time I heard it back in 1981 I fell in love with it and it still gets played a lot.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yep, the poly sequencer with the original micro cassette was quite a surprise! Amazed that still exists. Yep great score that means a lot to many!

[@Floyd1138]

Amazing informative video! Carpenters music was a huge part of my teenage years and encouraged me to get a synth. I still have that synth and i'm still writing, recording and releasing electronic music. Thanks Alan and John.

[@NeuronalAxon]

Which synth?

[@GNeuman]

I've forgotten how good this video is! Superb, Alex!

[@nalbandianinverona]

I know virtually nothing about synthesizers or any of the electronic gear but I still love these videos. The stories, the creative process the detail - freaking phenomenal.

[@AlexBallMusic]

That's really great to hear. Thank you!

[@joeyf808]

Absolutely amazing! Inspirational.

[@IDigress]

What a legend. Great vid!

[@jeremybarnes7873]

Alan, impressive career. Both visionary and with a high degree of integrity

[@TamiamiJones]

Great interview. I saw this in the theater twelve or fifteen times when it was first released that summer. Alan, John and Vangelis changed the world of movie soundtracks. For me, just the opening DHX sound recording thrilled me enough to anticipate John Carpenter’s works. Those great summer movies wouldn’t just be available for two weeks before going to DVD sales. (A distant dream) but would stay in the theaters all summer long! It was a great summer. Escape from New York with this soundtrack in Dolby Digital on the big screen was the way this movie was meant to be seen! This video really chronicles a new age in cinema.

[@T.H.W.O.T.H]

I remember when that vintage gear sounded modern! 😁 Nice one Alex - keep 'em coming 👍

[@AlexBallMusic]

And now it's come full circle!

[@patrickhartnett7253]

T.H. Woth 31111 ww

[@hazchem1]

In 1985, when I was 12 years old I had a Sunday morning paper round. Up at 0600 and got back in about 0800. My Dad had always taped the late night movie for me which I'd watch when I got home. This is my first memory of EFNY. When that music started I was blown away and I was mesmerized by this cool guy with his eye patch. When Plisken walks away at the end tearing the tape apart and that music kicks back in it simply cemented that morning and the rest of that day in my head through all these years. The only down side was that I had to go to Sunday School at 1030, lolz!

[@stuCameraman1]

I tried playing this in the late 1980's on my yamaha pss470, now I know the correct notes to play.... Thank you😂🎉🎥🔥🎥🔥🎥🔥

[@kentkacs3140]

Not only was this video well done and very much appreciated, but it pointed me to Howarth's site... who knew he was making those written scores available? Awesome.

[@selfdevelopmentmadesimple]

Alex Ball is a genius! This is one of the most amazing documentaries ever! Thank you!

[@allkeyspro6606]

Man oh man! Thanks so much for this! Fascinating and informative video! Alan is a treasure, wish I could work with him! Zawinul to Carpenter. Amazing career!

[@JnEricsonx]

Saw him live at a con beginning of last year, He performed a bunch of pieces of music, and I drained my phone battery recording it. Like the whole Halloween 2 theme, etc. Course same day I met NIck Castle. Was a good day.

[@Attilargh]

Alan is so cool.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Yes! Very down to earth.

[@mbrombert]

All this time I was absolutely certain the entire song was made on the Ensoniq SQ-80 - a very interesting video indeed! Also, I really appreciate the piano part breakdown you did. Wonderful stuff.

[@AlexBallMusic]

Impressive if they used an SQ-80 as it came out 7 years after the film was released. ;) Jokes aside, I hope get hold of some Ensoniq stuff in the future. Glad you enjoyed the video, was fun to make.

[@ytsm]

This is the content that KZbin was made for. Superb!

[@TheArtFortress]

I'm terrible at recognizing and reading chords. Sometimes you just can't tell what it is by ear. With this video, I can accurately make my cover. Wooooo!!!

[@retrosound72]

A masterpiece. Thank you Alex.

[@AlexBallMusic]

You're in the exclusive Quadra club of course. Cool it was used on these scores.

[@rickybustamante4328]

Thank you so much Alex for providing the amazing content you always make available to us, cheers

[@AndersEngerJensen]

W O W! You never cease to amaze! Highest class docu/analysis! 👍🏼👍🏼😎

[@AlexBallMusic]

Cheers Anders. No VT-1 on this score though. ;)

[@AndersEngerJensen]

@@AlexBallMusic Haha, yeah. I don't think that thing would have brought anything to the excellent score from John and Alan. :D

[@kaikrick9383]

The archeology of my childhood - thank you so much, Alex, this is just perfect

[@jeffleonhardt7173]

Fantastic! By far the best docu on EFNY music ever. Thank you so much for putting it together!!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks for watching.

[@jspidey2k]

A little late to this but, I've known Alan for years and this is a great breakdown/interview for Escape From New York. Excellent job.

[@tracyyy99]

Avid fan of EFNY...Thanks for the effort in making and uploading this...Much appreciated...

[@offworldsynths2019]

One of the golden age synth movie soundtracks from the early eighties. Very well made video,thank you!

[@mrclaytron]

This is brilliant Alex. Your informative, and hands on documentary style is really awesome. One of the big TV networks should bloody hire you! Keep up the good work!

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thanks. If a network wanted to back one, that would be fun. But at the same time, it would make things more complicated and bureaucratic. I've worked on several hundred TV productions and they're a different beast entirely.

[@mrclaytron]

@@AlexBallMusic yeah, you're right - you'd probably lose a lot of creative control with a network I guess (although being able to have the network organise rights to play archive footage, and clips from the films etc would be nice!) Just keep doing your thing - your channel is already growing, and I'm pretty sure 100K+ subscribers is just around the corner!!!

[@sadalite]

So every once in awhile you stumble on a truly priceless video on KZbin. This is definitely that one in a million. Thank you for all this information and your take on the theme was as good as the original, seriously

[@AlexBallMusic]

Thank you! Was over the moon Alan agreed to speak to us, so I'm glad that means something to others. Appreciate you articulating that.

[@DEADLINETV]

So much respect and love for this series! Thanks Alex! And of course thanks John and Alan too!

[@dwightgilbert7596]

Youve outdone yourself, Mr. Ball.

[@ronnyb5890]

this score is one of my favorites,as is the movie,thanx for sharing

[@jimsim3]

This was so cool. I love john work on films and music and I didn't know about Alan Howarth and now I a fan, thank you for upload Alex

[@jimsim3]

wonderful stuff Alex your such a dud too. love the break down

[@BlazingOwnager]

This video needs more views, it's great. I have so much respect for early synth artists doing this without a computer.

[@Deeper-sessions]

that realy blew my mind ~ I gotta watch this and alan howarth's discography as well

[@stoatystoat174]

Mr Howarth is quality and has contributed to quality soundtracks. Saw Carpenter play at the Barrowlands in Glasgow, top fun.

[@peterson88keyz]

Me at work: Okay, let me click on something I don't have to watch - just listen to and get to work...hey, what's this? (25 minutes later) Okay...NOW I'll start to work.

[@AlexBallMusic]

It was fascinating for me to speak to Alan, so I'm glad others enjoyed it too! :)

[@brianmurphy2248]

Wow, that was fantastic! Highly enjoyable to watch. Thanks for offering this to the fans. This very soundtrack got me into my first drum machine, then composing electronic music. Well done!