Surprisingly, only one – Starfire, imminently
the theme tune of ITV pop show Discs
A Go-Go, was issued as a single. In an
ensuing research trip to the States to visit
Capitol Tower and sit in on a Duane Eddy
session, Barry learned two useful concepts:
the multiple close mic’ing of individual
instruments, and the value of separately
recording performers in a practice now
known as multitracking.
In 1962, Barry decamped to Ember
Records, where he produced and arranged
additions to the house catalogue. His talent
was soon procured by the James Bond film
producers. Hired as back-up to original
composer Monty Norman, Barry was
required to give Norman’s work a significant
revamp. The end result, the James Bond
Theme, was pure and enduring alchemy. By
way of be-bop, it referenced the big, brassy
Peter Gunn-style of rock’n’roll – but was
more thrilling, modern, hip, and knowing.
It was Bond, James Bond.
As for its emblematic licks, Vic Flick
recalls using an f-hole Clifford Essex
acoustic guitar with a DeArmond pickup,
plugged into his Fender Vibrolux amplifier.
“Over the next five years... my work with
John Barry brought so much prominence
on a string of his hit records with my lead
guitar, leadership of his group out on the
road and, best of all, a place in both record
and movie history as the man who played
the James Bond Theme,” he later recalled.
Barry’s career scoring movies, meanwhile,
went from strength to strength – across
11 Bond scores and far beyond. He
immediately took on From Russia With
Love (1963), composed an alternative
action theme entitled 007 , and created his
personal favourite of the franchise, 1964’s
Goldfinger. The soundtrack album replacedThe Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night at the top of
the US charts, was Grammy-nominated and
scooped the composer his first gold disc.
It heralded a diverse, award-winning
body of work for Barry, spanning from Born
Free and Midnight Cowboy to Out Of Africa
and Dances With Wolves.
Though his musical mojo had evolved,
Barry was not averse to revisiting 50s
sounds and rocking riffs: notably on his
moody theme to The Persuaders, the cult
1971 TV series starring Tony Curtis and that
sometime 70s Bond, Roger Moore.
Inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of
Fame in 1998, he was awarded an OBE
for services to music the following year.
Married four times, Barry moved to the
United States in 1975, where he remained
until his death in 2011, aged 77.
When it comes to making memorable
music – whether more contemporary
seminal soundtracks, or his early innovative
rock’n’roll – John Barry will be remembered
for a towering legacy, which saw him
become, as his Bond musical successor
David Arnold put it, “the Guvnor”. 9LISTEN UP!
THE JOHN BARRY SEVEN’S WINNING BEATS:
HITS AND HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE MUSICAL MAESTRO, PRE-BOND...EVERY WHICH WAY/
YOU’VE GOTTA WAY
Notable for featuring Barry’s last
vocals before the band went
instrumental. The Haley-esque
A-side contrasts with Barry’s
self-penned flip.BIG GUITAR
Barnstorming cover that should
have been a hit. Barry B-side
Rodeo was his first recorded
instrumental song.BEE’S KNEES
Rumour has it that the James
Bond theme was based on
this stinging number.LONG JOHN
Based on the sea shanty Drunken
Sailor, with a Lord Rockingham’s
XI-style arrangement. Snap ‘N’
Whistle is on the B-side.LITTLE JOHN/
FOR PETE’S SAKE
Voted one of the best
instrumental discs of 1959,
it was the first to feature ‘English
Duane Eddy’ Vic Flick, and pianist
Les Reed.HIT AND MISS
(UK NO.10)
Finally, in 1960, the boys’ first
chart entry – the insanely catchytheme tune to seminal Saturday
night TV show Juke Box Jury.WALK DON’T RUN
(UK NO.11)
A British take on the US surf
sound. Desiring a guitar sound
different from The Ventures’
original, Barry apparently
told Flick to use a Bigsby tremolo
arm for the distinctive vibrato
effect. It worked.BLACK STOCKINGS
(UK NO.27)
A saucy saunter replete with
floating female chorus. Features
Get Lost Jack Frost on the B-side.BEAT GIRL
Barry’s first score was the killer
theme tune to the X-rated film
(titled Wild For Kicks in the US).
Later released as the UK’s first
soundtrack album.THE MAGNIFICENT
SEVEN (UK NO.45)
Quirky take on Elmer Bernstein’s
western, with Flick’s fretwork to
the fore.THE MENACE
The JB7’s 15th single, bathed
in reverb and Bond-esque
cinematic style: a sign of things
to come...John BarryBARRY’S CAREER WENT FROM
STRENGTH TO STRENGTH ACROSS
11 BOND SCORES AND FAR BEYOND