Simon Boswell
Encyclopedia
Simon Boswell is a BAFTA nominated British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...

 film score
Film score
A film score is original music written specifically to accompany a film, forming part of the film's soundtrack, which also usually includes dialogue and sound effects...

 composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...

, conductor
Conducting
Conducting is the art of directing a musical performance by way of visible gestures. The primary duties of the conductor are to unify performers, set the tempo, execute clear preparations and beats, and to listen critically and shape the sound of the ensemble...

, producer
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...

 and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....

, with more than 90 credits to his name. He is known for combining mainly electronic elements with orchestral.

Biography

An alumnus of the independent Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School
The Haberdashers' Aske's Boys' School is a British independent school for boys aged 4–19. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference and of the Haileybury Group....

, Boswell studied English Literature at Pembroke College, Cambridge. Playing the guitar since the age of 12, he was an accomplished guitarist and was signed by Transatlantic Records in 1975 whilst still at college. This led to the release of his first solo album, "The Mind Parasites", a collection of contemporary acoustic songs and instrumentals.
He formed the band "Advertising" in 1977, at the beginning of punk rock era. Labelled 'Power Pop', the band was more of an homage to the pop art style of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...

 and the Velvet Underground. They toured extensively with Blondie
Blondie (band)
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Deborah Harry and guitarist Chris Stein. The band was a pioneer in the early American New Wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s...

.
After the split of "Advertising", Boswell became a record producer both in the UK and Italy. He produced Italian mega star Renato Zero's album, which became the biggest selling Italian album of all time. Boswell’s record productions from the 1980s have influenced many contemporary musicians – notably the sample of the band 23 Skidoo's "Coup" which became The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers
The Chemical Brothers are a British electronic music duo comprising Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons. Originating in Manchester in 1991, along with The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, The Crystal Method, and fellow acts, they were pioneers at bringing the big beat genre to the forefront of pop culture.- Background...

' "Block Rockin' Beats". After producing two albums for the London band Live Wire he joined the band.

Film

Boswell's film career started in 1985, and since then he has countless awards from around the world and has been nominated twice for a BAFTA award.
Some Directors that Boswell has worked with include Danny Boyle, Michael Hoffman, Dario Argento, Clive Barker and Alejandro Jodorowsky. Genres of his work in film include Italian exploitation ("Phenomena", "Stage Fright"), contemporary thrillers ("Shallow Grave", "Hackers"), horror flicks ("Lord Of Illusions", "Hardware"), romances and character studies ("Jack and Sarah", "This Year's Love", "Born Romantic"), dramas ("In My Father's Den", "The War Zone", "My Zinc Bed"), fantasies ("Santa Sagre", "Photographing Fairies", "Tin Man") and literary classics ("A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Cousin Bette").
He has also collaborated with many high profile artists on his projects, such as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...

, Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...

 and Marianne Faithful.
Established as a live performer as well as working in recording studio, he is accomplished with electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...

 and rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...

 genres, combining these with epic orchestral scores.

Boswell has also worked on two projects with the Vatican. "Santo Subito" was his first project, which was a film collaboration setting the speeches and the singing of Pope John Paul II to Boswell's music and visuals.
Boswell more recently composed for and produced the album "Alma Mater", featuring Pope Benedict XVI. The works on the album combine Gregorian chant along with Western art contemporary music and Middle-Eastern influences, and the album was launched officially at a concert in Westminster Cathedral in November 2009, featuring the Chamber Choir of the Philharmonic Academy of Rome and singer Yasemin Sannino.

TV

Boswell has composed for BAFTA nominated TV series The Lakes, and collaborated with film-maker Brian Hill and poet Simon Armitage on "Pornography: The Musical" and "Songbirds".

Music

Boswell has worked with musicians from bands such as Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...

, Orbital
Orbital (band)
Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...

, The Sex Pistols and Echo And The Bunnymen. In 1982 he produced and arranged the album "Via Tagliamento 1965-1970" for the popular Italian singer and songwriter Renato Zero
Renato Zero
Renato Zero is the stage name of Renato Fiacchini , an Italian singer-songwriter and showman whose career spans a full 6 decades, from the 1960s to the 2010s....

.

In Autumn 2006, his album "Close Your Eyes" was released independently via his own Flick Records after 12 years of work.

Quote: "I cut up my previous scores into bits and re-assembled them as new songs mixing full orchestra with musicians from Blur
Blur (band)
Blur is an English alternative rock band. Formed in London in 1989 as Seymour, the group consists of singer Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Blur's debut album Leisure incorporated the sounds of Madchester and shoegazing...

 and The Kills
The Kills
The Kills is a rock band formed by American singer Alison Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie Hince . Their first three albums, Keep On Your Mean Side, No Wow, and Midnight Boom, have garnered much critical praise...

 and spoken word parts for some of the actors and directors I have worked with along the way – including Ewan McGregor, Ray Winstone, Goran Visnij, Dario Argento and Alejandro Jodorowsky."

Art

Boswell continues to work on his own unique art project called BLINK!, an audio-visual installation looped to last forever of portraits extracted from news footage, and individually scored with their own soundtracks. This was first exhibited at the ICA in London in 2002 on 4 simultaneous cinema-sized screens.

Film credits


2008
  • My Zinc Bed
  • Bathory
  • Slapper
  • Rovdyr
    Rovdyr
    Manhunt is a 2008 horror Norwegian film. The film is set in 1974.According to reviews it was mediocre, with a dice throw of 3 given in both Verdens Gang and Dagbladet, and 4 given in Nettavisen and Dagsavisen. ABC Nyheter had a different grading system, giving it 5 out of 10....

     (aka Manhunt - English title)

2006
  • Free Jimmy
    Free Jimmy
    Free Jimmy is a Norwegian/British computer animated feature film first released in Norwegian language in 2006, and later in English language in 2008. The film was written and directed by acclaimed Norwegian subculture comic book artist Christopher Nielsen...

  • Incubus

2005
  • The River King
    The River King
    The River King is a 2005 film starring Edward Burns, Rachelle Lefèvre and Jennifer Ehle as a policeman, student and teacher all searching for the truth behind the apparent suicide of a young man at small private school...

     (Theme)

2004
  • Churchill: The Hollywood Years
    Churchill: The Hollywood Years
    Churchill: The Hollywood Years is a 2004 film, directed by Peter Richardson. It stars Christian Slater as Winston Churchill, and Neve Campbell as Elizabeth II...

  • In My Father's Den

2003
  • Summer in the Golden Valley
  • The Sleeping Dictionary
  • Octane
    Octane (film)
    Octane is a 2002 thriller film directed by Marcus Adams and starring Madeleine Stowe and Mischa Barton...

     (with British electronica band Orbital
    Orbital (band)
    Orbital are a British electronic dance music duo from Sevenoaks, England consisting of brothers Phil and Paul Hartnoll. Their career initially ran from 1989 until 2004, but in 2009 they announced that they would be reforming and headlining The Big Chill, in addition to a number of other live shows...

    )

2002
  • The White Darkness
  • Hypnotic
  • Alien Love Triangle

2001
  • The Secret Glory

2000
  • Born Romantic
  • There's Only One Jimmy Grimble
  • Circus

1999
  • Women Talking Dirty
  • The Debtors
  • A Midsummer Night's Dream
    A Midsummer Night's Dream (1999 film)
    A Midsummer Night's Dream is a 1999 American film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Michael Hoffman. The ensemble cast features Kevin Kline as Bottom, Michelle Pfeiffer and Rupert Everett as Titania and Oberon, and Calista Flockhart, Anna Friel,...

  • This Year's Love
    This Year's Love
    This Year's Love is the title of a 1999 film set in and around Camden Town in London. It was written and directed by David Kane.-Cast:*Dougray Scott as Cameron*Jennifer Ehle as Sophie*Ian Hart as Liam*Sophie Okonedo as Denise...

  • The War Zone

1998
  • Cousin Bette
  • Desserts
    Desserts (film)
    Desserts is a 1998 short film directed by Jeff Stark and starring Ewan McGregor.-Plot:A man is walking along a beach and finds a chocolate éclair, ponders over it for a bit then decides to eat it, then suddenly is yanked into the sea by a hook and line....

  • Dad Savage
  • The Fishmonger's Daughter

1997
  • American Perfekt
    American Perfekt
    American Perfekt is a 1997 road movie/thriller/drama film written and directed by Paul Chart, produced by Irvin Kershner. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival.-Plot:...

  • Photographing Fairies
    Photographing Fairies
    Photographing Fairies is 1997 fantasy film based on Steve Szilagyi's 1992 novel Photographing Fairies.- Themes :This film explores some of the themes of folk religion such as: possession, paganism, animism, hallucinogens, parapsychology and fairy...

  • Perdita Durango
    Perdita Durango
    Perdita Durango, released as Dance with the Devil in the US, is a film directed by Alex de la Iglesia as a cross between the crime and horror genres. The film is based on Barry Gifford's novel 59° and Raining: The Story of Perdita Durango...


1995
  • Lord of Illusions
    Lord of Illusions
    Lord of Illusions is a 1995 American horror film, written and directed by the British author, filmmaker and artist Clive Barker. The film is based on his earlier short story, The Last Illusion , and it presents Barker's signature character Harry D'Amour onscreen for the first time. It stars Scott...

  • Hackers
    Hackers (film)
    Hackers is a 1995 American thriller film directed by Iain Softley and starring Angelina Jolie, Jonny Lee Miller, Renoly Santiago, Matthew Lillard, Lorraine Bracco and Fisher Stevens...


1994
  • Shallow Grave
    Shallow Grave
    -Track listing:# Leftfield – "Shallow Grave" – 4:38# Simon Boswell – "Shallow Grave Theme" – 3:30# Nina Simone – "My Baby Just Cares for Me" – 3:38# Simon Boswell – "Laugh Riot" – 3:02# Leftfield – "Release the Dubs" – 5:45...

  • Burn:Cycle
    Burn:Cycle
    Burn:Cycle is a 1994 CD-i title that encompasses puzzle play and 3D graphics with live action footage. The game's star, Sol Cutter, is a small-time data thief whose latest steal at the beginning of the game comes with a nasty sting. The Burn:Cycle virus has been implanted in his head and has given...


1993
  • Dust Devil
    Dust Devil (1993 film)
    Dust Devil is a 1993 horror film written and directed by Richard Stanley. The film was described as being like "Tarkovsky on acid" by Steve Beard of The Face.-Plot:...


1992
  • The Crying Game
    The Crying Game
    The Crying Game is a 1992 psychological thriller drama film written and directed by Neil Jordan. The film explores themes of race, gender, nationality, and sexuality against the backdrop of the Irish Troubles...


1990
  • Hardware
  • Voice of the Moon

1989
  • Santa Sangre
    Santa Sangre
    Santa Sangre is a 1989 Mexican-Italian surrealist film directed by Alejandro Jodorowsky and written by Jodorowsky along with Claudio Argento and Roberto Leoni...


1988
  • The Ogre
    The Ogre (1988 film)
    The Ogre is a 1988 Italian horror made-for-TV movie directed by Lamberto Bava and written by Dardano Sacchetti...

  • Dinner with a Vampire
    Dinner with a Vampire
    Dinner with a Vampire is a 1988 Italian horror made-for-TV movie directed by Lamberto Bava and written by Dardano Sacchetti...


1987
  • Delirium
    Delirium (1987 film)
    Delirium, also known as Photo of Gioia and Delirium: Photo of Gioia is a 1980 Italian giallo film directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Serena Grandi.-Plot:A former prostitute is in charge of a successful men's magazine...

  • Until Death
    The Changeling 2
    The Changeling 2 is a 1987 Italian horror made-for-TV movie directed by Lamberto Bava and written by Dardano Sacchetti...

  • Graveyard Disturbance
    Graveyard Disturbance
    Graveyard Disturbance is a 1987 Italian horror made-for-TV movie directed by Lamberto Bava and written by Dardano Sacchetti...


1986
  • Demoni 2
    Demoni 2
    Dèmoni 2 is a 1986 Italian horror film directed by Lamberto Bava and co-written and produced by Dario Argento. It is a sequel to Bava's 1985 film Dèmoni and stars David Edwin Knight, Nancy Brilli, Coralina Cataldi-Tassoni, as well as Argento's youngest daughter Asia Argento in her debut film...


1985
  • Phenomena
    Phenomena (film)
    Phenomena is a 1985 Italian horror film directed by Dario Argento. An edited version of the film was released in the United States under the title Creepers , the game called Clock_Tower_ that was released in 1995 for snes , was loosely based on Phenomena.Jennifer Connelly stars as a young girl who...


TV credits

2007
  • Tin Man
    Tin Man (TV miniseries)
    Tin Man is a 2007 four and a half hour miniseries co-produced by RHI Entertainment and Sci Fi Channel original pictures that was broadcast in the United States on the Sci Fi Channel in three parts. The first part aired on December 2, and the remaining two parts airing on the following nights...

  • Nearly Famous (6 episodes)
  • Catwalk Dogs

2006
  • Jackanory (2 episodes)
  • The Magician of Samarkand
  • Muddle Earth

2004
  • Sea of Souls (2 episodes)

2003
  • Pornography: The Musical

2002
  • Widows

2001
  • Mind Games

2000
  • Jason and the Argonauts

1999
  • Tube Tales
    Tube Tales
    Tube Tales is a collection of nine short films based on the true-life experiences of London Underground passengers as submitted to Time Out magazine. The stories were scripted and filmed independently of each other...

     (segment "Bone")

1998
  • Killer Net

Other music credits

2004
  • In My Father's Den - Music Recordist

2003
  • Octane - Soundtrack Producer

1999
  • Women Talking Dirty - Music Arranger
  • The Debtors - Conductor

1998
  • Cousin Bette - Music Arranger and Producer

1994
  • Second Best - Music Arranger
  • Burn:Cycle - Soundtrack Producer

1987
  • Fino alla morte (TV) - Music Arranger

External links

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