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From Stage to Screen: Movie Soundtracks by Musicians

By 13

A great movie or song, alone, can inspire powerful emotions. But combined, sounds and images can amplify the sensation. The Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr, who worked on the soundtrack to Dennis Hopper's film Colours in the late-1980s, said he enjoys working on movies because “You're not restricted to working on something between three and five minutes long … It also can be quite solitary and it's nice not to have to please four or five other people.”

Film and sound existed separately in the early 20th century, but they ended up cementing a lasting complimentary relationship with each other, from the first feature length sound film in 1927, The Jazz Singer, to music videos today. Our minds love that sync of auditory and visual senses – whether it’s unintentional, like The Wizard of Oz synching with Dark Side of the Moon, or intentional, like the music and movie collaborations that follow: Jónsi (Sigur Rós) – We Bought A Zoo (2012) Some music seems to conjure up movies instinctively, as in the instrumentally and emotionally rich soundscapes of Sigur Rós, fronted by guitarist and vocalist Jón “Jónsi” Þór Birgisson. For those of us wishing that Jónsi would follow us around playing a soundtrack to our lives (and have to settle for iPod daydreaming), we got the next best thing – he scored a movie, We Bought a Zoo. Director Cameron Crowe encouraged Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson and the other actors in the film to listen to specific Sigur Rós songs so they could create the right energy for a scene: “the actors listened to the music during their takes; it quickly became part of the film’s DNA.” When Matt Damon finally confronts the iPhotos of his deceased wife that come to life around him in a sonic and sentimental crescendo, a little watery DNA can’t help but moisten the eyes of the audience as well. Trent Reznor (with Atticus Ross) - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) After winning a 2010 Golden Globe and Academy Award for their work on The Social Network, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross decided to pair up again to take on another David Fincher film, the highly anticipated The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Delicate chimes and thin pianos mixed with ferociously plucked strings and ominous bass create just the right amount of foreboding tingles the movie calls for. As the founder of Nine Inch Nails, Reznor seems naturally drawn to the darker side of the music spectrum. This especially comes out in his raw cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” with Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ singer Karen O during the movie’s opening sequence with a vigor that carries on throughout the film. Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead) – There Will Be Blood (2007) If the images in Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood don’t scare you, the 80-piece in-your-face string orchestra will. Expanding on Radiohead’s already instrumental-heavy technique, guitarist and composer Johnny Greenwood’s score was well received and nominated for a Grammy. From the brooding lows to the quivering highs, the dissonant, disturbing and always loud strings act as a separate character in the film, adding an eerie personality to an already unsettling setting. Neil Young - Dead Man (1995) Leave it to Neil Young to score a psychedelic western starring Johnny Depp as William Blake, an accountant from Cleveland, as well as Jared Harris, Billy Bob Thornton and Iggy Pop in a dress all sitting around a campfire cooking beans. Improvising on guitar, piano and organ as he watched the film alone in a recording studio, Young provides the perfect rugged and deep jolts of music to go along with the story of a man who wrote his poetry in blood when the west was still young. David Bowie (with Trevor Jones) – Labyrinth (1986) The 1980s were an age of synthesizers. Trevor Jones and David Bowie couldn’t resist mixing the wide-ranging electronic instrument with orchestral ensembles in a hodgepodge almost as strange as the Jim Henson and George Lucas production they scored, Labyrinth. Starring Bowie as both the Goblin King and the film’s composer, the soundtrack has a fittingly ethereal, surreal feel. But the movie’s musical spell is often broken when Goblin Bowie and his minions break out into raucous songs that categorize the film in another '80s cliché of cheesy. Queen - Flash Gordon (1980) Queen’s melodic-dramatic overtures provide a natural soundtrack to a movie – especially one shot in the 1980s about a super hero, like Flash Gordon. And what better way to mimic the film’s ka-pow energy than with extensive use of electrifying synthesizers and overpowering harmonies. After all, Freddie Mercury’s music and performance carried with them a certain theatrical thrill fitting of an action movie. The theme song of the movie, “Flash” is a sonic comic book complete with character dialogue and laser beam sound effects over shouts of “flash!” accompanied by complimentary cymbal crashes. Pink Floyd – More (1969) From Dark Side of the Moon to Ummagumma, Pink Floyd has always voyaged into new and strange sonic territory fitting of futuristic movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey, which Roger Water actually turned down the opportunity to score – something he later regretted. Pink Floyd, however, applied their experimental approach to Barbet Schroeder’s More, a film about a German hitchhiker who falls for an American girl addicted to heroin. Their avant-garde instrumentals and some of their heaviest songs are the perfect backdrop to this mind-bending trip. Be Sure to check out: Per_versions - Vitamin String Quartet Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Nine Inch Nails Vitamin String Quartet: Strung Out On OK Computer Rusted Moon: Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Neil Young Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Queen Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd

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Lessons Learned: 2011

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I learned a lot this past year. For example, did you know that Nicolas Cage could have been Aragorn in The Lord of the Rings? Crazy. But for more substantial learnings about life, let's turn to this year's music, and what it told us along the way. 1. Surprise People. 2011 in music was a year of surprises and generally stepping out of one's comfort zone. Usually this was in the form of collaborations – Kanye West reached out to reigning indie king Bon Iver, and Jack White worked with Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert and even the Insane Clown Posse just to screw with you. Sometimes it came out as wild ideas like The Flaming Lips producing a 24-hour song. Certainly, stepping out of your comfort zone doesn't always produce fantastic results, but sometimes the act itself is all the incentive you need. As the saying goes, the only reward of the easy path is that it's easy. 2. Two Great Tastes Don't Always Taste Great Together. Metallica and Lou Reed taught me that you can't just smash two things together and hope for the best. In the event that you do decide to smash two wildly disparate things together, avoid the hubris of talking it up in interviews. Do not, in any situation, tell people that this is the best you've ever been, especially if both of you happen to be legends in your respective field. I know I said surprise people – but do it in a way that is self-aware of the surprise, either with humor or humbleness. 3. If You're Amazing, You Will Last Forever In 2011, everything old is new again. It seems like every year, high quality box sets and reissues of classic material ramp up, and this was no exception. Whether it was The Smiths, U2's Achtung Baby or the mythological Beach Boys' Smile, there were enticing pieces of music history given new life in today's market. Maybe you lived through their heyday, or maybe it's all new to you. The lesson here is that the past doesn't quit, and that there will always be value in yesterday's best. 4. Know When, and How, to Quit. This year saw the end of Rilo Kiley, R.E.M. and LCD Soundsystem. Each had at least a healthy amount of success, especially R.E.M., so it's not like we didn't get to enjoy them while they were around. But things happen, and there's no shame in quitting. It's just a matter of how it ends. For Rilo Kiley, it was an ugly dissolution of relationships described as “deception, disloyalty and greed.” For LCD Soundsystem, it was a case of going out on top, and they did it in supreme fashion with a sold out Madison Square Garden. As the year ends, you'll be reflecting and evaluating how it went, and what emotion you want to attach to its passing. Here's hoping your year warrants more of a last hurrah than a quiet fade out.

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Valentines Day VSQ Mixtape & Contest!

By 23

It's February and love is in the air. Well, depending on who you talk to. For those of you who turn your nose up, scroll to the second part of this post for something a little less sappy. For the rest of you hopeless romantics, keep reading for a special treat for your Valentine. Nothing creates a romantic mood better than a few of your favorite love songs - done VSQ style. So we've put together a smashing playlist of our favorite tracks to get your juices flowing. Light some scented candles, spread the rose petals and let VSQ do the rest. Download Valentine's Day Playlist Tracklist:
  • All You Need Is Love - The Beatles
  • Crazy Little Thing Called Love - Queen
  • Fell In Love With a Girl - The White Strips
  • Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
  • Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want - The Smiths
  • California Love - Tupac
  • Just LIke Heaven - The Cure
  • Crown of Love - Arcade Fire
  • The One I Love - REM
  • Soul Meets Body - Death Cab For Cutie
  • Jack and Sally Montage - Nightmare Revisited

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VSQ Valentines Day Contest!

We believe that Valentine's day shouldn't discriminate. That's why we have four albums stock full of string quartet love songs for every type of lover. Whether you prefer spikes or feathers, lace or leather, we've got the Valentine's Day soundtrack for you! Want to win a copy of your favorite VSQ Valentine's Day album? All you have to do is create your own iMix of your favorite VSQ love songs! Whoever creates the bext iMix will win the Valentine's Day CD of their choice: Valentine's Day Massacre: The Emo Anti-Valentine's Day Collection The Rock N' Roll Valentine's Day Collection The String Quartet Tribute to Valentine's Day My Metal Valentine How to enter: 1. Create an iMix on iTunes with your favorite VSQ love songs. 2. Leave a comment below with a link. Please make sure to let us know your email address! Extra Entries: 1. Follow us on Twitter and RT us about this contest 2. Become our fan on Facebook 3. Subscribe to our blog feed Good luck!

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Top Ten Covers of 80's Songs In The Last Decade

By 6

Ah the 80’s, you simultaneously shame me and make me want to break out into dance. 80’s covers have always sort of been horrible, why is that? I’m guessing that has to do with the overall quality of music in that time period. No one seemed to know what the hell was going on (except Michael Jackson). Here’s a list of some odd covers coming from some odd bands in the last 10 years.

10. Dinosaur Jr. “Just Like Heaven” (The Cure)

Every band has covered this song, but no one makes it their own like Jay Mascis. The amount of distortion and sloppy shredding going on before the lyrics come in is truly inspiring. It’s the most ballsy a Cure song has ever sounded.

9. Kings Of Convenience "Free Fallin’” (Tom Petty)

This is one of those songs that guy at the party who brought a guitar always plays. Luckily, these guys do it so well, that you’re free to smash that guy’s guitar and play this instead.

8. Postal Service "Against All Odds" (Phil Collins)

The first time I heard this cover I almost thought it was an original until I heard the chorus. Postal Service does it so well, adding a good amount of desperation in a way only Ben Gibbard can.

7. She & Him "Please Please Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (The Smiths)

I’m admittedly not a fan of sad British pop music from the 80’s, but I do love me some Zooey Deschanel and I very much enjoy this cover that was set to 500 Days Of Summer’s soundtrack.

6.  Band Of Horses "You Make My Dreams Come True" (Hall & Oates)

Come on, you knew I wouldn’t make a list like this without some Hall & Oates, the king and queen of the 80’s (I’ll let you decide who the queen is).  This song makes me want to get up and just kick the air.

5. David Byrne "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (Whitney Houston)

David Byrne makes this song funky, not that it already didn’t have a good rhythm for dancing. I remember my sister all scrunchied up dancing to this song back in the day.

4. Gnarls Barkley "Gone Daddy Gone” (Violent Femmes)

Hearing Ceelo sing this song works, but it’s really all about the xylophone, and Danger Mouse does the Femmes proud here. Yes he can play instruments, no he’s not just a DJ anymore.

3. The Lemonheads “Skulls” (The Misfits)

This is one of my favorite covers of all time, and I’ve spent many weeks attempting to find it after it disappeared from my iTunes. While most of the Lemonheads’ other work doesn’t quite hit me, hearing Glenn Danzig’s song about mounting skulls on his wall sung so sweetly is just perfect.

2. Gary Jules "Mad World" (Tears For Fears)

Thanks to Donnie Darko, Gary Jules came under most peoples’ radars with his whisper soft cover of this totally 80’s hit. This version just makes a bit more sense to me without a lot of overused synthesizers.

1. Tori Amos "Raining Blood" (Slayer)

Yes, this really happened. I actually don’t like Tori at all, she’s very much a diva and is not polite to those she doesn’t know. But, behavior aside, this is one of the more interesting covers of any band ever. I wonder if Slayer enjoyed it? Honorable Mentions: Gossip "Careless Whisper" (Wham!) Boy Least Likely To "Faith" (George Michael) The Flaming Lips “Borderline” (Maddona) The Arcade Fire “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”  (Cyndi Lauper) What are your favorite covers of songs from the 80's?

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Top 10 Bands That Should Reunite

By 6

Reunions are all the rage in the last few years, and bands are coming out of seemingly nowhere to take any high paying offers to do one-off shows or entire tours. Any band that has had a mild hit has pretty much reunited, unless a member has died. Luckily, there are still many great bands that have resisted the color of money to reunite, but here’s to hoping they still see the light.

10. The Fugees

Who doesn’t remember watching the video for “Killing Me Softly”? These guys did have a way with words, and Lauryn Hill is Roberta Flack’s long lost sister.

9. Q AND NOT U

A great DC band that retreated once they began getting a bit of recognition. Both guys were amazing multi-instrumentalists that inspired a lot of bands today.

8. The Kinks

Will the Davies brothers ever reconcile and do a reunion? They both say it’s very bloody unlikely.

7. Fugazi

Another hugely influential DC band that has been on an “extended hiatus” for quite some time now. I think after 8 years we can safely say they are no more, but what a reunion that’d be.

6. The Smiths

The king of broody music, Morrissey, wouldn’t be caught dead on stage with Johnny Marr and the rest of the Smiths, not for millions of dollars. All the pre-emo children will rejoice if this ever happens, so keep that mascara handy.

5. Talk Talk

Most people remember this band for their hit “It’s My Life” that No Doubt covered many years later. The fact is, these guys basically started the post-rock movement and did some amazing things when everyone was still stuck listening to INXS.

4. At the Drive In

If you’ve ever caught video of an old ATDI show, you’ve seen how dangerous it was to be a spectator. There is no band that even touched these guys in ingenuity and energy. This reunion could happen someday, but Jim Ward and the Mars Volta guys will need to play nice.

3. Godspeed You! Black Emperor

In an era of financial ruin and war at every turn, what better soundtrack is there than a series of symphonies spelling the end of days? No one did it better than this Montreal collective.

2. Neutral Milk Hotel

Jeff Magnum may never feel the need to play in front of a crowd again. If he ever wakes up one day with a desire to let hipsters everywhere die happy, he could gather the other Elephant 6 guys and play “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” from front to back.

1. Talking Heads

David Byrne doesn’t need the rest of the Talking Heads, at least that’s what he’s shown in the past 10 or so years since they’ve disbanded. But the magic that Stop Making Sense shows when all four of them played together is undeniable, though the reunion may never happen. Honorable Mentions: Wham! Mr. Bungle Uncle Tupelo The Dead Kennedys Velvet Underground DFA 1979 The Postal Service Sleater-Kinney

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VSQ Employee Mixtape #2: The Art Department

By 23

Please welcome the second installment of our new series of employee playlists, designed by the experts themselves - the VSQ staff! Like we said in our first post, we designed this series to help fans discover VSQ tracks they may have never found otherwise - and show off our impeccable and discerning musical taste! Last week we visited Taylor in the Marketing Department to see what was on her iTunes rotation. This week, lets check out what the art department is spinning.

Mixtape #2: Art Deparment Deep in the bowls of this ship we call “the art department” lies the desk of graphic designer Steven (aka PONG). If you had the chance to go through his itunes library you’d see he(I love referring to myself in 3rd person) is into a lot of music. There’s so much in the VSQ catalog, and narrowing down the fav’s is not a task for the faint at heart(look at me ma! I’m blogging!).

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want

String Quartet Tribute to The Smiths








Superstar

String Quartet Tribute to Sonic Youth (even though it’s really a carpenters song, this cover of a cover is great!)






Bizarre Love Triangle + She’s Lost Control

String Quartet Tribute to New Order & Joy Division Another VSQ album that is a must!







Caribou

Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Pixies







Wish You Were Here

Vitamin String Quartet Tribute to Pink Floyd







10:15 Saturday Night

The String Quartet Tribute to The Cure






Cannonball

Vitamin String Quartet: Alternative Hits of the 80's and 90's Vol. 2






Hit Me Like You Did The First Time

The String Quartet Tribute to The Flaming Lips






Heroin

The String Quartet Tribute to The Velvet Underground & Nico Seriously, just buy this album every song kicks ass!








Everyday Is Like Sunday

String Quartet Tribute to Morrissey Aww, to be in high school once more






The Man Who Sold The World

String Quartet Tribute to David Bowie








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VSQ Employee Mixtape #1: Marketing Department

By 23

We created this unofficial series to help you uncover the precious gems that are buried in the depths of our impressive and seemingly endless catalog. While creating our lists we've found tributes we didn't even know existed and we'll be sharing this valuable information with you in weekly installments of playlists from the experts themselves, The VSQ Staff. So get your headphones ready because we're about to take you on a tour through the best, the classic and the weirdest Vitamin String Quartet tributes to be found.

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