Tangerine Dream: Untangling the Tangram

I own all twelve of the classic Virgin albums in two box sets (but not including the Sorcerer or Thief soundtracks). Now, I just need to keep a look-out for my two recent favourites on CD: Legend & Tyger. 

 

It's getting Near Dark, so best close the curtains, lock the doors and keep the lights on all night, because you never know when there might be a band of psychotic vampires lurking about. Near Dark is Tangerine Dream's 32nd album overall and their 10th soundtrack. The movie is a neo-western horror about a bunch of vampires who invade a small mid-western town and generally raise merry hell. Near Dark was even more horrific for director Kathryn Bigelow though, as this was her directorial debut and turned out to be an expensive box office flop, costing $5 million to make and only returning $3.4 million at the box office.

 

 

Shy People is Tangerine Dream's 33rd album overall and their 11th soundtrack. The movie stars Barbara Hershey and Jill Clayburgh. The little-known soundtrack is one of Tangerine Dream's best in my view and features three memorable songs too, so don't be shy, give it a try.

 

I'd love to get hold of all of the Tangerine Dream soundtrack movies on DVD, and that includes Three O'clock High too. 

I've watched three of them recently on YouTube:- Sorcerer; Wavelength; & Flashpoint; and tonight I'll add Shy People to the list too. 

Not to worry. I'll be taking an Epic drive along the Pacific Coast Highway here soon with Christopher Franke, where I'll be sure to encounter some Enchanting Nature Over the Pacific Blue ocean where the Raven flies, and including a stop-off at the Babylon 5 bar & grill along the way. 

Underwater Sunlight is their last masterpiece for quite a long time imo. After that Tyger is interesting but just doesn't gel overall and Live Miles was my 'sleep' album for a long time.  

As promised, Christopher Franke's solo albums are coming up next. 

"Livemiles Part I" is a new studio creation; the music is fabulous. They should've released another longform piece, or two more, for Side B, under another title. In fact, they did have another longform piece, the one Edgar and Chris recorded after Johannes left and eventually released on the Dream Roots collection: "Valley of the Sun."

"Livemiles Part II" is an extract from the West Berlin concert that was Franke's final appearance with the band. Afterward, he departed and took half of all the gear they used with him. They should have released the whole show, unabridged, because it's excellent.