Would you like to play a game?
A little something in my inbox from my friend Dave Gottwald:
So I’m a huge fan of the film WarGames, and they just did a very limited release of the soundtrack for the film’s 25th anniversary this year. The whole disc is filled with great moog-ish synth early 80s stuff.
Attached is the synth-pop track off the album called “Video Fever” about arcade games. Great vocals and keyboards. I thought you would really enjoy.
And Dave’s right: I did really enjoy it, and you might, too.
Midnight PST edit: Thanks to Doctor Popular’s contribution in the comments, we now know that the composer of WarGames was also in a band called The Beepers. “Video Fever” is a Beepers single.
The WarGames OST is limited to only 2500 copies, and it’s priced to move at US$20. You can buy it (and listen to the movie’s theme music!) here.
Doctor Popular
said,
September 19, 2008 @ 7:30 pm
I was trying to figure out why your embedded track is so much cooler than any of the songs previewed on the Intrada site, and learned it’s because Video Fever is one of two songs on the WarGames album by the band The Beepers. Rubinsten, the soundtracks composer, is also in The Beepers, but unfortunately that fun moog pop sound doesn’t really appear very much on the rest of the soundtrack.
It appears The Beepers also did the theme song to Blue Thunder.
Adam
said,
September 19, 2008 @ 7:40 pm
You’re back!
Kevin Bunch
said,
September 19, 2008 @ 9:41 pm
I really think if anything could sum up early 80s pop culture, it is that song. Not even by the lyrics, just the overall sound!
And god, WarGames really did have one of the coolest catchphrases in the history of cinema.
More Quote Amusement: Detroit’s new mayor is an admitted geek, and quoted both Star Trek and Terminator 2 in his swearing-in address.
librarian
said,
September 20, 2008 @ 12:45 am
Adam: It’s true! I got a job, and as IL’s only writer, I’ve certainly neglected my (beloved!) blog. But I am here, for sure.
pauljeremiah
said,
September 20, 2008 @ 8:23 am
glad to see you back posting again jenn ^ ^
thanks for the link the music is really nice.
dave gottwald
said,
September 20, 2008 @ 1:21 pm
jenn, you silly goat, that youtube link is some other bleepers, not our bleepers.
per doc popular’s quotes, i read through the (lovely, extensive) liner notes booklet from the OST, and here is the scoop on the three bleepers songs on the track:
“rubinstein wrote three tunes that were developed into songs: the three-note “gaming” motif for broderick’s character is introduced with the source cue “video fever;” the quirky song “history lesson”. . . and the reflective melody the composer introduces midway through the film was developed into the song “edge of the world.”
of video fever:
“vocalist and lyricist cynthia morrow (who was also first violinist on many of rubinstein’s scores at the time) does a creditable imitation of dale bozzio of missing persons, and both “video fever” and “history lesson” carry the techno-pop vibe of the early ‘80s well.”
the beepers was a side project type thing for the composer, and yes they did work on blue thunder (which was also directed by john badham and released in 1983)—rubinstein wrote both scores practically on top of each other.
librarian
said,
September 20, 2008 @ 2:56 pm
Please do not call me a goat.
Kevin Bunch
said,
September 21, 2008 @ 2:13 pm
You got a new job! Hoorah!
arne
said,
September 21, 2008 @ 11:12 pm
@Doctor Popular WarGames and Blue Thunder makes sense since they were both done by the same director—John Badham.
I know this because I recently missed a WarGames/Blue Thunder double feature with the director and I was like, oh, so he made both movies, didn’t know that. So… yeah.