"Elsewhere": Latest news updates

The "Making Of" documentary is the same as broadcast late last year on Nova TV, but sadly the small segment of Vangelis visiting the set has been cut from this particular version.

This release can be ordered on-line from the following Greek web shops, with the ordering process available in the English language:

Remember that Region2 DVDs in the PAL TV format do not properly playback on equipment in certain countries. See for info:
www.paradiso-design.net/DVD_RegionCodes.html

Live Remix of "Blade Runner" by Massive Attack and The Heritage Orchestra

Southbank Centre in the UK has announced a rather unique upcoming event. Trip Hop pioneers Massive Attack are set to perform a live session, essentially remixing an orchestral live performance of Vangelis' score for "Blade Runner". The "Heritage Orchestra" will perform the score, probably in their loose and almost jazzy, cacaphonic style, while the two members of Massive Attack add their electronics and transform it to the final results.

The event will take place on June 17 in London's famous Royal Festival Hall, as part of the "Southbank Centre's 2008 Meltdown Festival".

Tickets have been selling like crazy from the festival's official site:
www.southbankcentre.co.uk/all-events/meltdown.

With the exception of a few chairs, they have essentially sold out. However, it seems Ticketmaster still has tickets available at:
www.ticketmaster.co.uk/event/1F004098C04A4C47?artistid=943151&majorcatid=10002&minorcatid=203

Be sure to realize Vangelis will not be performing: He does not seem to be involved in the event at all. This is essentially a cover / remix concert, which receives massive attention because of the source material's legendary status, as well as the high profile artists set to perform and mix this material. Expect the music to be very different from the original score, both in sound and feeling, but it will be based on Vangelis' original work.

New Vangelis interview in Greek newspaper's Sunday edition

Greek fans who happen to read this update as early as today (Sunday April 13) would better rush to the news kiosks, as the "ViMagazino" insert of today's edition of national news paper "To Vima" features a large new interview with Vangelis. This is available in news stands throughout Greece, only for today!

Quoting to the magazine's introduction:

One of the most popular Greeks globally, composer Vangelis Papathanassiou remains a big mystery. What are his thoughts, his views about our country, music and politics? What will happen, at last, with his well known house in Dionisou Aeropagitou that is in "the way" of the new Museum of Acropolis? His answers are impressive. Interview by Margarita Sfetsa.

The article spans 7 pages, while Vangelis' portrait is pictured on the cover of the magazine. The article includes several photographs, some have not been seen before.

El Greco DVD release in Greece

Even before El Greco has opened in theaters outside of Greece, Greco's country of birth will be able to rent as well as buy the DVD release of Smaragdis new film. The Vangelis scored movie will be available in Greek rental shops as of tomorrow, April 1, and for sale reportedly about 10 days later.

The DVD will have subtitles, both in English and Greek, boosting it's appeal for fans throughout the world. [Note afterwards: this was a misunderstanding, there are no English subtitles on the current Greek DVD release.] No word on any extras. Greek TV has previously aired a "Making Of" documentary, briefly showing Vangelis visiting the set, but no word yet on whether this might be included on the disk. More info later. Either way, no doubt fans will want to hear Vangelis' music within the movie it was created on and compare whether really all the music from the movie appeared on the soundtrack release.

It looks like Greekmusicshop.gr, which comes highly recommended by many people who ordered the El Greco soundtrack CD from their site (thanks to everyone for writing their experiences), will stock up properly for fast delivery upon the DVD's release. They now take pre-orders from their product page here:
www.greekmusicshop.gr/eshop/product.php?productid=3344&cat=27&page=1, switch to English in the top right corner.

Another shop that comes highly recommended by many is http://www.musical.gr/, but it does not seem to list the El Greco DVD yet.

Reactions mailed here where less positive however about Studio 52, the third Greek music shop allowing ordering in English that was mentioned here. Many Readers have emailed their complaints about inexplicably late dispatching of orders, often with many weeks of delay as opposed to the very rapid shipments of the other two Greek online stores that took their orders very seriously.

The BBC Radio 4 interview

The BBC's week-long archive period for the Vangelis episode of Front Row has expired. By popular request, here's an mp3 recording of both relevant parts, the announcement and actual interview, edited together:

Vangelis interview on BBC Radio 4

BBC Radio 4 has just aired a rare new interview with Vangelis, where he talks to Mark Lawson about creating the scores for Blade Runner and Chariots of Fire, as well as other topics. Vangelis also demonstrates his skills improvising some new music and a variation on the titles music for "Chariots of Fire".

The interview was part of a daily program on culture, called "Front Row". It should be available for online listening for almost a week on the BBC's listen again service.

• The program's contents description: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/arts/frontrow/past_programmes.shtml.
• Listen to previous episodes, click on "Front Row"'s "Wed" link: www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/progs/listenagain.shtml#f.
  Vangelis' part starts around 9 minutes into the program and lasts for almost 10 minutes. [Note: The archival periode has now expired, see the January 11 update for an mp3 recording]

"El Greco Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" review

It's interesting to see how Iannis Smaragdis' tale of El Greco's struggle against the oppressive forces of power brought out a completely different side of Vangelis then we saw when he revisited Blade Runner. Released almost back to back, it's impossible not to be in awe at the contrast of Blade Runner's urban angst against El Greco's elegant delight, or at how one artist can so masterfully rule two of such different kingdoms.

Vangelis opens the album with the part of the movie everyone has kept talking about: "the" choral theme, which so graciously supported the movie's emotional climax. A humming choir starts a melody beautifully melody of restrained glory, almost like a new "Hymne", seemingly simple but constantly evolving and developing, pressing all the right buttons along the way. For the album release, the piece has been extended by about a minute to become an entity in its own right. The beautiful piano version that accompanied the end titles and the graceful choral humming bridging the two pieces are saved for the very end of the album.

The movie's opening titles are presented as Part 2. An ancient rhythm drives an enigmatic theme on a plucked instrument, supported by a crystal clear chanting choir, setting the time and place of the story that is to follow.

After that, things quiet down, in a beautiful way. In his lush, romantic manner Vangelis colors the scenes and sets the mood with his delicate compositions. These may not all be the top choices for a greatest hits selection, but it's often when he's not trying to prove the heavy might of his music that Vangelis shows his true gentle soul. Be it in part 7 with its bright harp and string melodies, in Part 4 with piano, flute and synth string, or Part 12's synthesizer voices with several overlaid strings modestly reflecting the drama, it's always laid back, sensitive and with a strong touch of the Vangelis magic we are always looking for.

The guest artists fit in very well. Part 5, performed with the choir of the Historical, Cultural and Folklore Association of Chania, Crete, features a passionate traditional Cretan chant, while Vangelis plays gracefully along on his synthesizers, not unlike what we've enjoyed in "Rhapsodies" with Irene Papas. Part 8, composed and performed by Psarantonis, is a fiery dance on traditional acoustic instruments, performed at a party in the movie, adding a touch of authenticity to the album, before Vangelis takes you back to his musical story telling. The last of the intermezzos is Part 11 with Loudovicos Ton Anogion's soft warm voice lamenting to the rhythms of one or two of Greece's distinct plucked instruments.

As promised, the album ends with the piano reprisal of the gorgeous main theme. Vangelis raises the bar for elegance, as choirs slowly and softly support the delicate piano performance. The only downside of this piece is that at some point, it ends, and with it the "El Greco" album. It just seems as if the silence that follows sounds just a bit brighter than it did before. Lovely.

The track list:

El Greco, original motion picture soundtrack by Vangelis
Polydor 06025 1760670 8

More ordering "El Greco"

While the previously mentioned www.greekmusicshop.gr/eshop/product.php?productid=3137&cat=0&page=1 has wisely stocked up more copies of El Greco, two more Greek online stores with English interfaces join the market:

• Studio 52 is known to be a little slow, but certainly reliable. See: www.studio52.gr/info_en.asp?infoID=00000wre.
• Several people report having had good experiences with musical.gr, offering the CD at: www.musical.gr/cddetails.php?gui_language=2&CD_code=0602517606708&cat=2.

Ordering "El Greco"...

It's a little early to tell really what the most reliable, affordable and efficient way to order Vangelis' new "El Greco" soundtrack album, but because of the high volume of e-mails about this topic, here are a number of possible options. All provided as is, order completely at your own risk.

Obviously, if you live in Greece, check out the better CD stores. Most of them have placed it in the soundtrack section. Not all of them have been fast ordering it or stocking it in their shelves, but for instance, Metropolis in Athens has had it in stock since this Thursday.

For ordering from outside of Greece, there is one store that's offering international delivery, presented in an English language interface. This is www.greekmusicshop.gr, with the CD offered on www.greekmusicshop.gr/eshop/product.php?productid=3137&cat=0&page=1. Note the language selector to the top right of your screen, which can be set to English. One problem is that their site only offers copies they have in actual stock. In normal circumstances that is great for reliability, but in this case it may sell out very quickly. For impatient customers it could have been more efficient if pre-ordering it was possible. Good luck.

HMV in the UK is offering what seems to be an import (as no domestic British release has been announced). They take pre-orders for a December 28 shipping date. Which may be hard to keep if everyone orders there, but it still seems like a reliable gamble: www.hmv.co.uk/hmvweb/displayProductDetails.do?ctx=220;1;8;-1&sku=754855.

In the United States, it's Amazon who's offering something that may or may not be the new soundtrack album. The current dollar/Euro exchange rate makes this a very expensive CD for American standards, especially since the unclear naming means this could technically still be the '95/'98 studio album. Nevertheless, some may want to try this option. www.amazon.com/El-Greco-Vangelis/dp/B0011U50KI.

Expect a review of the album soon, most likely by tomorrow.

"El Greco" soundtrack artwork

More about Vangelis' new "El Greco, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack" after the weekend, but for now, here's the artwork for his score to "El Greco". A few quick details: The digipak contains a booklet with stills from the movie. Tracks are titled Part 1 to Part 18.

"El Greco" soundtrack released

It's confirmed, Vangelis' new soundtrack album for "El Greco" (2007) is now available in Greece, to be found for sale in CD stores. More about this release very soon, hopefully by this weekend.

"Blade Runner Trilogy"

Although by now released in many European countries (including the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Austria, Germany) and the United States, the new "Blade Runner Trilogy" album can be quite a hard find in many places. Due to high demand, it seems in general online orders may be given preference, while stock in shops will grow substantially after Xmas. It looks like for now, if you don't find it in a store near you, the fastest way to obtain it is by ordering it online.

As for the States, sales of the domestic release are going exclusively through major on-line retailer Amazon.com who have been shipping out copies since a few days ago. Canadian residents will have to wait until after Xmas as their release has been delayed until December 26.

ANOTHER new album: The "El Greco" soundtrack!

These are exciting times... While most countries are still waiting for Vangelis' new "Blade Runner Trilogy" album to reach the stores, fans in Greece can start looking forward to a another treat. Very reliable sources report that in less than a week from now, on December 19 to be exact, Universal Music SA Greece plans to release Vangelis' brand new soundtrack album to Iannis' Smaragdis' "El Greco".

The album is supposed to contain 18 tracks, 15 of which have been composed by Vangelis, all of which have been arranged and produced by Vangelis. The three other tracks involve source material from within the film, played at parties and any such occasions enjoyed by the on-screen characters.

A few facts, just to set the record straight, as the "El Greco" topic has caused some confusion before. "El Greco" is a new Greek movie for which Vangelis wrote the musical score. This score has nothing to do with Vangelis' famous studio album, known as "Foros Timis Ston Greco" (1995), later expanded and rereleased worldwide as "El Greco" (1998). For "El Greco" (2007), the movie, Vangelis composed a completely new score, not even reminiscent of the '95/'98 studio album. This new album, now due for release on December 19, contains the new music from the movie and has been titled "El Greco - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack by Vangelis". It should, at least for now, be available only in Greece.

"El Greco" is a huge success in Greek movie theaters and has already won numerous awards, including for Vangelis' music. Nevertheless, the release of the soundtrack comes as quite a surprise, with Vangelis' other new album "Blade Runner Trilogy" in the middle of its world-wide launch, while for Vangelis the release of a soundtrack album is never as mandatory as it is for many other great film composers. A particularly pleasant surprise that, together with the two new CDs from the Blade Runner Trilogy set, should make for the 3rd CD of Vangelis music to look forward to.

More news on this soon...

"Epilogos" award for Vangelis

Between all the excitement about the release of "Blade Runner Trilogy", let's not overlook other news, appearing in Greek newspapers this week. The press has been reporting on a new honor bestowed on Vangelis, citing him as a "paragon of a multi-faceted personality who exemplifies the Arts, Culture, and Greece herself."

The award - embodied in the shape of a Silver wreath - was presented to Vangelis on Monday, December 3 at the amphitheater of Athens' Benaki museum. Presenting the award was Aris Spiliotopoulos, the Greek minister of tourism, quoted by the papers proclaiming "...this award is only the slightest honor that can be bestowed on people like Vangelis, who are devoted to the propagation of the Hellenic spirit to the ends of the earth."

The ceremony was also attended by Greek minister of National Health (also former mayor of Athens) and other dignitaries.

Inscribed on the award are the following words:

"'Epilogos' 2007 Annual Literary and Cultural Review honors VANGELIS, for, joining together Pythagoras, Plato and Aristoxenos, he transformed the Harmony of the Cosmos into melody. The contributing committee: Athens, 3/12/2007"

Official web pages

Just for the record, Universal in the UK has published two official pages associated with the "Blade Runner Trilogy" release..

• www.umtv.co.uk/bladerunner
• www.umtv.co.uk/release.php?id=574

Blade Runner Trilogy review

And there it is. Finally available to the public in UK shops by tomorrow morning: Vangelis' unexpected but much welcomed return to "Blade Runner".

Eagerly awaited by a very diverse audience, including fans of the movie, fans of the music and even fans of countless artists who have repeatedly professed to have been greatly inspired by this legendary soundtrack.

Needless to say the announcement of an upcoming rerelease with no less than two bonus disks caused quite a shockwave of chatter and speculation. Since disk 1 in the set contains the 1994 album, carefully remastered but untouched as far as the actual content is concerned, it's time to explore what exactly those two new CDs are all about.

Disk 2 - Blade Runner Previously Unreleased and Bonus Material

The disk the soundtrack fans have been waiting for. We travel back to 1982, to explore those parts of Blade Runner's music that, to the disappointment of many, could not be incorporated into the album Vangelis released in 1994. Added to this are a few compositions made for the movie, that didn't make it into the actual movie, or any of its reincarnations...

To first answer the question inevitably raised by the movie's many die hard completists: Does it contain absolutely everything? That is, in short, a "no". Some of the very minimal background music, the retro futuristic club dances, the market place and, most surprisingly, the actual opening titles music are still not available outside of the movie.

What it on the other hand does offer is a wealth of those dark, moody, intense pieces that so beautifully accompanied Blade Runner's exploration of this less-and-less-distant future, pondering the question of what it is to be human. On one level cold, sad and dystopian, on another more alive, intimate and humane than many other great scores have managed to be. No wonder so many people have kept wanting to explore this music outside of its original context for the last 25 years.

All these tracks are presented in perfect sound quality. They subtly segue into each other, but for this disk Vangelis chose not to add any new music, effects or dialogs, presenting most pieces in as complete and pure a state as possible. This results in quite a few surprises. "Mechanical Toys" for instance sounds oddly familiar being an obvious part of the score, but in fact only a small fraction of it has been heard in the movie. A fascinating listen that does instantly connect with memories of its subject matter.

Most of what everyone was waiting for is finally here. The choral climaxing music that plays when Roy murders Dr. Tyrell, the ominous discomfort during the final duel between Deckard and Roy, the wondrous icey music for Chew's genetic laboratory... The disk ends fittingly with the immensely popular piece known as "Tears in Rain", presented here without Rutger Hauer's monolog heard on disk 1, for the purest possible enjoyment of the music.

Perhaps the best surprises of this disk are the two bonus tracks. These pieces add credibility to what's being said every once in a while: Some of the best music Vangelis has put into this world is as yet unreleased. Well, in this fortunate case, 25 years of hiding end with the release of Blade Runner Trilogy. While a part of Desolation Path was heard by fans who managed to explore the famous "Work print" of the movie, or some of the countless bootlegs, it never before sounded this good, this complete or this delicately beautiful.

"One Alone" has been completely unheard of, leaving it fully to the listener to imagine what sort of scene would have enjoyed this beautiful piece of music. Vangelis plays his synths as warm and gentle as it gets. "One Alone" is a ballad that manages that rare mix of sweet melancholy and hidden passion that cannot go anywhere but straight to the heart. A true gem.

All in all, listening to this CD is a special experience in many ways. While, as a fan, it feels great to see such collective patience (and let's be honest, persistence) finally pay off.

Disk 3 - BR 25

There are countless traps an artist could fall for when revisiting a legendary work. Perhaps one of the most dangerous ones would be to try and recreate the original in a modern way, or worse, to make extensions artificially in the old way. Vangelis sidestepped this trap brilliantly. His 25th anniversary album - 12 tracks of new Vangelis music, in the mood of Blade Runner - does not sound exactly like the 1982 score, nor does it copy or imitate everything that made it so successful in the first place. Instead, in a contemporary way, it finds new ways to pull the listener into that fascinating, over-populated, over-urbanized world. Sure, the occasional melody from the movie re-appears, as a celebratory or nostalgic nod to the movie we're commemorating, but whenever possible, those familiar pieces are retro-fitted into something new, yet undeniably "Blade Runner" in its own way. Ultimately exploring yet another part of Los Angeles, 2019...

One could say, listening to this music, that it's not the same street, not the same room you visit, not even the same characters you hang out with. Instead, each piece of music visits another part of town, another aspect of life. Yet all this takes place in this same fictional - or is it "futural" - world that Ridley Scott set out to tour us around in, all those years ago.

Musically, the album is nothing less than surprising. It's been a long time since Vangelis experimented this much, toying with new ways to arrange music, playing with new sounds and styles, creatively widening his horizons even further than before. The music switches or combines flavors as diverse as Oriental new age, a classical piano etude, hypnotic electro, loungy jazz and... well, bonus points will be awarded to anyone who manages to classify the wacky "BR Downtown". But no matter where he goes, the music always keeps in line with the integral ambience.

Which of these tracks stand out will come down to personal taste, but to name a few, "Piano in an Empty Room" is a delicately beautiful composition performed solely on one single piano, a recording both intimate and completely engaging.

Sweet Solitude starts with Vangelis on a gentle electric piano, soon joined by wonderful jazzy percussion and a sensual saxophone performed by Dimitris Tsakas. On the other side of the spectrum is a track like "No Expectation Boulevard", driven by a slow but strong beat, nervously exploring those noisy crowded streets we've seen in the movie.

The spoken word inclusions are subtle, never overshadowing the music. They mostly help abridge pieces, or add a multi cultural feeling to fit the perception we have of Blade Runner's world.

BR 25 is a carefully detailed work, perhaps best listened to on headphones, so that nothing of what's happening is missed, making sure it does not drift to the background. It's a pleasure to let it guide, encourage and inspire your imagination.

And most of all, it's a worthy addition to the Blade Runner legacy and an evocative part of a very special release.

Blade Runner Trilogy - more...

The expected December 10 release date in UK territories (including Ireland) will be met, as some large retail stores confirm having the album in stock, ready for Monday morning sales. A release date this site presented for Italy sadly seems to be incorrect, as Italy now expects the album somewhere mid January, perhaps to coincide with the movie's Final Cut DVD release.

In the mean time, two more web stores present sound samples for each of the tracks, for more and better glimpses:

• www.7digital.com/stores/productDetail.aspx?shop=13&pid=183740
• www.i-legalne.cz/jnp/cz/obchod/album/V-VAN-Vangelis_Blade_Runner_Trilogy.html

A few scoops: Reliable reports reveal that "Fading Away", the last track of the 2nd disk (unreleased music from the film) is in fact a version of the "Tears In Rain" track, without the dialog that was mixed in, on disk 1, the 1994 album version. Furthermore, one of the disk's bonus tracks, called "Desolation Path", is a piece previously referred to by fans as the "Alternative Love Theme", having appeared in an unfinished work print of the movie and on subsequent bootleg disks. The track, presented here in its entire form in pristine sound quality is said to be exquisitely beautiful.

More tomorrow...

Another online interview

Any self-confessed geek, as well as anyone else really, will want to check out the "Den of Geek" web-site for the little chat they had with Vangelis about "Blade Runner Trilogy":

www.denofgeek.com/movies/7175/blade_runner_a_brief_chat_with_vangelis.html

Brazilian web-site interview

There's no confirmation so far on Vangelis' new "Blade Runner Trilogy" album being available in stores yet, but HMV sending out "shipment confirmation" mails to selected overseas customers is a good sign that the first stock is starting to reach bigger distributors' warehouses, at least in the UK.

In Brazil, where the official download version is already available, a major entertainment web site features a short but brand new interview with Vangelis, available both in Portuguese and English. Click on Vangelis' portrait to the left of www.theoutview.com

The first paragraph ends with a link to a version in the English language.

Sound samples / Online sales in Brazil / Delay in Holland

Brazilian fans are the lucky ones, this time around, as an online store in Brazil is the first to actually sell the music, not on CD but as official WMA download. Either the complete set of track or individual tracks are available for purchase. The required registration however is exclusively limited to Brazilian tax payers.

Fans in the rest of the world may still want to check out this site, as it's also the first chance to listen to sound samples. Excerpts are available for each track from every CD. They are just snippets in low quality, but do give a first glimpse into the style and feel of the new music as well as the unreleased selections.

www.baixahits.com.br/index.asp?secao_link=album&id_album=72071&id_artista=10826

The release of the CD in Holland has been delayed for a week and is now set for December 14. This may also apply to other territories where it was set for December 7, but no specific details are available.

More Blade Runner Trilogy release dates...

December 11

December 12

December 18

Thanks to Brage Midtsund, Jussi Jakobsson and Ville Koski for their input!

Collaborations (re)-released

Jon Anderson's album "3 Ships" (1986) included one track that he wrote with Vangelis, but recorded without his input. The song is called "Easier Said than Done". A CD of the album was released at the time, but as it was never reprinted, became one of the rarest and most desired (and most counterfeited) CDs in the collectors market. The album has now been reissued as a 22nd anniversary edition, remastered and including bonus tracks. It's for sale on Anderson's website, or directly at www.jonanderson3ships.com.

Also rereleased are two albums by Italian new wave formation Chrisma. "Hybernation" (1978) was never released on CD before, while "Chinese Restaurant" (1977) went out-of-print a long time ago. Both albums are now available again on CD, at the better CD shops or through online stores. If you can't find these under "Chrisma", be sure to also try "Krisma".

Vangelis' relation to these albums remains a bit of a mystery. Both were recorded at Vangelis' studio with Vangelis' brother, Nico Papathanassiou as producer. Many of the electronic sounds are easily recognizable from Vangelis' own albums, but most are performed in a different way. Vangelis himself has no credit whatsoever on these releases. Some people involved in the production claim he did play on many or all tracks, while others strongly deny he had any such part. Vangelis' fans, judging by ear, are much divided over the likeliness of his involvement.

Blade Runner Trilogy release dates overview

Here's an overview of the currently known release dates for Vangelis' new Bladerunner release, including the new album:

December 10

December 18

Award for Vangelis' El Greco score

Vangelis' recent score for Greece's mega production "El Greco" has won the award for best music at the 48th Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece. An equal music award was handed to the score for "Uranya".

Iannis Smaragdis film was the big winner in this ceremony, claiming a total of 7 awards, for best film, direction, cinematography, sound, editing and makeup, in addition to Vangelis' music award.

The film is an absolute smash hit in Greek cinemas, having sold more than 650,000 tickets in just 4 weeks, while still going strong... Visitor numbers are projected to reach at least a million tickets within Greece alone. Greece has a population of only 11 million inhabitants.

It is rumored that the film may be screened at the Berlin film festival in February next year, while Spain is reportedly expecting to have the film on general release by the end of February or shortly thereafter. No news so far for any other territories...

Blade Runner 3CD set local release dates

The first non-UK release dates for the upcoming Blade Runner 3CD set are being announced by local Universal departments. Both Italy and Holland claim to be targeting a December 7 release date, 3 days before the UK's intended December 10 launch.

Universal's official press release

The artwork for Vangelis' new Blade Runner CD is appearing on the internet, at about the same time that Universal in the UK released the official press release about the upcoming 3 CD set. Read it, for quite a few new details.

Track 1: Main Titles (3': 42")
Track 2: Blush Response (5': 47")
Track 3: Wait For Me (5': 27")
Track 4: Rachel’s Song (4': 46")
Track 5: Love Theme (4': 56")
Track 6: One More Kiss, Dear (3': 58")
Track 7: Blade Runner Blues (8': 53")
Track 8: Memories Of Green (5': 05")
Track 9: Tales Of The Future (4': 46")
Track 10: Damask Rose (2': 32")
Track 11: Blade Runner (End Titles) (4': 40")
Track 12: Tears In Rain (3': 00")

Track 1: Longing (1': 58")
Track 2: Unveiled Twinkling Space (1': 59")
Track 3: Dr. Tyrell’s Owl (2': 40")
Track 4: At Mr. Chew’s (4': 47")
Track 5: Leo’s Room (2': 21")
Track 6: One Alone (bonus track) (2': 23")
Track 7: Deckard And Roy’s Duel (6': 16")
Track 8: Dr. Tyrell’s Death (3': 11")
Track 9: Desolation Path (bonus track) (5': 45")
Track 10: Empty Streets (6': 16")
Track 11: Mechanical Dolls (2': 52")
Track 12: Fading Away (3': 32")

Update on "Blade Runner Trilogy"

A few new details on Vangelis' expected "Blade Runner Trilogy" release, as more rumors from the music industry are coming in.

The first disk, which is the album as we know it now, contains its usual 12 tracks. The same number of tracks can be heard on the second disk, indicated as "previously unreleased and bonus material", as well as the third disk, with "music composed for Blade Runner's 25th Anniversary". Thus, the complete set contains a total of 36 tracks, 24 of them previously unreleased.

Apparently, it will be packaged in a digipak and includes still photographs from the movie and liner notes by Ridley Scott.

A few details have leaked about the new music (disk 3). It was of course composed, arranged, produced and performed by Vangelis, but reportedly includes guest performances on saxophone on two tracks and a ney (ancient wind instrument) on one track. Furthermore, in line with Blade Runner's multi cultural urban atmosphere, Vangelis has included spoken word, with the help of a range of distinguished actors, directors, and world dignitaries.

The set should be released by Universal Music UK somewhere mid December, simultaneously in both the US and all major European markets.

Official confirmation and more details (track listing, etc) are expected to be released by Universal Music very soon now.

The upcoming Blade Runner release...

Although final confirmation has yet to come in on this, fans will be glad to hear rumors within the music industry are buzzing frantically about Vangelis' upcoming Blade Runner related release.

It was late in June when word first broke Vangelis had been composing music for a new album related to Blade Runner, but it wasn't yet clear in which way this would be released. Here finally are some details, according to some very excited insiders.

The new release will be a deluxe set, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Blade Runner movie. Described as a three CD package titled "Blade Runner Trilogy", the set is said to start with the Blade Runner soundtrack as we know it from the official 1994 release. The second disk would present both music from the film not previously released on LP or CD (the notorious bootlegs excepted), as well as music made for the movie at the time, which was neither used nor released in any shape or form. Finally, the third disk would be Vangelis' expected new album, inspired by and thematically linked to Blade Runner.

Personally, I think a lot of people were dreaming about unreleased music from the film finally appearing on CD, while others dreamt of Vangelis returning to the dark melancholic moods played on synthesizers that peeked on the popular Blade Runner soundtrack, by creating new music in the same vein, but I've never heard anyone who dared to openly dream about both of these at the same time... With early word being strongly positive about the results, this could be the answer to what literally everyone has been longing for.

Confirmation and more details expected soon... Expectations are that "Blade Runner Trilogy" will be released in December. Time to start writing those Christmas wish lists...

George Romanos single

Collectors may be interested in another nostalgic release for the Greek market. No doubt inspired by the recent CD single releases of old Forminx hits from the seventies, competing CD label "Lyra" has now released George Romanos' "To Roloi" (aka "The Clock") as a CD single.

To Roloi was a 7" single at the time, with both songs composed and sung by Romanos and Vangelis "and his orchestra" performing the accompaniment. The same music - but with Romanos' vocals deleted - was also released as a Vangelis single around the same time.

Funnily enough, the first track on this single is Vangelis' solo version, followed by Romanos' single and two more tracks from the same album, also featuring Vangelis' performances. All in all, nothing that couldn't be found on CD before (in Greece), but a curious new release nonetheless, especially with its advertising Vangelis' hammond playing on the cover!

Empire interview

Readers of the Australian edition of "Empire" magazine had to miss out on the Blade Runner special, when it appeared in the magazine's UK and international August editions earlier this year. Luckily, the special, including the interview with Vangelis will now published in the December 2007 edition, which is to hit the Australian stores during the middle of November.

"El Greco" review

"El Greco" follows the story of young Cretan painter Domenicos Theotokopoulos, as he travels away from his occupied country to develop and exploit his talents in Venice and Spain. His path continuously crosses that of the Niño de Guevara, a rising figure in the Roman church, who admires as much as he fears Domenicos' talents. The story deals with El Greco's struggle against his oppressors and the fear this instills on those who see their authority threatened by the power of a true visualist. British actor Nick Ashdon plays El Greco opposite Juan Diego Botto from Spain (previously seen in "1492" as Columbus' oldest son) as De Guevara. They are supported by Laia Marull (Spain) and Dimitra Matsouka (Greece) as Dominicos' romantic interests and Lakis Lazopoulos (Greece) as his friend and companion. Vangelis' score reflects the same combination of passion and beautiful restrain that critics tend to attribute to El Greco's paintings. It sets the mood and paints the scenes as holier than they are, without having to resort to needless bombast. Especially the role of Greco's unmarried life partner Jerónima is consistently set to soft but colorful gentle tones. Most talked about will no doubt be the film's opening title music (thundering percussion drives an uplifting plucked Greek melody, along with a powerful and colorful mix of choirs) as well as the slowly build emotional climax at the movie's end where, with the help of some crystal clear choirs, Vangelis paints some of those complex emotions that you didn't know existed before you heard them played by him. The closing titles will please those who had hoped to hear Vangelis on the piano once again, as he seems to quietly reflect on the movie that has passed you by during the last two hours. If only cinemas would offer rewind buttons, to make that never end... Dennis Lodewijks

El Greco will be released in Greek cinemas as of tonight. It is expected to appear in Spanish cinemas by the end of this year or early next year, with other territories being under negotiation. It is however expected to play on various international film festivals before that time. Any such locations and dates will be published here.

"El Greco" gala premiere

Greece is warming up for the theatrical release of Iannis Smaragdis' new "El Greco" film.

Yesterday, October 15 started with a press conference, attended by the film's director, producers and of course the main cast.

When asked, director Smaragdis explained that the movie is not necessarily a factual telling of actual events in El Greco's life. The film was made following one of the stories main messages, being that art should have the liberty to tell fiction, just as El Greco painted people as he liked to see them, not as they truly were.

The press conference took place inside a special exhibition dedicated to the movie. On display are the actual costumes worn on screen, as well as a series of paintings in their various stages as they appear in scenes throughout the film. This exhibition is located inside the impressive subway station of Syntagma Square in Athens and is open to the general public.

As the evening fell, the Pallas theater, a recently renovated classical music hall, yet for this event restored to its original function as a movie theater, was the setting for the official gala premiere. In the presence of a crowd of cameras, press, as well as movie- and indeed music fans, the cast, crew and celebrity guests entered the theater to enjoy "El Greco", before its general release.

Vangelis himself was indeed among the attendants, as well as notables including the Greek prime minister, former French minister Jack Lang and many other notables with, as highest guest of honor, Queen Sofia from Spain.

Expect more details soon, about both the movie and the music, but to share a few first thoughts:

Unlike some have speculated, the movie's music has no connection to Vangelis' "El Greco" album ('95 / '98), which obviously explored the world that lives through El Greco's paintings, while the movie explores the (possible) life of El Greco himself.

In general, Vangelis' score for "El Greco" is respectfully restrained, often playing quietly in the background to set the scene's mood, but almost never completely absent. Much of the style reminds of the quieter moments in "1492" and "Alexander", all of it played by Vangelis himself. There are also some glorious moments where the music really takes over, with choirs adding to Vangelis' tender keyboard performance, most notably as the movie reaches its emotional climax.

More to follow soon...

Special "El Greco" screenings

With El Greco's general release on October 18 approaching, a number of special screenings are planned. On top of the official gala premiere in Athens on October 15, there will be an avant premiere screening in Crete (Theotocopoulos' origin) as early as October 11 and a special screening in honor of Vangelis as the movie's composer, in Volos on October 17.

In the mean time, a new trailer for the movie has been released on the internet. Reliable sources confirm that, as with the earlier trailer, it is not accompanied by Vangelis' music. So, more patience will be needed for any first impressions.

mftm.blogspot.com/2007/09/el-greco-2007-trailer.html

Check back here for some first impressions of both the movie and the music it features somewhere during next week.

"Difono" magazine article + CD

The new October issue of monthly Greek magazine "Difono" is dedicated to Vangelis. Not only is he featured on the cover, with two related articles inside, but the magazine is also packaged and sold with Vangelis' album "Mythodea" included, for a total of only €6.00.

Copies of the magazine are also available without the CD, for about half the price.

For completist collectors: The CD is marked 88697179602 / Made in the EU, and has "Difono" markings with "Not for sale" on various places throughout the artwork.

The first article includes (sparse) interview quotes. The second, about Vangelis' life, was written by Aryris Zilos, who writes he knew Vangelis from the days of recording the Direct album.

Incidently, the same issue contains a small article about the upcoming "El Greco" movie, which is starting to enjoy quite some attention in the Greek press.

The October issue of "Difono" (Nr 145) is on sale in Greek stalls as of today. It will be available for about a month.

"El Greco" movie premiere

Iannis Smaragdis' new movie "El Greco" is set for an official premiere, three days before the movie goes on general release in Greek cinemas. On October 15, a host of celebrities - including queen Sofia of Spain - are expected to attend the event at the Pallas cinema in Athens.

There still are no details about the movie's international release, although it should at least play in England and Hungary. The movie is aimed at an international audience, having been shot in the English language.

An article in Greek:
www.e-tipos.com/newsitem?id=8218.

Blade Runner - The Final Cut (Movie)

The newly revised version of the "Blade Runner" movie has recently had its pre-premiere at the Venice film festival in Italy. Edward James Olmos, Daryl Hannah and Rutger Hauer attended, together with director Ridley Scott.

It seems more journalists than fans of the film managed to attend this happening, so details about the new version aren't very clear. Opinions conflict on whether the visual effects were boosted. Some reports involve lots of extra spinners (ships) flying around, while avid fans say that, special effects-wise, only some wiring was digitally removed. A number of newly inserted shots excepted. It's likely some viewers simply didn't remember how detailed the movie always was. General feeling seems to be that the biggest changes involve some extended dialogs and a number of fixed (continuity) mistakes. It's supposedly edited a bit more smoothly, but Vangelis' music seems to have hardly changed, with only an occasional subtle edit to match the changed timing. For more clarity and certainty, we'll have to wait until this movie is released for a wider audience.

The movie will see a limited release in American cinemas, where it will play in New York and Los Angeles, starting October 5. At this moment, no details are available on possible screenings in other countries.

On DVD, "Blade Runner - The Final Cut" will first be released in the USA, reaching the shops on December 18. There's a choice between three packages: a 2 disk set, a 4 disk set, and a special 5 disk set packed in a Blade Runner suitcase. The two luxurious versions will also be available on the two new formats that are to follow up the DVD standard, HD-DVD and Blu-ray.

Promotional trailers and more info on the movie's official site:
bladerunnerthemovie.warnerbros.com.

A fan site for the movie, tracking the news around the new releases:
www.tyrell-corporation.pp.se.

Forminx CD singles

A very peculiar release in Greece. Quite inexplicably, long running Greek label "Music Box International" (MBI) has released a series of 5 CD singles containing the historic music of the Vangelis' first band, The Forminx. At the very start of his career in the early sixties, Vangelis with his friends released quite a number of summer hits that became very popular with the young people in Greece, of the time. They can now explore their nostalgic feelings with these singles for "Love Without Love", "Yenka Beat", "Jeronimo Yanka", "Our Last September" and "Il Peperone". For completists, the most interesting of these CD singles is the "Il Peperone" issue. It includes three bonus tracks from the illustrious Christmas EP, all of which have not been available on CD before now. Inconveniently though, this leaves just one track, a cover version of "The Sound of Music" from the same EP still unavailable on CD. These CD singles are only available in Greece, but thankfully can be ordered internationally through web shops, like this one: www.studio52.gr/srch_all_en.asp?D2=GR1&searcher=forminx Thanks to Robert Eichelsheim for the Forminx tip.

Interviews

Rare as it may be, on occasion Vangelis allows interviews, and has been busy indeed, with two being published this month.

The first is in English, printed in UK movie magazine Empire. Their August issue (now in shops in the UK, and gradually also appearing in shops around Europe and other continents) has a massive 20 page special about Blade Runner, as a preview to the upcoming release of Ridley Scott's final renewed cut of the movie as well as the much anticipated DVD box set.

Two pages of this feature are dedicated to Vangelis and his score for the movie, praising the score and citing many interview quotes.

Then, for those who can read Greek, here's a link to newspaper Enet, who published an interview with Vangelis on their pages only yesteryday. The article is available online, in the Greek language:
www.enet.gr/online/online_text/c=113,id=86818596

New Blade Runner related music project

"Blade Runner" has often proved to be a topic that can set the internet in its highest gears, as became clear once again when Vangelis' assistent producer and sound engineer Frederick Rousseau wrote an article in the blog on his web site about finishing work on a new Vangelis "Blade Runner" project. In no time at all, Blade Runner sites and forums throughout the world started refering to this article and both movie and music fans speculated - sometimes quite wildly - about what this all means.

Here are the details of the current situation, from reliable sources close to Vangelis:

A project is currently in completion that should lead to the release of a new Vangelis album, linked to and inspired by Blade Runner. This may or may not include some music created at the time of the original movie, but the bottom line is: Things have not been finalized. The content, or the format it will be released in may still change or has yet to be decided. There is also - at this point - no schedule for its release.

In short, the good news is that Vangelis has been hard at work, and we have something new to look forward to, especially exciting to everyone who loved Vangelis' Blade Runner music.

More complete information will become available at a later date. You will be able to read it here...