Lee Goldberg‘s comment on The Saint on TV has prompted me to plant another signpost to this underpriced gem, a 3-CD boxed set of Laurie Johnson tracks that includes over 70 minutes of Avengers cues including the full-length “mein liebe rose” track used to torment Mrs Peel in the episode The Joker. Although, I’d guess for some copyright reason, it’s minus the German vocal.
(As I’ve mentioned elsewhere, I’m tempted to have it played at my funeral. Imagine how it would creep everyone out!)
The other two discs in the set cover some of Johnson’s non-Avengers themes and other orchestral work. Some of this was eye-opening; credits geek though I am, I’d no idea that he’d contributed to the score of Doctor Strangelove.
Right now, the set is on offer from Amazon UK at £4.98. Less than five quid! Unbelievable. Buy one for yourself and one for someone else, and you’ll even get free delivery. The US price is higher, but Amazon dealers are offering it for a lot less.
A second 3-disc set expands the collection and includes a similar set of Johnson theme-and-cues from The Professionals, and doesn’t cost much more.
Btw, if you go to Lee’s blog, check out this rarity; a short test reel for an unnmade Batgirl show, featuring Adam West and Burt Ward and probably knocked out in half a day on an existing set to test the viability of the project.
6 responses to “You Know the Score”
Thanks for the plug! If you’re a Laurie Johnson fan, I also recommend the “Fifty Years of the Music of Laurie Johnson Vol. 1” three CD boxed set from Edsel Records.
Speaking of THE SAINT, my wife was an ITC exec when we got married, so I had free access to their TV library. I devoured episodes of DEPARTMENT S, THUNDERBIRDS, THE PROTECTORS, THE SAINT, JASON KING, and MAN IN A SUITCASE. It was wonderful.
This has nothing to do with THE AVENGERS, but everything to do with TV music…lately, I am addicted to THE SHAFT ANTHOLOGY, a collection of Shaft film and TV scores. I talk more about it here:
http://leegoldberg.typepad.com/a_writers_life/2008/10/they-say-that-cat-is-a-bad-mother.html)
Oh, one more soundtrack I love …but it’s very hard to find (it might even have been a bootleg). It’s Jerry Goldsmith’s POLICE STORY and it includes a twenty minute suite of themes from BARNABY JONES (lousy show, fantastic theme).
There’s also Goldsmith’s HAWKINS soundtrack, which includes suites from the three unsold pilots for the would-be series ADAMS OF EAGLE LAKE (starring Andy Griffith).
“my wife was an ITC exec when we got married…”
Don’t tell me… for her you dumped the gal whose father owned a brewery…
I have ordered my Avengers box-set. Nothing I love more after a rubbish day at work than sitting down with my Avengers DVDs. Even the theme puts a smile on my face.
~
Not the same Lee Goldberg responsible for the much-missed (by me anyway) She-Wolf of London? Just transferred all my old VHS copies of those onto DVDs before they disintegrate!
You’ll find there are some She Wolf scripts available for download at leegoldberg.com.
Yes, Paul, that’s me. It’s one of two series I wrote and produced in England (the other was the Disney series “Stick with Me, Kid” starring Lee Lawson).
Lee