Melodic Treks: A Star Trek Music Podcast

Tim Russ Interview. Most Star Trek fans know Tim Russ best for his role of Tuvok on Voyager. But Tim has a passion for music that stretches far back beyond his acting career—four decades in fact. It was acting that pushed music to the backseat for a while … although it never stopped him from playing gigs along the way. From his first album, 1998's Only a Dream In Rio to his fifth, 2007's Second Thoughts, Tim has kept music as an important part of his life even as he continues acting and producing. In this episode Melodic Treks, Tim joins host Brandon-Shea Mutala for a chat about his career behind the mic. Chapters "Brave New World" (excerpt) (00:02:59) Interview Part 1 (00:04:18) "Kushengaza" (excerpt) (00:07:16) Interview Part 2 (00:09:52) "We" (excerpt) (00:13:15) Host Brandon-Shea Mutala Guest Tim Russ Production Brandon-Shea Mutala (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Richard

Ron Jones Interview, Part 2. Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation know the music of Ron Jones well. He composed for 42 episodes of the series during the first four seasons, including the score considered by many to be the finest in all of TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds." In this conclusion to our interview, Jones recounts his time working on the show and how he approached TNG during the seasons in which Picard and his crew came of age. Chapters Intro (00:00:59) Suspicion / J'Dan (Excerpt from "The Drumhead") (00:02:01) Getting Involved with TNG (00:03:15) Sequel Episodes (00:12:02) A Variety of Music (00:14:22) Film Score Monthly Release: The Ron Jones Project (00:16:40) "Skin of Evil" / Stress (00:19:09) The Voice of Star Trek (00:29:39) The Borg (00:31:32) "Who Watches the Watchers" (00:38:12) "The Drumhead" (00:41:53) The Pink Slip (00:45:25) Current Projects and Closing (00:49:25) Observations / The Price (Excerpt from "The Drumhead") (00:53:02) Host Brandon-Shea Mutala Guest Ron Jones Production Brandon

Ron Jones Interview, Part 1. Fans of Star Trek: The Next Generation know the music of Ron Jones well. He composed for 42 episodes of the series during the first four seasons, including the score considered by many to be the finest in all of TNG: "The Best of Both Worlds." By the time Jones became part of Star Trek, he had been putting notes to paper for many years—including hundreds of cartoon episodes for Hanna-Barbera. His work on TNG contributed greatly to the creative boldness of the seasons during which Picard and his crew came of age. But before we get to Star Trek, there's a lot of Jones's story to be told. So in this episode of Melodic Treks, the composer himself joins host Brandon Mutala to discuss his introduction to music, why he decided to be a composer, how to capture the tone of a show and connect with the audience, and more—all with a focus on his non-Trek work such as DuckTales and Family Guy. Chapters Intro (00:01:00) Meeting Ron Jones (00:02:28) Early Musical Interests (00:04:16) Process, In

Five Favorites. It's been a while since the music has played here on Melodic Treks, but with this episode there’s a new captain on the bridge. The baton has been passed from Colin Higgins to your new host, Brandon-Shea Mutala, who shares the story of how he became a Star Trek fan, how he fell in love with the music of Star Trek, and reveals his favorite tracks from the franchise. Chapters Intro (00:00:00) Overture from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (Cliff Eidelman) (00:06:53) Knock Out (from "Datalore," Ron Jones) (00:09:28) Worf Down / Invader (from "Conspiracy," Dennis McCarthy) (00:12:03) Monster Illusion / Monster Fight (from "The Cage," Alexander Courage) (00:14:48) Episode Titles (From "Where No Man Has Gone Before," Alexander Courage) (00:19:27) News (00:21:07) Host Brandon-Shea Mutala Production Brandon-Shea Mutala (Editor and Producer) C Bryan Jones (Executive Producer) Matthew Rushing (Executive Producer) Norman C. Lao (Executive Producer) Charlynn Schmiedt (Executive Producer) Richard Marq

Music can do many things to a person. It take ease your pain, make you cry and at times help you to relax. To some music can stir memories and evoke warm comforting memories. This week we experience this sentiment in its fullest. We are joined by Paul Finch a fellow podcaster from Scotland. Paul takes a break from talk all things Enterprise on Previously In The Alpha Quadrant to pick his top 5 tracks. As always with this process we have some firm favorites and some curve balls. But all the tracks have deep meaning to Paul and hold a personal resonance with him. You heart strings and your mind will enjoy this particular ride. Stick around at the end of the show for an announcement about this podcast.    Hosts Colin Higgins   Associate Producer Become one! Support Trek.fm and Melodic Treks at the $25/month level or higher! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm   Production Manager Richard Marquez   Content Coordinator Will Nguyen   Guests Paul Finch    Chapters Intro (00:01:15)   Miles the Minstral (00:09:31)   Skye

Trekmas or in this case Trackmas time, is a time for sharing and in this episode of Melodic Treks, the crew of the USS TREK FM roast some marsh melons around the camp fire, sit next to the tree and pick a track or two that they enjoy and share it with you. The tracks are as varied as a present selection under a tree. Some you may have guessed ahead of time and some like all good presents are a surprise. Some take a glass of egg nog or some nice mulled wine. sit back plug in your newly aquired ipod and let the crew of Trek Fm wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year, Star Trek Style. Hosts Colin Higgins Editor and Producer Colin Higgins Production Manager Richard Marquez Content Coordinator Will Nguyen Guests A plethora of Trek FM hosts Release Date 22/12/2014 Duration 43 minutes 17 seconds Chapters Intro (00:01:30)   Tristan (00:02:46)   Matt (00:10:16)   Phil (00:16:44)   Mike (00:24:31)   Charlynn (00:32:29)   Audible (00:38:56)   Wrap up and exit (00:41:50)  

The Unexpected Music in Star Trek. Elvis Presley. Frank Sinatra. Billie Holiday. Some of the greatest names in music pop up in your favorite Star Trek episodes, either by association or by actually having their music featured—and it's not all classical as you might expect. Do your ears perk up? In this episode of Melodic Treks we delve into this diverse collection, which includes a dose of classical Japanese and some classic rock. So plug in your earphones and find out what Zefram Cochrane listened to on his jukebox.   Host Colin Higgins   Editor and Producer Colin Higgins   Associate Producer Become one! Support Trek.fm and Melodic Treks at the $25/month level or higher! Visit http://patreon.com/trekfm   Production Manager Richard Marquez   Content Coordinator Will Nguyen   Chapters The King (00:01:56) Vic and Frank (00:05:16) In Passing (00:08:59) Cochrane’s iPod (00:10:44)  The Jazz Goes On (00:12:56) Minezaki Koto (00:15:28) Closing (00:17:46)   Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://fac

Musical Shatner. Mr. William Shatner has many strings to his bow. Beyond acting, writing, and directing, he is also a commercially viable audio artist with many albums and performances to his name. In this episode of Melodic Treks, we delve into the world of musical Shatner from his first album in 1968 to his most recent in 2013. The man has continued to perform and record his own unique style of music, delivered as only he can, and this in itself adds to the unique nature of his musical intepretations. From Transformed Man to Ponder the Mystery via the Rocket Man and a tribute to George Lucas,  journey with us through the singing career of William Shatner.   Hosts Colin Higgins   Editor and Producer Colin Higgins   Associate Producers Become one! Support Trek.fm and Melodic Treks at the $25/month level or higher! Visit patreon.com/trekfm   Chapters A Transformed Man (1:16) Musical Adverts (5:47) Rocket Man (7:29) A Varied Work Diet (14:08) Common People (18:59) Closing (28:45)   Support the Network! Become a

Cliff Eidelman. Sometimes to get a break you need a few things to go in your favor. Cliff Eidelman had more than a few things go the right way for him. Fortune was indeed smiling on this relatively unknown composer when he landed the job of scoring Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. In this episode of Melodic Treks we look at how Cliff managed to land this prestigious assignment and how a sequence of events worked in his favor. We also delve into his work prior to Star Trek, including his first movie score, composed at the age of just 22. Still, what happened after Star Trek may surprise you despite the score being a rounding success his career did not follow a path most would have assumed.   Host Colin Higgins   Editor and Producer Colin Higgins   Associate Producers Become one! Support Trek.fm and Melodic Treks at the $25/month level or higher! Visit patreon.com/trekfm   Chapters Magdalene (3:00) Early Break (7:30) The Discovered Country (11:08) Dodging Holst (18:50) Post Star Trek (23:16) Closing (31:

Star Trek Bands: Five Year Mission and Warp 11. There are many bands out in the cosmos that compose and write Star Trek songs—and two of them are here on Earth. With bands like these playing not only conventions but concerts, its yet another string to the fandom and creative diversity that Star Trek invokes. In this episode of Melodic Treks we look at the formation and background of these two bands, their genesis and history, their very different musical styles, and their lyrical approaches that are as different as a Gorn is from an Orion.   Host Colin Higgins   Editor and Producer Colin Higgins   Associate Producers Become one! Support Trek.fm and Melodic Treks at the $25/month level or higher! Visit patreon.com/trekfm   Chapters Five Year Mission (1:16) Year Two (9:01) The Trouble with Tribbles (13:57) Warp 11 (21:15) Albums and Venues (29:01)  Closing (33:36)   Support the Network! Become a Trek.fm Patron on Patreon and help us keep Star Trek talk coming every week. We have great perks for you at http://pa

The Holographic, Operatic Doctor. Previously on Melodic Treks we talked about Robert Picardo and his parody singing. But we're not always about the actors and composers, sometimes we're about the characters themselves! And since you really can't get enough holographic melodies, we're joined in this episode of Melodic Treks by Charlynn Schmiedt and Tristan Riddell of To The Journey to talk about the opera-loving Doc. Char and Tristan add their own unique flavor to the discussion as we delve into a variety of episodes covering every aspect of the EMH.   Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact   Chapters The Doctor Sings (4:02) Tristan In a Tux (7:46) On the Railroad (11:01) You Are My Sunshine (18:01) Cheesecake (21:46) I'm That Good (30:07) The Last Song (34:12) Final Thoughts (37:01) Closing (51:40)

Five Favorites. We all have a piece of music from Star Trek that we love—an introduction, a battle scene, or a haunting melody that we listen to over and over again. And while learning more about composers and the inspirations for their music is fascinating, learning which pieces connect with a given fan is equally so. In this episode of Melodic Treks we do just that as we're joined by Matt Warwick, an avid supporter of the podcast who is also a big lover of movie and television music. Matt selects his five favorite Star Trek compositions and tells us why they mean so much to him. We also delve into his overall love of music, reaching all the way back to Glenn Miller and the big band sound.

Brian Tyler. Recently nominated for Film Composer of the Year by the International Film Music Critics Association, Brian Tyler has composed and conducted for over 50 films. Born and raised in California, Tyler attended UCLA and Harvard before becoming an award-winning film composer. And while he is known for his scores from The Expendables, Rambo, and Frailty, his talents have also helped to bring to life the world of Star Trek through Enterprise. In this episode of Melodic Treks, we look at this prolific composer, his already impressive body of work, and of course his contributions to Star Trek, both on Enterprise—where he has two scores—and the trailer music for the 2009 Star Trek film.   Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact   Chapters Tyler's Background (2:21) Life and Work (5:26) Composing Music for Enterprise (10:56) In His Own Words (20:56) Awards and Recognition (22:56) Previously

Jerry Fielding. The name Jerry Fielding doesn't readily spring to mind when asked to name famous composers of film scores, yet he is a composer with a long pedigree in the industry. Having penned a large number of film scores from the 1960s onwards, Fielding composed the music for two episodes of Star Trek in 1966—both now iconic—"Spectre of the Gun" and "The Trouble with Tribbles." In this episode of Melodic Treks we take a look at Jerry and his life, including his forced exile from Hollywood and the early radio plays, including the now famous War of the Worlds adaptation by Orson Welles, from which he drew inspiration. We also talk about his extraordinary life and struggle to create a style all his own, as well as his collaboration with a diverse group of producers and directors that included Groucho Marx, Michael Winner, and Clint Eastwood.   Send us your feedback! Twitter: @trekfm Facebook: http://facebook.com/trekfm Voicemail: http://www.speakpipe.com/trekfm Contact Form: http://www.trek.fm/contact   Cha

The Vocal Talents of Robert Picardo. Most of us have heard the Doctor sing on Voyager, but he also has carried his fair share of tunes outside of Star Trek both on stage and screen. In this episode of Melodic Treks we take a look at the man behind the hologram and his singing. This aspect of his life, which began from a very early age, has seen him perform in a variety of roles and styles—some of which may surprise you.   Chapters Bio (1:31) Star Trek Thoughts (6:45) Early Work (9:31) Parodies (14:11) Scrooge (19:13) Bitrekual (23:31) Closing (28:15)

The Royal Albert Hall Concerts. Recently two concerts took place at the Royal Albert Hall in London England in which Michael Giacchino led performances of his scores from Star Trek (2009) and Star Trek Into Darkness. Each film received its own night, and the consecutive concerts both sold out. In this episode of Melodic Treks we talk to two people who were there: Jon Taylor and Laura Fawcett. They tell us about the concert, the mood of the event, and the surprise guests. They also talk to us about the music they like from the two films and highlight some of the wonderful aspects of hearing this live.

Five Favorites. In past episode we've invited guests to share their five favorite pieces of music from Star Trek. Now it's time to find out what the host himself prefers. In the episode of Melodic Treks, Colin prepares for a holiday by loading his iPod with music from the future. Tune in and find out what he'll be listening to as he sits under the sun sipping a glass of wine and dreaming of traveling at Warp 9.

The Deep Space Nine Theme Variations. One series that departed from the traditional Star Trek fare was Deep Space Nine. Now a firm fan favorite, this particular incarnation of Trek had two opening themes. The first, which began each episode during Seasons One through Three, was a beautifully haunting and majestic piece. Beginning with Season Four and running through to the end of the series was a pepped up, driving version of the original whose mismatched bass line and melody somehow captured the spirit of DS9. In this episode of Melodic Treks we delve into these two variations, the imagery behind them, how the composition played into what was occurring on the station, and also into some of the thoughts behind the sounds as seen by composer Dennis McCarthy himself. 

Michael Giacchino. One of the most delightful part of the J.J. Abrams reboot of Star Trek has been the music. Michael Giacchino has continued the franchise's rich tradition of beautiful scores and has joined the Alexander Courage, Gerald Fried, Jerry Goldsmith, James Horner, and Ron Jones as one of the great voices behind the visuals. In this episode of Melodic Treks we delve into the man behind the sound of the Abramsverse, his education, inspiration, and early work in video games. Plus, we learn how he came to the attention of J.J.

James Horner. One of the film favorites for many people is Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. Its story, action, and acting are all held in wide regard not just by fans, but by other members of the film industry. The music of The Wrath of Khan plays no small part in its success, and the man who created that music is none other than James Horner. In this episode of Melodic Treks we delve into the man behind the score, how he came to work on the project, his music history, and some of the other projects he has undertaken.