I read that the masters of this soundtrack are lost forever... But there is a boo**** floating around with more music. Plus, I found a version someone extract from the blu ray audio tracks and it is quite good.
Over the years several scores that people said were lost were found and released, so maybe one can hope...
I live in hope that one of these days they’ll be an affordable plug-in available which allows soundtrack labels to extract the music from a film (assuming a separate music stem doesn’t exist) accurately. This technique was pioneered for the blu-ray release of Psycho back in 2010 whereby they digitally separated out the music and other elements for the basis of a new 5.1 sound mix. Whilst opinions are varied as to the surround mix itself, it’s impressive the technology that was used to seperate out the elements. I assume the technology must have gotten better - and cheaper - since then.
Do the music stems from Mad Max 2 exist? Not ideal but better than nothing and with careful mastering I’m sure could be slotted in with the tracks that already exist on the official soundtrack. I was very impressed with the work that was done with music stems as a source tor both Fall of the House of Usher and Star Trek The Animated Series. I’d be happy with a complete MM2 using similar mastering magic on the stems if they exist?
Sadly, the original multi-track masters were erased by the recording studio in order to save money and re-use the tapes.
My Source: BRIAN MAY himself.
Also I'm told his original written scores have been seriously water damage as well.
So even re-recording it would be a bit of a chore.
Ford A. Thaxton
Very sad indeed!
indeed very sad. Brian May was a terrific composer who knew exactly what a movie wanted to make it even better . He could also write an excellent theme unlike many of today's composers who have serious problems in that area.
indeed very sad. Brian May was a terrific composer who knew exactly what a movie wanted to make it even better . He could also write an excellent theme unlike many of today's composers who have serious problems in that area.
My god, have I missed something on the news ?. I thought he was still amongst us, hedgehogs and all.
All may not be lost... This is a short excert from a publication I stumbled across online. It's dated 2010 and there is no mention of the music itself but I'm wondering if the restoration on the sheet music actually commenced and if so how successful was it? At least we know the sheet music exists.
"The Brian May Collection
The material bequeathed to the QUT is held in the Music and Sound building of the Faculty of Creative Industries. The material was donated in an unordered fashion in cardboard boxes. It can be divided into eight different categories: musical equipment; videotapes; professional library (books); professional library (music scores); teaching materials; letters, financial and legal documents; commercial recordings and audio tapes; and music manuscripts.
The score for Mad Max 2: Road Warrior was also part of this category but unfortunately the orchestrated cues for this film were damaged when a flash flood inundated the building where May was storing his manuscripts. Most of the pages of this score are fused together and there is badly decaying mouldy paper around the edges. It may be possible for the individual pages of the score to be saved, at least in part, by manuscript restoration experts. Luckily screen composers and orchestrators work almost entirely in pencil. If these pages had been written in ink the notes would have become illegible. Fortunately this is the only score in the whole collection adversely affected by water damage. "
All may not be lost... This is a short excert from a publication I stumbled across online. It's dated 2010 and there is no mention of the music itself but I'm wondering if the restoration on the sheet music actually commenced and if so how successful was it? At least we know the sheet music exists.
"The Brian May Collection
The material bequeathed to the QUT is held in the Music and Sound building of the Faculty of Creative Industries. The material was donated in an unordered fashion in cardboard boxes. It can be divided into eight different categories: musical equipment; videotapes; professional library (books); professional library (music scores); teaching materials; letters, financial and legal documents; commercial recordings and audio tapes; and music manuscripts.
The score for Mad Max 2: Road Warrior was also part of this category but unfortunately the orchestrated cues for this film were damaged when a flash flood inundated the building where May was storing his manuscripts. Most of the pages of this score are fused together and there is badly decaying mouldy paper around the edges. It may be possible for the individual pages of the score to be saved, at least in part, by manuscript restoration experts. Luckily screen composers and orchestrators work almost entirely in pencil. If these pages had been written in ink the notes would have become illegible. Fortunately this is the only score in the whole collection adversely affected by water damage. "
Big hugs & THANK YOU, Steve H for some new information/hope after such a long time....
QUT is the Queensland University of Technology but the entirety of the Brian May collection has (apparently) been donated to the National Library of Australia.
