On the BBC last week there was a repeat of an edition of Omnibus about how John Barry became the greatest movie music maker ever. On 31st January 2011, I posted a note when I heard that he had just died, so I will not repeat what I said then. But there were a couple of interesting facts from last week's programme, and most involved his terrific guitarist Vic Flick who is standing with John at the front of the above photo.
They showed a clip of John singing with The John Barry Seven on "Six Five Special", a programme we never missed. It was a wise decision when John decided they should be a purely instrumental band. John composed the theme to "Juke Box Jury" (another favourite programme) called "Hit and Miss". Listening again the the guitar of Vic Flick, you can hear that influence in the theme to the James Bond movies.
But before Bond, Barry composed his first film music for a movie called "Beat Girl". It all happened because Barry helped Adam Faith get started, and secured him an audition for the BBC programme "Drumbeat". Barry went on to arrange the music for his succession of hit singles including the number one "What Do You Want". The pizzicato strings, although influenced by Buddy Holly's "It Doesn't Matter Anymore", are classic John Barry. When Adam Faith was to star in "Beat Girl", the film company chose Barry to compose and arrange the music. He again put Vic Flick's guitar in the lead.
After another three films, along came "Dr No". Monty Norman had composed the James Bond theme music, but it was John Barry whose orchestration turned it into the iconic sound that has appeared in every James Bond movie. He went into the recording studio with The John Barry Seven and a full orchestra. Barry again puts the guitar at the front, and who does he turn to? Of course it was Vic Flick.
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