Saturday 11 July 2020

Trevor Duncan ‎– "Other Worlds" (Impress ‎– IA 428) 1981


Was there ever an American called Trevor?
The infamous,or, Not famous, composer of the main theme to "Plan 9 From Outer Space" has a glaringly 'English' name, from the Eric Clapton skool of Les Noms Anglaise? Was probably born in Squatney, next door to Nigel Tufnel and David St Hubbins of Spinal Tap.......it says Camberwell here...close;but then we find out that his real name was a very foreign sounding Leonard Charles Trebilco,and now we're all confused,and a tad saddened!
Alas he redeems himself by working for the BBC,just before the Radiophonic Workshop was formed back in '56, and went down the freelance library music for films angle,which by a cruel twist of fate led to Edward D. Wood Jr selecting Trevor's music for the best worst movie ever made. I'm not even sure he would have been aware,or even paid, of this glorious fact before 'Death the proud brother(Criswell)' tapped him on his shoulder in 2005.
By the sound of this Library album from 1981, he would have blossomed had he stayed at the Beeb. This late period ,post synth Radiophonic Workshop era, collection of Electronica,could have been made by any of the post-Derbyshire staff on hand at Maida Vale studios.
In fact some of this stuff would not have seemed out of place on an 'Ash Ra' album,it being very proto-trance Manuel Gottshing in style.
Another thing I am a fan of is Library Music cover art,of which this is a glorious example, that suggests a willful workmanlike anonymity that most muscians balk at. Bright,but unassuming colours,clean lines,library label font bigger and snazzier than the composers name,and absolutely no pictures.
Most musicians' idea of cover art is a full size picture of their own face with name writ large to the expense of both taste and information.


Tracklist:

A1 Galactic Congress 4:12
A2 Cyclopulse 2:56
A3 Enigma On Centaurus VII 2:39
A4 Downtime On Lasvega V 3:30
A5 Sunrise On Aldebaren III 3:25
A6 Sunset On Sirius IV 2:15
A7 Girowarp 2:40
A8 Landscape On Rigel VI 2:53
B1 Beltegeuse V 3:29
B2 Outpost On Beltegeuse V 1:58
B3 Terror On Beltegeuse V 1:51
B4 Megadrive 2:39
B5 Laybeam I 2:03
B6 Laybeam II 0:38
B7 Laybeam III 1:26
B8 Eden On Arcturus IV 3:45
B9 Asteroid Trail I 1:59
B10 Asteroid Trail II 1:05
B11 Asteroid Trail III 1:04
B12 Asteroid Trail IV 1:07


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