ScoreNotes: Hi James, a pleasure to meet you.  To begin with, can you tell us about how you got involved with BATMAN LIVE and how you approached scoring the production as compared to how you would a film score?

James: Hi Tom, it's a pleasure to meet you too.

I was very pleased to be approached to work on Batman Live, as it is of course such an iconic saga. The journey began some five years previous when I worked on a show called Walking With Dinosaurs, the Arena Spectacular. At the time, this was considered a new form of entertainment, in that the fusion of large-scale theatrical elements touring the world's arenas had only really been done with rock bands and Cirque du Soleil. When we embarked on Walking With Dinosaurs, we did not know how successful it would be - however, it proved to sell out almost everywhere it went. It seemed families had a considerable appetite for this type of entertainment, as it appealed to all ages.

Nick Grace, one of the promoters of Walking With Dinosaurs, had got together with Anthony Van Laast and decided the follow up had to be Batman, and it was an absolute pleasure to be considered to provide the music.

I must say that the challenges involved in writing for an "Arena Spectacular" are considerable and vary from the discipline from writing to picture. Whilst the musical language that I work in would certainly feel familiar to film fans, the actual day-to-day piecing together of the score is both liberating and frustrating in equal measure. On the one hand, working without the constraint of film allows me freedom to express ideas musically, but on the other hand, there is much imagination required as the show/drama that I am scoring does not exist other than on the page of a script. Of course, I engage in much discussion with the other creative members of the team, most notably the director and scriptwriter, and this creates the melting pot from which all our ideas ultimately come. In the end, it is a case of dividing up the script and the scenes into approximate lengths, scoring these by always allowing leeway to edit after the actual scoring process so that the music can fit the live action.

As a result, unlike the majority of film scoring, as I enter the studio to record with the full orchestra I may only be sure that 75% of the music will fit - the other 25% is duped around during the rehearsal process, which, in the case of Batman, lasted approximately two months.

ScoreNotes: The music, in my estimation, is simply marvelous.  How were you able to conjure up the sound of a symphonic blockbuster while also paying homage to the playfulness of the BATMAN tunes from the 1960s?

James: At the outset of this whole project, I was thrilled at the prospect of working in the "Batman Universe". Of course, this feeling quickly turned to fear at the realisation of the great composers also associated with the genre. I must say my favourite scores were those of Elliot Goldenthal, but as most of your readers would know, Messrs Elfman, Newton Howard and Zimmer are no slouches either.

I allowed myself a week or so to listen to, but not analyse in terms of any written notes, all the scores written from the TV shows through to the Dark Knight. As well as these, I listened to other scores of a similar nature - dark, grandiose etc., as this was the brief from the production. I believe that this process opens the window to a sonic world, but by not notating melodies, chord structures etc. it remains a general immersion and, since I do not have perfect pitch or a photographic memory, meant I was not in danger of infringing others' work - I hope!

On day one of my compositional period however, I switched all of that off and started to try and create my own sound. It was clear from the outset that a large brass section was required as well as choir - this helps with the gothic tone of the piece. The harmonic language is very important to my work and I wrote a few fragments of motif/theme underpinned with important chordal progressions. I find that once this is bedded down and approved by the director, I am able to forge ahead and begin to enjoy the process.

I was keen, in some of the underscore, to reference the more old-fashioned (if you like) scores of the film noir period, and even into the 1960s. Again, this was done through musical language and instrumentation such as theremin, vibraphone, bass flutes and muted brass. As with any franchise, one is striving to create something familiar for the fan base, but individual and unique enough to satisfy one's own artistic aspirations.

ScoreNotes: In general, how unique an experience was it for you to enter the world of such an iconic character like BATMAN?

James: I feel that once the main themes had bedded down, I began to very much have fun with the characters in the show - after all, with the Joker, Catwoman, the Penguin and all the other rogues there was much scope for fun. My Batman is closer to a Spielberg incarnation than the darker character we have seen in recent years with Chris Nolan's films and Hans Zimmer's scores. We were creating a show for a family audience, and when Batman appears, we wanted the crowd to stand up and cheer.

ScoreNotes: With regards to the live show itself, can you tell us how the music is implemented and what some of the more challenging components were from your perspective?

James: As described above, the major challenge with the live show is the fact that the music is pre-recorded but the action is live. Therefore, much like a ballet or opera or even a West End musical, the performers have to learn the score to an extent and hit marks/moments in the score for dramatic purpose. This is done in a gruelling rehearsal period. Of course, some of the show is choreographed in a traditional style, and this is more rewarding on an immediate level as the performance is accurate to the last beat!

ScoreNotes: From your vantage point, what has the audience reaction been like thus far and how expansive a world tour might there eventually be for this production?

James: As we came out of our rehearsal process in Manchester, we were all understandably fairly tired – however, the audiences' reaction at the first preview show was quite remarkable. All the moments that had felt rather technical and dry in the proceeding weeks suddenly came back to life. There was laughter, cheers, spontaneous applause and perhaps even a little trepidation from some of the younger members of the audience.

So far, the arenas have been packed out with not only Batman fans, but also whole families seeking a fun night out and to escape into Batman's exciting world. We anticipate the tour to complete all of Europe and then move onto North America. After that, we hear Batman's also big in the Far East!

ScoreNotes: What are the plans for the album release for BATMAN LIVE and how much of your score will be represented on the release?

James: In terms of the album release, everything is in place and we are simply waiting for the manufacturing process to be completed. We anticipate the CD to be on sale very early in the New Year. This should tie in very nicely with the second half of the Europe tour, and then into the North America tour. It will of course be available for download also.

The album is approximately 78 minutes long and the score for the show is approximately 90 minutes, so most of it will be represented on the disc.

ScoreNotes: Beyond this great BATMAN gig, you have a vast array of other projects that are certainly of interest.  Can you first tell us about some of the notable films you’ve worked/collaborated on and what the experience, as a whole, has been like for you?

James: I am fortunate to have worked with many interesting people over the last 15 or so years, and it is true that my credits are diverse. I think that one of the reasons for this is that I always maintained an interest in classical music as well as rock/pop, and certainly my big break and foot into the industry was with the late Michael Kamen, who also crossed over into many genres.

Most notable in those early years were:

• Band of Brothers - a most worthwhile and fascinating project where Michael showed his great skill at focusing in on the emotions of a story. I learnt much from this experience.
• Metallica S&M - I was most lucky to work as a musical director on this great project, and spent many months with this iconic American rock outfit. I was quite unprepared at the outset for the intricacies and challenges of their music, and the ultimate fusion of their sound and a large symphony orchestra was quite thrilling to have been a part of.
• 2012, 10,000 B.C. etc. - working as part of Roland Emmerich's team is very rewarding also, as he has a very slick set-up. My good friend Harald Kloser, a long time collaborator with Roland, has used me on the last few films and I look forward to many other future collaborations.
• Planet 51 - I have always enjoyed working on animations ever since, along with Kamen, the Iron Giant in 1999. I was asked to score this family adventure 10 years later with Sony Pictures and enjoyed the chance to write colourful, fun music to help bring the picture alive. We worked at my favourite studio, Abbey Road, with a phenomenal 100-piece orchestra. Michael always used to say we got paid to play with the train set, and when I look back he was not wrong!

ScoreNotes: I am always enthused when a composer embraces the world of musical storytelling, separating the notes from linear trappings in a freeing way.  Along those lines, how special was THE SOUND OF GAYA for you and was it a liberating experience, in a sense?

James: The Sound of Gaya was most liberating, as I had a chance to explore an abstract world of eco fantasy. It is a vocal crossover project fusing together ancient-tribal song and chant with classical orchestral accompaniment, ethnic percussion and guitars. The material ranges from simple hymns and prayers to powerful, deep incantations and epic anthems.

The reaction to this project has been very positive and I look forward to hearing it behind TV shows and trailers etc. for years to come...

ScoreNotes: So often, today’s composers are “typecast” if they succeed in a certain format or genre and find it difficult to find opportunities outside those boundaries.  As someone who has diversified themselves in the entertainment world rather impressively, what advice would you have for composers who find themselves in these situations? 

James: To be honest, I wish I could say that the course of my career had any kind of plan to it. I understand that composers don't wish to be typecast, but I believe the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Many a time I have wished I was writing a horror score when stuck in the maelstrom of comedic animation, and vice versa, when writing textural music the heart longs for a juicy 8-bar melody soaring through an orchestra, but when stumped on the turnaround of some epic theme, oh how I wish I was writing some obscure atonal wall of sound! In truth, I don't believe modern composers choose the path of their career - I think we say yes to whoever is on the other end of the phone!