Tell Me Something, Steve Horowitz

It was rough, but someone had to do it. Truth is, I was actually never asked to write a theme song. I was enlisted to write the incidental music. The plan was to use an army or orchestral musicians, 50 pieces or more. As I was putting together military strategy for that campaign, this little ditty shot into my head. So I went into the trenches with my FOLKFOOT comrades and recorded it. Sadly, the orchestral soundtrack did not make it, but the song survived. Gee, all this military terminology is kind of freaking me out!

For this engagement, what was your compositional strategy?

This song was for the hearts & minds. I wrote it on the subway. I suppose it is an homage to Woody Guthrie. A call for people around the world to once again hear Freedom's call! Don't let the media keep you from taking a stand.

Do you feel you accomplished your mission?

Creation is the mission. A musician can never fully gage the success for failure of a project they are involved in. I feel pretty good about it. I think it is a catchy tune.

When you're not fighting (at least musically) the Axis of Evil, I hear you're helping Westley storm the castle. After working on the video game adaptation of the film The Princess Bride, what would you say is good about video game composing these days?

I love writing for games, it is an interactive process. I also love writing for animation, I think I have a knack for it. I love comic books & old cartoons, I love being part of a "new" medium that is constantly making up new rules and exploring new frontiers. But you know what the Best thing about game composition is these days? It's the fact that I have been doing it long enough now (15 years) that I get to work with old friends a lot & they are constantly introducing me to new friends. "It's the people, stupid" (me stupid, not you).

Can you even watch movies and TV without obsessing over the soundtrack? I would think Lost would drive a composer in your line a little nuts.

I am lost all the time. The good thing is that I was a consumer long before I was a creator. I have no trouble suspending my musical dis-belief. It is really easy to forget the bad stuff, but when you hear the real deal...it sticks with you!