John Barry Has Left The Building

Sad, sad news. John Barry, five-time Academy Award winner, has died aged 77. Barry scored 11 Bond movies, the Harry Palmer movies and essentially invented 'the sound of the 60s'.

My first great love affair with an album was with a John Barry vinyl which my father (the composers' namesake) had in the house. I guess I was maybe six or seven when I first heard him.

There was something in the way he placed his string sections against the blasting brass that sent shivers up my spine. That and his use of a range of alien sounding instruments that, should a seven-year-old boy close his eyes, could whisk you away to a frozen Russian gulag. It was the first time I truly fell in love with music. He'll be sadly, sadly missed.

This is a playlist of some of my favourites of his. I defy you to listen to this and not be moved. Feast your ears:

Note: if the playlist above isn't loading for you, it's likely to be because you are using a crap, antiquated browser. We suggest you try using Chrome.

Nice one Damien.
The man was a genius.

No the music isn't playing because of your crap broken html.

Works fine here Phil.