Ennio Morricone runs the voo-doo down

[I I mjrn]

From recent MOJO:

 

What was the first record you owned?

Possibly Beethoven's Quartets; my family always listened to opera when I was a child & my father loved jazz, so we all listened to Louis Armstrong but classical & jazz were not big inluences on me when I was young.

 

What musician, other than yourself, have you ever wanted to be?

Johann S. Bach or Igor Stravinsky. There's a series of composers I have been inspired by; I also love Monteverdi & Palestrina.

I hope that I've influenced pop music but throughout my careerI've avoided listening to contaminations in order to attempt to remain in the illusion of originality.

 

Favorite records?

I actually don't own many records but go to a lot of concerts.

I do like the Beatles & Pink Floyd.

The Beatles were absolutely extraordinary but you really have to study to compose properly. If they'd studied composition they could've done an even better job; I don't think anythink can come naturally in terms of composing music.

I also like to listen to the Chieftains.

[stanner]

hmmm...nothing about raging electric guitars drenched in REVERB absolutelee sonically describing sprawling vistas of the old west.

thats why i bought all those morricone records

s

[I I mjrn]

So, Stanner, you'd say there is something to be learned outside formal composition studies, even for "Ernie"...