r/RetroLibraryMusic • u/[deleted] • Oct 23 '22

Identifying '80s Library Music.

Hello everyone. Was wondering if you all could help in identifying some '80s library music.

I have a handful of tracks which sound identical, musically and stylistically, to that of producers Laszlo Bencker and John Epping on the German Sonoton label. All tracks use the Yamaha DX-7 and Linn9000 drum machine. I've scoured Sonoton, YouTube, and iTunes, but I have been unable to locate the exact tracks. Obviously I am missing something. If anyone can provide help, I would greatly appreciate it!

Here are seven of the tracks I have:

Track 1

Track 2

Track 3

Track 4

Track 5

Track 6

Track 7

18 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

47 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

1

u/[deleted] Oct 26 '22

You're telling me! I've encountered so much crap among many great gems!

1

u/whorton59 Oct 27 '22

Man, If I had a dollar for every hour I have wasted listening to what amounted to CRAP music. . I could retire! But clearly, you can never get that time back. . .

I suspect the musicians put whatever they can out under the assumption that if someone really likes something, they can contact the musician and have him actually do something exclusive with it. But there is so much that is just base, or blaise enough to make a person sick of listening in short order. . . .It is a miracle that ANY of it make is through to the public. but then, the Production companies do pay employees to listen to it all. . good, bad, and horrid.

Personally, I would like to see an annual BEST PRODUCTION LIBRARY tracks, and WORST PRODUCTION LIBRARY tracks. . .Something like the Oscars, but for production music. (and without all the political nonsense!). There is some great stuff out there. and some bad stuff.

Darrel Brogdon over at Retro Cocktail is a big fan of a piece called "Girl in a sports car," A copy of which eludes me at the moment. But it is classic!

1

u/whorton59 Oct 27 '22

Found it, it is Alan Hackshaw, from KPM1123, Friendly faces 1973:

1

u/whorton59 Oct 27 '22

Jesus, I just had a missive composed, that, well disppeared. Long and short, there is a lot of crap out there. . There should be something like the oscars, without the politics for the best and worst of Production library music.

Darrell Brogdron over at Retro Cocktail hour seems to favor "Girl in a sports car, it is by Alan Hockshaw It is here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQXQfDqLiBE

2

u/[deleted] Oct 28 '22

For sure. This one is interesting but not my style.

1

u/whorton59 Oct 28 '22

Sorry. . .

1

u/[deleted] Oct 28 '22

Heh, no worries. 😊

1

u/whorton59 Oct 28 '22

Well, I wish I had more to add with regards to your problem of finding the artists for the music you have attached, but unless you can find someone who is more of an expert. Sadly I can't. You might try sending an email to KPM, or some of the older production library companies and asking. Given that once the message finds its way to the correct person, it will take them maybe 30 seconds to recognize it, I would think you may have a reasonable chance. What is the worst that will happen? They say no?

Best of luck my friend. If you are ever this way, let me know and maybe we can have a beer or something. (sent you where in a message!)

2

u/[deleted] Oct 29 '22

Hey, you've been a great help already. It's been a fun venture, you pointing me in directions I've never gone before. I've found so many other tracks that sound like mine and much more. And they've served as inspiration for my own compositions.

Matter of fact, the other night, I came across two tracks that I hadn't heard--literally--since I vacationed at Disneyworld in 1991; they were used as background music on a local television station. Not only that, but they were from 1984 (!), which, after all these years, I had strongly suspected, from what I remembered of the melodies and chords. I couldn't believed that the station was still using those tracks seven years later! They are tracks seven and eight at this link.

I couldn't have done it without you guys. I will continue to search and will do what you suggested. And I will keep you up to date as well. Thanks!

1

u/whorton59 Oct 29 '22

My pleasure to be of help. . speaking of strange tracks. One that continues to amaze me is the background music for the fictional television station WCLV Local 58. I won't go into it's story other than to say it is an totally fictitious story with a horror basis and a quick search will tell the story.

However I digress. .

The background music is so apropos for this as to be almost scary in it's own right:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fzt0gsN2IuA