Vince DiCola - Transformers The Movie Soundtrack Score from Intrada

This release has been a long wait, but Intrada have managed to bring out an official release of the classic Vince DiCola Transformers soundtrack score.

Plenty of synthesizers and familiar themes, this pretty much continues where Rocky IV left, and is a great soundtrack on its own.

This is a highly recommended release for any 80s or Synthesizer soundtrack collector.

Available here:

http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.8506/.f?sc=13&category=-113

Vince DiCola

Label: Intrada Special Collection Volume ISC 263

Date: 1986

Time: 78:13

Tracks: 25

Original soundtrack from initial big-screen animated treatment of The Transformers, numerous iconic battling robot characters spawned from Hasbro television mini-series that became wildly popular in subsequent syndication.

 

01. Unicron Attacks (2:32)
02. Moon Base 2 – Shuttle Launch (3:20)
03. Space Attack (:47)
04. Fishing (0:47)
05. Autobot/Decepticon Battle (4:17)
06. Prepare For Extermination (3:42)
07. Optimus Prime vs. Megatron (5:42)
08. Megatron Departs (2:06)
09. I Am Unicron (4:24)
10. The Coronation (2:03)
11. Moon Base 1 Destroyed (2:07)
12. Escape (4:46)
13. Closing In (4:53)

14. Crash Landing (2:07)
15. Twisted Planet (4:54)
16. The Wrong Way (2:00)
17. Destroy The Matrix (1:44)
18. The Trial (2:00)
19. Decepticon Attack (6:48)
20. Unicron Transforms (2:59)
21. The Matrix (1:45)
22. Attack On Unicron (1:00)
23. Reunited (2:26)
24. The Fight Continues (1:48)
25. Legacy (6:09)

 

 Original soundtrack from initial big-screen animated treatment of The Transformers, numerous iconic battling robot characters spawned from Hasbro television mini-series that became wildly popular in subsequent syndication. Cars, trucks, toy dinosaurs, you name it became behemoths of warring destruction. Vince DiCola, fresh off dynamic score for Rocky IV, brings sizzling modern up-tempo sensibilities to his electronic score for Transformers, melds driving energy with striking fully-composed quasi-orchestral themes, motifs. Exciting compositions result, with plethora of rhythms infused with composer's unique harmonic vernacular on display. 

 

DiCola, who gets start as session keyboardist, then moves into scoring with Staying Alive, sequel toSaturday Night Fever, connects well with with director Sylvester Stallone, lands mega-hit Rocky IV and captures attention of TV producers transforming Hasbro's small-screen robots into big-screen monoliths. Intrada CD presents first widely available release of score, courtesy Sony Music, first available as very limited "BotCon" editions in 1997 & 2001. Newly assembled and mastered from two-track digital masters, Intrada CD also features composer's "Legacy", originally written as six-minute powerhouse demo for producers during early stages of project. Intrada Special Collection release available while quantities and interest remain!

 

 

 

Vince DiCola - The Legend

The Legend, that just sums up how good this composer is, a true pioneer in synths.  From Rocky IV to Transformers and his legendary synth solos, this man is a true powerhouse of motion picture soundtracks.  As to why he was never offered more soundtrack scoring work? Probably due to ignorance and a lack of appreciation of his skills.

True fans though know how iconic his music is.  Just listen to his version of Bill Conti's Rocky Theme which he used as a demonstration for Stallone to showcase his abilities for the Rocky IV soundtrack.  This version was never released until 2010, when the entire original score was released for the first time on Intrada records.

Stallone decided not to use DiCola's version of the "Gonna Fly Now" theme in Rocky IV, instead using the Training Montage theme that DiCola came up with. I guess Stallone felt he wanted something slightly different for this movie, but it would have been great to have it somewhere in the movie!   

Apparently Stallone was so impressed, he hired him immediately, and with Jeremy Lubbock, they both created a synth/orchestral masterpiece that still holds up today.  You only have to listen to "Hearts on Fire" and the way it changes into "Up The Mountain" to hear how good he is.

You could say he mastered the art of motion picture soundtracks way before Hans Zimmer went and generically shat on everything in the 90s (Not that Hans Zimmer is bad! But much of 1990s scores and onwards have been very generic).

The last I heard on the scoring front was the one he did for a movie called "Sci Fighter", but other than that, there hasn't been much activity.

Here are some of Vince DiCola's greatest tracks.