Tonight I have just been appointed score composer for the independant film Hush.

Written and directed by my good friend Fraser Coull from Scotland, Hush is about two sexy young girls who turn out to be assassins.

I love writing for writer/director Fraser Coull, I've done so much work with him in the past and there is always a twist that catches me out.

When I scored for his latest short "Two and a Half Minutes", I was a bit surprised to realise it lasted a whole lot longer than two and a half minutes (the title being a reference to something in the dialog).

Nevertheless, this is a dark and tense work. Lots of opportunity to twist that emotional blade. Thanks Fraser, it was great to work on.

I'm guessing I didn't miss the mark but too much because when my wife finished watched the released version, she shrieked at me and cursed Fraser. She said her heart was almost pounding out of her chest.

Well, if filmaking is all about illiciting emotion in your audience...I guess it worked this time.

Night is Day: Series 2 looms ever nearer. I've just finished the score for the trailer for the first episode, which can be viewed here.

All six episodes of Scottish Superhero NIGHT IS DAY Series 1 have now been released onto DVD and are available from the official website for the series at nightisday.com

Episodes 5 and 6 have had considerable rework by the post production team since their original release, including editing, sound and music.

Some of the cast and crew together with the series' creator will be attending the Hi-Ex! International Comic Expo in the Echo Centre in Inverness on the 2 and 3 February 2008.

They will also be attending Memorabilia, which is the UK's longest running and most established evet for fans of movies, cult tv, comic, video games, sports and music.

The event is held in Birmingham and along with Chris, Eileen and Kai, we will be joined by Tam Toye, who plays the evil Mr. Philips in the series.

Memorabilia is held on the 29th and 30th of March. For more details visit http://www.memorabilia.co.uk/

In the meantime pre-production for Series 2 is underway

My dear dear friend, Jo Causer, fell ill recently and died at the age of 26.

She was the loveliest, sweetest, brightest girl. We are all stunned and deeply saddened.

I wrote a short piece of music on Sunday, my way of saying "Goodbye Jo, and thank you."

I have posted it into my Myspace Player

We'll all miss her dreadfully.

I have developed THE LORDS FIND THE SWORD into a four and a half minute track to be used later in the album for when (in the same church), King Arthur marries his Queen Guinevere. It has the generic title of "Tocatta for a Royal Occasion", but specifically on the Album it will be called KING ARTHUR'S WEDDING.

The initial similarities of the openings of these two tracks will hopefully fix in the mind of the listener that the ceremony is in the same place as where the Lords found the Sword.

The opening (when the happy couple enter the church with great pomp) then develops into a deep reflective centre section (the ceremony itself) and then builds to a rousing recapitulation with church bells ringing and everybody filled with joy as the piece enters its Coda.

Hope you enjoy
Thank you for listening

Steve

Not long after King Uther fell ill and died, many might lords wished to be king, and fought one another, so that the kingdom was divided against itself, and could not stand against any foe.

There came a day when Merlin the Magician rode to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and bade him command all the great lords of the land to come to London by Christmas, and to worship in the church there.

"Then shall you know who is to be the King of this country," said Merlin, "for a great marvel shall be shown you."

So the archbishop sent for the all the lords and knights, commanding them to come to the church in London by Christmas, and they obeyed.

[this is where the music starts]
When the people came out of the church, a cry of wonder was heard - for there, in the churchyard, was a great stone, and in the middle of it was an anvil of steel a foot high. In the anvil was thrust a beautiful sword, and round it, written in letters of gold upon the stone, were these words:

"Whoso pulleth out this sword from this stone and anvil is rightwise king born of all England."

Lords and knights pressed round the sword and marvelled to see it thrust into the stone, for neither sword nor stone had been there when they went into the church.

Here's the next track to the King Arthur Album. Well actually historical documentation gives me choice here and the order I choose to have the tracks is:

1. King Uther gives away his baby son (Arthur) to Merlin [BETRAYAL]
2. Lullaby to Baby Arthur [LULLABY]
3. Saxon Raid
4. King Uther is Dead [LAMENT]

Shortly after King Uther gives away Baby Arthur, he falls ill. Nevertheless (I choose to believe), he rode out to defeat a SAXON RAID. Despite being successfull in battle, King Uther soon died of his illness - with no apparent heir.

I have re-worked the first three tracks and put them into a rough mix and I have uploaded them into a single track on my myspace player.

The three tracks will play consecutively, they are:

1. Betrayal - as King Uther gives away his first born son (Arthur) as payment to Merlin for casting a spell of love on his wife Igraine

2. Lullaby to baby Arthur - Merlin takes the baby to Sir Ector and his wife to bring up as their own

3. Lament - King Uther is Dead. Shortly after the King gave his baby son away to Merlin, he died - without heir.

I am working on track 4 now, which is the first of of the BATTLE TRACKS!

This is my first draft of the THIRD TRACK for my album depicting the legends of King Arthur.

King Uther had promised to give away his first born son to Merlin if he could put a spell on Igraine so she would fall in love with Uther and marry him. Merlin kept his part of the bargain and Uther married Igraine happily. But when they had their first born son, it was with a heavy heart that Uther gave away his son, Arthur, to Merlin.

Merlin took baby Arthur to Sir Ector where his wife welcomed and loved the baby as their own.

But not long after this, King Uther fell ill and died - with no heir.
[The music is a lament for the dead King Uther]