Love and the Gun Music by me and lyrics by Raymond DeFelitta

Here's a photo from the Love and the Gun recording session held at the end of last year for the movie Rob the Mob. The song was written by me and the director Raymond DeFelitta. Raymond and I had long talked about writing a song for a movie and Rob the Mob became the film. Raymond is a really gifted lyricist as well as a fabulous musician. So when the opportunity appeared we jumped on it. We had a model, Raymond wanted a 60's Italian song feel, with a little James Bond, and he wanted it sung in Italian and translated into English, and that's exactly what we did. I chose a singer I'd long admired who I knew to be an American Italian, Tamela D'Amico and Love and the Gun was born. Jimmy Hoyson my engineer and co producer has made it sound wonderful and you can hear it very soon when Lakeshore Records release the Album in mid March. We've also just shot a video but I'll talk more about that the score recording on another occasion.
In the meantime I want to share a personal note. When I started this blog originally I think it was to chart my rebirth, today was a mile stone, my son Max's 10th birthday. it may not seem like a big deal to everyone but on this day in 2010 I was in a coma, i missed the party for Max. When I woke I did't know who my kids or wife were. For that matter I had no idea where I was or what time time of day it was and how I'd even got there. Today my boy turned 10, I can't tell you how grateful I am to see this handsome young man grow. I love him with all my heart.
Tomorrow I might begin to talk about how music helped saved my life. In the meantime kiss someone next to you, and remember,1 that 12 hugs a day will keep the doctor away.

We all should give back. BAFTA LAUSD

We should all give back. What do I mean by that, I don't mean money. I mean time. It's not hard to give a homeless man a dollar on the off ramp of the I10 and Crenshaw, or put a $5 dollar bill in the charity box at your church or temple, but time in our busy lives is really hard. Yes, money is important but what about time, your time. When I was a music student at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama I got heavily involved as a musician in the community around me, performing and organizing workshops in prisons, hospitals, schools and community centers. In 1992 I came to NYC and in 1996 I won an ASCAP award as composer in residence at the Metropolitan Opera, that was almost 20 years ago. When I woke up from my coma i was so happy to be alive and I so desperately wanted to give back, but it's taken me 3 years to figure out what I should do. I'm sorry it's taken so long. I thought about running a marathon, going on a long bike ride for charity, but that's not me. I've recovered so I'm going back to doing what I know and love. I'm going be working with a group LAUSD high school kids, they'll be writing the music for a BAFTA/LAUSD performance of A Mid Summer Nights Dream. The kids will we coming to my studio every Wednesday afternoon for a couple of hours and together we will create the score and they will perform the music during the performances.

More on this as we get going.

Tomorrow I'm going to share a little about a very will kept secret. In the meantime remember one and all, 12 hugs a day will keep the doctor away. if you don't have a loved one or a cuddly pet I urge you to go to my kundalini yoga, NINE TREASURE YOGA, you will find warmth and love 9am every morning.

thinking about old beautiful friends

I don't want to be a downer tonight but this is a photo of Eddie Michaels who passed away a few months ago. I was just going through some photos on my old phone when I found it. I got to know this beautiful man in 2010, after I got out of UCLA and we became very, very close. He had had a brain tumor in 2006 that would not go away, he fought so bravely, but he eventually passed. He was one of the bravest, warmest men I've ever known, and I miss his humor and his council so very much. I wrote a string quartet for the funeral which seems like so little now, but when I listen to the piece I feel his presence very close to me. We talked for hours about our mutual understanding of life and what that means to us since our near death experiences. At the end of the day I know this. Life is short, it must be lived, ever day is a gift not to be taken for granted and laughter and music is
essential to healthy living.
So on that note, remember to hug 12 times today and everyday to keep the Doctor away!!

Rob the Mob

Rob the Mob is the title of the film I recently scored which will be in Theaters on March 21st. It's not just any old film, it's very personal to me. Not just because of the story, not because it's set in NY in 1992 the year I arrived from England, but, it's because of Raymond De Felitta. Raymond and I go back a longways,  I scored his Sundance hit Two Family House, but it's much more than that. Raymond had asked me to score City Island but I could not, I was too sick. Instead, Raymond would come to the hospital, bring locks, bagels and herring, and as always watch me fall asleep mid chew. He along with others were people I relayed on during my year of sickness, and particularly my 6 months at UCLA. So it gives me great satisfaction to tell you that this is the first film I've scored since my recovery and even more pleasure in telling you that this film is quite brilliant. I'm going link the trailer in to this blog.
It was scored quite unconventionally because Raymond and his brilliant editor David Leonard came and edited the film for 5 weeks in my studio. Them in one room, me in my writing room. It was so creative they would send me a scene, I would score it, send it down the wire back to them, they'd edit the film to my music or send it back to me for changes. At 5pm everyday we opened the Vodka and cranberry juice for libations, and we would continue the film making process. All movies should be made this way! When Bill Teitler came from NYC to see the first cut he was very impressed that film although running long had a fully original composed score. What a great way to work. Thank you Raymond! As we run up to the opening of the  film I'll talking more about writing and recording the music collaborating with Raymond on the main title song and all other things Rob the Mob, including the album which will be coming out on Lakeshore Records.

Until next time remember,  12 hugs a day keeps the doctor away!!!

Starting blogging again and introducing The Sunny Dancer Cancer Show

I started this blog 3 years ago but gave up after 5 posts thinking how trivial I must sound, now I've decided to start again. A lot has happened in the last 3 years Downton Abby, continued good health, and my return to my former self, except for a few anomalies. The anomalies will become clear in time. The big news which I will be blogging about is the release of my upcoming movie Rob the Mob and the premier of my new TV show Chasing Life. I also created a teaser for my own television show currently called the Sunny Dancer Cancer Show.  You can watch it above. I've started 2014 with a bang. Preparing to sell my show working on Chasing Life and my new passion Kundalini Yoga. You'll hear a lot more about my yoga and the yoga music I'm writing in the coming weeks. Tonight is just a taster as to what's coming. Remember 12 hugs a day will keep the doctor away!!

A New Day

 My new Ewi 4000 and I making music for Alphas. I'm having fun using this as my controller. It really makes a difference and given my clarinet skills it's great to incorporate these into my writing.

Morlo my new boat. She's a great edition to my family, very dependable and a huge amount of fun.

I started this blog a while ago and then stopped.  Now I'm at it again. As I'm writing this I'm listening to my new favorite artist Jessie J. A young English girl who I think is fab and is going to be a huge star in 2011. God luck Jessie. The last week has been really interesting. I went out on Wednesday night with a dear friend and we ended up drinking until late and then I attended 2 birthday parties this weekend. Wonderful. Booze, food and loads of fun with friends. Given the last 2 years, this was quite a shift back to the old Stephen. Today I saw another terrific Dr at UCLA who confirmed my Neuropathy. Not a problem, a lttle pain and numbness in my legs and feet and a small price to pay for what I went through last year.

The good stuff, I'm busy working on a new pilot for ABC -- Grace, and my show for SYFY -- Alphas. Both going really well. But the best is my new boat MORLO she's a 30 foot Pearson, she sails like a dream and I'm as happy as larry when I'm on her. It's good for my soul and my spirit.
-Stephen

Blog 2. An excellent film

Last night I was lucky enough to watch Black Swan. A work of art! Intelligent wonderfully acted superbly directed and viually stunning. Coming from the classical world of music I was struck by how true and well the swan lake was used. Unlike the recent film of the Nutcracke. Which was unbarable. The other move so for this year that uses classical music so convincingly is The Kings Speach. This has works by Mozart Beethoven and Brahms. As well as excellent score by Alexandre Desplat. however my favorite score this year so far is Hans Zimmer's Inception. It is a remarkably vibrant and musical feast.
So as for work I completed a commercial for The infinity car company. A very beautifully shot piece. And in NY they are half way through mixing a film I wrote songs fore and arranged and produced the actors who sang in the movie. Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Katherine Keener and I collaborated on an arrangement of Robbie Robinson's The Weight. And for 2 non singers they have done a remarkable job. I love them both. I have also taken on another movie project which I plan to talk more about in the new year. Lastly, I've decided to talk on every post just a little bit about my illness. Not a lot and mostly funny stuff that I've been told happened. Given the weather over the last few days this first story is fitting. I guess at some point in either January or February the weather lin califorina was similar to the last few and all I can remember is telling my wife not to Drive our vintage Aston Martin to the hospital from Hancock Park. Because it might get washed away. Instead she must take our truck. Funny thing is I've never owned an Astin Martin. I was very confused. Tonight I plan to watch inception again. More to follow tomorrow. Goodnight and Godbless. And remember who ever you are curling up with tonight be sweet and generous to one another. Life is to short and way to precious.