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Launch Pad is a comical/light parody of excessive/baombastic Top 10 Countdown formats. Two 'radio DJ' characters narrate and guide us through our solar planetary system. These characters appear as voice alone, and are full of hyperbole in their delivery - while imparting scientific data about each of the planets.
The sound design is not disimilar to the process employed in Escape From Andraxus: various source sounds were recorded then processed and manipulated for dynamic spatialization in playback at the Planetarium.
The music score for Launch Pad involved composing 10 discrete instrumental tracks/themes which reflected a perceivable 'character' for each of thre planes. More often than not, the score works in direct counterpoint to the parodic tone of the 'radio DJ' characters. A range of musical genres was employed as basic frameworks for each section of the narrative. For example, Venus features sexy electronic choir effects while Mars features pounding toms and heavy metal guitar, and so on. The bulk of these tracks have since been reworked to form the live set of The Planets - also available on CD on Sound Punch Records.
The exceptions to this format are the Opening and Closing themes. The Opening Theme is based on a love TV variety/entertainment show - think THE LOVE BOAT, Barry Manilow and the Miss Universe Pageant. The Closing Theme extends this theme but is then laid with mock jazz solo on a piano - as in the way live TV show bands always do solos during the closing credits to let people know they're 'real musos' and not just hacks. The Opening Theme appears on the Decomposition CD on Sound Punch Records.
While Escape From Andraxus featured a complex integration of sound into music and vice-versa, the integration for Launch Pad is less complex and more clearly delineated. This is so that the music is clearly identified as a reference to Video Hits shows. Consequently sound effects and atmospheres are fewer and less present than they are in Escape From Andraxus, thereby create a lighter, more entertaining feel. Nonetheless, Launch Pad uses advanced surround sound digital editing functions which allow for hyper dynamic movement and dispersion within the multi-channel sound field of the Planetarium.
Themes for Launch Pad:
Neptune (minimal teutonic techno)
Venus (lush erotic electronica)
Pluto (symphonic ambient)
Mars (metal rock remix)
Asteroid Belt (chemical big-beat)
Mercury (trippy rock freak-beat)
Uranus (weirdo electric lounge)
Jupiter (electronic muzak)
Earth (cheesy jazz groove)
Saturn (dub+bass melodica)
Complete contents of this page © Philip Brophy