Michael Kamen

Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer, arranger, conductor, songwriter, and musician. He began his work as a pop and rock music arranger, notably for Pink Floyd, and was a member of the New York Rock & Roll Ensemble and the Roger Waters Band. Starting in the mid-1980s, he achieved further prominence as a composer of film scores.

Kamen's best known scores include the Die Hard and Lethal Weapon franchises, the Terry Gilliam films Brazil (1985) and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Highlander (1986), Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991), Don Juan DeMarco (1994), What Dreams May Come (1998), The Iron Giant (1999), X-Men (2000), and the television series Edge of Darkness, Tales from the Crypt, and Band of Brothers.

During his career, Kamen won four Grammy Awards, out of nine total nominations, and a BAFTA TV Award, and was nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Original Song, four Golden Globe Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Early life Michael Arnold Kamen was born in New York City, the second of four sons. His father, Saul Kamen, was a dentist and his mother, Helen, was a teacher. He was of Jewish heritage.

While attending the High School of Music & Art near Harlem in Manhattan, New York. Kamen became friends with Martin Fulterman (later known as Mark Snow), who later composed the theme music for The X-Files, among other projects. While studying oboe, Kamen formed a rock-classical fusion band called New York Rock & Roll Ensemble, (he is one of the few people invited to work with both former Pink Floyd members, even after their acrimonious split), as well as Queen (orchestration on "Who Wants to Live Forever"), Roger Daltrey, Aerosmith (live orchestral version of "Dream On" for MTV), Kiss, Tom Petty, Bon Jovi, David Bowie, Bryan Ferry, Eurythmics, Queensrÿche, Rush, Metallica (on the song "Nothing Else Matters" and their live album S&M), Def Leppard, Herbie Hancock, Tim Curry, the Cranberries, Bryan Adams, Jim Croce, Coldplay, Sting, Guns N' Roses (on their performance of "November Rain" on the MTV Video Music Awards) and Kate Bush. For Bush, Kamen delivered an orchestral backing for "Moments of Pleasure" from The Red Shoes album, substantially building upon a simple piano theme Bush had composed. In this instance and many others, he conducted the orchestra personally for the recording. In 1984, two years after moving to London, Kamen had similarly heightened the effect of a pop recording for the Eurythmics "Here Comes the Rain Again", the score relied as much on his compositional skills as his arranging talents.

In 1990, Kamen joined many other guests for Roger Waters' performance of The Wall in Berlin, and led the National Philharmonic Orchestra during the 24 Nights sessions with Eric Clapton in 1991. Lenny Kravitz recorded a cover of "Fields of Joy", a song co-written by Kamen and Hal Fredricks, on his 1991 CD Mama Said. In 2002, Kamen took part in the Concert for George as strings conductor.

Kamen had a successful partnership with Bryan Adams and "Mutt" Lange composing scores and songs. The ballad "(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" for the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves was the number one song that year worldwide. Their other songs were "All for Love" for the film The Three Musketeers in 1993, "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman?" for the film Don Juan DeMarco in 1994, and "Star" for the film Jack in 1996.

Kamen was nominated for two Academy Awards and won three Grammy Awards, two Golden Globes, two Ivor Novello Awards, an Annie Award, and an Emmy.

Later years Kamen's involvement with Mr. Holland's Opus, a film about a frustrated composer who finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher, led him to create The Mr. Holland's Opus Foundation in 1996. The foundation supports music education through the donation of new and refurbished musical instruments to underserved school and community music programs and individual students in the United States. In 2005 the foundation created an emergency fund for schools, and students affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In 1998, Kamen composed and conducted the soundtrack for What Dreams May Come. Produced by James Seymour Brett, the score was initially set to be composed by Ennio Morricone. The Italian composer had initially completed and recorded a full score for the film but, after editorial changes were made, his score was rejected and Kamen was hired in his place. Short on time, Kamen took the song "Beside You" from his New York Rock Ensemble's album Roll Over and adapted it as the movie's main musical theme.

In April 1999, Kamen worked with the heavy metal band Metallica, along with the San Francisco Symphony, to record a two-day concert that was held at the Berkeley Community Theatre in Berkeley, California. The concert performance, titled S&M, which is an acronym for "Symphony and Metallica", referencing the collaboration of the two artists, was released on November 23, 1999, on CD, DVD, and VHS formats, debuting at #2 on the Billboard 200 and reaching multi-platinum status by 2001. Later that year, Kamen and Metallica won a Grammy Award For Best Rock Instrumental Performance for the S&M track "The Call Of Ktulu".

In 2001 and 2002, Kamen performed with David Gilmour at Gilmour's semi-unplugged shows at the Royal Festival Hall, playing piano and cor anglais. The 2001 concert and highlights from 2002 were released on DVD as David Gilmour in Concert. In 2002, Kamen, along with Julian Lloyd Webber, Evelyn Glennie and James Galway, launched the Music Education Consortium in the UK. The consortium's efforts led to the injection of £332 million for music education in the UK. He was also commissioned to write a piece for the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Kamen's last recorded work appeared on Bryan Adams's album Room Service, on which he played the oboe and wrote the orchestration to "I Was Only Dreamin'". Kamen had also completed the charts for accompaniment to two songs on Kate Bush's album Aerial, which was released in April 2005.

Personal life Health Kamen was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997.

Death He died in London from a heart attack on November 18, 2003, at age 55.

Legacy

In 2004, when Annie Lennox accepted the Academy Award for Best Original Song (for "Into the West" from The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King), she dedicated her achievement to the memory of Kamen.

The 2004 films Boo, Zino & the Snurks (also known as Back to Gaya) and First Daughter, which Kamen was working on at the time of his death, were dedicated to his memory. David Gilmour's 2006 album On an Island was dedicated to the memory of Kamen and longtime Pink Floyd manager Steve O'Rourke.

Film scores Year Title Director Studio(s) Notes 1976 The Next Man Richard C. Sarafian Allied Artists Pictures Corporation 1977 Stunts Mark L. Lester New Line Cinema 1980 S*H*E Robert Michael Lewis A.E.C. Filmproduktions 1981 Venom Piers Haggard Paramount Pictures 1982 Pink Floyd – The Wall Alan ParkerGerald Scarfe Goldcrest Film InternationalMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Collaboration with Pink Floyd and Bob Ezrin 1983 The Dead Zone David Cronenberg Lorimar Film EntertainmentParamount Pictures (US/Canada) De Laurentiis Entertainment Group (International) Soundtrack released by Milan Records; performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra and recorded at EMI Studio, London1985 Brazil Terry Gilliam Embassy PicturesColumbia Pictures Performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra;soundtrack released by Milan Records Lifeforce Tobe Hooper Cannon FilmsTriStar Pictures Additional music only; majority of score by Henry Mancini; expanded score released by BSX Records Edge of Darkness Martin Campbell BBC TV miniseries;composed with Eric Clapton;won a BAFTA Award for Best Original Television Score1986 Highlander Russell Mulcahy Cannon Films20th Century Fox (US)Thorn EMI Screen Entertainment (International) Performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra;most of the film's songs are featured on the Queen album A Kind of Magic; no official soundtrack was released, but bootleg releases of the score exist, and some cues are included in the Highlander: The Scores compilation Mona Lisa Neil Jordan HandMade FilmsIsland Pictures Soundtrack released by Columbia Music Amazing Stories Martin Scorsese Amblin EntertainmentUniversal Television TV series;Episode "Mirror, Mirror" only1987 Lethal Weapon Richard Donner Silver PicturesWarner Bros. Composed with Clapton and David Sanborn;soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records Rita, Sue and Bob Too Alan Clarke Channel 4 Soundtrack released by Ariola Records Adventures in Babysitting Chris Columbus Touchstone PicturesSilver Screen Patterns III Suspect Peter Yates TriStar Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Someone to Watch Over Me Ridley Scott Columbia Pictures 1988 Die Hard John McTiernan Silver PicturesGordon Company20th Century Fox Performed by the Hollywood Studio Symphony;soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande in 2002. The Raggedy Rawney Bob Hoskins HandMade FilmsVirgin Films Soundtrack released by Silva Screen The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Terry Gilliam Allied FilmmakersColumbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records Crusoe Caleb Deschanel Island Pictures Limited Edition Soundtrack released by Quartet Records in 2013 (1000 copies)1989 Renegades Jack Sholder Morgan Creek ProductionsInterscope CommunicationsUniversal Pictures Soundtrack released by Intrada Records Licence to Kill John Glen Eon ProductionsMetro-Goldwyn-MayerUnited Artists Performed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra;soundtrack released by MCA Records Road House Rowdy Herrington Silver PicturesUnited Artists Soundtrack released by Intrada Records Lethal Weapon 2 Richard Donner Silver PicturesWarner Bros. Composed with Clapton and Sanborn;soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records1990 Cold Dog Soup Alan Metter HandMade FilmsAnchor Bay Entertainment Die Hard 2 Renny Harlin Silver PicturesGordon Company20th Century Fox Performed by the Los Angeles Motion Picture All-Stars Orchestra;soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande The Krays Peter Medak Parkfield EntertainmentRank Film Distributors Soundtrack released by Parkfield Music1991 Nothing but Trouble Dan Aykroyd Warner Bros. Hudson Hawk Michael Lehmann Silver PicturesTriStar Pictures Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Kevin Reynolds Morgan Creek ProductionsWarner Bros. The score was orchestrated by a record-breaking total of 13 people;soundtrack released by Polydor Records;nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score;the song "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" was also nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Company Business Nicholas Meyer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Soundtrack released by Intrada Records Let Him Have It Peter Medak British Screen Productions Soundtrack released by Virgin Records The Last Boy Scout Tony Scott Geffen PicturesSilver PicturesWarner Bros. Soundtrack released by La-La Land Records1992 Two-Fisted Tales Richard DonnerTom HollandRobert Zemeckis Carolco Pictures Television film;Segment "Showdown" Tales from the Crypt various Home Box Office TV series;4 episodes Shining Through David Seltzer 20th Century Fox Soundtrack released by RCA Records Lethal Weapon 3 Richard Donner Silver PicturesWarner Bros. Composed with Clapton and Sanborn;Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records Blue Ice Russell Mulcahy M&M Productions 1993 Splitting Heirs Robert Young Universal Pictures (US/Canada) United International Pictures (International) Last Action Hero John McTiernan Columbia Pictures Soundtrack released by Columbia Music Wilder Napalm Glenn Gordon Caron TriStar Pictures The Three Musketeers Stephen Herek Walt Disney PicturesCaravan Pictures Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records 1994 Don Juan DeMarco Jeremy Leven New Line Cinema Performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra;soundtrack released by A&M Records;nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Original Score;The song "Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman ?" was also nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe1995 Circle of Friends Pat O'Connor Savoy PicturesCineplex Odeon FilmsThe Rank Organisation Soundtrack released by Warner Bros. Records Die Hard with a Vengeance John McTiernan Cinergi Pictures20th Century Fox (US/Japan) Touchstone Pictures (International) Soundtrack released by RCA Victor The First 100 Years: A Celebration of American Movies Chuck Workman American Film Institute (AFI)Silver PicturesHome Box Office Stonewall Nigel Finch Strand Releasing Mr. Holland's Opus Stephen Herek PolyGram Filmed EntertainmentInterscope CommunicationsHollywood Pictures (US/Canada) Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (International) Performed by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the London Metropolitan Orchestra;soundtrack released by Decca Records1996 Jack Francis Ford Coppola Hollywood PicturesAmerican Zoetrope Great Oaks Entertainment Soundtrack released by Hollywood Records 101 Dalmatians Stephen Herek Walt Disney PicturesGreat Oaks Productions Soundtrack released by Walt Disney Records1997 Inventing the Abbotts Pat O'Connor Fox 2000 PicturesImagine Entertainment20th Century Fox The Heart Surgeon Audrey Cooke BBC TV movie Remember Me? Nick Hurran Talisman ProductionsChannel Four Films Event Horizon Paul W. S. Anderson Golar ProductionsImpact PicturesParamount Pictures Collaboration with Orbital; performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra;soundtrack released by London Records The Winter Guest Alan Rickman Capitol FilmsFine Line Features Soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande1998 The Avengers Jeremiah S. Chechik Warner Bros. Rejected score due to last-minute re-editing; replaced by Joel McNeely From the Earth to the Moon various Home Box Office TV series;3 episodes;nominated for an Emmy Award Lethal Weapon 4 Richard Donner Silver PicturesWarner Bros. Composed with Clapton and Sanborn;soundtrack released by La-Land Records What Dreams May Come Vincent Ward Interscope CommunicationsPolyGram Filmed Entertainment (through Universal Pictures) Performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra;soundtrack released by Decca Records 1999 The Iron Giant Brad Bird Warner Bros. Feature AnimationWarner Bros. His first score for an animated film;performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra;soundtrack released by Varèse Sarabande2000 Frequency Gregory Hoblit New Line Cinema X-Men Bryan Singer Marvel Entertainment Group20th Century Fox Soundtrack released by Decca Records 2001 Band of Brothers various Home Box Office TV miniseries;soundtrack released by Sony Classical 2003 Open Range Kevin Costner Beacon PicturesTouchstone Pictures Performed by the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra;soundtrack released by Hollywood Records2004 Against the Ropes Charles S. Dutton Paramount Pictures Posthumous release Back to Gaya Leonard Fritz KrawinkelHolger Tappe Ambient Entertainment Warner Bros. (Germany)Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom)First Look International (United States) Posthumous release;his second and final score for an animated film First Daughter Forest Whitaker Regency EnterprisesNew RegencyDavis Entertainment20th Century Fox Posthumous release, Blake Neely completed the remaining score

Concert works Concerto for Saxophone (1990) The Wall – Live in Berlin (1990) 24 Nights (1991) Live in Hyde Park (1997) Guitar Concerto (with Tomoyasu Hotei) (1998) S&M (1999) with Metallica The New Moon in the Old Moon's Arms (2001) Quintet (Canadian Brass) (2002)