CHIPS by Alan Silvestri WAS Released

[Disco Funk]

No, I'm not losing my mind or confusing the Corniche version. It turns out that someone found the original master tapes for incidental music for the show, including the title themes from two different Seasons, and released them on two CDs! Film Score Monthly put out two Volumes on CD featuring incidental music from the show. You can hear audio samples on their website, and they're definitely in stereo. Some tracks have times of more than 5 minutes! Too bad the title themes are really short, only under 2 min. I guess Silvestri never planned on releasing the track as a single, so there wasn't a longer version made.

Here are links to the website of the people who made the CDs. Some audio samples are available so you can hear them for yourself.

Volume 1

Volume 2

Disco Funk

[ashley_k]

I did grab a copy of the 1st volume of CHIPs when it came out, sound quality and packaging is up to the usual excellent FSM standards, have to say that Film Score Monthly do a great job at reissuing stuff.

I did find listening to a whole CD of CHIPs music a bit repetitive, with the same rather fast tempo and style of theme repeated rather too often (I can't remember how much time they spent chasing people in the show now, but it must have been a lot!), but a repeating theme is kind of what you get with a OST/TV music CDs anyway, the music could have done with a little bit more funk and a bit less cheese, but if you like the sounds clips and love fast late 70's cheesy stringy disco TV music - you will love this.

I haven't got around to getting Vol 2 yet, but going by the sound clips it sounds like it's bit more interesting than Vol 1 with some vocal tracks, and maybe a tiny bit more funk.

Film Score Monthly also put out an excellent 3 CD "Shaft Anthology" which is great, with the original Shaft score rather than the re-recorded Stax one, plus lots more. FSM: Shaft Anthology: His Big Score and More!

They also released the music from the "Knight Rider" TV show which is very good, although this CD is now out of print, but if you can find it at a reasonable price it's worth buying. I love the "Knight Rider" theme tune and even if I do say so myself I did a re-edit of the theme tune making it 3.30 mins and it sounds awesome, I still end up playing it twice.
FSM: Knight Rider

"The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" is also a fantastic - an essential 70's soundtrack.
FSM: Taking of Pelham One Two Three
If you're a real fan of this soundtrack look out for the original first promo CD issue (FSM DS 123) which has different cover artwork, plus a slightly different edit of the music, and without the extra reverb that was added on the commercial issue CD.

Well that's enough film score stuff for now.

ashley_k

[Disco Funk]

Yes, I find the music a little repetitive. I guess they wanted CHiPs to appeal to a more younger crowd, hence all the disco incidental music (with the same drum hi-hat pattern), as opposed to the other cop shows of that era that featured mainly funk and jazz funk scores. I hope this Film Monthly puts out other TV scores or blaxploitation movie scores with longer versions. My beef with those LPs of movies like Gordon's War and Willie Dynamite were that they didn't include all the music featured in the movie, or they featured very shortened versions.

With CHiPs, I'm just glad to have the title theme in stereo. Maybe I could make an edit, like a CHiPs suite using pieces from the various tracks, a la Costandinos or Midney. :)

Disco Funk

[KBallenger53]

You know, I don't know if anyone has ever noticed this, but doesn't the second part after the Bridge in El Coco's: Cocomotion, sound a lot like The Disco Version of Chips???

For some reason it always reminded me of it!!! Way to go Ponch and John!!!:icon_cool:

'NUFF SAID

P.S. Isn't Silvestri the guy that made: Spring Rain?

[SandraDee]

P.S. Isn't Silvestri the guy that made: Spring Rain?

No that's Silvetti.

[KBallenger53]

No that's Silvetti.

At least I was close!!!:icon_lol::icon_lol::icon_lol: Thanks Sandy!!!

'NUFF SAID

[SandraDee]

Close but no cigar!

[Disco Funk]

You know, I don't know if anyone has ever noticed this, but doesn't the second part after the Bridge in El Coco's: Cocomotion, sound a lot like The Disco Version of Chips???

For some reason it always reminded me of it!!! Way to go Ponch and John!!!:icon_cool:

'NUFF SAID

P.S. Isn't Silvestri the guy that made: Spring Rain?

Yeah, I agree some parts of Cocomotion sound like they could have been lifted off the CHiPs soundtrack. It's at least a lot more interesting to listen to than a lot of the tunes on the CDs. I find them alright. My biggest beef is the reverb. It sounds like they recorded all the musicians with two microphones, in a school gymnasium, like a lot of the cuts on the Rocky soundtrack. Disco Funk

[Disco Funk]

I recently got my hands on S2 of Chips, and man I'm lovin it! I hadn't really sat down and watched an episode probably since the 80s when I was much younger. I think the show is really good. I love the disco music pumping during a perilous situation on the highway, it just makes it more campy, but in a good way. Previous crime dramas (I don't know if CHiPs falls under that category) tended to use slower bpm funk music for mood, and maybe disco music for a dance club scene. But this show uses disco everywhere, and so I can appreciate the CD release even more.

I also should have read the liner notes. The reason why the music itself was recorded so poorly isn't the fault of Silvestri. It was the facilities he was forced to work with. He only had three track masters, and he recorded in a room that was designed more for orchestral music. I will have to re-read it, but essentially he had to quickly record the music and get out of there. There wasn't much time to mic the drums properly or get the levels right. Besides, the music was only intended for a mono TV audio track, not for release on vinyl.

Below is a clip from S2. The person who uploaded it sync'd up the music from the CD to the video. I'm sure you guys will recognize the location. I like the shots of Officer John watching, like he's a little more intrigued with his partner, Ponch. :) These guys were really talented, not only did they ride the motorcycles for real on the show, they did their own dancing!



Disco Funk

[SandraDee]

Love that clip of the guys in the disco, but wouldn't it be fab if they were in their motorcycle cop uniforms? Or is that just me?

[Disco Funk]

Maybe they were worried about the Village People connotation? :)

After the dance, they sit down, and guess what happens, some woman gives birth on the dance floor. What a way to ruin a perfect evening. :)

Disco Funk

[remicks]

Disco Funk:

After the dance, they sit down, and guess what happens, some woman gives birth on the dance floor. What a way to ruin a perfect evening. :)

the dj could easily have saved the night by immediately going into this :



tongue out


******

[Disco Funk]

LOL, yep. Or Diana Ross' 'I'm Comin Out', but I think this episode was shot before those songs hit the charts.

Disco Funk

[Disco Funk]

I didn't think I could top the Ponch's Disco scene, but then I saw this little gem in a Season 2 episode. :) The CD has many of the musical cues from this episode, but for some reason, they didn't include this little Square Dance country disco track. Oh yeah, and see if you can spot a young Markie Post.



I should also mention that the liner notes said Silvestri was working at Casablanca Records when he got the gig. Someone else there was supposed to get it, but they weren't available, so Silvestri got it. Perhaps that Casablanca connection is how they got to use the TGIF set for the disco scene.

Disco Funk

[SandraDee]

Maybe they were worried about the Village People connotation? :)

That's true, i never thought about that.

[ashley_k]

If anyone is interested another volume of the music from CHiPs has been issued on CD.

CHiPs Vol. 3: Season Four, 1980-81 (1980-1981)

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_...-FOUR-1980-81/

Vol 1 was probably enough for me, although a couple of the sound clips from vol 3 sound rather funky, if in a slightly cheesy kind of way.