Monty Norman

The James Bond Chord: the signature sound of 007 and how to play it

October 24th, 2023 by

We explore the power of a single chord to define a world of suave sophistication, danger, and intrigue – the enigmatic James Bond chord. In music, certain chord structures are synonymous with specific moods, places, or even characters. Few examples exemplify this more remarkably than the so called “James Bond chord,” which immerses listeners in […]

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Monty Norman dies at 94

July 11th, 2022 by

Monty Norman, who is credited as composer of the James Bond Theme, has died. Yesterday Monty Norman’s official website announced that the musician and composer had died after a short illness. Norman’s best known work is, of course, The James Bond Theme, instantly recognisable from just a few notes. He was signed to write the […]

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The James Bond Theme: has it had its day?

November 13th, 2013 by

One thing that disappointed me in Skyfall was the absence of the James Bond theme at the start of the film and I think we can safely say it’s not going to return there any time soon now the precedent has been set. But to me it makes no sense having it at the end of the […]

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50 Years of Bond Music

February 29th, 2012 by

50 years of James Bond

2012 sees the 50th anniversary of the most enduring film franchise in cinema history.  By the golden anniversary of 1962’s Dr No, there will have been 23 James Bond adventures featuring six 007s, countless Bond villains, hundreds of beautiful Bond girls and almost two dozen of the most instantly recognisable theme songs in cinema history. […]

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Dr No soundtrack

November 14th, 2009 by

At 7.35am on 14th January 1962, a tired and eclectic group of British artistes assembled at London Airport for a gruelling twenty-hour flight to Jamaica. Amongst them were film producers Harry Saltzman and Cubby Broccoli, stuntmen, technicians and a talented young Scottish actor named Sean Connery. Also part of the group was a composer who […]

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