Oct-07-1996
Warner Brothers Records
Mark Snow – Cybertalk Transcript 10/07/96.
Marksnow96: We’re here with Mark Snow…
OnlineHost: An eerie, yet intriguing, melody glides over a
: shimmering, sinister rhythmic pattern. A familiar
: sense of anticipation and delightful dread settles
: in, as one of the most evocative musical themes in
: television history announces another episode of
: The X-Files; the latest triumph in the eclectic
: career of Mark Snow.
Marksnow96: Tosend your questions in for Mark Snow, click on the interact
icon and send it in!!
Marksnow96: We are ready to begin!
From Mtowns102:
Question: Mark, What equiptment do you use in the X-File theme, and how many
tracks did you use in
Question: recording it. Were you the only musician or where there others
recording the score?
Marksnow96: My main instrument is the synclavier, a bunch of MIDI gear and my
wife whistled it and
Marksnow96: I doubled that with PRODEUS 2 (Whistling Joe).
From Eve23:
Question: Where do you get your ideas for the music on the X-Files?
Marksnow96: Just from years of listening and studying music and being heavily
Marksnow96: influenced from my favorite composers. Such as: Stravinsky,
Bartok, Ravel and John Adams
Marksnow96: And Brian Eno.
From DJL509:
Question: Are you finding it difficult to score two shows this fall instead
of just one?
Marksnow96: No – my schedules are working out really well and there’s less
music in MILLENIUM than
Marksnow96: in X-Files.
From SfStegall:
Question: Mark: Have you written any lullabies for your grandchild yet?
Marksnow96: No, but that’s a good idea. I don’t want to scare the poor
child!
From rob220:
Question: Will the XFiles ever be filmed in Portland Oregon?
Marksnow96: No it won’t, it is only filmed in Vancouver.
From BECROJAS:
Question: Is that u on the hidden tracks on the x files cd
Marksnow96: No, it’s Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
Marksnow96: I’m not sure who is on the other hidden track.
From RBWoodb:
Question: where did you get your musical training?
Marksnow96: The Juilliard School Of Music in New York City.
From WuChou1:
Question: I regret to say that I was on a ferry to Nantucket last Friday at
nine and missed the
Question: premire. Could you tell me what happened with the alien? Most
appreciated.
Marksnow96: The alien got in all sorts of hijinx. He was buried alive in
sawdust, stung by thousands
Marksnow96: of killer bees, injected with killer alien juice and finally at
the end of the show,
Marksnow96: saves Mulder’s mother.
From IIIFaDell:
Question: What other music have you made? Are you involved in the making of
the show?
Marksnow96: I’m doing the Millenium show. I’ve done many tv movies and
min-series, including
Marksnow96: “The Last Confederate Widow Tells All” and “Children Of The
Dust.”
Marksnow96: I also did a series called “Nowhere Man” which was cancelled.
Marksnow96: I have nothing to do with the making of show.
From LingnH:
Question: Do you know what happens later in the season? Please tell!
Marksnow96: The next bunch of shows don’t have anything to do with the
Marksnow96: global conspiracy theories.. and I am sworn to secrecy about what
happens next.
Marksnow96: I hope you understand!
From FoxxMulde:
Question: What is your favorite cut on your new CD and why?
Marksnow96: Ahha… I don’t have any one favorite, but the ones I like the
most are:
Marksnow96: “One Breath” “Humbug” “Conduit” and “Soft Light”
From SLP Hawk9:
Question: Has your versio of Starsky & Hutch been released? I found it only
on a BBC import in
Question: 1980 (“BBC Detective Themes” recorded by “Laurie Holloway”, but
that record got destroyed in a
Question: move. Thanks!
Marksnow96: No.
Marksnow96: That was a long time ago. There is no version of that out that I
know of.
From MR SPOOKY:
Question: Hiya Mark! This is Mr Sp00ky! 🙂 I was wondering how it feels to
work with such talented
Question: producers Chris Carter and Paul Rabwin (and all the others) and
how it feels to work with an
Question: award winning Drama Series? Thanks!
Marksnow96: When they all like what I do, it’s great! When they don’t, it
sucks.
Marksnow96: But mostly they do! It’s a great group of people, and we all get
along.
From IIIFaDell:
Question: Your wife whistled it? It sounds synthetic, did you improve it
somehow?
Marksnow96: It’s the machine and my wife’s whistling sample combined.
From Gingerbab:
Question: I wa rather disappointed to see the X-files open their season with
the same theme song and
Question: opening sequences. Any plans to change either soon??
Marksnow96: No! We are not going to argue with success.
From TwnklToes:
Question: I was wondering how you chose victims for yor show. I’ve always
wanted to be on your show.
Marksnow96: We interview people and see who the most vulnerable are. The
ones who get
Marksnow96: scared the most, we keep them!
From Gambit161:
Question: How do you come up with the songs on the show?
Marksnow96: Well. it’s like, I’m an accompanment to the show.
Marksnow96: I loook at the action and the drama and that gives me the ideas.
From KReedstro:
Question: Can you think of some shows that have failed because of poor music?
Marksnow96: No – but I can think of great music that has failed because of
poor shows.
From Sam67:
Question: are you worried that the synclavier, which is your main axe, won’t
be supported much
Question: longer?
Marksnow96: good question…
Marksnow96: But, even though the company has gone down, a fellow in New
Hampshire
Marksnow96: has inherited all of the blueprints and all of the spare parts.
Marksnow96: There is still very good support in L.A.
Marksnow96: The synclavier is still (for me) the quickest and most
Marksnow96: elegant of all.
From Scooby134:
Question: How long does it take you to write the score for a whole show?
Marksnow96: It takes anywhere from 3-5 days.
From Bondo9401:
Question: With the two shows being so close in their dark tone, is it a
challange to keep the music
Question: different and original for both?
Marksnow96: It was at the bginning, but in the opening episode of Millenium,
I established a different
Marksnow96: sound that that of X-Files. I’ll be able to stick with that
sound on Millenium, which
Marksnow96: I hope you will find different from X-Files.
From JJRobb:
Question: hi love your show. will we ever find out the truth about mulder’s
sister?
Marksnow96: There will be clues about Mulder’s sister throughout this year…
with a SHOCKING
Marksnow96: conclusion.
From QL Tiersk:
Question: Which of the X-Files episodes contains your favorite score?
Marksnow96: There are a few. “Colony/End Game” “Humbug” “Grotesque” “Jose
Chung”
Marksnow96: and “Ice”
From Tanis8002:
Question: Mark, what is your favorite episode?
Marksnow96: “Jose Chung”
From Bailey917:
Question: Does anything ever happen between Mulder and Scully?
Marksnow96: Nothing has happened, or will ever happen between Mulder and
Scully.
From CBrown511:
Question: Are you yourself interested in the supernatural??
Marksnow96: Yes I am! I saw a UFO once.
Marksnow96: At least I think that is what it was.
Marksnow96: On the New York stat freeway near Albany, I was driving and
looked up and saw
Marksnow96: a large round craft with lights.
From TNaszcyni:
Question: When will your new CD be out?
Marksnow96: The new cd called “The Truth and the Light” is out on October
8th. Tomorrow!
From LBock9814:
Question: You say it is only filmed in Vancouver. Why does it give viewers
specific locations such
Question: as Washington D.C.?
Marksnow96: The great thing about Vancouver is that it has many different
looks.
Marksnow96: Urban, mountains, lakes, rural countryside, desert, and so on.
Marksnow96: I’m just fine, thank you!
From Larencel:
Question: Mark, are you planning to release any of the music from “Nowhere
Man” or “Millenium” on CD?
Marksnow96: There’s ionterest for themusic from “Nowhere Man” from a label in
San Francisco.
Marksnow96: And Interscope records wants to do the Millenium soundtrack.
From Wu Chou 1:
Question: Have you ever been filmed in an episode?
Marksnow96: No, not yet, but I’d love to be one of the serial killers.
Question: What are you going to be for Halloween?
Marksnow96: I’m going to dress up as FoxxMulder and go to Paris and ride the
subways and
Marksnow96: see if anyone recognizes me.
Marksnow96: If that doesn’t work, I am going to dress up as Eugene Tooms and
sneak into people’s
Marksnow96: houses and give them very bad spankings!
Marksnow96: Question: Are there monsters under your bed?
Marksnow96: The only monster I know, are the ones lurking in my brain.
From MoeWarner:
Question: Mark…what other ambient artists do you listen to?
Marksnow96: Brian Eno, Deep Forest, Philip Glass, Bob Dole
From Litl Hmbr:
Question: DId you enter Juilliard as a piano student?
Marksnow96: No, as an oboe student.
Question: Mark, do you like pastrami or corned beef on your reuben sandwich?
Marksnow96: good question!
Marksnow96: I love pastrami plain, but on a reuben sandwich, corned beef.
Marksnow96: But my favorite deli sandwich of all is: briskett with Russian
dressing and coleslaw
Marksnow96: on rye.
From StarTravr:
Question: What are your favorite present electronic composers? If there are
any.
Marksnow96: Spectrum
Marksnow96: they are my current favorite…
From Starbuck2:
Question: How much influence, if any, does Chris Carter have on the music
that you write for the
Question: show?
Marksnow96: At the beginning, he was very specific with what he wanted. He
hated melody and loved
Marksnow96: ambient atmospheric sound, but I knew I couldn’t do that for
every show. So, now
Marksnow96: the shows are a combination of ambient music and actual music.
From Sigenpob:
Question: why can’t i find your cd anywhere?
Marksnow96: You will tomorrow!
Marksnow96: It’s called “The Truth And The LIght” from Warner Bros. Records
and it comes out tomorrow.
From XPiperBlu:
Question: Mr. Snow- do you ever want to actually be in an X-Files episode?
perhaps, as one fan
Question: suggested, whistling the theme to the show?
Marksnow96: I think that’s a great idea..
Marksnow96: I’d love to be in a scene at night with Mulder and Scully talking
t o each
Marksnow96: other in the street, and I’m this guy with dark glasses and a tin
cup, whistling the
Marksnow96: theme song.
From Krazkin:
Question: Mark, are you ever overwhelmed success of the X-Files and
furthermore by the fame you’ve
Question: achieved through your contribution.
Marksnow96: Completely surprised by it and actually very happy about it. I
never thought it would be
Marksnow96: this successful.
From Gzjena:
Question: Have you ever considered working on a music and/or interactive
CD-ROM with the producers
Question: of the X-Files?
Marksnow96: The producers of the show don’t have time for anything but the
show, but I’ve been
Marksnow96: contacted by people who do interactive games to do music for
them.
From JK 12005:
Question: HOW OLD ARE YOU
Marksnow96: That’s my secret!
From Go4Itt:
Question: How many CD’s are there for XFiles with your music and what are
there names? Which is
Question: your favorite piece?
Marksnow96: “Songs In The Key Of x” and “The Truth and The Light”, which is
only
Marksnow96: the background music for X-Files. It comes out tomorrow!
Marksnow96: Buy it! You’ll like it! Play it loud!!!
From Carter101:
Question: How do you know so much about the show, if you only write the
music?
Marksnow96: Because I see it before I write the music for it!!!!
From AKins721:
Question: Hello…I am a huge XFiles fan…What do you have planned for this
season…The opening
Question: show was great
Marksnow96: There are some amazingly bizarre shows this season, more
Marksnow96: adventurous than the first three years. Especially, show # 3
entitled “Home.”
From Tanis8002:
Question: Mark, what other TV shows do you watch?
Marksnow96: I love “True Stories of the Highway Patrol”
From Krazkim:
Question: Mark! I have to know this. How come when Moulder stabbed the alien
with the AWL he didn’t
Question: die?? Please!!
Marksnow96: Because, he was a much more pwerful alien than the one portrayed
by Roy Thinnes.
Marksnow96: Mulder’s AWL was purchased by K-Mart.
From Reaper417:
Question: Did you write any sone on the CD Songs in the Key of X?
Marksnow96: No – just the theme.
From Machroon:
Question: Do you get and grupies because of the show??
Marksnow96: Only on the internet, since we don’t tour with the Mark
Snow/X-Files orchestra.
From Silvag721:
Question: What is your favorate instrument?
Marksnow96: Cello, English horn, and the harp.
From Restopan:
Question: Mark, are you pleased with the mixes on the show ?
Marksnow96: I always like to hear the music a little hotter, but mostly they
do a good job.
From Bondo9401:
Question: Tell us about the studio you have in your house to do the music.
Do you use that on
Question: Millenium?
Marksnow96: yes, it’s my garage that I converted into a studio.
Marksnow96: It’s a very neat compact room.
From Sigenpob:
Question: For the X-movie will you compose a complete symphonic score or will
it be more synthesiser
Question: stuff?
Marksnow96: It will be a huge 85 piece orchestra, combined with some of my
cooler electronic sound
From PJMcCanna:
Question: Do you ever get scared of your show?
Marksnow96: There was one scene, where somebody was taking a shower and he
coughed some
Marksnow96: horrible slimy seaslug thing.. I had to watch that scene a lot.
It was pretty gross.
From PFadis107:
Question: How did you learn about the X-files?
Marksnow96: A producer/friend of mine named R.W. Goodwin got me involved in
the show and
Marksnow96: introduced me to Chris Carter.
From Eve23:
Question: Is there a specific process you use to create your music for
X-Files and Millenium? If
Question: so, what is it?
Marksnow96: I always start on the longest hardest piece of music first, and
base the rest of the
Marksnow96: score around that.
From Wu Chou1:
Question: Do you wear a lot of black?
Marksnow96: When I am feeling extra-overweight I do.
From SLMooney:
Question: How does working on the X-Files compare to other shows you’ve
worked on?
Marksnow96: It’s the most fun I’ve ever had! It’s the best show
Marksnow96: on TV. I don’t know if there will ever be anything as cool as
the X-Files.
From Machroon:
Question: Marksnow what are some purks as a result of the show????
Marksnow96: I got a free Paul Simon hair piece and autographed pictures of
David Duchovny
Marksnow96: and Gillian Andersen.
From Sexyman02:
Question: What is Gillian Anderson like off camera?
Marksnow96: She’s incredibly sweet, unpretentious, a really great down to
earth person.
From Sexyman02:
Question: Is there plans for another X-Files CD in the future?
Marksnow96: Well, depending on how this one sells…
Marksnow96: so, everybody buy “The Truth and The LIght” tomorrow!!!!
FromNettie82:
Question: Mark, when did you first start to write music?
Marksnow96: After I saw the first Planet of The Apes movie.
Marksnow96: Jerry Goldsmith’s score really inspired me.
Marksnow96: Last question here…. time to go!
From Ophelia41:
Question: Hi Mark! What’s your favorite key or chord?
Marksnow96: Hi Ophelia! Thanks for showing up!
Marksnow96: I do love F minor and D minor.
Marksnow96: That’s the real “Key of X-Files.”
Marksnow96: Thank you all for showing up!
Marksnow96: I love you all. They were great questions.
Marksnow96: Hope to see you in some of the X-files chat rooms soon.
Marksnow96: THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE!!!
Marksnow96: Good night everyne!!
OnlineHost: Copyright (C) 1996 Warner Bros. Records.
: CYBER-TALK (TM) is produced in-house by
: a Warner Bros. Records staff.
Tags: ftf, mark snow, millennium, x-files