Music

Drive live

by Lorraine Carpenter

The director, writers and stellar cast deserve no end of credit for creating Drive. But the soundtrack was key to crafting the film’s mood. Such a deliberate and nuanced piece of work needs its musical counterpart, and in several instances, the songs complete the picture.
Longtime composer (and early Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer) Cliff Martinez wrote the original score, and there are songs by a number of contemporary ’80s revivalists.


Anoraak’s Frédéric Rivière

The director, the writers and the stellar cast deserve no end of credit for creating Drive. But the soundtrack was key to crafting the film’s mood. Such a deliberate and nuanced piece of work needs its musical counterpart, and in several instances, the songs complete the picture.
Longtime composer (and early Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer) Cliff Martinez wrote the original score, and there are songs by a number of contemporary ’80s revivalists. Among them are France’s College (aka David Grellier), who provided the film’s key song, “A Real Hero,” featuring Toronto duo Electric Youth. The two acts are now on tour alongside France’s Anoraak, who’ve worked closely with College in the past.
The Drive Tour pulls into town today. After last night’s show in Toronto, Anoraak’s Frédéric Rivière responded to my email, in the witching hour.

Lorraine Carpenter: Music aside, what is it about Drive that resonates most with you?
Frédéric Rivière: The whole thing is touching me: the pictures, the story etc. And I’m living at night a lot — I’m always curious about the things that happen at night.

LC: Why do you think that that moody ’80s synth sound has become so popular recently? Is it just nostalgia, or is there something else going on.
FR: I would say that what we generally call ’80s music is just a style of music with a romantic and sincere feeling, which can be reassuring nowadays. My other guess is that many of the biggest and most creative artists now were born in the early ’80s, which could explain why they get touched by this kind of sound, and have helped to make it popular.

LC: What’s your favourite movie soundtrack?
FR: It’s too hard to pick just one. Let’s say Risky Business.■

The Drive Tour comes to Théâtre Corona (2490 Notre Dame) tonight, Wednesday, July 25, 8 p.m., $26.90, all ages

Posted in Music

by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.

Leave a Reply