Randy Edelman: “After the Pandemic Anthem: Comin’ Out the Other Side”

Like a musical Chameleon, Randy Edelman composes and records songs lighting up the world like fireworks plunging into the night sky and shattering the darkness. The grand composer of modern and future times has just released his highly anticipated anthemic song of hope and inspiration titled “Comin’ Out the Other Side.” The single is now available worldwide via Soho Records. The song promotes an epidemic of joy and happiness as a grand finale to a time best forgotten….

Music royalty with a career challenging the longevity that rivals the Queen of England, composer, conductor, singer and celebrated piano phenomena Randy Edelman has long been given tribute as one of the most profound and recognizable film, television, and sports soundtrack architect on the planet. A hybrid fusion of Mozart and Bruce Springsteen, there seems to be a certain bedazzlement or wizardry connected to him and his music that leaves a trail of glitter behind never to be forgotten.

Raised in Teaneck New Jersey, Randy was born with the ability to hear music and transcribe it onto the piano. After a brief quarrel with fate where Randy was temporally thrust into the pursuit of pre-med, he moved into full-time piano and composition study at the Cincinnati Music Conservatory where he was then able to follow his unquestionable destiny. He eventually procured an arranging assignment at James Brown’s King Records. In 1970 Randy relocated to New York to work as a staff writer at CBS Records while simultaneously playing piano in Broadway pit orchestras. 

Like a seductive alchemist Randy began to write and record his own albums transforming the world’s anguish into a narrative of truth and granting him a thriving audience in the UK and a television spot on “Top of the Pops.” After enjoying the triumph of the British collective effervescence at the London Palladium and Drury Lane Theatre’s, Randy began to pursue a new interest in LA where he became interested in creating the life, blood and essence of the movies through music, making the plainest faces come alive with promise.

Randy is responsible for creating an endless cascade of many of the world’s most known soundtracks including: Ghostbusters II, 27 Dresses, While You Were Sleeping, The Last of the Mohicans, Kindergarten Cop, Dragonheart, XXX, Twins, My Cousin Vinny, The Mask, Beethoven, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, Anaconda, Mummy 3, Gettysburg, Billy Madison, Leap Year, The Whole Nine Yards, EdTV, Daylight and an endless array of others. Some of the television shows and series he scored include: MacGyver, Mr. Sunshine, Backdraft 2 for Netflix, and Citizen X for HBO. These credits only touch the surface of his accomplishments. He has also created the music for “Dare Mighty Things” for NASA’s final Shuttle launch, “Wimbledon, Grand Slam Tennis Series” for ESPN, “ESPN Sports Century,” and even the NBC “on air” Olympic Theme, of which he has celebrated over 20 years of Olympic themed glory keeping the musical flame alive.

Aside from crafting and orchestrating the scores that gave life to the films, a myriad of artists have covered and recorded Randy’s original songs from his solo albums. Included in that catalog is Barry Manilow’s “Weekend in New England,” The Carpenters’ “I Cant Make Music” and Nelly’s “My Place,” reaching Number 1 on the Billboard Hip Hop charts. Others include Willie Nelson’s“Down in the Everglades,” Patti LaBelle’s “Isn’t it a Shame,” Olivia Newton John’s “If Love is Real,” Blood, Sweat & Tears’ “Blue Street,” Royal Philharmonic’s “Grey,” and a list that continues endlessly. Randy has also opened live in breathtaking arenas for icons such as Frank Zappa and The Carpenters.

Randy has also received some of the most prestigious awards including BMI Top Grossing Film Awards, BMI’s highest honor, the Richard Kirk Award for Outstanding Career Achievement, the Lifetime Achievement Award in Film Scoring and Composition, the Best Accolade from the Los Angeles Film Awards, an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts and an Emmy for the close of the Olympics.

He continues to work on the score for his musical, “Short Cut,” telling of the construction of the Panama Canal. Most recently Sony Masterworks is releasing Randy Edelman’s orchestral score to Ghostbusters II in all formats….

Louder Than War: “Comin’ Out the Other Side” Your new hit single is very different than the songs you have written and composed in the past. I mean it’s not a film score and it’s not a Barry Manilow type cover. In fact it’s a pop song. What was your motivation?

RE: “In the past 18 months I don’t think there has been a soul on earth who hasn’t been forced to look at themselves in the mirror and question who they really are and where their life is going.so one night I woke up and sat down at the and decided that we all need a break and some “fun.” So the theme of to mind organically. It’s a light and happy song that suggests it’s time to get out and party. I didn’t want to do it in a kind of preachy way, but more in a let’s have a good time kind of way.”

You are no stranger to the UK. Will you possibly we revisiting England?

RE: “The thought has crossed my mind. Years ago I had a couple of huge hits in the UK and was privileged to appear on “Top of the Pops.” I’ve also played The London Palladium and other very large venues. I use to find myself in the UK quite often and as a matter of fact I recently had an interview with The BBC in Kent.”

You have written and composed a crazy amount of songs. When di you know in life that composing and writing songs was your destiny?

RE: “I figured that out at a very early age. I had a certain ear for it and I gravitated toward listening to things whether it was on television or radio and then going to the piano and seeing if I could duplicate the sound of it, or the melody. So that’s what kind of led me to this at an early age. I didn’t have any idea Of what I was going to to or what I’m doing now for years and years, but it’s not like I decided to become a composer however it was the only thing that I was good at. If I didn’t do this I don’t know what I would be doing.”

With over a hundred popular movies under your belt you are probably considered one of the best film scorers in the world. However you did have a promising career especially in England. Why did you leave the record scene for film scoring?

RE: “I sort of grew tired of the short lived success of the one or two hit record industry and became interested in writing the music for films, thereby breathing life into them with music.”

Will there by a follow-up album that will go with “Comin’ Out the Other Side?”

RE: “Once again, the thought has crossed by mind….stand by!”

All words by Eileen Shapiro. More of Eileen’s writing can be found in her author’s archive.

Source: louderthanwar.com