Who do you want for Bond 24's theme song?

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Look at the recent trend of title themes - EON haven't booked an artist prior to the start of shooting for decades. I see no reason why they would break that trend now.

Because it helps to plan in advance? Major acts are booked months in advance.

As big as Adele is (no pun intended), her song was poorly planned, there was no music video because she was preggers.

Again, look at the trend among title themes - none of them were booked up and planned out before shooting began. Not even Madonna, who the producers sought out well in advance and who wanted to include her theme on "American Life".

At this point, I'd say any rumours of Lana del Rey being the title performer are the sort of rumours invented by people who want to come across as knowing more than they actually do.

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

boldfinger wrote:

I feel so disconnected, not knowing the names of Smith and the likes.

So I´ll go with Depeche Mode or Bryan Ferry.

Good choices....if BOND 24 was coming out in 1985, 87, or 89. I'd trade Gladys Knight's song for somethingby Depeche Mode or Bryan Ferry, but unfortunately for all involved, they're all way past their sell-date.

I´m considering checking on that. Ferry is coming to town in a few months, and I´m considering going.

Anyhow, who needs all those kids. A little more adulthood would do no harm.

Age is no guarantee of experience, just as youth is no guarantee of innovation. So I don't think taking an older performer for the sake of having an older performer is a wise idea, and I think you could find better criteria by which to judge the quality of a performer.

As Gravy observed, it seems unlikely that Adele will return; Skyfall was so artistically and commercially successful that any immediate follow-up will look like a failure, whatever its intrinsic merits. Mind you, that's the problem faced by the entire production, so Eon will do its best to get her back.

Lana Del Rey in more reflective low-voice mode is an obvious choice except that she's done a fair number of film soundtracks recently and her current Ultravolence sound isn't right for Bond. She's capable of a good track, but the timing's wrong for her right now.  Difficult to see who that leaves. It's got to be someone contemporary and successful, which rules out a lot of the names in this thread.

Personally, I'd like to see CeeLo Green. Although fat blackmen aren't high on MGM's list of desirable demographics he has a fantastic voice and his work with Adele's production team has been exceptional. Check out Wildflower.

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

Maybe after "Absolution", but then Matthew Bellamy went batshit crazy. "Supremacy" was written as a potential Bond theme, and the first thirty seconds might have been, but then it just became a cacophony.

Funny, I think the opposite, first thirty seconds are a cacophony, but the rest is not that bad.

Some of the names I've seen kicked around (Lan Del Rey?) are, it appears, too new to the scene to be given the privilege of doing a Bond theme song.

There's two big acts out there right now that have shown they can handle the demands of doing a Bond song: MUSE and ONE REPUBLIC. Either one of these acts would be fine by me.

The 3:29 mark tells you everything you need to know about MUSE and this song in particular:



When I first heard Survival I wasn't sure I liked it, but a couple more tries and it turned into my favorite song of all time. Great for blasting in your car stereo or in your Ipod at the gym.


This next song by One Republic has got to be incredibly difficult to keep time with. The beat seems to change back and forth, but it is pounding, and relentless. One of their best pieces of work!





Either them or go with Christy Lane:



What Christy brings to the series is the coveted 60 - 80 year old Christian, widow/widower, pensioner demographic. They have lots of disposable income and have nothing else to do on a Sunday afternoon. They are an underserved, untapped market. She could bring a lot of senior citizens and people of faith to the series. Of course, if Christy was going to do the movie, EON would need to cut the sex scenes, any profanity, no nudity, and keep the violence in the move to a bare minimum (unless the villains are Muslims, in which case, they need to be portrayed as accurately as possible)

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Some of the names I've seen kicked around (Lan Del Rey?) are, it appears, too new to the scene to be given the privilege of doing a Bond theme song.

Sheena Easton was only around for a year or so before landing the FYEO gig...so Lana has good company

bitchcraft wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Some of the names I've seen kicked around (Lan Del Rey?) are, it appears, too new to the scene to be given the privilege of doing a Bond theme song.

Sheena Easton was only around for a year or so before landing the FYEO gig...so Lana has good company

We just had Adele. They should go for a rock band next time around, particularly a group like OneRepublic or MUSE, who are creatively in the ascendent phase of their career, and forego any notion of using washed-up talent like Mariah Carey (Beyonce might not be a bad idea, though).

If it's a rock band they're looking for, I'd suggest Queens of the Stone Age, or at least frontman Josh Homme. "... Like Clockwork" was a brilliant album, and they're pretty diverse because they constantly change their line-up. I can't really pick out any particular song that would absolutely make the case for them as performers, but I find the lyrics to be consistently great, like in "I Sat By The Ocean":

"I sat by the ocean,
And drank a potion, baby, to erase you.
Face-down in the boulevard,
Yet I couldn't face you.
There ain't no use in crying -
It doesn't change anything,
So, baby, what then does it do?
Your friends, they all sympathise;
Maybe I don't need them, too."

Yes, it's a post break-up song. But where Beyonce would proclaim that she's stronger for it, and Adele would lament what could have been, Homme is very much in the "fuck it, I'm going to get pissed, I'm going to burn all of my bridges, and it's going to be fucking cathartic" camp. And he's usually willing to explore darker, radio un-friendly themes, which I think fits in with elements of Bond's character (certainly Craig).

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

bitchcraft wrote:

Gravity's Silhouette wrote:

Some of the names I've seen kicked around (Lan Del Rey?) are, it appears, too new to the scene to be given the privilege of doing a Bond theme song.

Sheena Easton was only around for a year or so before landing the FYEO gig...so Lana has good company

We just had Adele. They should go for a rock band next time around

I was toying with the idea of the Madden Brothers after really digging 'We Are Done', but I heard another song on that album and wasn't too impressed with that one…

Prisoner Monkeys wrote:

radio un-friendly

Nicely sold.

I'm not sure if you tacitly approve, or if you're pointing out a major flaw in my argument. Or both.

The point is that they're not a band that chases radio airplay. They produce music that can be played on the radio, but not for the specific purpose of being played. The whole "... Like Clockwork" album was based on the idea of stuff that makes you uncomfortable. There's themes of mental illness, survivor's guilt, religious fundamentalism, unhealthy relationships and more. So I think that willingness to explore ideas even if it means no radio time - and to do it in a way that isn't blatantly political, confrontational or for shock value - works in their favour, considering that Bond is quite a complex character in his own right.

Consider the Jessie J song "Price Tag". It's a song about rejecting consumer culture, about openness and rejoicing in equality. And I think you'll agree that it's a cynical marketing attempt to cash in on youth's desire for individualism and originality with a song that has nothing to say, except to (ironically) make lots of money and be played a lot on the radio. On the other hand, QOTSA's "If I Had A Tail" is a weird mix of lounge music and grunge, and you're left with the idea of a veteran performer who privately hates the industry, but in public he has to put on a smile while being sickened by everyone around him, like a weird fusion of Liberace and Kurt Cobain.

Finally got around to hearing Sam Smith, and I don't care too much for him. Sure if Adele, Paloma Faith, Lana Del Rey, Beth Crowley, Ed Sheeran or even the Madden Bros or Tina Turner don't get Bond 24, he might be the next best thing.

Ed Sheeran. Are you fucking kidding?

Largo's Shark wrote:

Ed Sheeran. Are you fucking kidding?

Sheeran makes me reach for my knuckleduster. His Poor Lil Prostitute song is so far removed from reality I'm not convinced he's ever met one.

That said, from Eon's point of view, Sheeran's a global star. We're lucky Jason didn't suggest 1D.

Not my first choice, but I'd rather him than someone like Nicki Minaj, Rhianna, Robin Thicke, Lorde, etc.

Sheeran sings metrosexual folk.

Thicke may have zero credibility, but he made the best record of 2013. Blurred Lines is the most honest song about men and women for a long time. Needless to say he was crucified for it. Now all he can do is console himself with minge and money. Must be tough.

I'm actually a big fan of Blurred Lines, but I think vocally he's unsuited for Bond. I think if Newman/Arnold composes a song and Sheeran lends his vocals, it'll be great. But like I said, I'd much prefer Paloma, Lana, Adele or (most unlikely) Beth Rowley.

The only artist who really comes to mind is Eric Clapton. Adele too, but I prefer that these films always bring in a different artist on a consecutive film.

Another reason I hope Arnold doesn't return, or at least doesn't contribute to the title song. I find that he puts too much emphasis on blaring horns, as if he wants to maintain "the Bond sound" even if it's fucking inappropriate. The Arnold-less version of "You Know My Name" is so much better and should have been what was on the main credits.

Eric Clapton's a boring old fart. If you're going for that generation get Scott Walker instead.

Sam Smith may be gay but he's got the right kind of voice. Just needs a creative producer to collaborate with, like Naughty Boy.

I like Ambler's Cee Lo Green suggestion though. Janelle Monáe would be good too.

Yeah, Cee Lo's got the chops all right. Check out his live performance from Daryl's house.



Much better than that daft girl band he saddled himself with on his last tour.

What about Prince? What's he up to these days?

Largo's Shark wrote:

What about Prince? What's he up to these days?

Don't want to be cruel, but it doesn't matter - Prince, Depeche, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton, their time has passed at least as far as 007 is concerned. Bond shouldn't be a heritage park.

Erica Ambler wrote:

Largo's Shark wrote:

What about Prince? What's he up to these days?

Bond shouldn't be a heritage park.

The irony, since Bond is older than all of these artists.