Spy Music: An interview with GoldenZen

In an industry that involves world-wide media, particularly the products that are related to scripts and screens, the musical touch is indeed a very important piece to serve as an addition to see a certain product perfected, be it a motion picture or a video game in specific description. Not only there are good composers out there who have made big names out of their own, but there also are terrific freelance composers who have proved us to be a perfect candidate for a job like writing soundtracks and many kinds of other genres.

Our latest interviewee is Yannick Zenhäusern, better known by his nickname "GoldenZen", a freelance composer who has wrote his own arrangements of many iconic themes and tracks from the James Bond films and video games, along with writing new musical pieces of his own, regarding to that of original projects he has worked on.

For years now, you are known to have composed and re-arranged many James Bond film scores, how did you get involved in this business?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
James Bond music was the key element for me to get involved in music. GoldenEye was one of the first CD's I've bought and I was really disappointed because some of my favorite tracks from the movie were missing. So I started to recreate them with my old crappy keyboard - that's what led me to composing and to be so in love with James Bond music. But then again - who isn't?

GoldenZen's rescore of the 17th Bond film, adopted the title "GoldenEye: Decrypted".

So far, you have rescored the 17th James Bond motion picture in the official series, and composed most of the tracks for the fan-made GoldenEye: Source video game. What did influence you in writing these musical pieces?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
All the credits belong to the original composers. That being Eric Serra for the movie as well as Grant Kirkhope and Graeme Norgate for the N64 game. The tracks they've laid out made it very easy for me to continue what  they've once started. I had an incredible amount of fun combining all the elements from the movie, the game and add some of my own elements to it.

A promotional image for "GoldenEye: Source" the video game.

Do you have any particular favourite composer of your own?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
The one that influenced me the most was Eric Serra. His approach was so unique and underlined the whole feeling of the movie perfectly. But of course John Barry, David Arnold and Michael Kamen did an outstanding job too. I really enjoy most of the Bond soundtracks and listen to them over and over...

Splendid. Do you ever wish to work on a James Bond film one day?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
That I've asked myself many times. It seem an easy question to answer but for my taste the golden days of James Bond are gone. No offence to all the fellow Bond-fans who like the franchise how it is at the moment but it's really not my cup of tea anymore. My favourite Bond is Pierce Brosnan, I've enjoyed the adventures of Sean Connery, Roger Moore and Timothy Dalton a lot too but that modernized style is something I can't get used to. I'll tell you a secret. Whenever I compose James Bond music I imagine Pierce Brosnan and the inspiration is unstoppable but I can't see that happening with Daniel Craig. My biggest dream is that all the old James Bond adventures get revived as computer games with modern graphics and starring the old Bonds - then I would kill to do the score.

It has been said you were working on several other projects related to the James Bond series, rescoring another Bond film, as well as you are approached to write the music for yet another fan-made video game. What could you tell us about those?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
While I was still working on the GoldenEye rescore several people asked me to rescore another movie. Namely Never Say Never Again. After I've completed the GoldenEye project I was kind of saturated with James Bond music and I needed a break. But evidently I couldn't withdraw myself for very long. So I've decided to start rescoring that one too. It's a pretty tough job though admittedly because the way this film was made and the whole style is a lot different to the Brosnan-esque movies. The fan-made video game you are referring to is the Nightfire: Source project. It's a project I'm very fond of since I loved the original game and now have the possibility to really go nuts and play around. I was given complete freedom and there a quite a few tracks in there now.

Apart from Bond, it's been said that you were working on a sixties-themed spy music album, what did inspire you?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
I love everything that's connected to agent and spy music. I also come from a blues and rock'n'roll background, which also includes swing, soul and r'n'b. All that together sooner or later must come together. I've rediscovered the Austin Powers movies and the NOLF games recently and I've experienced them on a completely new level. That inspired me so much that I automatically started to compose some 60's kind of spy/lounge tracks - and that's where the idea comes from. Plus I want people to see that GoldenZen can do more than Bond music.

Very well-spirited! As a professional, have you ever been approached by a video game company to work on a project?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
Unfortunately no and frankly that's what sometimes devastates me. Especially when you're a self-taught composer/musician like I am, you enjoy the freedom and the easiness that you can approach music with. On the other hand side you often ask yourself: Is what I'm doing really good enough to be hired and to make a living from it? Even though there are a lot of well-known musicians that never had a classical education you don't really believe in yourself being a talent or gifted. Then again I get a lot of support from fans and I had some nice reviews and chats with industry professionals like Grant Kirkhope, Jeff Tymoschuk and Ed Lima - that really, really means a lot and I'm so grateful for that. It's so cool to get in touch with your childhood heroes whose music you loved so much and still cherish today. And the thought of them listening to your own music and makes some nice remarks is just mind-blowing.

Behind the scenes: The composer with his orchestra.

Well, never say no to hopes, they say. Have you got a message for your fans?

Yannick Zenhäusern:
Thank you for all the support all over those years and I hope you'll stay tuned some more. Music can make me so happy and I hope people can experience the same listening to my music. The pleasure of this interview sure was all mine.

These are all the questions that I prepared. Thank you for this fantastic conversation. My compliments.

Yannick Zenhäusern:
Thank you for having me - the pleasure I'm sure was all mine.

Special Thanks to Yannick "GoldenZen" Zenhäusern.