SciFriday: Bear McCreary, The Not-So-Silent Genius

Music popping up, yet genius composer still not recognized

By MICHAEL HINMAN Sep-25-2009

Some people might have their iPod filled with Linkin Park, old Aerosmith, or even Perry Como. But not me (OK, maybe a couple of them).

The star of my iPod is Bear McCreary, and I'm certainly not ashamed of it. In fact, I'm so proud of it, I tell everyone I know, and now I'm telling you.

Of the 1,031 songs currently on my iTunes playlist, 135 of them are composed by Bear McCreary. It includes music from "Battlestar Galactica," of course, but also "Caprica" and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles." And that's just what's on my iPod now ... he's also done music work for "Eureka" on Syfy, and the brand new NBC show "Trauma" that premieres Monday. I usually don't watch medical dramas, but I'm giving "Trauma" a shot ... why? Because it's Bear McCreary.

Bear's music also has made its way into the mainstream. During Sunday's Primetime Emmy awards, the best scenes from last season's drama included Bear's "Prelude to War" that was first featured in the awesome showdown between then Cmdr. Adama (Edward James Olmos) and Adm. Cain (Michelle Forbes) in "Battlestar Galactica." Also, I had BBC News turned on my radio, and in a promo for a news feature, they were using one of Bear's pieces that included one of the most amazing vocalists in soundtrack history, Raya Yarbrough.

I have friends who ended up getting at least one "Battlestar Galactica" soundtrack thanks to me, and they've never seen a single scene from the series. And it's not that I'm a good pitchman, I'm not. I suck at it. But Bear's music just sells itself ... and it's timeless. I can find myself being totally into a song from the Season 4 double-disc album from the series finale, and then turn on the first song of Bear's I fell in love with, "Two Funerals" from Season 1.

Soundtrack music is usually meant to go unnoticed, as a way that you would miss it if it weren't there, but don't really notice it when it is there, because it's more of a subconscious addition. You can't say that about Bear's music. In fact, you have to credit at least part of the success of "Battlestar Galactica" on Bear McCreary's music. Not to say that Ronald D. Moore, the actors and the rest of the crew weren't a key part of that success, they definitely were. But even they will acknowledge that "Battlestar Galactica" wouldn't be "Battlestar Galactica" If it weren't for Bear McCreary.

What really pisses me off, however, is the fact that the producers of the Emmy broadcast felt Bear's music was so amazing, they would use it for a long montage of scenes from all types of shows, but the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences couldn't even bring themselves to give Bear a well-deserved Emmy nomination?

To me, that is the one negative in my whole enjoyment of Bear McCreary's work. And while he deserves not just an Emmy nomination, but an Emmy win, all I can say is that's their loss. I don't even remember who won that category this year, and I'm sure they are very talented and their music is great. But 10 years from now, 20 years from now, people will still talk about "Battlestar Galactica," and they will still talk about Bear McCreary. And hopefully by then, he will be the go-to guy for television and movie scores, and his concerts will have to last 24 hours just to get all the great stuff in, and not just the four hours we had at the House of Blues during San Diego Comic-Con last July.

"Battlestar Galactica" may be over, but Bear McCreary's career is just really taking off. He hasn't gone anywhere, so let's make sure Hollywood never forgets one of its most talented music creators.

Oh, and since this sounds like an ad for Bear anyway, I might as well plug that if you want to fill your iPod with Bear McCreary music, find him on iTunes, or simply go to La La Land Records.com. And Bear stays very engaged with all his fans both on his personal site at www.BearMcCreary.com and also through his Battlestar Galactica Orchestra site at www.BSGOrchestra.com.

And yes, in case you're wondering, I am listening to Bear McCreary right now. It's "Roslin Confesses" from Season 2. See what you're missing?

About the Author: Michael Hinman is the founder and site coordinator for Airlock Alpha and the entire BlipNetwork. He owns Quantum Global Media Inc., the parent corporation of the BlipNetwork. He's a print journalist by day, and lives in Tampa, Fla.
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