4. Bernard HerrmannTaxi Driver
FB: It’s dramatic, the Herrmann score, and what’s great about Taxi Driver is how the whole thing shows the sleaze of the city. They’re in traffic a lot of the time, and the brass is quite cold in places. Taxi Driver was 1976, and although he saw the film, Herrmann died before it came out in cinemas. He died in December and the film came out in February. It later got nominated for the [Academy] award for best music.
They’ve got this brilliant saxophone which must have been an influence on so many pop artists, and really dramatic percussion which is beautiful as well. I’d say the group Girls, for instance, would have listened to this soundtrack closely. They’re very good, especially their second record [Father, Son, Holy Ghost]. That’s one of my favourite recent records.
