Immersion Through Disturbance: Clint Mansell's Favourite Film Soundtracks | Page 13 of 14 | The Quietus

Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

12. Various ArtistsPicnic At Hanging Rock

Again, this would have been a BBC screening, I think. It’s got the dreaded pan pipes on it, but they’re so evocative, and the score is just amazing because it’s sort of trippy, makes you feel a little bit foggy, and plays with your memory. It’s so well done, it’s beautiful and sincere, but it’s also off, you feel like you’re dreaming, and asking, "What did happen?" It captures this mindset. I did a film called World Traveller, years ago, and I woke up really early in the morning and I don’t know if I was in a dream or whatever but the piece, in my head, I instantly got on a guitar and wrote the progression that was in my head.

Most times I find that I won’t remember actually writing certain pieces of music. I’ll think back, asking, "Where did that come from?" You can get into a sort of trance-type of state when you work a lot and you’re writing, you kind of let it wash over you. My biggest thing is getting out of my own way, if you know what I mean. I remember reading Chuck D’s book Fight The Power where he says, "analysis to the state of paralysis". Often if you think about things you don’t actually do anything about them. Whereas just go, just do it.

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