‘The Crow’ original soundtrack sketched a musical alternative in time
As a film enthusiast who has witnessed the evolution of cinema over several decades, I must say that the story of “The Crow” and its impact on the Lee family is one that truly resonates with me. The tale of Brad Laner’s friendship with Brandon Lee, a rising star tragically taken too soon, is a poignant reminder of the power of art and the indelible mark it can leave on our collective consciousness.
In one of his last interviews before his untimely demise in 1993, Brandon Lee remarked that since we’re unsure when our time will run out, life appears to be an endless source of possibilities. However, each event occurs only a limited number of times.
In the novel “The Sheltering Sky” (1949) by Paul Bowles, Lee pointed out that people tend to overlook things and see time as boundless. This notion of perpetual existence influenced Lee’s portrayal of the character he played in “The Crow.” Eric Draven, his on-screen persona, was killed with his fiancée by a group on Halloween, only to reappear a year later in the 1994 movie, led by a crow. After his resurrection, Lee felt that Draven comprehended the value of each moment due to this eternal life concept.
“The Crow” was initially conceived in 1981 by artist and writer James O’Barr while he was serving with the Marines in Berlin, following the tragic death of his girlfriend by a drunk driver in 1978. His tale of two heartbroken lovers took shape further after reading about a couple killed in Detroit over a $20 engagement ring in a newspaper article. Initially published as a comic series in 1989, “The Crow” was later turned into a film in 1994 under the direction of Alex Proyas and with screenplays by John Shirley and David J. Schow. The upcoming anniversary, thirty years since its release, is celebrated with a remake of the movie, scheduled to hit theaters on Aug. 26. Directed by Rupert Sanders, this new version will feature Bill Skarsgård, Danny Huston, and FKA Twigs in the leading roles.
By February 1992, when the film’s production was approved, producer Jeff Most started assembling an original soundtrack. He sought out alternative musicians who were popular from the early ’80s to the edge of the ’90s, and some artists were influenced by O’Barr’s previous musical preferences. The author initially envisioned “The Crow” for Ian Curtis of Joy Division and modeled the character Eric after the facial features of Iggy Pop and the physique of Peter Murphy from Bauhaus.
× According to Most, the idea behind the soundtrack was to make it unique since not a single tune from the film had been heard before, and everything was entirely original.
Additionally, he was granted O’Barr’s approval to use “Draven” as Eric’s surname for the movie and to portray him as a guitarist in the fictional alternative rock group, Hangman’s Joke.
Most people I talked to responded, “That’s ridiculous! There’s no such thing as an alternative album filled with songs that weren’t top 40 hits,” they claimed. But I replied, “Well, that’s exactly the kind of album I plan to create.”
The music score mainly features tracks associated with Trent Reznor, the lead singer of Nine Inch Nails. Interestingly, they were the initial artists to consent to contribute a cover version for the soundtrack, specifically a rendition of Joy Division’s “Dead Souls,” which was originally released as a B-side in 1980.
As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can tell you that Reznor played a significant role in helping us seal a deal for the film’s soundtrack. With him and the band on our side, Atlantic Records swiftly got things moving forward, eager to bring the album to life.
Most reminisced, “I felt like thanking the heavenly rock stars,” he said. Subsequently, the record label began introducing other musicians to him for potential collaboration, among them Stone Temple Pilots who were the initial band to pen a track for the movie. Initially, STP offered “Only Dying,” but this was eventually swapped out for their “Purple” hit “Big Empty” because the lyrics resonated with Lee’s passing. By the time The Crow came along, the band was already experiencing a surge in popularity due to their 1992 debut album, Core, which received an additional boost from the film.
At that point, life was progressing incredibly quickly for us due to our tendency to accept rather than decline numerous possibilities, as stated by STP bassist Rob DeLeo. The success of “Purple” debuting at No. 1, along with the inclusion of “Big Empty” in a popular movie, greatly contributed to the band’s visibility among the public. The timing was impeccable, as “Big Empty” provided exactly the atmosphere and mood they were seeking. It’s astounding when audio and visual elements harmoniously intertwine and complement each other.
DeLeo goes on to say, “The film carries a fantastic atmosphere. It was an exceptional moment in our careers as everything fell into place perfectly. The recollections from that period are invaluable.”
As a music enthusiast and avid movie-goer, I’d put it this way: Back in the day, Helmet’s frontman, Page Hamilton, asserted that the soundtrack made a powerful musical declaration. It seamlessly blended diverse threads of alternative rock, avoiding any discordant notes due to musical pretentiousness or ego.
“It had a huge impact, and it was a melding to me,” he says.
In the soundtrack, Helmet provided “Milquetoast,” a song initially penned for their third album “Betty” (1994), and later reworked as “Milktoast” for the movie. Hamilton also mentions, “[The Jesus and Mary Chain], who were an influence on us, along with other bands from that era.” He continues, “At first, it was simply about music. There weren’t different camps like goth, New York hardcore, or post-hardcore. It was just… music.”
Although O’Barr included the entire lyrics from The Cure’s 1982 single “The Hanging Garden” titled “Pornography” in “The Crow,” when asked if this song could be used in the movie, Robert Smith of The Cure chose to compose an original track called “Burn.” This kickstarted the soundtrack, which journeyed through a Rollins Band cover of Suicide’s “Ghost Rider” (an album outtake they often played during encores), Pantera’s interpretation of Poison Idea’s “The Badge,” and Rage Against the Machine’s “Darkness.”
According to Hamilton, the soundtrack didn’t have the distinct divide like “I exclusively enjoy goth music and will only wear black,” he explained. Instead, he felt that “The Crow” offered something more profound: it was simply music to him.
The unique music style of the film’s soundtrack influenced The Violent Femmes as well, a band that added their track “Color Me Once” to it. Interestingly, this song was an experimental recording they had previously stored away.
“Ever since ‘The Crow’ hit the screens, I couldn’t help but feel elated about being part of such an influential and memorable movie,” shares Brian Ritchie, bassist and co-founder of Violent Femmes. “It even opened up a fresh audience for us.”
In addition to their artistic contributions, some artists stepped into minor acting roles within the movie. When Nine Inch Nails had to cancel their part due to scheduling conflicts, My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult took over the nightclub performance scene, which was staged beneath the criminal headquarters of Top Dollar during the “Big Moby” gunfight. On the following day, they traveled to Wilmington, North Carolina for filming, having reworked their song “Nervous Xians” into “After the Flesh” at 1 a.m., and then filmed the chilly factory scene inside an actual cement factory amidst a winter’s chill.
Buzz McCoy of The Thrill Kill Kult recalls chatting casually with Lee in the dressing room during filming sessions. Tragically, about three weeks later, the actor lost his life due to an accidental on-set gunshot incident while filming a scene on March 31.
According to McCoy, Lee was incredibly modest and kind-hearted. It left us heartbroken when we learned the unfortunate news just a few short weeks afterwards.
Alongside Thrill Kill Kult and Los Angeles rock group Medicine, both made appearances in the film with their gritty, unfinished track “Time Baby II”. The band then produced another version titled “Time Baby III” for the soundtrack, which included vocals from Cocteau Twins’ Elizabeth Fraser.
As a movie critic, I found myself utterly spellbound by ‘The Crow’. To put it simply, this film resonated deeply with me, particularly for Brandon Lee, a promising young talent who had already made waves following his 1992 action flick, “Rapid Fire”. It’s important to note that Brandon is the son of the legendary actor and martial artist, Bruce Lee, who left us far too soon at just 32 years old in 1973.
Laner expresses that ‘The Crow’ would likely have catapulted Brandon into stardom. Unfortunately, it was a profound misfortune as Shannon never knew their father. He had passed away when Shannon was only 4 years old, and Brandon served as her protector. Later in 2003, Shannon Lee briefly collaborated with Laner for the Medicine reunion, working on the album titled “The Mechanical Forces of Love.”
After Brandon Lee’s unfortunate demise, his mother Linda Lee and fiancée Eliza Hutton requested that the movie be finished and released, as well as progress on the soundtrack. The poignant closing ballad “It Can’t Rain All the Time,” which was named after a line from the film spoken by Draven, was co-written and recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Jane Siberry. Recording this song, a collaboration with New Zealand industrial musician and composer Graeme Revell, was a particularly memorable experience for Siberry.
“Siberry notes that the movie was incredibly grand, our awareness seemed to merge with it. It was truly astonishing, almost surreal, how effectively we brought real people to life on screen who appeared larger than life.”
In terms of the movie production, Brandon developed a strong bond with Lee prior to the start of filming on set. As Brandon explains, he was deeply involved in the scriptwriting process, contributing significantly to its development. He had a unique perspective about shaping his character as the only one who wasn’t grounded in reality.
Three decades on, Most feels that the original movie and its music continue to resonate deeply with him.
× “He expresses great pride in the first film, stating it still feels relevant. He explains they aimed to innovate, and what stands out to him is how, for a brief period within the comic book genre, they managed to shatter boundaries that were previously established.”
The rest of the movie was finished using a stand-in for Chad Stahelski (during action sequences), visual enhancements, and some adjustments to the screenplay.
Speaking about it, Most shares that parting ways with such an excellent friend made the filming process incredibly challenging. However, he is particularly proud of how they managed to transform the film from a very bleak state during post-production.
Following the release of “The Crow,” many subsequently produced films such as “The Crow: City of Angels” (1996), “The Crow: Salvation” (2000), and “The Crow: Wicked Prayer” (2005), along with the soundtracks for each. However, they did not participate in the 2024 remake nor its soundtrack, which was scored by German composer Volker Bertelmann, known for works like “Lion” and “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
1. In the upcoming “Crow” movie, you’ll hear Ozzy Osbourne and Post Malone’s 2019 hit song “Take What You Want,” as this track was showcased in the trailer. Regarding the new film, Most notes that it seems to focus on the significant relationships among the troubled characters that O’Barr conceived many years ago. He emphasizes that these relationships have been the heart of the story and what has kept it alive for the last 30 years.
According to Most, the essence of this movie lies in love. It’s what seems to touch people deeply even after all these years. Love appears to be the heartfelt core of the story, the emotional note that lingers in people’s minds when they recall the film.
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2024-08-16 20:02