Cliff Martinez
Cliff Martinez
Cliff Martinezis an American musician and composer. Early in his career, Martinez was known as a drummer notably with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Captain Beefheart. Since the 1990s he has worked primarily as a film score composer, writing music for Sex, Lies, and Videotape, Drive, Only God Forgives, The Neon Demon, Contagion, Solaris, and Traffic...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionComposer
Date of Birth5 February 1954
CountryUnited States of America
thinking always-trying years
I think there is quite a continuity over my 25 years of doing music, and I'm always trying to break away from it.
men thinking answers
The way that I make films is that I sit down and I think, "How much money could I get with less consequences?" And that's how I start. I'd rather have less money and total autonomy than more money and start having to answer to things, because then I'm not being true and the money men are not being true.
fighting reality thinking
If you want to survive in the film industry, it's not about fighting for your visions because that's a given. It's thinking about how much is your vision going to cost, and then, what are the consequences, because you may have $100 million, but the reality is that $100 million needs to make $500 million to be a success.
thinking discipline
I've never tried to work chronologically. I don't think I have the discipline to do that.
taken mean thinking
I think the music business is becoming more difficult. It's really taken a big hit with piracy, so it's a lot more difficult. I mean, it was kind of an impractical career choice when I did it 25 years ago, but nowadays it's truly reckless.
kids thinking careers
If I had kids, I don't think I would recommend they pursue a career in music.
thinking people guy
I don't want to be typecast as the 'ambient guy' or someone who only does electronic scores. I think most of the work that comes my way is because people feel they know me musically.
strong jobs thinking
I actually don't see that strong of a connection between my background as a rock 'n roller and my early films. In a way I think your musical identity in film work is determined by the jobs that come your way.
background drums gone rock roll ten work
I've often thought that my background in rock 'n' roll has gone to waste in film work. My background was that I was a rock 'n' roll drummer and I don't think I used drums in my first ten years of film scoring.
average home miles per work
I work at home but average 15,000 to 18,000 miles per year on my Honda.
created music
I think music will be created algorhythmically, all the things that we do will be boiled down to a little computer program.
alongside appears composer famous menu
You'll know if you're a famous composer if 20 years from now your name appears on a pull-down menu in Band in a Box, alongside Hans Zimmer.
believe challenged known versatile
I want to be known for having a recognizable style. I believe having your own personal identity is what makes you competitive. On the other hand, I would like to be versatile and be challenged to go in new directions.
mind directors
There's nothing worse than a director that keeps changing their mind. Because, unlike the directors I work with, I'm not decisive at all.