As fans hopefully flock to see Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane's newest flick, A Million Ways to Die in the West – opening today – the one thing they will undoubtedly notice, besides the solid jokes, is music that makes the movie exactly what it's meant to be... a Western. The score was composed by famed film/TV composer Joel McNeely, who has collaborated with MacFarlane multiple times in the past on works such as his first album (Music Is Better Than Words) and one of his many hit shows, American Dad.
McNeely's foray into scoring for film and television began as a child when he first met legendary composer Elmer Bernstein, who, oddly enough, he credits as the inspiration for not only his entire career, but also the score for A Million Ways to Die in the West. "I played the film like I was calling back to one of the greats, Elmer Bernstein, and people of his ilk and those iconic scores," he tells me. "I put myself into that mode, listened to all of those scores and thought this is what I'm going to execute."
At just 12-years-old, the young wannabe found himself with the opportunity to sit in as Bernstein conducted an orchestra for his father's television show. His father, a college professor at the University of Wisconsin, also held a career in writing/producing television in Hollywood, having worked on the likes of Twilight Zone and Marcus Welby, M.D.. And when the opportunity to have his own show came around, McNeely's family packed their bags and headed west, thus beginning his fascination in scoring for film and television.
As a composer, he has held an impressive career in working on some of Hollywood's most beloved movies, shows and studio works, such as Dark Angel, Air Force One, Vegas Vacation and a number of Disney projects. Outside of conducting for film/TV, McNeely has toured with the likes of Tony Bennett and even led the Royal Scottish Orchestra for a time.
I recently sat down with Joel to discuss his roots, working with Seth MacFarlane on A Million Ways to Die in the West as well as their upcoming Christmas album and how working on this film brought him back home.
Purchase the A Million Ways to Die in the West Album
Music Times: From seeing the film, the one thing I noticed is that while it's a comedy, the score is a straight Western. Was that the idea from the very beginning?
Joel McNeely: Absolutely! It's a convention the Zucker brothers set up in their movies, where you could be in a very serious situation and then it takes a quick left turn to the absurd but the music keeps powering straight with the intention the scene started with. The example in this movie is when Albert (played by MacFarlane) is being pursued by Clinch (Liam Neeson) and the gang, and he's trying to hide in his house. The music gets more and more intense even as when he's hiding in between the sheep and one of them pees in his face. While this is happening the music continues getting more intense.
The score never winks at the fact that this is a comedy. I think if it had it would have zigzagged between the two far too much and would have taken away from the movie.
MT: How were you approached with this opportunity?
JM: About three years ago, Seth and I were working on his first record when he was planning on doing Ted. He told me he was going to work with Walter Murphy, a composer he's been working with on Family Guy for the past twelve years but said he'd like to work with me on this Western afterwards. If there's one thing about Seth, he's a very loyal guy and he cares about the people he works with. I thought it was such a lovely thing that he even thought about my feelings in that regard.
This was years ago, and sure enough, he kept his word. There's a lot of talk in Hollywood and it's rare to find someone like Seth MacFarlane.
Watch the Trailer for A Million Ways to Die in the West Below [NSFW]
MT: I've always found composing fascinating. What is the process for scoring a film?
JM: It's different for each project and director. Before the advent of samplers it was very different. Now we can provide almost a photorealistic mockup of what the orchestra will play. Directors can hear everything in advance and give input before going to the big scoring stage. That didn't used to be the case; the composer would at the very most play the theme on the piano and the first time a director would hear it would be at the scoring stage.
Seth, in many ways, is an old school filmmaker. He understands filmmaking and music and has a deep appreciation for it. He knows more about the history of film music than I do. So, at the beginning of the process, I started doing a couple of the mockups of the main theme. He heard them, said he loved them and asked if they take a long time. I said they do and he responded, "Don't waste your time. Put your time and creative energy into the writing. I know it'll be great." That never happens. He has a level of trust and that is so freeing. He hired me because he knows what I can do as a composer, so he wanted me to do that.
MT: Have you scored a Western before?
JM: I actually haven't. I love the genre and music and I'm so happy I finally got to do it. It's fun for a composer if you love the music. Aaron Copland singlehandedly established this Americana sound, and I love the music of Aaron Copland. Essentially, A Million Ways is a genre score.
MT: I don't know if many people realize how close a director has to work with a composer. Because of that, is it easier when the director has a background in music, like Seth?
JM: It's easier when you're on the extremes. It's easier when you're working with a director who knows nothing about music and can speak purely in dramatic terms because they know intention. Meaning, here's what I'm looking for people to feel when they watch this. Then I can take that and interpret it.
If there's a director who thinks they know something about music and start getting into doing your job for you and telling you what to write... that takes the imagination away. Then you're just executing their vision, which is frustrating.
On the other extreme, if you get somebody like Seth, who is a bonafide musician, it's very easy to work with someone like that. I truly believe had he not been any number of the things he is, he would have been a composer. He hears like a composer. He hears melody and harmonies separately and can analyze that. He hears the orchestration as a separate element as well as the mechanics of music. Those are things professionals hear. It's almost like I'm composing for another composer. This experience was so unique to me because of that.
MT: I know you two just wrapped up a new Christmas album. Can you tell me a little bit about it?
JM: It's been a great project! There's a fun mixture of Christmas songs you know, treated in new ways, and then Christmas songs you've probably never heard of. Some are obscure favorites of Seth's. There's a song called "Christmas Dreaming" which Sinatra sang and I had never heard of it. In fact, I don't know anyone who has heard of it but Seth loves it. It's a great song!
We recorded the album at Abbey Road Two with a 54-piece orchestra. The great thing about the album is that it's recorded live and very low-tech. Everyone was in the room at once and that's the take.
Listen to Seth MacFarlane's "Music Is Better Than Words" (Produced by Joel McNeely)
MT: That's interesting. Why do it that way?
JM: Because it's a different sound. There are records now that take full advantage of technology, and that can become sterile. There's a different sound when everyone is in the same room. We didn't even have booths; the drums were in the middle of the room next to the violins. Everything was leaking into the different mics; that's the sound of those old records. That's what we were going for.
The other thing you get is a loaded commitment from the performer when they know it's a performance and not a take. It's not that oh, we can fix that later mentality. This is a performance, so if someone messes up we're going to have to go again. It gets everyone on the edge of their seats and brings a different energy into the room. I can't wait for people to hear it.
MT: How did you get into all of this?
JM: I've been a musician for as long as I can remember. My dad was a college professor at the University of Wisconsin and also had a career as a writer/producer in Hollywood. He wrote for Twilight Zone and a number of other shows, including Marcus Welby, M.D.. There was a spinoff of that and the network gave my dad that show. So we moved out to Los Angeles while he did the show. He then got to choose the composer, and he chose Elmer Berstein.
MT: Wow, we've come full circle!
JM: [laughs] Exactly! So, when it came time to record the main title of the pilot episode I got to go to the session and meet Elmer Bernstein. Someone told him I was a musician and interested in scoring, so when I got there he had some extra scores with him and an extra chair next to him at the podium where he was conducting the orchestra. I got to sit next to Elmer Bernstein as he conducted the orchestra and recorded my dad's show.
MT: You were just destined for this career.
JM: It was a truly lightning bolt moment, for sure. When I first saw Bernstein do that I knew I had to also. From that moment on I worked with that intention.
MT: You've done so many different things over the course of your career, from leading the Royal Scottish Orchestra to scoring American Dad. Do you have a favorite?
JM: In a way, A Million Ways is my favorite. It brings me back home and was the most joyful experience because I was creatively set free to do what I love doing.
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