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Music for Films

Music for Films is the seventh solo studio album by Brian Eno, released in September 1978 on EG Records. His third release of experimental electronic material (the others being that year's Ambient 1: Music for Airports and 1975's Discreet Music), it is a conceptual work intended as a soundtrack for imaginary films, although many of the pieces had already appeared in actual films. It charted at #55 on the UK.

Music for Films

September 1978

1975–1978

40:39

EG

Brian Eno

Content[edit]

The album is a loose compilation of material from the period 1975 to 1978, composed of short tracks ranging from one-and-a-half minutes to just over four, making it the antithesis of the long, sprawling, ambient pieces he later became known for. The compositional styles and equipment used also carried over onto Eno's work on some of David Bowie's 1977 album Low.


Unlike Eno's later ambient works, Music for Films utilises a broader sonic palette, with Eno's synthesizers and "found sounds" being supplemented by standard studio instrumentation played by other musicians (see Credits).

1

Another Green World

2 : Original 1978 release. The LP packaging featured a matte finish on the outside with a glossy finish on the inside, opposite of standard LP covers at the time.

3 : Editions EG reissue. The tracks were rearranged into what Eno felt was a more satisfactory sequence. This is now the "standard" issue. (Note: the cassette version of the Editions EG reissue used the track order from the original 1978 version, though the packaging listed the tracks in the rearranged order.)

– trumpet on "Strange Light", assistant producer

Rhett Davies

– viola on "Patrolling Wire Borders"

John Cale

– electric piano on "Patrolling Wire Borders"

Rod Melvin

– guitar on "Aragon", "Patrolling Wire Borders" and "M386"

Paul Rudolph

– percussion on "Aragon", "Patrolling Wire Borders" and "M386"

Phil Collins

– bass guitar on "Aragon", "A Measured Room" and "M386"

Percy Jones

– electric guitar on "Slow Water"

Robert Fripp

– electric guitar on "Two Rapid Formations" and "Strange Light"

Fred Frith

– bass guitar on "Two Rapid Formations"

Bill MacCormick

– percussion on "Two Rapid Formations"

Dave Mattacks

Ritva Saarikko – cover photograph

 – a collaboration with U2 that also makes soundtrack music for non-existent films.

Original Soundtracks 1

(2004). "Brian Eno". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Retrieved 30 April 2011.

Considine, J. D.

(1995). "Brian Eno". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. Vintage Books. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.

Powers, Ann

Works cited

at Discogs (list of releases)

Music for Films