Alan Tew
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Alan Stanley Tew's work is well respected by connoisseurs of 70's music. Revived by a generation of DJ's and fans looking for funky beats, his easy-listening sound has been catagorised variously as exotica, lounge, loungecore, retro, space age pop and several other catch-phrases. Biographical information is patchy at best. Alan began his career in the 1950's as a pianist and arranger for the Len Turner Band, as well as working as an arranger for a range of other artists from the mid 1960s to early 1980s.
He was a prolific composer of TV library music which resulted in his compositions being selected for use in several popular shows:
- The Hanged Man
- The Two Ronnies
- The People's Court (Library music track 'The Big One'
- The Sweeney
- Doctor in the House
- Dusty
His music continues to turn up in the movies and on TV when the need arises for some funky 70s sounds, or if a character happens to be watching The People's Court.
- Charlie Brooker: Videogames Changed the World (2014)
- 2013 August: Osage County (writer: "The Big One")
- Mad Men 'A Little Kiss, Part 1' (2012) ... (writer: "Zou Bisou Bisou" - uncredited)
- 2009 Black Dynamite (music: "Helicop", "Drama Backcloth 3", "Master Plan", "Scenechange 2b", "Drama Backcloth 2", "The Detectives Interlude", "Scenechange 3a", "Scenechange 8a", "The Detectives Link 1", "The Detectives Link 2c", "The Detectives Link 6b", "The Detectives Link 3", "Eyes", "The Detectives Link 5b" - uncredited)
- Family Guy 'Blue Harvest' (2007) ... (writer: "The Big One (The People's Court Theme)" - uncredited)
- SpongeBob SquarePants
- - Driven to Tears/Rule of Dumb (2007) ... (music: "People's Court")
- The Thing/Hocus Pocus (2007) ... (music: "The Two Ronnies")
- The Lost Mattress/Krabs vs. Plankton (2005) ... (performer: "The Big One" - uncredited) / (writer: "The Big One" - uncredited)
- 2000 Clerks (TV Series) 'A Dissertation on the American Justice System by People Who Have Never Been Inside a Courtroom, Let Alone Know Anything About the Law, But Have Seen Way Too Many Legal Thrillers' (2000) ... (music: "The Big One (The People's Court Theme)" - uncredited)
- 1996 Kablam! (TV Series) 'Resistance Is Futile' (1996) ... (music: "People's Court" - uncredited)
- 1994 Nobody's Fool (writer: "People's Court")
- 1982 Highpoint "The Heist"
- 1981 Never So Deep ("The Detectives", uncredited)
- 1981 Wanda Whips Wall Street (performer: "Wanda Whips Wall Street Main Theme" - uncredited) / (writer: "Wanda Whips Wall Street Main Theme", "The Detectives" - uncredited)
- 1980 The Satisfiers Of Alpha Blue
- 1978 The Rise and Fall of Ivor Dickie (Documentary) (music: "The Peterman") / (performer: "The Peterman")
- 1977 Barbara Broadcast (writer: "The Big One" - uncredited)
- 1977 Punk Rock ("The Detectives", uncredited)
- 1971 Catweazle ("The Spook", "Score 181")
- 1965 Dateline Diamonds ("What 'Ma Gonna Do?", "I Think Of You") / (arranger: "What 'Ma Gonna Do?", "I Think Of You")
- 1962 Locker 69 (music: "I Think I'm Better Off With You" - uncredited)
He was a music director for Starborne Productions, and rumour has it that he passed away in 1997 but I haven't seen any death notice or obituaries . Is it possible that he had rose named after him?
A brief survey of some of his work used to be hosted at The Lords of Lounge; hopefully it will re-appear on day. He was occassionally a topic of conversation on the Exotica Music mailing list. Check out a discussion about his back catalogue.