Dennis McCarthy Quotes

Film music is one of the main support systems for the director’s vision of the film. You [the composer] are one of the pillars that he builds his film on, creating the point of view and attitudes that the audience is supposed to perceive in what he’s done. As the composer, it’s your job to determine what his vision is, how you can make it come to life, and still put some of your own thoughts and ideas into it.
Dennis McCarthy

My studies consisted of piano until I was twelve. I studied engineering, math, physics, and geology in school. When I went to college, I only took one semester of music. So, I got involved with these oddball small bands like The Hot Rods, The 4-Speeds, and The Super Stocks, which you can still hear on the Beach Boys Shut Down album. I was one of those car/surf type guys. Soon I met Glen Campbell when he was a session guitarist. When I was six months away from getting my degree at Cal State Northridge, Glen called me up to play. I said, "What does it pay?" He said, "$28.50 a night." I said, "Can’t beat that." So, I dropped out of school and played piano with Glen. Later he got his television show and through that I met Marty Paich, Ray Charles, and Nelson Riddle—just wonderful people who basically took me under their wings and said, you’re basically an arranger.
Dennis McCarthy