Derryck “Big Tank” Thornton is among the largest music supervisors on this planet.
With credit like The Chi, Energy Guide II: Ghost, Energy Guide III: Elevating Kanan, and Energy Guide IV: Drive, Massive Tank has labored on a few of tv’s hottest sequence, combining music with script to assist form some magical episodes of tv.
Take into consideration that track on the finish of an episode you run to your telephone to search out as quickly because the credit finish. Sure, that is all due to Massive Tank.
Forward of Energy Guide IV: Drive Season 2, we chatted with the effortlessly cool Massive Tank about his function as music supervisor, what he is hoping the viewers take away from the music this season, and his appreciation of the Energy Universe.
This was an interesting dialog with the extremely proficient supervisor about all issues music and Energy. Take pleasure in this one, fanatics!
What’s your function because the music supervisor?
Mainly, whenever you hear a track on the present, whether or not or not it’s a montage or within the automobile or anyone’s cooking or dinner music or no matter, I am liable for that. Then additionally, being that I am a music producer and whatnot myself, when we’ve songs and performances on the present, I often exit and document the artists, actors, and actresses.
On Drive this 12 months, we acquired some jazz, so I needed to have some periods with some jazz musicians and convey that residence. I put on a number of hats because the music supervisor within the Energy sequence.
Are you able to inform me in regards to the technique of incorporating music into particular scenes? Are you working intently with the administrators and different creatives to seize what you wish to get throughout with the music in every scene?
100%. I am going to speak to Courtney [Kemp] at instances about it. 50 could weigh in on one thing, but additionally the administrators and whatnot as effectively. However I am actually simply making an attempt to inform a narrative with the track, in order I am watching it, I wish to see which manner it goes, the emotion of it, but additionally, is the lyric matching?
You’ll be able to’t be too on the nostril, then it is corny, however you need it to play the emotion. I am all the time searching for songs which might be enjoying to the emotion of the scene. I inform all people, “Right song, right scene, makes a complete difference.” I am all the time making an attempt to place the suitable track with the suitable scene and make the web go loopy.
I all the time questioned, speaking particularly about Drive now, do you’ve got particular melodies or sure themes that whenever you consider a personality, you want to remain inside that theme, or is it actually extra dependent upon what scene you are making an attempt to craft?
No, you already know what? That is query. Tommy’s an old-school Motown man, proper? If he is within the automobile driving, I am going to attempt to have him hearken to extra music that sounds prefer it’s of that period. Jenard is the youthful pup.
So he is listening to extra Dirk and issues alongside these traces. I am going to have Diamond, and he is extra of an old-school hip-hop man since he is the massive bro. So when he is in his barbershop, he’ll be listening to one thing extra apropos for somebody his age that may be listening to hip hop or R&B.
However, we additionally infuse home music, we additionally will infuse some two-step music, and we’ll additionally infuse different issues to let you already know that we’re in Chicago.
When individuals stroll away from an episode throughout this season of Drive, what are you hoping they’re going to take away so far as the sentiments that may come by way of the music?
Man, I am going to inform you, this season, it is unbelievable. I am so excited for individuals to see it. As a result of I like final season, however I like this season. I like the place we went this season. Gary’s an incredible showrunner, so he gave me some good path.
Musically, like I stated, we’re touching home, we’re touching some two-step, we’re touching some jazz, however we’re touching hip hop. I would like individuals once they stroll away to be like, “That sounds like Chicago. That feels like authentic Chicago music.”
If we will pull that off and but nonetheless hit you with some bangers and a few people who you have not heard of earlier than, some people who, after all, you do know, the Kanyes of the world and issues like that, then I feel we have executed our job.
How a lot time do you spend listening to music to place collectively an episode, would you say?
Honestly, I hearken to music all day. I have been a DJ since I used to be 12, so all I do is hearken to music. I am reducing and scratching nonetheless. I nonetheless DJ, so all I do is hearken to music on a regular basis. Typically, although, you may discover a document that simply is totally different, and it is only a nice track, and I am going to put that away.
Typically, I am going to put these on the aspect as a result of I do know despite the fact that I could not have one thing for it proper now, one thing’s going to return up, and I wish to go to that folder and be like, “Oh my God, I found it. We found a song.” We’re all glad when that occurs. However yeah, I am listening to music for these reveals 24/7.
I could possibly be out within the grocery retailer. I could possibly be at a membership. I could possibly be anyplace, and if a track hits me and I am listening to the phrases, I am going to Shazam it proper then if I do not understand it. “Oh my God, when that happens, when this happens in this script, I got to remember that song!” And I am going to textual content myself that track for such and such. It is a steady course of.
Energy followers are very passionate, they usually’re very into the sequence. It has been a very long time, the entire Energy Universe. Do you get numerous followers which might be like, “What’s this song?” Or “How did you do this?” Do you get numerous these fan interactions?
Tons and tons. My IG, often as quickly because the present goes off, inside minutes, “Hey, what song was this?” or on Twitter, they’re searching for music. Quite a lot of the music hasn’t been launched into {the marketplace} but as a result of we’re all the time searching for new up-and-coming expertise from totally different areas and areas.
Once I hear one thing that smacks, I am going to attain out and discover the individual and provides them a possibility. Simply to have the ability to try this has been superior as effectively. However yeah, if I do not get a response, I have never executed my job. I am searching for a response. If individuals aren’t going, “What the hell is that? That song is dope,” then I am not doing my job, and I wish to do my job.
In case you might describe Energy Guide IV: Drive Season 2 in a few phrases, what would you say?
Stunning, heart-wrenching, thrilling.
With none spoilers, do you’ve got a particular scene or episode this season that you simply’re excited for individuals to see? If you cannot inform me, you’ll be able to’t inform me, however…
Man, there’s simply a lot. Gary did such job of telling the story. I feel he stuffed in some gaps that folks could have had from final season. There’s simply a lot. You bought to see, although. Belief.
I introduced this up earlier than, however the Energy Universe is so huge, and you’ve got been the music supervisor for a number of of the sequence. What has it meant to you personally to be part of the universe?
Man, it is humbling — finest phrase I might say. It is humbling. I’ve platinum information. I am a platinum producer, and I have been a composer on reveals like The Boondocks and whatnot, so I really feel like I’ve executed some issues.
However I nonetheless really feel like I am a traditional, common, on a regular basis man, so to have the ability to run these reveals and BMF, every little thing that fifty is doing, has been superb.
It is an incredible alternative, and that is why I strive so exhausting to ensure I am doing the easiest that I can do and herald as a lot new expertise and make these reveals sound superb as a result of the chance is so nice.
I admire it a lot. Working with all people from Jordan on down, Courtney and 50, after all, Gary and Brett, and Sasha, Randy, and Heather, simply all of the individuals who run these reveals.
Simply to be given these alternatives by these guys and for them to belief me sufficient to know that I’ll put my foot in it, I admire it so very a lot.
Keep in mind to tune in to Energy Guide IV: Drive Fridays at 8/7c on Starz. And you’ll observe our opinions all season right here.
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Whitney Evans is a employees author for TV Fanatic. Observe her on Twitter.