80s' synth music on The Simpsons

Hi All,

I've just watched "Krusty Gets Busted" from season 1 for the first time since several months. And I noticed something that I didn't noticed the last time I saw that episode.

I'm fond of 80's music and sounds, and therefore, I love sounds which come from the most popular synths of that decade, such as the Roland D-50 or the Korg M1.

And I was extremely surprised to hear, when watching this episode, that it actually contains some music which appears to come from those synths.

I can recognize the famous Living Calliope sound of the D-50 at 08:10 and at the end on 21:10, or some Tubular Bells from that synth (or from the Korg M1, I can't remember) on 10:30, and of course, the famous SoundTrack pad from the D-50 on 18:15.

Now, I'm wondering why I didn't noticed that before. I've never heard such sounds on the episodes which followed this one. Is that because it was an episode from the very early 90s, the synths I mentioned being the most popular synths from the late 80s? Or because the music was composed by someone which does not work on the show anymore?

Feel free to discuss if you have any ideas about that...

80's music was the best music ever, so i'm glad they put it in. They just had "Take On Me" play in Future Drama which is an excellent 80's synth song.

Of course

wow, you really are french

is your hair fashionably disheveled?

Roland D-50 and Korg M1 sound like names for british motorways.

no they don't.

Originally Posted by Tibor

wow, you really are french

is your hair fashionably disheveled?

How should I take that?!

In case you'd wonder, I have curly hair because of african origins, so the fact that I'm French does not count here!

Roland D-50 and Korg M1 sound like names for british motorways.

LOL... I don't really think that you like 80s' music, otherwise you wouldn't have said this . For many musicians and music addicts, the names "D-50" and "M1" sound like some of the best synthesizers from that decade

As you can see, they were really used everywhere, even on The Simpsons

You must love South Park

Alf Clausen didn't do the music for the show until season 2 or 3. Richard Gibbs was the show's original composer, but I think someone else also did the music for some of the episodes.

Yeah, Clausen started with Treehouse of Horror in season two. As a result most of the music in season one seems to be simple riffs of the opening theme for establishing shots/scenes, things the writers wrote themselves (Moaning Lisa Blues) and occasional music from elsewhere (like the "Patton" theme).

Any synthesized stuff back then probably had to do with budget or specific stylistic reasons (using 80's music during flashbacks of the 80's, for instance). Groening very much disliked the synthesized tv themes of the 80's, which is one reason why The Simpsons theme is an orchestral extravaganza.

Originally Posted by FuzzyWuzzyWuzABear

You must love South Park

Actually, I only saw the movie

Alf Clausen didn't do the music for the show until season 2 or 3. Richard Gibbs was the show's original composer, but I think someone else also did the music for some of the episodes.

Yeah, Clausen started with Treehouse of Horror in season two. As a result most of the music in season one seems to be simple riffs of the opening theme for establishing shots/scenes, things the writers wrote themselves (Moaning Lisa Blues) and occasional music from elsewhere (like the "Patton" theme).

Any synthesized stuff back then probably had to do with budget or specific stylistic reasons (using 80's music during flashbacks of the 80's, for instance). Groening very much disliked the synthesized tv themes of the 80's, which is one reason why The Simpsons theme is an orchestral extravaganza.

Thanks for your information, guys. It explains why we can hear that kind of music only on the earliest episodes!