Score another network TV show for Greg Allan’s Sonixphere. ABC’s new Tuesday night show, “Celebrity Wife Swap,” is the music company’s third network show, for which it created some 40-50 piece of music to fit the alter egos for each spousal team.
Celebrity spouses who signed up to swap households, children, and rules of domestic play include Dee Snider of Twisted Sister, songstress Carnie Wilson, Flavor Flav from Public Enemy, and actor Gary Busey, among others.
Allan, Sonixphere’s CEO/creative director and Doug Bossi’s award-winning composing team at L.A.-based iSpy Music “composed music that was reflective of each cast member’s personality,” says Allan.
“To help brand certain elements of the show, we composed music that was reflective of each cast member’s personality with a nod to their musical backgrounds,” Allan says. “For Carnie Wilson, we wrote cues that were ballad-like, using keyboards reminiscent of the Beach Boys. For Dee Snider, we went for a big, rock sound using lots of guitars.”
Snider’s sound is described by Allan as “rugged, gruff and East Coast.” For Flavor Flav, a hip-hop feel, infused with humor was dialed up. Busey inspired gritty and slightly quirky guitar cues.
“In addition, some of the pieces were tension pieces and not written for specific characters, some were celebratory,” says Allan, who formed Sonixphere last August, after a decade at the late Spank! Music.
The scale of the project and the need to meet fast deadlines required the talent of six composers from Sonixphere’s worldwide network of composers.
Some of the shows Sonixphere provided the theme, cues or both include ABC’s “Secret Millionaire,” NBC’s short-lived “Breakthrough,” and cable shows “Real Deal,” “Flying Wild to Alaska and “Cellblock Six,” in addition to scores for webisodes and commercials.
Recently, New York-based Clint Arent joined the company as director of East Coast business development. Previously, he’d been managing music director for legendary New Jersey music school and also marketing manager of DiscMakers.
