This year it’ll be seven years since The Matrix was released – a spectacular sci-fi action movie with ground breaking special effects, accompanied by an edgy soundtrack containing tracks almost tailor made to fit the onscreen content.
Perhaps it was due to the almost perfect soundtrack, or maybe the runaway success of the original movie was to blame. But for the last seven years, every time we see a fast cut montage on any sports programme it’s always set to the Propellerheads Spybreak. Likewise, if it’s a moody slow motion piece, it’ll have Clubbed to death by Rob D behind it.
And we’ve had seven bloody years of it – nobody in a Video Editing department has used a brain cell since the millennium. It’s always “Right, we have a bunch of snowboarders in an SSX event, dueling it out to the finish line. We need some music to set the mood for the quick cuts and jaunty camera angles we’re using in this piece. Anyone have any ideas?” A hand will go up in the room and someone will suggest Spybreak. “Genius! That’s that sorted. Next on the agenda we have a a minute or so of tense build up footage for a boxing match. The two fighters really hate each other, and we’re possibly going to have a voice over after the first ten seconds or so. Anyone got anything?” Someone in the room, possibly the same someone as before, will suggest Clubbed to death. “Again – genius! Lets get to it.”
I swear that exact same meeting takes place all over the world in creative departments several times a day, and has done since mid 1999. Due to that, it’s been a long time since I actually listened to The Matrix soundtrack – mainly because I watch a lot of sports, so I’m sick to death of hearing it.
People, you know who you are; it’s time to let go and use a grain of originality when you’re choosing your backing tracks. Take the red pill. Or any other pill, for that matter. Just stop abusing a great soundtrack because you’re a bunch of lazy fuckers.