After nine seasons of The King of Queens and two seasons of Kevin Can Wait, there’s no denying that Kevin James is king of multi-camera comedies. So it should be no surprise that his latest project, Netflix’s The Crew, is just that.
Alec Puro
In case you aren’t familiar with the show, the official synopsis reads: Life in the garage swerves off track for a NASCAR crew chief (James) and his tight-knit racing team when a new boss steps in and shakes things up. Adding to the fun of the series is the score by composer Alec Puro, who describes the sound of the show as “hard rock retro,” which comes very naturally to him, as he has also been a member of the industrial rock/metal band Deadsy since the ‘90s.
Not only is Puro providing music for The Crew, but he is also scoring Netflix’s zombie apocalypse horror/drama Black Summer and Hulu’s animated series The Mighty Ones. Since each of these shows is completely different in story and sound, we wanted to speak with Puro about the creative process for each. Below he talks about everything from working with each of the show’s directors to what tools he is using for each.
You are currently scoring three very different shows: Netflix’s Black Summer and The Crew, and Hulu’s The Mighty Ones. Is there one that is more challenging than another?
Each of these projects has its own challenges, but the main reason I love composing so much is that each project you do gives you the opportunity to do something completely different, which keeps things fresh and exciting. These three shows couldn’t be more different stylistically, but all of them require a musical feel and style I really enjoy creating.
Can you describe the sound of each of these three shows?
The Crew has a driving ‘70s hard rock, retro-type sound. Black Summer has a very dark, atmospheric, electronic soundscape-type sound. And The Mighty Ones uses an organic, indie garage-rock sound mixed with a Jon Brion/Kraftwerk/Hans Zimmer feel at times.
What tools, plugins, software do you find yourself using for these shows?
I’ve been experimenting a lot lately on Black Summer with running certain sounds through old guitar pedals and FX units to find new combinations that create cool new textures for the themes I’m working on. I also love using different analog synths to find cool sounds as well as some of the Output, Arturia and Spitfire audio stuff.
The Crew, centers on NASCAR. Did the creators have a very specific idea of what they wanted the score to sound like because of this element?
Yes, with the show centering on NASCAR, the creator/showrunner wanted the sound to complement that energy. The main character has also been in the racing game for years, so we wanted to infuse a slight retro, ‘70s feel into the score as well. I think where we ended up really works for the overall feel of the show.
Your three current shows are all on streaming platforms, so they can be binge-watched. How much does this effect your creative process? Do you score these shows like they could be watched all in one sitting?
I approach any show or film as one complete thought in terms of creating themes that reoccur and build throughout a series. Because of this, it doesn’t really affect my creative process while scoring that someone can binge all the episodes at once.
Black Summer is a horror/thriller. Projects in this genre tend to heavily rely on musical cues for building intensity and scares. Do you feel any extra pressure to musically deliver for this show because of the genre it is in?
It’s probably self-manifested, but I definitely feel extra pressure to musically deliver on any project I’m working on. With Black Summer, I take the opposite approach and create a more minimalistic atmospheric/ambient sound, which I feel really helps enhance what’s happening on screen.
I work very closely with the sound designers on the show to create a seamless soundscape between the score and sound design that doesn’t distract from what’s happening in any given scene but enhances everything in a realistic and terrifying way. The score and sound design become one at many points, which really helps build the anxiety and danger in a scene. Since the show is so engaging on its own, my goal with the music is to support and enhance that tension or anxiety in a scene without being distracting or even sometimes noticing there is any music at all.
How did you work with the director on each project?
Because each of these shows is in a completely different genre, each one had a different approach, and each creator’s process was different. On Black Summer I start composing a lot of the themes before they even start shooting the season, and on The Mighty Ones, I wait until each episode is locked so I can score them to picture. With The Crew, once I wrote the main title theme, I ended up creating a ton of sub-themes and transitions for each episode based on that feel.
What instruments do you play and which one do you typically use to start off the writing process?
Piano and drums are my main instruments, and I play a little guitar and bass as well. Most of my time is spent on the piano since it all starts there for me when I’m composing.
Let’s talk about your background. How did you initially get into music?
I started playing piano when I was around 10, and from there I picked up the drums, which led to many years of being in bands and doing tons of session work. When I was about 18, a producer friend of my moms, who worked on the show Chicago Hope, told me they license music for each episode, and I should write him a few songs to pitch. I got together with my friend Inara George (The Bird and The Bee), who has one of the most beautiful voices on the planet, and we wrote two songs for the show that ended up getting licensed. From that moment, I was hooked on the idea of being a part of the storytelling process through music and all I did from that point on was focus all my time and energy on getting better at composing music to picture.
You were part of the rock band Deadsy before becoming a composer. What led up to this transition from stage to composing studio?
I always knew that becoming a full-time composer was something I was destined to do. I started exploring that during my time in the band, so it wasn’t an abrupt transition but more like one thing flowing fluidly into the next. When I was on the road, I would bring a portable composing rig to do small jobs remotely, whether it was scoring a friend’s short film or writing additional cues for a TV show. At a certain point, it really became apparent that this was what I wanted to devote all my time to. The band decided to take a long break from touring and recording, and here I am today.
You own Gramoscope Music, which is a full-service music production company. How did this company come about?
I created Gramoscope Music because early on in my career there could be significant downtime between scoring a film or a scripted show. I never knew how long that downtime would last and, in some cases, it lasted long enough that I wouldn’t be able to pay my rent. Starting Gramoscope Music has given me the creative freedom to explore various film and television projects I might not have been able to do without the support of the company and my team.
Any tips for those looking to write music for picture?
I guess I would say do anything and everything that gives you the opportunity to create music. You never know where something might lead or what relationship you create along the way could be the one that helps takes everything to the next level. Work begets work, and it’s all about your momentum and ability to put as much out there as possible. You never know what might come back.
