The Simpsons composer Alf Clausen fired after 27 years

water_wendi said:
Finally. The music that was the problem with The Simpsons.
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Talking Simpsons makes me appreciate just how clever old Simpsons was you know how good it is as a kid but man it was really something else at the time, most likely doing it to cut costs.
 
This news shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone that's been paying attention to the show of late. Clear cost-cutting measures that drastically scaled back the show's original background scoring were very evident in Season 28. Countless scenes that were jarring due to having no background music tracks and/or blatant recycling of music used in prior episodes. Only the occasional montage set to a licensed track or a musical number featuring the characters singing breaks up the drudgery. I'm probably the most outspoken person on the 'Net that's been calling this trend out over the past year.

It's unfortunate but Alf's had an amazing career and is frankly due the opportunity to either enjoy retirement or practice his craft elsewhere. It's been clear for a while that his talents were being wasted on the show.

And yeah, this also reinforces my belief that the show is DONE after Season 30. With the Gunsmoke record slain, they won't have the creative energy to continue forward.
 
Well, I hope it was at least done cleanly and everyone felt alright about it. At least maybe then he might come back to score the final episode or a second movie. Assuming any of us are alive by then.
 
Imperial Bishop said:
Is there any noteworthy music from the newer seasons?
The best musical moments were all pre-season 10.
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I'm a big fan of the Evita send-up the Simpsons rolled out in Season 15's The President Wore Pearls.
That ep was a full-fledged musical... also featured some of the best Groundskeeper Willie gags outside of Treehouse of Horror.

In terms of iconic background scoring, that's a tougher sell.
Season 27's Halloween of Horror had some nice moments. It also boasted an entertaining musical number. That's probably the most recent example that comes to mind.
There was some pretty memorable music composition for Marge's acid trip sequences in Season 26's Blazed and Confused.

Strangelove77 said:
They might as well fire the super expensive voice cast too while they're at it. I'm sure they could get people who can do good imitations of all their characters. I doubt anyone who watches the show currently would care.
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You would be highly mistaken about that.
 
They might as well fire the super expensive voice cast too while they're at it. I'm sure they could get people who can do good imitations of all their characters. I doubt anyone who watches the show currently would care.
 
For those lamenting current Simpsons, There was an interview Groening did early on during the shows popularity where he stated that he hated what happened to The Flinstones as the kept chugging along with no purpose (around the time they introduced The Great Gazoo) and didn't want that to happen to The Simpsons. It's ironic now seeing what's happened to the show.
 
peteykirch said:
The fact that Yeardley Smith gets paid equally to everyone else on the show is the biggest joke.
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Just because she voices one character instead of 20+ doesn't lessen the impact her acting presence makes within an episode.
Yeardley also does a lot of PR for the show. Hank and Harry are literally phoning in their lines right now.
They all bring a unique component to the show and it frankly wouldn't be the same without any one of them.
 
PeakPointMatrix said:
yeah why is this show keeping hundreds employed

why

Spoiler: it's still watched by millions and while not heyday good, still delivers laughs. Not that you'd know since you don't watch it do you.
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Hundreds employed? LOL! More like ten's. Most, if not all the animation probably gets done overseas in Korea. It's not doing squat for people here in the states. They didn't even want to pay the voice actors what they deserved, despite making bank off this show. And yes I don't watch it. I haven't in probably a good 15 years.
 
UberTag said:
Just because she voices one character instead of 20+ doesn't lessen the impact her acting presence makes within an episode.
Yeardley also does a lot of PR for the show. Hank and Harry are literally phoning in their lines right now.
They all bring a unique component to the show and it frankly wouldn't be the same without any one of them.
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Yeah, taking potshots at the actors for keeping a sweet gig seems a little misguided here. They've all delivered legendary performances, even if the show is a shadow of a shell of a ghost of a zombie at this point.
 
Salmonax said:
Yeah, taking potshots at the actors for keeping a sweet gig seems a little misguided here. They've all delivered legendary performances, even if the show is a shadow of a shell of a ghost of a zombie at this point.
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I still enjoy that shadow of a shell of a ghost of a zombie more than most active programs.
 
UberTag said:
This news shouldn't come as a big surprise to anyone that's been paying attention to the show of late. Clear cost-cutting measures that drastically scaled back the show's original background scoring were very evident in Season 28. Countless scenes that were jarring due to having no background music tracks and/or blatant recycling of music used in prior episodes. Only the occasional montage set to a licensed track or a musical number featuring the characters singing breaks up the drudgery. I'm probably the most outspoken person on the 'Net that's been calling this trend out over the past year.

It's unfortunate but Alf's had an amazing career and is frankly due the opportunity to either enjoy retirement or practice his craft elsewhere. It's been clear for a while that his talents were being wasted on the show.

And yeah, this also reinforces my belief that the show is DONE after Season 30. With the Gunsmoke record slain, they won't have the creative energy to continue forward.
Click to expand...

Yeah this is how I feel. It sucks Alf wasnt offered to return as the composer but the show is completely different than it was when it and he started (both in viewership and the show itself). Its not like Fox or the Simpsons are trying to say he's not a good composer anymore so he can go on to do better things (or just relax) now.
 
It's been years since I've seen The Simpsons but the music is like half the experience. What a shame. Fox sucks!
 
UberTag said:
And yeah, this also reinforces my belief that the show is DONE after Season 30. With the Gunsmoke record slain, they won't have the creative energy to continue forward.
Click to expand...

I've been thinking that that's when it will end as well. It just makes so much sense. If it is their last, I'm hoping the fact that it is the final season will reinvigorate them creatively a bit. I'd love to see the show go out with a really strong finish.
 
TIL: The Simpsons was scored by the same dude for decades. Honestly, outside of Elfman's theme, I've never seriously considered the show's score before. That's actually awesome.
 
frontovik said:
Oh wow. I had no idea Alf Clausen was the genius behind this theme. I've been looking for the composer for ages.
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I had the Land of Chocolate theme randomly stuck in my head for a solid 30 minutes at work the other day.
Haven't even watched that episode at all recently. But I can recall every nuance of that piece without breaking a sweat.
Alf's contribution to the show's cultural impact is immeasurable.
 
So, are we going to get Bill Lava synths or Gene Deitchian cost cutting mirroring the demise of theatrical cartoons? That would be some kind of unintentional cosmic self-parody.
 
UberTag said:
I'm a big fan of the Evita send-up the Simpsons rolled out in Season 15's The President Wore Pearls.
That ep was a full-fledged musical... also featured some of the best Groundskeeper Willie gags outside of Treehouse of Horror.
Click to expand...

Strangely,this was the episode that sprung to my mind as well. It had some great musical moments, and as you say the Willy dialogue is brilliant (his line about Scots hating everyone cracks me up).

Its definitely a great loss for the series. I wonder how much longer it'll last... (then again I've probably been wondering that for 10+ years now).
 
Sad to be honest, shitting on the legacy. I wonder what Matt Groening feels about this.

Also, all the simpsons references in the comments. LOL.
 
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