I was there, the 80s. I remember it a little bit. I remember the music being rad! And so I was stoked to be asked to create the musical score to this reboot of the timeless 80s classic. The incomparable Harvey Mason Jr produced the amazing song soundtrack, which is fun AF, and the brilliant Rachel Lee Goldenberg directed.
I wanted the sound of the of score to be true to the era…which was a great excuse to buy near gear!: a Yamaha Electric Grand Piano so I could emulate Spandau Ballet and ABC, a Fender 6-strings bass with a Boss CE-2 Chorus Pedal so I could sound like The Psychedelic Furs and The Cure. And my arsenal of vintage synthesizers. I was in retro heaven.
By the time Valley Grill was released, the era of pandemic social distancing was in full swing. Rather than a conventional premiere event, Rachel organized a cast and crew premiere at a Drive-In theater in Montclair. It was the ideal way to celebrate our colorful 1980s love letter.
Roger Neill is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and composer with credits including 20th CENTURY WOMEN, DON'T THINK TWICE, KING OF THE HILL and MOZART IN THE JUNGLE.