Movies are for many people a means of escape from the humdrum of their lives, but for people like Hans Zimmer they are a means of expressing music on a grand scale. This is because Hans Zimmer is a noted composer for films and he is a music producer as well. While you may not recognize his name this is a man whose musical works have become immortalized in movies like The Pirates of the Caribbean series, Gladiator, The Lion King, The Dark Knight, Sherlock Holmes, The Last Samurai, and The Da Vinci Code. These are some his well known musical hits.

In addition to being a recognized film score composer Hans Zimmer is also noted for his ability of combining traditional orchestral arrangements with that of electronic musical sounds. It is this ability which has helped to provide his musical compositions with the evocative and soul lifting sounds which give the films the life needed to make each scene come alive.

Zimmer’s career as a music composer began in his youth. During this time he ventured into the arena of playing on the keyboards and working with synthesizers. In 1977 he worked with a New Wave band called The Buggles. He appeared briefly in a music video with his fellow band members. After this stint of work he played with another New Wave band called Krisma. It was during the 1980s that Hans Zimmer’s career as a film score composer began in earnest.

He first worked with Stanley Myers on film scores for movies like Moonlighting, Insignificance, My Beautiful Launderette, and Success is the Best Revenge. In 1987 Hans Zimmer branched out on a solo career. His solo film score was for the movie Terminal Exposure. The film score which won him an Academy Award for Best Original Score was The Last Emperor.

While you many not see his name or recognize the music that he has given to these movies and many others Hans Zimmer has received many awards for his work. From these and the various fans who buy or download his work that you can truly understand the beautiful legacy that Hans Zimmer has bestowed on us.

Ok music fans, it’s another day and another song, and this time I find myself listening to a medley of different songs. I’ve been up since 4am unable to sleep (I believe it’s the age thing, but shhh…don’t tell anyone!), and the tune of the moment happens to be “Red Warrior” from the Last Samurai soundtrack courtesy of Hans Zimmer -- great movie, great soundtrack.

(My beast needed to tamed and soothed at four o’clock in the morning -- not woken up!)

Regardless of this, it should be said that Hans Zimmer is one of the all time great composers to hit our theater screens, and without his genius at work many a great movie would have merely been ‘good’. But what does this have to do with music? Well, besides the obvious, it should also be noted here that there are many people out there who are fans of soundtrack music – be it from cinema-land or tv-land.

Yet there are many people who would scoff and jeer at those of us who have a love for soundtrack music (in fact, they don’t consider us to have any musical taste at all!) but the truth is that some of the best music to be heard today comes in the form of the oft overlooked soundtrack music.

True, if you go out and buy a soundtrack album, you will most of the time come away with something that is three-fourths rubbish and only one-fourth good music (this is of course true for most albums you buy nowadays). But, there are those exceptional times when a soundtrack gives you only the best, and in the case of Hans Zimmer soundtracks, you will most often than not hit music pay dirt.

However, if you believe that you are not and in no way ever will be a soundtrack enthusiast, let me ask you one question: Do you find yourself singing along to the likes of “The Time of My Life” (Dirty Dancing); “Hero” (Spider-Man); and more recently “Jai Ho” (Slumdog Millionaire)?

And remember that these are just a sampling of what you will find in the soundtrack music genre – if you just open yourself up to the endless possibilities, you are bound to find your music collection expanding…exponentially!

Try out some Spidey fun with Chad Kroeger and “Hero”

Music. It can tame the soul and soothe the savage beast within you. It can move you to tears, or it can make you want to get up and dance the night away. It’s there with you through the good times…and through the bad. It floated you up onto cloud number nine when you had your first kiss, and it helped you back down to earth when your heart was broken. It’s a language without barriers – and the one thing in this world that everyone understands. Music helps to make your world a better one.

Whether you find yourself singing along at the top of your lungs completely oblivious to the fact that you are in fact quite, quite off-key; or whether you find yourself singing in the shower as you lather up, using the shower-head as an impromptu mike, you will find that music is a large part of your life.

Personally speaking, I find that music helps me to do many things, from slaving away on my computer, to cooking a virtuoso meal (a PB&J sandwich!), to taking a lazy drive down the highway with the sound of the 80’s filling my soul.

I’m not an ardent fan of any one particular genre or type of music. I find my likes and dislikes spread over a wide variety of genres, and what I listen to depends on my mood at the moment. Right now I’m listening to the quirky yet eminently listenable “Rotterdam (or Anywhere)” by The Beautiful South.

So what type of music are you into?

• Soft Rock
• Hard Rock
• Rhythm and Blues (R&B)
• Jazz
• Classical
• Country
• House
• Hip-Hop
• Rap

The list as you can see is endless, but if you regularly tune in to my Music Sack blog, you will find yourself entertained and enlightened by the different aspects of music I take a look at, including what makes some of these genres so popular.

Music. It’s all around you. What makes you rock?