Summary
Victor Harold Flick (born 14 May 1937) is an English studio guitarist, best known for playing the guitar riff in the "James Bond Theme".
Vic Flick | |
|---|---|
 Vic Flick recording in London, 1989 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Victor Harold Flick |
| Born | 14 May 1937 Worcester Park, Surrey, England, UK |
| Genres | Film score |
| Occupation(s) | |
| Years active | 1957–2012 |
| Formerly of |
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Biography edit
In the late 1950s, Flick joined the John Barry Seven.[1]
On the Dr. No soundtrack, he was lead guitarist on the track "James Bond Theme". Flick continued to contribute to the James Bond soundtracks from the 1960s through the late 1980s.[1][2] He also played a pastiche of the "James Bond" guitar part for The Beatles' film “A Hard Days Night”, “Ringos Theme” (1964).[citation needed] One of Flick's guitars, a Clifford Essex Paragon De Luxe, on which he played the original "James Bond Theme", was displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.[3]
He also recorded with Herman's Hermits, playing the distinctive guitar riff in the intro and bridge of "Silhouettes", a 1965 UK Top 5 hit although this is disputed by Karl Green of Herman’s Hermits in an interview on the Sky Arts programme “The British Invasion”.[4]
In 1999, he worked with composer Nic Raine, backed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, on the James Bond tribute album titled Bond Back in Action.[5] In 2003, he recorded the album James Bond Now, featuring tracks from James Bond soundtracks and new compositions.[2]
In 2005, he played on the soundtrack of the From Russia With Love video game by Electronic Arts.[6]
In 2008, his autobiography, Vic Flick Guitarman: From James Bond to The Beatles and Beyond (ISBN 978-1593933081), was published by Bearmanor Media.
On 5 October 2012, Vic Flick was honoured at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for "The Music of Bond: The First 50 Years." He played the "James Bond Theme" on his 1939 Clifford Essex Paragon De Luxe “James Bond” Guitar to a live audience. He also was interviewed on stage by Jon Burlingame, a writer on the subject of music for film and television.[7]
Flick appeared on a 2013 episode of the History Channel show Pawn Stars titled "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service". Here he brought in his 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar to shop owner Rick Harrison, who, after consulting Jesse Amoroso, settled on a price of $55,000 for the guitar.[8] The guitar sold at auction in 2014 for $25,000.[9]
Discography edit
- West of Windward - 1968 - Rediffusion
- Bond Back in Action (Featured/1999)
- James Bond Now (2003)
References edit
- ^ a b Perone, James E. (2008) Mods, Rockers, and the Music of the British Invasion, Praeger, ISBN 978-0-275-99860-8, p. 31-2
- ^ a b Simpson, Paul (2002) The Rough Guide to James Bond, Rough Guides, ISBN 978-1-84353-142-5, p. 225
- ^ "'Songwriters to soundmen. Vic Flick. Part 1.' - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". Catalog.rockhall.com. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ "The British Invasion".
- ^ "BOND BACK IN ACTION". Silvascreenusa.com. 27 March 2007. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ "James Bond 007". Mi6-hq.com. 10 September 2005. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ "The Music of Bond: The First 50 Years | Events Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. Retrieved 22 March 2014.
- ^ Pawn Stars: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service (archived from the original on 2013-12-15)
- ^ "VIC FLICK OWNED AND PLAYED 1961 FENDER STRATOCASTER". Julienslive.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
External links edit
- Official website
- Vic Flick at IMDb
- John Barry Website (review of Vic Flick Guitarman: From James Bond to the Beatles and Beyond)
- Guitarist Vic Flick on "Goldfinger" and the James Bond Theme on YouTube
- James Bond 007 Theme Tune (original) on YouTube
- Vic Flick Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2014)