ROBERT QUINE, 1942 – 2004
Back in 1999, the first film I ever worked on was Raul Ruiz’s The Golden Boat (James Schamus’s first production), and, using some grant money that I raised at my job at The Kitchen, I got my friend John Zorn to do the score. (I ran into Zorn on the street a while ago and he told me he’d score another film of mine if I asked — “But you know the drill,” he said. “I’ll do it, fast, cheap, but I get complete creative control!”
Anyway, John did amazing work for not much money, and one of the score’s best elements was the playing of Robert Quine. My jaw dropped when I walked in the studio and realized that Quine, whose work with Lou Reed, the Voidoids and others is legendary, was doing session duty on a no-budget film. His playing was magnificent. I was saddened to see in various places this week Quine’s obituary. He apparently took his own life after being depressed by the death of his wife last year.
For more on Quine, check the Web site link above.
