Modern Girls Exclusive!

I was able to get into contact with the VOICE behind Bruno X's music, Scott Rogness. Scott has now gone on to bigger and better Hollywood movies since Modern Girls and was heavily involved in the music from "That Thing You Do!" and "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." He was SO kind to give his recount of the musical background and behind the scenes information AND the Bruno X songs from the movie! This is exclusive to our site! Here's what he had to say...

Regarding Modern Girls and it’s beginning:

Gary Goetzman was the force behind Modern Girls. He is currently head of Playtone Company in Santa Monica. He is Tom Hank’s partner and right-hand man. Playtone grew out of the fictitious “Playtone Records” from the film That Thing You Do! They decided they liked the name and it became a production company. Since it’s inception, they’ve produced soundtrack records and movies for The Soprano’s, Josie and the Pussycats, Polar Express, The Ant Bully and Band of Brothers, My Big Fat Greek Wedding and many more successful projects. Essentially, Gary has been the Producer, facilitator behind all of Hanks’ work these past twenty years.

Gary Goetzman’s mom was a casting director in Hollywood and Gary was a child actor. His claim to fame was “Yours, Mine and Ours”, the original with Henry Fonda and Lucile Ball. He became a record producer in the 1980’s.

I was living in Los Angeles, playing in a band called New Language. We were playing all the clubs on the Sunset Strip. This is around the time Van Halen, Quiet Riot and Motley Crue were just getting started. Everyone thought the Crue were a joke...they got the last laugh. We were playing at Club Lingerie and across the street Gary Goetzman and Johnathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs Director), were mixing the Talking Heads film; Stop Making Sense. They came into the club and left word for someone in the band to call them. I was the only one who pursued the opportunity. Gary and I began a friendship and working relationship. He was producing the Staple singers, Latoya Jackson and others and beginning to make his move from music to film.

His stock, as an up and coming Producer had risen with the success of Stop Making Sense and his first film I think, was Modern Girls.

At the same time, Gary and his cousin had purchased a recording studio in North Hollywood. It used to be called Jennifudy, later renamed Entourage. This became the home base for the music recorded for Modern Girls. It was like a little factory there. A very creative time. Many of the artists on the soundtrack or in the film recorded their music there. On the second floor were the music supervisors. Floor to ceiling stack of tapes to listen to. Soundtracks were a much more powerful tool in the 80’s and 90’s than they are now. A good soundtrack could sell movie tickets. That’s why Depeche Mode, The Call and others were used on the soundtrack. They had instant name recognition.

Since I was friends with Gary and working at the studio, he tapped me to write a few songs. Basically, they sit down with the script and make notes where music cues are needed. Then the director, music supervisor, producer, go through the stacks of songs and start pasting ideas. Once a master list is compiled the record company has their suggestions as far as the soundtrack is concerned.

I remember Fran Joli hanging around the studio alot. She had hair down to her toes all done in cornrows! She was was hot at the time. I also remember Steve Jones from The Clash hanging around the studio. I think he had something to do with the band Lions and Ghosts.

So it was cool, I got to read the script, record songs for the movie, meet the actors and was privy to the song selection process. The movie was shot in Hollywood at night to my recollection. Abandoned buildings were rented, cleaned, staged and became a club or an interior shot for some scene. This wasn’t a big budget movie. The street dancing scene where Bond Of Addiction is played was on Melrose avenue around Melrose and La Brea as I recall. There was a hip vintage clothing store called Flip and one called Aardvarks that were on the corners there, they may even be in the background. I haven’t seen the film for some time.

So, these are the things I remember.
Hope that helps a little,
Scott