Jack White And Alicia Keys Team Up For 'Quantum of Solace' Theme Song
James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli today announced that Jack White and Alicia Keys have recorded the title track to Quantum of Solace.
Jack White
The song, titled “Another Way To Die”, marks the first duet in James Bond soundtrack history. The track was written and produced by White, who also performs the drums on the song.
“Another Way To Die” will appear on the official soundtrack to Quantum of Solace, which will be released on J Records on 28 October, 2008.
Both singers had been previously attached to the Quantum of Solace title track; White in June and Keys earlier this month.
Alicia Keys
33-year-old White is best known as one half of the alternative rock band The White Stripes. Keys, 28, is an R&B/pop singer with 11 Grammy awards under her belt.
The announcement ends months of speculation as to who would perform the latest 007 title track. Other singers mentioned included The Killers, Duran Duran, Duffy, Annie Lennox, Leona Lewis, Beyoncé and, at length, Amy Winehouse.
The film’s score is being composed by David Arnold, who has composed the music for every James Bond film since 1997’s Tomorrow Never Dies.
The full press release follows.
Jack White and Alicia Keys Team for Quantum of Solace Theme Song
CULVER CITY, Calif., July 29 – Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, producers of the highly anticipated 22nd James Bond adventure Quantum of Solace, announced today that multi-Grammy Award-winning and platinum selling recording artists Jack White of the rock band The White Stripes, and Alicia Keys, have recorded the theme song for the film, which will be released worldwide this November.
Their song, written and produced by Jack White, and titled “Another Way to Die,” will be the first duet in Bond soundtrack history. In addition to writing the song, Jack White is also featured as the drummer on this track. The soundtrack to Quantum of Solace will be released by J Records on October 28, 2008.
Daniel Craig reprises his role as Ian Fleming’s James Bond 007 in Quantum of Solace, the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/Columbia Pictures release of EON Productions’ 22nd adventure in the longest-running film franchise in motion picture history. The film is directed by Marc Forster. The screenplay is by Neal Purvis & Robert Wade as well as Paul Haggis and the film’s score will be composed by David Arnold. Wilson and Broccoli said: “We are delighted and pleased to have two such exciting artists as Jack and Alicia, who were inspired by our film to join together their extraordinary talents in creating a unique sound for Quantum of Solace.”
One of the most enigmatic figures in music, Jack White has built a reputation as something of a modern American renaissance man. When Jack White formed The White Stripes with his big sister Meg in 1997, no one could have predicted the journey they would take. A love of early delta blues inspired him to take a minimalist approach to the music, one which included a simple drumming style by Meg as well as a red, white and black color scheme for everything from their stage clothing to their record sleeves.
As lead singer, guitarist and songwriter, Jack has steered the duo to worldwide success. The White Stripes have released 6 critically acclaimed albums and picked up 5 Grammy Awards, including 3 for “Best Alternative Album”: “Elephant” (2004), “Get Behind Me Satan” (2006) & “Icky Thump” (2008). They are also the recipients of 4 MTV Video Music Awards and 2 Brit Awards, including the 2004 award for “Best International Group”. Their hit singles include “Fell In Love with A Girl” (2001), “Seven Nation Army” (2003), and “Icky Thump” (2007). The band is hugely popular all over the world and 2007 saw them perform at arenas across the U.S. and Europe, including a sold out stop at New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden.
In 2005, White formed a second band, The Raconteurs, with Brendan Benson, Jack Lawrence and Patrick Keeler. Described as “a new band of old friends,” The Raconteurs first single, “Steady, As She Goes” was an immediate success and their debut album, “Broken Boy Soldiers,” went on to debut at #7 in the Billboard Album Charts and was nominated for 2 Grammy Awards.
The band toured the world and wound up their 2006 touring schedule playing dates across the U.S. with Bob Dylan. White and Dylan’s mutual appreciation has resulted in several guest performances together. The Raconteurs’ sophomore album, “Consolers Of The Lonely” (2008), also debuted at #7 and spawned the hit single “Salute Your Solution.” White has managed to work with both of his bands simultaneously since 2005, currently working with each on an annual rotation.
While renowned around the globe as a rock performer and songwriter, White is also an award winning record producer and mixer. He has produced all of The White Stripes and Raconteurs recordings to date (the latter with Brendan Benson) and, in 2004, helmed Loretta Lynn’s Van Lear Rose album. In addition to producing the album, White put together Lynn’s band for the recording sessions (which included the rhythm section of The Raconteurs) and appeared himself on guitar and vocals, including the duet “Portland, Oregon” which won the 2005 Grammy for “Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.” Van Lear Rose was awarded the Grammy for “Best Country Album.”
White has appeared in a handful of movie roles, including the Academy Award winning 2003 film Cold Mountain. Director Anthony Minghella cast White as Georgia Thewes on the advice of musical director T Bone Burnett. White’s role was a musical one and he performed several of the movie’s Appalachian songs. In the same year, both members of The White Stripes appeared in director Jim Jarmusch’s Coffee & Cigarettes.
Jack and Meg White played themselves in the vignette titled “Jack Shows Meg His Testla Coil.” In 2006, the duo appeared again in an episode of The Simpsons titled “Jazzy And The Pussycats.” In 2007, White made a cameo as Elvis Presley in the Judd Apatow produced comedy, Walk Hard, and in 2008, he performed on stage in New York City with The Rolling Stones for a scene in Martin Scorceses’ documentary, Shine A Light. White, along with Jimmy Page and The Edge, are featured in Davis Guggenheim’s forthcoming electric guitar documentary, It Might Get Loud, to be theatrically released later this year.
White is the head of his own record label, Third Man Records, which releases both The White Stripes and The Raconteurs around the globe.
Grammy Award-winning, multi-platinum recording artist Alicia Keys has changed the face of popular music since she burst onto the scene in 2001. Keys third studio album, “As I Am,” marked another milestone recording in the young entertainer’s career with over 742,000 units sold during its first week of release. In addition, “As I Am” marks Alicia’s fourth #1 debut on the Billboard Top 200 chart and her biggest sales week to date. Upon the November 2007 release of “As I Am”, Alicia held the prestigious title as the biggest debut for a female R&B artist in SoundScan history, and the highest selling debut for a female artist since 2004. “As I Am” spawned the hit single “No One” which won two Grammy Awards in 2008 for Best R&B Song and Best Female R&B Vocal Performance. Additionally, Keys received four awards at the 2008 NAACP Image Awards, was honored at the first annual BET Honors ceremony, and recently received the 2008 BET Award for Best R&B Female Artist. Enjoying one of the most successful periods in her career with over 5 million copies of “As I Am” sold worldwide, Keys kicked off the “As I Am” Tour presented by Lexus in February 2008 with sold out shows for both the European and US portions of the tour.
Keys will soon be seen opposite Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson and Queen Latifah in Fox Searchlight’s adaptation of Sue Monk Kidd’s best selling novel The Secret Life of Bees which will release on October 17th. Keys made her motion-picture debut in Joe Carnahan’s Smokin’ Aces as Georgia Sykes, a stunning street assassin. She also appeared in the big screen adaptation of the best selling book The Nanny Diaries, opposite Scarlet Johansson, Laura Linney and Paul Giamatti. Keys recently signed a multiyear first-look film production deal at Disney.
Keys first appeared on the music scene in June 2001 with her debut album, “Songs In A Minor”, on Clive Davis’ J Records. The album debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 Chart, selling over 235,000 copies in its first week, and went on to sell more than 10 million units worldwide. Keys’ critically acclaimed sophomore effort, “The Diary of Alicia Keys,” was released in December 2003 and sold over 618,000 copies during its first week of release in the United States. The album is currently seven times platinum.
Throughout her career, Alicia has won eleven Grammy Awards, eleven Billboard Music Awards, three American Music Awards, three World Music Awards, three MTV Video Music Awards, three MTV Europe Awards, three BET Awards, fourteen NAACP Image Awards, two Nickelodeon Teen Choice Awards, seven Soul Train Music Awards, two Soul Train Lady of Soul Awards, one People’s Choice Award, one My VH1 Award and more.
In 2005, Keys also became a New York Times Bestselling author when she released her first published work, Tears for Water: Songbook of Poems & Lyrics by Alicia Keys.
She generously gives her time and energy as an Ambassador and spokesperson for “Keep A Child Alive,” which provides anti-viral drugs to the millions suffering from AIDS in Africa. She also works closely with “Frum Tha Ground Up,” devoted to equipping America’s youth with the tools essential for achieving success on all levels, as well as “Teens in Motion,” a non-profit organization created to offer teens the opportunity to develop their minds and bodies in a safe and secure environment. Born and raised in New York, Alicia graduated from the Professional Performance Arts School in Manhattan at age 16.
The pair will be following in the footsteps of Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, a-ha, Garbage, and most recently, Chris Cornell.
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