Here’s an odd pairing. Jack White of the White Stripes and Alicia Keys have been chosen to write and record the next Bond theme for the upcoming film, “Quantum of Solace,” starring the latest 007 Daniel Craig (this reboot was the best one in decades, even if it’s a ‘Bourne’ retread).
Their collaboration, “Another Way To Die,” is the first duet in the 22-year history of James Bond film themes. White wrote, produced and played drums on the track. The soundtrack ‘Solace’ is scheduled for October 28 on Keys’ J Records label.
Amy Winehouse was a forerunner for this Bond theme ages ago, but her public behavior evidently gave producers cause for concern according to the dubious U.K. press, though it may just have been because Winehouse and producer Mark Ronson had different ideas for the direction of the song.
Bond themes are typically a cattle call where producers tap a bunch of famous musicians to write a track with no guarantee that they’ll actually get the spot (and will have wasted time in the studio, writing and recording for naught if they’re not picked). Directed by Marc Forster – a man soon to be known for his mainstream chameleon ways, having directed such incongruous fare as “Monster’s Ball,” “Stranger Than Fiction” and now an action Bond film – “Quantum of Solace” will hit theaters on November 7. The titular “Casino Royale” theme was sung by Chris Cornell formerly of Audioslave. The track was so ear-cringingly wretched that we decided to throw out all our Soundgarden cassettes.