Composer of ‘Twin Peaks’ theme, dead at 85

WASHINGTON

Angelo Badalamenti, the Grammy-winning composer who wrote the haunting theme music for David Lynch’s TV series “Twin Peaks,” has died aged 85, U.S. media reported.

Badalamenti died at his family home in New Jersey, according to the New York Times, which cited his niece.

The Hollywood Reporter also carried the news, saying his niece had told the publication he died of natural causes.
Born on March 22, 1937 in New York City, Badalamenti grew up in Brooklyn and graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, according to movie database IMDB.

The classically trained musician first worked with Lynch on the 1986 mystery-noir “Blue Velvet,” starting a partnership that would see them collaborate on “Wild at Heart,” “Lost Highway” and “The Straight Story.”

Badalamenti also made forays in front of the camera, including playing an espresso-obsessed gangster in Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive.”

But he was perhaps best known for writing the theme to Lynch’s mesmerising, groundbreaking TV series “Twin Peaks.” Badalamenti later won a Grammy for his score. He also found fame as a songwriter, working with Nina Simone, Shirley Bassey, David Bowie and Paul McCartney.

He described how he and Lynch came up with the opening music to “Twin Peaks” in an interview with Spirit and Flesh magazine.

“The notes just came out,” he said. “David was stunned, as was I. The hair on his arms was up and he had tears in his eyes: ‘I see Twin Peaks. I got it.’ I said, ‘I’ll go home and work on it.’ ‘Work on it?! Don’t change a note.’ And of course I never did.”