Angelo Badalamenti, composer of Twin Peaks theme, dies at 85

Angelo Badalamenti, the American composer best known for his haunting score for the television series Twin Peaks, died on December 11, 2022, at the age of 85. Born in New York in 1937 to a family of Sicilian origin, Badalamenti studied at the Manhattan School of Music, where he developed a deep passion for jazz, which he later shaped into a highly personal style characterized by a melancholic undercurrent. His collaboration with director David Lynch began in 1986 with the soundtrack for Blue Velvet, marking the start of a long professional and personal relationship that defined the sonic and aesthetic landscape of Lynch's universe. Badalamenti composed scores for numerous films, including The Beach (Danny Boyle), Holy Smoke (Jane Campion), and Evilenko (David Grieco), and made cameo appearances in Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive. However, his most iconic work remains the music for Twin Peaks (1990) and its prequel Fire Walk with Me, which won an Emmy Award in 1991 and a Grammy Award in 1992. The Twin Peaks theme, particularly the Laura Palmer theme, became a cultural touchstone, influencing artists such as Moby (who sampled it for his debut single "Go" in 1991), the KLF, and The Knife. Badalamenti also collaborated closely with singer Julee Cruise, who died earlier in 2022. His music is remembered for its visceral unease and ability to evoke deep-seated fears.