Vic Flick

Victor Harold Flick (born 14 May 1937) is an English guitarist, best known for playing the guitar riff in the "James Bond Theme".[1][2] He also played the distinctive guitar riff in the intro and bridge of the Herman's Hermits recording of "Silhouettes", a 1965 UK Top 5 hit. He also played a slightly modified "James Bond" guitar part for The Beatles' film Help! (1965).

Vic Flick
Vic Flick recording in London, 1989
Background information
Birth nameVictor Harold Flick
Born (1937-05-14) 14 May 1937
Worcester Park, Surrey, England, UK
GenresFilm score
Occupation(s)Guitarist, composer, conductor
Years active1957–2009
Associated actsApollo 100

Biography

In the late 1950s Flick joined the John Barry Seven,[1] and his first composition for the group was the track "Zapata". With them, he played the guitar riff for the theme of the popular TV show Juke Box Jury and appeared on every episode of BBC television's Drumbeat.

On the Dr. No soundtrack, he was lead guitarist on the track, the "James Bond Theme". Flick continued to contribute to the James Bond soundtracks from the 1960s through the late 1980s.[2]

Apart from his early 1960s work as the lead guitarist in the John Barry Seven, Flick was a session player, featured on many early 1960s UK pop records. Flick was a member of the George Martin Orchestra, and contributed to the soundtrack of the film A Hard Day's Night[1] playing his Olympic white 1961 Fender Stratocaster on "Ringo's Theme (This Boy)" instrumental.

He has worked with many popular recording artists, including Herman's Hermits, Nancy Sinatra, Dusty Springfield, Tom Jones,[1] Cliff Richard,[1] Paul McCartney, Engelbert Humperdinck, Lulu, Shirley Bassey, Burt Bacharach, Petula Clark, Sandie Shaw, Crispian St. Peters, Hank Marvin, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, John Williams, Mark Wirtz, John Schroeder, Don Partridge, Typically Tropical and Don Lusher. One of Flick's guitars, a Clifford Essex Paragon De Luxe, on which he played the original "James Bond Theme", was displayed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.[3] He played the 12 string guitar part on Peter and Gordon's 1964 # 1 record "A World Without Love".

In 1965, George Martin recruited Vic Flick and most of the original Goldfinger musicians to provide "James Bond"-sounding music for The Beatles movie Help! soundtrack.

Flick also collaborated with Merchant Ivory Productions as composer/music arranger for Autobiography of a Princess (1975), The Europeans (1979), Quartet (1981), and Heat and Dust (1983).

In 1999, he worked with composer Nic Raine, backed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra, on the James Bond tribute album titled Bond Back in Action.[4] In 2003, he recorded the album James Bond Now, featuring tracks from James Bond soundtracks and new compositions.[2]

In 2005, he played on the soundtrack of the From Russia With Love video game by Electronic Arts.[5]

In 2008, his autobiography, Vic Flick Guitarman: From James Bond to The Beatles and Beyond (ISBN 978-1593933081), was published by Bearmanor Media.

On October 5, 2012, Vic Flick was honored at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for "The Music of Bond: The First 50 Years." He played the "James Bond Theme" on his 1939 Clifford Essex Paragon De Luxe “James Bond” Guitar to a live audience. He also was interviewed on stage by Jon Burlingame, a writer on the subject of music for film and television.[6]

He was presented with the "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2013 by The National Guitar Museum for "contribution to the history of the guitar." He was the fourth recipient of the annual award.

Flick appeared on a 2013 episode of the History Channel show Pawn Stars titled "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service". Here he brought in his 1961 Fender Stratocaster guitar to shop owner Rick Harrison, who, after consulting Jesse Amoroso, settled on a price of $55,000 for the guitar.[7] The guitar sold at auction in 2014 for $25,000.[8]

Discography
  • West of Windward - 1968 - Rediffusion
  • Bond Back in Action (Featured/1999)
  • James Bond Now (2003)
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References
  1. Perone, James E. (2008) Mods, Rockers, and the Music of the British Invasion, Praeger, ISBN 978-0-275-99860-8, p. 31-2
  2. Simpson, Paul (2002) The Rough Guide to James Bond, Rough Guides, ISBN 978-1-84353-142-5, p. 225
  3. "'Songwriters to soundmen. Vic Flick. Part 1.' - Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum". Catalog.rockhall.com. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  4. "BOND BACK IN ACTION". Silvascreenusa.com. 2007-03-27. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  5. "James Bond 007". Mi6-hq.com. 2005-09-10. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  6. "The Music of Bond: The First 50 Years | Events Presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". Oscars.org. Retrieved 2014-03-22.
  7. Pawn Stars: No Shoes, No Shirt, No Service (archived from the original on 2013-12-15)
  8. "VIC FLICK OWNED AND PLAYED 1961 FENDER STRATOCASTER". Julienslive.com. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
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