Keith Mansfield

Born in 1941, British composer and arranger Keith Mansfield was responsible for some of the most recognizable TV theme tunes and library music. Mansfield started his journey as a copyist at KPM (Keith Prowse Maurice) in 1964. It was under the guidance of Alan Moorhouse that he got his first break. Moorhouse -- a respected freelance arranger for KPM (who also wrote Lulu's hit Eurovision winner "Boom Bang-A-Bang") -- allowed Mansfield to ghost on several compositions for the label. During this period he also produced tracks for Dusty Springfield's 1969 album Dusty... Definitely. It took the foresight of then KPM boss Robin Phillips to recognize the talent of the young composer. He commissioned Keith to record a selection of Christmas carols and after these were a success in America, Phillips allowed him to record his own compositions with a full orchestra. Composing up to three or four arrangements a day, the late '60s and '70s were a fertile period for Mansfield. It was during this decade he came up with his most memorable theme tunes, from the BBC's iconic Grandstand theme to "Funky Fanfare," the latter being used most famously by Quentin Tarantino, who borrowed the Astro Daters' "Our Next Attraction" for the openings of Kill Bill and Grindhouse (it has since been sampled by the likes of Danger Mouse, Madlib, and Fatboy Slim). His incredible output for KPM continues to be a constant source to crate-diggers and music fans alike. The sample royalties throughout the last few decades allowed the icon of library music to pursue personal music projects well into the 2000s. ~ Aneet Nijjar