Bicoastal Bang music + sound design has signed Wendell Hanes as a staff composer and sound designer. Hanes was most recently the head of Straightjacket, the music and sound design arm of New York-based Vito DeSario Editing.
"It was time to take things to the next level. I wanted to do different kinds of commercials and also work in an environment where I would be surrounded by a lot of other musicians," explained Hanes, who was the only musician at Vito DeSario.
Hanes graduated from Brown University, Providence, R.I., with a BFA in music. There he gained training in various capacities, including scoring films and doing music video remixes. He got his start as a composer on the noted civil rights documentary Eyes on the Prize produced through Blackside Productions, Boston. From there he went on to score Leander Sales’ independent feature Don’t Let Your Meatloaf. Hanes met Sales at Spike Lee’s Brooklyn-based production company Forty Acres And A Mule where Hanes was working as an assistant editor. After completing the film, Hanes joined Vito DeSario where he got his first taste of composing commercials.
"Vito really helped me get my start. He hired me when I hadn’t done any commercials," said Hanes. Within one year of joining Vito DeSario Editing as an assistant editor, the company launched its music and sound design arm Straightjacket and subsequently made Hanes head of its operations. During his two-year stint at Straightjacket, Hanes scored and sound designed for such clients as Visa, U.S. Sprint, Certs and Showtime.
Hanes’ ability to work strongly as both a composer and sound designer is evident in his work. Bang executive producer Lyle Greenfield described Hanes’ sound as "textured and sophisticated, yet incredibly muscular … his rhythmic sense and sensuality fit right into the proud Bang tradition."
In addition to working on features and documentaries, Hanes has also written and produced the theme music for VH1’s Rock Candy, and also remixed singles for Epic recording artists Grand Daddy I.U., The Hoodratz and Kool G. Rap. Hanes also teamed with Mass Order to co-produce Adina Howard’s platinum selling record "Freak Like Me." Hanes will continue to pursue record and film scoring projects on a freelance basis.
