You know what got me? If you google "who wrote the Disney channel theme?" now, Alex's name comes up in bold at the top of the screen... You did that. You made that happen.

When you found out that kids were being subliminally messaged about how great fish were so that they'd want to see Finding Nemo, I spat my drink out

_"This theme song consists of a four-note mnemonic jingle composed by the late Alex Lasarenko, former executive of Tonal Sounds and creative director at Elias Arts.[38][39]"_ -Wikipedia (Disney Channel article) Thank you, Kevin, for contributing to history.

I got so teary eyed when you spoke to Alex's colleagues and family. What an incredible tribute to his artistry and legacy.

Kevin being genuinely flabbergasted at the 9/11 “express yourself” segment was so fucking funny

Kansas City native here, just like Kevin Perjurer. The voice on the KMBC station ID at 22:45 is my late father, Drew Dimmel, who was KMBC's announcer as well as anchorman and weatherman, plus the voice of KC International Airport for years, and many other things. Hearing his voice again really made my day! Thanks Mr. Perjurer for using that clip! 🙏

I took a film analysis class in high school and I will never forget what that teacher told us. He said "Remember...everything you see or hear in film or television costed money, time and more importantly effort. Every single thing you hear or see was put there for a reason, find the reason."

Just asked my Google Home who wrote the theme song and she said the right answer AND called this a documentary! Absolutely incredible work.

It started as "Who wrote the Disney Channel theme?" and ended as "What sort of legacy should artists leave behind?" And it is beautiful.

Yesterday it was clear that FastPass: A Complicated History was Kevin's magnum opus. Now, that is no longer the case.

It's so funny that the first female name you tried when looking for G.Owen was Glenda when Glen was the name you needed

The reveal that we'd been listening to Alex Lasarenko's music the entire time gave me chills.

Honestly, as someone who studies archives and recording history, this is a documentary and this is archival work. This is remarkable, not only in its dedication and completeness, but in the fact that it puts a name to someone's work. We have this now. We know who composed this work, we can remember him now. Thank you for this. It's absolutely fantastic.

Kevin, you have just made a major, MAJOR contribution to the preservation of this man’s legacy. Because of you, your efforts, and the colleagues and friends in this documentary, his art and genius are front and center. Congratulations, and thank you!

"Isn't it weird that we don't know who wrote that theme?" "No." lmfao

Notice that the music starts right after the short pause following the "The Disney channel theme was created by."? It makes SO MUCH SENSE in retrospect.

The music in this video is so incredibly good. Edit: oh.

I just want to say a big thank you to Defunctland for spotlighting all the "little" composers in the industry. Most people never even think about the fact that there are people behind all the music they listen to. It's really nice to see working composers who aren't the big stars being spotlighted.

They say that a person dies twice. Once, when their body dies, and twice when their name is spoken for the last time. Thanks to your efforts, Alex Lasarenko lives on.

This is a rare case on KZfaq where the 2nd watch through is better than the first. There are so many details I didn't pick up on that play into the themes about legacy as a creator, and not being able to choose what you'll be known for. And the background MUSIC is soooo much more meaningful in the re-watch. So good.

Why am I getting emotional over a man I didn’t even know existed two hours before this video? The fact that everyone around him loved him and talked about his passion for music is so beautiful. His art is literally so nostalgic for so many people and he probably had no idea.

Defunctland has its own Wikipedia article, this episode has its own IMDB and Letterboxd pages, and in a few websites, you're even credited as a documentarian. You've done it, man. You've made it into the history books, and what a way to do it

1:09:25 "That's a little sinister..." "mmhm! :)"

The way Alex’s coworkers talked about him made me tear up. It’s really not about what you do, but how you do it, your attitude and how you treat others.

this video is an achievement. wow

Just think: Andrea taylor single handedly transformed Disney Channel into a media juggernaut which influenced an entire generation of kids worldwide and launched an entire generation of teen actors into superstardom - and absolutely no one who actually grew up watching all this happen knew who she was until now.

Kevin, I am not an emotional man. I'm a gremlin in a broken body. But your production has moved me to tears. My friend, you are more than a youtuber. You are more than a documentarian. You are a historian. Without your efforts we might have never known the answer to this burning question. Never doubt yourself. We need more people like you.

I cant believe Tommy Tallarico invented Disney, The Wand, Mickey Mouse and The Music Ident! His mother is very proud!

Hi. I’m an admin on the Audiovisual Identity Database (AVID). Your comments about the wiki mean so much to us as a community. We’re just emerging from a huge period of change at the moment and hearing you speak that way about us is so affirming after all the effort we’ve put in these last few months. Thank you so much!

Andrea's casual reveal of "yeah, I was sneaking in fish stuff for at LEAST a year and a half before finding Nemo" like it was nothing. FRICKIN MASTERMIND

Best thing about this video is discovering "Noir" by Alex Lasarenko, which is simply a fantastic album. Well played, Kevin. Thank you.

1:17:28 this is the moment I realised these iconic 4 notes are literallly Dis-ney, chan-nel. Literally just thats. Thats why there are these four notes. Its literally words "Disney channel" but sang.

This was not only a beautiful tribute to Alex Lasarenko, an amazing unsung hero from thousands of childhoods, but it's also a beautiful tribute to all artists everywhere. This is such a beautiful documentary, and should be viewed and treated as such. Amazing, amazing job Kevin

the part where you revealed that every song played in this video has been Alex’s brought me to tears. i felt such a sense of relief that his legacy would be preserved. this is an amazing documentary, well done dude.

I’ve seen this video several times now and it always warms my heart a little when David Moreland sits down at the piano and starts explaining music theory to you. It’s so nice to see someone so obviously passionate about what they do.

Yknow having just watched hbomberguy's video about Tommy Tallarico it's nice seeing a video with so many hard working and passionate artists genuinely discussing what they actually did and giving credit to their peers

This is honestly a masterpiece. You should submit this to a film festival no lie whatsoever.

As a historian, this is simply beautiful. You're not just a KZfaqr or even just a Documentarian. You are a historian, uncovering great primary sources and making use of excellent secondary sources so we know what happened, we know who did things. Keep up at it

I clicked on this video thinking it was just about the history of Disney Channel theme and bumpers that I grew up with. But it's so much more, these people that were interviewed have literally shaped a whole generation of TV watchers, they are all amazing artists and geniuses. This is the best youtube video I've watched in a long time, the amount of care and quality you have with your videos is unprecedented, such a beautiful documentary. You are truly a documentarian and a artist.

I return to this documentary so much. For the year it’s existed, it’s made me think about the legacy of an artist, what we as consumers of art consider “worthy” for labeling as important or good work, and what creating art means to an artist. It makes me tear up every time when I get to the plot twist. What relationship we have to our creations, and if they will still belong to us even when we are uncredited or disconnected from it. It’s an amazing documentary. Thank you

Kevin, This video is true content creation. This is art. This is film. You are amazing. This was amazing. I’m so freaking inspired. Thank you for this. Jirard

There are so many remarkable moments in this it’s hard to leave a comment. Just know this is a singular piece of work, literally nobody else could have done it. Marrying KZfaq with traditional cinematic elements is so difficult but you did it brilliantly. Thanks for elevating the form

"No. No regrets." Goddang what a Chad. Hats off Alex, and happy trails in the great beyond.

I sat down expecting a youtube 40 sec clip about Disney that i doom scrolled by at 2 in the morning, not expecting an actual artistic documentary film that had me time traveling to my childhood on a fuckin crazy emotional roller coaster, learning about something and someone I had no idea id ever give two shits about. Making an hour and a half feel like no time at all. Big fucking props for the work and time put into this. Easily one of the best and most fun docs Ive watched in long ass time.

I did not expect this to turn into a tear-jerking obituary honoring the composer. He sounds like a lovely man and musician. The Disney Channel theme is so iconic; I was surprised when the actors didn't remember it! P.S. My brother if you're not a documentarian then who is?!?! I cherish your documentaries and respect you for putting them out for free.

My favorite part about all of this is the fact that you’re shedding light on a guy who realistically should have had a documentary made about him.

42:55 - 44:35 ok but why is nobody talking about this section of the video? it literally explains why high school musical 2 is the peak of cinema. truly moving to be honest

Happy 1 Year Anniversary to the one documentary that has not only shined light onto something that felt so hard to describe but basically explained my entire childhood to me, you're a true Documentarian.

Insane how independent KZfaqrs can create better documentaries than anything I’ve seen from corporations with huge budgets like Netflix. I’m glad I decided to click on this random video

What an amazing documentary. The Taylor interview absolutely killed me. "I started selling you stuff about "Finding Nemo" a year and a half before "Nemo" came out. I think we called them Fishy Facts, and it was all stuff to get kids interested in fish, so that when it came out, you liked fish!" "And these kids were like, this is perfect, because I'm already into fish, coincidentally."

0:00:00 Prologue: NBC 0:04:27 Who Wrote The Theme? 0:07:17 Bumpers 0:10:03 The Timeline 0:15:19 - Zoog Disney 0:17:33 - Late 2002 / Express Yourself 0:22:09 - Wand IDs 0:29:47 G. Owen 0:32:21 The Defunctland Tip Line 0:33:03 The Mighty Mighty Bosstones 0:34:19 Music Licensers 0:37:41 Eras 0:42:53 High School Musical 2 0:45:16 David Norland 0:50:30 A Tonal Discovery 0:55:27 Eric Perlmutter 0:59:53 OBSESSION 1:04:14 Bloopers 1:06:53 Andrea, Glen, & Patrick 1:15:16 Who Wrote The Theme 1:20:41 [Missing File] 1:25:08 Legacy 1:27:40 "It's just four notes." 1:30:31 Credits

Coming up to 2 years and this is still one of the best doccos I’ve seen. Apart from the incredible reveal of Alex Lasarenko’s music being the backing track the entire time, it is just genuinely incredible how such a simple question and seemingly fun concept was morphed into a beautiful homage and tribute to a hidden legends legacy. Kevin, you genuinely enabled a man to be pulled back from being forgotten to time. They say you die twice: once when you leave the world, and finally when you are thought about for the last time. Your effort and care ensures that Mr Lasarenko stays around a little while longer.

I love how this went from a "who dunnit" to a pretty lovely eulogy for a prolific but simultaneously unknown composer who recently passed away. This is one of the best Defunctland documentaries I've seen, and you really shouldn't shy away from calling yourself a documentarian because that absolutely is the best descriptor for what you do.

I said to myself at least three times during this documentary - "Damn, thats a good song playing in the backround". Then you revealed it was all Mr. Lasarenko's work all along and I cried a bit. Wonderful documentary, thank you for your hard work.

I actually yelled "NO!!" out loud and had to pause the video when it said "site not found". And then i cried(positive) so much i literally got dizzy at the end. What a beautiful piece you've created.

i haven't cried this hard in a long time, and it's not even the first time i've watched this wonderful documentary. i'm genuinely having difficulty thinking of other pieces of media that have affected me as deeply as this one. thank you for imagining, executing, and bringing life to such a beautiful exploration of art, legacy, and the story of an individual that clearly affected so many people so profoundly through his work and life. hearing alex's coworkers, friends, and family speak of him was incredibly moving, and there is not a shred of doubt in my mind that many will speak of you as highly in the future. thank you for all you do kevin, and i sincerely hope you are able to continue following your passions for many years. cheers

I genuinely wasn't expecting an hour and a half video essay on the Disney channel theme to hit me right in the existential feels. Give the man an Oscar, let him have the title of a filmmaker.

The fact that he’s been playing Alex’s music through the whole video is incredible. This entire documentary is incredible. Just wow.

Bro, you even foreshadowed the ending scene in the thumbnail. This is literal gold 😭😭

This is seriously one of the best, if not the best, documentaries I've ever seen. Never cried this much at the end of a documentary (and I consider that a good thing). I honesly think this should be shown in every "intro to research" and "intro to art appreciation" class in college.

Kevin, you ARE a documentarian. You ARE changing the world with your art. You have preserved the memory of people like Alex and Jim in a way almost nobody else can. Plus, your cinematography is fantastic. Don't sell yourself short, man.

oh my God the Handwich killed him these past months Your feature length videos are always incredible

The platform you use does not change the value of your content. You are a Documentarian. Never let anyone ever convince you otherwise. You have a body of work most professional documentarians wish they had, and you cover subjects that hold relevancy to everyone, whether they know it or not. Bless and keep you.

Your documentary on Disney Channel's Theme was an unexpected gem. I learned so much about production of Disney programming and the talented musicians behind the scenes. As a retired librarian, I was tremendously impressed with your researching skills and especially your persistence (and patience) in getting to the bottom of who actually wrote the theme. Thank you for telling Mr. Lasarenko's story so well. I have since listened to his music. One last thing: you are a documentarian. I have been a subscriber to your channel for awhile now. Your work rises above mere content. All of your work is well-researched, well written, and clearly presented. I loved this!

The fact we were honoring his work the whole video without knowing?! Absolutely incredible

Man, the end of this film gets me every time. "Any one of us would be blessed to be remembered for just one note. What a monumental achievement it is to be remembered for four."

Didn’t know I would get so emotional from a documentary about 4 notes, but here I am. Sounds like Alex was a great man, and I’m glad you were able to bring his work to light. This isn’t just a tribute to him, but to all artists

you can actually make out the date the wand shoots were filmed on the bottom right corner of the clapper: 8/25/02. Very cool bit of archival history!

I was so convinced at the beginning when the camera zoomed out of the screen and turned to Kevin's silhouette that he was gonna say *"me."* and this entire video was gonna be Kevin proving that he was somehow the one who made the disney channel theme lmao

as a station promo producer, who makes Ids, bumpers, and other in between stuff, and i got to say its humbling to know people care about the work we do. I wish we got more credit for them.

Rewatching this on New Year's Eve hits different. I've been struggling with a lot of bad thoughts, all throughout my life, discovering this documentary and Alexander Lasarenko's music sort of lightened it up. Whenever I feel down, I put on Pont Alexandre III, it gives me this sense of purpose, of...will, to live, to make art, to create, to be. Thank you. Happy New Year.

I’ve now watched this documentary twice. I have cried twice. This is so important and inspirational for artists everywhere. Really beautiful stuff here Kevin, you’ve outdone yourself.

I think there's something really beautiful about the fact that despite his legacy being largely unknown until this doc, Alex still left such an impression on so many, especially those closest to him. Hearing the way everyone spoke of him brought me to tears - sometimes we're so focused on leaving a mark on the world at large that we forget that just leaving a legacy with our loved ones can be monumental. Thank you so much for making this. This is art.

This is the most niche video I’ve ever seen… and I loved every minute

I just stumbled upon this video, and I know it's a year old but I just need to say you, sir, ARE a filmmaker and an artist. You've put this beautiful documentary that started as a cool 3AM rabbit hole question and it ended as a beautiful tribute to a wonderful composer. I've followed Alex's profile on Spotify now and can't wait to listen to his music today while I work on my own content for work. I can't wait to watch your other videos. Amazing work. I hope you receive the recognition in the circles you're aiming for because you very much deserve it.

This video is a year old. There's close to zero chance that this will ever get seen by anyone, let alone someone it will matter to. It will be nearly the 25 THOUSANDTH comment on this video. However. When the discussion of legacy comes up at the end of this video, every time, I think of what Defunctland means to me. As silly as it may sound, 6 years ago or so, Defunctland changed my life. I was in high school, looking for something to listen to while I edited my school paper. I have no idea how I stumbled upon this channel, but it entirely changed my interests. I had been in a slump with my interests, my writing, my life, and suddenly I had... Disney. Theme parks. Something I had never cared about before. I get horribly sick on roller coasters and grew up without cable TV. Yet, when I listened to Defunctland, when I let myself be absorbed into the history of theme parks, I found myself immersed in the history of humans, which was something I had always loved. Defunctland personally revitalized my love for my life and the life for others, and I am eternally thankful for that. The Jim Henson series, the video on the McDonald's and Disney collaboration, and the History of the Nickelodeon Hotel all personally inspired portions of my worldbuilding, which was another hobby of mine that Defunctland inadvertently helped revitalize, but no video ever makes me feel like this one. Being remembered for something you don't necessarily want to be remembered for is a big deal. Jim Henson struggled with it. I struggle with it, even if I'm absurdly far from anything famous. What I'll always remember Defunctland - and by extension, of course, Kevin - for will be for giving my interests, my talents, my worldbuilding, and even myself new life. For teaching me, for throwing out one liners that are hilarious, and by all means, being a documentarian. The impact of this channel goes deeply beyond the medium.

Take this to a film festival. This is by far one of the best documentaries I have seen in a long time. Your videos are always so educational and well researched.

I am deeply saddened that I can only ever watch this for the first time once. This is your most powerful and moving documentary yet... 4 notes... 4 NOTES! The dedication and passion you have is unmatched. I just can't wait to see what you create next.

1:24:36 girl i was holding back tears all through the interviews, all though the monologue, and then, when THE MUSIC was revealed (not spoiling it for anyone not there yet), i started BAWLING. fucking straight WEEPING, man.

It's really interesting to see this underlying theme told through the text shots and newspapers about his imposter syndrome and how much his opinion of what he does seems to be influenced by outside sources. Dude, you ARE a filmmaker, you ARE an artist, and these shots, colors, and editing are 100% beautiful. Please don't let others tell you what you are

The fact that this was free to access doesn’t make it any less of a documentary. The amount of work you put into this is incredible, and the quality of it really reflects that. You got me so invested in a topic I had never given any thought to before

Listening to the background music and thinking "Damn, this is good, I wonder who made it?" made that ending even better

I don’t know if you already know this but I just wanted to say that almost if not all of the wikis and info on this topic was updated because of you and what you did . And honestly that made me emotional. Thank you for your hard work.

One of the single best videos I have ever seen. Productions and tone was phenomenal. The story was riveting and so well done. You gave Alex Lasarenko the honored he deserved. Thank you!

I legit welled up with tears at the reveal that Alex’s music had been playing since the start. masterful work, Kevin. you’re a true documentarian to me.

I literally got chills once the reveal that the entire documentary has been composed using all of Alex’s work. Absolutely incredible documentary. You are a phenomenal artist. This came on with the algorithm playing in the background and I got so enticed into the storyline. Amazing.

as a film student who’s just graduated college, facing a world of uncertainty with the state that the appreciation for art is in right now, watching a video like this about legacy and about how every piece of art is valuable no matter what it is, really hit me. even if I don’t end up doing anything grand, I still hope someone will remember my work fondly and I’ll positively effect the people around me. that much will always be enough.

This documentary is one of those pieces of art that leaves you feeling slightly empty afterwards it makes you feel so much that when it ends everything else feels kinda... off thank you

I feel no hesitation in calling your work a public service. To release a documentary of this quality for free is an act of altruism, and in twenty years we are going to have great films that only exist because their creators saw this work in an accessible format and realized art didn't just have to be a dream for them.

I'm sure you're aware, but this video has been circulating in various commercial artist communities and has been a great morale booster for artists who are constantly being shamed for "selling out" and working for corporations rather than living the starving artist stereotype. All of your hard work is seen and appreciated so much more than I feel like you will ever know. PS: that "Canadian Sitcoms That Will Get You Demonetized" bit fully sent me. Life with Derek sure was a Family channel original that baffles us all to this day,

Why am I tearing up? This is so beautiful. Thank you Alex Lasarenko for my childhood. And thank you Defunctland for this fascinating work

I love this, how you started with an investigation and ended with a beautiful memorial for someone who touched so many lives without anyone knowing he was there. Well done, Kevin, you are an artist.

This IS a documentary. This IS art. You ARE an artist. Well done.

That facetious comparison between Highschool Musical 2 and Ross Perot's NAFTA debate was God tier. Thank you.

man. I have the attention span of a drunk goose but i was glued to my screen this entire documentary. my little adhd ass didn’t even open the comment section. this was such a masterpiece. i got so invested and emotional. im a songwriter and have recently been thrown into the music industry and suddenly the fact that Alex wasn’t openly credited prior to this made me so dumbfounded. and you pretty much asking for permission at the end just made me go “:,)” im like speechless about this. thank you Kevin

Wow I’m actually crying over a documentary titled: “Who Wrote the Disney Channel Theme?” The subtle hints throughout this video are amazing and the way they coincide with everything is orchestrated so well. What a beautiful tribute and a beautiful documentary! KEVIN YOU ARE AN UNSUNG HERO AND A TRUE ARTIST!

The ending with the interview with Alex he read where he replied to "would you do anything differently?" With "No, no regrets," was oddly heart warming.

Oh dang you weren't kidding about this one being different. I honestly completely forgot about the Disney Channel theme and always took it for granted.

This film is so incredidbly touching. I was sobbing for the last what feels like 20 minutes.

I didn't go into this expecting to cry, but god damn did I. This was beautifully put together. Your passion for your work really shows in all of your own work. What a wonderful tribute to an unsung artist.