If you don't know his name, you know his work, unless you have been living at the bottom of a mine shaft for the last 20-odd years. He is a composer, he has done a great many film scores. His work includes the entire Lethal Weapon series, the Die Hard films, the Kevin Costner Robin Hood, and Mr. Holland's Opus.
He has also done some wonderful collaborative work with rock artists. He is responsible for the companion orchestral arrangement for Aerosmith's "Dream On" (1993 MTV Music Awards, it also appears on the Last Action Hero soundtrack,) Eric Clapton's "Edge of Darkness" (on the 24 Nights double-CD,) and Metallica's "S&M" album. I love all of those projects dearly, and had looked forward to more over the coming years. Michael and his work will be sorely, sorely missed...