Well, dear readers, a new week has begun. I ask you, where else on all the Internet can you find such relevant information? Nowhere, that’s where. Today I shall be running around like a chicken with its head cut off. What a pleasant image that is. This morning, for example, Mr. Vinnie Cirilli will be picking me up and we will be going to transfer the multi-track tape of Stages into Pro Tools. At the same time, my shipping person will be getting packages ready. I have already had to have strong words with my shipping person, because a package that had to be delivered today didn’t get shipped via Fed Ex on Saturday because he missed the last pickup. Therefore, the package won’t arrive until Tuesday, which could be very problematic. Also, I think I’ve realized that we were shorted on our After the Ball order, and those must be printed posthaste. I will be having strong words with the pressing plant this very morning as well. They really have to either repress some of these copies of After the Ball with the wrinkled booklets, or they have to give me a major credit on the bill – if not, I will not be using them again. This is all status quo when you’re doing things for the first time with new companies for a new company – things just don’t run smoothly the first time out. But, I want to insure that they will for all future projects. Then I must get ready for the long drive to Mission Viejo. I might just follow Mr. Kevin Spirtas out there. I don’t love having to drive back all by my lonesome, but I guess I have no choice. Tammy was going to come with me, but she’s not coming until Tuesday now. I’m sure the notes will go up late, so please be patient.
Yesterday, we had a very nice dress rehearsal in front of an appreciative audience of friendly faces. They really seemed to enjoy the show. I think it was very good for Kevin, because he got his laughs, saw where he needed energy boosts, and got his few mistakes out of his system yesterday rather than tonight. Even with the minor fumfers, it’s clear that the show’s structure is sound, and that the numbers are all okay. He’s still tending to sing the ballads in too similar a fashion, and we’re still working on that. But, overall, he did a grand job, and several numbers really are standouts. Afterwards, the Pogues and I went for a meal at Jerry’s Deli, after which I came home and had to go through the script and do light cues for tonight’s show. We only get an hour or so with the sound and light man, so I tried to keep the light cues simple. We’ll see how all that goes.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because frankly or even stevely, I will soon be running around like a chicken with its head cut off.
Last night I watched a motion picture on DVD entitled Island in the Sky, another Batjac John Wayne film that has been out of circulation for decades. I wish I could say it was as good or as much fun as The High and the Mighty – after all, it has many of the same cast members, is written by the same writer, photographed by the same cameraman, and directed by the same director. But, I found it ponderous, dramatically inert, and it just sort of sat there like so much fish. Everyone does a fine job, but the film is not a grabber. It also has a completely annoying score by Emil Newman, who apparently didn’t inherit his brother Alfred’s (or even Lionel’s) musical genes. There is one scene, a “comic” scene where you’d think you were watching a Warner Bros. cartoon scored by Carl Stallings. It’s embarrassing. The transfer is very nice, with deep, rich black-and-white photography, and the contrast is really excellent. Sound is mono and sharp (apparently there were stereo tracks for the film, but they are lost to time, according to some who think they know everything).
Have I mentioned that I’ll be running around like a chicken with its head cut off? Did you know that it’s and its are commonly confused words? I learned that because Word told me so. Is it chicken with it’s head cut off, it’s being possessive of head? Or is it chicken with its head cut off, with no apostrophe? I’m certainly confused.
Don’t forget, Donald’s new radio show featuring ME, and talking about the creation of the new label, is now up and running and also running and up. We play quite a few tracks from our CDs, so give it a listen.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must ponder the apostrophe and the possessive and the non-possessive vis a vis it’s and its. I must ponder vis a vis which, of course, siv a siv, spelled backwards. I must transfer, I must ship, and I must drive a long distance of one hour to Mission Viejo, after which I must drive a long distance of one hour back to the home environment. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite pastries – describe them in loving detail so that we all want to immediately run out and buy each and every one of them and stuff ourselves silly. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I run around like a chicken with its head cut off.