Well, dear readers, sometimes I am like a kid in a candy store. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, I, BK, am like a kid in a candy store. Why is that you might ask, and I might tell you, because why should I keep such things from dear readers such as you? Of course it has to do with all this detective work that I have to do with these limited edition soundtracks. One never knows what one is going to discover, uncover, unearth, and one never knows what any of it’s going to sound like. Sometimes one finds a tape that was presumed missing – usually because the tape has been mislabeled. Sometimes one finds music recorded for but not used in the film. Sometimes one finds an album master even though no album was ever issued. And then there’s the thrill of putting up the tapes and hearing something for the first time, something that you never ever would have thought would see the light of day. That is why I’m like a kid in a candy store. Sometimes things are in such weird disarray that you’re like a puzzle-solver trying to fit all the puzzle pieces together. That’s certainly the case with one of the scores were doing, with endless pick-ups, things recorded in parts, tracks laid with the melody line missing, said melody line being on a totally different tape – you have to match the logs and cue numbers and figure it all out, but when you do and you hear it, then it’s a huge thrill. This week has been like that, as I did transfers of six scores that will be issued on three CDs. One of those CDs will have three scores on one CD – two of them being very brief. One of the scores is as I describe above – in a lot of small pieces, but sounding great on the four-track tapes. It’s going to be a LOT of work, and I don’t even know if we have everything we need – there’s no way to know until it’s all assembled. Fortunately, this particular score had another tape which had all the music as mixed for the film on one reel – not good sound, but it will serve as our guide. But there’s also some music not on that tape, so I’ll have to figure out where all that goes, or if it just wasn’t used in the film. The other short score is odd in that what was on the tapes is actually the music from the actual film tracks – with all the dips in volume and abrupt cut-offs – that one is going to be very tricky and right now my plan is to make a very short suite out of it, maybe seven to ten minutes long – the music is fairly repetitious, and there’s really only about fifteen minutes of it anyway. Happily, the third score had an album master all put together and great sounding – even though the album was never issued. I do have to rearrange the music as it’s wildly out of film sequence and the film sequence is much better. Anyway, for me, this three-score CD is going to be a major release and one I’m thrilled to be doing. And I hope everyone else will be, too. It’s a real risk, given the expense of doing three scores on one CD, but since the three films in question are pretty much beloved by all, it’s a risk I’m hoping will pay off.
That was my evening last night – all that listening. Yesterday was actually the sort of day I wanted it to be. I got up, I did a two-mile jog, I picked up tapes, I did errands and whatnot, I ate a sandwich and fries, I shipped some packages, I got a couple of packages, I began choosing the selections I’ll be reading on Saturday, and I had some interesting telephonic calls and e-mails. I also watched the final two episodes of Mad Men, season one, both of which I liked pretty well. I suppose I’ll move along to season two now.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because now that I’ve been like a kid in a candy store I have a really bad sugar high.
Today will be a long day. I have to get up early and do some sort of jog, then I have to do a couple of errands and whatnot, then I have to record the vocals for the demo of the long musical. I’m hoping we’ll be through around four, because I do have to get to the mail place where I hope the little gifts that go with the new novel will have arrived so that I can finally ship out these fershluganah books. I shall then eat something amusing.
Tomorrow is, of course, the book reading/signing, and I’m hoping for a nice crowd, but the book store never sent out a mass e-mail about it, so I don’t really know how their clientele is supposed to have any idea it’s happening. I guess we’ll just hope for the best. I will be picking up our beloved Parisienne cake. And then tomorrow night I’ll be having dinner out.
Sunday I have kept totally free, save for working on liner notes and such. Next week is really busy.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some sort of jog, I must do errands and whatnot, I must put gas in the motor car, I must record vocals, and I must eat something. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, the new recording of Exodus, plus all the Kritzerland CD refs. DVD/Blu-Ray, the documentary Marlene, and Bravehart is next on the Blu-Ray pile. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I continue to be like a kid in a candy store.