Well, dear readers, there is a lot that makes me happy, work-wise, but one of the most rewarding is sitting and finessing mixes – this brings much joy as my engineer and I strive for perfection and the best possible sound and presentation of each track on an album. In this instance, it was another show release, one we’re giving the same treatment that we gave Promises, Promises. Some people will not think this one needed it – it has no off-pitch singing to fix, after all, so why bother? Well, the original plan was to just reissue this – it’s been available on CD before and I was quite sure I could improve the sound of that version by going back to the album masters. Of course, I pulled all the tapes and the first thing I found, which was rather astonishing, was that the previous CD, like Promises, wasn’t the original album mix, it was remixed for reasons not entirely clear, since the album masters were there and easy to find. So, I found it odd they would have re-mixed it with the goal being to make it sound as close to the original LP mix as they could and then not mention the fact that it was a remix. However, like Promises, what they released wasn’t even as good as the LP mix. So, once again I was presented with a situation where I could do the first CD release of the original LP mix, so that was nice. We listened to the album masters and they were in excellent condition. However, the mix was so awash in insanely heavy reverb and because the mix was undoubtedly done very quickly as was the fashion back then, when albums were recorded on the first Monday after opening and in the stores by Friday, frequently the vocals were too far behind the band occasionally, and on other occasions too far in front of the band. This overtly washy sound was a trademark of the album’s producer, Mitch Miller, who was not really a cast album producer. What happens with that kind of reverb is that all the detail is lost. So, I sat and listened. I’d brought along one reel of the original sixteen track session tapes. I was about to leave, when I said, “Aw, just put this up and let’s see what it sounds like.” I was curious to see if that washy reverb was actually on the sixteen tracks. So, he put up the reel and began to play it. Both the transfer guy and my mouths hit the floor when we heard the sound – even though it was too dry, it was absolutely glorious – crisp, clean, clear as a bell and just spectacular. Hearing two minutes of it made up my mind for me – I would do a new mix using a clean and non-washy reverb, our patented special verb that we use on our albums that, thus far, no one who’s tried has been quite able to figure out. Of course, the original mix will be included on CD 1, while our new mix will be on CD 2. So, today my engineer and I sat and finessed what were his excellent first passes. I don’t know how much people will notice, but for me it’s like hearing a new recording – it’s crystal clear and all of the orchestrator’s great charts (one of the great Broadway guys, and this score is very big-bandy) sound unbelievably great. Plus you can now hear the vocals with astounding clarity without them sounding like the performers were standing in the middle of Grand Central Station. I heard things in the orchestration which are totally buried in the original. And I have to say, this show is generally thought of as not successful (it had a good run and I think it made money), but hearing it NOW, it’s a wonderful and catchy score – the show came along at a time when musical theater was changing and even though audiences loved the show, the critics were less than kind. It’s adapted from a popular film and my thinking is that if this show, exactly as it was, had opened instead of The Producers, it would have had exactly that kind of reaction. Both are based on popular comedies, both have hilarious and true to the film books, and the MUCH superior score is this show as opposed to The Producers only serviceable score. But timing is everything. We may still have a few things to do, but I think this can go to mastering on Monday and we’ll announce it in a couple of weeks along with a new film title. While prepping this, I pulled out a home-grown CDR of the show recorded from the sound board during its Broadway run. The laughs are so loud and so long, and you cannot think of a recent show with genuine belly laughs like that. Anyway, it was a very rewarding day. And then I got in my car to come home. And the day suddenly turned VERY annoying. First of all, this fellow lives off Laurel Canyon in the hills, just west of Lookout Mountain. So, one comes to a signal at Lookout Mountain and Laurel Canyon, at which one turns left onto Laurel to go home. But one didn’t because one sat at this signal for a whopping FOUR MINUTES – I have never in all my born days sat at a signal that took that long to change. I seriously just thought about running the light, but I was a good citizen and driver and didn’t.
I had to change paragraphs – that paragraph had become entirely unwieldy. Before I continue, I’m listening to the most marvelous recording – the Saint Joan composer, Mischa Spoliansky playing the piano on the German premiere recording of Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue – fantastic. This CD contains two CDs worth of great Spoliansky – sometimes playing the music of others, but mostly playing his own, and others playing his music, mostly his cabaret and film songs, which are amazing. Where was I? Oh, yes, I turned left onto Laurel Canyon after sitting at a signal for four solid minutes. Then Laurel was absolutely ridiculous. Once we passed Mulholland it was better until we got close to Ventura Blvd., at which point no one was moving for about a mile. I turned right onto Ventura, went one block, made a u-turn and headed west on Ventura, and thereby avoiding the Laurel Canyon jam-up (for no reason) – of course, Ventura also was slow but at least it was moving. Then I went to the mail place and got some mail and a couple of packages and then I came home. Then I had to deal with some rescheduling of next week’s rehearsals, but I finally got that done. By that time, I was ready to faint from hunger and I was still irked at all that traffic, so I went to Hugo’s and had a small Caesar and Pasta Victor – the latter was so huge and I was so hungry I ate it all – very slowly because I got full after four bites. Then I came back home and answered all sorts of e-mails from all sorts of people. After about an hour I did a mile and a half jog, after which I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched the first twenty minutes of a motion picture on Blu and Ray entitled Clash of the Titans, the remake. I really don’t like the original very much, and thus far I don’t really like this much either but for very different reasons, mostly to do with the fact that the movie looks and sounds like every other movie of the last decade, and it just bores me to tears. The monosyllabic acting, the thumping music, the fake-ish CGI – just not my thing. I will finish it tonight. After that, I listened to some music, had a white peach, and downloaded our finessed mixes, which I’ll listen to today at my leisure, and hopefully it will be a joyful noise emanating from my speakers.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m still so full from Pasta Victor that I want to vomit on the ground – I also do need my beauty sleep.
Today, the helper is coming, and we have about ten packages to ship, including one large order. Then it’s back to reorganizing the garage. After she leaves, I’ll jog, eat something fun, and then watch motion pictures.
Tomorrow and Sunday are light days and I’m hoping they stay that way because it would be really nice to catch up on my sleep and just write my two sets of liner notes and do a few errands and whatnot. Then next week is incredibly busy with stuff almost every day and evening.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, ship packages, reorganize, eat, do errands and whatnot, and watch movies. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, early Mischa Spoliansky, and various and sundried Kritzerland projects. Blu and Ray, Clash of the Titans followed by Valentine’s Day. DVD, the other two silent von Sternberg films. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I look forward to playing our new mixes and hopefully hearing a joyful noise.