Well, dear readers, welcome to the final notes of 2010. Yes, you heard it here, dear readers, these here notes are the final notes of 2010. There will be no further notes in 2010. Do not expect to see any more 2010 notes because as of tomorrow it will be 2011, as well as January 1st, New Year’s Day. And may it be a month and year filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful. And I hope everyone is ready for our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve partay right here at haineshisway.com. It’s always grand fun and I hope all of you dear readers will stop in to ring in the New Year.
As I said yesterday, 2010, save for some hiccups here and there, was, for me, an extraordinary year and my hopes and prayers for the New Year are to build on the good things and get rid of the occasional hiccups and the things about myself that don’t please me. But more about that later. Yesterday, I wrote of the many wonderful things that happened during the year, but saved some for today, most specifically the year for Kritzerland. But first, though, I met some absolutely wonderful people this year, and any time you can meet wonderful people it’s a good thing. Several have become friends. Plus, we got us some new dear readers, and they are truly terrific people and I do hope they’ll stick around. And I saw my old friends this past year more than I usually do, so that was nice, too. We began the year doing several LACCTAA events at LACC, all of which were wonderful – we had Jason Graae, Andrea Marcovicci, and I can’t remember what the other one was but it was good. While we only managed to get in one event at the end of the year, it was a doozy – six of the busiest working LA theater directors on a panel. I saw a lot of fun shows, met some new performers, and saw friends do really good work. I contemplated starting my new book in September, but then thought it would be best to wait till the New Year, as I usually do.
But this year proved something of a breakout year for Kritzerland. We were just blessed to get some absolutely fantastic projects, both film and Broadway, and doing two CDs a month, while occasionally crazy-making, was really energizing and fun, especially the caliber of projects this year. The highlights were doing the remixes of Promises, Promises and finally fixing the erratic pitch of leading man Jerry Orbach, and making it sound better than it ever has and thankfully receiving universal praise for it, and Sugar, where we were finally able to get rid of the washy reverb and provide a remix of astounding clarity. And having Robert Morse write me on Facebook to tell me how astonished he was by it was the icing on the gravy or the cake on the gravy or whatever the HELL it is. The soundtrack highlights were doing the world premiere CD release of Hugo Friedhofer’s One-Eyed Jacks, both the original album presentation and then the complete score in great sound. And doing the same for Pino Donaggio’s Carrie. But it was also having some amazing composers on Kritzerland, including Marvin Hamlisch, Dimitri Tiomkin, Bronislau Kaper, Henry Mancini, John Barry, Richard Rodney Bennett, Ken Thorne, Mischa Spoliansky, Stu Phillips, Billy Goldenberg, John Addison, Les Baxter, Albert Glasser, Patrick Williams, Maurice Jarre, Ernest Gold, Andre Previn, Richard Einhorn, Fred Katz, and Angelo Franciso Lavagnino. And finally making the UK cast album of Promises, Promises available, and reissuing Billy Barnes’ LA with bonus tracks, as well as putting out our first original cast album in quite some time – Bukowsical. It was incredibly exciting and we’ve already got some really stellar titles lined up for the first six months of 2011. And just a call out to the two angels who have helped Kritzerland through some of the tough years – without them we would not be here.
One of the hiccups this year was a very bad experience with a helper. Thankfully, last July, a new helper arrived and she’s been great – proactive, thinks clearly, and gets things done and has taken so much of the shipping burden off my shoulders, which has been great. I know I’ve probably left some things out, but I think I’ve at least covered the highlights.
There were two very sad occurrences this year – the loss of my darling and wonderful Michelle Nicastro – even though I knew the end was near, it was still a shock when the news came. She made the world a better place and was one of the nicest, warmest, most genuine people I’ve ever known. We did many albums together (four solo albums, and tons of tracks on others) and I will treasure those memories for the rest of my days. And then we lost one of our new dear readers, Thom Moore – in the short time he was here he was a bright light for this here site and everyone here really liked him a lot. I also lost my Aunt, but she was 103 years old and all one can do is celebrate a life that long.
Yesterday was quite a nice day. I got up at ten, I did some stuff on the computer, and then I picked up some boxes containing boxes (for all the shipping on Monday) and, surprise of surprises, the important envelope, which actually managed to arrive the week it was supposed to. That was great. Then I put some gas in the motor car, and then did part one of my field trip, which involved going to several different addresses to see what buildings were there. Today’s drive didn’t yield anything I could use, some because of location, and some that just didn’t feel right. But I have several addresses left to visit, and I’ll probably do that on Sunday. Then I had a lovelier than lovely lunch with dear reader Jeanne at the West Hollywood Hugo’s – I must say, my last few meals there have been less than stellar, and I think I’ll stick to the Studio City version from now on. We did have a celebrity sighting, Mr. Jeff Goldblum, the star of our very own Pogue’s The Fly. Miss Jeanne had no idea who he was.
I then came home, answered e-mails and then buckled down Winsocki and wrote the liner notes I had to write. I’ll look at them this morning, but they seemed fine to me. I’m sure I’ll do a little fixing, and then send them off. Then I finally sat on my couch like so much fish.
Last night, I watched a motion picture on Blu and Ray (region B) entitled Spirits of the Dead, although you would not know that as the on screen title was Tales of Mystery and Imagination. This was a three-story omnibus film – with segments directed by Roger Vadim, Louis Malle, and Federico Fellini. The film whose stories are all loosely based on Edgar Allen Poe, begins with the Vadim and since Vadim is a fairly horrible director the first story is fairly horrible, even though we get Jane Fonda, Peter Fonda, and others. Things perk up with the Malle – it’s slight but well directed, with Alain Delon and Brigitte Bardot (with black hair, smoking a cigar!). And then we get the highlight, the Fellini, called Toby Dammit, starring Terence Stamp. It’s Fellini all right – hallucinogenic, dreamlike, nightmarish, and just plain weird, and Stamp gives a really good but completely odd performance as the title character, and actor in Italy making a film. It’s wild and wacky, all set to a great Nino Rota score. This film has always looked terrible on home video – ugly, green, washed out – so I’m happy to report that this new transfer is absolutely gorgeous, with perfect color and the correct audio. The Vadim segment is in English, the Malle in French, and the Fellini in Eyetalian with Stamp speaking in English. It’s the best this film has ever looked.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below, because I must get my beauty sleep so that I’m energized and with it for our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve partay. Be there or be round.
Today, the helper will be here briefly to pick up boxes and to go over some stuff to prepare us for the big shipping day on Monday, when Casino Royale and Genghis Khan arrive. After that, I have no further plans. Then I will hopefully pick up a couple of packages. At some point I’ll eat something light but amusing, and then I’ll just relax until our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve bash – please come by, partay with us, be safe and sound, and have FUN! As I do every year, at eleven-thirty I will retire to the bedroom environment, where I will spend twenty minutes or so contemplating the past year – what worked, what didn’t, and what things I’d like to have work better, and how I can be a better person. There are things in my personality that occasionally displease me and I always, every year, strive to fix them and be better. I don’t always succeed, but I do try. And I will try harder than ever in 2011, especially to curb my impatience, which is really terrible and which causes me to behave in certain ways that I’d prefer not to behave in.
Tomorrow, it will be a brand spanking New Year and I do believe I shall be starting a brand spanking New Book – the fourth Adriana Hofstetter mystery. I’ve been making lots of notes since last August and I’m really ready to buckle down Winsocki and get back to the wonderful world of Adriana. Unlike the last three years, there’s no New Year’s Day partay at Barry Pearl’s, since he’s away on a ship, working. So, I’ll probably just stick at home, write, and them maybe go out for a meal with a friend. We shall see.
Sunday, I shall do part two of the field trip and, from tomorrow onward, I shall be writing every single day until the book is finished. Next week, the first week of the New Year, is really hyper-busy, with rehearsals, meetings, meals, writing, prepping releases, errands and whatnot, and writing the contextual commentary for the Gardenia show. And, of course, deciding what the February show will be – the only thing I know right now is it will be another composer show. And I’ve already cast one of the females (in addition to Alet), so that’s great.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do some things with the helper, pick up packages, do errands and whatnot, eat something light but amusing, and then attend our Annual New Year’s Rockin’ Eve bash right here at haineshisway.com. Be there or be round. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, various and sundried soundtracks, including upcoming Kritzerland releases. Blu and Ray, THX 1138, the Alien box set, and others. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, as we bid a fond farewell to 2010, and welcome in 2011 and January with high hopes that it will be a month and year filled with health, wealth, happiness, creativity, and all things bright and beautiful.