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April 2, 2011:

BK AND THE HOLY GRAIL

Bruce Kimmel Photograph bk's notes

Well, dear readers, April is flying by, like a gazelle in green underpants. Can you believe it’s already the second of April? I’ve just been listening to an upcoming Kritzerland release that was just delivered to me – transferred from the three-track 35mm mag, a first for Kritzerland. This score is another Holy Grail for me – the music is glorious and beautiful, one brilliant cue after another. It’s going to be a real job to get this done, but we will spend as much time as it takes. This score was previously released on LP back when the film came out. That, in turn, was issued on CD but only as an import and not sounding all that great. The mags have some occasional wow and flutter problems. Right now, the powers that be are trying to get the original half-inch album master back from the label that put out the LP. Their rights lapsed in 1969 but that doesn’t mean they might not take their sweet time in finding it and/or getting it back to us. Hopefully they’ll do the right thing. Once we have that, then we should be able to fix some of the wow and flutter on the tracks that were included on the LP. For tracks that will be heard for the first time, many of them are fine and a few have problems only at the head of the take. A Girl Named Tamiko was exactly the same, but through clever editing I was able to save every cue by editing around the problem, coming in after the problem and getting out before the problem began. All in all, I was able to save 98% of most cues and the whole of what we edited out was less than two minutes. That will be the plan here, and then we may include as a bonus the uncut wow and flutter version, just so people can hear it – or we may make those bonus tracks available for free download on the Kritzerland site. So, we’ve got some work ahead of us, but in the end I hope we can make a really wonderful album, because this score deserves the best it can get. I will say that on the undamaged cues the three-track mag sound is absolutely spectacular.

Yesterday was quite an interesting day. I really don’t remember why, but at some point I remember thinking, “Why today is quite an interesting day.” I got up at nine, answered e-mails, did some work on the computer and a little ditty I’m trying to write, after which I went and had some bacon and eggs. Then I went to the mail place and picked up no packages but did pick up the important envelope. I then did many errands and whatnot, then came back home. I then did a mile and a half jog, which is all I could muster in this heat we’ve been having. And then it was time for our second Gardenia rehearsal. Our co-producer, Adryan Russ, came by because she likes to hear all the songs and meet and greet the performers. Alet came first, and we all wished her a very happy birthday. She did her three songs, we changed the key of one of them, and, as always, she is and will be superb. Then we had an hour until the next person, so we chatted and had fun. Juliana was next, and she was in good voice and just has to learn her numbers by heart. Then Roger Befeler arrived – he’d really done his homework and his three songs are going to be terrific – I really like A Little Patch of Heaven, which I think was a suggestion from someone right here at haineshisway.com. After Roger came Dan Callway who tore into his songs – his Out There is going to bring down the house. Then it was twelve-year-old Melody Hollis’ turn and she just did everything perfectly. I’d given her a few little things last Monday, and she had them all down and did it all with panache. And finally, it was Kirsten Chandler, who brought her adorable son with her, who is the spitting image of his daddy, Stan Chandler. Kirsten also did her homework and knew everything by heart – she’s getting over a cold, but still sounded great.

Then Melody and her parents and I went over to the Bank of Bur to have dinner at Mo’s. I had their rotisserie chicken, which was excellent. As always, there was much mirth at the table and Melody is hilarious and funny and brings out the twelve-year-old in me. Her parents are equally delightful and truly down to earth. Melody turns thirteen this month, and the act we’re creating for her will hopefully be ready to debut in June.

Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I’m really quite tired and need my beauty sleep and I’m sure I’ll fall asleep with the theme of the Holy Grail (one of the most glorious movie themes ever) running around in my head.

Today, I have some errands and whatnot to do, and I have to ship a few packages. I will jog, and I’m waiting to hear whether Mr. Grant Geissman and I will be working on the book today or tomorrow, which will, of course, impact my plans for either day, in terms of actually being able to MAKE a plan.

Tomorrow I think something is happening at some point and I do hope I wrote it down somewhere – maybe I even talked about it at some point in the notes – I’ll have to go back and check. Then 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 a jog, ship some packages, and wait to hear whether we’re working on the book today or tomorrow. Today’s topic of discussion: What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done? What is the wackiest thing you’ve ever done? What is the strangest thing you’ve ever done? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland accompanied by the music of the Holy Grail release.

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