Well, dear readers, I must write these here notes in a hurry for she of the Evil Eye will be here all too soon. You know, I was just listening to a Japanese compilation CD of songs by Roger Nichols and Paul Williams, by a potpourri of artists. One can only marvel at the creativity and brilliant recordings that came out during the 1970s, a time when voices, songs, production all sounded real and unique and not like today’s over-processed cheese. Nichols and Williams created some beautiful and catchy songs, and they were just the tip of the 1970s songwriting iceberg – I just marvel at what came out of that decade. I don’t marvel at anything that came out in the last decade, not a damn thing – not the songs, not the singers, and certainly not the over-produced sound. But just think back on it – Nichols and Williams, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Carole King, Rupert Holmes, Randy Newman, The Bee Gees, Judy Collins, The Carpenters, and so many more. I don’t think we’ll ever see a time like it again, because no one is going to give that kind of freedom to people anymore. Today it’s more about image and videos than music. One of the great things about the songs of the 1970s was that you did the work yourself – there were no videos to literalize or make surreal what you were hearing. You put the record on and the music and the words did the work and your mind did the rest. I don’t want anyone else bombarding my mind with THEIR images and ideas of what a song is visually. Oh, I went off on a tangent, didn’t I?
Our stumble-through was really fun yesterday. I’ve never had that many people in my living room before – with the full cast and the moms of our kids, it was like fifteen people. But everyone had a chair, so that was good. The show order worked perfectly and everyone did a great job. The handful of notes I’ve been giving were all addressed. And the stumble-throughs are just this wonderful supportive and giving thing between all the performers. It’s my favorite part of the process. We had one hiccup with lyrics (to my song yet), but I think the performer had just psyched himself out about it. It’s a very wordy number with a lot of song title references, so it’s really hard to keep the verses straight. But even though there were flubs in every verse, he just sold it anyway, so everyone loved it. After the rehearsal, we ran it a few times and I gave him a pep talk about positivity and not going to a negative place and beating himself up – the final time he sang it, it was letter perfect, so he definitely knows it. Thirteen-year-old Jenna Rosen tore the roof off with The Glamorous Life – mouths were actually agape at her performance. The sisters, Sarah and Sami, did great with their put-together, too. Juliana took Disneyland to whole new heights, and Jason was his usual hilarious self. Lea Thompson I’m completely in love with – what a charmer, what a talent, and I love her voice. Jane Noseworthy was a bit late so didn’t do her first number until after the rehearsal, but her second number was gorgeous. Kevin Symons, Mr. Chevrolet, is one of my favorites of all the guys we’ve had do the show. And Lisa Livesay sang the hell out of West End Avenue. Then there was the Ruthless! reunion – holy moley on rye what fun it was. Joan Ryan and Rita McKenzie were priceless, and Lindsay Ridgeway was as adorable at twenty-seven as she was at eight. I was petrified that the show would run really long, but it came in right at an hour, so when you add the patter we’ll run between seventy and seventy-five minutes, which is exactly what we like to run. I gave a few minor notes after, but I was really happy with the stumble-through.
Prior to that, I’d had a bit of a rough night – awoke at four and couldn’t get back to sleep until a bit after five, but then slept till eleven, so I got enough sleep. Instead of going to the Daily Grill, I went to Jerry’s and had them make the exact same sandwich I had at the Daily Grill, right down to the whole-wheat toast. It was great and had the requisite 600 calories. I picked up a couple of packages and an important envelope, did some banking, and then it was time for rehearsal.
After rehearsal, a few of us went to the Daily Grill and I had a 600-calorie meal again – this time salmon stuffed with crabmeat with a mustard sauce – it was fantastic. I then came home, didn’t feel like watching a motion picture, and so just did some work on the computer. Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because I really must get a good night’s beauty sleep.
Today, I shall be up by nine, I shall do a two-mile jog, I shall do errands and whatnot, I shall hopefully pick up some packages and then I’ll get ready for our two-year anniversary show. Sound check is at four and then audience begins arriving at five-thirty. Show time is at seven. I’m sure we’ll go out after, maybe to Little Toni’s. I will, of course, have a full report.
Tomorrow I can relax a little, as I’ve done all the prep work for our new announcement. Then I go to a little get-together at the TV academy where the EMMY nominees are being feted, which is better than the EMMY nominees being fetid. Although I do occasionally liked some fetid EMMY nominees. Then it’s a busy week ahead, announcing our new title, prepping our next release, finishing casting the October Kritzerland show, which will enable me to assign songs, and then gathering the music. I also have some meetings and meals to do.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, do a jog, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up some packages, do a sound check and do a show. Today’s topic of discussion: What are your favorite songs of the 1970s, and what were your favorite albums of that decade? Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland where I shall sing Just An Old-Fashioned Love Song, happy we had a good stumble-through.