Well, dear readers, we’re slowly inching up on the Indiegogo campaign with inching being the operative word. We did jump quite nicely on Monday but it’s only been one-percent since then – 79%. We’re so close to crossing the 10K point, but people just aren’t even looking at it right now, so perhaps later in the week they will. I just really want to insure that we reach the goal early. So if you haven’t already, check out the new perks and perk us up.
Yesterday was a pretty great day for the most part. I did only get about two hours of sleep, but at the point the day got good, which was when I got back up at eight, I didn’t care about the lack of sleep, although it did catch up with me about nine at night, when I really could not function other than sit like a sack of Twizzlers. So, the great part was solidifying that we do indeed have the important project – as soon as I read that e-mail, I danced a jig and then put it on the REALLY fast track. Thankfully, the master is done and now is on its way to the pressing plant.
Then I had to get to my nine o’clock breakfast meeting and happily that seemed to go well and I do believe we have my preferred sound designer on board. We talked through everything and while it’s not quite the kind of money he’s used to, it will work for him. So, that’s a good thing. From there I came right home. My original intention was to go back to bed, but I was so het up about the important project that I couldn’t possibly go back to sleep. So, I decided to write the liner notes and write them I did. They’re quite long and quite personal but it was fun to do and took about three hours. Then I had to type a synopsis from a booklet that came with the original LP recording as scanning it wouldn’t look good or of a piece. So, that took a really long time and then I had to proof it with a keen eye. So, all that was really most of the day. I also did the track list and all that stuff. I still need just a teeny bit more information for the credits page, but that will hopefully come this morning. So, Doug Haverty will now work on that and hopefully have something for me to see relatively soon. And then we’ll just announce it. Meanwhile, I got notification that the Claus Ogerman print went to the pressing plant, so we’ll have that probably on Monday or Tuesday and we’ll get that shipped out.
Then I went over to the local Kinko’s where they have a big-boy scanner and I scanned the original LP cover of the important project – I’d found a sealed stereo copy of this rare puppy on eBay for all of twelve bucks. Sealed copies are unheard of and the cover, which has a LOT of black on it, is easily worn and scuffed and I’ve never seen a minty-fresh like new used copy – when I broke the shrink wrap on this it was spectacularly minty fresh. So that will become the back of the booklet, with an original Doug Haverty design that’s quite compelling going on the front cover. After scanning, I went into the Von’s across the way and got some popcorn for my evening snack. I’d had an omelet and a bagel for breakfast. Then I picked up two small packages and came home.
I made the popcorn, ate it all up, did some more moseying around on the computer, then went and sat on my couch and listened to a new SACD of Miles Davis and Gil Evans’ wonderful Sketches in Spain album. I’d had two other import SACD releases of it and both were absolutely horrible. I was, frankly, baffled by how an SACD could sound worse than a CD but they did. Who knows what the sources were, although one of them was from Sony, but it must have been a really old master used or something. But the third time was the charm with the Mobile Fidelity SACD – it’s everything you’d want an SACD to be – clean as a whistle, amazing fidelity and crystal clarity, warm but crisp sound, and lifelike, like you’re in the studio with the band. Of course the album itself is a classic. I did doze off at some point and then once I woke back up I listened to the tracks I’d slept through.
After that it was back to the computer. We have to change up the Levi A New Musical logo – Levi Strauss won’t let anyone use the red bat-wing background, so that has to go. I believe we’re fine with the logo type since it’s slightly different and I believe we’re fine with the jeans pocket, which obviously can’t be trademarked or copyrighted. Doug was going to try a different red shape but in one version of this he made the lettering white on the jeans and put a red border around the four sides and I think that’s probably the way to go. The Levi Strauss representative was very nice about it, nothing adversarial at all, and I gave him the whole history of the show, invited him or anyone from the company to come see it, and assured him (even though I didn’t have to) that the portrait of his founder was loving, warm, funny, and that I thought they’d be very happy with the show. Then I listened to some music and relaxed.
Today, I’m hoping to arise after a good night’s beauty sleep, and then I’m hoping to have a brief visit with Richard Sherman, after which I’ll come right back to the Valley to avoid the damn traffic. I’ll hopefully pick up some packages, and then I kind of have a craving for either a Subway sandwich, a couple of Popeye’s chicken breasts, or something completely new. There is a southern-style new jernt I’ve been wanting to try, so that’s a possibility, but I also might like to have some Eyetalian food. We shall see. Then I’ll get back to the Kritzerland show and hopefully finish casting so I can then finish choosing songs. Then I can relax.
Tomorrow, I have a few things to do, then I’ll mosey on over to LACC to see a model of our Levi set, then I’ll mosey on over to Hollywood, park in the good lot on Vine, then go over to Amoeba and look around, after which I’ll go to Katsuya for some food, and then I see Hamilton at the Pantages. Not sure what’s happening on Friday or the weekend, although we’re definitely doing a Costco run on Saturday morning. Then next week is all Levi preparation and doing the little Richard Sherman event on the eleventh.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, hopefully have a brief visit with Richard Sherman, I must hopefully pick up packages, I must eat something I’m craving or, conversely, I must crave something I’m eating, I must finish casting, and then I can relax. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Ask BK Day, the day in which you get to ask me or any dear reader any old question you like and we get to give any old answer we like. So, let’s have loads of lovely questions and loads of lovely answers and loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst I hit the road to dreamland, and thanks for all the excellent vibes and xylophones for the important project – they really worked – and happy that the important project made it quite a day day.