Sunday, September 22, 2024
Donate
Home Blog Page 1003

Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Giles Martin Pay Tribute to Legendary Recording Engineer Geoff Emerick

Roger Friedman
-
0
Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Giles Martin Pay Tribute to Legendary Recording Engineer Geoff Emerick

Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, and Giles Martin have all paid tribute to legendary recording engineer Geoff Emerick, who passed away Tuesday at age 72 from a heart attack.

Elvis:

Geoff Emerick was wonderful man, a masterful engineer and mixer and a patient but confident presence in the studio. 
We really could not have made the album “Imperial Bedroom” with anyone else.
On those sessions, Geoff was as important as any member of the ensemble, the studio being his instrument.
In fact, almost everyone in the post-1966 recording world owes an often unacknowledged debt to his quiet and modest innovations. Infinitely less-talented individuals make a song and dance out of matters that he took in stride. 
He told me once that learning his trade at Abbey Road might mean be asked to record Otto Klemperer and the Philharmonia in the morning, Judy Garland in the afternoon or The Beatles until the song was done in the early hours. Little wonder there was barely a musical conceit with which you could daunt or confound him.
I feel very lucky to have known and worked with Geoff and I will miss him a great deal.

McCartney:

I first met Geoff when he was a young engineer working at Abbey Road Studios. He would grow to be the main engineer that we worked with on many of our Beatles tracks. He had a sense of humour that fitted well with our attitude to work in the studio and was always open to the many new ideas that we threw at him. He grew to understand what we liked to hear and developed all sorts of techniques to achieve this. He would use a special microphone for the bass drum and played it strategically to achieve the sound that we asked him for. We spent many exciting hours in the studio and he never failed to come up with the goods. After The Beatles, I continued to work with him and our friendship grew to the point where when he got married to his beautiful wife Nicole, it was in the church close to where we lived in the country.

He came with me to Lagos Nigeria to record my album ‘Band on the Run’. I remember arriving at the half built studio with a handful of 45s which I played for him to explain what direction I wanted to take on this particular album. I remember asking him to make sure that the tracks had a lot of space and he was happy to deliver that. We kept in touch through the years and our phone calls or messages always gained a giggle or two.

Having seen him as recently as this year when he came to visit us at Henson Studio in LA, where we were putting the finishing touches to ‘Egypt Station’, he was his usual cheerful friendly self and gave me the thumbs up to the mixes we played him.
I’ll always remember him with great fondness and I know his work will be long remembered by connoisseurs of sound.

Lots of love Geoff, it was a privilege to know you.

Giles Martin:

RIP @GeoffEmerick one of finest and most innovative engineers to have graced a recording studio. I grew up with him as he worked so much with my father. We have all been touched by the sounds he helped create on the greatest music ever recorded.

Mike McCartney, recording artist and Paul’s brother:

Wow! Just heard the sad news! Geoff ‘Freaky Freaky’(as r kid & I used to call him) joins So many up there. A luvly, kind, very talented man..one of the inner sanctum. A lot will miss him..RIP Geoff

 

Vaping Cigarette Company Juul is Going Hard with Radio Ads Despite 48 Year Old Cigarette Ad Ban

Roger Friedman
-
0
Vaping Cigarette Company Juul is Going Hard with Radio Ads Despite 48 Year Old Cigarette Ad Ban

Cigarette advertising was banned from radio and TV in 1970. Richard Nixon actually signed it into law.

Today, in October 2018–it’s back. Yes, nicotine is still addictive and causes cancer.

But Juul, which offers the small USB- looking device that delivers liquid nicotine as vaping, is going hard advertising its product on radio.

This morning, in one hour, I heard two different Juul ads on an I Heart Radio (formerly Clear Channel) station.

I don’t know about other cities right now, but here in New York City, the Juul ads are everywhere, in every small grocery and bodega, everywhere cigarettes can be purchased. The only difference is that Juul has no age limit. If you can afford it, you can buy it. There’s no cigarette smell, but it’s absolutely the same thing as smoking.

Basically, Juul is spreading cancer to a new generation of teens. I really hope I Heart Radio and other companies refuse their money and take the ads off the air ASAP. Like many things right now, this is a farce.

 

Mariah Carey’s New Single Is Here, “With You” is a Breathy R&B Ballad with An Eye on Number 1

Roger Friedman
-
0
Mariah Carey’s New Single Is Here, “With You” is a Breathy R&B Ballad with An Eye on Number 1

Mariah Carey has been fishing around for a new sound, and a hit record. She may have it with “With You,” her breathy new R&B ballad that has a nice pace, is well sung, and has its eye on the top of the charts. “With You” is a HUGE improvement over “GTFO,” too. If this is the direction of her new album, Mariah’s on the right track. “With You” is written and produced by Dijon McFarlane aka DJ Mustard, who definitely cuts the mustard. Maybe Mariah can perform her cover of Harry Nilsson’s “Without You” as a book end to “With You.” Then she can cover “With or Without You” by U2.

Mainly, it’s nice to hear her wonderful voice put to good use. More like this, please.

New York Round Up: Trudie Styler’s Stealth Off Broadway Hit, “Stan & Ollie” Early Oscar Buzz, Michael’s A-List Lunch

Roger Friedman
-
0
New York Round Up: Trudie Styler’s Stealth Off Broadway Hit, “Stan & Ollie” Early Oscar Buzz, Michael’s A-List Lunch

With the sun shining, and warm breezes blowing, it was one of those classic fall Wednesdays in New York.

Sting— the rock star– took a break from his tour with Shaggy and arrived at the Public Theater for the dress rehearsal of (actress-producer-director-activist) wife Trudie Styler‘s workshop of a play called “Savage Love.” Shaggy came, too. “Savage Love” is directed by Sean Mathias and co-stars Tony winner Owen Teale.

Legendary British playwright Pam Gems (who died in 2011 at age 85) handed Trudie her play “Guinevere” forty years ago and said, “You’re too young for this now. Just wait.” There will be private invite only tickets for the weekend so the company can work the kinks out. “Savage Love” will probably be on the Public’s schedule next year, and let’s hope so. It’s a spectacular play, updated and very resonant, very timely…

…But before we got into the Public, I did see an early screening of Jon S. Baird‘s “Stan and Ollie,” which Sony Pictures Classics may take into an Oscar qualifying run. How weird is this? Baird directed “Filth,” which the aforementioned Trudie Styler produced a couple of years ago! I didn’t even realize it. Baird has made a lovely film. Steve Coogan plays Stan Laurel and John C. Reilly is Oliver Hardy. Their respective wives are Nina Ariana  and Shirley Henderson. The performances are impeccable. I was blown away. If SPC gets screeners out and makes Academy members watch this. there will be nominations. For now, I’ll just say that Nina Arianda really is a treasure…

…Michael’s is ever the Wednesday hot spot for lunch. The great journalist Jeff Greenfield was there having lunch with four guys including Jerry Della Femina, PR whiz Steven Rubenstein had the corner table, “St. Elsewhere” actress and producer Cynthia Sikes Yorkin was in the house, Henry Schleiff of the Discovery Channel stopped by. Funniest moment was when the infamous Trump emergency alert went off on everyone’s phones simultaneously. All conversation halted. I said, jokingly, “It’s Trump, he’s been arrested.” A nice man sitting along the far wall, said, “Really?” with such glee in his voice. I had to say, “No, just kidding.” People clapped. He wanted it so much. Journalist Jill Brooke was my lunch date. I asked Steve Millington, who runs the joint, jokingly, where Sam Cohn (the legendary agent, now sadly deceased was). “In heaven, eating paper,” he cracked wise. Only at Michael’s kids.

Cher Has Already Sold A Whopping 90,000 Copies of Her ABBA Album and it’s Only Wednesday

Roger Friedman
-
0
Cher Has Already Sold A Whopping 90,000 Copies of Her ABBA Album and it’s Only Wednesday

Cher, that’s right, Cher, is dancing her way to number 2 this week on all charts.

Since Friday Cher has sold 90,000 copies of her ABBA album, “Dancing Queen.” By the end of Thursday she could be up to around 140,000.

Of course, the “Dancing Queen” sales are aided by ticket bundles. Everyone who buys a ticket to see Cher in concert gets a copy of the album. But this has become common procedure in the modern age. Paul McCartney recently reached number 1 the same way with his “Egypt Station” album. The RIAA counts those albums.

Something tells me “Dancing Queen” will have legs. Cher is always on tour, for one thing. And you know she, like McCartney, should be featured on the Grammys this year. She’s 72, he’s 76, and we need them both to keep on rocking!

 

Here’s the Trailer for “Vice,” Starring Christian Bale as Former VP Dick Cheney, from the Director of “The Big Short”

Roger Friedman
-
0
Here’s the Trailer for “Vice,” Starring Christian Bale as Former VP Dick Cheney, from the Director of “The Big Short”

Here’s the trailer for Adam McKay’s “Vice,” about Bush vice president Dick Cheney. Christian Bale is unrecognizable as Cheney and completely spooky. Sam Rockwell looks like a great Bush, although I’m sure McKay was tempted to cast Will Ferrell– who’s played Bush frequently. Amy Adams and Steve Carell co-star. The Halliburton stuff is going to be wild. Can’t wait for this movie. I hope Annapurna Pictures can pull it off.

Famed Beatles Recording Engineer Geoff Emerick Dead at 72 from a Heart Attack, Worked on “Sgt. Pepper,” “Band on the Run,” “White Album”

Roger Friedman
-
0
Famed Beatles Recording Engineer Geoff Emerick Dead at 72 from a Heart Attack, Worked on “Sgt. Pepper,” “Band on the Run,” “White Album”

Terrible news: Geoff Emerick, the beloved recording engineer who worked on most of the Beatles recordings with George Martin, has reportedly died of a heart attack at age 72.

Emerick was the engineer on the later, more complicated Beatles records from “Revolver” through “Abbey Road” and “Let it Be.” He also engineered a lot of Paul McCartney’s solo records including “McCartney” and “Band on the Run.”

Emerick’s work was not unnoticed by subsequent generations. His ear helped make Elvis Costello’s great albums like “Get Happy” and “Imperial Bedroom” get that cushiony sound that’s made them classics, as well.

He continued to work alternately with McCartney and Costello on most of their solo work, plus then lent his talents to the Beatles re-issue projects including the 2009 “black box” remaster of their albums and the mono box set.

Among Emerick’s other jobs with Martin was the rescuing of the group America in the mid 70s with hits like “Tin Man” and “Sister Golden Hair.”

Emerick, working out of Capitol Studios in Hollywood, most recently produced the “This is Us” soundtrack album for the popular TV show. Everyone in the music business wanted him, and he was hard to get as a result. I met Emerick about 20 years ago and he was a great story teller. His name was just invoked at the listening session for the 50th anniversary edition of “The White Album.” Think of it– he went to work at Abbey Road when he was just 19!

Condolences to his family and friends.

 

Winners of the LA Film Festival, Sponsored by Film Independent, Could All Be Related to Each Other

Roger Friedman
-
0
Winners of the LA Film Festival, Sponsored by Film Independent, Could All Be Related to Each Other

Well, here are the winners of the LA Film Festival, sponsored by Film Independent, the group that gives the Independent Spirit Awards. Am I wrong? Or do they all look very similar, like they could be related to each other.

The LA Film Festival takes place in Los Angeles, which has big African American, Asian, Chicano, Latino populations, all kinds of people. And yet, all these people are pretty White looking. I can’t imagine what their films are like.

According to the LA Film Festival website, they had an Inclusion Summit. It ‘included’ some people with facial hair, and others with motorcycle helmets.

Absolutely hilarious. The West Coast…it’s so different.

 

Sofia Coppola, Kyra Sedgwick Show Up for Premiere of Warm, Funny “Private Life,” Tamara Jenkins’ Long Awaited Second Film

Paula Schwartz
-
0
Sofia Coppola, Kyra Sedgwick Show Up for Premiere of Warm, Funny “Private Life,” Tamara Jenkins’ Long Awaited Second Film
Tamara Jenkins’ new film “Private Life”  was such a long time coming after her beloved 2007 hit “Svages” that all kinds of interesting people turns up last night for the new New York Film Festival premiere. Kyra Sedgwick arrived on her own, sat up front, and even came by the after party at The Smith. Sofia Coppola came with a friend, and stayed til the end of the party. “Namesake” and “Queen of Katwe” director Mira Mair sang Jenkins’ praises. Jenkins has her fans, and they ardent. ( The film opens in 21 theaters on Friday and will be on Netflix simultaneously.)

“Private Life,” with Jenkins’ exquisite script and adroit direction, stars Kathryn Hahn (Rachel) and Paul Giamatti (Richard) as an artsy New York couple — together for decades — who are trying everything to have a baby after putting it off for maybe too long. (The characters are 41, and 47, respectively.)

On the red carpet Jenkins described the couple to me: “The characters are true New Yorkers of a specific kind of breed, and they’re hanging on Manhattan by the skin of their teeth, by their little finger nails to their rent stabilized apartments. They live in the East Village,” she said. “It all informs their behavior. It informs their life choices. I really wanted to get New York right.”

And Jenkins got it right. This is a story told with as much humor as heart, and describes in exhausting detail how this couple goes through the ringer to try every medical procedure available to conceive. Not exactly flush with cash — she’s a book writer and he has something to do with a small theater troupe — they’ve gone through most of their scratch and borrow from relatives.

After their latest attempt fails, their overly familiar doctor (a hilarious Denis O’Hare) suggests Richard and Rachel get a donor’s egg. Newly arrived on their doorstep after dropping out of college, their step-niece Sadie (a brilliant debut by Kayli Carter) is an answer to their dreams and cheerfully agrees to donate hers. Sadie’s mother, played by Molly Shannon, who has never been funnier or more touching on screen, hits the roof when she hears the news. “Fertility junkies” is how she describes Richard and Rachel in possibly the film’s funniest scene set at the family Thanksgiving dinner.

“Private Life” is loosely based on Jenkins’ own experiences getting pregnant. She and her husband, well-known screenwriter Jim Taylor (he’s collaborated on most of Alexander Payne’s films), had their own baby issues.

Jenkins told me on the red carpet, “It’s not memoir but I had my own fertility saga with my husband trying to get a baby when we were not young anymore, so the core understanding, the emotional experience of it, is mine. But the details are fiction.”

As for a decade since her last film? A questions Jenkins was asked over and over.

“I had a baby. That happened.”

She also never stopped writing, including a screenplay with her husband.

“It was a job but it went on forever. And then right at the end of that I remembered going being so restless and crazy and really desperate to write and it was the first time I wrote with a kid.” She had a two-bedroom and one bedroom had been her office so now with a child she rented an office, which focused her writing.

She hopes it won’t be a decade until her next film.

“I’d like to work faster. If I keep going ten years between each movie it’s going to get very complicated. A lot of equipment will be involved for me, so I’d like to pick up the pace.”

During the Q&A following the screening, Jenkins said she and her husband, like Rachel and Richard, forgot about trying to get pregnant the old fashioned way.

“Jim was injecting my ass just like the movie, peeling off estrogen patches, going to doctors’ appointments, and we went to the movies and the movie that happened to be playing was ‘Knocked Up.’ And we watched the movie, and it was shocking. People got drunk, they had sex, they woke up, they were pregnant. And we totally forgot about sex as an option. ‘Oh my God, people have sex to get pregnant!’” Jenkins said in mock horror. “I thought I needed an injection. And then when we were leaving the theater I said to Jim, ‘If we made a film what would ours be called?’ And I went Knocked Out.”

Jenkins noted that the movie is not primarily about having a baby.

“In terms of the writing, I always felt the movie was ultimately about the marriage anyway and not the baby, and Paul (Giamatti),  in the middle of making the movie at some point stopped, and said, ‘This is not about the baby, this is ‘Waiting for Godot’,’” said Jenkins. “The movie ultimately I think is about the existential struggle of co-existence.”

Photo c2018 Showbiz411 by Paula Schwartz

Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal Live a “Wild Life” in Paul Dano’s Feature Directorial Debut

Paula Schwartz
-
0
Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal Live a “Wild Life” in Paul Dano’s Feature Directorial Debut
“Wildlife,” Paul Dano’s impressive directing debut, celebrated its New York premiere Sunday night at Alice Tully Hall as part of the New York Film Festival. It premiered at Sundance, and has since received rave reviews, including a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Adapted from Richard Ford’s 1990 novel, the movie is also Dano’s writing debut; he co-wrote it with actor-writer Zoe Kazan, who is also his longtime partner. The film stars  Jake Gyllenhaal, Carey Mulligan and young Australian actor Ed Oxenbould. Both Mulligan and Gyllenhaal attended the NYFF screening. (The film opens in theaters October 19.)
The slow burn of a film is about Jeannette and Jerry Brinson, a young couple who move to small-town Montana in 1960 with their 14-year-old son Joe in search of the American dream. Things start to sour when the affable Jerry loses his job at the private golf club where he works for being too close and personal with the members. Jerry takes a low-paying job fighting the raging fires in the Montana hills, leaving behind an embattled wife who changes from perfect housewife to wage earner and survivor in the short period he’s gone. Sadly their teenage son becomes the dismayed witness to the disintegration of his parent’s marriage.
The movie is a beautifully acted and written period piece that recreates the spirit and tone of the book. In the Q&A following the New York premiere Sunday evening, Dano said what drew him to the book, which he first read in 2011, was its “lean, clear and simple prose,” which he and Kazan have recreated for the film.
It’s mainly Jeannette’s story. Jeannette is a fighter, a doer, persistent, college educated. But she’s stuck with a husband, no matter how handsome and affable, who is not her equal in intelligence or drive. She’s living paycheck to paycheck and disappointment in life has finally taken its toll. Displaying all the nuances and changes Jeannette undergoes, often just seen in the silent closeups of her face, Mulligan gives a performance as Oscar-worthy as the one she gave in “An Education,” which first got her noticed in 2009.
(Special kudos should also go to production designer Akin McKenzie and cinematographer Diego Garcia for their beautifully detailed tableaux of postwar American life in a small Western town.)
One interesting aspect of the book that’s mirrored in the film is that neither are judgmental of their characters. Mulligan told me on the red carpet that was an appealing aspect of the role. “We are often expecting the female characters, most particularly the maternal characters on our screens, to represent our ideals of what mothers and women should be, and I think that means a sort of sanitized idea of motherhood on screen and what I love about this is you see is a mother really struggling and not a perfect mom and making lots of mistakes, and making quite serious mistakes. But that doesn’t define her character and that hopefully as an audience they will still be empathizing with her and hoping for her to be all right.”
photo c2018 Showbiz411 by Paula Schwartz
1...1,0021,0031,004...2,127Page 1,003 of 2,127

Hollywood to the Hudson

Company

Trending

Categories

© Showbiz411.com