Over the years I've grown to think of GONE WITH THE WIND as a brilliantly executed piece of racist propaganda entertainment in the same vein a BIRTH OF A NATION. The novel and film can't be beat in storytelling craftsmanship. But it is harder and harder to be seduced by the moonlight and magnolia romantic drama when you are asked to identify with bigoted southern slave owners.
But with the musical I can't help but enjoy Harold Rome's score. I find myself laughing at it AND admiring it at the same time.
Besides.. the artwork looks like an old TV Guide ad for a telenovela.
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people. - Eleanor Roosevelt
If Gone With The Wind is ever remastered by Kritzerland, the first thing to do is to rethink the color scheme of the artwork and get rid of Rhett and Scarlett embracing. I prefer the artwork on the Japanese cast recording.
I second DOONESBURY. It's not a great score - about a third of it is complete crap - but there are some really nice songs in it.
EATING RAOUL - and finally eliminate that Gawdawful quadrophonic mix!
THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM - with the bonus tracks from the previous CD release cleaned up and re-integrated into their proper show sequence AND the songs from the Kline/LuPone EP added on as Bonus Tracks!
There are so many things I'd love to get my hands on, but with most companies I wouldn't be able to get the multi-tracks. I love all of Goddard Lieberson's albums and wouldn't touch them EVER. But others? Let me at 'em :)
I can tell you that we're trying to get the rights to at least one title that's been mentioned, and I'm really hoping it works out - I should know soon. I'm also working on Drood - but it's really tough now as I have no real in at Universal (who owns Polydor). I've asked Rupert to see if he can do anything.
Re Eating Raoul - was that a quad mix on the original Bay Cities release??? I cannot imagine it would have been, but maybe I'll pull it down and see.
We have a cast album coming either next week or the week after - a new show that was a big hit at the Fringe festival a couple of years ago.
The only song I don't really care for is the one Roland the DJ sings.
I so wish I could have seen Gary Beach play Duke. I bet he was hilarious.
As far as what's been mentioned (of the ones that have ever actually been on CD), I think the sound quality of The Robber Bridegroom is the worst.
Updated On: 11/12/10 at 04:07 PM
But only if maybe, possibly, the original session tapes contain the full songs and they just faded them all out on record and somewhere someone has the complete songs? That would be neat to hear.