Gutbrain Records

Thursday, 13 March 2008

Friday the 13th comes on a Thursday this month, as a certain turtle would say.

Here are some more recommendations for fans of The Prisoner. This great new 3-CD set is essential for anybody who really loves the show. Finally you can listen to entire scores as well as outtakes and alternate cues for almost all of the music composed for the series. It's fun to hear breakdowns of the main theme — some of them only a few seconds long — and the many takes of "special effects" music like timpani and bass or timpani and piano strings to accompany Rover. There's a lot of timpani on these CDs, often solo or in combination with one or two other percussion instruments. I can't get enough of stuff like that!

Also of interest are Robert Fairclough's two volumes of original shooting scripts for The Prisoner. They're annotated, pointing out the differences between what was written and what was broadcast. Each volume includes a rejected script in its entirety so you can see what might have been. Volume One also has an appendix of unmade storylines and Volume Two features the script of a pilot for what would have been a new series, The Outsider, starring Patrick McGoohan.

Here's something else that's great — and free! Lee Feldman is one of my favorite musicians/composers/performers. The first time I saw him live I was blown away. When I saw him perform other times after that, I was even more thrilled. He's unique, an original, very talented and hard-working. I encourage all of you to check him out next time he plays. While you're waiting for his next gig, though, watch Lee Feldman, Lee Feldman, a 24-minute documentary about him. Then buy his CDs.