HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH CAST RECORDING

****
THE GLORIOUS CORNER

Story By: G. H. HARDING
****
Neil Patrick Harris



ANGRY INCH --- Atlantic Records has announced the release of Hedwig And The Angry Inch – Original Broadway Cast Recording - the musical companion to the eight-time Tony-nominated show starring Neil Patrick Harris. The release comes fifteen years after the label released the cast recording for the original production in 1999 and thirteen years following Atlantic’s release of the original motion picture soundtrack for the film incarnation.



The album is produced by Hedwig-composer Stephen Trask, Tony Award nominated sound designer; platinum-selling record producer Tim O’Heir, and the production’s music director Justin Craig.



Hedwig-composer and producer Stephen Trask said, “Anyone who has spent more than five minutes with me in the last three months knows how excited I am by the new versions of these songs. The talents of Neil and Lena and this amazing f*cking band have made these the best version of the score ever. After years of working with Justin Craig and a decade and a half recording with Tim O’Heir, producing these recordings as a team with them has been everything I could have hoped. I think we truly captured the brilliance of these great performers. If any band wants to learn any of these songs, these are the versions they should study.”




PARTY CENTRAL --- This short week saw two great events; first, CNN’s formal launch of their Sixties program, that launched last night on the cablenet. From the Kennedy-assassination to the music that rocked those halcyon years were duly reported on. Their launch event was at Vanderbilt Hall at the magnificent Grand Central Station in NYC. Seen were Jersey Boys’ Donnie Kehr; Hoda Kotb; Dan Abrams; and, CNN-czar Jeff Zucker.



Performing there, which was a major surprise, was The Fab Faux, featuring Will Lee and Jimmy Vivino. Believe it or not, this was the first time I had ever seen them perform and they were terrific; re-creating the music of The Beatles.



In addition to some gear artifacts from the Sixties, there was a candy-bar featuring … candy from the 60’s. Inspired for sure.



Thursday night was a packed-screening for Mike Myers first project in quite some time: Supermensch-the story of music manager Shep Gordon; who’s first days in L. A. were spent hanging out with the likes of Jim Morrison , Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. Gordon went on to mastermind the musical career of Alice Cooper, catapulting him into much success. He also managed the likes of Kenny Loggins, Teddy Pendegrass, Luther Vandross, and Anne Murray … who was famously booked by Gordon into L. A.’s chic-Troubadour club where her show was attended by the likes of Alice, Harry Nilsson, John Lennon and Micky Dolenz. Cooper is quoted on film as saying that when Shep hooked up with Anne … he did not get it at all. Funny.



Gordon went onto to create the world’s fascination with world-famous chefs, including Emeril Lagasse, while re-location from L. A. to Maui. He was also there for the formation of the Food Network … which has gone onto great success.



The film is a total documentary, with interviews with the likes of Tom Arnold, Michael Douglas, producer Bob Ezrin and Myers himself.



I also found out that Gordon hails from Oceanside, New York, on Long Island’s South Shore. Funny as I’m, from one town over.



Myers is one odd cat for sure; he’s basically disappeared from public view since his disastrous movie The Love Guru (2008). He got married and just had his second daughter and lives and works in Manhattan.



It's a strange little movie; if you're not in the business, it might be hard to follow. I never met Gordon before last night, but always found his exploits terrifically fascinating. He's had a great life ... no question. I loved this one!



Seen at a terrific after-party, hosted by the lovely Peggy Siegal, at the brand new Wayfarer on 57th street (with Sommelier Jason Shuffler), were; Elvis Costello; Jason Sudeikis and wife Olivia Wilde; Kyle MacLachlan; Crash’s director/writer Paul Haggis; Donnie Kehr (Jersey Boys); PR-pasha David Salidor; and, Showbiz 411’s Roger Friedman; and, Bloomberg News’ Amanda Gordon.



NEW QUEEN ---The long rumored unheard music from Queen with Freddie Mercury may see the light of day before the end of the year.



The tentatively titled Queen Forever will contain music going back to the 1980's according to the group’s Brian May in a recent interview with BBC Wales. May and Roger Taylor are in charge of the re-mastering for the set.



May told the BBC "We had to start from scratch because we only had scraps but knowing how it would have happened if we had finished it, I can sit there and make it happen with modern technology. ... It is quite emotional. It is the big, big ballads and the big, big epic sound."



Brian went on to say "It’s a compilation but it will have this new material on which nobody in the world has ever heard and I think people will really enjoy it."



Queen Forever would be the second album of reconstructed studio recordings since Mercury's death after 1995's Made in Heaven. That album hit number 1 in the U.K., Germany, New Zealand and a number of other countries while only getting to number 58 in the U.S.



CLOSING NOTES --- Bruce Springsteen performing with The Rolling Stones in Lisbon, as part of the Rock In Rio festival on “Tumbling Dice.” Now, that’s a show I wished I’d caught …



Tina Turner has denied suffering a stroke, insisting she is in "excellent health". It was reported by German and Dutch publications that the 74-year-old, who resides in Switzerland, fell ill and is currently recovering from the medical condition. A man called Albert B. Cologne who claimed to be Tina's driver gave quotes to Germany's news source Express, who originally printed the story.



"The fact is that Tina enjoys excellent health," they said in a statement.



Tina is even said to have attended the launch of her new album in Zurich last Thursday in perfect physical condition, greeting fans and standing out in a red and white dress.



Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys will have a NY-premier on June 9 with the cast attending a dinner and then screening. Big-Clint will be making a special appearance on Sunday's Tony-awards at Radio City Music Hall...




Comments