Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/16/2015 04:44:02Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/16/2015 09:31:19Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/16/2015 11:18:45Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/17/2015 05:30:31Copy HTML

Rich:

Yes, the Johnny Mathis compilation will include the songs from his 1963 Mercury Records Christmas album, Sounds Of Christmas.



Giampiero:

Releasing these classic and legendary Christmas albums on MP3 or on Spotify is not, I repeat NOT, a legitimate nor honorable way to release them. It might be acceptable to you and some others out there, but it is categorically not acceptable to me, nor to most of the folks who are members of this message board. Quite frankly, releasing these great albums that way is an atrocious disservice to their legacy. They deserve to be honored with a physical release that includes full original artwork, liner notes and photos.

I said it before on the message board, but let me repeat again what a rotten world this would be if there was no longer a way in which you could physically purchase an album. This virtual stuff of today is for the birds, and I think it's despicable that for the most part in the music industry today, the beauty of a physical release of an album has pretty much gone by the wayside.

Downloadable music? Downloadable artwork? Downloadable liner notes? Phooey! That may be the current tide in the music industry today, but I'll sure as hell work as hard as I can against it.

As far as your list of suggestions for release on CD, you are new to this message board, so I suggest that you peruse the various threads on the board and you will see that I have been working for the release of some of these titles for many years now.



Steve:

Thanks for the kind and supportive words; I appreciate it.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/17/2015 12:11:08Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/17/2015 12:52:26Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/17/2015 06:44:44Copy HTML

Susan:

It's a novel idea, but the problem is that for the record companies back then that used promotional inner sleeves for their LPs, they would invariably change over the years; so it could get tricky trying to ascertain what the original inner sleeve was when the album was released. And one company that was famous for using promotional inner sleeves for their LPs, Decca Records, would present a serious challenge because in the late '50s and early '60s they had five different LP inner sleeves each year. All five were formatted the same, but they had different background colors (red, green, blue, gold and purple) and each had a different set of promotions.



Giampiero:

You need to understand that a lot of hard work and attention to detail goes into producing these CD reissues (remastering of the recording, restoration of the original album artwork, the CD booklet, liner notes, photos, etc.) and just because some of them might currently be available as digital MP3 downloads or on Spotify for streaming, that shouldn't in any way mitigate the significance of these releases. And clearly what you said at the beginning of your post, whether it was intended or not, seemed to trivialize the integrity of some of the new releases.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/17/2015 07:41:48Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：08/17/2015 09:40:42Copy HTML

Non c'è problema, Giampiero. Molte grazie.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：09/15/2015 09:40:14Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/06/2015 02:05:22Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/06/2015 02:13:50Copy HTML

Glad you're enjoying the new CDs, Rich.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/14/2015 01:57:57Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/16/2015 04:08:11Copy HTML

Yes Jack, I do indeed discuss sales with Gordon. And yes, it is financially profitable in releasing these Christmas CD reissues -- as long as the correct titles are chosen, which is why Gordon relies so heavily on my guidance as to which ones to release. This is why Gordon affectionately refers to me as "The Christmas guy" for Real Gone Music.

It's a pleasure after all these years to finally have a record company that I can work with to finally get these classic Christmas albums back in print. Gordon respects my knowledge as a Christmas music archivist, which is why he asked me to write the liner notes for the Top recommendation on my list for release last year: Frank DeVol's The Old Sweet Songs Of Christmas. This year, he gave me free reign to write the liner notes for any of the new Christmas releases, but because of time considerations, I had to decline. However, for the album that ranked the highest in my collection that I got back into print this year, John Gary's The John Gary Christmas Album, I personally asked John's wife Lee to do the task and she happily agreed. The other one that I would have liked to have written the liner notes for if I had had the time was for The Living Voices release; this one because of my friendship with Ethel Gabriel, the legendary RCA Records producer and creator of all the "Living" groups for RCA. However, Joe Marchese of The Second Disc did a great job, as always.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/20/2015 03:24:30Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/20/2015 08:25:39Copy HTML

Yes, I made sure that the original 1959 Ralph Hunter Christmas Surprises LP artwork was included in the CD booklet.

By the way, the reason why I advised Gordon to release the album in its repackaged 1962 incarnation, The Living Voices Sing Christmas Music, is because it was in print for far longer in that form than its 1959 Christmas Surprises predecessor. And in addition to the fact that the great majority of people know the album by that Living Voices incarnation, I also did it to encourage Gordon to release it as a 2-fer CD with the Living Voices 1965 LP, Little Drummer Boy. It worked, as he accepted my proposal and I got both albums back in print.

This was especially pleasing to me because of my friendship with the legendary RCA Records producer Ethel Gabriel, and my desire to get the albums back in print while she was still alive. As a matter of fact, I just talked with her on Monday, which was her 94th birthday! She's doing great and I told her that she seems to be getting stronger as she gets older! She's an unbelievably strong and amazing woman and I cherish our friendship.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/25/2015 06:16:51Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：11/27/2015 09:11:09Copy HTML

Tom,

Glad to hear how much you're enjoying the new Soulful Strings Magic Of Christmas CD.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：12/02/2015 10:56:17Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：01/05/2016 08:48:42Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/26/2016 01:25:55Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/26/2016 02:59:59Copy HTML

None of those titles are being considered for this year, Jim. But we have over a dozen great new Christmas CD reissues currently being worked on for this year. As usual, the Sony titles will be routine and the UMG titles the more difficult to secure; however, I'm quite optimistic. As soon as I am able, I will be exclusively announcing the new releases for 2016 here on the message board.

I've also been very busy this month creating the demo disc and the accompanying jewel case artwork for the new Fifth Hour of the Yule Log that I finished producing last year in anticipation of the program's upcoming 50th anniversary. I'm glad to say, and delighted to finally announce here, that the completed demo disc is now in the hands of the execs at WPIX-TV here in New York.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/27/2016 01:03:09Copy HTML

That's good news Chip and congratulations !!!!

I hope WPIX see fit to add a 5th hour, I can only imagine the great Christmas Classics you may have chosen.

Eagerly anticipating the 5th hour 

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/27/2016 04:44:19Copy HTML

Thank you Susan, I appreciate it. I knew you would be pleased, knowing how much you love the program.

I initially began producing this new Fifth Hour in mid-2014 in anticipation of the Yule Log's approaching 50th anniversary in 2016. I worked on the new hour on and off for well over a year. I made my final decision on the songs in the fall of 2014, and then began the delicate work of meticulously arranging them in the best order that they should play. Then, a year ago, in January of 2015, once that process was completed and I had settled on a final arrangement, I formally submitted to WPIX my proposal of celebrating the Yule Log's 50th anniversary with a special "Jubilee celebration 5-hour presentation" of the telecast and provided them with the proposed new Fifth Hour's track list. Subsequent to this, came the long tedious production work of laying the hour down and working the segues between the songs so that they're perfectly timed, which takes considerable time as the program's soundtrack, as you are aware, has a unique pace and flow to it. Then, once the hour was fully produced and I was pleased with the final result, came the final production work of creating the demo disc and accompanying jewel case artwork to present to the execs at WPIX.

I'll soon be posting all of this information on an upcoming thread on the board, along with some sneak peeks and insights into the new Fifth Hour. It will also include some of the insights that I've already shared in previous posts here on the board.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/28/2016 01:03:54Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/28/2016 04:55:33Copy HTML

Thanks Jim, and glad to hear how much you enjoy the site.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/29/2016 01:47:26Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/29/2016 07:55:35Copy HTML

Steve,

I will be making a push to get the new Fifth Hour shown on the local Tribune affiliates -- especially the ones that currently air the broadcast for more than 4 hours.

As for the Antenna TV affiliates, I will offer the new Fifth Hour to Sean Compton (President of Strategic Programming) and make a push to get it shown nationally. However, that will be more problematic, as the Antenna TV affiliates are a more plentiful and diverse group than the local Tribune affiliates. The reason for that is because Antenna TV is available to all broadcasting networks as an affiliate channel, not just Tribune; therefore, the network affiliations for Antenna TV run the gamut: ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and more.

Getting the complete 4-hour broadcast to air nationally on Antenna TV was challenging enough; and the 5-hour broadcast will be even more so. But I'll do my best.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：02/29/2016 01:33:32Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/02/2016 03:26:22Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/03/2016 06:25:46Copy HTML

Believe me, I would love to do it, Steve, as I absolutely adore the song too. However, negotiating a deal to secure printing rights from UMG for albums in their catalog is hard enough, but when you add bonus tracks to the equation, negotiations become exponentially more difficult.

This original song which Monty wrote himself is truly his masterpiece. I only wish that he had written it years earlier so that it could have been on his first Christmas album, where it rightfully belongs. The song would have served perfectly as the finale to the album.

The song was a quintessential example of his great signature technique of cascading, soaring and especially tumbling violins, which created that "fountains of thrilling sound" that he was so famous for.

To be able to evoke such emotion to this degree with their music is what sets Mantovani and Percy Faith apart from anybody else and puts them in a class all by themselves.


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Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/03/2016 09:58:50Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/03/2016 01:55:35Copy HTML

Thanks for the kind words, Steve. I appreciate it.

By the way, I'm not sure how much you've seen on the message board since you joined last year, but here's a few links in case you haven't come across them yet.

First, a link to information on the new Fourth Hour of the Yule Log that created in 2009 and a video of the introduction when it premiered here in New York. The song that I chose to lead off the new hour was Monty's magnificent rendition of Adeste Fideles. Click here.

Second, a link to the thread where I exclusively announced that I finally got back into print Monty's Christmas Carols album. If you scroll down to my post of October 5, 2009, you will read where I talked about the song "Christmas Bells" from his second Christmas album. Click here.

And lastly, a link to a thread where I posted a "thank you" message from Monty's son, Kenneth, for getting his dad's album back in print. Click here.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/03/2016 02:16:10Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/03/2016 03:46:25Copy HTML

No Jim, it has never been released commercially as it was recorded exclusively for the soundtrack of the motion picture.

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/04/2016 07:55:04Copy HTML

Re：Upcoming 2015 Real Gone Music Christmas CD Releases

Date Posted：03/04/2016 03:38:43Copy HTML

That's nice to hear, Steve. It's deeply gratifying to know that my goal of introducing this classic Christmas music to new folks and/or reintroducing it to those who grew up with it is being achieved.

It's my mission to preserve, protect and promote the legacy of this great music and the magnificent recording artists who have given it to us.