Research/Writing: January 2, 2002 to July 31, 2009.

It is done.

Back soon...

Thanks to Taylor!

So of course, last night we decided to add one more piece of music to the Rarities and 7 more music examples to the book.

We'll make it, of course, but we are scrambling around like maniacs right now!

At least I'll have a wonderfully dramatic finale when I tell of the writing of this book years from now...

Q What happened to the idea of putting out a DVD?

A Several moths ago we switched gears for a number of reasons, but the driving force was content. The goal of The Rarities has always been to present something both revealing and beautiful. "Revealing" in that you'll hear music that A) you've never heard before and B) will help you to understand Shore's musical process on the LOTR films. "Beautiful" in that we've striven to present something aesthetically unified and pleasing. More on that in a second...

Q Will The Rarities be a multimedia project?

A Strictly speaking, no, but only because we've decided to stick to an audio presentation. However, within that audio you're hearing orchestral music, electronic mock-ups and spoken word content. I'd say multi-source uni-media, but that's the worst marketing buzz phrase ever.

Q What happened to the video that was shot?

A Some of the audio from these sessions will be on The Rarities. Video qua video didn't maintain the aesthetic we eventually established with this release. That doesn't mean something went awry or that we were in any way dissatisfied with what we had. (You'll note that some of the footage made its way to the Radio City site. And we may end up using it for something else someday, who knows.) The video footage simply pushed TRA too much toward a documentarian goal. It felt too clinical, too much like a museum piece. As the project progressed, we began to favor more of a performance feel. We began to envision something musical that informed the audience, not something informative that had a musical aspect. Video did not lend itself to this, so it was jettisoned.

Q Hours upon hours of music were recorded for LOTR. You're obviously not releasing hours upon hours! What gives!? I don't like you!

A Harsh! Yes, there were hours upon hours of material recorded. But here's how that works... for example:

10 bars of music you've heard (on the OST) | 10 bars you've never heard | 10 bars you've heard (on the OST)

10 bars you've heard (on the OST -- same as take 1) | 10 bars you've never heard (same as take 1) | 3 bars you've never heard (all new) | 7 bars you've heard (on the OST -- same as take 1)

10 bars you've heard (on the OST -- same as take 1) | 10 bars you've heard (on the OST) | 10 bars of music you've heard (on the OST -- same as take 1)

Now, it's interesting to illustrate the progression by including all three takes, I'll give you that. And that was originally what we thought we would do. But you've already got Take 3; it was on the Original Soundtrack. We could put both Take 1 and Take 2 on TRA, but why? Take 2 has everything that Take 1 has, and more! Here's where the aesthetics kick in. Including three takes is illustrative, but not artistic. It informs in a basic step-by-step way, but it dilutes beauty. If we include only Take 2 on The Rarities, you get to hear everything of musical interest--that is, everything you haven't yet heard--in a single composition. But we also get to create a program of music in a pleasing, emotionally resonant shape, because we have one take of the Prologue alternate... which can now lead into one take of the next alternate... and the next... and so on. Now it's informative, but also narrative in a sense. It continues to honor Tolkien's work rather than laying it on a slab.

The one-disc Rarities is designed to allow the unused music to become something artful -- an album that you can put on and either analyze or bask in. Since we were able to find a way to do this without cutting ANY significant material, we were all very comfortable with this choice. The only thing you'll be missing is linear redundancy.

Concisely, we chose listening over list-making.

Q That was a long-winded response.

A I know. Sorry.

Q Ok, what about the packaging options?

A Hit me...

Q Hardcover book versus paperback? What's available?

A The publishers are meeting on that this week. I'm pushing for the inclusion of a hardcover version, even if it's a limited run. They're eyeing the budget. Classic confrontation, though we both respect the other's point of view. I'll keep you informed.

Q The Master Box?

A First, let me reiterate that I was never directly involved in this project, so I'm observing from afar. However, this was explored and explored. At the end of the day, it felt too much like a project motivated by financial gain. Too many franchises have offered their audiences repackaged product in an effort to to re-sell what has already been sold. No one was able to come up with a version of The Master Box that did anything other than this.

I'm not saying that Master Box packaging will never happen, but not until something is designed that actually benefits the consumers. Fans of The Lord of the Rings deserve better. As Shore stated at one point, "It just feels like more stuff to make people buy. That isn't right."

Q This obviously effects other packaging options, such at the poorly-named Whole Enchilada, yes?

A Yes.

Q So what all is coming out?

A The book and The Rarities.

Q Packaged together?

A Exactly. It's funny, we were all excited when TRA got picked up as a genuine album, not simply a supplement for the book. But since life has a crazy circuitous way to it, the different corporations involved decided to work towards a unified goal instead of on two parallel tracts. In the end, the publishing company decided to buy the finished album from the record label at a reduced rate, and then package it with the book as a single unit... thus greatly reducing the overall cost for the consumer. This meant that we ended up with an album, properly produced by experienced engineers and editors, that enhanced the book in a well-planned organic way. And, we lowered the consumers' cost. Good news for everyone.

And yes, that extra year of prep for the album was absolutely necessary. This needed to be something unique. Believe me, that "curator" credit was hard earned. I took years--literally years--to find the materials and shape them. There's an old saying, "To carve a horse take a piece of marble and knock off everything that doesn't look like a horse." But what if you'd never seen a horse before?

Q What are the specs on the album?

A It's been completely remastered in crystal clear 2-channel stereo, and runs just seconds under 80 minutes. Track lists and such will be released when the time is right. Some things you still have to wait for. :)

Q What's the release date?

A We'll debut the book at Radio City in October, but I'm not sure which day. Obviously we'll have it available on Oct. 9 for the first show, but we may also do a signing on Oct. 8. I'm really not even involved with such things... I mean, I'll be there, I'm just letting more capable people plan out the details. I'll keep you updated as publicists inform me.

I hope this clears things up. I know that the transparency with which I've treated this project means that all processes are exposed, and that includes our gear changes. But these changes are a natural part of every project. Just ask the guys working on The Hobbit films right now!

None of the above are last minute alterations. We've been moving in these circles for several months now. I'll try my best to answer individual questions in the coming days, but understand that my priority right now is finishing this project, not promoting about it. Were I a savvier huckster, I'd figure a way to do both. Instead, I'll just promise to keep you onboard as the project changes ahead--now full steam!--and occasionally takes a turn or two.

Ok, back to work for me, but I couldn't pass up this proud papa moment.

I am assuming that we return to the waiting game tomorrow while everyone digs through materials--either reviewing audio or assembling art--but it's entirely possible we'll be proofing book layout version 3 or first passes at designs during the second half of the day. The "tweak list" is getting shorter and shorter. Still, no detail is too small for careful consideration. We took at least 5 or 6 passes at a single sentence in Track 22's listing in The Rarities' liners today.

I don't think I've ever worked this intently on anything in my life. I can't imagine a more rewarding artistic experience.

As Timdalf recently noted, we're now under 80 days on the Radio City countdown. My nose has been so pressed to the grindstone, this hasn't really sunk in. Weren't we just celebrating passing the 100 days mark!?

Looks like that locked cover is going to have to be unlocked once again while we de-S it. Details, details...

More later.

UPDATE #2 7/16: I've done more Twittering than posting today. But I think we'll be having some fun around these parts tomorrow. Should be a good day, in fact. See you then!

UPDATE 7/16: And we're back to the waiting game. That--plus too much coffee--makes me an edgy fellow, I'm afraid. Impatience and caffeine, a deadly combination.

Hoping to hear from the Rarities mastering sessions soon.

Eight DVDs of LOTR artwork

Seven Drafts of The Music of The Lord of the Rings Films... in one editorial state or another

Six-hundred gigs of LOTR-based video and audio, including The Rarities and commentary

Five pages of newly engraved musical examples from this morning, beginning with "Bilbo's Song"

Four external hard drives backing up LOTR files!

Three Post-it Notes

-Annie in Legacy Section

-Galway Song on DA102 #28

-Rewrite "Gwenwin" Listing

Two red pens, as seen here

One copy of Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth... always good to think ahead :)

The big new today, however, is that The Rarities disc is being mastered as I type this, and will likely be finished some time tomorrow!

UPDATE #2 7/13: Today was, surprisingly, a bit of a no show. Everyone was so busy digesting the work I sent out over the weekend that I just ended up standing around and watching while they all toiled away. Vaulting ambition which o'er leaps itself, indeed! So to amuse myself in the unexpected downtime, I added a new link in the right sidebar's Amazon lineup. Take a look at the very bottom of the list, and click on Geoffrey Keezer's version of "Gollum's Song." If you ever felt that Gollum could use a velvety suave makeover, this could be for you! Actually, it's very well done. I'm listening right now with a smile wrapped around my face. The perfect end to a strangely calm day. Back in the saddle tomorrow. See you then!

UPDATE 7/13: Enjoying a rousing bout of Hurry Up and Wait as everyone sorts through the files I sent this weekend.

*****

The second draft proofing notes are now into the publishers, who will begin tweaking everything tomorrow morning. I'm beyond thrilled with this draft; it's looking absolutely beautiful. They've nailed that elegant handmade quality that we've been aiming for. I can't wait to introduce you al to the team that has put this together, but all things in due time.

On either Wednesday or Thursday, The Rarities Archives will be mastered. After that, the wild ride begins in earnest as we scramble to integrate the disc's details into the book's text, re-proof, and deliver a final product to the printers.

I'm nervous, excited, jittery and worn-out. But if everything goes according to plan, we should have a finished product around this time next week.

Check in often! I promise I'll do my best to keep everyone updated. Fingers crossed!

And if you're not in a reading mood, you can at least enjoy a couple of really goofy-looking of me, including my public service announcement alerting kids to the dangers of locking eyes with Sauron, and my impromptu audition for the last season of The Sopranos. See below...

Bring up the links on right to see much, much more.

Scheduled for today, in fact. Meeting with publishers, including the project coordinator and the layout artist. I fully expect to be yelled at a few times, but I'll roll with it. (I request a lot of edits.) Once the review is done, work will commence and pages will be delivered in bunches. I fully expect we'll see one more week of late night scrambling, complete with hastily scrawled blog updates. Those of you who enjoyed that energy a few weeks back, prepare yourself for one more go at it. Those of you who found it unreadable... well, consider yourselves forewarned!

Still trying to get the various companies involved to see eye-to-eye. It's not that we haven't etched out temporary agreements to cooperate at this stage, it's the terms of those agreements that need to be settled. Happily, I think we're about to throw one more corporation into the mix, this one a familiar and most-welcome face! You'll see.

As mentioned in a recent Twitter post, The Rarities are scheduled for mastering approximately two weeks from now. This has been an interesting decision-making process. Like so much else on this project, there's no real precedent for The Rarities Archives. Sure, I know we've seen CDs that feature glimpses into the making of Project X or Project Y, but not quite like this one. (That doesn't mean that we're trying anything wildly conceptual here -- I don't think -- just that everything has its own specific energy.) A lot of discussion went into the audio quality of TRA. When we knowingly duck behind the scenes, what audio quality seems natural? How clean should it be? Is there a certain aesthetic charm to a degree of imperfection?

Once again, it was the music itself that led us. Even as a collection of conceptual and unused audio, the music is of such fine quality it needs to be presented in the highest fidelity available. Nothing else feels genuine. So TRA will be mastered by the same exacting standards that were applied to all the music of The Lord of the Rings. And I couldn't be happier! It's now something that's essentially educational in nature, but that functions, in every way possible, as another album of Shore's amazing LOTR music. The last of its kind, in fact -- the final LOTR album! How's that for an excitement-generator?

But TRA won't end with the mastering. As soon as the tech end of things is done, some final decisions need to be made regarding track selections. What will play best on this educational collection/album? In all honesty, the selections are 99% made at this point. But there are a couple A/B choices left to be determined. These are incredibly important for the book however, because the text needs to reflect the track selections properly. So that leads to...

There will be a few tense hours following the mastering process. In short order, the track selections must be made, the CD credits must be assembled and locked, this information needs to be ported over to the book, laid-out, and delivered to the printers. All within a few hours. Yes, really! Now there's no reason that this should be a smooth flow of information, but believe me, we'll all be watching our phone and internet connections intently that day, slightly paranoid that technology will betray us at the last second!

Of course, it won't all end there. There will still be packaging and artwork decisions to make regarding The Rarities. Some of these we've already begun considering, but we won't have to make final calls until further down the line. And of course, I continue to hear tell of some hand numbering and autographing that will require attention in the coming weeks. Should that pan out, more time will be dedicated.

With signings being booked, Radio City planning continuing, press releases and pre-orders planned, I fully expect to be engaged by this project until you're picking up your copy in a few months! Or at least until our freshly double-digit deadline enters the single-digit realm. So believe me, when you see a post announcing there are only nine days left, you'll know I'm somewhere really sweating! But if you'll stick with me, I can practically guarantee a ride like none other!

Welcome, July. And here we go...

To secure your room, you'll need to use this link, not Central Park's home page.

I'd suggest reserving Thursday through Saturday night.

100 days until The Music of the Lord of the Rings Films.

100 days until The Rarities Archives.

100 days until I get a true, solid night's sleep. :)

Thanks to Timdalf for the heads-up!