apneaYes. This is a collection of soundtrack music produced and directed for the MTV BIG ____SHOW During the early spring of 1989, the good folks at MTV approached me about “conceptualizing” the sound and musical design for a proposed nightly, primetime, one-hour variety show. From the outset the program promised to be zany and madcap, and | was intrigued immediately. | had been working as an independent music director and animation producer in one form or another for MTW Networks since its inception. The Big Show producers were hoping that | would come up with an idea that would expand upon the musical and sound-effects styles that a bunch of us (notably, associates of Fred/Alan Inc.) had pioneered (if | may be so bold) for the celebrated MTV/Nickelodeon/Nick-at-Nite 10-second animated ID. Although I've included scenario descriptions for each of the ‘selections on this disc, | hope you'll also “audition” the music outside the visual context for which it was created. When composing for the wisual medium, sound exists to enhance picture-- and not vice versa So the role of a soundtrack producer/music director becomes a paradoxical one. But | love the whole notion of sound imagery for sight imagery. When | approach soundtrack production, | always begin with the same questions. “How can I create a mood or series of sounds which can stand alone as well as underscore the visual director's concept? Can | make it sound as if my tracks were designed for a radio broadcast? In other words, even if there were no visuals, would my music still evoke visual image and emotional response?” Answering these questions is an on-going creative process. For MTV the solution came when | put together an aggregation called “The Pit Band” The Pit Band had a sort of double identity. It was a live performing unit which participated in each episode of the Big Show, and, it was also a recording studio ensemble. For the live show band | developed a sound which one of our friends affectionately termed “funk concrete." Essentially our performance music was based on bluesy, rhythmic textures laced with constantly changing layers of wnacked-out sound effects. Often-the sound effects, controlledby my keyboards or sequencers and linked to what was possibly one of the ‘the world’s largest banks of on-stage digital memory, were the rhythm, Roll ‘over Spike Jones...! In the recording studio, our approach was a bit more conventional. We pre- and post-produced vast quantities of underscore music and sound samples for each episode of the show. The band was supplemented by guest musicians, singers, and other sound-effects whackoids-- and even more technology, which for me became a wonderful creative plaything. Nevertheless, I'm still one of those musical purists who believe that electronic hardware and MIDI technology will never become a substitute for good old-fashioned human monkey business. It was a time of experimentation and fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants production! | remember some wild and wooly moments in the recording studio. I'd be directing a bogus game show theme in one room while working ‘on an ethnic music montage in another and supervising the creation of a digitally sequenced sound effects loop in still another area of the studio. The Pit Band was equally adept at improvising for the studio audience or working out a comedic interlude just moments before the director would roll tape. We even devised a way to play live, “locked up” to the playback of the Big Show's opening animation--hitting the sync points and changing the sound effects and instrumentation in support of each episode's different title/concept. Although unnoticed against the backdrop of MTV innovation, | feel certain this was a television first 1 do believe that the Pit Band was a state of the moment outfit--a live scoring ensemble! The music on this CD ranges from parody to serious composition to, well, hard-to-describe. The music was created between mid-April and early July of 1989, and represents a cross section of our pre-recorded segments and themes. (Hundreds of bits of music and sound effects, which were created live and on-the-spot, were never pre-recorded and don't exist as studio-quality pieces.) So, this is it! Music from the MTV Big -..-Show. | hope you'll sit back, listen, make your own pictures, and en oy a 7 Tn. chuckles every now and then. — | “fompes elsMUSIC FROM THE MTU BiG__--SHOW Music directed and produced by Tom Pomposel lo Composed by Tom Pomposello and Frank Doyle, except where noted Performed by the MTV Big Show Pit Band ‘eTHE PIT BAND. Tom Pomposello--slide guitar; sound-effects keyboards; Casio Guitar Synth; twelve-string guitar; ban jo; harmonica; voiceovers Frank Doyle--synthesizers; sequencer; sound effects Eddie Driscoll--electro-percussion; sound effects Rick Bottari--bass synthesizer; MIDI-programming, sound & vocal effects GUEST MUSICIANS: David Beal, Mark Denaro, John Golden, Stuart. Kollmorgen, Ted Kuhn, Art Labriola, and Brad Tolinski @GUEST VOCALISTS: Robert Agnello, Danny Caccavo, Steve Dwork, Jerry Gruen, Stuart Kollmorgen, Patricia Lawrence, Dick Maitland, and Paul ‘Special RECORDING ENGINEERS: Danny Caccavo, Dan Daley, Angela Dryden, Werner F.,. Laura Fried (chief on-location engineer), Tim Hatfield, Todd Hemieb, Tim Lester (on location), Doron Lev, Mark Plati, Timothy Scott (studio coordinator), and Joe Warda PIT BAND PRODUCTION MANAGER: John Mitchell ®PIT BAND CREW: Steve Bailey, Dave Lamberton, Terry Maxwell and Travis Pomposello eMusic re-mixed and edited for Compact Disc by Danny Caccavo at Videornix Studios, NYC; Compact Disc production by Digital House, NYC eCover IIlustration and Big Show Graphics Designer: Chris Harvey THANK YOU'S: Shirley Abraham, Ken Anderson, Abby Casper, Frank Comito, Tom Clack, Jacquie Dincauze, Don & Henry, Carol Donovan, Steve Dwork, George Epley, Spike Feresten, John Fortenberry, Randy Fredrix, Dale Goodsen, Julie Grower, Denise Haimowitz, Chris Harvey, Albie Hecht, Lee Hunt, Margo Halle, Lew Herman, Sherrie Kaye, Abigail Kende, Jay Levey, Debbie Liebling, Jim levi, Judy McGrath, Dick Maitland, Ken Olshansky,Gary Petznik, Lulu Pinkus, Travis Pomposello, David Roach, Warwick Ross, Roberta Rowe, George Russell, Elliot Schraeger, Kevin Seal, Yahoo Serious, Noel Smith, Lorinda Sullivan, Van Tofler, Jim "Randee” Turner, Al Yankovic The music on this compact disc was originally recorded and mixed on analog equipment and was digitally re-mastered from the original master tapes. ‘eThis compact disc is not intended for commercial release and is available exclusively from the producer. Contact Tom Pomposello at 212/929-8320. THE SELECTIONS © 1989 MTV Networks (except where noted) ® 1989 Tom Pomposello Music composed by Tom Pomposello and Frank Doyle. Published by MTV Songs, Inc. and Music By Video. *Exceptions as follows: “Wishful” by Tom Pomposello, Oregon Lady Music; “Win, Win, Win", Tom Pomposello and Patricia Lawrence; “Gunsmoke” by Tom Pomposello, CBS Home Video; “Ted's Violin Appassionata” by Tom Pomposello and Ted Kuhn, Oregon Lady Music. 1, MAIN THEME/ BIG SHOW OPEN (:35) Changed on anightly basis. This was one of our favorite renditions. 2. SERIOUS VIDEO CAFE (:21) Pretty and blonde, diner waitress Stacey would hereby present Yahoo Serious with the evening's “menu” of video selections. 3. ASSEMBLY LINE (NERVE RANCH "LIGHT" THEME) (:16) Intro for a feature in the show dedicated to bizarre stand-up comedians and nutty specialty acts. 4 WISHFUL* (2:02) Imagine Yahoo Serious as a Charlie Chaplin type-- wistful and hopeful. The show Is Closing, credits are rolling, and Yahoo Is sweeping up the stage. Piano solo by Art Labriola. 5. PRESENTATION DEMO NO. 1 ("CARTOON") (1:56) One of three original demos (check tracks 23 & 42) for the Big Show producers illustratingthe band's approach to the show's zany and constantly changing opening moments. Building on the basic motif we could expand in any direction with various “orchestrations” and sound effects in keeping with each night's new episode title. VINCE’S THEME (:29) Actor/comedian, Vince Sorrenti, played a freaky contest/game show host. Very silly stuff SAVE THE SNOW PARROT (1:12) The background music for artist testimonials in suport of Yahoo's quasi-quasi New Age movement to Save the Rare Snow White Kangaroo Parrot of Central Australia MULTI-CULTURAL MINUTE NO. 1 (:07) Intro to Yahoo's nightly segment on ethnic entertainment from around the globe. CUPPY THE MAGIC STICK (:18) Picture a puppet made from a paper cup with a bow tie, attached to a stick. (Cuppy would only speak with host Kevin Seal in feedback sounds, which we also created.) VIDEO DOMINATRIX (:32) She really was. Louise in leather and with whip “strolled” onstage to this music while taunting Kevin Seal’s audience into choosing the night's video selection MAD LAB (NERVE RANCH “DARK” THEME) (15) Sometimes the Nerve Ranch guests were especially bizarre. HOMEBOY BUMPER (:22) Go to the commercial now. . THE YAHOO SERIOUS HISTORIC VIDEO FANFARE (:22) Can you imagine Yahoo, deadpan, introducing a historic video by the Sex Pistols to this music? WIN, WIN, WIN *(Girl Group) (27) WIN, WIN, WIN*( Piano Bar) (:27) For the Yahoo Serious contest segment. Andrew Sisters style parody with vocals and harmonies by Patricia Lawrence. GUNSMOKE* (:35) My tribute to the Spaghetti Western's musical genius, Ennio Morricone. This actually appeared in the CBS home video edition of “Gunsmoke”. CATTLE TAP DANCE SONG (:23) If you can, envision “Weird Al” Yankovic in tuxedo, frantically flailing his arms and tap dancing,18. 19. 20. 21 22. 23. 24, 25. 26. 27, 28. 29. 30. Spike Feresten and Dale Goodsen. Vocals by the Kollmorgen Singers. BIG KARMA BUMPER (:1 4) Self-explanatory, | hope. THE BIG BUTTON, QUICK TALLY, GUNS & DUCKIES PHONE CALL (14) I'm not even going to attempt to describe this. Call 1-800- XXX-XXXX. Operators are not standing by. TED’S VIOLIN APPASSIONATA* (1:21) Originally produced for the Billy Kent film, Thread The Needle, this stunning violin performance by Ted Kuhn was resurrected for the Big Al Shows. A teary-eyed and maudlin Mr. Yankovic would nightly bemoan his fate as an over-the- hill show biz personality. “WEIRD AL"S” LEARNING MUSIC (:25) ASK MR. AL (:23) “Weird Al” as aMr. Wizard-type science show host. PRESENTATION DEMO NO. 2 (“METAL HIP HOP™) (1:45) HAMSTER DERBY VICTORY MUSIC (:46) The winner received a Habitrail Deluxe, a colony of slave mice, a year's supply of pellets, and $20 cash! CAVE OF THE BLUE POPSICLES (:24) And the losers were banished to a scary place. Frank Doyle's performance of the suspense music is quite outstanding. SPONSOR THEME (:27) Not-so-generic background music for alleged generic Video Choice sponsor. RANDEE'S ORGAN GRINDER (:30) Randee of the Redwoods’ sing-a- long music for his “Dr. Christian Barnard” music video. (Get it-- argan grinder?) TRI-VID PIK-PAK (:21) More bluesy background stuff for the Video Dominatrix segments. HEAVY METAL JEOPARDY (:22) Game show music for the Kevin Seal episodes. TIME WARP BUMPER (:30) Go to the commercial. AL'S SLUMBERSONG (:59) The whole audience asleep? And about to be awakened by drill sargent, “Weird AI”32 33 34, 35. 36 37. 39. 40. Al 42. 43. 44 45 TRAVELING MUSIC (16) Rock 'n roll vaudeville for a feature that never happened--The Table of Unrelated Things. TOM'S BASIC GUITAR SOLO SOUNDTRACK VARIATION (2:02) Casio Guitar Synth solo by Tom Pomposello. PYGMY FIGHTING FISH OF TASMANIA (:12) CATS & DOGS, DOGS & CATS (:09) From the Serious Disaster Show, Yahoo decided to place both of the rare fighting pygmy fish in the same tank, FLIGHT OF THE BUNGLE BEE (:17) For the Big Flying Insect Show. Very looney performance by Frank Doyle. Sort of like a jazz man on acid. BREAKDOWN BUMPER (:22) Back from a commercial “WEIRD AL” AT THE VOODOO SHRINE (:29) Al is worried about losing his potency as a Show Biz superstar so he seeks help at the Voodoo Shrine of Frank Sinatra, James Brown and Wayne Newton, STORYBOOK TIME (1:17) For the Big Serious Sequel Show. Is something wrong in Storybook Land? MULTI-CULTURAL MINUTE NO. 2 (09) Another crash course in world music CAFE @ la CONGA (:15) A companion piece to the “Serious Video Cafe". Will you be having some music with your congas, sir? PRESENTATION DEMO NO. 3 (SEXY HICCUPS / FLYING INSECTS) (1:45) | guess we just got sillier with each permutation. This is sort of like the Mummers gone beserk. POMP & CIRCUS STANCE (35) Background music for “Weird Al's” address to the U.N. wherein he proposed tennis as a means to world harmony and global understanding. THE BUMPY ROAD OF LIFE (1:09) HOBO CAMP BUMPY ROAD FOR HARMONICA AND CRICKETS (5!) Music for “Weird Al's” show biz legacy. A sort of kitschy “| Did It My Way”. You know, you're riding high in April, shot down and hearing your theme song played in a Hobo Jungle in May. Orchestration by Art Labriola CLOSING THEME/ END CREDITS (2-05) Roll the credits. Thank you!