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An Interview with Music Legend Peter Asher

If I mention the name Peter Asher I’m going to guess that the first thing that comes to mind is his musical career as half of the popular 1960s British duo Peter and Gordon. Teamed up with schoolmate Gordon Waller, Mr. Asher, who already had success as a child actor, placed 10 songs in the US TOP 40, including the #1 hit “World Without Love.” Other hits include “I Go to Pieces,” “True Love Ways” and “Lady Godiva.”

Mr. Asher’s sister Jane, also an actress, had a boyfriend who was also a musician and even wrote “World Without Love” for Peter and Gordon to record. His name was Paul McCartney and for a time Macca lived with the Ashers, sharing the second floor with Peter.

Peter Asher (r) and Gordon Waller

When Peter and Godon stopped recording in 1968, Mr. Asher became the head of A&R for the Beatles‘ record label, Apple. It was here that he signed an unknown singer/songwriter named James Taylor, also agreeing to produce his first album. Though the album was not a success, Mr. Asher believed in Taylor’s abilities so much that he quit his gig at Apple and moved to the United States, where he became Taylor’s manager. For 15 years he would produce Taylor’s albums, including “Sweet Baby James,” “Mudslide Slim and the Blue Horizon” and “JT,” the latter helping him win the Producer of the Year Grammy Award in 1977.

In the early 1970s he took another young singer under his wing; Linda Ronstadt, who would go on to sell over 30 million albums in her career. While managing both Taylor and Ronstadt, Mr. Asher also produced classic albums for artists like Cher (“Cher,” ” Heart of the Stone”), Neil Diamond (“Lovescape,” “Up on the Roof: Songs from the Brill Building”) and soundtracks for such films as “The Land Before Time,” “The Mambo Kings” and “Armageddon.” He also won two more Grammy Awards. One was for Producer of the Year for Ronstadt’s “Cry Like a Rainstorm, Howl Like the Wind” album in 1989. He also took home the award for producing the Best Comedy Album of 2002 – “Robin Williams: LIVE.”

These days you can catch Mr. Asher on Sirius Radio’s Beatle Channel, where he hosts a weekly show called “From Me to You.,” where he spins some of his favorite records (from the Fab Four and others) and shares some amazing stories from his almost six decade career in music.

I recently had the great honor of speaking with Mr. Asher about his career.

Mike Smith: Most music fans remember you as half of the popular duo Peter and Gordon…

Peter Asher: The old ones do. (laughs)

MS: How did you two get together?

PA: We met in school. We both played the guitar together and sang. Gordon was more of a rock and roll fan and I was more of a folkie. I was singing Woody Guthrie songs while he was singing Eddie Cochran songs. So we tried singing together to see what it sounded like. It coincided that we were both huge fans of the Everly Brothers. They were our original idols and that’s who we were trying to sound like.

MS: You were an early champion of artists like James Taylor and Linda Rondstadt. How do you know, as a producer, when you’ve found that rare talent?

PA: I think you just do. I mean, when I first heard James, everything about him was remarkable. He had great songs, he was a terrific guitar player with a unique style all his own. He combined a sort of folk style of guitar playing with some jazz chords. An amazing combination. And he was a great singer. And the songs he sang to me, the ones he wrote, were just amazing. I don’t know HOW you know. You just kind of do. It’s the same now. When I hear somebody brand new. I think it’s just an instinctive thing. When they’re original and great and a pleasure to listen to. “Who’s this? What’s that?” It’s great.

MS: Some great music trivia is that both James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt appear on Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold.” Did you have a hand in that?

PA: i know Neil Young and I’m friends with his manager but I think that was just Neil asking James and Linda to come and sing. They all knew each other. I think James also played banjo on one cut. (he did).

MS: One thing I always took notice of growing up in the 70s is that the majority of Linda Ronstadt’s hits were covers of previous hit songs. “That’ll Be the Day.” “Blue Bayou.” “Heatwave.” Was that something that was intentional?

PA: As a producer we look for great songs everywhere, and that includes songs that other people had done before as well as brand new songs. And we did some of each. But, yes, quite a few of them became cover versions. People seemed to like them and they became hits. We didn’t shy away from a song just because someone had already done it. But basically we would look at all songs equally. And if we found an amazing song that was brand new, something like “Heart Like a Wheel,” or a favorite song from out past, like a Buddy Holly song, we did it. We look everywhere for great songs, old and new.

Mr. Asher still performs today.

MS: You’ve also produced a few film soundtracks. Are they easier to produce as opposed to a musical group’s album?

PA: It’s very different. I’ve produced some tracks for a soundtrack that Hans Zimmer has been working on. Working with Hans is a particular pleasure because he’s brilliant. But it’s very different then making a song with an artist. In Hans’ case sometimes it’s a song that I will fit into a soundtrack. I will work with Hans. One time he was recording 12 drummers all at the same time. I was there to just help the session go smoothly and that Hans got what he needed. But you can’t guarantee which sessions (a soundtrack or a musical group) are going to be easy or hard.

MS: You’re now hosting your own show on the Beatles channel. As someone that has been in the business for as long as you have, can you explain their continual appeal?

PA: Not in any way that adds anything new to the equation. They’re just better than any other band, before or since. That’s why. It’s pathetically simple, I know. But their songs are amazing. Their singing is amazing. Their playing is amazing. What they came up with as a group was greater than the sum of its parts. The answer to your question lies in listening to it. If you listen you know not to turn away from that channel because you know the next song is going to be another song that you love.

MS: You often mention on your show that you used to share the 2nd floor of your parent’s home with Paul McCartney. Any housekeeping secrets you can share? Did he make his bed every morning?

PA: (laughing) I don’t really remember. Sadly, I have no intimate domestic details.

Peter and Michael Spierig talk about directing “Predestination”

Peter and Michael Spierig, also know as The Spierig Brothers, are known for directing horror/sci-fi genre films like “Undead” and “Daybreakers”. Their most recent film, “Predestination”, based on the science fiction short story “—All You Zombies—” by Robert A. Heinlein stars Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook (also interviewed here). Media Mikes had a chance to chat with the directing duo about their latest film and what we can expect.

Eric Schmitt: What was it you felt about the Robert A. Heinlein story “-All You Zombies-” would translate well into a film?
Peter Spierig: I’ve read the short story several times, read it first many years ago, and it stuck with me. I’ve never read a time travel story quite like that. You have to remember that it was written in 1958, so it’s still very original and different. Michael read it too and he had the same reaction.
Michael Spierig: My first reaction was “I don’t get it.” I read it again, still didn’t get it. Then I read it again and said “there it is, I get it!” [Laughter] What we loved about it is that it’s a completely original and new spin on the time travel story. It’s old and in the grand scheme of things it would make for a really good mind bender with heart and soul in it. We liked the idea of doing a genre that’s been done before and putting a different spin on it.

ES: With Daybreakers, you took the vampire genre and made it grandiose as far as how widespread it was. A very “maximum” take on vampirism. Then you go to Time Travel and it seems like a very minimalist approach to the subject. Was that by design?
MS: Yes! (Laughs) Peter and I wanted to test ourselves and see if we could do a more low tech approach to science fiction. The assumption today is that science fiction is all robots and space ships, and we kind of liked the idea of trying to tell a more intimate story of fate and identity without having to make it so grandiose. We really wanted to do an actor’s piece. We said when we first started that we wanted to dumb down the special effects where when people see it, they don’t even know there are special effects. A transgender character in a time travel movie seemed so out there, I think it’s so interesting, that it didn’t warrant massive battle sequences. It was a story about a person looking for their identity, and we just loved that. It was a bit of an experiment for us to do this, a more intimate film.

ES: Did you feel that there would be certain challenges in explaining the story’s revelations without the audience feeling rushed?
PS & MS: YES!!!
PS: It’s a very tricky thing; as a filmmaker, there’s no revelations for you when you’re cutting the film because you know it so intimately. So to place the beats in the film, it’s very tricky. So that’s where you rely on showing other people and testing. Do people get enough information at this point? Do we need to add more? What we discovered was that some people get it, some were ahead of the story, others don’t get it at all. I guess there’s a nice balance in the middle, but it’s very tricky to find that (middle). We hope that there are people who don’t get it, who are intrigued enough to go back and watch it again.
MS: I like how there will be people who are ahead of the game, ahead of the story. So we threw in a few jokes to kind of say “Okay, those of you who are ahead of us, here you go!” (This response had to be heavily edited to keep from spoiling some of the film’s reveals!)

ES: There’s definitely a point in the film having to do with the bar, where a light just goes on in your head and you have a complete “Oh shit!” moment. Even with Sarah, it took me a little while to realize that this man, well, it really isn’t a man. How did you go about casting Sarah for the role of John?
MS: We went back and forth on whether we should even attempt it – one actor playing both parts. We talked about casting two separate people, and got very serious about it. But then we thought “God, it would be so good if we could pull off an actor playing both of these roles. It would make the characters more interesting and I think you would care about the characters more.” We started auditioning people, and we saw every actress in Australia. People started touting this actress called Sarah Snook. She had done that Ryan Kwanten film “Not Suitable for Children,” so we had known of her. She came in and auditioned and really just blew us away. We did several auditions with her, actually; an initial audition, one in make-up, a test shot of her acting both female and male. This is also when we rely on our FX artist, Steven Boyle, who’s been with us since we did short films. I showed Steve Sarah’s audition videos and asked him “Can we really do this? Can we turn her into a man? Can we pull this off?” Steve looked at us and said “Yes I can do it. I promise we can do it.”
PS: With that being said, we wanted it to be a blend of male and female. We didn’t want it to be to masculine so you couldn’t see the feminine side. It’s a delicate balance, because if we put Sarah under a tremendous amount of make-up, it would have either looked silly or taken away from the performance.

ES: Did anyone mention on set that when she was made up as John that she looked like a young Leonardo DiCaprio?
MS & PS: Oh Yeah! Everyone!
PS: We all said it! It’s Leonardo DiCaprio and Jodie Foster’s love child. We also got a lot of Edward Furlong as well.

ES: Since you guys have worked with Ethan in the past, was he immediately at forefront of your minds when casting for Predestination?
PS: We didn’t really have an actor in mind until we finished the script. When we finished we said “You know who would like this material? Ethan.” It’s along the lines of what his genre tastes are, so we sent it to him. I think within one or two days, he said “Just tell me where and when – I’m in.”
MS: The thing he also asked us was what part he was playing. We told that we were still trying to figure that out and we’d get back to him.
PS: The amazing thing about Ethan is that he’s brave in a sense that he completely trusted us with the casting. He didn’t know who Sarah was initially, but he had faith that we were making the right decision. He’s fearless and he likes taking risks. We’ll forever be indebted to him for having the courage to say “Yes” to us.

ES: One of the things I noticed watching the film was that Ethan and Sarah had a very “organic” relationship in the bar scenes. From your perspectives, how did that develop over the course of filming?
MS: We had a lot of rehearsal time with them talking about the scenes. Our rehearsal time is not primarily about lines, it’s about why the scene has to exist in the movie. They spent a lot of time together working on their (respective) character’s mannerisms and that sort of thing. Sarah and Ethan are both incredibly intelligent, and I think they connected on that level. They’re both really smart actors and they ask the right questions. They wanted their collaboration to be very much intertwined.
PS: We spent a lot of time on the bar dialogue. There isn’t a single line that isn’t essential to the movie. Some of the lines have double meanings, even the joke that Ethan tells is critical to the film. We’re huge fans of the Science Fiction genre, so we really wanted to do this film with meaning.

Peter Sachon talks about concert with The Third Estate, “Mythos”

Photo Credit: Laura Marie Duncan

Peter Sachon is a classical cellist that is currently playing in the orchestra for Broadway shows like “Pippin”. He is becoming know as being one of the “go to” cellist for recording sessions in NY. He is also a producer of an upcoming concert called “Mythos”, which is a 70 minute continuous musical presentation played by a 15 piece classical ensemble performing live the music of composers for Film, TV and Video Games. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Peter about the concert and what can we expect.

Mike Gencarelli: I am in love with the idea of “Mythos”, the 70 minute musical presentation featuring the all-star orchestra The Third Estate showcasing the music of composers for Film, TV and Video Games. Tell us how this came about?
Peter Sachon: Thank you! “Mythos” began as a blog about video game music. I imagined the New York Philharmonic seriously performing thoughtfully considered and adequately rehearsed video game music for all those people who love Comic Con here in New York City. It is easy to dream about what a great concert that would be, and the different sorts of people who might come — perhaps many for their first live orchestra concert. After all, millions of people love the music from games. However, the truth is orchestras like the New York Philharmonic won’t program video game music. The only music that passes artistic muster at major American orchestras is classical music — and those living composers approved by culturally conservative critics at The New York Times and The New Yorker Magazine. Unfortunately, video game music does not meet their conservative prerequisites. Contemporary composers are writing music that’s both good and popular, and that apparently breaks those critical rules. The fact is classical music these days exists in a kind of artistic terrarium. It continues to live, sort of, if you leave it alone. (And don’t you dare suggest it’s not alive!!). But if you let the air in…watch out! This is why it’s a terrific idea for MoMA to present Tim Burton. Seemingly no one there bats an eye at labeling Mr. Burton a serious artist who’s work is worthy of consideration. Yet, somehow Danny Elfman’s music has managed to get played everywhere in the world except at the New York Philharmonic. I realized that writing and proselytizing about orchestras wasn’t helping anyone, so I decided to take action.

MG: What was the process for which pieces of music were chosen for this concert?
PS: It’s still an ongoing process! At the very beginning, when Austin Wintory and I first started talking about putting a concert together, the conversation was shaped around the aspiration of presenting the spectrum of modern composers together, no matter their genre — something that no major orchestra is willing to do, so far. Austin has composed some of the music (after all, this all started with me wanting to hear Journey in NYC), and he has arranged and curated other music into a single-movement work. The programming is ongoing and collaborative. I would like “Mythos” to demonstrate to even the most conservative of musical minds that making a bigger tent for how orchestras program repertoire can both expand orchestras’ permanent audience base, and revitalize orchestral music.

MG: Tell us about your decision to not list which music will be presented?
PS: Well, Boulez and his ilk have done a lot of damage with decades of anti-audience music, and so much of the audience still reflexively braces itself whenever they see a new name in their program. After fifty years of being force fed really foul “modern” music, who can blame them? The new music scene has gotten so esoteric that often it is better categorized as performance art. But this bias goes the other way too — the audience has also been carefully taught that music with titles like “Final Fantasy”, or “Star Wars”, are not to be taken seriously. We don’t want to tell people what they should hate, or like, ahead of time. So we won’t distribute programs until the end of the concert.

MG: Tell us how you ended up working with conductor is Austin Wintory?
PS: I read about Austin shortly after his music to Journey was nominated for a Grammy award. The nomination was an especially big deal because this was the first time a video game score had had that distinction. I fell in love with his music. It is beautiful and evocative, and smart. It’s terrific modern orchestral music, and I couldn’t help noticing that video game music suffered from the same artistic discrimination as film music. I wrote to Austin, cold, and told him that I admired his music. We have a similar outlook about modern genres and also we got along, and he could not have been kinder. I asked him about doing a concert of music from Journey here in NYC. He said yes, and we began talking about how best to present game music as art. Our answer is “Mythos”. We still haven’t met!

MG: Will this be a one-time only performance or will their be additional dates planned?
PS: There are additional dates planned, but nothing I can share as of yet.

MG: If people are looking to get more information on this; where can they go?
PS: Of course! Go to the “Mythos” website, www.mythoslive.com

MG: How does it feel to be considered the “go to” cellist for recording sessions in NY?
PS: Well, first I am one among many great cellists in NYC. I’ve worked hard, and I’m grateful to get to make music for a living.

MG: You are currently playing in the orchestra of Broadway’s PIPPIN; tell us about that experience?
PS: I have been fortunate enough to work on Broadway for ten years, and I have been with a number of shows. Playing in the orchestra at Pippin is wonderful. I especially love Stephen Schwartz’s music, and he’s been kind enough to compose two pieces of chamber music for The Cello Project.

MG: What else do you have in the cards coming up next?
PS: I will continue to produce “Mythos”, and I hope to finish my album of new music by Broadway composers by the end of the year. I have also begun creating and producing several Broadway musicals.

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Filed Under: Art/Theatre, Interviews, Music Interviews Tagged With: concert, estate, mythos, peter, sachon, talks, ...

Blu-ray Review “Peter Pan: Return to Never Land”

Actors: Blayne Weaver, Corey Burton, Kath Soucie, Harriet Owen, Jeff Bennett
Directors: Robin Rudd
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: August 20, 2013
Run Time: 72 minutes

Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2 out of 5 stars

Like the recently released “Planes”, “Return to Never Land” is a direct-to-video movie that was released in theaters back in 2002. I remember seeing it in theaters back then and actually quite enjoying it. The film is a direct sequel to 1953’s “Peter Pan” arriving nearly 50 years later. “Peter Pan” is easily one of my favorite Disney films ever, so this film has big shoes to fill. “Return to Never Land” does deliver though. It is not perfect but it is fun, packed some good jokes and has that same charm that we all loved from “Peter Pan”. It just makes you feel like a kid again while watching it. With the success of Disney Junior’s “Jake and the Never Land Pirates”, this would be great for today’s kids that weren’t born yet when this came out.

Official Premise: Let your imagination soar as your favorite characters from Peter Pan, Disney’s classic adventure, return to Never Land. Now, for the first time through the magic of Blu-ray, experience all the thrilling action with digitally restored picture and spine-tingling high-definition sound. Wendy’s very practical and no-nonsense daughter, Jane, begins the adventure of a lifetime when the infamous Captain Hook whisks her away to the enchanted island of Never Land. It’s up to Peter Pan, Tinker Bell and the Lost Boys to help Jane believe in faith, trust and pixie dust. With the first-ever Lost Girl at his side, will Peter Pan finally defeat Hook and his swashbuckling band of pirates? Share the power of believing with your family in Return To Never Land—now more spectacular than ever on Disney Blu-ray.

Disney is releasing this film as a Special Edition combo pack with a Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy. I love that Disney has switched from just iTunes digital copies to streaming digital copies from Vudu and Amazon. The 1080p transfer looks really amazing with this film. Even though it has that certain direct-to-video look, Disney did a great job of giving this film a nice polish job. Same goes for the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. It works well the dialogue, the soaring through the sky, as well the action including the sword fights and all other aspects of swashbuckling.

Unlike the film, the special features are not very impressive. There are give deleted scenes included presented in various stages of the production but mostly in storyboards. Thought it might not excite many people, I watch Disney Junior quite a bit with our 15 month old daughter and she goes absolutely crazy for the “Pixie Previews” with the crew from the Tinker Bell movies. So even though it is not directly related to “Return to Neverland”, I am pretty excited to see the five animated shorts including “Hide and Tink,” “Dust Up,” “Shooting Stars,” “Volley Bug” and “Just Desserts”. Lastly, there is a music video for the song “I’ll Try” performed by Jonatha Brooke and some trailers included.

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: bluray, land, pan, peter, return, review, ...

Peter Noone talks about Herman’s Hermits and "Coronation Street"

Born in Manchester, England, Peter Noone got an early taste of fame when, as a teenager, he appeared on the British television program “Coronation Street.” The show, still going after more then five decades, also boasts such famous alumni as Ben Kingsley, Cliff Richard, Davy Jones and “Law and Order” star Linus Roache. He studied voice and music in college and then attended the Manchester School of Music, where he won the Outstanding Young Musician Award.

It was while performing under the name Peter Novak that he an his group were discovered. Bearing a slight resemblance to a popular U.S. cartoon character, Noone and company became Herman’s Hermits. The band had several hits, both in England and America, including “I’m Into Something Good,” “Mrs. Brown You’ve Got A Lovely Daughter” and “Henry the Eighth I Am.” Noone and the boys separated in 1971 and he continues to enjoy a popular solo career both in music and acting. While getting ready for the next leg of his U.S. concert tour, Mr. Noone took time out to speak with Media Mikes about the importance of “Coronation Street,” his long friendship with the late Davy Jones and why he doesn’t care if he’s ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Mike Smith: You’ve been performing on stage since you were 15. Do you still get the same thrill and feelings when you step in front of an audience today as you did in your youth?
Peter Noone: I think I started a long time before I was 15, but always get a thrill doing what I do, which is make it look easy and fun, although it isn’t easy and not always fun. But something unknown makes me want to sort of “win” a crowd, so there have been close calls and easy calls just like an athlete. I must admit that it is more fun now that the crowd knows my music and my songs, and all I have to do is have fun and let them sing along.

MS: As a young man you appeared as Stanley Fairclough on the very popular “Coronation Street,” which has been on the air since 1960. Were you ever a fan of the show and can you explain how the show has maintained it’s popularity for over 50 years?
PN: I am shocked that the show has continued to be a success without me in it, but `I will say that the original cast were the source of much inspiration as they were consummate professionals and always backed each other (and often me) so that if someone forgot a line it was never an issue and I learned (like the marines) to be ready to pick up any slight failures. I now look forward to something going wrong onstage so I can fix it like those early “Coronation Street” actors and actresses did way back then. It is the British version of Dallas and is the story of relationships in a small English town where people care about each other so I imagine there will always be an audience for it as long as people seek that lifestyle.

MS: I’ve read several different stories on how Herman’s Hermits got their name. The most repeated one is that a producer thought you bore a resemblance to the young lad Sherman, Mr. Peabody’s assistant, on the “Rocky and Bullwinkle” program. Can you set the record straight?
PN: It was a publicist at a place near Manchester who said that I didn’t look like Buddy Holly in my horn rimmed glasses but I did look like “HERMAN” from the “Bullwinkle” show. He meant Sherman but we laughed and then he said call the lads “the Hermits because they look like bloody hermits!”

MS: You voiced the character of Adrian on “Phineas and Ferb” alongside Davy Jones, who was Nigel. Sadly we lost Davy Jones last year. Do you have a favorite memory of him that you could share?
PN: I have lots of favorite moments with Davy, whom I first met when I introduced him to the Beatles at “Top of the Pops” at the BBC in London all those years ago. He and Mickey Dolenz were charming and delightful, and very conscious of who the Beatles were and what they represented. Davy was from Manchester like myself and had the type of Northern humor that the Fab Four understood. We always got along great,and did many projects together. I played his manager on the TV show “My Two Dads” and we did many concerts together….probably more than he did with The Monkees. It’s sad that he went just when he seemed to be having more fun than ever.

MS: You continue to tour. What is it about your music that continually adds new fans from new generations?
PN: I think it is my optimism and naiveté that contrasts with many other oldies acts who seem to just go through the motions. I believe in all my songs and their messages and look forward to the next performance as being the best one yet! The audiences know!

MS: Though the Beatles and the Rolling Stones are in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, there are only a handful of other “British Invasion” bands (Dave Clark 5, the Hollies) inducted. Do you think Herman’s Hermits will one day be elected?
PN: I doubt it, because the people who vote don’t think my group was important, and I agree with them. We never wanted to be loved by the critics, We wanted a following who loved us.

To find out if Mr. Noone will be appearing in your area visit, click here.

Margaret Kerry reflects on modeling for Tinker Bell in Disney’s "Peter Pan"

Margaret Kerry is known best for her role as the live-action reference model for Tinker Bell in Walt Disney’s animated feature, “Peter Pan”. She also worked as the live-action reference model for the Red-Headed Mermaid in the lagoon sequence. With Disney’s “Peter Pan” being recently released on Blu-ray, Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Margaret about her role in the film and working with Walt Disney himself.

MG: How did you end up working as the model for Tinker Bell in the Walt Disney Pictures animated feature, “Peter Pan”?
MK: It may sound like I am going too far back but it is really not. I was adopted when I was 3 1/2 years old by this wonderful couple that were old enough to be my grandparents. They had no idea what to do with a tiny kid. They thought that I cute as a button and talented, so they started training me in acting. I got into Central Casting and I started working at 4 years old. I started in a movie called “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” and I made $8.50 a day, which was a lot then. So my mother became a “Hollywood mother”, but she really wasn’t very good at it [laughs]. I remember the first time I walked onto Warner Bros lot, it was terrifying. I worked with Meglin Kiddies, which is the group that MGM hired for their films. Producer Al Burton started out and put me down as a co-host of a local show where we found talented high school kids and put them on the show. At the same time, I was working in radio and was cast as the eldest sister on “The Ruggles”. I also had done the Eddie Cantor movie “If You Knew Susie” and you can see me on YouTube dancing up a storm. Next, I got hired to do a movie at Fox. So while, I was working at Fox I got the call if I wanted to try out for the reference model of Tinker Bell. Also while I was working at Fox, I was with a choreographer named Roland Dupree, whom I ended up getting him the reference model for the character Peter Pan. So all come around that is how it happened.

MG: Can you reflect on your experience working with the legendary Walt Disney?
MK: I have worked at almost every studio in town by the time I was working at Fox. So I was pretty well-versed at what studios were like. When I got the call from my agent that I might have a chance at working at Disney Studios, Michael I can’t tell you how exciting that was. During those times, Disney was the premiere studio to work with. It was just thrilling. In fact, I was just there a few days ago and it is still just as thrilling. Everything is for the employees. Creativity is blessed there. And Mr. Disney himself was just great. You will see in my book (more on that below) photo archives found two photos with him working on the same sound-stage as Buddy Ebsen. He would then come over and chat with Marc Davis, who was the animation director of “Peter Pan” and I got to chat with him at least five times. There were people who worked in the studio for over a year and never even met Walt. So I was so fortunate. I went to school with both of his daughters at Monticello School for Girls, while they were there for a short period. So I spoke to him about that and it was like I was the only person in the whole world. It was such a great experience.

MG:How long did you work on the film?
MK: It was about 9 months. But I wasn’t there every day. I also voiced the red haired mermaid in the lagoon along with June Foray and Connie Hilton. I said lines like “Oh Peter, we just wanted to drown her.” We also did the live-action work and had our legs bounded together and we had to slither around. It was just fabulous.

MG:Where you ever approached to model for any other Disney films after “Peter Pan”?
MK: I got married and had a family. When I met Jodi Benson, from “The Little Mermaid”, I told her that I was the great-great-grandmother of Ariel and we had a great laugh. But I ended up going into voice over. I speak 21 different dialects and 48 different voices. So I worked on shows like “Clutch Cargo” and “Space Angels”. So my primary focus was voice-over and radio. But they keep calling me back each time they re-release “Peter Pan”.

MG: Tell us about your autobiography “Tinker Bell Talks: Tales of a Pixie Dusted Life”?
MK: I am shooting for Valentine’s Day 2013, but of course you never know what can happen with printers. There are 110 chapters, none of which are over six pages. There are 80 photos and some really fun stories. Did you know I produced an animation short for George Clinton from Parliament-Funkadelic. In 10 days, I produced seven minutes of animation for one of their concerts. There is a funny story about that because this as well. Since my boss (at the time) did not get the cash for the animation when it was delivered, I had to go and track down this group of people on the Sunset Strip. There are all these very tall black men around me and I am only 5’2 [laughs]. I walked up to them looking to get paid. We had a great laugh and they were such nice people. Those are the some of the stories included. It has been great fun to work on.

Disney’s "Peter Pan: Diamond Edition" Blu-ray™ Combo Pack Giveaway [ENDED]

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Celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Disney’s Classic Adventure As It Soars to New Heights for the First Time on Disney Blu-ray™
Available For Purchase on February 5, 2013

To celebrate the release of Disney’s “Peter Pan: Diamond Edition”, Media Mikes would like to giveaway 5 copies of the Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (1 Blu-ray™ + 1 DVD). If you would like to enter for your chance to win one of these great prizes, please leave us a comment below or send us an email indicating your top three Disney animated films. This giveaway will remain open until February 15th at Noon, Eastern Time. This is open to residents of the United States only. One entry per person, per household. All other entries will be considered invalid. Media Mikes will randomly select winners. Winners will be alerted via email.

On February 5, 2013, The Walt Disney Studios celebrates the 60th Anniversary release of Walt Disney’s classic, “Peter Pan,” as it soars to all-new heights – with a new digital restoration and high definition picture and sound – for the first time on Blu-ray™. The classic tale that taught us all “to believe” and first introduced us to the Darling children – Wendy, John and Michael – as they flew with Peter Pan and Tinker Bell past the second star to the right and straight on ‘till morning to the enchanted world of Never Land. Rediscover the magical adventure and relive childhood memories of this great bedtime story.

The “Peter Pan” Diamond Edition Blu-ray™ Combo Pack (Blu-ray™ + DVD + Digital Copy & Storybook App) is a “must-own” addition to everyone’s home entertainment collection, filled with high-flying bonus features for all ages that includes – the groundbreaking feature Disney Intermission, Growing up with Nine Old Men short film, never-before-seen Deleted Scenes and a never-before-heard Deleted Song.

“Peter Pan” is a timeless classic from Disney’s Golden Age of animation. The film is one of three to boast all nine of Walt’s famous “Nine Old Men” as Directing Animators, and is a revered audience favorite. “Peter Pan” Diamond Edition 3-Disc Blu-ray™ Combo Pack will be available for a limited time only for the suggested retail price of $44.99 (US) and $51.99 (Canada) from Walt Disney Studios.

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Blu-ray Review "Peter Pan: Diamond Edition"

Actors: Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske, Bill Thompson
Directors: Clyde Geronimi, Wilfred Jackson, Hamilton Luske
Number of discs: 3
Rated: G (General Audience)
Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Run Time: 77 minutes

Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 4 out of 5 stars

“Peter Pan” has always been my second favorite Disney movie (behind “Alice in Wonderland). It’s story is so timeless. I mean, who doesn’t want to fly, no worries and get a chance to fight buccaneers (and pirates too!). Seems like the perfect fairy tale right? Walt Disney Studios is celebrating the 60th Anniversary of this wonderful classic and what better time than to release it for the first time every with a new digital restoration and high definition picture and sound on Blu-ray. “Peter Pan” is also a great display of Disney’s Golden Age of animation and was one of three films to actually include all nine of Walt Disney’s “Nine Old Men” working as Directing Animators. This release will have you soaring high, past the second star to the right and straight on ‘till morning. If you have always wanted to take a trip to Never Land, this Blu-ray a good start to relive your childhood memories with Peter Pan, Tinker Bell, Wendy, Michael, John and Captain Hook with his band of bilge rats. If you don’t believe me take the words of the Indian Chief: “Me no spoof’em”.

Now let’s get down to the meat of this release First of all, I am head over heals for the cover art of this release. I love when a classic film get’s re-imagined. I understand the love of original art but this just feels so fresh and yet classic at the same time. Disney is delivers a three-disc Blu-ray combo pack within under its well-respected Diamond Edition label. Besides the Blu-ray disc, it also comes with a DVD, Digital Copy and even an Storybook App for iPhones and iPads. Now onto the wonderful (and probably much-debated) 1080p transfer. This film has been beautiful restored thanks to new digital advances used by the Disney restoration team. “Peter Pan” has been slightly altered in order to improve it to it’s original Walt Disney expectations. But despite that, the film has never looked better. And man, the colors just absolutely stunning! Disney tops it off with a first rate DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 surround track that works so perfectly with the film’s beautiful music. Of course, then there is also included is an original Dolby Digital Mono track. I easily prefer the 7.1 track, even if it is a little bit overkill for this film. It still sounds amazing and really immerses you in this wonderful world of Never Land.

Disney did not skimp on the special features for this Blu-ray at all. They come stocked with some great content. To start there is an Introduction by Diane Disney-Miller, which has her reflecting on her father’s work. Roy Disney hosts a fantastically extensive audio commentary track, which was taken from the previous DVD release. Disney himself is a little stiff but still delivers some great knowledge and chats with animators, voice actors and more. Highly recommended. “Growing Up with Nine Old Men” is a 40+ minute feature on the Walt Disney’s famous group of lead animators. There are two deleted scenes and two deleted songs that have been restored to HD and dug out from the Disney Vault,including an alternate ending “The Journey Home”. They are presented either in original storyboards, concept art or rough cel elements format. Also included are the classic DVD extras, starting with “Backstage Disney”, presented in SD and running just over an hour. This is made up of five behind-the-scenes featurettes and documentaries including “You Can Fly: The Making of Peter Pan,” “In Walt’s Words: Why I Made Peter Pan,” “Tinker Bell: A Fairy’s Tale,” “The Peter Pan that Almost Was” and “The Peter Pan Story”. There is also a bunch of classics music extras as well including “Disney Song Selection”, “Deleted Song: The Pirate Song,” “Never Land: The Lost Song,” “Music Video: Never Land, performed by Paige O’Hara” and “Music Video: The Second Star to the Right, performed by T-Squad.”

Rounding out this release is one of my favorite new Disney special features, which is the “Disney Intermission”. What is it? Well try pausing the film at point and what what happens. You are transported to Never Land with over 30 minutes of additional hidden treasures. Included are many fun activities and games for kids. You can “Hunt for Peter Pan’s Shadow”, “Spot the Doubloon” and “Read Smoke Signals”, all wrapped up with video clips helmed by the first mate of the Jolly Roger. I found myself pausing just for the heck of it. Even though I know every word to this film backwards and forwards, it is still great that a Sing-Along track is included. We also get to enjoy “DisneyView Side Bars”, which fills in the boring ‘ole black bars on the sides of the picture with beautiful artwork from Walt Disney background painter Cristy Maltese (“Beauty and the Beast” and “The Little Mermaid”). Lastly, there are a great deal of sneak peeks into what Disney has in store next including “The Little Mermaid 3D”, “Return to Never Land”, “The Adventures of Winnie the Pooh”, “The Muppet Movie”, the next “Tinker Bell” movie (no official title yet) and much more.

Blu-ray Review “FCA! 35 Tour: An Evening with Peter Frampton”

Starring: Peter Frampton
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Eagle Rock Ent
Release Date: November 13, 2012
Running Time: 189 Minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

I remember the first time that my father introduced me to Frampton’s “Do You Feel Like We Do” in the early 90’s. Since then I have been a fan of not only the song but all of this work. Frampton celebrated the 35th anniversary of his multi-platinum selling live album Frampton Comes Alive in 2011 and kicked off a world tour. This Blu-ray contains footage from shows at New York City’s Beacon Theater and Milwaukee’s Pabst Theater. It is split into two parts. The first is “Frampton Comes Alive!” performed in its entirety, while the second part focuses on tracks from recent albums such as “Fingerprints”, “Now” and “Thank You Mr Churchill”. If you have never seen Grammy winning guitarist Peter Frampton live, I highly recommend it. He is one of rock’s most iconic guitarists and gives on hell of a live performances. This concert captures that quite well. A must for all fans!

Eagle Rock is behind this impressive release. “FCA! 35 Tour: An Evening with Peter Frampton” has been put up with a super nice 1080p (yes, 1080p) transfer, which is rare for Eagle Rock, and presented in 1.78:1 aspect ratio. There are two audio tracks included, obviously the first is my favorite. There is a lossless DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, as well as an uncompressed LPCM 2.0 stereo. I am a big fan of Frampton’s classics like “Show Me The Way” and “Do You Feel Like We Do” and they sound simply awesome on this release. There are no other special features includes in this release. I should note that the release doesn’t come in a standard Blu-ray casing. It is hard-stock paper fold book like case. It is very thin and surely space efficient.

Track Listing:
Disc One
1. Somethin’s Happening
2. Doobie Wah
3. Lines On My Face
4. Show Me the Way
5. It’s A Plain Shame
6. Wind of Change
7. Penny For Your Thoughts
8. All I Wanna Be (Is By Your Side)
9. Baby, I Love Your Way
10. (I Wanna) Go to the Sun
11. (I’ll Give You) Money
12. Shine On
13. Jumpin’ Jack Flash
14. Do You Feel Like We Do
15. Asleep at the Wheel
16. Restraint
17. Float
18. Boot It Up
19. Double Nickels
20. Vaudeville Nanna And The Banjolele
21. Road to the Sun
22. I Don’t Need No Doctor
23. Black Hole Sun
24. Four Day Creep
25. Off the Hook
26. While My Guitar Gently Weeps

Universal’s Peter Schade talks about restoring “JAWS” for Blu-ray

“Jaws” fans can now breathe a sigh of relief because after years of begging and pleading Universal Studios is about to release Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster in an all new Blu-ray DVD package. But how do you take a film almost four decades old and make it look like better then brand new? That job fell to Peter Schade, Vice President of Content Management and Technical Services for Universal.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in Telecommunication and Film from California State University, Schade began his career as a scheduler for Turner Entertainment in 1989. He later worked in the technical services departments of both Turner and Worldvision. In 1999 he joined Universal as Director of Worldwide Home Video and Television Servicing, playing a key role in the relocation of International Home Video Servicing. He was promoted to his current position in August 2002. While finalizing his work on “Jaws” Mr. Schade found the time to sit down with Media Mikes.

Mike Smith: You have a Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunication and Film. What were your goals when you left college? Did you intend on working in the technical side as you are now or were you looking to be more hands on as a filmmaker?
Peter Schade: When I was in school I always gravitated more towards being an editor. On student projects I was always the guy putting them together. But when I got my first “real” job after school I did intend to grativate more towards the technical side but circumstances pulled me more towards a management role. But I am managing a technical department so I’m very happy where I am.

MS: Can you describe a normal work day?
PS: Wow. My job has many facets so there are really no two days that are alike. My department sits right between production and distribution, so upstream of me you’ve got production both in the feature and television side creating content and delivering it to the studio. Then my team creates all of the archived assets that are made in support of distribution and then downstream of me are divisions like Home Video and Television…International…Domestic…Non-theatrical. So we’re delivering content every day to any number of those groups. The rest of the library has us dealing with contents that are decades old to contents that are brand new so there are lots of challenges. There’s never a dull moment!

MS: Were there any special processes that you needed to employ to transfer “Jaws?”
PS: The special processes begin in the way we care for the elements, from the original negative on down through any of the distribution masters that we make. We have our own vaults – buildings that are specifically designed to store material – that are kept at the proper temperature and humidity. In terms of taking the original negative and transferring it…digitizing it…we specifically used a film scanner that employed wet gate technology. This means the film is passed through a chamber before the gate which is filled with a liquid that is the same as the film base. Therefore any surface damage on the film is filled in and we don’t see the things that have gotten on the film as a result of its age. It’s scanned at 6K resolution, which is probably eight to ten times more then you’d see on High Def. Once that image information is digitized off the filmwe use any number of tools to work on color correction and dirt fixes and stabilization. There are manyparallel processes that go on at the same time that take weeks and sometimes months until we have a product that we think is of the quality needed to put out on Blu-ray.

MS: In the featurette describing the processes currently on line, it looks like you’re actually inspecting , cleaning and digitalizing the film frame by frame. Is that correct?
PS: There is an inspection that goes on. Before you put the film on a mechanical device you want to make sure there’s no broken sprocket holes or loose splices. You have to make sure the film is in good shape before you even begin to scan it. That is what they are referring to in the documentary as far as studying the film frame by frame. It’s literally a negative expert who is used to handling film. They go through every reel and hand inspect every foot…every frame…of that film.

MS: Do you also spend any extra time working on the supplemental aspects of the disc? I know the fan documentary “The Shark is Still Working” is included. Did your team work on that film as well?
PS: My team only focuses on the actual feature itself. There are other groups that focus on the supplemental material.

MS: I think I can speak, not only for “Jaws” fans, but for film fans when I say that the release of “Jaws” on Blu-ray is probably one of the most anticipated releases in the history of the format.
PS: It’s a great film. It’s one of my favorites as well. It stands the test of time. And coming out on Blu-ray, we’re very proud and honored to get it out there and have fans see it better than it’s ever been

Max Charles chats about playing Peter Parker in “The Amazing Spider-Man”

Max Charles is only 8-years old but is having on heck of busy year. He is co-starring in “The Three Stooges” and even playing the role of a young Peter Parker in this summer’s reboot “The Amazing Spider-Man”. He is also voicing Sherman in the upcoming animated film “My Peaboy & Sherman”. Max took our sometime to chat with Media Mikes about this busy year and what we can expect.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us about experience on the film “The Three Stooges”, must have been a fun time?
Max Charles: “The Three Stooges” was so much fun to film. We were in Atlanta all summer and since my scenes are with Will (Sasso), Sean (Hayes) and Chris (Diamantopoulos), I got to hang out with them in the green room. They are so funny and we were always laughing even in between scenes.

MG: What did you enjoy most about playing the young orphan Peezer?
MC: Peezer is the Three Stooges little buddy so that was fun!! I really like the character because he seems like a nice and fun kid. He really cares about his friends especially his best friend Murph. Peezer also encourages the Stooges to do the right thing and try to save the orphanage.

MG: How was it working on the upcoming “The Amazing Spider-Man” and playing a young Peter Parker?
MC: Amazing!! I still can’t believe I am Peter Parker and got to work on this film! The Amazing Spider-Man was my first feature film so it will always be REALLY special to me. Whenever I saw Andrew on set he would come over and sit with me and we would talk about the movie and acting. I thought that was really cool. When we were in New York filming we saw him riding his bike when we were walking in our hotel and when he saw me he rode over to talk to me. Nice is cool!

MG: Was it exciting to play such a notable superhero?
MC: Spider-Man has ALWAYS been my favorite superhero! When I was like three years old I was even Spider-Man for Halloween! I think I wore that costume ALL YEAR! I had NO idea I would EVER get to be Spider-Man in a movie!

MG: You are set to voice Sherman in the upcoming animated film “My Peaboy & Sherman”, tell us about that?
MC: Sherman is a GREAT character and SO much fun. He has a big heart but he seems to accidentally get in a ton of trouble. Mr. Ty Burrell plays Mr Peabody who is a very smart Dog who is always getting Sherman out of the trouble he makes. It’s awesome because they get to travel in a time machine and go to fun places. Sherman would be a fun kid to be friends with!

MG: What do you like most about voice work?
MC: Voice work is great because you can get crazy with your voice and acting. I like getting into the character when we are recording a session instead of just standing there saying the words. They said they are getting some pretty funny behind the scenes footage too.

MG: What other projects do you have planned upcoming?
MC: I play Max Weaver in an ABC comedy pilot called “Down To Earth”, so we hope that gets picked up for Fall. It’s a really funny show. I’m working on “Peabody and Sherman” right now and doing several voices for other tv shows like “Family Guy”, “American Dad” and “Robot Chicken”. I have a movie called “Unstable” coming out soon that I am one of the leads in and I did a guest spot on “Scent of The Missing” for TNT and I got to play the missing. I’m also working on some music with my brothers.

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Filed Under: Featured, Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: amazing, charles, chats, max, parker, peter, ...

Peter Cilella talks his new film “Resolution”

Peter Cilella stars in the upcoming film “Resolution” which will be part of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Media Mikes talked with Peter recently about his role in the film.

Adam Lawton: Can you tell us about the film “Resolution”?
Peter Cilella: This film is about a guy who goes out to a cabin in the middle of nowhere to get his friend clean from drugs. My character takes drastic measures to get him clean. Throughout the course of the movie we each deal with personal demons and without giving too much away there is something else out there. The movie is about different controls in our lives. I think this is something everyone can relate to even when it veers off onto an odd path.

AL: What drew you to the role?
PC: I am friends with Justin Benson who wrote and co-directed the film. I had done a bunch of short projects with him and I had also worked previously with Vinny Curran who is the other lead actor in the film. We felt that we had a good chemistry and everything worked. Justin had wanted to do a feature and I suggested to him about setting this film out in the middle of nowhere. A couple months later he had the script and money. It’s really nice to get to work with people who actually walk the walk. I am very fortunate to have such a good friendship with these guys.

AL: I know you have done a lot of stage work in the past. Did you find it difficult transitioning from stage to screen work?
PC: I think the length of time we were away on location was the hardest part. We shot the film in about 20 days. Being immersed to that degree was different. I had done shorter commercial shoots and short film shoots but nothing like this. We had a pretty lengthy rehearsal process for the film which was pretty unique. Usually that doesn’t happen. I found there were a lot of great skills I could take from theater and apply them to film. It’s really a work ethic. The more you do it the better you get. If you are going to be a professional actor you have to do your training and work at it.

AL: Are there any other plans to take the film to more festivals after Tribeca?
PC: This is just the beginning. However I don’t know anything that is really concrete of where or what the film will be doing next.

AL: What other projects are you working on?
PC: I have co-written an action comedy with one of my good friends. We are shopping that around right now. I am also working through my first solo full length script. That has been a challenging process. I am actually trying to finish the first draft before the Tribeca Festival. Writing is really challenging but also very rewarding.

AL: Do you see yourself going more towards writing than acting?
PC: I would love to balance both. That is when I am the most happy. If I am only doing one or the other I feel like I am neglecting a side of me that needs to be fed. When I started writing years ago it was more out of frustration. I needed a creative outlet. I was between jobs and I had some down time. I needed to express myself and I really got into writing. I love story telling and it’s something that I don’t think I would ever want to abandon.

Interview with Peter Facinelli

Born in Queens, New York, Peter Facinelli made his television debut at the age of 22 in an episode of “Law and Order.” Three years later he played big man on campus Mike Dexter in the iconic high school comedy “Can’t Hardly Wait.” He spent the next decade working steadily on both television (“Fastlane,” “Six Feet Under”) and film (“The Scorpion King,” “The Big Kahuna,” “Riding in Cars With Boys”). Convinced by his agent to read the script of an upcoming “vampire” movie, he embraced the role of Dr. Carlisle Cullen. He returns to that role for a fourth time this week with the release of the film “Twilight: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” He will also be seen on screen next month in the film “Loosies,” which he wrote and produced. When he’s not working Mr. Facinelli spends time with his family: wife Jennie Garth and daughters Luca, Lola and Fiona.

Mr. Facinelli was in Kansas City recently and took time out to sit down with MediaMikes.

Mike Smith: How was your visit to Kansas City?
Peter Facinelli: Best barbecue I ever had!

MS: It seemed for months that the only “Law and Order” episode that was on TNT was the one that featured you and the “Mack Rangers!” Even though it was one of your first acting jobs did you have a sense that you were working on a quality show?
PF: Wow. I forgot the name of the club…the “Mack Rangers.” (laughs) At the time “Law and Order” was pretty popular so I was happy to be a part of it. I was just excited to be working with Chris Noth and Jerry Orbach. It was one of my favorite shows so it was surreal that I was on it.

MS: What inspired you to become an actor?
PF: A movie called “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” I watched that movie when I was in the 3rd grade and I said, “those guys are having fun…that’s what I want to do.”

MS: Maybe it was just me but I thought early in your career you bore a striking resemblance to Tom Cruise. Did you hear that from casting agents and do you think that may have hurt you job wise?
PF: Yeah, I definitely heard that early in my career. I don’t get that much anymore. I did definitely hear that. I don’t think it helped any (laughs). Nobody wants ANOTHER Tom Cruise. And of course you want to have your own identity. Your own career. You don’t want to be the kid that looks like Tom Cruise. I didn’t think about it much. I took it as a compliment…he’s a good looking man (laughs). I just did the work and tried to forge out a career for myself.

MS: “Can’t Hardly Wait” is still regarded as one of the best films about high school life. How much of yourself is in the character of Mike Dexter?
PF: Not that much, actually. I based that character on three people I went to high school with. It’s fun for me that the film has stood the test of time. I’ll have people see me from across the street and shout out lines from the movie. “Mike Dexter is a god!” It’s fun for me that this movie has such a shelf life. It’s affected a couple of generations now. People my age…people a little older than me…people younger. A lot of “Twilight” fans…thirteen year old girls that have seen the film. They all like it. At the time we didn’t know we were making a teen classic. We were all young and upcoming. It was a fun movie.

MS: When you were first approached for the first “Twilight” film were you aware of the books’ popularity? And did you expect the film to be as successful as it was?
PF: When my agent originally asked me if I wanted to be in a vampire movie I said “no.” I thought it was going to be a “D” movie…lots of bats. But he told me to read the book…that it had a large underground following. At that time the books weren’t as big as they are now. I read it and I fell in love with it. It reminded me of the old Bela Lugosi movies. And it looked at vampires in different ways. It was kind of exciting. Again, the books weren’t as popular…this was just right before they exploded.

MS: Has the success of the “Twilight” films given you more freedom as an actor?
PF: It’s given me more time. Now I don’t have to try and work on everything. I can just work on what I want. It’s allowed me to get some of the stuff that I’ve written out there. I recently formed a production company called Fancinelli Films. So we’re making movies now. I’ve written three scripts. I’ve produced two of them. Two of them have been made. We’ve also acquired a bunch of material. It’s allowed me to be in a place where I can generate my own work. It lets me do the things I want to do while looking for other projects.

MS: You’ve had recurring roles in several television series, including “Fastlane,” “Six Feet Under” and, currently, “Nurse Jackie.” Do you have a preference between film and television?
PF: I like both for different reasons. I try to go where the good writing is. “Fastlane” was fun because I grew up on “Starsky and Hutch.” There was really nothing like it on television. Same with “Damages,” “Six Feet Under” and “Nurse Jackie.” It’s just good writing. I gravitate towards that. The medium was different then it was in the past. There is some really great T.V. out there. Wherever that property is…that has good writing…that’s where I go to. What I love about film is that…with a film there’s the premiere…it’s up on the big screen and it’s kind of an event. With television there’s an immediacy there. You’re shooting quicker. During the day there’s more pages that you’re doing. And a couple months after you shoot it’s on television.

MS: You recently wrote and starred in the film “Loosies.” What inspired you to try your hand at writing?
PF: I think I started writing because I was constantly reading scripts that I didn’t like. It’s like you’re sitting there as an actor waiting for someone to give you something and being disappointed. It’s kind of like looking for a needle in a hay stack. And the things I did like the competition is really high for because they’re really few and far between…scripts that are really powerful. And I started thinking, “what kind of stories do I want to tell?” If this stuff that I don’t like over here is getting made then maybe I can make something better. So I started writing. Telling stories that I thought were interesting and that people would like.

MS: Twenty-five roles in the film and you couldn’t find a part for Jennie?
PF: (laughs) Jen and I have always tried to keep our stuff separate. We met on a T.V. movie set. We’ve pretty much kept our careers separate. She does her thing and I do my thing. But the briefcase get’s dropped at the door and we have our life together.

MS: Now that you’ve had three screenplays produced do you see yourself in the director’s chair anytime soon?
PF: Yes. I would love to. That’s the progression…where I’d like to be. Film is a director’s medium. It’s frustrating for me as an actor sometimes. I go in. I play my role. And I go away. Whether the movies turns out good or not is out of my control. Sometimes my performance is out of my control. Being able to produce and write gives me some of that control. I can see the movie all the way through…from beginning to end. The next step for me would be to direct. To be able to create the whole world. That’s exciting to me. That’s something that I definitely want to do and look forward to doing.

MS: Besides the upcoming “Twilight” films what else are you working on?
PF: “Loosies” is in the can and in post production. I have another film I wrote called “El Chico Blanco” that I wanted to squeeze into this past summer but since I had to be on “Nurse Jackie” in September I just wasn’t able to do it. So I’ll hopefully do that early next year. And then I’m going to take the next summer off. I’ve been working since last June (2009) almost non-stop. The kids miss me. So I think we’re going to travel in the summer and then I’ll go back to “Nurse Jackie.” I definitely have “El Chico Blanco” on my mind. There are also a couple of properties I’ve acquired that I’m trying to get financing for as a producer. And as far as acting, I’ll keep on looking. And if I don’t find it I’ll write it.

3D Blu-Ray Review “Peter Gabriel: New Blood- Live in London”

Starring: Peter Gabriel
Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Running Time: 162 minutes

Our Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars

I grew up listening to Genesis before and after Peter Gabriel left the band. So I have always been a fan and this concert aims right at that fan in me and I am sure other. It was filmed at Hammersmith Apollo in March 2011. It features Peter Gabriel performing live with a 46 piece Orchestra. This concert covers versions from his “Scratch My Back” album and also touches on classic tracks from his solo career but in brand new orchestral arrangements. I think the orchestral arrangement really adds an interesting aspect his his songs. It reminds me of when Metallica went on tour with an orchestra almost makes it feel like new spin on classic music.

Of course I have to comment on the presentation of this disc. It looks really great in 3D and works well for this concert. I think they did a really great job with it. The video is really clear and the sound is extraordinary. The special feature includes on the disc is called “Blood Donors”, which is a documentary on the making of the “New Blood” concert. It is worth the watch as it shows how much really went into this event. If you are a fan of Peter Gabriel, this is a must purchase especially if you can experience this is 3D.

The concert’s set list features over twenty songs:
“Intruder”
“Wallflower”
“The Boy In The Bubble”
“Après Moi”
“The Drop”
“Washing Of The Water”
“The Book Of Love”
“Darkness”
“The Power Of The Heart”
“Biko”
“San Jacinto”
“Digging In The Dirt”
“Signal To Noise”
“Downside Up”
“Mercy Street”
“The Rhythm Of The Heat”
“Blood Of Eden”
“Red Rain”
“Solsbury Hill”
“In Your Eyes”
“Don’t Give Up”
“The Nest That Sailed The Sky”

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: 3d, blood, bluray, gabriel, live, london, ...

An Evening with Peter Frampton Comes to Hard Rock Orlando

An Evening with PETER FRAMPTON

FRAMPTON Comes Alive 35 Tour

Tue, Oct 11 @ 8 PM

Event Details

Cost: $75 First 2 Rows and Balcony Tables $55 Reserved Main Floor and Lower Balcony $45 Reserved Upper Balcony $35 GA Standing Perimeter

Doors: OPEN @ 7 PM

Age: All Ages

Description: Tickets available at the Hard Rock Live box office and all Ticketmaster locations. For more information call 407-351-5483. Reserved Balcony Tables are only available through the Hard Rock Live box office.

Telephone: 407 351-LIVE (5483)

Address: 6050 Universal Boulevard Orlando, FL 32819

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Filed Under: Music Headlines Tagged With: evening, frampton, hard, orlando, peter, rock, ...

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Tag: peter

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