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Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Mello Docu

From: MAinPsych@aol.com
Date: 2009-11-29

In a message dated 11/28/2009 5:40:48 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, andy.thompson@virgin.net writes:

Hi Hessel  

Does anyone know if the Mellotron Documentary “Mellodrama” is available on DVD already?

Any of you seen it already? Any good?

Don't know whether it's on DVD yet (doubt it), but yes, I've seen it. Some fascinating footage, some, er, less fascinating, and a fairly amateurish vibe about the whole thing (wildly variable sound quality/background noise etc.), not to mention loads of factual errors. And why bother interviewing people who openly admit they only use samples? Odd. Best interviewees? A couple of the American Chamberlin guys (Patrick Warren and Jon Brion especially) and our very own Mattias Olsson. Worth seeing for some of the insights, though, not to mention the footage of a Chamberlin's internals...

Andy T.

 
I -- and probably a number of people on this list -- offered assistance/advice/feedback/whatever to Dianna, which was politely declined.  Both Mellodrama and the Mehan Pinder documentary lack, IMHO, because they were done by non-Mellotron, non-musical people despite their good intentions.  Can't comment on the former as I haven't seen it beyond the teaser clip, but the latter, while very nicely produced, has a very awkward and amateurish "what's your favourite color"-Tiger Beat feel to it regarding topics and interview questions.  I admit to cringing when I heard some of them (and I think you can see it Mike's facial expressions as well).  Still...thanks to Dianna and Ross...they do exist along with Nick Awde's and my respective books, when a mere 10 years ago Mellotrons were relegated to just two pages in Rock Hardware and a mention in one of Mark Vail's great books.
 
Cheers,
Frank S.
El Cajon CA