ROCK ME UPDATE 5/18/09 Press Release 5/18/09 "Rock Me" The Musical will also be filmed for screen and video release in conjunction with the debut of the stage musical. The producers encourage bands, singers and dancers to send their picture, DVD or CD and resume for consideration to: Meredith Day Productions P.O. Box 282 Lake Elsinore, CA 92531 The "Rock Me" Screenplay and music will be available as of June 15, 2009. Watch here for details. AUDITION UPDATE 5/14/09 Watch here for our next audition. Roles Still Uncast: Jenny - Female Lead 25 - 35 year old singer songwriter Wholesome but able to "dress it up" when onstage Zare - Male Lead 25 to 35 Must sing both Heavy Metal and Soft Romantic Tall, very fit and agile. Light Stunts. Reggie - Male Support Lead young musical prodigy. Keyboard/synth. A quirky Gyro Gearloose type Lenny - Male Support Zare's Manager. Think Joe Pesci on Red bull. 80s Support Bands: Bands must be able to sing, play and move at the same time. Any 80s Genre Soft to hard rock. EMail link below to join next audition! We want to thank the overwhelming number of talented artists who attended our first audition. To those of you who were not called back, we are keeping you in file for our other productions. Thank you for your enthusiasm and energy and willingness to wait for hours in order to be seen! That shows us you are troopers, and will carry your weight! ROCK ME THE MUSICAL Rock Me is a true, Musical hands on tribute to the 80s Hollywood Sunset Strip "Hair Band" rock era as seen firsthand through the irreverent eyes of singer songwriter and playwright "Molly McNight". WHAT DO THE REVIEWS SAY? “...primarily a vehicle for McNight's (Day's) vocal ability. Her voice has a strength and clarity, and she delivers the goods in a variety of styles. On Shanty Town the singing, the distinctive reggae-style drums and the accompanying horns convey a tranquility as pleasing as a spring picnic… McNight's virtuosity is unmistakable” Music Connection Magazine “Before Sheryl Crow, Day was singing about the (Hollywood) scene in songs like "Sundown Cinderella.. Day seems at her best when collaborating with engineer Calvin James, as on "Lie to You”… "Never Too Late" sounds like early Missing Persons, with one of McNight's best vocals… Lost Inside the Mirrors is an intriguing look at another dimension of McNight's many talents, and it is a pretty gutsy move from a woman with such a photographic eye. The album could find a new life if used as demos for some of her famous clients.” Joe Viglione/allmusic.com “Straightforward… remarkable in the completeness of it’s songs… careful and imaginative musicianship… tons of that potential stuff your teacher keeps nagging you about..” Ethlie Ann Vare/Pulse Magazine/ Tower Records What Does The Record Industry Have to Say? I’ve always loved Molly’s extraordinary voice! Dennis MacKay, Producer, Engineer (Phil Collins, David Bowie, George Harrison, Whitney Houston, Vixen, Stanley Clarke. ) ***** Re Release in Honor of All the young talented artists who need to ignore their retinue of naysayers and un-empowerers, kick off their shoes, spread their wings and soar to greatness. In spite of being a sub-no budget Indie release, Molly McNight (AKA Meredith “Molly” Day) has a cult following worldwide, thanks to reviews done in 1986 by Ethlie Ann Vare in Tower Records’ Pulse Magazine (Distribution!) and Joe Viglione’s review for AMG that has crossed the entire galaxy and back! The original version entitled “Lost Inside The Mirrors” was released as an Indie on Day’s AMIE Records in 1986. Originally recorded at the Steam Room, Encino California, USA, Produced by Meredith Day, Co-Produced/Engineered by James Calvin Johnson (Minnesota Blues Hall of Fame), Mixed by Dennis MacKay (Alcatraz, Spiders from Mars, Romantic Warrior, Brand X), Orig. analog tapes Baked and re Mastered by Eric Labson at Universal Mastering. It’s a miracle! Re Release Co-Produced by Robert Jonathon Day and Meredith Day RE Release inspired by and in memory of Jo Jo Laine A multi talented model, actress, singer, author, who’s effervescent light paved an avenue for so many talented artists including McNight. "Jo Jo always celebrated me for exactly who I was and who I wasn’t." PHOTOGRAPHY Meredith Day GRAPHIC ART and Colorization of Jo Jo Laine by James Esker SONG CREDIT DETAILS BELOW Molly McNight talks about "Rock Me": My rock world didn’t exactly start with Jim Morrison. But I made a significant turn there. I had been hanging out at the Fillmore auditorium in San Francisco. On and off staying with the Sopwith Camel over in Haight Ashbury. I had a room above the Orb Theater on Washington near Hyde where Frank Zappa and The Mothers Of Invention rehearsed. Classical composer John Mann ran the boarding house. At the time I was a solo act. Just me and my guitar. Mostly because I was a pretty crappy guitar player I thought. Never occurred that anyone else would want to play with me. Lots of guys would suggest recording me, but it usually turned into something else and the recording never got made. Burned me out. Anyway, my roots were the San Francisco bands like the Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix and Big Brother and the Holding Company, Spontaneous Sound. Then I came back to Los Angeles to a completely different sound. Very basic. Not complex like the San Francisco bands such as the Airplane. Kind of like comparing the Rollng Stones to the Beatles. The Doors were playing at Pandora’s Box. Located literally in the middle of the street on Sunset. The club was a little tiny house on an island in the middle of the street. Down a ways was The Fourth Estate )the Fifth?). Another club we were all trying to play. The Troubador was the brass ring. The Place To Play. Owned by Doug Weston. Specifically designed acoustically for the folk bands of the 60s. A nightmare in the 80s with the stacks of Marshals. The highlight of my folk singing career was opening for the “Banjo Playing Magician” Steve Martin at the Ice House in Pasadena. And the Doors at Pandora's box. Hats off to Len Fagin. Times passes, I don’t make it as a folk singer. Get married, get unmarried, do stuff. Ok, fast forward to the 80s. I start writing songs for b, c, and d and X movies. 1980 takes me to Santa Barbara where I am introduced to one of the greatest studios in the world, Santa Barbara Sound. Famous for recording Loggins and Messina and The Eagles to name two. I recorded "Storyteller" my acoustic piano album there Live to two track. With Joe Walsh Hanging out in the hallway. That was so big, I couldn’t get words out, I just gawked at him. I’ll never forget those gorgeous blue/grey eyes watching me. To this day, that recording session was one of the most difficult challenges of my life. Playing and singing 17 songs live in two sessions with no punch in capability not to mention the present day pitch correctors which can make a star out of anyone. Recorded in 1982, it will finally be released this year. I love the cover. Should be here by the middle of September. The only special effect is the brilliant triple mike-ing of the piano by my engineers Terry Nelson and Daniel Prothero. And a warm tube reverb. While I was recording that album I was introduced to Australian impresario John Woodruff of then Dirty Pool Management. (Currently John Woodruff Management, Sydney.) Then manager of Iva Davies/Ice House and The Angels. Known as Angel City in Aus. Later Manager of Savage Garden. John convinced me that the music I was writing and recording at that time was too pedestrian. He encouraged me to write in a much more complex lyrical style which resulted in the album re released here as “Rock Me”. Woodruff also told me I could not use my name Molly, as that meant barmaid in Australia. He suggested I use my middle name Meredith. So I did for the original release. John was up here to oversee the US signing of The Angels to MCA Records. Not a productive signing unfortunately. An absolutely great band. Multi platinum in their country and Europe. On Woodruff‘s down time he gifted me with hours of advice and guidance. Thanks much to John, I released the album to good reviews. Due to an unexpected parenting project, I put my recording career aside and focused on helping other talented bands by producing their records and introducing them to record labels and endorsements. A friend of mine brought the album over to my house before Christmas of 2007 and suggested I re release it. I went on the internet and was amazed that, though out of print, the album had become somewhat of a cult hit and was still being actively sold, though by collectors and pirates, not by me. In 2008 Universal Mastering baked the original tapes and re mastered it to cd for me. I am grateful to John Woodruff for inspiring me to record the album and I am very grateful my friend made me bring it out of the “basement”. I truly hope you enjoy it. It seems to have taken on a life of it’s own now as a “Cyber Cd” and upcoming autobiographical musical. More About "Rock Me" by Molly McNight AKA Meredith Day Day went on to become one of the "gatekeepers" of music image and talent development nationwide. (Kenny Kerner, Gig Magazine/Taxi) Day pioneered light box displays in record store windows and 3d animated photography for the Film and Music industry in the mid 1980s and early 1990s. She invented and patented several 3d animation cameras she then used in her entertainment industry large format photography. A successful talent developer, her credits include discovering and developing such stars as Margo Harshman as seen on “Even Stevens” (Music TV and Film) and Adrianne Leon as seen on General Hospital and The Young and The Restless (Music and TV). Day has also helped such stars as Michael Welch and Shia LaBeouf (both guitar players/drummers) connect with music industry product endorsements and spread their musical wings. Day continues to write and produce music and visual imagery for Recording Artists, Actors, and Television and Film Productions. Day is currently working on a book of her classic entertainment industry, photography, including such notable portraits as Helmut Newton, Eddie "Cleanhaed" Vinson, Joe Walsh, Margo Harshman and Michael Welch. A true Renaissance woman Day has also written directed and produced a number of projects ranging from Award winning short films to music videos under the umbrella of her production company "Oakstone Entertainment". For the current re release of her classic 1986 album, Day has re invented herself by creating her "Cyber Singer" persona "Molly McNight. With a little help from her friends. The music is raw, with “see saw” Sonics, recorded in "The Steam Room" owned by renowned Minn. Blues Jazz and Country Hall of Fame member James Calvin Johnson. Johnson's Band "Gypsy" was the house band for the Whiskey A Go Go in the Hollywood Heyday. He is also known for his project "The Steamers’ with Stanley Kipper. "Back then I didn’t appreciate what a flat out musical genius Johnson was. I wish I had given more credit to him on the first release. It's only now, after producing so many artists myself in the studio, that I look back and am boggled by his (8 track super bumped) production and musical contributions. Back then I was too inexperienced to know how lucky I was to have him at the board, at the guitar and at the mike. He was a gift from God and Terry Lee Haeffer" Day co wrote several songs on the album with Johnson and chose to record his Vietnam tribute "Survivor" which she dedicates to Viet Nam Vet Johnson and her son Robert, now serving in the Army in Iraq. Day goes on to say, "My co-writer and guitar player, John Hunt, (Captain and Tenille, Engleburt Humperdink, Juice Newton) was also a genius. Whatever I wanted he threw down much better than I could ever imagine!" Even today, after all the stunning guitar players I have produced, I really enjoy listening to what Hunt did on the album. Bass Guitar, vocals, everything." “My drummers included John Anderson and Stanley Kipper. Again how lucky was I!” I was told that John went on to invent the “surfboard leash” and retired quite nicely shortly thereafter. When asked what motivated Day to re release the album, Day states "I was always unhappy with the marketing of the project. I did everything wrong I could do. “There was no one to guide me as I guide my clients today. That’s why I like to help talented artists. I think of how much I could have used my help back then. “At the time I was really too old to put myself on the cover, should have gone with a cool graphic. I put my kid on the back because I love him to death. A real no no. “Later I found out you NEVER put your kid on the back cover of your album, book whatever. No one buys your stuff for the pic of your kid on the back cover. “Hindsight being 20/20 I should have used the hottest “Young Thing” I could find on the cover. That would have been fun! Day States, "The original album had 2.5 minutes of fame in Tower Records' Pulse magazine. Thanks to Ethlie Ann Vare’s review in the magazine I got a golden ticket. Distribution through the Tower Records Store chain. "Frankly, because of the very modest production quality of the album, I was amazed at the attention it received and the orders from the record stores with virtually no promotion other than the stunning reviews. “What has also propelled the record all these years was the review Jo Viglione did later for www.allmusic.com. That review really shot the album across the grid. To the end of the galaxy. "Calvin and I had a lot of fun writing some songs and working with some world class players. Back then I never imagined that classic wanna be 80s rock album would still be floating around the Internet 23 years later. "Anyway, my friend waved it in front of me in 2007 and said, hey, why not take the album back in and re-master it and fling it back onto the grid? See what happens? I thought, wow, let's take that old picture I did in the eighties for Music Connection of a fictional Music Connection "NAMM SLUT" and put it on the cover. "Del Breckenfeld at Fender® International said to me, hey Meredith, yeah, press vinyl too!... OK! "Music Connection actually gave me permission to even use the original article and 1985 Magazine Chaka Kahn cover on the back of the poster and web site." Day put the project together. When asked about the cover and poster art Day States, "That's a funny story, in 1985 Kenny Kerner, then the editor of Music Connection Magazine in L.A., called me and asked if I had, or could create a pic of a NAMM SLUT. I said, What's that? He said that at NAMM the guitar manufacturers were hiring really sexy groupies to wander around the trade show in next to nothing, carrying guitars. He wanted to write an article about that. "Here's where it gets amusing. I rented a room at the time to a crazy, talented Rock n Roller, singer songwriter named Kat Wright. A great songwriter. Really pretty, great figure. “I asked her to do the picture, told her I'd do some headshots for her in return. She agreed. "Well, go figure, in about 1990 or so, I decide I'd like to do a poster of the Picture. I called Kat in Nashville. She had married talented writer/producer, Sam Tate, who had seen her picture on my wall, begged to meet her, took her to Nashville and married her. Still happily partnered today. "She said, well, ok I'll give you the release on the picture, but chop my head off so no one will know it's me. I write country now, and that picture will rile up my potential work. Ok, I said. "So being in survival, a single mom with no child support. I never did the poster. Too busy just surviving. The major issues in our life were, hmmmmm, Top Ramen or pay the utilities? “We survived due to the kindness of clients like Janelle Harshman who brought us electric blankets, knowing we had no heat or hot water in our studio. “Bless you Janelle! “For years I kept the rent partially paid doing rock photography. A crappy businesswoman, I made more fame than fortune. Portfolio looked great, a true renaissance woman on paper. I had enough “Three day Notices to Quit” to wallpaper the bedroom. "Cut to 2008. My friend says one day, hey that album you gave me about ten years ago, you should do something with that. Do something with all that music you have in storage in the garage that you've written and produced but never released! "He caught me at a good time. I was doing well, I had a bit of space in my days, and I said, Why not? "Once again I called Kat Wright, told her I was going to use the picture for an album cover, just wanted to let her know and assure her I had cut off her head. She said cool as long as no one could tell who she was. She sent me a new release. I cut her in, in case we ever sold one. "I asked graphic artist Jim (James) Esker if he could clean up the pic a bit. It was pretty beat up. "Well, he finds it impossible to do anything half baked, and after an all nighter, I have this stunning piece of art for the cover. “It looks so great I email it to my, up to then, anonymous country singer songwriter friend. "She looks at it and says, well, you know, I don't think it would hurt if people knew it was me. I'm doing good enough now (multiple Grammy nominations for chart topping country hit songs) that I guess people could know it's me in the picture. “Thereby Annie Tate comes out of the 1980s rock and roll photographic closet. “Her parting words, "He got rid of all my freckles!" “Anyhow, at the end of the day, I have a real ok "personal" best" re master (by Maestro Eric Labsen, Universal Mastering) with awesome classic 80s cover art with a great back-story. “Side note! The challenged sonics on “Young Thing” are due to having to super bounce the 8 track, Eric could do nothing about that, but what Eric brought to the party is a re master that actually sounds really good in cyberspace, in spite of all the technical challenges! SONG CREDITS: ROCK ME RE RELEASE SONG LIST: Never Too Late – 80s Rock Vocal: McNight (Meredith Day, Ken Lindsey, Michael Towers) Young Thing – 80s Rock Vocal: McNight, Hunt (Meredith Day, John Hunt) Shanty Town – Reggae Rock Rock Vocal: McNight, James (Meredith Day, James Calvin Johnson) Sundown Cinderella – Bubblegum Pop Vocal: McNight (Meredith Day, Ann Greenwald, Toby Kasavan, Robert Danziger) 4 The Money – 80s Rock Vocal: McNight, Hunt (Meredith Day, John Hunt) No Prisoners – 80s Rock Vocal: McNight (Meredith Day, John Hunt) Lie To You – Reggae Country Vocal: McNight, James (Meredith Day, James Calvin Johnson) Survivor – Military Rock Vocal: McNight (James Calvin Johnson) Poor Boys – 80s Rock Vocal: McNight (James Calvin Johnson) Twisted Piece – Heavy Metal Vocal: McNight (Meredith Day, John Hunt) Album Notes: Recorded at the Steam Room, Encino California, USA, Earth RE Release Co-Produced by Robert Jonathon Day and Meredith Day Original album Co-Produced/Engineered by James Calvin Johnson Mixed By Dennis MacKay Excessively bumped 8 Track Tascam 80-8 Basic 8 tracks bounced down to 2 tracks then bounced back to the 8 track and then added 6 more overdubs and mixed her ©2008 Oakstone Entertainment ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FOR MORE INFORMATION: email: OakstoneEnt@aol.com TO CHAT WITH MOLLY: MollyMcNight@aol.com Deeper Recording Credits upon request. VOCALS Molly McNight, James Calvin Johnson, John Hunt MCNIGHT VOCAL COACH Suzanne Keichle, Studio City CA GUITAR John Hunt, James Calvin Johnson BASS Debra Lampell, John Hunt, James Calvin Johnson SAX Vince Denham TRUMPET James Calvin Johnson KEYBOARDS Toby Kasavan, Robert Danziger PERCUSSION Stanley Kipper DRUMS John Chapman, Stanley Kipper “ROCK ME” By Molly McNight (AKA Meredith “Molly” Day) (c)2008 RodJRay Publishing Catalogue# OE080522 – ASCAP All graphic and audio Rights Reserved. May not be duplicated without express written