*** NEWS ARCHIVE 2001***
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
A page featuring an essay by Van Dyke Parks about his relationship with Danny Hutton and an interview with Danny Hutton about his relationship with Van Dyke Parks have been added to the miscellaneous writings & files section.
2001, 12th December
'Monday Night Mayhem' With Score By Van Dyke Parks Premiers In January
The movie Monday Night Mayhem premiers on TNT on Monday, January 14zh at 9pm Eastern time. Van Dyke Parks composed the score to that movie. For further information on the movie and dates for additional arirings, please visit the page for Monday Night Mayhem on the TNT website (thanks to Brett Rubin for providing this information).
2001, 5th November
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
Newly added during the last week have been an image of Van Dyke Parks, Harry Nilsson and Ringo Starr (to the works for other artists page) and a drawing by Neon Park based on the topics of the Discover America album, shown on the updated links page.
2001, 31th October
Lyricist Michael Hazelwood Died In May
This May Michael Hazelwood passed away at the age of 59 from a heart attack while on vacation in Italy. Hazelwood was probably most well-known in the public for his lyrics to Albert Hammond's early hits like It Never Rains In Southern California, The Air That I Breathe and Free Electric Band.Fans of Van Dyke Parks will remember him for his contributions to the Van Dyke Parks/ Brian Wilson collaboration Orange Crate Art. Hazelwood wrote the song This Town Goes Down At Sunset and contributed the lyrics to the songs My Hobo Heart and Summer In Monterey.
The Power Of Prayer
Van Dyke Parks recently contributed a prayer to Ryuichi Sakamoto's website Debris Of Prayer. Parks chose a prayer by by Saint Francis of Assis as his contribution.
2001, 29th October
Folk Musician Dave Van Ronk Seriously Ill
The following e-mail with sad news about folk musician Dave Van Ronk has been forwarded by Van Dyke Parks. Dave Van Ronk has meant a lot to Van Dyke Parks in his youth and he remembers seeing him perform at the Bottom Line in New York.
Dear friends and colleagues in the folk music world:
Our good friend Dave Van Ronk was recently diagnosed with malignant colon cancer, and will undergo surgery this coming Wednesday. Please hold him in your thoughts and prayers.
More concretely, anyone who is able to assist him financially is encouraged
to do so,
Dave does have medical insurance to pay for the surgery itself. However, the hardest hit is in loss of income. He has had to cancel all his gigs through the end of the year and the loss of that income and the accompanying CD sales at gigs has left him strapped.
Please feel free to pass around the following address to which donations may be sent. Checks should be made payable to Dave Van Ronk and mailed to
Dave Van Ronk c/o Folklore Productions
1671 Appian Way
Santa Monica CS 90401
Many thanks,
Mary Katherine
2001, 28th October
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
I have added an essay on the Robert Frost poem "Provide, Provide" to the miscellaneous files section, written as a university presentation by Van Dyke Parks' son Richard. The essay is of special interest to fans of Parks' work, as VDP recited that poem during the concert released on the album Moonlighting - Live At The Ash Grove.
2001, 27th October
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
I added scans of an unissued newsletter, originally designed and written - with major input by Van Dyke Parks - as an insert for the Esso Trinidad Steelband album (produced by Van Dyke Parks in 1971) to the miscellaneous files section.
2001, 9th October
Van Dyke Parks' Work With Silverchair
Van Dyke Parks is currently staying in Sydney to work on orchastrations for the Australian band Silverchair. The official Silverchair website issued the following statement about the cooperation between Parks and the band (thanks to Brett Rubin for pointing me to this).Van Dyke Parks to work with silverchair
Renowned Californian musical force Van Dyke Parks will travel to Australia this week to work with silverchair on their new album. He is expected to collaborate on string and brass arrangements for three new songs.silverchair started recording their as yet untitled fourth album in Sydney two weeks ago with producer David Bottrill (Tool, Peter Gabriel, King Crimson). The disc is expected to be released early next year. Fans of the band can follow their recording progress via the group's website (www.chairpage.com) which contains daily updates on the sessions.
Over his career Van Dyke Parks has worked with a `who's who' of the world's musical talent. He collaborated with the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson on the legendary "Smile" sessions before going on to collaborate with many other important West Coast artists including Tim Buckley, The Byrds, Ry Cooder and Little Feat. In more recent years Van Dyke has lent a hand with string arrangements on U2's "Rattle & Hum" as well as scoring numerous feature films and reuniting with Brian Wilson for their widely acclaimed album "Orange Crate Art".
"We're excited about having Van Dyke be part of these songs", said silverchair's songwriter, Daniel Johns. "Like lots of people I'm a big fan of his distinctive approach to orchestrations and I'm really looking forward to working with him on these tracks."
Van Dyke Parks said "I'm honored to be a part of this group's new project. It is a milestone from their first CD (that throbbed through our home when my son and daughter first fell in love with them). When I got the new material, I was astounded by the musicality, the lyrics, brimming with enthusiasm and a life force that guarantees this group as a continuing major force in music."
"Daniel Johns and David Bottrill have put much trust in me. We'll be using a large string compliment with blown instruments and percussion, bringing this group into a tradition continuing from the lettuce days of pop music when analogue orchestration added new dimension to the works of Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, and the Beatles."
silverchair plan to complete recording in Australia in October and then plan to venture to the U.S. for mixing. The album is expected to hit the shelves early next year and the group will tour around the release.
(reprinted by permission)
2001, 30th September
New Movie Soundtracks And Orchestration Work
Van Dyke Parks just finished a score for the movie Charms For the Easy Life by Showtime Productions (starring Mimi Rodgers, Wayne Robson, and Gena Rowlands).Before that he did a score for TNT's Monday Night Mayhem (the Howard Cosell story). "My first 'rock and roll' soundtrack", Parks comments on that score.
Recently he also contributed the score to a picture for TNT called Time of The Butterflies. It stars Sonia Hayak, and is about the overthrow of Dominican Republican dictator Trujillo by three sisters, circa 1965.
Yesterday Parks left Los Angeles for two weeks to work in Sydney, Australia. He will contribute orchestrations for the next album project of Australian band Silverchair.
2001, 29th July
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
I have uploaded a major update to the Van Dyke Parks solo discography.
2001, 15th July
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
The page listing Van Dyke Parks' work for other artists has been updated.
2001, 4th July
Van Dyke Parks Contributes Music To Upcoming Book Project By Rudy VanderLans
Van Dyke Parks contributes a musical piece entitled The Joshua Tree Suite to an upcoming book project by Rudy Vanderlands, the author of the book Palm Desert, which was inspired by and based on the Parks song of the same title.The press announcement for the upcoming book states: "Joshua Tree is the third and final book of photos in a trilogy that focuses on the Southern California landscape. VanderLans selects his subjects by following the trails of his heroes from the world of music who have immortalized So Cal through their songs and lives. This book is a tribute to Gram Parsons, one-time member of The Byrds and co-founder of the infamous Flying Burrito Brothers. The photography focuses on Joshua Tree National Park and the surrounding environment of the Mojave desert, an area Pa rsons often frequented and eventually the place he died.
Like its predecessors, Joshua Tree includes a CD featuring musical compositions meant to function as musical backdrops to the desert images in this book. The tracks include new compositions by Itchy Pet, Damon & Naomi, Elliott Peter Earls, Scenic, The Grassy Knoll, Honey Barbara, and a special contribution (The Joshua Tree Suite) by Van Dyke Parks, whose song Palm Desert was the subject of book one, bringing this project full circle."
The release of the book is planned for November.
2001, 6th June
John Hartford, Writer Of "Delta Queen Waltz", Died
Country musician John Hartford died at the age of 63. He was the writer of the song Delta Queen Waltz, a song covered by Van Dyke Parks in live performances and on the Moonlighting album.For more information on the great muisican visit www.johnhartford.com
2001, May 24th
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
I added the lyrics to the song Come To The Sunshine to the Miscellaneous Lyrics page of the lyrics section.
2001, April 26th
Van Dyke Parks Performed At The Harry Smiths Benefit Last Night And Performs Again Tonight
Van Dyke Parks is one of the performers during The Harry Smith Project in Los Angeles taking place on April 25-26, 2001 at UCLA's Royce Hall, Los Angeles, CA.
Other performers confirmed for the two nights are (listing taken from the Harry Smiths Project's website at http://www.harrysmitharchives.com/news/ucla.htm): Elvis Costello, Marianne Faithfull, Beck, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Bob Neuwirth, Gavin Friday with Maurice Seezer, Richard Thompson – (on 25th only), David Thomas, Percy Heath, Folksmen, Robyn Holcomb, Todd Rundgren, Eric Mingus, Adam Dorn, T Bone Burnett & Sam Phillips, David Johansen, Eliza Carthy,Victoria Williams, Philip Glass, Bill Frisell, Smokey Hormel, Steve Earle, Don Byron, Garth Hudson, Bill Frisell, Smoky Hormel,Ralph Carney, Larry Taylor, Steven Hodges.
In connection with these concerts a picture of Parks (along with other performers) will appear in the next edition of Vanity Fair.
Van Dyke Parks Writes And Performs Music For Animated Children's TV Series
Van Dyke Parks wrote and performed the music for the upcoming animated TV series based on the classic children's book Harold And The Purple Crayon by Crocket Johnson.
Below you find Sony Pictures Family Entertainment's press release regarding the TV series:
SONY PICTURES FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT BEGINS PRODUCTION ON HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON
A NEW ANIMATED SERIES SLATED TO AIR ON HBO FAMILY
Academy Award Nominee and Golden Globe Winner Sharon Stone will Narrate and Van Dyke Parks will Write and Perform the Music for 13 Half-Hour Episodes
CULVER CITY, CA (date) Sony Pictures Family Entertainment has begun production on Harold and the Purple Crayon, a new animated series slated to premiere in December 2001 on HBO Family, it was announced by Bob Higgins,
Senior Vice President of Creative Affairs of Sony Pictures Family Entertainment (SPFE). Academy Award nominee Sharon Stone will be the narrator for the series, and Van Dyke Parks will compose the music.
Based on the classic children's book by Crocket Johnson, the Harold and the Purple Crayon television series will take children on a magical adventure to new and exciting places filled with fun and interesting characters. The series centers on Harold, an inventive and curious four year old boy whose imagination and purple crayon lead him into a magical world of his own invention. Stone as the narrator, will represent a warm, maternal adult presence who looks down on Harold and watches over him. Since Harold rarely speaks, his actions, the narrator and the music will provide viewers insight into what he is thinking and feeling.
"Harold and the Purple Crayon is a timeless story that we are excited to bring to life for HBO Family," said Bob Higgins. "This classic property will charm TV viewers for generations to come," added Higgins.
Harold and the Purple Crayon will feature all new songs written and performed by renowned composer, lyricist and recording artist Van Dyke Parks. The simple and easily identifiable characters and situations will be illustrated in beautiful storybook cel animation. The series will feature all new characters and situations, as well as those which have appeared in the first book.
Sharon Stone is one of Hollywoodís most sought-after leading ladies. She received an Academy Award nomination and a Golden Globe Award for her role in Martin Scorsese's "Casino". Stone's other film credits include "Basic Instinct", 'The Quick and the Dead' , which she also co-produced, "The Specialist", "Intersection", "Sliver", "Sphere", "The Muse" and "Gloria", among others. She also starred opposite Ellen DeGeneres in HBO's critically acclaimed series "If Walls Could Talk 2." Stone recently completed filming the romantic comedy "Beautiful Joe".
Van Dyke Parks is a multi-talented composer, whose recording career began at Warner Bros. in 1966 after a brief but legendary stint as lyricist for Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys. Parks also co-produced the debut albums of Randy Newman and Ry Cooder, and as an arranger and songwriter he has collaborated with such diverse artists as Kula Shaker, Fiona Apple, U2, Sheryl Crow, Bruce Springsteen and Bonnie Raitt, among others. Parks has also composed the music for numerous feature films and television series and specials. Some of his film credits include "Shadrach", "Private
Parts", "Wild Bill", "Barney's Great Adventure", "Popeye", and "Sesame Street Presents: Follow That Bird". His television credits include "Oliver Twist", "The Summer of Ben Tyler" and "One Christmas".
Sony Pictures Family Entertainment Group produces traditional cel animation, CGI and live-action properties for television around the world. The division is currently producing JACKIE CHAN ADVENTURES, MAX STEEL, MEN IN BLACK: THE SERIES, and is distributing PHANTOM INVESTIGATORS for Kids' WB!; DRAGON TALES, co-produced with Sesame Workshop, on PBS's Ready To Learn block; ROUGHNECKS: Starship Troopers Chronicles, JUMANJI and EXTREME -more- GHOSTBUSTERS airing in syndication; and the upcoming HEAVY GEAR. SPFE is developing the animated series STUART LITTLE for HBO Family, and LENORE, an original internet series with Sony Pictures Digital Entertainment (SPDE). Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a division of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution, television production and distribution, worldwide channel investments, home entertainment acquisition and distribution, operation of studio facilities, development of new entertainment products, services and technologies, and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.spe.sony.com.
20001, April 17th
New Album By Michael Webster
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"Michael Webster's Lotus Festival is simply marvelous music, refreshing to behold, I'll treasure it in the car (anti-road rage) and in other rented places where I keep hope alive" - Van Dyke Parks said so about Michael Webster's latest CD release Lotus Fesitival, released in 2000 on Lovethink Records. The songs on that album are unqiue - complexly arranged but melodic, with an unsual flow of melodies. Webster calls himself a "disciple of Van Dyke Parks" and that is evident in the sound of the songs on that album. In the tradition of Song Cycle some of the songs on the album don't follow traditional song structures, but rather take the listener into a flowing soundscape without a verse/ chorus scheme. The L.A. New Times wrote in a review, that the album was "..at times reminiscent of the Beach Boys' late-'60s albums and We're Only In It For The Money by the Mothers Of Invention. Managing to match such quintessentially Los Angelean works, Webster's record deserves to sit alongside them in any collection." One thing is for sure: Lotus Festival is one of those albums that is not immediately accessible for the listener, but when the listener gets into it, he enters a fascinating, timeless musical world. |
2001, April 12th
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
I uploaded information on the history of the Esso Trinidad Steelband to the website. This band from Trinidad & Tobago is featured on two studio albums by Parks and Parks also produced an album by them in 1971.
2001, March 23rd
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
During the past few weeks I added a larger number of records to the page listing Van Dyke Parks work for other artists. At the moment I am busy scanning labels of VDP's 45s and of various releases of Van Dyke Parks cover versions. Planned for the future is a page with background information about the Esso Trinidad Steelband.
2001, March 22nd
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
I updated the biography page and added images to the biographical text.
2001, March 6th
New Soundtrack Work / Live Performance in March
Van Dyke Parks has finished the soundtrack to White Lies, for Paramount Pictures/Showtime T.V., which will be out soon.
On March 23rd, Van Dyke Parks plays at the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, CA with Leland Sklar (bass), Grant Geissman (guitar), and Richard Greene (violin). Inara George, daughter of the late Lowell George will sing one of her father's songs. Lowell George was a member of the band Little Feat, and writer of a song covered by VDP (Sailin' Shoes on the album Discover America). The concert has sold out.
2001, February 27th
Second Issue Of "Open Sky" Magazine Dedicated To Van Dyke Parks
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The second issue of the Open Sky magazine, a fanzine dedicated to the work of Beach Boys-leader Brian Wilson, mainly focusses on the work of Van Dyke Parks.
From the contents: A Van Dyke Portrait by Lewis Shiner (author of the novel Glimpses) --- Rudy VanderLans' book Palm Desert reviewed by Chris Allen, including a reprinted 4-page excerpt of the book --- a conversation with Frank Holmes, artist of the artwork for the unreleased Beach Boys' Smile album --- Moonlighting - Live At The Ash Grove reviewed by Paul Williams (editor of Crawdaddy magazine) --- Discover America reviewed by Tom Ewing --- Orange Crate Art reviewed by Chris Allen --- interview with Darian Sahanaja --- interview with Peter Lacey --- telephone-interview with Brian Wilson --- resources and addresses To get an idea about the contents and the care the magazine is edited, layouted and illustrated with, I recommend visiting the excellent previews at www.brianwilson-fans.com. Click on "Open Sky" on the navigation bar on the bottom of Brianwilson-fans.com's main page to get to the magazine's webpage. The magazine is available directly from the editor (Open Sky, 7 Greenview Avenue, Princeton, New Jersey, 08542, USA) at the cost of $6 (overseas: $8) including shipping. A special full colour edition is available at $12 (overseas: $14.50). |
2001, January 28th
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
Two readers notified me that the images I recently added to the miscellaneous files do not show Van Dyke Parks performing live at the Copa in Los Angeles in 1969. In fact the images show Van Dyke Parks and band performing live at The Coconut Grove, at the Ambassador Hotel, in Los Angeles, CA. playing Clang of the Yankee Reaper. Thank you very much for notifying me about the mistake.
2001, January 2nd
latest additions to vandykeparks.com
A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL VISITORS!
I added a scan of a promotional article by Warner/Reprise about Discover America to the miscellaneous files section. I also added label scans of three more 45s (Number Nine promo 45, George Washington Brown - Donovan's Colours, Occapella [mono/stereo] promo 45) accessible through links on the main discography page.
NEWS ARCHIVE 1999
NEWS