I've been collecting Intrada CDs for a long time now, and in doing so, there hasn't been a single moment, where while waiting for whatever composition was to soon show at my door, that I experienced a lack of confidence in what Douglass Fake does as a sound engineer. In keeping true to the original state of its impact, he has always fascinated me with the commitment of keeping these things aligned with however they first showed their pretty faces. After all, in a time when change has somewhat lost its constitution, it's nice to know there are people out there who have not forgotten the little details that still mean something to some of us (think original artwork) -- and even if it is a shrinking storm we're in, I'm in; I'm forever standing by your side as the last cloud sails by. And again -- to further add to this salutation -- there is no other label producing soundtracks at the moment, for which I have the amount of faith that I carry for Intrada. If they tell me that something is right or wrong, I feel there's an integrity involved that is not found elsewhere. And as corny or melodramatic as it may come off, there's a... loving security involved here that I have yet to find someplace else. Take a careful parent, or a close sibling; you tend to overcompensate for them most of the time, just for that same sense of security, and in return you can always bank on the fact that they're going to give you everything you need from them. With me, I have always tried my best to financially support Intrada, because I can't fathom the thought of having what they do end. For as long as great music remains unreleased, and as long as Intrada carries on, there is a guarantee that the best efforts will always be involved in producing something I love. How many people can you say this about, at least without feeling as though there may be some alternative motive involved? These guys love film music, and in every single collaboration, it shows. The time spent in the studio, the time spent on the phones, the time spent investing their hard-earned money unmercifully mutates itself into every pixel, into every cue or second, and into the reputation they have earned for themselves.
Despite anyone's predisposition with the marketing or how particular challenges are overcome in individual projects, I think Roger Fiegelson has often done his very best at bringing us what he thought we wanted, and yet, in the face of occasional criticisms, he keeps sucking down another deep breath and climbing to the depths of a dust-ridden ocean of scores, just to find something new that is worth saving. I'm sure it can be frustrating and overwhelming to meet the demands of whatever lies on the front line (we, collectors), so my hat is off to him, as I think he's genuinely a smart guy who has a knack for class and social perception. Without either one of these things, something goes lost in the delivery of what Doug does in that studio -- and that is to truly save the past and honor the men or women who worked so hard to bring us this beautiful music. They were the genesis of all this beauty, after all, and should be honored as such.
Hamsters, whomever you are; wherever you are, you amaze me. I live clear-across the country from that of your card-board basement, and it's never more than 3 or 4 days before my albums arrive. How those little, white boxes deserve to come with that sort of integrity riddles and excites me. Not one missing disc, not one sign of laziness -- just pure dedication to move as fast as your hamster hands can go. White's a good color, too -- it's pure, and what a great adjective to add to your adherence to quality, for that's what Intrada, as a whole, is -- pure quality.
Thank you all at Intrada. May all of us get the time to stick by you for many more years to come.
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