Intrada Soundtrack Forum

INTRADA Announces:



DAMNATION ALLEY
Composed and Conducted by JERRY GOLDSMITH
INTRADA Special Collection 396


Intrada announces what is one of the last large-scale Jerry Goldsmith scores never before released in its entirety – the 1977 sci-fi extravaganza Damnation Alley. Restored from the original stereo session elements housed at 20th Century Fox, Mike Matessino, soundtrack restorer extraordinaire, carefully remixed and restored this release, bringing forth a fidelity that makes it sound like it was recorded just yesterday. Although the long missing electronic overdubs that Goldsmith recorded separately in his studio remain missing, Intrada turned to none other than Leigh Phillips, who has an amazing track record for restoring Goldsmith scores and was able to recreate as close as possible the sound of those electronics by consulting both the mono music stem supplied by Matessino and the original orchestral charts. All of the timbres using ARPs and Moogs would have been created by Goldsmith from scratch, causing a painstaking dilemma. As Phillips comments, "The number of 'variables' involved in this process is incalculable, and attempting to capture those sounds again is a bit like searching for a needle in several haystacks!" And yet the painstaking work paid off, as was evident after Matessino integrated the newly created synth tracks with the orchestra, resulting in the now complete score.

Julie Kirgo describes the score in her liner notes as a "sizzling mix of orchestral and synth effects: a potent cocktail..." Although a relatively brief score, it is jammed with '70s Goldsmith style action music that will make collectors swoon. Also included is an alternate version of "The Voyage Begins," scoring an action scene that was ultimately deleted from the film due to special effects issues.

The film stars George Peppard, Paul Winfield and Jan-Michael Vincent in a post-apocalyptic tale about a handful of rugged survivors making a cross-country trek from a California military base to the hoped-for sanctuary of Albany, New York. An all-out nuclear war has forced the Earth's access to tilt, unleashing untold horror onto the planet. It was the film Fox invested heavily in as their big summer film of 1977, not calculating the explosion that would accompany the release of Star Wars.

Here it is – another minor miracle in the business of releasing soundtracks, for Goldsmith fans the world over to rejoice in.

INTRADA Special Collection 396
Barcode: 7 20258 539601
Retail Price: $21.99
SHIPPING NOW
For track listing and sound samples, please visit:
http://store.intrada.com/s.nl/it.A/id.10839/.f

I don't think this can possibly be overstated (or repeated often enough), but just from the samples alone, everyone involved has done a sensational job. Leigh Phillips has outdone himself with recreating the synths, which in some cases I like even better than what was in the original electronic overdub. For instance, his work in the clip from "The Voyage Begins" is remarkably close to the original as well as seamless. The Moog synthesizer is perfectly matched with Jerry's original. Beyond that, one of the other things that I've also noticed is just how good Lionel Newman really was at conducting Jerry's scores. Along with Arthur Morton, it's hard not to sing his praises when you hear a full-blooded, amazing score such as this. The best part of all is that it's been restored and finally preserved for the future.

This is a soundtrack that I've wanted since I was an eight year-old boy. Thank you for making that dream a reality,

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Most Wanted: Moonraker - complete; Inside Moves (John Barry), Volunteers; The Hand; Brainstorm - complete (James Horner); MacArthur; Supergirl -expanded (Jerry Goldsmith).

Stuff likes this leaves me speechless.

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"I used to worry about losing my mind. Now that I've lost it I don't worry about it anymore." -Wavy Gravy

Question for either Roger or Doug....
Since y'all had the actual sketches and score for this, can you tell me if Goldsmith wrote on the score which voices he wanted the synths to play, or was it a case where he had the keyboardest fiddle around with his equipment while on the scoring stage until he hit on something that Goldsmith liked, then they just recorded it?

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I-love-Goldsmith, yes-I-do...
I-love-Ber-nard-Herr-mann-too! EVERYBODY SING!!!

WHOOPS! Never mind! I didn't realize that Leigh touched on that in the blurb above! Sorry about that!

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I-love-Goldsmith, yes-I-do...
I-love-Ber-nard-Herr-mann-too! EVERYBODY SING!!!

Both today's releases simply sum up how amazing Intrada really are, you always raise the bar above expectation.
A Waxman collection that took 13 years in the making & now we finally have Damnation Alley too & in stereo.
I sure would have loved to been a fly on that wall when this awesome discovery was made.
Bet Doug & Roger felt like Charlie Bucket when the remastering took place & that laser scanned the disc for the very first time.
Congratulations to all involved for all the hard work that went into making this grail & in my opinion the title of year even possible.

Best wishes to all at Intrada over the festive period.

Can't wait to return in 2018 to hear what other unearthed gems you have in store for us.

Incredible - never thought the day would arrive! December 5th should be renamed Damnation Alley day! Thank you so much to Intrada - Doug Fake and Roger Fielgelson, Mike Matessino, Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman. And finally the incredible Leigh Phillips for putting the missing piece in the puzzle and making the dream come true.

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Jason Needs
Webmaster, Jerry Goldsmith Online

Roger - might want to change the thread title in the 'official announcements' section. You put Alan Silvestri instead of Goldsmith

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Grail: ONE OF OUR DINOSAURS IS MISSING (Ron Goodwin)

I already said it on the other treat, but I'll chime in again: I'm so happy that my top of the top of holy grails has been finally released, I can't believe it, I'll just freak out!!!!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU so very much INTRADA!! You've showed once again a labor of such love and dedication. You are the SUPREME RULER of our SOUNDTRACK GALAXY!!

Fantastic release. I didn’t think we’d ever see this one. Thanks, Intrada.

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Karl Morton IV

"Enjoy every sandwich."
-- Warren Zevon

I've just listened to the CD about five times already (working on a sixth), and it's fascinating to compare Leigh Phillips' electronics with Jerry's original overlays for "A Different World" on the Varese release (titled "After the Holocaust"). And Phillips' synthesizers sound positively creepy on "Valley of Death" -- especially since the non-orchestral stems were previously covered up in the film by the scorpion shrieks and the rumble of Jan Michael Vincent's bike as he swooped and swerved his way around them. The sound is nothing short of terrific. Bravo, Mike Matessino.

"The Voyage Begins," "Valley of Death," and "Don't Bug Me" are my favorite segments of the score. Prime Goldsmith at his absolute best. But the whole thing is undeniably cool from start to finish. Never though I'd get to hear "The Desert" or "Refueling Stop" apart from the film.

Thanks again for making this possible everyone. Release of the year.

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Most Wanted: Moonraker - complete; Inside Moves (John Barry), Volunteers; The Hand; Brainstorm - complete (James Horner); MacArthur; Supergirl -expanded (Jerry Goldsmith).

Yesterday, Damnation Alley arrived at my home. It's apparently not a dream. I have not yet listened to it... but this is a score I wanted ever since I was a teen and started to listen to the music of Jerry Goldsmith.

Hearing this for the first time right now is like hearing a recently unearthed opera by Richard Strauss. Utterly indelible and distinctive, how was this not part of the pantheon all along? I would need to have been instructed that the synth elements were not canonical. Thank you, Intrada, words are inadequate. You’ve brought us Jerry from the absolute summit of his powers, down from the mountain.

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Randy Wilson
Dallas, TX