Director Stan Warnow has released his expanded Deluxe Edition of his award-winning documentary on his father, bandleader, composer and electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott.
The Deluxe Edition of Deconstructing Dad – The Music, Machines & Mystery Of Raymond Scott includes all the content from the original release, plus:
- A progress report on the Electronium restoration going on in Portland, Oregon by engineer Darren Davison. This includes views of the inner components of the machine and Davison explaining in some detail how things worked.
- An interview with John Cool, an electrical engineer who formed a company with Raymond Scott in the early 1970’s. The company was meant to manufacture some of my dad’s many ideas for music related electronic devices. He had fascinating tales to tell about Raymond Scott and the mixed results of their business venture, hosting him for Christmas and listening to him compose one tune after another instantly at the piano (kind of like the human Electronium).
- Directors Commentary by Stan Warnow.
Here’s a preview:
The Deluxe Edition is available for US $18; some copies of the original edition are also still available for $15.
If you don’t know who Scott is, leap on this. He’s one of our synth godfathers, hailed by people like Mark Mothersbaugh and Todd Rundgren as a major influence. YouTube him and check out his early jazz works, some of which you’ll recognize from Warner Brothers cartoons, which he reportedly never watched himself. He was born too early! An amazing composer, inventor and gifted weirdo.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=raymond+scott&sm=3
I love Raymond Scott’s music, so much more than modern EDM goofsters
I recently watched ‘Deconstructing Dad’ on dvd. It’s an absolute must for any fan of electronic music, as well as being fascinating re the history of popular music. It’s also deeply poignant. Highly recommended!