🎵 AotW Herb Alpert & TJB THE BRASS ARE COMIN' (A&M SP-4228)

Though this thread is nearly two decades old, I'm going to post this item here.

Looking through my 45s, I came upon a single of (1143) "You Are My Life" b/w "Good Morning, Mr. Sunshine". The label has a blurb on it about HAECO CSG on it, so when I did my needledrops of the Tijuana Brass mono singles, I ignored this one, and skipped to (1159) "Maltese Melody" b/w "Country Lake" as the final entry on that CD-R.

I was curious about the record as it had no CSG designation in the runout groove, so I plopped it on the turntable and found out that it's totally mono. The side A track, "You Are My Life" seems a bit more compressed than the stereo version, so I believe it to be a true dedicated mono mix. I did a pretty thorough comparison with the CSG stereo mix folded to mono, and the difference is quite noticeable. So I don't think it's a case of folded CSG, but a true mono mix.

I've attempted to update the entry in Discogs:

 
Seeing this old thread pop up, it was fun to go back and read my old review of this record. I would have to say my tastes have changed in almost 20 years -- I would put this one now more in the middle of the pack, I think. I've kind of gotten to where I can tolerate more of the TJB songs than used to.... The Lonely Bull and Volume 2 are still at the bottom of my list, favorites-wise, but I would put this one higher than Whipped Cream or South of the Border at this point. There are really only a couple songs that don't make me hit the Like button -- the title track and the ending tune. "Sunny" and "Moon River" are probably the next-least-favorites for me. The rest I would consider indispensable.

It would be really hard to pick a favorite album from the TJBs -- I have said frequently that Warm is my favorite, and I would probably still pick it, but some of the others have started to crowd it a little.
 
Since I've recently run this album through the PhaseBug de-CSG'er, it sounds a whole lot better to me, more in line with the rest of the TjB output. That uncomfortable phase-twisting is gone and it sounds normal now. I've listened to it a number of times since then and I enjoy it a lot more. It feels "opened-up" somehow.
 
Oh, my! Normally I align well with Mike on TjB matters, however, both Little Train and Sunny are my two favourites on a rather mediocre LP...by this time the Tijuana Taxi gas tank was on "E". I agree with Mike that LB and Vol. 2 are in the cellar -- though I spun Vol. 2 just before I boxed up my stereo 3 weeks ago and was surprised as to how much better it was relative to LB. In the cellar also reside Ninth and Christmas Album. WC is definitely better than all of those -- but SOTB is just beautiful and in a different league: from the shimmering trumpets to the exciting originals to inventive arrangements to the gorgeous full-bodied recording and to this day it remains my all-time fave HA LP.
 
^Agreed. "The Little Train of the Caipira" (aka "Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2") (aka "The Brass Are Comin'") is one of the highlights for me from the album. I also really like "Anna" and its complex rhythmic structure.
 
In addition to my nominee of "Mae" from a couple of years ago in this thread I'd like to put forth another one that gets no respect or love.

"The Brass Are Comin' (Little Train of Caipira)" was the title track to the album and the TV special. I've come to like this track a good bit more since being able to undo the nasty CSG processing in which the album was released. It just makes it so much more listenable.

And talk about no respect? Not a single track from this album made it to the big HERB ALPERT IS..., and this song has never been on any other anthology.

Here's the track with the CSG removed:

Do we know who the banjo player is?
 
Here are all of the names in the BRASS ARE COMIN' gatefold. I've sorted them by last name, then first name. The numbers on the left represent the column and then the row in which the name appears.
9​
12​
richardadams
10​
6​
darlynealden
10​
7​
candeeallen
9​
29​
cliffordallen
12​
1​
davealpert
11​
1​
rickarnold
9​
18​
rogerarrov
9​
17​
nealashton
7​
27​
kirkaxtell
7​
11​
johnaylesworth
3​
37​
billballard
3​
4​
philbarish
7​
32​
mikebarone
5​
16​
troybarret
3​
6​
rolandbartlett
7​
26​
vincebartold
5​
18​
sherwinbash
5​
34​
lloydbasham
7​
1​
freddiebass
5​
6​
thebass family
8​
14​
stewartbaumbatt
12​
6​
chuckbeeson
12​
7​
helenbehman
5​
10​
newtonbellis
5​
17​
jerrybenane
3​
16​
elizabethbennett
2​
9​
maxbennett
9​
26​
raymondbennett
6​
17​
texbennett
1​
14​
chuckberghofer
4​
30​
budberinghele
7​
6​
waltbiggeli
3​
21​
georgebirdno
1​
2​
robertblewett
4​
21​
harrybluestone
10​
27​
bartboatman
9​
31​
blakeboatman
5​
36​
bobboatman
10​
26​
brianboatman
4​
25​
samboghossian
5​
24​
tombono
5​
1​
jimmybooth
10​
31​
mayboss
10​
19​
buffbrady
8​
22​
patbrennan
6​
9​
billbreshears
7​
7​
berniebrillstein
10​
22​
fredbrookfield
10​
37​
fredbrookfield
9​
16​
alanbrown
7​
2​
charliebrown
6​
24​
donaldbrown
5​
25​
ellenbrown
3​
11​
jerrybrown
9​
30​
howardbruner
2​
4​
donbuccola
9​
3​
cindybuffo
9​
4​
davidbuffo
9​
5​
jimbuffo
8​
16​
sonnyburman
10​
11​
sueburnett
5​
23​
jackburns
5​
30​
kevincarlisle
5​
27​
robertcarlton
8​
8​
robertcarroll
10​
5​
fleurettecarter
3​
22​
jimcarter
9​
8​
chickcasey
4​
15​
nickceroli
6​
3​
juleschaikin
6​
21​
raychandler
1​
7​
billchapman
3​
8​
geraldcheshire
3​
34​
mikechickey
6​
5​
buddychilders
10​
16​
chuckchism
10​
14​
cherylchristianson
7​
9​
peterchristopher
6​
8​
genecipriano
1​
12​
michelecolombier
6​
18​
johncompton
4​
34​
robertconnolly
3​
19​
jimcook
3​
30​
raymond i.cook
8​
34​
nettacooney
5​
35​
paulcooper
3​
10​
henrycraig
10​
23​
lynncrawford
4​
2​
jamiecree
4​
19​
coleencreedon
10​
2​
gailcrowfoot
9​
32​
leonardcrowfoot
3​
9​
johncurtis
1​
10​
billdavis
5​
2​
wesdawn
8​
32​
frankde luna
2​
1​
*jimdecker
5​
5​
johndemars
2​
20​
aldinkin
7​
10​
pauldiyorio
4​
22​
bonniedouglas
5​
9​
patduffy
9​
34​
waynedugger
11​
20​
irisdugow
8​
25​
howardduhamel
4​
7​
daveduke
3​
33​
dickdurant
7​
14​
loweldusek
8​
13​
richarddye
2​
13​
billearl
9​
33​
dennisedenfield
2​
12​
bobedmondson
4​
33​
josephedwards
11​
13​
normanedwards
1​
4​
hectorelliott
3​
7​
richardendch
7​
22​
edengoron
6​
22​
leonardenowakowski
10​
32​
jeanieepper
11​
8​
tonyepper
3​
17​
carlerickson
5​
31​
geneestes
11​
9​
dickfarnsworth
4​
23​
henryferber
7​
34​
berniefleischer
6​
23​
michaelforbes
5​
13​
jimfox
9​
24​
johnfrayer
7​
13​
robertfredericks
4​
1​
*franfreedman
11​
21​
gilfriesen
5​
15​
raulgarcia
12​
10​
myrnagarland
10​
33​
donagarrett
8​
29​
dickgaskins
2​
6​
mannygershman
6​
11​
jimmygetzoff
8​
7​
paulgilbert
5​
22​
jimgina
2​
3​
albertglasser
1​
5​
tomgleason
9​
13​
brettgold
9​
9​
dangoosen
9​
11​
larrygoosen
9​
10​
patgoosen
12​
2​
douggordon
7​
8​
tedgordon
4​
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cathygotthofer
9​
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inagould
6​
7​
billgreen
7​
35​
jimgreen
7​
24​
frankgriffin
8​
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haroldgrist
3​
28​
berniegrundman
4​
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davegrushin
10​
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linisguiness
8​
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bettegumm
3​
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webberhall
5​
11​
johnhalliday
3​
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billharbach
9​
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paulharper
8​
3​
alanharshman
7​
16​
dickharwood
6​
36​
bobhatfield
8​
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benhaugen
11​
3​
charleshayward
7​
5​
deanhekkers
5​
14​
mikehekkers
10​
1​
cherylhenry
3​
15​
wesleyhewson
8​
27​
c. l.hixson
7​
4​
barryhoward
2​
11​
paulhubinon
9​
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murphyjames
8​
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bernicejansen
8​
12​
gradyjenkins
1​
8​
brigitjensen
7​
17​
virginiajohns
10​
30​
rosemaryjohnson
7​
28​
henriettajordan
7​
12​
donkalani
4​
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tonnikalash
3​
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martykalina
4​
8​
eddiekaram
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georgekast
1​
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carolkaye
2​
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raykelley
3​
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joeklassen
6​
2​
herbklynn
6​
13​
mirankodjian
4​
24​
varoujankodjian
9​
2​
mariakorda
6​
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raykramer
9​
7​
howardkrieger
1​
3​
edwardkriss
2​
7​
marvinlaird
9​
22​
florencelake
7​
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kenlamkin
8​
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dianelara
11​
11​
waltlarue
6​
27​
davelawrence
6​
20​
robertlemmes
4​
14​
larrylevine
12​
11​
arlenelewis
10​
10​
kimberlylimb
6​
32​
j.d.lobve
12​
4​
carolloftin
6​
6​
charlieloper
7​
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samlovullo
5​
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ethellow
4​
11​
lloydluhman
6​
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genelukas
4​
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edlustgarten
11​
19​
tomlutz
4​
5​
hughmac craken
6​
29​
billmacelvey
2​
18​
lenmalarsky
2​
10​
isidoremankovsky
2​
2​
anitamann
4​
12​
robertmanrique
1​
9​
sammartella
6​
35​
jaymasters
6​
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jamesmatthews
11​
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stanleymazin
4​
35​
cacilmc clendon
3​
32​
travismc culley
7​
3​
petemc guire
5​
3​
robinmc millan
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ronmc millan
12​
9​
jimmccrary
10​
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genemclaughlin
4​
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rushmeadows
11​
12​
dawnmichaels
4​
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louismiller
12​
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normmitchell
7​
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olliemitchell
4​
6​
joemondrogon
12​
3​
salmonte
2​
14​
lannymorgan
11​
16​
jamesmorski
7​
23​
ralphmullens
12​
12​
carolannmunoz
11​
7​
erwinneal
7​
20​
danneufeld
6​
10​
ernoneufeld
8​
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maceneufeld
6​
14​
gareynutteycombe
7​
37​
billnuttycombe
11​
4​
chucko'brien
10​
15​
mariso'neill
8​
11​
martinosler
8​
9​
rayoverman, jr.
7​
19​
frankowens
6​
16​
loupagani
3​
26​
jimparker
4​
32​
charlespayne
3​
5​
richardpayne
5​
21​
frankpeppiatt
7​
21​
dickperissi
7​
33​
billperkins
11​
10​
jackperkins
5​
4​
genepetrillo
6​
28​
webbphillips
8​
5​
johnpisano
3​
18​
paulpiscano
8​
23​
larrypitts
4​
31​
engelspolen
10​
13​
mickipollack
9​
14​
jimpollard
7​
30​
joeporcaro
6​
30​
joshportugal
8​
30​
harrypreismeier
9​
21​
janosprohaska
10​
36​
glennrandall, jr.
10​
18​
larryrandels
4​
16​
joeravetz
6​
37​
kenreed
10​
21​
bluereinhardt
2​
17​
jerryreisler
4​
28​
clifford e.renfro
6​
4​
emilrichards
3​
2​
henryritter
5​
33​
alanrobinson
6​
34​
parkerroe
3​
25​
salrose
6​
1​
glenrosecranz
11​
18​
larryroslaw
5​
37​
bobross
8​
2​
nateross
5​
12​
charlesroup
9​
27​
johnruppert
7​
29​
leonrussell
8​
1​
ambroserusso
1​
6​
perryschaub
11​
17​
jeromescott
11​
2​
walterscott
7​
15​
rickseibert
5​
7​
bobseidenglanz
3​
1​
*patsenatore
8​
4​
fredseykora
10​
34​
billshannon
9​
36​
jetsharon
10​
20​
jimmyshepard
11​
6​
jimsheppard
7​
36​
paulshure
10​
35​
roysickner
9​
20​
gilbertsimpson
4​
13​
joesiracusa
4​
10​
robertsmawley
10​
25​
andysmith
10​
24​
sherylsmith
9​
25​
oscarsobron
3​
27​
philsorkin
9​
6​
billsorrells
2​
19​
marshallsosson
9​
23​
dickspangler
3​
14​
haroldspry
6​
33​
garystanton
8​
26​
charlesstark
3​
12​
mauricestein
9​
1​
carolynstellar
5​
32​
sheridanstokes
4​
3​
edsunley
4​
18​
ernietack
8​
28​
loutancredi
1​
11​
lucilletaylor
2​
8​
jacktenhoor
10​
12​
robertstennis
11​
14​
bobthompson
6​
19​
richardthorpe
9​
28​
jerrytrent
9​
37​
pattitribble
10​
29​
jilltubbs
10​
28​
judytubbs
10​
3​
nannetteeturner
3​
3​
tedvanderstaay
8​
6​
ronaldvandervourt
1​
1​
*nickvanoff
8​
15​
richardvelarde
2​
5​
aimevereecke
4​
9​
ricardovettraino
2​
16​
gerrivinci
10​
8​
lanettawalgreen
8​
31​
waltwalker
5​
19​
a. erlewaltman
5​
20​
ronald e.waltman
2​
15​
jimwashburn
8​
21​
tedwatson
8​
20​
edwestlake
3​
13​
carriewhite
11​
5​
georgewilbur
12​
5​
judywilliams
8​
10​
roywilliams
4​
17​
stuwilliamson
5​
26​
bobwinters
8​
24​
halwitby, jr.
4​
29​
lesliewood
3​
29​
claudewoolf
3​
36​
haroldwright
3​
35​
georgeyanok
10​
4​
adeleyoshiaka
5​
8​
johnyowarski, sr.
5​
29​
eilishzabrasky
6​
25​
charleszeglinski
 
That list is a little odd....Herb says in the liner notes that he'd like to thank all the people who helped get him to this point, or words to that effect. I'd looked at it before in the album cover but the alphabetization reveals a couple of glaring omissions. All of the members of the TJB are listed, but Jerry Moss is not, even though he's Herb's business partner and co-produced all the albums. Nor is Julius Wechter, who was a huge part of the TJB sound despite not being a band member. Carol Kaye (bassist) and Leon Russell (keyboards) are there, but Hal Blaine (drums) is not -- all of them played on the early TJB albums. Larry Levine (engineer on all the TJB albums) is there, but Ted Keep (sound guy who provided the iconic bullfight sound on "The Lonely Bull") is not.

Just makes me wonder what the "qualifications" were to make it onto the list.

Given all the various people on the Corner who are in the know and/or have been closer to Herb, I wonder how many of those names we could fill in as to what their connection to Herb was. It'd be an interesting project.
 
And a few of those names were. or became, famous elsewhere in their careers. For example, Janos Prohaska was famous in scifi circles for his monster portayals in both STAR TREK and THE OUTER LIMITS. Mace Neufeld became producer of many of the Jack Ryan films along with THE OMEN series.
 
I also noticed Joe Porcaro on the list, who was a keyboardist (I believe) and did film scores, and had a lot of famous musical offspring, all of whom were members of Toto at one time or another.
 
And a few of those names were. or became, famous elsewhere in their careers. For example, Janos Prohaska was famous in scifi circles for his monster portayals in both STAR TREK and THE OUTER LIMITS. Mace Neufeld became producer of many of the Jack Ryan films along with THE OMEN series.
Janos was also the guy inside the Cookie Bear suit on The Andy Williams Show.

download.jpg
 
Just re-reading Herb's text on the Brass Are Comin' gatefold, I wonder if Herb was figuring this would be the '"last ride" of the TJB, hence the big list. Of course Summertime came later but that album probably wasn't really planned when TBAC was made.
 
That list is a little odd....Herb says in the liner notes that he'd like to thank all the people who helped get him to this point, or words to that effect. I'd looked at it before in the album cover but the alphabetization reveals a couple of glaring omissions. All of the members of the TJB are listed, but Jerry Moss is not, even though he's Herb's business partner and co-produced all the albums. Nor is Julius Wechter, who was a huge part of the TJB sound despite not being a band member. Carol Kaye (bassist) and Leon Russell (keyboards) are there, but Hal Blaine (drums) is not -- all of them played on the early TJB albums. Larry Levine (engineer on all the TJB albums) is there, but Ted Keep (sound guy who provided the iconic bullfight sound on "The Lonely Bull") is not.
Thanks, Mike. I perused the list to see if any names (or omissions) jumped out at me. Aside your list -- to which I'd add Gil Friesen -- I haven't a clue as to who any of these people are. As for key omissions: Dolores Erickson and Peter Whorf immediately come to mind as does Bud Coleman. I see Lani Hall isn't there 😬...but Sharon Mae ain't either -- so there's that.
 
Except for the possibility that some people were simply forgotten, it appears that the A & M people and employees seem to be left out. As mentioned earlier both Jerry Moss, Gil Friesen and also their first employee Jolene Burton are missing from the list.

- greetings from the north -
Martin
 
I read the thank you note as Herb saying he got to do all those things that he wanted (cowboy, trumpet player, be surrounded by pretty girls on the beach, have his own tv special)---on this particular TV special. So the list is probably everyone who participated in some way on the special.

If there's a copy of the TV special clean enough to read the credits, I'd suggest seeing how well they match up with the list.
 
If there's a copy of the TV special clean enough to read the credits, I'd suggest seeing how well they match up with the list.
That's a good idea and would surely catch some of the names, but the special was also back in the era when TV and movie credits were not the lengthy affair they've become.
 
It was a bit of a struggle to read the yellow credits on the seashore background but here's what I found:

Executive Producers Nick Vanoff and William O. Harbach
Produced by Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth
Directed by Bill Davis
Written by Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth
Jack Burns and George Yanok
Associate Producer George Lovullo
Choreography Kevin Carlisle
Art Director Edward Engoron
Musical Director Herb Alpert
Additional Music Arranged and Conducted
"You Are My Life" by Dave Grusin
"Sea Is My Soil" Orchestrated by Shorty Rogers
"Walk Through The World" by Michel Colombier
Associate Director Dick Harwood
Production Assistant Fran Friedman
Costume Designer Bob Carlton
Assistant To The Producers Ellen Brown, Brigit Jensen, Paul Cooper
Assistant To The Choreographer Anita Mann
Make-up Frank Griffin
Stage Managers Don Buccola, Robert Smawley
Lighting Director Bob Boatman
Technical Director Ken Lamkin
Set Decoration Kirk Axtell, Ray Cook
Mr. Alpert's Wardrobe by Mr. Guy
Audio Jack Ten Hoor
Concert Engineer Larry Levine
Film Facilities Isidore Mankofsky
Tape Technicians Bill Breshears
Video Howard Duhamel
Video Tape Editors Jerry Greene, Jack Calaway
Production Supervision Jim Washburn
Still Photography Jim McCrary
Animation Sequences by Format Productions, Inc.
Videotape Facilities by Hollywood Video Center
Lighting Facilities by Acey Decy
Produced at A&M Studio by TJB Productions
in association with Threestreet Produtions
Copyright MCMLXIX
 
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It was a bit of a struggle to read the yellow credits on the seashore background but here's what I found:

Executive Producers Nick Vanoff and William O. Harbach
Produced by Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth
Directed by Bill Davis
Written by Frank Peppiatt and John Aylesworth
Jack Burns and George Yanok
Associate Producer George Lovullo
Choreography Kevin Carlisle
Art Director Edward Engoron
Musical Director Herb Alpert
Additional Music Arranged and Conducted
"You Are My Life" by Dave Grusin
"Sea Is My Soil" Orchestrated by Shorty Rogers
"Walk Through The World" by Michel Colombier
Associate Director Dick Harwood
Production Assistant Fran Friedman
Costume Designer Bob Carlton
Assistant To The Producers Ellen Brown, Brigit Jensen, Paul Cooper
Assistant To The Choreagrapher Anita Mann
Make-up Frank Griffin
Stage Managers Don Buccola, Robert Smawley
Lighting Director Bob Boatman
Technical Director Ken Lamkin
Set Decoration Kirk Axtell, Ray Cook
Mr. Alpert's Wardrobe by Mr. Guy
Audio Jack Ten Hoor
Concert Engineer Larry Levine
Film Facilities Isidore Mankofsky
Tape Technicians Bill Breshears
Video Howard Duhamel
Video Tape Editors Jerry Greene, Jack Calaway
Production Supervision Jim Washburn
Still Photography Jim McCrary
Animation Sequences by Format Productions, Inc.
Videotape Facilities by Hollywood Video Center
Lighting Facilities by Acey Decy
Produced at A&M Studio by TJB Productions
in association with Threestreet Produtions
Copyright MCMLXIX
So a lot of folks had to have worked on that hour who didn’t get screen credit. Perhaps that’s the list of folks on the album (Spitballing—-only Herb could tell us).
 
Aside your list -- to which I'd add Gil Friesen -- I haven't a clue as to who any of these people are.
Apologies fellas: my sentence was misleading. My intentions were to state that in addition to all the people Mike identified as being present on the list, I also identified Gil's name.

In any event, I wonder if they all also received personally signed LPs?
 
He told me on the last day of shooting they told everyone in the production to put their name on the sheet on the clipboard near the craft services (lunch break) area for the credits. So that's what he did. He thought it was going to be screen credit but turned out to be liner note credit. He also said it was a fun shoot and Herb was a nice guy, but seemed stressed at the time. Not surprising knowing what was happening or about to happen in Herb's personal life.

--Mr Bill
 
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