Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Lullaby for the Hearts of Space

Lullaby for the Hearts of Space is being restored and will be re-released. All the original tape masters and safety copies of this piece had disintegrated due to a faulty emulsion formula on Ampex 456. (You recording engineers know what I’m talking about…) Even after a tried-and-mostly-true remedy of baking the tape, there just wasn’t enough oxide left. I contacted Stephen Hill at Hearts of Space to see if he had a copy somewhere. He was gracious enough to invite me to his storage space where we sifted through many years of tapes. It was like revisiting a past life for both of us, I think. We found a (3rd generation?) copy! There are many issues to solve and it’s like restoring and old film frame by frame.

It is a classic not only in terms of Spacemusic but in live analog synthesis. I’ve been getting many requests for its release not the least of whom is Serge Tcherepnin who told me it was his favorite piece that was done on the Serge Modular Music System.

43 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow. I just assumed that was out on CD. Is HOS putting it out or are you doing it privately?

Kevin Fortune said...

That you John?
No, Lullaby was released only on cassette. It has yet to be determined who will release it.

Brett in Sydney said...

This is great news. I copied my tape to CDR almost 10 years ago, but I'm really looking forward to a newly mastered released on CD and maybe some more music in the future?

Regards,
Brett.

Lance said...

As one of your pesky fans who has bugged you over the years to release this on CD or digital format, I'm really happy to hear that the release is in the works. Then we can talk about Perelandra ...

Carbon111 said...

Great news that you found a copy! Looking forward to being able to get it on CD.

That old tape was disastrous stuff - shame that CDs may not be any better for long-term archival purposes. :(

Rob Carpenter said...

Awesome... I can't wait to get a copy. Have you talked to Hilltop Frog yet, perhaps he's got a dist. channel connection...

Hey, we miss you down here in the Bay Area... when you coming back down?

Hmmm... What a curious way to communicate...

Yours,
Rob

Anonymous said...

Any updates on release dates? I can't wait. I may buy 2 or 3 for friends!

Anonymous said...

I love Galaxies. By far your best work! I isten to it all the time. I find it uplifting when I am down. If i ever make my dream movie, i will hire you, jonn Serrie and oldman. Great stuff

Anonymous said...

I'm actually listening to the title track now which I recently found and downloaded ... Absolutely BEAUTIFUL stuff, dude! :-)

charliemexico said...

Hi Kevin and everybody
Greetings from Mexico City
I just can’t wait more to get a “Lullaby for the Hearts of Space” copy…
At this moment I’m listening two of your masterpieces: Desert Walkabout (Desert Spaces 1990 with Steve Roach) and Forgivness (Secret Rooms 1991), and Kevin, You'll always be my pass to the world of the unknown, where the senses only exist… Thank’s Kevin for make my life more musical and sensitive. carlostorresp@prodigy.net.mx

charliemexico said...

Hi Kevin and everybody
Greetings from Mexico City
I just can’t wait more to get a “Lullaby for the Hearts of Space” copy…
At this moment I’m listening two of your masterpieces: Desert Walkabout (Desert Spaces 1990 with Steve Roach) and Forgivness (Secret Rooms 1991), and Kevin, You'll always be my pass to the world of the unknown, where the senses only exist… Thank’s Kevin for make my life more musical and sensitive. carlostorresp@prodigy.net.mx

Anonymous said...

Dude, what's the deal? Don't you get it? People really liked lullaby and want to buy it. I've been searching for this for YEARS since my tape died. How hard can it be to put a digital copy out there so people can buy it!

Anonymous said...

IS there a program listing anywhere for Lullaby?

Lance said...

So, it's almost 2 years since you teased us with the catnip that LFTHOS would be re-released...and so far ... nada. How about an progress update. We're not getting any younger. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like the natives are getting restless.

And I'm one of 'em.

Hope all is going well with the restore of LFTHOS, Kevin. I'm still going through 'After I Said Goodnight' withdrawls over here.

Anonymous said...

Hi All!
"Lullaby" was restored over a year ago and while I had wanted to put this out myself, I unfortunately had some prohibitive medical bills and it stalled. I'm in talks with potential distributors and I'd like to see this old classic get to you as soon as it can. Thanks everyone for your continued interest! I'll keep you posted.

Anonymous said...

Kevin ,

I'm 61 now and have been searching for the Lullabys piece for a lifetime.

I used to SELL YOUR MUSIC at a new age hair salon I owned in the 70's/90's.

Eugene Champs hair design, in Thousand Oaks CA

I let my cassette copt go as I took it for granted I'd be able to get a better copy on Disk!

PLEASE....Thanx
Hope your medical foray is subsided.... .... I know what its like ... 'Bells' here Yikes

Anonymous said...

Ok, so I've given up on buying lullaby, but if it's been restored, is it available for free download somewhere while you are looking for distributors?

Anonymous said...

Ummm Kevin maybe you should just release this via internet download. You have a bunch of people wanting to buy, including myself. I have a cassette, but my player has recently damaged it. I guess I will take it to a place to get it converted to CD(if they can salvage it).

Peter said...

After I Said Goodnight is on itunes.

Darren Bergstein said...

Hi Kevin:

Having recently been given a beautifully replicated copy of the original cassette tape from a good musician friend of mine (who lovingly transferred it to CDR), I was finally able to experience firsthand this amazing recording, the only one of yours I do not own on CD. If you are having *any* issues with finding a good original 'master', I have in my possession a cassette in excellent condition, which was used to make the dub. This really is something you should very seriously considering reissuing on CD or high-quality CDR. Feel free to get in touch to discuss the possibility of reissuing this seminal recording. (thousand pulses@verizon.net)

Lance said...

Darren, You aren't kidding when you say "seminal". Thoughtful music doesn't get any better than this one. I transfered my cassette version to digital a few years ago, but I'll bet that a studio conversion would be even better.

Anonymous said...

I continuously revert back to this site with the hope of an announcement of this being released on CD. One of my all time favorite ambient releases.

Scott A. Ruof

Martin Benoit said...

Great, I am still listening to my original cassette. Radio-Canada used it for so many years in the early 80 to start the night programming. That is how I discovered it. Can't wait for a digital version. Thank you.

efields said...

Yes We all await a Digital copy of Our Favorite Piece.

Egor said...

Digital version would be a great gift to us. Can't wait! Thank you, Kevin Braheny!

Will Leben said...

It's uplifting to read how many fans this piece has, who have held on for all this time.

The fan list is as eternal as the music itself. Add me to the list!

Will Leben said...

Eureka! Download from mp3mixx.com. I'm not an expert, but it looks legal.

Lance said...

Hi. mp3mixx.com is a Russian site. While it may be cheap, it is not legal. Always remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is. Artists are not sent royalties when using these kinds of sites.

Anonymous said...

Well, this is the only place I can find to comment on this but after years of searching through junk I found both the original cassette and original tape from 1980 containing "Lullaby..." and "When I Said Goodnight" with the wrong times listed and the original silver stickers and everything.

The cassette insert graphics arent the purple ones Ive seen but a black and white pic of Kevin at the Serge playing sax.

So... I don't know if after all these many years Kevin will really re-release this masterpiece of the genre but... I wonder at the rarity of what I hold in my hands.

Im posting anonymous but will watch this page for any feedback, reactions etc.. Wish I could post some pics!

Brett in Sydney said...

In response to the last comment, you can see/contribute pics here: http://www.discogs.com/Kevin-Braheny-Lullaby/release/776025

Wow it's been five years since I first commented on this re-release! I guess it's not happening :(

Unknown said...

Yep, sure seems that way. Can't imagine why.

Unknown said...

Kevin...can't wait to get the cd version of Lullaby. it's the only one of yours I don't have on cd. I have it on cassette but it's in mint cond & i don't want to risk screwing it up. Since the 80's, i've followed you, Steve Roach, David Lange, Jonn Serrie, Constance Demby, Michael Stearns and more, and have both cassette and cd's of all of you. I miss Lullaby."After I Said Goodnight" is my fav on headphones. Well. hell...all of yours and the others are best on headphones. I still have the Perelandra version on cassette in mint cond. Please put me on the list to buy Lullaby when it's out. thank you and God bless you & your talent.

Selene Kumin Vega said...

Add me to the list of those wanting this recording! I have used this piece consistently for my movement explorations teaching since it first came out (I was an avid listener and dancer to the original KPFA Music from the Hearts of Space), and the MP3 that I made from my cassette of the original is flawed. I am sad every time I provide the list of music for my students and must put next to this one "unavailable." My best wishes to you on finding a way to rerelease this, so that others may be touched and moved by this music. Thank you for your work, Kevin!

Unknown said...

Kevin, any chance you letting us know why the continued delay, or cancellation, of this project? You've made a couple of announcements over time that this project was a go yet, nothing. If you have indeed decided to trash this project its unfortunate. Marin County Hot Tub-music will always have a hole in it without this release on CD.

Anonymous said...

I continuously revert back to this site with the hope of an announcement of this being released on CD. One of my all time favorite ambient releases.

Scott A. Ruof

Anonymous said...

Fan of Polish
Lullaby fot the Hearts of Space. Obliged to release on CD. The album of all time and placed in top ten best discs of electronic music. Kevin very please, please release on CD.

efields said...

Yes Please

Anonymous said...

Hello, is there any way I can just hear it again? Even a snippet?

Lance said...

if you google the title, you will find various places where a digital copy exists. Go for it. Not sure why but Kevin has not been forthcoming. I'm sure if he could that he would.

Anonymous said...

"Lullaby for the Hearts of Space" . What happens with this wonderful recording. When it will be released on CD

Mitch said...

You can listen to a portion of Lullaby if you access Program 101 from Hearts of Space. It's fantastic music. I've looked for it for years.

Anonymous said...

The CD has been out for more than a year and it's great

Pretty sure the thank yous from various demanding fans posting above are imminent