Behind the "Unwigged" DVD: "It shouldn't be a surprise how well they play, but for most fans it is a revelation"

NOTE: Tom Roche was the editor on "Space Ghost Coast to Coast," the cartoon parody that was the basis of what eventually became known as Cartoon Network's late night entertainment block, Adult Swim. He works for a major post-production video operation in Atlanta and is an all-around good guy. Tom shared with me in May that he'd approached Harry Shearer about making a DVD of the "Unwigged and Unplugged" tour. Read my interview with Harry here. Sorry, Tom, this is the only picture I can find of you! (Athens, April '09) --AB

When I saw this show at the Fox in Atlanta — never dreaming I’d later be connected with it — I had a marvelous time start to finish. First, these guys have advanced degrees in the science of comedy. The trio are the grand dames of improv, having seen and done it all. There is effortless precision in all they do, and they can go off script and back so deftly.

This precision carries over to their musical chops. It should not be a surprise how well they play, but for most fans it is a revelation. And then comes the songwriting — multi-genre satire both brutal and gentle. They have over time amassed a wonderful songbook that should (by all rights) be mismatched and  incongruous. Instead, all flows seamlessly from song to song in the “unwigged” setting.

They are spoofing heavy metal as always, and now they spoof the “unplugged” concept at the same time. So all the wonderfully abysmal Spinal Tap lyrics, usually difficult to discern, are left naked in the cornfield.

They are spoofing folk, of course, with the “A Mighty Wind” material — while spoofing themselves pretending to be characters in a film who they are not really (but on some level really are).

Now, factor in the gentle mocking of over-earnest dinner theatre stylings from “Guffman” and a surprising aptitude in yet another odd subgenre: 1960s dippy mysticism from Spinal Tap’s supposed early years as The Thamesmen, The Originals, The New Originals, etc., etc., and you have a mashup that is ultimately simply unique.

**

After doing other concert DVDs, I was surprised how they just wanted the show left alone. When I edited Jim Gabour’s live switch of “Norah Jones Live in New Orleans” for that DVD, Capitol Records wanted the ninth song third, the fourth song second, this joke cut, this space pulled up, and on and on. These guys wanted their Milwaukee tour-ending show presented on DVD it as was, just how the show ran, no pull-ups, no nothing. There were two tiny trims of less than five seconds for little sound burps, but that was it.

That’s why the Lego thing was especially annoying, because we’re having to present something slightly less than pure — all thanks to lawyerly interference.

Also, we’re in this HD world and here they were, with little if any makeup, just as they are, in street clothes and simple functional stage setup. Very un-Hollywood — but with expert lighting, I’ll grant you that.

Let me note that as editor my task is to tighten up the live switch, and with Norah there wasn’t a lot, as Jim is so skillful in the director’s seat. But with “Unwigged” it is three guys, trading line/line/line in a song, and no human could keep up the shot precision over two hours. So Jim and I really dove in and with full recordings of all eight HD cameras at our disposal we nailed the coverage. The editing is extremely precise, yet special care was taken for comedic timing, too (thank you Space Ghost).

We were gratified to have very few revision notes after the rough cut went out and to realize that the production team had indeed been precisely in sync with what they were trying to do across the two-plus-hour, thirty-five-cut show.

Sitting in the production truck the night of the taping was very exciting and cool, yet I felt I missed the electricity and audience camaraderie I felt in Atlanta when I was just a fan in the 15th row. So our goal in the post-production process was to make sure the concert video had the same infectious fun the Milwaukee audience experienced live, and I do think we — and certainly Guest, McKean, and Shearer — have succeeded.