'Treme' soundtrack, iTunes videos in the works
The music-themed drama should have a soundtrack out in time for the DVD release.
Music has been a huge part of "Treme."
The terrific 90-minute "Treme" finale airs Sunday night at 10 on HBO. I'll have a review up after it ends, as well as a long interview with "Treme" co-creator David Simon.
One of the things Simon and I discussed was plans for a "Treme" soundtrack album - which seems a natural, given that the show is about the jazz scene in New Orleans and features nearly as much music per episode as "Glee." More details after the jump...
"The soundtrack has been signed up and should be out before season two," Simon told me. "It's not certain, but right now they're looking to time it with the season one DVD release."
The soundtrack will be a mix of pre-recorded songs featured during various montages and over the closing credits and ones that characters on the show perform within the context of scenes.
"It'll probably have key performances, but not all," said Simon. "We're still going over the track list, how many tracks, and how to keep the price point down."
One of the in-character performances he's fighting to get in is the version of "Shame, Shame, Shame" that Steve Zahn's character Davis records as part of a satirical campaign for city council. Though only about a minute of the performance appeared on the show, they wrote and produced an entire new version of the song that Simon wants people to hear.
"There's actually a second verse that we edited out, which involved Barbara Bush and the Astrodome, with Zahn doing a Barbara Bush voice and then doing George W. talking to his mother. We cut out that monologue and second verse just for time on the episode, but the full version will be available, I hope, on the soundtrack."
And because the producers tried to keep most performances on the show around that minute mark (we'll go deeper into the reasons why on Sunday night), Simon wants fans to be able to see longer versions of other songs. So the production is also working to put full-length videos of several "Treme" performances up on iTunes.
"We videotaped about 10 performances in totality and shot them and edited them together. We're hoping to put those out on iTunes. We're negotiating right now as a separate download. One per episode to start. If there's demand for it, if it pleases people, we'll probably for second season have them up on iTunes (immediately). You watch an episode, you get a minute of music, and if you want the whole song, we'll have it for you.
"It was something we did on limited resources this time," he added, "but we managed to get it done. Those two things are separate initiatives. Nobody knows what kind of market there is for that kind of video. But a lot of New Orleans music is very visual."
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Login or create a HitFix account Login SignupGMan
June 18, 2010 at 10:58AM EST Reply to CommentDavid Simon, looking for revenue sources for his show? My lord he really has gone Hollywood.
Love to see this stuff do gangbusters and put money into New Orleans musicians pockets though. I've danced at the Maple Leaf on enough Tuesday's enough in my life to know they are deserving of the attention.
LJA
June 18, 2010 at 12:29PM EST Reply to CommentI think when a show uses music this well, the soundtrack should be embraced, not mocked.
Very happy to hear the news, even if we have to wait several months for it. The terrific Hung soundtrack comes out next week. http://hungsoundtrack.com/
sepinwall I don't believe GMan was mocking the soundtrack. Just having some fun about David Simon's outsider image.
June 18, 2010 at 12:39PM ESTJonV
June 18, 2010 at 12:39PM EST Reply to CommentI'm less interested in the show performances than maybe a track list of some of the songs that inspired the characters/any of the stuff Davis raves about. This show constantly sends me to itunes, and it'd be nice to have a compilation in one spot.
sepinwall HBO's Treme site does a great job of listing all the songs performed (including all the "live" stuff), and Dave Walker's blog fills in most of the gaps about songs and artists that Davis or Antoine talk about.
June 18, 2010 at 12:42PM ESTalan I agree! I sit with paper and pencil for every episode so I can write down artist names and tittles. After the show I go to I-Tunes. Great Music!
June 21, 2010 at 4:52PM EST
June 18, 2010 at 1:09PM EST Reply to CommentAlan, will your David Simon interview have any spoilers for 'The Wire'? LOVE 'Treme' so much that I plan on going back and watching all of 'The Wire' since I didn't watch when it aired. I just want to make sure I don't read the interview if there is a chance I can get spoiled.
Thanks!
sepinwall No. The Wire will be alluded to in spots, but no. This is us talking about Treme.
June 18, 2010 at 1:11PM EST
Awesome! Thanks for the quick reply.
June 18, 2010 at 4:33PM ESTTruck This is like going to a sports blog and asking they don't mention the outcome of the NBA finals.
June 18, 2010 at 5:09PM EST
I hope that you're not expecting The Wire to be the Treme of Baltimore. Just mentioning this because there were some fans of The Wire who were disappointed that Treme was so different from The Wire. Actually, if you haven't viewed Mad Men, I would suggest doing so. Treme, like Mad Men is not plot driven. Both revolve around the events and atmosphere of the time and how the characters are affected by them and interact with each other. Treme takes it one step further with its great music and ability to somehow feel that you are right there in the moment. On the other hand, Mad Men has a mysterious back story about which one can speculate.
June 18, 2010 at 5:16PM ESTJKChicago
June 18, 2010 at 2:28PM EST Reply to CommentThis is great news; the music on the show is incredible, and I agree with GMan that getting more revenue into the musicians' pockets is a good thing.
I'm just hoping Antoine and Annie's duet of "Ghost of a Chance" is on there. Such a lovely moment from the show.
Joe C.
June 18, 2010 at 4:47PM EST Reply to CommentThis is great news, I'm a big jazz fan but I want to get more well-versed in New Orleans stuff and this show offers a great sampling. And this news happily comes on the same day I get to see the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.
Truck
June 18, 2010 at 5:12PM EST Reply to CommentIf you all are aching for some New Orleans jazz, I suggest the recently released Preservation Hall Benefit Album. If you get it on Amazon it comes with 6 extra tracks, too - http://www.amazon.com/Preservation-Benefit-Outreach-Program-Version/dp/B003019LVU
(not an affiliate link, just a straight link to the Amazon)
J-rod
June 28, 2010 at 4:12AM EST Reply to CommentMore Galactic, please!