Michael A. Levine

Detours remains the greatest TV show you never saw: 39 completed episodes that Disney has sat on since deciding that they weren't going to air anything that poked merciless, if hilarious, fun at something they'd just paid 4 billion dollars for.

However, this is the real deal, from Star Wars Detours days, director Todd Grimes on the right, bald composer on the left, and some guy named George in the middle.

Because it's May 4 (as in May the Fourth Be With You) I see a bunch of clever photoshopped and AI-ed images involving folks from the Star Wars series, plus a few who were never there but it's fun to think of them as such (i.e. Audrey Hepburn as Princess Leia is my fave so far.)

Polly is on a new show that began airing this week - The Company You Keep. And Nat's new show, The Consultant, began airing last night. In this article they say, "He's back." I say, "He never left." @natandalex

During Christmas break, the record company and network wanted them to tour to capitalize on their exploding fame but Polly said, "No, the kids have been working hard since last Summer - we're going to take a family vacation instead."

I've known Nat Wolff since he was six years old. Not just an excellent actor and an outstanding musician and songwriter, but a lovely person as well. (As is his brother, Alex.) @natandalex hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features… via @thr

It was great fun. Smart class, good questions. I had to pace my usual rambling to leave room for the translator to do his job although a lot of the students spoke English fluently. Thanks to Nancy Li for organizing it.

It's not everyday you get a signed - with a heart and framed - letter from Jackie Chan in the mail. This was a "thank-you" for teaching a class at his institute in China - via the web, of course!

Michael played guitar, bass, sampler, and synth. I played electric violin and we both sang. Michael actually had a much better voice but, for some reason preferred me to sing lead. youtube.com/watch?v=VI0R3e…

We recorded it in my loft on 38th St. in late 1985 or early 1986 under the name 221B. (Sherlock Holmes reference). Sadly, Michael died later that year.

Beth Rudetsky, sister of my one-time writing and producing partner, Michael Rudetsky, posted this today in honor of the green comet that's flying past Earth right now in its once in 50,000 year orbit.

Here's Caterina doing something most singers could only dream of doing. BTW, the backing track was canned -the band is play synching- and the background vocalists are all Caterina, making use of that then-new technology: multi-tracking. However, the lead vocal is live, one take.

Wishing a happy 91st birthday to our friend, Caterina Valente. This video is one of the most virtuosic vocal performances I've ever heard. (Yes, I've posted it before but tough.)

A review of 75-year-young Irene Michaels' Hush Money/Devil In Disguise house music single produced by Joe Smooth which I remixed. Gotta a nice shout-out in this article. sleepingbagstudios.ca/joe-smooth-ire…

Marina, who has family in both Russia and Ukraine, has understandably had a tough time these last months. My heart goes out to her and her family.

Though the words are a bit like a love-gone-wrong song, they were intended to be a metaphor for the betrayal of the Russian people by its leaders. It is even more apt now than when we wrote it.

Extraordinary Russian singer/songwriter Marina V. contacted me today and reminded me of "Darker than Midnight", the song we did for Samira Goetschel's film City 40. youtube.com/watch?v=juKMYS…