Tag Archives: John F McElroy

Audio Book Recording & Production

President George H W Bush, Mary Matalin… and Me

2 Comments
Mary Matalin, husband James Carville, along with the president and his Barbara in 2012

With the passing of President George H W Bush this weekend, allow me to tap the brakes just a second, and pause for some rather remarkable personal reflection.

Hired by AudioBook producer John F. McElroy in October 2013 to record Mary Matalin & James Carville’s “Love & War” for Penguin Audio in Manhattan, it fell on me to host James & Mary for a few weeks at the Airlift Productions Studios here in New Orleans.

That October morning Mary showed up to record –  and dressed to thrill – little did I know at first but, after the session, she was off to the French Quarter with hubby James for dinner and drinks with Bill Clinton!

Mary Matalin on-phone in the Bush Oval Office, along with Karl Rove and the “Think Tank”

Really.

Her tireless on-mic performance that day was really something… one bathroom break in four straight hours of recording.

Through that session Mary was a real firecracker!

LISTEN as she details her love for the president, while she vehemently defends a then-maligned one-term George Herbert Walker Bush at the Airlift microphones…

** Mary Matalin “Love & War” excerpt, courtesy Penguin Audio **

Yes, indeed, Mary, along with her kids, always called and referred to this president as “Poppy”. A term he enjoyed and relished.

And this recording was but Day 1!

In Mary’s subsequent Airlift recording sessions we had many a laugh and bonded, at least as much as an audio engineer and a highly-respected and quoted public figure can.

One of my favorite memories from those October days was Mary’s nickname for me – “Zen Master”.

Of course, the goatee I was sporting at the time, along with some of my coaching tips & philosophical ramblings, probably contributed to that cutesy moniker.

But what a thrill and honor it was for me to play a part, however small, in capturing this now-classic part of America’s oral history, with the audiobook recording of “Love & War”.

As Mary got her opportunity to set a few records straight, while shedding some light on the warm, genuine side of George Herbert Walker Bush that but few would ever really know.

Rest in Paradise, President Bush, and, on behalf of all of America, we thank you for your unending and tireless devotion and service to the USA.

The final words Mary had for me on her last day of recording as she walked to her car?

“Til next time, Zen Master!”

You got it, Mary.

In the meantime, tell James “Howdy” from Airlift Mike, the studio mics are always open to you… and let’s not make it too long until ‘next time’, OK?

************************************************************

JamesCarvilleRecordsAtAirliftProductionsNOLA
Airlift Productions Proprietor Micheal Ziants shoulder-to-shoulder with JAMES CARVILLE at the Airlift Studios

“I’ve been in studios from the Bayou to the Beltway and I can say after recording my last two audio books with Mike that there is no better place than Airlift Productions. The quality of the production, the studio, and frankly the comfort make it the only place I want to record now or in the future”​ ~JAMES CARVILLE, Political Commentator, Tulane Professor & Campaign Strategist behind the most dramatic political victories of our generation

****************************************************************

Airlift Productions – we’ll leave the mics hot… and the light on for you.

Airlift PROductions, telling America’s Greatest Stories from New Orleans since 1984

 

 

Audio Book Recording & Production

What Does John F McElroy Know That You Don’t?

Leave a comment
JohnFMcElroyRecordsWithAirliftProductionsNOLA
New York-based Award-Winning Audio Book Producer John F McElroy records with Airlift Mike at Airlift Productions

If a thirty second radio ad is a sprint, audio book recording would have to be the marathon.

To capture the spirit, essence & dedication of an author is without question a meticulous, pain-staking and arduous ( do you like these words? ) task.

With four Grammy awards on the shelf – for  Best Spoken Word (3X) as well as Best Comedy Album –  Audio Book producer John F. McElroy knows the task well.

John has personally worked with and recorded ( for hours on end ) Jon Stewart, Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Jason Alexander,  Stephen Colbert, along with scores of other notables.

And just imagine, if you can, working with, directing & producing President Bill Clinton through his personal reading of his triumphs & tribulations in the Grammy Award winning autobiography “My Life”.  I mean, really.

JamesCarvilleRecordsWithAirliftProductionsNOLA
James Carville Mouths-Off at Airlift Productions, New Orleans

Now, all that being said, Airlift Productions & I are honored and thrilled to count this guy among our clients. Together, hour after hour, John & I steered  James Carville through two entire audio book recordings.  “It’s the Middle Class, Stupid!” and “Love & War”, along with his lovely wife, Mary Matalin.

The amazing thing?  All of our work was conducted via Skype and a Symetrix phone patch. John & I have never personally met.  Similar to the set-up of a radio talk show host, we did all of this work, every second of every hour with John F. coaching and directing long distance from New York!

JamesCarvilleAndMaryMatalinRecordLoveAndWarAtAirliftProductionsQuite a remarkable feat.  Quite amazing sessions.  Quite a Marathon indeed.

Mr. McElroy, thanks for the vote of confidence, sir.  I’m certainly gratified to know that Airlift and I did not misplace your trust.

*************************************

“Micheal Ziants and I have worked on a number of celebrity productions together. He’s a cool head in tight spots, keeping the talent moving ahead happily.  He has a wealth of experience at the controls and behind the mic and knows what he can and can’t get–a valuable and rare sense of proportion. Working at Airlift remotely via Skype or phone patch is seamless. It’s like being in the next room.”

~ John F. McElroy, New York based Grammy Award winning Audio Book Producer                       

JamesCarvilleRecordsAtAirliftProductionsNOLA
Airlift Productions Proprietor Micheal Ziants shoulder-to-shoulder with JAMES CARVILLE at the Airlift Studios during the “It’s the Middle Class, Stupid!” sessions, 2012

                    To communicate is the beginning of understanding.

                                   Airlift Productions communicates.