ABOUT SILLY MUSIC

In 2001, I spent more than six months working away from home; three in Australia (I live in Los Angeles). I had three children at that time ranging from 6 to 11years old, not to mention a wife, a dog, two turtles, tropical fish, a snake and an irresistably adorable flop-eared rabbit named Floppy. They all missed me, and my wife hated me. This was an unacceptable situation.

My primary profession is in film and television. I’m a director. Sure, it’s a great job and I love it. Plus, it starts with “d” and ends with a “ctor,” just like doctor. (Only if I mess up, nobody dies.) No insurance forms to fill out, only producers and writers look over my shoulder. And I make a nice living. So all in all, it’s fantastic. But there’s that problem of being away from my family.

I thought and thought. . . what could I do to support my family that would keep me home more and still fill that creative space in me? What would I enjoy doing as much as directing?

I’ve always had a knack for rhyming. I’ve made up limericks on the set for all the crew members, I’ve created parody songs having to do with showbiz . . . “Writers on the Set” sung to “Riders On The Storm,” “Money Just Flows” sung to “Anything Goes,” etc. Then I came up with “Oyklahoma” when I was working on a show with Peter Scolari called “Honey I Shrunk the Kids.” (One of these days, Silly Music will be producing that one . . . it’s hilarious.) Anyway, it all came to me in a flash. I’ll write parodies of Broadway musicals using my love of my Jewish culture and humor. They’ll be stories about our unique place in the human race. Stories that celebrate our culture and illuminate our problems and, of course, make us howl with laughter.

And I’ll be home more . . . and what an example it will set for my children. A crazy idea actually takes on a life of its own and on top of it makes some money. You can follow a dream, make it happen even when people tell you you’re crazy. My kids love this. Plus it’s a business they can get involved with if they want to, which they do. My children are already dreaming up future parodies.

The people I’ve brought into the company are all friends. The musical director, Marc Ellis, has been a friend since junior high. We met just after my Bar Mitzvah. We had a rock band called “The Specs” and played folk songs at many a B’Nai B’rith and Hadassah function and wrote almost a hundred wonderful, never produced, songs after college.

My marketing partner, Peter Gorin, I’ve known since college. We were roommates and had a folk group that played coffeehouses all over Washington, D.C.

The singers are all good friends of mine and are all professionals in the business (show business, in case you forgot what “the business” is). Could it be better? Sure it could . . . I could be selling more CDs. But look, even if I don’t manage to make lots of money at this, I’m having the time of my life writing and producing and doing something so worthwhile with my friends and giving you out there a few minutes of a smile and maybe even the occasional belly laugh. And that’s what it’s all about ultimately.

I’ve always thought that my reason for being here was to make people laugh, to entertain them with my abilities, to help them get through their difficult days with a bit of a smile, to leave this planet a little bit lighter that it was when I got here. So here it is, my next attempt at achieving that goal. . . Silly Music. And by the way, you can’t imagine the kick I get when I get a notice from the Internal Revenue Service with Silly Music Corporation across the top. Hilarious!!!

ENJOY!!!

Michael Lange