Abattoir 3000 and the Road Trip To Oblivion

The BookIt is widely known that the book has enjoyed a limbo existence over nearly two decades.  In the early 1990's it was bought, represented and left adrift by no less then three publishing houses - all of whom went out of business or were sold in the period between the contracts being issued and the check being issued.  The succession of agents who  were "excited" to be representing this work also had a similarly rocky history.  With agent's retiring, their agencies being sold and in one case the agent died, the author concluded that the manuscript might constitute a lethal weapon. The establishment of  a subscription service by which the publishing industry might avoid receiving this manuscript was at one point considered as an alternative means of revenue. 

The Movie
Like the book, the movie project’s history has been fraught with irrational events.   The author, whose history includes co-writing unproduced episodes for late night subscription cable, in a fit of despair sent the unpublished manuscript to a former writing partner seeking guidance as to what if anything he should do with this apparently ill fated project.  Instead of receiving kind words of encouragement or the anticipated suggestion that he might bury it at the cross roads at midnight during the next new moon he received something highly improbable; a check and an option contract. The manuscript had, by routes unknown, come into the hands of the executive producer of small to midsized budget independent films.
  Having learned from previous experience the author did the only rational thing he could; he cashed the check and signed the contract.  Based on the project's history he determined that even the worst case scenario, the subsequent financial failure of an LA film production group and possibly the death of an executive producer might, in the larger moral cosmic ledger, count as a credit in favor of  his own immortal soul. 

The Sound TrackOne of the opportunities the movie presented was the production of an independent soundtrack based upon lyrics appearing in the novel.  After meeting with several regional and national artists and talking to different production groups an introduction led to a meeting with Dick Wagner. After reading the manuscript, the lyrics and the preliminary film production information, Dick opened the doors of Wagner Studios to Abattoir 3000 and the soundtrack production for “The Rocket’s Red Glare.”   

Vice President of Wagner Studio’s, Ray York, joined the production team and became a principle writer and performer along with Darin Scott, a studio musician who had worked with the author prior to the production and brought the project to the attention fo Dick Wagner in 1998.

In 1999 the project began with the writing team of York, Scott and Messser laying down the preliminary session tracks that would ultimately be the basis for the studio production.  By the summer of 2000 a four songs promotional CD had been completed.  The CD received favorable reception from the film production group and copies were also distributed to book buyers attending the BEA in Chicago.  This four song CD is now a collectors item and sells for up to $90.00