[quote:3rco0q1r]He may have insisted his name did not appear on the "Watchmen" movie. But legendary comic book writer Alan Moore has been enthusiastic in his partnership with U.K. indie Lex Records on the release of a new work including an audiobook and soundtrack.

Moore has already recorded the two-hour audio book for the deluxe package of the semi-autobiographical work, which is likely too appear in early 2010.

"It has a score by some artists and the visual side of it is amazing," Tom Brown, founder of London-based Lex, tells Billboard.biz.

The score that accompanies the book is being worked on by Andrew Broder of alternative act Fog and spoken word artist Adam Drucker. Brown says musicians in the frame to provide key elements of the soundtrack include Mike Patton of Faith No More and Justin Broadrick, formerly of industrial metal band Godflesh.

Patton is working on separate Lex project with Tunde Adebimpe of U.S. alt-rock act TV on the Radio.

Mike Patton has a really hectic year because Faith No More has reformed and they are doing the festivals," says Brown. "I know they have both [Patton, Broadrick] been sounded out and they said they are both into it."

Brown says that Lex's deluxe release will include the book - which Brown describes as a "photographic novel" rather than a graphic novel like Moore's "Watchmen" or "V for Vendetta" - as well as art prints, a two-hour audiobook recorded by Moore (possibly on a memory stick) and the soundtrack on vinyl. It is not yet clear if the soundtrack will get a separate release on CD or as a download, but Brown says he wants this to be a special release and was partly inspired by Radiohead's deluxe version of "In Rainbows."

"It's grown out of our production values and the music we work on," he says of the project. "We are being ambitious with it. By working with artists outside music, you can make releases that are really worthwhile."

Although Brown says he doesn't want this release to be "elitist" he says it's important for indies to set up new revenue streams in the face of a declining CD market and small margins on downloads.

Of working with Moore, he says it's "refreshing to meet somebody that important, culturally, that's really down to earth and still into the core of what they do."

During the recording of the audiobook in Northampton, where Moore lives, the process was filmed for possible inclusion in the box set.

"It's the first volume of a series and it is definitely in the direction of an autobiography," adds Brown. "I know that he's writing another volume at the moment." He adds that it is provisionally titled "Unearthing" and says it is possible the book will get a separate release by a publisher.

Moore has made forays into music, although it is not clear if he will contribute to the soundtrack.

Lex artists include Neon Neon, MF Doom and Danger Mouse. The label has had an upstream deal with EMI. [/quote:3rco0q1r]

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