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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 17, 2012 1:34:55 GMT -5
Hostess is closing shop? Say it aint so! No more Twinkies, no more Ding Dongs, no more Ho Hos (hellzapoppin' who named these things, a 12 year old Larry Flint?) And no more Spider-Man spoiling a snatch! (seriously, I smell a porn industry conspiracy) The thing I liked best about Hostess treats weren't the plastic over-coating they draped over their Cupercakes, or that gelatinous goop they injected into their fruity pies... it was the comic book adds. Comic Alliance collected a few of their favorites (which explains how Spidey spoiled a snatch. Also, if you scroll to the bottom you'll see the greatest Iron Man villian ever. An existentialist named Kwirkegard!) www.comicsalliance.com/2012/11/16/hostess-marvel-dc-superhero-comics/There's also a web site that hosts a bunch of them for your viewing pleasure... www.tomheroes.com/Comic%20Ads/hostess%20ads/hostess_ads.htmImagine a world without Twinkies? Where is the Hulk when you need him.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 25, 2012 17:29:52 GMT -5
Well I was looking at my Blockbuster Que (which is on hold for the time being) and saw all my "Very Long Wait" titles have been thrown into the "Not Available" pile.
(Yes I stil watch discs.) It's interesting to see what I wanted to see.
Here's what I wont be watching anytime soon (though a few I've seen already but wanted to visit again)...
I'm Going Home (2001) Exotica (1994) Maborosi (1995) The Rapture (1991) The Garden of the Finzi Continis (1970) Landscape in the Mist (1988) A Man of Flowers (1983) Rhinoceros Eyes (2003) Berlin Alexanderplatz (1980) Mephisto (1981) The Story of Adele H. (1975) You Only Live Once (1937) Loves of a Blonde (1965) Naked Kiss (1964) Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors (1964) Unmade Beds (2008) Blissfully Yours (2002) Woman is the Future of Man (2004) June Night (1940) Medium Cool (1969) 5 Centimeters Per Second (2008) Letter From an Unknown Woman (1948) The Fourth Man (1983)
Looks like I wanted to check out some Sam Fuller.
I can't beleive they (nor anyone else) don't have "Letter From An Unknown Woman", "Mephisto" and "Story of Adele H"
And I can't beleive "Exotica" is allready out of print. (why didn't I buy it when I had the chance?)
"June Night" was Ingriid Bergman's final Swedish film, before making the move to the States.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 27, 2012 6:29:36 GMT -5
Football used to be a sport played by manly men in the manly outdoors in the coldest, meanest seasons. I remember the Vikings sliding around in snow flurries, the Packers covered in mud. Along with the Bears and the Lions this foursome played in a group so rough and tumbled they used to call it the “Black and Blue Division”. Things have changed in the NFL: There are now artificial turfs and domed stadiums to keep things warm and toasty and mud and snow free. Things have also changed in other levels of the game. Most notably -- some of the manly men are -gulp- g-g-g-girls! I remember the controversy when gals expressed a desire to play the sport, and fought for their legal right to do so (personally I thought it was 'neat'). The first I remember was Tami Maidi who played quarterback for Philomath High in Oregon in 1981. Her story caused such nationwide interest that they made a movie about her It was titled the Quarterback Princess (1983). Being a made for TV movie it hit all the clichés (angry townsfolk - who are soon won over to the talented QB) and made Tami look pretty awesome (and the boys pretty inept). Tami was played by Helen Hunt, and you can also spot a young Tim Robbins in the cast. I couldn't find what has become of the real Tami and I’m not sure what her stats were like. I did find a small blurb in Sports Illustrated… TAMI MAIDA PHILOMATH, ORE. Tami, a 5'4", 117-pound freshman, ran for a TD and threw for a two-point conversion while quarter-backing the Philomath High freshmen to a 46-6 football win over Taft and the J.V. to a 26-0 defeat of Elmira. All the other players were male.From that short piece it sounds like she didn't throw as many TDs as movie Tami did, nor was the team as inept. They must have had a sound defense and solid run game. As far as football movies with a gal on the team, it’s about as good as they get. Just about everything that came after has been pretty sorrowful. Hunt was decent, though she threw funny... but then most actors throw funny. By comparison she was a better passer than Charlton Heston in Number One (who it is said couldn't throw longer than 10-15 yards) and Keanu Reeves in Point Break and The Replacements. You can watch the whole movie here… www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lXJm0oFjqkAfter that we didn’t see a woman on the football field in film until 1986 and the woeful Wildcats – in which Goldie Hawn plays a spunky football coach to a bunch of inner city kids. "Great Holy John Madden!" this was a groaner -- as Goldie cutes her way to victory. Predictable and dumb – but it has its fans. Things improved with the comedy Necessary Roughness in 1991. Then again, you would have to have had your film directed by the ghosts of Coleman Francis, Hal Warren and a rock to get any worse than Wildcats. So calling this an improvement isn't saying much. I remember "Roughness" as a slightly entertaining story about a bunch of misfits called in to play for a college team who were gutted by NCAA sanctions. It stared Scott Bakula, Sinbad and model turned actress Kathy Ireland as a kick-ass kicker. As witnessed by these clips, Kathy continues the tradition of ‘actors without an athletic bone in their body’. Watching her kick is actually funnier than most of the jokes in this flick. So yeah, she was no Katie Hnida, but she looked real pretty in a helmet... maybe even prettier than Tom Brady? Finally we get another true story, The Longshots. This 2008 biopic about the first girl to play Pee Wee football was directed by Fred Durst. Yes, that Fred Durst. And he's no better at direction than he was with music. Still, I have read some baffling positive notices for this turkey. I will admit that the trailer wasn't bad. In fact if the movie had just been a trailer I would have called it a win. But Fred had to go and shoot another 90 minutes of film and ruin it. The movie's problem was food based... It is just pure ‘corn ball cheese’. It hits every trite cliché that’s ever been thought of and slathers on a thick coat of schmaltz. Ice Cube and Keke Palmer are well cast -- they deserved a better script and a less heavy handed director than Mr. "I did it all for the nookie."www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLM8Z7qqiXkNow, there have been some wives and mothers and sisters in other football movies, but to my knowledge, that's about it for ladies on the actually field. It's slim pickings for an All-Star team: We have a film Coach, 2 QBs and a Kicker. If you throw in Rudy "Sweet Feet" Huxtable from an episode of the Cosby show, that gets us RB. Of course if you want it real, there is the documentary, Playing With Ragewww.youtube.com/watch?v=NbQlJVPIAREAnd there's the 9 year old wunderkind Sam Gordon – a pint sized dynamo who made a splash in this highlight reel... Here is Sam and her Dad in an interview... Now that's some Barry Sanders-like action. You go girl!
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Post by Mighty Jack on Nov 28, 2012 6:12:33 GMT -5
Pro athletes and acting has ever been an uneasy mix. With a few exceptions (Anthony Quinn was a professional Boxer) many of the decent ones aren't exactly shaking the Heavens with their performances, and the bad are malodorous indeed. Still, there has been a surfeit of sporting types who have caught the acting bug. You can spot them in bit parts and cameos: Footballers like Ray Nitschke (the Longest Yard), baseball icons like Roger Clemens (Kingpin) and Hockey Hall of Famers such as Cam Neely (Dumb and Dumber). And there are those who made a career out of it. Merlin Olson went from the gridiron to the Little House on the Prairie while TV and film star Chuck Conners (The Rifleman) played both professional baseball (Cubs and Dodgers) and Basketball (Celtics) in the 40s. I could sit here and list name after name after name. But I’d rather just cut to the chase and focus on a few that amused and delighted. Willie Pastrano as Banjo in Wild Rebels But of course I have to have boxing champ Wille "Sweet Pea" Pastrano. As nimble as he was in the ring, he was caught flat-footed on the big screen. As the quick tempered Banjo, Willie mumbled and garbled and slurred his lines like a bush league Brando -- and that made him all the more wonderful. He also was allowed to mouth one of the most quotable bits of dialog from the film, when he raged, "That square bugs me, he really bugs me!"Classic. I only wish youtube had a clip of that scene to share. But hey, here’s the perfect opportunity to pop in the episode for your self and enjoy the Pastrano experience in full. What are you waiting for? "Chicken's gotta cackle?" (Or something along those lines) Alex Karras as Mongo in Blazing SaddlesThe hard hitting Detroit Lions defenseman used to terrorizes my Packers during the Lombardi era. Later on he became Webster’s dad on TV. But as a star of the silver screen was he ever better than he was as Mongo? I remember when this movie came out and one of the bits that caused a 'water cooler' buzz was the 'horse punching' scene. I can recall the sound of my father laughing hysterically over that. So in honor of dad, I present the man, the mountain, the Mongo! Vinnie Jones as the "Juggernaut, Bitch!" in X-Men: The Last StandNot many American's know that Vinnie was a Soccer player from 1984-1999 who plied his trade for Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelsea and Queens Park. In 2006 he was cast as the unstoppable Juggernaut in the 3rd X-Men film. While the director stupidly whittled down his fight with Wolverine (seen in the deleted scenes) his best and most unlikely dust up was against a small girl. What she lacked in muscle she made up for in brains, which irritated the mutant baddie to no end. The cat and mouse chase between Juggie and Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page) was notable for several quotable lines of dialog heard in the video below. Joe Namath in C.C. and CompanyThese days Broadway Joe has become a cranky drunkard who complains about his old team and hits on younger female sportscasters live on TV. But in the 60s he was Joe cool, he was New York, he was style and fashion. He was a charismatic rogue. He had long hair and sideburns and he wore those white shoes on the field when everyone else was in black. He was the swinging, hip bachelor, known for quips like… "I like my Johnnie Walker Red and my women blonde." He was a man of the era and a shooting star, who for one brief moment had it all, even an astonishing Superbowl victory. Joe was as much a part of my cool 60s youth as was James Bond, Mr. Spock and the Beatles. After reaching the pinnacle prize for his sport and being crown king of NY, there was only Hollywood left to conquer. So #12 made a movie. And in that movie he got to ride a badass motorcycle and romance sexy Ann-Margret. It was perfect! Sure, as an actor the quarterback was as stiff as his injury-plagued knees - and honestly, the film wasn't very good -- but I loved it anyway. It was Namath being slick and lovable, being anti-establishment... being Joe. Brett Favre in "There’s Something About Mary"I have heard that Packer great Brett Favre was a last minute replacement for Steve Young, but I can’t imagine anyone else in the part. He might not be Oscar-worthy, but he did deliver the line... "I’m in town to play the Dolphins, dumb ass", with aplomb - and that makes him a champ in my book. No youtube vid, but here’s a link to his scene... www.blinkx.com/watch-video/brett-favre-in-there-something-about-mary/tjCOQAfV2zr9WHrrVSYPbgKareem Adul-Jabbar Jabbar was my favorite roundball player. He was tall, lanky and had that incredible sky-hook. Man was he neat-o! He was also pretty neat-o on the silver screen. While not a superb actor, he was a superb personality. In Airplane! He had fun with his reputation, and in the sadly unfinished “Game of Death”, he made a memorable foe for Bruce Lee. In both, Kareem shoots – he scores! And finally my MVP of the year is a flick that teamed an Oscar winner and an All-Pro defensive tackle, in a kind of horror take on the "Defiant Ones". Man, you know that has gotta be golden! Those are a few of mine... anyone else want to throw in some favorites here?
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 6, 2012 1:59:06 GMT -5
Grrr! Arggg! Snarl! Prepping the Movie B-B-Blog I’m working on the write-up for my look at the year in film for 2011 -- watching the final pictures that could make up my top 20. I decided to do these a year later to give me a chance to see as much as I could – foreign and those domestic titles that only received limited release take time to arrive on disc. Even with that wait there will be gaps. Take 2010 for example. I still haven’t seen... Uncle Boonmee, Lovers of Hate, Tabloid, A Cat in Paris, Le Quattro Volte, Tuesday after Christmas, Nostalgia for the Light, the Arbor. The Haunters, The Way back, Neds, The Yellow Sea, and the wonderfully titled - A Boy and His SamuraiAs for 2012? I’m not even close. My wish list for that year is already impossibly long and we are just now getting into the awards season (those prestige titles that are hoping for Oscar/Golden Globe attention) Anyway – I thought it would look nice if I could put the movie posters on the right of each post, with wraparound text... only Bbcode doesn't support wraparound (at least not on Pro Boards). So I thought I’d try tables... unfortunately Bbcode doesn't allow for cell padding etc, so the text is lined tight against the edge, making it difficult to read. I spent 2 days experimenting, traveling the net looking for advice on how to indent or make borderless tables but there simply isn’t anyway to make it work and be visually appealing. So, yeah right now, I hate Bbcode and fart in its general direction. I’m more upset with myself, wasting all this time and energy on something that might, might be read by all of 4 or 5 people. That's what happens when your anal, or obsessive compulsive, or whatever else it is in my brain that compels me to toil on such trivialities. Ah well -- No cool new format for this years movie overview. So who will be named my cinematic titan? What will make my top 20? Did Sucker Punch knock me out? Are you insane? All will be revealed within the month.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 11, 2012 3:31:20 GMT -5
Italy's great director's - Michelangelo Antonioni and Federico Fellini I love film. But no matter how many years I've invested in watching, reading, studying, discussing and writing about film, there is so much I've yet to discover. I'm currently reading Peter Bondanella's "A History of Italian Cinema" and just digging the discoveries on every page. It’s pretty comprehensive, but not a dry academic book. And while I knew of the neorealists like Rosellini and DeSica and the giants like Fellini and Antonioni - I'm learning so much more. For example: While it was tough going for women to find their way into the directors chair in America, in Italy Elvira Notari filmed 65 features and 100 documentaries from 1906 to 1930. I've never seen any of her pictures but what survives of her work is said to be a precursor of neo-realism. Elvira Notari with husband/cameraman Nicola I learned that there was more to cinema during the Fascist regime than we thought. While there were propaganda films, unlike Germany, Mussolini didn't put a stranglehold on content, and that he actually like American-type productions and his son was a major voice and proponent of Italian cinema as an art form. I discovered that the first known Italian Western was released in 1913 and was directed by Sergio Leone’s father. That fits, but Hell, I didn't even know Sergio's father was a director. I've read that Italy liked their historical epics. And that a motion picture titled Messalina (1923) featured an expansive chariot race, which would be appropriated by the USA for an early silent called Ben-Hur. And that Maciste wasn't just some goofy character in an MST3K movie (Colossus and the Head Hunters) but was a major figure and highly regarded in his homeland. In fact 1925s Maciste in Hell was named by Fellini as one of the 10 greatest films in cinema, and said it inspired him to want to be a filmmaker. My Cheese Steak in Hell? And that is just the tip of the Italian Iceberg – Ah, so many movies, so little time... Here's an interesting piece on Fellini and Antonioni... www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2012/03/federico-michelangelo-201203And here’s Fellini’s 42 Favorite Films recorded in "Sight and Sound" (Fedrico really liked Chaplin and wow, he was a Bond fan too.... cool!)01. The Kid by Charlie Chaplin 02. Maciste in Hell by Guido Brignone 03. The Circus by Charlie Chaplin 04. The Cameraman by Edward Sedgwick 05. The Blue Angel by Josef von Sternberg 06. City Lights by Charlie Chaplin 07. Scarface by Howard Hawks 08. King Kong by Merian C. Cooper 09. She Done Him Wrong by Lowell Sherman 10. A Night at the Opera by Sam Wood 11. The Good Crew by Julien Duvivier 12. A Day at the Races by Sam Wood 13. Grand Illusion by Jean Renoir 14. Lost Horizon by Frank Capra 15. Stagecoach by John Ford 16. Fantasia by James Algar 17. The Magnificent Ambersons by Orson Welles 18. Paisan by Roberto Rossellini 19. Monsieur Verdoux by Charlie Chaplin 20. Bicycle Thieves by Vittorio De Sica 21. The Asphalt Jungle by John Huston 22. Sunset Boulevard by Billy Wilder 23. Seven Samurai by Akira Kurosawa 24. Senso by Luchino Visconti 25. The 400 Blows by François Truffaut 26. The Magician by Ingmar Bergman 27. L'avventura by Michelangelo Antonioni 28. Boccaccio '70 by Vittorio De Sica 29. Divorce Italian Style by Pietro Germi 30. The Servant by Joseph Losey 31. The Birds by Alfred Hitchcock 32. From Russia with Love by Terence Young 33. Goldfinger by Guy Hamilton 34. Fists in the Pocket by Marco Bellocchio 35. Rosemary's Baby by Roman Polanski 36. Many Wars Ago by Francesco Rosi 37. A Clockwork Orange by Stanley Kubrick 38. The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie by Luis Buñuel 39. The Phantom of Liberty by Luis Buñuel 40. Barry Lyndon by Stanley Kubrick 41. The Devil’s Brother” (1933), by Hal Roach & Charley Rogers. 42. Totò, Peppino e la Dolce Vita” (1961), by Sergio Corbucci.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 12, 2012 5:33:14 GMT -5
A Look at XTC's "English Settlement"XTC: Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Dave Gregory and Terry Chambers I always liked XTC. They had a solid run of several nice, jagged, art-pop albums -and I thought they were a good band- though I felt they were lacking a certain depth and distinction that would have made them a great one. And then in February 12, 1982 that notion fell by the wayside. That's the date the foursome released an LP titled English Settlement, which was not simply a nice art-pop record, but a true masterpiece. One that showed off a new found maturity: From Wiki... "Arguably XTC's defining album, English Settlement is a significant milestone of the band's ability as musicians and songwriters. Some prevalent lyrical themes include the preservation of buildings, world peace, youthful rebellion, and the frustrations of love.”As one reviewer said of it... The music is as remarkable and wide-ranging as the lyrics, and more varied, more assured, more expansive than the band's previous work; it's all pop, but it moves from the jagged, angular sound of the band's earlier albums to lush, layered, complex acoustics to power-pop muscularity to world-beat propulsiveness, most of it threaded together by the singular vocal gymnastics of Partridge.This upward turn towards brilliance began when Andy Partridge sold his old guitar and bought an acoustic 12 string, and Colin Moulding got himself a fretless Bass. Andy said he wanted to get away from the raw rocking sounds of the groups earlier releases, to something fuller, more pastoral -- a studio album not meant for live performances. (and indeed the LP would mark the end of touring for XTC. Andy would suffer a mental breakdown after a show in San Diego and that would serve as the last for XTC as a touring act) lThe cover was based upon the Uffington White Horse, which is about 6 miles east of Swindon, the home town of XTC. This would also mark Terry Chamber’s end as a full member of the band, and his drumming has never been better... in fact no XTC album showcased as heavy and powerful backbeat as was found on English Settlement. When the album came to America is was butchered, the double album was cut down to a single (Geffin records often did this with it’s British acquisitions. For example, US albums for Madness and the Fabulous Poodles were culled from several sources and don’t match the original UK releases). So it took a few years until the CD release before I was able to appreciate Settlement in all its glory. I thought I'd share the songs, when I can find them, over the next few weeks. Personel and Recording Details* Andy Partridge - lead vocals, backing vocals, electric guitar, semi-acoustic electric 12-string guitar, semi-acoustic electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mini-Korg, Prophet V, anklung, alto sax, percussion, frog * Colin Moulding - lead vocals, backing vocals, fretless bass, Fender bass, mini-Korg, piano, percussion * Dave Gregory - electric 12-string guitar, electric guitars, nylon-string Spanish guitar, semi-acoustic electric 12-string guitar, Prophet V, mini-Korg, backing vocals, percussion, piano * Terry Chambers - drums, drum synthesiser, percussion, backing vocals with: * Hugh Padgham - backing vocals on "Ball and Chain" * Hans de Vente - backing vocals on "It's Nearly Africa" * Recorded and mixed between 5 October and mid-November 1981 at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England. * Produced and mixed by Hugh Padgham and XTC. * Engineered by Hugh Padgham. Assisted by Howard Gray. * Originally released on 12 February 1982 in the U.K. * Reached No. 5 on the U.K. album chart. * Reached No. 48 on the Billboard album chart in the U.S.A. Track Listing1. Runaways 2. Ball and Chain 3. Senses Working Overtime 4. Jason and the Argonauts 5. No Thugs in Our House 6. Yacht Dance 7. All of a Sudden (It's Too Late) 8. Melt the Guns 9. Leisure 10. It's Nearly Africa 11. Knuckle Down 12. Fly on the Wall 13. Down in the Cockpit 14. English Roundabout 15. Snowman
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 12, 2012 5:51:46 GMT -5
Runaways Colin Moudling - lead and backing vocals, fretless bass, mini-korg, piano. Andy Partidge - electric and semi-acoustic electric 12 string guitars, mini korg (brass), backing vocals. Dave Gregory - prophet V. Terry Chambers - drums, drum synthesizer.
The texture and tone of the album is established from the start. Written by Colin Moulding, it’s a rather ethereal mantra – from the steady drum beat to the repetitive melody. The sound is stripped down and dream-like.
Lyrics are straight forward, and match the music – as it spins around itself. The cycle never ends
Oh run-a, oh run-a, oh runaways, (Please come home) Oh run-a, oh run-a, oh runaways (Please come home)
Daddy hit you in a temper, But he's sorry now, (Please come home) Just a quarrel had with mummy, Just a family row (Please come home)
You caught mum chasing dad with a knife, (Don't cry, don't cry) You ran away to escape from the fights, (Don't cry, don't cry) Now you're lost in a maze of neon light And she's worried He's worried She's worried, oh...
Oh run-a, oh run-a, oh runaways, (Please come home) Oh run-a, oh run-a, oh runaways (Please come home)
Pacing street-lamps on the highway, Haystack for your bed (Please come home) In the morning we will find you, In papers to be read (Please come home)
You heard screams from the warmth of your bed (Don't cry, don't cry) You slumbered on without being fed (Don't cry, don't cry) Now there's no more tears to be shed And she's sorry He's sorry He's sorry, oh...
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 13, 2012 0:22:08 GMT -5
Ball and Chain Released on February 26th 1982 as a single in the U.K. Reached No. 58 on their charts.
Colin- lead and backing vocals, fretless bass Andy- electric guitar Dave- electric 12-string guitar, mini-korg, backing vocals Terry- drums and percussion, backing vocals Hugh - vocal support
Another tune penned by Colin. This was a take off on the Beatles "Getting Better" and was about the disctruction of Swindon Town Centre (It was a call for landmark preservation). It’s an okay number -- Colin doesn’t rank this very highly, it’s a little too straignt forward for him. But Allmusic considered it one of the albums highlights, saying,.. Though the term may be slang for marriage, the sense of "Ball and Chain," one of Colin Moulding's numbers from XTC's English Settlement, is more one of oppression through manic development or redevelopment. Thus the follow-up line "the diggers and the towers and cranes," delivered in a jaunty music-hall style that shows the band's appreciation for older styles of English pop starting to come through in its own pace. But "Ball and Chain" is still a classic early XTC brawler at heart, Terry Chambers hitting the hell out of the drums while switching between 4/4 beats and not throughout, Moulding's singing showing his increasing skill with his vocals and delivery. The addition of keyboards may date the track to an extent, but the sheer joy of the arrangement, pumping up the volume just enough for its gloriously fun ending, makes this yet another XTC classic -- nothing to be sneezed at.
As with most from Colin, the lyrics are minimal and repeated over and over again --
Save us from the ball and chain, Save us from the ball and chain, Save us from the ball and chain, Oh yeah The diggers and the tower cranes, The diggers and the tower cranes.
Don't want demolition, Don't want your compensation, It's not just bricks and mortar, We are lambs to slaughter.
Repeat chorus
Must we live in fear, from those who she'd no tears? Our one and only shelter, your games, your helter skelter
Motorways and office blocks, they're standing on the spot Where stood a home Crushing on the memories of people Who have since turned to stone. (Ahh) They've turned to stone, (Ahh) They've turned to stone.
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 14, 2012 0:23:42 GMT -5
Senses Working OvertimeReached #10 on the UK singles charts. Andy - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar. Colin - fretless bass, backing vocals. Dave - electric 12-string guitar, percussion Terry - drums, drum synthesizer The first song on the LP from Andy Partridge: I like Colin, but lets not kid ourselves, in terms of songwriting, Andy is the bands resident genius - and with him in the drivers seat, the album kicks into high. Senses is, with "Mayor of Simpleton", my all-time favorite XTC number. It should be no surprise that this was two unfinished songs merged into one. The verses are like something from a Renaissance Fair, leading to the power poppiest, hookiest chorus ever heard. The musicianship throughout the song is impressive, with layers of instrument, from jangly 12 string guitars to the backbone provided by Terry’s skilled drumming and Colin’s bass, which goes full out McCartney during that sweet bridge. From Allmusic… "One of XTC's best ever efforts and their biggest American hit (or at least most notable) before the "Dear God" controversy, "Senses Working Overtime" showed how the early spazz-pop impulses of the group had transformed into its own bemusing, distinctive take on catchy guitar music. There's enough hints of ringing sixties guitar and clever wordplay to keep Beatles obsessives happy, say, but this is definitely the sound of a band on its own path. It can be heard in Terry Chambers' almost medieval drumming on the initial verses, Andy Partridge's enjoyable portrayal of someone so charged up that everything feels fresh and overwhelming, and the memorable countdown chorus. That the song feels even more active and entertaining as it goes is surely the point, Partridge's vocals getting even more smooth and commanding as he goes. It's as perfect pop as it gets in ways, and deservedly so. Memorable touch -- the sudden echo placed on Partridge's voice when he says "It's just for me to kick in space!" the second time through."From Gareth Morgan – “Guitar and Bass Magazine” (UK – May 2005) "Moulding's playing simply soars, and his fretless work is revelatory: it's as if he had a cupboard-full of killer ideas in waiting, and he lets them all out on one record. And yet it's in no way a chops-fest. Taste and musicality are the watchwords, and our snippet — based on the two-bar phrase at the end of the chorus in the sublime Senses Working Overtime — also features wonderful legato slides, solid grooving and high-register fills."Lyrically: On first blush it seems optimistic, a celebration of the senses -- but there is an underlying feeling of harsh nature of reality. Life can be tough, try to keep it together and find the beauty. In the end the Church bells chime (but what of the crows at the end? What do they signify) Andy said... "So I worked on this kind of stomping, idiot pattern, thinking about the five senses. Then I thought, "Well, everyone has five senses, what's great about that? Well, they're not just working, they're going crazy! They're working overtime! They're taking all of life in, and it's too much!" Because life is just too much. It's amazing, you know. Dave, still to this day, thinks I've rewritten [George Harrison's] "All Too Much" by the Beatles. [laughs]"For more on Andy’s thoughts on the song: www.myspace.com/xtcfans/blog/203955434Hey hey, the clouds are whey There's straw for the donkeys And the innocents can all sleep safely - All sleep safely My my, sun is pie There's fodder for the cannons And the guilty ones can all sleep safely - All sleep safely And all the world is football shaped It's just for me to kick in space And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste And I've got one, two, three, four, five… senses working overtime Trying to take this all in I've got one, two, three, four, five… senses working overtime Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes The pain and the pleasure and The church bells softly chime... Hey hey, night fights day There's food for the thinkers And the innocents can all live slowly - All live slowly My, my the sky will cry Jewels for the thirsty and the guilty ones can all die slowly - all die slowly. And all the world is biscuit shaped, It's just for me to feed my face And I can see,hear, smell, touch, taste And I've got one, two, three, four, five… sense working overtime Trying to take this all in I've got one, two, three, four, five… senses working overtime Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime... And birds might fall from black skies And bullies might give you black eyes And buses might skid on black ice But to me it's very very beautiful (England's glory!) Beautiful (a striking beauty!) And all the world is football - shaped, It's just for me to kick in space And I can see, hear, smell, touch, taste - And I've got one, two, three, four, five… senses working overtime Trying to take this all in I've got one, two, three, four, five… senses working overtime Try to tell the difference 'tween the goods and crimes, Dirt or treasure and there's One, two, three, four, five senses… working overtime Trying to take this all in I've got one, two, three, four, five… senses working overtime Trying to taste the difference 'tween the lemons and limes The pain and the pleasure and the church bells softly chime...
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 15, 2012 0:07:21 GMT -5
Jason and the Argonauts Andy - lead and backing vocals, semi-acoustic electric guitar, pro prophetV, mini-korg. Colin-fender bass, backing vocals. Dave-electric 12-string guitar Terry-drums and percussion.
This 6-minute epic written by Partridge is another album highlight. The tune is musically picturesque and is a prime example of the band's new direction. Jason is not simply a quick pop song, but one that creates an image, a feeling, with music that is rich and textured and evocative
The track includes a long instrumental piece -- Andy said of it, "You were supposed to get lost in the hypnosis of the middle section, in the mechanical repetitiveness of it", he later added… "The long passage in the middle is not meant to be a guitar ‘solo’, but more of a hypnotic suggestion as to the expanse of the sea. You know, repetition, slight variation, big, broad, blue. It was even longer in the studio but we edited it down by a few nautical miles."
Terry's drumming is distinct in that he gives an odd push on the snare: Keeping to a steady four-on-the-floor with the bass drum, he plays the snare on the word "and", before the one. He also added 1-2-3 roto-toms, which were funneled through a heavy echo effect.
The guitars are played in an ascending/descending pattern – Andy noted that it’s "... Just a one-note figure, with another note in constant harmony"
With the vocals, Andy spoke of liking the "little stagger in the melody, made up of slow and fast triplets."
Lyrically it's about Jason's quest, and about touring... and it's also about the journey of life -- the things you see as you grow up and how it makes you cynical.
Partridge was known for peppering his lyrics with literary, historical references and the like. Here, of course, he is inspired by one of his favorite movies – there’s also a tip of the hat to "The Island of Dr. Moreau"
Lyrics:
There may be no golden fleece, but human riches I'll release
Oh, my head is spinning like the world and it's filled with beasts I've seen, Let me put my bag down and I'll tell you it all right from the start, Like the scarlet woman who would pick on the boys she thought were green, And the two faced man who made a hobby of breaking his wife's heart.
Seems the more I travel, from the foam to gravel, as the nets unravel, all exotic fish I find like Jason and the Argonauts
There may be no golden fleece, but human riches I'll release
I was in a land where men force women to hide their facial features, And here in the west it's just the same but they're using make-up veils. I've seen acts of every shade of terrible crime from man-like creatures, And I've had the breath of liars blowing me off course in my sails.
Chorus
I have watched the manimals go by - buying shoes, buying sweets, buying knives. I have watched the manimals and cried - buying time, buying ends to other peoples lives.
Chorus
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 15, 2012 14:51:30 GMT -5
No Thugs on Our HouseAndy - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar Colin - fender bass Dave - electric guitars, prophet V Terry - drums The good stuff continues from writer Andy Partridge. Even though an acoustic guitar backs it, this is one of the more hard rocking XTC tunes. A snarling kick-in-the-teeth number that gives the album a change from its pastoral foundations. Lyrically it reminds me of the Oingo Boingo song Only A Lad -- though Thugs is more poetical. Andy weaves his words beautifully and creates some striking imagery with this one. Great tune. Andy: "It's based on those old rock & roll-driven acoustic things, not a million miles from ‘Summertime Blues’." Dave: "We decided to record the guitar in the stone room at the Manor, with a really loud old 50 watt Marshall bass amp and a 4x12 at one end of the room, and a couple of ambient mikes at the other. But I couldn't stay in there. I had to have a long lead, shut the door, and stand in the studio. And I could still hear it without any headphones on."To read Dave Gregory’s memories of the song... www.myspace.com/xtcfans/blog/429136038 To read Andy Partridge’s memories of the song... www.myspace.com/xtcfans/blog/427158224Allmusic – If "Making Plans for Nigel" was about (or could be said to be about) a family's all too involved planning for a kid's future, "No Thugs In Our House" is XTC's quasi-sequel to that situation, even if the son this time around is named Graeme instead. It's also one of XTC's most aggressive songs ever, all the more notable for being so since the band by the time of English Settlement was finding a calmer way around its music. Andy Partridge's first vocals are a recurrent, wordless snarl over a pounding beat, which even some acoustic guitar can't quite temper, while the verses and choruses feel steady and insistent, with the pre-chorus talk of Graeme's dreams providing a bit of respite. The lyrical portrait of the see-no-evil parents -- even when confronted by the policeman 'who just can't grow a mustache' for Graeme's misbehavior after 'too much beer' -- is both unsettling (thanks to the suggestions of Graeme's proto-fascist leanings) and hilarious, a classic example of expectations and reality not quite matching upLyrics: The insect-headed worker-wife will hang her waspies on the line; The husband burns his paper, sucks his pipe while studying their cushion-floor; His viscous poly-paste breath comes out, Their wall-paper world is shattered by his shout, A boy in blue is busy banging out a headache on the kitchen door. And all the while Graham slept on, dreaming of a world where he could do just what he wanted to. No thugs in our house, are there dear? We made that clear, we made little Graham promise us he'd be a good boy (x2) The young policeman who just can't grow a moustache will open up his book, And spoil their breakfast with reports of Asians who have been so badly kicked, Is this your son's wallet I've got here? He must have dropped it after too much beer. Oh, officer, we can't believe our little angel is the one you've picked. Chorus They never read those pamphlets in his bottom drawer, They never read that tattoo on his arm. They thought that it was just a boy’s club badge he wore, They never thought he'd cause folks any harm. The insect-headed worker wife will hang her waspies on the line; She's singing something stale and simple now this business has fizzled out; Her little tune is such a happy song Her son is innocent, he can't do wrong, 'Cos dads a judge and knows exactly what the job of judging's all about. Chorus
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 16, 2012 18:40:10 GMT -5
Yacht Dance Andy - lead vocal, acoustic and amplified acoustic guitars, anklung. Colin - fretless bass. Dave - nylon-strung spanish guitar Terry - drums, percussion, drum synthesizer
Written by Partridge and played in 3-4 time: If you have been listening to the tracks, you can hear that the crunching "No Thugs" bleeds into the gentle yacht dance, a track not included in the US release. It’s a nice cool down to that one. I love that pretty -Spanish-style- noodling on the guitars, and the contrast between the nylon and steel strings being played.
Andy wanting a watery feel to this one. He had the producer put a phase effect on Terry’s cymbals, and a roto-tom was used instead of a snare…
Andy – “I wanted it to sound watery. So, smash wasn't enough -- I wanted it to be smash-sh-sh-sh. Much more wave-like.
Terry's roto-tom, which has a lot of reverb on it, made me think of a record that was a big hit when I was a kid in England. It was called "Messing About on the River." I think it was sung by Josh MacRae. It was a waltz-y folk song, and there was a lot of reverb going on, where they're hitting a wooden box or something -- not unlike the sound of that roto-tom. It also sounds as if somebody's squishing a plunger in a bucket of water. It's a waltz-type thing with an acoustic guitar as well. So, I guess, that's the grandfather of "Yacht Dance"! You know, stuff you hear as a kid -- it's going to come out at some time or another.”
The bassline is melodic, adding an underneath harmony to the guitars. Colin played the fretless, allowing for smooth slides here and there.
Lyrics are sung like waves, rolling in and around… It’s a little more optimistic, though with a bite. Andy said it might have been a poke to his wives parents, who didn’t approve of him. In an interview he stated that the song was saying to them... "No matter how you view it, this is going to happen for us, and we'll sail on top of all this mental muck that you're projecting on us." So, I'm cocking a snook (thumbing his nose) -- I'm saying, "We're going to sail over whatever bilge you can fling our way."
Lyrics:
We, we will dance like tiny boats with cotton sails upon the tops of the seas, That would pull us down to the depths and crush us flat if given half a chance. No need to look back to pictures of lost, when all was rust. We, we will skim across the surface of the mud as if we're spinning pebbles Oh, in our yacht dance Oh, in our yacht dance
We, we will dance like tiny boats with cotton sails upon the tops of the seas, Made of people stained with scorn who never see the light of real love. No need to look back through diaries of lost now turned to dust. We, we will skate across the surface of the storm as if we're wheeling sea-birds. Oh, in our yacht dance Oh, in our yacht dance
And how they'll be jealous of both of us! In our yacht dance.
Repeat first verse/chorus
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 18, 2012 0:49:47 GMT -5
All of a Sudden (It's Too Late) Andy - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar Colin - fretless bass, backing vocals Dave - electric 12-string guitar Terry - drums and percussion
Written by Andy: It's one of those 'capture the moment before the moment is gone' songs. I've always liked the number, but Partridge seems pretty down on it. He feels it's too preachy, that his vocals were affected, and that goes on too long. But I think it has a lovely sound, so length isn't an issue for me.
Dave is playing the 12 string, which sound pretty in those intermediate bits between the vocals.
I don't have a lot to say about it, because the band doesn't have much to say about it (that's positive). I like -what one critic described as- "the lulling minor chord repetition." And the chorus hand-offs between Andy and Colin.
Lyrics
What can I say? Why do we starve a thing that's near extinction? From day to day These weeds of fear are choking our conviction Life's like a jig-saw, you get the straight bits, but there's something missing in the middle
All of a sudden - We find the cupboard bare All of a sudden - We find heaven's not there All of a sudden - We find the sun's gone cold All of a sudden - We find we're more than old All of a sudden - We find that we've lost love Please don't push or shove because - It's too late, it's too late In all your hurry - You've accidentally locked the gate
What can we do? Trying to stem the flow of sand is useless It's up to you Start holding hands, watch the balance redress Life's like a firework, you're only lit once, and you must stand and radiate correctly
Chorus
Love's not a product you can hoard, or pack a suitcase with It's more a way you have to give
Chorus
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Post by Mighty Jack on Dec 19, 2012 0:12:27 GMT -5
Melt The Guns Andy - lead vocals acoustic guitar Colin - fretless bass Dave - electric 12-string guitar Terry - drums and percussion
In light of current tragedies that have shocked and saddened so many in recent weeks, many an XTC listener has pointed out that this song keeps popping to mind. It’s a haunting number, one that points its finger at America especially. (And the line, “Mothers supply them” put a chill down my spine as I listened to it tonight)
The words caused some controversy at the time, and they are preachy. But Partridge doesn’t dance around, try to play nice and pull his punches. I respect him for that. And when I think of what a gun does, even in defense of the land, even if used to bring food to the table… what it does, the damage and violence it causes to flesh and bone, it’s terrible, grotesque. And as a viewer of violent film with gunplay I can’t stand to the side and act the innocent. Andy indicts me in his song from the first line.
With it’s odd rat-a-tat drum pattern, serpentine bass line – desperate vocalization and staccato rhythms, Melt the Gun is nothing if not distinct. It is another example of the perfect marriage of lyric to illustrative music, heard on the album.
Lyrics:
Programmes of violence, as entertainment, brings the disease into your room We know the germ which is man-made in metal, is really a key to your own tomb Prevention is better than cure, bad apples affecting the pure, you'll gather your senses I'm sure, then agree to Melt the guns, melt the guns, melt the guns and never more to fire them Melt the guns, melt the guns, melt the guns and never more desire them
Children will want them, mothers supply them, as long as your killers are heroes. And all the media will fiddle while Rome burns, acting like modern-time Neros. Chorus
I'm speaking to the justice league of America, the U.S of A, hey you, yes you in particular! When it comes to the judgement day and you're stood at the gates with your weaponry You dare go down on one knee, clasp your hands in prayer and start quoting me cos we say.... Our father we've managed to contain the epidemic in one place now Let's hope they shoot themselves instead of others, help to sterilize the race now. We've trapped the cause of the plague in the land of the free and the home of the brave If we listen quietly we can hear them shooting from grave to grave.
Chorus
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