RIP, continued ...

Rodney Bewes (1937-2017), aged 79.   Distinctive-looking British actor, best known for THE LIKELY LADS (1964-1966) and WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE LIKELY LADS? (1973-1974) which captured the aspirational Seventies perfectly, as well as being marvellously funny as we followed the misadventures of Bob (Bewes) and his grumpy pal Terry (James Bolam), forever carping and mocking Bob's suburban lifestyle with his wife, the formidable Thelma (Brigit Forsyth). 

In later years Bewes seemed the forgotten man of British TV comedy, as Bolam blocked any repeats of the hit series for many years. It is bliss seeing them again now.  He continued working on the stage and doing lucrative voiceovers.  Rodney was also Tom Courtenay's pal in BILLY LIAR (1963) - he and Tom had shared a flat. It seems he and Bolam had a falling out which led to the series not been seeing much. I have just ordered them on disk now to  re-live them all again. Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais' comedy is up there with the best of the 70s British tv comedy series, like HI DI HI or ARE YOU BEING SERVED? 

Keith Barron (1934-2017), aged 83. Another stalwart of British TV, and a familiar face from one's TV viewing, Barron was in everything from CORONATION STREET to BENIDORM, via hit series DUTY FREE, and series as varied as Z -CARS, UPSTAIRS DOWNSTAIRS, DR WHO and the Dennis Potter plays STAND UP, NIGEL BARTON and VOTE, VOTE FOR NIGEL BARTON. The Yorkshire actor was a familiar face and certainly kept busy from 1961 to 2015. 

David Cassidy (1950-2017), aged 67. The Seventies pop and tv icon.

Happy Birthday Joni

74 tomorrow, Happy Birthday to our icon (whom I met in 1972, when we were both in our twenties, as per previous reports at label), Joni Mitchell, we trust she  is improving and keeping well. 
Good to see her out and about, if in a wheelchair, at various music events, with her peers and people she knows. Wonder if she is still smoking. 

Grace for the weekend

It sounds like all my clubbing nights rolled into one!

RIP, continued

Danielle Darrieux (1917-2017), aged 100. Madame Darrieux, one of France's premier stars clocked up 140 credits, including several classics. I first saw her as Richard Burton's mother Olympias in ALEXNDER THE GREAT in 1956, when a kid, and she  did several other international films like THE GREENGAGE SUMMER, FIVE FINGERS, but will be always remembered for Max Ophuls' THE EARRINGS OF MADAME DE ... , LA RONDE and more. She was delightful as the mother in Demy's YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT in 1967, and in her later years was one of Ozon's 8 WOMEN. She also replaced Katharine Hepburn in COCO on Broadway in the 1970s. 
She was tarnished with a Nazi smear during the war years, and one of her husbands was the "legendary" playboy Porfirio Rubirosa. 
See reviews at label.

Rosemary Leach (1935-2017) aged 81. Another venerable British actress it was always a pleasure to see, mainly in television roles as in THE  JEWEL IN THE CROWN and THE CHARMER, and as Mrs Honeychurch in A ROOM WITH A VIEW.

Walter Lassally (1926-2017) aged 90. Acclaimed cinematographer (I attended a lecture he gave at the BFI in the 70s), who was in at the birth of the English New Wave with his luminous work on A TASTE OF HONEY and THE LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE RUNNER and TOM JONES. ZORBA THE GREEK in 1964 cemented his reputation and he also shot favourites like THE DAY THE FISH CAME OUT and SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. He also shot several Merchan-Ivory films,including HEAT AND DUST and THE BOSTONIANS. He shot several filmsnin Greece and had moved there.

Fats Domino (928-2017), aged 89. Fats was one of the first rock'n'rollers I saw as a kid, probably in THE GIRL CANT HELP IT or the few other movies in appeared it. we preferred him to the somehow more sleazy Chuck Berry. Fats and Buddy Holly and of course Elvis were our new gods then in those great '55 and '56 years. One only has to hear "blueberry Hill" or "Ain't that a shame" to bring it all back - his jovial brand of New Orleans and Louisiana boogie woogie and rhythm and blues remain timeless and was hugely influential.

Summer chillout

Its that time when we plan our summer chillout,  with chilled drinks and snacks on the balcony (we are ten floors up in a new apartment block, with some great views).  
Despite the massive popularity of Drake, Ed Sheeran etc, I find myself reaching back to my chillout cds from a decade ago, particularly this A Man Called Adam one recorded at Space, Ibiza - this disk has it all, super beats and fab tracks. I never tire of it. Also this magazine freebie mixed by Adam and Groove Armada. 

In fact anything by A Man Called Adam and Groove Armada would be fine, and for deeper funk, those Global Underground compilations by Danny Tenaglia, and the Murk crew (Funky Green Dogs) from Miami. Bliss guaranteed. Had some great club nights at Heaven with them too.

Nineties Nu-Soul Queens ...

For the weekend: a look back at those new '90s music divas  with their funky grooves that got us going then - line them up:
Des'Ree, Macy Gray (we wore out her first album), Erykah Badu, Angie Stone, Adeva (I met her up close at Crash club on millennium night and she really is that fierce), Ultra Nate, Rosie Gaines, Donna Allen and Joyce Sims (love that "All'N'All" megamix), and Regina Belle ("You got the love") from the late 80s ....  they still sound terrific now. 

RIP, continued

Martin Landau (1928-2017) aged 89. Landau's most impressive movie role must have been as Leonard in Hitch's NORTH BY NORTHWEST, as the gay sidekick of James Mason. He also stands out from the crowd as Ruffio in CLEOPATRA, and had some later good roles in Woody's CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS and as Bela Lugosi in ED WOOD, bringing him a Best Supporting Oscar. He began at the Actors Studio in 1955, sharing classes with Marilyn Monroe and Steve McQueen, and of course also scored big on television in series like MISSION IMPOSSIBLE which I would have missed in Ireland.

George A. Romero (1940-2017)  aged 77. The horror genre is not one I bother with much, but we were all stunned by that original black and white NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD back in 1969 - the early colour versions were stupendous too ... Romero certainly started a trend with those satirical gruesome zombie apocalypse sagas.

Barry Norman (1932-2017), aged 83. Another long standing BBC broadcaster departs - their regular film pundit from FILM 72 right through to 1998, plus presenting other film related programmes like THE HOLLYWOOD GREATS and THE BRITISH GREATS, and until last week writing a weekly film column in "Radio Times" and also publishing books. Whatever one's view of avuncular Norman and his rather middle-of-the-road views, his shows were essential then, for reviews and comments on film in those film-starved years, before internet comment. He really knew his Hollywood and British films, even if not so interested in foreign language movies, but that was not his shows' remit then. 
  
Adam West (1928-2017), aged 88. The original 1960s BATMAN. How we enjoyed those shows then. Kapow!

Anita Pallenberg (1942-2017),  aged 73. The original rock chick is proof indeed that one can live a life of excess and still get to 73. The Italian-German actress and model almost began the Swinging Sixties by herself, being there at the start. We know her best from BARBARELLA and especially PERFORMANCE, but she was also in the now forgotten CANDY, and assorted other movies, as well as being that muse for the Rolling Stones. Her life certainly makes colorful reading, no need to re-hash it here. 

Pallenberg, like Nico, Jim Morrison and her friend Marianne Faithfull, came to represent the dark side of the swinging decade, and played an unusual role in the male-dominated world of rock music in the late 1960s, acting as much more than just a groupie or partner of a band member.  (more on PERFORMANCE at James Fox label). 

A week of lists: 30+ albums to love

"The Sunday Times" had another of their fascinating lists yesterday: 100 albums to love,. I suppose I could run to 100, but here’s the top of my list ….

• Marvin Gaye  - LETS GET IT ON (for "Distant Lover")
• Stevie Wonder – INNERVISIONS
• Aretha Franklin – LADY SOUL (for "Good To Me As I Am To You" with Eric Clapton)
• Dusty Springfield – DUSTY IN MEMPHIS
• Joni Mitchell – BLUE / COURT AND SPARK / WILD THINGS RUN FAST
• Carole King – TAPESTRY
• Joan Armatrading – BACK TO THE NIGHT
• Annie Lennox - DIVA (we wore it out)
• The Beatles – ABBEY ROAD
• The Rolling Stones – LET IT BLEED
• The Band – MUSIC FROM BIG PINK (this one takes me back to my hippie years in the late Sixties)
• Talking Heads – STOP MAKING SENSE
• Roxy Music – FLESH & BLOOD
• Nina Simone – NINA AT TOWN HALL
• Miles Davis - IN A SILENT WAY (I can get lost in this)
• Pet Shop Boys – ACTUALLY
• Billie Ray Martin – DEADLINE FOR MY MEMORIES ("Running Around Town")
• Fleetwood Mac – RUMOURS
• Supertramp – BREAKFAST IN AMERICA
• Pink Floyd – WISH YOU WERE HERE
• Massive Attack – BLUE LINES
• Frank Ocean – CHANNEL ORANGE
• Bob Dylan – BLOOD ON THE TRACKS
• Tim Buckley – GREETINGS FROM L.A.
• The Doors – STRANGE DAYS
• Grace Jones – NIGHTCLUBBING / LIVING MY LIFE
• Roberta Flack – FIRST TAKE
• Donny Hathaway – DONNY HATHAWAY (for that killer version of "A Song For You")
• Blondie – PARALLEL LINES
• Neil Young – HARVEST (for "Old Man")
• George Michael – OLDER (THE essential gay album)
• Paul Simon - STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS 
• Stevie Winwood - ARC OF A DIVER
• Elton John - TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION
• Tom Rush - THE CIRCLE GAME (so very 1968, with those early Joni & James Taylor songs)
• The Moody Blues - DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED (another dippy hippie daydream)
• Nat King Cole - NAT KING COLE SINGS/GEORGE SHEARING PLAYS
• Frank Sinatra - SONGS FOR SWINGING LOVERS
• Barbra Streisand – THE SECOND BARBRA STREISAND ALBUM

No room for my essential dance music: A Man Called Adam, Groove Armada, Global Underground, Murk, Danny Tenaglia, Space Ibiza etc. 

Compared to What ?

The first track on Roberta Flack's first album back in the early 70s. We liked Roberta a lot then, she was up there with Aretha Franklin and I saw them both twice, at the old Odeon Hammersmith in those years, Roberta's album has several other stunners well worth a listen now: "Angelitos Negros", "Trying Times", "Ballad of the Sad Young Men", "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" etc. 

The ultimate Joni guide

Nice to find a specialist Joni Mitchell magazine when shopping at the local out of town major superstore, one of the UNCUT magazine specials on major music artists. 

This is a terrific on on our major favourite, Joni, to add to the collection. It cover all the albums - 20 plus - in detail, with lots of info and comment and fitting in Joni's remarkable career too, from the mid 60s onward, including all the rarities, the art, the dvds, etc, 

It just makes one want to go back and play them all again,   Lot of Joni of course at label, including (yes, Martin, once again), the time I met her in Kings Road, Chelsea in London in 1972, when we were both in our twenties, and walked along having a great conversation with her, 

Not the best Joni song, but we love this late 80s video with Joni dancing around the kitchen, doing the dishes and playing with her cat. 

We have now revised our list of Joni's top songs:- Here's 30+:

Tin Angel  (I love that line: "dark with darker moods is he …") /Be Cool / Man to Man / Chinese Café / Goodbye Pork Pie Hat / Let The Wind Carry Me / A Strange Boy / Barangrill / Car On A Hill / Down to You / The Same Situation / Just Like This Train / The Last Time I saw Richard / A Case of You / You Turn Me On I'm a Radio / Off Night Back Street / Talk To Me / Night Ride Home / Night in the City / Chelsea Morning / Urge For Going / The Circle Game / Both Sides Now / Michael From Mountains / Marcie / Songs to Ageing Children Come / Edith and the Kingpin / The Hissing of Summer Lawns / Good Friends / My Secret Place / Number One / Shiny Toys / God Must  be a Boogie Man.

RIP, continued ...

We love Talking Heads here and particularly the film STOP MAKING SENSE  - one of those quirky films from Jonathan Demme (1944-2017), who has died aged 73. Demme's two big hits are of course THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS and PHILADELPHIA. Demme began as one of Roger Corman's proteges, and was soon directing those early items like CAGED HEAT, CRAZY MAMA, MELVIN AND HOWARD, SOMETHING WILD, MARRIED TO THE MOB, STOP MAKING SENSE in 1984, 

He clocked up 62 credits, including lots of pop videos, and was working up to the end. 
PHILADELPHIA may seem tame to us now, but was quite important back in 1993, and Hanks is extraordindary here (I never wanted to see FORREST GUMP).
 Demme's film caught the moment perfectly and remains an important keywork in representation of gays in cinema. Great soundtrack too. 
For a "merely good" director (as my pal Martin said) he drew Oscar-winning performances from Hanks, Hopkins, Foster ... 

Leo Baxendale (1930-2017), aged 86.  For the generation who grew up on comics - that's us - our childhoods were completed by THE BEANO, THE DANDY,  THE TOPPER, THE BEEZER, THE EAGLE, etc. (and I liked SCHOOL FRIEND too) ... Baxendale was the cartoonist and publisher, who drew The Bash Street Kids, Minnie The Minx and more. 

Brian sings Joni

One of our favourite singers Brian Kennedy sings Joni Mitchell songs on a recent CD (which I had to acquire on eBay from Australia) A LOVE LETTER TO JONI. 

Great to hear a (gay) man singing "Night Ride Home", "A Strange Boy", "Michael From Mountains", "Free Man in Paris", "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", "Amelia", "River", "A Case Of You" etc.

Other Joni songs that would work well in this context would include "Be Cool", "Man to Man", "Night in the City", "Chelsea Morning", "Car On A Hill", "Talk To Me", "Barangrill" etc. 

Good to hear Brian is well again after cancer treatment, and it was enjoyable hearing him on Michael Ball's radio show last week. He has a new 2 CD compilation out too. His "On Song" CDs are good too on current and old Irish songs I know well, he has of course also toured extensively with Van Morrison. His Joni tribute disk is as good as Ian Shaw's Joni disk DRAWN TO ALL THINGS, or Herbie Hancock's THE JONI LETTERS, or George Michael's great version of "Edith and the Kingpin".  

Two other CDs I had to get recently (not being on Spotify, Martin!) are a brilliant new recording of Tchaikovsky's PATHETIQUE by Seymon Bychkov, and, on its way to me, Daniel Hope's FOR SEASONS, a new take on Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" and with songs for each month - Weill's "September Song" for instance. Can't wait to hear it. 

Dame Vera

We were celebrating those veterans like Olivia DeHavilland and Kirk Douglas turning 100 - here is another one: Dame Vera Lynn.

Watching the 1980s British TV series WISH ME LUCK (now on dvd) about the French resistance in World War Two and the work of British female agents in France - more on that later, we enjoyed it at the time - there is a passing reference to popular wartime singer Vera Lynn. The series ran from 1987 to 1990 and is of course set in the 1940s, and yet Vera Lynn, now a Dame, is still here at age 100 and has a new album in the charts and its a big seller. 

So here are congratulations to "The Forces Sweetheart" with that rich popular voice and those songs like "We'll Meet Again" which certainly boosted morale during that time of conflict. 

In 1952 she became the first British artist to score a Nr 1 hit in America, a decade before 'The British Invasion'. She has been described as "as much the voice of the Second World War as Winston Churchill".

Pets headline Brighton Pride !

I was delighted to see that The Pet Shop Boys were the main act at this year's Brighton Pride here on Saturday 5th August, doing a full 90 minute show.

Much as I like The Pets - still going strong after 30+ years - and their innovative, stylish shows, on reflection we will be giving it a miss - it would not be a good venue for us to see them, as they will attract a huge crowd and one may well be stuck in the middle of a throng, unable to move. Now that we are getting on a bit, comfort is a necessity, I demand a seat and a good view. 

Thankfully I have seen the Pets several time before, as per label - their Savoy Theatre residency in 1997, London Pride that year, and on tour in Brighton in 1999 and also at The Tower Of London in 2006 etc. I am sure they will have other tour dates lined up too. 

But good luck for Brighton on Pride Day. I could always play their Glastonbury or O2 concert dvds instead ,,, Years and Years are terrific too...

Brighton Pride is one of the UK's main Pride events, I have been to several and know the city well having lived there for several years, on the south coast in Sussex. Its a great day out for everyone and events and clubbing continue all weekend.  

RIP, continued ...

Chuck Berry (1926-2017), aged 90. Indeed one of the pioneers of rock'n'roll whose electric rhythm'n'blues guitar paved the way for those who followed, like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones who covered his songs, like "Roll Over Beethoven" in their early days. His guitar licks, duck walk, brash self-confidence, and those songs about teenage life: cars, girls, dance parties created it all. There was always though, as per some lurid reports, a touch of sleaze about Chuck, but he kept on going decade after decade, Who is left from that era? Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Fats Domino ....

Joni Sledge (1957-2017), aged 60. One of the Sledge Sisters who were huge disco stars in the late 70s and early 80s. We know and love those songs: "We Are Family", "He's The Greatest Dancer", "Lost in Music" indeed,

Robert Osborne (1932-2017), aged 84. Film historian, writer and television presenter, We did not really know him here in the UK, but Osborne was the face of and host for TCM - American version - with his informed and affectionate comments on Turner Classic Movies and all the seasons and stars he interviewed. I got some of his introductions and interviews on disks sent from friends in New York. We could have done with him over here, 

Beatles for sale - in vinyl

Now that vinyl records are back again - and a lot pricier than they used to be, a new collection of The Beatles albums in vinyl caught my attention, now that I can play vinyl again. Its so satisfying dropping the needle on the long-playing album, the way listening to music used to be, rather than pressing 'play' on a cd or streaming music.

The Beatles on vinyl collection starts with that classic ABBEY ROAD, at a decent price of £9.99, and there is a new album every two weeks, retailing at £16.99 - cheaper than buying them at a record store. The next one is SGT PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND - I will have to get that one too, though I have the CD, as I do of most of the fab's albums, and I may also have to get HELP, A HARD DAY'S NIGHT, REVOLVER and all their main albums again on vinyl. These may have been originally released as a box set, but this new collection allows one to just get the albums one wants, There are really a dozen original Beatles albums (if one includes THE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR,, originally a double EP), the rest of the 23 here are those compilations and anthologies. 

I will be back in 1967 with flatmate Stan and Linda, the girl upstairs, as SGT PEPPER unfolds again. All are in facsimiles of the original albums, with magazines and notes. We Beatles fanatics will be pleased (though of course back then in the late Sixties I also loved The Rolling Stones, Cream, The Yardbirds, The Moody Blues, The Pink Floyd, some Who, The Band, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, The Lovin Spoonful, and those early Joni, Neil Young, Tom Rush, Aretha Franklin albums....).

RIP, continued ...

Alan Aldridge (1943-2017), age 73.  Graphic artist whose album covers and posters saw him hailed as a 'Young Meteor' of the Sixties. I vividly remember his fantastic art work on Penguin paperbacks, I had his "Illustrated Beatles Lyrics" book, and his "Sunday Times" colour supplement covers, like that handpainted mini car in 1965. 

He also did album covers for Elton John, The Who, Cream and others. One of the original hippie artists then, who - like Klaus Voorman - got into The Beatles inner circle. He looked the part too with that hair and tache. His airbrushed, psychedelic images were part of the scene then and defined the era. A quintessential 60s figure: talented, working class, handsome with long hair and a penchant for velvet suits. He also did posters for films like Warhol's CHELSEA GIRLS, and the logo for The Hard Rock Cafe. His private life was suitably colourful too, having seven children by three different women. Rock'n'Roll ! 

Sir Gerard Kaufman (1930-2017), aged 86. He enjoyed a long career as Labour MP spanning 46 years, including being Father of The House of Commons, and held most senior posts in opposition during Labour's wilderness years. He was Harold Wilson's "media fixer". The waspish MP loved cinema, music, and was a critic, writer ("My Life in the Silver Screen"), The confirmed bachelor was a regular on television. His Jewish parents had fled Tsarist Russia but the scholarship boy was soon on the rise to Oxford, and on to working in newspapers, before becoming an MP.

Bill Paxton (1955-2017), aged 61, after complications after surgery. The amiable actor was was working to the end, having amassed 93 credits, including early roles in THE TERMINATOR, ALIENS, APOLLO 13, TOMBSTONE as well as leads in TWISTER, and in Cameron's TITANTIC and TRUE LIES, 

RIP, continued ...

Dick Bruna (1927-2017), aged 89. The Dutch artist and illustrator was the creator of the white rabbit Miffy who featured in all those popular childrens' books, which he wrote and illustrated. Miffy was a very simple design and much loved. I even had a cat I named Miffy.

Alec McCowen (1925-2017), aged 91. Another of England's premier actors, with a long a career on stage with lots of television and cinema roles - he actually clocked up 87 screen credits. I saw him on stage in EQUUS. Early roles included in Losey's TIME WITHOUT PITY in 1957, A NIGHT TO REMEMBER, the hilarious THE WITCHES in 1966, Cukor's TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT, Hitchcock's FRENZY, STEVIE, PERSONAL SERVICES, Scorsese's THE AGE OF INNOCENCE and THE GANGS OF NEW YORK and more. An out gay actor, he insisted his late partner was mentioned in his "This Is Your Life" TV programme.

Al Jarreau (1940-2017), aged 76. The smooth jazz singer won 7 grammy awards, and is perhaps best known for the MOONLIGHTING theme song. I loved his hit "We Are In This Love Together" and his 1981 album BREAKIN' AWAY.

Joni, out and about again ...

Adele and Beyonce may have been the headline-grabbers at the Grammys this year, but it was good to see our Nr 1 favourite Joni Mitchell at Clive Davis's pre-Grammy party, after her major illness in 2015. Thanks to Mike in San Francisco for the photo. Lots on Joni at label ....

Her website says:

Joni made a rare public appearance last night, attending Clive Davis' annual Pre-Grammy Gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, where she was escorted by writer and filmmaker Cameron Crowe and author Daniel Levitin (pictured with Joni).

Joni was honored as one of the greatest songwriters whose work has touched everyone in the music industry.

She had a good time and was particularly moved by Chance the Rapper and Mary J. Blige’s performances. Herbie Hancock came by and said an extended hello, as did many other well-wishers, including Stephen Stills and Clive Davis.

For the weekend ....

Two timeless classics, nuff said.