(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on September 27, 2025)
Slade in Flame (BFI; Region ‘B’ only)
Akin to Mott the Hoople, it may be arguable among music geeks as to whether Slade was truly “glam” (they were a bit on the “blokey” side- as the Brits would say), but they are nonetheless considered so in some circles, and this 1974 film was released during the heyday of space boots and glitter, so there you go.
The directorial debut for Richard Loncraine (Brimstone and Treacle, The Missionary, Richard III) the film is a gritty, semi-biographical “behind the music” drama (don’t expect A Hard Day’s Night) about a working-class band called Flame (suspiciously resembling the four members of Slade, wink-wink) who get chewed up and spit out of the star-making machine (this just in: managers and A & R people are back-stabbing weasels).
While not a genre masterpiece, the film is bolstered by a great soundtrack (all Slade originals) and the casting of Tom Conti (who plays a soulless record exec with great aplomb). An amusing scene where lead singer Noddy Holder’s character gets locked into a stage coffin presages a similar hardware malfunction depicted in This Is Spinal Tap. Another memorable scene has the band risking life and limb to access the broadcast booth for an on-air interview at an offshore pirate radio station (the story is set in the late 1960s).
BFI’s 2025 remastered Blu-ray edition is a vast improvement over Shout! Factory’s 2004 DVD, in both image and sound quality. Extras include a newly recorded audio commentary with the director and film critic Mark Kermode, a new 9-minute interview with Tom Conti, a 54-minute 2002 interview with Noddy Holder, and more. Note: Requires an all-region player.
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on September 27, 2025)
Breaking Glass (Fun City Editions)
Released on the cusp of the Thatcher era, writer-director Brian Gibson’s 1980 film is a No Wave take on A Star is Born, with a nod to the classic UK kitchen sink dramas of the 1960s. 26 year-old singer-songwriter Hazel O’Connor delivers a naturalistic performance as a disenfranchised young gas station attendant who aspires to be a rock star…but strictly on her own terms. To wit, the lyrics she furiously scribbles into her notebook are not exactly “moon-June” love sonnets; take “Big Brother”, for instance:
They’ll tear out your heart, throw it knee-deep in a cart
Cause that’s what they do with the scum like me and you
And you feel as if you died, whilst you’re standing on the line
And you wonder all the time why can’t you cry?
But the people in control don’t care for you
They are just a robot with a job to do
And when your used, exhausted, they’ll be rid of you
As soon as look at you, go to the back of the queue!
Not destined to be a chart-climber, that one. Despite the ridicule and sexism she constantly weathers, she eventually gets the attention of a street-hustling manager (Phil Daniels) who sees her potential and helps her put a decent band together (including a young Jonathan Pryce on sax). However, when she lands a recording contract, the inevitable compromises begin once a more seasoned, smooth-talking (and weaselly) industry exec (Jon Finch) begins to wrest control of her career (let the eternal battle between Art and Commerce commence).
O’Connor does her own singing (she also co-wrote the songs with soundtrack producer Tony Visconti). I see the film as a companion piece to Lou Adler’s 1981 Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains and Gillian Armstrong’s 1982 rock musical Starstruck (I wrote about both films here).
Fun City’s 2025 edition is a bit light on extras, but boasts a long-overdue restoration, improved audio, and (most notably) reinstates the original UK cut (the previous Olive Films reissue was not restored, and featured the U.S. cut, which is 10 minutes shorter).
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on September 27, 2025)
This is Spinal Tap (The Criterion Collection)
“May I start by saying how thrilled we are to have you here. We are such fans of your music and all of your records. I’m not speaking of yours personally, but the whole genre of the rock and roll.”
– Lt. Hooksratten (played by Fred Williard), from This is Spinal Tap
Has it really been 41 years since one of the loudest English bands that never lived set off to “tap into America” on their imaginary comeback tour? (Checks calendar) Yes, that tracks. Director Rob Reiner co-wrote this 1984 mockumentary with Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer and Michael McKean, who play Spinal Tap founders Nigel Tufnel (lead guitar), Derek Smalls (bass) and David St. Hubbins (lead vocals and guitar), respectively (several actors portray the band’s revolving door of drummers, who tend to meet untimely ends such as spontaneous combustion, “a bizarre gardening accident”, and perhaps most famously, choking on “somebody else’s vomit”).
Reiner casts himself as “rockumentary” filmmaker Marty DiBergi (a goof on Martin Scorsese, who similarly interjected himself into The Last Waltz) who accompanies the hard rocking outfit on a tour of the states (“their first in six years”) to support the release of their new LP “Smell the Glove” (DiBergi has been a fan since first catching them at the “Electric Banana” in Greenwich Village in 1966).
By the time the film’s 84 minutes have expired, no one (and I mean, no one) involved in the business of rock ’n’ roll has been spared the knife-musicians, roadies, girlfriends, groupies, fans, band managers, rock journalists, concert promoters, record company execs, A & R reps, record store clerks…all are bagged and tagged.
Nearly every scene has become iconic in muso circles; ditto the plethora of quotable lines: “These go to eleven.” “I mean, it’s not your job to be as confused as Nigel.” “You can’t really dust for vomit.” “It’s such a fine line between stupid and clever.” “No…we’re NOT gonna fucking do ‘Stonehenge’!” “We’ve got armadillos in our trousers-it’s really quite frightening.”
The great supporting cast includes Tony Hendra (who steals all his scenes as the band’s prickly manager, clearly modeled after Led Zeppelin’s infamously fearsome handler Peter Grant), Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley, Jr., Fran Drescher, Parick Macnee, June Chadwick, Billy Crystal (“C’mon…mime is money!”), Howard Hesseman, Paul Shaffer, and Fred Williard.
Third time’s a charm for Criterion, who released previous editions on LaserDisc and DVD. The label does their usual voodoo with a sparkling new 4K transfer (supervised and approved by director Reiner) and 5.1 Surround DTS MasterAudio (“Big Bottom”, “Hell Hole”, and “Sex Farm” have never sounded so…robust).
Extras include an engaging conversation between Rob Reiner and Spinal Tap superfan Patton Oswalt, three audio commentaries, media appearances, trailers, and music videos. The 90 minutes of outtakes is a real treat for fans of the film; when you see the quality of what ended up on the cutting room floor, you marvel even more at the cast’s improvisational skills (Reiner had 100 hours of footage to pare down).
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on September 6, 2025)
It’s been another one of those news cycles, hasn’t it? Believe me…I feel your pain.
So stop doomscrolling already, grab your favorite tranquilizer (prescription or otherwise), don a pair of noise cancelling ‘phones and settle back for another one of my chillaxing “Book of Saturday” mixtapes (vol. 4, if you’re counting). I’ve sequenced the songs in a manner designed to evoke and sustain a particular mood-so for maximum effect, may I suggest that you listen to it in order. And remember, I am not a licensed music therapist, I just play one on TV.
Peace.
Ultra Vivid Scene – “Mirror to Mirror”
Pink Floyd – “Remember a Day”
John Foxx – “Europe After the Rain”
The Cleaners From Venus – “Girl on a Swing”
New Musik – “This World of Water”
Wire – “Map Ref 41 Degrees N 93 Degrees W”
Fous de la Mer – “Watersong”
Steve Hackett – “Icarus Ascending”
Kevin Kendle – “Cumulus”
Cocteau Twins – “Lazy Calm”
Robin Trower – “Daydream”
Greenslade – “Bedside Manners Are Extra”
Emerson, Lake, & Palmer – “From the Beginning”
Jakko – “Dangerous Dreams”
The Apartments – “Things You’ll Keep”
The Go-Betweens – “The Streets of Your Town”
Jay Semko – “dueSouth Theme”
Jethro Tull – “Skating Away on the Thin Ice of the New Day”
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on August 16, 2025)
Pfft. Wow. That was a quick friggin’ summer.
Yes, I am aware that it’s mid-August…but students are already heading back to the classroom in some parts of the country. As great poets have said…autumn is over the long leaves that love us, yesterday is dead (but not in my memory), and it’s late September and I really should be back at school. Well, not literally (at 69, I’m a little mature for home room)…but my school days of yesteryear are not necessarily dead in my memory. I feel like I have to go to bed early now. Some habits die hard.
Anyway, here’s a back-to-school playlist that doesn’t include “The Wall” or “School’s Out” (don’t worry, you’ll get over it). Pencils down, pass your papers forward, and listen up…
“Alma Mater” – Alice Cooper
Oh, Alice. You should be on the stage.
Hey, remember the time – ‘member the time
We took that snake
And put down little Betsy’s dress?
Now I don’t think Miss Axelrod
Was much impressed
“At 17” – Janis Ian
Emo before it had a name:
To those of us who knew the pain
Of valentines that never came
And those whose names were never called
When choosing sides for basketball
When some loud braggart tries to put me down
And says his school is great
I tell him right away
Now, what’s the matter, buddy
Ain’t you heard of my school
“Cinnamon Street” – Roxette
Per Gessele is an underrated songwriter. A lovely sense memory from the Swedish pop-rock duo. Sadly, Marie Fredriksson passed away in 2019.
Growing up on Cinnamon Street
Everywhere you look there are lots of people to meet
It’s seven o’clock, the breakfast treat
Now the school bus is here, hurry up and grab a seat
“ELO Kiddies” – Cheap Trick
That’s enough out of you, you little truants!
So you missed some school?
You know school’s for fools
Today money rules
And everybody steals it
“Getting Better” – The Beatles
Stay in school, kids. This too shall pass. It gets better.
Iused to get mad at my school (Now I can’t complain)
The teachers who taught me weren’t cool (Now I can’t complain)
Holding me down
Turning me ’round
Filling me up with your rules
“Me & Julio Down by the Schoolyard” – Paul Simon
More troublemakers:
The mama looked down and spit on the ground
Every time my name gets mentioned
The papa said, “Oy, if I get that boy
I’m gonna stick him in the house of detention”
“My Old School” – Steely Dan
Another enigmatic narrative from Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, featuring some of Jeff “Skunk” Baxter’s finest fretwork.
Well, I did not think the girl
Could be so cruel
And I’m never going back
To my old school
“Rock ‘n’ Roll High School” – The Ramones
Halfway through my list, I’m thinking: Did any of these people pay attention in class?
Well, I don’t care about history
Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
‘Cause that’s not where I wanna be
Rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
I just wanna have some kicks
I just wanna get some chicks
Rock, rock, rock, rock, rock ‘n’ roll high school
“School” – Supertramp
One of Roger Hodgson’s finer compositions. Ennio Morricone’s school days.
I can see you in the morning when you go to school
Don’t forget your books, you know you’ve got to learn the golden rule,
Teacher tells you stop your play and get on with your work
And be like Johnnie-too-good, well don’t you know he never shirks
He’s coming along
“School Days” – Chuck Berry
Hail hail to the chief. Pure rock ‘n’ roll poetry.
Up in the mornin’ and out to school
The teacher is teachin’ the golden rule
American history and practical math
You studyin’ hard and hopin’ to pass
Workin’ your fingers right down to the bone
And the guy behind you won’t leave you alone
“School Days” – The Runaways
Joan Jett to Janis Ian: “You thought seventeen was rough? Hold my beer.”
Never read a single book
Hated homework and the dirty looks
But now I live my life
There’s a lot I’ve seen at eighteen, oh yeah
“Schooldays” – The Kinks
Any cut from their Schoolboys in Disgrace album would do, but this one gets an ‘A’.
Schooldays were such happy days
Now they seem so far away
I remember and I’ll always treasure
Schooldays were the happiest days of your life
But we never appreciate the good times we have
Until it’s too late
“School Yard” – Joe Vitale
Hazy memories of a high school crush.
There was a bench in the park by the school yard
There was a tree overhead
And we would meet secretly if you wanted
We were fifteen…
“Smokin’ in the Boy’s Room” – Brownsville Station
I miss Cub Koda.
Sitting in the classroom, thinking it’s a drag
Listening to the teacher rap, just ain’t my bag
The noon bells rings, you know that’s my cue
I’m gonna meet the boys on floor number two!
“Status Back Baby” – Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention
I think Frank needs to go to the councilor’s office for a pep talk. Wah wah wah wah.
The other night we painted posters
We played some records by the coasters
Wah wah wah wah
A bunch of pom-pom girls
Looked down their nose at me
They had painted tons of posters, I had painted three
I hear the secret whispers everywhere I go
My school spirit is at an all time low
“Teacher Teacher” – Rockpile
OK, it’s only analogous to the school experience. But hey…we never stop learning.
Young love, young pet
Cheeks flushing, apple red
Ringing you every day
Begging for a word of praise
I’ve put aside my foolish games
I run and hide and callin’ names
Miles out, the bells are ringin’
Now’s the time to teach me everything
“Thirteen” – Big Star
First crush.
Won’t you let me walk you home from school?
Won’t you let me meet you at the pool?
Maybe Friday I can
Get tickets for the dance
And I’ll take you, ooh-ooh
“To Sir, With Love” – Lulu
Ode to a mentor.
A friend who taught me right from wrong
And weak from strong
That’s a lot to learn
What, what can I give you in return?
“Wind-up” – Jethro Tull
An English schoolboy who (I sense) has a problem with authority.
When I was young and they packed me off to school
And taught me how not to play the game
I didn’t mind if they groomed me for success
Or if they said that I was just a fool
So I left there in the morning
With their God tucked underneath my arm
Their half-assed smiles and the book of rules
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on July 19, 2025)
Last night I watched part one of Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin’s new HBO/MAX documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes (part two drops July 25th). So far, it’s an absorbing “warts and all” portrait of the singer-songwriter. Some of the more revelatory moments stem from learning the inspiration behind specific songs. One example is his 1974 single “The Entertainer”. It wasn’t a huge hit (peaking at #34), but has an interesting backstory, as Joel recounts:
The song “The Entertainer” was basically autobiographical about putting out “Piano Man”. The magic number in those days to putting out a single was the 3-minute mark. The original [album version] of “Piano Man” was a much longer recording, and [the record label execs] said “We’ve got to edit it.” I said, “What do you mean, you’ve got it edit it?” I was very touchy about that…don’t be chopping my song up. I was starting to become disenchanted with the music business, and “The Entertainer” was my way of complaining about it, I suppose.
Joel’s former manager (and ex-wife) Elizabeth Weber elaborates:
When he wrote “The Entertainer”, it became such a negative to a number of people in the music business. They look [at it like] “I’m out here, slogging away every day to get your records on the radio…and you say these things about me?!” – and they stopped working for him completely. They were so mad that they were doing the best they could and this was the gratitude that they got.
To which Joel appends:
Essentially, “The Piano Man” was about a guy kvetching about playing in a piano bar, and the followup [single] was the guy kvetching about having a hit record in the music business. So it’s sorta like, I’m doing well-let me screw this up somehow.
There’s a profound lesson about the music business in there somewhere. I’m not 100% sure what it is, but it did give me an idea (which is always dangerous). I got to thinking about other great songs that kvetch about stoking the star-making machinery behind the popular song (to coin a phrase). The more I thought about it, the more songs I came up with. After much careful deliberation (and one eye on an approaching deadline), I’ve whittled it down to my 20 top picks:
“An Elpee’s Worth of Toons” – Todd Rundgren – In which the artist muses on his career choice.
There’s something at the heart of it that’s simply awful
A man who makes a living off a plastic waffle
“Barracuda” – Heart – Ann and Nancy are looking at YOU, Mr. Music Exec.
You lying so low in the weeds
I bet you gonna ambush me
You’d have me down, down, down, down on my knees
Now wouldn’t you, barracuda? Oh
“Destiny Calling” – James – Help I’m a commodity.
Cover us in chocolate
Sell us to the neighbours
Frame us in a video
Clone us in a test tube
Sell us to the multitude
Guess that’s the price of fame
“Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You” – Sugarloaf – One of the more quotable selections here.
(I said, “You got my number?”
He said, “Yeah, I got it when you walked in the door”)
“EMI” – The Sex Pistols – The Pistols’ F.U. to the label that originally signed them but then dropped them like a hot potato several months later. Can’t imagine why.
Ever, ever, ever
And you thought that we were faking
That we were all just money making
You do not believe we’re for real
Or you would lose your cheap appeal?
“Empty V” – Doug Powell – Re: Music Television…where did the music go? A valid question.
Video killed the radio star
And then committed suicide
“The Entertainer” – Billy Joel – You know the story.
I am the entertainer
I bring to you my songs
I’d like to spend a day or two
But I can’t stay that long
No, I’ve got to meet expenses
I got to stay in line
Gotta get those fees to the agencies
And I’d love to stay but there’s bills to pay
So I just don’t have the time
“Free Man in Paris” – Joni Mitchell – Trying to escape the pressure cooker.
I was a free man in Paris, I felt unfettered and alive Nobody was calling me up for favors
No one’s future to decide
You know I’d go back there tomorrow
But for the work I’ve taken on
Stoking the star maker machinery behind the popular song
“Have a Cigar” – Pink Floyd – Roger Waters vents spleen about cigar-chomping glad-handers.
Come in here, dear boy, have a cigar, you’re gonna go far You’re gonna fly, you’re never gonna die
You’re gonna make it if you try, they’re gonna love you
Well, I’ve always had a deep respect and I mean that most sincere
The band is just fantastic, that is really what I think
Oh, by the way, which one’s pink?
“I Love My Label” – Nick Lowe – Somewhat good-natured, but wary of the corporate masters.
Oh, I’m so proud of them up here
We’re one big, happy family
I guess you could say I’m the poor
Relation of the parent company
“Million-Dollar Riff” – Skyhooks – In search of the hit formula. And the filthy lucre.
Well there’s a thousand guitars all over the land
And a thousand drummers and a thousand bands
And a thousand agents with their ears to the ground (Gimme Gimme)
They’re all lookin’ for the riff with the million dollar sound
“Overnight Sensation” – The Raspberries – He’s not in it for the money. No, really.
Well if the program director don’t pull it
It’s time to get back the bullet
So bring the group down to the station
You’re gonna be an overnight sensation
“Radio, Radio” – Elvis Costello – I prefer his early, angrier songs.
You either shut up or get cut up, they don’t wanna hear about it
It’s only inches on the reel-to-reel
And the radio is in the hands of such a lot of fools
Tryin’ to anesthetize the way that you feel
“So You Want to Be a Rock ‘N’ Roll Star” – The Byrds – Anyone can do it!
Then it’s time to go downtown
Where the agent man won’t let you down
Sell your soul to the company
Who are waiting there to sell plasticware
“Tinseltown Rebellion” – Frank Zappa – FZ was never one to mince words.
The Tinsel Town aficionados
Come to see and not to hear
But then again this system works
As perfect as a dream
It works for all of those record company pricks
Who come to skim the cream
From the cesspools of excitement
Where Jim Morrison once stood
It’s the Tinsel Town Rebellion
From downtown Hollywood
“Top of the Pops” – The Kinks – You’re #1 …with a few caveats.
And now I’ve got friends that I never knew I had before.
It’s strange how people want you when you record’s high
‘Cos when it drops down they just pass you by
Now my agent just called me and said it me:
“Son your record’s just got to Number One.”
And do you know what this means?
This means you can earn some real money!
“The Under Assistant West Coast Promotion Man” – The Rolling Stones – Do the hustle.
Well they laugh at my toupee, they’re sure to put me down
Well I’m sitting here thinking just how sharp I am
Yeah I’m sitting here thinking just how sharp I am
I’m a necessary talent behind every rock and roll band
“Video Killed the Radio Star” – The Buggles – We hold this truth to be self-evident.
In my mind and in my car
We can’t rewind we’ve gone too far
Pictures came and broke your heart
Put the blame on VCR
“Workin’ for MCA” – Lynyrd Skynyrd – Seems this fella knew what to expect.
Oh, suckers took my money since I was seventeen
If it ain’t no pencil pusher, then it got to be a honky tonk queen
But I’ll sign my contract, baby, and I want you people to know
That every penny that I make, I’m gonna see where my money goes
“The Worst Band in the World” – 10cc – Hey, as long as the check clears…who cares?
Well we’ve never done a days work in our life
And our records sell in zillions
It irrigates my heart with greed
To know that you adore me
Up yours, up mine
But up everybody’s that takes time
But we’re working on it
Working on it (Ooh)
How does one describe Sun Ra’s music? Whether you label it “free jazz”, “avant-garde”, “experimental”, or “free-form”…to the uninitiated ear, it might as well be music from outer space. That perception would suit its creator just fine, because he was from Saturn, after all.
I should probably back up a moment.
Herman Poole Blount was actually born in Birmingham Alabama, and as we learn in Christine Turner’s bio of the late jazz pioneer, was a natural musician. He starting playing piano as a child and was composing and sight reading by his early teens. The “Saturn” quotient entered his personal mythology at some point in his 20s or 30s (the timeline was subject to change, depending on to whom he was recounting his story of being “teleported” to the planet, where alien beings instructed him to speak to the world through his music).
The veracity of this story is moot; because whatever (or whoever) sparked this visit from the Muse, from that moment forward Sun Ra dedicated every waking minute of his life to not only push his musical boundaries, but to create a simpatico cosmology that embraced elements of philosophy, quantum physics, and Black consciousness.
Turner mixes recollections from former members of the Arkestra, historians, music scholars, and archival Sun Ra interviews with amazing performance footage to paint a fascinating (if not definitive) portrait of a unique artist whose true origin remains a bit of a mystery. I’m compelled to quote my favorite line from Close Encounters of the Third Kind: “Einstein was probably one of them.”
Jonas Åkerlund ‘s rock doc is a fairly straightforward portrait of William Michael Albert Broad, noted member of the Bromley Contingent. Okay…you know him better as Billy Idol, and “The Bromley Contingent” (which featured future members of The Clash and Siouxsee and the Banshees, among other seminal punkers) was basically an unofficial fan club that followed the Sex Pistols around on their earliest UK gigs. Billy, of course, was destined for bigger things, so he did not remain a mere fanboy for long.
Mixing archival footage with present-day ruminations from Idol (still alive!) Åkerlund retraces the rocker’s trajectory from co-founder of Generation X (one of the first punk bands to perform on the BBC’s Top of the Pops program) to MTV superstar and beyond.
The price of fame is paid in full along the way; sex, drugs, and rock and roll takes its toll…but like some kind of sneering, leather-clad Energizer Bunny, Idol somehow just keeps going, and going. The present-day Idol is thoughtful, self-reflective, and surprisingly candid about where he’s been and where he’s headed. Being partial to Idol’s pre-MTV output, I found his punk era to be the most absorbing portion of the doc, but overall it should be an enjoyable ride for fans.
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on Jun 11, 2025)
The music world has lost a giant today. Since the news broke, it seems all the superlatives have been used up describing Brian Wilson’s genius, so I thought I’d let the music do the talking. And rather than slapping together a playlist of The Beach Boys greatest hits (too easy), it feels more appropriate to celebrate Wilson’s legacy via artists who have taken inspiration from him. In tribute, here are 15 covers and originals that channel his spirit.
The Beatles – “Back in the U.S.S.R.” – Granted, this may be cheating a bit, considering that (as the story goes) Beach Boy Mike Love overheard Paul McCartney working on this tune when they were both studying under the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in India and suggested that “[what Paul] ought to do is talk about the girls all around Russia, the Ukraine, and Georgia.” And so it came to pass. Then again, The Beatles didn’t give a tip o’ the hat to just anybody, you know.
First Class – “Beach Baby” – UK studio band First Class was the brainchild of singer-songwriter Tony Burrows, who also sang lead on other one-hit wonders, including “Love Grows Where My Rosemary Goes” (The Edison Lighthouse), “My Baby Loves Lovin’” (White Plains), and “United We Stand” (The Brotherhood of Man). This pop confection was a Top 10 song in the U.S. in 1974.
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs – “The Warmth of the Sun” – A lovely cover from Sweet and Hoffs’ Under the Covers, Vol. 1 collaboration album. The original version (featuring one of Brian Wilson’s most gorgeous melodies) was on the 1964 album Shut Down Vol 2. Atypically introspective and melancholy for this era of the band, it had an unusual origin story. Wilson and Mike Love began work on the tune in the wee hours of the morning JFK was assassinated; news of the event changed the tenor of the lyrics and vocal performances.
Todd Rundgren – “Good Vibrations” – A near carbon copy of the Beach Boys’ brilliant 1966 hit, which famously took Wilson 7 months to produce (in four studios). This cut is from Rundgren’s 1976 album Faithful, which features one side of originals and the other devoted to “faithful” covers of 60s tunes.
10cc – “The Dean and I” – Imbued with shades of “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” (particularly on the bridge) and typically cheeky lyrics, this cut is from 10cc’s eponymous 1973 debut album.
Roy Wood – “Why Does Such a Pretty Girl Sing Those Sad Songs” – This uncanny homage is taken from the former Move front man’s 2nd solo album Mustard, released in 1975. I wager this one could pass as an original Brian Wilson composition in a blindfold test!
The High Llamas – “Over the River” – Band founder/keyboardist Sean O’Hagan has never made a secret of his admiration for Brian Wilson, hence I could have picked any number of his compositions to include. This instrumental, featured on the band’s 1998 Cold and Bouncy album, rings of Wilson’s Smile era.
Me First and the Gimme Gimmes – “Sloop John B.” – This fun punk-pop cover of a Pet Sounds cut cleverly tips its hat to the Beach Boys and The Ramones!
The Raspberries – “Cruisin’ Music” – The Raspberries go beach cruisin’ a la Wilson, from their 1974 album Starting Over.
Ken Sharp – “Girl Don’t Tell Me” – Ken Sharp is a sort of power pop Renaissance man; in addition to releasing a number of singles and albums, he has authored/co-authored 18 music books-including tomes on Cheap Trick, The Raspberries, The Small Faces, and Rick Springfield. This song was the B-side of the Beach Boys’ 1965 hit “Barbara Ann”; Sharp’s cover incorporates Beatle influences.
Martin Newell – “Miss Van Houten’s Coffee Shoppe” – Despite the fact that he writes hook-laden pop gems in his sleep, and has been doing so for five decades, endearingly eccentric singer-musician-songwriter-poet Martin Newell (Cleaners From Venus, Brotherhood of Lizards) remains a selfishly-guarded secret by cultish admirers (of which I am one). This bouncy number suggests some heavy Brian Wilson influence.
Los Lobos – “Sail on Sailor” – This fabulous cover is from Los Lobos’ 2021 album Native Sons, which paid tribute to L.A.-based artists.
The Dukes of Stratosphear – “Pale and Precious” – It’s hard to miss the Brian Wilson influence in this cut, taken from the band’s 2nd album Psonic Psunspot (this “band” was actually a nom de plume for an XTC side project).
Flo & Eddie – “Keep it Warm” – Here’s another one that could pass for a Wilson original (well…satirical lyrics aside), by ex-Turtles/Mothers of Invention members Howard Kaylan and Mark Volman, from their 1975 album Illegal, Immoral, and Fattening.
David Lee Roth – “California Girls” – No one could ever accuse the former Van Halen front man of being camera-shy. This remains one of the most memorable 80s videos, and also holds up as a great arrangement of one of Brian Wilson’s signature compositions.
(Originally posted on Digby’s Hullabaloo on April 26, 2025)
Fame (fame) what you like is in the limo Fame (fame) what you get is no tomorrow Fame (fame) what you need you have to borrow
– from “Fame” by David Bowie (backing vocal by John Lennon)
I’ll never forget the first time I saw Billy Wilder’s Sunset Boulevard-although I wish I could.
Allow me to explain.
I was all of 24, living in San Francisco. I didn’t own a VCR (they were exorbitantly priced), so I was still watching the tube in (*shudder*) real time. Perusing the TV Guide one December evening, I was excited to spot Sunset Boulevard on the schedule for 8pm (I believe it was airing on independent Bay Area station KTVU).
For the uninitiated, Gloria Swanson’s turn as a fading, high-maintenance movie queen mesmerizes, William Holden embodies the quintessential noir sap, and veteran scene-stealer Erich von Stroheim redefines the meaning of “droll” in a tragicomic journey down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams (I’ve seen it many times since).
At any rate, I was comfortably ensconced on the couch, really digging the film (despite myriad commercial breaks). Approximately 20 minutes into the broadcast, the station unceremoniously cut away from the film for a news bulletin: former Beatle John Lennon had been shot and killed in New York City.
It was eerie kismet, as the film opens with the shooting death of the protagonist/narrator (played by Holden), and is ultimately a rumination on the dark side of fame.
Being an avid Fabs fan, it kind of harshed my mellow. Still does, actually-whenever the subject comes up.
It’s hard to believe that was 45 years ago (5 years longer than Lennon’s lifespan). Over the ensuing decades, there has certainly been no shortage of documentaries and biopics covering Lennon’s life and work. At this point, I think I’ve seen most of them.
Consequently, one would assume that there are very few secrets, revelations and angles left to explore. Yet, 2025 has seen the release of no less than two new Lennon documentaries (and the year is still young).
First, there’s One to One: John and Yoko:
I haven’t seen it yet (it will be available to rent on streaming platforms beginning on May 9th).
This is the other doc (more on that in a moment)…
Directed by Alan G. Parker, Borrowed Time promises to “…set the record straight on the truth behind many famous Lennon moments, brought to life by rare archive footage, including never-before-seen interviews.”
So does it deliver? Well, in a fashion. As Lennon himself once implored, “All I want is the truth…just gimme some truth.” In context of the director’s approach, you may have to settle for “benefit of the doubt”.
I make that qualification because the lion’s share of screen time is devoted to talking heads. As promised, there are indeed “never-before-seen interviews” with former musical collaborators (Vinny Appice and Earl Slick), as well as music industry insiders, presenters, writers, and journalists (the BBC’s “Whispering” Bob Harris, Anthony DeCurtis, Barry Miles, Pamela Des Barres, Apple Records CEO Tony Bramwell, et.al.).
However, their stories are purely anecdotal; the backstage tales are engaging enough at first, but by the 2-hour mark they began to feel redundant and were not necessarily revelatory. Archival interviews help mix things up a bit, but overall it’s a static affair.
Then there’s the elephant in the room: zero Lennon music. I realize it can be challenging and/or simply too cost-prohibitive to secure permission to utilize copyrighted material in a film; but when you try to paint a portrait of an artist without any paint on your palette, more often than not you are likely to end up with an empty canvas.
Note: the version I previewed is the 134-minute theatrical cut that will be opening in the U.K. only on May 2. However, there is a 3.5 hour director’s cut out on the same date, which will be streaming for a month on the Icon Film Channel and also available to subscribers of the Amazon Prime Video Channels.
You must be logged in to post a comment.