When Laserdisc was the best home video format available, studios would release expensive, deluxe editions of movies with all sorts of extras. I bought a few of them, including a box set from Disney of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It came with a hardcover book that was co-written by none other than Brian Sibley.
My sister Jean asked for a particular song, and here it is. Pompous and bloated, even compared to the Moody Blues, and not as creepy as DOA by Bloodrock, but with a neat ambiance. Dig that old analog synthesizer sound!
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUL/KingCrimson.mp3]I’m a fan of the work of Dennis Potter. The thought has occurred to me that perhaps J.K. Rowling named Harry in his honor. He’s the sort of writer I suspect she would appreciate. If you don’t know who I’m talking about — and I’m sure Brian Sibley does — please look him up now.
When I hear this song I think of Dennis Potter, and if you don’t like what you’re about to hear, don’t tell me, because I think this is wonderful. It’s sometimes easy to forget what made certain performers from long ago great. Here’s Bing Crosby at his best.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/DerBingle.mp3]OK, here’s another one of seven songs I want to feature, after being tagged by Brian Sibley. You’ll see the artist and title when you play it. This really holds up as a late period psychedelic sci-fi classic.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/Bowie.mp3]Yesterday we went to my sister’s house, 45 miles away. Doing that cost about $15 for gas:
90 miles ÷ 25 mpg = 3.6 gallons x $4.10/gal. = $14.76
If gas goes up to $5/gal it will cost $18, round trip.
I’ve been tagged by Brian Sibley. This is a new concept for me, but it seems to mean that I’m supposed to highlight seven songs that I’m into right now. I can’t do all seven right now, but let’s start with one that runs over the end credits of the excellent Japanese movie Linda, Linda, Linda, featured here one year ago.
The movie is about a high school girl band practicing a song by the Japanese punk band The Blue Hearts for a high school talent show. The DVD supplementary material includes lengthy commentary from Patrick Macias, an American expert in Japanese Pop culture. Here, Macias provides a one minute introduction to The Blue Hearts.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/PatrickMacias.mp3]This is “An Endless Song,” the Blue Hearts record that runs over the closing credits…
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/BlueHeartsEndlessSong.mp3]…and this is The Clash from 1977.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2008/JUN/CareerOpportunities.mp3]That recording came from a British import LP, and it has the nice full and smooth sound that’s characteristic of better vinyl pressings.
