Joe Sinnott is the best ink man the comic book business has ever had. Most of Joe’s work, even the earliest of it, is instantly recognizable to fans, but there are exceptions, including hundreds of pages of Archie comics that Joe inked anonymously in the 70’s. Good, ol’ Denro has been painstakingly finding these issues and forwarding them to Joe’s son Mark.
Month: August 2009
Beatles ’65
I think 1965 was the pivotal year of the Sixties. So many changes between then and Woodstock. Things kicked into high gear after “HELP!” appeared in movie theaters at the end of July, then the Beatles made their final in-person appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (Ed’s last black&white broadcast), before their landmark concert at Shea Stadium. “Rubber Soul” was released in December, and for once the shorter American version of a Beatles album was the better one.
What got me thinking about this was Paul McCartney performing “I’m Down” at his first show in Boston this week at Fenway Park.
This reminded me of the Shea Stadium show, which took place while the fantastic 1964 World’s Fair was still open nearby. I got to see the World’s Fair with my family, but only my big sister saw the Beatles at Shea.
[MEDIA=56]
Note Ringo’s comment about John cracking up and playing the organ with his elbow. The Beatles’ appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was recorded August 14 for broadcast on September 12. John did the same thing on the show, so it wasn’t spontaneous at Shea Stadium. In this video, the well-known voice in the Pillsbury’s commercial is Peter Thomas.
[MEDIA=57]
To give you a better feeling for those times I’m going to run the entire final third of the Sullivan program, including a song by Cilla Black and the closing credits, both of which I’ve used before. You’ll also get to see Soupy Sales “Do the Mouse,” and look fast for Bonnie Franklin in an Anacin commercial.
[MEDIA=58]
Sullivan owed the Beatles so much, and yet he complimented them for how they handled themselves?? He could have said, “I admire your accomplishments and your professionalism.” Instead, eighteen months after the Beatles first appeared on his show, Sullivan still affected an air of paternalism. But there was no stopping what was happening in society and culture, and by the end of the decade Sullivan was wearing loud suits and sporting sideburns.
Back with McCartney
Denro went back for seconds tonight, and saw Paul McCartney again at Fenway Park! He’s a real glutton for “funishment.” I’ll give you a few more video clips from Wednesday’s fab show.
Before the show, this Beatles retrospective was scrolling on the giant TV…
[MEDIA=53]
Here’s a bit of “Jet” with a view of Fenway Park before sunset…
[MEDIA=54]
… and during “Got to Get You Into My Life” in the background was playing a preview of the upcoming Beatles: Rock Band video game.
[MEDIA=55]
Ol’ Mac he’s back in town!
Paul McCartney’s entrance at Fenway Park, Boston, August 5…
[MEDIA=51]
…and here’s one of his encores!
[MEDIA=52]
Paul put on a fantastic two-and-a-half hour show, and a splendid time was guaranteed for all.
Donovan: Prince of Flower Power
The Sixties come alive in the excellent and compelling documentary, “Sunshine Superman – The Journey Of Donovan.” Donovan was originally labeled a Dylan wannabe, but it was hearing the Beatles for the first time that set him on his musical journey, and the direction he took was decidedly British. Donovan connects the dots from the Bohemians to the Beatniks to the Folkies to the Hippies, and to the post-Hippie heavy-hitters Led Zeppelin. Here are a few highlights.
[MEDIA=50]
The video has a bit of “Sunny South Kensington” in which Donovan mentions fashion designer Mary Quant, who is a friend of Prue Bury. And note: Donovan’s song “Jennifer Juniper” is about Pattie Boyd’s younger sister Jenny.
James Bond drinks… Red Stripe?
It was first reported that Henry Gates would drink Red Stripe at the White House beer summit, but he had Sam Adams Light.
Red Stripe is Jamaican beer, and that reminded me of “Dr. No”, which was partially filmed in Jamaica.
[flv:http://www.dograt.com/Video/2009/AUG/DrNo.flv 480 270]
“Dr. No” is from 1962, around the same time that Ska hit the music scene in Jamaica. After the movie came out there was a Jamaican version of the James Bond theme.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/AUG/JamesBond.mp3]Ska came after Calypso and evolved into Reggae, thanks in part to a record producer named Leslie Kong. In 1969, a few months before Woodstock, a Kong-produced record introduced America to Reggae and became a surprise hit on AM radio.
[audio:http://www.dograt.com/Audio/2009/AUG/Israelites.mp3]