Category: Music

It’s a mad, Mad World

I watched Donnie Darko once, probably more than five years ago, and it didn’t hit the spot for me. Maybe I’m too old for the material. If it becomes available on Netflix Watch Instantly I’ll give it another try. But something that stuck out from it was Mad World, a remake by Gary Jules and Michael Andrews of the Tears for Fears song. This version was #1 in England and I hear it played every so often on BBC Radio 2.

http://youtu.be/4N3N1MlvVc4

TCM Alert – Petula Clark in ‘Runaway Bus’

Wednesday at 6:30 PM ET, Turner Classic Movies is showing The Runaway Bus, a nifty little caper comedy with Petula Clark, from her years in British film. No singing, just Pet being perfectly perky as Nikki, a resourceful stewardess.

And this coming Sunday night/Monday morning at 4 AM ET, TCM is showing Petula in one of her teen roles from the popular Huggetts series, The Huggetts Abroad. Thanks, TCM!

Abbey Road notes

A few Beatles-related items:

  • Mike Smith has passed away. He was the A&R man who, on January 1, 1962, signed Brian Poole and the Tremeloes to Decca Records, instead of the Beatles.
  • Back in October I noted that EMI was going to be bought by the rich Russian who bought Warner Music. But a last-minute deal between EMI and Universal Music was worked out.
  • Kevin Ryan and Brian Kehew, co-authors of Recording the Beatles, have sold out four talks at EMI’s Abbey Road recording studios on the 80-year history of the facility.