The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Navigation

Beatle books

by 57 Comments

I’ve been pondering how many books about The Beatles I’ve read and which were good. Actually they were all good. I would include books about solo Beatles. I’ve been guided by the Nothing Is Real podcast and reviews here and there so I’ve avoided stinkers. My favourites are Revolution In The Head, Dreaming The Beatles, Beatles ’66, You Never Give Me My Money, and Tune In.

I am listing everything I can remember:

Tune In, Revolution In The Head, Beatles ’66, Dreaming The Beatles, The Longest Cocktail Party, And In The End (the last days), As Time Goes By (Derek Taylor), Man On The Run (Paul McCartney In The 1970s), Lennon (Philip Norman, You Never Give Me Your Money, The Love You Make.

That’s 11 that I can recall. How about you?

Raves from the grave in far flung places.

by 3 Comments

We continue our visit to Athens, cradle of civilisation. Sitting eating a mediocre, over-priced meal at a rooftop restaurant while gazing upon the Acropolis, where the western world learned what architecture is, the rarefied scene was accomoanied by an odd soundtrack of pop familiarity. John Lennon’s Jealous Guy ‘improved’ with Bontempi style stylings. Then they play a cover of Let It Be. It’s that 80s charity record, the Hillsborough one was it? I can’t remember. And then towards the end, voiceovers commending listeners to buy. Bowie, page 3 girl Suzanne Mizzi and then Timmy Mallet from TVam as he infotms us. What more of a clashing pop from the past juxtaposition with classical architectural grandeur could one have I wonder?

2017 TV highlights

by 85 Comments

We’ve done music and books, but not TV. At least not that I’m aware of. Some of the shows we would choose are no doubt the same, since there are clear, obvious candidates.

The golden age of television continues and nowadays it’s mostly about streaming. The likes of Netflix and HBO rule. You can watch at your convenience and it can be hard to resist the momentum that pushes you to start the next episode, in 30 seconds, 29 seconds… People still like to watch the minute new episodes are released though. They want to join the discussion, be part of the event, the phenomenon, that is the show everyone is talking about,

Any selection should come from TV programmes first shown this year. My choices then, in no particular order:

The Handmaid’s Tale on HBO – although I think the premise is a little hard to swallow, this was nevertheless brilliantly done and the events described have clear parallels with the society we have today, where mens’ treatment of women has been revealed more clearly than ever this year.

Big Lies, Little Lies – also on HBO, this drama similarly focuses on the mistreatment of women. » Continue Reading.

Negative original reviews of celebrated records

by 22 Comments

On the thread ‘Hits that weren’t hits’ there are references to famous, classic songs that were not hits when they were first released, like ‘Heroes’. This made me think of original, negative reviews of records that went on to be considered classics. I find such less than complementary opinions quite refreshing and fascinating. They at least feel honest as opposed to unquestioned installation in the canon and general hagiography. This is from Charlie Gillett about Bowie’s much admired opus about lovers and the Berlin wall:

“Well he had a pretty good run for our money, for a guy who was no singer. But I think his time has been and gone, and this just sounds weary. Then again, maybe the ponderous heavy riff will be absorbed on the radio, and the monotonous feel may just be hypnotic enough to drag people into buying it. I hope not.”

Can you think of any more like this?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%22Heroes%22_(David_Bowie_song)

My favourite thing(s)

by 5 Comments

I am here in Lefkos, Karpathos with my wife. It is our wedding anniversary on Wednesday (11 years), together 18 years. We were just now sat in a bar overlooking the beach drinking a Capiriniha cocktail whilst listening to the waves breaking and John Coltrane Quartet’s My Favourite Things, which quite frankly makes most pop music sound pretty stupid. Anybody else been here or have recommendations about Greek islands. This is one of the best we’ve been to. Quite wild and dramatic, but a quiet, small resort.

https://youtu.be/1kPXw6YaCEY

Androgny, you’re beautiful!

by 15 Comments

It was kind of confusing for a young chap in the 70s with all these male pop stars who looked like girls what with their long hair, their eyeliner and other make up, and their feminine, flouncy clothing. I must say I got a bit of a crush on one or two of these pouting performers. On the one hand there was their don’t give a fuck, rock god, magnetic charisma and then on the other their eyelash fluttering, glammed-up, dolly-bird look. A heady combination for a unwordly, young adolescent from a humdrum market town. Anyone else had such mixed-up feelings back in the day? Or was it just me?

Girly electro pop is where it’s at!

by 72 Comments

Glorious dance pop like this is the great music of our times I would suggest and it’s mostly the ladies that are showing the way. In recent years such wondrous classics and gems have been coming thick and fast and I feel we should celebrate them with a thread. Rock is dead, long live pop!

Poor old Noel

by 16 Comments

The link I’ve posted is to a review of the latest Noel Gallagher album. Noel is known for his sharp, entertaining put downs in interviews and as this review attests that is really where his best work is to be found these days. Luke Haines rips into Noel’s latest in hilarious, brilliant style. As with all the best reviews, the conclusion he comes to matters little or whether one agrees with it or not. It’s the entertaining journey to get to the judgement that counts.

http://thetalkhouse.com/music/talks/luke-haines-the-auteurs-black-box-recorder-talks-noel-gallagher-and-the-scourge-of-dad-rock/