The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

Menu

Navigation

Albania

by 43 Comments

Yesterday was Albania’s birthday or something. They had a party for it in that there London and things kicked off a bit, apparently. Turned into a right old ruckus. Shame that. I really like Albania. Gorgeous country, lovely peeps, great beaches. I once saw a bloke leading a bear on a leash along the seafront of Vlora. And Norman Wisdom is/was rightly very popular there. He’s even on one of their postage stamps.

Albania was not much fun between the years 1944 and 1985 when it was ruled by the dictatorship of communist leader Enver Hoxha. His secret police kept the country controlled by fear; political opponents were jailed; use of the death penalty was not uncommon. Hoxha banned Western movies from Albanian life, meaning film stars were practically non-existent. Except for Norman Wisdom. Why him? Because his characters’ perennial struggles against ‘The Man’ were viewed as a communist parable on class war (Mr Grimsdale was, apparently, capitalism personified).

Here’s Norman Wisdom & The Pitkins singing Big In Albania (written by Tim Rice).

Joss Ackland

by 7 Comments

Obituary

I can’t let Joss Ackland’s passing go unremarked. I don’t really know him as a film actor, though he was in a great many films. But I remember him most from the television play First & Last, which I saw decades ago and have never forgotten. It’s a wonderfully understated little film in which Ackland plays a retired man who decides to fulfill his life-time ambition and walk from Lands End to John O’Grotes. The play had been shot with Ray McAnally in the lead, but he died before it was finished, so they reshot it with Ackland. He gives a moving and sensitive performance. Shocking to think he was my age when it was made, he looks much, much older (or I look much, much younger?). Sadly the play doesn’t seem to be available online. But here’s a little clip, feature whatshername out of Eastenders.

Pink Floyd Socks

by 20 Comments

I haven’t worn the socks six times. Truth be told, I have only seen pictures of them, but I feel that’s sufficient for the ambitions of this review. The socks are made of cotton, machine washable and retail for about a tenner. It might annoy some here that they come in only one size: 7-11 (UK). That doesn’t bother me though, as I’m size 11 and have no intention of buying a pair anyway. The design focuses largely on the iconic Dark Side of the Moon album cover and the Pink Floyd lettering previously used somewhere else, probably on one of their freebie postcards. The rest of the sock is devoted to an appropriate shade of black. The real surprise, as so often the case with Floyd, is in the hidden depths. The “sole”, if you like. The iconic Dark Side spectrum, originally emanating from a prism, is here a stand-alone feature, a sort of rainbow stripe that will no doubt conjure up all sorts of images and odours, depending on the individual wearer far more than the artwork itself.

What does it all *mean*? Hard to say, really. Nothing, in the grand scheme of things, I suspect.

Goes well » Continue Reading.

Giuliano Montaldo

by 6 Comments

Obituary

Giuliano Montaldo was most well-known film was Sacco & Vanzetti (1971), a docudrama about the two Italian immigrants in America who were tried and unjustly executed for murder in 1927. But my favourite is Gli Occhiali D’Oro (The Gold Rimmed Glasses, 1987), starring Philippe Noiret and Rupert Everett with music by Ennio Morricone. It’s a beautiful, sad film about the rise of fascism in Ferrara in 1938 and its effects on a gay doctor (Noiret) and a Jewish student (Everett). It’s on YouTube with English subtitles. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Let’s Have a Heated Debate!

by 138 Comments

Haven’t had one for a while.

I’ve been following the whole gender ideology debate recently and finding it very interesting. I don’t know any trans people and had always had a vague “live and let live” attitude. To sum up my level of awareness: I’d find it rude and unnecessarily cruel for someone to misgender Haley in Coronation Street, but at the same time I’d feel a right eejit referring to Eddie Izzard as “she”.

Sifting through the usual wealth of insult and reactionary shite that dominates Twitter, I’ve found some reasonable, informed and informative voices on both sides. I found it particularly interesting to read some accounts by people who have de-transitioned and their discussions with trans people.

Of course, the issue can’t be boiled down to just “live and let live” or pronouns. It’s about real lives and freedoms and is made all the more complex because children are involved. For example, the use of puberty blockers, when not medically necessary, seems abhorrent to me, yet I’ve read trans people who feel so strongly about it that they claim had they not been given puberty blockers as children they would probably have committed suicide.

One » Continue Reading.

Metallic Spheres in Colour

by 9 Comments

I like the Metallic Spheres album a lot. A bit ambient, a bit Jean Michel Jarre-ish. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it mentioned here except by me, so I doubt this’ll be of much interest, but I’m looking forward to it. From the Floyd twitter account: Of this new reimagining producer Youth says “The idea for Metallic Spheres In Colour, was that Alex Paterson (founder of The Orb) could have done more on the first version, and he didn’t really have the opportunity because we had a philosophy of making the music like the Blade Runner soundtrack meets Wish You Were Here. So, I asked him why don’t we remix it and make it like an Orb classic? And in doing that, it’s almost like a completely different album.”

The original Metallic Spheres album initially released in 2010 was created almost by accident. In late Spring 2009 David Gilmour entered the studio to record the Graham Nash track Chicago/Change The World, originally by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, with all proceeds going to the campaign for the British hacker Gary McKinnon, who was facing extradition to the USA (later overturned and he faced no prosecution in the UK). The » Continue Reading.

Sixto Rodriguez

by 8 Comments

Obituary

Soon you know I’ll leave you And I’ll never look behind ‘Cause I was born for the purpose That crucifies your mind

Glad that the film was made and that his talent was recognised wordlwide. Two great albums.

Silvio Berlusconi

by 7 Comments

Obituary

An astute businessman and a corrupt, unprincipled clown of a politician who laid the template for Trump and Johnson. If Italy has a neo-fascist govrernment right now it’s largely thanks to his groundwork.

Roger Waters (Again!)

by 81 Comments

Waters gives a very impassioned talk to Double Down News. Personally, while I can’t agree with Waters’ views regarding Putin, I think the attempts to cancel his shows on the grounds of anti-semitism are nonsense. (Quite harmful nonsense, as it happens. Harmful to genuine opposition to anti-semitism.) Here he addresses those accusations, calls MP Christian Wakeford “scum”, talks about the leather coat, Anne Frank, the “evils of the apartheid state of Israel”, repeats yet again his mother’s advice (word for word as already recounted in his speech to the UN Security Council) and even manages to inform us that his father was killed in the second world war (who knew?). The most interesting bit for me personally is what he says about the Star of David on his inflatable pig. I recently described it here as “seriously ugly provocation”. Basically because I believed what I’d read in the newspapers. (He claims he actually, after reflection, removed the symbol 23 years ago.)

Evadne Hinge

by 12 Comments

Obituary

Singer and pianist Dr Evadne Hinge died on 21st May. She was at least 78. Known mostly for her musical partnership with Dame Hilda Bracket, the pair also shared a house (known as either The Old Manse or Utopia Ltd) in the village of Stackton Tressel in Suffolk The two elderly spinsters recorded seven studio albums, including the critically lauded Abbey Road, the iconic cover of which showed them crossing the pedestrian crossing outside the studio. Renowned in their youth for their (alleged) performances alongside Ivor Novello and Noel Coward, they occasionally stopped mid-concert for a spot of sherry, or to examine the fascinating contents of their handbags.

Head of State

by 73 Comments

This is what a Head of State should be. A dignified, elected representative. When I hear monarchists talk about the possibility of a Republic, they always go on about America, or they stupidly ask “who would you choose as President, Tony Blair? Boris Johnson? Someone off Big Brother?” Italian party politics has a great deal of shite, but compare its Head of State to the embarrassing celebrity circus that is the British Monarchy (not to mention its very questionable ethics of putting little kids in the global spotlight). It’s very, very clear which is the more dignified.

Not looking to start a debate here (already been done). Just wanted to highlight the dignity of a Republic on anti-homophobia day.

This is President of the Republic Sergio Mattarella’s admirable speech today. An excellent speech to give to a country where homophobia is rife and the Prime Minister is a neo-fascist.

“Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia constitute an unbearable social scourge that is still present and is the cause of unacceptable discrimination and violence, in some areas of the world even legitimized by laws that trample on the rights of the individual. Since 2007, when the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia was » Continue Reading.

The Baftas

by 24 Comments

I agree with a few of these. Disagree strongly with the, imho, awful Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story winning anything though. Especially above The Bear. But most of all I’m delighted to see Lenny Rush winning. Partly because he’s so young, partly (yes) because he’s disabled, but mostly cos his performance in Am I Being Unreasonable was superb comedy. A very talented lad I hope to see a lot more of. And his acceptance speech was delightful. (“…my brother, why not?…”)

https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/entertainment/baftas-tv-awards-2023-winners-newsupdate/

Mixed by Erry

by 36 Comments

I’ve read this article but don’t really know what it’s on about. I’ve never heard of Mixed by Erry before. I thought it might interest anyone who has, plus KFD. @kaisfatdad It combines three of your obsessions in one handy package: Music, Cinema and Italy. (Not my obsessions, I hasten to add, because I don’t have any.)

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/mar/08/i-was-the-spotify-of-the-1980s-the-italian-pirate-mixtape-empire-that-brought-pop-to-the-people

50 years of Dark Side of the Moon

by 98 Comments

‘Sublime menace and sonic enormity’: 50 years of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon Mark Beaumont explores how melodic brilliance and psychedelic innovation came together to create a monolith of British rock music

A looooong article in today’s Independent. I haven’t had time to read it yet, so can’t say if it’s worth doing so, but I’m sure it’ll interest others here too.

https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/features/pink-floyd-dark-side-of-the-moon-b2290372.html

Roger vs David – Things just got personal

by 274 Comments

So… Roger Waters tweeted an interview (below) he gave with a German newspaper in which he makes some pretty controversial remarks, expressing his support for Putin, dissing his ex-bandmates’ support for Ukraine, denying any accusations of anti-semitism made against him and generally being his usual obnoxious self (imo).

David Gilmour’s wife, the acclaimed novelist Polly Samson tweeted her response to the interview: “Sadly @rogerwaters you are antisemitic to your rotten core. Also a Putin apologist and a lying, thieving, hypocritical, tax-avoiding, lip-synching, misogynistic, sick-with-envy, megalomaniac. Enough of this nonsense.”

Gilmour then “liked” the tweet and himself tweeted: “Every word demonstrably true.”

Waters’ twitter account responded: “Roger Waters is aware of the incendiary and wildly inaccurate comments made about him on Twitter by Polly Samson which he refutes entirely. He is currently taking advice as to his position.”

https://rogerwaters.com/berliner/?fbclid=IwAR1jd-CED7Fnj41Rhv-2J4tMB_Xv-RDtzsRBN_6qJ-oztPhUCS3eA2DPFxI

So what was the best film of the year, then?

by 105 Comments

I do believe we haven’t decided what the best film of 2022 was. Or have we and I missed it? That could be the case. I’ve been very busy and a little distracted, what with steering the ‘Album of the Year Poll’ in the right direction whilst trying to keep up with all the world’s kerfuffle, whilst also indulging my penchant for indolence.

So nominate away. BUT… here’s the rule (and it’s a strict one): you may only nominate one film. One. No more. No “honorary mentions” of The Innocents, oh and My Policeman too, or anything like that. Nope.

My nomination is All Quiet On The Western Front. It may be in foreign, but that didn’t stop it from being absolutely brilliant. And talking of All Quiet on the Western Front, did you know that the 1979 version stars David Bradley out of Kes? True fact! Alongside John-Boy Walton and Ernest Borgnine. It can be viewed free on YouTube, though I wouldn’t advise anyone to do so, on account of it being rubbish and everything. Unlike the version I’m going on about. I wonder how many people under the age of 25 are fans of Ernest Borgnine? Three, » Continue Reading.

THE AFTERWORD END OF YEAR POLL 2022

by 547 Comments

It’s that time of year again (the end bit) and I hereby invite those of you still capable of doing so to cast your minds back over the past 12 months and choose your favourite albums and then sort them into order of preference, rather than alphabetical or chronological order. Apparently, I’m running the show this year, so hopefully it’ll be a bit less of a farce than previous years. I’ve delegated Lodestone of Wrongness to deal with all the hard stuff, like counting and shit like that, thereby allowing me more time to do less. Any complaints should really be directed at him (whereas any compliments, I’m your man). Whilst I seriously doubt that any beat-based drivel stands much of a chance, all bribes above a tenner will be considered.

As per usual: Studio albums released in 2022. Re-releases, remasterings etc are not allowed (polled separately, if Dai can be arsed). Previously undiscovered, unreleased and unheard masterpieces which have never seen the light of day before Jan 1st 2021 are allowed. 20 points to your first choice, all the way down to 1 for your last. You don’t have to list 20, just as many as you think deserve » Continue Reading.

Nûdem’s Guitar

by 5 Comments

In 2015, Nûdem Durak was arrested and sentenced to ten and a half years in prison in Turkey, for singing political songs. Roger Waters has sent her his guitar. On its journey to Turkey it was signed by Noel Gallagher, Nick Mason, Marianne Faithful, Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Pete Townshend, Brian May, Robert Plant, Henny Vrienten, Barry Hay, Richard Z. Kruspe and Till Lindmann (Rammstein), Pierre Baigorry, Jean Michel-Jarre, Måneskin, Villagers of Ioannina City and Kardeş Türküler.