Posts Tagged Music

Exploring Led Zeppelin’s Musical Journey: A Documentary Review By Jeff Williams

March 18, 2025 at 10:16 am · Filed under Biographical, Music ·Tagged Becoming Led Zeppelin, Jeff Williams, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Led Zeppelin, Music, Robert Plant

*Becoming Led Zeppelin* is a 2025 documentary directed by Bernard MacMahon that explores the origins and formative years of Led Zeppelin.

Boy .. where should I begin? I was only able to see Becoming Led Zeppelin once 2 days ago so I have to put down my impressions into words before the details escape me.

You could properly review every book, every documentary, every bit of film by taking this quote to heart, from the dedicated special issue from Guitar World, Mar. 2004 (#66) on Led Zeppelin. The intro from Brad Tolinski, Guitar World’s editor in chief, sums is all up:

“To be fair, Led Zeppelin’s greatness is genuinely complex. Like a Japanese puzzle box whose contents are revealed only after one acquires a deep knowledge of how each piece works together, the group defies easy analysis. The truth must be found among the shifting layers of decadence and discipline, and in light and shade, and in the explosive energy of the four supremely talented band members.”

That is a great way to preface the documentary. The audience should range from the graduate students of the band all the way down to the casual viewer. Like all great documentaries, it spans that range.

WHO WAS I WHEN I FIRST HEARD THEM?

Before I delve into the details of the documentary, most of which has really been covered elsewhere, a few points: When and where did I first hear them? That was 1969 in Tripoli Libya. My ten year old brother had LZII but I bought LZI. We were young and super hip! Why did they reach our attention? Because what we heard were primarily English bands and the place we got all of our early records was Malta, a simple hour flight north of Tripoli. There was a Tower Records on Prince St. in Valetta – our early source for all albums. Good times!

So with many, many listenings of the first two albums under my belt, reviewing the documentary is now a good place to go.

WHERE DID EACH MEMBER COME FROM? (Physically and musically)

Like with me or any fans of Led Zeppelin, it is good to know where they “came from” on their journey to their first meeting at a rehearsal room in Soho in Sept. of ’68.

By this time, John Paul Jones and Jimmy Page had known each other for years as studio musicians. Both started very very young as studio players, which in the documentary was a brutal environment that tolerated no 2^nd tier players. It’s important to emphasize this as the doc. does, as their early recorded and live efforts demanded this.

Jimmy Page: Essentially, as the doc reveals, prior to forming Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page was fresh out of the Yardbirds, having played with them until sometime in 1968. Early versions of songs in the 1^st two albums had already been “workshopped” in the Yardbirds. He was born and raised in a nurturing supportive family. He has been seen in a film (in the doc of course!) in the late 1950s playing in a skiffle band, as all proper English kids did after Lonnie Donegan exploded on the scene. He eventually snaked into a job as a studio musician in late 1962 – about 18 years old (he claims he was younger in the doc, but..??) !! – and developed a good reputation with his precision and reliability. Eventually he worked with Donovan, Shirley Bassey, The Who (details are disputed but aren’t included in the doc.). He was playing with the big boys in London and with the Yardbirds he was able to tour America – which was momentous in his career and the direction he decided to take once he formed Led Zeppelin.

John Paul Jones: John Paul Jones started early in life as an organist but had a love for bass, which his father eschewed (“It’s just a passing fad – focus on the saxophone instead”. How dead wrong he would be!). He became a very busy studio musician and arranger, and worked with Page on Donovan’s “Hurdy Gurdy Man”. As the documentary states in ’68 after the Yardbirds disbanded, his wife said to him that Page was looking for band members and that he should give Page a call, which he did. But at that moment in time, John Paul Jones was already a masterful multi-instrumentalist with love of Motown and blues players. He certainly brought probably more to the table than any English musician out there.

Robert Plant: Robert Plant recalls his early childhood as happy in a neighbuorhood in the West Midlands. He is portrayed in the doc. as being the hippiest dippiest of the four, and promoted marijuana and grew his hair and had a beard in his late teenage years. He had a solo single of “You’d Better Run” (a Rascals song covered by Pat Benatar in the early 80s by the way) in 1966 with his group Listen and even then you could hear his soulful baritone sound characteristic of LZ’s first two albums – though his upper range was amazing as well! He formed Band of Joy in 67-ish (details omitted in the doc) with John Bonham on drums. He then joined/formed a band named Hobstweedle prior to joining Led Zeppelin.

John Bonham: John Bonham was born in ’48 (same year as Plant, and was given a snare drum by his parents at the age of 5. He had a full kit by the time he was fifteen. His voice is included in the doc by a previously unreleased interview, excerpts of which fill out his thoughts and detailes of his early life. He cites Max Roach, Gene Krupa, and Buddy Rich as major infuences. Krupa makes a lot of sense as his crazy energy can be seen in Bonham’s playing. Like everyone else in the band, there are good samples and snippets of his playing from the early sixties until LZ’s formation, but once the first album was out, with it’s IMMACULATE sound, all bets were off. That album is the best version of all four members in audio format up to that time. More on that later.

HOW DID THEY ALL CONVENE FOR THEIR FIRST MUSICAL EXPERIENCE?

So how did they all get together? John Paul Jones and Page knew each other and Jones’ wife recommended he get in touch with him. Terry Reid was going to be Page’s choice as a singer but he turned him down, citing more lucrative offers (I bet he’s sorry now!) but wisely referred Page to Plant, who he watched at a live show in Birmingham. Finally Bonham, who had s secure job w/Tim Rose, turned town Robert’s invitation to try out but eventually relented following a barrage of telegrams from Page and their manager Peter Grant after Page saw Bonham play in a North London club (details not included in the doc in that detail).

When they finally all met, in Aug. 12 of 1968 in a tiny downstairs rehearsal room on Gerard Street. that fact was very fortunate. It allowed the band to all kick-start the sound and live performances which won over crowds, increasing their popularity meteorically, particularly in the United States, where Page states in the doc. that that was a major focus for them.

As portrayed in the documentary, their first musical meeting in that basement in the West End would leave an impression on all of them, with all members in the doc expressing in amazement how much they locked in and what power they had at the get-go. They immediately embarked on a mini-tour of Scandanavia in Sept. to ostensibly hone their chops for the next move. By all accounts the audience response was wild and rapturous.

THE FIRST RECORD:

Time for their first record! It began in late Sept. of ’68 with Glyn Johns co-producing with Page. As the band were well rehearsed and money tight, it was done on a tight budget and schedule. As the doc states, they’d rehearse the music in London but go to his house(boat?) up the Thames to write new music. The first albums non-covers were written by Page including music and lyrics. Page used his expertise and experience (remember, he was 24 at the time!) to get the sound he wanted, taking advantage of the best skills each musician could supply, and certainly, to repeat an oft-used phrase, the sum of the whole was much greater than the individual parts. Snippets of the first album are featured in the doc. I always loved Good Times Bad Times and recent listens really reveal Bonhams’s explosive playing, his swing, and the skill using his right foot (bass drum) to complete a great sound no doubt brought to fore by Page’s production. The doc expands on some of the innovative techniques on the first album, including the reverse reverb on “You Shook Me”. The album’s content had a mix of blues, hard rock, folk, and a touch of psychedelia, most mentioned in the doc.

CONTRACT, FIRST TOUR. LZII, follow-on live footage:

They self-funded, had to answer to nobody, and shopped the record to various labels (Peter Grant was also well connected) before finally settling on Atlantic. They were given full control of, well, everything!

Page demanded that no singles were required to be released (few ever in fact were in their career. NONE in the UK and a few in the US) and once that was all in place, they started their fall UK tour (not really covered in the doc) and their fall/winter US tour.

The doc shows how keen they were to win over US audiences and to the fans and themselves they did not disappoint. This tour started their meteoric rise that only ended with the death of Bonham in ’80.

(I believe that) the documentary shows how they began to extend their concert lengths with improvisations that enthralled the audiences and among themselves made them realize they could do almost anything. Though none of their now-legendary excesses were documented here, photos of them on tour with some very attractive women featured in the doc.

The documentary concludes with their 2^nd album recording experience including the complex layers in “Whole Lotta Love” which reveals all of the parts track-by-track in the doc. Notably it discusses Plant’s songwriting in “Thank You” which really led him to the fore as their lyricist, tho in reality Plant had contributed since LZ1. The doc discusses how the 2^nd album propelled them to the highest heights of fame, eclipsing other live acts except a precious few. Like the first album, in my experience, it “bats 1000” as they say over here. Not a bad song almost ever with Led Zeppelin. Notably the critical responses, though tepid at first (huh?), really began to turn positively by the second album. Also briefly mentioned is the fact that LZII was recorded all over the place (tho mixed at A&R studios in NYC). Eddie Kramer is featured discussing the recording and mixing experience on the 2^nd album.

The documentary shows some rare footage of tours in the US in the early dates – side note: Peter Grant refused to allow them to be filmed claiming it would overexpose them – and a document of the band following the release of LZII is the show at the Royal Albert Hall in Jan. of ’70- a rare official view of the band in the early days. Though featured well in the documentary, this show was only released recently although I saw snippets of it in a Kiosk outside of the Portland Memorial Coliseum preceding a Page/Plant show in the nineties. The full show, well represented in the documentary, shows how rabid the fans were, even in the UK, or should I say, ESPECIALLY in the UK.

OVERVIEW OF THE DOCUMENTARY

The documentary really shows a) their focus on excellence, yet paradoxically their bemusement at the success, which to their credit was a surprise in a hyper-competitive environment and b) their discipline and drive. In this period the only albums I can really compare in their greatness are Tommy by The Who, Abbey Road, and Black Sabbath. Each were vastly different in their style and focus yet all were great albums in a small pantheon of the all time greats.

The three surviving band members were interviewed around the same time but not in the same room apparently. Apparently the doc was in the can by 2021 so these interviews are at least that old. It’s fortunate that Page cleaned up his act and is the archivist and elder spokesman for this famous band, tho Plant, Jones and audio of Bonham provide in-depth and sanguine observations about their lives before Zeppelin and during this formative period.

COUNTER CULTURE?

Let’s get back to 8 year old me. Counter Culture? Well I was certainly aware of it, mostly musically as in Tripoli there was music and baseball and having scraps with the local kids. I am shocked that everyone doesn’t know at LEAST as much as me about these bands. I don’t mean this in any way judgmentally. I just presumed it. I am routinely disappointed in that area! I started my research as early as humanly possible besides just listening to the albums in amazement. I’ve always said, let the music speak for itself. Led Zeppelin proves this in their first two albums without a shadow of a doubt. The music I knew well. It was engrained into every cell in my body and always has been. It was only in later years (besides reading rock magazines) that I could glean the finer details of this band, only solidifying my love for them, if only to appreciate their fallibilities. The internet allowed some of the very rare footage to creep out of the woodwork in the last 25 years or so, but the early footage of the band members pre-Zeppelin, little tho there was, was a pleasant surprise in the doc!

SIDE NOTE

I was fortunate enough to see them at the Seattle Kingdome in 1977 over the bellicose protestations of my dad. I went with a friend’s parents who dropped us off. 100 level seats (that I had) were ten bucks, sold out, but we bought them from “reputable” scalpers for a whole 20 bucks! . Only two songs from the 1^st two albums survived into the setlist: Moby Dick and Black Mountain Side. The acoustics there were atrocious! The only other show I saw there was The Who/The Clash/The Fabulous Thunderbirds in ’82. The Kingdome show was their 4^th from last ever in the US. Oh, I took an Amtrak back the next day to Portland and weed was shared among the concert goers. I remember is was a sunny mild day on that Monday morning and let’s say I was a little “dazed and confused” finding my way home on the Tri-Met bus! I still have the T-shirt which is now highly reprinted.

If you haven’t, GO SEE THIS DOCUMENTARY! I strongly recommend it.

Picture Credit

By Sony Pictures Classics – https://blabbermouth.net/news/official-led-zeppelin-documentary-becoming-led-zeppelin-to-receive-imax-theatrical-release-in-february, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=78984569

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Experience ‘Girls Don’t Play Guitars’ at Liverpool Royal Court

October 9, 2024 at 3:33 pm · Filed under Drama, Music, Rock, Uncategorized ·Tagged Alice McKenna, Bob Eaton, Girls Don't Play Guitars, Ian Salmon, John Lennon, Lisa Wight, Liverpool Royal Court, Mary Grace Cutler, Mary McGlory, Music, Pamela Birch, Paul McCartney, ringo-starr, Sarah Workmate, Sylvia Saunders, The Beatles, The Liverbirds, Valerie Gell

By Ian Salmon Directed by Bob Eaton

Liverpool Royal Court Theatre, till 26^th of October 2024. Book tickets here: https://liverpoolsroyalcourt.com/main_stage/girls-dont-play-guitars/

2,925 words, 15 minutes read time.

The play tells the story, through words and music, mostly the latter, of Merseybeat band The Liverbirds from their inception in 1962 to their break-up in 1968, with a brief update on the girl’s life after the split and a nice surprise at the end of its two-hour running time.

I didn’t do any research before the play, though I had an awareness of the band and a vague outline of some of their history, so I was unaware that the play had enjoyed a successful run at the same venue, with the same lead players, back in 2019. From some of the reactions of the mainly ageing demographic at the almost packed theatre, I wouldn’t be surprised if many in the crowd were returning customers.

After a couple of false starts, beginning in 1962 as The Squaws and then as The Deputones, with the earliest incarnation including Mary’s sister Sheila and Irene Green as members (both of whom went on to play in other Liverpool bands), the established line-up of Valerie Gell on lead guitar, Pamela Birch on rhythm guitar, Mary McGlory on bass, and Sylvia Saunders on drums was in place by the following year, the year that, through the ascendency of the Beatles, and lesser Brian Epstein managed artists like Gerry and the Pacemakers and Cilla, established Merseybeat as a national rather than simply local phenomena.

Girl groups weren’t, of course, a new thing in 1963. American artists like the Ronettes, the Crystals, the Shangri-las and the Shirelles had all enjoyed great success and greatly influenced the Merseybeat sound. The latter’s song Boys was a staple of the Beatles’ live set from their early days and throughout their touring career, being used as a rare vocal showcase first for Pete Best and then for Ringo Starr. Ringo, I believe performs it live to this day, and we also get a rousing version during tonight’s play.

But these hit girl groups were vocal-only outfits. They didn’t play guitars or any other instruments, either in the studio or live, that being largely the job of men, including, on the records, some of the top session musicians of the day (an exception was the great female bassist Carole Kaye who, as part of the legendary Wrecking Crew graced many of the top hits of the sixties).

The titular phrase ‘Girls don’t play guitars’ is attributed to John Lennon, and he’s depicted in the play as saying this when introduced to the Liverbirds at the Cavern.

That was what made this band different: they were an all-girl foursome who did play guitars, and drums, as well as them all being accomplished singers, both individually and in harmony.

In retrospect, it seems inevitable that there would be an all-girl vocal/instrumental group on the thriving Merseyside music scene. But, although the Liverbirds’ billing as ‘The world’s first all-girl Beat-group’, which is repeated several times during the play, might be a touch hyperbolic, I can’t recall any that came before, or even, now six decades later, a great many since.

Like their contemporaries Rory Storm and the Hurricanes, for whom Ringo played drums before becoming a Beatle, the Liverbirds did not achieve great commercial success, their best effort being a number five hit in Germany with a cover of Bo Diddley’s Diddley Daddy.

They released two albums on the Star Club Hamburg’s in-house record label in 1965, so we do have a fair idea of how they sounded, which is more than be said for Rory and his group, of whom only some very Lo-Fi live recordings exist.

Guitarist/vocalist Pamela Birch wrote three tracks spread across these albums, but they were essentially a covers band, as were the Hurricanes, and again, in common with them, it’s mostly as a hard-driving live act for which they are fondly remembered among the sadly dwindling number of those who can truthfully say ‘I was there’, as a part of the scene in Liverpool and Hamburg in the early and mid-sixties.

It was therefore essential, if the play was to be a success, that the music was done justice, and that through that the audience could experience something of the vibe that those attending a performance by the Liverbirds might have felt.

On this criterion, I can happily say that the play was indeed a resounding success.

It’s obvious from the beginning that the four chief cast members are playing their own instruments and doing their own singing live, and they’re excellent, with great musicianship and superb vocal harmonies. Best of all musically was Mary Grace Cutler as Valerie Gell on lead guitar, even though she was responsible for the only musical fluff of the evening, on the intro to Roll Over Beethoven. But that made the music more real as, had you been there at the time you would have expected the occasional fluff from all of the local groups, including the Beatles.

I haven’t delved into the careers of any of these four actor/musician performers outside the confines of the show. But they sounded so tight together that it wouldn’t surprise me if they worked together on musical projects other than this, perhaps performing their own material.

The set for the play was designed as a standard stage set-up for a four-piece band, with amps, drums and microphones, all looking suitably period, from where the ‘Liverbirds’ performed their songs. At each side of the stage were two large, wavy cut-out guitars rising towards the ceiling, ending at a bank of small screens designed to look like retro 1960s T. V’s, upon which photographs and the small amount of footage that exists of the band, as well as topical signifiers that helped situate us in time were displayed.

At the rare, was a narrow raised area where the all-male supporting cast made their own musical contributions, with these supporting players also coming forwards in ones or twos to join the girls’ front-centre in the non-musical, dialogue-based sections of the play, playing multiple cameos, as the girl’s fathers, Mick Jagger, Ray and Dave Davis of the Kinks (the Liverbirds supported both the Stones and the Kinks on tour and Jagger and the Davis brothers also played with them on an unreleased, possibly lost, demo), Brian Epstein, Bob Wooler, a pivotal Merseybeat figure who is unfortunately best remembered for being beaten up by John Lennon at Paul McCartney’s twenty-first birthday party and, once we get to Hamburg, Klaus Voorman and others. These dialogue scenes tended towards the comedic, and were sometimes rather perfunctory, although they were well-performed and efficiently accomplished their role of relating the band’s story as a coherent narrative.

Less successful and the weakest element of the play in my view, was the narrative songs performed by the boys at the back in a sub-Merseybeat style, sometimes including little snatches of Beatles songs, such as the intro to I Feel Fine or a quick ‘Beep, Beep, Yeah’ and the like. They weren’t long enough to get the Beatles lawyers onto the productions back, but they were long enough to be annoying and, in my opinion, the cheesy lyrics of these original songs added nothing to the production, although they were played and sung well enough.

The acting itself was good all-around and did a decent job of giving us a sense of the environment in which the girls lived and played, partly through mentions of bygone Liverpool landmarks like Hessy’s music shop, and the Littlewoods Pools building, which once employed thousands of young women, and the dilapidated shell of which is still standing just down the road from me.

As we move through the Liverbirds story, the unchanging nature of the stage-set is perhaps another slight weakness of the production. We are told that we’re now in the Cavern or at the Star Club on the Reeperbahn in Hamburg, but with nothing visual, besides the contents of the faux-T. V screens, to reinforce these switches of location. The play is fast-paced enough for me to happily suspend belief, but I did feel that if cost or logistics meant that only one set was feasible, then something a little grittier may have been better. After all, the Cavern and the clubs on the Reeperbahn were noted for their grittiness and in the latter case for the ever-present hint of violence.

If the play is to be believed, the girls passed on the chance to be signed by Brian Epstein by agreeing to a residency, against his advice, at the Star Club in 1964. Liverpool bands had of course been making the trip to Hamburg for around six years by this point and it would still have been something of a right of passage, as well as an amazing adventure for four young working class girls, though with the Beatles having performed at the Star Club for the final time in December 1962, and even the likes of Gerry and the Pacemakers having moved on to much bigger things, the Hamburg scene was past its zenith by the time Liverbirds made the trip.

The story of how the girls raised the money for the fair to Hamburg led neatly to one of two moments of audience participatory hissing when the cast revealed that one Jimmy Saville helped them out by securing a little paid national exposure in the Sunday People. We were assured that he didn’t ask for anything in return from them, perhaps because, at between seventeen and twenty-one years old, they were a little above his preferred upper-age range.

The second well-deserved hiss of the night came when we were told that, towards the end of their time together, another regular performer in the Hamburg clubs was Paul Gadd, still two or three years away from becoming Gary Glitter.

What was unusual about the Liverbirds among the Liverpool bands, apart from the fact that they were girls who played guitars, was that, once they made it to Hamburg they never really left, though they did tour extensively elsewhere in Europe. Three of their members even continued to live Germany after the band split in 1968.

‘Girls Don’t…’ is more of a nice family night out than a work of social realism. It must have been hard to be female performers on the Reeperbahn scene, and this is indicated through some of the dialogue and straight narration, though not explored as deeply as it might have been.

It’s a positive play, and through the excellent chemistry between the cast we get something of the thrill it must have been to be four girls coming of age away from the restraints of family, enjoying the acclaim of audiences, drinking, partying, indulging their healthy sexual appetites, and discovering, as the Beatles and others had before them, that tiredness could be alleviated by a little yellow pill or two.

(The Catholic Church also has a cameo in the play, in the form of Mary’s Parish Priest. Mary was still considering becoming a nun when she set off for Hamburg, though this is another theme which could have been developed further)

By 1967, musically, the Liverbirds were in a musical time warp, still playing mostly American covers from the late fifties/early sixties. They were never going to be in the vanguard of the psychedelic revolution, nor, I suppose, did they want to be. But they did get stoned with Jimi Hendrix because he’d heard that Mary rolled the best joints in Hamburg, although she didn’t smoke them herself, we are told, and it’s a nice moment when this story is relayed to us, as suitably vivid colours swirl on screens above us.

The play becomes more poignant after the interval and the closer we get towards the end, as the focus switches from the good times to the fragmentation and final dissolution of the band.

We learn that the first to leave was drummer Sylvia after she fell pregnant and did what most girls did in that situation at this time, she got married and swapped her ambitions for the role of housewife and mother.

That this decision had to be made on the eve of a Japanese tour, added an extra layer of resigned sadness to this part of the story.

The band continued, and the actors made it clear that the Liverbirds still had their moments, but that it could never be quite the same when the line-up had lost one of the original four.

In the most touching scene of the night, we discover that Valerie was the next to leave after her fiancé was paralysed from the neck down following an accident that happened while he was driving back from his eighteenth birthday party. The band was on stage at the Star Club at the time, extending their set as Valerie eagerly awaited the arrival of her boyfriend.

The remaining two originals, Sylvia and Pamela, carried on for a while with ‘whoever Manfred’ (their manager) could find, until finally calling it a day, and beginning their lives post-Liverbirds, with only Pamela continuing in music, still performing and working in other capacities in the Hamburg clubs. She also struggled greatly with addiction to alcohol and cocaine, though this isn’t mentioned in the play, contributory factors to her relatively early death, aged sixty-five in 2009.

Before the last song, regret is expressed that they never got the chance to perform together just one more time, announcing the song as the reunion the girls never had. Strangely, their Wikipedia entry mentions a brief reunion in 1998, though I’m not sure if this is an error or a rather unnecessary use of artistic licence by the writer.

As it turned out, this wasn’t the last song of the evening. At its conclusion, one of the players announces ‘two very special guests’ and the surviving Liverbirds, bassist Mary McGlory and drummer Sylvia Saunders arrive onstage to a fabulous reception, joining those who had so ably portrayed their younger selves for the truly final song of the night, a raucous rendition of Peanut Butter, obviously a favourite from their repertoire in their heyday.

If I had done any research before seeing the play, I would have known that Sylvia and Mary were still with us and that the two had performed this cameo throughout the 2019 run. Hopefully, they will do so throughout this new one-month run at the Royal Court. I suspect I would still have found their appearance moving if I had known it was coming, and I should add that the way Sylvia, a woman in her late seventies, pounded the drums was impressive.

After the song was over the lights went up and she, Mary and the cast received a well-deserved standing ovation.

The Liverbirds may only be a footnote in music history, but such footnotes deserve to be remembered and celebrated. Perhaps they were and perhaps they weren’t the ‘World’s first all-female Beat group.’ But they were indisputably four young working class girls trying to make it in a decidedly male environment, and as such they were trailblazers.

We should add that, for the time their image was also groundbreaking. It might have been expected that they would dress in the type of sexy, revealing outfits that was the norm among many female performers, and increasingly the fashion for young British women. But their choice of masculine shirts, trousers and thin ties (arrived at after some experimentation) was interesting, and something I would have liked to hear more about. It’s not a great surprise to learn that one of the band, Sylvia, after the failure of her marriage, should end up in a committed relationship with another woman, and though we get only a brief hint of it in the play, I’m guessing that they had a substantial following among gay women.

Omissions aside, Girls Don’t Play Guitars is a great night out with great music and solid acting with a special mention on the latter front to Alice McKenna as Mary McGory.

If the play is at all close to the truth, then those four young women had the time of their lives.

Girls Don’t Play Guitars can be seen at the Royal Court until October 26^th. Hopefully, it will get the chance to tour outside of Liverpool.

Mary and Sylvia’s biography of the band, which is on my to-read list The Liverbirds: Our life in Britain’s first female rock ‘n’ roll band: Amazon.co.uk: McGlory, Mary, Saunders, Sylvia: 9780571377022: Books

Their two Hamburg albums combined in a single compilation. Many of these songs are performed in the play. The Liverbirds – Complete Recordings Star-Club Hamburg Sixties (Full Album 2009) (youtube.com)

Appearance on German TV, playing their No. Five-hit Diddley Daddy The Liverbirds – Diddley Daddy (Beat Club, 1965) (youtube.com)

Anthony C Green, October 2024

A short American documentary which fills out some of the gaps in the Liverbirds story, featuring contributions from Sylvia and Mary, and a brief clip of them performing with the cast during the 2019 run of the play We’re Britain’s First Female Rock Band. This is Why You Don’t Know Us. | ‘Almost Famous’ by Op-Docs (youtube.com)

A BBC Breakfast interview with Mary and Sylvia from March this year Sylvia Saunders, Mary McGlory (The Liverbirds Members) On BBC Breakfast [14.03.2024] (youtube.com)

And The Liverbirds own YouTube Channel (2043) The Liverbirds – YouTube

Anthony C Green, October 2024

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Review: Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and the Legendary Tapes

December 18, 2023 at 10:16 am · Filed under Biographical, Documentaries, TV Shows ·Tagged delia-derbyshire, Doctor Who, electronica, Music

Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and the Legendary Tapes

(Arena, 2021)

BBC iPlayer – Delia Derbyshire: The Myths and the Legendary Tapes

Reviewed by Anthony C Green

Delia Derbyshire at the BBC Radiophonic Workshop

1,836 words, 10 minutes read time.

I’ve written about Delia Derbyshire of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop before, in relation to Paul McCartney’s admiration of her work, and their sole mid-sixties meeting, to which I link at the end of this article. But amidst the generally, so far, not well received 60^th anniversary celebrations of Doctor Who, to which I’ll probably return in a separate article, it was nice to find this little gem, a full ninety-minute documentary on Delia tucked away as part of the often excellent and long-running Arena series on the BBC iPlayer.

Delia is of course best known for her work on the theme tune for Who, which first aired on November 23rd, 1963, the day after the assassination of John F Kennedy. Although not technically the composer of the tune, it was her manipulation of tape to produce the eerie electronic, futuristic sound of the theme that was crucial to its success. Her treatment of Ron Grainer’s basic melody was so radical that when Grainer first heard the finished work, he was said to have exclaimed: ‘Did I really write that?’

Although, like the Doctor himself, the theme has gone through many incarnations over the decades, it has always remained close enough to Delia’s original as to be instantly recognisable. Indeed, a ‘Doctor Who’ which began without it simply wouldn’t be Doctor Who. If we require evidence of this assertion, then you need only look at the two mid-sixties none-canon ‘Doctor Who’ movies starring Peter Cushing. You know they are not canon precisely because they don’t begin with it, though other reasons also soon become apparent.

It’s sad that only posthumously, twelve years after her death, aged sixty-four in July 2001, following long periods of struggle with alcohol and mental health issues, was she at last awarded a full co-writing credit for the Who theme, her name finally taking its place alongside Grainer’s as the final credits rolled at the end of excellent The Day of the Doctor fiftieth anniversary special in 2013. She was also depicted, albeit too briefly in the otherwise equally excellent An Adventure in Space and Time television, a dramatisation of the birth and early days of the show.

But Delia was about so much more than Doctor Who in any case, and finally, in this documentary, she gets the acknowledgement her role in the development of modern electronic music she deserves.

The programme utilises a drama-documentary format, written and starring Caroline Catz, who turns in a superb performance playing Delia in the dramatised sections. The beautifully, suitably eerie, weird and eclectic soundtrack was created by musician and performance artist Cosio Fanni Tutti, utilising material found on 267 reel-to-reel tapes, the ‘Lost Tapes’ of the title, which were discovered in Delia’s flat at the time of her death, in what Fan Tutti has described as ‘a collaboration across time.’

Excerpts from a charmingly scatty, clearly intoxicated radio interview she gave not long before her death are also inserted at appropriate moments throughout the film.

Through Catz’ words and performance, we see Delia as a geeky Cambridge graduate in mathematics and Music, at a time when female Cambridge graduates were still something of a rarity, especially in such arcane subject-combinations, telling an incredulous Career’s Officer that she wants to work in a field which allows her to explore the relationship between mathematics and sound/music, casually dropping in a reference to Pythagoras work on the subject as she does so. ‘Have you considered working with deaf aids?’ offers the out of his depth officer. Delia looks at him with a bemusement which beautifully mirrored his own: ‘No, have you?’

The documentary is full of such scenes, which show Delia to be a talented, strong-willed young woman with a clear idea of what she wanted to achieve, and an equally clear awareness that very few avenues existed through which she might achieve them.

In the Britain of the late nineteen fifties/early nineteen sixties, there was perhaps only one such avenue was open to her; and that was the BBC Radiophonic Worksop.

Despite being opened by the equally important electronic music pioneer Daphne Oram in 1958, the Workshop was very much a man’s world. It was also a place to which BBC operatives who didn’t really fit in anywhere else ‘sent,’ rather than a location of desire. The fact that Delia fought for the right to work in such an environment was seen within the Beeb as the height of eccentricity, but this keenness, once it was acknowledged, virtually guaranteed her the position she coveted.

We see the likes of Oram and Brian Hodgson, who would become her most important collaborator, doing their best in very difficult, cramped, under-funded circumstances to produce whatever sound effects would be required for this or that radio or television production using the limited equipment at their disposal.

These were seen as purely technical tasks. The idea that these BBC workers could also be creatives, fully-fledged composers using tape, found-sound and new-fangled ‘oscillators’ as the means to create new music was effectively born with Delia and her Workshop colleagues. Indeed, despite being accomplished on piano, violin, double-bass and harpsichord, Delia was informed on her arrival at the BBC in 1962 that they didn’t use the ‘m’ (music) word at the Workshop, their job was to create ‘special sounds’, certainly not to compose.

(Britain was rather behind the loop here in comparison to America. The husband-and-wife team Bebe and Louis Baron had produced a purely electronic score for the great Science Fiction movie The Forbidden Planet in 1956).

Delia was always under-appreciated for her work at the Workshop, and so naturally sought to establish herself as part of the emergent sixties’ left-fielf musical Zeitgeist through outside projects like the short-lived Unit Delta Plus trio with Hodgson and Peter Zinoviev, during which time her meeting with McCartney took place. This outfit gave perhaps their one and only public performance at the Million Volt Light and Sound Wave in 1967, an event whose main claim to fame is that it marked one of only two occasions when the Beatles still to this day unreleased Carnival of Light track was played.

Perhaps her most influential and ahead of its time work was the White Noise album credited to Electric Storm, where she again partnered Hodgson, with input also from David Vorhaus, another key figure on this scene in this period. The British DJ and writer Stuart Maconie has described the experience of walking alone in the pitch-black of the English countryside late at night with the album blasting through his headphones as being one of the most sonically mind-blowing events of his life.

Fascinating clips from archived interviews with the likes of Hodgson, Zinovieff and Vorhaus are also featured at relevant points in the documentary, which help to place Delia in the context of her time, and properly allocate to her the pivotal role she played at the centre of the British musical Avant-Garde.

Interestingly, Delia herself ascribed her love of what she termed ‘abstract music’ as having been influenced by the ubiquitous sound of the air raid warning during the Second World War. Having been born in Coventry in 1938, and remained there, the most bombed city in Britain, with her family throughout hostilities, her young ears would have heard a lot of that siren.

Delia would often seek work outside of the BBC under a pseudonym, to help her to make something resembling a living, for instance in the early 1970’s on commercial television Science Fiction rivals to Doctor Who, such as The Tomorrow People and Timeslip (the latter being a show very few but me seem to recall).

Although you may not know the name of many of the titles of much of the music Delia composed whilst she was at the Workshop, anyone who grew up watching British television in the 1960’s and 1970’s will recognise the music once they hear it, especially those familiar with SF, nature programmes, and the more slightly ‘out there’ end of children’s television.

She left the BBC in 1972, and by 1974 she’d reached such a state of disillusionment that she gave up music entirely, spending over two decades in a variety of jobs, including as an operator and English French translator for British gas, and nomadic wanderings, only returning to music as new generations came to appreciate her towards the end of her life.

One very telling scene in the film shows young people dancing enthusiastically to a beat-heavy piece of music she’d composed in 1971. It sounded more like something that would have emerged from the Rave culture of almost three decades later.

It is thanks to the likes of Cosy Fanni Tutti that the ‘lost tapes’ have now been digitally preserved, the originals stored at Manchester University. Selections from them have now also become commercially available for the first time.

And thanks to films like this 2021 Arena special, it’s likely that more and more younger people will discover something of the fascinating life and music of the woman behind the Doctor Who theme, and that she about so much more than Doctor Who theme.

It’s also telling that, in that late-life radio interview, though certainly sounding a little the worse for wear, she shows no sign of bitterness at the direction her life took. This point is reinforced by Catz, who imagines her ridiculing the obituaries that attempted to make her into a tragic figure.

She acknowledges her fondness for booze but does not accept any form of cliched ‘struggle against addiction’.

‘Never a problem, always a pleasure,’ Catz has her say, and though the actor/author is using license to put these words into Delia’s mouth, they somehow ring true of everything we see and hear of the real Delia here.

From her interviews and from the accounts of those who knew and worked with her, she seems to have been a truly lovable British eccentric who was a lot of fun to be around.

It’s hard to imagine a woman with a fondness for snuff and for describing herself as being ‘tickled pink’ not being fun to be around.

She was also, of course, a key figure in the development of electronic music, and an important trailblazer and role-model for the position of women in the arts in Britain.

This is a documentary worthy of her life and accomplishments, which also beautifully captures her idiosyncrasies. The music is great too, Fanni Tutti doing a fine job in turning Delia’s unknown home experiments into the perfect sonic accompaniment to this fine account of her life.

Anthony C Green, December 2023

My earlier article on Delia. Interestingly, her meeting with Brian Jones of The Rolling Stones is discussed in the film, but not the meeting with McCartney I covered here: Anthony C Green – A short article on the mid-sixties meeting… | Facebook

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Culture Vulture 21st to the 27th of October 2023

October 20, 2023 at 2:55 pm · Filed under Culture Vulture, TV Shows ·Tagged Cinema, Classic Film, Documentary, Entertainment Guide, film review, Music, Psychological Horror, Rock Music, Shakespeare, WorldWar II

Welcome to Culture Vulture, your guide to the week’s entertainment from an alternative standpoint. Selections and writing are by Pat Harrington and music is by Tim Bragg. Highlights this week include: The Hollies: Look Through Any Window, a captivating documentary that delves into the iconic British rock band’s journey through the swinging ’60s and their enduring impact on the music industry.; After Chaos, a documentary depicting the post-war reconstruction of four emblematic cities, including Berlin and Warsaw; and the film Deep Horizon a 2016 American biographical disaster film based on the Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Saturday 21st of October 2023

Collateral (2004 film) 9pm Film4

“Collateral,” released in 2004, showcases Tom Cruise in a role that breaks away from his typical on-screen persona. In this gripping crime thriller directed by Michael Mann, Cruise takes on the character of Vincent, a cold-blooded contract killer. This departure from his usual roles demonstrates Cruise’s versatility as an actor, and he delivers a standout performance that showcases his range and ability to embody complex characters.

One aspect that truly elevates “Collateral” is its excellent film score. Composed by James Newton Howard, the score perfectly captures the tension and atmosphere of the movie. The music enhances the suspenseful moments, heightening the audience’s emotional involvement and contributing to the overall intensity of the film. The combination of Howard’s masterful composition and the film’s expertly crafted visuals creates a truly immersive experience for viewers.

In addition to Cruise’s against-type performance and the remarkable score, “Collateral” boasts a tightly woven plot that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats. The story follows a taxi driver named Max, played by Jamie Foxx, who unwittingly becomes involved in Vincent’s murderous plans. The dynamic between Cruise and Foxx is captivating, as they navigate the dark underbelly of Los Angeles over the course of a single night.

Mann’s direction brings a distinct visual style to the film, capturing the gritty and atmospheric cityscape of Los Angeles. The nighttime sequences are particularly impressive, showcasing Mann’s talent for creating a moody and evocative atmosphere that perfectly complements the narrative.

“Collateral” is a thrilling and engaging crime thriller that stands out for its exceptional performances, particularly Tom Cruise’s against-type portrayal of a ruthless hitman. The outstanding film score by James Newton Howard further enhances the viewing experience, contributing to the tension and emotional impact of the story. Michael Mann’s direction, coupled with the film’s gripping plot and atmospheric visuals, makes “Collateral” an unforgettable cinematic experience.

The Hollies: Look Through Any Window 10pm Sky Arts

If you love the music of the sixties and seventies, you might want to check out The Hollies: Look Through Any Window, a documentary. It’s a film that celebrates the legacy of one of the most successful British groups of that era, who have sold over 60 million records worldwide and have been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

The documentary features interviews with original members Graham Nash, Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott, who share their stories and insights about the band’s history, influences, songwriting and performances. You’ll also get to see rare footage of The Hollies in concert, on TV shows and in the studio, as well as clips of some of their biggest hits, such as Bus Stop, He Ain’t Heavy He’s My Brother, Carrie Anne, The Air That I Breathe and Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress.

The film is a tribute to a group that has continued to perform up to the present day, with a sound that is timeless and distinctive. The Hollies: Look Through Any Window is a must-watch for fans of The Hollies and anyone who appreciates the music of the British Invasion era. Don’t miss it!

Sunday 22nd of October 2023

Julius Caesar (1953 film) 12 noon BBC2

“Julius Caesar,” directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz and released in 1953, stands as a timeless cinematic adaptation of William Shakespeare’s immortal tragedy. This film faithfully brings to life the intricate web of political conspiracy and betrayal in ancient Rome, and its enduring appeal lies in its powerful performances, masterful direction, and a profound exploration of ambition and honor.

Stellar Performances:

At the heart of the film is a cast of exceptional actors, with standout performances that breathe life into Shakespeare’s iconic characters. Marlon Brando, in the role of Mark Antony, delivers a captivating portrayal. His famous “Friends, Romans, countrymen” speech is delivered with intensity, resonating with the passion and emotion expected of this crucial moment in the play.

John Gielgud’s Brutus:

John Gielgud’s portrayal of Marcus Brutus is equally remarkable. His portrayal captures the inner turmoil, moral dilemma, and tragic nobility of the character, making it easy for the audience to empathize with Brutus’s moral struggle and his ultimate fate.

James Mason’s Cassius:

James Mason’s Cassius is another highlight, exuding the cunning and charisma required for the role. HFis chemistry with Gielgud’s Brutus creates a palpable tension that drives the narrative forward.

Greer Garson’s Calpurnia

Greer Garson deserves high praise for her ability to infuse depth and authenticity into the character. Her performance as Caesar’s devoted and concerned wife is both graceful and emotionally resonant, offering a compelling contrast to the political intrigue that unfolds. Garson’s portrayal brings out the vulnerability and strength of Calpurnia, providing a touching and humanizing aspect to the story. Her on-screen presence adds a layer of depth to the film, contributing to the overall richness of this classic Shakespearean adaptation.

Masterful Direction:

Joseph L. Mankiewicz’s direction is a masterclass in bringing Shakespearean drama to the silver screen. The film’s cinematography and set design authentically recreate ancient Rome, immersing the audience in the grandeur and turmoil of the era. Mankiewicz’s ability to balance the intimate character moments with the larger political intrigue showcases his directorial prowess.

Tension and Political Intrigue:

“Julius Caesar” excels in conveying the political tension and machinations of the Roman Senate. The film’s pacing keeps the audience engaged, and its exploration of power, loyalty, and the consequences of betrayal remains relevant in any era.

A Cinematic Time Capsule:

While some may find the theatrical language of Shakespeare challenging, “Julius Caesar” (1953) offers a chance to experience the timeless themes and captivating characters of this classic play in a cinematic format. The film preserves the essence of the source material, making it accessible to a wider audience.

“Julius Caesar” (1953) is a cinematic gem that stands as a testament to the enduring power of Shakespeare’s storytelling. It remains a must-see for enthusiasts of classic cinema and those with an appreciation for the complexities of human ambition, honor, and the consequences of political intrigue. With its outstanding performances, evocative direction, and profound themes, this adaptation continues to be a benchmark in cinematic history.

Testament of Youth (2014 film) 11.55pm BBC1

This adaptation of Vera Brittain’s memoir, stands as a powerful indictment of the horrors of war. Directed by James Kent, this remarkable film masterfully weaves together themes of love, loss, resilience, and the transformation of a generation scarred by the devastation of World War I. In a world marked by the chaos and destruction of the Great War, Alicia Vikander’s portrayal of Vera Brittain is profoundly moving. Her performance captures not only the personal transformation of a young woman determined to defy societal norms but also the broader anti-war sentiment of an era marred by senseless conflict.

“Testament of Youth,” the 2014 film adaptation of Vera Brittain’s poignant memoir, invites viewers into a world irrevocably altered by the cataclysmic events of World War I. Directed by James Kent, this cinematic masterpiece transcends the confines of war to delve into the depths of love, loss, and resilience against the backdrop of global conflict. Alicia Vikander’s portrayal of Vera Brittain is both a heartfelt tribute to the author’s life and a compelling anti-war statement, shedding light on the devastating toll of war.

Alicia Vikander’s performance as Vera Brittain is a testament to her remarkable acting prowess. Her portrayal is characterized by its emotional depth, vividly capturing the personal transformation of a young woman who defied societal norms. One poignant scene, for instance, reveals Vera’s determination to become a nurse and care for the wounded despite societal expectations. This portrayal encapsulates the film’s larger anti-war message by depicting a woman who seeks to heal the wounds of a world torn apart.

“Testament of Youth” doesn’t merely dwell on the war’s horrors; it deeply explores the intertwined themes of love, loss, and resilience. Through a compelling love story, it underscores how war disrupted lives and tested the strength of human connections. The film also highlights Vera’s loss of loved ones, emphasizing the profound, lasting effects of war.

The 2014 adaptation offers a thought-provoking narrative that reaches far beyond a mere retelling of history. Alicia Vikander’s portrayal of Vera is a powerful embodiment of the anti-war sentiment, showing the futility of conflict through her unwavering resolve to bring solace and healing to those affected by the war. It resonates with audiences, urging them to reflect on the consequences of war and the value of peace.

For those who may remember the 1979 TV adaptation of Brittain’s memoir, the 2014 big-screen version offers an intriguing opportunity for comparison. This new adaptation provides a more immersive and cinematic experience, enhancing the emotional impact of the story and emphasizing the anti-war message.

“Testament of Youth” is a must-watch for those who appreciate thought-provoking narratives. It targets a broad audience interested in history, human resilience, and the enduring consequences of war. This film not only serves as a compelling portrayal of Vera Brittain’s life but also delivers a powerful anti-war message, encouraging viewers to contemplate the destructive consequences of conflict and the strength of the human spirit.

Monday 23rd of October 2023

After Chaos: Berlin (one of two) 8.35pm PBS America

After Chaos: Berlin is a documentary that explores the aftermath of World War II in the German capital, which was divided into four zones of occupation by the victorious Allies. The film chronicles the daily struggles of Berliners as they cope with hunger, cold, violence, crime, and the trauma of war. The film also examines the political and ideological conflicts that shaped the future of Germany and Europe, such as the rise of communism, the emergence of the Cold War, and the creation of the Berlin Wall. The film features interviews with eyewitnesses, historians, and experts, as well as archival footage and photographs that reveal the complex and often contradictory realities of life in post-war Berlin. The film is a fascinating and insightful look at a city that was both a symbol of hope and a scene of horror in the 20th century.

The Deep Blue Sea (2011 film) 11.40pm Film4

In Film 4’s tribute to the late, great British Director Terence Davies, “The Deep Blue Sea” (2011) stands as an unforgettable testament to his cinematic brilliance. This emotionally charged film, starring Rachel Weisz as Hester Collyer and Tom Hiddleston as Freddie Page, offers a poignant look into the bleak landscape of post-World War II London. It paints a vivid portrait of love and despair against a backdrop of societal constraints and lost dreams.

Set in the grim aftermath of World War II, “The Deep Blue Sea” introduces us to Hester Collyer, who leaves her stifling marriage for a passionate love affair with Freddie Page, once a dashing RAF pilot. However, as Hester finds herself in a gloomy bedsit, Freddie’s life spirals into the dimly lit pubs of London, leading to a tumultuous and poignant tale of love and loss.

Rachel Weisz delivers an extraordinary performance as Hester, her portrayal a poignant embodiment of inner turmoil and vulnerability. We witness her navigating the complexities of love and desire, particularly in the powerful scene where she contemplates her life in the mirror. Tom Hiddleston, as Freddie Page, captures the fading glory of a war hero, vividly illustrated as he drowns his sorrows in the shadowy taverns.

Terence Davies’ direction is nothing short of exceptional. He masterfully captures the somber post-war atmosphere, and his attention to detail, such as the authenticity of the period-accurate set design and costumes, is evident throughout. One of the most poignant scenes in the film is the rekindling of Hester and Freddie’s passion, which is beautifully framed against the backdrop of their strained relationship.

The film’s melancholic symphony of emotions is enhanced by Samuel Barber’s hauntingly beautiful score. The music draws viewers deeper into Hester’s world and highlights her unending yearning for love, exemplified in the scene where she listens to the gramophone in solitude.

“The Deep Blue Sea” received critical acclaim for its powerful performances and Terence Davies’ meticulous direction. It has garnered attention for its contribution to British cinema and its emotional impact, underscoring the enduring themes of love, longing, and human connection.

As Film 4 pays tribute to Terence Davies, “The Deep Blue Sea” invites viewers to delve into this emotionally charged narrative and celebrate his cinematic legacy. We encourage you to watch the film and share your thoughts, as it sparks engaging discussions on love, desire, and the complexities of the human heart. Don’t miss this cinematic gem that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.

Tuesday 24th of October 2023

After Chaos: Warsaw (two of two) 8.35pm PBS America

After Chaos: Warsaw is a documentary that follows the reconstruction of the Polish capital after it was almost completely destroyed by the Nazis during World War II. The film shows how the city’s residents, architects, and engineers used 18th century paintings, historical documents, and personal memories to recreate the old Warsaw, while also incorporating modern elements and innovations. The film also explores the cultural, social, and political challenges that Warsaw faced in the post-war era, such as the rise of communism, the Cold War, and the Solidarity movement. The film features interviews with experts, eyewitnesses, and descendants of the original builders, as well as archival footage and photographs that reveal the remarkable transformation of Warsaw from a pile of rubble to a vibrant metropolis. The documentary is a tribute to the resilience, creativity, and courage of the people of Warsaw, who managed to rebuild their city against all odds

Wednesday 25th of October 2023

The Magic of Mushrooms 9pm BBC4

The Magic of Mushrooms is a documentary that explores the fascinating and normally hidden kingdom of fungi, which is essential for life on Earth. The film is presented by Professor Richard Fortey, a mushroom enthusiast and a natural historian, who delves into the evolution, life cycle, and value of fungi. The film features stunning time-lapse photography and microscopy that reveal the beauty and diversity of fungi, from the microscopic spores to the giant puffballs. The film also showcases the amazing abilities and roles of fungi, such as decomposing organic matter, forming symbiotic relationships with plants and animals, producing antibiotics and other chemicals, and influencing human culture and history. The film is a captivating and enlightening journey into the world of fungi, which is often overlooked and misunderstood by most people

Titane (2021 film) 10.50pm Film 4

“Titane” is an audacious and fearless exploration of the human body, identity, and transformation. The film introduces us to Alexia, portrayed by Agathe Rousselle, a young woman with a deep connection to automobiles after a childhood accident. Her provocative and transformative journey unfolds with a mesmerizing blend of body horror and psychological intrigue.

Julia Ducournau’s direction is nothing short of exceptional. She challenges conventional storytelling with a narrative that is as unsettling as it is enthralling. The film masterfully blurs the boundaries between the natural and the supernatural, creating a unique and immersive cinematic experience. Ducournau’s ability to capture the complexity of the human experience in such a raw and unfiltered manner is a testament to her directorial prowess.

“Titane” boasts a mesmerizing and evocative visual style that is both striking and nightmarish. The transformation sequences and body horror elements are executed with incredible attention to detail, immersing the audience in the unsettling world of the film. Ducournau’s use of practical effects and visual storytelling heightens the overall impact of the narrative.

Agathe Rousselle delivers a fearless and captivating performance as Alexia, embodying the character’s turmoil and transformation with unwavering commitment. Vincent Lindon, as a fire chief, adds depth to the narrative with his own layered performance.

As a follow-up to “Raw,” “Titane” continues Julia Ducournau’s exploration of human desires, obsessions, and the consequences of personal transformation. It is a film that demands contemplation, provoking discussion on themes of identity and the boundaries of human existence.

“Titane” is an audacious cinematic creation that solidifies Julia Ducournau’s reputation as a visionary director. This unapologetic exploration of the human psyche, paired with its superb visual storytelling and standout performances, makes it a must-watch for those who appreciate bold and unconventional cinema.

Thursday 26th of October 2023

Censor (2021 film) 10.50pm BBC4

Prepare for a chilling cinematic experience as “Censor” (2021) makes its British TV premiere. Directed by Prano Bailey-Bond, this psychological horror film takes us on a gripping journey into the shadows of the film industry, offering a unique and haunting perspective that unveils deeper social and political themes, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.

“Censor” immerses us in the dark underbelly of the 1980s British cinema world, a time fraught with social and political tensions. Niamh Algar portrays Enid, a diligent film censor grappling with the morally complex task of reviewing and censoring gruesome and controversial films. In her performance, Algar captures the weight of a society wrestling with its own demons, mirroring the political turmoil of the era.

Prano Bailey-Bond’s direction shines a spotlight on the disorienting atmosphere of the time, where a conservative political climate was reflected in the cinema’s obsession with violence and exploitation. The film’s visual style and use of ’80s aesthetics serve as a powerful backdrop for its exploration of the societal obsession with disturbing content. The blend of fiction and reality is an allegory for a society that often struggled to distinguish between the two, all while political issues loomed large.

The film delves into the social and political consequences of exposure to disturbing content, asking viewers to confront the impact of censorship and the fine line between protection and restriction. It poses crucial questions about the role of censorship in preserving societal values and protecting the vulnerable, especially in a time marked by political and moral conflicts.

As “Censor” receives its British TV premiere, it provides an ideal platform to revisit these themes. The film has garnered critical acclaim for its thought-provoking narrative, the exceptional performance by Niamh Algar, and its ability to unmask the hidden social and political horrors lurking within the human psyche.

“Censor” (2021) is a chilling and thought-provoking exploration of the dark underbelly of cinema, amplified by the social and political tensions of its time. Its British TV premiere is the perfect opportunity to experience this gripping tale, which challenges viewers to reflect on the consequences of censorship, the blurred lines between reality and fiction, and the broader societal and political implications that lurk beneath the surface. Don’t miss this thought-provoking journey into the heart of darkness in both the cinema and society.

Friday 27th of October 2023

Deepwater Horizon (2016 film) 9pm GREAT!movies

“Deepwater Horizon” is a gripping and intense disaster thriller that vividly recreates the devastating events surrounding the infamous oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010. Directed by Peter Berg, the film delves into the harrowing true story of the men and women who found themselves at the center of one of the largest man-made environmental disasters in history.

The film primarily focuses on the courageous crew members of the Deepwater Horizon, led by Mike Williams (Mark Wahlberg), as they battle escalating technical failures and mounting pressure from corporate interests. The tension builds steadily, and when the explosion finally occurs, it unleashes a chaotic and heart-stopping sequence that leaves viewers on the edge of their seats.

The strength of “Deepwater Horizon” lies in its ability to blend gripping action with a genuine portrayal of the human tragedy and heroism that unfolded during the disaster. The film pays tribute to the workers who displayed extraordinary courage in the face of unimaginable danger, highlighting their unwavering commitment to saving lives and their determination to survive amidst the chaos.

The visual effects in the film are outstanding, capturing the scale and devastation of the rig explosion with breathtaking realism. The attention to detail in depicting the oil rig environment and the technical aspects of drilling operations adds an authentic layer to the film, immersing the audience in the high-stakes and perilous world of offshore drilling.

The performances in “Deepwater Horizon” are compelling, with Mark Wahlberg delivering a strong and emotionally charged portrayal of Mike Williams, a resilient and resourceful everyman caught in the midst of the disaster. The supporting cast, including Kurt Russell and Gina Rodriguez, deliver solid performances, portraying the camaraderie and dedication of the oil rig crew.

While the film succeeds in capturing the immediate impact and chaos of the disaster, it could have delved deeper into the long-term environmental and economic consequences. A more comprehensive examination of the aftermath could have added further weight to the narrative.

“Deepwater Horizon” serves as a stark reminder of the human and environmental cost of industrial disasters. It raises important questions about corporate responsibility, governmental oversight, and the need for stringent safety regulations in high-risk industries. The film prompts reflection on the impact of our actions on the environment and the importance of learning from such catastrophic events.

“Deepwater Horizon” is a gripping and emotionally charged film that honors the bravery and sacrifices of those involved in the Deepwater Horizon tragedy. With its thrilling action sequences, compelling performances, and thought-provoking themes, it offers a riveting cinematic experience that sheds light on the human resilience and the consequences of corporate greed and negligence.

Picture Credits

Collateral
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Testament of Youth
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The Deep Blue Sea
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Censor
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Deep Water Horizon
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Titane
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California Sun – Morrissey

June 5, 2019 at 5:58 am · Filed under Culture Vulture, Music, Uncategorized ·Tagged 1964, 1965, 1971, 1973, 1975, Ain’t Marching Anymore, America, American, Billy Joe Armstrong, Bob Dylan, Broadway, Buffy Sainte Marie Joni Mitchell, California Son, Carly Simon, Civil Rights, Crooners, Days Of Decision, Dione Warwick, Don’t Interrupt The Sorrow, Gary Puckett, Green Day, I Have A Dream, It’s Over, Jacqui Cosgree, Jobriath, Lady Willpower, Lenny Bruce, Lenny’s Tune, Loneliness Remembers What Happiness Forgets, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Martin Luther King, Medgar Evers, Melanie Safka, Morning Starship, Morrissey, Music, New Orleans, New York City, Nico, NYC, Only A Pawn In Their Game, Phil Ochs, Roy Orbison, Some Say (I got Devil), Steven Patrick Morrissey, Suffer The Little Children, The Hissing Of Summer Lawns, Tim Hardin, Wedding Bell Blues, When You Close Your Eyes

CALIFORNIA SON, Morrissey’s twelfth studio album, is a collection of covers including a few familiar old classics and some maybe lesser known American protest and social

justice songs from the 60s and 70s. Morrissey and his band never shy away from imaginative musical arrangements, often seeking out unusual instruments, and there are influences here from New Orleans, the old time crooners and a touch of Broadway. No doubt this is a nod

to his recent sell out residency at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York City (NYC).

The album opens with Morning Starship, the 1973 song by Jobriath. Morrissey has talked about covering this song for many years, and his version does not disappoint. He strips back the glam rock just enough to emphasise his wide range of vocals. It is an uplifting track and was well received when he sang it live on Broadway.

Next up is his version of Joni Mitchell’s Don’t interrupt the Sorrow, a song about Women standing up to male dominance from her 1975 The Hissing of Summer Lawns album. Originally a folky song with lots of hand drums it is given the full Morrissey crooner treatment. Now in his 60^th yeapeats on several tracks throughout this album, not least on the very good Wedding Bell Blues on which Green Day’s Billy Joe Armstrong adds backing vocals.

Morrissey is never one to shy away from a song with a powerful message, and chose to include the 1964 Bob Dylan song Only A Pawn in their Game, written following the assassination of civil rights activist Medgar Evers. The message in this song is that the killer was as much a victim or “pawn” of the elites in power as was his victim. The song was sung at the rally where Martin Luther King gave his“I have a dream” speech. It’s an interesting choice, as is his excellent cover of Days of Decision. This is taken from the 1965 Phil Ochs album Ain’t Marching Anymore, with its lyrics: “you can do what’s right or you can do what you are told.” Maybe in these choices Morrissey is encouraging the listener to look at the lessons of history and to question things a little more?

Buffy Sainte Marie’s Suffer the Little Children is given the full Broadway treatment with big instrumentals and hand clapping. Buffy, in an interview, said she loved it.

There are very good versions of Carly Simon’s When you close your eyes and Dione Warwick’s Loneliness Remembers what Happiness Forgets. Gary Puckett’s Lady Willpower is also very well done. Tim Hardin’s eulogy to his friend Lenny Bruce, Lenny’sTune is perfect for the melancholic signature sound of Morrissey, and whilst this version is not as haunting as the Nico cover it does justice to the original.

Roy Orbison’s It’s Over stays true to the original and is one of the best tracks on the album. He closes with Melanie Safka’s 1971 Some Say (I got Devil). The vocals here are excellent and the addition of instrumentals on what was originally an acoustic guitar ballad gives the song new depth.

There really is not a bad track here but the real gift of this album is that it brings to a new generation a selection of protest songs about freedom, social justice and liberty that have a message relevant to today. It encourages you to seek out the original recordings and the stories behind them. Morrissey is not afraid to try new genres, or of working with material that others might now find too controversial. It is why his music endures despite the controversy, the bad press, the lack of radio coverage and the constant personal attacks. He has already recorded an album of new material for release later in the year. Retirement does not appear to be on the horizon just yet.

Reviewed by Jacqui Cosgree

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“Revamped Too” – Tim Bragg (2012)

January 15, 2013 at 6:53 pm · Filed under alternative rock, Music, neo-folk ·Tagged Counter Culture, England, France, Little Feat., Lowell George, Music, Phil Lynott, Revamped Too, Tim Bragg, Van Morrison, Willin'

Cover art for 'Revamped Too' by Tim Bragg, featuring a stylized tree with two colorful spheres, against a dark background.

Revamped Too is largely a compilation of various tracks from Tim Bragg’s back catalogue but also features some brand new recordings plus previously unreleased material. Tim Bragg is a talented and engaging multi-instrumentalist who has composed an impressive body of work comprising several albums that range from protest folk to jazz-rock to pop ballads with an obvious Phil Lynott and Thin Lizzy influence. He is also a novelist who has covered such genres as science fiction and political social commentary in works such as “The White Rooms”, “The English Dragon” and “Oak” – themes that have also inspired an earlier album “Fields of England”. Three tracks from this album (which is due for a revamped release in 2013) are featured on Revamped Too: “Rock the Boat” concerns political-correctness; the gutsy “My Family” and my favourite track: “England’s Seal”, a brilliant Marleyish piece of reggae “agitist” reflection.

The album is impressively produced and mixed with a highly attractive cover and features a wonderful assortment of various well-crafted contributions by various musicians – although Bragg at times performs most of the instruments. There is also a rockier cover version of Phil Lynott’s “Kings Call” and a country-rock version of Little Feat’s “Willin’”. Other tracks to look out for are “Sometimes” (which opens and closes the album with different versions) and “These People” (a reference to those folk who wreck other people’s lives!).

An instrumental album “Crossing Over” concerning spiritual themes and exploring the human predicament of death has been recorded and awaits release sometime in 2013, plus the aforementioned revamped version of “Fields Of England” (a work that demands more recognition). Bragg’s move to France has certainly given him a warm objectivity, Buddhist-like detachment and inspiring artistic perspective in the composition of his music – informed as it is by his writing and philosophical insights particularly concerning his former native land. He delivers these songs with heartfelt conviction and integrity. They come from a real place but as someone once said “a prophet is without honour in his own country” (how sadly true of Bragg). Nevertheless this compilation expresses a freshness and positivity rich in soul and genuine creativity, a work that is topical, relevant and delivered with a gritty rustic realism but shot through with warmth and compassion.

Wayne Sturgeon

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Scottish Folk Roots and Offshoots

August 9, 2011 at 8:05 am · Filed under Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Folk, Music ·Tagged Canada, David Ferrard, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Fringe, folk music, Music, River Clyde, Robert Burns, roots music, United States

Scottish Roots and Offshoots

The Royal Oak Bar

Infirmary Street

SCOTLAND’S music has travelled all over the world; toAustralia,New Zealand,Canada, but most of all toAmerica. Scots settled abroad for many reasons; poverty and religious or political persecution at home, or just in search of a new life. Wherever they settled, they brought their music with them. That’s why one of the songs sung for generations in theAppalachian mountainsmentions the River Clyde. It’s a folk memory. Once there, the music met with other strains, mutated a bit and came back here.

This trend is epitomised by the Singer/Songwriter David Ferrard. AnEdinburghlad himself, his mum is American, and he spent most of his summers as a young man over there, picking ups songs as he went along.

This comes out strongly in his routine which draws together songs from Robert Burns excoriating the politicians of his day as a Parcel of Rogues, romantic Jabobite songs dedicated to the Young Chevalier, Black American freedom songs from the slave era and some of his own composition. Love songs, sad songs, rude songs and silly songs. They’re all here.

Ferrard engages with his audience in an understated way that draws them out into singing choruses and participating in ‘hand-dancing’. More than half the audience had seen previous performances and come back for more. What better recommendation can a man have?

www.davidferrard.com

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From the Archives – Flux Europa

June 29, 2011 at 8:26 pm · Filed under Music, neo-folk ·Tagged 15 Delights Of Dionysus, Aardia, Fairy Tales From Beyond, Flux Europa, Music, Sol Invictis, The Nightmare Museum, Tony Wakeford

From the Archives – Flux Europa

FOR TEN YEARS Flux Europa – “dark music and more” – provided an alternative review of art, books, films and music. It seems that the initial inspiration for – and direction of – Flux Europa was provided by Tony Wakeford (1) of Sol Invictus fame (2). The site was created by Rik and launched in October 1995. However, it ended active publication in April 2005 and sadly now only lingers on as an archive.

This is a great pity. It carried excellent reviews of both mainstream artists – such as All About Eve (3), Gary Numan (4) and Soft Cell (5) – and relatively unknown bands like Death In June (6), Inkubus Sukkubus (7) and Minimal Self (8).

Although it modestly describes itself as “an arts zine” it really is much, much more.

Its two core areas are music and art. Of music it says:

“We specialise in ‘dark-edged’ alternative and avant-garde music variously categorised as neofolk, neomediaeval, ethereal, filmic, apocalyptic folk, dark folk, gothic-industrial, goth-rock, darkwave, dark-ambient, ambient-industrial, dark metal, military bombast, electronic and noise etc. We also cover some early music (Mediaeval and Renaissance), traditional folk music and neoclassical music.”

And of art, Flux Europa notes:

“We cover a number of contemporary artists connected with the above musical genres, but we also have a special interest in Futurism and other aspects of early twentieth-century modernism.”

However, it also features books, films, personae, miscellany and a massive links section.

Although it’s been archive site for six years, we’ve noticed that these sometimes have the habit of suddenly disappearing. If this happened to Flux Europa it’d be a real tragedy.

Many of its reviews and articles are timeless. As such they deserve to be syndicated out – to reach as wide an audience as possible. With this in mind we hope to reproduce as many articles as possible from Flux Europa, to whom we give our acknowledgements.

As these reviews are fairly old, we apologise in advance for any inactive links. We’ve also had to change some of the pictures used to illustrate a few articles as the originals weren’t as clear as we’d like.

We kick off our homage to Flux Europa with a look at a couple of bands featured in its music section:

15 DELIGHTS OF DIONYSUS

The Nightmare Museum
2002
Limited CDR
The Fossil Dungeon

The 15 Delights of Dionysus (Mike Bull, and Mark and Michael Riddick of The Soil Bleeds Black) emerged from a desire to explore “fringe consciousness and the bizarre in art & sound”, and the group has had several releases on “obscure underground labels”. This one is via Michael’s own Fossil Dungeon and features industrial-ambient and electronic samples but nothing too harsh. I particularly liked the heavily reverbed sixth track where a sort of dark Kraftwerk meets Dead Can Dance.

Excerpts from this CD were featured on a Discovery Channel documentary about ‘Sleep Paralysis’, Alien Abduction: The Mystery Unraveled.

Rik – 23 July 2002

15 DELIGHTS OF DIONYSUS
http://users.erols.com/tsbb/15

FOSSIL DUNGEON
http://www.fossildungeon.com/fossildungeon/

AARDIA

Fairy Tales From Beyond
2003
MCD
Witchcraft and Folklore ARD 003
15:59

Dramatic and menacing percussion, celestial choirs and neoclassical piano characterise Aardia’s debut MCD of film soundtrack music. It’s composed by Patrik Söderlund and Daniel Johnsson and reminds me of those historical epics that my grandmother took me to see as a child, although the actual musical inspiration here is Fabio Frizzi, Carl Orff and Ennio Morricone rather than Cecil B de Mille. One rather suspects that the fellow Swedish project, Arcana, and the American neo-mediaeval project, The Soil Bleeds Black, have also had some influence. On the literary front Aardia cite Lovecraft, Poe and Tolkein as inspirations.

In an attempt to sound literally like a film soundtrack, ‘The Summoner’ begins with a Mediaeval convivial, while ‘Call To Arms’ features whinnying horses and the sound of mortal combat. Incorporation of ‘historical’ SFX and other material always treads a fine line between the convincing and the kitsch. I think Aardia get away with it, but I tend to feel more comfortable with the other two, less literal, tracks. ‘The Wandering’ is percussive enough, but generally less epic in scope and features female vocals by Maria Carström. I think the best track, however, is the title one, ‘Fairy Tales From Beyond’, which has the dramatic neoclassical qualities of the first two without the SFX.

The recording can be downloaded free of charge from the Aardia MP3 website, although you may prefer to own the CD replete with Tolkeinesque artwork.

Rik – 3 March 2003