Bideodromage
The Buzzcocks, founded in 1976 by Pete Shelley and Howard Devoto {who departed to pastures new in ’77}, are one of the preeminent punk bands to emerge from the UK. Extremely lyrical as well as hard-edged, they strung together many brilliant tunes, due mainly to the genius of composer and lead vocalist Shelley. Included here are a few from Pete’s solo career, as well as some particularly rewarding live group efforts.
Mr. Glenn Tilbrook, longtime lead vocalist for Squeeze, is without doubt one of the foremost practitioners of his craft. There is little he can’t do, and beautifully. Then-member Paul Carrack, primarily a keyboardist, sang lead on the iconic Tempted, for some reason. He certainly did a creditable job, but it sure is a fine thing to hear Glenn take his rightful place at the microphone, for the two live versions presented above. Pulling Mussels, In Quintessance, and Is That Love all illustrate the band’s talents for creating clever, catchier-than-thou pop classics, and Tilbrook is precisely the man you’d want to sing them. Black Coffee in Bed stands as a mighty exemplar of Blue-Eyed soul, with Elvis Costello and Paul Young performing backup vocal duties. Good ol’ Jools Holland makes an appearance or two, here, to boot. A marvelous {and vastly underrated} band.
{Note: this post thoroughly revised, 8/10/2019}
{Revised: 7/6/2019}
“Bowing, and squawking, Running after tidbits; Bopping and squinting, Just like a nitwit…”
Mr. Elvis Costello: One of the very greatest, most idiosyncratic performers and composers. Of this, or any, century/epoch. We will not see his likes again.
A selection of some of the most wondrous moments in re: “Girl Group”-dom. We have: The Ronettes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Shirelles, The Royalettes, Betty Everett, Doris Troy, The Shangri-Las, and Ruby and the Romantics.
The great man, pictured also with lyricist and co-composer Bernie Taupin. Elton John has amassed 27 Top 10 U.S. singles, but more than that, even, he is simply an electrifying performer, as these videos amply demonstrate.
The astonishing Cecil Taylor. Simply magical.
The great William Marshall, with his stentorian delivery, and dignified/exalted bearing, brings much to the table in these two films. Thalmus Rasulala, Pam Grier, and Don Mitchell also excel, Rasulala in 1972’s Blacula, and the latter two in Scream, Blacula, Scream, from 1973.
Marshall was a Shakespearean actor, who portrayed the lead character in various productions of Othello to great effect. A formidable 6’5″ with a deep basso profundo register, Marshall carried with him a dignity and a regal demeanor. In a review, Harold Hobson of the London Sunday Times praised Marshallβs portrayal as “the best Othello of our time.”
{Revised with Full Intensity 7/6/2019}
**The seemingly invincible Nielsen, and even the record-settingly acerbic Roy Scheider, succumb, in the end, to the resolute Detective.**
The indomitable, dogged, yet supremely courteous Frank Cannon (William Conrad) is unlikely to swerve, even momentarily, from his pursuit of the truth.
See also our Rockford Files post.
Great moments of boldness, discomfort, schadenfreude, vengeance, grandiosity, and (occasionally misplaced) supreme confidence, are here presented from the nearly mythical television drama Breaking Bad. Featured is actor Bryan Cranston, as Walter White, with Giancarlo Esposito as Gus Fring, and Dean Norris as Hank.
Though the series is quite dark, moments of ironic humour are not uncommon, and are essential to the balancing act that elevates the show to the uppermost echelons.
Bideodromage 