Anyone shouting at their computer, "but the Hitchcock film was Saboteur!" You're right. Saboteur was his 1942 movies, starring Robert Cummings, Priscilla Lane and Norman Lloyd. But six years prior to that, he also had a film called Sabotage, starring Sylvia Sidney, Oskar Homolka, and John Loder.
The Singing Detective was one of the first "adult" TV shows I remember watching. I was 14 when it aired, and already interested in detective fiction and Raymond Chandler / Philip Marlowe, and in many ways this was not the show to scratch that itch. It was surreal, multi-layered and quite scary at times (although that appealed too, along with the occasional nudity... hey, the internet wouldn't be invented for another 10 years!). I remember being genuinely disturbed by the pain Michael Gambon's Marlowe felt in his hospital bed, as a result of his skin and bone disease (the same disease that Dennis Potter, the show's writer, had to deal with in real life). Because of Gambon's powerful performance, you really felt that pain. I can still feel it today, when I think back to that show. And that's the first thing I thought of when I heard of the actor's passing last week...
Guy Garvey's band Elbow took their name from a line in Dennis Potter's script in which Michael Gambon says that Elbow is the "loveliest word in the English language". Here's an Elbow song that I think Gambon would have approved of, particularly the line...
Of course, the news media reported Michael Gambon's death not in terms of Dennis Potter, but Harry. I did a quick lyric search on "Dumbledore" and found literally hundreds of mentions... but not one of them looked to be of any interest to a middle-aged man who has only ever watched one and a half Harry Potter films, especially as they were the ones with the late Richard Harris in, before Gambon took over his role. Just in case you're a Harry Potter fan, here's a band who appear to have only ever read JK Rowling, and no other authors...
Still, I already had the perfect closer for this post as soon as a teary-eyed HP-fan colleague informed me of Mr. Gambon's departure. Let's go back to the year 2000, when Chris T-T released his second album Panic Attack At Sainsbury's. A few months later, the track below emerged as a single... and it's proven a firm favourite ever since with its wanton and gleeful slaughtering of pop stars both great (Dylan) and not so great (Celine Dion). It also features the following verse, after which I could never take the Stereophonics seriously again...
All around Wales the bands are on fire
As the flames lick higher they run from their homes
Haven't done one of these for a while, but now seems an appropriate time...
1. Colder nights
After the unseasonably warm weather of the past week, during which I've been sleeping with just a sheet (and a fan in the bedroom!), it was good to feel the need to pull the duvet over me on Wednesday night. Autumn is my second favourite season (after Spring) and I'm looking forward to the nights drawing in, the leaves on the path, even the misty mornings.
Where are the songs of spring? Ay, Where are they?
The good news is, I don't have Tennis Elbow. The slightly less good news is that I have "Golfer's Elbow". Like I have the time (or inclination) to play golf! Still, I'm taking my recent visit to the doctors as a win, and here's why... she couldn't find anything seriously wrong with me. I've had various health concerns over the summer besides the elbow (cramp in my jaw, a weird taste in my saliva, that thing on my back), but none of them appear to be of major concern.
They hate me when I turn up at the local GP. I don't go very often, but when I do, I bring a list...
This really shouldn't work. The last remaining Monkee is releasing an album of REM covers. Apparently he's a big fan, and REM were quite fond of his band too. But it really shouldn't work.
However... if the first taste is anything to go by, this could be amazing. Dolenz has re-imagined REM's poppiest moment as though it were an out-take from Head. Now I love REM, and I don't feel the muso-snobbery towards Shiny Happy People that some fans do, but there's an argument to be made that Micky's version actually improves upon the original. I don't agree, but I'd readily listen to anyone who thought that way. Lovely stuff...
I'm not sure how we got onto the subject of Cars, other than that it's Sam's favourite film...
Ben: I've not watched Cars as it has a very specific demographic compared to a lot of other Pixar films.
Rol: Yes. My son is the demographic and has been since he was 2. I keep hoping he'll grow out of it, but not yet...
How is planes?
And is there a boats?
Planes makes Cars look like Citizen Kane. They wisely stopped trying to diversify after that.
A mate of mine's brother in law worked for Pixar. He left with a massive pay off because he didn't get on with John Lasseter. He went off and did Ratatouille instead.
Actually, I just googled him and that might have been after he made Ratatouille.
A mate of mine's sister's aunt's mate worked on Some Mother's Do 'Ave 'Em and they said that really, mother's don't have them.
Yeah, fuck off. I had a Small Claims Court thing going on there and you ruined my moment.
Have I told you about the time Christopher Ecclestone was in the toilet cubicle next to mine?
No
That's an invitation to tell the story...
Did he do a big poo?
West Yorkshire Playhouse. He was on the phone to his agent. Discussing Doctor Who.
To show the age difference, I was interviewed by Richard McCourt (Dick of Dick and Dom fame) in year 6 for winning Sheffield reader of the year.
He said he liked my hair.
Alberto Balsam wetlook gel, spiked up.
I have no idea who Dick and Dom are.
But I had a lovely conversation with Nick Heyward once. Very nice man.
And spent ages talking to David Gedge when he was running his own merchandise stand at a Cinerama gig at the Leadmill.
If we're talking bands, Foals used to sleep on my friend's floor whenever they were in Sheffield and used to hang out with us in Sheffield. I know the drummer from Kevin Devine / Brand New's second drummer, and got drunk and got kicked out of three bars in Leeds with Cage The Elephant.
Louise has the best small claim. When she was little, David Prowse was opening a shop in Rochdale dressed as Darth Vader. He tweaked her nose and made her cry so Darth Vader had to apologise to her mum in his Cornish accent.
That is pretty good, actually.
That Black Country, New Road album has the potential to be the best album that will release this year.
It's one of those things where it almost annoys you just how much talent a young band can have.
Rol replies:
I listened to BCNR. I like the ones where they sound like Nick Cave or Fred Thomas. Less so the ones where they forget to sound like anyone.
Ben replies:
That gif is genuinely disturbing.
It's like the anti Proof by I am Kloot video.
I'd never seen that video before. Now I'm wondering if that's what he was doing in the next cubicle...
It's a good video.
I like that no matter how much Guy Garvey tries, Elbow will always be the "commercial" one of the two bands that got successful.
And it tears him up. And I love that.
Leave Guy Garvey alone. He's a nice man and there aren't enough of them.
Whenever I feel guilty for all those years devoted to Morrissey, I comfort myself in the knowledge that I also like Guy Garvey.
Also check the muso snobbery that says anything commercial is automatically bad.
A quieter week on the countdown than last week, thankfully, and the only band I could find with 15 in the name was the one above. I'm guessing they're Spanish, but beyond that.... no idea. Here's a tune from them anyway...
Inspiral Carpets - 8:15 From Manchester (the theme to a 90s Saturday Morning kids show - it's actually a re-recording of Find Out Why. But it does evoke a memory of late teenage/early 20s hangovers.)
Alyson was up next, with two very fine... if distinctly un-Alyson... suggestions...
Oh, wait... I've forgotten to pick a winner, haven't I? Tough one this week as I don't have a clear favourite, although the two that got the most votes are clearly leading the field.
You can choose your own favourite, but for me... although in most matches, Roger Daltrey would defeat Robert Smith... in this one, Bob just edges it. Maybe it's because this song reminds me so much of Saturday nights in my 20s... although I don't remember ever sitting in the kitchen sink.
