Namesakes #196: The Gorillas

Time to monkey around with some bands named after Gorillas. Amazing how many artists haven chosen to ape the largest living primates.

THE GUERILLAS #1

We start today in 1969, not with apes but with insurgent militia. They're all G'rillas to me.

The Guerillas - Lawdy Rolla

THE GUERILLAS #2

And while we're on that spelling, here are some more Guerillas, on a reggae trip. No date on this one, but I had to include them because of their mate "Militant Barry". Hopefully the mention of Dreadlocks won't trigger Ernie's 10cc phobia.

Michael Knowledge, The Guerillas & Militant Barry – Dread Lock Time

THE GORILLAS #3

I'll make things easy for you today, if you like. You don't even have to listen to the tunes. From the picture alone, these German Gorillas from 1971 clearly take top spot today. If George votes for anybody else, then I'm a monkey's uncle.

The Gorillas - Laugh Story

THE GORILLAS #4

Pub rock pioneers from Hammersmith in the mid-late 70s. Singer Jesse Hector (the one with a bad case of the Mungo Jerries in the photo above) sadly passed away in May this year.

The Gorillas - She's My Gal

GORILLA #5

A solitary ape now. Former members of early 90s indie band The Beyond went on to become a Gorilla in 1995. Singer John Whitby later became the Mayor of Derby.

Gorilla - Who Wants to Save the World Anyway

GORILLAZ #6

Remember when the idea of a "virtual band" was quite a novel one? Of course, these Gorillaz were created long before AI came along to destroy the music business forever, and they're really the brainchild of Blur's Damon Albarn and Tank Girl comic book artist Jamie Hewlett (and their musical guest star mates). In years to come, I wonder if these guys will seem as outdated as Max Headroom? Or will we just dream of the days when being a "virtual band" still involved actual human creativity?

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

GORILLA #7

A Japanese Gorilla, from 2014...

Gorilla - Mary Anne

GORILLA #8

And finally, another lonely Gorilla, because you can never have too much Hungarian psychobilly...

Gorilla - Child In My Dreams

Which is your great ape?

 

Snapshots #428: Ghost Train Songs

Welcome onboard the Snapshots Ghost Train. 

Beware, it's going to be a spooky ride!

15. Common to bumblebees and Greylag Geese. 

BumbleBEEs and Greylag GEESe. 

The Bee Gees - Ghost Train

14. Gervais feminized by Man In Black.

Ricky Gervais becomes Rickie when he counters Tommy Lee Jones.

Rickie Lee Jones - Ghost Train

13. Hold it - you're banned from professional wrestling!

Strangleholds are illegal in professional wrestling.

The Stranglers - Ghost Train

12. Causeless male offspring.

Sons without a cause...

Rebel Son - Ghost Train

11. Slice lost love into bits.

"Slice lost love" was an anagram.

Elvis Costello - Ghost Train

10. Norm's rabbity, isn't he? 

"Norm's rabbity" is an anagram.

Marty Robbins - Ghost Train

9. Visited Graceland. Met Cher.

He did both, while Walking In Memphis. Maybe he even went on the Ghost Train there...

Marc Cohn - Ghost Train

8. Toilet used by both Bob Dylan and The Charlatans.

Bob sang about a North Country Girl. The Charlatans sang about a North Country Boy. These guys provided the w.c...

North Country Gentlemen - Ghost Train

7. When he called out for another drink, the waiter brought a tray.

That's a lyric from Procul Harum's Whiter Shade of Pale, (co-)written and sung by this man...

Gary Brooker - Ghost Train

6. Fancy a zig roll?

"A zig roll" was an anagram...

Gorillaz - Ghost Train

5. No Seine, Sherlock.

The River Detectives - King of the Ghost Train Ride

4. Cutting edge Manga for teenage lads...

Shonen is teenage Manga.

Shonen Knife - Ghost Train

3. The Boss's jumpers...

Bruce Woolley - Ghost Train

2. Rooks 1, Ravens 2...

Counting Crows - Ghost Train

1. Iron Maiden challenge them to a game.

Iron Maiden sang Can I Play With Madness?

Madness - (Waiting For The Ghost Train)

More of this nonsense next Saturday.

Snapshots #204: A Top Ten Songs Named After Famous Actors

Lights, camera, action!

This week's Snapshots brought together ten male Hollywood stars... I'm saving the female actors (or actresses, as we used to call them in the old days) for another time. But not next week. It'll be when you least expect it.

Meanwhile, here are the leading men...

10. The beginning and ending of Stig of the Dump.

St...ump.

Lights! Camel! Action!

Bushes that refuse to burn

See these sandals hardly worn

Raining blood, raining bread

The night we painted Egypt red

Then Charlton Heston put his vest on...

Stump - Charlton Heston

9. Get a loan to build your new privvy.

You need a John Grant, mate.

I got to meet him once, and he was really, really cool.

And when I think about everything's that he's been through,

I wish he'd call me on the phone and take my ass to school.

John Grant - Ernest Borgnine

8. Experts on fairy chimneys.

These are fairy chimneys, also known as hoodoos...

Gene must have made thousand films

He's kissed a thousand girls

And made a thousand kills

And let's not forget he took on Superman!

Hoodoo Gurus - Gene Hackman

7. Often found in crowds.

The madness of crowds...

He picks up useless paper

And puts it in my pocket

I'm trying very hard to keep my fingers clean

I can't remember tell me what's his name

Madness - Michael Caine

6. Known to wage warefare.

Guerrilla warfare.

I ain't happy, I'm feeling glad

I got sunshine in a bag

I'm useless, but not for long

The future is coming on

Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

5. An intense tie.

Anagram!

I keep falling in love

And you're breaking my heart

I know that it's wrong

But where do I start?

It's the end of the day

I'm here alone

And you're so far away

Saint Etienne - Jack Lemmon

4. Adam Sandlers.

Adam Sandler was in The Waterboy.

Cowboy hat, man that ain't no topper

His suit's as slick as a lick by Cropper

He's dressing like a Carnaby Street pill-popper

Dennis Hopper!

The Waterboys - Dennis Hopper 

3. Every bird struck.

Anagram!

Bullet was my favorite movie that I'd ever seen

I totaled my go-cart trying to imitate that chase scene

That Duster had six hubcaps, know what I mean

And I love the way they all flew off when it landed in that ravine

Drive-By Truckers - Steve McQueen 

2. Associated with tramps and babies.

Lady & The Tramp.

Babies go gaga.

Every John is just the same

I'm sick of their city games

I crave a real wild man

I'm strung out on John Wayne

Lady Gaga - John Wayne

1. Where... dare?

Where Eagles Dare, of course!

Well, talk about a low-down bad refrigerator

You were just too cool for school

Sock hop, soda pop, basketball and auto shop

The only thing that got you off was breakin' all the rules

The Eagles - James Dean

Put your vest on again next Saturday morning for more snapshots...

Saturday Snapshots #74 - The Answers

Well, did you Get Lucky with yesterday's clues? Of course you did. And if you didn't, no need stare at the Blurred Lines on the photos below anymore... because her come this week's answers.

Very busy morning yesterday and my head is too full of man-flu to work out the winner, but I suspect Alyson may have nabbed it.


10. Sean Connery's famous last words to the whole school.

Sean Connery said he'd never make another Bond film, then he made one called Never Say Never Again.

If you're speaking to the whole school, you may be in an assembly.

The Assembly - Never Never

9. Indisputably, you're dating a mutant.

No Doubt - Ex-Girlfriend

I should possibly steer clear of comic-related clues... or at least steer clear of expecting you all to have a detailed knowledge of Gwen Stefani hits.

8. Put your arms out to create a great barrier.

Great Barrier Reef, obviously.

Reef - Place Your Hands

Still sounds great.

7. Euphemistic vicar betrayal is illegal.

"Judas Priest!" is a euphemism for "Jesus Christ!"

Jesus was betrayed by Judas.

A priest is like a vicar.

Breaking the law is illegal.

Judas Priest - Breaking The Law

Video of the week!

(Charity Chic identified them despite claiming to have none in his collection. And yet I could have sworn I saw him coming out of the RSPCA shop in Arbroath with a copy of British Steel stuffed in a brown paper bag.)

6. Paid thief, less repentant than Frank.

Paid thief is an anagram.

Frank sang, "Regrets - I've had a few..." but this lady has none.

Edith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien

5. Henpecked deity with custard.

Godley & Creme would be under the thumb if they were henpecked.

Godley & Creme - Under Your Thumb

4. Clyde was an orangutan, not...

This is Clyde...

He's an orangutan, not a gorilla.

Who's that with him?

The Gorillaz - Clint Eastwood

3. Equitable harbour: that's just the way things are done when you're getting together with Cliff.

An equitable harbour would be a fair port.

The way things are done is a convention.

If you were getting together with cliff, you might meet on the ledge.

Fairport Convention - Meet On The Ledge

Playing a festival near George this summer, co-headlining with Judas Priest.

2. A skinny thousand for the mad monk.

Oh, those Russians!

Boney M - Rasputin

1. I'll take mine padded... although the sheets may be dirty.

A padded cell with be a soft one.

Yes, the sheets may be dirty in a bed-sitter... but dirty sheets are often tainted by love. (Sorry.)




Guess what... Saturday Snapshots will be back next week for our 75th anniversary edition! Happy now?