With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

Music reviews, gig reviews, fun trivia and extra added random stuff!

“I could have been someone” “Well, so could anyone” December 10, 2012

Filed under: News,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 8:35 pm
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The Guardian ran a great article about the history of the Pogues classic Christmas song “Fairytale Of New York“. Whilst there was a lot in there that I already knew, there were some real gems that I didn’t. Notably that before it was decided to duet with the late, great Kirsty MacColl both Chrissie Hynde and Suzi Quatro were considered. Personally I think that Kirsty was not only the right choice but also an inspired choice.

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the video for the song was directed by Matt Dillon and as he couldn’t use the NYPD choir as it doesn’t exist he invited the NYPD pipe band to take part. The pipe band duly joined Dillon and the Pogues for the shoot, however none of them knew the song “Galway Bay” which is mentioned in the song as “The boys from the NYPD choir are singing ‘Galway Bay'”. So if you watch the video carefully you can watch them mouthing the words to the only song that they all knew, none other than the Mickey Mouse Club chant!

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If you’d like to read the full Guardian article click here. And finally to celebrate “Fairytale Of New York”‘s tenth appearance in the UK charts, it is at number 15 this week (also it’s 8th consecutive year in the UK top 40), enjoy the song below.

Pogues-Kirsty-M

 

The Social Network October 15, 2010

Filed under: Film — justwilliam1959 @ 9:28 am
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Last weekend I accompanied the beautiful Catwoman to a free preview of the new film ‘The Social Network‘ at City Screen in York courtesy of the Guardian. It is based on the book ‘The Accidental Billionaires‘ which recounts the story of the birth of Facebook.

The script is tight, pacey and at times very, very funny indeed. The film’s strap line is ‘You don’t get to 500 million friends without making a few enemies’ and this is the focus of much of the film, particularly all the legal wranglings about whose idea it was. This largely focuses on the relationship between Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) and his former partner Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) and his other battle with the Winklevoss brothers who he refers to rather amusingly as the Winklevi.

I never realised the part that Sean Parker, the guy who created Napster, played in the early days of Facebook. He is played incredibly well by none other than former Mickey Mouse Club star Justin Timberlake.

I suggest that you get yourself off of Facebook right now and go and see this movie, you won’t be disappointed! I can also confirm that JUSTWILLIAM1959, WITH JUST A HINT OF MAYHEM and CATWOMAN all ‘Like’ this movie.

As usual this is indeed a music blog so let’s mention some of that. The actual soundtrack was composed and performed by Trent Reznor (off of Nine Inch Nails) and Atticus Ross and it works really well. There are some excellent songs used during the film and you can find a few of them below;

“Dreadlock Holiday” – 10cc

“Ball And Biscuit” – White Stripes

“Like A Bad Girl Should” – Cramps

“California Uber Alles” – Dead Kennedys

“Crazy Baldhead” – Bob Marley & The Wailers

“Baby You’re A Rich Man” – Beatles (although I think it’s a cover version used in the film)