With Just A Hint Of Mayhem

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

“I need help ladies and gentlemens I need someone to stand beside me” October 10, 2011

Filed under: Film,Review — justwilliam1959 @ 5:54 pm
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I watched the classic Peter Sellers movie ‘Being There’ for the first time in years yesterday. I went out and bought the DVD at the weekend following a chance (no pun intended to fans of said movie!) conversation at work last week.

My memory of the film was always that it was quite deep, funny, emotional, spiritual and very well written and acted. On this occasion
my memory has certainly not failed me, this is truly a classic film, featuring in my opinion Peter Sellers finest performance. The supporting cast is equally accomplished too.

If you haven’t seen it I will try to describe it simply and with no spoilers. Sellers plays a character known as Chancey Gardener, who in
fact is just a gardener…… or is he? It seems that everything he knows he has learnt in the garden or from watching TV. His simple, yet powerful thoughts on life in relation to gardening can be seen as the ramblings of a slow-witted person or something much more profound. Personally I’d opt for the profound.

If you haven’t seen this film yet then I would strongly recommend that you do. If you come away from watching it not feeling better
than you did before then you really are hard-hearted.

It’s not a musical but I felt able to include it in my music blog simply because of its excellent use of two seminal 70s tracks, the latter
of which is one of my all time favourites. If you have already seen this film or have watched it on my recommendation I would love to hear you opinions on it.

 

“You’re delicious and if my wishes can all come true” January 23, 2011

Filed under: News,Trivia — justwilliam1959 @ 11:27 pm
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Have you seen the news about the newly discovered species of big cat? The Sunda Clouded Leopard was only discovered in 2007, it was thought to be the same as other clouded leopards. But now scientists have found out that there are two quite distinct types of Sunda one living in Sumatra and the other in Borneo. It is thought that the two species separated a million years ago. They are genetically different after being based on islands all that time. I bet that must have confused the hell out of Noah, how many Sunda Cloud Leopards made it on to the Ark anyway? Frankly if there are supposedly 5 million or so species, give or take a Sunda, then the Ark must have been one enormous boat! Click here to read the story on BBC Earth News.

Anyway this is a music blog and this story gives me an opportunity to hit you with some cat related songs;

“What’s New Pussy Cat?” – Tom Jones. This song was composed by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and was the theme tune of the film of the same name starring Peter Sellers. It has featured a couple of times in the Simpsons, notably in an episode where Marge worked at the Nuclear Power Station and requested that Tom Jones’ music was played over the tannoy.

“Cool For Cats” – Squeeze. This is one of just two singles from the band that had a lead vocal from Chris Difford, it was usually Glenn Tilbrook. It reached number 2 in the UK charts in 1979.

“Honky Cat” – Elton John. This song was taken from Elton’s 1972 album ‘Honky Chateau‘ It features no guitar, but it does feature Elton’s regular 70s guitarist Davey Johnstone. He played banjo on this track.

“The Cat Crept In” – Mud. This was the follow-up to another cat related song from Mud; “Tiger Feet” which reached number 1 in the UK in 1974. “The Cat Crept In” just failed to match that performance later in 1974, peaking at number 2.

“Stray Cat Strut” – Stray Cats. This song reached number 11 in the UK in 1981. Singer Brian Setzer went on to even greater things with his Brian Setzer Orchestra.