With the release of a new Quentin Tarantino box set covering his twenty years in the Directing business, making films bristling with cinematic influence.Let's have a look at some of those influences
I eagerly await his latest offering Django Unchained. The influence of which is plain to see. Here's to the next twenty years Quentin
Stills from: The Game of Death Kiss me Deadly The Dirty Dozen Ocean's Eleven Faster Pussycat Kill Kill Foxy Brown The Anniversary City on Fire Pandora's Box Diamonds are forever They live by night
Tracey Ullman whose ferocious ambition took her from fair to middling UK sketch show fame to major TV and movie success in Hollywood (introducing us to the Simpsons along the way) had a notable pop career between 1983-1984. She released two albums on Stiff records and had 6 chart singles including covers of songs by Stiff stablemates Madness and Kirsty McCall. She hit the right note by being a bit Kim Wilde, a tad Mari Wilson and utilising Madness style videos with cameos from Neil Kinnock and Paul McCartney. Her pop hits were rather of the time but remarkably good examples of pure pop with a retro feel and a pre 'irony' irony in the videos. Tracey Ullman's records were vibrant and fun and are an overlooked example of great eighties pop.
BBC 4 broadcast an interesting programme that revelled in the art of the 7" single. A variety of musicians journalists spoke about the first single they bought and the significance, both musically and culturally, of the power of the single. This got me to thinking about my first single and the appeal of the vinyl, the label and the sleeve. Here's a selection of some of the singles that I have bought over the years, starting with my very first one, that had resonance for me and that bring back memories of specific times. Most are 7" singles but there are also 12" singles that are significant. These are not my favourite, or 'best' singles but important to me to only caveat is that they were all bought at time of release. That's what the single is all about, capturing the moment.
Slade-Look Wot you dun
Alice Cooper-Schools out
Roxy Music-Pyjamarama
David Bowie-Life on Mars
T-Connection-Do what you wanna do
Sex Pistols-God save the queen
Evlyn 'Champagne' King-Shame
Change-Searching
Siouxsie & The Banshees-Hong Kong Garden
D-Train-You're the one for me
The Clash-Complete Control
Luther VanDros-Never too much
The Beat-Mirror in the bathroom
Joy Division-Komakino
Afrika Bambaataa-Planet Rock
Rockers revenge-Walking on Sunshine
ABC-Tears are not enough
Teardrop Explodes-Treason
Sade-Smooth Operator
Spandau Ballet-Chant number one
Soul II Soul-Keep on Moving
Jamiraquai-When you gonna learn
Brand New Heavies-Stay this way
SWV-Right here
Talking Heads-Once in a lifetime
Blackstreet-No Diggidy
Lightning Seeds-Life's to short
Paul Weller-You do something to me
Adele-Chasing Pavements
Arctic Monkeys-I bet you look good on the dance floor
If someone were to ask "what's all the fuss about?" regarding The Rolling Stones, tell them to listen to Jumping Jack Flash and watch this video.
The Rolling Stones at their most imperious and dangerous.
JUMPING JACK FLASH-THE ROLLING STONES
I was born in a cross-fire
hurricane
And I howled at my ma in the driving rain,
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas!
But it's all right. Im jumpin jack flash,
Its a gas! gas! gas!
I was raised by a toothless, bearded hag,
I was schooled with a strap right across my back,
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas!
But it's all right, Im jumpin jack flash,
Its a gas! gas! gas!
I was drowned, I was washed up and left for dead.
I fell down to my feet and I saw they bled.
I frowned at the crumbs of a crust of bread.
Yeah, yeah, yeah
I was crowned with a spike right thru my head.
But it's all right now, in fact, it's a gas!
But it's all right, Im jumpin jack flash,
Its a gas! gas! gas!
Jumping jack flash, it's a gas
Jumping jack flash, it's a gas
Jumping jack flash, it's a gas
Jumping jack flash, it's a gas
Jumping jack flash
On opening the Firebox catalogue that arrived through my letter box I was greeted by the usual novelty lights, novelty mugs, novelty T-Shirts, novelty gloves, novelty novelties and suchlike. It was only when I reached the back pages that I was presented with these mind boggling and expensive array of gifts. Anyone got a spare couple of hundred grand?
Lost In Space Robot £25,500 with free delivery
Electric DeLorean £70,000 with free delivery
Hover wing Flying Hovercraft £150,00 with free delivery
Project Utopia Price On Application
Here's the blurb:
"Before we
begin it’s worth pointing out that this product will set you back several
hundred million, minimum. Still reading? Good. Now that we’ve got rid of all
the rubbernecking paupers we can elaborate because Project Utopiadeserves your full attention,
unencumbered by thoughts of ogling millionaires; this baby is strictly for
billionaires and beyond.
You see in order to showcase their astounding
capabilities, our good friends atYacht Island
DesignandBMT Nigel Geehave set about developing
several concept proposals, the most bonkers of which is the breathtakingly
awesome Project Utopia. No, this isn’t a joke.
Measuring100min length and breadth, and spanning over11 luxed-out decks, there is enough room on Project Utopia to create
an entire micro-nation. It’s ideal for ocean-going megalomaniacs bent on world
domination. And you needn’t worry about puking on your Nehru jacket because
this floating behemoth is designed for minimum motion, even in the most extreme
sea conditions."
