Category Archives: Music

Salomé, Five Ways

Posted on January 18, 2014 by Eddie Pensier

Eddie Pensier writes: And when a convenient day was come, that Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee; And when the daughter of the said Herodias came in, and danced, and … Continue reading →

Posted in Art, Books Publishing and Writing, Music, Performers, Philosophy and Religion | Tagged alla nazimova, bernardino luini, five ways, henri regnault, oscar wilde, Richard Strauss, rita hayworth | 4 Comments

NOT The Beatles

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Fenster

Fenster writes: From Smyle, an obscure Dutch group looking for the knock-off sound, around 1971. The Lennon-styled singer went on to do the Beatles parts for the briefly famous Stars on 45 around 10 years later.

Posted in Music, Performers | Tagged Beatles, Smyle, Stars on 45 | 1 Comment

I am Satan! Syncopatin’!

Posted on January 10, 2014 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes:

Posted in Music, Performers | Tagged jazz, Jimmie Lunceford | 1 Comment

Divas

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Fabrizio del Wrongo

Fabrizio del Wrongo writes: Bessie Smith appeared in only this one movie; it has an all-black cast and runs 16 minutes. Whatever one might say about the limitations of the story line, derived from the W.C. Handy song by the … Continue reading →

Posted in Books Publishing and Writing, Movies, Music, Performers | Tagged Bessie Smith, blues, Dudley Murphy, Film, movies, Pauline Kael, St. Louis Blues, W.C. Handy | Leave a comment

“The Magic Flute” (2006)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Eddie Pensier

Eddie Pensier writes: Kenneth Branagh’s film of Mozart’s opera is the first filmed directly for the screen (Ingmar Bergman’s classic version was initially made for Swedish TV). Branagh made several decisions as a filmmaker that would drastically affect the outcome … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Music | Tagged Amy Carson, freemasonry, Joseph Kaiser, Kenneth Branagh, Opera, Rene Pape, Stephen Fry, The Magic Flute | 7 Comments

“Don’t You (Forget About Me)” Five Ways

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Eddie Pensier

Eddie Pensier writes: Those of us who grew up in the 1980s probably have fond memories of this song, and the movie it came from: John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club. The original 1985 recording, by Scottish New-Wave band Simple Minds, … Continue reading →

Posted in Movies, Music, Performers | Tagged 1980s, billy idol, breakfast club, Bryan Ferry, five ways, John Hughes, Keith Forsey, molly ringwald, movies, royal philharmonic orchestra, simple minds, Steve Schiff, The Breakfast Club, victoria justice, wtf | 9 Comments

Architecture Du Jour

Posted on January 6, 2014 by Blowhard, Esq.

Blowhard, Esq. writes: The Semperoper, Dresden, Germany Click on the image to enlarge.

Posted in Architecture, Music | Tagged Germany, Gottfried Semper, Neo-Renaissance, Opera | 1 Comment

Three 21st Century Songs About War

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Glynn Marshes

Glynn Marshes writes: That is to say, post 9-11. These are no Country Joe McDonald call-to-action polemics. On the contrary, here we have reflectiveness; meditations on the reasons for and cost of war; personal narrative. All come from the indie … Continue reading →

Posted in Music, Politics and Economics | 7 Comments

NOT The Beatles

Posted on January 5, 2014 by Fenster

Fenster writes: The Knickerbockers’ Lies doesn’t sound all too much like the Beatles to my current day ears, but when it came out in 1965 it had most people fooled.