#it's like when he thought it was so funny to put 'love cliff richard but please don't tease' in god gave rock and roll to you

[lock-my-feelings-in-a-jar]

Russ Ballard producing Daltrey's album

1975 Interview

Russ Ballard has something special. Call it professionalism, the sure touch, luck, talent, a mixture of the lot if you like, but everything he's involved in seems to turn out pretty good, even when it's something completely new to him, like record producing.

When he was fourteen, he wrote his first song and sold it to The Shadows after having had the sense to demo it after their style. Having mastered the guitar and scored quite a bit of acclaim for his playing, he turned to keyboards and now nobody hearing him play would think he hadn't been brought up on them. Argent reached the height of their success when he was with them, he gave Colin Blunstone a monster hit with I Don't Believe In Miracles and now Ride A Rock Horse is enjoying considerable favour. Its producer? Russ Ballard! The man, wearing his customary shades, exudes an air of quiet confidence. He can afford to. He's well respected as a musician and as a writer and he's now in a position many people could envy. After all, a singer of Daltrey's calibre doesn't call up just anybody and say "How about producing my album?"! What is really surprising is that Roger should ignore all the established record producers in favour of Russ, who has only ever produced one album before in his life and that was the solo one he made after leaving Argent.

How did his new role come about? "Well, I worked with Daltrey on his first album, played a little drums and piano on it, but I didn't produce that one, just put in some ideas. He must have liked them because when he was planning his second, he just asked me if I wanted to do it." Russ explained. In an issue of Beat dated April 1966, Daltrey himself described his voice in pretty disparaging terms. "I don't have a good voice, no-one needs to tell me that. I'm a screamer with a group and I'm happy. I'm not worried about my voice, though, it is developing and I can notice the change." He also added "I'd get a real kick if I could have a proper girl vocal group backing." It's taken nine years, but now he's achieved what he hoped for, a voice which no-one can deny is pretty exceptional, and backing singers led by Marsha Hunt, care of Russ Ballard! "I was involved with everything." said Russ. "Going through songs with him, deciding what musicians should be used, who would be good for this and who for that." For a reluctant producer, who admits that "I'm not really into production, even though it's a creative thing, I'd rather be an artist." Russ had some pretty definite ideas as to his treatment of the album. "I deliberately kept his voice well up because in so many recordings I've heard of Roger, he's been immersed in sound. He's got such a powerful and such a good voice which contains many aspects that people haven't heard before. What I set out to do on the album was to expose all those voices for the first time. I don't think it is a good thing for a producer to put his own standpoint on an album, the most important thing is to project the artist." Russ thinks that Daltrey's film work has given a lot more confidence and he also found getting to know him has radically changed the concept he had of The Who. "Many people would imagine Daltrey as an ego tripper, but he's not in the slightest. Before I got to know him well, I was under the impression that The Who were Pete Townshend's baby. But speaking to Roger, listening to his ideas, I think that a hell of a lot of his ideas must have always gone into The Who, a lot more than people think."

It was originally Roger's idea to record an album of his early influences. Then he changed rock horses in mid-stream. "By then we'd already recorded Walking The Dog and that Beachboys sounding song, so we were lumbered with them." The second idea was to project the different sides of Daltrey's voice in a collection of mixed rockers and ballads, including three songs of Russ's, Come And Get Your Love, Proud and Near To Surrender. "We didn't actually discuss the point but I felt he wanted to make a heavier album than the one we'd originally planned. Yet not totally heavy, but a record which would compliment the heavier stuff with lighter stuff. Right from the very first session when he sang the first song I could see his voice was so much better, I feel it's improved tremendously since the early Who days even though I think he had a good voice in 1964."

The next thing to decide on was the overall sound and the arrangements. Ex-Shadows drummer Tony Meehan was the man who worked on these. "I decided to make the sound quite sparse,-" explained Russ, "- rather than over-producing it. Some people just don't know where to stop. I decided that if a song called for piano and nothing else, that's what I was going to do." (Hence Phillip Goodhand Tait's beautiful slow rocker Oceans Away with the composer on piano.) "The most important thing in an arrangement is the song. If it's a good one you should be able to sing it with no backing at all and it should still sound great. If it's not, no matter how many extras you add it won't work." Russ reckons that having been in bands himself definitely helped him as a producer, enabling him to put himself in the artist's shoes. Yet he doesn't think he'd like to produce his own next album entirely alone. "When I was in Argent I found being produced by somebody else was very frustrating because I could tell people were veering away from the original ideas I'd had for my songs. That's why I decided to produce my first solo album, which turned out a bit of a mixture because I had a backlog of work to get out of my system. My next album will be slightly deeper, not so light-hearted. I hope to be co-producing it with Muff Winwood, whom I really admire because he's got such a good ear and can really make a musical point."

At the moment, Russ is doing very well with songs of his which are being covered by other artists. One called Heartbreak, has recently been recorded by Olivia Newton-John and yet another is currently being recorded in L.A. by Stevie Wonder's band. Russ has got a new band together consisting of the ex-drummer from Curly, Alan Wickett, bass player Tony Lester and guitarist Alan Skates- "He really does!" joked Russ. He's got three weeks booked in E.M.I. Studios to get the album done. As for his producing career, it looks like Ride A Rock Horse may be his swansong. What if Roger asks him to produce his third album? "Well… if I want to do what I want to do, that is, sing, play, write and record, I just won't have time to produce anybody." said Russ. There's nothing like getting out when you're on top!

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 13th July

Again, a week with a definite trajectory - from cringeworthy and unfunny "comedy" to a genuinely awesome classic, with a few diversions in the middle. Each song this week felt just a little bit cooler than the last - which is the direction I'd prefer to be going in, to be fair.

What a Mouth (What a North and South) - Tommy Steele (peaked at Number 5)

Are we having a bit of a Cockney moment? I feel like we've had a whole bunch of Cockney music hall songs recently, and I haven't hugely enjoyed any of them (Fings Ain't What They Used to Be being perhaps the guilty exception). And sure enough, here's Tommy, who always sounded a little bit Cockney, here to give us his take on the genre, such as it is.

The overall effect here is a lot like My Old Man's a Dustman, if that song had a brass band, and if the joke was about a man called Jimmy with a big mouth, rather than a dustman. That's literally it, that's the whole joke. Thus we get lots of choruses exclaiming what a mouth / What a mouth / What a north and south / Blimey what a mouth he's got! And in between them all, jokes about needing to feed him with a shovel as a baby, and how a coal delivery man accidentally dropped a load of coal in it when Jimmy got drunk one time and fell asleep in the road - a joke that I'm fairly sure would have been dated even in 1960.

Dated, I say, because the song - surprisingly - isn't an original. Yes, somebody bothered to cover this! There's actually quite a cute story behind it, though, so I won't harp on Tommy too much. The song, you see, was a music original from 1917, but recorded again in 1954 by "The Two Bills from Bermondsey", also known as Bill Burnham and Bill French. Tommy's dad was apparently a huge fan of this song, and told young Tommy that he'd know he made it when he was as big as the two Bills - hence this cover, as a little nod to that. Which is cute, and almost excuses the absolutely dire un-funniness on display here. Almost being the operative, because it really is dire.

I think the worst bit is a bit before the end, where Tommy pretends to have thought the song was over - blimey, I thought it was over, he stammers, and you really wish it was. Sadly, it isn't though, and we have to sit through a final reprieve of the chorus, this time with a thankfully brief bit of backing from a children's chorus. Truly, dreadful stuff. It makes Tommy sound considerably less cool than he was - and I didn't think he was that cool to begin with - and it also just annoys me. Oh lord, oh lummee indeed. Let's hope Cliff can offer us a palate cleanser.

Please Don't Tease - Cliff Richard (1)

Well, I wanted a palate cleanser, and a palate cleanser I got. Because this track, by Cliff, is as clean and simple as it comes, not a joke in sight. Instead, we've just got Cliff's usual earnest performance as he beseeches his love, please don't tease. They've been leading him on, you see: you tell me that you love me baby / Then you say you don't, / You tell me that you'll come on over / Then you say you won't. They're hot and they're cold, they're yes and they're no, as Katy Perry would put it, almost five decades later, and it's driving Cliff mad, he wishes they'd knock it off. It's a relatable situation, wanting to turn a situationship into something a bit more concrete, and I like it, I do.

I have to confess, I don't think Cliff can quite pull off some of the lines, especially the one about how you play it oh so doggone cool. It's just a bit too American, a bit too vernacular for Cliff, who I absolutely can't image ever using the word "doggone" in casual speech. And there's a wider issue, which is that Cliff seems to have committed to sounding like a pleasant young man. You could absolutely do a banging good version of this song with just a bit more venom, but unfortunately, it seems like the venom of songs like Mean Streak has been used up, in favour of Cliff the cuddly teddy bear, who might complain about you leading him on, but would never actually be catty about it, instead begging you off with a "please", for good measure, never getting too worked up or impassioned. Please don't tease, he sings, and it really does come off as a polite request, more than anything.

What coolness there is is absolutely provided by the Shadows - we've got some nice thumpy drumming, and a few little guitar riffs throughout that I quite enjoyed. And the song was actually written by the Shadows' rhythm guitarist, who doesn't get a whole tonne to actually do in the song, but who also gets a nice bit of surfy twanginess about a minute in. So yeah, it's a fine, serviceable song, under the hood - just very Cliff, very 1960 and very pleasant and unbothered-sounding. The combination worked for the public - the song was at Number 1 for a solid three weeks - but hasn't yet earned it a place in my heart. Will Johnny do any better?

Down Yonder - Johnny and the Hurricanes (8)

Hmmm. It's a Johnny and the Hurricanes song, for sure. We've got a rollicking, thumpy beat, we've got Hammond organ, and we've got some saxophone coming in to spice things up in the middle. It's also quite repetitive - something I've realised is quite often the case for Johnny's hits - and of course, crucially, it's a cover of a much older song.

In this case, the song that Johnny's picked is a popular American song from 1921, written by one L. Wolfe Gilbert as a sequel to an earlier 1912 song, Waiting for the Robert E. Lee. That was a song about people waiting for a steamboat - and Down Yonder apparently picked up some of the same characters, focussing more generally on life "down yonder" in the American South. The song debuted in New Orleans and was reportedly very popular in 1921, but became better known in the years since, especially the 1950s for some reason, as an instrumental, with the lyrics seldom heard. So all that does make it a good candidate for what I've decided I'm going to dub "Hurricanification", I guess. People would have known it from the 1950s instrumental versions, plus it had some of that "old-timey song" cred - even if it wasn't a genuine folk song.

Interestingly enough, this song was nowhere near as big of a hit in the US as it was in the UK - in fact, it looks like Johnny and the Hurricanes' following really tailed off in the US at this point, while they were taking off in the UK and Europe more generally. All this would lead them to tour more in Europe, all the way through until 1962, when they would play the Star Club in Hamburg with a little-known local band, originally from Britain, as their opening act - a little outfit called the Beatles, you may have heard of them? Just possibly? Which is a very cool connection to have. They also apparently kept touring Europe until 2005. Again, cool. But no more talk about Johnny and the Hurricanes - there's a new Johnny in town, and he's turned up with an absolute banger!

Shakin' All Over - Johnny Kidd and the Pirates (1)

I know this song already, and have done for some time, and I'm not ashamed to say, I love it. It's a proper rocker, down, dirty and slightly sexy, all about how Johnny's love interest has him shakin' all over when he sees them. When you move in right up close to me, he sings, almost moaning, as grandmas nationwide clutch their pearls, that's when I get the shakes all over me. He's got quivers down his backbone, shakes down his kneebone, even tremors in the thighbone. And even his love doing something as simple as saying goodnight brings that feeling on inside of me. I'm sure it does, Johnny, I'm sure it does...

Joking aside, it's a genuinely awesome song. We start with a jangly guitar riff that repeats throughout to great effect, with this dark, fuzzy bassline, as the drums propel the song on - only to pause, right before the quivers down the backbone line, with a little shimmery, rever-laden guitar chord and a tiny pause, just so we can appreciate how desperately horny Johnny is as he sings the "quivers" line. And then the bass is back in, propelling the song forward and bringing us back into the groove of it all. Because yeah, this song has a groove, for sure, a sort of shuffling creep that just keeps going throughout, dragging you along with it, like it or not.

There's a theatricality to it all, with the pauses and the little voice break on shakin' all over. Heck even the fade out, a delightfully louche-sounding confirmation that you make me shake and I like it baby, manages to sound like a performance, something that Johnny's putting on and exaggerating a bit. Which perhaps shouldn't shock me, as Johnny Kidd and the Pirates were apparently famed for their stage antics. They dressed as pirates - because of course they did - with a galleon for a backdrop and cutlasses. Johnny himself wore an eyepatch, entirely unnecessarily, and from what I can tell from an image search, there seems to have been lots of "tough guy" posturing. It's a hammy, glam, almost camp sensibility that will absolutely be a recurring thread as rock and roll develops into just straight-up rock music. It's not that rock and roll hasn't been silly or theatrical before - I'm thinking of literally anything by Jerry Lee Lewis, and half of Little Richard's output - but it's still nice to see that camp isn't dead. Heck, it's even crossed the Atlantic! More of this, please!

Shakin' All Over's a classic, and I unapologetically love it. It was never not going to be my favourite song for this week. But I still surprise myself every time I listen just how cool it manages to sound. The song's been covered by everyone who is everyone, and there's a reason for that - it's just a bop, plain and simple, with a good balance of solid singing, swagger, sex, silliness and style. Plus some really great guitar work. Go listen, if you haven't already.

Favourite song of the bunch: Shakin' All Over

[magnumdays]

The Episode of Lost Opportunities AKA 2x16

SO I wrote this before watching the promo, then I did and now I know most of us are just FREAKING out about next week (and I’m freaking out the most because ummm they’remakingmyfanficintoanactual EPISODE!!! How does one deal with this????)  but if you want a break from freaking out, here are some thoughts on last night’s episode!

So even though 2x16 was perfectly enjoyable, I’m going to have to officially re-name it “The Episode of Lost Opportunities” because there were so many plots and just tid-bits they could have done great things with.

So yeah not really a review today, instead I’m going to (in true Jenny Nicholson fashion) make a numbered list of things I think they should have added /done something with, in no particular order.

Miss nr. 1. Not having Higgy tease Magnum back with British pet names. I’m honestly devastated by this. Like what would a little sarcastic “come on luv” or a “Dearie, come here” from Juliet have cost them? The closest we got was Babe take our selfie.

Nr. 2. Not having Mr. Dorky Helpful But Cute guy ask Higgy out. I really thought this was where it was going with him being all “it’s just our second date, we met online” and yeah even though he looked about 12, it would have fit the episode. 

Plus they could have had Magnum standing to the side gesturing like “go for it” and her either saying yes or no and later her and Magnum having a little chat about it. The Yes with him being all “I convinced you to do it” proud and also mildly jealous. The No, with her being all “he’s a suspect” or “he went on a love bus tour!” or “I’m not ready, bc of the dead fiance, remember him?”

Nr. 3. Which takes us neatly to - drowned guy should be bringing up some feelings for Juliet as I’m fairly certain back in Day of The Viper they mention something about how Richard washed up on the shores of something-something (I mean obvs he was shot before but I’d still imagine some associations there).

Also her own almost drowning in 1x19 (even if this episode’s dude wasn’t drowned, it did seem so at first and he was still in the water). I just feel maybe there could have been some feelings here that our favorite duo actually talked about. Just a nice little call back to either one of those would have been great. One line! Is that too much to ask for?

Nr. 4 on the list of missed opportunities is for me going to be Theresa (Teresa?). TC’s old flame. And this is a big one! 

I honestly would have loved it if they went with this - as in have him not be so damned noble and let the childhood sweetheart go. Like, why not have them actually try to make a go at it?

Maybe she could have been there with just her boyfriend rather than husband to make it less of a thing and then maybe give it an episode or two and have them talk over the internet before she comes back and they get back together! Because why can’t anyone have a girlfriend? Like why do all of the guys need to be such lone wolves? 

I mean, I get it, because they are a family/brothers, but having even just one more minor female recurring would be interesting and would add dimension to the gang and characters!

Now this is like one of those random side plots that don’t really do much because in the end nothing has changed. Other than us learning a little more about TC, which is nice, but it doesn't seem like it will actually impact future episodes and didn’t really connect a whole lot with the episode. TC is just off getting closure to a relationship we never knew he needed closure for. Which means we’re not super invested.

I feel like this is a bit of a problem with the show in general. We get really nice and moving and character developing stuff for characters we haven’t been shown to need, as with Kumu last week and now TC. Rick and his dying “dad” Ice-Pick and even Shammie with his lying army buddy. Even Gordon and his son. Jin and his sisters and that’s why he steals.

These things could all have had 100 times more impact if they’d established these problems/ relationships earlier. Like if we had learned Kumu's husband had cheated on her and had a child with another woman (or maybe that Kumu is a bit sad she never had kids on her own) sometime before - over the past 30 episodes, wouldn’t last week’s episode, where she finally reaches out to the husband’s kid, would have been so much more emotionally satisfying? 

Same if Theresa had been mentioned as TC’s great love and maybe him being sad some episodes ago (or even back in 1x19 when his dad doesn't come to visit - that could have been about him seeing a post about her getting married and him being upset about it and connecting with Rick about that.) 

Like I get that maybe sometimes they just throw random things in there but at the same time why do they need to do that? Want to do that? Isn’t there someone keeping track of the big picture? Giving characters long running story arcs over a season or even multiple ones should be someone’s job. 

If it’s not, I volunteer! 

Seriously Lenkov I’m currently unemployed and totally up for it, just give me a call! I already know we think the same... (Marriage of Inconvenience). 

Nr. 5 Not having Gordon comment something on the fact that he’s been called to a murder scene on a Island Love tour bus site by his favorite PI duo. Like yeah they’d have told him why they were there but he still should have teased them about it! Like “What were you two doing here anyways? Something going on?” and both of them giving a horrified “NO!”.

Nr. 6 when the guy says “is he crazy?” after Magnum jumped into the waterfall pool thing, not having Higgy be all “Yes, he is”, then jumping in after him, was a huge miss. That would have been so funny and shown how much alike they are (even if Higgy will always be the sane one...)

Nr. 7. Not having Magnum and Higgins try to pretend to be together when the bus driver catches them. I mean come on! At least some more hand holding! Snuggling? I’m not saying to just kiss already okay maybe I am saying that.

Nr. 8. Not one real Miggy moment in this episode? I mean lots of bickering and maybe for a moment with her being all “well done” when he tells the cheating a-hole he’s an idiot for having an affair. And if the camera had stayed on him for a few seconds more when they’re toasting at the end we know we’d have gotten a Mangum looks had Higgy soft heart eyes moment. But we didn’t. But other than that, not really much feel-y moments even if we got plenty of cute stuff.

Nr. 9.  Sandy and how they find out Sandy is the killer! Like what? She cut the bus’s fuel line  which makes no sense, she’d wouldn’t want to trap herself right?  Sandy if you’d just not cut the fuel line and stayed with the group, you’d have been taken back to civilization and no one would have figured you out! Or you should have left right away on car/4-wheeler you must have prepared for escape, not stayed around! You could have left down long before the cops got there or the autopsy revealed anything. Same for why does she give her knife to her date? Why not just throw the knife away? She’s in the jungle, big chance it will be found. Not.

And why kill someone in the middle of nowhere, making yourself one of the, like, 8 suspects? Like come on girl, for a hit woman you’re not that clever. Also if you had a gun, why strangle a guy 2x your size? That’s not a smart plan either. Just get a silencer and shoot the guy when he’s on his morning jog back in the city or something! I feel like the only reason they had her be the baddie was so Magnum/ Higgins could say “Shot through the heart” // “How is that for poetic” all dramatically after Gordon took her down.

Problem nr. 10. Tied in with this I just think Sandy as the killer should have not happened. 

In fact, I think having the sweet loving wife as the killer would have been wonderful. 

It would have been a much better twist! Dead guy could have been poisoned (traditional how wive’s kill their husbands… just saying) and then he fell off the cliff. They could surely have found some weird clue to that, like maybe his throat is all swollen and stuff to make them think foul play and then when they’re moving the body towards the end, Magnum realizes it’s poison.

But Higgy stayed back with the ‘grieving’ asthmatic widow and oh no! Must rush back to save my one true love platonic partner. 

We could have had some sort emotional moment where the Wife got Higgy with a knife at her throat and is all “He was supposed to be my best friend, my partner, my everything and he did X” and Magnum being all “Well that woman you’re holding a knife to is my (best) friend, my partner and she didn’t do anything so please put the knife down!” Or something. 

I mean I know that sounds like I’m off in Miggy fanfiction land but honestly I think they could have made it work (this is hilarious when re-reading after watching next weeks trailer). She could have teased him about the best friend bit but then she could have been all soft, “Thomas. Thank you. I’m glad you're my friend.” And the episode could have ended with how love just never seems to end well for anyone which would have been way more on theme for the vibes in this episode (and frankly whole show because no one gets to have a romantic relationship for more than, like, 3 episodes).

Nr. 11. Higgins hair. Not putting it in the fluffy “Blood In the Water” style was a big miss because that hair made her look so freaking adorable. Just saying. I mean both my babies are always adorable I just love the poofy fluff hair from that ep!

Anyways, those were my 11 missed opportunities for episode sixteen!

My fave bits were Magnum and Higgins fake couple thing at the start. Magnum being all like “While we’re up here we might as well take a selfie!” and then when talking to the old couple his, *I’m just gonna keep my hand here, on your waist! I’m real smooth* move. 

I enjoyed the fast action pack-ed-ness of the whole ep and the pretty Hawaii scenery we got. The more I watch Magnum PI the more I want to visit Hawaii (one day when there is no Corona, I’m much richer and 20h airplane rides are suddenly comfortable, I will!) and just enjoying all the amazing natural beauty and stuff.

The Rick and TC’s interactions were also highlights, I loved the whole “just pretend to walk by”. Like so middle-school yet so relatable because who hasn’t done that when we’re like, is that Lisa from second grade? And just we walked down the cat food aisle perusing cat food (when we most def. don’t have a cat), just to check if it is indeed Lisa.

Also this made me crack up so hard.

Magnum: Muffin? 

Higgy: Could you please not refer to me as a breakfast pastry.

That’s just so on point for Higgy I can’t even!

You guys agree with my missed opportunities? Or have any of your own for this or any other episodes?

______

(And who is desperately searching for a time machine to steal so it can be next week - right this minute!! LIKE!!! I’m still freaking out from the trailer.)

[ppnightshade]

My Top 5 favorite shows of the decade (2010-2020)

Since I was a child, I had seen a lot of shows, some of them a bit boring for me, and others really memorial

To start a freshly new year, and some big changes in my Tumblr, I decided to start making this top 5 as a special post (even though I should have done it days before, but I was lazy xD). Of course (and to clarify), it will be my personal opinion and perspective; and in addition, it will be for the shows I’ve been attracted the most  It will be short, and not that deep as a real review, but you know, I’m doing this for fun (yay) 

So Let’s Start!

5.- Aggretsuko (2018)

To start this top, I decided to put this anime. Some friends recommended this to me just after season 2 aired. At first, I thought it would have been a boring office show and by seeing how cute were the characters (because Sanrio), I was like: “is that an adult show?”

Boy, I was wrong

Even if the seasons were so short, these have really well made episodes. In contrast to the shorts, it actually had a really interesting plot and a more enjoyable time (11 min episodes instead of the normal 1 min shorts) 

The anime shows how Retsuko’s life relates on every adult’s life. Starting as a worker that see things so optimistic, but learn in the hard way that life is tough. Especially when working by just a bunch of money. But when night fells, things are a bit different...

If there is one thing that made Retsuko so special, it’s her way to release her anger. The way she rages it’s so special. It’s not the typical guy who destroys things. She releases her anger by doing what she like: singing in a karaoke

It has good comedy, has some adorable characters that finally got some personality (if we take in mind that the shorts just show them as randoms with no background history) and lovely songs. Also, the love topics it’s something that it’s well handled. The story of Retsuko with Haida and Tadano, both different, but really enjoyable and cute to see Still waiting to see what season 3 will bring to us, but sure enough, it will bring some more raging of our favorite red panda...

4.- Slugterra (2012)

Ok, this show may be a bit old, but believe me. This was my childhood. Basically, it was a show where a gang leaded by Eli Shane, have to defend the 99 caverns from Dr.Black and his evil men, with the help of Slugs, small creatures that are the main ammunition for everyone (it’s a short summarize I know)

As you guess, it’s the typical battle between the good and the evil

Well, this cartoon was a masterpiece for me. An attractive story that can catch you in just 3-4 episodes, an animation that it’s so vibrant and some incredible backgrounds to watch. Every cavern has it’s own look. Including the slugs

Talking about them, there are different kinds of slugs, each of them with an unique ability. I think that I can agree with everyone that Burpy is the main slug. The most representative of all the slugs in Slugterra. But aside from him, every slug has it’s own personality (even their own names). They are like pets for Eli, and it shows the connection he had with them. Catching them it’s like catching pokemons.

The characters are also a good point of this show. Eli, the young leader, an adventurer and a guy who follows always the good steps of his father; Trixie, the extrovert girl that it’s always there with her camera; Kord, the troll mechanic, but that deep inside, he is a cutiepie; and Pronto, that guy who always keeps exagerating his stories, but it’s always there to keep the team united. All of them are really memorable, and enjoyable to watch

All 5 seasons and their movies managed to filled all the plot holes the show had. The reasons of why Black became a villain, the legacy and mistery of the Shadow Clan, and more. In addition, it even had a game in the app store. Isn’t that amazing?

This was the show of my childhood, and deserved to be in this top 

3.- OK:KO Let’s be heroes (2017)

A really underrated show, OK:KO Let’s be Heroes is a show that got a lot of hate for no reason. But for me, this show was one of the best things CN had after a long time of bad reboots and shows

This cartoon is developed in a video game world, in the year 201X. Here we got the story of a small kid, KO, whose biggest dream is to become one of the greatest heroes of the plaza, just like the another guys out there. While having his adventures, he is always with the company of this two colleagues, Rad, a young alien, and Enid, a ninja witch

What to say about it? For me, it’s a show that got good over time. For example, you can compare the animation from the pilot and season 3 episodes, and you’ll see how much it improved from that point. In addition, it’s a really stylish animation that matches with the fights that the show have (and believe me, there is a lot) and some good soundtracks to enjoy the enviroment. And believe me, these are so good that you want to listen them again and again (Happened to me with Ernesto’s Jam)

It sure not have one of the best comedies, but it sure have some positive messages and plot lines. The path that KO follows to become a greater hero, shows a big example of resiliance and effort. And talking about plot lines, we got the stories of POINT and Professor Venemous. They started as simple characters and organizations that didn’t look like much, but as the story continued, it shows a big relation with KO’s past and some other heroes backstories

It’s sad that CN ended up killing this show, not promotioning it, and even not giving it so much time to air (you only found the show in a horrible time, like 1am in my country). Even if this cartoon managed to tied up some loose ends, it didn’t tie them all. It had the potential for more, but CN lost a great opportunity

But in the end, KO will live in our hearts, as our little hero...

2.- The Amazing World of Gumball (2011)

Oh man, this cartoon. The once called a “kids show” but ended up being something more. 

A cartoon that shows the crazy and incredible adventures of Gumball in the city of Elmore. A unique world, where everyone have a special design, or different animation. Examples are Alan, Clayton or Ocho

Here we have Gumball’s family, his brother Darwin, his sister Anais, and his parents, Nicole and Richard Watterson. A special family, that always get involved in crazy things, but in the end, there is good chemestry in all the members. 

What to say about it? Over it’s 6 seasons, it managed to gave us some good laughs. Most of the jokes are so clever (there are even hints of black humor) and in addition, there are episodes that made satire of some special topics (”The Copycats” and “The Shippening”). Also, it does not only gives us laughs, but also talk about real life; for example, the SJWs, the censorship of videogames, depression and even the reality of politics. This is the funny reason why we are always asking ourselves: “Is this a kids show?”

Also, remarking this one more time, the special thing about TAWOG is that it does not have one single animation. It includes, 2D, 3D, 8-bit, Stop Motion; in short, a variety of them to enjoy. A compilation of characters with a unique animation and personality, made all Elmore people so interesting and memorable. 

While it’s sad that TAWOG ended up in a cliffhanger, most of the fans are still waiting for a movie. Let’s be honest, this show deserved an opportunity to close the loose ends it had left. And what a better way to do it than a movie? (Not to mention that even Ben himself had made a Tweet about this)

We’ll see if time is our friend now...

1.- Penn Zero: Part Time Hero (2014)

And to end this personal top, this special show. Also known as the “AU show” for some fans; this was, in my opinion, the best show I’ve ever seen in the whole decade

First of all, a brief explanation of this masterpiece. It's basically a show where our protagonist, Penn Zero, works as a Part Time Hero, and everyday he goes to different dimesions with the objective of stopping the plans of the Part Time Villains, Rippen and Larry; with the help of his friends Sashi, the Part Time Sidekick and Boone, the Part Time Wiseman

What does Penn Zero got that attracked me the most? First of all, the worlds. There is always a special detail that made each world unique. Like, a world with dinosaurs and cowboys, or a prehistoric world where the heroes work as agents. Also, each world have a nice background, that really fits with the theme of the missions. For example, we got the cereal world, where the cliffs have the figure of milk boxes

Then, the dynamic each team follows. As you can guest, this is a good vs evil show, but with something unique. They are not exactly heroes and villains, it’s just a part-time job they take. And of course, they get payed (I think? xD). Well, the thing is, even though they love to destroy each other in their missions, in real life, they are just chill and normal people... well, kinda. We can see how Rippen always loves to give Penn bad scores as revenge for defeating him everyday. 

Even though the show only had 2 seasons, it managed to explain well all the plot planified. Showing the backstory of Rippen and his ambitions of becoming a full-time villain, and the story of Penn in an attempt to recover his parents from “The Most Dangerous World Imaginable” (his main objective) 

The animation is a really fluent, and even though it doesn’t have a lot of songs like the other shows I mentioned before, you can enjoy the few it had. Well developed characters, great humor; and best of all, you can imagine any AU you want, and it will fits with all the 5 main characters

It’s kinda sad that Penn Zero only got 2 seasons, this last one, aired in just 18 days (just imagine that the fandom waited 2 years for new episodes, and in few days, the show just dissapeared). Disney wasted a lot of potential on this, but believe me, this show was one truly underrated, but amazing in every aspect

And that’s it. I hope you enjoy this small top 5 I made. I’ll probably make another one, but, we’ll see. Thank you for reading until this part if you manage to get here c: 

[creativebeast18]

Robstar Week day 1: Falling Falling for Each Other

Hiiiiii....I’m not late for Robstar week...I was just sent one week into the future!

JK, But I’m happy I could finally finish this! It was very hard to write, and everytime I came back to it, I just kept writing more and more. Thanks to my pal @lightdusk96 for helping me edit this and get the grammar right (I swear I always get one thing wrong and it bothers me to the moon and back). Hope you enjoy!

Summary: two life or death situations lead Richard and Koriand’r to realize their ddep love towards the other.

Everything around him seemed dull. The air, the screams, the blood: he was blind to it. The only thing he cared about, the only thing that kept him sane, was falling. Starfire laid on the hospital bed, connected to various machines, including a respirator.

When had everything gone so wrong? How, after all the preparations, did this happened? Questions clouded his mind now more than any case ever had. It had started as an usual morning in the Grayson household. Richard was getting breakfast ready for his favourite alien, while she slept through the morning. Suddenly he heard what sounded like a blunt object fall to the ground. The neighbours from upstairs, maybe? But the cause was clear as soon as he heard a scream. HER scream.

Richard immediately let go of the eggs he was holding and rushed to aid his wife. The sight that was in front of him shocked him almost as much as the accident that happened during his childhood. It was the love of his life, tears streaming through her eyes,  while she layed in a small pool of blood and stretched a hand out to him, to anyone, that could help her baby at this moment. Dick held her hand while calling 911, explaining to the operator that his wife was now in labour, contractions being very close one from the other.

The rest of the day was a blur to him. The only clear memories where of the pain in Kory’s face, how she squeezed his hand for support, and her last words before she was in this state: “I’ll survive this, both me and our daughter”. And then, all the machines started making the wrong sounds. Fast and erratic, while all the doctors yelled. He was soon taken out of the room to wait with his friends and teammates, the last sight of his wife being her, in an induced coma.

This was by far one of the worst experiences he had ever felt. His parents dying? Sure, it hurt, but that time someone else had killed them. Growing up with the most serious and distant man on Earth? Bruce wasn't that bad, and he grew to like him, to the point where he saw him as a father, even. But this? Knowing that the most precious person in our life is hanging on a thread because of something that was partially yours? Heartbreaking was putting it lightly. They knew from the very start that a half-human half-tamaranian baby was something completely unpredictable. They didn't know what could happen to Star, but they couldn't wait to be parents. So they hoped for the best. And that it had been for a while, until today.

There was nothing he could do at this time, except wait. There he was, surrounded by the support of all his friends, yet oblivious to the outside. He felt nothing but loneliness.

She needed to find him soon. Or else, her entire world would crumble around her. After reuniting with her fellow teammates, they didn't even need to state that finding Robin was the top priority . Their best bet at finding him were Star and Raven : they both could fly, but could pass undetected (Beast Boy suggested transforming into a bird or a bug to search for him, but they didn’t let him because Cyborg needed help camouflaging their tracks...and because he was Beast Boy)

But where could he be? All the police reports only lead our female heroines to Shinjuku, but it was so vast, he could be hiding anywhere. While Raven searched the north part, Starfire went over south of the neighbourhood over and over again, in the hopes of any patrol light, any radio communication, any rumor...anything. She knew that maybe he was hiding so well that she would never find him, but she also knew that she would never give up on him, that nothing could keep her apart from him.

Because, even after what he had said, and still debating herself if he had really meant it, she could not give up on this chance of them being together. Even if in the end he said no, for any reason, she would still be beside him. Because Robin was the first thing she knew from this world. Since coming to Earth, Robin was the first she ever trusted, the first she ever cared about, the first she ever kissed…. But (even though the kiss came first) they were most importantly friends. She could never let that go. She would always be a Titan, and she would always help her friends and stay by their side .

Koriand’r seemed so lost in her thoughts that only the loudest siren seemed to wake her up from her trance. She quickly followed it only to find several patrols chasing a single motorcycle. Said vehicle was being driven by a young male with jet black hair. Her breathing almost stopped at the sight of her better half. She tailed the persecution, trying to reach Robin, but he was running too fast for her, and after hours of searching, her energy was almost drained . However, at the sight of her love at the edge of a cliff, she took her chance and dived in, falling to him, so that she could grab Dick’s hand and take off into the Tokyo sky with him.

“It is great to finally find you, friend Robin!” Said Starfire in her most melodic and happiest tone. Richard noticed the tears rolling down her cheeks.

Desperation, fear, and adrenaline were what he had felt for the last two hours, but right now...he felt not only relief, but happiness.

“It’s great to see you too, Star. You have no idea how much I missed you” he said, as tears collected behind his sunglasses. But, after all the confusion he just went through, he knew that flying in the middle of the sky wasn’t his best idea. He would wait first to reach a safe place. So that he could tell her how much he had fallen for her.

Light begun to enter the room, as Kori felt her eyes slowly opening. She noticed that a big shadow was looking directly at her, holding her hand . Surprised, she springed up and sat on the bed, scanning her surroundings. The room was filled with most of her friends and family members. She looked around: Raven, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Kid Flash, Jinx, Blue Beetle and old friends like Batgirl and Wonder Girl were there. But the two people she cared about the most were right by her side. The sight of them was simply overwhelming: her loving husband holding a small baby, cradiling it as it slept soundly , little bubbles forming on the corner of its mouth.

“Hi there, beautiful.” Said Richard, always so charming. “You had me scared there for a second. How are you feeling?” He said, while signaling Raven with his eyes so that she could get the nurse. Starfire lifted a hand and placed it on top of the baby’s head, caressing it softly.

“I told you I would do it”. Although her voice was cracking, she thought that this moment was nothing but perfect, as she stretched out her arms and held the product of their love. Dick sat by her side and hugged her with one arm while using the other to carefully grab one of their baby’s hands. One by one, their friends left the room so that the happy family could have a private moment .

“She is one strong, healthy little girl”, Richard said as he kissed his lover on her head. “What’s the last thing you remember?” he asked protectively.

Kori did not take her eyes off their daughter as she answered “Well, I remember you holding my hand as I felt a contraction, then I think I blacked out. I only heard a very sharp noise, and you calling my name.” As he relieved the memory, Dick squeezed her left shoulder. “ But then I think I had a dream… I dreamt about that time we were in Tokyo. The police was chasing you, and I was trying to catch you. I was just as scared right now as I was back then ” . Starfire looked at her husband, hoping for a different reaction than the last. Shockingly, she found a smile.

Richard just looked at her, staring right into her eyes. “That makes sense, considering”. This confused Kori greatly. Noticing this, he continued “Just before I had to leave, your line fell. Doctor said you flatlined for around 3 minutes. They put you in an induced coma just to be safe, and called me back after an hour to get prepared for the birth. I’m sorry you missed it” He said as he noticed her sad eyes and the pout her lips made.

“It is alright. The most important thing is that she is here, safe and sound. And we could always have more.” She said while sending him a funny look and her mouth forming a sultry smile. They both immediately giggled, as to not wake their newborn.

Dick kept going. “Anyway, I don’t think it’s a coincidence. When you rescued me, I thought that you had fallen from the sky, just like an angel. I remember even being a bit mad at you because you could have gotten shot by the police.” Star was a bit surprised, but she let him go on. “And today the line of your heartbeat fell completely. I think we constantly fall: while saving each other from missions, while facing high risk situations, when we try to save the other...But most importantly, we fall for each other. We fell in love with each other. And just look what that led us to: the most beautiful child in existence...What I’m trying to say is that, we´ll always be there for each other. Kori, you flatlined today, but you did it for our daughter; not that I’m happy about it, but it’s like you fell for her. And I could be back here in time for her when she came, and for you when you woke up. Just like you were there for me in Tokyo. I wish sometimes that our lives were easier, that danger wasn’t crawling in every corner, but I’m sure that, with you at my side, we can face anything. We can fall and come back each time, for each other, and for her.”

After this monologue, Dick lifted up his gaze from the floor, and looked at his wife. Tears were falling from both of their eyes, neither of them held them back. The moment was forever captured with an embrace, and a long-lasting kiss.

When they parted, their baby had opened her eyes, revealing two beautiful emerald irises. She lifted up her arms, and giggled, as if wanting to be part of the hug as well. “What shall we name her, dear?” the alien asked. The couple had already decided on an earthly name, with a touch of Tamaran, but they hadn’t concluded in which one. It wasn’t until Starfire suggested Mar’i that they knew it was the one. They both knew this was everything they ever wanted, and that they would always come back for her. In the end, they would always fall, to hell and back, for each other.

“Now, where’s the doctor?! My wife had a baby and she still hasn’t come here!” Dick springed up from bed and headed to the door, while hearing his wife’s and daughters’s laughter of joy.

[slamsams-blog]

The Spy Who Loved Me - #24WeeksofBond

24 Weeks of Bond continues this week with Roger Moore’s “The Spy Who Loved Me”.  A tale of two government agents who are the top of their class who get paired up to work on a mission together and who ultimately fall in “love”.  I put love in quotation marks because we never see or hear from Anya Amasova (Barbara Bach) ever again.  Usually when Bond falls in love we here from them again in some way like with Bond’s late wife Tracey, or Vesper Lynd from Casino Royale - so I hesitate to say they fell in love, but I will because that’s the movie’s gimmick.

This is Roger Moore at his peak in the role.  This has always been one of my favorite films because of the simple, playful, and fun plot of these two agents trying to best each other, the big action sequences, and of course...JAWS!  There are a few things to not like about this one, I mean I can definitely think of a few, but overall you come away from this movie feeling like you have had a ton of fun.  We still haven’t seen all the Moore films yet, but I’m pretty confident in saying that The Spy Who Loved Me just edges out Live and Let Die as Moore’s best Bond film.  Moore is hitting his stride with confidence and playfulness, the two qualities that Roger Moore brings to the character, and wether you like it or not, what we know Moore’s Bond to be.

Like I said before, this film is incredibly easy to follow...A Russian submarine has gone missing due to a submarine tracking system that is low key being sold to world powers if the price is right.  So while Russia deploys their best agent on the case, so does England.  What I truly love about this film is the script and direction that set up this story so beautifully.  In the pre title sequence we see a pair of lovers in bed, when an agent (we are assuming is the man - damn gender roles) gets called to report.  The movie swerves us when the woman answers the call.  This is how we are introduced to Triple X.  Subsequently Bond is called to London and sets off to ski only to be chased by some henchmen, one of whom, is the man Triple X was sleeping with earlier.

What takes place next is a stunt that helped revitalize what was a struggling franchise on the brink of extinction.  The Man With The Golden Gun was one of the worst drawing Bond films of all time - and the franchise was in jeopardy!  But they pull off a stunt here when Bond skis off a cliff and they let the camera roll on the stuntman free falling for what feels like forever and kicking off his skis, he then deploys the parachute with the British Flag, and I’m sure people went nuts.  This set the future of Bond in a comfortable place for decades to come.  And to follow that we get Carly Simon’s “Nobody Does It Better” which I believe won an academy award for best song?  I don’t know, I’m too tired to Wikipedia right now, but I know it was at least nominated.  I love that song, it sets the tone for the movie in such a beautiful way.

I also believe they did that stunt in one take.

So we are starting off on a great path to an enjoyable adventure where Bond and Anya are gunning for the same microfilm that contains vital information.  We are also introduced to Karl Stromberg (Curt Jurgens) who is a mega billionaire who as his own underwater marine laboratory.  We don’t really know too much of his backstory and why he is so rich and why he loves the water so much, he just does and wants everyone to live underwater with him.  So we don’t know too much about him, which makes his character, to me, rather uninteresting and uninspired.  BUT he has got a killer henchman named Jaws (Richard Kiel) who lives in infamy as one of, if not thee most iconic Bond character of all time.  There is no way that Jaws doesn’t come to anyone’s mind when thinking of the James Bond Franchise.  You would of course think of Bond, Q, maybe Moneypenny, and Jaws.

Funny enough, Richard Kiel actually played the same exact character (Metal teeth and all) in a comedy the year prior to this film’s release called “Silver Streak” starring Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor.  No idea how that happened.  Silver Streak came out in ‘76 while The Spy Who Loved Me came out in ‘77.  They had to have been filmed around the same time, so who thought of the character first??

This is the first of two movies that would have Jaws being a thorn in Bond’s side.  Here he is absolutely terrifying - in Moonraker they turn him into a comedy act (which I admit is great, I love comedic Jaws).  This Jaws is the quintessential Bond baddie.  He is so big and strong and can kill people with his teeth and is seemingly invincible.  Jaws dies like 40 times in this movie and keeps coming back - it is starting to feel like a running joke.

As the plot unfolds...so do the uncomfortable gender roles that the mid-seventies likes to rub in our faces.  We have a bad ass Russian spy who has a Triple X (sex reference) code name and always seems to be falling short of Bond’s cunning - because, well, he’s a man.  She also finds herself needing to be rescued by Bond a lot - because, well, he’s a man.  I really think they fell short here with this character, they just couldn’t quite pull the trigger on writing a character that is truly Bond’s equal.  She gets close, but in the end, she just becomes another “damsel in distress”.  However, we get a powerful scene between Bond and Anya when she finally finds out Bond was the one who killed her lover after we had established that they had fallen in love.  She says “Then after this mission is over, I will kill you”.  Some good stuff there.

This is another film that makes me laugh when thinking about a man like Stromberg, who has these heinous plans to attack New York City and Moscow with NUCLEAR MISSILES, can gets thousands of employees to work for him and just go along with the plan.  Stromberg wants to start a new world under the sea (did I get Little Mermaid stuck in your head?).  An ungodly insane scheme, but whatever - has he even thought about where the hell he would get his GROCERIES???  This leads to a wonderful battle scene between the captive Naval soldiers who were taken by Stromberg and Stromberg’s men.  I love these big battle scenes.  Bond catches up with Stromberg who has found more time to sit his ass down for a dinner for 9.  Kills him easily.  But then runs into Jaws again but scoops him up with a magnet to the teeth.  Ingenious.

Final scene of the movie where we expect Bond and Bond girl to celebrate a job well done boils down to Anya seeing her next mission out to kill Bond.  But all is actually good, and we end up seeing them celebrate a job well done in front of their superiors.  Classic.

The Spy Who Loved Me has some classic moments, unforgettable characters, and catapulted Bond into the future so for that I say it’s one of the best, BUT it does have it’s faults in poor character development and a weak portrayal of Anya Amasova (not Barbara’s fault, just a victim of the times and short sighted writing).  That’s all I have to say about that...what did you think of The Spy Who Loved Me tonight??

Reviews from Friends:

My Mom

The Spy Who Loved Me was absolutely great. Roger Moore was so smooth.  My favorite car scenes were in this movie.  When his car turned into a submarine and even better, when it came drifting out of the ocean onto the beach and Bond tossed the fish into the gawking crowd, it was a laugh out loud moment, even though I am usually watching these films alone.  I wasn't so impressed with the big boss, Stromberg, but Jaws was a lot of fun. Barbara Bach had that unforgettable face, but her acting was not quite as much.  I don't know which number this was in the sequence, but I love these old Bond films.

24 Weeks of Bond will return August 3rd with - 

Diamonds Are Forever

[nigelolsson]

Elton John's Drummer Nigel Olsson On His Early Days Gigging in the North East

By Gordon Barr, 13:00, 24 NOV 2016

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/elton-johns-drummer-nigel-olsson-12223391

He may be Elton John’s long-time drummer, but when Nigel Olsson first got into music as a teenager in the North East it was guitars that were his first love.

Nigel, who grew up in Sunderland and is at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle with Elton on December 3, recalls: “Our family originated in Gothenburg in Sweden and they moved to Sunderland. I went to school in Sunderland and then I worked on the pilot boats on the River Wear. I just became interested in music, the likes of Cliff Richard and The Shadows.

“My brother and I used to fool around on guitars but nothing more than that. I was always into music. When Cliff first came out, that is what I wanted to do. It seemed so cool.

“I joined a band in Sunderland, The Fireflies. I was the guitar player and singer and in those days you only needed to know about three chords. We did gigs in pubs and working men’s clubs. If you didn’t play the songs that they wanted you to play, they would hurl stuff at you.

“There was one night our drummer didn’t turn up for the show. I could keep time, so I went on the drums, and something clicked. I thought ‘I like it here’. Plus, when playing the working men’s clubs, when they started hurling things at you, at least you had cymbals to protect you!

“So I stuck on the drums. Self taught. What I used to do was put headphones on and listen to Cliff or Lonnie Donegan and play to the records.

“I never took a lesson in my life. I still can’t read music. I just picked it all up.”

Nigel has been an almost constant presence with the Elton John band for decades and he lifts the lid on working with the larger than life singer songwriter.

“We have moodies now and again but it doesn’t affect us as we’ve been through it before,” softy spoken Nigel, now 67, tells me backstage before a gig.

“He’ll get over it, he’ll be fine tomorrow. It’s amazing, really. It’s family. We all have our good days and bad days, OK days. Fantastic, wonderful days.

“As long as we make people smile and we do something to give back what they give to us, our job is done. It’s an amazing life and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Elton John and his band are at the Metro Radio Arena on December 3 as part of their Wonderful Crazy Tour series of shows, following on from the release of the Wonderful Crazy Night album. You can book tickets here.

Elton has hinted December’s Newcastle concert could be his last in the city. “You never know. Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think it’s any time soon. That would be a question for him! I’ll ask him,” laughs Nigel.

“It’s been a life of just total blessed moments, and I’m still very blessed to be around and to see it evolved to what it is now,” says Nigel, whose family are of Swedish origin but who settled in Sunderland when he was a teenager.

“We still pack arenas, we pack outdoors and festivals. It’s unreal that we are still on top of the whole thing. To be part of this musical history, basically.

“The key is we feed off the audience. They give it to us and we give it back. It’s a joyful life to have and we’ll keep going for as long as we can do it.”

It was back in 1970 when Elton and Nigel first played the Roundhouse in London – their first live gig together. “We were supporting The Who,” he recalls. “I got to play Keith Moon’s drums. That was it for me – I’d made it finally.”

If this was to be Elton’s last tour, how would Nigel take it? “It would be difficult for me personally as I am so used to going away on long tours.

“Obviously it’s great to be home (California) with my wife and the little pups and family members. The road is where I belong though. People might not know this about me, but at home I don’t have any drums or musical instruments.

“It’s very much downtime, chilled with my wife – get away from it all and recharge the batteries.

“When we start to tour we’ll have a soundcheck before the first gig and after 15 minutes we’ve got it, we’re rocking out. Everybody is on the same wavelength, so we know basically what we need to do.

“We’re doing some of the new stuff on this one, which we love. The other thing that I personally enjoy is being in the studio.

“In the early days we used to go away to a studio to record records and stay at the studio, for three or four weeks.

“Elton would get the words from Bernie (Taupin), sit down and write the songs and we would be in the room. So basically as he was writing them we knew exactly what we were going to play.

“Most of the early songs, like Daniel and Someone Saved My Life Tonight, we cut them in the first take. That magic between us all is so prevalent.

“It’s still like that. We were in the studio for the Crazy album and we recorded it all together in the same room, no click tracks or computers in your ear.

“It just flowed out of us. We used real microphones. Nowadays you hardly see a microphone in the studio, it’s all computerised.

“The key to my sound is real drums. It was a joy to be in the studio again. We like to keep it very basic. We still have it in the back of our minds when we are in the studio that this is like how it’s meant to be done. Just let it all flow and work off each other.

“It’s a family situation. We’ve had the same crew for years. When I go and sit down at the drums, I only have to go and sit down and start playing. I don’t have to move anything, everything is absolutely where I need it. The drums are tuned the way they should be, I just sit down and play, make funny faces at the camera and have a great time.

“I love to mess around and know it’s going up on the screen, as people then see I’m a regular guy who likes to have fun.”

Nigel, who was born in Wallasey but grew up in Sunderland, admits he is looking forward to returning to the region. “I have cousins that still live in the North East. I don’t get to see them very often. It’s changed so much. The last time I was there I was looking for where I lived and I couldn’t find my way home as it has all changed. I still keep in touch with the family and am still very close with all my family.

“The only drawback with being in this is that we don’t really get enough time to hang out with families when they come to see us. Our tour schedule is really tight plus we have massive security that is around us all the time.

“Explaining to family members, you have to tell them ‘no not really, you can’t hang out’ and they think you are being flash or something. But we have to do it. While we are with this organisation, that’s the way we have to live.”

[swearronchanel]

Who let me watch 5.06?

I should be doing an assignment that’s due tomorrow but ya know due tomorrow means do tomorrow. Lol I know I should be ashamed to be a procrastinator but university has ruined me anyway. I’m tired from literally going to one lecture haha, but in any event I’ve been rewatching mad men for the who knows what time but I thought I’d take a break from all that and watch an episode of CtM & @flyingnonny inspired me to do a reaction post so why not? I decided on 5.06 since last Sunday’s episode reminded us of that camping trip 😂😂  here goes nothing.. 

*skips intro bc I’m impatient*

Cute community moment ☺️

TRIXIE😍 slaying my life

Shelagh looks so good too 😍 and Angela melting my heart!

Why is shelagh forever wearing cardigans? I like cardigans every now and then but all the time, really?

Everyone is sitting outside, Trixie is in a sleeveless dress, as is Barbara, so it has to be warm?? take it off Shelagh

She’s still my bby though even if I don’t always agree with her fashion choices

what gross vejo pinching Trixie’s ass? That’s not ok

And Babs too lmao, creepy old man, die

Shelagh saying “hello dear” aw

But this is like the only interaction between Shelagh and Trixie & that does not suffice !!

ALL I WANT IS FOR THEM TO HAVE AN ACTUAL FRIENDSHIP IDC HOW MANY TIMES IVE SAID IT I REALLY Want it😭😭💕💕 my two fav bbys

I HAVE EVEN GIVEN REASONS WHY & I CAN GIVE THEM AGAIN ***        1) Why not?? Shelagh has like no real friends besides her husband and sort of Sister Julienne?                                                 

 2) just please, because I’m asking nicely                                                     3) When Shelagh was Sister Bernadette she was often friendly/ in the gossip and conversation with the nurses & remember that one time Trixie grabbed her to come listen to Jenny’s phone conversation?               

4) Trixie was the only one besides Sister Julienne to visit her in the sanatorium. That has to count for something!                                             5) They’ve both been on the show since day 1 & have known each other the longest (besides the nuns) why wouldn’t they be friends or least actually speak to each other?

Aye this is the lady who’s fake pregnant

Shelagh wearing earrings though >> here for it

Sorry there will be a lot of gushing over Shelagh and Trixie

And also I WANT TRIXIE’S HOOP EARRINGS SO BAD, where can I find them??

And how do I get her clothes and figure and her everything lol?

PHYLLIS ! My champion

“Would it have killed you to sit down for five minutes and eat the whole thing!” I LOVE HER, SHE IS A GEM, A HERO, A BADASS & IM NOT READY FOR SUNDAY. IM GOING TO BAWL WITH AND FOR HER

she deserves the best

I think this is the only time I’ve ever heard Trixie address Shelagh by her first name?? a prob.

They need to interact more 😭💔💕😍 I will stop saying it when I’m dead even then I’ll prob say it

Actually when I think of it no one ever calls Shelagh by her first name besides obviously Patrick? And Sister Julienne

#MoreShelaghAndTheOtherNursesInteracting2k17aka1962

And I need at least two seconds of them dotting on pregnant Shelagh

Helen looks so good like goals

“I threatened to put one man over my knee but that only encouraged him” HA IM DEAD NO KINK SHAME

I think there’s been a similar joke before but fuck it it’s still funny to me

But seriously everyone loves Trixie lol how could you not though?

Hey Pats, it’s been a while

Lol omg Tim in that uniform.. Not the best costume 😂😂

Never seen Whistle Down the Wind

But you see, Tom and Babs making out as usual, I’m not knocking it lol but this is why Sister J told her to chill when they went to South Africa😂

also lowkey jealous bc Jack Ashton is handsome af and that could’ve been me but it’s all good. He and Helen are adorable together and I’m here for it x10000

Omg I forgot this lady got assaulted

Oh shit I just remembered this is the episode where sister MC is attacked FUCK WHY DID I WATCH THIS

she can’t report it bc she’d get arrested for soliciting wtf

But remember Shelagh wore the headbands in like series 3 (so glad she stopped I was not here for it)? They must’ve gave them to Babs lol

I forgot Trixie didn’t tell the nurses about AA yet

But she looks gorgeous as ever, even with her mascara running

Lowkey nauseas looking at all that fish ugh. Funny becuase they put a grocery store that has a fish market on the block up from where I live in NYC and I hate it  

I forgot about Peter lol and he was in an episode this series whoops

LIKE WHERE’S YOUR WIFE LOL, *I know, too busy for this, I don’t think she’d fit in the series anymore anyway*

Sister Mary Cynthia 😰❣️

Lol she doesn’t sing loud enough ??

Sister Julienne is so cute when she smiles but don’t forget she’s a badass

REMEMBER THE AGGRESSIVE JACKET FLAP BC OF THE IRRITATING SISTER URSULA

How did this girl hide her pregnancy though?

And did her brothers just not realize she was pregnant and the mother wasn’t?

Oh jeez my cousin was a colic-y baby and my parents kept him like 3 days a week when I was in high school & it was a nightmare. I didn’t sleep for so long

Dont get me wrong I love babies. But when they scream when I’m trying to sleep, nope. Return to sender.

Shelagh is so excited about camping it’s the purest and most adorable thing 😭😭And I like her shirt  

Shelagh made Tim copy the napkin folding from a magazine, SHE IS A GEM

“We never have serviettes on a weeknight” wtf did they just not use napkins every day? I’m confused Lmaoo. What am I missing here 😂omg that reminds me of one of the times my family and I went on a cruise (2006, hella long time ago already wow?? 11 yrs yikes) and my brother & cousin were late to dinner and lied to my mom & aunt saying they were at a “napkin folding class” & my family deadass believed it up until 2 years ago😂

Shelagh’s accent is so cute. I’ve said that many times but it’s so sweet. But again why do we just have to accept she’s Scottish with no context as to how/why she came to England? Like I’m sure there were convents in Scotland. I dont even care that much I just will forever be curious as to why it seems she had no life before she got married lol? Like they don’t ever bring up the fact she was a nun, but ok maybe she feels awkward talking about it but what about before? 

They’re so excited it’s so precious, protect this family 😂😭💕💕

Sister MJ is fasting lol I should try it😂

Omg another dumb story, I didn’t realize today is Ash Wednesday and was hella confused seeing some people with ash on their forehead 😂😂 I should give up something for lent but idk what, we shall see. My mom gave up carbs last year & I died bc I lived at home and ate what she cooked and almost all my fav foods are carbs😂

Shelagh referred to Patsy as Patsy, I’ve only ever heard her say Nurse Mount??

lol Tim you’re what 14? you know damn well those arent* bullet holes

at least he has some of his innocence still. I didn’t @ 14

Sometimes I forget I’m gonna be 19 this year wtf. I’ve accidentally told people I’m 16 before and had to correct myself 😂😂

Patrick is excited about this holiday, boy you don’t know what’s coming 😂

HE’S GONNA ATTACK THE LADY WITH A BABY I FORGOT THAT TOO WTF

I wanna fight him

Diane’s anemic ? Or her mum is just assuming

SHELAGH IN HER CAMPING OUTFIT!! The hair scarf and trousers !! I’m so here for it 😍😭

I want to see her in another pair!! yes lets get it 1962. Probably not likely this series but hopefully next series!! Ah can’t wait

Shit this series is almost over 💔💔 but omg 1963 gonna be lit as well?!

Like the space race started/orbiting the earth, Kennedy’s assassination .. wait never mind lol I’m thinking of American History moments. but still a lot of it was crazy world news so maybe it’s mentioned?? first bond film came out in'63, petition for Tim to go take Susan whatever from around the corner to see it since we know he liked the novels

Lots of famous films came out in ‘63 so there’s gotta be some reference.

Fun fact: I love pop culture references in period drama bc I’m lame jk I’m majoring in education (to teach history)

Old news but still relevant: Phyllis’s turn on: Rolodex systems 📇

“CRANE, as in the wading bird or industry lifting equipment, whichever you prefer” LOVE U PHYLLIS, YOU CORRECT HIM

PHYLLIS’S FACE WHEN GODFREY SUGGESTS SHE CAME OUT OF RETIREMENT, IM DEAD

“I shall consider retirement when I’m at the appropriate age”  IM LAUGHING SO HARD, FUCK YEA PHYLLIS. I LOVE HER SO MUCH, LINDA BASSET IS ON THE LIST WITH LAURA AND HELEN OF PEOPLE WHO COULD PUCH ME IN THE FACE AND I’D THANK

LOL SHELAGH JUST STANDING AWKWARDLY LISTENING TO THIS CONVERSATION

“Buenos vacaciones”  I NEED MORE PHYLLIS WORKING ON HER SPANISH I LOVE IT, Ella es oro.

lol the roof rack, bet it was Phyllis’s they borrowed when they moved

PHYLLIS’S FACE OF DISGUST WHEN DR GODFREY SMILES AT HER IS ME ALWAYS

LOL THE THE NURSES & SISTER WINIFRED DYING OVER PATRICK’S SHORTS (EVen though sister W “swears she’s not looking”)

I THINK THE SOCKS AND WHITE DAD SANDALS ARE MORE AMUSING 😂😂

Poor Judith💔

It’s a vicious attack Sister J! But you don’t know it yet so I get u

Here comes summer..😂

SETTING UP IN THE POURING RAIN LOL

Shelagh and Angela being adorable !!

Tim and Patrick proud that  they set the tents up & boom it falls 😂 which is symbolic for me taking exams, I think I did well or at least decent on them and then I find out I failed by like 5 points

Nonnatus table scenes <3 😭

”I’ve seen more dangerous marshmallow bunnies“ lmao Pats this is a serious moment I shouldn’t laugh

Shelagh took off her glasses 😉😏 but fr how is Laura Main so perfect

Patrick put scotch in its lit, pass it over😏

Lol Shelagh drinking is a strange thought but I’m so here for it. Nuns can’t drink right? Idk. Imagine her drinking alcohol for the first time and just getting drunk 😂 we know Patrick and Tim are lightweights getting drunk off one beer so I assume shelagh would too😂

Damn it Patrick, you spilled your cup. Furthermore proving you’re a disaster 😭

LMAO SHELAGH’s “WTF” FACE WHEN SHE ASKS PATRICK WHAT HE’S THINKING ABOUT AND HE SAID THE ULCER CLINIC

LIKE C'MON PATRICK YOU KNOW WHERE SHELAGH WAS TRYNA GO WITH THAT😂

“And if you don’t mind my saying so, you’re not exactly Cliff Richards yourself” SHELAGH 😂😂 another great line of hers, love it

I love their playful banter lol we need more of that 😂 but lets be real series 6 has had some of the greatest Shelagh and Patrick moments so I can’t complain 😭😍

Peter and Barbara is such a unusual dynamic haha

“How is chummy?” Wait does Babs even know Chummy? I don’t even remember if they met tbh

But for real Shelagh did you really think Patrick would just forget about work completely ??

Lol Angela crying because she is petrified of squirrels😂😂and Shelagh running to her is so cute.

Why didn’t she just get rid of the *creepy* squirrel nutkin book? it seemed like they still had it in series 6 haha

rice pudding is I think the same as aroz con leche, lol it’s gross sorry

Diane’s water broke oh shit

the Turners all in the tent playing I spy bc it’s raining haha

I went camping for the first and last time this past summer w/ my sister in laws & her friends, it was awful 😂😂 I got like 100 mosquito bites that became welts, i literally slept in the car the second night & it was mid July fairly south of east coast aka it was humid and sticky af , there were wild horses that walked around..Thank God they brought alcohol cause it was a nightmare I don’t wanna remember 😂😂

ANGELA IS SO CUTE UGH & ANOTHER GREAT SHELAGH FACE😂

lol yes go to a hotel, should’ve done that from the get

So what exactly does Fred run? some civil defense thing?

She’s in labor and can’t even scream omg, I’m screaming

“They are often incorrect in their opinion” Sister MJ is a gem. I want someone to look at me the way Sister MJ looks at cake and the television

Phyllis yelling at Dr Godfrey😂

PATS’S FACE OF DISGUST IS ALSO ME

HOW DO THESE WOMEN GIVE BIRTH STANDING/SITTING UP?? AHHHH

There you are Beatrix, it’s been a while

Patsy being suspicious with the card game line lol. but when is Trixie going to find out about Patsy and Delia?

SHE RIPPED OUT HER WOMB?! WTF OMG IM SCREAMING

THIS HURTS TO WATCH AHH

Trixie and Sister MC to the rescue but omg this is wild I forgot

Fred wtf you can’t be sneaking up like that

DONT LEAVE SISTER MC ALONE TRIXIE

NOO, IM NOT PREPARED FOR THIS

“There are flowers on the table, and feathers in these pillows, that’s all the nature I need to get back to” I feel you Patrick lol, I like nature but not camping

Lol remember Shelagh’s old nightgown? ah I don’t miss it. The bri nylon is such a look™ & obviously has magically powers i.e this miraculous conception.

“..or they’ve been mulled to death by squirrels” IM DEAD HAHA THAT WAS A GOOD DAD JOKE, NICE ONE PATRICK

aw the baby is so precious

Why is the operating room/being in surgery called theatre in the U.K.?? and why is the doctor’s office/practice called the surgery? so many questions from a confused American..

Sister MC by the docks😭💔 she was just chillin with God and THIS HORRIBLE MAN RUINS EVERYTHING WTF UGH

Oh no

SISTER MC JUST UNCONSCIOUS ON THE DOCKS WTF IM CRYING WHY WOULD HURT HER

Patrick even if you were there she wouldn’t have called you, don’t blame urself

it’s not your arrogance sister MC!!

“don’t you even say the word fault, do you hear me, I won’t allow it” 😭💔 it’s NOT your fault sister MC 😰

I forgot how upset/hurt this episode makes me

“The worst thing is that I actually stopped to pray…” my heart hurts

You can’t even blame her for being angry😪

Judith you’re not a bad mother!! This isn’t your fault either

Sister MJ IN THE BATHROOM WITH HER😢😢💔💔 I’m c r y i n

I SAID PROTECT THEM AT ALL COSTS WHY DID THEY HURT ME LIKE THIS

Everyone so quiet at the table..

ILL FOREVER BE PROUD OF HOW BRAVE SISTER MC IS FOR SPEAKING UP FOR HER AND THE OTHER VICTIMS💖😭💔

Russian prison tats??

“I thought at first it was a test of faith, but it was a test of strength. I can bear more than I ever though I could and I can bear it for others because my strength is a gift, from him..” brb sobbing

I feel so bad for Mrs Hills bc I understand she thought she was doing the right thing and was trying to protect her daughter from the stigma & judgment from having a baby born outta wedlock 😭

But damn she almost killed her & now she can’t have any more kids

“I’m a mum, mum” Aw

lol I want children (obviously not anytime soon) but if I do Ima be shook for the rest of my life. Like my kids will  be like grown & I’ll still wake up like wtf I had them?  Lmaoo

SHELAGH’S GREY DRESS >>😍

Patrick jumping on the bed was cute lol

The Turners being cute and an unrealistically perfect family together as usual

Trixie 😍off to her AA💕

“I think it’s about time I came clean..”

Im so proud of her omg. She’s come so far in 6 series 😭💖💖😭

And Patsy and Delia are supportive yess👏🏼

“New truths were being spoken at Nonnatus house, but some remained concealed. While one voice rose, striving to erase its agony in song.”

Thanks Vanessa,, The End 😭

[netunleashed-blog]

Nine amazing British acts that America never understood

http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=20671 Nine amazing British acts that America never understood - http://www.internetunleashed.co.uk/?p=20671 Make way for a hot new beat combo all the way from England! You're gonna love 'em! As a great man once sang: “Oh oh oh – oh! There’s trouble in America.” Well, there was for these artists, given that they enjoyed great success in their native Britain, but bottomed out when it came to cracking the prestigious (and lucrative) American market. What went wrong? For whom, and why? Readers, you’ve come to the right place: here are nine amazing British acts that America never understood. Dizzee Rascal Dizzee’s terse, paranoid, brilliantly abrasive 2003 debut ‘Boy In Da Corner’ was clearly not made with the American mainstream in mind, but the Bow rapper’s later records almost certainly were: 2013 album ‘The Fifth’, for instance, was a brazen attempt to court American audiences with bash electro-house beats and super-producers from across the pond. Biggest UK successes: Five number one singles, five albums that broke the top 10. Biggest US successes: One appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 – a feature spot on Shakira’s ‘Loca’, which reached number 32 in 2010. What went wrong: Grime has never really found much of an audience in America, despite Drake’s attempts to break the genre stateside. Yes, Dizzee moved into mass-market pop, but, side-by-side with fellow Bow native Wiley, he also helped create grime – and his roots in the musical movement run deep, as last-year’s return to form ‘Raskit’ proved. The Kinks The quintessential ’60 example, perhaps, of a massive British band that just never caught on with the Americans. British invasion? Pah! Not for the Davies brothers. Biggest UK successes: Three UK number one singles, five UK top 10 albums. Biggest US successes: ‘You Really Got Me’ reached number seven in 1964, and ‘Lola’ climbed to number nine in 1970. What went wrong: When Ray Davies was inducted into the American Songwriters’ Hall of Fame in 2014, he remarked that it was “a big deal because it means that America has finally accepted the Kinks”. The Kinks were banned from touring America from 1965 to 1969 – in many ways, their heyday – because of their fearsome reputation for fighting at shows. Talking to the Irish radio station NewsTalk, Davies summed the situation up pretty well when he put the controversial ban down to “bad luck, bad management, bad behaviour”. Blur Damon and the lads embarked on an infamously disastrous American tour in 1992, a ill-fated trip characterised by infighting and empty venues. It was so relentless and grim that the band took to punching each other for fun to relieve the monotony. Biggest UK successes: Two number one singles, six UK number one albums. Biggest US successes: Two tracks broke the Billboard Hot 100 – ‘There’s No Other Way’ and ‘Girls & Boys’, which scraped in at number 59 and 82 respectively. What went wrong: That experience in 1992 may have put them off the land of opportunity, as they never seemed to make any major attempt to crack the US afterwards. However, Gorillaz, Albarn’s band of cartoon misfits, who returned this year will stellar album ‘The Now Now’, have been more popular in America, sneaking into the Billboard Hot 100 top 20 with 2005 single ‘Feel Good Inc.’ The moral? Life is long and strange, and sometimes you succeed the most when you become a cartoon. Girls Aloud A band brazenly manufactured – on bloody television – for success! A prototype for One Direction! What could possible go wrong? Biggest UK successes: Four UK number one singles, two UK number one albums. Biggest US successes: Zip! What went wrong: Why did Girl Aloud, one of the UK’s most fondly remembered pop groups, never make it Stateside? Perhaps they were too real – theirs was an early incarnation of reality pop, where the stars looked and, crucially, sounded like everyday Brits, with little showbiz razzle-dazzle. In fact, the band’s record label, Polydor, didn’t even release their albums in America until 2015. Girls Aloud split up in 2013. Robbie Williams Ah, the Pope of Stoke, the King of swing, the buccaneer from the end of the pier. Robbie always was, and remains, a peculiarly British phenomenon: part cabaret act (inspired by his dad, Pete), part Norman Wisdom (Google him, or ask your granny), part Freddie Mercury (yes! really!). Is anyone surprised that America, home of actual pop stars, wondered what the fuck we’d sent them? Biggest UK successes: Seven number one singles, 12 number albums (that’s almost literally every album he’s ever released, including two greatest hits compilations; it’s only 2009’s ‘Reality Killed The Video Star’ that missed the top spot, coming in a number two). Biggest US successes: Two tracks on the Billboard Hot 100: ‘Angels (number 53) and ‘Millennium’ (72), and both of those were re-releases. What went wrong: His heart wasn’t in it, really. Pretty much the entirety of journalist Chris Heath’s 2004 biography Feel is concerned with Robbie’s conflicting feelings about America – should he try and crack the country, or enjoy his anonymity over there, given that his life in the UK had become a tabloid circus? In the end, he opted for the latter, refusing to commit to the kind of sprawling, gruelling extended tours that are required to become a household name in the US. Last year, Robbie told NME: “I made a decision in 2000 to not promote there, not work there, not do anything there and go and just live there. So I haven’t done anything to jeopardise that.” The Stone Roses The band headlined Coachella in 2013, which could be read as an indication that they’re massive in America – but, in fact, the show was surprisingly sparsely attended, with reports relaying the fact that “one could easily walk to the front of the nearly empty field”. Biggest UK successes: Four albums in the UK top (including a greatest hits compilation and their debut, which charted no less than three times between 1989 and 2009). Biggest US successes: Two albums that charted in low positions on the Billboard 200 – debut ‘The Stone Roses’ and follow-up ‘The Second Coming’ staggered in at number 86 and 47 respectively. What went wrong: Self-sabotage, intentional or otherwise. Frontman Ian Brown insisted that “America doesn’t deserve us yet.” The band stipulated that they didn’t want to tour in America until they could fill the enormous Shea Stadium in New York, so didn’t tour the first album. Simon Spence, author of the book The Stone Roses: War and Peace, told vanyaland.com: “When ‘Second Coming’ came out, it had been five years; they went to L.A. and did promotion and it went badly. They liked to be loved in America but it was, ‘Fuck you if you don’t like us.’” That’s right: they wanted to be adored. Elastica Initially, Justine Frischmann’s band achieved greater fame their her then-boyfriend Damon Albarn’s group, Blur. She told The Sunday Times last year: “I think it was hard for Damon when Elastica started getting some success in America, It’s funny because we both thought we were too evolved for classic gender roles, but looking back he thought his band more important because he was the guy. And on some level I did, too.” As we’ve seen, though, Damon finally wooed the Americans with his cartoon bands of misfits (and Gorillaz!). Biggest UK successes: The band’s self-titled debut album went straight in at number one in 1995 and became one of the defining records of the Britpop era. Biggest US successes: Two 1995 singles in the Billboard Hot 100. ‘Connection’ and ‘Stutter’ crawled to numbers 53 and 67 respectively. What went wrong: Sort of like The Stone Roses, Elastica’s hearts weren’t really in it. There was was a five-year gap between their debut and 2000 follow-up ‘The Menace’, and the band split in 2001. Frischman has spoken of her apathy towards the music industry – she is now a visual artist based in New York – and last year told The Guardian: “I got to go all over the world and have a real snapshot of the planet in ’95, ’96, and I got to meet a lot of my heroes. One of the most valuable lessons was to realize that success isn’t necessarily enriching or enlivening. We live in a culture where there’s so much emphasis on celebrity and we all grow up feeling like being famous must be really great.” The Libertines Oi oi guvnor! Let’s stick on our nanny goats, head up the apple and pears, give the dog a bone and – look the point is that The Libertines are a bit mockney, okay? Biggest UK successes: Two top 10 singles, one number one album – 2002’s ‘The Libertines’, the band’s second, sweat-slicked LP. Biggest US successes: That same album was their biggest hit in America, too, though, in contrast, it limped in at 111 on the Billboard 200. What went wrong? In certain circles, the received wisdom is that Pete had too much of a taste for crack to actually – ahem – crack America. The reality is probably a little more complex, given that much of The Libertines’ self-mythology is concerned with sailing ‘The Good Ship Albion’ – a poetic term for Britain – to ‘Arcadia’, a concept Pete has described as “the realm of the infinity … It’s not a cult or a religion – it’s an awareness of your surroundings; you’re not going to force yourself on anyone and, equally, no one’s going to force themselves on you.” Given that The Libertines were so steeped in British culture, it’s perhaps not so surprisingly that their music meant less to American music fans. Cliff Richard The quintessential British artists that made America go, ‘What’s this guy all about?’, Cliff was our version of Elvis Presley. So no wonder they weren’t arsed – they literally had Elvis Presley. Case closed! No, please, keep reading – we’re nearly done. Biggest UK successes: Deep breath. In the red corner, weighing in at a fairly unremarkable 155 pounds according to an extremely dubious website I just checked, it’s the Peter Pan of pop, with a whopping 14 UK number one singles, 68 top 10 singles, seven number one albums and 44 that stormed straight into the top 10. No wonder he’s always on a summer holiday. Biggest US successes: 19 tracks that entered the Billboard Hot 100; three that shimmied and shook their way into the top 10. Not bad by a mere mortal’s standard, but chicken feed in comparison to Cliff’s five-decade success in his own country. What went wrong? Cliff had a minor American hit with ‘Living Doll’ in 1959 (it reached number 30 in the singles chart) and made a few dents in the top 40 between the 1950s and 1980s, but failed to truly set the US alight. When he first launched his career over there, Cliff adopted a rebellious, surly persona, but this softened over time; soon he was middle-of-the-road as a well-placed traffic cone. Source link

[martens-movie-reviews]

Release Date: June 14, 2013 Running Time: 2 hours 23 minutes

“With the imminent destruction of Krypton, their home planet, Jor-El and his wife seek to preserve their race by sending their infant son to Earth. The child’s spacecraft lands at the farm of Jonathan and Martha Kent, who name him Clark and raise him as their own son. Though his extraordinary abilities have led to the adult Clark living on the fringe of society, he finds he must become a hero to save those he loves from a dire threat.”

Because of the anticipated release of Justice League on Friday November 17, I’ve decided to write reviews of all of the movies that make up the DC Extended Universe so far. There have been a lot of talks about how long this franchise will last, but as a comic book fan, and huge lover of movies, I never want movies to be bad. I’m hoping that it’ll be amazing. You can find the dates for when the reviews for the other DCEU movie will be released at the link here. I wrote the review for Wonder Woman around the time it came out, and it can be found here.

DC Extended Universe – Source: Warner Brothers Entertainment

Man of Steel Trailer: Source – Warner Brothers Entertainment

Cast & Crew

The director of Man of Steel was Zack Snyder, whose work includes films that I enjoyed such as ‘Watchmen’ in 2009 and ‘Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole’ in 2010, as well as films that I didn’t enjoy so much such as ‘Dawn of the Dead’ in 2004, and ‘Sucker Punch’ in 2011. The film that in my mind, he’s the most known for is ‘300’, which while visually amazing, was more of a meh kind of film for me. He has since directed the sequel to this film ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’, and most of ‘Justice League’ before having to step away due to personal reasons.

Man of Steel was written by David S. Goyer, based on the story that he and Christopher Nolan wrote. Nolan’s work as a writer includes ‘Memento’, his ‘Batman’ trilogy, and ‘Inception’ prior to working on this film. He has since wrote ‘Interstellar’ in 2014, and ‘Dunkirk’ in 2017. Goyer’s previous writing jobs includes the ‘Blade’ trilogy from 1998 – 2004, working with Nolan on the ‘Batman’ films previously mentioned as well as the sequel ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance’ in 2011 prior to working on Man of Steel. He’s since wrote the ‘Constantine’ television show, as well as ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ in 2016. He was recently announced to be one of the writers for the ‘Green Lantern Corps’ that will be coming out in 2020.

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Cast includes Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Ayelet Zurer, Russell Crowe, Antje Traue, Richard Cetrone, Mackenzie Gray, Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Meloni, Richard Schiff, Cooper Timberline and Dylan Sprayberry.

Review

The character of Clark Kent / Kal – El was played by Cooper Timberline, Dylan Sprayberry and Henry Cavill, with the latter also playing Superman. I feel like all three of them did a good job at playing the Clark Kent character, and I was surprised at how consistent they were in terms of character. Cavill’s acting in the role of Kal – El was rough at first, with some very wooden delivery of some lines, however that could also be the script or the direction that he got. I enjoyed the portrayal that we got, even if it was a ‘darker’ and ‘broodier’ version of what he is supposed to be, I still thought it was well done at the end. Cavill’s Superman still needs some work, but seems to have a lot of potential, and I was pleased with the improvements in the character in the follow up film.

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The character of Lois Lane was played by Amy Adams, in which she did an alright job with what she was given. I didn’t enjoy what they did with her character overall, but I will go into more detail about that further below. I feel like Adams was a good choice for the role that they put her in, but didn’t give off the Lois Lane vibe that I remembered from the few comic books that I read of Superman(read both Marvel and DC as a kid, but enjoyed Marvel more).

Michael Shannon as General Zod was a good choice in my mind for the role, as he demands the attention when on screen, and you need someone with a presence to portray Zod. I feel like the character could have been used a lot better, but from I enjoyed the performance that we got from Shannon. It demanded more than what we ended up getting.

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The Kent parents were played by Diane Lane and Kevin Costner, who I feel was really well cast in those roles. I would have prefered a lot more from Costner’s character, and the way he died was just stupid, but from the acting standpoint, I really enjoyed that Lane was able to capture Martha Kent’s essence of trying to connect with Clark on the emotional level, while Jonathan Kent was the moral compass of doing what’s right at the right time. I didn’t enjoy the fact that they made him say the word ‘maybe’ when asked if Clark should have let his classmates die.

The Kryptonian parents Lara Lor-Van played by Ayelet Zurer, and Jor – El who was portrayed by Russell Crowe was a mixed bag of emotions for me throughout this film. I loved everything about Zurer’s performance from the flashbacks to Krypton, and the struggle to send her child away for a chance for survival. It’s something that I wish would be explored more in the future, with the A.I. Jor – El talking about his wife to their son. Russell Crowe’s performance was a problem for me in this role. I don’t think he fit the role of Jor – El, whatsoever, and I didn’t like that they made him capable of beating General Zod in a fist fight. That was one of the problems with certain characters in the film.

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One thing that was really unexpected in the movie, was that it opens with the birth of Kal – El, literally Lara in labour, the first time that a natural birth happened on Krypton for centuries. I enjoyed what they did with the movie, in a way to make Kal – El ‘special’ in that sense, however I really wish that they will elaborate on the Codex. That is something that would be very interesting if ever they were going to have a new Krypton eventually in the universe, however I feel like they’ve already forgotten about it.

Seeing Krypton was absolutely amazing. I thought that the scenery and the animals in that sequence was very much inspired by James Cameron’s movie ‘Avatar’. The cinematography in general for this movie was beautiful. I thought that the way that they captured Krypton, Smallville, and the Arctic was extremely well done. It’s one of the better looking films in the past 5 years, and part of that quality is thanks to the cinematographer of the film – Amir Mokri. His work includes ‘Coyote Ugly’ from 2000, ‘Bad Boys 2’ in 2003 and ‘Transformers: Dark of the Moon’ in 2011 prior to Man of Steel.

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The score for this film was put together by one of the most well known and fantastic composer since the early 2000s. Hans Zimmer‘s work has sadly been given a lot of slack in recent years for the loud ‘BWAM’ that marketing people love putting in trailers, which have become annoying, I have to admit. In my opinion, his work is on the same level in terms of quality and how memorable they are as other great movie score composers such as John Williams, Howard Shore and Danny Elfman. Zimmer’s work in this film was strong, hopeful, and sometimes inspiring while still having those epic moments that is required in big budget films.

Movie scores are what I listen to while I’m working at my desk, or writing these reviews, or when I was studying while in school. I just looked at my ‘instrumental’ playlist that I’ve had and been adding to it for the last 10 years and Hans Zimmer has 61 out of the 250 songs on that playlist. His work includes such soundtracks as ‘The Lion King’, ‘The Prince of Egypt’, ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’, ‘The Last Samurai’, ‘August Rush’, ‘Sherlock Holmes’, and ‘Inception’. I really enjoyed the music in this movie, and I know that a lot of people were disappointed when the Superman theme was never incorporated into the score, however I feel like Zimmer added a sense of wonder and grandness that was needed for this version.

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The flashbacks in Man of Steel was very much hit and miss for me. I feel like the two younger version of Clark Kent did a good job in their portrayals, and I was happy to see that they were providing some backstory to who he is, while at the same time not lingering too much on it.

One of the stupidest death scenes that I’ve ever watched was the flashback scene of Jonathan Kent being swallowed up by the tornado (twister, not entirely sure of the difference, if you know, tell me in the comments below) while telling Clark to stay where he was, and stupidly sacrificing himself. I feel like Clark could have easily saved him, but they wanted to make the film ‘darker’ and make Clark go on this long and arduous journey to find out what his place on Earth is, and to find out what kind of man he wants to become, but I was pissed off at that death scene.

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One of the bigger mistakes in this film was that Lois Lane was made to be an integral piece of the film. She was involved in everything, and while I know that she’s a reporter and loves getting information, the fact that she took a picture of cliff face, and saw a man enough to know to zoom in, then can somehow scale a mountain, and thinks she can escape the authorities after being called is funny. I feel like they should have kept her as a supporting character rather than one of the leads in the movie. I’m not happy that they made her find out that Superman is Clark Kent right away, as there’s a lot less in which they can explore and do in further films.

A small problem with the movie, is the magical appearance of the suit, with the crest of the house of El on it, that just happened to be on a spaceship that crashed on Earth 18 000 years ago, while also having one of the passengers on that ship survive and get out of their sleeping pod. Where are they? I don’t think we’ll ever find out.

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One of the most amazing things in the whole movie was that they were so casual with the destruction of Metropolis, and causing so much damage to the city, and they cry out that Superman is a hero. Yes, it wasn’t entirely his fault, but from the look of it, he did very little to save anyone, going as far as throwing Zod towards buildings full of people.

I enjoyed the nice touches of the greater plans that they might or might not have been planning towards the DCEU. Including the Wayne satellites, and the LuthorCorp trucks.\

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The most controversial part of the movie – the death of General Zod, is one of the most hated things about this movie, and I’m still upset about this to this day. Superman does not kill, yes, he’s killed Zod once in the comics, but that was one story that they had out of thousands of different stories. I feel like the circumstances of the death was stupid as well, I would have much prefered if Zod had gone into the Phantom Zone with everyone else when the ship collided with the World Engine. It would have been a much satisfying ending, rather than the whole air punching fight scene that caused so much damage to the city and to the Superman character as a whole.

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Overall, I feel like this was a solid film that had amazing music and cinematography, a little shaky on the characters and the acting, with an ending that is extremely divisive amongst the fans. I love Cavill’s performance as Superman, but there’s still a lot of room to grow. At the end of the day, I don’t have much more to say about this film, and I would end up giving this movie a final score of 7.5/10.

What did you think of Man of Steel? Are you excited for Justice League? Let me know in the comment section below!

Thanks for reading,

Alex Martens

Man of Steel Review Release Date: June 14, 2013 Running Time: 2 hours 23 minutes "With the imminent destruction of Krypton, their home planet, Jor-El and his wife seek to preserve their race by sending their infant son to Earth.