"You don't even want to contemplate where I'm going to stick this unless you give me a piggyback ride..."

I think the pressure’s starting to get to them.  After spending the day fending off mind control, genocide, girl on girl action, little squeaky white things and an angry midget in a fish tank, the crew of the Liberator go a bit bonkers; listening to a stolen radio, catching amnesia (all of them) and stealing from an – understandably – angry motorcycle courier who seems to have lost his bike.

They’re just a bunch of hooligans really.

As usual, you can download from the blog here or subscribe via iTunes – and don’t forget you can tell me your thoughts about our show and the topics we cover here, or on the TimeVault website, Facebook group or Twitter feed.

Anyway, it’s fair to say that, like Kate Bush, they take their time over each album and it’s been six years since their last new studio album. So when the following announcement appeared in my Inbox, I got a teensy bit excited:

Do you remember that special alchemy that transforms even the most mundane of experiences – walking home with the headphones on at night, sitting in a bedroom with your friends in the day, getting ready to go out on the weekend – into a lingering moment of seamless enchantment, one that resonates for the rest of your life?

Saint Etienne’s new album, Words and Music, is about how music affects your life. How it defines the way you see the world as a child. How it can get you through bad times in unexpected ways. How songs you’ve known all your life can suddenly develop a new attachment and hurt every time you hear them. More than how it affects and reflects your life though, the album is about believing in music, living your life by its rules.

The album will be released on 21st May on CD, 2CD Deluxe Edition, LP and a special boxset version. Take a closer a look at the cover too. I’d love to live in that town…

]]> http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/words-music/feed/ 0 Paul http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/a-is-for-avon-z-is-for-xenon-base/ http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/a-is-for-avon-z-is-for-xenon-base/#comments Mon, 20 Feb 2012 11:20:16 +0000 Paul http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/?p=4040 ]]> Okay, for those of you who don’t already know, Miwk is a new genre publisher that has published two books, with quite a few more on the way. First up is the beautifully irreverant yet affectionate Maximum Power! – poking fun at a series we all love: Blake’s 7.

The first thing you notice about this book is the attention to detail. Unlike certain other small publishers out there, the paper quality is good, the design is excellent and you get the distinct impression that real care has been taken over the end product. The cover is a lovely homage to the early Blake’s 7 novels, and the faux-battered look is the finishing touch. Add to this the wonderful extras you get with it and you definitely ‘feel the love’… (the ‘Sorry We Missed You’ card is a particular delight)

So, having marvelled at the attention to outward detail, we start having a read. The complete and unauthorised guide to all 64 episodes? Hang on, weren’t there only 52? And I bet you’ve never heard of the two film treatments that didn’t quite get made, the Japanese remake or the short-lived spin off series; Space Commander Travis. I’d love to say the research into this book has been phenomenal however I’m pretty sure some of the information here is fairly spurious are blatant fibs!

The episode guide itself is hilarious – best read I would say as a ‘DVD commentary’ to each story but with plenty there for the casual reader. Categories include Opening and Closing Shots, Random Insult, Delightful Dialogue, Amateur Hour and Terrynation Street. One of my favourite guest cast lists (The Web) manages to include the official actors alongside Janine Wood (Claire), Joan Sanderson (Eleanor) and Jonathan Newth (Russell) who, for anyone who doesn’t know, are members of the cast of ITV and Radio 4 sitcom, After Henry! It’s important that you read everything on each page, as the authors have sneaked gags in everywhere.

If you’re a Doctor Who fan as well which, let’s face it, you probably are if you’re into Blake’s 7, then there are plenty of references in here for you too. The ludicrous A-Z at the back holds a particular favourite:

Kerril: Female mercenary. Distraught by her break-up with Vila Restal, she underwent gender reassignment surgery and joined the crew of Storm Mine 4 with tragic consequences.

I won’t say anymore about the content other than I’ve laughed a lot reading this book and can highly recommend it to anyone with a warped sense of humour, who thinks niche books full of obscure references poking fun at thirty-four year old cult TV shows are funny. And all the authors proceeds are going to charity – so buy it now!

I’ve always loved Sapphire & Steel but, as a fairly short-lived series, there has been little in the way of coverage of it apart from the occasional articles in TV Zone, Starburst or SFX. That’s why this book is desirable. At 152 pages it’s a fairly slim volume but as there were only ever six televised adventures and virtually no merchandise, the amount you can write about the series is going to be limited.

As well as a brief background to the creation of the programme, there are biographies of the main actors and behind the scenes personnel, synopses of each story, with cast lists, transmission dates, trivia, developments in the series mythology, goofs and an in-depth analysis of each story. This is where Assigned! really shines, with each story getting several pages of discussion, covering each story in such exceptional detail, I was faintly horrified at how much I think I’ve missed over the years! I didn’t always agree with all of Callaghan’s opinions but that’s always good for debate – and I would have liked to know more about creator PJ Hammond’s aborted attempt to revive the show in 2006 rather than just the throwaway mention we get in the Production chapter.

There are two downsides for me with this book, neither of them fatal, but niggling me nevertheless. First, and most important, are the appendices. There are four, looking at the DVD releases, the books, the comic strips and the Big Finish audio plays. Now, although I appreciate that S&S was originally a TV series, everything else connected with it is crammed into forty pages in a fairly cursory fashion. This book says it’s a guide to Sapphire & Steel, yet it’s only when you get to the BF releases that the author says it’s chiefly a look at the TV series which, for me, seems a bit short-sighted. As probably the only book that will ever be published about it, wouldn’t it have made sense to cover everything as fully and completely as possible – making it an indispensable guide to the worlds of Sapphire & Steel? It feels almost as though the author was only interested in the TV series, got to the end of his analysis and wasn’t really interested in the rest. That may not be what he intended, but it’s how it came across to me.

My second problem with it is the complete lack of images. Although the text is principally what we are interested in, it would have been nice to have it broken up with photographs from the show. One hundred and fifty pages of fairly dense text can play havoc with your eyes! To be fair though, this last quibble is a very minor one.

Overall though, for anyone interested in Sapphire & Steel this book is a must buy. It tells you almost everything you could want to know about the series (and probably some things you never knew you wanted to know) and is probably as in depth as we’re ever going to get.

Domestic disputes are so inconvenient aren’t they? One minute your bicycle-powered nuclear reactor is causing a power cut and keeping your next-door neighbours awake (well, the ones you haven’t got tied up in the kitchen) and the next thing you know you’re being investigated by the government, soldiers have cordoned off your street and your neighbours have released a virulent, communicable monkey plague into your living room.

Hasn’t anyone heard of community spirit?

As usual, you can download from the blog here or subscribe via iTunes – and don’t forget you can tell me your thoughts about our show and the topics we cover here, or on the TimeVault website, Facebook group or Twitter feed.

Ernst Stavro Blofeld

Okay, so what we have here, essentially, is a small, sinister man with a scarred face, living in a… ah.

Having remained an enigmatic and faceless mystery, You Only Live Twice revealed the monster. I have to say Donald Pleasance is easily the best Blofeld, in much the same way that Roger Delgado is the best Master. Softly spoken yet unmistakably evil, it’s a crying shame Eon didn’t get him back to reprise the role. Somehow the future confrontations seem less impressive when he has a different face every time.

Franz Sanchez

A somewhat controversial choice given Licence To Kill‘s intent to make Bond more realistic. I love Sanchez as a villain because he knows how to turn on the charm but he also has the aggression needed to maintain his empire. And the necessary paranoia. Robert Davi’s performance is brilliant. Hot and cold, suave and violent – he is the man Bond could be if he “went bad”.

Le Chiffre

While we’re on the subject of charming, Mads Mikklesen’s performance is, I think, absolutely perfect. Although you could class him as a henchman of Quantum, he is the principal villain of Casino Royale and does a tremendous job. I find him a fascinating character, much like Sanchez, capable of being charming and brutal in equal measure. He has Bond (literally) by the balls at one point and if it weren’t for Mr White, that would have been it for our hero. Has 007 ever been in quite so dangerous a situation before or since? He has no opportunity to escape and is at Le Chiffre’s mercy. Scary stuff.

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Elektra King

Hooray! A female in charge of the bad guys – at last. And an irredeemable one at that. The beautiful Sophie Marceau is brilliant in The World Is Not Enough and shows some of the lesser (male) Bond villains how it should be done. She manages to play victim and aggressor, has some great scenes with Brosnan and Judi Dench, kidnaps M, kills poor old Robbie Coltrane and gets shot in the head at point blank range.

Auric Goldfinger

The archetypal Bond villain: OTT plan, endless money, foreign accent. He has expensive tastes, a mute henchman and a big fuck off laser. What more do you want me to say?! Do you expect me to talk…?

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Kananga

One final mention for Yaphet Kotto’s superbly evil and vicious bastard, as he brings such an intensity to the part. Almost every time you see him he looks like he is barely restraining himself from tearing your head off. Admittedly, alter-ego Mr Big could do with modern day prosthetics, but the idea is sound enough (if you don’t think about it too hard). He’s terrifying in his behaviour towards Solitaire, charming and almost courteously deferential towards Bond – and a complete psychopath towards almost everyone else. Ruthless, sadistic and dominating, his sheer force of will make him a great Bond villain.

Bubbling Under… Max Zorin, Scaramanga, Alex Trevelyan, Elliot Carver, Dr No

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In order to make this last until the official birthday in October, I am going to publish in chunks throughout the year. So, for the moment, this is where we pause – but fear not

The James Bond Challenge Will Return

]]> http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/2012/02/07/mission-7-bond-villains/feed/ 0 Paul http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/mission-6-opening-titles/ http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/2012/02/03/mission-6-opening-titles/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:41:12 +0000 Paul http://goldfishandparacetamol.wordpress.com/?p=3959 ]]> Much has been talked about, over the years, regarding Maurice Binder’s iconic title sequences for the James Bond films. However, I think that there are others that stand out just as much, if not more so, than some of his. Given that the only films these days that actually have a proper opening title sequence seem to be the Bond movies, this is where I pick my favourites. In particular order they are:

From Russia With Love

Robert Brownjohn’s simple, yet brilliant, credit sequence and John Barry’s superb opening theme.

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Casino Royale

I think this was Daniel Kleinman’s best title sequence. It may even be my personal favourite of the entire series.

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Goldeneye

Following on from Maurice Binder was always going to be controversial, much like any composer who wasn’t John Barry, but Daniel Kleinman’s entry to the series was, I think, leagues above Binder’s last few efforts.

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Live and Let Die

Great song, atmospheric visuals, terrifying burning skull. What’s not to love? (apart from weird silhouette girl waving at nothing about a minute and half in…)

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Quantum of Solace

There’s something about this that I really love. I’ve always liked the song but the visuals are striking – and I love the way the credits appear too (and the font). It’s a collective doing the titles this time round, called MK12 but it’s a great job. Really nice.

Live and Let Die

Simply an amazing song, perfect for Bond. I love the wonderful drop in tempo around the middle, before coming back with a vengeance to build for the end. Covered many, many times and none have been as good as this.

You Only Live Twice

I’ve always had a soft spot for this one. It was the first Bond film I saw as a kid and I’ve always liked Nancy Sinatra’s voice.

Diamonds Are Forever

This is so much better than Goldfinger, in my opinion. Bassey’s voice is easily at it’s strongest and the last 30 seconds, as Barry’s music ramps up, are superb.

Surrender

The song that should have been the opener for Tomorrow Never Dies but was relegated to the end credits. Much like David Arnold’s score for the film this song, by Arnold, Don Black and David McAlmont, is an absolute tribute to the Bond songs of the past. And the final note that k.d. lang sings… Just how long does she hold that for? Fifteen seconds! Eat your heart out Tom Jones (9 seconds on Thunderball)…

You Know My Name

On first listen, I really wasn’t sure about this. By the third listen I was hooked and it’s easily one of the strongest. There are a few versions knocking around but the more orchestral version that accompanies the film is my personal favourite.

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While we’re on the subject, I’d thought I’d throw in some of my favourite cover versions. There have been many over the years but these have always stood out for me.

From Russia With Love

Natacha Atlas voice is beautiful and this is a gorgeous take on the Matt Monroe classic.

Diamonds Are Forever

David McAlmont was the perfect choice for this and David Arnold’s arrangement is, I think, faultless. Possibly the best cover ever.

You Only Live Twice

The Postmarks version is as laid back as Sinatra’s – but different. I’ve always liked this band. American but Anglophiles, they worked The Tomorrow People theme into a set which surely singles them out as good guys!

On Her Majesty’s Secret Service

What can I say about this? An awesome arrangement of an already awesome piece of music. Class.

Sean Connery

Both of these films have cracking opening sequences. Thunderball, despite being overlong, has the great fight after the funeral, the ‘rocket man’ outfit and the return of the Aston with all the gadgets. What’s not to love?

Then, of course, there is

Roger Moore

For Your Eyes Only has an opening sequence that I love for almost all of it, then drops the ball in the last 30 seconds. I adore the scenes at Tracy’s grave and the wonderful, knowing look he gives the headstone as he leaves, almost as if he’s speaking to her (watch it and you’ll see what I mean) and almost everything in the helicopter is really well done. I’m probably one of the few people who really likes Bill Conti’s score for this film and the pre-title sequence is no exception. The only downside is when he drops Blofeld down the chimney. I know it was EON giving the finger to Kevin McClory but given the rest of the film, it seems a little out of place in hindsight.

And then there is this one. I know the parachute is a bit corny but the ski-chase is excellent and the music always gives me a buzz too.

Timothy Dalton

I’ve always loved the opening to The Living Daylights. I like the way it starts off the whole Smiert Spionem plotline, Dalton looks hard as nails and John Barry’s final score for the series is brilliant.

Pierce Brosnan

I saw Goldeneye on the opening night in a cinema packed with Bond fans. The future of the franchise was riding on this film and the opening sequence was a blinder. The final shots where Bond manages to pull the plane up from a fatal nose-dive was ludicrous but brilliant and received a standing ovation from the audience – mostly for it’s cheek I think.

My other favourite is The World is Not Enough. The boat chase is superb and having it on the Thames gave it an extra frisson. I love the Remington Steele adjusting of the tie underwater and the spectacular (and painful) roll down the Millennium Dome. The added bonus is David Arnold’s wonderful score -one of his best Brosnan moments, in my opinion.

Daniel Craig

I love both Craig movies and have never understood the fan bile against Quantum of Solace. The pre-title sequence’s frantic energy gets me every time and when the Alfa Romeo goes off the cliff it’s shot in a beautifully unusual way. David Arnold turns in his best Bond score and it finishes on a freeze frame. Love it.

Casino Royale‘s pre-titles are, I think, perfect. Possibly the best ever…?

The local schoolteacher finds them to be a right handful, the God-fearing puritans struggle to get to grips with first one then the other….even the vampire on the hill can’t wait to start sucking on them.

Honestly, they just can’t contain themselves.  Careful handling is advised.

What? Yes, I know she’s got a sister. They’re twins.

What did you think I was talking about?

As usual, you can download from here or subscribe via iTunes – and don’t forget you can tell me your thoughts about our show and the topics we cover here, or on the TimeVault website, Facebook group or Twitter feed.