IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE 014 (CD Version)

 

IOMB014  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

It is difficult to keep quiet if you have nothing to say. (Malcolm Margolin) 

ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME 041 (CD Version)

 

AAA041  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

Hasten slowly (Festina lente). (Augustus Caesar) 

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES 044: QUEEN - LIVE AT WEMBLEY STADIUM (1986)

 

After the conclusion of the 1986 "Magic Tour", Queen would retire from touring (at least in their original, pre-Paul Rodgers, pre-Adam Lambert form). Known for being one of the most electrifying live acts, the band concluded the stage in style, with a rousing set of shows, highlighted by a huge concert at Wembley Stadium in July. No strangers to Wembley, Queen took on the world at Live Aid the previous year, captivating all those in attendance, Queen fans or not, with a universally-praised set that is synonymous with the entire event. 

This concert is all about entertainment, it's all about Freddie (and the rest of the band) displaying their prowess as entertainers and performers. There is nothing important about the concert in the grand scheme of things, well at least when considering music as a whole, but of course, it being the latest live release we'd get from the group, it's a profound experience for diehard fans. This show survives simply on being great - it's no "Kick Out The Jams" (MC5) or "Live At Leeds" (The Who), it's no "Live At The Apollo" (James Brown) or "Stop Making Sense" (Talking Heads), it's Queen insane level of performance and nothing else. 

We open with "One Vision", a certified crowd-pleaser, electrifying in its "we're gonna rock tonight" heavy guitar style, and also very fresh at the time. "Tie Your Mother Down", perhaps the band's best "great rock opener" post - "Brighton Rock" follows, and much like "One Vision", the fans hang on every word, every lick from Brian, every chance to sing along, they were adhesively attached to the music, and the ridiculous bombast presented by Freddie. 

Speaking of Freddie's bombast, his enigmatic showmanship, "Live At Wembley" proves his connection with the audience via many of the band's most famous live moments. Whether it be the sing-along bridge in "Another One Bites The Dust", which sounds amazingly richer than the studio version here, or his audience-testing "ayyy ohh" moments, or the strangely connective "impromptu", the bond was always present. 

Despite having a shitload of hit singles at this point, Queen weren't dependant on the hits here. They briefly play "In The Lap Of The Gods...Revisited", the closer from "Sheer Heart Attack", quite beautiful in its nostalgic balladry, and "Seven Seas Of Rhye" follows, which did get to Nr10 in the UK charts, but by Queen standards at this point, that may as well have been an album track. 

"Tear It Up", the song that Queen surely hoped initially would become a major hit is played, as is the namesake of the "Magic Tour", "A Kind Of Magic", with length and nifty jam portions. Following is "Under Pressure", one of the true highlights of the first half of the live album, with Freddie singing both his and David Bowie's parts beautifully. 

After the aforementioned "Another One Bites The Dust", Freddie says the poignant words: "We're going to stay together until we fucking well die", addressing apparent rumours that Queen were going to break up. It's a fairly bittersweet statement, as Queen's togetherness was only broken by Freddie's death in 1991, with the band seemingly planning on going and going if possible, but his discovery of his illness just a year later, and the fact that the next song they play is "Who Wants To Live Forever", makes the statement an incredibly sad one. 

In "I Want To Break Free", Freddie doesn't shine on his vocal performance, and the song does seem to be the only moment in the entire show where he doesn't seem to really get the crowd to sing along in the way he'd like. Then there's "Brighton Rock Solo", which is an amazing showcase of Brian May's talent. "Now I'm Here" picks the show up straight after, a crucial reminder that Queen put together a few bangers in their early days. 

The oldie covers aren't going to be to everyone's liking. Queen were always adamant that they broadcast a number of their influences, and fair enough, their cover of "Tutti Frutti" is nicely amped-up, but "Baby I Don't Care" and "Hello Mary Lou" come close to really cheesing up the concert, and "Big Spender", while pretty groovy, is too short. We continue with premium Queen balladry, firstly in the form of a guitar version of "Love Of My Life", with Freddie receiving a nice ovation after speaking the words "I Still Love You", and "Is This The World We Created?" follows, a sometimes overlooked Queen song and the audience loves it here. 

Later on, the band essentially goes into its Live Aid set, with "Bohemian Rhapsody" kicking it off. Then Freddie shouts "Hammer To Fall" and plays it to the delight of a devoted audience. It sounds mind-blowingly powerful, with Queen somehow continuing to rock pretty hard even though they'd been playing for a good while at this point. Freddie gets his own guitar out and struggles his way through a lengthy rendition of "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", with an extended solo (guitar and piano). The audience didn't seem to be able to get the rhythm right when clapping along. They do the same in the intro of "Radio Ga Ga", although it's a quite excellent performance. 

Unlike what fans had become accustomed to, "Friends Will Be Friends" is positioned in between "We Will Rock You" and "We Are The Champions", which makes for a nice change, even if it is a brief rendition. The other two definitely fulfil their duty of being the grand climax of a Queen gig. As always, Queen's version of "God Save The Queen" echoes out of the speakers to end the show, and there you have it, an incredibly substantial collection of hits, and a demonstration of what almighty performers Queen were. 

But before we get to the main feature, let's enjoy...

The Pre-Show:

 

In our "Film Extras" section we will enjoy two interesting video-documents, first we recuperate the 1985 Queen Live Aid Concert and second we'll have the opportunity of enjoying an interesting BBC documentary on Freddie Mercury titled "The Final Act". Very interesting though sad to watch how such a brilliant artist and human being had to leave too soon. It wasn't meant to be. 

Concerning our "TV On Deck" section, we continue with our 60s-70s comedy sitcoms and our cartoon delight. Plus our "newbie" and his continued adventures in Las Vegas. 

TPS001  TPS002  TPS003  TPS004  TPS005  TPS006  TPS007

The Main Feature: 

Title: Queen: Live At Wembley Stadium  

Director: Gavin Taylor  

Cast: Freddie Mercury / Brian May / Roger Taylor / John Deacon 

Release Date: December 1990  

Country: UK 

TMFQWS001  TMFQWS002  TMFQWS003

On Your Way Out: 

As our motto goes: "Grab 'em, Use 'em, Enjoy 'em". You all know by now this section is here to hopefully, enhance your experience of viewing today's flick. The pictures, the reading material plus the listening extras, all have one common goal: pleasure through learning! 

Cheers.

Shade. 

OYWO

Note: Password for all files: Shade'sVintageRadio 

The truest poetry is the most feigning. (William Shakespeare) 

SHADE'S VINTAGE RADIO SPECIAL 037: ROCKABILLY GROOVIN' V01

 

SVRSP037  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

I feel bad that I don't feel worse. (Michael Frayn)  

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT 039

TSTL039  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

In love the paradox occurs that two beings become one and yet remain two. (Erich Fromm) 

IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE 014

 

IOMB001  IOMB002  IOMB003  IOMB004  IOMB005  IOMB006  IOMB007  

(pw: Shade'sVintageRadio)      I was shipwrecked before I got aboard. (Seneca) 

ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME 041

 

AAA041  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

Drawing on my fine command of language I said nothing. (Robert C. Benchley) 

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES 043: BYE BYE BIRDIE (1963)

 

The news is breaking across the nation: Conrad Birdie (Jesse Pearson), teen sensation and the most famous singer in the land, has been drafted! Girls from coast to coast are up in arms, how could the government do such a thing to their idol? But spare a thought for the songwriters who make their money from Conrad's million-selling records, what are they going to do now? One of them, Albert F. Peterson (Dick Van Dyke), is barely scraping a living as it is, and wonders if he ought to go back to chemistry, but his secretary Rosie (Janet Leigh), who is also his girlfriend, has a great idea: how about making Conrad's last public appearance a real publicity stunt? 

Bye Bye Birdie was based on the long-running stage musical, although some changes were made between the two so that the film version could better show off the talents of Ann-Margret, a new star who was starting to be a sensation herself thanks to efforts like this. She played Kim McAfee, a supposedly typical American teenager, who is chosen by The Ed Sullivan Show (Ed Sullivan plays himself) to appear on television at Conrad's farewell and be blessed with a kiss from the megastar. In effect, this means the cast (apart from Ed) have to congregate at Kim's smalltown home of Sweet Apple, Ohio, creating quite a to-do. 

When the original was written, it was taken from the headlines about Elvis Presley going into the U.S. Army and the worries for his fans (and hopes for his non-fans) that his career would be over. This isn't quite successful as satire, mainly because while Conrad Birdie (his name a spoof of Conway Twitty's for some reason) is vain and self-impressed, something of a jerk in fact, Elvis was well known as being a thoroughly nice guy, so the object of the lampooning is more the stereotypical showbiz monsters you hear about than an accurate portrayal of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. And besides, nobody was going to mistake the tunes here for anything other than light pop, if that. 

Bye Bye Birdie features a number of well-known songs which were written for the show by Charles Strouse and Lee Adams. Among them are "Put on a Happy Face" (sung by Van Dyke and Leigh); "Kids" (sung by Van Dyke, Lynde, Stapleton, and Bryan Russell, who plays Kim's young brother); and "A lot of Living to Do" (sung by Ann-Margret, Rydell, and Pearson). The film also includes some well-executed dance numbers, including one in which Janet Leigh hoofs it in a meeting room populated by fez-adorned Shriners. 

Two of the stars of the stage show were transported over to the big screen, Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde, and although both were vocal about their dissatisfaction with the movie they were household names already, though more for television than film. Lynde plays Kim's harrassed father, which he does very amusingly. He certainly gets most of the funniest lines from a script by Irving Brecher which could have been snappier, though does gather up a fair few targets in its arms. 

This results in a neat snapshot of what was obsessing America in the years just before the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, and all that national innocence we heard about was supposedly lost forever. So there are troubles with the Soviets when the Moscow Ballet run too long in rehearsals, meaning Conrad's song is cut, the effect of rock 'n' roll on the country's morals is much worried over, if something's not on television then it's as good as never happened. Ann-Margret overshadows everyone, a flame-haired firecracker who may not show off great range, but you can see why she was taken to the hearts of the teens of her day. 

But before we get to the main feature, let's enjoy...

The Pre-Show:

 

Our "Film Extras" section shares nine video documents, which expand through interviews and visual aids, those offered in SNATM 009 "Viva Las Vegas", concerning the figure of Ann-Margret. Mostly dedicated to our Main Feature flick Bye Bye Birdie, but also concerning her latest Lp release: Born To Be Wild. 

Concerning our "TV On Deck" section, we continue with our 60s-70s comedy sitcoms and our cartoon delight. Plus our "newbie" and his continued adventures in Las Vegas. 

TPS001  TPS002  TPS003  TPS004  

The Main Feature: 

Title: Bye Bye Birdie 

Director: George Sidney 

Cast: Janet Leigh / Dick Van Dyke / Ann-Margret / Bobby Rydell / Ed Sullivan 

Release Date: 04 April 1963 

Country: United States 

TMFBBB001  TMFBBB002  TMFBBB003

On Your Way Out: 

As our motto goes: "Grab 'em, Use 'em, Enjoy 'em". You all know by now this section is here to hopefully, enhance your experience of viewing today's flick. The pictures, the reading material plus the listening extras, all have one common goal: pleasure through learning! 

Cheers.

Shade. 

OYWO001  OYWO002  OYWO003

Note: Password for all files: Shade'sVintageRadio

Melancholy is the pleasure of being sad. (Victor Hugo) 

SHADE'S VINTAGE RADIO SPECIAL 036: NOT A SECOND TIME (PLS PLS ME) (CD Version)

SVRSP036  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

More tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones. (Mother Teresa) 

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT 038 (CD Version)

TSTL038  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

Life begins when a person first realizes how soon it ends. (Marcelene Cox) 

IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE 013 (CD Version)

IOMB013  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

Never have children, only grandchildren. (Gore Vidal)

ANYTHING, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME 040 (CD Version)

AAA040  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

Such ever was love's way; to rise, it stoops (Robert Browning) 

SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES 042: REINVENTING ELVIS (THE '68 COMEBACK)

 

The US was fighting a war that was becoming more and more polarizing as the years went on and, subsequently, the political state of the country was exceptionally fraught. In the entertainment world, Elvis's meteoric rise in the '50s, which quite literally changed American society by using music to bridge cultures and attitudes, was almost all but forgotten. The Beatles landed in the US in 1964 and supplanted the "Jailhouse Rock" singer while he was plying his trade in Hollywood - a situation that was increasingly comical with each new release. 

In a time in which winds of cultural change compelled artists to say something meaningful, the campier offerings of Harum Scarum and Spinout simply weren't cutting it anymore. By 1966, it was clear that fans were outgrowing the cinematic Elvis Formula. Elvis himself was disengaged from the process as his dreams of being taken seriously as an actor (which, for the record, did start out promising with films like King Creole, Flaming Star, and Wild In The Country) were decidedly dashed. Without an ounce of hyperbole, this attempt to revive his music career by way of a television special was his make - or - break moment. 

It is Elvis 101 that what Parker envisioned as a conventional Christmas special became instead a challenge. Less familiar details include the fact that the NBC deal was a byproduct of Parker's attempt to finance an Elvis film, and that he turned down Dean Martin's plush dressing room in favor of a "broom closet" next to the stage where the special was being produced, posting two William Morris agents dressed as British beefeaters at the door. Directed by John Scheinfeld, "Reinventing Elvis" does a great job of contextualizing NBC's Singer Presents... Elvis (now colloquially known as The '68 Comeback Special). 

The opening moments of "Reinventing Elvis" recall a brief panic for the '68 special's director Steve Binder and the rest of the production team when Elvis's nerves, the weight of the special, and his first live audience in nearly a decade threatened to take over just as he was due to arrive out on stage. Binder went into his dressing room and gave his star a brief, but pointed, pep talk: He had to walk out there, even if just for a second. After writing down a laundry list of already agreed upon talking points, Binder left Elvis, praying that the black leather clad singer would scrounge up the courage. 

Of course, Elvis did walk out onto that red and white boxing ring-like stage, and not only did he deliver one of his best performances, his artistry and charisma ushered in a new era of musical entertainment with the success of TV's first unplugged segment. Beginning with this storied moment in The '68 Comback Special's lore grants audiences the impression that the documentary's focus is on the production of the special and the mindset of Elvis before (and presumably after) he made history. Interviews with Binder, the special's writer Allan Blye, choreographer Jaime Rogers, and dancers who took part in the special all help shape this expectation. 

Notably, the stories by those who were involved with the special are vibrantly brought to life with beautifully restored clips and photos of Elvis during the special, which are, unquestionably, the highlights of the film. Seeing Elvis burst through the creative rut he was in with a raw magnetism all to his own, there's little doubt in our minds why The '68 Comeback Special was not only successful in terms of reviving Elvi's career, but why it has stood the test of time as a piece of music history. 

In the nine years between this special and Presley's passing, he lived a few lifetimes over. He reclaimed his throne as one of rock'n'roll's icons, had Las Vegas in the palm of his hands, and entertained every corner of America. Some sadly choose to remember Elvis as a caricature of himself in his final years when he was poorly fit and ill, but "Reinventing Elvis" holds him up at time when he sounded and looked better than anything we had seen or heard before or since. 

There is a wealth of information to be mined from "Reinventing Elvis", and viewers new to the Elvis story will find it to be a great starting point to understand the special's significance and why it was necessary. For fans, it is also a welcome reminder why we unabashedly ride with him almost 50 years since he left the building for good. 

But before we get to the main feature, let's enjoy...

The Pre-Show: 

 

In our "Film Extras" section we will expand our knowledge and enjoyment concerning Elvis, through interesting segments concerning Colonel Tom Parker and The Memphis Mafia. Plus, a poignant vision of the life and times of Lisa Marie Presley. 

Concerning our "TV On Deck" section, we continue with our 60s-70s comedy sitcoms and our cartoon delight. Plus, I'm sure you're looking forward to the "newcomer" which, free from doubt, you've already identified by looking at the photos. 

TPS001  TPS002  TPS003  TPS004  TPS005  TPS006  TPS007

The Main Feature: 

Title: Reinventing Elvis: The '68 Comeback

Director: John Scheinfeld 

Cast: Documentary

Country: USA 

TMFRE001  TMFRE002  TMFRE003

On Your Way Out: 

As our motto goes: "Grab 'em, Use 'em, Enjoy 'em". You all know by now this section is here to hopefully, enhance your experience of viewing today's flick. The pictures, the reading material plus the listening extras, all have one common goal: pleasure through learning! 

Cheers.

Shade. 

OYWO001  OYWO002

Note: Password for all files: Shade'sVintageRadio 

It takes twenty years to make an overnight success (Eddie Cantor) 

SHADE'S VINTAGE RADIO SPECIAL 036: NOT A SECOND TIME (PLEASE PLEASE ME)

 

SVRSP036  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

I sat screaming silently (Pauline Kael - "The Silence Of The Lambs") 

THE SKY'S THE LIMIT 038

 

TSTL038  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio)  

Don't play what's there, play what's not there (Miles Davis) 

IT'S ONLY MAKE BELIEVE 013

 

IOMB001  IOMB002  IOMB003  IOMB004  IOMB005  IOMB006  (pw: Shade'sVintageRadio) 

In great attempts, it is glorious even to fail (Longinus in "On The Sublime")