ANN-MARGRET
The female Elvis, and The Who's baked-beans girl. Tasty!
WORDS: SLEAZEGRINDER
The female Elvis? What was all about?
Although the reasons why seem sort of hazy at this point,
it's true that enduring 60s sex kitten Ann-Margret was often referred to as `the female Elvis'. She did, after all, appear with him in seminal rock'n'roll movie Viva Las Vegas. She also had her own recording career, which, like Elvis, included several gospel records. However, unlike Ann-Margret, Elvis didn't live long enough to go through a harrowing late-70s disco phase.
Speaking of harrowing, didn't she almost die on stage once?
True. During a performance at the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe in September 1972, the stage collapsed and Ann plummeted 22 feet to the ground. Among other injuries, she sustained a broken jaw and several smashed bones in her face. Rather heroically, her husband, Route 66 star Roger Smith, stole a plane and flew her to the hospital. Apparently an ambulance was out of the question. Amazingly, she made a full recovery and was back on the road within a year.
Classic Rock moment?
What with the Elvis movie and the persistent rumours about their on-set romance, her appearances as howling stone-age sex kitten Ann-Margrock in The Flintstones, and her positively punk-rock performance as a snarly reform schoolgirl in 1964's classic juvenile delinquent flick Kitten With A Whip, well, you can take your pick. But for our money, Ann's most rock'n'roll moment has to be her wild baked-beans freakout in The Who's psychedelic rock opera Tommy - far out, man.
Best place to see her these days?
Ann-Margret is still an active performer who frequently appears in film and on television, but the best place to catch her is on tour, where she still belts out her saucy hits dressed in leather and knee-high boots. Occasionally she even rolls on to the stage in a customised motorcycle, Rob Halford-style.
Oh yeah, one more thing... Can I see her naked anywhere?
Currently, there is no topless section of her live show, but she did perform a few skintastic sex scenes in films over the years, including 1971's racy relationship drama Carnal Knowledge and, if you don't mind a little stone-cold terror with your titillation, 1978's ventriloquist dummy horrorshow Magic. Sadly, the dummy was not involved in her bedroom scene.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
MUSE-ABSOLUTION
MUSE-ABSOLUTION
RELEASED 2003 HIGHEST UK CHART POSITION N0.1 SLEEVE DESIGN STORM THORGERSON
When the Hipgnosis design studio dissolved in 1983, having created the defining album sleeves of the 70s, lynchpin Storm Thorgerson dabbled in everything from music videos ("the anus of the business") to commercials ("emotionally and intellectually bankrupt") before returning to the medium that made his name. A wise move. Twenty-five years on, he remains the most respected cover artist of them all, equally noted for his daring and inventive work with modern bands as for his classic Floyd and Zep sleeves.
Conceptual, grandiose and touched by the hand of prog, Muse always seemed like a band Thorgerson should be set loose on, and he got his commission as they scouted for ideas for 2003's Absolution. "Muse saw the basic design on our website and asked if we could do it properly," Storm notes in his blog.
After discussion, the location agreed on was a gravel pit in Essex and the photographer was Rupert Truman.
The theme put forward by the artist was "a character looking up to the sky to witness a squadron of giant flying people passing overhead - silent, mysterious figures who we can see only by their shadows... perhaps on their way to absolution". Also important was a sense of mystery. "We're left to view them through his eyes," notes Thorgerson, "not sure who and what they are, nor their effect on him. What are the flying giant people? What are they doing? These questions are left open, because all the viewer knows is the shadows, not the thing itself.
"We were unsure of the character of the person looking up," he adds, "so we took several variations and used them all, for vinyl, DVD, poster and adverts."
The visual effect was a perfect complement to the apocalyptic theme that runs through the music, and Thorgerson remains justifiably proud of the result.
"[It was] intense, heady stuff and a pleasure to work is on," he says. "The sleeve reminded me of a children's like illustration by Maurice Sendk: full of magic, like a fairy tale. I felt it had a strong graphic element as much as a narrative element, and the two together are what makes the image work."
"I hasten to add," he says, "that the shadows are real and awkward to arrange, especially given the poor English weather. A strong midday sun was essential - we should have gone to Spain."
Classic Rock
RELEASED 2003 HIGHEST UK CHART POSITION N0.1 SLEEVE DESIGN STORM THORGERSON
When the Hipgnosis design studio dissolved in 1983, having created the defining album sleeves of the 70s, lynchpin Storm Thorgerson dabbled in everything from music videos ("the anus of the business") to commercials ("emotionally and intellectually bankrupt") before returning to the medium that made his name. A wise move. Twenty-five years on, he remains the most respected cover artist of them all, equally noted for his daring and inventive work with modern bands as for his classic Floyd and Zep sleeves.
Conceptual, grandiose and touched by the hand of prog, Muse always seemed like a band Thorgerson should be set loose on, and he got his commission as they scouted for ideas for 2003's Absolution. "Muse saw the basic design on our website and asked if we could do it properly," Storm notes in his blog.
After discussion, the location agreed on was a gravel pit in Essex and the photographer was Rupert Truman.
The theme put forward by the artist was "a character looking up to the sky to witness a squadron of giant flying people passing overhead - silent, mysterious figures who we can see only by their shadows... perhaps on their way to absolution". Also important was a sense of mystery. "We're left to view them through his eyes," notes Thorgerson, "not sure who and what they are, nor their effect on him. What are the flying giant people? What are they doing? These questions are left open, because all the viewer knows is the shadows, not the thing itself.
"We were unsure of the character of the person looking up," he adds, "so we took several variations and used them all, for vinyl, DVD, poster and adverts."
The visual effect was a perfect complement to the apocalyptic theme that runs through the music, and Thorgerson remains justifiably proud of the result.
"[It was] intense, heady stuff and a pleasure to work is on," he says. "The sleeve reminded me of a children's like illustration by Maurice Sendk: full of magic, like a fairy tale. I felt it had a strong graphic element as much as a narrative element, and the two together are what makes the image work."
"I hasten to add," he says, "that the shadows are real and awkward to arrange, especially given the poor English weather. A strong midday sun was essential - we should have gone to Spain."
Classic Rock
Sunday, January 27, 2008
ERIC CLAPTON-Complete Clapton
ERIC CLAPTON-Complete Clapton
Polydor
From Layla to Layla.
Compiled to tie in with his new autobiography,this two-CD best of from his Cream days to his latest collaboration with JJ Cale will satisfy anyone wanting а userfriendly Clapton overview for their iPod.
The first CD covers Clapton's first decade, setting up the legend from Cream to Derek And The Dominoes along with his first great career revival in the mid-70s with I Shot The Sheriff, Wonderful Tonight etc.
The second sensibly skips the early 80s and finds plenty to cherry-picks including She's Waiting, Pretending, Bad Love, Tears In Heaven and а sprinkling of blues; naturally you get both versions of Layla.
There's nothing to tempt the collector, but then they have more than enough box sets to keep them occupied.
Hugh Fielder
Polydor
From Layla to Layla.
Compiled to tie in with his new autobiography,this two-CD best of from his Cream days to his latest collaboration with JJ Cale will satisfy anyone wanting а userfriendly Clapton overview for their iPod.
The first CD covers Clapton's first decade, setting up the legend from Cream to Derek And The Dominoes along with his first great career revival in the mid-70s with I Shot The Sheriff, Wonderful Tonight etc.
The second sensibly skips the early 80s and finds plenty to cherry-picks including She's Waiting, Pretending, Bad Love, Tears In Heaven and а sprinkling of blues; naturally you get both versions of Layla.
There's nothing to tempt the collector, but then they have more than enough box sets to keep them occupied.
Hugh Fielder
Т REX-Bolan At The Beeb
Т REX-Bolan At The Beeb
Polydor
Illuminating ВВС performances.
This three-CD box of live sessions from 1967 to 1971 proves that the elfin prince of acoustic whimsy was really always wild at heart: Hot Rod Мата, an early John Peel show recording, has аll the rock'n'roll drive of а Jeepster.
Bolan's transformation from mystical hippie into shiny pop star wasn't as clear-cut as many remember. Не was using electric guitar in 1969, on Ву The Light Of А Magical Moon, and he continued playing preТ Rex classics Debora and Elemental Child into his new glam reincarnation.
The collection also documents the ever-changing shapes of Bolan's songs. An October 1970 recording of Ride А White Swan struts as crisply and sexily as on the record; two months later it's saturated with wah-wah.
Historically fascinating.
Carol Clerk
Polydor
Illuminating ВВС performances.
This three-CD box of live sessions from 1967 to 1971 proves that the elfin prince of acoustic whimsy was really always wild at heart: Hot Rod Мата, an early John Peel show recording, has аll the rock'n'roll drive of а Jeepster.
Bolan's transformation from mystical hippie into shiny pop star wasn't as clear-cut as many remember. Не was using electric guitar in 1969, on Ву The Light Of А Magical Moon, and he continued playing preТ Rex classics Debora and Elemental Child into his new glam reincarnation.
The collection also documents the ever-changing shapes of Bolan's songs. An October 1970 recording of Ride А White Swan struts as crisply and sexily as on the record; two months later it's saturated with wah-wah.
Historically fascinating.
Carol Clerk
DEAD KENNEDYS-Milking The Sacred Cow
DEAD KENNEDYS-Milking The Sacred Cow
Cherry Red
Jello-less Kennedys' further attempt to grab lost royalties.
Similar to the Pistols with their Flogging А Dead Horse,East Bay Ray and chums suggest it's okay to dump on your band's past as long as you use а mildly ironic album title. Even if your tracklisting amounts to а meagre 10 tracks, with two live tracks bolted on as an afterthought.
The real DKs released а comprehensive 17-track singles and B-sides compilation in 1987 titled Give Ме Convenience Or Give Ме Death. The remaining-admittedly fantastic - tracks included here are from classic politico-punk albums which should be heard in their entirety by anyone with even а passing interest. With this album packaged in pseudo-Winston smith artwork, the Fake Kennedys are fooling no one.
Alex Burrows
Cherry Red
Jello-less Kennedys' further attempt to grab lost royalties.
Similar to the Pistols with their Flogging А Dead Horse,East Bay Ray and chums suggest it's okay to dump on your band's past as long as you use а mildly ironic album title. Even if your tracklisting amounts to а meagre 10 tracks, with two live tracks bolted on as an afterthought.
The real DKs released а comprehensive 17-track singles and B-sides compilation in 1987 titled Give Ме Convenience Or Give Ме Death. The remaining-admittedly fantastic - tracks included here are from classic politico-punk albums which should be heard in their entirety by anyone with even а passing interest. With this album packaged in pseudo-Winston smith artwork, the Fake Kennedys are fooling no one.
Alex Burrows
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