The recent release of the new Beatles electronic game (and subsequent remastered works) has brought out the Beatles haters in force. I have always wondered how--no, more like questioned, whether someone can genuinely not like their music. I have explored this question from every angle I can think of...and have not yet found a plausible case for disliking the genre. I call it "genre" because it is a body of work large enough and different enough to warrant it.
And that brings me to my conclusion that it is not possible to hate Beatles music. I will concede that with a mild brain defect, it is fathomable that one may dislike many of the tunes the Fab Four produced. After all, some people don't like steak. Others still, don't like lobster. Therein lies the rub and the crux of my argument. The Beatles "buffet" consists of not only juicy steak and succulent lobster, but also lasagna, cherries, ice cream, cheesecake and several other recipes I can't put my finger on at the moment.
You tell me, dear reader, how anyone cannot find something to enjoy in that array. From She Loves You to Twist and Shout to Sgt. Pepper to Something to Back in the USSR to Long and Winding Road to--I'd better stop myself here or I might name every one of their songs. Their music spans much of the universe of sound. From the child-like tunes to the amazingly crafted ones, there's something for every taste. To continue the gastronomic metaphor, to say you don't like Beatles music is like saying "I don't like food".
So, to those who insist they hate the Beatles, I can only feel sorry for you...just as I feel sorry for those who suffer from anorexia...or mental illness.
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label music. Show all posts
Friday 11 September 2009
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Name That Tune
I started another site recently called "Name That Tune". It's fashioned after the popular game show from the '70's. There are three clues in the form of increasing snippets of the beginning of classic rock and pop songs from mostly 50's-70's. Give it a whirl--maybe challenge your friends. The answer follows the clues in the form of a link. I've been adding a new tune each day, so be sure to bookmark it. You can get there from here. There's also a link on the right hand side of this page.
Sunday 1 February 2009
Life is ebbing away
I'm 54 years old and I'm dying. I don't have cancer. I don't have heart disease. I don't have any terminal affliction at all. As I was watching a documentary about the making of the 1957 movie Sweet Smell of Success (starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis and Martin Milner, best known for Adam-12), something I've been feeling for a few years now suddenly became clear. Every time another celebrity from my early life passes away, so too does a piece of me. I have seen hundreds of heroes and villains alike go to the great beyond. This evening, it felt like there's very little left of me to die.
It doesn't help that I have lost interest in some of the things that used to inspire, enlighten and fill my life with joy. I haven't been to the movie theatre in four years, before that, it was ten years. Between the years I was five and twelve years old (early 60's), I used to go to the movies once a week. It shaped my early impressions of life. Later, when I was about 20, I returned to my weekly habit of movie-going. That lasted about 10 years. It seems that the biggest draw became special effects.
I had the misfortune of having a formative mind just at the time that rock and roll was born. Misfortune, because once the explosion and subsequent wave of incomprehensibly historic music waned, for me, it was as if music had died altogether. Hip hop just doesn't cut it after living through Elvis, The Twist, Beatle Mania, The British Invasion, Woodstock, Heavy Rock, etc.
I never realized how much some of the celebrities who were a part of my life meant to me until they were gone. I don't even understand now why watching an episode of the Dean Martin Roast series on YouTube practically brings me to tears even though I might have a huge grin on my face. I mean other than the fact that probably about half the guests from those shows are ghosts now. It's as if the death of each figure from my childhood takes a little of the colour of my soul away and soon I will be invisible...like them.
I wasn't ready for it, although it's perfectly logical that a point would be reached where the rate of dying celebs from any era would reach a crescendo. At my current age, many of the actors, musicians, comics, etc. that I watched, listened to, laughed at and idolized in my early life, who were just establishing themselves are now about 65-75 years old--right about life expectancy for them. I have mourned so many of the older ones already; I feel I don't have the heart to endure any more. Here is just a sample of the prominent figures who met their maker in 2008...
Suzanne Pleshette - Emily on The Bob Newhart Show.
Roy Scheider - French Connection, Jaws
Sir Arthur C. Clarke - 2001-A space Odyssey
Richard Widmark - Judgement at Nuremberg
Charleton Heston - Ben Hur, Planet of the Apes
Dick Martin - Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In
Harvey Korman - Carol Burnett Show, Blazing Saddles
George Carlin - Comic
Larry Harmon - You probably know him by his "other name"--Bozo the Clown
Isaac Hayes - Wrote the theme from Shaft, the chef on South Park
Jerry Reed - When You're Hot, You're Hot, Amos Moses, Smokey and the Bandit
Paul Newman - List too long
Bettie Page - 50's pin-up model, early Playboy centrefold
Van Johnson - Actor
Rock and Roll Heaven
It doesn't help that I have lost interest in some of the things that used to inspire, enlighten and fill my life with joy. I haven't been to the movie theatre in four years, before that, it was ten years. Between the years I was five and twelve years old (early 60's), I used to go to the movies once a week. It shaped my early impressions of life. Later, when I was about 20, I returned to my weekly habit of movie-going. That lasted about 10 years. It seems that the biggest draw became special effects.
I had the misfortune of having a formative mind just at the time that rock and roll was born. Misfortune, because once the explosion and subsequent wave of incomprehensibly historic music waned, for me, it was as if music had died altogether. Hip hop just doesn't cut it after living through Elvis, The Twist, Beatle Mania, The British Invasion, Woodstock, Heavy Rock, etc.
I never realized how much some of the celebrities who were a part of my life meant to me until they were gone. I don't even understand now why watching an episode of the Dean Martin Roast series on YouTube practically brings me to tears even though I might have a huge grin on my face. I mean other than the fact that probably about half the guests from those shows are ghosts now. It's as if the death of each figure from my childhood takes a little of the colour of my soul away and soon I will be invisible...like them.
I wasn't ready for it, although it's perfectly logical that a point would be reached where the rate of dying celebs from any era would reach a crescendo. At my current age, many of the actors, musicians, comics, etc. that I watched, listened to, laughed at and idolized in my early life, who were just establishing themselves are now about 65-75 years old--right about life expectancy for them. I have mourned so many of the older ones already; I feel I don't have the heart to endure any more. Here is just a sample of the prominent figures who met their maker in 2008...
Suzanne Pleshette - Emily on The Bob Newhart Show.
Roy Scheider - French Connection, Jaws
Sir Arthur C. Clarke - 2001-A space Odyssey
Richard Widmark - Judgement at Nuremberg
Charleton Heston - Ben Hur, Planet of the Apes
Dick Martin - Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In
Harvey Korman - Carol Burnett Show, Blazing Saddles
George Carlin - Comic
Larry Harmon - You probably know him by his "other name"--Bozo the Clown
Isaac Hayes - Wrote the theme from Shaft, the chef on South Park
Jerry Reed - When You're Hot, You're Hot, Amos Moses, Smokey and the Bandit
Paul Newman - List too long
Bettie Page - 50's pin-up model, early Playboy centrefold
Van Johnson - Actor
Rock and Roll Heaven
Tuesday 13 January 2009
Saturday 3 January 2009
New music video
I recently posted a new music video at my sister site. Actually, it has nothing to do with my sister. I hope you enjoy it.
www.videosbyvinny.blogspot.com
www.videosbyvinny.blogspot.com
Thursday 18 December 2008
Q & A's from around the web
What is the best dialogue to make someone happy within 1 minuets ?
Even without dialogue, listening to 1 minuet is usually enough to make me happy. :)
Even without dialogue, listening to 1 minuet is usually enough to make me happy. :)
Tuesday 21 October 2008
Background music
The song you're hearing is from one of my recent music videos. I'm thinking of playing some background music here on an ongoing basis. If you like this song, it's The Beatles' Free as a Bird (currently third one down) found here: www.videosbyvinny.blogspot.com
Tuesday 23 September 2008
The serious business of developing a music video
Barbie is a dear friend who sometimes helps me with graphic work and or advice when I'm working on a music video. You can view them at www.videosbyvinny.blogspot.com Anyway, the following collaborative exchange occurred on an instant messenger about my then current project Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison:
Barbie I'm going to watch it now.
Barbie great!!
Barbie one thing bothers me though
Vinny what?
Barbie the close up of the girl when it says brown eyed girl
Barbie her eyes are shut
Barbie or looking down
Barbie can't see brown eyes
Vinny You're right.
Vinny That would be much better.
Barbie the song is about brown eyes
Vinny You think we could doc the pic?
Barbie maybe
Barbie send me the pic i'll try
Vinny sends girl1.jpg
Barbie my eyes are not looking good at all
Barbie sends vinny girl1b.jpg
Vinny She doesn't look like she's looking at the flower.
Vinny Maybe I can change the title to "Cross-eyed Girl".
Barbie hhahaahaa
Unfortunately, you cannot view my Brown Eyed Girl music video because the rights holder asked me to take it down. It was easily my best and most popular music video to date. I had it on YouTube for about a week before they shut it down. In that time, it received over 14,000 views.
Barbie I'm going to watch it now.
Barbie great!!
Barbie one thing bothers me though
Vinny what?
Barbie the close up of the girl when it says brown eyed girl
Barbie her eyes are shut
Barbie or looking down
Barbie can't see brown eyes
Vinny You're right.
Vinny That would be much better.
Barbie the song is about brown eyes
Vinny You think we could doc the pic?
Barbie maybe
Barbie send me the pic i'll try
Vinny sends girl1.jpg
Barbie my eyes are not looking good at all
Barbie sends vinny girl1b.jpg
Vinny She doesn't look like she's looking at the flower.
Vinny Maybe I can change the title to "Cross-eyed Girl".
Barbie hhahaahaa
Unfortunately, you cannot view my Brown Eyed Girl music video because the rights holder asked me to take it down. It was easily my best and most popular music video to date. I had it on YouTube for about a week before they shut it down. In that time, it received over 14,000 views.
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