My TMR

Beautiful no show

2010-01-06T21:24:00.004+11:00

Update re Beautiful People - ABC Television ISN'T going straight onto series two on Wednesday nights. They have now shown series one twice, with no sign of series two coming.

DVDs are already on their way from Amazon UK!

Simon Doonan - after growing up in Reading he now lives among the Beautiful People

2010-01-02T03:59:00.006+11:00

The BBC sitcom Beautiful People brings to life the memoirs of famous Barneys of New York creative director Simon Doonan.

The series tracks the "slightly fey window dresser" through his early teenage years in Reading, England and introduces to us his stranger than fiction family: his wacky but glamorous mother Betty, father Terry who made homemade wine out of parsnips and potato skins, blind aunt Phyllis and his schizophenic grandmother "Narg", which is "Gran" backwards.

The TV show is based on Simon's written account of his younger life called Beautiful People, and is produced by Jon Plowman, the man behind Ab Fab and Little Britain.

Real life Simon, now 58, was chosen to decorate the White House for Christmas 2009. His work got the political and religious right frothing at the mouth a little, but was generally applauded as being very creative.

Since 1999, Simon has written a rather fun column for the New York Observer, which is worth keeping an eye on.

Bring on the Decadents

2010-01-01T21:47:00.001+11:00

What do you follow the Noughties with? Why the Decadents of course!

I asked my Facebook friends the question: With 10 years of the noughties about to end, what next? The nices?

To which my friend Sandy replied: Well surely with 10's relationship to "deca" it will be the decadents!!!

Impeccable logic I thought.

Beautiful People - patiently waiting for series two

2010-01-01T20:12:00.009+11:00

Having had its original run in Australia on ABC2 last year, ABC1 is replaying the six episodes of series one of Beautiful People on Wednesday nights.

With two more eps to go, I am hoping like hell that they go straight onto series two, which recently finished screening on BBC2.

The BBC is preventing us Assies from seeing series two on its iPlayer and on YouTube. But I did find some teasing little glimpses on the BBC's Beautiful People Facebook page.

Reactions from fans are very positive and the glimpses look promising. Here's hoping the ABC doesn't make us wait too long.

Buy Phillip Adams a case of Shiraz and lock him in a studio for five hours a day

2009-08-08T07:53:00.014+10:00

In Crikey, Thursday 6 Aug, Helen Razer writes:

Who said radio is irrelevant?"

Joan Warner, Chief Executive Officer of radio's peak body, Commercial Radio Australia, wants to know. Speaking this morning from the embers of digital radio's flashy Sydney launch, Warner would conscience no new media piffle about the ruin of her industry.

The large attendance at today's Radio United Event, she said, is evidence of the nation's enduring passion for the terrestrial. It was suggested to me via Tweet that "2000+ish" punters witnessed the historical moment unfold in Sydney's Martin Place. 2000+ish doesn't seem like a lot of passion from a city of 4 million.

Informal datasets by means of Twitter aside, Warner launched an erudite defence for radio's future.

At the suggestion that consumers will eventually shun music radio in favour of portable on-demand media players, Warner let forth a salvo of numbers.

Advertising revenues, she says, are stable and robust in this sector.

While no figures are yet available for sales of DAB+ digital radio receivers, these will be monitored and released in the long term by GfK Retail and Technology.

Significantly, a "platform of listening" box will be checked in the Nielsen media surveys. This means that digital will soon be included in radio ratings books.

Warner supposes that we will start to see trending toward digital listening by 09's final survey. She predicts that commercial digital radio licensees will show profit from their new, and more expensive, means of transmission within five years.

"Ha!" says my shadowy contact in commercial radio.

For a start, he says, uptake of hardware that costs upward of $150 and destroys, despite its docking functionality, the look of your iPod is likely to be very, very sluggish.

According to Mr Shadow, commercial radio never wanted this pricey millstone.

"Their participation in it is nothing more than an attempt to protect market share. They're there solely to keep competitors out."

Under the current arrangement, there are no competitors to traditional providers of radio on the digital multiplexes. It does seem odd that with enlarged bandwidth there are no current opportunities for niche broadcasters.

Expect, he says, no profits and, "automated crap like Novanation". A current view in commercial radio is that "alternative" talk is the medium's only future.

"That is, talk for emerging audience, not your established listener of 2GB," says Shadow. The migration to digital by traditional talk stations will hardly attract new audience. Who, after all, really needs to hear Alan Jones in stereo?

America's Sirius-XM satellite radio company is holding firm in its conviction that talk, largely in the form of Howard Stern, is the way of the future.

It's a shame, then, that the ABC is yet to offer anything more than music options. Won't someone tell the new head of ABC Radio to buy Phillip Adams a case of Shiraz and lock him in a studio for five hours a day?

"I'd listen to that," says Shadow.

So would I! Start shipping the Shiraz to Ultimo.

Gathering Storm with fake lightning

2009-05-02T17:12:00.003+10:00

Back HERE was Mark Morford's column in response to an ad on American TV slamming "gay Marriage".

If you missed the column, check it out, then view the ad he is talking about, just below. On my post featuring Mark's column you'll see a comment by Andrew about a brilliant parody of the TV ad, which you can see further below. You might recognise a few of the faces in it.

A Gaythering Storm from Jane Lynch

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Trek Week

2009-05-02T16:56:00.007+10:00

This is STAR TREK week, with the new movie out on Thursday. So, in celebration, here's some Klingon opera from Worf...

And this is VERY clever ... when Star Trek meets Monty Python...

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Adam Lambert

2009-04-21T02:59:00.006+10:00

Man this guy can sing. He has an incredible voice, wonderful charisma and a popular personal following... a perfect potential American Idol winner!

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Skins season 3

2009-04-18T13:57:00.001+10:00

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You spin me right round like a record baby

2009-04-18T08:15:00.009+10:00

It's Record Store Day around the world today and here in Australia many of our major artists are out visiting stores to meet the fans.

Even visiting international acts are taking part, like Cheech and Chong who are performing in Melbourne tonight. They'll be at JB Hi-Fi in Elizabeth Street. And Ronan Keating will be at Mall Music in the Sydney suburb of Brookvale.

Record Store Day is all about celebrating the place where we have traditionally been buying our music for many decades. It's an on-line download generation these days, but the good old record store is still far from dead, with so many of us still buying the good old CD.

And even more interesting is the vinyl revival that seems to be happening. More artists are releasing albums on vinyl, just like in the good old days.

Downloads may be here to stay but it's funny how fads go around, just like a 12 inch round piece of vinyl on a turntable.

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Jake's ukulele gently weeps

2009-04-14T21:57:00.010+10:00

Now you know from back at these previous posts that my all-time favourite song is George Harrison's amazing While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I can't ever imagine anything bettering that.

I'm not all that crazy about the ukulele ... except when Jake Shimabukuro plays it. And when he does so accompanied by Tommy Emmanuel, doing While My Guitar Gently Weeps, it's a little extra fun.

It was an earlier clip of Jake playing this tune on YouTube that helped his star to rise. And it is a piece his audiences still require him to play everywhere he goes.

Here are Jake and Tommy together on Australia's Today show...

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John Safran gets crucified on a cross

2009-04-12T10:22:00.009+10:00

I love John Safran, but what he did on Good Friday I think was stupid. Nevertheless, when it is shown on his new TV series, I won't be able to help but watch.

The silly bugger nailed himself to a cross with a bunch of other silly buggers in the Philippines. He was said to "moan loudly" as the nails were driven into his palms. His wooden cross was hoisted up for 5 minutes then he was reportedly taken down and given medical attention.

Did I say he was a silly bugger? But I guess it will make good TV footage.

Safran has had two series on SBS looking at the practices of different religions. John Safran vs God in 2004 and Speaking in Tongues in 2005. He also presents Sunday Night Safran on Triple J with the un-priestish priest Father Bob.

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Countdown to launch

2009-04-11T11:07:00.004+10:00

Justin was one of the lucky people to go along to the premiere event for Star Trek in Sydney.

To top off a great night, the movie was fantastic to say the least and will appeal to all audiences - Trekkie or not so. The cast were a perfect fit and the cameo by Leonard Nimoy was met with applause. Actually the audience were very receptive throughout the movie - lots of claps when we first saw the Enterprise

That's good. Justin thinks it will appeal to all audiences. This movie is set to be a great shot in the arm for the Star Trek franchise, which is what the folks at Paramount want. They have a LOT riding on this.

Zachary Quinto (Spock) and JJ Abrams (director) Star Trek

Just a few weeks to go until we mere mortals get to see it; mark 7 May on your calendars to boldly go to your nearest cinema.

> Mark Fennell's review

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'Fear the Raibow' by Mark Morford

2009-04-11T06:29:00.007+10:00

A piece from San Fransisco columnist Mark Morford. His columns at SFGate are very entertaining and always make a good point.

Here's the beginning of it, then click the link at the end for the whole thing.

Fear the rainbow!
A storm is gathering. Are you afraid, Christian? Are you afraid *enough*?
By Mark Morford

My favorite part has got to be the lightning.

The fake lightning, that is, flashing just off to the side, a cheap 'n' cheesy special effect that momentarily lights up the actors' faces in the most sweetly melodramatic way as they stand there against the dark 'n' stormy backdrop like devout Christian zombies, delivering delightfully weird and wooden lines about being openly terrified of those openly terrifying gay married people.

Yes, it's merely another series of strange, alarmist, deeply homophobic ads from yet another seething anti-gay group you've never heard of (the National Organization for Marriage, or NOM), ads which are running right now in five states in response to two stunning, watershed gay marriage upheavals in Iowa and Vermont, AKA two more states now shamelessly roaring down the highway to hell.

Have you heard? Turns out the married gays are still on the march. No longer merely a coastal phenomenon, undeterred by the economic recession, as yet unsmited by God's redneck fury, these bizarre, relentlessly loving creatures are now invading the heartland. Will the nightmare of love never end? ...

(click here to read the rest)

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Educating Dutch children through music and breaking down barriers

2009-04-04T18:21:00.009+11:00

I posted this clip on a previous blog over two years ago and got a huge response to it; all comments positive except one. The negative one was so offensive I had to delete it.

The clip features a boy who I believe was 12 when he sang this in 2005. He is Terrence Van Cleave, singing with Dutch childrens choir Kinderen voor Kinderen (Children for Children).

Twee Vaders is a song Terrence wrote about his two fathers, Bas and Diederik, and performed here at a concert promoting KVK's 2005 album. The person introducing him is Claudia de Breij, a television and radio host and stand-up comedian who married her girlfriend in 2004.

There are English subtitles, so you'll be able to follow the story of this boy's life to that point.

Below that is another clip that also demonstrates how KVK educates through music. I don't know this boy's name but here he sings about living with ADHD.

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Mrs Slocombe's pussy

2009-04-03T21:43:00.005+11:00

There are two things I will always remember about the innuendo-filled Are You Being Served?

The delightful Mr Wilberforce Clayborne Humphries, played by the lovable John Inman, and Betty Slocombe's pussy! How could you forget the very funny Mollie Sugden?!

How about Mrs Slocombe's varying hair colours in that montage!

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Still looking for Kyle

2009-03-16T07:18:00.004+11:00

Just an update on my Kyle XY tantrum from last month ... I've been true to my threat and not watched anything on FOX8 since they removed the show mid season.

It's not that I'm seriously following through with the threat. I'm not one to pout! It's just that FOX8 has had nothing else I want to watch.

I continue to look forward to the continuation of Kyle XY season two then the final season ever, which has just come to an end in the US.

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Star Trek trailer 3

2009-03-15T06:44:00.009+11:00

The long wait for the much-hyped new Star Trek movie continues. With just two months to go, trailer 3 came out last week ... and the film keeps looking better and better...

Star Trek XI is released in Australia on Thursday 7 May and in the US and UK on Friday 8 May. Bring it on!

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Funding the ABC, according to The Hollowmen

2009-03-14T09:23:00.008+11:00

The ABC is whetting our appetites for more of The Hollowmen in 2009 by releasing this clip. And I love it!

Right now, as the federal government considers the ABC's submission for its next round of triennial funding, this is quite timely...

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Lady Marmalade

2009-03-07T22:57:00.001+11:00

OK, while I'm on a wine-induced diva thing ... we know Christina Aguilera, Pink, Mya and Lil' Kim did Lady Marmalade in Moulin Rouge. But let's not forget the wonderful LaBelle from the 70s...

And here are the Moulin Rouge girls...

I was DJing on the radio when LaBelle had the song on the charts. We knew how to pronounce it. I am appalled at all the young FM jocks who mispronounced the name of the song, calling it a jam you spread on toast, when playing the Moulin Rouge version.

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Mary J Blige and Chaka Khan

2009-03-07T21:43:00.003+11:00

I love Mary J Blige. No More Drama is a fabulous song, which she did live in this clip just last year.

Mary joined Chaka Khan for a live version of Chaka's brilliant I'm Every Woman in 1999. Also on stage with them is Whitney Houston, LeAnn Rimes, Faith Hill and Brandy.

Unfortunately I can't put Sanji's great video of Mary J Blige doing No More Drama on this blog because YouTube embedding has been disabled. But here's the link. This is great. Music by Mary J. Blige with Sanji [Video Director], Chris Soos [Director of Photography] and Scott Richter [Video Editor]

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Wendy Richard

2009-03-01T13:31:00.008+11:00

I was sad to learn of the death of Wendy Richard. Breast cancer has taken her at the age of 65.

We know her best from Eastenders and Are You Being Served? But I also enjoyed her numerous appearances as a guest panelist on the radio show Just a Minute.

After the death of her Are You Being Served? co-star John Inman, she presented a tribute on BBC television.

Where's Kyle?

2009-02-25T18:21:00.004+11:00

I hate you FOX8. Why have you stopped showing Kyle XY? You were only part way through season two.

You had it on Thursday nights, moved it to Wednesday nights, then a few weeks later, nothing! Well, who needs you FOX8. There are other ways to see it.

This next bit is said in a very childish pouty tone: I'm never going to watch FOX8 ever again.

Stephen Fry and Kenneth Williams

2009-02-21T11:54:00.005+11:00

You must see this: Stephen Fry being interviewed by Kenneth Williams who was standing in as host of Wogan in 1986, two years before Williams' death.

Early in the interview Fry talks about commercials he saw in television in Australia. In fact, the young Fry was as much the wordsmith and story-teller he is today. You'll love this:

I've managed to see a copy of the BBC telemovie Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa! which sadly was never officially released on DVD. It's a wonderful dramatisation of the life of Williams which I must tell you about sometime.

The Fool and the Opera

2009-02-16T23:04:00.010+11:00

Dan Vo put together a great episode of The Fool and the Opera this week. The theme was "A moment's silence, experimental silence and the sound of silence."

The audio tour of the Melbourne Recital Centre was the highlight - an excellent package that Dan produced with Jed Gilbert, introducing us to the features of the centre. And there was a bubbly chat with Merlyn Quaife. Dan can be quite a charmer.

The one minute excerpt from John Cage's 4'33" was like nothing I've ever heard before. Or at least not for a long time, seeing as I rarely get to sit in silence for that amount of time. Yes, in keeping with the theme of this week's episode, 4'33" is silent. More precisely, it is a piece in three movements for any instrument or combination of instruments, in which the score actually instructs the performer not to play anything. You can find out more about 4'33" here or elsewhere on the www, as I did, then you can enjoy it being performed here on Dan's blog.

Dan is passionate about his subject matter, that being opera and his desire for us to enjoy it with him. I am not one who normally listens to opera, except perhaps for this, which makes me the target audience for The Fool and the Opera.

It's at 6pm Sundays on JOY 94.9FM in Melbourne, or streamed through the station's web site.

> The Fool and the Opera

It seems the progressive side has a hand in anything bad

2009-02-15T08:39:00.018+11:00

I haven't been watching him lately, but I assume Glenn Beck has found a way to blame the horrific Australian fires on Barack Obama's Democratic US government by now.

Towns in the state of Victoria were faced with the most ferocious fires in Australia's history. 70 metre (230 feet) high firewalls destroyed towns. 181 people are dead (confirmed so far) and many thousands are without homes in central, east and northeast Victoria.

The fires attracted worldwide media attention, including that of Fox News. You know, Fox News - the "fair and balanced" news channel on which Glenn has a daily show. He must have noticed them.

Glenn, the American conservative radio and TV political commentator, is always on the look-out for things to blame on the progressive side of politics, so how could he not resist pinning such a major disaster on Barack Obama's government. Never mind that I didn't happen in America. He usually finds a way.

God bless America - the only country in the world where people of Beck's ilk could have such a strong voice. Australia's Andrew Bolt doesn't even come close, although he'd probably like to.

Star Trek

2009-02-15T07:58:00.004+11:00

A new TV spot has been released for Star Trek XI. With all the hype this film is getting, it's hard to see it not being a box office smash.

Star Trek XI is released in Australia on Thursday 7 May and in the US and UK on Friday 8 May.

Phoenix off his face, or a prank?

2009-02-13T07:37:00.007+11:00

I saw the most bizarre thing on TV last night: Joachin Phoenix's off-with-the-fairies appearance with David Letterman.

Was Joachin on drugs? He mumbled, gave one or two word answers, or just didn't answer at all. He had a terrible looking beard and told Dave he had finished with acting and was going to do some hip hop recordings.

To his credit, Dave rose to the occasion with some funny lines like, at the end of the interview, saying, "I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight."

I went online to look for comments or perhaps an explanation for Joachin's odd behaviour and found a good story from MTV.

Apparently Casey Affleck is following Joachin around with a camera, gathering footage for a documentary. The MTV article raised the possibility that Joachin may have been playing an elaborate prank.

MTV said that when Dave delivered his "I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight" line, it drew a smile of recognition from Joachin, which may have indicated that the appearance might just be a joke. "You're funny," he said.

I'm happy to go with the prank theory.

Here's one of the many clips of the exchange which have quickly appeared on YouTube...

The Late Show with David Letterman is screened in Australia on Network Ten one night after it airs in the US.

> Joaquin Phoenix unravels on 'Letterman'

While My Guitar Gently Weeps

2009-02-11T09:56:00.008+11:00

Devoted readers of this blog will know that my all-time fav song is While By Guitar Gently Weeps by George Harrison, Eric Clapton and the Beatles. In my opinion, that track was the best reason to buy the Beatles' White Album.

You have to see this: a clip of the song being performed by George and Eric, along with Elton John, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lyne and Phil Collins. Sensational!

While My Guitar Gently Weeps was ranked #57 in JAMSBIO's Playing The Beatles Backwards: The Ultimate Countdown ... between Hello Goodbye and Norwegian Wood on a list of 185 Beatles songs. Personally, of course, I would have rated it #1, but it's their list, not mine. So what was #1? Now you're curious, aren't you! Take a look.

Of While My Guitar Gently Weeps JAMSBIO said:

George Harrison, circa late-60’s, had a unique way of wrapping his humble lyrics about the interconnectedness of all living things in ornate musical packages. This type of juxtaposition is all over his staggeringly great solo breakthrough All Things Must Pass. “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” is a test run for this style, a recording of stately beauty and unrestrained grandeur.

There is a certain charm in hearing the demos to this song from Anthology, with just George on acoustic and hauntingly lonely organ. The effect is far more forlorn. But from the first notes of the official recording, with its rapid one-finger piano riff and Ringo’s high hat, you can tell that George is going for the anthemic sound that usually was associated with McCartney’s ballads.

Give credit to Eric Clapton for the way he appropriately tailored his guest appearance to the sound of the group. His playing in the verses nicely complements the melody. When finally allowed to run free in the vocal-free portions of the song, he does not disappoint, soaring skyward and then swooping down again to wrench every bit of emotion from his instrument.

The lyrics come very close to preachiness, I admit, but George’s vocal delivery helps stem that tide. This is one of his best singing performances. I especially like his falsetto in the bridges, where he lets some disappointment toward the person he’s addressing show: “They bought and sold you.”

The kind of spiritual peace that Harrison espoused on this White Album classic was certainly not for sale. But George was beginning to understand that though the message may be modest, it needs to be lavishly presented sometimes to get people to listen.

Matthew Mitcham

2009-02-11T09:02:00.009+11:00

It is great to see that Matthew Mitcham now has a national sponsor, Telstra. Matthew won gold at Beijing on the 10m platform, making him the first Australian male to win an Olympic gold medal in diving since 1924.

I'm not much of a Telstra fan after some bad experiences with them and their internet arm Bigpond. But to their credit, they've pickup up Matthew, which will now make it possible for him to continue training without worrying about his day-to-day living expenses. Here's hoping for more success in London in 2012.

Matthew was a awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia in the Australia Day Honours and was Fairfax newspapers' Sports Performer of the Year.

> Matt's Next Act

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2009-02-07T09:05:00.004+11:00

Eight men and only eight balls? Poor lads. They're probably a group of war heroes who suffered physical injuries while serving their country.

Did you notice that one dude is sitting in a coffin? Apparently that's what they did! These boys from Oleika Shrine Temple in Lexington, Kentucky traveled in a hearse dressed as undertakers and carried their instruments in a casket. They'd stop in a town, carry the casket into a venue in a very dignified, funeral-like manner and hold a brief ceremony. Then the casket would open, the instruments would come out, and the dixieland concert was on!

It's great that they had the balls to do it. At least some of their balls.

Over dressed for a scorching day

2009-01-28T19:35:00.002+11:00

When it is as hot as 42 degrees (107 F), why do male TV newsreaders have to wear suit jackets? It just looks wrong, and makes us viewers feel hot and sweaty for the newsreader. (OK, that can be taken two ways. But you know what I mean.)

What's even worse is seeing a male reporter standing outside in that temperature, out of the air conditioned comfort of their studio, over dressed that way. Nobody watching would expect the guy to be so dressed up.

Tonight there was a report showing our Premier at a meeting, and even he was wearing an open neck shirt and no jacket.

If it's OK for Premier Brumby to be down to shirt-only at a meeting, it is certainly OK for our TV presenters. Stop the crap TV networks. You're making us feel uncomfortable by having to watch it.

On the Other Hand, Death

2009-01-26T09:22:00.005+11:00

Good news! The third of the Donald Strachey Mysteries, On the Other Hand, Death, is out on DVD next month. I have my order in and can't wait to see it. Ice Blues was also shown on US TV last year and should also have its DVD release this year.

Four of Richard Stevenson's nine Strachey novels have so far been produced as television films for Here!, starring Chad Allen as the gay private investigator. Let's hope more are produced this year.

Bon Scott pre-AC/DC

2009-01-26T01:35:00.001+11:00

Bon Scott achieved major recognition as lead singer of AC/DC. But prior to that, those of us in Australia may remember him being in Spektor, then the Valentines, and later Fraternity. That was over a 10 year period, leading up to Bon joining AC/DC in 1974.

Here are some early Bon Scott memories, firstly with the Valentines doing My Old Man's a Groovy Old Man...

And with Fraternity doing Seasons of Change...

Oysters and the black president

2009-01-25T09:19:00.011+11:00

OK, this is probably a little off-topic for this blog, but with the inauguration of America's first African-American president still fresh in our minds, my discovery of this picture is a sobering reminder of just how far out of the racial cesspool the US has emerged.

Until the 1960s it was somehow considered good marketing to brand your canned oysters "Nigger Head". It was only in that decade that the word "Nigger" was changed to "Negro" which, these days, would hardly be considered much better.

Imagine that. In the same decade the Americans put the first human on another planet, they were still branding oysters "Nigger/Negro Head".

Given how deep the cesspool was in the first place, the advance in equality for African Americans is commendable. Here in Australia we're very aware of people like Martin Luther King Jr, Rosa Parks and WEB Du Bois, and admire them for their courage and determination in their efforts to bring this about.

I should add, as I write this I am very mindful of the shameful parallels between our treatment, historically, of indigenous Australians and that of Native Americans. While some progress has been made to right some past wrongs in this country, damage done by white settlers to the Aboriginal culture is still evident today.

I am also mindful that, along with racial equality, the fight continues for equality of other kinds. What is wrong with us that we seriously believe that some humans are of lesser worth or importance than others, based on ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation? Thank god for the Rosa Parks', the Alice Pauls and the Harvey Milks of these various struggles.

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2009-01-24T13:58:00.001+11:00

I don't know if this is a genuine album cover, or just some smarty pants messing around, but given what else is out there, anything's possible.

Star Trek's Aussie connection

2009-01-22T22:16:00.011+11:00

Star Trek XI is set for release in Australia on Thursday 7 May and in the US and UK on Friday 8 May.

Look out for a couple of Aussie actors...

Eric Bana is Nero, the film's Romulan villain. Part of his past involves escaping from the Klingon prison Rura Penthe. “It’s a really well-written script, great part. Couldn’t say no,” Eric said.

Former Home and Away star Chris Hemsworth is George Samuel Kirk Sr, Kirk's father, who died aboard the USS Kelvin while battling the Romulans.

At the risk of sounding geekish, I have to say I'm quite looking forward to seeing Star Trek's revitalisation. In fact, JJ Abrams' film will hopefully make Star Trek cool again.

Leonard Cohen tours Australia

2009-01-21T18:13:00.003+11:00

Canada's Leonard Cohen is back in Australia for his first tour in 25 years. His special guest is the wonderful Paul Kelly.

Cohen of course wrote Hallelujah, performed by him and many others, including Jeff Buckey and k.d. lang. And, among others, there was Everybody Knows and First We Take Manhattan. Click HERE for clips of those incredible songs.

Cohen and Kelly are doing arena shows in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, and A Day on the Green winery shows in Victoria's Yarra Valley, Adelaide, the Hunter Valley and Bowral in NSW, and Swan Valley WA.

> Leonard Cohen

Natalie Imbruglia and a little fur trim

2009-01-21T16:25:00.004+11:00

Nice to know the folk at PETA read my blog! You probably know of them: People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

They dropped me a line to alert me to a sexy anti-fur ad featuring Aussie singer and actor Natalie Imbruglia holding a furry rabbit next to her naked chest.

I'm happy to show Natalie's ad because I reckon fur farms, and the skinning of animals while some are still breathing, are pretty barbaric.

When you're done looking at the ad, you can get a little more info about what the nasty people are doing to cute little rabbits here. You'll never wear fur again.

Analogue thinking in a digital age

2009-01-21T07:20:00.002+11:00

As I see it, ABC2 is just about as mainstream as ABC1 and any other free-to-air channel or network these days. Yet its program listings are generally hard to find, or non-existent.

Take TV Week for example. Instead of putting ABC2's programs on the free-to-air pages alongside ABC1, they have a mini-listing alongside World Movies and other pay TV channels. Only half a day gets listed and only the titles; no program details.

If the TV magazines and newspapers don't do anything about it now, they'll soon have to. Digital take-up will increase this year, especially with a few new channels beginning and the upcoming Freeview marketing designed to reign in viewer drift to Pay. Then the publications will no longer be able to treat digital-only channels as second class.

There are some brilliant programs on ABC2, but they're easy to miss while TV magazines and newspapers bury their old analogue heads in the sand.

And for god's sake, will TV retailers stop selling those dodgy old 4.3 analogue TV sets. While they're still sitting on your shelves, manufacturers will continue to make them, and people will keep buying them.

Merriweather Post Pavilion

2009-01-20T12:37:00.003+11:00

Animal Collective have released their new album Merriweather Post Pavilion, minus Josh Dibb. David, Noah and Brian are there ... or should I say Avey Tare, Panda Bear and Geologist. Deakin is still taking a break from the band.

Rolling Stone described Merriweather Post Pavilion as...

the soundtrack for the ultimate hippie/ambient tribal dance party, a giddy, freewheeling, psychedelic beast of an album, full of big beats, trippy drones and glistening synths dancing around the band’s rich, reverb-drenched, fugue-like vocal layers.

The reviews and critical comments have generally been good, but best you have a listen for yourself. Downloads are all over the www. Or you can check out My Girls here...

Doctor Who? Doctor Matt Smith

2009-01-14T16:48:00.006+11:00

The 11th incarnation of Doctor Who will be played by 26 year old Matt Smith, who we will see in this role for the first time in 2010.

Russell T Davies, who gave Doctor Who a 21st century rebirth, said last year that he was keen to see Russell Tovey get the job of replacing the wonderful David Tennant. But it looks like Russell was outvoted. Tovey played Midshipman Frame in the 2007 Christmas special Voyage of the Damned,

Davies bows out as Executive Producer of Doctor Who after this year's four specials, so won't get to work with Matt Smith.

ABC1 will show the 2008 "Christmas" special on Sunday 25 January. In Doctor Who: The Next Doctor, it’s Christmas Eve 1851, and Cybermen stalk through the snow of Victorian London. However, when the Doctor (Tennant) meets another Doctor (David Morrissey), the two must combine forces to stop the rise of the CyberKing.

ABC1 will also show series 2 again (the first Tennant series) on Tuesday nights from 27 January.

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2009-01-12T10:25:00.003+11:00

A banana stabbing that doesn't appear to have been fatal!

The excellent Sean Penn movie Milk is out now, which prompted me to publish this dodgy cover as the next one in this series of posts. Obviously it has nothing to do with Harvey Milk or the movie about him. The only connection is in this album title.

Deerhoof is an indie band, from Milk's city San Francisco, which has been around for about 15 years. I'm not particularly a fan; they're only posted here because of the cover art. But if you're curious, you can hear the Milk Man song here...

Kyle XY

2008-12-28T15:44:00.013+11:00

I'd caught an occasional episode of Kyle XY, screened in Australia on Fox8, and found myself quite liking it.

The first season particularly seemed to have shades of Roswell about it, the TV show about teenage aliens. I found myself hooked into the unfolding mystery of Roswell five or so years ago, and now the same has again happened with Kyle XY.

Having only seen a few episodes, I took advantage of a Kyle XY marathon on Fox 8 on Boxing Day, which replayed every episode screened so far by that station. The more I saw, the more I was sucked into it.

Roswell centred around the lives of four teenage alien-human hybrids. The origin of Kyle XY's central character is unclear at first, causing the viewer to wonder if he's an alien too. But it turns out he's an artificially created human being, without a belly button! At least Roswell's aliens had those.

Kyle XY stars Matt Dallas as the lead character and has some fine actors in the main cast. The show was created by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber and has spawned two novels so far, with two more coming in 2009.

America's ABC network will soon commence screening season three, but Australia's Fox8 is only mid-way through season two. But that's OK, I can resist looking at future episode descriptions or downloading episodes. I'll take it as it comes on TV.

Nessun Dorma

2008-12-14T18:53:00.006+11:00

When I lived in Sydney I'd go along to the Schools Spectacular each year at the Sydney Entertainment Centre. I loved seeing the excellent young talent from public schools in New South Wales performing in a big stage production.

I was in the audience in 2002 when 18 year old Shannon Brown (who now sings with The Ten Tenors) sang Puccini's Nessun Dorma. It was one of the most spectacular things I'd ever seen at Spectacular, and Shannon's standing ovation was well deserved.

Sadly I couldn't find it on YouTube (or anywhere else on the 'net), but I did find a heavy metal version by Manowar, which Dan Vo played tonight on The Fool and the Opera on Joy 94.9 FM. It's worth checking out...

Meanwhile, if you're interested, Shannon Brown's wonderful version is available from ABC Content Sales, on the DVD of the 2002 Schools Spectacular.

When opera and cartoons collide

2008-12-14T18:32:00.006+11:00

Thanks to Dan Vo and his radio show The Fool and the Opera for reminding me of the 1957 Bugs Bunny cartoon titled What's Opera, Doc?

Wikipedia: The film features Bugs Bunny being chased by Elmer Fudd through a six-minute and 11 second operatic parody of 19th century classical composer Richard Wagner's operas, particularly Der Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) and Tannhäuser. It is sometimes characterized as a condensed version of Wagner's Ring, and its music borrows heavily from the second opera Die Walküre, woven around the standard Bugs-Elmer conflict.
The short is also sometimes informally referred to as Kill the Wabbit after the line sung by Fudd to the tune of Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries, the opening passage from Act Three of Die Walküre (which is also the leitmotif of the Valkyries).
In 1994, What's Opera, Doc? was voted #1 of the 50 Greatest Cartoons of all Time by 1000 members of the animation field.

Star Trek XI

2008-12-06T07:48:00.002+11:00

The trailer for the new Star Trek movie, due out in May...

Curious to see what Bill Shatner/Capt Kirk thought of it?

Elton, Rufus and the American Triangle

2008-11-25T22:42:00.001+11:00

The first song that Elton John wrote (with Bernie Taupin) for his 2001 album Songs from the West Coast was a tribute to Matthew Shepard* called American Triangle. On backing vocals was none other than Rufus Wainwright.

In 2006 YouTuber thegayhare movingly combined audio of the song with clips from the movie The Laramie Project...

Songs from the West Coast was Elton and Bernie going back to their 70s pre-pop days. It wasn't a massive seller like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road but I found it refreshing to hear Elton return to that sound.

Rufus Wainwright joined Elton in October as he performed the double Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album from start to finish. The event benefited a number of AIDS charities and featured an all-star group of Sir Elton's friends, including Rufus, Ben Folds, Jake Shears (Scissor Sisters), John Cameron Mitchell, and others.

> Rufus sings with Elton

*Matthew Shepard was a university student who was brutally murdered in 1998 because of his sexual orientation.

First Matthew Santos, now Barack Obama

2008-11-05T17:51:00.002+11:00

Fleet Foxes

2008-11-04T11:18:00.001+11:00

Fleet Foxes sing to a herd of goats...

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-11-03T09:53:00.002+11:00

My series of unusual and dodgy album covers is turning up some nude efforts, like John and Yoko's album shown in August. I wonder if these guys were emboldened by Mr & Mrs Lennon's bare-all effort? And look at the little diagrams around the central picture. In the words of Dr Phil, "What were they thinking?"

Say it isn't so!

2008-10-30T19:28:00.004+11:00

After doing the four specials next year, the current Doctor Who is going to regenerate!

The best ever Doctor Who (yes, including Tom Baker), David Tennant, has said he's quitting after next year, and will be replaced by a new Doctor in 2010.

He'll be in this year's Christmas special, then the four specials next year (there'll be no actual episodes), then that's it.

What a bugger!! Not happy Jan.

Kate Bush

2008-10-25T17:12:00.006+11:00

Kate Bush became a major artist after Dave Gilmour (Pink Floyd) helped her record a demo, and presented it to executives at EMI. Later, David would appear on some of her albums. Here he joins her in 1987 on Running Up That Hill...

In 1991, Kate did a pretty good version of Elton John's Rocket Man. Last year it was voted the greatest cover ever in a British newspaper poll.

And for fun here's Hammer Horror...

The Concert for Bangaldesh

2008-10-19T18:24:00.006+11:00

My two favourite music DVDs in my collection are The Concert for Bangladesh, featuring George Harrison and friends, and the Concert for George, performed as a tribute a year after Harrison died.

The latter was an absolutely amazing concert event featuring the likes of Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, George's son Dhani and many more. More about that though in another post.

The Concert for George began with Indian music and Ravi Shankar playing the sitar. Just as in The Concert for Bangladesh 30 years earlier. There are many parallels between the two concerts, the common thread being the songs of George Harrison.

Some of the artists are the same too. The 1971 concert starred Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Ringo Starr. Here are a few songs from the concert.

Wah Wah...

Bangladesh...

And my number one all-time favourite song: While My Guitar Gently Weeps...

Charles Busch

2008-10-12T10:11:00.004+11:00

Getting a re-run in my DVD player in recent days has been the movie Die Mommie Die!, written and performed by Charles Busch, first as a play in 1999 then as a movie in 2003. It's a homage to the leading ladies of the 50s and 60s, like Joan Crawford and Bette Davis.

Charles is amazing. He's a gifted playwright, screenwriter, actor, director and novelist, who is as much at home off-Broadway as he is on the big screen. Usually in drag.

Among his most celebrated works are The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom and Psycho Beach Party.

Another Charles Busch DVD in my collection is The Lady in Question is Charles Busch, which gives a good overview of the man and his work. Or, should I say, the woman, given that most of his work is as drag character Mary Dale.

And I love A Very Serious Person, in which he plays a male character! Very Busch-esque themes in this movie though, which could very easily be a flashback to his own childhood.

Charles Busch introduces Garland

2008-10-12T10:04:00.002+11:00

Fans of Charles Busch will enjoy his introduction to Judy Garland's I Could Go On Singing on TCM...

Late of the Pier

2008-10-12T09:34:00.003+11:00

Another track by the lads from Castle Donington ... Heartbeat from Fantasy Black Channel

Paolo Nutini

2008-10-04T20:54:00.003+10:00

I've been aware of Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini for a couple of years. Yes, despite the name, he is Scottish! His mum is Scottish and his dad is of Italian descent, although his dad's family has been in Scotland for four generations.

Paolo was first discovered while keeping a crowd entertained at his hometown of Paisley. David Sneddon was running late for the gig so, totally impromptu, the then 17 year old Paolo got up and banged out a couple of tunes. The crowd loved him and his career kicked on from that moment four years ago.

Paolo has released one album and is working on a second. He has also had many live radio, television and concert appearances, including Glastonbury in 2007 and the London Live Earth concert.

It's a wonderful world for Paolo Nutini

2008-10-04T20:29:00.007+10:00

Paolo has been known to sing the Louis Armstrong hit What a Wonderful World at concerts, including the UK Live Earth event at Wembley ...

Exterminate

2008-09-30T21:15:00.002+10:00

A striking image of a Dalek in front of the Houses of Parliament has been voted the best British magazine front cover of all time.

Sadly, the current season of Doctor Who has ended on Australia's ABC. Am looking forward to the Christmas special, and the four to come next year. And more new episodes in 2010.

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-09-24T03:39:00.001+10:00

And if this album doesn't help you stop smoking call the Quitline on 131 848.

Donald Strachey, private investigator

2008-09-23T19:54:00.011+10:00

Richard Stevenson's ninth novel in the Donald Strachey series, called Death Vows, is about to be published. Meanwhile four of them have been produced as made-for-television movies, starring Chad Allen as private investigator Donald Strachey.

Strachey lives in Albany, New York, with his life partner Timothy Callahan, who works as an aide to a New York senator. Callahan in the movies is played by Sebastian Spence.

Two of the four movies have so far made it to DVD: Third Man Out and Shock to the System. I like the second one particularly because it deals with a pet topic/hate of mine, those dodgy so-called gay "reparative" programs that have ruined so many lives. I'm keeping a close eye out for On the Other Hand, Death and Ice Blues to add to my collection.

Yes, all the mystery, thrills and murders of a good whodunnit are there in these dramas with a twist. They're worth a read, or a look.

Jay Brannan

2008-09-14T13:37:00.008+10:00

Mark Jourdian from the Nettwerk Music Group in New York emailed me about singer/songwriter Jay Brannan, who is heading to Australia for one-only gig next month in Sydney.

Jay has sold out shows over the past year in New York, Los Angeles, London, Paris, Toronto, Tel Aviv and Vancouver. Mark says the New York Times has written articles about him, The Tripwire has sung his praises and his video for the new song Housewife has already snagged over 250,000 hits on Youtube.

Jay got his break performing his song Soda Shop in the John Cameron Mitchell movie Shortbus. Soda Shop ended up being the best selling song on the soundtrack (released on Team Love Records) and a video Jay recorded of himself performing the song in his bathroom ended up getting over one million plays on Youtube.

Housewife has already been posted, but you can also hear two more of his great songs by clicking on these links: Can't Have It All and At First Sight.

Jay's new album goddamned can be downloaded from his web site.

Dawkins reads mail from vitriolic Christians who can't stand their beliefs being questioned!

2008-09-13T09:07:00.000+10:00

Check this out. Richard Dawkins reads some choice morsels from his mailbag, sent in by loving Christians, some of whom can't spell or punctuate. But we shouldn't laugh, because apparently he's a foul blasphemer who will burn in Hell.

Jay Brannan: Housewife

2008-09-13T08:57:00.000+10:00

Hey guys, Jay wants to be your housewife. Any takers?

Josh Pyke

2008-08-26T10:08:00.002+10:00

Josh Pyke's star is on the rise. While he works on his second album Chimney's Afire, due for release 4 October, here's a couple of his previous tracks.

Lines on Palms from Memories and Dust...

And his version of Kate Bush's Wuthering Heights...

Nina Simone

2008-08-23T04:58:00.007+10:00

If you listen long enough, it's amazing what you'll hear on dig, the ABC's online all-music radio station.

I just heard them play Mississippi Goddam from Nina Simone's album Beyond Mississippi, during which she says "This is a show tune, but a show hasn't been written for it yet!"

I found this clip of a 1985 performance on YouTube, in which Nina works her way through I Love You Porgy, The Other Woman, Mississippi Goddam and Moon Over Alabama. You'll love it!

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-08-20T03:45:00.008+10:00

OK, there's nothing dodgy about the great John Lennon. But I'm not sure how edifying I found the cover of Unfinished Music No.1: Two Virgins while eating my morning Weeties.

In fact, Sissy Spacek, using the pseudonym Rainbo, recorded the song John, You Went Too Far This Time about this album cover.

The Headhunters

2008-08-19T03:30:00.007+10:00

It was great to see that the Headhunters, the godfathers of funk and fusion, are coming to Australia for concerts and workshops in October.

Herbie Hancock originally fronted this band, which he put together in 1973 for his jazz fusion album Head Hunters. Their song God Made Me Funky was sampled by The Fugees and covered by Jamiroquai.

This tour will feature funk-drummer extraordinaire Mike Clark, who is often called the world's leading "ethnomusicologist". There's also master percussionist Bill Summers, the amazing Jerry Z on hammond organ and bass, and Australian composer and guitar innovator Marc Mittag.

Even though Herbie isn't along for the ride, they'll be doing many of their classic hits, including Chameleon and Watermelon Man, along with songs from their new album and some of Marc's compositions.

The Headhunters are playing gigs around the country, including Manchester Lane in Melbourne and The Basement in Sydney. They continue to sell-out houses in Europe and Japan, and hopefully this tour will give them a nice little boost in Australia.

Check out Herbie Hancock with the band doing Watermelon Man...

And the same song done live by Herbie with the great Miles Davis...

And to give you a taste of what the current day Headhunters do, here they are last year in Bobigny, France.

Boston Legal

2008-08-15T21:20:00.005+10:00

The two things I like most about David E Kelly's Boston Legal both involve Alan Shore.

The balcony conversations Shore (James Spader) has with Denny Crane (William Shatner) at the end of most episodes are great. And his courtroom closing statements contain incredibly articulate and well reasoned views on life and society. The show really has great writing.

Every week Alan Shore, as he says in this clip, gets up on his soapbox about something. This is one of his best closings...

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-08-13T05:31:00.004+10:00

Isaac Hayes

2008-08-11T07:41:00.003+10:00

Legendary soul singer/songwriter Isaac Hayes has gone up or down the shaft to wherever Scientologists go to get away from Tom Cruise. The voice of South Park's Chef died in Memphis on Sunday.

That clip of the Theme from Shaft brought to mind another deep-voiced soul artist (actually there were many of them), Barry White. Here's I'm Gonna Love You Just a Little More Baby...

Late of the Pier

2008-08-10T18:55:00.012+10:00

OK, these guys are freaks! Late of the Pier is four British lads doing some contagious electro pop, accompanied by some wacky clips. Like Bears are Coming...

Late of the Pier is Sam Eastgate (lead guitar/vocals/synths), Andrew Faley (bass guitar/ synths), Sam Potter (Akai 1000 sampler) and Ross Dawson (drums).

Their new album called Fantasy Black Channel includes some previously downloadable tracks and some new stuff.

I was quite a fan of Gary Numan and Tubeway Army. That sound is one of the things that attracts me to this band. Possibly already in your collection is Space and The Woods...

These guys are amazing. Do yourselves a favour etc etc...

What looks good on my plasma

2008-08-09T21:10:00.016+10:00

Here's what I'm liking at the moment (Aug 08)...

Skins ... SBS ... a brilliant drama about the lives of a group of teens. Season 2 just finished on SBS. New cast coming for season 3.

Boston Legal ... 7 Network ... the first three seasons were funny/quirky/clever

Good News Week ... Network 10 ... anything Paul McDermott touches is gold

Thank God You're Here ... Network 10 ... funny, clever improv

Doctor Who ... ABC1 ... god bless Russell T Davies. Doctor Who with David Tennant has never been better

ABC News ... ABC1 ... a real TV news service

Insiders ... ABC1 ... a brilliant look at Aussie politics, especially Paul Kelly

Spicks and Specks ... ABC1 ... great music-based entertainment

The Chaser's War on Everything ... ABC1 ... funny buggers

The Gruen Transfer ... ABC1 ... a good concept for a TV show, well executed

Australian Story ... ABC1 ... a great insight into Aussie lives

Four Corners ... ABC1 ... fascinating investigative reporting

The 7.30 Report ... ABC1 ... real current affairs, unlike A Current Affair and Today Tonight which are rubbish

Media Watch ... ABC1 ... I'm a media tart, so I can't help but watch it

Echo Beach ... ABC2 ... a very likable British drama

Classic Albums ... ABC2 ... amazing insights into the great rock albums

Live from Abbey Road ... ABC2 ... quality music

The Hollowmen ... ABC1 ... a subtly amusing look behind the scenes at Parliament House

The Graham Norton Show ... ABC2 ... one of my favourite comedians with a saucy TV show

triple j tv ... ABC2 ... good music and features with The Doctor

Boohbah ... ABC2 ... a pre-schoolers show that mesmerizes me!

Rufus! Rufus! Rufus!

2008-08-08T20:03:00.010+10:00

Rufus Wainwright named among his early musical influences Edith Piaf, Al Jolson and Judy Garland. Hello! How many 1980/90s teenagers would have named those three?!

Judy, of course, is well remembered for her 1961 concert at Carnegie Hall, which Rufus recreated in a series of concerts at the same venue in '06, and in London, Paris and Los Angeles in '07.

Yep, all those great songs were there, like a campy Get Happy, The Trolley Song, and That's Entertainment. And he did Rock-A-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody, recorded years earlier by Al Jolson.

It's been said before that Rufus can do whatever he pleases, and get away with it. This was audacious, but he got away with it!

There is something terribly appropriate about the increasingly flambouyant Rufus doing this show. And it was made even more special with the appearance of one of Judy's daughters, Lorna Luft singing Hello Bluebird, which her mum did in the London Palladium for her last movie.

Rufus' sister Martha was also there (Stormy Weather), along with his mum Kate McGarrigle at the piano for Over the Rainbow. Martha and Kate also did a beautiful version of Someone to Watch Over me.

Rufus Does Judy at Carnegie Hall was the CD release of those wonderful New York concerts, followed by a DVD of one his London shows, Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live From the London Palladium.

I'm having a lot of trouble arranging my music DVDs in favourite order. They're so diverse in style. But I think Rufus! Rufus! Rufus! Does Judy! Judy! Judy!: Live From the London Palladium is about my second or third favourite at the moment.

Which is my number one? That's a subject for another post!

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-08-06T17:43:00.005+10:00

That's it Kevin ... if you've got beauty, flaunt it. Looking good!

Daniel Day-Lewis

2008-08-05T19:59:00.004+10:00

The lead characters in the Stephen Frears directed 1985 movie My Beautiful Laundrette are Omar, played by Gordon Warnecke, and Johnny, played by Daniel Day-Lewis.

Daniel was Jonathan Demme's first choice for the part of Andrew Beckett in the 1993 AIDS movie Philadelphia, the role that ended up going to Tom Hanks. That was after Daniel turned the part down to work on In the Name of the Father.

Tom went on to win the best actor Oscar for Philadelphia, while Daniel earned an Oscar nomination for best actor in In the Name of the Father.

Fleet Foxes

2008-08-03T05:53:00.000+10:00

Two years after Fleet Foxes got our attention with a great little six track EP, the Seattle-based band is back with a new self-titled album, and a single called White Winter Hymnal.

Known for their breathtaking harmonies, Fleet Foxes' style is a curious mix of folk, choral and rock.

Robin Pecknold (lead singer) and Skye Skjelset met when they were 13, and are now joined by Casey Wescott, Christian Wargo, and Josh Tillman to make up this indie band which has been compared to the Beach Boys, Animal Collective, and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Their highly acclaimed recording and concerts have been well received, including a 4 star rating from Rolling Stone magazine.

This is Mykonos from their Giant Sun EP of earlier this year ...

And this is the brilliant new single White Winter Hymnal...

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-07-29T23:36:00.004+10:00

This unusual album is one of a number released by singer, lesbian activist and promoter of womens' music Alix Dobkin. It was released in 1975 when she was definitely a trailblazer. These days, at nearly 70 years of age, Alix is still active in the New York area.

Spencer's penis

2008-07-29T00:02:00.004+10:00

You've seen Spencer Elden naked many times. He was the four month old baby on the cover of Nirvana's 1991 album Nevermind.

Spencer then helped Rolling Stone magazine re-create the image for the album's 10th anniversary.

Spencer is now 17, living in Los Angeles, and getting set for college after the summer break. He recently told America's NPR radio: "Quite a few people in the world have seen my penis. So that's kinda cool. I'm just a normal kid living it up and doing the best I can while I'm here."

Hallelujah

2008-07-28T00:07:00.003+10:00

Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah is an interesting song, in that it has been covered over 100 times by various artists, often with lyrical alterations.

Cohen himself has been known to vary the verse structure or lyrical content in different recorded or live renditions of the song. He first released it on his 1984 album Various Positions, then again in 1994 on Cohen Live.

Hallelujah is full of Biblical references, largely involving King David. But a number of interpretations have placed a large emphasis on the sexual nature of the lyrics.

Musically the song is a treat, especially when given proper respect by the vocalist. It really is quite moving.

I've been able to find some of my favourite renditions on YouTube:

Leonard Cohen...

Jeff Buckley, who did it on his 1994 album Grace...

John Cale. Cale's version appeared on the 1991 Cohen tribute film I'm Your Fan...

Rufus Wainwright...

kd lang. Here she sings it at the Juno Awards in 2005...

God I love kd lang. She's amazing. Now one more version I'll include: 20 year old Jason Castro did a pretty decent job of it on the American version of Simon Fuller's Idol franchise, and the judges seemed to love it.

By the way, for the record, I hate that people call Hallelujah "the Shrek song". That's just damn insulting.

Teen dramas

2008-07-28T00:01:00.006+10:00

Australia's SBS network is kinda the pay network that isn't.

What I mean is, SBS is a free-to-air national network like ABC, Seven, Ten, etc, but it happily screens shows that you would only see on pay/cable channels in most other countries, especially the USA. Queer as Folk, Oz and Skins are three examples.

Skins is an interesting show. Made by Channel 4, it's about a group of 16 to 19 year olds living in Bristol, but made for an adult time slot.

A third series of Skins is currently in production, with a mostly new cast. With the central characters moving on from sixth form to university at the end of season 2, the idea of rotating casts was introduced. The current characters will stay until the end of season 4 then, if the show continues, a new cast will be introduced in season 5.

It's interesting to make comparisons between Skins with Canada's Degrassi: The Next Generation. Degrassi TNG canvases many of the same growing-up themes, but in a softer way. It is made for an adolescent teenage audience, whereas Skins, as an adult show, can be as bold as it likes.

Actually, Degrassi TNG is pretty bold too in how they deal with teen topics for a parent-controlled teen viewing timeslot. For example, two of their lead characters are gay and lesbian, both in relationships and having sex. Yep, same-sex kissing in a made-for-teen show. Has the sky fallen down on us yet?

Thank god we're growing up and getting serious about portraying reality, rather than subjecting our teens to too much nauseating Hannah Montana-type Disney crap.

Everybody Knows, don't they?

2008-07-27T00:01:00.002+10:00

Everybody knows the Leonard Cohen song called Everybody Knows. And if you don't you probably should.

Everybody Knows is not a happy song (hey, it's Cohen). But life isn't always happy. All Music Guide reviewer Jason Ankeny described it as a "cynical catalog of the land mines littering the surface of love in the age of AIDS."

Of course, Leonard is an amazing wordsmith. But what about his voice! I play this song loud and his voice just rumbles through the house.

Everybody Knows was released in 1988 on the I'm Your Man album. Two years later it was repeatedly used in the excellent Christian Slater film Pump Up the Volume.

Here it is, along with some clips from the movie...

Now listen to Rufus Wainwright do it. I love it almost as much as Cohen doing it. Almost. It's a great clip...

From a dead skunk to Recovery

2008-07-26T11:46:00.007+10:00

We know the Wainwright siblings Rufus and Martha pretty well. But their dad, Loudon Wainwright III, is also still active in the music scene.

The former husband of folk singer Kate McGarrigle had that surprise hit in 1973 about the dead skunk in the middle of the road, stinking to high heaven. I remember it well ... "all over the road, technicolor!"

61 year old Loudon is about to release a new album called Recovery, on which he covers some old songs with a fresh edge.

The rocky Wainwright family relationships have provided some sometimes bitchy song material for the three of them over the years, as you'll see in this fascinating article by Alan Franks at the Times Online.

The Graham Norton Show

2008-07-25T22:08:00.012+10:00

Graham Norton is a funny, quick-witted bloke with a naughty sense of humour. Which is why it's great that ABC2 has picked up his BBC television show.

ABC2 is screening the third season of The Graham Norton Show, which has just finished in the UK, at 9.30pm Fridays. Graham's BBC show is quite similar to his previous Channel 4 shows V Graham Norton and So Graham Norton.

I just watched episode 2 tonight, with guest Martin Sheen, who has the same political leanings as the president he played in The West Wing. This episode was recorded in April when Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama were slugging it out for the Democratic nomination. Martin identified as an Obama supporter, so he'd be pleased his man got up.

Also on Friday nights on ABC2 is the ITV series Echo Beach. I have to say, I'm getting hooked. Produced in the UK, it stars Australia's Jason Donovan, as well as Ed Speleers of Eragon fame and Martine McCutcheon.

Merlin Luck

2008-07-24T18:03:00.000+10:00

With Big Brother Australia coming to an end, both for this season and apparently forever, I've been remembering the gaffa-taped Merlin Luck in season four.

Like many Australians, Merlin was angry at the Howard government's policy of mandatory detention for asylum seekers and their other harsh refugee policies. He wanted to re-ignite public discussion on these issues, and he did, on live television in front of a national audience of 1.8 million people.

Before going into the house, the sneaky bloke had sewn a little sign into an item of clothing, which he was able to display on national TV on eviction night. It read Free the Refugees (with the e in 'the' missing).

Merlin emerged from the house onto the TV stage holding the little banner, and with a piece of gaffa tape across his mouth. He later told George Negus on the ABC that "it was a silent protest to symbolise the fact that refugees in Australia don't have a voice. And they feel that desperation and that helplessness to the point where they stitch their lips together." Yes, some asylum seekers were feeling so desperate that they did that.

It was a gutsy move and I applaud him. It was clever too. By remaining silent on eviction night, even though the frustrated compere was supposed to talk to him for five minutes, Merlin guaranteed lots of media attention for his cause for days and weeks to come.

Merlin had been planning this for a long time, making sure he got into the house, hiding the banner and gaffa in his clothing, then executing the plan on eviction night.

I was impressed too that he really understood the problem and could articulately speak about it in interviews. He wasn't just jumping on a bandwagon.

I was never into Big Brother Australia in a big way. I mostly took just a passing interest in it over the eight years, unless a particular housemate attracted my interest. I hadn't watched much of Merlin's season, but thankfully I was watching on his eviction night and saw the whole thing happen. Man I was cheering for him!

One other housemate caught my eye over the eight years, but I'll save that for a post at a later time.

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-07-22T23:33:00.006+10:00

The electric violin: Nigel Kennedy and Jimmy Lea

2008-07-20T21:50:00.004+10:00

I just absolutely love the new Russell T Davies era of Doctor Who, with David Tennant as The Doctor. I also love the current arrangement of Ron Grainer's original theme tune from the early 60s.

A quick search of YouTube found many different versions of the Doctor Who theme, one of which was by Nigel Kennedy playing his electric violin...

To the best of my recollection, the first time an electric violin was used commercially was in 1971 by Jimmy Lea of Slade on their song Coz I Luv You, which I also happened to find on YouTube. Enjoy the hair and fashions of 1971 in this clip!

And guess who else has recently had a crack at this song. Yes it's James Blunt at a concert in Stuttgart!

My Music

2008-07-20T10:50:00.004+10:00

Not a complete list by any means, but a few faves from my mp3, DVD and CD collections. This is in no particular order whatsoever...

The Concert for George: my fave DVD of an amazing concert event

George Harrison: some of his songs, Beatles and solo, were almost as intriguing as he was as a person. Greatly missed.

thenewno2: George & Olivia's boy Dhani and his bud Oli Hecks

Franz Ferdinand: here we are at the transmission party

Joni Mitchell: intelligent folk-based music with a conscience, one of Canada's finest

Pink Floyd: philosophical and progressive

Rufus Wainwright: have you heard him do Judy? Divine.

Yusuf Islam/Cat Stevens: interesting ideas on Catch Bull at Four, Tea for the Tillerman, Buddha and the Chocolate Box and Teaser and the Firecat

Mahavishnu John McLaughlin: the jazz-fusion guitar master

Sigur Rós: Jónsi Birgisson and friends from Iceland with some amazing post-rock, ethereal music

Coldplay: OK for car trips

Led Zeppelin: the rock leaders of their day, and still a joy to listen to when in a retro mood

Melanie Safka: inspiring folk-pop songs over the years

Elton John: on this list because I love his and Bernie's early stuff and Songs from the West Coast, but not because of his awful 80s pop crap

Kate Ceberano: at her best when soulful and sultry

Eric Clapton: his guitar becomes an extension of his person. And he was a good mate of George ... 'nuff said.

REM: loved Andrew Denton's interview with Michael Stipe

U2: music with a message; just amazing when live and loud!

Radiohead: just keep getting better

Indigo Girls: indigo became my favourite colour when I discovered Amy and Emily

Pics: Rufus Wainwright; George Harrison; Dhani Harrison and his mum Olivia at George's tribute concert The Concert for George; Sigur Ros; me with Kate Ceberano; Indigo Girls.

RA DIOHEA_D / HOU SE OF_C ARDS

2008-07-18T08:34:00.005+10:00

No doubt you've seen the clever vid for Radiohead's House of Cards, a song from last year's In Rainbows album, in which they used 3-D plotting technologies to reconstruct the geometry of Thom Yorke's face and the two directors' houses. Lets face it, using lights and cameras to film stuff is so last month!

Well now some cleverdicks have made this one, that lets you spin Thom's funny little face around, using the laser data from the visuals.

See and play with it HERE ... and learn more about the technology behind it HERE.

And here is the actual clip, which is very reminiscent of Kraftwerk's Musique Non Stop. Mashup anyone?

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-07-15T23:43:00.003+10:00

This album by Country singer John Bult came out in the mid-80s, and I have no doubt he was well-intentioned with the cover. 24 years later though, times have changed.

'Heima' trailer

2008-07-15T13:49:00.002+10:00

Trailer for Heima by Sigur Rós. A welcome addition to my collection of music DVDs.

I am divine. I am oblivion.

2008-07-14T22:22:00.003+10:00

This is my favourite scene in Philadelphia which starred Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington. It really is very moving and I have played it over and over many times.

Andy Beckett, a dying AIDS sufferer, describes the aria La Mamma Morta (The Dead Mother) from Umberto Giordano's 1896 opera Andrea Chénier, to his lawyer. Here the acclaimed soprano Maria Callas sings the role of Maddalena di Coigny. And Hanks, as Beckett, gives one of his most remarkable acting performances.

...Oh, that single cello! 'It was during this sorrow that love came to me.' A voice filled with harmony. It says: 'Live still, I am life. Heaven is in your eyes. Is everything around you just the blood and mud? I am divine. I am oblivion. I am the god... that comes down from the heavens to the earth, and makes of the Earth a heaven. I am love!... I am love.'

Learn English

2008-07-13T09:10:00.001+10:00

This is a funny TV ad!

Jónsi Birgisson

2008-07-10T00:02:00.004+10:00

Jónsi Birgisson from Sigur Rós

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-07-08T23:02:00.002+10:00

Former drug addict Freddie Gage was also known as "The Underworld Preacher" and is still active today evangelising from his base in Texas. I've not heard it (and nor would I wish to), but apparently this album was a recording of a turn-or-burn message given at a church in Oklahoma sometime in the 60s. This kind of album could only come from the United States of Fundamentalism.

'Viorar Vel Til Loftárasa' by Sigur Rós

2008-07-08T18:49:00.000+10:00

Great song, great band, award-winning clip!

Love Devotion Surrender: Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin

2008-07-07T10:57:00.000+10:00

In 1973, Carlos Santana and John McLaughlin collaborated on the album Love Devotion Surrender, backed by their respective bands, Santana and The Mahavishnu Orchestra.

The album was created as a tribute to free jazz pioneer John Coltrane.

Love Devotion Surrender was released as a CD in 2003 with alternative versions as bonus tracks.

Both Carlos and John were disciples of the Indian philosopher and teacher (guru) Sri Chinmoy Kumar Ghose.

Sri Chinmoy was a prolific author, composer, artist and athlete. He was perhaps best known for holding public events promoting inner peace and world harmony.

Shelter

2008-06-21T19:41:00.000+10:00

Hey I just watched the recently released Johan Markowitz film Shelter, which centres on a 22 year old artist and surfer named Zach.

It was amazing, partly because of the casting of Trevor Wright as Zach. The character has a range of things going on in his life, including family issues and his emerging feelings for Shaun, played by Brad Rowe.

Shelter has received various awards and nominations, including one here in Melbourne: Audience Choice Award for Best Feature at this year's Melbourne Queer Film Festival.

The Unusual and the Dodgy

2008-06-20T01:29:00.000+10:00

One of my earliest owned albums was In the Court of the Crimson King (an observation by King Crimson). A good album with an unusual cover!