Great Flaming Flutes!

I had a Jethro Tull song pop into my head recently. A few of the band’s songs got some airplay on the Album Oriented Rock station I listened to as a teenager and it got me thinking about the band and founding member Ian Anderson.

Anderson is synonymous with one-legged flute playing. (If you haven’t seen Will Ferrell as the jazz playing flautist Ron Burgundy in the film “Anchorman” you’re missing out. He copied many of Anderson’s moves.) I’ve never been a superfan of Tull, but I have to say I like the rock groove of “Locomotive Breath” from the album “Aqualung.” There’s about a minute of piano intro by keyboardist John Evan.

I have seen Ian Anderson listed as the sole songwriter, but have also seen a couple of things about his ex-wife Jennie Franks- Anderson contributing some of the lyrics to “Locomotive Breath.” I did a little research on the song and, apparently, population control was the main inspiration behind it. Anderson used a runaway train as a metaphor for it. I never really got that from the lyrics, but what do I know? Harmonica player Will Wilde did his bluesy take on the song as well.

I like how Wilde inserted his own harmonica solo in place of Anderson’s flute solo.

What else can be said about Anderson? Well, there was an altogether different guy named Ian Anderson who was a professional soccer player. I remember watching a piece on him which featured Tull’s music. The soccer guy used to get asked if he was “THE Ian Anderson.”

What else can be said about Jethro Tull? The band took its name from a real dude named Jethro Tull who is credited as the inventor of the horse drawn seed drill. I wonder how he felt about population control?

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Sesenta Bowl ??

Super Bowl Sixty is in the books. Hopefully, you’re a die hard Seattle Seahawks fan or have jumped on the bandwagon during the past 24 hours. Personally, this is the only NFL game I watched all-season. Here are my thoughts on the actual game:

-Standout players for the Seahawks included running back Kenneth Williams III, QB Sam Darnold (and his ginger-riffic beard), and kicker Jason Myers. (Was Myers in Halloween or Friday the 13th?). Also, the Seahawks defense was dominant.

– On the flip side, does Patriots QB Drake Maye deserve to be “thrown under the bus” for his performance? Maybe, but in his defense, the dude is ONLY TWENTY-THREE-YEARS-OLD. Something tells me he’ll be back.

-Early in the game I spotted what looked like an inflatable being worn on the head of Patriots player Jared Wilson. Apparently, it’s called a Guardian Cap and is designed to absorb the impact of helmet to helmet hits and prevent concussions. Maybe the Pats should have a bobblehead/hot air balloon giveaway as a tribute.

My thoughts on the entertainment event:

-Commercials: Anheuser-Busch decided to act American again by having an eagle on a Clydesdale. Also, Kurt Russell was on skis for some reason. Wow, your marketing team has really bounced back from that whole “trans influencer” thing. How is the weather in Belgium?

–Bad Bunny: This Puerto Rican dude is apparently one of the 50 best-selling music artists of all time. That said, I’m not fluent in Spanish so I have no idea what he was trying to say during his much publicized halftime show. A Super Bowl halftime performance is always completely over the top so I give him credit for not falling into the sugar cane. Did you know his name in Spanish is “Conejo Malo”? Also, I heard that he toyed with the name “Horrible Hare” for European audiences. Maybe American audiences would have preferred hearing the “Bunny Hop” by Ray Anthony and his orchestra?

    In case you missed it, Bad Bunny had Ricky Martin and Lady Goo Goo in supporting roles during the halftime show. I guess Ricky is still living his best “vida”? Is it still loca?

    I recently saw an interview with an economist who thinks the NFL HAS TO expand globally or else it will financially go under in a matter of time. Maybe the whole Bad Bunny thing is about demographics. Are they trying to gain more Spanish-speaking fans of American football? Duh. If you don’t agree you’re a dumb bunny.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    The Paperboy Cometh

    Sitcoms. It seems like they come and go. You could make the argument that they are “dead”, but every once in a while one comes along that is really unique. Case in point: “Get a Life” with Chris Elliott.

    Most people know Elliott from his ridiculous characters on David Letterman’s show, but he has also appeared in other shows and movies like “Schitt’s Creek”, “There’s Something About Mary”, and more. “Get a Life” put Elliott in the driver’s seat of his own project. The premise is Chris Peterson is a 30-year-old paperboy who still lives with his parents (played by Bob Elliott and Elinor Donahue.) The rest revolved around his misadventures like getting a driver’s license, going up against a Robocop-like paperboy, and trying to save his childhood playground while simultaneously breaking a world record for having stuff piled on top of him.

    A short version of R.E.M.’s song “Stand” was used as the show’s theme song during its two season run during 1990-92.

    There are some great scenes with Chris’s best friend who is also age 30, but is married with a wife, house, job and two kids. It’s an interesting contrast to Chris who is finished with his “work day” by 9 am. His friend’s wife is a great source of frustration as you can imagine.

    During the driver’s license episode, there’s a scene where Chris tries to charm a gruff highway patrol officer using his natural charm which included playing “Billy, Don’t Be A Hero” on the car radio.

    I can’t think of another reason to include this bizarre song by Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods in my blog so here it is.

    I saw “Get a Life” described as an “anti-sitcom” someplace, which seems to be appropriate. Writers for the show included Chris Elliott, Adam Resnick, David Mirkin, Charlie Kaufman, and Bob Odenkirk.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    JTBT

    When I hear the term “stop motion animation” I think about specific images like the fighting skeletons in “Jason and the Argonauts” a la Ray Harryhausen or the holiday characters in “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” However, there’s another film which I hadn’t encountered until recently.

    If memory serves me correctly, “Journey to the Beginning of Time” came to me via The Criterion Channel. (I had a subscription for a while, but dropped it because they didn’t carry some of my favorite films by Akira Kurosawa.) JTBT isn’t a film for everyone, but it’s an interesting one. Why?

    Well it’s a Czech film which was released in 1955. The story revolves around four boys who visit a science museum, then take a turn into cave. After that, their journey to prehistoric times is under way. It’s not featured in the film, but “Dinosaur” by Link Wray and his Raymen seems appropriate.

    Getting back to the film, its original title was “Cesta do pravěku” and it apparently won some awards back in the day. It was directed by Karel Zeman.

    If you’re expecting to see effects like “Jurassic Park”, think again. However, if you appreciate stop motion animation, I’d recommend seeing it. It’s an interesting time capsule of sorts. The film isn’t as fast-paced as something released today, but you’ve probably experienced some of the themes explored in the film. Maybe you should Czech it out? (groan)

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    You Snooze, You Win?

    As we near the end of my least favorite month, it seems like most of ‘Murica is blanketed in large amounts of snow and FREEZING COLD temperatures. This has got me not only thinking, but strategizing. Perhaps instead of taking part in our usual daily responsibilities we should just blow them off.

    In 1986, The Fabulous Thunderbirds best summed it up in song with “Why Get Up.”

    It’s no surprise I enjoy Jimmie Vaughan’s guitar licks on this one. At some point, I remember hearing this song on a couple of morning radio shows, but I wasn’t sure if this was an original or a cover. It turns out it was written by Bill Carter and Ruth Ellsworth. Carter is in the Austin Music Hall of Fame. He also co-wrote “Willie the Wimp” and “Crossfire” which were recorded by Jimmie’s younger brother Stevie Ray Vaughan.

    I hadn’t heard any additional versions on top of the T-birds original one until today. It turns out Robert Palmer recorded a funky take on this one as well.

    It’s interesting to hear the different instrumentation on Palmer’s version. If your ears require more twang, there’s actually a version by Don Williams out there as well.

    There was a Saturday Night Live skit which also applies here. It was a product called “Hibernol” which allows to you sleep through the entire cold and flu season. Where do I get some of that?

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    To Ape or Not to Ape, Part Two

    In Part One of my non-award-wining series, I talked about what a powerful film the original “Planet of the Apes” (1968) is. From what I’ve read, Rod Serling had a lot of impact on the film’s social commentary. Is there anyone who has ever done that better than him? There are some seriously satirical scenes in POTA: a funeral, court proceedings, teenagers, religion vs. science. Take your pick.

    Here’s one thing I noticed about the heroic astronauts in the film. There are four of them: two white guys, a black guy, and a blonde woman. The blonde dies first, then the black guy. Finally, the white guy who isn’t Charlton Heston dies. What kind of social commentary is that? I have no idea if that’s how it was in the book, but it’s just a little suspect. Naturally, the “all-gun, all-of-the-time” Charlton Heston is the sole survivor. Hmm.

    In any event, I can’t say I’ve seen too many parodies of the film, but “Strange Brew” (1983) has one hilarious scene which really delivers (and also pokes fun at another Charlton Heston starring role.)

    I have no idea which part of this is my favorite, but I will never stop laughing at “Mutants of 2051.”

    As for POTA, I think the image of the lobotomized astronaut (white guy who isn’t Charlton Heston) comes off pretty funny. One could also make the argument that The Flintstones might have had some influence on the look of the “ape city” set, but I could be wrong.

    In Part One, I also mentioned how silver seems to be the chosen color for space and quasi-futuristic clothing in POTA and elsewhere. Austin Powers definitely took that to a whole other level — especially Dr. Evil’s furniture wrapped in plastic outfit. Very groovy! I’ve been meaning to blog about the Ray Davies penned song “Apeman” by The Kinks so I think I’ll throw it in for good measure.

    If you ask me, the lyrics to this song are brilliant! So how do I wrap up my thoughts on 1968’s “Planet of the Apes”?

    Well, first there was a book…then an impactful film. Then another FOUR FILMS…and a TV show. There’s definitely a social commentary there.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    To Ape or Not to Ape, Part One

    I’ve had “Planet of the Apes” on my “To Blog About” list for quite some time. While I’d like to commit to doing a deep dive into the entire film series, I’m not sure that will happen. However, I have seen the original 1968 film more than once and I have to say that it was and STILL IS pretty mind-blowing to me.

    I think I watched a TV show about the whole phenomenon when the 2001 film with Mark Wahlberg came out. The two things I remember are that Rod Serling of “The Twilight Zone” fame was involved in the original 1968 version and that it was based on a book by this French dude named Pierre Bouelle. (Apparently there were different titles for the book depending on where it was published: “Monkey People” in the UK and “Planet of the Apes” in the US.)

    Speaking for myself, this was probably the first dystopian film I can remember seeing as a kid…even though I wasn’t familiar with the term until many years later. However, I think the QUALITY of the film is a big part of why it still resonates with me. For example, the soundtrack including “The Search Continues” was done by Jerry Goldsmith. Give the guy some credit for its eerie atmosphere on this one.

    Apparently, Goldsmith’s soundtrack and the costumes by Morton Haack were both nominated for Academy Awards.

    According to Wikipedia, a film producer named Arthur P. Jacobs spent quite a while trying to get the book adapted to film and hired sci-fi genius Rod Serling to write the screenplay. A little later Michael Wilson also involved and received a writing credit. Oh yeah, it was directed by Franklin J. Schaffner.

    Here are a few of my observations and takeaways from the film. First, I think there are some powerful visuals in it. The most powerful one to me is the “scarecrows” guarding “The Forbidden Zone” featured in the pic. I don’t know if Rod Serling coined that term, but that visual is amazing. Another thing I like is the canyon setting in a large part of the film. (It was shot in Northern Arizona — Lake Powell and Glen Canyon from what I’ve read.) Something about the desert conveys a sense of desolation. One small thing I have always remembered is the “quasi-futuristic” silver backpacks worn by the astronauts in the film. For some reason, silver seems to convey that whole space vibe. ( Just look at Ace Frehley’s original KISS makeup and boots as proof…also Austin Powers and Miss Kensington.)

    If you haven’t seen the entire film, I won’t ruin the ending for you, but I’ll say there’s a twist that will give M. Night Shyamalan a run for his money.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    p.s. I think I’ll take a lighter look at the film in Part Two.

    Nine Below Zero-Fest

    Is January my least favorite month? In the words of Bugs Bunny, ““Hmm…it’s a possibility!” Everyone in my area is hunkered down for the weekend…and possibly Monday, too. Temperatures are in the single digits and are going to stay there for a few days. Oh….and we could get up to 7 inches of snow! That brings me to Sonny Boy Williamson II’s “Nine Below Zero.”

    Some of the SBWII versions feature Otis Spann on piano. I really like the line “Ain’t this pity, ain’t it a crying shame” and have heard it in other blues songs. There’s also a fairly epic version of “Nine Below Zero” by Buddy Guy.

    There are plenty of artists who covered this song in one way or another including Canned Heat, James Cotton, Magic Dick & Jay Geils, Cub Koda, Muddy Waters, John Hammond, and many more. I even found out there’s a British blues band CALLED Nine Below Zero. They have a version of the song, too!

    My favorite take on the song is probably a live version by The Nighthawks.

    I never really thought about the band’s name being associated with the painting by Edward Hopper, but they used it for an album cover.

    If nothing else, at least the frigid weather has led me to check out all of these versions of the song. By the way, I don’t know what it is about TV weather coverage, but I have an extremely hard time paying attention to it. I feel like as soon as they start putting the graphics up on the screen, I automatically zone out. I’m not a fan of all the semi-circles, triangles, maps, etc. I’m grateful for the info, but it just doesn’t hold my attention.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    Crypto Poster Child

    What’s the first thing that pops to mind when you think about creatures like Bigfoot, The Loch Ness Monster, Yeti, or Chupacabra? Do you picture exotic expeditions to faraway lands, snipe hunts in the woods, or just some really fantastic stories? They all fall under the heading of cryptozoology which Wikipedia describes as a “pseudoscience” or a “subculture.”

    One interesting creature, in my opinion, is the poster child for cryptozoology and its none of the ones previously listed here. I’m talking about the Coelacanth (SEE low CANTH). The story sounds like the plot of a sci-fi movie or episode of Jonny Quest which has been repeated numerous times: a creature thought to be extinct for years is discovered alive and well to everyone’s surprise. It happened off the coast of South Africa in 1938, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer found one in the nets of a local fisherman…and we’ve been watching movies and TV shows like this ever since then.

    The only appropriate band to address the topic seems like Fishbone to me…so “Let the Good Times Roll.”

    By the way, I was never really into Fishbone, but this cover song apparently was in “The Mask” with Jim Carey. (Louis Jordan released the original version. Songwriting credits go to Fleecie Moore and Sam Theard.)

    Then again John Waite’s lyric “I ain’t missing you at all” also applies to the coelacanth.

    Getting back to the cryptozoology poster child, apparently Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer was a museum curator and not an ichthyologist, but she contacted one who identified her rare find. Another one wouldn’t be spotted until another dozen or so years later. What else can be said about the coelacanth? It has some really sharp teeth and the origin of its name means “hollow spine.”

    So what’s the moral of the story? For me, the appeal of cryptozoology is about the POSSIBILITY of finding such a creature…discovering something unknown to us. The stories and the mysteries are what really keep me interested and entertained. Plus, you might even learn something along the way.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

    You Upset Me, B.B.

    How many songs do you know that start with a rundown of a woman’s measurements? I can only think of one, and that song is “You Upset Me Baby” by B.B. King. A couple of blues musician friends turned me on to the version by Joe Bonamassa on his “Blues Deluxe” album.

    Bonamassa’s vocal is similar to the original B.B. King one. That is to say it’s a little more “shout” than “singing.” I’m not a Joe B. superfan by any stretch of the imagination, but I give him credit for covering this one. King was the primary songwriter and released this one in 1954.

    Some big blues names have covered this song like Albert King, Robben Ford, and Luther Allison. There’s even a 15-minute version of the Freddie King instrumental “Hideaway” followed by “You Upset Me Baby”. That epic live jam was an Allman Brothers-Jerry Garcia effort. Another cover I really like is by Gary Moore.

    Moore is a name that I’ve known for a long time, but have to say this is the first one of his songs that really grabbed me. Moore played in Thin Lizzy before striking out on his own.

    Getting back to the song, you can find any number of live versions by B.B. King himself which are definitely worth a listen.

    Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!