Loved the phrase "chilly elegance" in your piece about Donovan. Spot on description of the music but also the comedown after the heat of the peak. Do you have a favorite cover of "Season of the Witch"? —JIM RULAND I had to dig around to even open up the question. I never saw the Nicolas Cage movie or the early ‘70s George Romero movie, but on the basis of the trailer it might be up there with the worst films ever made. I didn’t buy the David Talbot book—I mean, I read it, and it seemed like a contrived thesis hyped up beyond all comprehension: the writer’s comprehension. He didn’t seem to know what he was talking about and didn’t seem to care. He missed the terrible emotional crash of the worst of San Francisco in the People’s Temple-Dan White apocalypse—it was all just grist for his mill.
My condolences also GM may she be forever held in the light. Re: “Season of the Witch” covers, the only one that ever moved me was years ago (20? 25? at my age time is more ephemeral than ever), in my hometown Philly, Luna at the Tower Theater on Halloween, as a final encore played it in a haunting Luna-style that was befitting both the source and that day’s pagan ritual. Maybe someday it will surface.
I just purchased The Shape of Things to Come - mostly because I wanted to own your 50+ pages about Sheryl Lee and Twin Peaks. I wanted to point out a couple details re: Fire Walk With Me that might delight you, but perhaps someone else has already taken the time to tell you about Lynch's hidden cameo in the Fat Trout Trailer Park?
Re: Mr. Sturges' letter, 'Marching To Shibboleth' was issued in a hardcover edition - I've got one near my desk now. I don't suppose that helps anybody, but I just thought I'd mention it for the record. It's remarkable how much the Firesigns have managed to issue from their archives in recent years - the "Duke Of Madness Motors" collection of their radio shows (a personal favorite), the Magic Mushroom shows, the "Everything You Know Is Wrong" dvd collection, various audio gems released through Bandcamp... I hope it can continue for a good while yet!
Del Shannon was his pseudonym . I thought so because there was a mystery writer who wrote under Dell Shannon. I like your description of his looks. I always thought he looked a little like John Fogerty...a tough older cousin who was into weightlifting or boxing. There's a Facebook page "Everything Del Shannon" that has a picture of him with Elvis in Vegas when EP was doing "Runaway" in his set..1969/70 ..it's on the On Stage live album. Del comments on the FB " I don't know if it was the make up but he was the best looking man I've ever seen". Funny how it always comes around to that.
I love those Progressive commercials! The lead actor does such a great job. The punchline, of course, is in the fact that he doesn't really seem to have avoided some of the very pitfalls he's warning everybody else about. Really fun! The ads with Flo are hilarious too. Your writing about Del Shannon and suicide is very insightful and moving. I agree with Joseph Taylor about the performances on the TAMI show-- Smokey Robinson was definitely a great recording artist, but seemed to lack fluidity when he performed live. I always felt there was a static feeling live, a lack of movement in the vocal. Mitch Ryder was like that too...on TV he never captured the flow/movement of "Devil with a Blue Dress", etc. Smokey's recordings are amazing--not that he needs my approval--and "Tears of a Clown" is one of my all-time faves.
I have to say I never expected you to go for the Masked Marauders version of “Season” although it’s my favorite. Thanks. Nothing like a little validation.
The claim that Del Shannon was being considered as a replacement for Rot Orbison in The Traveling Wilburys has never, to my knowledge, been denied.
Whether Shannon was aware of the possibility is an unknown.
What is known is the moment a 14~year-old was hit with the guitar, piano and organ of Runaway at a February Jr High dance. There had been no precedent and that thrill was recaptured four years later with the sound of Like a Rolling Stone.
Luna's terrific version of "Season of the Witch" opens the 'I Shot Andy Warhol' soundtrack; it's all a pretty fun listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/0Du2cUrElfsttoCDP7hKvR?si=bwVmCRAKTcK2GquVfSlQbA
My condolences also GM may she be forever held in the light. Re: “Season of the Witch” covers, the only one that ever moved me was years ago (20? 25? at my age time is more ephemeral than ever), in my hometown Philly, Luna at the Tower Theater on Halloween, as a final encore played it in a haunting Luna-style that was befitting both the source and that day’s pagan ritual. Maybe someday it will surface.
I just purchased The Shape of Things to Come - mostly because I wanted to own your 50+ pages about Sheryl Lee and Twin Peaks. I wanted to point out a couple details re: Fire Walk With Me that might delight you, but perhaps someone else has already taken the time to tell you about Lynch's hidden cameo in the Fat Trout Trailer Park?
Re: Mr. Sturges' letter, 'Marching To Shibboleth' was issued in a hardcover edition - I've got one near my desk now. I don't suppose that helps anybody, but I just thought I'd mention it for the record. It's remarkable how much the Firesigns have managed to issue from their archives in recent years - the "Duke Of Madness Motors" collection of their radio shows (a personal favorite), the Magic Mushroom shows, the "Everything You Know Is Wrong" dvd collection, various audio gems released through Bandcamp... I hope it can continue for a good while yet!
Surprized Terry Reid's cranked, scatted and tastefully demented version of Season of the Witch has not not been mentioned https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_daei8gipT4.
It preserves the essence of the original and enhances it with the intensity for it not to be 'hopelessly off.'
Del Shannon was his pseudonym . I thought so because there was a mystery writer who wrote under Dell Shannon. I like your description of his looks. I always thought he looked a little like John Fogerty...a tough older cousin who was into weightlifting or boxing. There's a Facebook page "Everything Del Shannon" that has a picture of him with Elvis in Vegas when EP was doing "Runaway" in his set..1969/70 ..it's on the On Stage live album. Del comments on the FB " I don't know if it was the make up but he was the best looking man I've ever seen". Funny how it always comes around to that.
I had actually been referring to the TV docu-series, not the accompanying CDs when I mentioned The Beatles Anthology.
I love those Progressive commercials! The lead actor does such a great job. The punchline, of course, is in the fact that he doesn't really seem to have avoided some of the very pitfalls he's warning everybody else about. Really fun! The ads with Flo are hilarious too. Your writing about Del Shannon and suicide is very insightful and moving. I agree with Joseph Taylor about the performances on the TAMI show-- Smokey Robinson was definitely a great recording artist, but seemed to lack fluidity when he performed live. I always felt there was a static feeling live, a lack of movement in the vocal. Mitch Ryder was like that too...on TV he never captured the flow/movement of "Devil with a Blue Dress", etc. Smokey's recordings are amazing--not that he needs my approval--and "Tears of a Clown" is one of my all-time faves.
I have to say I never expected you to go for the Masked Marauders version of “Season” although it’s my favorite. Thanks. Nothing like a little validation.
The claim that Del Shannon was being considered as a replacement for Rot Orbison in The Traveling Wilburys has never, to my knowledge, been denied.
Whether Shannon was aware of the possibility is an unknown.
What is known is the moment a 14~year-old was hit with the guitar, piano and organ of Runaway at a February Jr High dance. There had been no precedent and that thrill was recaptured four years later with the sound of Like a Rolling Stone.
For what it's worth, the Firesign liner notes are online. At Greil's other site! https://greilmarcus.net/2018/05/02/marching-to-shibboleth-the-big-big-book-of-plays-firesign-theatre-2013/