Jan

7

American Pop, from Jeff Watson

January 7, 2009 |

I started out writing a review of American Pop, a 1981 movie, but was at a loss for words. This animated tale of four generations of a Jewish American family set to the popular music of the day just defies description. A heart rendering story line set to the best popular music America has to offer is just about all I can say to describe this wonderful movie. The creator, Ralph Bakshi, managed to seamlessly weave the popular music of the day into a storyline that tells a story about every family that emigrated to this great country. It combines triumph, tragedy, hope and despair all set to an amazing musical sound track.

Starting out with a traditional Aneinu in Russia, progressing through ragtime music, to the music of the 1930s and the big bands of the 40s, it continues through the music of Brubeck in the 50s, the 60s music of Hendrix, The Doors, and Big Brother and the Holding Company. The movie artfully segues into the late 1970s with the music of Lou Reed and the first elements of the punk scene. Since the movie is about a family and it's complex relationship with music, this is a must see for everyone. Very few movies in my life have affected me as deeply as American Pop. Although the premise of the movie is very straightforward, it is a very complex piece with numerous twists and turns, and layers upon layers just waiting to be peeled back. Much of the movie is sad, depicting the struggle of a Jewish American family trying to survive in America. Without giving out a spoiler, the movie has a triumphant ending. Here's a link to the trailer.


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1 Comment so far

  1. douglas roberts dimick on January 17, 2009 8:19 am

     V, repeating patterns; nevertheless, human imposed…

    Halo of Flies — tops in my all time list…

    “James Bond meets Frank Zappa.”

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRQ3a–vCRU

    And here I am…

    dr

    Alice Cooper - Killer by Mott the Dog **** 4 Star Rating

    This is the last album that Alice Cooper made before he sold his soul for Rock ‘n’ Roll & Teeney bopper superstardom, with “Schools Out”, in 1972. Later on, of course, he had to pay the reaper, give up his high flying Rock ‘n’ Roll life style, put the demon alcohol behind him and take up golf, but that’s another avenue we can descend down on another trip.

    The opening volley, “Under My Wheels”, comes ripping out of your music maker with its machine gun guitar intro and barking vocals, Alice is straining at the leash right from the off.
    Second number up is “Be My Lover”, with the opening lyrics of “She struts into the room, and I don’t know her, but with a magnifying glass I just thought I’d look her over”, very P.C. Alice!

    The music takes a dramatic upward spiral with the exquisite “Halo of Flies”. This twists and turns as the plot unfolds leaving you in little doubt that the young man formally known as Vincent Furnier has indeed been taken over by a 17th century witch called Alice Cooper and clearly gone completely off his rocker.

    The productions of Bob Ezrin were essential to the band at this time, keeping it clean and tight, but not losing any of the sweat and sleaze.

    Alice then drools all over you on “Desperado”. This is followed by two up-tempo, stonesy-keefed-up songs that drag you into the pit of Alice’s world. Never has there been such a sinister piece of music written like “Dead Babies”. The repetitive bass lines grab you full frontal and batter their way into your head. The demented glee with which Alice rants the lines lets you know that these are indeed very sick beings. With the outrage that pours out at the end of this, you feel that it is very justifiable. Justice is done in the album’s final dirge with the gloom ridden gothic rock of the title track, with its wailing lost souls and final guillotine chop as Alice is sucked down to hell in a bucket.

    By taking Killer out on the road, Alice Cooper became a rock phenomenon. It was one of the most provocative and original live shows in the annals of rock music and has never been equaled. It set the standards for humor, debauchery, horror and flamboyant showmanship. Concert theatrics included cuddling a boa constrictor, throwing live chickens into the audience, and simulated executions of hanging by the gallows. With the music from Killer, Alice had the means to blow everybody else away, spotlighting the shock rock that has made Alice Cooper one of the most influential acts in rock history.

    “We are not worthy.”

    The Alice Cooper band were:
    Alice Cooper - Vocals
    Glen Buyton - Guitar
    Michael Bruce - Guitar
    Dennis Dunoway - Bass
    Neal Smith - Drums

    And you would not want to bump into one of them in a dark alley!

    Track Listing
    1. Under My Wheels
    2. Be My Lover
    3. Halo Of Flies
    4. Desperado
    5. You Drive Me Nervous
    6. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
    7. Dead Babies
    8. Killer

    Halo of Flies

    I've got the answers
    To all of your questions
    If you've got the money
    To pay me in gold

    I will be living
    In old Monte Carlo
    And you will be reading
    The secrets of soul

    Daggers and contacts
    And bright shiny limos
    I've got a watch
    That turns into a lifeboat

    Glimmering nightgowns
    And poisonous cobras
    Silencer under the heel of my shoe

    The elegance of China
    They sent her to lie here on her back
    But as she deeply moves me
    She'd rather shoot me in my tracks

    And while a Middle Asian lady
    She really came as no surprise
    But I still did destroy her
    And I will smash
    Halo of flies

    I crossed the ocean
    Where no one could see
    And I put a time-bomb
    In your submarine

    Goodbye to old friends
    The secret's in hand
    With full ream of papers
    And counterfeit plans
    You never will understand

    "It was this simple chord progression of minor 1, 6, 7 that we wrote so many hits with, and countless others did as well. It was the minor chord version of the Buddy Holly formula of major 1, 4, 5 and that formula I used to death in my prior bands, so converting to the minor version was a piece of cake. I stumbled on it in an old Alice Cooper song “Halo of Flies…”" Lunching with RTB & Managers From Hell Posted by CazzyDog on January 7th, 2009

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