a community devoted to the discovery, discussion, and dissemination of jams
MUSIC-Artist: Sniff ‘n’ the Tears Song: “Driver’s Seat” Album: Fickle Heart Year: 1978
FILM- Title: Boogie Nights Year: 1997 Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
MUSIC-Artist: Madonna Song: “Like a Prayer” Album: Like A Prayer Year: 1989
FILM- Title: Gummo Year: 1997 Director: Harmony Korine
Gummo is one of the filthiest films ever created. To say this film was misunderstood is an apologists way of saying the filmed sucked ass. You either like this sort of filth or not. In Gummo, Harmony Korinne, whose previous cinematic effort was the script for Larry Clark’s Kids, observes the lowest forms of life in their run down town without a hint of narrative. The film is littered with sympathetic and vile characters: Albinos, mentally impaired prostitutes, pedophiles, dwarves, malevolent youths….the list goes on and on. However, the informal structure of the film does not leave it void of memorable scenes, as there are several. In fact, when I first saw this film, I was blown away by the soundtrack and the creative use of music over certain scenes. In this scene, Solomon, one of the film’s more lovable characters, if only because he is probably an inbred, lifts weights to a Madonna classic.
MUSIC: Artist: The Walker Brothers Song: “The Electrician” Album: Nite Flights Year: 1978
FILM: Title: Bronson Year: 2008 Director: Nicolas Winding Refn Producer: Suzanne Alizart, et al
Nicolas Winding Refn’s ultraviolent film traces the life of notorious English criminal Michael Peterson, aka Bronson. The film opens with Bronson introducing himself to the camera declaring that he always knew he had a calling. His monologue sets up the next scene and also the films most poetic moment, a caged Bronson getting ready to dance.
CV
MUSIC: Artist: Fire Inc. Song: “Nowhere Fast” Album: Street of Fire Soundtrack Year: 1984
FILM: Title: Streets of Fire Year: 1984 Director: Walter Hill Producer: Lawrence Gordon
In promotional materials, Walter Hill’s 1984 film Streets of Fire has the tagline ”A Rock & Roll Fable.” This accurate description sums up the film’s unusual mix of musical, action, drama, and comedy. The film stars MIchael Pare, Diane Lane, and Willem Dafoe and incorporates elements both of the 50s (motorcycle gangs abound) and 80s. Ultimately, the film fails to come together but it’s one redeeming feature is the excellent soundtrack. Fire Inc. released two songs for the film. Unfortunately, neither song had any real commercial success. In this scene a very young and beautiful Diane Lane lip-syncs to Nowhere Fast.
CV
MUSIC: Artist: Philip Glass Song: “The Chase” and “The Kiss” Album: Philip Glass: The Music of Undertow Year: 2004
FILM: Title: Undertow Year: 2004 Director: David Gordon Green Producer: Edward Pressman
Undertow is David Gordon Green’s third film and stars Jamie Bell, Josh Lucas, and Dermot Mulroney. Set in the American south, the film is a continuation of the aesthetic he established in his first two films, All the Real Girls and George Washington. It is a grimy film, as the opening scene suggests, with a haunting score by Philip Glass. The opening credits are a stylized arrangement of freeze frames set to Glass’ score.
CV
Artist: The Surfari’s Song: “Wipeout” Album: released as a single Year: 1963
Artist: The Chantays Song: “Pipeline” Album: Pipeline Year: 1963
Philip Kaufman’s brilliant 1979 film The Wanderer’s is one of the gems of American 70’s cinema. The soundtrack to the film is a collection of early 60’s rock & roll giving the film an authentic sound. Various scenes throughout the film are perfectly combined with music that compliments and captures the tone of the film. In this scene, the Wanderer’s are being chased by the Baldies to the 1963 surf hit “Wipeout” and after the fracas the Baldies leader, Terror, shows up to another surf classic “Pipeline”. For fans of early 60’s schlock rock, teen idols, and rock & roll, this film is a must see. 1970’s American cinema is one of the great artistic movements of the 20th century and The Wanderer’s is a worthy representative.
CV
Artist: Webster Alexander Song: “You’re My Tutor” Album: My Tutor Soundtrack Year: 1983
First, our apologies for the video redirecting to youtube. The embedded player was deactivated by the user. Now on to the business at hand. The IMDb description of My Tutor is short, simple and to the point.
“A rich father hires a tutor for his son. The son is a horny teenager and the tutor is a gorgeous blonde. Complications ensue.”
That pretty much sums it up. The movie was a complete flop. No surprise there- the acting is bad and it looks like the film was shot with a VHS camcorder. Notwithstanding its artistic and aesthetic shortcomings, the film has several redeeming qualities (and by this we mean there are parts that are so bad they are good). One point of redemption are the opening credits set to the Webster Alexander’s original song for the film “You’re My Tutor”. It’s a great jam and the visuals are classic 80’s.
CV
Artist: The Stone Roses Song: “I Want to Be Adored” Album: The Stone Roses Year: 1989
In honor of the recent announcement by The Stone Roses that they will be reuniting and releasing new material, we give you one of their greatest singles, “I Want to Be Adored”. The band was formed in Manchester, England in 1983 and was part of the “Madchester” music scene, which also included the Happy Mondays and the Charlatans. Today, October 18th, the group announced that they would be reuniting for a world tour. Here’s to the lads from Manchester, we can’t wait to hear their new jams!
CV
Artist: Chaz Jankel Song: “Glad to Know You” Album: Questionnaire Year: 1981
Chaz Jankel, the obscure artist from Stanmore, England, rounds out CV’s first ten posts. His hit “Glad to Know You” is a contribution from my partner in crime and perennial wing-man, David “Razo” Blanco, aka MM. How did Mr. Razo discover such a great track by an artist with relatively zero commercial success? We could ask him, but it is more fun to speculate. CV theorizes that his discovery was in part due to the fact that Chaz Jankel penned the song “Number One”, which was featured in the classic 80’s movie Real Genius, which has been viewed by Mr. Razo more times than any human being should watch one movie.
CV
Artist: Pixies Song: “Hey” Album: DoolittleYear: 1989
The Pixies are a band whose reputation proceeds them and it would be a waste of a writer’s time to do anything but let the music speak for itself. Nevertheless, here is some brief background info. Formed in Boston in 1986, the Pixies were “proto-alternative” ushering in the nineties alternative movement with their influential sound and critically acclaimed albums. If I had to pick a rockstar to be, dead or alive, Back Francis (lead vocals) would be just behind Joe Strummer. He has more talent in his pinky finger than any of the present-day big label hacks have in their entire bodies. I picked “Hey” because it perfectly sums up the pixies sound: emotional and powerful.
CV
