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#1 2010-07-29 12:30:10
- Rip Rig & Panic
- Member
- Posts: 4697
American Graffiti
Ken Lovegrove asked me if I like this the last time I was in the shop. I do. Mostly, I have to confess, for Terry the Toad. I can't help but like some of the music. I do know people who positively hate the rock and roll of that period, but I have a long-standing soft spot for Chuck Berry, Del Shannon, Jerry Lee Lewis, Danny And The Juniors etc. Not so much for Buddy Holly.
#2 2010-07-30 03:02:55
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
Very good soundtrack, even if it is all "oldies", played to death stuff...
I really like the movie, because it's so charming, but I've always felt strange about this kind of nostalgia...
Re: Rock'n'Roll- I like Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis etc. and Buddy Holly just as much, but I didn't think that his early death meant the "death of rock'n'roll"... a line of one of the protagonists... BTW, I can highly recommend the Goldrosen biography of Buddy Holly... none of the Rock'n'Roll stereotypes about teenage delinquency and bigot priests spitting out sermos against the devil's music.... BH comes across as a golden boy who was supported by his church community even when he married a catholic woman...
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#3 2010-07-30 03:57:28
- fxh
- Big Down Under.
- From: Melbourne
- Posts: 6159
Re: American Graffiti
Great movie - I loved Wolfman Jack years ago and was pleased to see him (or not) in the movie.
All good music - I actually think Holly is underrated as an influence and pioneer. I have some outakes and bootlegs and his R&B and Blues roots abilities are clearly upfront. The pop mix of the day makes him seem a lighter talent but the kid had serious ability and roots.
#4 2010-07-30 04:16:43
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#5 2010-07-30 07:40:15
- Sowtondevil
- Member
- From: Hurst, Berks
- Posts: 152
Re: American Graffiti
Holly was a stand-out artist and songwriter and paved the way for many others - less gifted. A rare appearance in March 1958 by Holly & The Crickets on Sunday night UK TV left a lasting impression on me: That'll be the Day; Oh Boy; and Peggy Sue; in quick succession, deafeningly loud. and the Fender Stratocasters - like something from another planet. Wow! I don't know if that TV session at the London Palladium was ever captured. I've never seen it since the broadcast. Can anyone add any light on that?
#6 2010-07-30 08:30:55
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#7 2010-07-30 09:42:19
- Chris_H
- Ivy Original
- From: Watford
- Posts: 1666
Re: American Graffiti
Buddy Holly was tremendously influential in British rock music. He was one of the first US rockers to visit our shores. Hugely influenced the Shadows, the Beatles as well as many others. The Stones had a Holly cover as one of their earliest hits.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardyandjohnson/
#8 2010-07-30 10:01:38
- Chris_H
- Ivy Original
- From: Watford
- Posts: 1666
Re: American Graffiti
Remember when American Graffiti first shown, it was an era that had not been looked at in detail up till then and the music had largely been forgotten. It is a measure of its success that it has been so often imitated subsequently and the music has now become 'hackneyed' for some.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardyandjohnson/
#9 2010-07-30 10:23:26
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
"hackneyed"?
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#10 2010-07-30 10:25:02
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#11 2010-07-30 10:41:01
- Chris_H
- Ivy Original
- From: Watford
- Posts: 1666
Re: American Graffiti
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardyandjohnson/
#12 2010-07-30 11:08:09
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
I think I got what it meant, but I was just curious about the reference in the word....
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#13 2010-07-30 13:00:44
- Long_Playing
- Member
- From: The Woodshed
- Posts: 147
Re: American Graffiti
Come on, that lone figure in a half-sleeve madras, chinos & weejuns wandering between cruising cars while a ghostly rendition of 'I Only Have Eyes For You' echoes in the night? What's not to like?
#14 2010-07-30 13:17:52
- Harpo
- The Best In The West
- From: West Wales
- Posts: 3394
Re: American Graffiti
It also features are rather nice Vespa, as I recal. Love the kid trying to buy booze and, if I remember rightly, johnnies, to get laid, and coming back with combs and toothpaste....
Randy lower-class trifler
#16 2010-07-31 00:57:03
- Big Mark
- Member
- Posts: 74
Re: American Graffiti
Watched this to death when I was younger-it has it's fair share of faces in it as well-Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford, Howard. My friend had it on pirate VHS, subsequently, the balance was very dark.
I recently got it on Lovefilm to see what I was missing.
Innocent clean nostalgia-is that how it was?
"I think I had it in the back of my mind that I wanted to sound like a dry martini." Paul Desmond
#17 2011-08-04 20:11:10
- Hard Bop Hank
- Ivy Soul Brother
- From: land of a 1000 dances
- Posts: 4923
Re: American Graffiti
Last edited by Hard Bop Hank (2011-08-04 20:16:05)
“No Room For Squares”
”All political art is bad – all good art is political.”
"Would there be any freedom of press or speech if one must reduce his vocabulary to vapid innocuous euphemisms?"
#18 2011-08-05 04:45:42
- Oliver
- Member
- From: San Francisco
- Posts: 6321
Re: American Graffiti
My two fave versions of BH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hixZb3L-E6A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ4KkPEXTNQ
#19 2011-08-06 01:21:04
- fxh
- Big Down Under.
- From: Melbourne
- Posts: 6159
Re: American Graffiti
Buddy Holly only really was in the public eye for less than two years and yet his musical and sartorial influence still continues.
I've a few bootleg out takes of his albums and sessions - amazingly down and much dirtier heavy sound than the released records, with a J L Hooker type sound to my ear - we have missed a lot by his early death.
He might have been a white boy but he was no white-bread musician.
#20 2011-12-11 07:34:26
- Chiltern Street
- Talking Ivy
- Posts: 791
Re: American Graffiti
I just bet my friend George loves this!
#21 2011-12-11 07:56:15
- steve mcqueen fan
- Agent Ivy.
- Posts: 1449
Re: American Graffiti
Really interesting thread, Andy. I didn't know it was "cool" to discuss this kind of music here. I believe 4fhepcat recently called pop music "3 chords and a nursury rhyme".
As far as the movie, love it, going to have to sit down and watch it again, haven't seen it in a while.
This is what I was talking about before- the RnR revival in the early 70s in the states- it took Hollywood a while to jump on the bandwagon. I think it was released in 74 and then tv did Happy days etc. I think Grease was on Broadway in 71, I took my wife(then girlfriend) to see it.
"McQueen's message was signaled through subtraction... in a tweed or herringbone jacket and a ribbed swearer he had an electric austerity".
#22 2011-12-11 08:02:31
- Chiltern Street
- Talking Ivy
- Posts: 791
Re: American Graffiti
You love what you love, right? I happen to love Beethoven and Mozart, too. Hepcat digs Elvis. So do I. I also love The Four Seasons, The Beach Boys and even remember The Monkees with some fondness. I didn't like when I was growing up what my Dad was listening to. My wife used to laugh at me for liking Glen Campbell. But I still do!
#23 2011-12-11 08:06:45
- steve mcqueen fan
- Agent Ivy.
- Posts: 1449
Re: American Graffiti
"McQueen's message was signaled through subtraction... in a tweed or herringbone jacket and a ribbed swearer he had an electric austerity".
#24 2011-12-11 08:09:19
- Chiltern Street
- Talking Ivy
- Posts: 791
Re: American Graffiti
The Everley Brothers, too. Brian Hyland. Little Anthony. Gene Vincent.
#25 2011-12-11 08:23:35
- Chris_H
- Ivy Original
- From: Watford
- Posts: 1666
Re: American Graffiti
Glen Campbell sings Brian Wilson writes and produces.......
http://youtu.be/_LXYduHhLM0
https://www.facebook.com/groups/hardyandjohnson/