Shawn

I have the Kelly/Chambers set but really wish I could have grabbed the other one, as I don't have any of the recordings contained in that set (other than The Young Lions). Oh well, sometimes food & shelter is more important than Mosaic sets!

I personally think most of the effects in Forbidden Planet hold up pretty well. The best segements have already been mentioned, but I also really like the effect where the captain kills the tiger that's getting ready to pounce on the girl...it kind of flames out and then turns to vapor...always liked that effect. Still a very cool movie... Anybody else here a fan of The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms? That's cool if the original Godzilla movie get reissued in it's "Burr-less" form. In the American version it's just another monster movie...but in the original version it's a pretty powerful anti-war film. I also never liked the way they edited together Godzilla's attack on Tokyo in the U.S. version, they spliced it together, in the original version it's two different attacks...it creates more tension that way.

I guess my post came off as a little "bitchy", I was at work when I posted so it just goes with the territory. I guess the point I was trying to make was that as a young man (okay, I was a kid, I admit it) in the late 70's/early 80's who primarily listened to FM Rock radio...Rush sounded pretty darn good to me. But then in that time period I was always listening to music that the "critics" and "hip" people strayed away from like the plague. Lots of Rush, Queen, Pink Floyd, Kansas, Black Sabbath, ELO, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Hendrix, CSN&Y, ZZ Top, Heart, AC/DC (Bon Scott era) etc. These were staples of FM radio at the time (well, not Black Sabbath obviously, even though they ended up being one of the most influential bands in history). The radio stations that I was tuned into didn't play much in the way of "alternative' (back when that meant something)...so you can't know if you'd dig it if you'd never heard it. But then again, let's look at the places that I lived during that period of time. From 1976-1978 I lived in southern Virginia, from 1980-1983 I lived in Kansas. So we're not exactly talking about areas where Joni Mitchell or Bob Marley are going to be heard ANYWHERE. You had to listen through HOURS of southern rock drek and "pop rock" bands like Foreigner & Styx before you'd get a chance to hear Money or Stone Free, etc. So to someone that was surrounded by the mediocre alot on the radio, bands like Rush were a breath of fresh air. Excellent musicians, interesting arrangements, a sound like no other band...and they still managed to kick ass. I remember feeling like an "intelligent" rock fan because of listening to bands like them and Queen. So it's a matter of perspective, where you came from and what you were exposed to. Even if I don't listen to alot of those bands anymore...I respect them, because they had an impact on my life and meant something to me at a time when my family life was such hell that I didn't know if I would get through each day without hanging myself from the nearest tree. So maybe songs like Free Will or The Analog Kid or whatever, helped me to get through those tough times. So when I hear them now...I still feel like I owe a debt of gratitude to Rush for making that music that kept me going. Sorry for the rant...

I like the album myself, have only spun it a couple times but it's got a nice vibe to it. It ain't jazz...just well produced folk-pop, but she's got a killer voice and a "presence" that you don't hear in many singers her age....

Of course Army Of Darkness helped re-cement Klaatu barada nikto into our minds, those were the "magic words" Ash was supposed to recite before removing the Necronomicon from it's cradle.

If Rush was part of the "lowest common denominator" at that time in history...what perchance was the alternative? Disco? Mid-late 70's pop music?

What has 9 arms and sucks? --Def Leppard!

Yeah, try Mosaic again, I got a defective disc once from them and they replaced it in 2 days.

Now if they could have had the Capitol Records building fall on Roland Emmerich it might be worth checking out....

Dave wasn't quite sure how it happened, but any hottie with an accordian growing out of her ass HAD to be good for business!

Actually Trower was a pretty awesome musician in his own right. There's some great stuff on his 70's records. Saw him in Seattle quite a few years ago, Al Hendrix was at the gig and came up to the stage and introduced Trower. A killer show. Of course the Hendrix thing got him started, but he developed his own voice. Actually, the poor man's King's X is Alice In Chains....

Man, those look like some great sessions that deserve to see the light of day. I actually just picked up "A" recently, can't believe it took me so long to finally nab a copy of that! Very underrated player indeed.

Well since this topic includes film as well, I'll go that route. Claude Rains - Even though he had plenty of starring roles in his career, he will always be remembered for incredibly juicy supporting roles. This man played so many unforgettable characters. As the head of police in Casablanca he managed to steal every scene he was in. Unforgettable as the corrupt senator in Mr. Smith Goes To Washington. One of the great villains of all time in Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious. Claude could do no wrong and brought such weight and depth of character to every role he played. More later...

Is Blue Cheer the poor man's MC5? Is Pat Travers the poor man's Robin Trower? Is Ted Nugent the poor man's Alvin Lee? While we're talking about bands that TRULY suck... America (ugh, gag, barf) Grand Funk (with or without the Railroad...they both suck) Vanilla Fudge How do you spell pretentious? E.L.P.

Well, I should have probably phrased that better... What I meant is that I don't get any paid holidays...so tomorrow is 8 hours with no pay. If I want my full 40 hours this week then I have to work 10 hour shifts Tuesday - Friday. If I was an actual employee of the company I am working for then I would get paid for tomorrow. But I'm an hourly contractor so I'm ineligble for the first year.

No pre-1953 films (post-The Robe actually) require letterboxing because the aspect ratio was 1:33:1 which is roughly the same as your TV screen.

Well, the last company I worked for I got 29 days a year combination vacation/sick time. Of course I was a moron and quit that job...now I'm working as a contractor and don't qualify for any days off with pay...until I've worked for a year with the company. So...any vacation (including the holiday tomorrow)...come out of my pocket.

Thanks for the mention of Michel Portal...and KILLER player! Have to agree with Lon on his choice....chitlins con CARNEY!

Great news!

Personally I've become a fan of Jackie's Prestige era albums and even though I don't play them very often, I always enjoy them when I do. I especially like anything with him and Mal Waldron together, I really like that combination. I couldn't really pick a favorite disc, but I have a warm place in my heart for Jackie's Pal and I also agree wholeheartedly with the rec for the live disc with George Wallington...and asskicker! Like many I do agree with the opinion that Jackie really "became" himself once he left for Blue Note (I feel the same way about Donald Byrd)...but I think to really get a true picture of an artist you have to study the evolution, and all eras of an artist of McLean's talent are worth investigating.

Well a "Thumbs Up" from the Sangrinator is enough for me!!! I'll be checking this one out!

What??? You don't own an album by The Who??? You must go out and buy Who's Next and W-O-R-S-H-I-P it! Poor man's Yes? Don't even put these two bands in anywhere near the same category. Rush started out as Zeppelin clones until developing a definite voice of their own. Love them or hate them...they are true originals.

Great film, one that seems to get better as the years go by. There aren't a whole lot of films that truly deserve the word "timeless" but this is one of them. One of the most literate and resonant sci-fi films of the 50's. Although not as important but still highly entertaining. 20 Million Miles To Earth (special effects are still stunning) Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers The Quatermass Xperiment Quatermass 2 The War Of The Worlds Village Of The Damned (the original)

Yes, but the difference between Peart having a huge drum set and say someone like...Alex Van Halen...is that Peart actually knows how to play the damn thing and he uses the entire kit quite effectively. Yes, I'm a Rush fan...have been for years. There have been long stretches in my life where I didn't listen to them, but I always end up getting in a "Rush mood" and then playing them constantly. I think their new Rush In Rio is the best thing they've ever done...marvelous to hear a bunch of "old geezers" playing with that much fire and finesse. Of course some of the lyrics are ridiculous and some of the experimentation falls flat but as a whole they've had a very respectable career and I don't think they come anywhere close to "Spinal Tap" territory. Maybe if we were talking about Ronnie James Dio or Nazareth that would apply...

Well I stopped at Suncoast yesterday on the way home from work and picked up a few things. Was very excited to see that Warner Bros. has finally gotten around to relasing some more of the Hammer Films titles they have rights to. Picked up Dracula Has Risen From The Grave and Taste The Blood Of Dracula (both with Christopher Lee). I've seen these movies a hundred times since I was a kid but never widescreen prints so I'm pretty excited about checking them out. That's on the schedule for tonight. Plus I bought the DVD of The Final Countdown (remember, Kirk Douglas movie about a aircraft carrier that goes through a time warp and ends up in WWII). Also planning on checking out Ghosts Of The Abyss on PPV, I've always been a Titanic buff since I was a kid so this is going to be right up my alley.