Yes, that's right. I was just watching that interview recently. I had been thinking of writing to Mr Forsyth but sadly I was too late. Very interesting man.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
I ought to have read more of his books given I loved The Odessa File, in which a German journalist finds himself drawn into the search for a particularly nasty Nazi after he reads the memoirs of a Jewish German who had committed suicide, with details of what happened in the concentration camps. I haven't read Jackal, though the film is excellent, but the Odessa film is disappointing and would work better as a serial. In the obits I learned there is a belated Odessa sequel coming out this year, co-written with another author.
I also read a paperback of short stories, front loaded with the best tales, it's very much of its time, where duksy women with flawless skin have their nipples poke through white blouses, and the men wear blazers, all a bit like that.
"This is where we leave you Mr Bond."
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 9,316MI6 Agent
Was that No Comebacks? I remember reading that collection as a teenager and enjoying it. As I recall a few of the stories in it were set in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland so it had some local appeal to me too. Forsyth famously moved to the Republic of Ireland (as did John Gardner and some other authors) to escape the Labour Government's high rate of tax for large earners. In the Republic of Ireland artists, poets, writers and musicians were exempt from tax due to a policy at the time.
Another fun Forsyth Bond fact: both he and Sir Sean Connery share the same birthday - 25th August.
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
The Beach Boys didn't present too well, did they, going by the above clip where they're miming. No wonder the Beatles knocked it out the park when they turned up - fans noticed they were playing their own instruments, not miming, because fans knew the records well enough. Then again the Beach Boys didn't even play on their own records necessarily, as the Wrecking Crew played instead on a good few, I think. Throw in that Wilson didn't always write his own lyrics...
God Only Knows is one of the best ever songs but didn't get played much for having 'God' in the title - 20 years or so later, Kate Bush was forced to rename her song Deal With God to avoid the same kind of thing, it became Running Up That Hill of course.
Feel Flows is another good one, I only know it from the end credits of Almost Famous.
Wilson is a strange one, as he did so few useful interviews so we don't feel we know him really unlike so many other of his contemporaries.
Brian Wilson had a lot of mental well-being issues brough on by LSD use in the early sixties. He was also physically [not sexually] abused by his Dad. I think he was probably damaged his whole life and music was an escape, hence his elaborate over-production. IMO - and I am not an expert - although I understand the Beach Boys as a phenomenon, I am not struck on this idea he was a composing genius. A production genius maybe, but many of the Beach Boys songs are colaborative efforts - Mike Love wrote many lyrics to the best known singles - and that alwasy makes me wonder about a man's legacy. They still had hits in the 70s when Carl Wilson and Al Jardine were writing the numbers. I have Pet Sounds. IMO, it isn't all that, and the cover is very odd. IMO, their best single is Sloop John B. and that is based on a poem.
Mike Love got annoyed when later Macca said, 'You really need to take better care of your LP covers' or words to that effect, well, he wasn't wrong was he, I mean Pet Sounds has almost certainly the worst cover of any classic LP.
I got it on CD and the mono version seems better, save imo for God Only Knows - I think the slightly repetitive plonky plonk rhythm is nicer in stereo, the same can be said of the Beatles' With A Little Help from my Friends which has the same kind of backing, and Hello Goodbye and most George Harrison songs on Revolver, it it is a bit dirge like it will be better in stereo imo.
I've said this before but it's an odd thing to say about the world’s most successful musician - he's underrated. It's probably because he's been around so long that most people simply take him for granted - oh, he's gone on tour again to record-breaking audiences. Oh, he's released another classical music album. Oh, he got another No1. Etc etc. It's not just his chart or financial achievements but his musical ones that are unparalleled, and he's still doing them long past the time when he needed the money.
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 30,873Chief of Staff
I wholeheartedly agree…I think it’s BECAUSE he just makes anything he does look easy…and he’s tried so many varying things in music…he doesn’t stop to think if he can or if he should - he just does. I find it ridiculous that many people think of him off as just a writer of soppy love songs whilst ignoring the full breadth of his work.
YNWA 97
Silhouette ManThe last refuge of a scoundrelPosts: 9,316MI6 Agent
(Not just that tune, of course- "Dirty Harry", "Enter The Dragon" (loved that one), and "Bullitt" spring to mind among many others, and for our own @CoolHandBond "Cool Hand Luke")
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 30,873Chief of Staff
"The tough man of the world. The Secret Agent. The man who was only a silhouette." - Ian Fleming, Moonraker (1955).
Sir MilesThe Wrong Side Of The WardrobePosts: 30,873Chief of Staff
Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, better known as Diogo Jota died in a car accident with his brother in the very early hours…he leaves behind three children and a wife - who he only married ten days ago.
Michael Madsen, who played Falco in DIE ANOTHER DAY but who is probably better remembered for his roles in Tarantino films, has died at 67.
Also, Kenneth Colley, who was never in a Bond film but was one of those great British character actors, has died at 87. He's mainly known for playing Captain--later Admiral--Piett in the original STAR WARS trilogy; but he was also the main antagonist in the Clint Eastwood thriller FIREFOX, and I enjoyed his Horatio Nelson in the TV series I REMEMBER NELSON, which had future Bond performer Bond performer Tim Piggott-Smith as the other Thomas Hardy, Nelson's Flag Captain.
Comments
"To understand everything is to forgive everything..."
RIP Frederick Forsyth
Yes, that's right. I was just watching that interview recently. I had been thinking of writing to Mr Forsyth but sadly I was too late. Very interesting man.
What a fantastic writer and a well lived life. He's left us with some truly wonderful work. RIP, Sir.
I ought to have read more of his books given I loved The Odessa File, in which a German journalist finds himself drawn into the search for a particularly nasty Nazi after he reads the memoirs of a Jewish German who had committed suicide, with details of what happened in the concentration camps. I haven't read Jackal, though the film is excellent, but the Odessa film is disappointing and would work better as a serial. In the obits I learned there is a belated Odessa sequel coming out this year, co-written with another author.
I also read a paperback of short stories, front loaded with the best tales, it's very much of its time, where duksy women with flawless skin have their nipples poke through white blouses, and the men wear blazers, all a bit like that.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Was that No Comebacks? I remember reading that collection as a teenager and enjoying it. As I recall a few of the stories in it were set in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland so it had some local appeal to me too. Forsyth famously moved to the Republic of Ireland (as did John Gardner and some other authors) to escape the Labour Government's high rate of tax for large earners. In the Republic of Ireland artists, poets, writers and musicians were exempt from tax due to a policy at the time.
Another fun Forsyth Bond fact: both he and Sir Sean Connery share the same birthday - 25th August.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg71xrxrn8go
Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys dies at 82. A key composer of the 60s, it would be hard to find someone who hasn't heard his music.
Rest in Peace Brian Wilson.
A true genius...
RIP Brian Wilson
The Beach Boys didn't present too well, did they, going by the above clip where they're miming. No wonder the Beatles knocked it out the park when they turned up - fans noticed they were playing their own instruments, not miming, because fans knew the records well enough. Then again the Beach Boys didn't even play on their own records necessarily, as the Wrecking Crew played instead on a good few, I think. Throw in that Wilson didn't always write his own lyrics...
God Only Knows is one of the best ever songs but didn't get played much for having 'God' in the title - 20 years or so later, Kate Bush was forced to rename her song Deal With God to avoid the same kind of thing, it became Running Up That Hill of course.
Feel Flows is another good one, I only know it from the end credits of Almost Famous.
Wilson is a strange one, as he did so few useful interviews so we don't feel we know him really unlike so many other of his contemporaries.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Brian Wilson had a lot of mental well-being issues brough on by LSD use in the early sixties. He was also physically [not sexually] abused by his Dad. I think he was probably damaged his whole life and music was an escape, hence his elaborate over-production. IMO - and I am not an expert - although I understand the Beach Boys as a phenomenon, I am not struck on this idea he was a composing genius. A production genius maybe, but many of the Beach Boys songs are colaborative efforts - Mike Love wrote many lyrics to the best known singles - and that alwasy makes me wonder about a man's legacy. They still had hits in the 70s when Carl Wilson and Al Jardine were writing the numbers. I have Pet Sounds. IMO, it isn't all that, and the cover is very odd. IMO, their best single is Sloop John B. and that is based on a poem.
Mike Love got annoyed when later Macca said, 'You really need to take better care of your LP covers' or words to that effect, well, he wasn't wrong was he, I mean Pet Sounds has almost certainly the worst cover of any classic LP.
I got it on CD and the mono version seems better, save imo for God Only Knows - I think the slightly repetitive plonky plonk rhythm is nicer in stereo, the same can be said of the Beatles' With A Little Help from my Friends which has the same kind of backing, and Hello Goodbye and most George Harrison songs on Revolver, it it is a bit dirge like it will be better in stereo imo.
Roger Moore 1927-2017
Happy 83rd Birthday, Sir Paul McCartney🎉
He's 83? It only seems like yesterday he was 64.
Happy 83rd Birthday to Sir Paul McCartney! 🥳
😉 And we definitely do still need him.
They say it’s your birthday, I’m glad it’s your birthday, happy birthday to you 🍸
When I'm 84 to hit the charts next summer ?
I've said this before but it's an odd thing to say about the world’s most successful musician - he's underrated. It's probably because he's been around so long that most people simply take him for granted - oh, he's gone on tour again to record-breaking audiences. Oh, he's released another classical music album. Oh, he got another No1. Etc etc. It's not just his chart or financial achievements but his musical ones that are unparalleled, and he's still doing them long past the time when he needed the money.
I wholeheartedly agree…I think it’s BECAUSE he just makes anything he does look easy…and he’s tried so many varying things in music…he doesn’t stop to think if he can or if he should - he just does. I find it ridiculous that many people think of him off as just a writer of soppy love songs whilst ignoring the full breadth of his work.
A message of thanks from Sir Paul McCartney:
Iconic composer Lalo Schifrin has died at 93.
https://youtu.be/tb13f_Magh0?feature=shared
(Not just that tune, of course- "Dirty Harry", "Enter The Dragon" (loved that one), and "Bullitt" spring to mind among many others, and for our own @CoolHandBond "Cool Hand Luke")
Hadn’t seen that, he wrote some marvellous pieces - RIP 🍸
Agree. A very impressive catalogue of work. Certainly the days of great TV themes are long gone, and he composed some of the best. RIP.
Apologies for these legacy drafts popping up... I can't remove them!
RIP Lalo Schifrin, leaving us with unforgettable themes from a different, exciting era of film and TV.
Sad to hear of the death of Lalo Schifrin. He also composed the score for the film of John Gardner's Boysie Oakes novel The Liquidator (1966):
Diogo José Teixeira da Silva, better known as Diogo Jota died in a car accident with his brother in the very early hours…he leaves behind three children and a wife - who he only married ten days ago.
RIP.
Michael Madsen, who played Falco in DIE ANOTHER DAY but who is probably better remembered for his roles in Tarantino films, has died at 67.
Also, Kenneth Colley, who was never in a Bond film but was one of those great British character actors, has died at 87. He's mainly known for playing Captain--later Admiral--Piett in the original STAR WARS trilogy; but he was also the main antagonist in the Clint Eastwood thriller FIREFOX, and I enjoyed his Horatio Nelson in the TV series I REMEMBER NELSON, which had future Bond performer Bond performer Tim Piggott-Smith as the other Thomas Hardy, Nelson's Flag Captain.
RIP both.
RIP both. I prefered watching Madsen in Tarantino's work, but it's always sad to lose an actor from the Bond movies.
RIP Michael Masden