007 CABARET RETURNS

The incredible world of James Bond is filled with action, style, saucy theme songs, and playful innuendo- perfect ingredients for cabaret! I sat down in 2017 for a quick chat in the Spy Vibe lair with my old friend Peter McCabe to hear more about his project, Shaken Not Stirred (co-created with Damien Gray), which is now making a comeback on November 14th at The Cutting Room in New York. Since our days at boarding school, where he excelled in the dramatic arts, Peter has spent his years as a New York based writer, teacher, actor, producer and dramaturg. He writes off-off Broadway plays, and burlesque operas, has taught writing and literature at the City University of New York, produced LIZZIE (a rock and roll musical about the double bludgeoness Lizzie Borden), and has been the Resident Dramaturg at the HERE Arts Center since 2009, where he assists in the development of inter-disciplinary theater work. Last year he and Gray aimed their talents at 007 to create Shaken Not Stirred: The Music of James Bond. As their press invites: "Come dressed to kill, grab a drink, and take aim at a night of music with everyone's favorite secret agent. Served straight up with a twist, Shaken Not Stirred: The Music of James Bond is New York's favorite cabaret of intrigue, featuring songbook hits like Goldfinger, Diamonds Are Forever, Skyfall, and more. You can Die Another Day- don't miss the dancing assassins, variety performers, and New York's top musical talent in this immersive cabaret perfect for Bond fans, secret agents, and anyone looking for a great martini." I hope Spy Vibers in the NYC area can catch the show on November 14th! Original interview below.

The show sounds like a fun cocktail of James Bond tunes, satire, and burlesque. Tell us a bit about the program you’ve created.

The program we've created is a concert, that happens all around you. People eat, drink, and are entertained in any direction they look. There are a lot interactions between the performers and the audience, private humor, individuated encounters, sometimes the dancers will take audience members out for a private experience, there's certainly a generous share of surprises, but the meat of the show is great singers singing great songs.

Nice! What are some of the Bond conventions you reference? It sounds like you played with Fleming’s knack for innuendo. 

We've created a character who fancies himself a well dressed ladies man. We have some sultry sirens who are beautiful, but dangerous. We have a trio of dancers, who play on the Bond Girl fantasy, a few villains, and yes, no shortage of innuendo. The fun thing is once you start there's no need to stop. The Man with the Golden Gun, etc.

With 007 music going back to 1962, how did you guys choose which songs to include?

We put a list together that mixes and matches the songs in a progressive order, big, small, fast, slow mash up, etc. There is a "thinly vailed narrative" that loosely weaves them together and allows for a lot of humor and double entendre, but mainly songs best suited to the singers' voices. If you've ever hung out with musical actors after hours, and they top each other with their favorite tunes and backstage humor; that's a lot of the feel of the show.

Sounds fun! Where can Spy Vibers see it? How long will the show run?

[Shaken Not Stirred is at The Cutting Room on November 14th, 2018]. From 2017: The show has two performances every Sunday at The Django- this beautiful restaurant/jazz club in The Roxy Hotel in New York, through November 19th. Tickets can be bought at Shaken Not Stirred. There are two different versions of the show with different casts and slightly different programs. We are hoping to expand and have the show in Las Vegas and Miami.

That would be fantastic! And It's cool to hear the audience can have different experiences depending on their time of entry. I don’t think we ever chatted about Bond in High School (confession: I often carried a Walther PPK capgun in the breast pocket of my blazer in an early form at Cosplay during formal events!). What were your fave Bonds growing up?

I was a Sean Connery guy for the Bonds, but I always preferred the Villains. Jaws, Odd Job, Dr. No, and the like.

Pete, if you were a diabolical mastermind, what would you choose as your secret lair?

I am a diabolical master mind, so I think an urban palace with lots of spiral staircases, secret passageways, an Edwardian library, and access to the launch. A friend went to Prince's house and said he had a glass-top, pool dance floor with an ankh in his private house club- maybe with one of those!

I always knew you were a mastermind! Your secret is safe with us. Folks, I still have vivid memories from our youth of enjoying Peter's energy and talent for theater. And now- James Bond! I urge Spy Vibers in the NYC area to make time for this 007 experience. 2017 Performances ran Sunday nights September 10 - November 19, 2017 at The Django, a Parisian jazz age inspired club in The Roxy Hotel." Tickets for the November, 2018 show here.

In other news, my new episode of Cocktail Nation radio is live! Every month I introduce a classic film or TV series and play some cool soundtrack cuts for this swinging show out of Australia. Also please check out my new book (over 700 pages!) about one of America's most successful cartoonists. Spy Vibers, my web and hosting fees keep adding up. If you can help Spy Vibe out, please consider dropping a few bucks in our Paypal tip jar at the top-left of this page. Thanks!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Bond Beatles Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Liquidator, Diabolik LP, Fab Dresses, Eurospy Music Collection, Beetle Bailey in West Berlin, Why Mort Walker?, Spy Vibe radio: The Beatles Help!, Avengers Critical Guide, The Spotnicks, Benny Spies, James Pond 0017', Satire Stones, Annette Andre Book, Cat Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Get Smart, Caine: My Generation, Interview: Ian Ogilvy, ITC Elstree Event, Horror of Party Beach, Sylvie Vartan Renown, Ringo At 78, Dark Shadows Strips, Spy Vibe Radio: Flint, Archie Batman 66, Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Spy Vibe Radio: Jerry Cotton, The Invaders, 007 Horowitz Book Tour, McGoohan/Prisoner Event at Elstree, The Prisoner Interviews Vol 1, British Underground Press, Interview: Fab4 Mania, Bond Cocktail Book, Bond at Bletchley, Spy Smasher, Spy Vibe Radio: Peter Gunn, Agent Zero M, New Prisoner Comic, Dr. No Villains Edition,  Spy Vibe Radio: Danger Diabolik, Dr. No 60th, Oy-Oy-Seven, Spy Vibe Radio (UFO), Cold War Comic Strips, Thunderball Event, Mission to India, Mort Walker Celebration,  Peter Wyngarde Celebration, Batman 66 Exhibit, Prisoner Fifty Event, Ian Fleming Publications 2017-2018, Interview: Ed Hulse Pulp, Avengers Audio Drama, Interview: Callan At 50, Interview: Playboys, Spies, Private Eyes, TWA Returns, Spy Vibe Radio 8, Interview: Ryan Heshka, Mid-Century Modern Schulz, Agent Werewolf, Mata Hair Exhibit, Johnny Sokko 50th, Interview: Trina Robbins, Eddie Izzard, The Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50th, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Jack Good R.I.P., Interview: Shaken Not Stirred, Callan 50th, Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.

BOND BEATLES DAY

If there is a cultural axis to the earth, then it certainly shifted on October 5th, 1962. That's the day two of our major cultural touchstones made their first mainstream releases: Bond and The Beatles! It's hard to overstate the impact that both 007 and The Fabs had on our cultural history. And amazingly, the first big-screen 007 movie and the first Beatles single came out on the same day! What followed was the great Spy Boom, a complete re-invention of popular music, the galvanizing of youth, and a British cultural invasion that continues to reverberate today in every Mini Cooper, well-dressed action hero, and new concept album. Bond and The Beatles spawned generations of imitators and incarnations, and each "brand" continues to produce new projects that expand the fan-base. Their iconography represents so many chapters in the changing climate of the 1960s, yet these monumental creations first arrived in such simple packages. Let's take a brief look!

The Beatles first single, Love Me Do/P.S. I Love You, was released on October 5th, 1962. It arrived in the world in a Parlophone striped paper sleeve and a simple silver-on-red company label. Talking about the song before he passed away, John Lennon said, "Love Me Do is Paul's song. He wrote it when he was a teenager. Let me think. I might have helped on the middle eight, but I couldn't swear to it. I do know he had the song around, in Hamburg, even, way, way before we were songwriters" (All We Are Saying/1980). Paul McCartney apparently remembers a more collaborative creation and he went on to tell Barry Miles about the overall importance of the track to the band's launch: "We loved doing it, it was a very interesting thing to try and learn to do, to become songwriters. I think why we eventually got so strong was we wrote so much through our formative period. Love Me Do was our first hit, which ironically is one of the two songs that we control, because when we first signed to EMI they had a publishing company called Ardmore and Beechwood which took the two songs, Love Me Do and PS I Love You, and in doing a deal somewhere along the way we were able to get them back" (Many Years From Now). A 50th anniversary vinyl reissue was planned in 2012, but the album version (without Ringo on drums) was accidentally used. In a flurry of news, EMI recalled all of the records with plans to scrap them. Some copies found their way to collectors before the corrected version was pressed (I had a copy, but sold it). Beatles insider, Bill Harry, wrote a book about the recording of the first record called Love Me Do. Also, check out Hunter Davies' book collecting the letters of John Lennon. Dr. No continues below. Beatles related posts: Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Interview: Fab 4 Mania, The Beatles: Mission to India, Sgt. Pepper 50th, The Beatles: The Curious Camera, Revolver At 50, Ringo Rocks At 71, Pattie Boyd Exhibit, Peter Sellers to John Lennon: UK Satire, Ringo Tribute, John Lennon Remembered, Vintage Vinyl, Experimental Beatles, Ivan Vaughan, Essential Ringo, Paul at 72, Notes Behind the Curtain 1, Notes Behind the Curtain 2, Notes Behind the Curtain 3, Notes Behind the Curtain 4, 1960s Overdrive, Make Love in London, George Martin R.I.P., Tony Sheridan R.I.P., Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Encouragement From Yoko, My Experimental Re-Mix & Film with Yoko, Lennon70 Tribute Film, Home Movies, Sean Lennon Release, Gilbert Taylor R.I.P., Atomic Art, Love Piece, Sean Lennon Scores, Sean Lennon Limited Edition, Fab Fall 2013, George Harrison, New Beatles Fashion, Yellow Submarine 50th.

It was years before author Ian Fleming finally saw his literary creation make it to the big screen. Although "Casino Royale" had been made for TV's Climax in 1954 (starring Barry Nelson and Peter Lorre), it took the combined efforts of producers Salzman and Broccoli, and the creative team of Terrence Young, Richard Maibaum, Peter Hunt, Ken Adam, John Barry, Monty Norman, Syd Cain, Maurice Binder, and Sean Connery to finally bring all the elements into place. Dr. No was eventually chosen as the first story to film and it was released on October 5th, 1962. Despite the success of what became the Bond franchise, building on subsequent films From Russia With Love and, especially, Goldfinger, The UK advance poster, like Love Me Do, arrived in simple attire: black and red titles/graphics on yellow, with a minimal aesthetic that anticipated the Raymond Hawkey designed 007 book covers in the UK. There had been spy movies going back to the beginning of cinema, but Ken Adam's stylized design approach to Dr. No helped to create an atmosphere for the Space Age. Speaking in 2002 with Todd Longwell for the Hollywood Reporter, Adam remarked that his seminal design for the "Tarantula Room" was the result of some resourcefulness late in his schedule: "I think it is one of my favorite sets, because it is so simple and theatrical or stylized. I think it somehow became the basis for some of the later Bond designs and certainly encouraged me to not only stylize Bond films but other films as well with rather simple means. Because this set was an afterthought and I had no money left. I think I had 450 pounds left. So I really had to come up with something very quickly that was very easy to construct and at the same time create a very important effect. It really worked (Longwell)." Adam probably drew from some of his experiences designing bomb shelters in the past to come up with the iconic domed room with asymmetrical ceiling- a reoccurring motif in the Bind film series. Indeed, that set defined the cinematic Bind universe for me. Like that moment Patrick McGoohan's Number 6 enters Number 2's lair in The Prisoner, first-time Bond moviegoers surely knew they were suddenly in unknown territory, both technological and sinister. See Spy Vibe for many James Bond and Ian Fleming posts, including:  Bond at Bletchley, Spy Vibe's interview with Fergus Fleming, Ian Fleming Grave, SE Asian 007, Fleming Jamaica Book, Bond Japanese Editions, Fleming Chinese Edition, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang 50th, Ian Fleming: Mt. Demon Hell Japan, Collecting Fleming, Live and Let Die 60th, Appropriating Bond Exhibit, The Goldfinger Variations, Double 007 Book Designs, Double 007 designs II, rare Ian Fleming edition, Book Design Dopplegangers, Turkish Bond design, Ian Fleming Letters, Erno Goldfinger, Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview.

There were, of course, various connections between these two iconic camps, mostly notably: George Martin produced the Goldfinger single with Shirley Bassey, had signed Matt Monroe to EMI (the singer later recorded From Russia With Love), and later worked with Paul McCartney on their music for Live and Let Die. Bond and Beatles films shared cast members -drawing from the many talented performers in the UK at the time- and shared a location in the Les Ambassadeurs club gaming room. Sean Connery quipped about The Beatles in Goldfinger, The Beatles (and composer Ken Thorne) spoofed Bond in the movie Help!, and both Paul McCartney and George Harrison picked up Aston Martin DB5s (George's sold at auction in 2011 for £350,000.00). Ringo Starr would later marry Spy Who Loved Me actress Barbara Bach. And Swinging London just keeps swinging!

On this anniversary of Bond and The Beatles, try to imagine what it was like to be in that first day in 1962, getting this first taste of new artistic creation. Love Me Do and Dr. No must have seemed fresh and exciting, but surely folks would have wondered if these new bands and movies would catch on. One-hit wonders? So just image you are there. You put the needle down on the record... The lights go down in the theater... and a new world begins... Spy Vibers, my new episode of Cocktail Nation radio is live! Also please check out my new book (over 700 pages!) about one of America's most successful cartoonists. Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Spy Vibe Radio: Liquidator, Diabolik LP, Fab Dresses, Eurospy Music Collection, Beetle Bailey in West Berlin, Why Mort Walker?, Spy Vibe radio: The Beatles Help!, Avengers Critical Guide, The Spotnicks, Benny Spies, James Pond 0017', Satire Stones, Annette Andre Book, Cat Day, Spy Vibe Radio: Get Smart, Caine: My Generation, Interview: Ian Ogilvy, ITC Elstree Event, Horror of Party Beach, Sylvie Vartan Renown, Ringo At 78, Dark Shadows Strips, Spy Vibe Radio: Flint, Archie Batman 66, Paul at 76, Beatles Pac-Man, Spy Vibe Radio: Jerry Cotton, The Invaders, 007 Horowitz Book Tour, McGoohan/Prisoner Event at Elstree, The Prisoner Interviews Vol 1, British Underground Press, Interview: Fab4 Mania, Bond Cocktail Book, Bond at Bletchley, Spy Smasher, Spy Vibe Radio: Peter Gunn, Agent Zero M, New Prisoner Comic, Dr. No Villains Edition,  Spy Vibe Radio: Danger Diabolik, Dr. No 60th, Oy-Oy-Seven, Spy Vibe Radio (UFO), Cold War Comic Strips, Thunderball Event, Mission to India, Mort Walker Celebration,  Peter Wyngarde Celebration, Batman 66 Exhibit, Prisoner Fifty Event, Ian Fleming Publications 2017-2018, Interview: Ed Hulse Pulp, Avengers Audio Drama, Interview: Callan At 50, Interview: Playboys, Spies, Private Eyes, TWA Returns, Spy Vibe Radio 8, Interview: Ryan Heshka, Mid-Century Modern Schulz, Agent Werewolf, Mata Hair Exhibit, Johnny Sokko 50th, Interview: Trina Robbins, Eddie Izzard, The Prisoner Capt Scarlet 50th, Hugh Hefner R.I.P., Jack Good R.I.P., Interview: Shaken Not Stirred, Callan 50th, Spy Vibe Radio 7, The Prisoner 50th Event, Spy-Fi Event, Kaho Aso 007, Two Million, Bo Diddley, Carnaby Pop, Le Carre Events, Billy Bragg Skiffle, Elvis 68, Jack Kirby The Prisoner, Casino Royale Concert, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Interview: The Prisoner Essential Guide, Maud Russell Mottisfont, Spy Vibe Radio 4, Batman Gallants, Adam West R.I.P., Village Triangle, Roger Moore R.I.P., Spy Vibe Radio 3, Sgt Pepper 50th, Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Interview: Police Surgeon, XTC Avengers, 1966 Pep Spies, Batman Book Interview, Exclusive Fleming Interview, Avengers Comic Strips, Robert Vaughn RIP, UNCLE Fashions, Thunderbirds Are Pop!, Interview: Spy Film Guide, Lost Avengers Found, The Callan File, Mission Impossible 50th, Green Hornet 50th, Star Trek 50th, Portmeirion Photography 1, Filming the Prisoner, Gaiman McGinnins Project, Ian Fleming Grave, Revolver at 50, Karen Romanko Interview, Mod Tales 2, Umbrella Man: Patrick Macnee, New Beatles Film, The Curious Camera, Esterel Fashion 1966, Exclusive Ian Ogilvy Interview, 007 Tribute Covers, The Phantom Avon novels return, Ian Fleming Festival, Argoman Design, Sylvia Anderson R.I.P., Ken Adam R.I.P., George Martin R.I.P., The New Avengers Comics, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.