BEATLES 1965 SPECIAL

One of the great time capsules from 1965 is The Music of Lennon and McCartney TV special. With its use of elements like modern geometric staging, Mod stripes and suits, mini dresses, and white space boots, the production was firmly tapped into the aesthetics of that particular year. And so many compositions by John and Paul had been covered around the world at that point, the scope of their success became the raison d'être for the program. Many performers, including The Beatles, mimed to various versions of Fab tunes and wandered the industrial corporate set. Joining the musicians on-stage were go-go dancers and fashionable models posing like mannequins. Keep your eye out for the Scuba outfit! Granada television broadcast the special on December 16 1965, and the program went out around the rest of the UK the following day. Guests included Cilla Black (who just passed away), Peter and Gordon, Lulu, Henry Mancini, Marianne Faithfull, Dick Rivers, Peter Sellers, George Martin Orchestra, and many others. A highlight for me was the Japanese cover of Can't Buy Me Love (available on the From Liverpool to Tokyo compilation). Parts one and two of the program below are great reminders of Swinging London during the Spy Boom. By the way, the Go-Go meter really kicks into gear at the start of part two! You can also find Cilla's performance in part three on Youtube, though it's often muted for rights reasons. Throw a 1965 party with these cool releases: Thunderball, The Ipcress File, The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Doctor Who and the Daleks, Help!, The Knack... and How to Get It, She, Ten Little Indians, I Spy, Get Smart, The Wild Wild West, Thunderbirds, The 10th Victim, Honey West, Doctor Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine, and Emma Peel's debut on The Avengers. Not a bad year! Happy Monday, Spy Vibers!

Selected Spy Vibe posts: Doctor Who Exhibit, Farewell Steed, Pussy Galore Returns, Diana Rigg birthday, Sherlock at 221B, Invisible Agent, Saint Interview: Ian Dickerson, Saint Doppelgänger, Fleming's Typewriter, Rare Fleming, Fleming's Music, Ian Fleming's Japan, Jim Wilson Corgi Interview, Fantomas Design, Jeremy Duns on Bond, John Buss interview, Diana Rigg eBook, Avengers Season 5 Titles, Saint Volvo, Mod Tales Interview, Agente Secreto Comics, Danger Man Comics 2, Danger Man Comics, John Drake Comics, Der Mann Von UNCLE, Golden Margaret Nolan, Man From UNCLE Rocksteady, Pussy Galore Calypso, Cynthia Lennon R.I.P., Edward Mann Fashion, Leonard Nimoy Tribute, Shatner at 84, Bob Morane series, New Saint Publications, The Saint Complete box set, Gerry Anderson Box Sets, Music For Spies, Thai Bond Design, Bond vs Modernism, Popular Skullture, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Feraud Mod Fashion, Green Hornet Manga, No 6 Festival, Avengers Interview: Michael Richardson, Ian Fleming: Wicked Grin, Jane Bond Hong Kong Records, Ryan Heshka Interview, Comics Week: Man From R.I.V.E.R.D.A.L.E., Comics Week: Archie, Comics Week: Robots, Comics Week: Cold War Atomic, Comics Week: SPYMAN, Comics Week: Jimmy Olsen, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.