SPY VIBE RADIO 6

Spy Vibe's collaboration with Cocktail Nation continues with Episode #6- now live and streaming! Spy Vibe is featured in a podcast segment every month, where I present classic spy films/series and share recordings from the Cold War. This month I introduce the pop-surreal masterpiece, The Prisoner (1967-1968). The series features Patrick McGoohan as Number 6, a man trapped in a strange village guarded by a mysterious white ball. His captors want the information in his head, but are the baddies after the secrets or is it his own side testing his loyalty? Tune in to listen to Episode #6 (The Prisoner) on Cocktail Nation. I've just returned from my third stay in Portmeirion, the village where the series was filmed, and I look forward to sharing my photographs soon. See my previous location photo shoots in the related links below. For more radio action, go to Episode #1 (Danger Man) and Episode #2 (The 10th Victim), Epsiode #3 (On Her Majesty's Secret Service), Episode #4 (Roger Moore/The Saint), and Episode #5 (The Avengers). And tune in to Cocktail Nation -the number one lounge music radio show- every week for cool soundtracks, swingin' jazz, news and more. Related links: Interview: The Prisoner Guide, Review: The Prisoner Vol 2, Portmeirion Photography 1, Portmeirion Photography, The Prisoner London Flat, Alan Hayes Prisoner Audio Review, Interview: Ian Olgivy, Interview: Brian Gorman, Prisoner Supergrass, Prisoner XTC, Prisoner XTC 2, Prisoner DC Fontana.

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: 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, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review.

ALICE BOOTS 1966

Greetings Spy Vibers! I've just returned from the UK, where I spent a month traveling with friends to see special events, classic filming locations, and exhibits. Some highlights included chatting with Bond screenwriter Robert Wade, stuntmen Paul Weston and Ray Austin, and with pop culture scholars Andrew Pixley, Mike Richardson, and Alan Hayes.  I have much to share with you! My teaching schedule picks up in a couple of weeks, but I will make sure to start posting photographs and  observations from my mission. One image that crossed my radar today really resonated with something I've been thinking about for quite a while. I've always found it interesting to see how Victorian and Edwardian styles became a major ingredient to mid-1960s pop culture. The popularity of Art Nouveau posters, Edwardian fashions, stories based on early-century ideas like Fantomas, Judex, and London's The Assassination Bureau (starring Diana Rigg), the continued interest in Jules Verne and H.G. Welles, and the costume designs for John Steed (The Avengers), Adam Adamant (Adam Adamant Lives!), and Doctor Who are just a few examples. We also saw many adaptations of Lewis Carroll (at least 6 filmed versions of Alice during the decade) and a direct influence of his Wonderland stories on the works of John Lennon and the new surrealists. The Wind in the Willows also impacted new artists, most notably Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd). Just as society seemed fixated on the Space Race and ultra-modernism, it is interesting to note how people looked back often enough for this revival to gain traction in the culture. One event of note that captured the zeitgeist of this wave was the opening of a major exhibition of Aubrey Beardsley at the V&A museum in 1966. And through exploring that exhibit, I found this image to share with you today. Designer Paul Christodoulou created a pastiche of Beardsley imagery in this 1966 advertisement for "Alice Boots" by T. Elliot & Sons, London. According to the V&A, the piece included "elements from Beardsley's illustrations to 'The Wonderful History of Vergilius the the Sorcerer', 'Salome' including 'The Stomach Dance', 'The Woman in the Moon', 'Enter Herodias', 'The Eyes of Herod', 'The Toilette', and the title-page; 'Lysistrata haranguing the Athenian Women', 'Messalina returning from the Bath', 'Neophyte, and... the Black Art', 'The Kiss of Judas', 'Sganarelle and the Beggar'; The Pall Mall Magazine, cover designs for 'The Yellow Book', Vols I and IV and a self portrait." I love how the poster wraps up 1960s fashion and Art Nouveau-chic into one stylish time capsule. More info here. Enjoy! Related posts: Edward Gorey's 1960s, Satire/Surrealism Boom, The Prisoner Fallout & Surrealism, Peter Sellers to John Lennon. 

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: 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, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review, David McCallum novel, Andre Courreges R.I.P., Who's Talking on Spy Vibe, UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art.

SGT PEPPER 50TH

New release: Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. If the decade of the 1960s found its identity in cultural change and innovation, one of its defining moments came in the form of a record album by The Beatles in early June, 1967. Turning away from tours and public appearances, the group concentrated on writing, recording, and on discovering new maturity as artists. As the public and press waited for news of their progress, The Beatles would ultimately surprise the world with an experimental masterpiece that would change the course of the culture- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. The album will see a 50th anniversary release on May 26th, with various editions promising rare studio chat, outtakes, and an additional stereo mix by Giles Martin. Spy Vibers curious about how the songs and album took shape will want the 4-disc box set, which also includes the wonderful Making of documentary with George Martin, a deluxe book, and more! Story continues below. Spy Vibers, have you heard my new radio show with Cocktail Nation? Episode #3 is coming up this weekend and I'll be talking about On Her Majesty's Secret Service. Here are info links for Episode #1 (Danger Man) and Episode #2 (The 10th Victim).

From the press release: "It was 50 years ago when The Beatles' John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr astonished and delighted the world, ushering in the Summer of Love with Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, a groundbreaking masterwork that became popular music's most universally acclaimed album. The album is newly mixed by Giles Martin and engineer Sam Okell in stereo, sourced directly from the four-track masters at Abbey Road Studios in London, and guided by the original, Beatles-preferred mono mix produced by his father, George Martin. This extensive collection gives an unprecedented insight into how The Beatles made their ground-breaking album. The box set features a new stereo version by Giles Martin and 33 tracks from the Sgt. Pepper sessions that place you in the studio as the group develop the songs. 4 Audio CDs: A new stereo mix of the album by Giles Martin. Sgt. Pepper Sessions on 2 CDs with over 100 minutes of audio illustrating how the album was created. Newly mixed from the original four-track tapes, most of the material is previously unreleased. Also contains the original 1967 mono mix of the album and bonus tracks including three previously unreleased mixes. Blu-Ray/DVD: Fully restored 1992 documentary The Making of Sgt. Pepper, including interviews with Paul, George and Ringo and fascinating in-the-studio footage introduced by George Martin. Restored promotional films for 'A Day In The Life', 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'. 2017 Giles Martin 5.1 surround sound mix and high-resolution stereo audio in 96KHz/24bit of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band plus 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'. 144-page hardback book featuring an introduction by Sir Paul McCartney, comprehensive song-by-song details and recording information, in-depth essays about the design of the cover, the album's musical innovations and its historical context... and much more. Illustrations include photographs from the recording sessions, handwritten lyrics and Abbey Road documentation. Plus a replica of the original card insert and two bonus posters." More info at Amazon. More below.

The Beatles experimented often during their career, pushing pop music into uncharted territory and exploring the avant-garde. Even their solo efforts saw the band members reaching for experimentation and the cutting edge. John Lennon collaborated with Yoko Ono on many experimental films and sound recordings. He also starred in Richard Lester's surreal film, How I Won the War (1967). George Harrison played with Indian and early Moog music, and he released an experimental soundtrack to Wonderwall (1968). Paul McCartney made a number of experimental films and tape-loops (later stolen), techniques that inspired the sound collage on Tomorrow Never Knows. McCartney returned to experiment with electronic music and sound collage with the Firemen and Liverpool Sound Collage projects. And Ringo Starr pursued a film career that included collaborations with Peter Sellers, Frank Zappa, Harry Nilsson, and Marc Bolan. Lennon's son, Sean, has continued to carry the experimental touch through his collaborations with Yoko Ono, Yuka Honda (Cibo Matto), and Les Claypool. Below: The Beatles at the Pepper release party, May 19th 1967, photographed by Linda Eastman- less than two years before her marriage to McCartney. Continues below.

At the heart of The Beatles' success was perhaps their playful humor- a quality that originally secured their contract with George Martin, who had produced comedy records for Beyond the Fringe, Peter Sellers, and The Goons. Much of the Beatles' work was steeped in play and a love of 'happy accidents' in the studio, and their magical flights of imagination connected the group to a larger wave in the culture. The 1960s saw a boom in surrealism throughout the arts, where imagery from Lewis Carroll loomed large. The Beatles (and Pepper) were a part of this current. Spy Vibers interested in exploring the world of 1960s surrealism might want to check out the 1966 BBC "Wednesday Play" Alice in Wonderland with George Baker (The Prisoner, OHMSS, Spy Who Loved Me), Leo McKern (The Prisoner, Help!), Peter Sellers, Peter Cook, and many others! It also features a soundtrack by George Harrison collaborator, Ravi Shankar. Other notable surreal and satirical projects: The Bed Sitting Room, How I Won the War (with John Lennon), The Knack... and How to Get It, Not Only But Also, Beyond the Fringe, The Magic Christian (with Ringo and Peter Sellers), and Monty Python's Flying Circus. In 1967, The Beatles made the experimental film Magical Mystery Tour. Although it left many viewers scratching their heads (even today), the movie is filled with treasured moments of the group presenting some of their greatest work, playing around with surrealist imagery, and challenging movie conventions. I believe viewers who enter the film knowing that it was influenced by surrealism, Lewis Carroll, Lord of the Rings, and 1967 counter-culture, will find it an interesting experience. Enjoy! Can you help Spy Vibe? Please make a small donation in our Paypal tip button at the top-left of this page. Thank you! 

Related posts: The Curious Camera, McCartney at 71, 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., Beatles at BBC, Kirchherr and Ono, Encouragement From Yoko, My Experimental Re-Mix & Film with Yoko, Lennon70 Tribute Film, Bowie Spies Berlin, 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. 

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Satanik Kriminal OST, 60s Overdrive, Make Love in London, Spy Vibe Radio 2, Spy Vibe Radio 1, James Bond Strips, Propaganda Mabuse, Fahrenheit 451 50th, 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, Trina Robbins Interview, The Phantom at 80, 007 Manga, Avengerworld Book, Diana Rigg Auto Show, The Prisoner Audio Drama Review, David McCallum novel, Andre Courreges R.I.P., Who's Talking on Spy Vibe, UFO Blu-ray, Avengers Pop Art.

EXPERIMENTAL BEATLES

The surrealism and satire boom in the UK during the 1960s, fueled by Peter Sellers, Beyond the Fringe, Richard Lester, John Lennon, and Monty Python were an integral part of a new perspective on life that wasn't afraid to confront social issues with humor and flair. Thinking outside the box led to so many qualities and creations that we hold dear today. Experimentation was essential for this growth, and sometimes the experiments pushed outside the envelope- an experience that can be challenging, but rewarding with the proper context.

The Beatles experimented often during their career, pushing pop music into uncharted territory and exploring the avant-garde. John Lennon collaborated with Yoko Ono on many experimental films and sound recordings. He also starred in Richard Lester's experimental surreal film, How I Won the War. George Harrison played with early Moog music and contributed the soundtrack to the movie, Wonderwall. Paul McCartney made a number of experimental films and tape-loops (later stolen) that inspired the sound collage on Tomorrow Never Knows. McCartney returned to experiment with electronic music and sound collage with the Firemen and Liverpool Sound Collage projects. And Ringo Starr pursued an acting career that included collaboration with Peter Sellers. (see various clips below). At the heart of The Beatles' success was perhaps their playful humor- a quality that originally secured their contract with George Martin, who had produced records for Peter Sellers and The Goons. Much of their work was steeped in play and a love of 'happy accidents' in the studio. The decade saw a boom in surreal British filmmaking. Imagery from Carroll's Alice loomed large and the Beatles were a part of this wave. Spy Vibers interested in exploring the world of 1960s surrealism further should check out the BBC Alice in Wonderland (with Peter Sellers, Peter Cook, and a soundtrack by Ravi Shankar), The Bed Sitting Room, How I Won the War (with John Lennon), The Knack... and How to Get It, Not Only But Also, Beyond the Fringe, and Monty Python's Flying Circus.

In 1967, The Beatles made an experimental film called Magical Mystery Tour. Although it left many viewers scratching their heads (even today), the movie is filled with treasured moments of the group presenting some of their greatest work and playing around with surrealist imagery and challenging movie conventions. It was not another A Hard Days Night, but it was an important work from a group of 1960s artists that we love BECAUSE they were willing to push the envelope and think outside the box. I believe that viewers going into the film, knowing that the movie is influenced by surrealism, Lewis Carroll, Lord of the Rings, and 1967 counter-culture, will find it an interesting experience.

Magical Mystery Tour has been remastered and will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on October 9th (John and Sean Lennon's birthdays). Special features include director commentary by Paul McCartney, interviews, and many un-seen scenes. A collector's edition includes a reproduction of the 2-vinyl record EP (in glorious MONO!), and a book. There will also be a limited theatrical release starting September 27th. Roll up! Roll up! Don't miss it and keep your minds (and ears!) open. Here is the trailer and one of my favorite segments of the group performing I Am the Walrus in the film. 

Essential Beatles Experimental Work:
Revolver (Bealtes album)
SGT Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Beatles album)
Magical Mystery Tour (Beatles film)
The White Album (Beatles album)
Two Virgins (Lennon/Ono album)
Life With the Lions (Lennon/Ono album)
Wedding Album (Lennon/Ono album)
Lennon/Ono film shorts

Electronic Sounds (Harrison album)

Wonderwall (Harrison film)
The Magic Christian (Starr film)
How I Won the War (Lennon film)
Georgia Stone (Ono/Lennon track)
Liverpool Sound Collage (McCartney album)
Strawberries Oceans Ships Forest (McCartney album)
Rushes (McCartney album)

I had a chance to make a music re-mix a couple of years ago for Yoko Ono that won a contest she was holding with the Plastic Ono Band. I followed it up with an experimental short film that you can see here: The Sun is Down. I also made a tribute sound collage and film for John Lennon's 70th birthday, Lennon70. 

Check out our recent posts, including Neil Armstrong: One Last Step, Celebrating 450,000 visitors, Interview with Playboy Bunny Deana, and our series, For Your Shelf Only, where guests share stories about collecting and show us some of their treasures. Series links: Jon Gilbert, Raymond Benson, Jeremy Duns, Peter Lorenz, David Foster, Rob Mallows, Roger Langley, Craig Arthur, Fleming Short, Matt Sherman. Check out my books Counting Sheep and Mort Walker Conversations.