M SPYMASTER

Event alert: Go behind the scenes and learn more about the man reputed to be one of the inspirations for Ian Fleming's "M". Author Henry Hemming will be doing a presentation at the British Library in London on July 11th called M, Maxwell Knight, MI5's Greatest Spymaster. From the press release: "Maxwell Knight was a paradox. A jazz obsessive and a nature enthusiast, he is also seen today as one of MI5's greatest spymasters, a man who did more than any other to break up British fascism during the Second World War. He was known to his agents and colleagues simply as M, and was rumoured to be part of the inspiration for the character M in the James Bond series. Knight became a legendary spymaster despite an almost total lack of qualifications. What set him apart from his peers was a mercurial ability to transform almost anyone into a fearless secret agent. Drawing on declassified documents, private family archives and interviews with retired MI5 officers as well as the families of MI5 agents, Henry Hemming reveals not just the shadowy world of espionage but a brilliant, enigmatic man at its centre, who was the first in MI5 to grasp the potential of training female agents. Henry Hemming tells the gripping story of M, as well as providing a taste of what it was like to work for this great spymaster." Henry Hemming is the author of Churchill's Iceman (published in the US as The Ingenious Mr. Pyke), Misadventure in the Middle East, and In Search of the English Eccentric. He has written for the Economist, The Sunday Times, FT Magazine and the Washington Post, among many others. More details here. In other news, my episodes of the Cocktail Nation radio show are now live: 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 tune in to Cocktail Nation -the number on lounge music radio show- every week for cool soundtracks, swingin' jazz, news and more. Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe Posts: Spy Vibe Radio 4, 1960s Pop Models, 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, 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.

BOND VS MODERNISM

New Release: If your vibe is architecture and design, this new Le Corbusier book may be of interest. Phaidon's new massive edition, Le Corbusier Le Grand, clocks in at 768 pages and the original slipcase edition apparently weighs almost 20 pounds! A new (and cheaper) format was published in November. Details on Amazon here. Le Corbusier is celebrated for his sleek modernist buildings, interiors, and furniture. Details: "A spectacular visual biography of the life and work of Le Corbusier (1887–1965), one of Modernism's most influential architects, urban planners, and theorists. Approximately 2,000 images and documents, many previously unpublished, feature his major built works, urban plans, paintings, publications, and furniture as well as sketches, archival photographs, and personal correspondence. Rarely seen photographs and correspondence shed new light on Le Corbusier’s relationships with Josephine Baker, Eileen Gray, Fernand Léger, Pablo Picasso, Jean Prouvé, and many others. Insightful introductory essay by France’s most authoritative architectural historian and critic, Jean-Louis Cohen, and incisive chapter introductions by highly regarded Le Corbusier scholar Tim Benton. The same grandly oversized format as Warhol 'Giant Size'." As much as we celebrate modern design, however, it is interesting to note that James Bond author, Ian Fleming, had a great dislike for architects like Le Corbusier. In fact, Modernism itself has been under fire since it began. What's the beef? Story continues below.

Ian Fleming found Le Corbusier's work too stark and rational. In his book, Thrilling Cities, Fleming even referred to one of the designer's environments as a "flattened human ants' nests." And the author's negative feelings about Brutalist architect, Erno Goldfinger, even inspired the name of one of his most legendary villains. Fleming's reaction is not surprising, considering his preference for unpretentious dwellings and his famous need to escape away from his wife's stuffy dinner parties. There's no room to escape in open-plan living. He was most at home at GoldenEye, a simple house he had built for himself in Jamaica. Despite our love of modern design now, Fleming wasn't alone in his criticism. There has been a kind of mistrust in the culture. Some attribute it to the link between Fascism and Futurism, which launched in Italy in 1909. A cold, orderly, and technological existence versus the more traditional image of hearth and home, with its emphasis on family, cosy fireplaces, and comfy furniture. The mistrust runs along the same lines as the fear and fascination with science. An early cinematic critique can be found in The Black Cat (1934), which featured evil architect Hjakmar Poelzig (Boris Karloff) living in a mechanized, modernist mansion -with his own gallery of frozen women in the basement! The Cybernauts story in The Avengers famously criticized a modern world taken with gadgets and people replaced by machines. And doesn't this line of dialog ring true? "This heralds a new age. Computers no bigger than a cigarette box. Pocket television. And radios smaller than a wristwatch." Even Star Wars was founded on a thematic contrast between nature/spirit and technological terror. It is no mistake that on-screen Bond villains, with their aim to redesign society as an ordered utopia, are closely linked to Modernism. Compare the sleek, corporate environments of the baddies in almost any 007 adventure with M's world of club chairs, libraries, gourmet dining, and pipe smoke, and a thematic contrast really becomes apparent. Below: work by Le Corbusier.

We are so attracted by the modern aesthetic, from the new wave of loft-style real estate to the success of Apple products. But filmmakers continue to issue these subtle warnings, either by convention or design. An interesting example was the most recent version of the Body Snatchers story (The Invasion/2007), where the soulless duplicates suddenly became a well-dressed army representing consumerism and globalization. As much as we love to envision ourselves lounging in a minimal lair, I think Fleming and many filmmakers would caution us not to lose our humanity or individualism. I have noted "good-guy" spaces in contemporary Bond films becoming sleeker and more mechanical, which the designers try to balance by showing quirky desk ornaments and more traditional home environments. Is it a sign our heroes are becoming too rational and orderly? Is it a military mindset? Skyfall did a great job weaving in this theme by frequently calling attention to how the "old ways are the best." Despite my aesthetic critique from a cinematic lens, I do encourage Spy Vibers to check out the new Le Corbusier book from Phaedon. It's stunning! But maybe read it with a cup of tea by the fireplace- just in case. Learn More: Le Corbusier, Ian Fleming. Related Spy Vibe posts: Erno Goldfinger, Modern Architecture LP, Set For Adventure. Below: Contrast between some of my favorite 007 Baddie set designs by Ken Adam and variations of M's traditional office. Enjoy!

Selected Spy Vibe posts: Imitation Game, New Avengers Books, Road to Hong Kong, Inside Gerry Anderson, Ringo Does Goldfinger, Sixties Beat Wear, SPECTRE Announced, Popular Skullture, New Gerry Anderson Sets, New SECRET AGENT set, Art of Modesty, Avengers Blu-ray update, Tokyo Beat 1964, Polaroid Spy, Modesty Monday, Feraud Mod Fashion, Flint Scores!, Bond Danish, Home Movies, New Richard Sala Book, New 007 Comics, Designing Bond Books, Green Hornet Manga, Margaret Nolan Art, No 6 Festival, Barbarella Returns, 007 Audio Books Return, Designer: Gene Winfield, 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, Rare Avengers Scripts, Man From Uncle UK Comics, Mattel X-15, Thunderbirds Comics, Shakespeare Spies: Diana Rigg, Shakespeare Spies I, Rodney Marshall Avengers Interview, Avengers Book: Bowler Hats & Kinky Boots, George Lois Design & Mad Men, Richard Sala: Super-Enigmatix, Danger Diabolik Soundtrack, Cold War Archie, Playboy Bunny Interview, The 10th Victim Japanese and Kindle, U.N.C.L.E. Japanese Books, The 10th Victim German Edition, The Saint books return, Trina Robbins Interview, Catsuits, Batman '66 Green Hornet Interview: Ralph Garman Ty Templeton.

OFFICIAL SECRETS ACT

Pop Friday: Featured in Spy Vibe's listening booth today are songs connected with the Official Secrets Act. Passed into law to protect sensitive state information, the OSA inspired an interesting album by Robin Scott's project M (Pop Muzik) in 1980. The Official Secrets Act LP captured the Cold War climate in tunes like Transmission, Join the Party, Working For the Corporation, Keep it to Yourself, Your Counry Needs You, and The Official Secrets Act. The inner sleeve even sported a parody of the Crown seal, now dubbed "For Your Ears." 

The album is currently out of print, but Spy Vibers can track down copies on the used market. Robin Scott also released a collection in 2004 called History: Pop Muzik 25th Anniversary, which featured most of the songs from the original record. Scott studied art with Malcolm MacLaren at Croydon Art College. He followed M with a series of recordings by African artists and digital art projects in the early 2000s. Spy Vibers might enjoy his collaborations with Ryuichi Sakamoto (YMO) Left Handed Dream and The Arrangement. 

Samples from M's Official Secrets Act below, followed by a bonus song from the 2006-2009 UK indie band Official Secrets Act (OSA) and their catchy Girl From the BBC. Spy Vibe's recent post about Atomic Art, Devo, and Kraftwerk here. Enjoy!

Recent Spy Vibe posts: Mod Tales Interview, Kraftwerk returns to US, Beatles BBC on Fresh Air, Steranko S.H.I.E.L.D. Artist Editions, David Tennant's Ian Fleming audio books, Atomic Art, Modern Architecture LP, Julius Shulman, The Prisoner and Captain Scarlet, HMV returns to Oxford st w Beatles promo, Diego Fortunato and Verner Panton,  Saturday Morning Cartoons, Assassination Bureau on DVD, new Young Bond series, Elio Petri on Blu-ray, Sophia Loren, new Beatles BBC album, new Hercule Poirot novel, Beatles fall 2013 releases, A Hard Days Night cinematographer dies, Magic Christian on Blu-ray, Early Beatles image archive, Julie Newmar, Erno Goldfinger, Hitchcock tribute.

Recent Ian Fleming posts on Spy Vibe: Erno Goldfinger, Ian Fleming Music Series links: Noel Coward, Whispering Jack Smith, Hawaiian Guitar, Joe Fingers Carr, new Ian Fleming Catalog, Jon Gilbert interview, Double 007 Designs, Bond audio book reissues, discovery of one of Ian Fleming's WWII Commandos, James Bond book covers, Ian Fleming's Playboy interview for Kindle, Spy Vibe's discovery of a rare Ian Fleming serialization, rare View to a Kill, Fleming's Royal gold typewriter, Ian Fleming's memorial address, Spy Vibe's Ian Fleming image archive.