I am currently co-writing a comedy horror feature film about a killer clown. In the name of research, I will spend the next few weeks watching movies and reading books about clowns - killer and otherwise - as well as exploring other ideas that are thematically relevant. It is a subject I never imagined myself delving into, and it has already proved quite interesting.
This blog will feature movie and book reviews, as well as links to anything else I find interesting.
Sorry for the delay between posts but at the moment I need to focus all writing energies into the script. I have the latest blog entry almost ready to go, and will hopefully put it up this weekend. In the meantime, here's a picture of an Irish clown to keep your appetites whetted:
Sorry for the delay on this, folks, but I'm busy with the script at the moment. That, coupled with a fairly debaucherous June bank holiday weekend, has pushed me a little behind. Thankfully, the script is going really well, I've got my voice back after West Fest, and I'm feeling only marginally exhausted. So here it is, another post that will no doubt bring unbridled joy into your lives. I'm a lot like Jesus, really. Today's reading is from the Gospel according to Vicariator.
I was at a house party a couple of years ago, when someone decided to put on one of The Kinks best of/greatest hits collections. I had never sat down and listened to a lot of The Kinks in one session before, and I was simply amazed when presented with a concentration of their hits. They truly had a stunning output: All Day And All of The Night, Tired of Waiting For You, Dedicated Follower of Fashion, Lola, Sunny Afternoon, Waterloo Sunset, Days; each and every one a bona fide classic, and there are many more besides. While you might expect that Death of A Clown would be a more appropriate selection for this blog, my song of choice is You Really Got Me.
The Kinks were formed in North London is in 1964 by brothers Roy and Dave Davies. The brothers are the only two members to have stayed in the band throughout their thirty-two year run. They had a tempestuous relationship, and the years have not mellowed their tempers. Only last year, Dave said of Ray, 'You've heard of vampires. Well, Ray sucks me dry of ideas, emotions and creativity. It's toxic for me to be with him. He's a control freak.' Another choice remark is, 'I think Ray has been happy for only three years in his life, and those were the three years before I was born.' According to Dave, at his 50th birthday, Ray jumped up on the table and stamped all over his cake. Ray's response to his brothers remarks is, 'Yeah, it depends on what side of the bed he gets up on.'
Perhaps they were better friends when they were younger, or maybe their youth allowed them to burn off their animosity as creativity, but there is no denying the power of their music. They have inspired musicians all over the world to pick up instruments and play, and they have motivated handsome writers to fill their blogs with all kinds of awesome observations.
You Really Got Me was written in 1964 by Ray Davies, and proved to be one of, if not the, most important songs in The Kinks career. The Kinks needed a hit. Their previous two singles had failed to chart, and if they didn't break through on their third attempt, they faced being dropped by their label. It sounds like the ultimate cliched rock 'n' roll story, but it might just have been the one that spawned a thousand imitators. Despite the demands of the record label, Ray Davies ignored pressure to churn out a track, and insisted on taking the time to get the sound right. The extra effort paid off, and the song proved to be a massive hit. Perhaps Cameron Crowe could write a movie about it. Actually, no. He would probably ruin it by casting Kirsten Dunst as the love interest and getting her to do that stupid fucking camera thing she does in Elizabethtown.
You Really Got Me is widely regarded by the press, the public, but most importantly, by me, as one of the greatest songs of all time. Ever. Period. People who are much more in the know than little old me (they do exist, apparently) consider it to be one of the most influential songs in hard rock and heavy metal, a track that was instrumental in turning rock 'n' roll into rock. It pioneered the style of chord progression used in the vast majority of hard rock songs, but it was most noted for its use of distortion. The songs distinctive guitar sound was created by Dave Davis. He customised his amplifier by slicing up the speaker cone with a razor blade. The Davies brothers were in their late teens when they wrote this song and created their unique sound. Teenagers. Yeah, I hate the bastards too.
Persistent rumours surround the recording of the songs iconic guitar solo, with some people attributing it to a noted session musician at the time, by the name of Jimmy Page (yes, the guy in the video for that Puff Daddy song from Godzilla. I'm not sure what else he's done.) While it is true that Page did play some sessions as rhythm guitarist on The Kinks debut album, Kinks, most of the people involved in the recording, Page included, attest to the fact that he only became involved after You've Really Got me had been put to tape. Others, however, claim that he did record the solo. I guess it's all a matter of perspective, and this was the sixties, after all. Cocaine's a hell of a drug, especially when mixed with acid, LCD, marijuana, heroin, mushrooms, alcohol etc.
In his autobiography, Ray Davis says that if you listen closely, you can hear Dave tell him to 'Fuck off!' during the song. Ray tired to give his brother some encouragement before the solo, but only managed to put him off, so he got told where to go. They covered over the expletive with drums, but apparently it is still audible on some recordings. That's one of the downsides to modern digital recording; there is less scope to have unnecessary, random swearing in the background of songs.
The Kinks followed up You Really Got Me with their fourth single, (talented teenager bastards). The rest is history. You Really Got Me has been covered by many of the artists whom it inspired: Robert Palmer, Van Halen, Mott The Hoople, Sly & The Family Stone, and Salt N Pepa to name but a few, but I'll let one of my personal favourites play you out*:
At this point you're probably asking yourself; What the hell does this song has to do with clowns? The answer? Nothing! Yet… Here's a picture of a clown rocking, just to remind you what this blog is really about:
He's a rocking clown. You know, like, he's rocking, but I'm saying that he's rocking out. A rocking clown. You see? You probably think you hate me right now, but it's really yourselves you despise. Just remember, no one loves a hater, people.
Next up, if you want to read another post, you're going to have to say it's name three times...
* By posting this, I stand the chance of being convicted for grand theft rock 'n' roll.
