STUDS TERKEL

Links:
Studs Terkel
Studs Terkel interviews (Democracy Now!)
Studs Terkel obituary (Guardian)
Studs Terkel obituary (BBC)
Studs Terkel Wiki

MAN OF LA MANCHA: The Impossible Dream

The film isn't perfect; it's a musical with some off-kilter, retro Bollywood-style dubbing but this scene works. The performance, the song, the tone, the set... it has taken a permanent place in me since seeing it 25 years ago.

Links:
Man of La Mancha Wiki
Man of La Mancha (TCM Database)
Man of La Mancha Soundtrack (Amazon)

Man of La Mancha Soundtrack (Varèse Sarabande)

Rageh Omaar's ISLAM IN AMERICA: The American Crescent

Rageh Omar's fascinating documentary Islam in America has been put online by Aljazeera. It makes for an apt accompaniment to Colin Powell's recent comments:

"Is there something wrong with being a Muslim in this country? The answer's no, that's not America.

"Is there something wrong with some seven-year-old Muslim-American kid believing that he or she could be president? Yet, I have heard senior members of my own party drop the suggestion - 'he's a Muslim and he might be associated with terrorists'. This is not the way we should be doing it in America."

Links:
Aljazeera
Aljazeera (YouTube)
Aljazeera magazine
Rageh Omaar profile (BBC)
Rageh Omaar Wiki
Rageh Omaar interview (Guardian)

THE PENNY DREADFULS - Victorian Sketch Comedy Troupe

"The Penny Dreadfuls are Humphrey Ker, David Reed and Thom Tuck, who together present their splendid brand of Victorian comedy, centering around the world of noted Victorian explorer and dandy, Aeneas Faversham."

Here is a sample of their work:

The sound was recorded on the finest wax cylinders in front of an audience of living souls. The moving images are an artist's impression of the events as they unfolded that fateful evening. This film is brought to you by the magic of electrons. And also by Mr. Humphrey Ker, Mr. David Reed and Mr. Thom Tuck. Animation is by Mr. Tim Sagar.

Links:
The Penny Dreadfuls
The Penny Dreadfuls (MySpace)
Aeneas Faversham blog
The Penny Dreadfuls Wiki
More Brothers Faversham (BBC Radio 7)

Meet GLEN CAMPBELL

This one caught me off guard. Glen Campbell's cover of the Foo Fighters' "Times Like These" is brilliant in an entirely different vein from the original. From his new album, Meet Glen Campbell which obviously takes inspiration from Johnny Cash's latter covers.

The album is a strange beast as I'm not a fan of Campbell's older work and dislike a number of the songs he's covering but the combination alters both to such an extent that it takes on a new and wonderful life.

Links
Glen Campbell
Meet Glen Campbell
Times Like These, Foo Fighters (YouTube)