Friday arts

There are those who would wonder, after reading Ready Player One, how they could ever successfully make a movie out of it. Well, some might suggest, if you threw all the money in the world at it and had Spielberg behind the camera, it would be your best chance. Alas, while the movie is entertaining enough as a big screen video game, it doesn't come close to the book. Let's face it. Your imagination is just so much better working on this sort of thing. So read the book first, and then you'll probably want to see the movie, and you'll be fine. But if you see the movie and haven't read the book, it's the wrong way to go about it.

On the television front, A Very English Scandal on Amazon is very entertaining. Ben Whishaw is fast becoming one of my favorite actors; he'll be Michael Banks in the new Mary Poppins. And Hugh Grant is perfect as, well, a pretty loathsome MP. The show is 3 episodes, and a nice way to pass a few nights.

On the music front, some new additions to the tab room playlist (https://open.spotify.com/user/jimmenick/playlist/1CzrLTz52lXBVAGs4GNG1p)

"Mr. Bass Man," Johnny Cymbal — There was a cover of this on Muppets: The Green Album, a bunch of cover songs that are sort of fun but not playlist worthy. But that led me back to the original, a novelty song from 1963. I have a fondness for these old numbers that were on the radio when I was growing up. Most people feel the same way about whatever they were listening to during those years. I make no apology.

"Crazy Woman," Monkey Grip, Bill Wyman — The great recent Bill Wyman Rhythm Kings collections sent me back to the solo recordings this particular Stone made after he stopped Rolling. I was rather taken by the album, despite only pulling one cut. I immediately put it back into rotation for another listen.

"Outrageous," Surprise, Paul Simon — Probably the least of the late albums, yielding only one track. This was the album Simon went electronic. Sparks did not fly. It's all listenable, though, just not remarkable. With Simon, remarkable is the expected default.

"The Sailor Song," Toy-Box, FanTastic — For a while, this was the theme song of my debate team, given that Hen Hud's teams were all Sailors. If watching this video didn't get you psyched for debating, you were on the wrong team. So grabbing this cut was simply a nostalgia moment.

"Never Been to Spain," Three Dog Night, Harmony — Three Dog Night was a pretty pop-ish operation, mostly just covers, but they sure had good taste in what it was they covered. When they went too far over the pop line, I wasn't interested ("Just an Old-Fashioned Love Song") but "Eli's Coming" and "One," etc.— not bad stuff. "Murder in My Heart for the Judge," on the other hand, is a cover too far. But then again, how many other Moby Grape songs ever got covered?

Quicksilver Messenger Service, Happy Trails — No cuts. I don't think anyone has listened to a QMS song in the last 20 years; there was dust on this as I streamed it. Pure noodling from one of SF's psychedelic city/house bands. I guess I'll eventually seek out "Fresh Air," but maybe not. Recommendation: buy a black light and stick to the posters.

Captain Beefheart, Clear Spot — Na'ah. Nothing special, and one gets a distinct impression that the cap'n was way over-impressed with himself. I probably listened to them once or twice back in the day, but nothing stuck then, and it didn't stick now.

Her Space Holiday, XOXO, Panda and the New Kid Revival — I have no idea why this came into my audit list. I am obviously too welcoming. And also obviously, no cuts.