Greetings, Blerd Radio fans!
We’ve been gone for a bit (one of us had a kid!) but the three non-sleep deprived members of the Blerd Radio team (Big Money, Dr. Z and The Packet Man) have returned for a new podcast!
In this episode, we’re headed to the Multiplex for a discussion of movies about music. It’s the first of a two-part discussion (and because we say “fuck linear threads”, part 2 will come at a later date…or rather, it won’t be the next thing we cover.)
The podcast gets off to a rousing start as we salute the good fortune of our brother Parr (and also send him a get-well shout on account of his recent surgery), leading right into our main topic, which is…
…’90s porn actresses! Oh, wait…
The very beginning of the “rock and roll” film, with shouts sent in the direction of ’50s classics “Blackboard Jungle” and “Girl Can’t Help It”…seguing into golden era celluloid masterpieces like…uh, “Krush Groove” and “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.”
Did “From Justin To Kelly” sound the death knell for the “rock and roll movie”?
How did a movie like “Purple Rain” come off so well when most films in this vein land with a thud? Something about a little-discussed quality called “mystique”.
A discussion about favorite films leads into a seven-minute breakdown of the plot synopsis for the Dan Aykroyd/Digital Underground vehicle “Nothing But Trouble”…in which John Candy plays a challenging male/female dual role.
So, what’s up with those biopics? And why do so many people pronounce that word incorrectly? Hint: it doesn’t rhyme with “myopic”.
We are interrupted by The Packet Man’s cat, Miles, who sits in on the podcast and calms the panel down with melodic purring for a minute or two.
Great performances in biopics: a surprisingly short list that focuses on Gary Busey’s Oscar-winning performance in “The Buddy Holly Story” and Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s “The Doors”.
Not so great performances in biopics, which leads to reminiscing about VH-1’s mid-Oughts flirtation with Lifetime-esque music bios, including the MC Hammer Story and the misguided casting of comedian Flex Alexander as Michael Jackson. Yes, that Flex Alexander. And that Michael Jackson.
We very quickly talk about “music nerd” films, i.e. “High Fidelity” and “Empire Records”, and give props to the King of the Music Nerd flicks; Jack Black.
And…documentaries/concert films? Nah, that’s the next podcast. Enjoy this for now! We promise we won’t take so long to return!
You can listen below or download the show right here.