January 19, 2007
January 18, 2007
Hippies in space
Dragnet was not the only 1960s television series to include at least one episode in which the plot involved hippies and the counter-culture. Somehow, such things managed to show up in the 23rd century and deep outer space to be included in an episode of Star Trek, as well!
"The Way to Eden" was broadcast in February of 1969, and it is considered to be just slightly above "Spock's Brain" in terms of worst episode. It is, in fact, laughably bad. Taking the tack used by the writers of the Dragnet hippie episodes, "The Way to Eden" involves characters and situations designed to appeal and pander to the deepest, darkest fears, insecurities, and ugly stereotypes of the "Silent Majority".
From the moment a perplexed Scotty beams them aboard the Enterprise, rescuing them from their overheated vessel, the space hippies get all uppity, and defy authority by staging a sit-in.
They even defy Captain Kirk(!!!), whom one of them laughably refers to later in the episode as the "great white captain upstairs." They all but call Kirk a "honky" or "the man."
Which Enterprise crew member do they respect? Why, Mr. Spock, of course, who somehow knows how to speak "their language." Spock knows all the hip lingo.
When I was a kid, I thought they were wearing sliced eggs. Now that I'm an adult, I know that's what they were in fact wearing - sliced eggs. Makes perfect sense...During the 1960s, some in "the establishment" felt rock and roll was the counter-culture revolution's means of "getting to" America's youth, brainwashing them into all submission, much like the Pied Piper of Hamelin. So obviously the space hippies used the same tactics to try and overthrow the crew of the Enterprise.
But the silly musical sub-plot of the episode did allow Star Trek viewers several opportunities to see Spock cut loose on his axe, or Vulcan Lyre.
January 16, 2007
With one breath, with one flow...
I grew up smack dab in the middle of the 1980s, dude, and it seems as if always somewhere, playing in the background, were Andy, Stewart, and Gordon - The Police. At around the same time I was getting into playing guitar and being in bands, they were considered to be very cool. Hip even.
Some of the first (and easiest) songs the bands I was in played were things like "Driven to Tears," "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da," "Walking on the Moon," "Message in a Bottle," etc., etc. My love of guitar pedal effects (i.e., chorus and echo) was born partly due to Andy Summers. A close childhood friend, and drummer, saved up and got a Tama drum kit, along with Zildjian cymbals, because of Stewart Copeland (well, and Neal Peart). I learned about reggae from The Police (and The Clash).
A band I was in, at our high school talent show playing "Wrapped Around Your Finger," with the lead singer dressed to resemble Sting in the video of the same name. I'm playing the Les Paul.
The chords and chord changes became slightly more challenging with Ghost in the Machine (still my favorite Police album) and the pop/rock album of 1983, Synchronicity. In fact, The Police owned 1983 - MTV, radio, and concert circuit, all - belonged to them.
The point of this post is that I was a big Police fan! It brought me great joy to see that they will most likely reunite, at least to tour. Thanks to Sting's catchy, well-written pop songs, they have really never been too far from public earshot (thank you Diddy). So younger people today have probably heard of them, or at least have heard one or two of their songs. And the article I link to also points out how behemoths such as U2 and The Rolling Stones have pretty much "exhausted" their fanbase. So the time is right for The Police to hit the road!
Here's one of their typically poorly executed (pre-Synchronicity) music videos, for "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da" (from 1980's Zenyatta Mondatta). 
Poets, priests and politicians...
January 15, 2007
Bellville
Bellville, Texas (15 miles N of Sealy, 62 miles W of Houston) has been the Austin County Seat since 1848.The same view circa 1930 (with the 1888 Austin County Courthouse at the top of Main Street):
Fairfield
Fairfield, Texas (25 milesW of Mexia, 43 miles E of Waco) is the county seat of Freestone County.
January 13, 2007
Comet McNaught over Krakow
It can be a bit difficult to see things like Bright Comet McNaught in the East Texas Piney Woods, but thanks to Astronomy Picture of the Day, we can see what it looked like in the twilight sky over Krakow, Poland, last Wedenesday:
Credit & Copyright: Andrzej Sawow
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)