Roy Budd - Get Carter OST (1971)

In 1971, Mike Hodges released the seminal, British crime flick, Get Carter. It divided opinion and suffered somewhat due to the declining interest in the British film industry as well as the amoral approach and attitude of Michael Caine's Jack Carter.

Its a great film. Its nasty and gritty, plenty of violence and just the right amount of nudity needed in any revenge film. Allegedly Mike Hodges only had £450 to spend on a score. In steps British jazz musician Roy Budd. Working with only three other musicians, Budd created the perfect jazzy accompaniment to Carter's violent investigation around the Newcastle underworld. Often imitated never bettered. here you go.

Roy Budd - Get Carter

Goblin - Tenebre OST (1982)

Though often credited as a Goblin record, Tenebre is really a soundtrack composed by three former members of the Italian, prog-synth, rock freak out act. Once again working with Italian master Dario Argento, Simonetti, Pignatelli and Morante crafted a sturdy mix between the well known Goblin keyboard heavy sound and something approaching the more standard guitar based work that was popular at the time ( in all honesty the track "Lesbo" could have been omitted, it sounds like the theme tune to a dreadful beach set surf cop film/TV series). The film itself is one of Argento's most under rated efforts. As much as Suspiria and Profondo Rosso are well crafted classics, Tenebre holds a certain charm and nastiness about it. Goblin's iconic title track has one of the catchiest refrains going, I dare you not to be humming it after only a few listens. French dance gang Justice covered/sampled/homaged it on the track Phantom, off the "cross" album.

Goblin - Tenebre OST

Casualties Of Jazz - Kind Of Black (2004)

It doesn't really get any simpler than this. Instrumental jazz trio cover Sabbath classics. That's nine Black Sabbath standards filtered through drums, double bass and Hammond organ. Its a superbly laid back listen with a ton of groove and some ingenious instrumentation. Well worth your time.

Casualties Of Jazz - Kind Of Black

Gonnamaketheponyhop Mixtape (2012)

I recently did a hip hop mix just for fun and as a chance to mess around with some new editing software. It's just short of an hours worth of  beats from Onyx, NWA, Big Juss, Dead Prez and loads more. I thought I might share it here with you. Feel free to download and share around all you want.

Fabio Frizzi - City Of The Living Dead/The Beyond Soundtrack mixtape (1980/81)

Everyone knows Goblin. Of course you do. Goblin are awesome. They are generally the first name when you think of 70's/80's Italian cinema's defining composers. Just behind Goblin ( and in no way inferior) though was the one man genius of Fabio Frizzi.

As a frequent collaborator of Lucio Fulci he is responsible, in my opinion, for a lot of the atmosphere Fulci had in his films. The theme from Zombie Flesh Eaters set to the shot of the undead shambling across the bridge into Manhattan was a pretty important image from my youth. From there, I began investigating the world of Italian cinema and horror. The first call, via the patronage of Necrophagia, was The Beyond. Closely followed by The City Of The Dead. I can safely say I have never looked back since. So to celebrate the awesomeness of Frizzi's work here are both these soundtracks zipped up. I would highly recommend the films themselves. Alongside other Fulci gems like Manhattan Baby and the afar mentioned Zombie Flesh Eaters.

Fabio Frizzi - The Beyond/City Of The Living Dead OST Mix

Barry De Vorzon - The Warriors OST

Perfect Friday night music from a perfect Friday night movie. Walter Hill's 1979 classic The Warriors, as well as being all sorts of cool features a pretty sweet soundtrack by Barry De Vorzon (also responsible for the awesome soundtrack to lost 70's TV show S.W.A.T.) utilizing masses of synths coupled to a rock framework, chuck in a few original numbers and a little ditty co-written with Joe Walsh and here you have it.  I shouldn't have to fill you in on the plot at all but to summarise, it borrows its premise from Anabasis ( fuck you 300 ) by Greek soldier, mercenary, theorist and writer Xenophon. A truce is called amongst the gangs of New York, during the truce the main honcho, Cyrus is shot and The Warriors of the title are framed for the killing. The film follows the journey to evade cops and other gangs to reach their own turf in Coney Island. 

You should already know this film so lets look at the musical score. De Vorzon really hit the nail on the head with this one, managing to capture the city-at-night vibe as well as the tension and energy, its a constant chase film. Scene after scene of guys in vests running away from other guys in vests. The main title track is a good high energy number and a reprise of it is used for the coolest looking gang in the movie, the Baseball Furies, when they first make an appearance.

Don't mess.

The other main number from this was co-written by that dude from The Eagles, Joe Walsh and sounds pretty much like his day job. De Vorzon had collaborated with Walsh before hand on numerous occasions and when the film called for a closing number, "In The City" was written.

But enough of me warbling, here is the soundtrack. You should already know the film.

Barry De Vorzon - The Warriors OST

- I would also recommend the game. If you can't get enough of the film or just want to kick the shit out of people, steal car stereos and throw rubbish bins through shop windows its pretty much a must.

- Orson Welles was originally meant to provide a voice over for the film. They had planned on integrating excerpts from Anabasis read out by Welles. It never happened.

- The film was in post production at the same time as the vastly inferior The Wanderers. The Warriors beat it to the post, thank god.

Despite being a pretty full on sausage party there is the scummy but attractive, bra-less Mercy. 

Gene Page - Blacula OST (1972)

Some solid, hard funk for tonight. This is Gene Page's complete score for William Crain's classic Blacula. Page managed to get The Hues Corporation to help out with some of the music and they appear in the film in the night club scenes as the house band. This obviously makes it clear that this isn't just some standard, orchestrated, strings and horns horror score. Obviously with the setting being funky LA and the fact they where tapping into the Blaxploition market, the accompanying music is pretty groovy. Plenty of smooth bass, flute and staccato horn work. You can't really imagine Nosferatu grooving up that stair case to this can you? William Marshall  brings a certain dignity to the role. I really think it's a combination of his turn as Dracula's "soul brother" and this soundtrack that lift Blacula above the tepid waters of 70's explotation films. In fact, if you didn't know what the album was you would never have this pegged as the soundtrack to a black vampire movie. "That's a baaaaaaad cape".

Gene Page - Blacula

The awesome theme tune and opening animation is really good......................

Sho'nuff

Not that anyone cares. This Saturday. Mondo jams and joints. Visual and aural treats to enjoy with a cocktail.

Gonna start uploading the playlists for you fine folk to enjoy.

Happy Valentines

x

The Minutemen Duo/Watt and Hurley - Live at ATP (2003)

You like The Minutemen? Everyone should like them. If you don't know about them then get reading and hearing up on your history. They will enrich your life. Obviously the band ceased to exist after the tragic loss of D Boon back in 1985 but Mike Watt and George Hurley have got back together on a few select occasions. Just that wonderfully tight rhythm section laying it down. Here is a live recording from an All Tomorrows Parties show in LA back in 2003. They rip through 26 classic tracks.  For all these shows, Watt even set up a guitar and amp at the other side of the stage in memory of D Boon.

The Minutemen Duo - Live at ATP 2003

Albums that influenced Oliver #1 : Mr Bungle - S/T (1991)

The 15 albums post got me thinking. I can't possibly settle with those 15. There are so many albums that have influenced me through life that it would be pretty pointless trying to list them. So taking a leaf from the old blog and my friend Paul's series of similar posts over at Because I Said So, I have decided to revive the infamous "Albums that influenced Oliver" series like Jason Voorhess in Friday 13th Part IV when he gets that huge spike through his chest and gets struck by lightning.
I was going to waffle lyrical about how awesome and influential this album was to my impressionable young ears. If you can be bothered hunting out the old  piece of shit blog then you can read about it all there. Suffice to say there was a time when I could nearly play all the bass on this album track by track, back to back ( sadly I no longer have the discipline or stamina to do that these days). Other than that I can't really say anything about this album other than it is truly one of those lifetime albums that stays with you. It has stayed with me.

Mr Bungle - Mr Bungle

This is going to be a continuing series. More than likely not very regular, just dropped among my other posts like dirt out of a trouser leg.

James Brown - Revolution Of The Mind : Live At The Apollo Vol.3 (1972)

The Hardest Working Man In Showbiz! Mr Dynamite! Mr Please Please Please Please Her! Minister Of The New New Super Heavy Funk! Soul Brother Number One, are just a few of the names he goes by.

James Brown - Revolution Of The Mind : Live At The Apollo Vol.3

One of the best live albums ever! Fact! But don't just take it from me.....