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El Jarvo wrote:
Excellent musical choices again - bit of an overkill playing Geno twice, but s'pose it is a classic.
There were two Dexy's tracks but they were different, weren't they? Been trying to remember the name of the Jon And Vangelis one - something about going home 
Didn't think much of the camera angle for the bum stamping scene...
Old Blue wrote:
El Jarvo wrote:
Excellent musical choices again - bit of an overkill playing Geno twice, but s'pose it is a classic.
There were two Dexy's tracks but they were different, weren't they? Been trying to remember the name of the Jon And Vangelis one - something about going home
Didn't think much of the camera angle for the bum stamping scene...
I'll Find My Way Home. I think anyway. Not heard Swords Of A Thousand Men for a long time. A soundtrack must be in the offing surely.
Old Blue wrote: There were two Dexy's tracks but they were different, weren't they? Been trying to remember the name of the Jon And Vangelis one - something about going home
There was three, wasn't there? Geno early, something else in the middle, then Geno again for the closing credits.
Good to hear the likes of Flying Lizards and OMD too.
Pink wafers and Garibaldi's! 
Shame on Keeley Hawes for basically inventing the suicide bomber though! 
EDIT: read on another forum the second Dexy's track was 'Show Me'.
see steve strange couldn't resist cameoing as himself. but surely that means he'd know he made a mistake - fade to grey came out early 1981 (vienna was jan 1981) & he said after they played it "that was our new single"
there were an awful lot of old people in the blitz club - reckon it was steve stranges mates gone to watch them play?
johnny wrote: Did Boy George really work the cloakroom at that club in them days then?
Yup, though not sure he looked like that until 83?
He was backing singer in BowWowWow in 81 and called summat else, I think?
hibster wrote: there were an awful lot of old people in the blitz club - reckon it was steve stranges mates gone to watch them play?
See my earlier comment about Philip Salon.
I reckon they were all coming outta the woodwork to get themselves back on telly.
And, is anyone else as enamoured with Montserrat Lombard's mushroom wedge as I am?! All she's gotta do is run a burgundy tint through it, and I swear I'm in love... . 
El Jarvo wrote:
johnny wrote: Did Boy George really work the cloakroom at that club in them days then?
Yup, though not sure he looked like that until 83?
He was backing singer in BowWowWow in 81 and called summat else, I think?
Cheers Al
Rings bells now actually that he was a former cloakroom attendant.Didn't know he'd been a backing singer for BowWowWow though
hibster wrote: fade to grey came out early 1981 (vienna was jan 1981) & he said after they played it "that was our new single"
Just re-read wot you wrote. Vienna was someone else!
johnny wrote:
El Jarvo wrote:
johnny wrote: Did Boy George really work the cloakroom at that club in them days then?
Yup, though not sure he looked like that until 83?
He was backing singer in BowWowWow in 81 and called summat else, I think?
Cheers Al
I just had to google this cos I couldn't remember his name. He was called Lieutenant Lush, I knew it was summat other than Boy George.
Has anyone seen him in the flesh. He's one big fcuking fella! 
Still not overly impressed by this series. Dont think Keeley is right for the role. Shes far too self-righteous. Also, the 80's landscape isnt as vivid as the Northern 70's (IMO). Hunt doesnt have the same impact as in the first series and actually, thinking about it, the whole premise is wrong as we know this time nothing is real, so id doesnt matter what really happens.
Oh well, thats my pickings. Ill still watch it though as better than most of the other tosh.
NO Regret wrote: Still not overly impressed by this series. Dont think Keeley is right for the role. Shes far too self-righteous. Also, the 80's landscape isnt as vivid as the Northern 70's (IMO). Hunt doesnt have the same impact as in the first series and actually, thinking about it, the whole premise is wrong as we know this time nothing is real, so id doesnt matter what really happens.
I personally don't like Keeley Hawes. I know, I'm in a massive minority here. But then, I don't actually like John Simm that much either. Fcuk me, in the world of overacting those two are King and Queen.
You're right about the 70's realism though. 70's Manchester still fcuking exists, which is why they had no problems filming in cobbled streets. 80's London has long since gone, which is why last week's speedboat scenes were filmed with derelict warehouses and a superimposed backdrop of Tower Bridge (none of that actually exists anymore!)
El Jarvo wrote:
...I don't actually like John Simm that much either....
He's just so smackable, isn't he.
El Jarvo wrote:
hibster wrote: fade to grey came out early 1981 (vienna was jan 1981) & he said after they played it "that was our new single"
Just re-read wot you wrote. Vienna was someone else!
both were midge ure 
mentioned it as vienna was in the first episode (the song itself was recorded in 1980 according to midge's autobiography.
El Jarvo wrote:
NO Regret wrote: Still not overly impressed by this series. Dont think Keeley is right for the role. Shes far too self-righteous. Also, the 80's landscape isnt as vivid as the Northern 70's (IMO). Hunt doesnt have the same impact as in the first series and actually, thinking about it, the whole premise is wrong as we know this time nothing is real, so id doesnt matter what really happens.
I personally don't like Keeley Hawes. I know, I'm in a massive minority here. But then, I don't actually like John Simm that much either. Fcuk me, in the world of overacting those two are King and Queen.
You're right about the 70's realism though. 70's Manchester still fcuking exists, which is why they had no problems filming in cobbled streets. 80's London has long since gone, which is why last week's speedboat scenes were filmed with derelict warehouses and a superimposed backdrop of Tower Bridge (none of that actually exists anymore!)
Aye agreed on most of the points in these two posts.Warming a bit more to Keeley though after last night.Wasn't impressed with her acting in episode one.And Gene Hunt was way better last night also.John Simm has always overacted IMO too.
They're compensating for the fact that 80s London is gone by having loads of diagonally striped furniture , ties etc
El Jarvo wrote: Not often you see a BBC drama base an entire storyline around the Pop Group's "We Are All Prostitutes"!
i wonder if they picked them because both writers are west country based? 
hibster wrote:
El Jarvo wrote: Not often you see a BBC drama base an entire storyline around the Pop Group's "We Are All Prostitutes"!
i wonder if they picked them because both writers are west country based?
Funny, cos I read next week's episode is based on Rip, Rip & Panic and XTC!
I wondered why that was!
Old Blue wrote: Neneh Cherry was in Rip Rig and Panic, wasn't she?
Was that a snuff video or summink?
Old Blue wrote: Neneh Cherry was in Rip Rig and Panic, wasn't she?
Yes, and her Dad - Don Cherry.
Though I was reliably informed by a work colleague this morning she was actually a renowned groupie for the Pop Group which allegedly got her the gig with RR+P!
I'm still only ever able to picture her tied to a railway line in the Slow Train To Dawn vid. Dirty cow.
Old Blue wrote: Neneh Cherry was in Rip Rig and Panic, wasn't she?
watched an episode of the young ones last night that had them in - & of course that was filmed in bristol. the kebab & calculator used to be my local.
I'm gonna stick my neck out and say that I quite like the show. OK, so Alex is a wee bit irritating occasionally but I reckon she'll grow on me as the series goes on. Plus, there's always Gene to make me laugh!
This series is getting no better I feel. Its just the same plot each week. Hunt gives out some sexists put downs and Drake manages to look hot while being the brains of the team.
In fact the plots are getting dafter and dafter. Nice Adam and The Ants poster though.
I haven't bothered tuning in since the disappointing first episode. Just haven't felt any sort of urge to sit down in front of the telly for Ashes to Ashes compared to Life on Mars.
From the few people I've heard who have, it hasn't gotten any better.
From what I've also heard other folk are only tuning in for the "oooh I remember that" point of view or the musak which is hardly a ringing endorsement of quality storylines and drama. The beeb might as well have just screened "I ♥ 1981" for 8 weeks in that case.
Mind you, saw the LoM series 2 boxset for £20 in HMV yesterday - was tempted!
Ally wrote: I haven't bothered tuning in since the disappointing first episode. Just haven't felt any sort of urge to sit down in front of the telly for it which was the polar opposite to the way I treated Life on Mars.
From the few people I've heard who have, it hasn't gotten any better.
We nearly seen her tits last night.
DEFINITE improvement if you ask me
Tits you say?
I'm not shallow but I take back everything I just said.
iPlayer here I er, come 
Ally wrote: From what I've also heard other folk are only tuning in for the "oooh I remember that" point of view or the musak which is hardly a ringing endorsement of quality storylines and drama. The beeb might as well have just screened "I ♥ 1981" for 8 weeks in that case.
Surely though, that entire statement applies to Life on Mars too?
Only difference in Life on Mars though, was that no one genuinely knew if Sam was in a coma, or what the fcuk was going on. Had we known from the off he definitely was in a coma (the writer seemed to think it was obvious!) then it wouldn't have had any intrigue whatsoever.
The plots in the second series of Life on Mars were weak to say the least. And the ending was decidedly hammy.
If you want quality storylines, character development and plots which twist and turn go and rent summat like the West Wing or Sopranos.
I really don't see much of a difference between Life on Mars or Ashes to Ashes. The latter is basically just Life on Mars series III and it perhaps starting to spread the concept a bit thin for some? They're just very easy-to-watch bubblegum dramas. Right up there with the likes of Auf Weidershen Pet. We do those sorta shows really well over here. I don't think these things should be taken too seriously. Sadly, I can't think of single British drama in recent climes which should be taken seriously? Perhaps that Britz thing on C4 before Xmas? That's about it though.
They're building the UST between Drake and Hunt in a very Moonlighting stylee.
So, whether she lives or dies revolves around her righting a wrong in 1981? It surely can't be that she has to stop her parents getting blown up, because that would effect the future that she has already lived through.
Maybe I'll stop thinking about it too much and just concentrate on Keeley's breastage.
El Jarvo wrote: perhaps starting to spread the concept a bit thin for some?
That's it for me in a nutshell. It's a very American TV thing that: take a popular premise, deliver two or three really good seasons then drag it out for another 11 (see The Simpsons and to a lesser extent Frasier) even though it's clearly nosedived in quality. I'm not saying Ashes will drag on that far but I'd wager we'll see a third series. As much as I dislike Ricky Gervais, at least he had the credibility to kill The Office and Extras before they became grating. Brits are good at that sort of thing (Fawlty Towers etc.) the yanks less so.
I suppose the reason Life on Mars is preferable for me is because the storylines are much stronger, the chemistry more natural plus the whole premise was relatively interesting to watch; you wanted to see what would happen next week and whether he was in a coma or actually a delusional 1973 person. Ashes To Ashes has none of that by default because we know what happened to Tyler and obviously the same thing's happened to her.
But you're right, if I really want a quality bit of drama I'll stick on a Sopranos box set. Life On Mars did have lots of quality moments but admittedly lost it a bit towards the end of series 2 when the ham set in.
I don't really take it too seriously but if a thread's worth replying to...
