Mark, our Fair Leader, is on vacation/holiday...so we're looking at the film Ray starred in for now and will be starting back up with the 70s Kinks shortly. I, for one, appreciate the breather. We've been going strong since, what, March? But I'm ready for the next section and am primed to go!
Yeah, this song is sort of confusing to date. But we shall get through this challenge! I just know it!
Yeah, I’ve been concentrating on Dylan...and got all excited when I saw the song title Yes Sir, No Sir. And then was shocked because it sure ain’t The Kinks cover.
OK, thanks! But doesn't Time Song sound very similar to Marathon? It's immediately what I thought of when I heard it.
I definitely noticed a strong similarity in theme and mood between the two, but lyrically and melodically they are still distinct songs. ‘Time Song’ was written over 2 years later in late 72/early 73 for the re-imagining/re-staging of the VGPS material that by later in 1973 had developed into the Preservation project. (Hence why they included it in the VGPS box in 2018 as it’s technically part of a later reworking of VGPS)
Up to episode 7 - Ray is certainly convincing me that he's tired! Still have no idea where this is going to go...
Part 8. The ringleader of the pool hall greasers who try and cause a ruckus is played by the Scottish actor Ken Hutchison who passed just last month:He was a stalwart of Play For Today most notably for his role in the much more renowned later 1979 episode Just A Boys Game, where he starred alongside another moonlighting rock performer, Frankie Miller. Hutchinson is also remembered for playing a similar tough opposite Dustin Hoffman in Straw Dogs.
Part 9. This is the actual conclusion of the play, Part 10 is the credits and what amounts to a primitive promo film for the alternate 'Got To Be Free'. I'll post it tomorrow and we can do final reflections on the play then too.
Well. What to say. That play was pretty depressing. It might have been a metaphor for something to do with freedom of choice, but I prefer my entertainment to be more direct and life-affirming. At the three-quarter mark a homicidal Dalek exterminating Ray's manager would have made a satisfying conclusion. Ray was pretty good but I'm glad he didn't give up his day job.
thanks for the update! my love affair with the kinks began with muswell hillbillies so am waiting to see what folks think about that lp etc. i got to see them live several times in the 70's as well.
Thank you, Avid Ajsmith, for taking the time to post the YouTube bits of The Long Distance Piano Player for the rest of us to view this small portion of Kinks history. It was a very earnest & very drab play in which Ray was very good in his part. Oh, Avid Steve62, just wait until we get to Return to Waterloo, whose ending makes this one look like a regular Jollity Farm!
