Showing posts with label Ben Waters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ben Waters. Show all posts

Wednesday 5 August 2020

The Wicker Tree - #AnimalAugust #4


A few years back I picked up blu ray copies of "The Wicker Man" and "The Wicker Tree" Robin Hardy films separated by nearly forty years. "The Wicker Man" is a masterpiece and does not need and never needed a follow up, but generally the people who watch  "The Wicker Tree" will be fans of "The Wicker Man" and as such extreme disappoint may be the best that you can experience.

The film was made in 2011 and lots of things hark back to the seventies, some of the acting is very two dimensional, and the storyline (two born again US Christian hicks sent as missionaries to pagan Scotland and ending up as targets for the pagans) is very shallow , though there are some good one liners and digs at Bible Thumpers , Graham McTavish as Sir Lachlan Morrison is excellent as the Christopher Lee / Lord Summerisle figure.

Also the landscape shots and scenery is top notch, even the ruined castle is very impressive.

The problem is that if "The Wicker Man" is this season's Liverpool , the "The Wicker Tree" is this season's Wycombe Wanderers , in their own sphere absolutely fine , but you try and compare and latter is bound to come a cropper.

The film is short , maybe 100 minutes but is probably far more watchable that Nicholas Cage's  "The Wicker Man" remake. and I wouldn't put you off it. I was apprehensive when I saw the IMDB ratings but those fears were , in my opinion, unfounded.

So what #AnimalAugust song should I share with you , it's still a bit reptilian , as the first thing that came to mind is "The Snake" by The Pink Fairies from the "Never, Never Land" album , but this is a 2014 live recording from The 100 Club , where I went to see Ben Waters.

Enjoy the Pink Fairies and give The Wicker Tree a visit.


Saturday 22 February 2014

Knocked Out .. Loaded



Having to give the Ben Waters , Nine Below Zero gig a miss because of the cold and getting run down. Although I thought it was a Ben Waters gig, then I find it was Nine Below Zero featuring Ben Waters, which is not a bad thing but I really need to sleep and recuperate. So I've included Ben's imprmptu Eastern European Style Version of Johnny B Goode in Australia which shows what a versatile , clever and humourous keyboard player he is.

Again that's not  a bad thing, it just means I need some rest, there will be other gigs , and the weather is improving (lots of blue skies this morning).

And that's to Youtube and Catch Up TV I can watch things from the comfort of my front room. I love going t gigs but sometimes your body tells you no, and you need to listen to that. I'm going to have an early night, and get lots of rest to make sure I am going to be in tip top form for Sunday..

So an early night for me , you enjoy your Saturday Night everybody.

Sunday 1 March 2009

The Grand Piano Never Stood A Chance!!!

Just back from a great weekend in London , the highlight of which was a visit to the legendary 100 Club to see a guy called Ben Waters , apparently well liked by Jools Holland. The guy is simply phenomenal , with a backing band of bass , drums and saxophone(s) the guty played incredible piano destroying , boogie woogie that I've not been aware of since the Killer himself. Aknowledging debts to the likes of Amos Milburn , Waters is simply a must see if you ever get the chance. Below is him doing various types of keyboard annihalation:



And here's the hilarious East German version of Johnny B Goode!!!



And Broken Piano Blues!!!


And the fabulous "Melting Pot"



Ben Waters on Myspace here

Ben Waters Website here