High Fidelity - The Movie

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 9:37 am

We watched the movie comedy High Fidelity starring John Cusack yesterday evening for the first time. It's about the emotional maturation of young man who life is centered on his record collection and who owns a used record store specializing in pop music on vinyl. The staff and customers of the store reminded me of a classical shop I used to frequent. If you have seen the film did it remind you of anyone you know are have seen in the mirror?

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 11:48 am

If you've got kids in their 20s you've likely seen it, as I have. Some years ago now. Here's the best scene:

Barry's Customer: Hi, do you have the song "I Just Called To Say I Love You?" It's for my daughter's birthday.
Barry: Yea we have it.
Barry's Customer: Great, Great, can I have it?
Barry: No, no, you can't.
Barry's Customer: Why not?
Barry: Well, it's sentimental tacky crap. Do we look like the kind of store that sells I Just Called to Say I Love You? Go to the mall.

My kids (and some of their buds) got into the Beta Band based on this scene:

Rob Gordon: I will now sell four copies of "The Three EPs" by The Beta Band.
Dick: Go for it.
[Rob plays the record]
Beta Band Customer: Who is this?
Rob Gordon: The Beta Band.
Beta Band Customer: It's good.
Rob Gordon: I know.

If you're not familiar with that recording, you should give it a try. You'll also see why it's humorous that he would try to sell 4 copies.

As far as all the love lives of the protagonist in the movie, I could care less. If someone sold a 20 minute edited version with just the scenes in the record store I would buy it for my DVD collection.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 12:40 pm

Haydnseek wrote:We watched the movie comedy High Fidelity starring John Cusack yesterday evening for the first time. It's about the emotional maturation of young man who life is centered on his record collection and who owns a used record store specializing in pop music on vinyl. The staff and customers of the store reminded me of a classical shop I used to frequent. If you have seen the film did it remind you of anyone you know are have seen in the mirror?

I have never seen the Film, but in the Book, he wants to be 'A Writer for the NME in 1977' which is the Music Paper I worked as a Photographer for from 1973-78...

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 3:20 pm

I noticed that your engineer friend worked on the Procol Horum "Home" LP. I practically wore that record out - 1973 or 1974.

Chalkperson · Post by **Chalkperson** » Sun Jul 15, 2007 10:38 pm

slofstra wrote:I noticed that your engineer friend worked on the Procol Horum "Home" LP. I practically wore that record out - 1973 or 1974.

He was only George Martin's Engineer, he mixed The White Album and Dark Side of the Moon, he Produced Procol Harum and all those other Records...one day i'll tell a few Floyd Tales...and go try out Dark Side of the Moon, even bettter, come visit and i'll play the Multi Channel SACD, I was at the original launch for that record, at the Londn Planitarium and it sounds way better round here thirtysomething years later...

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:15 am

Well, that brings to mind one of the great rock/ orchestral combinations that actually worked, and sold a ton as well. Procol Horum live with the Edmonton Symphony! I wonder how it sounds now. Incidentally, what classical piece did Whiter Shade rip? Or did it just sound like it did.

No, no sale on Dark Side of the Moon. I was in university at the time, and it was ubiquitous, pouring through the doors of every college dorm room. Sorry, it has a few moments, but a lot of the melodies struck me as pedestrian. I've no urge to try again. And I know millions would disagree.
At that time I was into the Dead, Van Morrison, Allman Brothers, Dylan, the Band and still some progessive rock (Kinks, Genesis, the Strawbs, for example) but I think by 1973 its time had largely passed.

Harold Tucker · Post by **Harold Tucker** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:53 am

According to Wikipedia:
Resemblance to Bach's work
The Hammond organ line of "A Whiter Shade of Pale" was inspired by the Johann Sebastian Bach's "Sleepers Awake" and "Air on a G String", but contrary to some belief, the song is not a direct copy or paraphrase of these or any other Bach piece.
I was never that much of a Floydie, but the DVD of the Pulse Concert released last year is wonderful. I did see them at Cincinnati's Music Hall in the days before massive stadium events.

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:01 am

Harold,
How active is your interest in rock or pop at the present time?

Harold Tucker · Post by **Harold Tucker** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:20 pm

slofstra wrote:Harold,
How active is your interest in rock or pop at the present time?

It is Summertime and probably running about 25 or 30 percent of my listening. I try to lighten up in the summer and save the long winded philosophical and metaphysical composers for when I have on corduroy and flannnel to protect myself. And I am an old man. I had little interest in pop music until the Beatles and Dylan came along. Then I became a victim of the folk scare of the 60's (the entire catalogs of Vanguard and Elecktra records for example). Then the other bands of the British Invasion and the children of folk-rock. I was a fan of the Grateful Dead and others of their ilk. Then came heavy metal and I lost interest progressively from then on. Still any listening is somehow related to my long lost youth, I suppose. I still buy Van Morrison, Leonard Cohen , John Prine and other survivors of the era. I just got Arlo Guthrie's fantastic new album with the University of Kentucky Symphony' I picked up Fionn Regan's album because he reminded me of Nick Drake. I was lucky enough to see a lot of fine music in small settings in the days before monster concerts and mega prices. I still get a chance to see good acts in a reasonable setting, but that is only a few times a year. I also have a great love of English Folk Music and Texas singer'songwriter's. There is no accounting for taste.

Post by **Corlyss_D** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:27 pm

Harold Tucker wrote:
slofstra wrote:Harold,
How active is your interest in rock or pop at the present time?
It is Summertime and probably running about 25 or 30 percent of my listening. I try to lighten up in the summer and save the long winded philosophical and metaphysical composers for when I have on corduroy and flannnel to protect myself.

Post of the Day Award to ya, Harold.

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:28 pm

I'm just about in the same boat. Lost interest in or around 1980. However, and I have mentioned this before, there's seems to be a breath of fresh air in popular music lately.

For example, if you like singer-songwriters you might try Sufjan Steven's Feel the Illinoise.

If I go on, it could be for a while so I will leave it at that.

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:40 pm

I'm just about in the same boat. Lost interest in or around 1980. However, and I have mentioned this before, there's seems to be a breath of fresh air in pop/folk music lately.

For example, if you like singer-songwriters you might try Sufjan Steven's Feel the Illinoise.

If I go on, it could be for a while so I will leave it at that.

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:41 pm

slofstra wrote:However, and I have mentioned this before, there's seems to be a breath of fresh air in popular music lately.

I have the same impression from listening to XM Radio's "Indie" pop channel several times recently. I wonder how many other middle-aged people are noticing this and if they are buying the music? Maybe in secret to avoid embarrasing their children

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 2:49 pm

Well, my kids are my source. And they are well past their teens and being embarrassed by me. (At this stage, anything that would at one time have been embarrassing is now considered inconsequential.)

Madame · Post by **Madame** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 6:30 am

slofstra wrote: If someone sold a 20 minute edited version with just the scenes in the record store I would buy it for my DVD collection.

I've seen this film at least 5 times, and I love it every time. Of course, Jack Black (Barry) puts it over the top, IMO. I think the final scene where he sings knocked most of us our of our seats.

GK · Post by GK » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:06 am

Also recommended is the other "High Fidelity", a documentary about the Guarneri Quartet.

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:35 pm

Here's one I'm enjoying in the car this week. Got it from my youngest daughter back on Father's Day.

Think the music of Fleetwood Mac with the occasional power riff, and lyrics that evoke an ethos of early pioneer days.

Bring me a day full of honest work
and a roof that never leaks
I'll be satisfied

Bring me the news all about the town
How it struggles to help all the farmers out
During harvest time

But there's someone I'd like to see
She never mentions a word to me
She reads Leviathan

I think I'll head home

Youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kggVH8O9 ... ed&search=

Haydnseek · Post by **Haydnseek** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 9:38 pm

slofstra wrote:Think the music of Fleetwood Mac with the occasional power riff, and lyrics that evoke an ethos of early pioneer days.

Sorry, but I can't help thinking of that line from the movie spoken by Dick (played superbly by Todd Lousio):

"She's kind of Sheryl Crow-ish crossed with a post-Partridge Family pre-L.A. Law Susan Dey kind of thing, but, you know, uh, black."

slofstra · Post by **slofstra** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:06 pm

Dick was the timid guy, correct? I think you can do that with pop, though. Wouldn't think of doing that with classical.

Ah, that Hindemith, he's kind of like Schumann crossed with early Schoenberg and some Delius thrown in, but you know, Jewish. (Actually, I checked - he wasn't, but the Nazis hated him anyway).

SaulChanukah · Post by **SaulChanukah** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:38 pm

Hi there,

This is Saul posting in this thread, upholding my Pledge.
Yes even though I dont find this topic interesting at all, but a Pledge is a Pledge..

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