Paul Jones - "Sings Songs From The Film 'Privilege'" Vinyl, 45 rpm, 7", EP, UK, 1967 (His Master's Voice)

One of my favorite music that came out of 1967 for new pop was "Paul Jones Sings Songs From the Film 'Privilege.'"  My dad took me to see this film I have to presume sometime in 1968, and it played in a small 'art' movie theater in a building on the Sunset Strip.  One had to know about this theater because there was no advertisement or even acknowledgment that this place existed outside of the theater space.  Overall the film is not that hot, but I was glued to the screen due to Paul Jones performance, both acting and singing, and of course the beauty of Jean Shrimpton.  The story takes place in England when the church decided to match-up with the pop world, circa Paul Jones.  A new form of Fascism takes place where the teenager is influenced by the combination of the Church and pop music.   The film opens up with a great performance by Paul Jones, doing "Free Me," which has a haunted organ and strings arrangement.   A few years later, Alice Cooper would use theatrics that is very similar to the performance in "Privilege." 

Beyond that this EP has four songs, including my beloved "Free Me" as well as the theme "Privilege" and 'I've Been a Bad, Bad Boy, and I think the other song "(My Poor Heart is Surely) Breaking" is not in the film, but alas, memory plays tricks.  Nevertheless, one can get the full original soundtrack album with no problem, and I see it often online or sold in used record stores around Los Angeles and Tokyo.  Still, I prefer the format of the 7" 45 rpm EP, because of the focus on the four songs, which overall is pretty magnificent.  

Paul Jones is known to be the lead vocalist for Manfred Mann in the early and mid-1960s, but he took a strange solo career that was equally pop and his natural love for rhythm n' blues.  A great voice, and presence, I feel Jones is overlooked these days, and he is a great vocalist.   The solo career is spotty, but his work with the band Manfred Mann is brilliant.  And his other highlight is "Privilege." 

The Ron Grainer Orchestra - "The Prisoner: Original Soundtrack Music From The TV Series" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1986 (Bam-Caruso)

I never heard of Ron Grainer before, but clearly, I know his music due to my obsession with the TV series "The Prisoner."  I can spend hours just watching the opening credits to the show, where secret agent No. 6 (Patrick McGoohan) resigns in anger and is seen being kidnapped and taken to the island, which resembles a retirement home for lunatics.  Within two minutes one has the flavor as well as the narrative of the show.  Equally exciting is the soundtrack theme to "The Prisoner."

Ron Grainer wrote the central theme, and the rest of the music that was on the show is a combination of his work, and various British composers who worked in the Film Library world.  At times, playful, sinister, and classic Spy theme music all rolled in one package.  British sounding to the core, and not that different from the aesthetics of various English shows of the time:  "The Avengers," "Saint," and even McGoohan's old show "Secret Agent Man" (or in the UK "Danger Man").  Still, this is a spy TV show that hints of the avant-garde, or the theater of the absurd.  A limited run show that had a beginning, a middle, and an end.   In that format, it is like a structured version of "Twin Peaks," but with the intensity of McGoohan's participation.  It's odd that I have at least three albums that are based on Parick McGoohan's film/TV works.  Perhaps it's not the music itself, but the presence of this great actor/producer/director. 

Michael Nyman - "The Draughtsman's Contract" Vinyl, LP, Album, 1983 (DRG Records)

There are many great film composers and filmmaker match-up's that one can't possibly imagine one without the other.   On top of my list is the partnership between Peter Greenaway and British composer Michael Nyman.   The yin with the yang, who can easily be separated, but the combination of Greenaway's vivid narration/images with the addition of Nyman's hyper-version of baroque music is something to behold.  The other thing that makes my heart warm is the fact that Greenaway's films have a subversive talent of driving people mad who go see his movies.  Greenaway has two audiences - those who love his work, and those who can't stand his films.  With the additional twist of Nyman's relentless approach to form in the tight compositions by the composer, leaves one for gasping for air.   This is what I call art!

"The Draughtsman's Contract" is a film made by Greenaway, and it's an early collaboration between the filmmaker and Nyman.  Both have an interest in and vast knowledge of the past and use their medium for their works.  Nyman's music is a combination of minimalist strokes, but with a high sense of strong melody.  The rhythm of the work is just as important as the memorable melodies, and although the images by Greenaway really goes well with the composer's work, they also stand alone as music to listen to in a room with a well-stocked bar.

The one thing that stands out is that Nyman's work is very British.  I see him being very much influenced by Mozart, but equally the British composers such as Henry Purcell and William Byrd.  In a theatrical sense, he also belongs to William Shakespeare's theater, in that it can be bawdy and wonderfully entertaining.  What makes his music so unique is that he can have one foot in the minimalist camp, but the other is firmly placed in the world of Purcell and Byrd.  One of my favorite classical composers, and well worth to fall into the rabbit's hole for.