In the Spotlight with.. James from London

[Willie Oleson]

What hugely successful 1970s UK Number 1 single that everybody in the world knows doesn't mention its own title in the lyrics, but does mention the title of the song that replaced it at Number 1 - a song which is also hugely successful and known by everyone in the world?

I didn't need the clue!

 

[James from London]

I didn't need the clue!

Oh sorry! I think I had emoji blindness.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Does @Ome know what it is?

 

[supermanfan]

Hello @James from London what was your favorite subject in school?

 

[Willie Oleson]

Does @Ome know what it is?

He's logged out again.

To be honest I didn't immediately know what it was, I had this complicated thinking process of the New Seekers song and how the jingle title song became a new #1 hit with I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing.
But of course, in the jingle they do sing Buy The World A Coke.

And then I thought, well, Bohemian Rhapsody probably doesn't mention itself, but it does mention everything else. Therefore, chances are it mentions the next #1 hit.
But it wasn't Scaramouche or Galileo.

 

[Ome]

I think Knots would probably be the safest bet - so long as they don't ask, "What exactly was Empire Valley?"

In fact, let me ask you my favourite pub quiz-type question (unless I've asked it before in which case just ignore me): What hugely successful 1970s UK Number 1 single that everybody in the world knows doesn't mention its own title in the lyrics, but does mention the title of the song that replaced it at Number 1 - a song which is also hugely successful and known by everyone in the world?

That's a bloody brilliant question and one that completely baffles me. I need to think about this one.

This Country.

I'm enjoying this. Did you watch SHAMELESS or BRASSIC?

but I remember having recurring dreams about Petra Taylor after she went missing in Brookside in 1984.

That could have been me too, but I can't remember if I did dream about her. I do know that I was obsessed with the search for Petra and felt so much sadness when her fate was finally revealed. Back then I had no recordings of Brookie so all I had to go on was LETTER TO BREZHNEV for my Petra fix, which I watched over and over.

 

[Ome]

And then I thought, well, Bohemian Rhapsody probably doesn't mention itself, but it does mention everything else. Therefore, chances are it mentions the next #1 hit.
But it wasn't Scaramouche or Galileo.

Two things

1. I wanted to get the right answer first, but realise I could be here for weeks and weeks and we are restricted to one week in the spotlight.
2. Now I know the answer, I honestly believe I would never have figured it out, so special recognition goes out to @Willie Oleson again!





Again, what a fantastic question and one day when we get our lives back together, I will ask this when we are entertaining friends in our home.

 

[James from London]

What gave you the inspiration to write your reviews of each Dallas season, it was compelling reading well certainly for me?

Thanks! Back in olden times, I used to love reading Entertainment Weekly. (It was quite hard to get hold of over here; I remember scouring the magazine section in Tower Records for it.) What I liked about it so much is that it embraced all different aspects of pop culture - from heavy metal to romance novels to art movies to sci-fi shows - and wrote about them all with equal respect, knowledge and irreverence. (I'll always remember one of the film critics describing Keanu Reeves's enigmatic blankness as "his own private I dunno".) Treating "low culture" (for want of a less pejorative term) the same as "high culture" is quite common these days (on Rolling Stone's podcast, for instance, you're as likely to hear an episode commemorating the 20th anniversary of a Britney Spears album as you are an interview with Pete Townsend of the Who or the Guardian ranking the 20 best Barry Manilow songs alongside the 50 best Joy Division ones), but for a mag like EW to do a well-written, witty sixteen-page cover story on Knots Landing was a rare thing back then. Anyway, I tried to emulate that style when I started writing long, long posts about Dallas and the other soaps. The "gag" was I'd treat a soap episode the same way I would the Shakespeare play I'd had to write about when I was doing my English Literature A-Level.

Another influence was Grace Dent who used to write about Big Brother and the British soaps in the Guardian at the time (before she got lured away to the Times to write restaurant reviews) and she was brilliantly funny but also very incisive. Later, when I watched Mark Cousins' documentary series The Story of Film and read Bob Stanley's book Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop, which both made fascinating comparisons about different eras and styles of their respective subjects, they became an influence on me writing about the '80s soaps week-by-week.

Also also, I initially thought that if I wrote down every opinion I had about every line in every scene in every episode then every time the relevant topic came up on the forum, I could just cut and paste my opinion into it. I didn't really take into account that opinions (at least my opinions) change over time.

(Sorry, that's probably a much longer answer than you were expecting!)

How long have you been a fan of the Ewing’s?

Since around the time 'The Lost Child' or 'The Dove Hunt' first aired on the BBC, so either '79 or '80.

If you could, have starred in Dallas, which role would you have played and why?

This came up earlier:

Well, the ultimate role would be Digger Barnes. Failing that, Alf Brindle, the boozy old roughneck who the Ewing boys brought to Cliff's apartment to badmouth Digger and Jason only for him to produce Digger's copy of the document splitting Ewing Oil into thirds, or the mad bomb guy who Angelica Nero paid to blow up Jack's car, or Brian Dennehy's dumb sidekick in Winds of Vengeance. Drunk, mental or moronic, or some combination thereof -- those are the fun parts!

Thank you

Thank you, Pammy P - sorry for rambling on!

 

[James from London]

I see you're Top Poster Of Month and now I wonder where or what "Month" is. Is it another planet or something?

Of course, I only got that for posting lots of silly pictures of Sons and Daughters, which seems a bit like cheating really. (You seem to have a bit of a sci-fi thing going on at the moment, Willie, what with your other planets and alien invasions.)

Do you think you'll ever finish the Rewatching Dynasty solo thread that you started? You stopped half way through Season 5 and I was looking forward to your thoughts on the Moldavian Massacre.

Gosh, that was so long ago - over ten years! I don't think so. The original thread's been lost and I don't really write like that anymore anyway. I did write a bit about Moldavia on the Dynasty vs etc thread, admittedly not in as much detail as I would have done then!

How do you find the time to watch these soaps and write in such detail? The chronology analysis are particularly impressive but must have taken a long time.

Being an unemployed actor has its advantages!

Have you ever thought about writing a book?

No, not really. As I say, I think it's too niche a subject and anyone who wants to read my ramblings probably already has.

Has your appreciation of Old Dynasty changed? You seem fonder of it now, particularly Season 6 which polarises many fans?

Yeah, I think I got a lot of stuff out my system when I wrote those original "re-watching" threads. Then when it came out as one big DVD box set and I had it sitting on a shelf, it somehow felt different - like a complete "thing", like an artefact of a specific era. And as I keep being drawn back to watch it, I'm most interested in exploring what its pull is - what about it that continues to attract me. I think I've always liked Season 6, though, certainly the big stories like Rita and the Colbys and the Ben/Caress malarky.

 

[Englishboy]

Another question for you @James from London

Do you ever take on non acting jobs during intervals in acting work in order to make ends meet?

 

[Long Lashes]

Hi James, I hope you have a good week being in the spotlight.

Do you have a very favourite Bowie Album or song? have you seen any of his art work and did you like it?

Did you ever get the chance to see him live in concert?

Also, its interesting to read about your career. Do you ever get really nervous before going on stage?

I wanted to ask you about The Cure too, but I will leave that for another time. Thanks.

 

[Angela Channing]

Well, I used to do stand-up

1. I remember in the early days after I first joined this forum, you mentioned you had a stand up gig planned. What sort of venues did you perform at and what size crowds did you play to?
2. Do you ever do karaoke and and if you do (or even if you don't) what songs would you chose to sing?
3. In response to a question from @Julia's Gun you shared your views on what they called the "big 4: Dallas, Dynasty, Knots and Falcon Crest". Personally, I like to think of the Big 5, including Flamingo Road, because I always had a soft spot for that show and thought characters like Titus and Constance were particularly compelling. Do you have a view on why you think Flamingo Road didn't take off in the same way as the other prime time soaps from that era?

The Larry Sanders Show is my favourite of all-time.

4. Me too, I think it was a piece of TV comedy genius. I first saw it when I was on holiday in Jamaica where it was shown in prime time and I could never understand why when it was screened in the UK it went out at about 11.30 pm on BBC2. Did you ever see the UK remake called Bob Martin with Michael Barrymore?

 

[James from London]

Hello @James from London

Hello, superman fan

what was your favorite subject in school?

English. I was pretty rubbish at everything else, except maybe Art. Anything that required a definitive answer, you could count me out.

Did you watch SHAMELESS or BRASSIC?

Brassic, no. Shameless, I did at the beginning. I wanted it to be darker than it was.

Again, what a fantastic question

I'd love to take credit for it, but I don't think I made it up. Can't remember who did though ...

Do you ever take on non acting jobs during intervals in acting work in order to make ends meet?

No, I'm rubbish at proper jobs. Again, anything that requires a definite result - I'm not your man. I could probably give you my dramatic interpretation of your drinks order, but what you really want is your drinks order.

 

[Ome]

You've worked with many famous artists over the years and you're not one to drop names unless it fits in with a particular topic. While I would love to know who you have met, who you have worked with, I wouldn't expect you to even start listening that. Two questions that do spring to mind as I type this.

1. Do you get nervous or star struck when you meet other famous actors/artists?
2. Can you remember which famous person you met caused you some anxiety before the meeting took place?

 

[James from London]

Hi James, I hope you have a good week being in the spotlight.

Thanks, LL. It feels very indulgent, like eating a whole packet of posh biscuits in one go and somewhere at the back of my mind, I have the vague feeling I'm going to be told off for it. But that might just be a Catholic thing.

Do you have a very favourite Bowie Album or song?

Oh, that's hard. Put a gun to my head, and I'd choose Low or "Heroes" as my favourite album. Song-wise, 'Baal's Hymn', 'There is a Happy Land', 'Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)', 'Where Are We Now', 'Letter to Hermione', 'Golden Years' ... I could go on. And I really love 'The Laughing Gnome'!

have you seen any of his art work and did you like it?

No, I don't think I have.

Did you ever get the chance to see him live in concert?

No, I never did.

Do you ever get really nervous before going on stage?

You betcha. When she was on Desert Island Discs, Sir Judi Dench described fear as the petrol that fuels her performances and that made sense to me. In fact, if I'm not nervous, I get nervous about not being nervous. No wonder actors are mental.

I wanted to ask you about The Cure too, but I will leave that for another time.

I'll look forward to it!

 

[Willie Oleson]

one of the film critics describing Keanu Reeves's enigmatic blankness as "his own private I dunno".

Ha ha.

Bob Stanley's book Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop

I always enjoyed the additional excerpts in the old music top ten.

Of course, I only got that for posting lots of silly pictures of Sons and Daughters, which seems a bit like cheating really

Silly? Silly?

You seem to have a bit of a sci-fi thing going on at the moment, Willie, what with your other planets and alien invasions

At least that's not as dangerous as aliens having an earth thing going on at the moment. But maybe they just love our space disco music!

Being an unemployed actor has its advantages!

But you must burst with inspiration and artistry. How do you channel those urges?

 

[Pammy P]

@James from London

Thank you for such interesting answers, I enjoyed reading that....love your take on Alf Brindle

 

[James from London]

What sort of venues did you perform at and what size crowds did you play to?

All sorts, really. I always struggled to make an impression in big established places like the Comedy Store and Jongleurs. I never progressed beyond five or ten minute open spots there. My ideal gig would be in a small room above a pub where the audience have sat through one terrible act after another and then I'd come on at the end and sort of cheer them all up.

Do you ever do karaoke and and if you do (or even if you don't) what songs would you chose to sing

I always swore I never would and then about three years ago I succumbed. I've done it twice. 'Up Town Top Ranking', 'Teenage Kicks' and 'Where Do You Go to My Lovely' were my picks. The latter was a bit of a schoolboy error cos it goes on for ages!

Do you have a view on why you think Flamingo Road didn't take off in the same way as the other prime time soaps from that era?

My old theory was that Flam Rd lacked a clear moral centre. Instead of Bobby and Pam as the Romeo & Juliet couple you're meant to root for, you've got Field and Lane -- but rather than a straightforward hero, he's a shifty politician who's already married to Constance, the show's main bitch who's also the cheated on victim, which makes good girl Lane the adulterous other woman. Fast forward a few years and you've got the same situation with Jason, Frankie and Sable on The Colbys, another show that only lasted a couple of seasons. The moral murkiness makes things more interesting, but possibly put some people off.

Did you ever see the UK remake called Bob Martin with Michael Barrymore?

No, it sounded interesting, but somehow I never did. Even before The Unfortunate Event, I always found Barrymore creepy so I wonder whether that would have gotten in the way. The three main actors on Larry Sanders came without any baggage (I don't think I saw any of their earlier work until afterwards) which made them seem all the more real.

 

[James from London]

Do you get nervous or star struck when you meet other famous actors/artists?

Sometimes, yeah. It helps if it's after a play where you've just seen them or they've just seen you, or it's on a job, so you've at least got something in common. I remember being in the same room as Patrick Duffy and not going up to him because I was worried that if I made a fool of myself, I wouldn't be able to watch him on Dallas again without cringing, and meeting P Duffy was less important than being able to enjoy Dallas.

Can you remember which famous person you met caused you some anxiety before the meeting took place?

Tom Bell isn't that well known anymore -- he was a well-known character actor in the 70s and 80s-- but he played my dad in a film that Leslie Grantham (Dirty Den) was also in. They were two of the first people I'd properly acted with whose work I already knew, and I'd been warned that they could both be quite difficult, so that was a bit nerve-wracking. Luckily, my character was meant to be intimidated by them so nerves were quite useful! But they both turned out to be really friendly and nice. Then later I did a play with George Costigan (Bob in Rita, Sue & Bob Too, Stephanie Beacham's ex-husband in Connie, plus loads of other things) whose work I'd always loved so I was a bit nervous before meeting him, but he turned to be the loveliest man, really warm and full of ethusiasm.

you must burst with inspiration and artistry. How do you channel those urges?

By writing rubbish about soap operas for a start!

 

[Willie Oleson]

and 'Where Do You Go to My Lovely' were my picks. The latter was a bit of a schoolboy error cos it goes on for ages!

I hope you did it well.