OK, I really like the Professionals now that I’m hearing even more of them, so that’s a good excuse for an obvious transition to another Professionals song. It’s another silly early ’80s video, but this one is a little more creative. Also, note that this is an earlier line-up of the band as a three-piece with a different bassist. Paul Cook and Steve Jones are terribly underrated:
1-2-3
From the three pieces of a triptych is a short step to a song titled “1 2 3.” This is the Professionals, an underrated and short-lived band started by Steve Jones and Paul Cook, the original two Sex Pistols. The Professionals were at least the equal of their old band, and some of their material was used in the movie Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains. In this video, enjoy Steve Jones’ (1) hair and (2) the epic battle with microphone stands.
Composed of Three Parts
Bach’s St. Matthew Passion thematically flows right along to the best Medieval prog rock song ever, and perhaps the only Medieval prog rock song ever. This is “Triptych” by Roxy Music, and it’s truly extraordinary that something like this ever came out of popular music:
St. Matthew Piano
And yesterday’s Bach through the filter of jazz leads to Bach through a solo piano lens. This is the introduction to Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, a few days late, I regret to say. (But, nonetheless, Happy Easter!) Mr. Harry Volker does the honors, very nicely:
MJQ Bach
That’s not one of JS Bach’s children, but the Modern Jazz Quartet playing the music of Bach, along with the Swingle Singers. So that’s quite a transition from the previous video of a jazz performance:
Big Honking German Improv
Can’s live “Dizzy Dizzy”/”Animal Waves” was a German band on German TV with some improvising going on . . . so here’s a Berlin jazz combo that someone recorded and put up on YouTube. All I can say is that (A) it would be boring to just include professional musicians in these postings and (B) maybe these guys weren’t trying hard enough. Having played saxophone, I keep wondering why the sax player just keeps making the same honking sound. Anyhow, they got up there and performed in front of an audience, so I respect them for that.
Not That Dizzy
So here’s an easy transition, from one Can song to another. But this live version of “Dizzy Dizzy” from a German TV performance doesn’t exactly sound like “Dizzy Dizzy” and it’s been argued that it’s actually “Animal Waves.” I suspect that it’s some strange hybrid that this frequently improvising band worked out at some point, and it ended up being recorded here.
Yet Another Fungus
Mould is a fungus, and mushrooms are fungi. From the other day’s “Mouldy Old Dough” we move to “Mushroom” by the classic “krautrock” group Can. And while “Mouldy Old Dough” is goofy and fun, “Mushroom” is about as foreboding and eerie as it gets.
Almost an Instrumental
Yesterday’s bird looked an emperor, but today’s is officially a lieutenant.
I hope that the elderly lady’s witch hat did not cause any moral panics on satanism and the effect of rock music on the elderly.
Observin’ Bird
Continuing from the previous Bryan Ferry video is this far more creative one. Mr. Ferry was still going through his beard phase here, while the video is loaded with futurist imagery that also looks a little fascist.
But the real reason to watch is the star of the video, an unnamed eagle that sits on a perch, observing all around it with withering scorn. The makers of the video must have realized what kind of effect it would have, because it eventually gets projected onto the U.S.S. Enterprise viewscreen behind the singer, making its imperious dominance of everything it surveys even greater.
Seriously, this eagle should have had its own TV show.
