Victor Spinetti with John Lennon and Paul McCartney on the set of The Beatles’ Film, A Hard Days Night
Victor Spinetti, who was an established British film star in 1963 when he agreed to make a movie with a pop group called The Beatle,, died on Tuesday, June 19th, 2012 in London, of cancer. He was 82 years old. Spinetti was the only actor besides the four Beatles to appear in the films A Hard Day’s Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. Read more about the life and career of Victor Spinetti at the NYTimes official obit, found at This Link.
John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Bob Welch, Christine McVie Circa 1970 (Image Source)
Bob Welch sang lead vocals on “Hypnotized” and “Silver Heels”: the two best Fleetwood Mac songs, ever, pre-Buckingham Nicks. And now he’s dead. Welch’s body was found by his wife in their home in Antioch, TN earlier today (June 7, 2012) with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the chest. It is reported that he had been suffering from deteriorating health. Welch would have been 66 years old on July 31st.
Please enjoy this clip of Bob singing “Hypnotized” from the album Mystery to Me. RIP Bob Welch!
Genre defining Science Fiction/Horror writer, Ray Bradbury, has passed away on Tuesday, June 5th, 2012 at the age of 91. I read so many of Bradbury’s novels and short stories as a kid I can’t even name them all. But one of his short stories, “All Summer in a Day” was just so simply devastating in its impact, I doubt I could ever forget it. Now I want to re-read everything again. His work is amazing. There’s a very sweet remembrance/obit on Bradbury over at Indiewire.com that’s my favorite of those I’ve read so far today, if you want to check it out. RIP Ray, you changed modern literature so much and influenced generations.
Famous Los Angeles Landmark, Randy’s Donuts, Photoshoped Pink (Image Source)
Today’s Pink Thing is a Big Pink Donut in honor of National Donut (or Doughnut) Day. Find out where to get your free Donut on June 1st only at This Link!
A publicist recently asked me what bands I’m currently listening to – and I know she expected me to name some “new” bands, but I had to confess that the bulk of music I’ve been loading on my iPod or adding to my collection in recent months is music from the 1970s. Because, from The Beatles through Glam, Prog Rock, Classic Rock, Hard Rock, the onset of Electronica, Punk Rock and New Wave, the Seventies really had it all. This realization actually brought back an awkward memory of the time an editor (whom I still affectionately refer to as Iron Nuts) accused me of being “desperate to like a modern band.” Okay, guilty as charged. Still, I’m not going to apologize for it.
