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By Bill Altreuter

Lance Mannion had problems with Pirate Radio (or The Boat That Rocked-- movies that can't figure out what they are supposed to be called should just pick a name fer crying out loud). I have problems with it too. It is a meandering shaggy dog story that can't seem to get a grip on what it is supposed to be about, and that was irritating. LCA sat with her back to it most of the time, chatting on Facebook, and that may have been the best way to experience it, because the soundtrack is terrific. Unfortunately, the soundtrack was my big issue. If you are going to make a movie about DJs in 1966 the music they play should not be from 1967, or 1968, or 1971. There was all kinds a great rock'n'roll that they could have played-- and they did play some of it-- but the anachronisms were truly jarring.

Which reminds me, Saturday was Record Store Day. LCA and I partook at the University Plaza Record Theater-- she picked up a Wanda Jackson EP, and I bought the Stones' single, Plundered My Soul b/w All Down the Line. Plundered will be included with some other archive stuff on the Exile on Main Street re-issue. I don't think anyone ever listened to Exile and thought, "Wow. Another couple of songs and that would be perfect!", but on the other hand 1972 Stones is the Stones at their peak. LCA has decided that she likes 60's rock, and vinyl, which should come as a surprise to no-one, but nuanced things about the medium escape her. She was not aware, for example, that some vinyl is played at 45 rpm, and was surprised when, after taking the Stones side off the turntable an queuing up her Wanda Jackson EP the Queen of Rockabilly sounded like the Queen of the Chipmunks. Adjustments were made.

The closing credits of Pirate Radio features a montage of album covers that I think I liked better than the movie, and it was fun to flip through the LPs at Record Theater. The CD buying experience is clankier than shopping for vinyl, and of course nobody buys CDs anymore either. I like the fact that I can carry my music collection anywhere, but I miss the thrill of the hunt, and I miss record jackets. Convenience has really improved the experience of recorded music. As we drove to Record Theater LCA and I talked about the experience of music shopping. It was crowded in the store, and hipsters were buying vinyl, but it was distinctly an exercise in nostalgia, and I guess that was my bottom line problem with the movie. Nostalgia is pointless.

Full post as published by Outside Counsel on April 19, 2010 (boomark / email).