Tag: Billy Joel

  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Will Stegemann 2

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    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, I have another chat with writer Will Stegemann, about Billy Joel, epiphanies, Piano Ham, Oral support, Sal’s IROQ, and floating.

    Visit his project, A YEAR OF BILLY JOEL, at
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    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Will Stegemann 2“:

    [audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-will_stegemann_2.mp3]

    SUBSCRIBE
    Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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    Drop Ken a line HERE.

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    You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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  • A Bit Of A Chat with Ken Plume & Will Stegemann

    bitofachat-header.png

    lucyline.gif

    I’m Ken Plume, and soon you’ll be listening to “A Bit Of A Chat” with me, Ken Plume.

    In this episode, I have a chat with writer Will Stegemann about Billy Joel, Long Island, Caldor fighting, goofy Dylan, Helen Slater, and supergroups.

    Visit his project, A YEAR OF BILLY JOEL, at
    ayearofbillyjoel.tumblr.com

    Hope you enjoy…

    Download “A Bit of a Chat with Ken Plume & Will Stegemann“:

    [audio:http://traffic.libsyn.com/bitofachat/bit_of_a_chat-will_stegemann.mp3]

    SUBSCRIBE
    Subscribe to this Podcast via iTunes

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    patreon-fred.png

    Drop Ken a line HERE.

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    You can also find more of my interviews by clicking HERE.

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  • Weekend Shopping Guide 2/13/09: 1.21 Gigawatts!

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    The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

    While it’s not the Blu-Ray editions that everyone (me included) was hoping for, the new special editions of the Back To The Future trilogy are worth a look see. The original Back To The Future (Universal, Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP) ports over the special features from the previous release, but also adds the Back To The Future Night network special, a new 9-part documentary, and – best of all – the complete Back To The Future Universal Studios ride footage, including the pre-show. Both Back To The Future II and Back To the Future III (Universal, Rated PG, DVD-$19.98 SRP each) contains the behind-the-scenes featurettes, commentaries, deleted scenes, and outtakes contained in the original box-set release. Now, if only we can get the Blu-Ray sorted out…

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    I’ve got hundreds and hundreds of slides and negatives from years of pre-digital photo archives. That being the case, I’m always keen on new and easier ways to try and digitize this wealth of images – including a nifty slide/negative scanner that Thinkgeek offered, and I featured a few months back. Well, now they’ve gone and begun offering a newer, spiffier ImageLab Instant Slide Scanner ($109.99) that doesn’t even require a computer to do its job – it’s got a little LCD viewer and store the scans on an SD card. Heck, you can even run it off of batteries, for ultimate mobility. Cool.

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    Another catalogue classic making its way to high definition is the director’s cut of Amadeus (Warner Bros., Rated R, Blu-Ray-$35.99 SRP) – which adds 20 minutes to the theatrical cut. The Blu-Ray ports over the audio commentary with director Milos Foreman and Peter Schafer, the making-of documentary, and the theatrical trailer, and adds a bonus CD of Mozart’s music. Regardless of the picture quality (and it is stunning), it’s still a beautiful film.

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    Also hitting Blu-Ray is David Cronenberg’s surprisingly accessible A History Of Violence (New Line, Rated R, DVD-$28.99 SRP), starring Viggo Mortenson as a man who’s selfless act calls unwanted attention on himself and a violent past that may or may not be his own.

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    Uber-curmudgeon Victor Meldrew returns in the 5th & 6th seasons of the Brit comedy classic One Foot In The Grave (BBC, Not Rated, DVD-$24.98 SRP each). The 6th season is also the final in the series, save for a few specials that will probably get a separate release. The 2-disc sets feature 6 episodes, an audio commentary apiece, the 1995 Christmas special (on Season 5), and a retrospective featurette (on Season 6).

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    It’s not quite as incisive as it could be, but Oliver Stone’s W. (Lionsgate, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.95 SRP) is still a remarkable attempt to understand the 43rd President of The United States. Does he ever get a grasp on just what made George W. Bush what he is? Not really. But the performances are great, and now that he’s finally out of office, maybe someone will eventually get a handle on exactly what’s going on in his head. Bonus features include an audio commentary and a featurette.

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    When all hell breaks loose in a small town, are you going to call the police? No. The FBI? No. The military? Of course not! Ninjas? THEY DON’T HAVE PHONES!! No, the person you’re going to call to sort it all out is B-movie legend Bruce Campbell – and that’s just what the small town of Gold Lick does in the fun little goof My Name Is Bruce (Image, Rated R, DVD-$27.98 SRP). Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, a making-of documentary, trailers, and galleries.

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    It’s certainly not their finest hour, but I sort of kind of dig the better aspects of Oliver & Company (Walt Disney, Rated G, DVD-$29.99 SRP) – which is one of the animated films made when Disney was still in the 80’s wilderness. Still, I do love the tunes from Billy Joel (starring here as Dodger) and Huey Lewis. The re-released special edition contains a vintage behind-the-scenes featurette.

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    It’s by no means a disaster, but it certainly would have been nice if Bernie Mac’s final film were better. Soul Men (Dimension, Rated R, DVD-$28.95 SRP) stars Mac and Samuel L. Jackson as a par of estranged soul singers who work through their differences on a road trip to a reunion concert at the famed Apollo Theater. Bonus features include an audio commentary, featurettes, tributes to Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes, and the theatrical trailer.

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    The Blu-Ray catalogue express pulls up to the station with another carload full of titles, this time straight from Fox. Getting the high definition treatment are the much-requested Office Space, Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine, and Sideways (Fox, Rated PG/R, Blu-Ray-$34.98 SRP each). All of the bonus features are identical to the standard special edition releases, so you’re really looking at picking these up for the picture and sound upgrade.

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    It’s no Pixar, but there’s a simple pleasure to Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (Dreamworks, Rated PG, DVD-$34.98 SRP), the sequel to the zoo animals escape to the wild original that was equally mild diversion entertainment. This time – you guessed it – they’ve managed to escape from Madagascar only to crash land in Africa, where hilarity ensues. Bonus features include music videos and featurettes, and it’s definitely worth spending the couple of extra bucks to pick up the set that comes bundled with the penguins adventure The Penguins Of Madagascar. The Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) contains the penguins special, the standard edition’s bonus features, as well as an animators corner with storyboards and interviews.

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    There’s nothing especially upsetting or horrific or even interesting about Friday The 13th: The Series (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP). Check out up the complete second season of this syndicated anthology snoozer and see if I’m wrong. It barely even succeeds on a cheap laughs level.

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    It’s not the best looking CGI animated flick, but my nephew certainly likes the off-kilter tale of Igor (Fox, Rated PG, DVD-$29.99 SRP), a hunchbacked lab assistant in a country full of evil scientists and lackeys, who decides that he has the knowledge and talent to break out of the caste system. Bonus features include an audio commentary, an alternate opening scene, and galleries. A Blu-Ray edition ($39.99 SRP) is also available, with identical bonus features.

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    Long before the lackluster Masters Of Horror, another anthology series sought out horror masters for a slightly better clutch of stories – Tales From The Darkside (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$36.98 SRP). Executive produced by George Romero, the 3-disc first season set contains all 24 episodes, plus audio commentaries.

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    It’s a saccharine, fluffy mess, but I’m sure there will be plenty of sales for the newly-arrived-in-high-definition Pretty Woman (Touchstone, Rated R, Blu-Ray-$34.99 SRP). In addition to all of those extra pixels, bonus features include an audio commentary, a trio of featurettes, a Natalie Cole music video, a blooper reel, and the theatrical trailer.

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    It can be plodding, but Spike Lee’s Miracle At St. Anna (Touchstone, Rated R, DVD-$29.99 SRP) at least tells an interesting tale – about four members of the US Army’s all-black 92nd Infantry Division who, while stationed in Tuscany, Italy, are trapped behind enemy lines and find themselves in a small Tuscan village. Bonus features include a pair of historical featurettes and deleted scenes. A Blu-Ray edition is also available ($34.99 SRP).

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    No longer a full season set, fans will have to make do with only the first 19 episodes in Melrose Place: The Fifth Season Volume 1 (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Still no bonus features, though, so that Heather Locklear commentary will just have to come one day.

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    If you want a crash course in pretentious cinema, look no further than the world-struck-blind-by-a-plague-and-devolves-into-chaos-but-Julianne-Moore-isn’t-blind Blindness (Miramax, Rated R, DVD-$29.99 SRP). Don’t believe me? By all means, check it out for yourself. Bonus features include a making-of documentary and deleted scenes.

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    They may be on the simple side, but that’s exactly what you’d hope when putting on one of the 4 DVDs (comprising 32 episodes) in the Curious George Monkey Collection: Volume 1 (Universal, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP). Not only did they nail a great design for the character in animated form, but they passed the all-important “my nephews like it” test.

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    Shout Factory picks up the ball after Universal walked away following the release of the first season with Simon & Simon: Season Two (Shout! Factory, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP). The 6-disc set features all 22 episodes, plus the special Magnum PI crossover episode.

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    We still don’t have the original 60’s series (I want it more than a hula hoop), but we get another Alvin & The Chipmunks themed episode collection, The Mystery Of The Easter Chipmunk (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$16.99 SRP), containing 5 episodes from the 80’s series.

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    Yeah, I tried. Still don’t like Tim And Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! (Turner, Not Rated, DVD-$19.98 SRP). But they have a rabid fanbase that is sure to snap up the complete second season, and delight in its deleted/extended scenes, promos, karaoke videos, tour footage, blooper reel, and more.

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    So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

    -Ken Plume

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  • Win OLIVER & COMPANY on DVD!

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    We’re giving away, in conjunction with Walt Disney Home Video, three (3) copies of OLIVER & COMPANY on DVD.

    Contest ends at 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, February 17th.

    CLOSED! THANKS FOR ENTERING!

    Official Rules

    No member of Quick Stop Entertainment or their immediate families may enter.

    No Purchase necessary to win.

    Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

    One entry per day, per person.

    All submitted entries must be received by 11:59pm EST on Tuesday, February 17th.

    The winner must allow 4-6 weeks after notification of win to receive the product.

  • Weekend Shopping Guide 7/4/08: A Wall-E-Palooza

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    The weekend’s here. You’ve just been paid, and it’s burning a hole in your pocket. What’s a pop culture geek to do? In hopes of steering you in the right direction to blow some of that hard-earned cash, it’s time for the Quick Stop Weekend Shopping Guide – your spotlight on the things you didn’t even know you wanted…

    Continuing the tradition begun with Monsters, Inc., we’re gifted with another beautiful collection of production artwork and designs for Pixar’s latest flick with The Art Of Wall-E (Chronicle Books, $40.00 SRP). Chronicle and Pixar have really set the standard for how to pull the volumes together, and their presentation is always top-notch. My only complaint is I wish it were at least twice as long.

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    Anyone with even the slightest knowledge of sci-fi (or Dick Tracy, or The Venture Bros.) surely must have dreamed of the day that mankind would finally develop the technology needed to realize the video watch. That’s right – the ability to watch incredibly sharp video on your wrist. And view pictures. And listen to MP3s. Well, the dream has been realized with the Stainless Steel Video Watch ($129.99). Featuring a 1.8″ screen and a whopping 8GB of memory, it’s an incredible piece of equipment that will get you feeling like a futuristic superspy in no time.
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    Though my favorite Billy Joel album remains the severely underrated Turnstiles (I spent an entire summer with a friend tooling around in his VW bug listening to “Summer, Highland Falls”), a close runner-up would be the album that saved Joel from being dumped by his label, and cemented him as an artist to be reckoned with – 1977’s The Stranger. In (belated) celebration of the album’s anniversary, we get the fully remastered 2-disc The Stranger: 30th Anniversary Edition (Sony Legacy, $49.98 SRP), featuring not only the original album, but also a never-before released live recording of Billy’s Carnegie Hall performance on June 3, 1977. As an extra bonus, the set also includes a bonus DVD featuring a newly-produced making-of documentary, original promotional films, and Billy’s 1978 concert for Britain’s Old Grey Whistle Test. Hopefully the rest of his early albums get the same kind of revisiting.

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    And while we’re on the topic of expanded revistings, I must mention the new deluxe editions of both the eponymous Elton John and my favorite Elton album, the country rock Tumbleweed Connection (Universal/Rocket, $29.98 SRP each). Both discs feature glittering remasters, but the real treat is the bonus discs, which contain rare demo tracks and period live performances. With these two sets and the previously released Captain Fantastic and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, all we’ve got left is Empty Sky, Madmen Across The Water, Honky Chateau, Rock Of The Westies, and Caribou to complete the classic, must-have Elton set, before his music morphed into pappy, forgettable shit in the 80’s and 90’s. Where are you, 70’s Elton? Come back from wherever you went.

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    Just when the summer doldrums were beginning to set in, I found out just why everyone has been fawning over Mad Men (Lionsgate, Not Rated, DVD-$49.98 SRP) – the AMC series about Madison Avenue ad execs in the early 60’s. The reason why everyone has flocked to it? Because it’s one hell of a great show. Check out the first season for yourself. The 4-disc set features all 13 episodes, plus audio commentaries, featurettes, and more. The first season is also available on Blu-Ray ($49.99 SRP), with identical bonus features.

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    While we still can’t the series itself on DVD, at least we can watch the camp glory that is the Adam West Batman: The Movie (Fox, Rated PG, Blu-Ray DVD-$39.98 SRP) in full-blown high definition Blu-Ray. The disc features the same bonus features as the standard DVD, including audio commentaries, featurettes, and more.

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    Even 20 years later, Heathers (Anchor Bay, Rated R, DVD-$19.97 SRP) holds up as a painfully funny snapshot of the awkward, cutthroat nature of high school. The new 20th anniversary edition of the film features a brand new transfer, but double dips from previous editions on an audio commentary, a retrospective featurette, a screenplay excerpt of the original ending, and the theatrical trailer. It does, however, feature one new retrospective featurette, “Return to Westerberg High”.

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    Any flick that’s smart enough to cast both Patton Oswalt and Mindy Cohn is – at the very least – worth a viewing. Written and directed by Daniel Waters (the writer of Heathers), Sex And Death 101 (Anchor Bay, Rated R, DVD-$29.97 SRP) is one of those pleasant surprise on home video discoveries that you wind up enjoying. It stars Simon Baker as a man who receives a mysterious e-mail that details everyone he’s had sex with – and everyone he’ll have sex with in the future. Unfortunately, it’s uncertain if his list ends in commitment – or something far worse, as there’s an equally mysterious femme fatale on the loose (Winona Ryder) that’s targeting men guilty of sex crimes against women. Bonus features include an audio commentary, a featurette, and a trailer. A Blu-Ray edition is also available (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, DVD-$ SRP), featuring identical bonus materials to the standard edition.

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    From the director of the upcoming Pineapple Express comes a smart, gritty little indie flick about an escalating blood feud amongst a group of half brothers in the Arkansas back roads. In Shotgun Stories (Genius, Rated R, DVD-$24.95 SRP), the two sets of siblings – who knew different versions of their father, one a violent drunk and one a sober, middle-class man – come crashing together at their father’s funeral. The DVD features an audio commentary, an isolated score track, trailers, and more.

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    To be honest with you, the only reason I ever watched Evening Shade (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.99 SRP) was for the presence of the ever-delightful Charles Durning. Sure, the rest of the cast – Burt Reynolds, Marilu Henner, Michael Jeter, Hal Holbrook, and Ossie Davis – was enjoyable, but I was there for Durning. The 5-disc set features all 24 first season episodes, but not a single commentary, featurette, or interview with Durning. Damn.

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    If you’re in a pinch and need an entirely watchable, inoffensive romantic comedy to fill out a date with, look no further than Definitely, Maybe (Universal, Rated PG-13, DVD-$29.98 SRP). The cast alone – including Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Kline, Elizabeth Banks, and Rachel Weisz – makes it an interesting proposition, and the story about a father trying to explain to his daughter about the past loves of his life prior to her mother is a nicely awkward premise.

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    It’s certainly not a comedy classic, but there’s a goofy, almost 80’s quality about Drillbit Taylor (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$34.99 SRP), which stars Owen Wilson as a slacker fists-for-hire who’s contracted by a trio of nerdy high schoolers to act as their on campus bodyguard. Its 80’s-like quality is probably due to the fact that it’s based on an idea by John Hughes, even though the script was brought to life by Seth Rogen and Kristofor Brown. The unrated DVD features additional footage, an audio commentary, deleted/extended scenes, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. Also available in Blu-Ray ($39.99 SRP).

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    I’m sure you’re just as shocked as I am that Walker, Texas Ranger (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$49.99 SRP) made it to a fifth season. I guess there’s no discounting the durability of ludicrously goofy shows that take themselves far more seriously than the acting and writing permits. Anyway, here’s another 25 episodes sure to delight anyone with a penchant for unintended comedy.

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    If you’ve been missing the true-crime stories with a sly presentation that was City Confidential, then you want to check out the marriages gone sour stories recounted in Till Death Do Us Part (Anchor Bay, Not Rated, DVD-$35.99 SRP). They key to enjoying the show is the witty, tongue-in-cheek presence of host John Waters. Yes, that John Waters. The 3-disc set features all 13 episodes, plus new introductions from waters and interviews.

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    Kyra Sedgwick is back as homicide investigator Brenda Johnson in the 3rd season of Closer (Warner Bros., Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP), facing down the return of a dormant serial killer, a missing child, and the mysterious death of a Homeland Security official. The 4-disc set features all 14 episodes, plus unaired scenes, a featurette, and a gag reel.

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    Karl Malden and Michael Douglas are back on The Streets Of San Francisco (Paramount, Not Rated, DVD-$39.98 SRP) with the first volume of the second season. The 3 disc set features 11 episodes detailing the exploits of Lt. Mike Stone and Inspector Steve Keller as they face down convicts, robbers, and even an assassin. Yes. An assassin.

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    So there you have it… my humble suggestions for what to watch, listen to, play with, or waste money on this coming weekend. See ya next week…

    -Ken Plume

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