Soundtracks: discuss

I was having a good hearty shuffle the other day, and following on from one of Vomitory's latest ballads my non-Apple MP4 media player selected James Brown's Living in America. This got me thinking about film soundtracks (for reasons most men will immediately recognise) and I wondered what else I'd put in my Top 5 Film Soundtracks Wot Might Not Be Perfect Start To Finish But have Some Proper Belters On list, 2011.

5. Waynes World (1992)

Before Mike Myers created that fucking Austin Powers twat, he was funny. Dudes in a basement make a TV show, they play music, protagonist pulls an impossibly hot girl - it's the things teenage dreams are made of. And thanks to Alice Cooper, Black Sabbath and "that" Queen song, a soundtrack that commands headbanging like a total tit.

4. Singles (1992)

This film about challenged bands, tumultuous relationships and lumberjack shirts wouldn't have made the top five were it not for the inclusion of Pearl Jam's State of Love and Trust in the soundtrack - in my opinion, their finest ever work. Add in some Alice in Chains, Soundgarden and Mudhoney and you've got yourself the grungiest thing since Kurt Cobain woke up, donned a cardigan and decided against the hairbrush.

3. Forrest Gump (1994)

Tom Hanks plays a mong with a weighty beardline who's good at running to an absolutely extraordinary soundtrack that spans a good few decades. Creedance Clearwater Revival, Lynryd Skynyrd, The Doobie Brothers; what more could you need? Oh, The Doors? Fleetwood Mac? Done. Fantastic.

2. The Crow (1994)

A film that played on repeat in my household during my early teens, and which subsequently inspired my sister's dress code, The Crow sees the late Brandon Lee off on a mission to avenge the murder of himself and his fiance. Dark, eh? A soundtrack of angst and pain, provided by the likes of Rage Against The Machine, Stone Temple Pilots and Pantera, mean this is possibly one of the most gothically metal films of all time.

1. Rocky IV (1985)

Quite simply the best soundtrack in history. A man with a melty face runs through the snow carrying logs, sweats a lot and punches five shades of shit out of Dolph Lundgren. Robert Tepper's No Easy Way Out is without exception, the most awesome song you could ever work out to. And of course, Survivor not only had Eye of the Tiger on the soundtrack, they had the monstrously powerful Burning Heart included too. That's some serious rock right there.

Now press play on this video and do some sit ups.

M
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Lynyrd Skynyrd, R.I.P

It may seem a tad dramatic but you don't know how gutted this MADman is! I'll explain. I love Lynyrd Skynyrd. I think they're awesome. There is not a single guitar moment in the world that can compare to that 1997 "Free Bird" solo, which I am informed is one of the most requested clips of all time, as stated by the BBC (I've put a link to the vid at the end as I want you to read my angst first).

If that's not enough to prove their ferocious brilliantness, their drummer was called Artemis Pyle.

Artemis Pyle.

Is there a more "Suthun rawk" name than that? No, there isn't; stop trying to think of one and read on.

Way back in the days of yore, I found out that Skynyrd were playing in the not-worthy Brixton Academy ("Can it really be??", November 28th 2008). I purchased tickets quicker than a fat teenager blogs about continuity errors in Stargate.

But alas, the recession doth fuck me in the face with a passionless grin. You see, the gig is a Sunday, and me and Hot Chick dwell many miles from Brixton. So, we'd have to leave stupidly early and miss the inevitable "Free Bird" finale. Not worries, we'll stay over in London. Will we fuck. I barely have the sheckles for a loaf of bread, let alone some seedy cack shack in SE1.

A gig for me also means a tour T-shirt and minimum £30 of beer. Again, not possible. My current economic situation is worse than Insane Clown Posse's entire back catalogue.

So the tickets were sold on the electronicBay, at face value, to a massively excited Skynyrdian. I don't like people that buy to sell for profit. I think they're about as low as elephantitis-riddled balls. The tickets left the flat yesterday and by now, will be in the hands of some lucky fucker in Suffolk.

By the grave of Ronnie Van Zant, if you bought them off me, treat them good. Sing along until your throat bleeds during "Simple Man", drink a bottle of medium strength lager for "The Ballad Of Curtis Loew" (that's the right spelling, actually) and play air guitar to "Free Bird" like a massive fucking twat.

And like 90% of the original good ol' boys, I'll be there in spirit.

And now, the performance....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v4XISNjLGEI

Can it really be??

Every Wednesday I get my TicketWeb email alert, and 90% of the time the content is pretty dire (although I did find out about Rise Against's 2009 tour through there so it aint all bad). As much as I'd love to go and see Girls Aloud and Britney at The O2, sometimes you've got to pass these opportunities up.
I opened the email this week and couldn't believe what I saw. Three words which made my heart skip a beat - "Lynyrd", "Skynyrd" and "Brixton". I love Skynyrd. To me, they're the ultimate old skool, unkempt, dirty rock band. The drummer's name is Artemis, for Christ's sake - can you get more Southern rawk than that?? So anyway, the email tells me that the Skynyrd boys are playing in Brixton on Suday March 31st. Tickets went on sale this morning at 9am, I had my "downstairs; standing" confirmed by 9:01. These guys play the big shit in the USA and I always thought that, should they cross the pond, it'd be Wembley. a 3,000 capacity venue for one of the biggest rock and roll bands of all time? No-brainer mate.

Don't get me wrong, I know its not the original line-up (I'm not a complete spastic shitfuckwanktard) but it's as good as my white ass will ever see. Plus, it's a Van Zant singing and that to me is authentic. It's the first time I've ever got tickets to a gig and phoned my mum; that's how excited I am. Plus, I think she appreciates Skynyrd more than if I phoned her to let her know I had tickets to Cradle Of Filth.

Imagine seeing "Free Bird" live? Just imagine it! I can now categorically state (split infinitive; sue me) that I WILL cry if, no, when they play "Simple Man" as it one of my all time favourite all time songs of all time.

Today is a good day for music. Plus, in less that lots of hours, the two nights of carnage begins....