THE JIVE ACES!

THE JIVE ACES!

We had a blast last night when England’s top swing band, The Jive Aces, touched down and turned Pasadena into the swingingest place on the planet!

In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, England arguably saved the blues and many blues singers from obscurity. And it was the resurgence of swing and jive in England that led to the American success of Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, Royal Crown Revue, The Wiseguys, and others. England (with an assist from Japan) also embraced Brian Setzer and the Stray Cats’ rock-a-billy vibes long enough for the Brian Setzer Orchestra’s big band sound to emerge.

Now come The Jive Aces. Formed in 1989, these guys play a uniquely British fusion of jive, boogie-woogie, rock-a-billy, and swing, from standards to originals. On Saturday night, they set over 200 dancers swinging, jiving, jitterbugging, and lindy hopping like it was the end of the world.

Front man, Ian Clarkson (vocals & trumpet) oozed charisma and channeled Bobby Darin as he worked the crowd’s frenzy, and the rest of the band (Ken Smith – double bass, ‘Big” John Fordham – saxes & clarinet, Vince Hurley – piano, Alex Douglas – trombone, Peter Howell – who was out with the flu Saturday so Mark admirably filled in – on drums) in their signature canary yellow suits, black shirts, and red ties, were as sharp as new razors.

Touring in support of their new CD Recipe For Rhythm, the song of the evening had to go to the original London Rhythm. Written by drummer Peter Howell and pianist Vince Hurley, London Rhythm starts by swinging the sounds of Big Ben’s ‘bongs’ and rips on from there – very possibly the song to define The Jive Aces.

Cheers for a great evening that left the crowd sweat soaked and jumping. My feet tapped all the way home.

SECRET SQUIRREL!

SECRET SQUIRREL!

BLOG BUDDY KELLY GANNON OVER AT THE SIXTIES BEAT REMINDED ME OF THIS GREAT SPY CARTOON FROM 1965, SECRET SQUIRREL, WITH HIS SIDEKICK, MORROCO MOLE.

SECRET SQUIRREL WAS KNOWN ON THE SHOW AS "AGENT 000" WORKING FOR THE SPY AGENCY " INTERNATIONAL SNEAKY SERVICE." HIS BOSS WAS "DOUBLE Q." MEL BLANC WAS THE VOICE FOR SECRET SQUIRREL.

MODESTY BLAISE COVER GALLERY!

MODESTY BLAISE COVER GALLERY!

STEVE HOLLAND’S BEAR ALLEY BRITISH COMICS BLOG HAS A GREAT POST FEATURING SOME STUNNING MODESTY BLAISE COVERS.

TO VIEW IT CLICK HERE

BEAT TO A PULP #26!

BEAT TO A PULP #26!

THE LATES OFFERING FROM BTAP IS SIX BULLETS FOR JOHN CARTER BY CHAD EAGLETON.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Chad Eagleton lives in the Midwest, where he is busy trying to figure out how to avoid ever mowing the lawn. His work has been featured in Muzzle Flash, Pulp Pusher, Bad Things, Powder Burn Flash, and A Twist of Noir. Fans and stalkers can find him on Facebook.

TO READ BTAP #26 CLICK HERE

NEXT: PAUL BRAZILL'S "TUT"

SOON: "NOTHING YOU CAN DO" BY JASON HUNT

COCKTAIL NATION 77 ~ MARTINI KINGS!

COCKTAIL NATION 77 ~ MARTINI KINGS!

As Koop Kooper moves into winter down Under, Cocktail Nation gives thanks to good friend Brad Parker and his Tiki Shark crew on the big island. This week, we’ve got some great gigs to attend, we’ll talk to Tony from the Martini Kings, take a look at something from Kava Kon that will interest all collectors, play new music coming out from two key bands, get the info on a very cool festival to check out in the mountains, plus some of the very best classic and neo lounge and exotica on the planet.

Dinah Washington ~ If I Were A Bell

Chaino ~ Sumac

Martini Kings ~ Dance of the Virgins

Astrud Gilberto ~ I'm Nothin Without You

Tikiyaki Orchestra ~ Singapore Swing

Jazz Samba ~ Jazz Heat Bongo Beat

Martin Denny ~ Escales

Kava Kon ~ Polynesia Poppies

Frank Bennett ~ Material Girl

Stolen Idols ~ The Kyoto Protocol

Waitiki ~ Choko Chuni-Chu

The SG Sound ~ 1st Contact

Les Baxter ~ Winds Of Sirius

Mark Copeland ~ Lets Do it

Spy Fi ~ Lullaby Of Walk Don't Gunn

TO DOWNLOAD CLICK HERE

THE CAT'S MEOW!

HIYOOOO!

HIYOOOO!

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO REMEMBER JOHNNY CARSON AND NEED TO ADD A SIDEKICK TO PUNCTUATE ALL YOUR JOKES CLICK HERE AND THEN CLICK ON ED'S FACE.

IF YOU JUST NEED A SOUNDTRACK FOR ALL THE DRAMA IN YOU LIFE CLICK HERE AND CLICK THE PLAY BUTTON.

GEEK ART!

GEEK ART!

SURE IT’S GEEKY, BUT IS IT ART? EMILY STONEKING CREATED THIS KNITTED LAB RAT AND PUT IT ONE OF THOSE DISSECTION TRAYS WE ALL REMEMBER FROM HIGH SCHOOL. AT LEAST THIS PARTICULAR "DISSECTION" DOESN’T SMELL BAD . . .

A TUG OF THE LAB COAT TO NEATORAMA

CONAN'S BRETHREN!

CONAN'S BRETHREN!

Robert E. Howard was a pulp writer who turned his hand from everything from historical adventure and detective stories to western and boxing fiction - and invented the genre now known as sword-and-sorcery: it is for these tales of heroic fantasy and horror that he is best remembered. In the pages of WEIRD TALES and other pulp magazines his mighty heroes - the vengeful Puritan swashbuckler Solomon Kane, King Kull, his first barbarian hero, followed later by Conan the Cimmerian, Bran Mak Morn, the last of the Picts, and many others.

Following on from the success of THE COMPLETE CONAN, this companion volume will contain all the Robert E. Howard stories featuring Conan's brothers-in-arms, collected together in chronological order, as fresh and atmospheric today as when they were first published in the pulp magazines of more than eighty years ago. Compiled by and with an Afterword by award-winning writer and editor Stephen Jones.

CONTENTS:

Introduction

SOLOMON KANE

Solomon Kane’s Homecoming (verse)
Red Shadows
Skulls in the Stars
Rattle of Bones
The Moon of Skulls
The Hills of the Dead
The Footfalls Within
Wings in the Night

KING KULL

The Shadow Kingdom
The Mirrors of Tuzun Thune
The King and the Oak (verse)

BRAN MAK MORN & THE PICTS

The Lost Race
Kings of the Night
The Dark Man
Worms of the Earth

SAVAGES, SWORDSMEN & SORCERERS

Spear and Fang
Hawks of Outremer
The Gods of Bal-Sagoth
The Sowers of the Thunder
Lord of Samarcand
The Lion of Tiberias
The Shadow of the Vulture
The Valley of the Worm
The Frost King’s Daughter
The Garden of Fear
Gates of Empire
Almuric
The Ghost Kings (verse)

Afterword: Kinsmen of Conan by Stephen Jones

Hardcover: 750 pages

Publisher: Gollancz

THE CAT'S MEOW ~ TRIPLE PLAY!

FORGOTTEN BOOKS ~ OVERSTEER BY KEN VOSE!

FORGOTTEN BOOKS ~ OVERSTEER BY KEN VOSE!

Car racing mysteries are almost a complete genre to themselves within the wider sports mystery genre. Bob Judd’s novels are among the best, as are those by Andrew Neilson, and a number of titles by Douglas Rutherford.

Ken Vose is a racer turned writer, co-writing the screenplay for Greased Lightening and writing several non-fiction racing/automotive titles. In 1991, he wrote Oversteer, the first of two books in his Formula One racing thrillers series.

The sexiest sport in the world . . .The sizzling city of Rio . . . With death just a hairpin curve away.

Murder at full throttle.

Nothing mattered to tough, talented Pete Hawthorn, but the chance to get back behind the wheel of a Formula One car. Then, at Daytona, his miracle happened. He was asked to join a new team developing a car to challenge the all-conquering McLarens and Ferraris on the Grand Prix circuit. But behind the glittering promises lurked a dark and sinister mystery of dirty money and even dirtier murder. With the next green flag, Pete would be caroming from Malibu to Rio in a heart-pounding race . . . with death.

Formula One for mystery.

The glamorous world of international motor racing becomes the arena for a new series of mystery thrillers – authentic, breathtaking action in the fast-track, supersonic world of Formula One racing.

Oversteer and its follow-up, Dead Pedal, are solid mysteries and do a good job of mixing sports action with clues. Paperback originals, the pair are worth making a pit stop to find them in your local used Internet bookstore.

THE IMAGINATION THEATRE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 #4!

THE IMAGINATION THEATRE NEWSLETTER VOL. 1 #4!

Welcome to this edition of The Imagination Theatre Newsletter. This is a purely free subscriber based publication so if you'd like to be removed from our list simply scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the steps needed take your names off of our rolls.

I'VE GOT SOME GOOD NEWS AND SOME... OTHER NEWS

Break out the swimsuits, the suntan oil and the rest of the paraphernalia that goes with Summer, it's only days away. Oh, yeah and don't forget the CD & MP3 players or the Ipod, otherwise how else will you be able to take Harry Nile, Sherlock Holmes or any of the rest of our gang with you to enjoy while working on the tan, hiking in the mountains or doing the yard work. We'll be adding more single episode and full set downloads as well as new hard copy CD volumes throughout June, July and August to help make the season even more fun. That's the good news, here's the other side. For the time being, because of the current economic situation we will have to cut back on the number of new shows we record for broadcast over Imagination Theatre.

In the past it has been our goal to premier at least 35 to 40 new plays each year with the bulk of these made up of Harry Nile and Sherlock Holmes episodes, 12 of each with the rest spread out between our other series and the stand alone stories. These productions along with the monthly airings of Powder River have allowed JFP to bring at least one brand new show to our listeners each and every week. Unfortunately, at least for now, we can no longer afford to do that.

Jim French Productions has one main source of income, the sale of our CDs and downloads and since folks are wisely watching their pennies in this recession our sales are naturally not what they were. This does not mean we are in danger of closing our doors, Harry and Holmes have a lot of life left in them and since they are our two most popular series we will keep them in production, but it does mean that Kincaid, Hilary Caine, Anthony Rathe, Kerides and the rest will be going on what we hope will be a short lived hiatus.

Imagination Theater will still be heard each week on your local radio station, every weekday over the Sirius/XM system and on our website and as I said earlier we're still going to offering new product releases as downloads and CDs. We ask you folks to bear with us as we work through this blip and to remember that when you can afford to spend a few bucks on some fun again we'll still be here.

FROM THE DESK OF JIM FRENCH

You've seen those recruiting posters that say, "Join the Army and Learn a Trade"? Well, that's how I got started writing and directing radio dramas.

The year was 1947, and the place was Kokura, Japan. World War II had been over just one year when I turned 18 and enlisted, and after taking basic training at Camp (now Fort) Lee, Virginia, I was among several thousand troops who were shipped over to Japan for occupation duty. My first assignment was a field artillery outfit at Camp Hakata, where I was to be trained as a fire direction non-com. The only trouble was, I couldn't understand calculus or trigonometry, and this was before the day of calculators and computers. But I knew that if I flunked out, I'd be back in the infantry, which wasn't a pleasant prospect.

One Saturday afternoon I was listening to the nearest Armed Forces Radio Service station when they announced that they were looking for anyone who had had experience as a radio announcer. Bingo! I'd been a part-time announcer on a local Pasadena station since I was sixteen, and announcing was all I wanted to do as a career, so I wangled an overnight pass and got on a train to take me from Hakata to Kokura, where the AFRS studios were located.

I arrived there on Sunday and was immediately accepted, after a brief audition. Then the master sergeant that was in charge said to me, "By the way, the man you're replacing also writes and directs a one-hour dramatization of the news of the world, our biggest Sunday feature. That will be part of your assignment too. Can you do that?" "Oh, sure," I lied. A few hours later, I watched, as six or seven G-Is stood at microphones in their tiny studio, taking all the acting parts in a documentary-style program called "Week In Review". They portrayed President Truman, Josef Stalin, Winston Churchill, and a dozen other newsmakers. And of course, it was live. When the broadcast was over, they had a going-away party for the departing writer-producer-director, and the next thing I knew, I was doing that show, plus a DJ stint, and a daily live-music show featuring a jazz combo I had put together out of the multi-talented staff.

And that's how I broke into writing and producing radio drama. I had to do it, or I'd be back slogging through mud as an infantry soldier. It would be 1949 before I was back in civilian life at college and doing any radio writing along with my announcing, but who knows whether I'd have ever learned how to do it if it hadn't been for the U.S. Army!

WHAT'S NEW!

THE ADVENTURES OF HARRY NILE - Volume 5

Available in both CD and MP3 instant download! Buy the MP3 instant download and $AVE. Compatible with your iPOD and all MP3 players. Download and start listening now!

CD PRICE $12.95 / DOWNLOAD $7.00

Fool's Gold: Pyrite: a valueless mineral that closely resembles gold and fooled many a prospector, or a small town in Eastern Washington State that is trying to make a fool out of Harry as he investigates a murder.

The Dying Game: It's an eternal truth; old people die, but when a nursing home's annual rate of elderly deaths is higher then normal Harry is brought in to find out if someone might be helping nature in cutting down on the surplus population. Guest starring Russell Johnson (Gillgan's Island) and Paul Herlinger (Whit of Adventures in Odyssey)

The Case of the Bogus Bettor: A frantic phone call from a distraught woman and Harry has to discover why her husband refuses to make any kind of a sound, at all. His only clues; a gas station reciept, a high school tear book and a roll of duct tape.

AND!

THE ANTHONY RATHE CHRONICLES

Available in both CD and MP3 instant download! Buy the MP3 instant download and $AVE. Compatible with your iPOD and all MP3 players. Download and start listening now!

CD PRICE $12.95 / DOWNLOAD $7.00

From the mind of British author Matthew Booth comes a different type of audio detective, former London attorney Anthony Rathe, a man driven to solve crimes from a deep sense of guilt. Rathe feels he's the cause of an innocent man's death and some say he is while others tell him to forget it and move on. However, he can't and because of that Rathe finds himself involved in the lives of those unfortunates whose paths have crossed with victims of murder. As portrayed by noted Seattle actor Terry Edward Moore, Rathe seeks out justice for the slain, protection for the falsely accused and forgiveness of himself, by himself, and on this CD you'll hear reason behind his renunciation of his life's career and how he uses his new found sense of justice to insure that the scales of justice are balanced in favor of the innocent.

More Deaths Then One Must Die: In this special double-length premier episode we meet Anthony Rathe for the first time as he deals with his part in the death of a man falsely convicted for murder and his efforts to solve the brutal killing of a friend.

Tell Me No Lies: An unfaithful wife is brutally murdered and all of the evidence points to the husband. Everyone, including Rathe, thinks he did it, so why is Anthony trying to prove him innocent?

Instruments of Darkness: Death is the eternal pursuer of life and all too often it catches its prey in a violent way resulting in murder. This time Rathe himself is a suspect.

SINGLE EPISODE DOWNLOADS - COMING SOON!

CRISIS - The Latecomer - Original air date 11/10/77

Late for a squadron dinner two Royal Air Force officers find to their horror that they're not the only ones who are a bit tardy.

HARRY NILE - The Case of the Desperate Dealer - Original air date 9/18/99

Harry must prove a small town car dealer's partner is stealing from him.

The Christmas Cookie Caper - Original air date 12/21/08

When do the police come to a P. I. for help in solving a bank robbery? When they're desperate and that's just how it is when Harry Nile is brought in on this Christmas time case. But how do Murphy and her ideas for holiday gifts fit in?

Cold Reading - Original air date 6/6/99

A murder is accidentally recorded on tape, and Harry Nile must discover the identities of the killer and his victim, since no body has turned up.

The Fighter and the Phantom - Original air date 4/25/99

Harry tries to help a young fighter who swears that a ghost is out to ruin his career.

The Ivor Lindman Matter - Original air date 9/5/99

There's nothing like a straightforward case of murder, and this is nothing like a straightforward case of murder as Harry quickly discovers

Marvin Always Makes a Buck - Original air date 3/15/09

Chapter 6 of "WAR COMES TO HARRY NILE." It's December of 1944 and Harry finds himself caught between his scruples and his patriotism when he has to decide weather or not to use the Black Market to solve a case.

Model 386A - Original air date 1/17/99

Harry is hired to keep the girlfriends of a two timing jewelry salesman from turning him into lunchmeat. Guest starring Cynthia Geary of "Northern Exposure."

The Trophy Room Part 2 - Original air date 4/12/09

Does Harry Nile solve every case he takes on? No, but if he doesn't figure this one out he could be looking for a new profession.

KINCAID - Not Another Ghost Story - Original air date 1/26/03

This is a ghost story with a twist. This time there is ample proof that spooks are haunting a viewer's home, but an unusual source wants to convince Kincaid, the Strangeseeker to say otherwise

MOVIES FOR YOUR MIND - Storybook Inn - Original air date 1/21/01

Fee Fi Fo Fum, I smell teh fear of a young couple on their honeymoon after the meet a weird old woman and her nursery rhyme world. Featuring Cynthia Geary of "Northern Exposure" and Richard Sanders of "WKRP in Cincinnati."

SHERLOCK HOLMES - The Retired Colourman - Original air date 4/19/09

Episode 18 of "The Classic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes." A retired paint manufacturer, a colourman, comes to Holmes with a case of marital infidelity and theft, a very ordinary problem as far as the Great Detective is concerned. Why then is he so eager to take it on?

COMING SOON:

The Further Adventure of Sherlock Holmes Vol. 14

Kincaid, the Strangeseeker Vol. 6

Masters of Mystery

The Hilary Caine Mysteries Vol. 3

Raffles, the Gentleman Thief Vol. 4

Old Time radio Stars on Imagination Theatre

The History of Harry Nile Vol. 22

STILL A LOT OF THE WEEKLY CDS AVAILABLE FOR $2.00

Since we've made them available to the public we've sent out several hundred of the Weekly CDs all over the country. We have thousands of these CDs ready for you to order and add to your collection and remember these are the same discs that are sent out to the radio stations every week. For week # 560 on down to the earliest number we still have the price is only $2.00 per disc. For any disc over 560 the price is still low at only $5.00 per. Believe it or not we're selling almost as many of the later CDs as we are the $2.00 shows. Either way the caveat still applies; many of the weeks only have a few items left and once they're gone we won't be making any new ones for that week. So if there's a special Sherlock Holmes, Harry Nile or any of other series episodes you may have missed this would be the time to get them and for only two bucks.

Now to order all you have to do is go to www.harrynile on the web or call us on our toll free line 1-877-875-6453 Monday thru Friday if you are within U. S. borders or at 1-425-865-0458 if you're not. Have your Visa or MasterCard ready and we'll be happy to get your Imagination Theatre CDs out to right away. If you'd rather pay by check or money order simply mail them to Jim French Productions 16215 SE. Roanoke Pl. Bellevue, WA. 98006 along with a complete description of what discs you'd like.

Get that one particular show or start collecting a whole series. "Hurry while supplies last!"

OUR NEXT LIVE RECORDING SESSION:

Monday June 8th at the Kirkland Performance Center we'll be recording a new Harry Nile adventure called "Deadlier Than the Mail," and a brand new entry into The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, "The Adventure of the Perfect Match." Both scripts are by the creator of The Hilary Caine Mysteries, British writer M. J. Elliott who, outside of Jim French, has written more plays for us then any other writer in the long history of Imagination Theatre.

Terry Rose, the star of Kincaid, the Strangeseeker will appear in both productions both in his usual "Nile" character of Detective Meeker and in a part that will show a new side of his prodigious talent. Lee Paasch and Rick May will both be on hand in their Baker Street roles of Mrs. Hudson and Inspector Lestrade .Our series regulars Pat French, John Patrick Lowrie and Lawrence "Larry" Albert will be their as well. The lovely Andee will be on hand in the lobby to help you choose that special CD volume for yourself or as a present.

The Doors open at 7:00 PM with the fun beginning at 7:30, for tickets call The Kirkland Performance Center box office at 425-983-9900 or go online to www.kpcenter.org . That's Monday June 8th at the Kirkland Performance Center 350 Kirkland Ave., Kirkland Washington

THIS ISSUES CAST MEMBER:

GIN HAMMOND

Gin Hammond received her MFA from the American Repertory Theatre Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University / Moscow Art Theatre School. A native of San Diego, she has worked steadily across the country at theatres such as The Guthrie, Arena Stage, The Longwharf Theatre, ACT, The Pasadena Playhouse, ART, The Berkshire Theatre Festival and The Studio Theatre. She has also performed internationally at the Moscow Art Theatre and the Roadside Theatre in Heidelberg, Germany. Additionally, Ms. Hammond is a grant recipient of the Ford Mellon Foundation for her work on a multi-cultural anthology of plays, under the auspices of Ms. Ruby Dee.

Favorite performances include Leafy Lee in Polk County, voted one of the top ten plays of 2002 by the New York Times, the 24 characters of The Syringa Tree, and the highly vulnerable yet Machiavellian character of Wendy/Zena in the remarkable play by Cassandra Medley entitled Noon Day Sun -- one of several plays Gin has appeared in portraying the compelling dynamics of racial ambiguity.

Although a relative newcomer to our talent ranks Gin has already proven her self to be a true find for Imagination Theatre. Her ability to come up with whatever dialect, accent or vocal pitch we ask for is remarkable and talents as an actress adds makes any episode she is in that much better.

FROM THE MAIL BAG:

I've been listening to Imagination Theater on WCCO 830 am. Fantastic. I love Radio Theater. Please keep up the good work.
- J. Jorgenson

I listen on XM radio to your work. I enjoy old radio and find Harry Nile just as much enjoyment as those of the early years of radio. With all that goes on in the world now I wish there were time for people to use our imagination. That is what radio and Harry Nile are about I was so afraid that you would have a picture of him on your site and destroy the picture in my head. ... Many thanks for sharing your gift with others. I truly enjoy our time together.
- L. Perrine.

FAN'S REVIEW OF THE RETURN OF SHERLOCK HOLMES

Another wonderful job! This may perhaps be the very best Sherlock Holmes show you have ever done (and that's saying something as all the programs are superb). It was incredibly moving when Dr. Watson was speaking of his friend's death. The whole production was jam packed with the wonderful writing, acting, music that we have come to look forward to in these shows. We will have to acquire this one. Keep up the marvelous work.
- L. & P. Duigon


SEE YA'LL NEXT TIME

COMING UP ON BURN NOTICE TONIGHT!

COMING UP ON BURN NOTICE TONIGHT!

Burn Notice returns tonight at a new time: 9/8C!

Michael emerges from the water free from interference by the organization that burned him. But he's no longer under their protection, and finds himself under police investigation. He gets out of prison with help from an old friend who has a job for him: extraditing a thug who's displacing landowners in a Latin American country.

Tune in tonight at 9/8C for the premiere of "Friends and Family"!

THIS WEEK ON THE BURN NOTICE SITE:

Season 2 DVD & Blu-ray - Burn Notice Season 2 comes to DVD and Blu-ray on June 16th! The all-new four-disc DVD and three-disc Blu-ray collection includes all 16 episodes from Season 2 and over 3 hours of special features. You can pre-order now!

Matt Nix Interview - Burn Notice creator Matt Nix has a lot to say about season three in our latest video interview. Don't miss his insights into this season's story arc, Michael's new clients, Michael & Fiona's relationship, and life as the creator of cable's #1 series.

Could You Be The New Member of the Team? - Michael, Sam and Fiona often rely on people outside of their circle for tactical and logistical support. Answer these questions and find out of you have what it takes to be the next number on Michael's speed dial.

See it Like a Spy - Michael Westen has a knack for improvising gadgets, but how does your own spy savvy compare? Each week we'll name a different gadget, and you'll have to decide which items will get the job done. This week: building a Survival Compass.

Sizzling Spies Sweepstakes - Enter the "Sizzling Spies" Sweepstakes every week for your chance to win a trip for two to Miami, including a tour of the Burn Notice set! And every week we're giving away a Burn Notice tote bag filled with summer essentials!

Burn Notice On Location - Want to know more about the real-life Miami hot spots featured on Burn Notice? Check out our interactive map for all the info you need to visit the same locations where you've seen Michael, Sam and Fiona.

MY LIFE!

FOR LIFE ON MARS FANS!

FOR LIFE ON MARS FANS!

PHILIP GLENISTER WAS ON BBC 5 RADIO ON MONDAY TALKING ABOUT ALL THINGS GENE HUNT WITH HOST SIMON MAYO.

IF THERE IS A THIRD SERIES OF ASHES TO ASHES THEN THAT WILL BE THE LAST.

THEY DISCUSSED THE US VERSION OF LIFE ON MARS AND WHAT PHILIP'S UP TO NEXT.

LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD THE PODCAST CLICK HERE

A TIP OF THE FEDORA TO THE EURO CRIME BLOG

THE MAGNIFICENT ELEVEN?

THE MAGNIFICENT ELEVEN?

UK FILM AND TELEVISION REPORTS AUTHOR IRVINE WELSH HAS BEEN SIGNED TO DIRECT THE MAGNIFICENT ELEVEN.

Angry Badger Pictures/Cowboys & Indians, headed by Ron Purdie, John and Pete Adams have signed author Irvine Welsh to direct football (soccer) comedy The Magnificent Eleven .

The Trainspotting author will oversee the project, which centres on an amateur football team, a Tandoori restaurant and a group of thugs. It is a modern spin on John Sturges' 1960 classic The Magnificent Seven.

Shooting starts to Irvine's schedule in September. The cast has not been finalised yet, but reportedly names such as Ray Winstone and daughter Jamie, Robert Vaughn, Richard Fairbrass and Raj Kapur, have been suggested for principal roles.

The company hopes that the film will fit in alongside the likes of East Meets West, Bend It Like Beckham, My Beautiful Laundrette, Brassed Off, The Full Monty and Hot Fuzz.

Phil Lawrence has been signed up to score the film. Angry Badgers Pictures pair John and Peter Adams recently produced horror comedy S.N.U.B., which Lawrence also scored.

HANS SOLO P.I.!

A TIP OF THE FEDORA TO BILL CRIDER

THE CAT'S MEOW ~ TRIPLE PLAY!

C.O.B.R.A.S. ~ MAN V. MACHINE!

C.O.B.R.A.S. ~ MAN V. MACHINE!

TANNER OVER AT DOUBLE O SECTION HAS THE INTEL . . . (I TOO AM RUNNING BEHIND ON THIS PROJECT, BUT HOPE TO COME IN FROM THE COLD SOON) . . .

It's funny how often spies find themselves fighting robots and super-computers, isn't it? Following our impromptu four-week jam session that grew out of Costumed Adventurer Week back in March, the loose Coalition Of Bloggers wRiting About Spies, or "COBRAS" for those in the know, will attempt a planned-in-advance, honest-to-goodness cataclysmic crossover event, Marvel-style! But, as such things tend to go (even when they are planned in advance), I'm already running behind. Look for my first real Man Versus Machine post a bit later in the week.

In the meantime, though, be sure to check out what's already been posted at other COBRAS sites! David at Permission To Kill kicked things off with an overview of the "Man vs. Machine" concept, then launched into reviews of Alphaville (the only Eurospy movie they show you in film school) Colossus: The Forbin Project, and Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine. (That's the good Dr. Goldfoot movie, for those who keep track of such things! Apologies to Bava.) Wes Britton followed those up with a lengthy and meticulous history of "Spy-Fi" at the Spy Wise Blog, and Jason at Spy Vibe wrote a fascinating and lavishly-illustrated history of the robot. Finally, Armstrong at Mister 8 reviewed an appropriate episode of Johnny Quest. Whew! I've got some catching up to do! Which will start later today...

HUNT THROUGH THE CRADLE OF FEAR!

HUNT THROUGH THE CRADLE OF FEAR!

PULP EMPRISARIO RON FORTIER HAS POSTED A REVIEW OF THE SOON TO BE RELEASED SECOND GABRIEL HUNT NOVEL . . .

With the second book in this series, creator Charles Ardai becomes Gabriel Hunt, the globe-trotting archeologist. For those of you who came in late, here’s the idea. Ardai , the genius behind the Hard Case Crime books, has invented a modern day pulp hero ala Indiana Jones to mimic the exuberant adventure pulps of the 1930s. He wrote a character bible detailing the history of Hunt and his family and sent it off to five writers inviting each of them to contribute a book to the series, reserving one for himself. In the grand tradition of pulp pen-names, all of the books are credited to the character himself.

TO READ THE FULL REVIEW CLICK HERE

MINOR KEY!

MINOR KEY!

John Harvey’s Resnick British police procedurals have long been a revelation, and a particular favorite for jazz lovers. Now, Minor Key, a small-format 100-plus page hardback, will be published by Nottingham’s Five Leaves in a strictly limited edition of 500 signed copies in June.

In addition to an introductory essay, “Resnick, Nottingham and All That Jazz,” the book contains five previously uncollected short stories – four featuring Charlie Resnick, “Billie’s Blues”, “The Sun, the Moon and the Stars”, “Well, You Needn’t” and “Home” and the title story, a jazz-based story set in Paris in the 1950s – and six mostly jazz related poems, two published here for the first time.

The book will be officially launched at the Lowdham Book Festival on Saturday, 20th June, with live jazz , [a little] free vodka and Resnick sandwiches. www.lowdhambookfestival.co.uk/

Again, there will only be 500 copies, so eager readers may like to take the precaution of ordering in advance.

Checks payable to Five Leaves Publications
PO Box 8786
Nottingham NG1 9AW

Credit card at www.inpressbooks.co.uk – both at £9.99 post free in the UK.

The best place for orders from overseas is www.bookdepository.co.uk as they supply post free to more than 80 countries.

MICHAEL BUBLÈ MEETS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN DVD/CD OUT JUNE 16!

MICHAEL BUBLÈ MEETS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN DVD/CD OUT JUNE 16!

Multi-Grammy award winning Michael Buble is scheduled to release a new DVD/CD Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden on June 16, it was confirmed today by 143/Reprise Records. The DVD/CD documentary will include a masterful Buble performance, which breathlessly captures all the elements surrounding the show including an intimate and complex portrayal of the Canadian singing sensation in the days, minutes and seconds leading up to this historic event.

Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden also shows footage of Buble’s emotional visit to the famed Blue Note Club where he first performed in New York City over six years ago before exploding onto the music scene. In addition, fans get to observe Buble in action backstage at the Garden with his band along with heartfelt moments with his family.

Highlights on the performance element of the DVD and accompanying CD include Leonard Cohen’s “I’m Your Man,” the classic romance song “Me and Mrs. Jones,” the swinging “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” and the haunting Buble penned love letter and No. 1 hit single, “Home.”

“The cavernous Garden felt like an intimate nightclub,” raved the NY Times critic Stephen Holden of Buble’s performance that evening. The Michael Buble Tour lasted two years and played to one million fans worldwide including 80 sold out appearances in the US.

Michael Buble Meets Madison Square Garden was directed and produced by Jason Hehir on the documentary side with concert footage directed by Dick Carruthers.

Buble’s albums have sold over 15 million copies. His most recent CD, the Grammy winning Call Me Irresponsible (2007) was a number one album all around the globe including the US. His previous album, It’s Time (2005) sold six million copies worldwide and holds the record as the longest running title to remain on the Billboard Traditional Jazz charts for two full years. It remained in the number one position for over 80 weeks. In Australia, Michael Buble is the biggest selling artist of the decade.

Michael Buble is currently in the studio putting the finishing touches on his new 143/Reprise Records CD, produced by David Foster and Bob Rock, which is scheduled for a fall release.

JONNY BLU ~ TABOO: THE LATIN SESSIONS ~ REVIEW!

JONNY BLU ~ TABOO: THE LATIN SESSIONS ~ REVIEW!

Jonny Blu took command of the Vibrato jazz club stage Sunday for his
first show of 2009 and rocked the surprisingly large crowd. With a
voice as lean and smooth as the man himself – not a single wasted
note, no American Idol dramatics, just a mellow, straight ahead groove
with brilliant twists in timing – Jonny showed he’s far more than a
Michael Bublé clone. He’s a jazz original working to not only tweak
The Great American Songbook, but to add to and expand it.

Billed as The Latin Sessions, Jonny’s performance focused on the cuts
from his upcoming CD featuring a swingin’ reinvention of a number of
Latin standards as well as salsa spiced originals.

Backed by a clutch of accomplished musicians (especially music
director, arranger, rocking piano player Bob Malone, and the ever
reliable Doug Webb on sax), the whole one hour set was solid. However,
two clear favorites emerged from the evening – Taboo, an original
composition designed to kick off the new CD, and Babalu, the Desi Arnaz
favorite, which Jonny delivers in raucous, full throttle style. It’s
clear Jonny and his band are having fun with these songs and the
enjoyment is infectious.

Jazz is a hard world for new performers to stake a claim – there are
a lot of small venues and setbacks – but Jonny is a true entertainer
with a persona that goes on beyond his songs. As a result his star
can’t help but rise.

You can catch Jonny in several June performances at Vitello’s in
North Hollywood. The sound and setting isn’t up to the Vibrato
standard, but swingin’ with Jonny Blu easily makes up the difference.

NEW MARILYN MONROE PHOTOS!

NEW MARILYN MONROE PHOTOS!

NEWLY DISCOVERED PHOTOS OF MARILYN MONROE SURFACED TODAY . . .

TO SEE THE FULL SET OF STUNNING PHOTOS AT LIFE MAGAZINE'S WEBSITE CLICK HERE

BURN NOTICE ~ SEASON 2!

BURN NOTICE ~ SEASON 2!

Fox Home Entertainment has announced they will be releasing season two of Burn Notice, on DVD and Blu-ray, on June 16th.

Covert intelligence operative Michael Westen has been punched, kicked, choked and shot. Now he’s being burned, and someone’s going to pay! When Michael receives a “burn notice,” blacklisting him from the intelligence community and compromising his very identity, he must track down a faceless nemesis without getting himself killed in the process. Meanwhile, Michael is forced to double as a private investigator on the dangerous streets of Miami in order to survive.

BLU RAY (MSRP $59.99) SPECS:

Burn Notice Season Two is presented in widescreen (16x9 aspect ratio) with English 5.1 DTS HD Lossless Master Audio and English, French and Spanish subtitles.

DVD (MSRP $49.98) SPECS:

The Burn Notice Season Two episodes are presented in widescreen format with English and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Surround audio plus English, French, Spanish and Portuguese subtitles.

EXTRAS:

Bad Blood audio commentary with Bronwen Hughes, Ben Watkins, Rashad Raisani, Matt Nix, Rob Benedict and Method Man
Double Booked audio commentary with Tim Matheson, Jason Tracey, Craig O’Neill and Matt Nix
Lesser Evil audio commentary with Matt Nix, Bruce Campbell and Michael Shanks
Gag reel
NIXin’ it up on “Burn Notice” featurette
Boom Notice Easter Egg
Deleted scenes

CARL RISELEY ~ THE STILLEST HOUR!

CARL RISELEY ~ THE STILLEST HOUR!

In 2007, Riseley tried out for the fifth season Australian Idol. Initially receiving poor responses, he was not nominated through to the semi finals originally, having to go through the wild card draws, where he and eventual winner Natalie Gauci progressed to the final 12.

Riseley did not change his style throughout the competition, in spite of pressure from judges. He remained true to the "swing/jazz/big band" style throughout his time in Australian Idol, where he eventually finished 3rd.

Riseley was signed by Mercury Records Australia shortly after finishing Australian Idol in 3rd place, a deal in part realised through conversations during his time on the show.

An album of cover versions, titled The Rise, was released on April 26, 2008, debuting and peaking at #5 on the Australian albums chart. His second album entitled The Stillest Hour, was released on April 24, 2009 and debuted at #1 Jazz album on the Australian Aria charts.

FOR MORE CLICK HERE

C.O.B.R.A.S. ROUND TABLE BEGINS!

C.O.B.R.A.S. ROUND TABLE BEGINS!

MY FELLOW C.O.B.R.A.S. WILL HOST A ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION FOCUSING ON "MAN VS MACHINE" ALL THIS WEEK. AGENT WES BRITTON HAS STARTED THE BALL ROLLING WITH A GREAT ARTICLE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF "SPY-FI" IN FILM AND LITERATURE.

TO READ MORE CLICK HERE

A TIP OF THE SLOUCH HAT AND TRECHCOAT TO C.O.B.R.A.S. DAVID FOSTER AND HIS PERMISSION TO KILL BLOG FOR THE COOL LOGO.

GRANDVILLE IS COMING!

GRANDVILLE IS COMING!

MORE BRITISH COMIC NEWS FROM BLIMEY . . .

October 2009 will see the publication of Bryan Talbot's new graphic novel Grandville. Described as an anthropomorphic steampunk detective-thriller on the Bryan Talbot fansite, the book will be published by Jonathan Cape in the UK, Dark Horse in the USA, and numerous other publishers across the world.Bryan has been a familiar figure in the comics industry for decades, from his early work in the underground comic Brain Storm Comix, through to his epic The Adventures of Luther Arkwright, his more recent graphic novels The Tale of One Bad Rat which admirably dealt with the subject of child abuse, and Alice in Sunderland which told the story of Alice Liddell, Lewis Carroll and Sunderland in a dreamlike mixture of history and myth.

Although Bryan has worked in mainstream comics too (such as a stint on 2000AD) it's to his credit that the writer/artist has always striven to follow his own creative path independently of the fickle tastes of media fads. In this regard Bryan has remained faithful to his "underground" roots.

USA TODAY TALKS TO BURN NOTICE’S JEFFRY DONOVAN!

USA TODAY TALKS TO BURN NOTICE’S JEFFRY DONOVAN!

MIAMI — On the set of USA Network's stylish spy caper hit BurnNotice, Jeffrey Donovan blasts the production crew when an observer jolts a light standard, disrupting a scene in mid-sentence.

Donovan, who already has taped a half-dozen mind-numbing takes, launches a tirade reminiscent of Christian Bale's widely disseminated verbal assault during the filming of Terminator Salvation. But Donovan's faux temper tantrum dissolves into a mischievously sly smile, which sends the crew into gales of laughter.

No one would confuse Donovan — guarded, intense and prone to measured responses even among cast and crew — for a comedian. But as Burn Notice fires up its third-season premiere next Thursday (9 ET/PT), he has a lot to joke about.

As Michael Westen, the double-crossed spy in the featured role on one of cable's most-watched original series, Donovan is reaping the fame, fortune and professional acclaim that largely eluded him over a two-decade career.

"I'm having the best time of my life. Absolutely," says Donovan, 41. "This is the best material I've ever had to work with, and it's getting better. The cast and crew are great. It's a marriage made in heaven."

TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE CLICK HERE

ACES HIGH: AIR ACE PICTURE LIBRARY VOL. 1!

ACES HIGH: AIR ACE PICTURE LIBRARY VOL. 1!

HERE’S ANOTHER VOLUME OF BRITISH PICTURE LIBRARY STORIES, THIS TIME FROM ONE OF COMMANDO’S COMPETITORS, AIR ACE PICTURE LIBRARY, BUT CONTAINING THE SAME HIGH LEVEL ART AND STORY TELLING. HERE'S THE BLURB...

When "War Picture Library" was launched in 1958 it quickly became apparent that many of the most popular stories with the readers featured the adventures of the warriors of the air, pilots who soared and swooped through the sky, cannons and machine guns blazing. The flyers were seen as the glamour boys of the Second World War, handling the most sophisticated and technically advanced combat machines ever invented and there was almost limitless scope to develop stories based around their exploits.

The machines that they flew - fighters such as Spitfires, Hurricanes, Messerschmitts, Mustangs and Zeros were lovingly recreated by the finest artists, in the brand new Air Ace Picture Library in 1960. Those images are reproduced here 25 per cent larger than in their original published form, pulling you into close formation in the thick of the action. The ten stories in "Aces High" take you from the flak-blasted night sky over Germany to the sweltering heat of the tropics, twisting and turning like a Typhoon with a Focke Wolf in its sights!

COMMANDO: BATTLE OF BRITAIN ~ SCRAMBLE!

COMMANDO: BATTLE OF BRITAIN ~ SCRAMBLE!

THE NEXT VOLUME OF THE BRITISH PULP GRAPHIC NOVELS, CARLTON'S COMMANDO SERIES, COMMANDO: BATTLE OF BRITAIN SCRAMBLE!, HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED FOR OCTOBER. I’VE ENJOYED WITH GREAT NOSTALGIA EVERY SERIES ENTRY. HERE'S THE BLURB...

For everyone in Britain, these were the darkest days of the Second World War. Our army, or what was left of it, had been withdrawn from France via the beaches of Dunkirk, disabling and abandoning arms and equipment during the desperate evacuation. While they reorganized and re-equipped there was no effective fighting force to stand against Hitler's Wehrmacht should they choose to invade.

Crossing the channel with an invasion fleet was, however, not an operation to be contemplated without complete control of the sky, otherwise the transports and landing craft would be blown out of the water by the RAF. The Nazis' answer? Neutralise the RAF. Destroy its runways, destroy its aircraft on the ground, destroy its support networks and, most of all, kill its pilots. The RAF, of course, had other ideas and during the summer of 1940 the Battle of Britain was fought in the skies over southern England.

The courage and skill of the RAF pilots and ground crews during those few hectic weeks has formed the backdrop to some of the most outstanding Commando tales ever published. Stories like "Ace Without Honour", "Island of Heroes" and "Brigand Squadron" as well as "Blind Courage", "Fly Fast-Shoot Fast" or "Spitfire Spirit" bring the atmosphere of the battle spinning into the 21st century. Presented 25 per cent larger than when originally published, this special edition drops you out of the sun into the midst of the dog fights, the howl of the Merlin engine on full boost almost drowning out the roar of the Brownings thundering away in the wings either side of your cockpit.

Whether you are a novice 'sprog' comic book pilot or a seasoned veteran, the fantastic aero art created by the Commando artists and the compelling stories will leave you gasping for the next 'Scramble'!

THE CAT'S MEOW!

CRABBY ROAD!