Tilting at windmills: Scott Walker's 60s BBC TV Show
February 19, 2010 11:15 AM Subscribe
Scott Walker's BBC TV program, simply titled Scott, ran for just six weeks in 1969. While footage has yet to surface (the 2006 Walker documentary 30 Century Man was unable to unearth anything), the audio portion of the two half-hour pilot episodes from 1968 has been made available [ep1-Aug 6] [ep2-Dec. 30], along with a thoughtful article. Scott performs some fine covers, including Jacques Brel's "Matilda" and "If You Go Away" in the August episode. (guest star: Kiki Dee)
CUTE, CUTE IN A STUPID-ASS WAAAAAAY.
posted by functionequalsform at 11:56 AM on February 19, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by functionequalsform at 11:56 AM on February 19, 2010 [5 favorites]
I had no idea that he had a TV show. But now I that I think about it, it makes total sense. He was a natural.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 12:06 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 12:06 PM on February 19, 2010
If you've never heard of Scott Walker before, listen to It's Raining Today, recorded in 1968. Walker was doing that kind of stuff before Brian Eno. Actually, Walker and Eno collaborated on six tracks or so, but Walker (so the story goes) through the master tapes into the Thames river.
posted by twoleftfeet at 12:29 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by twoleftfeet at 12:29 PM on February 19, 2010
I'm a big Scott fan, and I seem to recall reading somewhere that Auntie Beeb had wiped the tapes, or lost them, or somehow or other made a pig's ear of archiving them. Unfortunately this is a fate suffered by a disturbing amount of 60's BBC material. So don't hold your breath.....
posted by MajorDundee at 12:31 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by MajorDundee at 12:31 PM on February 19, 2010
Oh and for Scott newbies a reasonable start point is the Boy Child compilation. Forget the Walker Brothers stuff - which was undoubtedly good - because Scott went to a whole other place solo.....
posted by MajorDundee at 12:37 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by MajorDundee at 12:37 PM on February 19, 2010
Forget the Walker Brothers?!
You'd better not be including Nite Flights in that.
Also, 30 Century Man is absolutely terrible as a documentary. Like, really remarkably bad. You get no information out of it that 30 minutes on the internet wouldn't have been able to give you in 2001.
posted by kenko at 1:51 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
You'd better not be including Nite Flights in that.
Also, 30 Century Man is absolutely terrible as a documentary. Like, really remarkably bad. You get no information out of it that 30 minutes on the internet wouldn't have been able to give you in 2001.
posted by kenko at 1:51 PM on February 19, 2010 [1 favorite]
Yes. I was really looking forward to 30 Century Man, and I was really disappointed.
The bio part seems to zoom past the middle phase (around Scott 3) faster than I would of liked.
The interviewer(s) seem too much in awe of his profound rep to ask really interesting questions.
Big Louise.
posted by ovvl at 4:52 PM on February 19, 2010
The bio part seems to zoom past the middle phase (around Scott 3) faster than I would of liked.
The interviewer(s) seem too much in awe of his profound rep to ask really interesting questions.
Big Louise.
posted by ovvl at 4:52 PM on February 19, 2010
Could someone give Scott Walker a TV show now, please? A variety show, like That David Sanborn Sunday Night Night Music Show. Put it on right after Craig Ferguson for easy DVRing.
Hey, it could happen.
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:19 PM on February 19, 2010
Hey, it could happen.
posted by FelliniBlank at 5:19 PM on February 19, 2010
I knew nothing of the horses...
posted by invitapriore at 5:35 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by invitapriore at 5:35 PM on February 19, 2010
I had no idea this ever existed. Thanks for adding this to the list of things I'll dream about seeing, along with original cuts of Magnificent Ambersons and Greed.
posted by lumpenprole at 6:35 PM on February 19, 2010
posted by lumpenprole at 6:35 PM on February 19, 2010
30 Century Man really sags when they play a Scott cut and throw on lame screen saver visuals. I can do that at home for free.
My favorite part is Eno talking about the first four tracks on Nite Flights and stating that music hasn't progressed any further in the last three decades.
posted by porn in the woods at 6:47 PM on February 19, 2010
My favorite part is Eno talking about the first four tracks on Nite Flights and stating that music hasn't progressed any further in the last three decades.
posted by porn in the woods at 6:47 PM on February 19, 2010
I have to redo my previous comment, after finding a video I had never seen before and am now smitten with. Ahem:
CUTE, CUTE! IN A STUPID-ASS WAY!
posted by functionequalsform at 8:30 PM on February 19, 2010
CUTE, CUTE! IN A STUPID-ASS WAY!
posted by functionequalsform at 8:30 PM on February 19, 2010
2nding Fellini Blank. NOW is the time for Scott to have a TV show. I just know it would be epic.
posted by crinklebat at 12:11 AM on February 20, 2010
posted by crinklebat at 12:11 AM on February 20, 2010
NOW is the time for Scott to have a TV show. I just know it would be epic.
And to get it just right, he'd do one every ten years.
Or maybe 20 lovely ladies compete for Scott's love in Scott Walker: The Old Man's Back Again.
posted by HotPants at 12:52 AM on February 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
And to get it just right, he'd do one every ten years.
Or maybe 20 lovely ladies compete for Scott's love in Scott Walker: The Old Man's Back Again.
posted by HotPants at 12:52 AM on February 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
« Older On that train of graphite and glitter | If you build it, they will come -- Winter Olympic... Newer »
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
posted by anazgnos at 11:26 AM on February 19, 2010