The Medusa Fora

Two young men killed because some stupid cops got in a high speed chase over ? (nothing important enough to recommend charges, apparently) and a third car was hit, killing both occupants.

One of those killed was a lovely, lovely young man who was a regular at our community centre's fitness centre, had just graduated high school. What a brutal stupid waste of lives. I'm not holding my breath for the cops to be charged, but I hope the family sues. Defund the fucking police and ban high speed pursuits.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british- ... -1.6534122

Bernard Cribbins - All round British TV hero for 70 years. My dad's pal when they were teenagers. The voice of the Wombles. Lovely man.

Mo Ostin, longtime head of Warner Bros. and Reprise Records, dead at 95.

Mick Moloney.Irish music legend,one time member of The Johnstons,acheived so much during his lifetime,did one hell of a lot for Irish music.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LT5ZJGj5QA

I held a knife against his breast
As into my arms he pressed
He cried "my love, don't you murder me
I'm not prepared for eternity"
I wandered home 'tween twelve and one
I cried, "My God, what have I done?"
I've killed the only man I love
He would not take me for his bride


AND they say rap causes violence

Gord Lewis of Teenage Head, 65, apparently murdered by his adult son. Heartbreaking.

Note: Notes regarding Darryl have been moved here.

Wrecking Crew guitarist Bill Pitman has died at age 102.

Though Pitman had made a name for himself as a young jazz musician in his home city of New York, he relocated to Los Angeles after serving in World War II, successfully auditioning for a spot in Peggy Lee’s band in 1951. Pitman began working as a session artist in 1957, and he quickly became an in-demand player for Capitol Records and other Los Angeles-based artists. He picked up credits on records by Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke, and Herb Alpert and many others. His extensive résumé include recording on the Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and the Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.” He also played the ukulele intro on BJ Thomas’ “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head,” soundtracks like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Goodfellas. He also toured throughout 1970s with the likes of Burt Bacharach and Vicki Carr before spending a stint in Las Vegas in the MGM Grand Hotel’s headlining band. He retired in 1989.

Wolfgang Petersen, German filmmaker best respected for the film Das Boot but best remembered by everyone my age for The Neverending Story has died. He was 81.

We lost one of the rock 'n roll originators: Jerry Allison, drummer for The Crickets and a close collaborator of Buddy Holly, passed away on August 22 at the age of 82. Allison co-wrote a few songs with Holly, including 1957’s “Peggy Sue”, named for Allison's then-girlfriend whom he’d later marry (also apparently "Not Fade Away", for which he was not credited).
https://pitchfork.com/news/jerry-alliso ... ied-at-82/

Also British / Canadian animator & director Gerald Potterton, best known for Yellow Submarine & Heavy Metal, dead at age 91.
https://pitchfork.com/news/gerald-potte ... ies-at-91/

Mikhail Gorbachev, 91.

I have to admit I was surprised to realize he'd been alive all this time. I guess he kept a low profile after the collapse of the USSR, some of the messiness of which he was surely to blame for.

Low D wrote:Mikhail Gorbachev, 91.

I have to admit I was surprised to realize he'd been alive all this time. I guess he kept a low profile after the collapse of the USSR, some of the messiness of which he was surely to blame for.

I think it's mostly that the current Russian leadership, with its take that the ending of the USSR is still a matter of great regret, wanted him kept off the scene.

One of my abiding memories is that during the attempted coup against his leadership in 1991, I happened to be at a county cricket match in the park at Colchester (that's not meant as an alibi, honest guv), which is about the most typically English thing you could imagine. When the news broke that Gorbachev had been released from house arrest and the coup had failed, it was announced over the PA, and the crowd cheered. I reflected at the time how an English cricket crowd cheering for a Russian leader was not something that anyone was likely to have ever predicted.

firehazard wrote:

Low D wrote:Mikhail Gorbachev, 91.

I have to admit I was surprised to realize he'd been alive all this time. I guess he kept a low profile after the collapse of the USSR, some of the messiness of which he was surely to blame for.

I think it's mostly that the current Russian leadership, with its take that the ending of the USSR is still a matter of great regret, wanted him kept off the scene.

One of my abiding memories is that during the attempted coup against his leadership in 1991, I happened to be at a county cricket match in the park at Colchester (that's not meant as an alibi, honest guv), which is about the most typically English thing you could imagine. When the news broke that Gorbachev had been released from house arrest and the coup had failed, it was announced over the PA, and the crowd cheered. I reflected at the time how an English cricket crowd cheering for a Russian leader was not something that anyone was likely to have ever predicted.

This is true, and it's also true that he is perceived differently in Russia, in Germany, in the other former Soviet states, and in The West. Le Monde did a good piece on his mixed legacy: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/obituaries/ar ... 08_15.html

Although Pizza Hut really said it best: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgm14D1jHUw

Canadian-born musician John Till, best known as Janis Joplin's guitarist.

Till got his start in his hometown of Stratford, Ontario, with The Rebels, who became The Revols. Like his bandmate Richard Manuel, Till eventually did a stint with Ronnie Hawkins's Hawks, then moved to NYC, where he did session and commercial work, and started the Full Tillt Boogie Band. Till and other members of this group were later recruited to Joplin's Kozmic Blues Band. When Joplin became unhappy with this group, Till convinced her to just hire the rest of his old band.

After Joplin's death, Till did some nice work with Bobby Charles, but seems to have left the industry not too much later.


Three of The Revols, from left to right: Ken Kalmusky (later of Great Speckled Bird), Richard Manuel, John Till. Hear their 1957 demo here: https://youtu.be/yYXgSn7skzo

Incidentally, the late Richard Bell was also a member of Full Tilt Boogie, and would go on to become pianist in The Band in the 1990s, in place of the late Richard Manuel. It's a small world after all.

Apparently the Queen is getting ready to punch her card. Even Harry & Megan are on site, so it must be serious.

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Update: ding dong she's gone. Outlasted Boris, though, which must have been satisfying.