The Alarm in Vinyl (2012) - Episode 114
Listen now
Description
In 2004, the veteran Welsh rock band The Alarm pulled off an audacious hoax, releasing their single '45 RPM' under the alias of The Poppy Fields. The Poppy Fields were supposedly a new band of teenage rock stars in skinny jeans, as was the style at the time. As the song ascended the charts, Alarm mainman Mike Peters revealed the deception, kicking off a debate about ageism in the music industry. It's a fascinating story, so fascinating that Mick has dragged himself out of his sickbed to talk to Graham about Vinyl, the 2012 film loosely based on it. We discuss its many missed opportunities, its bizarre decision to make the Mike Peters analogue more or less totally unsympathetic, and the question of whether this con would work in 2012 - which is more of a cultural gap than the eight years it is on paper. We also discuss The Alarm's long career, the rock movie baggage of star Phil Daniels, and the irony that - these days - a middle-aged heritage act is a better money-spinner than a sexy young rock band. We don't pretend to put out a load of extra content on our Patreon - we actually do it, including a monthly bonus episode of this show (the latest one is about Priscilla), exclusive podcasts Last Night..., about anything our critics have watched this month, and From the Video Aisle, reviewing cultishly adored franchises, as well as written pieces on classic Asian genre cinema and British and American TV science fiction. Follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to find out more. www.patreon.com/thegeekshow --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pop-screen/message
More Episodes
Bow before the mighty Thor! That's Jon Mikl Thor, obviously, the musclebound Canadian hard rocker whose mix of riffs and strongman stunts never quite led him to rock Valhalla. Not that it stopped him trying, and Rock 'n' Roll Nightmare was his biggest swing at the big leagues. On paper, it's a...
Published 10/31/24
Published 10/31/24
Phoebe Bridgers! Snail Mail! Fred Durst?! The list of Pop Screen-qualifying cast members is only the beginning of the weirdness in Jane Schoenbrun's sophomore film I Saw the TV Glow. Released in the UK after a wait almost as punishing as the film's devastating time-jumps, it's the story of two...
Published 10/17/24