Batman turned 75 years old earlier this year (2014). In recognition, we are rebranding our site for one week to Now Very Bat… and focusing on the blockbusters, the smaller films, the comics and the video games that feature the Dark Knight.
The first superhero I was aware of may have been Spider-Man. I remember seeing him in a department store as a kid – he gave me a Spidey ring that I may still have somewhere. I saw him on The Electric Company and maybe the newspaper. I will always have great affection for the web-slinger. And I loved Supes. I knew the music from Superman: The Motion Picture as well as any of John Williams works and still love the Man of Steel. (The man, not the movie Man of Steel – that sucked.) But Batman was always my favorite.
Partly it’s because he’s just a man. Incredibly strong billionaire, yes, but still just a human without superpowers. Partly it’s because he fashions himself as a detective. The idea that his first instinct when fighting crime is to use the same methods as the police somewhat lessens the vigilante stance. He uses his head more than his fists.
But more than anything, he’s just cool. He looks cool, he has cool gadgets, he hides in the dark and scares people. He was the first superhero to choose to do what he does; he had a backstory, not an atomic-era accident that turned him into something. That darkness is what keeps the character fresh.
Most of that darkness is thanks to Bill Finger. I won’t be reviewing it here, but check out the 2012 kids book Bill the Boy Wonder: The Secret Co-Creator of Batman by Marc Tyler Nobleman & Ty Templeton. Amazing that it would take a children’s book to truly bring the full story of Bill Finger to life. As the title suggests, Bill was the unsung co-creator of Batman. His part in bringing to life one of the most popular and beloved comic characters of all time was unknown to most people, and even those who were aware there was a story there likely didn’t realize how instrumental he was.
The Batman figure and the Batmobile pictured here were left for me by the Tooth Fairy after I lost my first tooth!
Batman had the best writers and best storylines, and he had, by far, the best villains. The Joker is the single greatest comic book villain of all time, and the rest of Batman’s Rogues Gallery could successfully populate any other 5 series you name.
Over the 7 days, we’ll be looking at a Batman title in each of 4 categories: blockbuster film, other film, comic book & video game. So stay tuned to this Bat-Channel!
Dungeons & Dragons turned 40 years old in January of this year (2014). In recognition, we are rebranding our site for one week to Now Very Beholder… and focusing just on the films that star or in some way revolve around D&D.
I love Dungeons & Dragons. It was a big part of my life as a kid, it was one of the main ways I kept out of trouble as a teenager and despite not playing in years still holds great interest for me as an adult. I may not have had an active game in decades, but I still consider myself a D&D gamer. It’s the lens through which I view fantasy novels and films, and I still feel protective of the game and the way gamers are portrayed.
I was lucky to grow up in an open-minded, supportive town and school system that never fell in with the hysteria surrounding the supposed dangers of the game. I was even luckier to have two attentive, loving parents that not only weren’t swayed by the ridiculous claims that the game was dark, occult propaganda, but took the time to take an interest in what this thing was that my sister and I were so fascinated by. I remember a lot of miniatures under the Christmas tree in our house.
Games are important. Whether sports, board games, card games, tabletop role-playing games (RPGs), live action role-play (LARP), fantasy football, dice, or playing cops and robbers in the backyard, games are arguably human-kinds greatest pastime. Whether for diversion, entertainment or profession, engaging in games develops vital skills and abilities for life.
Many learned people more erudite than I can and have written pieces on how vital role-play is in the development of imagination, confidence, identity, strategic thinking, and emotional growth. I’ll just say that I consider RPGs in general and Dungeons & Dragons in specific fantastic tools in developing creative and interesting members of our society, regardless of how they experience or participate in the games.
But whether LARPing or sitting around a table, there’s something truly special about the human interaction that really is the root of all of these experiences. I am an avowed tech geek and have long wished for the creation of a great technological system for enabling people to belly up to a digital table and really recreate that experience. (There’s lots of workarounds and tools, but I have yet to see something that really works seamlessly and feels like a suitable replacement for meeting in my friend John’s basement with a group of friends.) But whether you’re in the same room or on different corners of the Earth, all that matters is the human connection.
It’s just a ton of fun. Play Pathfinder or Candyland. Just play…
There’s a silly thing going around on Facebook at the moment (as if FB has any other type) where people are listing their ten favorite movies. My good friend Paul J. Anderson tagged me in it. He should know better – I don’t give out free samples. But, since he’s my brother from another mother and a founding member of the New Hong Kong Cavaliers (more to come on that soon…), I decided to post a list here.
It’s nearly impossible to list my favorite films and stick to 10 or even 20, but I’ll try to narrow it down to what works at this moment. It shifts around all the time, although some never leave the list. In order to have any chance of variety, I’m limiting it to one film per franchise – otherwise this list would probably just be a bunch of Star Wars & 007 movies. It’s so very hard to do:
Are we picking desert island discs – things that we’d want if we could only keep 10 movies to last us the rest of our lives? Because I don’t need to see Clockers for the rest of my life, but it’s definitely one of my faves…
Are we picking 10 movies that made the most difference in our lives? Because Click‘s focus on work/life priorities and the story it borrowed from It’s A Wonderful Life resonated deeply with me and I’m not even sure it’s a good movie – I sure wouldn’t put it in my top 100. (Although the Jimmy Stewart film would definitely be in the top 25…)
Are we picking 10 movies that we feel tell people about us? Because then you feel obligated to include classic dramas and indie films to impress people. Makes me want to include The Searchers,Casablanca, Stranger Than Fiction and Dr. Strangelove.
Or are we just trying to be different and support films that are left-field choices or simply didn’t get the recognition they deserve? I want people to know about movies like Mumford and Hero, Erik the Viking and Young Guns II, movies that either flew under the radar or ones that look terrible but are actually great.
Then there are some that I simply can’t include because of fatigue; I may never watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail or This is Spinal Tap ever again, even though they are two of the greatest comedies of all time and used to be my favorites. Similarly, I don’t really need to include Jaws or Amadeus. Brilliant but I’ve seen them both dozens of times.
Often I think my top ten has to be made up of movies that make me smile – movies that always make me happy. If that’s the criteria, it means that I can’t include Chinatown even though it’s one of my very favorite films of all time, simply because I can’t say I put it on to feel good. Similarly I want to include Run, Fatboy, Run, which certainly isn’t one of my favorite all-time movies, but it’s making me disproportionately happy right now…
A lot of times a movie sticks with me because a scene or piece of dialogue keeps echoing in my brain, and that’s what I think I’m going to go with here…
So here’s the list as of today – my top 10 favorite movies, mostly meaning ones that make me happy and have huge rewatch appeal – this list will necessarily lean towards comedies and feel-good adventures. Surprisingly, a lot of the movies and franchises I enjoy watching a ton of times aren’t on here at all, like Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Alien, and none of the comic book movies. The first five are sacrosanct – the others are the ones that can lose their place in the pecking order from time to time…
Top 10 Favorite Movies, at this particular moment… #Top10
and their 140-character review: #140RVW
Star Wars – has to top the list. It is my favorite movie of all time and always has been. The whole series makes me happy…
#140RVW: Most enjoyable epic of all time? Yes. It has everything; adventure, wonder, emotion, jawas. 2 hours; perfect length. Never to be equaled…
WarGames – my 2nd favorite comfort-food movie (after SW). I never get tired of it. #140RVW: Tight & clever thriller works just as well today, but as 80’s time capsules go, they don’t come better than this. Quality makes it a classic
From Russia With Love – I love Bond movies. My top 5 shifts occasionally, but this is usually the one on top. #140RVW: 2nd time around they get everything right. Based off maybe the best novel, it’s my favorite Bond film. Red Grant is a rare credible villain.
Raiders of the Lost Ark – There are people who prefer other Indy movies. They are wrong… #140RVW: Maybe the greatest adventure film of all time (not counting ones with lightsabers). Lucas & Spielberg assemble a dream team of filmmakers…
The Nightmare Before Christmas – I admit this is in here more for the music and design than the actual film… #140RVW: Tim Burton’s passion project brought to life by Selick with incredible skill. Truly unique visual design. Elfman sings & scores his finest.
Horse Feathers – not the best Marx Brothers film (that would be Duck Soup), but it’s my favorite for the “swordfish” gag, Chico yelling “peanuts” and all four brothers performing “Everyone Says I Love You” #140RVW: Not greatest Marx Brothers film, but they were really comfortable on film at this point & it shows. Story really tight for once. #swordfish
Leap of Faith – this will probably be the most surprising choice on the list, but I really love this movie, mostly because of the whip-smart dialogue and heart. #140RVW: One of my all-time favorites; hear me out. Dialogue is smart & tight, cast delivers it well. They keep trying it on Broadway for a reason…
Say Anything… – A sentimental pick. At any time this can be shifted by High Fidelity, About A Boy, Love Actually, or Amélie but I will always love this one best. #140RVW: The highwater mark for all teen movies. Crowe becomes a director, Cusack a superstar, “In Your Eyes” the soundtrack for love forever more…
The Muppet Movie – impossible to watch this film and keep a smile off of your face. So far above standard kids’ fare it’s silly.
#140RVW: At 6, I didn’t realize this was as good as kids movies were ever going to get; I just knew it was a great time. Still the high-water mark…
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – besides being littered with great lines from the book, it’s a beautifully made movie that always works. #140RVW: Don’t say it takes too many liberties with the story. This is the movie that Douglas Adams wanted to make; he wrote most of the screenplay.
Just outside the door and knocking:
these next ten could knock off any of the bottom five at any given moment
Blade Runner – nothing was harder to leave off the list…
Despite this site being comprised primarily of movie reviews, it initially was to feature music reviews and appreciation. The name of this website, Now Very Bad, is actually taken from a musician joke*.
I hope to expand on the musical focus of this site, and I’m starting right now with the first in a series on bass players: Now Very Bass. (Bass is my chosen instrument…)
To kick off the series, I’m going to spotlight a bassist who is currently on his Final Tour with the band that made him famous and is one of my first influences: Nikki Sixx.
Now Very Bass: NVB#01 Nikki Sixx (Mötley Crüe, Sixx:A.M.)
From their start in the early 1980’s, Motley Crue was one of the loudest, hardest rock bands around. A large part of the driving rhythm of the band was provided by bassist Nikki Sixx. Of course, in the early days, Sixx attracted attention more for his on-stage antics, such as lighting himself on fire, than for his fretwork. And while the showmanship continues to be a huge part of the stage show over thirty years later, the same solid rhythm section that holds the band together today was already evident on the early records.
Sixx’s playing style is similar to many hard rock bassists of the time, known for being more sturdy than flashy. Mostly lives in the groove with a fairly typical hard rock / metal focus on pumping the root. It helps that his partner is one of the finest rock drummers out there, Tommy Lee. Like AC/DC before them, the simplicity of the music on paper can lead to the impression that anyone can play it. Sure, you can hit all the notes, but that driving beat is a deceptively difficult thing to do well. Anyone who has been in a new band can attest to that.
The self-produced debut album, Too Fast For Love, released in November 1981, may be more notable for Sixx’s writing than his bass playing. Sixx has always been a songwriter first, probably part of the selfless commitment to the songs over any showy playing. The record is rough around the edges, even after being remixed by Roy Thomas Baker, but the raw energy of the songs makes it a classic. Check out Live Wire, Public Enemy #1 or the title track.
For the band’s second album, Shout At The Devil, the songwriting is improved and the overall sound is far more polished. Shout is one of the best metal albums of all time, as Sixx really came into his own as a songwriter. The bass playing is typically solid if not particularly noteworthy. During these early records he generally used B.C. Rich Warlock & Mockingbird basses.
The time changes of the Theatre of Pain opener City Boy Blues are maybe a signal of some new styles creeping in with the band’s sound and complexity. Sadly, the bands extracurricular activities likely held them back from exploring any further, but the band tries out some interestingly classic rock/country tones on Raise Your Hands To Rock.
For the cover of Brownsville Station’s Smokin’ in the Boys Room, Sixx employs some distinctive sliding octaves on the verses. This is also the first time he uses an 8-string bass to fill out the sound. It is very effective, and I have always been surprised he didn’t use 8 & 12 strings more live, particularly as he switched to Hamer basses at this time, and Hamer has a long history with those instruments.
The album’s highlight, of course, is Home Sweet Home. The sonic field is altered significantly with the piano introduction, and there is some smooth movement of the bass line against the guitar solo.
Due to lifestyle decisions and priorities at the time, the 4th record, Girls, Girls, Girls, finds the band treading water a bit. There are some great tracks, but there’s more than a little bit of filler. The title track and the opener, Wild Side, are classics, finding Sixx keeping up with Mick Mars at his sleaziest. The record is a bit uneven but the high points are among the band’s best. The lyrical high point has to be Dancing on Glass, with Sixx getting his junkie poetry on.
The most interesting contribution by Sixx to the album, however, features no bass at all. The mostly instrumental piece Nona was written by Sixx for his grandmother and clocks in at less than 90 seconds, but it’s a beautiful piece with strings and offers a never to be repeated taste of a more mature direction for the Crue.
Crue went with a totally new approach on the follow-up, their first sober album, Dr. Feelgood. They severed ties with Tom Werner, producer of their past three albums and went with the bombastic Bob Rock. Rock would produce Feelgood and the follow-up album in addition to all of the new material for the various compilations the band would put out for the next 15 years. The record sounds huge and the bass is more upfront than in any previous recording.
The title track explodes with what I believe to be their first use of the Drop D tuning, and the chugging rhythm of the intro shows some very precise picking and great low-end. The guitars and basses are generally tuned down a half-step on all of the Motley albums, but the low D really sets the tone for what many consider their best album.
Contrast this with the bluesy approach to Don’t Go Away Mad (Just Go Away), which sees Sixx filling in the verses with a very complementary approach.
Sixx used Spector basses on both Girls & Feelgood, particularly Gibson Thunderbird-inspired Spectorbirds, but started to utilize some classic P-basses and would soon switch to Gibson Thunderbirds or Thunderbird variations by Ernie Ball & Schecter for the remainder of his career.
The band added three new tracks for the semi-greatest hits album Decade of Decadence, most notable of these being the single Primal Scream, with a very riff-heavy bass line.
But the record also collected some songs recorded for compilation albums, beginning a trend of releasing some of their finest and most challenging pieces on non-album releases. (Decade of Decadence has since gone out of print, with most of the “extra” tunes included on Supersonic And Demonic Relics.) Rock N’ Roll Junkie may have been a fairly straightforward song for a truly terrible movie (The Adventures of Ford Fairlane), but the bass is fantastic with a great groove.
Most outstanding is the cover of Tommy Bolin’s Teaser. The song is absolutely perfect for the band and for Sixx’s playing. It was recorded for the Stairway to Heaven / Highway to Hell compilation for the 1989 Moscow Music Peace Festival (It’s a very interesting record, with then current artists performing at the festival – strong-armed by manager Doc McGhee – covering songs by artists who had died from substance abuse.) Sixx had been very vocal about his admiration for Bolin in the rock mags of the day, which was certainly influential in Geffen releasing a 2-cd box set, The Ultimate… in 1989. (I know Sixx’s endorsement was the reason I checked out Tommy Bolin, for which I am eternally grateful.)
After the monster success of Feelgood, the band separated with singer Vince Neil and enlisted singer/guitarist John Corabi for the hugely underrated self-titled 1994 album, Mötley Crüe. While the album was a commercial failure, I consider it an artistic success. The band really challenged themselves with this one and I believe it is the first album in their career that is actually well-rounded. Even their greatest efforts before this had contained some amount of filler, and picking the greatest hits from the early albums is easy. And that may have been part of the real problem with the album – there’s no real single. Hooligan’s Holiday may have been a poor choice of single – it’s far from the best song on the album – but I’m not really sure what they’d have used instead.
The record has a great bass sound, with lots of moving parts and some experimentation with distortion and other bass effects. The two guitar approach also leads to some interesting things. It is unfortunate that the times had changed and the landscape didn’t favor this music.
In their tell-all book, The Dirt, everyone involved with the project has bitter and unpleasant memories about the follow-up album, Generation Swine, which I think is unfortunate, as I love the album. In some ways it’s one of my favorites. I get why they don’t like it – it’s schizophrenic, having started off as a Corabi album and ending up with Vince Neil back. There are too many cooks and everyone is doing what they want, but it makes for an interesting album – there are some great songs on here. I would have loved to have heard this with Corabi’s vocals – maybe his tenure with the band would be more fondly recalled.
From a bass standpoint, it’s easily Sixx’s most experimental and exciting record. In addition to handling some of the lead vocals, there’s a lot of use of distortion and effects and different recording styles. The single Afraid starts with strummed bass chords as the main riff and it’s a great sound. On the tour Sixx brought out both Epiphone 5 strings and 12-strings from Hiroshigi Kids Guitar Company.
He would also use 5 string basses on Enslaved & Bitter Pill, two new songs for 1998’s Greatest Hits.
After touring in support of the Greatest Hits record, Lee would leave the band and be replaced for 2000’s New Tattoo. There is a real difference in that groove on the Mike Clink-produced album without Lee. Replacement drummer Randy Castillo (RIP) was a very fine drummer, but there is an ingredient x missing. He and Sixx hold down the rhythm, but there is very little groove and none of Lee’s creative embellishments. I never realized how good Lee was until I heard Crue without him. I’m no drummer, so I can’t even point to exactly what it is that he adds. He’s a seriously hard hitter, and tends to use the bass drum a lot and/or tune his drums a bit deeper to add to the “bass” of the band.
This period is significant largely as the time in which Sixx was collaborating with other artists, including a significant songwriting partnership with James Michael. Michael has co-writing credit on 6 of the 10 originals on New Tattoo, as well as 2 of the 3 new original tunes on the 2005 compilation Red, White and Crüe. [Sick Love Song & the Japanese-only release I’m a Liar (and That’s the Truth)]. Note: The 3rd was also a Sixx collaboration – with band Simple Plan.
James Michael would soon collaborate with Sixx on a more permanent basis in their new band Sixx:A.M. in 2006. They have released two studio albums to date with a third to be released in October 2014.
The final Crue album, Saints of Los Angeles, was released in 2008 and featured the original lineup. The title track is classic Crue and the album is very solid. James Michael took on the producer role for the project and the bass never sounded better. Every song on the album was written by the Sixx:A.M. members and Marti Frederiksen with a few co-writing credits from Mick Mars and one from Tommy Lee.
The latest (and last?) Crue song, All Bad Things Must Come To An End is currently being played on their Final Tour and is featured in the promo video below:
Nikki Sixx has provided the pulse of one of the biggest rock bands in history and redefined the role of the bass player in the band. His songwriting has made him a central figure in the rock landscape and inspired countless musicians.
*Joke has been told many times over the years, but goes (roughly) as follows:
A party of explorers are travelling through the jungle when they hear a steady, rhythmic drumming. Curious, they ask their guide what the drumming is about. The guide replies, “When drums stop, very bad.”
They continue their trek but the drums keep pounding away; again they inquire about the sound and are again told, “When drums stop, very bad.”
They press on, nearly driven mad by the incessant drumming, when suddenly the pounding stops. The explorers are surprised and look expectantly to the guide who says, “Now very bad…now bass solo.”
