The Beauty of Twin Peaks

Twin Peaks is a sublime masterpiece. The artistry of the gorgeously framed shots and haunting imagery stay with you long after the episodes have ended, they stay in your dreams. Now YouTuber ‘The Beauty Of…’ has created a stunning 5 minute video and it is wonderful. Check it out and enjoy your day, maybe with a damn fine coffee and cherry pie!

Children of the Stones- BBC Sounds

Children of the Stones is often described as a landmark of children's television. The series was filmed largely in Avebury in Wiltshire and progressed over 7 episodes, shown weekly over the Summer of 1977. The series introduces us to astrophysicist Adam Brake (played by Gareth Thomas who is famous for Blake 7- I've never seen that show though) and his son Matthew as they go to the village of Milbury to carry out research on an ancient Megalithic stone circle. When they arrive at the village they start to understand that its people are held captive by the sinister power of its stone circle and the mysterious Hendrick, a prominent figure in the village.

At just over 2 and a half hours I found the the tale well paced and crafted and there were moments of tensions and drama, which is great considering I watched the series in 2015, nearly 40 years after it’s original screening. I loved the series and when I heard that the BBC had done a modern retelling of the book for its Sounds section of the website I knew I would have to listen.

I still haven’t finished it but I do like the subtle changes it has made to the tale so far. Once I’ve finished the whole thing I’ll post a review.

Children of the Stones- BBC Sounds

Lumberjanes Is Becoming Even More Animated!

I'm very excited to announce that the graphic novel series ‘Lumberjanes’ is being turned into an animated series for HBO Max. I have nearly all the graphic novels (18 out of 20 released so far) and have been a big fan of the series from the beginning so cannot wait for this to drop. Noelle Stevenson (Of the newly rebooted and highly successful She-Ra and the Princesses of Power fame) is leading production and that’s great as she co-created the series alongside Shannon Watters, Grace Ellis and Brooklyn A. Allen.

I love the series and have nearly all the graphic novels.

I love the series and have nearly all the graphic novels.

The ongoing comic series follows the misadventures of Jo, April, Mal, Molly and Ripley, five plucky young girls as they attend the Miss Quinzella Thiskwin Penniquiqul Thistle Crumpets camp for hardcore lady types. The girls are trying to earn their pun-ny Lumberjane badges, like the Naval Gazing Badge, Pungeon Master Badge and the Everything Under the Sum Badge… all great stuff, but what sets this series aside from the usual ‘boys’ own adventure’ stuff, apart from the gender (obviously), is the weird supernatural element. The woods surrounding the camp feel like they're just a stones throw from Twin Peaks and just a hop, skip and jump from the island in Lost. In this land a Bear Woman, ancient Greek gods and unicorns rub shoulders with a whole plethora of colourful characters that roam free, bringing this wonderfully eclectic place to life.

The series lends itself well to a Gravity Fall / Over the Garden Wall / Adventure Time -style series where we follow the many (mis)adventures of the girls. Apparently, a 1 hour movie will be released first followed by an ongoing series. The show will be released on HBO Max, which being based in England doesn't mean much but hopefully it will find its way here on one streaming platform or another.

We really are living in a golden time of animation with many amazing animated shows being released Including Hilda, The Hollow, Carmen Sandiego and She-Ra. There are many other series I've still got to catch up on but there's just too much good stuff available but I'm sure I'll get to them eventually, in-between the video games, podcasts, Audible books, actual books and film pile of shame. Anyways, keep an eye out for this one… it’s gonna be amazing!

LINK- Lumberjanes Ongoing Comic Series Review

LINK- Lumberjanes Comic Dub

LINK- Hilda- Complete Series 1 Netflix Review

LINK- Comics in the Classroom

LINK- What Comics Have Taught Me

LINK- Disenchantment- Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Gravity Falls Complete Series Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Complete Series 1 Review

LINK- Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated Series 2 Review

Tackling Racial Inequalities Through Curriculum- A Radio Discussion

I recently joined a discussion on Threads Radio and Radio Headway East London to discuss how we could educate ourselves to gain a better understanding of racial inequality and injustices that exist. Over the course of an hour we discuss how the curriculum could better reflect these issues in hope of creating a fairer society.

I had a great time and felt that we talked about some very pertinent stuff so give it a listen.

There are some cracking tunes in there too!

Carmen Sandiego Season 3 Trailer Drops

Carmen Sandiego is the amazing recently rebooted animated series on Netflix based on the older IP which gained prominence for many with the early 90s cartoon and 80’s point and click adventure games. With the new series I really loved season 1 for its stunning animation and creative heists and thought season 2 brought a lot more lore into the world.

Now the trailer for season 3 has dropped and I am so excited. Netflix is knocking it out of the park at the moment and alongside Hilda, this is my favourite animated series on the streaming site… that’s quite a statement for an animation aficionado like me.

Jean Michel Jarre VR Concert Brings People Together

On June 21st Jean Michel Jarre held a VR concert to send a message to the public and the entire music industry that “Whether in the real or virtual world, music and live performance have a value, the recognition and sustainability of which is vital for millions of creators.”

I wasn’t able to catch the live stream but there is a video of the nearly hour long performance available and it looks amazing. Obviously there is no interactivity or agency as it is just a video but it must have been a pretty amazing experience.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors Track List Revealed

"Go, Jayce, conqueror from afar, look for your father ..."

And with these words Jayce and the lightning league battled the Monster Minds and Saw Boss for 65 episodes. Produced by the hilariously named (at least I thought at the time) DIC studios and overseen by Jean Chalopin (of Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31, Inspector Gadget and tonnes of other formative cartoons from the 80s) the show was grand and cheesy operatic drama and a big part of this was due to the epic music, created by Shuki Levy and Haim Saban.

The soundtrack for the series has never been released… until now. Tele 80 has crowdfunded the OST for a September release on CD and Vinyl. There is a delay due to Covid but the soundtrack should be released in October now. However, Tele 80 has released a track list and it looks pretty good- not as comprehensive as the 35th anniversary Ulysses 31 release but it’s a good start.

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors track list

The Codemasters Archive

Like most children of the 80's I had a huge love of the micro computers scene that was thriving. I had my first real experience with computers in the mid 80's with the ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC 464. I used to love browsing the various video game magazines at WH Smiths (don’t forget, this was the era before the internet) to get hyped about games as the micro computer scene was thriving so often when you’d go to the video game shop you’d be faced with hundred of cassettes with cool cover art and tiny screenshots at the back; it was a real pot luck if you got a great game or a stinker!

Back in the day, before being famed for their racing games, Codemasters used to be a seal of quality. The first real games that blew me away were Robin Hood and later Fantasy World Dizzy. Both games were created by the Oliver Twins for Codemasters and at the time they became almost mythical figures, creating the best games including the iconic Dizzy.

I had a chance to meet the Oliver Twins a few years ago and have also read their biography but that’s by the by. What I want to tell you about is the Codemasters Archive, a webpage where you can play 173 of their classic and iconic games in browser! It’s great as you can play different format versions of the same game but a couple that really stand out to me are the rare Crystal Kingdom Dizzy (as well as all the Dizzy games to be honest), DJ Puff, Micro Machines 2: Turbo Tournament, Ollie and Lissa 3 (where are the other 2?) and Super Robin Hood.

So why not pop over and have a go?

Recreate Classic Artwork At Home

It is said that ‘Boredom inspires creativity’ and ‘necessity is the mother of invention’ and, with the months of lockdown, people have been finding ways to be inspired and inventive. Being at home for weeks on end has meant that to entertain themselves and show an appreciation (and deprecation) of art and the results have been hilarious.

I’ve made my own version of the Easter Island monolithic moai heads using toilet roll. It’s just a bit of fun but for better examples check out the Facebook group.

Easter Isalnd- Recreating Classic Artworks With Things Found at Home

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors- Retro Soundtrack Release

"Go, Jayce, conqueror from afar, look for your father ..."

And with these words Jayce and the lightning league battled the Monster Minds and Saw Boss for 65 episodes. Produced by the hilariously named (at least I thought at the time) DIC studios and overseen by Jean Chalopin (of Mysterious Cities of Gold, Ulysses 31, Inspector Gadget and tonnes of other formative cartoons from the 80s) the show was grand and cheesy operatic drama and a big part of this was due to the epic music, created by Shuki Levy.

The soundtrack for the series has never been released… until now. Tele 80 has crowdfunded the OST for a September release on CD and Vinyl. In their words, translated by Google translate from the original French:

The collection would allow us to finance the different stages while having control of the design. For this, we pay special attention to:

  • Different covers, such as vinyl which will be highlighted thanks to its selective varnish which will bring out the characters and the title.

  • The model

  • Mastering and mixing, which will be managed by Erwin, an enthusiast, but also a remarkable sound engineer.

  • A 16-page booklet provided on the CD. It will contain, among other things, an exclusive interview with singer Nick Carr!

  • A box which would bring together the CD, the vinyl and a poster (the "Box Collector" option will only be active if we have 100 orders )

  • Mixing until pressing of vinyl and CD.

  • 24 tracks.

I’ve ordered the vinyl and CD combo pack for about 42 GBP (incl. postage and packaging) and look forward to receiving it. Until then, let’s belt out some hair rock!

Tove Trailer Tells the Tale of Moomin Creators Life

Tove Jansson was an artist but through her Moomin comics, which were published here in the 1950s in the Evening Standard, she gained international fame and prestige.  She led a pretty interesting life but there has never been a biopic, until now. The trailer for ‘Tove’ dropped and needless to say, I’m excited to see the film.

The blurb behind the trailer says:

In the midst of her artistic struggles and unconventional personal life, Tove Jansson found worldwide success from an unexpected side project: the creation of the beloved world of the Moomins. TOVE is a captivating drama about the creative energy of an iconic talent and her turbulent search for identity, desire and freedom.

Moomins 'The Invisible Child' Storytime

The Moomins are whimsical hippo-like creatures who go through many adventures, philosophise and discuss the bigger questions in life. I enjoyed the Moomin cartoon in the 90's after being scared witless of the 80's stop-motion animation and have a deep love for Tove Jansson’s creations.

One of the stories that really struck me was the short story ‘The Invisible Child’. It is the story of Ninny, an isolated and lonely girl who learns to love and be loved and appreciate the power of friendship after being neglected by her uncaring aunt. It’s a powerful story about being seen, heard and understanding equality and respect.

Tove’s story is read by her neice Sophia Jansson and is a great vehicle to discuss some questions about the themes covered.

The Return of Alex Kidd With Miracle World DX Reveal Trailer

SEGA has been on a bit of roll lately, what with their successful revival and reboots of old franchises. In the past couple of years we've had Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap, Streets of Rage 4 and they also made the best Sonic in years with Sonic Mania, which hearkened back to the original (and best in my opinion) Sonics.

Now though they have shared a trailer for Alex Kidd in Miracle World DX. I never thought they'd make another game or a revival with Alex Kidd as he is pretty obscure to most people nowadays but was SEGA’s mascot pre-Sonic.

The game has a hand-drawn animation design and looks lush, drawing much comparison to Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap and Streets of Rage 4. I wonder if the gameplay and jump mechanics of Miracle World will be changed as I'm not sure how well it would transfer if things are kept 1:1 but I am awaiting this game with excitement. 

I created this piece several years ago as I loved Miracle World so much growing up.

I created this piece several years ago as I loved Miracle World so much growing up.

I’ve was a big Master System fan as it was the first console I owned and Alex Kidd came packed in with it. It had such a big influence on my gaming life that I even created a cover page for this website in its memory.

The Sandman Coming to Audible

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman was a critically acclaimed original comic series which ran for 75 issues. Over the years it won 26 Eisner Awards, topped various ‘Best Comic Series’ lists and has been called the Shakespeare of comics. There have been many spin-offs, side projects and divergent series since the original run but the rumours of a movie or TV series have been swirling since time immemorial. However, until this is realised, those bods at Audible are releasing the series as audio books. Gaiman will be narrating but there is be an impressive cast list including James McAvoy, Michael Sheen, Taron Egerton (excellent as Moomin Troll in Moominvalley), Kat Dennings and Riz Ahmed.

I’ve already pre-ordered the first volume, which is going to cover the first 3 graphic novels, and can’t wait to enter the world of the Endless. The first volume drops on 15th July 2020.

Thunder Force AC Released on Switch

My first experience at the arcade was when I was 6 and it was at my local video store, there was Pacman and Space Invaders. I suppose that was my first intro to shoot 'em up games, that little sit down cocktail cabinet.

They've always held a special place in my heart as once the enemy patterns are learnt and memorised you can look like a boss completing a game. I have a vivid memory of playing R-Type at Heathrow airport and getting to level 3, that huge base ship. Over the years I bought R-Type again on the Master System and then progressed to the Megadrive where I continued my love of shoot 'em ups. This system was excellent at shoot ‘em ups but there were a couple that stood out and those were the Thunder Force series.

I am pleased that Sega Ages released Thunder Force IV a while back for the Switch but I have more fondness for its predecessor, Thunder Force III. Now Sega Ages have released Thunder Force AC, a made for arcade version of Thunder Force III. Whilst not exactly the same, as it more a slightly remixed version, the game is still gorgeous to look at and still slick as heck. The shooting mechanics are meaty and the enemy waves and designs are interesting. Look out for a ‘Video Games As Art’ portfolio on the game soon.

Streets of Rage Soundtracks Available To Download On BandCamp.

The early to mid 90's were a great time for gaming but it was still seen as a childish past time by many. When the Playstation released it tapped into to the burgeoning dance market where House and Trance tracks were popular and consistently hitting the charts. It seemed like a perfect mix; edgy games and oh-so-zeitgeisty music. However before Sony's miracle machine we 16-bit gamers did have a saviour of coolness and that was the inimitable Yuzo Koshiro. The composer behind the first two Streets of Rage games was a pioneer when bringing the sounds of the clubs into games. The Streets of Rage soundtracks are amongst the most highly regarded of the 16-bit era and rightly so. Whilst The Orb, The Prodigy and Orbital were getting into the charts, Koshiro was applying the music styling of the genre into his soundtracks.

I have all three albums and they are great, especially the first two that hold a special place in my heart.

I have all three albums and they are great, especially the first two that hold a special place in my heart.

His three albums have been released on vinyl by DataDiscs and I have all 3 (I have linked my reviews of all three albums below) but recently the albums have been put up for purchase on BandCamp. At just 6 GBP a piece I’d say that it’s a bargain and with the imminent release of Streets of Rage 4, it’s a great time to revisit these astonishing albums.

Streets of Rage Soundtracks on BandCamp

The Women Who Pioneered Video Game Music

I found an amazing video whilst falling into the YouTube algorithm rabbit hole about the role of female video game composers within the industry. Now, I know some of the big names out there like Yoko Shimomura (Kingdom Hearts, Street Fighter II) and Michiru Yamane (lots of classic Castlevanias) but I didn’t know that the contribution to music within the industry was so poorly known or documented. This video helps right a lot of that and at just over 13 minutes, is well worth your time.

Grimes on Akira Throne in New Song

I love Grimes. Her music is always so varied and interesting and her music videos are things of beauty. She is a singular artist as her sound changes with each new song. Her new album, Miss Anthropocene is out February 21st 2020 and I can’t wait. She’s been slowly drip-feeding new tracks over the past couple of years and the latest track about the opioid crisis, Delete Forever, sitting atop an Akira throne.

In her words:

It’s about losing friends to the opioid crisis and the self-hatred that arises when the grieving process mimics the behaviors that cost your friends their lives.   The video is a collaboration between Grimes, Mac Boucher and Neil Hansen.  It depicts a tyrant’s lament as her empire crumbles.

It’s a great track and quite unusual for her as it has an acoustic guitar and a banjo! Check it out!

Chad Twin Peaks Music Video

A couple of years ago Twin Peaks: The Return lit up the screens and the ardent fanbase was reinvigorated and excited to see the saga unfold with Agent Dale Cooper lost in the Black Lodge and Bob possessing the body of Cooper and repeating "How's Annie?"
There was a high level of expectation and hype surrounding the series after the 25 year wait. However the new series defied expectation and forged its own path, free from most of the shackles of its past and as a result, was the finest mixture of art and television I have ever seen.

Twin Peaks: The Return was a sublime limited series. Each episode was like a mini movie with gorgeously framed shots and haunting imagery that stayed with you long after the episode had ended. New characters were introduced and were taken close to the hearts of the fans and one such character was Chad, the no-good, corrupt cop on the pay of DoppelDale. Check out the music video made by Chad reflecting on his life in Twin Peaks and enjoy the iconic location shoots. Enjoy!

No More Heroes III Coming 2020 on Switch.

I love No More Heroes, Suda 51’s gonzo hack and slash adventure game in which you play Travis Touchdown, a wrestling and otaku super-fan obsessed with becoming the world’s best assassin. In this trailer Touchdown’s quest goes galactic. I can’t wait for next year, even though Britain may be messed up with the landslide Tory victory and the country is doomed, this trailer cheered me right up. Check it out!