A-Go-Go '67 - "Pop Yeh Yeh" (1967)

This Saturday Night Special is all about the music, just like it should be, and a very cool Malaysian film from 1967 titled "A-Go-Go 67."

And the coolest thing about it is, you can watch it in the comfort of your home for free

by just clicking right HERE!! 

 

"A-Go-Go 67" was made in Singapore, and this video is not in English, but thankfully, and fortunately for me, the whole movie was explained in detail in 2014 on a blog run by musician Todd Stadtman called "Die, Danger, Die, Die, Kill!" which probably saved me five or six weeks of research!

My job is just to let people know this stuff is out there, and boy is this out there!

 

It's 1967, and the youth of Malaysia just want to make music!

Some of the older folks just don't get it!

This movie is almost two hours long, and most of it is music featuring all the well known bands of that time like to start with, "Les' Coasters."

Most of these band names I've got figured out, and with some help from SCB, I now know that this group is called The Blue Beats.

This one is a little odd too. I think it's Perrindu. I love the set, they had this real Shindig/Hullabaloo thing going on!

I think this band was D'4 Ever. Some of these groups were just studio musicians, but with different front persons, you know, kind of like in America at the same time.

But you gotta love the band names like The Young Lovers.

 

The WHO didn't want to "F F F F fade away" in 1965, and neither do the RR YY TT HH MM NN BOYS in 1967.

 

At least they were still doing steps back then. 

I really hated it when bands stopped kicking in unison!

I've got two pics of this group called The Hornets, because besides the steps, I had to include a shot of the lead singer! What a great name!!

Another great name, The Night Shadows.

It gets a little bit tricky right about here, they break to a pool party, and then come back to this group, and I can't read the name on the drums, but this is another fun "Shindig" type set.

 

I had to stare at this a long time, but I finally decided the name of this band was The Hooks, which is really another cool name.

A lot of the music is very similar, with a lot of surf guitar/astronauts sounds, but with pop vocals, and it's all pretty good, including this band called The Mods.
 

Besides the music, there is a story, but who really cares?

Just go enjoy the music, and fast forward through the rest if you want!

THE ASTOUNDING SHE-MONSTER - The Trailer - 1957

 Like I said, these trailers have a tale to tell, and it's about getting people to want to go and see the movie they're selling. Horror movies are extra thrilling for the kids, but how many times were they disappointed after watching the whole picture, like this one...

Now, this would perplex even an astronomer, so, kids were left only with their imaginations to figure out what it means. What do you think?

This sounds ominous, an unknown power radiating brilliant light, what in the heck could it be!

And it causes a brutal death, I'm getting scared, I don't want to die!

Here's the Astounding She-Monster crashing through a window, a wonderful low budget way to get the viewer's attention! Wow, she's crazy enough to do that! And what else is she capable of doing to get our attention?!

Now we know who she is, an Astounding She-Monster from space, beyond outer space, wherever the Hell that is.

This is the really scary part... There's no escape from her clutches!

Oh no, she's trying to play tag with the rest of the cast and they run away like school kids who don't want to be 'it.'

No escape from terrifying thrills, so, you'd better come and see this thing, or else!

Come and meet the Astounding She-Monster from space, beyond outer space, and shake her hand, there's a nice brutal death awaiting you!

THE JACKSONS TV SHOW - "Episode 01" (1976)

"The Jacksons" was a TV show that was on for two seasons or twelve episodes from 1976 to 1977, and makes for a perfect Weird Wednesday presentation for many reasons!

 

The Jackson 5 had recently parted ways with Motown Records, and their career was a bit on a wane, and I think this was Poppa Joe's way of trying to get them back into the mainstream, but they kind of missed the boat!

As for the family, the lineup was kind of quirky! Randy Jackson was the youngest brother in the family, and while he played congas in the band, he wasn't a real member until brother Jermaine dropped out in 1976, and stayed with Motown while the rest of the gang moved to Epic Records

After changing record labels, the group also changed their name to "The Jacksons" instead of "The Jackson 5" because as ridiculous as it might sound, Motown still owned that name.

Sigmund Esco "Jackie" Jackson is the oldest of the brothers.

Toriano Adaryll Jackson aka Tito Jackson, was the second oldest son, and was one of the founding member of the band. Tito performs these days as a damn fine blues musician, and you can check out his style right  HERE!!

 

Marlon Jackson was the fourth born son in the Jackson Family. He was born after La Toya. Besides being an original member, he has also been an actor and a Producer.

Michael Joseph Jackson was the fifth of the sons born, and is undoubtedly the most famous of the group!

This show follows the same tired format of variety shows of the era, and except for The Jacksons performing, could just as easily been hosted by Carol Burnett or Donny and Marie. Out of twelve episodes, only one featured another black performer, and that was Redd Foxx. Although there were a ton of awesome black performers during this period, many of them were on Motown Records, and that just wasn't gonna happen. In fact, that's why the last brother Jermaine never appeared on this show, because he was still with Motown.

This is Maureen Reillette Jackson, also known as Rebbie Jackson, the oldest of the Jackson Siblings, and maybe the least known of all the kids. Despite her Father's objections, Rebbie chose to have a family of her own, instead of being part of the Jackson ensemble, but she did appear on this show. After her kids got older, Rebbie did have moderate success as a recording artist is the 80's.

Here's La Toya Jackson,  the second oldest daughter! This variety show pretty much introduced La Toya to the world, and the rest is history.

Last but not least, here's little Janet Damita Jo Jackson, who was only ten years old at the time, and I don't think Janet needs any further introduction.

The guest star on this first episode of the show was Sonny Bono who looks like a guy right here that you wouldn't want to take any candy from.

One of the sketches included a version of Paul Simon's "50 Ways to Leave Your Lover."

This way of leaving your lover was to "Buy her a plant, Grant," a woman eating plant!

The highlight or low point of this show, however you want to look at it, is a version of "Love Can Keep Us Together" by Captain and Tennille with Janet Jackson doing her impersonation of Tennille.

Sonny Bono performs, and the Jacksons are relegated to a second role as background singers.

Other less than soulful performers who appear on other episodes are the likes of Carroll O'Connor and Dom DeLuise etc.

The Jacksons keep it lively with lots of song and dance numbers, but they sure did manage to miss the mark with their musical guests. Can you imagine how cool this show would have been if Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Al Green, Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, or any other number of fantastic musicians who were around at the time would have appeared? This is a nice piece of television and music history, but unfortunately, that's about it !

ASSIGNMENT: OUTER SPACE - 1960

Here's one that we never did a complete post on, it's basically a soap opera in space that has little action and lots of talking, with minimal special effects. The story goes something like this... In the 22nd century (ha ha) a reporter for the Interplanetary News is assigned to write a story while aboard a space station, but he's not well received by the commander there. An errant spaceship has entered the solar system with the power to destroy Earth, can the day be saved?

Here are Ray Peterson, the reporter, and Al - X-15 in there hibernation chambers on their way to the space station. Al, the pilot, gets up first, then brings Ray out of his slumber.

Outside the space station while refueling the rocket ship, Ray has to save another crew member from some flying debris but causes the refueling tube to come loose, losing 500 gallons of fuel.

Ray speaks to the commander about what happened, he saved the man's life, but the commander says, well, you know, we lost 500 gallons of fuel because of you! Then the commander calls him a leech! Harsh!

Here are two space dudes out cruising around in their little spacemobile having to dodge a bunch of meteors that are zooming by around them.

They head back to the space station, hey, that's Al - X-15 there on the right.

Okay, a ship orbiting Mars has an emergency and calls in to the space station for help. Their ship is losing its orbit and is descending towards the planet.

One of their crew members freaks out and jumps out of the ship, you can barely see the poor guy on the center right in the photo before he hits the surface.

He's rescued but is all messed up! You think?!

Here's a nice shot of the rocket model, which just so happens to be a Lindberg model kit I had back in the day!

That deadly space ship mentioned earlier is now in our solar system and coming our way. They shoot a missile with a warhead at the rocket but it has no effect on it. Now, that's an interesting design for the missile, rocket powered no less.

Here's a nice shot of Al - X-15, played by Archie Savage, just before...

He tries to destroy the ship by running his spacemobile (with a bomb inside) into it, it fails and Al - X - 15 is gone for good.

You can see it's a grim moment for everyone. Hey, the commander looks like my dad!

It's a race against time to stop the errant space ship, they have one chance left to stop the damn thing. Believe it or not, Ray volunteers to board the ship and try to stop it from within.

He gets aboard the ship and talks to the commander on how best to deal with getting it stopped before it can approach Earth...

Pretty easy, destroy the wiring! But now Ray is trapped inside and the escape door doesn't operate now, and he's running out of air!

The commander goes over and cuts a hole in the door, and is barely able to save Ray. Which makes for a good ending. Still, a very boring movie.