Dec 14

HBO

HBO (HOME BOX OFFICE)
 
 
HBO  (Home Box Office) is an American premium cable and satellite television network that is owned by Home Box Office Inc., an operating subsidiary of Time Warner.  HBO’s programming consists primarily of theatrically released motion pictures and original television series, along with made-for-cable movies and documentaries, boxing matches and occasional stand-up comedy and concert specials.  It is the oldest and longest continuously operating pay television service (basic or premium) in the United States, having been in operation since November 8, 1972.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
The Vietnam Veterans Tribute Concert near Washington, D.C., on July 4, 1987 – which was nationally televised on HBO – seems to be largely forgotten today; it is even omitted from the “1987 in music” article in Wikipedia.  I took the concert to be, in large part, an apology from the 1960’s counter-culture for their disgraceful treatment of Vietnam Veterans (if I am not mistaken, even Jane Fonda put in an appearance), though no one was taking back anything that they had said about the politicians and many of the generals. 
 
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I saw a documentary about Bill Hicks not long after his death, and several of his friends and colleagues mentioned that Hicks was the man who told you the truth, however painful that was.  He had a long rant in his act that was on HBO and elsewhere that started out:  “Drugs”.  Bill Hicks told everyone how omnipresent drug use was in our culture, that alcohol was just another drug, that everyone who hated drugs ought to go home and throw out all of their rock records, because that’s where all of that great music had come from, etc., etc. 
 
(January 2013)
 
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Only Dennis Blair has remained in show business apparently.  Blair is a stand-up comedian who was mentored by Rodney Dangerfield and was a featured actor in two of his HBO specials; he also appears in Dangerfield’s 1983 film, Easy Money.  Blair opened for George Carlin for 18 years and wrote a book about these experiences called Me First.  He has a website, www.dennisblair.com as well as a short Wikipedia article; the Holy Ghost Reception Committee #9 is mentioned in passing on the website.  

 

(August 2014)

 

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Dave Grohl and Foo Fighters have been traveling to music meccas across the country, making short films of their stays there and writing and performing a song to mark the occasion.  They are now playing on HBO, and 60 Minutes also had a piece on their efforts a week or so back.  Their sojourn to New Orleans is particularly enjoyable; they tell the history of Preservation Hall and how it is now fulfilling its mission of preserving jazz in the city.  Highly recommended.  

 

(June 2015)

 

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After making a six-song demo and sending it to a dozen or so record labels, the Black Keys signed with Alive Records, since they were “the only label that would sign [them] without having to see [them] first” (according to Wikipedia). Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney recorded the entirety of The Big Come-Up on an 8-track tape recorder in Carney’s basement, accentuating their raw blues rock sound. They released one single from the album on Isota Records, the blues standard “Leavin’ Trunk” backed with their cover of the Beatles song, “She Said, She Said”. At a later date, another track from their debut album, “I’ll Be Your Man” was used as the theme song for the HBO series Hung.  
(June 2017)
Last edited: March 22, 2021