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claudia1829things · 7 months

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"OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" (1976) Review

"OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" (1976) Review

I have a curious history with the 1998 adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1864-65 novel, "Our Mutual Friend". I had a lukewarm reaction to it when I first saw it. Following two re-watches of the miniseries, I became a major fan of it. So, when I discovered there had been an earlier adaptation of the novel, I did not hesitate to watch it. My efforts to view the 1976 miniseries, "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" proved to be difficult, due more to availability reasons. But I finally managed to achieve it in the end.

Whether you are familiar with Dickens' tale or not, "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" centered around the "death" of the heir to a fortune inherited from his father, a former collector from London's rubbish. The story begins with a solicitor named Mortimer Lightwood, who narrates the circumstances of the death of his client, a former dustman named Mr. Harmon, who collected London's rubbish, to his aunt and other guests at a society dinner. The terms of Old Harmon's will stipulated that his fortune should go to his estranged son John, who had returned to Britain after years spent abroad. John can inherit his father's fortune on the condition that he marry a woman he has never met, Miss Bella Wilfer. However, a Thames River waterman named Gaffar Hexam and his daughter Lizzie discover a corpse in the river with papers identifying the latter as John Harmon. When Mortimer learns of this death, he and his close friend Eugene Wrayburn head toward the river to identify the body. These events led to the following subplots:

*John Harmon fakes his death and assumes the identity of John Rokesmith, the Boffins' social secretary, in order to ascertain Bella Wilfer's character. John had recruited a sailor to impersonate him, but the latter betrayed him by drugging and later, robbing him. However, the sailor was later betrayed by others who not only robbed him, but also murdered him. The Hexams had discovered the sailor's body.

*Old Mr. Harmon's employees, Nicodemus and Henrietta Boffin inherit the Harmon fortune and take in Bella Wilfer as a ward to compensate for her loss, following John's "death".

*Gaffer Hexam's embittered former partner, Roger "Rogue" Riderhood falsely accused Hexam of murdering "Harmon".

*While accompanying his friend, Mortimer Lightwood, to identify Harmon's body, Eugene Wrayburn meets and falls in love with Hexam's daughter, Lizzie.

*Charley Hexam, Lizzie's younger brother, has a headmaster named Bradley Headstone, who becomes romantically and violently obsessed with Lizzie.

*Mr. Boffin hires a ballad-seller with a wooden leg named Silas Wegg to read for him. When he finds another will of Old Harmon's in the dust, he schemes with a taxidermist named Mr. Venus to blackmail his newly rich employer.

One of the reasons I had such difficulties in embracing the 1998 version of "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" was the complex nature of the narrative. The story began with the death of the fake John Harmon and the latter's deception and spiraled out into different subplots. Years ago, I had made the mistake of assuming that most of these subplots had no connection whatsoever. Following my other viewings of the 1998 miniseries and this production, I now realize that the subplots had three major connections - money, class and John Harmon. Nearly every subplot had something to do with money, class or both. As for John Harmon . . . I found myself pondering on the fates of the main characters if John had not made that decision to recruit that sailor into his deception regarding his identity. Perhaps some of the subplots would have panned out - John and Bella's marriage (if he had agreed to the terms of his father's will), Charley Hexam's education, Lizzie Hexam's introduction to Bradley Headstone and her subsequent rejection of his marriage proposal. But there are some - Lizzie meeting Eugene Wrayburn, Eugene and Bradley's conflict, and Silas Wegg's attempt to blackmail Boffin - definitely would not have happened if John had not engaged in any deception on his part. Nearly the entire story seemed to be a case of "the Six Degrees of John Harmon".

One story arc from the novel seemed to be missing in this series - namely the attempt made by elite, yet impoverished newlyweds Alfred and Sophronia Lammle to befriend and scam a young heiress named Georgiana Podsnap. I can understand why the screenwriters had never included this arc into the miniseries, considering that the Lammles and Miss Podsnap had no connection to John Harmon, whatsoever. But apparently, the screenwriters had decided to delete them altogether, unlike screenwriter Sandy Welch, who had used the Lammles to go after Mr. Boffin in the 1998 adapation.

And how did "OUR MUTUAL FRIENDS" handled the narrative's multi-arcs? I thought director Peter Hammond, along with screenwriters Julia Jones and Donald Churchill managed to handle them quite well. Despite the various arcs being scattered to winds, all three managed to convey how they all connected in the end. My only complaint was how the director and the writers introduced the various arcs. I noticed that they mystery surrounding the discovery of John Harmon's body seemed to dominate the series' first episode, whereas the introductions of the Boffins and Bella Wilfer seemed to dominate the second. This seemed to give "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND"'s narrative a "paint-by-the-numbers" style in the miniseries' first third. From Episode Three and onward, Hammond, Jones and Churchill seemed to have no trouble juggling the various arcs within an episode.

But as much as I had enjoyed "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND", I have a few quibbles. Like a good number of BBC/ITV costume dramas between the 1950s and the 1980s, this production seemed to suffer from from the occasional slow pacing, due to Hammond shooting the miniseries more like a stage play. Granted, there were a few scenes that seemed avoid this fallacy, due to being filmed in an exterior setting - the Hexams' discovery of the fake John Harmon's body, Lizzie Hexam's discovery of the dying Betty Higden and Bradley Headstone's attack upon Eugene Wrayburn. But a good number of scenes - mainly those with interior settings and those that featured Silas Wegg and Mr. Venus' blackmail conspiracy - seemed to drag nearly forever, to the point that I found myself wondering if I was watching a televised stage play. I have one last complaint. The miniseries ended with the main characters briefly discussing Bradley Headstone's fate with a few words, not long after Eugene and Lizzie's marriage. As much as I had enjoyed this production, I found this ending rather abrupt and cold - quite disappointing, when I recall how the 1998 miniseries had ended.

As much as I had enjoyed many of the performances in the miniseries, there were the occasional bouts of hammy acting that left me wincing. For me, the biggest offenders proved to be Alfie Bass, Edmond Bennett, David Troughton, and Kathleen Harrison. Do not get me wrong. They all managed to convey their characters' personalities very well. But I believe they had indulged just a bit too much in stagey or hammy acting for my taste. But there were performances that I had actually enjoyed. Granted, performers like Leo McKern and Polly James, who portrayed Mr. Boffin and Jenny Wren respectively, had their moments of hammy acting. But I thought they managed to give first-rate performances in the long run, creating some memorable interpretations of their characters. However, the series featured some excellent supporting performances from the likes of Andrew Ray, Hilda Barry, John Collin, Ray Mort, Patricia Lawrence and Ronald Lacey.

The miniseries also featured some outstanding performances. They included John McInery as the intelligent, yet compassionate John Harmon; Lesley Dunlop, whose Lizzie Hexam managed to be warm and caring without any taint of treacly behavior; Jack Wild as Lizzie's eager and ambitious younger brother Charley Hexam; and Warren Clarke as Bradley Headstone, who managed to be both sympathetic, yet frightening at the same time. Yet, I believe the two best performances came from Nicholas Jones and Jane Seymour as Eugene Rayburn and Bella Wilfer. Jones gave a subtle, yet very complex performance as the roguish Eugene, who seemed torn by his love for Lizzie and his reluctance to pursue her honestly, due to her lower class. Seymour's portrayal of Bella struck me as equally complex, as she managed to convey her character's growing development from the mercenary and shallow girl to a warm, generous and yet spirited woman.

Aside from the opening shot of the Thames River for each episode, I must admit that I found myself unimpressed by Elmer Cossey's cinematography and Sam Barclay's lighting. Not only did I find the miniseries' visuals rather flat, but also a bit too dark. On the other hand, I thought Chris Pemsel's production designs pretty spot-on. I thought he did a competent job in re-creating mid-19th century London and England. I especially have to give praise to Robin Fraser-Paye's costume designs. I found his costumes - especially for female characters like Bella Wilfer, Lizzie Hexam, Mrs. Boffin and Jenny Wren - rather exquisite, as shown in the image below:

As for the hairstyles featured in "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" . . . I have mixed feelings about them. I have no idea who the hairstylist was, but he or she did managed to come close in re-creating mid-19th century hairstyles. Only those worn by most of the younger female characters seemed to be loose curls or flowing curly hair in the style of those featured in many pre-Raphaelite paintings - especially by Lesley Dunlop and Polly James. Although such hairstyles were popular in mid-19th century art (especially in Britain), I have grave doubts that many women - or many young women between the 1840s and the 1860s wore their hair in such a manner.

Overall, I cannot deny that "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" was a first-rate adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1864-1865 novel. Yes, I had a few issues that included the miniseries' photography, some writing decisions, a few over-the-top performances and the belief that I felt I was watching a filmed play. But despite these quibbles, "OUR MUTUAL FRIEND" also featured some top-notch performances from a cast led by John McInery and a screenplay by Julia Jones and Donald Churchill that did Dickens' novel proud.

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collinsportmaine · 2 years

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#vampires #fearless vampire killers #vampire shamal #Alfie bass

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his-saiko · 1 year

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When the song bangs so good you don't know if you want to suck some good dick or get your dick sucked.

#alfi bubbles #alfi thirsts #fucking bass turns me on so good

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ericblackmonmusic · 1 year

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How To Play ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER The Fixx Bass Guitar Lesson @eric...

#youtube #One Thing Leads To Another #Bass Guitar Lesson #Alfie Agius #EricBlackmonMusicBass #EricBlackmonGuitar

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darklydeliciousdesires · 2 months

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Hello madam.

7. “Oh my god, I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard!”

With our feral Alfie of course.

🥰🥰

Can do, love!

Smut below the cut, minors DNI!

To have him rucked deep inside you, while the morning is still lazy, quiet, and still, is the greatest of pleasures. Only the sound of rain softly pattering against the windowpanes is audible above the soft moans, Alfie's occasional deep, lustful rumble adding bass tones, his mouth gliding up your neck in slow exploration.

You cry out, and his kisses suck the breath from you, the tempo slow and rolling, no urgency, nothing fervid. It's like this with him more often than one would expect, the want and need for each other an unhurried chartering into the languidly erotic.

His big body fucks you deep into the mattress, the repeated grinding against your clit making sparks skitter, your hands clasping at the wide planes of his mountainous back, tits heaving beneath the crush of his thick chest. Taking your wrists, he pins your arms, sinking into you deeper, teeth grazing a spot on your neck that evokes the most blissful of glimmers.

It's rolling through you, gaining momentum as the rush hits hard, knocking you sideways, your flutters milking his cock until it jerks and floods you with cum, leaving you as mindless as you are breathless.

"Fucking hell," you pant, finally opening your eyes to see him smirking above you, soft kisses peppering your cheeks as his hands glide down your arms, releasing where he's had them pinned above your head. “Oh my god, I don’t think I’ve ever come so hard!”

He rumbles a chuckle, teeth nipping your jaw. "You always say that, until the next time, innit?"

You suppose he makes a valid point.

#alfie solomons #alfie solomons smut #alfie solomons x reader #alfie solomons x you #peaky blinders #peaky blinders fanfiction #peaky blinders fanfic #peaky blinders smut #tom hardy fanfiction #tom hardy smut

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hecatemoon87 · 2 years

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The Vampire of Camden Town - Alfie Solomons PART I

You can also read: The Vampire Devil Delaney / The Brooklyn Vampire (Bob from the Drop) / The Insatiable Vampire (Freddie Jackson) Part I & Part II / The East End Vampire (Reggie Kray) Part I

Part II

Warnings: Talk of Blood Drinking and Sex

Words: 2277

It happened right after the war, on my way back to London town. A bullet wound I got from the Jerries had become infected and I was on me deathbed, about to shake hands with God himself. But then she came to me. A goddess from ancient times crept into my room to whisper sweet words and drink my blood. She asked me if I wanted to live forever and I told her fuck yes. Get me the fuck out of this bed, ‘cause I’ve got plans, big plans.

And now here I am, a hundred fucking years later, still making plans. I own most of Camden Town now. You can’t throw a rock without it landing on a piece of property I own. My name’s a fuckin’ brand. Solomons’ Flats, Solomons’ Agency, Solomons’ Bakery, Solomons’ Rum, etc. I tell people I’m Alfie Solomons’ great grandson. Yeah I know, striking resemblance to the old bulldog.

I have everything. Power, wealth and fame. But it gets lonely, you know? And I’ve got my eye on this woman. She ain’t from Camden, no. She’s imported from across the pond, an American. And although I do love my London ladies, this Yankee princess is special. I’ve seen her around, stirring up all kinds of trouble. She reminds me of gunpowder. Looks innocent enough, but if you don’t handle it carefully, it will blow everything to pieces. And fuckin’ hell, I want that. I want her to upheave my life, turn it fuckin’ inside out and set it all on fire. I want to feel something, mate. After being alive for over a century, you become numb. Empty inside, as it were.

Tonight is Halloween and I’ll be doing what my kind does best, hunting. I think it’s time she finally met ol’ Alfie Solomons, The Vampire of Camden Town.

— o — o —

Inside the club the DJ played loud EDM, the bass blasting out over the dance floor. Young people from all over London gyrate their bodies to the hypnotic beat, drunk on life, alcohol and drugs. Alfie moved silently in the shadows, seen but unseen. If he had wanted anyone to notice him completely, he would have fucking allowed it. And if he had allowed it, they’d see a very handsome man with a well groomed beard, wearing a stylish three piece suit and an expensive peacoat. He was not fond of clubs, not like these anyway. In his day, clubs were classy and played good music. The noise bothered him, but he wasn’t there for entertainment, he was there for her.

Her name was Beatrix Laveau and she was dancing carefree on the dance floor. She was wearing an alluring witchy outfit that evening. A tight black laced bodice, a short black skirt with thigh high fishnet stockings and black stiletto heels. She had made her eyes smokey and her lips black for that Halloween’s evening out. As she danced, she bent over arching her back and then returned upright. Alfie swallowed hard, as he had seen her shapely bottom and the thin black lace panties that barely covered her skin.

He emitted a deep growl from his chest and his eyes slowly burned with the hellfire. Suddenly, Beatrix paused in her dancing and looked around. She could feel her skin prickle with goose flesh and she touched the back of her neck to feel hair standing on end. She glanced around the club, wondering who was staring at her, but she saw no one. Narrowing her eyes into the crowd, she flipped her hair over her shoulders in annoyance.

“Clever little miss. You feel me don’t you, pet?” Alfie whispered from the shadows.

Her paranoia was justified when she felt someone’s hand ride up under her skirt, giving one of her firm cheeks a good squeeze. She turned around immediately and pushed away a young man wearing a werewolf costume.

“Oh, real nice, jerk!” she snapped and stormed off the dance floor.

“Dollin’ yourself up, but don’t let the boys touch? Good girl,” Alfie said under his breath.

Beatrix was done with the club. She had only gone because her cousins had insisted. She had wanted to perform a wiccan ritual, as she and her family were witches. But her cousins had told her it was old fashioned and that she should go out and have a little fun. She was bitterly regretting her decision as she grabbed her purse and coat and headed out the back exit.

What she didn’t know was that the man in the werewolf costume had watched her leave and he had followed her. And, unfortunately for the werewolf, he didn’t know that Alfie’s red eyes had followed him out the door.

“Tosser. I’ll fuckin’ make you a late night snack,” he said, blending back into the shadows.

Beatrix walked quickly down the alley, wrapping her coat tightly around her body. A bitter autumn wind rushed down the alley, pushing up the dry leaves and causing a loud rustling that blocked out the sound of the young man approaching from behind. He grabbed her arm and pushed her up against the alley wall.

“You weren’t being very nice back there. Maybe this will convince you to spread those gorgeous legs of yours,” the man said, pulling out a switchblade.

Beatrix closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to come. Suddenly, the man was yanked backwards into the darkened alley. She opened her eyes to see a darkness, nothing like anything she had ever seen. It was an abyss, a swirling endless void that consumed all light and all life. And from that darkness came the screams of the man. Blood curdling screams, screams of horror and despair making Beatrix tremble with fear. She wanted to move, she wanted to run., but she was frozen to the wall.

Finally, she got herself moving and ran. But her heels hindered her from moving quickly and just before she exited the alleyway, she fell. Bracing herself for impact on the cold, hard ground, she found herself in the arms of a man. She opened her eyes and saw a bearded man with deep calming blue eyes.

“You alright there, luv? Looks like you had a bit of a tumble,” he said.

His voice was soft and gentle, he was also very handsome. He held her close, in a comforting way. But he was a stranger and she was still terrified from the screaming. Her dainty hand lashed out and slapped him across the face.

“Blimey,” Alfie said, releasing his hold on her.

She sank down to the cold ground of the alleyway and shouted up at him.

“Who the fuck are you? Don’t touch me!”

Alfie raised a hand to his face, the heat she had left on his cheek felt fabulous. He could hear her blood coursing through her veins, pumping hard from terror and now rage. He knew she’d be absolutely delicious when the time came to drink her blood. He pulled the fabric of his pants near his knees upward and squatted down to her eye level.

“Name’s Alfie Solomons, luv,” he said.

“Solomons…as in the name that’s plastered every fucking where in Camden Town?” she asked.

“Yeah, one and the same,” he said.

“Oh, nice try creep. I’m not going to fall for that!” she said, glaring at him.

He shrugged, took out his wallet from his back pocket and removed his I.D. He handed it to her and she snatched it away. Her green eyes scanned over the card and she handed it back to him.

“There’s nothing on there that explains why you are lurking around in an alleyway,” she said.

“You’re gonna catch your death sitting on that cold ground,” he said, ignoring her question and returning his I.D. to his wallet.

She attempted to get up on her own, but with the heels she was having difficulty. He bent down and took her arm, pulling her up with ease. Once she was rebalanced on her heels she slapped him away.

“Alright, alright, put your claws away, kitten,” he said, letting her go and casting his hands upwards to show he meant no harm.

“I’m leaving. Something’s back there, it just killed a man. I’m not sticking around to find out what it is,” she said, brushing past him and onto the sidewalk.

He strolled alongside her, putting his hands in his pockets.

“You don’t need to worry about all that. That wanker had it comin’,” Alfie said, casually.

She turned and looked at him, her eyes wide with horror.

“You did that?” she gasped.

“I did. He was a twat, wasn’t he? He tasted like shite,” Alfie said.

He looked over to see her running away from him. He smiled, watching her hips wiggle as she hauled ass. He was impressed by how quickly she could run in heels. He used his vampire magic to shift through dimensions and waited for her on the other side of the building.

Beatrix cleared the corner, looking back in hopes she had lost him. Relieved she didn’t see him anymore she turned back around and screamed. There he was, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

“What’s your hurry, luv? Night’s still young, innit?” he said.

“Stay away from me! I know what you are!” she said, backing away slowly.

“I know and I know what you are, luv. Look, I just wanna talk,” he said, walking toward her.

“You…you stay away! I know magic, I can hurt vampires,” she said, but she didn’t sound convincing.

“I bet you do, luv. Why don’t you calm down, yeah? Come back to my flat, have a drink and talk?” he said, proceeding towards her.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” she said, edging away.

Alfie nodded sympathetically. “Course not. But you’re a good girl, ain’t you though? You’ll listen to Alfie, won’t you, luv?”

She slowly blinked and she began to look sleepy.

“You look cold. Let’s just go back to me flat, yeah?”

Alfie paused for a moment, hoping that his mesmerism had worked. He was worried because she was a witch and he was unsure if it would work.

“Yeah, I feel cold. That sounds fine,” she said, dreamily.

He sighed with relief and took out his phone to dial his chauffeur. Within the hour they were back at his flat, sitting on his sofa. He had made her some tea and when he returned, he snapped his fingers, bringing her back to reality. She gasped as she came out of the trance and looked around the room in a panic.

“Oh my god, where am I!” she shrieked and stood up.

“You’re safe, just sit down,” he said, placing the tea to the side. He stood up and tried to guide her back to the sofa.

“No!” she said, and started to slap at him.

He liked how feisty she was being. Her fury was starting to get him randy. He had a sudden impulse to turn her around, yank down her panties and spread her legs apart. He wanted to skim his fingers over her quivering cunt, slip them inside and get her gushing wet, then spread her over his massive cock. He knew she’d be a vocal little creature, moaning sinfully as he pounded her into submission.

He closed his eyes and focused all his will power on controlling himself. Once he felt the feeling dissipate, he returned his focus on Beatrix wailing her tiny fists against his chest.

“Alright, poppet, here we go,” he said, grabbing her by the throat and shoving her down to the floor.

“Get off me!” she screamed and beat at him harder.

Alfie straddled her and held her throat. He didn’t squeeze, he simply held her against the floor with his body weight. As she struggled, he looked off into the distance, thinking about what he needed to do the next night. Meanwhile she kicked, slapped and cursed him.

“That’s right, luv. Get it all out of your system,” he said, nodding.

Several moments later, he could sense her strength was tapering and her struggling becoming weaker. And then finally she stopped altogether. He felt her breathe heavily as she caught her breath.

“Fine, what do you want?” she finally said.

“Good, I knew you’d change your mind,” he said, getting up and pulling her with him.

She took a seat on the couch and he handed the tea he had set down earlier. Beatrix took the tea and frowned at it.

“I'm so not drinking this,” she said.

“Bloody hell woman. Fine, don’t drink it then,” he said.

He watched as she looked down at the tea again, then looked at him.

“Don’t you bloody dare,” he said, but it was too late.

She splashed the lukewarm tea in his face and bolted for the door. Alfie sat there just for a moment and shook his head. He’d get her to settle down if it was the last thing he did. He stood up and transported himself to the front door, blocking her from opening it.

“Let me go!” she whined.

He grabbed her arm and dragged her back to the sofa, firmly placing her back on it.

“Shut your pretty mouth and listen,” he said, sternly.

She stared at him, seemingly affected by his command.

“Your name’s Beatrix Laveau, innit? He asked.

She nodded slowly.

“And you're descended from Marie Laveau, the great Vodoun priestess of New Orleans?” he asked.

“Yes. Now, just tell me what you want already!” she said, getting annoyed.

“I want to drink your blood,” he said.

To be continued, second part in the works!

#alfie solomons #tom hardy #tom hardy fanfiction #tom hardy fanfic #tom hardy fan fic #tom hardy smut #alfie solomons smut #vampires #tom hardy vampires

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mariocki · 1 year

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A Challenge for Robin Hood (1967)

"I love to see men wrestle."

"And after this, a hanging. There's no end to the entertainment."

#a challenge for robin hood #hammer films #1967 #robin hood #british cinema #c. m. pennington richards #peter bryan #barrie ingham #james hayter #leon greene #peter blythe #gay hamilton #alfie bass #jenny till #john arnatt #eric flynn #john gugolka #john harvey #william squire #donald pickering #reg lye #a rollicking good time! pleasantly surprised by just how much I enjoyed this; surely one of the best of Hammer's adventure films #benefits from a rich and detailed plotting which explores not just Robin's background and noble heritage‚ but the larger Saxon and Norman #conflict and political landscape of the era. Ingham is a fine Robin (if difficult to accept as a hero; he played snobby assholes too often #in his tv guest spots) and Gay Hamilton is badly served by a script which renders Marian as little more than an object to be fought over #and rescued again and again‚ but the supporting cast of telly faces is immaculate. Arnett is a superbly snakelike Nottingham‚ all quiet #menace and unsettling looks‚ while dreamy Peter Blythe (sigh) is a perfectly spiteful and bitchy main villain. Eric Flynn (father of Jerome #and bros) is an earthy and likeable Alan a Dale (and was soon to play the lead in the BBC's excellent 1970 adaptation of Ivanhoe‚ meeting #another Robin Hood) while Leon Greene (who Hammer seem to have been considering for romantic lead status; he also did The Devil Rides Out #for them) is an amusingly blithe Little John. spectacular swordfights and a few moments of shocking violence: pure Hammer adventure fun

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nicoscheer · 4 months

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He’s gonna be the fucking death of me first killing the joke and now silverscreen 😭😭😭

Indie rock icon, last shadow Puppets star and one of Merseyside’s most notable musical exports, Miles Kane, returned this year with his fifth album ‘One man Band’. Following on from his last two records which are packed with Glam stompers, the new album saw him dive back into the punchy Indie sound that first earned him waves of fans. We spoke with Miles about how his songwriting, style and sound have evolved over the years…

Q. You’ve had a productive spell recently releasing two albums in two years, have you enjoyed focusing on you solo work?

A. “Yeah, I think especially on this record. I just love making tunes, you know? I think on this one, it was great working with our James, my cousin from the Coral and Alfie Skelly too. Also, not having that pressure of a major label and just being fully in control of what I want to do. There’s always a plan and an expectation but I think I’ve really taken control of the ship on this album. I think I just got in a zone. It wasn’t a/masked but the quality of songs came quite quick, which doesn’t always happen.”

Q. How important to you is your visual identity as an artist?

A. “It’s always been massively important with me, whether it’s super stylized suits or glam rock makeup. There’s many sides to my sort of style, but on the new album I’ve just been feeling the more casual side both in life and in music. I just wanted it to be not super posed and sexy, I wanted it to feel more natural.”

Q. What drove you to write the track ‘Baggio’

A. “Im obsessed with Italian shirts and always have been as a kid. So I think it was a story about that childhood and my intriguement/ obsession with Italian football. It’s more of a song about childhood, reminiscing and remembering these specific little things. For me, it was World Cup 94, watching Italy and seeing Baggio. You could have said Oasis or something like that but Baggio’s a bit cooler and I think people around me like James and Alfie were like ‘Oh, this is so you’ because obviously they know me and I think that’s why it connected. I think at first some people were like, ‘ what are you on about there?’ but it’s these kinds of songs that I’m glad I stuck to my guts on.”

Q. Was it fun to explore the retro football style too with the single ‘Baggio’?

A. “Yeah, I love all that. I love all the old footy shirts because I think it sort of takes me back to a weird comfort memory of being a kid and I think a lot of those old footy shirts are super chic. The photo of me in the Baggio shirt wasn’t like a set up photo shoot. Chaz who plays bass was bringing his camera in and took that. I guess it was more candid and summed up the album better for me than trying to look cool or giving it the big one.”

Q. Are there any other celebrity icons or physical anchors you use to inspire your songwriting?

A. “Yeah, loads man. Rocky… fucking Al Pacino. There’s loads of wrestlers that I’ve taken inspiration from. I get very inspired by stuff like that, whether it be a jacket or it’s a bit of makeup or whatever, I’m quite obsessed. I get the mood of something I’m into and it’ll inspire me to do my version of that feeling. It sounds quite mad to explain it, but for me, that just works”.

Q. You’ve written songs on Merseyside, in London, America, at home or on tour… does your environment impact the kind of songs you’re writing?

A. “I’d say it’s more about where you’re at in your head you know. A lot of the songs on the new album were written up north and a lot was written on my couch in London where I am now. If I wanted to go and make a reggae album in Jamaica maybe that would have a big effect on it haha but, for me, I think it’s more about where I’m at in my mind.”

Q. How has Merseyside impacted you as a musician and as a person?

A. “Where you’re from is who you are, isn’t it, it’s everything. I’ve learned from all those Merseyside bands, The Coral, The Zutons, The Bunnymen, Teardrops, The Beatles. I saw them and wanted to be like them guys, you know? It was just engraved in me. I probably wouldn’t be sat here talking to you without them.”

Q. Which is your favorite track to play live off the new record?

A. “I could play this whole album live to be honest! I think ‘Never taking me alive’ is my favorite track ever to play to be honest. It’s kind of my new ‘Inhaler’ or ‘Come closer’, it’s got that big old riff and the big energy. I love that side of my tunes. Making this album I really fell in love with playing guitar again. I really want the guitar to be at the front just as much as the words are. I’ve really embraced that side of myself. Again, it’s simpler and I think that suits me. I like those other sides of me, don’t get me wrong but give me a riff and some lyrics and that’ll do me mate.”

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Part of the interview above

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Miles reposted with 👌🏽

-09/01/2024-

Oh do I love him (the lipstick paired with him so openly talking bout using glam makeup in the above interview 🫶🏽🫶🏽🥰)

Please i can’t he’s so dog dad; good to know he loves Maxie just as much as we do (the audio says “you talking to me?!”(from taxi driver)

#08/01/2024 #so I just shamelessly stared at his calves cuz wtf #Miles boxing and Alex doing Muay Thai does something to my brain #adore his full focus during training #Maxie really got that Alex Turner Bambi eye stare down to a t #interview #I love that Miles’ entire extended family are musicians #please do play the entire album live darling #stan a self aware king who knows he’s obsessed #love that like 90% of all musicians also love photography #really just gift this man fifa points; wrestling/ boxing memorabilia or old footy shirts and he’s happy #thank you to the Beatles for making miles a musician #comfort memory of being a kid 🥹🥹#Miles Kane is king #just Miles crouching low down to take that pic of Maxie who doesn’t even reach his ankles #Instagram #bootmusicuk

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