Pirate Radio, à la Brogue

M: Ahh... when's our anniversary again?

J: October 11!

M: Excellent.

J: That's right folks, our illustrious beginning will be marked with a wee celebration less than a month from today. We'll have many more details about possible merch and maybe even a giveaway. In the meantime, we'll continue to entertain you as only we can. With nonsensical posts about movies you'll never see.

M: And blog posts you'll never read. Comments you'll never leave... [trails off sadly]

J: Our movie tonight, Pirate Radio! To set the mood (because the wine hasn't kicked in) we're listening to the two-disc soundtrack on Spotify (sorry, Matt). Meredith...

M: Yes?

J: How do you feel about this movie?

M: If it weren't so very interesting and entertaining I would feel further saddened and cheated for having been born far too late.

J: I have to say, much of the music featured in this movie was familiar, though not well-known to me.

M: Said the girl who did not watch Full House.

J: [frowns]

M: Sorry. [laughs] No offense.

We're sorry about this. Just wanted to share the awkward. 
You're welcome.

J: No comment. Let's get back to the topic at hand. I really enjoyed listening to the music in its intended context, even if was through a movie.

M: [begins waving arms overhead in time to the music]

J: Ahem. So what seems like very popular music today actually had to fight to be heard. Can you tell us a bit about that as seen through the movie?

M: Yes I can! To be perfectly honest, I had no idea such was the case that... [pauses] [takes a sip] Let me just scratch that. I'm going to take it again from another angle [gestures wildly]. Are you typing all that?

J: [nods]

M: I'd heard talk of musicians from across the pond marveling at American radio and the music that wass so freely played over here while they toured the States. Before hearing about this movie, I had no idea that the state of popular music in England was so aggressively controlled, by people like Mr. Twat. His boss is played by Kenneth Branagh, who is fabulous. And almost unrecognizable, I thought.

The kid. That girl. Lady friend. Sort of.

J: Side note - actual name in the movie. Can't make this stuff up. Glad I don't have to. And yes, Mr. Branagh was excellent comic relief, which is not one of his usual roles. How about a brief synopsis?

M: Whew. Um. At the start of the film...

J: [sets glass down]

M: ...we meet a young man whose name I can't remember. He is sent by his mother to live with his uncle aboard the Pirate Radio ship. The ship, as we've hinted at previously, supplied the amazing pop music of the time to the people of England. The poor saps were otherwise denied the groovy tunes by the uptight powers-that-be.

J: And there were shenanigans aplenty, yes?

Shenanigans.

M: Indeed!

J: The cast of characters worked brilliantly together.

M: But the true star... I think... was the music. Is that hokey enough? But really it's true.

J: It's perfect. Would you like to comment on the brogues?

M: Oddly enough, I found myself most attached to Philip Seymour Hoffman as the only American representative on the ship. But! [points] I loved all of their various radio voices.

J: Ooh, good point! [no pun intended]

Mr. Hoffman, doin' his thang.

M: It made me long for the times when, I can only assume, radio DJs actually mattered.

J: I was also impressed by the respect they garnered in the general populace.

M: [waves arms again]

J: Seeing as how we've double-blogging tonight, I'm thinking we should wrap it up.

M: That's what she said.




J: I sure as hell hope so. Stay safe out there kids, and until next time... [looks pointedly at Meredith]

M: [stutters awkwardly] Look both ways before crossing the street. Seriously. Is that it?