R.I.P. Bernie Marsden

uwe · August 30, 2023, 01:20:58 PM

I like Frazetta's art, it's much darker than the Whitesnake cover painting, though Frazetta played with sexist tropes (and adolescent fantasies) too. I thought those Molly Hatchet covers ionic.

If Frazetta is either violent or erotic (or often both) fantasy art, then the Lovehunter cover is glorified glam porn.

I know the difference when I see it.

Chris Achilléos' (he did the Whitesnake cover) paintings tend to be a lot more banal, overt and kitschy, less mythological:

I'm sure that Whitesnake wouldn't have caught the flak they did with a Frazetta cover like this, there IS a difference.

BZW Frazetta did snakes all the time, they're cool animals and motifs!

westen44 · August 30, 2023, 05:15:53 PM

I never noticed any snakes in the Frazetta art that I saw. Obviously, it was there. Mostly what i saw was found in the Edgar Rice Burroughs books. So, if it was in that, it escaped my attention. But I never have liked snakes and I'm not very interested in seeing snakes in art, either. I disagree with Justice Potter Stewart, though, when he said he knew porn when he saw it. i think something like that can vary too much from one person to another to really define porn in that manner. Certainly, I don't think the Whitesnake album cover is pornographic. To me it fits in with what they were doing. I agree with the comments Coverdale made about the matter.

Chris Achilleos may not have made the polished art that Frank Frazetta came out with, but it seems he did what was needed at the time. I never even saw that album cover when it came out. Was it banned in the U.S.? I wouldn't be surprised. But at that time I had a job that required me to travel so much it would have been easy to miss something like that. I've got the CD ordered now, though.

After having said these things about sci-f/fantasy art, it is no surprise that I'll also admit "Heavy Metal" is one of my favorite movies even to this day. I had no idea Chris Achilleos drew that poster for the movie. This makes me like him even more.

uwe · August 30, 2023, 05:26:37 PM

I find it difficult to view a naked woman straddled on a snake and sliding with her pussy down the ridge of its back while in obvious orgasmic bliss as high art, but that's just me. OTOH, as long as no animals were hurt in the process I'm not one to scale public outrage ...

The only good album covers Whitesnake ever had were the ones of their early two live albums (1x a rather green and not white metallic snake + 1x Bernie Marsden and his SG Doubleneck plus assorted co-musicians) and perhaps Come An' Get It, which was, uhum, (not quite) tongue in (snake) cheek, must have been one of those exceedingly rare Green Clitobras.

westen44 · August 30, 2023, 05:46:06 PM

I don't pay much attention to art at all and never pretend to know much about it (which I don't.) In fact, the same can be said for my attitude toward science fiction. I lean toward the kitschy sci-fi B movies (on purpose.) "Heavy Metal" might also fall into that category. Also, I might add, it's the only animated movie that I can think of that I've ever cared much about. There is something, however, to be said for the sci-fi fans who go in the opposite direction. The ones who get all intellectual about it and stuff. I flirted with that approach when I was much younger. At some point, I let myself gravitate toward the lowest common denominator content.

uwe · August 30, 2023, 05:53:01 PM

Heavy Metal, the soundtrack, stood out for me for one track:

That is BÖC in all their dark SciFi glory with Eric Bloom's creepily charismatic and seductive voice plus no cowbell in sight ...

Incidentally, Buck Dharma is much like Bernie Marsden: extremely fluid and melodious.

westen44 · August 30, 2023, 06:36:32 PM

Blue Oyster Cult does stand out on that soundtrack. Unfortunately, a few others aren't quite as good, with "Working in the Coal Mine" by Devo possibly being the weakest track for me. It's hard to say. Some of the songs weren't exactly stellar.

uwe · August 30, 2023, 06:46:01 PM

The movie was underwhelming. Lots of good ideas, but underdeveloped.

westen44 · August 30, 2023, 07:57:33 PM

Quote from: uwe on August 30, 2023, 06:46:01 PM
The movie was underwhelming. Lots of good ideas, but underdeveloped.

I read something about that recently. The movie critic said by this time someone should have been able to make a movie in that genre, but in a more polished and meaningful way. The potential was never developed and he was puzzled why nothing has happened yet. In the meantime, I'll probably watch Heavy Metal, realizing that's probably the only movie I'll ever get that's like that--imperfect though it is. I may have more tolerance for flawed movies than about anything else. Unfortunately, it's way harder for me to do that with music. That's why my musical taste is so limited. Believe me when I say that's not a good thing.

Ken · August 31, 2023, 09:29:16 AM

Quote from: uwe on August 30, 2023, 05:53:01 PM
Heavy Metal, the soundtrack, stood out for me for one track:

That is BÖC in all their dark SciFi glory with Eric Bloom's creepily charismatic and seductive voice plus no cowbell in sight ...

Incidentally, Buck Dharma is much like Bernie Marsden: extremely fluid and melodious.

I think there were a number of great songs on that soundtrack. Heavy Metal from Sammy Hagar, Reach Out from Cheap Trick, Mob Rules from Black Sabbath, Blue Lamp from Stevie Nicks....

westen44 · August 31, 2023, 10:29:44 AM

I would include the two songs by Don Felder, including this one which probably doesn't get as much attention as Heavy Metal (Takin' A Ride.)
This song (All of You) is a song about a fanatical love a man has for his lover.) Not surprising from the artist who wrote a song which is about as intense as it gets (Hotel California.)

westen44 · September 01, 2023, 12:30:13 AM

From 2013.

uwe · September 01, 2023, 09:06:38 AM

They both lived happily ever after with the royalties from that (indeed lovely, I never grow tired of it) song (written in 1982/83, i.e. forty years ago). Bernie just checked out a little early, but his wife and daughters need not worry. I don't think there is another ex-Whitesnake member (except DC of course) drawing a similar pension from his tenure with the fanged ones.

westen44 · September 05, 2023, 01:31:36 PM

I wasn't even aware of the connection between Bernie Marsden and George Harrison. They had to have been good friends, though. Because when George made friends with someone, he took it seriously.

https://www.guitarworld.com/features/bernie-marsden-on-the-genius-of-george-harrison

uwe · September 05, 2023, 02:40:05 PM

Who is that, Rob? I recognize the older drummer and the bassist, but the lead guitarist looks like Barry Hay, but it obviously isn't ...