Because even when you’re Mick Jagger, sometimes you’re not the most interesting man in the room. Delon’s style makes Jagger’s mismatched socks, beat down shoes and scruffy coif look entirely adolescent. Hell, Delon even has that uncanny French knack for turning a cigarette into a desirable accessory, while Mick is dreaming of the advent of the cell phone. Either way, Marianne’s in the proverbial catbird seat. Taken in 1967, at a discussion with director Jack Cardiff on his film The Girl On A Motorcycle, starring Faithfull and Delon.
I’ll admit, my exposure to Derek Jarman has primarily been as a result of his involvement with the punk scene and the resultant films. With that in mind, here are some classics…
1978’s feature film and cult classic, Jubilee, featuring Adam Ant, Toyah, Jayne County and featuring performance by Siouxsie and The Banshees and The Slits. Soundtrack by Brian Eno
In The Shadow of The Sun, Jarman’s experimental visuals for the music of Throbbing Gristle
Broken English, where Jarman sets a short to “Witches Song”, “The Ballad of Lucy Jordan” and “Broken English” from Marianne Faithfull
The Queen Is Dead, where Jarman does the same for The Smiths songs, “The Queen Is Dead”, “Panic”, and “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out”
And finally, the official video for The Lords Of The New Church, Dance With Me, in which Stiv Bators HAS to be the inspiration for the Buffalo Bill, Goodbye Horses, push back scene in Silence Of The Lambs
Years ago, I read Marianne Faithfull’s autobiography, Faithfull: An Autobiography. The document chronicles her journey from aristocratic roots to pop star followed by her transformation into vilified Rock and Roll druggie and deviant succubus (including what actually transpired during the Rolling Stones bust and it’s infamous Mars candy bar story), her rock bottom homeless junkie days and eventually her triumphant recovery. Clearly a fascinating read for those interested in the inner workings of celebrity, addiction and general Rock and Roll excess. As much as I enjoyed the read, I found it somewhat troublesome that so much of the book focused on The Rolling Stones. I love the Rolling Stones. I’ve read at least ten Stones bios and am always interested to glean some new tidbit of information on Rock and Roll’s greatest band, however, I felt that Faithfull was downplaying her own significant contribution to music, in favor of what might be more saleable stories of The Stones, and Jagger in particular. While The Stones material was, of course, entertaining, I was reading the book because it was by and about Marianne Faithfull, foremost. Anyway, it’s well worth adding to your “music bios to be read” list.
she finally received a co-writing credit on this
Faithfull and Bowie!
The titular piece from her 1979 LP
Auteur, Derek Jarman’s, short for three songs from the Broken English LP.
Alain Delon defines French cool. Suave and debonair, he’s worked with the finest directors, starred with, and was romantically involved with, the most beautiful and talented actresses, and was the idol of an entire generation. His role in Le Samourai turned trench coats and fedoras into the accoutrements of ultimate hipness. The man had a child with Nico, for Christ’s sake! There’s an exhaustive Tumbler called “Fuck Yeah, Alain Delon” (http://alaindelon.tumblr.com/), that I recommend checking out. In the meantime, enjoy some of these pics and the 1971 international celebrity throwdown, “Red Sun”.
blog hit sally inside 