What's playing on my iPod this week ...
Last week while watching Glee they previewed the "Halloween" episode -
which got me humming The TIme Warp and Science Fiction Double Feature... Hmm - how can I put this rather delicately; after seeing the preview and getting all tingly inside , I made my way to iTunes to listen to the Glee cast to their best.... and was really disappointed. I realize that this has to be "censored" for tv and all , but ... Amber Riley as Frank N. Furter ?!?! really ?? . Now don't get me wrong - even bad Rocky Horror is good Rocky Horror ( if you know what I mean ) and I'm still jazzed for the episode, but I'm just hoping that my worst fears aren't realized.
So I first decide to pull out my old vinyl copy of the 1974 Roxy cast ( the one with Tim Curry and Bruce Scott )
, unfortunately 12 years in my basement ( and apparent water damage made that unplayable - gonna get it again off iTunes 'cause I really liked it )
Then I went to my iPod and pulled up the 1998 UK revival.
and after listening to it again this week , i'm gonna have to say that this version is my all-time favorite. ( yes , i know that i'll get a lot of grief for this ) but here's the thing. This is recorded live in front of an audience. So you get energy that that brings to a performance . You get some of audience call-backs and also the performers ad-libs ( the Narrator in this version is my all-time favorite ) plus you get some really different takes on the songs ( not necessarily for the worse either , e.g. Once In A While )
Now I've read that some think this version is too "camp" , well DUH !! it's Rocky Horror - it's supposed to be camp ! You lose the camp-value you lose the fun of the entire show.
Jason Donovan as Frank is the probably the next best thing to TIm Curry ( and if you can find it iOTA did a mean Frank in an Australian tour )
So if you have a chance , and like me love you some Rocky Horror , give this a listen !!
