Have A Good Time All The Time

Celebrating David Franklin Ewer aka Dave Kaffinetti aka David Kaff aka Viv Savage, 17th April 1946 to 11th July 2025.

Keyboard extraordinaire in bands since the late 1960s, his place in history was cemented with a star turn in This Is Spinal Tap in 1984. Although he left the band at the end of the year - literally and in character - and was not involved in any of the subsequent reunions (including the forthcoming sequel), David's performance was unforgettable.

Inevitably, I've included four songs from Spinal Tap, including a promo video for Hell Hole, which I'd never seen before writing this post. I've added a song each from David's pre- and post- Tap bands.

And, of course, I couldn't post a title like that without including Viv Savage's philosophy.

No time to rest in peace in that case., but thank you, David.

1) Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You (Film Intro): Spinal Tap (1984)

2) Hell Hole (Official Video): Spinal Tap (1984)

3) Heavy Duty (Film Version): Spinal Tap (1984)

4) Stonehenge (Film Version): Spinal Tap (1984)

5) As Your Mind Flies By: Rare Bird (1970)

6) Long Lost Love Affair: Fresh (1977)

7) Hold Me Close: The Linda Imperial Band (2012)

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Sights, The Sounds...The Smells

First of all, Rob Reiner is not dead yet. 

 

A few days ago, #RIPRob was trending on Twitter and there was a hubbub indicating that the American actor and filmaker had karked it. Turns out it was all a hoax, although I guess there are some who will have wished it was true, either because of his anti-Trump comments or his intention to helm a sequel to his directorial debut, the truly brilliant This Is Spinal Tap.

I was sufficiently suckered/tired/brainwashed (delete as applicable) to assume news of Reiner's demise was true and start on a Dubhed selection as a tribute. I'd nearly completed it when I went back online and realised that #RIPRob was all a load of bollocks and, worse, This Is Spinal Tap 2 is still in pre-production.

Rather than park the selection until Rob's eventual and inevitable passing, I've finished it off and present here for your listening pleasure. I've picked out music used in Reiner's films from his 1984 debut through to 1992's A Few Good Men, after which I'll admit I've only had a sporadic interest. Apart from The Sure Thing (1985), which I don't recall ever seeing and despite starring John Cusack, not one I'll rush to find, the rest are bonafide classics. Yes, even the one with Tom Cruise in it.

This Is Spinal Tap inevitably features heavily throughout this selection, a few songs and lots of dialogue ripped from the movie itself. There's some proper soundtrack stuff, with full-on orchestras, a small helping of Mark Knopfler, a couple of contemporary (1984) rock and pop songs and tons of classics from Messrs. Sinatra, Holly, Ellington, King and, er, not-so-classic from Rod The Mod. 

 

The soundtrack for When Harry Met Sally... features Harry Connick Jr.'s covers of American standards, including It Had To Be You. Thankfully, ol' Blue Eyes' version also pops up in the film and therefore appears here. Frank Sinatra had been performing the song since the early 1940s but interestingly, he didn't actually get around to releasing a studio version of the song until 1980.

 

I think the selection generally turned out a lot better than I expected but as ever, you will be the judge of that.

Turn this one up to 11, of course.

 

1) Marti Di Bergi Introduction: Spinal Tap (1984)

2) Morning Ride: Mark Knopfler (1987)

3) Dance Hall Days (Remix By Chris Hughes & Ross Cullum): Wang Chung (1983)

4) "Squatney Memories": Spinal Tap (1984)

5) The Fireswamp: Mark Knopfler (1987)

6) "Saucy Jack": Spinal Tap (1984)

7) Guantanamo Bay: Marc Shaiman (1992)

8) "Lick My Love Pump": Spinal Tap (1984)

9) It Had To Be You (Cover of The Ambassadors): Frank Sinatra (1980)

10) "Yes I Can!": Spinal Tap (1984)

11) Let The Good Times Roll: Shirley & Lee (1956)

12) Heavy Duty: Spinal Tap (1984)

13) You Might Think: The Cars (1984)

14) Shotgun: Junior Walker & The All Stars (1965)

15) Stonehenge: Spinal Tap (1984)

16) Go To Your Room: Marc Shaiman (1990)

17) Stand By Me: Ben E. King (1961)

18) Everyday: Buddy Holly (1957)

19) Gimme Some Money (Soundcheck Version) / "None More Black": Spinal Tap (1984) 

20) Don’t Get Around Much Anymore: Duke Ellington (1940)

21) Infatuation (Full Length Version By  Michael Omartian): Rod Stewart (1984)

22) Stars And Stripes Forever: Marc Shaiman (1992)

23) End Interviews: Spinal Tap (1984)

 

1984: This Is Spinal Tap: 1, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 19, 23

1985: The Sure Thing: 3, 13, 21

1986: Stand By Me: 11, 17, 18

1987: The Princess Bride: 2, 5

1989: When Harry Met Sally...: 9, 20

1990: Misery: 14, 16

1992: A Few Good Men: 7, 22

 

The Sights, The Sounds...The Smells (59:35) (KF) (Mega) 

Slip Into Something More Comfortable...

June 2015 mix, re-posted on my Mixcloud page in 2020, which includes the Hannes Fischer remix of Summertime Sadness that I mentioned in Sunday's post. Starting with Christopher Guest as Spinal Tap's Nigel Tufnell and finishing with John Thaw as The Sweeney's Jack Regan, and slipping in a few of my amateur edits along the way. Simplesmente is a simple splice of two Tom Middleton mixes. I like the Edie Sedgwick/Nightmares On Wax mash-up and I think the Shift K3y/Lana Del Rey segue works well although in retrospect I maybe should have extended the intro of the latter. And, of course, any excuse to shoehorn in a Julian Cope song...

 

1) "This one goes to 11…”: Spinal Tap (1984)
2) Slip Into Something More Comfortable (Original Instrumental Version): Kinobe (2000)
3) Edie Sedgwick Bleu My Mind (Khayem Mash-Up): Nightmares On Wax ft. Edie Sedgwick, Andy Warhol & Merv Griffin (2015)
4) Irganda (Red Snapper Remix): Songhoy Blues (2015)
5) Once In A Lifetime (Luxxury Edit): Talking Heads (2015)
6) Simplesmente (Tom Middleton Balearic Cosmos Remix) (Khayem Re-Edit): Bebel Gilberto (2015)
7) “Let’s face it Roger, that dress is you”: Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder & Christopher Hewett (1967)
8) Get Lucky (Live Medley @ MTV Awards): Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams, Nile Rodgers & Stevie Wonder (2014)
9) Not Into It (Original Mix): Shift K3Y (2014)
10) Summertime Sadness (Hannes Fischer Radio Edit): Lana Del Rey (2013)
11) Au Pays Des Merveilles De Juliet (Psychemagik Tour De Force Remix): Yves Simon (2014)
12) I Left My Wallet In El Segundo (Independence Mix By Norman Cook): A Tribe Called Quest (1990)
13) Rhythm & Blues World Service: Alexis Korner (1967)
14) State Of Independence (Long Version By Quincy Jones): Donna Summer (1982)
15) The Forest (Richard Norris Remix): Black Rivers (2015)
16) Wonderwall (Liam Gallagher & The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra IDC Mix): Oasis (2014)
17) Let Me Down Gently (Prins Thomas Diskomiks): La Roux (2014)
18) Burning Disaster (Groove Armada Bedtime Story Mix): Language Lab (1999)
19) Sunspots (Album Version): Julian Cope (1984)
20) “Get your trousers on, you’re nicked”: John Thaw (1975)

 

Slip Into Something More Comfortable... (1:21:11)

 

 

Khayem's Pan-Ambient Summer Washout Mix

40-odd minutes of odd and off-kilter ambience.

 

1) Play The Game (Alternative Acapella Version): Queen (1980)

2) The Forever Yes (Album Mix By Jesse Fahnestock): 10:40 (2021)

3) “This Tape Is Supposed To Be About Love”: Edie Sedgwick ('Girl On Fire' Soundtrack) (2010)

4) 05:10 AM / Dream I Never Had: Everything Is Recorded ft. A.K. Paul (2020)

5) The Dianaver: Queen Elizabeth (Julian Cope & Thighpaulsandra) (1997)

6) Starry Eyes: Julian Cope (1992)

7) Water (Extended Instrumental Mix): Richard Norris (2021)

8) Hidden Place (Acapella): Björk (2001)

9) Harvard Sun (Main Vocal Parts): Bon Iver (2012)

10) Bells Of Fury (Part III): Spooky (2020)

11) 100 Bars (Accapella): Spiritualized (1991)

12) Exit Through The Skylight (Jay Glass Dubs Reboot): GLOK (2020)

13) Inner Flight (Album Version By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicholson): Primal Scream (1991)

14) Heartbreak Hotel (Film Version): Spinal Tap (1984)

 

Khayem's Pan-Ambient Summer Washout Mix (41:37)

5(1)@50: 50 Revolutions Per Minute: 1970-2020

1970 - Double Barrel: Dave & Ansel Collins

1971 - Move On Up (Full Length Version): Curtis Mayfield

1972 - Satellite Of Love (Album Version By David Bowie & Mick Ronson): Lou Reed

1973 - Dance With The Devil: Cozy Powell

1974 - Emma: Hot Chocolate

1975 - Fight The Power (Part 1 & 2) (Album Version): The Isley Brothers

1976 - Disco Inferno (Edit By Khayem): Trammps

1977 - I Feel Love (12" Version By Giorgio Moroder & Pete Bellotte): Donna Summer

1978 - Shot By Both Sides (Single Version): Magazine

1979 - Twat (Live): John Cooper Clarke

1980 - Twist And Crawl (12" Version): The Beat

1981 - The Sound Of The Crowd (Complete) (12" Version): The Human League

1982 - Forever Now (Album Version By Todd Rundgren): The Psychedelic Furs

1983 - Rip It Up (The Intermediate Edit): Orange Juice

1984 - "It's One Louder, Isn't It?”: Spinal Tap

1985 - Raspberry Beret (LP Version): Prince & The Revolution

1986 - Summer Of Love (Single Edit By Shep Pettibone): The B-52’s

1987 - Just Like Heaven (Remix By Bob Clearmountain): The Cure

1988 - Voodoo Ray (Original Mix): A Guy Called Gerald

1989 - W.F.L. (The Vince Clarke Mix): Happy Mondays

1990 - Loaded (Andrew Weatherall Mix): Primal Scream

1991 - 101 (Sonic Shuffle) (Remix By Andrew Weatherall & Hugo Nicholson): Finitribe

1992 - Fallen (Nancy & Lee Mix By Andrew Weatherall & One Dove): One Dove

1993 - What Godzilla Said To God When His Name Wasn't Found In The Book Of Life (Home Demo): American Music Club

1994 - Becoming More Like God (Radio Edit): Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart ft. Anneli Drecker

1995 - Planet Telex (Album Version): Radiohead

1996 - Les Yper-Sound (Album Version): Stereolab

1997 - Dry The Rain (Single Version): The Beta Band

1998 - Feelings: Leila ft. Donna Paul

1999 - Les Nuits (Album Version): Nightmares On Wax

2000 - The Time Is Now (Full Length Version): Moloko

2001 - Paths (Future Sound Of London 'Cosmic Jukebox' Remix Edit): Robert Miles ft. Nina Miranda

2002 - Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III (Album Version): Cornershop

2003 - New New York: Tes

2004 - Shut Up, Let's Hook Up (GHP Pink Gees Unclean Mix By Go Home Productions): Jason Downs

2005 - No Reason To Cry: The Go-Betweens

2006 - Petrococadollar: Scritti Politti

2007 - Revival: Soulsavers ft. Mark Lanegan

2008 - I Heard Wonders (Album Version): David Holmes

2009 - Sunlamp Show (Disco Bloodbath Effect): The Aliens

2010 - Kiss Kiss Kiss (Acoustic Version): Martina Topley-Bird

2011 - Pure Imagination Part 1: Darwin Deez

2012 - Picking Up The Pieces (Khayem's Lonely In Your Nightmare Remix): Paloma Faith

2013 - Golden Years (Luxxury Edit): David Bowie

2014 - GMF (Live In Concert): John Grant ft. The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra

2015 - Ding Ding Sa: Sa Dingding

2016 - Lush Life (Dancehall Remix): Zara Larsson ft. Tinie Tempah

2017 - Edith Piaf (Said It Better Than Me) (Album Version): Sparks

2018 - Curse Of The Contemporary: LUMP

2019 - The Return: Sampa The Great ft. Alien, Jace XL, Thando Sikwila & Whosane

2020 - La Bande A Papa: Vanessa Contenay-Quiñones

 

50 Revolutions Per Minute (4:05:29)

50@50, Part Two: 1980-1989

Side One (23:46)

11) Twist And Crawl (12" Version): The Beat (1980)

12) The Sound Of The Crowd (Complete) (12" Version): The Human League (1981)

13) Forever Now (Album Version By Todd Rundgren): The Psychedelic Furs (1982)

14) Rip It Up (The Intermediate Edit): Orange Juice (1983)

15) "It's One Louder, Isn't It?”: Spinal Tap (1984)

Side Two (21:25)

16) Raspberry Beret (LP Version): Prince & The Revolution (1985)

17) Summer Of Love (Single Edit By Shep Pettibone): The B-52’s (1986)

18) Just Like Heaven (Remix By Bob Clearmountain): The Cure (1987)

19) Voodoo Ray (Original Mix): A Guy Called Gerald (1988)

20) W.F.L. (The Vince Clarke Mix): Happy Mondays (1989)

Side One (23:46)

Side Two (21:25) 

The 1980s was all about the 12" single and I consumed them greedily. The Beat cheated with their reggae-inspired vocal & dub sides making up an extended version, but The Human League took the art of the 12" to the next level. The Sound Of The Crowd was always my favourite on the Radio 1 playlist and the 12" version didn't disappoint. Forever Now was the first Psychedelic Furs album I bought (I now have them all) and the title track was their greatest single that never was. Rip It Up was one of the first songs that proved that you didn't need to be able to sing in tune to have a really great tune. Spinal Tap was a life-changing movie and an endless treasure trove of quotes and moments. Prince, The B-52's and The Cure represent my own Summer Of Love in the mid-late '80s against the backdrop of imminent nuclear armageddon, but the late '80s dance revolution pointed to a more escapist but optimistic future. Everyone went for the Paul Oakenfold remixes of Happy Mondays, but the Vince Clarke remix of W.F.L. still gets me every time with its pounding, pulsing intro. As I left the 1980s, all I wanted to do was dance.