Rock It To Russia

No!  This Is Not About That Ramones Album
Though it is rather frightening to think it's over 40 years old <muses on life back in 1977> and in fact, perhaps what I have to say does indirectly concern The Ramones.
     Okay, two criteria that BOOJUM! has are that we avoid Politics -
     Here an aside.  The Manchester Evening News had an infographic about what percentage their respondents trusted various occupations.  Top of the list - Nurses with 96%.  Bottom of the list?  You guessed it, politicians, with 19%.  Hah!

     - and Current Affairs.
     However, we the editorial staff will gleefully ignore these restrictions if we think it'll bring in more readers, and yes, we really are that shallow.
     Which brings us back to an item of recent issue,*  namely a sidebar on the BBC's website asking "Why are Russia's rappers getting arrested?"  Of course, since I detest rap music, the Ruffians can arrest as many rappers as they want. In fact if they want to assemble a UN-backed International Rapper Arrest, Detention and Punishment Team I will happily support them.  They could add another two, one for Leider and another for Country And Western <gazes into space for a contented moment>.

Husky.  His name.  Although a lot of Ruffian men are.

     That chap above is Husky, who has been arrested.  For doing an impromptu concert on top of a car, after his gig had been cancelled by Teh Authorities.  This has been a recent trend, with lots of other rap concerts being cancelled.
     The truth is, the Ruffian government, just as with the Sinisters, is deeply, deeply suspicious of modern music.  Tsar Putin rather inaccurately defined modern music as based on "Sex, drugs and protest.  I am most worried about drugs -" he lied.  No, he's worried about his nation's young people acquiring an attitude and defying authority, which IS one of the driving forces behind rock and roll (see why The Ramones are relevant?).  

Tsar Putin's nightmare!

     Ol' Vlad is probably thinking nostalgically of his KGB days, back when the nice clean-cut, melodic Beatles were what young Ruffians thirsted for.  Now - watch out, Vlad, they want Stormzy and grime!

See, Vlad?  Your nightmares can get worse.

     There will be more on this, O yes indeed!

Well Well - Wait - What The Hell?
If you read the blog conscientiously then you will recall, with a shudder, my explanation of chemical warfare during the First Unpleasantness, and that ghastly Teuton invention 'Mustard Gas'.  This really was a dreadful innovation.  Broadly, it was a liquid that gave off toxic fumes for hours or even days, fumes that went for moisture on the human body and caused (at best) temporary blindness and loss of voice.

Life is never dull for Belgian Explosive Ordnance Disposal

     Enter "Chlormethine".  Another entry on the list of "Extremely Dangerous Substances", this is one of the 'Nitrogen Mustard' agents.  To my surprise, it is used medically in the treatment of cancers, leukemia and skin diseases, and to synthesize pain relief agents.
     I did not see that coming.

Roger Murray-Leach
I know what you're thinking, and I don't need that Telepathy Helmet I - er - 'borrowed' from DARPA to find out.  "The foolish old man is assembling names at random.  Probably been at the cooking sherry."
     Pausing only to point out that sherry is the Devil's sinus drainings, I shall explicate.
     As you know - you HAVE been reading recent posts, haven't you? - I have been watching "The Ark in Space", an epic of dramatic reconstruction in the "Doctor Who" universe.  I was very taken with the set design: it was impressively thought-out, consistent and detailed.  Art?

Thus

     But I couldn't find out who had designed these sets, until the credits rolled on the last episode and - it was Roger Murray-Leach.  He had originally trained as an architect before joining the BBC, which might be why the DVD extras include a detailed schematic plan of the Ark.  Have I looked at it?  Possibly not - something for later today.
     He did a lot of work on DW in the Seventies, including creating an alien "jungle" on 'Planet of Evil' that so impressed his producer than he was put up for a BAFTA.

The jungle, simply oozing evil.  Or tree sap.  One of the two.

     A BAFTA is "British Academy of Film And Television Award", and they are verrrry hard to come by.
     What is even more impressive is that BBC budgets are always somewhat straitened, 'Doctor Who' being a prime example, so to get the kind of results above on a budget that wouldn't stretch to the catering bill at a South Canadian studio is outstanding.
     Well done that man!**

Finally -
I can now combine two things that I prate on about all the time - Pink Floyd and Doctor Who.  Imagine what would happen if Pink Floyd's remaining members contacted the Kremlin and said - "We're willing to tour Russia - but you gotta get rid of Putin first."
     I imagine ten seconds of silence, then a diminishing scream as if someone had been pushed jumped out of a window ...
     Anyway, I had listened to the instrumental PF track "One of These Days" easily a hundred times before realising that strange prototype synthesizer break in the middle is actually the 'Doctor Who' theme tune, or a version thereof.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48PJGVf4xqk

     And there's a link for you to check out how truthful I am.

Making a pig's ear of it
(Literally)

     It comes about 2:50 minutes in.  I don't think they credit the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. nor Ron Grainer and Delia Derbyshire, which is a bit naughty, but it's such a fantastic track I can overlook a little copyright issue.  

*  This means Conrad can't remember exactly when and can't be bothered to find out <the unflattering truth courtesy Mister Hand>
**  I know I'm being uncharacteristically nice  here.  Don't worry, it won't last.