Tyranny And Mutation

One Hundred Brownie Points If You Got The Reference

Still pursuing the heavy metal theme we've had of late, today's title is in fact the title of Blue Oyster Cult's second album, which is reason enough for us to bring in a picture of same.  Art!

     The reason I bring this up is because I came across a website that goes into the background of BOC's earlier album's artwork.  You must admit, that above is quite striking and stylish, certainly more enigmatic and intriguing that having a picture of the band or "BOC 2".  The artist in question was one Bill Gawlick, an ex-architectual student who had studied art at the same time and place as Sandy Pearlman and Murray Krugman, two of the producer-cum-manager-cum-songwriters behind BOC.  He was also responsible for the first album's artwork - Art!

     And he is also credited with creating their impressive symbol, which if I recall correctly, also has to do with Kronos.  There is very little to say further about Mister Gawlick, because he vanished from the world after doing those two album covers.  So, he might be reading these words at this very second.  Then we have "Secret Treaties", with it's evocative pencil sketching -

     Featuring a Me262 fighter jet sporting the BOC logo, which OF COURSE got them some flak because Nazis, I didn't realise that there was a colour variation of this, done as a test.  Art!

Artwork by Rob Lesser

     I definitely prefer the monochrome version.  It hints at a story but lets you fill the details in yourself.  Then there was the introduction of their band name as a metallic icon itself, on the cover of "On Your Feet Or On Your Knees". Art!

     Also known as "How To Take A Photo That Makes A Church Look Sinister", thank you John Berg.  Don't book him for your wedding shoot.  The logo was created by one Gerard Huerta, and it does look very metal.  Their next album was the one that really got them into the mainstream, "Agents Of Fortune" and their hit single "Don't Fear The Reaper".  Art!

Gatefold for full effect.

     Yes yes yes, they avoided the metallic logo, sue them, don't complain to me.  This one was painted by one Lynn Curlee, and yes, those are Tarot cards.  Death, The King, The Queen and The Jester, since you ask.  The band had seen an exhibition of his work and offered him the gig, which he took.  Next we have "Spectres", with a photograph again, except not as you would expect.  Art!

     And the back cover, too, please.

     Lots of lasers in use here, including Eric Bloom's INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS wrist laser.  They had to ditch these lasers in their stage show as they were INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS and, when H&S got to know about them, would never have been approved for public use.  Design and photography courtesy Roni Hoffman and Eric Meola.  Again, not recommended for your wedding portfolio.

     Well, that puts us at around the half-way mark, so I think we can leave any more BOC cover artwork on the back boiler until tomorrow.  Motley!  Crank up the dry ice machine, I've gotten a couple of laser spotters here.

The Sound Of Silence

No!  Nothing to do with music, really, you lot have a one-track mind.  I bet you take turns sharing it.  

     ANYWAY I refer to an employment opportunity that embodies the above, as seen on that font of all that's fit to be writ, the BBC.  Art!

Isle Martin

      The job is that of caretaker, looking after three houses that are normally  unoccupied, ensuring visitors stay Covid-compliant and cleaning the toilets.  If interested you also need to be able to handle a small boat, as that's the only way onto and off Isle Martin.  O and there's no hot water.  Or electricity.  Or internet.  Lots of seabirds, though WHICH YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO EAT before you ask.  So the one thing you will be surrounded by is silence, until the guests arrive.  Sounds great!

Rush-hour has arrived

Success!

Conrad has managed to fob off three books to Darling Daughter and Tom Terrific; "Up To Date Confectionery", "The Oxford Dictionary Of English Placenames" and a Penguin volume of Heath Robinson artwork, which was water-damaged.  Art!

The grateful pair, beers in hand

     Neither had heard of Ol' Heathy, so I explained and mentioned Rube Goldberg, which seemed to do the trick.  DD, being an arts graduate, was especially interested in Heath's iconic pulleys and knotted string.  There was a long written introduction which Your Humble Scribe skipped, so I am unsure exactly what period the drawings cover, although I think I can guess at these two following:

     The bottom one was defined as "An American invention for drawing forth the occupants of enemy foxholes", and given the 'lemon-squeezer' hats Conrad is guessing from April of 1917 onwards, when the South Canadians joined in the First Unpleasantness.  Poor Ol' Heathy was typecast as a man who drew inventions like this, when he would have liked to branch out into more artistic illustrations - you know the sort of thing, inside-every-clown-is-a-Hamlet.  How many Shakespearean actors want to become stand-ups?

"Colossus: The Forbin Project"

Conrad was watching a Youtube channel new to his eyes - "Terry Talks Movies" and he mentioned the film above, playing a couple of clips from it.  The central premise is that an enormous AI is constructed with complete control of the South Canadian ICBM arsenal, under the oversight of Professor Forbin.  It is built inside the Rocky Mountains, with all sorts of terminal defences.  Art!

     There is indeed another system, a Sinister one that Colossus demands it be connected to.  Within minutes their exchange of information is so rapid that it passes human comprehension, so - they pull the plug.

     Colossus hasn't gone mad; quite the contrary.  It is seeking to impose peace OR ELSE, just going beyond what was originally intended.  Art!

Exterior view

     It's not invulnerable, either.  If you put a cruise missile right on top of it, wait for the dust to settle and put another one into the resulting crater, you'll crack Colossus wide open.  That would still leave the Ruffian version, I allow you.

     The film has a rather bleak ending, which I won't spoil for you.  It's adapted from the first novel in a trilogy but never had a sequel.  I wonder ...

     And with that we are truly well and done.  Done!