Alan Connor's Blog, page 6
March 13, 2020
December 28, 2019
December 6, 2019
October 6, 2019
August 2, 2019
Richard Osman’s House of Games | BBC Books
I am proud of this book, which comes out on 17 October.
It has some games from the TV show, and some new ones and, with a couple of exceptions, all new questions. There are some imaginary behind-the-scenes conversations and general nonsense.
Previously: Two Girls, One on Each Knee: The Puzzling, Playful World of the Crossword; The Joy of Quiz£14.99 RRP hardback17 October 2019 hardbackBBC BooksISBN: 1785944622 and 978-1785944628
Blurb:
Do you know how many post boxes there are in the UK? Could you guess how many times the word ‘goat’ appeara in the King James Version of the bible? Fancy playing a game of charades where all of the books, films and plays are entirely made up? Now, look around the room. Is anyone there the kind of person who’ll say ‘I just don’t understand this’, when faced with something that’s not just perfectly easy to understand, but is … well, fun? Ask them to leave. Have they gone? Good. Now welcome inside the House of Games.
August 22, 2018
Hotel California | BBC News
A Smashed Hits about (the) Eagles’ Hotel California:
“Vaguery is the primary tool of songwriters,” Frey told a journalist during a 2003 pro-am golf tournament in California’s Pebbel Beach, where he was partnered with Huey Lewis. “It works, it means whatever the listener wants it to mean.”
Sources: History of the Eagles; Hit Story: It All Started Because Of Rattlesnakes; Rockin’ ‘Round The Round, SF Gate; Jennifer Parker’s McBusted: The Story of the World’s Biggest Super Band.
More Smashed Hits
The Magus
Image: San Francisco, 2006
July 23, 2018
July 4, 2018
The Lion Sleeps Tonight | Financial Times
A piece by me for the FT’s Life of a Song series on “The Lion Sleeps Tonight“ [easy registration required]:
Solomon Linda recorded the spine-chilling isiZulu-language ‘Mbube’ in Johannesburg in 1939. Some he improvised as the tapes rolled. And for those moments, the song belonged to Linda.
Then he was bought out for ten shillings by Eric Gallo, the Italian wideboy who owned the studio, and who now owned ‘Mbube’. Even when it became a local hit, Linda could have had no idea what he had given away.
I am indebted to Rian Malan’s collection of essays, and we are all indebted to his indefatigability.
Here’s a playlist of the music mentioned:
Similar pieces for the BBC’s Smashed Hits series
Image of a lion from the Alhambra
May 28, 2018
Richard Osman’s House Of Games | BBC2
Series two begins on BBC2 today.
particularly pleasing… This is trivia, plus; it requires a bit of wit, and imagination, even, certainly silliness — Sam Wollaston, Guardian
…just how much I loved BBC2’s new quiz show Richard Osman’s House of Games… Like all the best TV quizzes, ROHOG scores very highly on the playalongability chart – so the half hour fair flies by — Ian Hyland, Mirror
the BBC’s new infectiously funny prime time show… deserves praise for finding a sweet spot which fits all audiences — Adam Bloodworth, Metro
it shouldn’t be a surprise that [Richard Osman’s House of Games] is terrific… The victor gets to choose between a dartboard, pasta maker, cushion and dressing gown, but really, we’re all winners here — Robert Epstein, Independent
viewers couldn’t stop laughing… The show’s debut was a success by all means as fans loved Richard’s new format — Helen Daly, Express
BBC Two, 6pm weeknights from Mon 29 May
See also: my book, The Joy of Quiz
Also in quiz: Only Connect
May 21, 2018
Stand By Me | BBC News
A piece for BBC News about the use of Stand By Me at the royal wedding:
That’s why Harry and Meghan’s choice of song meant more than if they’d gone with, say, Ed Sheeran’s Shape Of You. And the performance by the Kingdom Choir takes Stand By Me back further still, re-infusing it with the defiance as well as the devotion of gospel.
See also: me on What A Wonderful World, Everybody Hurts and other stories of songs
Sources: Radio 4’s Soul Music; Craig Werner’s books about music and race A Change Is Gonna Come and Higher Ground; Randy Petersen’s book about hymns Be Still, My Soul; the Guardian piece How we made Stand By Me and Davina Hamilton’s Voice interview with Ben E King
Image: Grace Church of the Episcopal Diocese of New York
