Monday, July 14, 2008

Laurie Johnson: Genius Thereof

Laurie Johnson: The Professionals Theme - Version B (1977)
Everyone in the world knows the theme tune to The Professionals, it is as iconic and as memorable as Isaac Hayes' Shaft. But this version is sort of even more wonderful. Pitched down to half-speed, it has all the funk of the faster version, only now there's added grooviness, a development that I'm sure you'll enjoy as much as I have. Am, in fact. It's on now, thanks to this excellent record.

BONUS TRACK Laurie Johnson: Hijack - Section A (1977)
I would never, ever recommend anyone steal bits of music and go on to make their own new thing from it, obviously, but if I did then I'd probably think that this brilliantly spare bit of incidental music - "A business man determined to escape his Iron Curtain roots organises the hijacking of a lorry load of bullion..." - would be a good place to start. Or finish.

4 comments:

Mondo said...

Sounds right up my street - I've always thought Laurie's New Avengers theme was the template tune for Acid Jazz - I've got a great Geoff Love TV Themes comp' on vinyl (in the loft) but found a download of it here last week..

Now if only I could find the 'A Is For Action'comp.

Fire Escape said...

Lewis Collins was the bassist in one incarnation of Merseybeat "combo" The Mojos. Legend has it that Lewis had previously turned down the chance to replace Pete Best in some other Liverpool beat combo (hmm, I wonder just how many people were almost in The Beatles...) for a seemingly brigher, more lucrative career hairdressing (one colleague in the salon was Mike McCartney).

Rob said...

PM: I love all those guys... Frank Pourcel is THE MAN. Thanks for the link!
FE: It's a shame that Collins comes across as such a berk, isn't it? He's got a really interesting story, but you sort of can't bear to hear him tell it :(

ally. said...

i quit guides when the professionals moved to friday nights. it's been downhill ever since.
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