Netflix Gold: The Wrecking Crew

Before I begin, let me introduce to you someone who has been called the greatest bass player in the world. Now, mind you, I might have been expecting the likes of Paul McCartney or Jack Bruce (Cream), maybe Jon Entwhistle (The Who). But when I heard Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys say that this person was the greatest ever, I had to take notice. So let me introduce to you, Carol Kaye**:

Carol Kaye? Who the heck is Carol Kaye? That would have been my thought a week ago. And then I watched a documentary on Netflix entitled “The Wrecking Crew”, that was absolutely mind-blowing! I grew up when music was truly great, the 60’s. Whether you had The Beatles, The Stones or the Beach Boys competing, you had great bands and great tunes coming out.

But did you know that the likes of The Beach Boys, The Association and other bands didn’t play on their records? Al Jardine, of the Beach Boys, explains it best. “We were on the road doing 150 shows a year. There was no way we could turn around and go into the studio.” Instead, the vocals were done by the band, but all the music was done by a group of 20-25 LA studio musicians who were loosely known as “The Wrecking Crew.”

And this documentary is a loving picture of the music that these musicians created in the name of others. If you have Netflix, add The Wrecking Crew to your queue. You won’t be disappointed.

** Oh, as to Carol Kaye? Here is a list of the singers and bands that she recorded for:

The Beach Boys
Phil Spector
The Door
Ritchie Valens
Frank Sinatra
Nancy Sinatra
Glen Campbell
Leon Russell
Sonny & Cher
Joe Cocker
Barbra Streisand
Ray Charles
Frank Zappa
Ike & Tina Turner
Johnny Mathis
Simon & Garfunkel
The Righteous Brothers
Herb Alpert
The Buckinghams
Paul Revere & the Raiders
Gary Lewis & the Playboys
The Monkees
Buffalo Springfield

That’s one impressive list!

Netflix Gold: Death in Paradise

The CSL household has not watched a broadcast TV show in several years, ever since we bumped our internet connection up to DSL and discovered streaming video. That’s not to say that we don’t watch network shows; we are addicted to ABC’s Castle and the different Marvel series, such as Shield and Agent Carter. But for us, Netflix has been a mine of previously unknown programs that AREN’T deemed network-worthy. (Of course, given NBC’s dismal line-up over the past few years, maybe they should look to poach a few Netflix programmers.

We have become quite the Anglophiles, when it comes to programs that we like, but one we recently discovered broke even that mold. Death In Paradise is a joint UK-French production that is wonderfully different. Rather than set in the gritty streets of LA, or the gritty streets of New York or the gritty streets of London, it’s set in the gritty streets of Guadaloupe. (Okay, that’s definitely tongue in cheek.) Yes, it is filmed on the beautiful tropical island of Guadaloupe, hardly “gritty.”

Strait-laced British police inspector Richard Poole, who loves his up-tight life-style in England, is sent to the tropical Caribbean island of Honore to investigate the murder of the local policeman, and ends up permanently assigned to the island. HIs misery of suffering through tropical heat is compouned by not being able to find a proper cup of tea. Come to Death In Paradise for the murder mysteries, stay for Ben Miller’s wonderful portrayal of the stereotypically inhibited Englishman and revel in the Caribbean island accents of the rest of the cast.

Death in Paradise is a popular series, having been renewed through the current year. Here is the BBC trailer for series one:

CSL