sweet effay

Psychbloke and kek-w have both been going on about how they would like too see a movie made about Elric. Well, there is one already, sort of. It's actually Elric the Musical and you can get it on DVD:



Just to preserve my street cred, I should point out that I had to get this picture off the Net as I don't actually own a copy. I was in the audience when it was being filmed though.

You know the 'Stonehenge' scene in Spinal Tap? Well imagine sitting through an extended version of that complete with musicians in hooded robes and glowing red contact lenses, and dancers and mime artists acting out the story. Every now and then Michael Moorcock would come onstage and shout some poetry. He also chucked loads of signed Elric books into the audience which created quite a frenzy.

In fact, the whole thing was so toe-curlingly embarrassing that it was the last Hawkwind gig I ever went to and it was nearly ten years before I bought another of their albums.

But John, I hear you say, surely the tunes made up for the stage show! No, not really. It was the period when Huw Lloyd Langton was in the ascendant covering everything with guitar wanking. He was writing quite a bit if their material back then as well. I leave you with his lyrics for ‘Moonglum’:

Moonglum, friend without a reason
Moonglum, friend without a cause
Embarrassed by a show of love
But would stand by the man of the feeble blood

This bond meant much more to him
Than a kingdom offered by a Queen
No words for his silent trust
As the sword goes on to sate it's lust

Moonglum and Elric hunting Theleb K'aarna
Myshella now replacing Queen Yishana
See them travel through the open skies
See the amazing steel bird fly

Armies stand too soon to fall
Sorcery is the tune they call
Pitting wit against flesh and gall
Timeless searching in timeless halls

Walking out to meet his death
To find this was no release
Searching for some sort of ease
Denying feelings that made him weak

Moonglum and Elric hunting Theleb K'aarna
Myshella now replacing Queen Yishana
See them travel through the open skies
See the amazing steel bird fly