What Prominent Musical Group? « The Errol Flynn Blog

10 years ago

Is it Sirocco?

An Australian band began in 1980 with three musicians: Bill O’Toole, Guy Madigan and Andrew de Teliga. In 1981 Michael Atherton joined and the group recorded their first album Paths of the Wind.

(Errol was and still is too famous to keep secret! I found out the answer rather quickly. Or there are other music bands out there also Errol-related?)

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

Reply to errolsfan1130

[img]http://i.ytimg.com/vi/-JdDmseanfA/0.jpg[/img]

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

Reply to errolsfan1130

(As our blog indicates, this photo of the Sirocco taken in the late 1970s in the Grenadines.)

[img]http://www.theerrolflynnblog.com/Errol%20Sirocco%201970/Sailing%20SiroccoGrenadinesLate70s.jpg[/img]

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Robert

10 years ago

Reply to errolsfan1130

(Yes, my photo!). And the word sirocco is an independent, legitimate word, errolsfan, unconnected to Errol Flynn in its origin. FANS always assume that connection, but not many others would.

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

Reply to Robert

The Australian Crawl’s album Sirocco was released on July 1981, while the Australian band Sirocco was formed in 1980.

Australian Crawl named its first hit album after Errol’s yacht.

As of the band Sirocco, we don’t know its name is Errol-inspired or not.

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to errolsfan1130

I don’t know any details of how or why the band Sirocco acquired their name, errolsfan. However, I would be greatly surprised if it was not significantly connected to Our Man Flynn. Errol stirred a great deal of interest around the world in the late-70s. There was a series of books – Memoirs, Lives & Crimes, Two Lives – and, perhaps most signifantly in relation to this issue of the band, Sirocco’s, name, Young Errol: Flynn before Hollywood, which importantly features Errol’s Sirocco (I). With the band Sirocco being all about Australia’s culture, there’s no way on earth (IMHO) they weren’t influenced to some extent by the tales of Errol’s extraordinary adventures on Sirocco I – and robably Sirocco II, as well. How could they not be?

Making this even more likely is the fact that this band has always been very popularly and apparently studiously aware of, influenced by, and associated with multiple genres of music, including classical. Thus, they would undoubtedly have been fans of the late-70s landmark masterpiece (below pictured) album of Erich Korngold’s Errol Flynn film scores.

No way this Australian band wasn’t thinking of Errol when they named themselves Sirocco! No way, no how!!

[img]http://cache0.bdcdn.net/assets/images/book/medium/9781/4269/9781426972027.jpg[/img]

[img]http://d2oz5j6ef5tbf6.cloudfront.net/cd/large/Captain_Blood_Classic_Filmscores_ARL10912.jpg[/img]

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

I was actually thinking of the same thing when I wrote above. That’s why I pointed out the Australian Crawl’s popular album Sirocco, released only one year later than the founding of the band Sirocco to indicate Errol must be well known and popular among Australian cultural scene at the time.

Thus, the band might name itself Sirocco if not directly but at least indirectly inspired by our Errol. (Still this is only guessing.)

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

Reply to errolsfan1130

[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/7/76/Ac-errol.jpg/220px-Ac-errol.jpg[/img]

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to errolsfan1130

Very good, errolsfan. You are correct. However, the musical group I was thinking of: They’re an American band. And they’re connected not to any of Errol’s physical properties, but rather one of his artistic achievements – and a very notable one. … Speaking of art, there’s a Norman Rockwell connection, too.

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

Errol & Buster Wiles on the Sirocco

When Errol smiles, he lightens up the day.

www.warriorfilmmakers.com…

[img]http://www.warriorfilmmakers.com/errolflynn/sirocco/efwile.jpg[/img]

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Here’s a small-s sirocco:

[img]http://www.holidays-in-gran-canaria.com/image-files/weather-in-gran-canaria-climate.jpg[/img]

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

There’s actually a triple Errol Flynn connection here. The band’s singer was thought to strongly resemble a former neighbor of Errol’s, who also was a prominent musician, and, in turn, that former neighbor of Errol’s was thought to strongly resemble a great Hollywood star, contemporary & friend of Errol’s.

Add to that the fact that these two musicians each played in the same band, but never together.

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Focusing again on the musical group which got its name from one of Errol’s artistic achievements, here are some further clues:

1. “Luke” is on many of their album covers.

2. The band name is derived from a movie starring Errol & Olivia. As pictured below, Alan Hale’s in there, too. (He plays an ex “poor orphan, no mother or father, raised by Comanche Indians”.)

3. It’s in Techncolor. Directed by Curtiz. In its 75th Anniversary Year.

[img]http://www.movieactors.com/photos-stars/alan-hale-dodge2.jpg[/img]

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

Hi Tim;
You must be talking about “The Dodge City Four” as the picture above is Alan Hale playing in Dodge City 1938.
The scene depicting Alan when he accidentally lands in a parlor in which the Ladies League of Dodge City having a meeting and being next door to the Saloon where it turns into a piff, puff, puff!
But “The Dodge City Four” have nothing to do with Errol. Errol was long gone when they established themselves. You are stretching!
Bye the way, if you are talking about anniversaries of Errol’s movies, there are the following:

Dodge City (1938) had its 75th anniversary on April 8. 2014
The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex (1938) will be Nov. 11, 2014

Virginia City (1940) March 23, 2015
Sea Hawk (1940) July 1, 2015
Santa Fe trail (1940) December 28, 2015

Captain Blood (1935) 80th anniversary on December 28, 2015
That’s all for now!

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to Tina

Your getting close, Tina, but no cigar … or alcohol … or swearing, and most certainly no “piff, puff, puffing”!, which sounds like something Errol might have tried down Old Mejico way, not in Dodge!!

… I dont know the Dodge City Four. Were they a Big Band? The group in question came along decades after Glenn Miller left the scene. After Mitch Miller, too. More around Steve Miller’s time.

Part of the band’s three-word name is in one of the above images.

This is Pure fun, isn’t it

[img]http://www.wildwestweb.net/dodge/sidekck.jpg[/img]

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

Norman Rockwell got in on the act, too. Rockwell & Flynn. Sounds like a vaudeville act. But this band’s connected to Country Rock, not vaudeville.

[img]http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/originals/77/8e/ff/778eff75d93a794f8c8024db1e7b7670.jpg[/img]

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

I sure was close with the piff, puff, puff scene.
And I called them the Ladies League when it was the “The Prairie League”, can’t quite read the sign on the You Tube presentation!
Yet, there is an other question, which one is the band you had in mind as there seems to be more than one with the same name – at least that what it looks to me?
youtu.be/SDh5wFwjBIs…

So Tim – please identify!

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to Tina

Yes, Tina, you certainly were warm with the “Ladies League of Dodge City”, but I’m sure you understand I couldn’t give you the Blue Ribbon for that – or should I say Yellow Ribbon, as Technicolor seems to portray it on Alan Hale. You have earned the distinguished Second Place Prize, however, Tina – the right to listen & watch on YouTube all the Pure Prairie League, Little Feat, Vince Gill & Amy Grant music videos you wish!

Daringthorpes’ winning answer, of course, is “Pure Prairie League”, Tina, which is the name of the same band in all three videos you have linked, albeit with a few personnel changes over three decades and many recordings.

The legendary country rock hit, Amie, was originally recorded by the first band line-up, with Craig Fuller singing. BTW, the early band had a Toronto connection.

Craig Fuller was believed to resemble Lloyd George, with similar skills. Fuller replaced Lloyd George in the band Little Feat. Lloyd George – was believed by many to resemble Orson Welles – was the subject of a recent post here, entitled “The Orson Welles of Rock ‘n’ Roll”.

“The Orson Welles of Rock ‘n’ Roll” – Errol’s Little (Feat) Neighbor

Vince Gill was the lead singer of Pure Prairie League of after Graig Fuller. Vince Gill is famously married to the most adorable & sublimely talented Amy Grant.

[img]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj283/MrPrairiedog/ppllpshirt.jpg[/img]

The correct answer, of course is

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

Hi Tim;
I wasn’t out for a prize god in heaven NO! But thanks for the thought!
I would have never guessed it in a million years as I never heard of the band “Pure Prairie League.”
So judging by the title of your quiz you are saying that the Pure Prairie League named themselves after Dodge City’s – Prairie Ladies League or am I misunderstanding your title?
By the way, do you know that we have a QUIZ PAGE in our comment titles. We used to do quite a lot of quizzes at one time and I must admit I am a puzzle fan, I always enjoy a good quiz.

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to Tina

Hi Tim:
I got it, I got it, just as Liza Doolittle did!
And I found it too – wow!
In 1970 McGrail named the band “Pure Prairie League” after a fictional 19th century temperance union (which were those ladies with Alan Hale) featured in the 1939 Errol Flynn cowboy movie Dodge City..

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to Tina

By (Lowell) George, my faire Lady, you got it!

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to Tina

You are too tricky for me! It has to do something with Dodge City or maybe Santa Fe Trail, so here is the “Santa Fe Trail Band”

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to Tina

I must confess I overlooked this distinguished assembly you have linked us to, Tina. Even so, I am compelled to declare daringthorpe the winner. His answer – Pure Prairie League – edges out the Santa Fe Trail Band – by a nose or more … If you look at the banner behind Alan Hale in the following video clip from Dodge City, you will see why.

DODGE CITY (1939) Barroom Brawl: youtu.be/F2GIirKPy6g…

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

The famous fellow featured in the very cool music video below used to be in the band whose name came from a fabulous Flynn film – a film so fabulous they gave it a parade:

Next Big Thing: youtu.be/fvvZaYzhjYE…

BTW, the famous singer/guitarist featured in the music video above is famously married to the also very famous singer/guitarist featured in the even cooler music video here (whose first name happens also to be a VERY BIG clue for this quiz, in that it was homonymically identical to our mystery band’s biggest hit!:

Big Yellow Taxi: youtu.be/oiJWwWP1g7w…

[img]http://picklemedia1.scrippsnetworks.com/pickle_media1/media/Great_American_Country/120907/Photo_Video_42573546237582423670839_big.jpg?0[/img]

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

So Tim, this has to be Vince Gill and Amy Grant – right?
And the other lady?

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Another Few Clues! From YouTube & The Bandstand:

Vince Gill, Amie: youtu.be/uqDSvd7hY1A…

[img]http://i1.ytimg.com/vi/ycohL_cHz5M/hqdefault.jpg[/img]

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

“There (he) was” – Rufus Mackahan himself -“Little John” in a League of His Own – standing right in front of our mystery band’s inspiration & moniker.

DODGE CITY (1939) Barroom Brawl: youtu.be/F2GIirKPy6g…

[img]http://flickersintime.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/Dodge-City-poster.jpg[/img]

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daringthorpe

10 years ago

Pure Prairie League named after the fictional temperence union in the movie Dodge City. Am I Right?

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Author

Gentleman Tim

10 years ago

Reply to daringthorpe

Yes, daringthorpe, you are right, indeed! CONGRATULATIONS!!

In world-wide recognition of your daring participation & Thorpian talents, daringthorpe, you are now hereby officially eligible for induction into the Errol Flynn Inter-National Pure Prairie League – aka, the EFIN Pure Prairie League. My best wishes to you.

[img]http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61qGCCpNFGL.jpg[/img]

* Sage advice for you from Dodge City, daringthorpe: Dance & Celebrate before your actual induction. Once formally inducted, the EFIN PP League’s very strictly enforced rules will make it quite difficult for you to enjoy your victory with true Flynnian flair.

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daringthorpe

10 years ago

Reply to Gentleman Tim

Why thank you kind sir I am indeed honourered to be inducted into the “EFIN PP League” I have taken your advice
and have completed all my celebrations, thank you again
for the question I enjoyed it very much.

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Tina

10 years ago

Reply to daringthorpe

Congratulations! This was a tricky quiz!

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errolsfan1130

10 years ago

While searching for the answer, there was unintended consequences. I found a band connected to Errol, only they are not prominent. A Germany band is named Errol Flynn Band.

[img?30a2558[/img]