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inspirit


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The Barbican are showing a preview screening of Broken English, a film about Marianne Faithfull. I know nothing about the film, looks like a biopic. Anyway, relevant here because it's accompanied by a (short) live performance of artists performing Faithfull's songs, and featuring Jarvis, and several other lovely people. As it's listed as 40 minutes, I would guess they're doing one song each - but who knows, there may be collaborations.

Can't go myself, too busy (and seeing Mr Webber the night before in York), but I plan to see the film.

Broken English (15) | Barbican



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Eamonn


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I wonder will Mark be there to play guitar as he worked on the previous collab with Marianne.

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Violin Thing


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This was my film of the year last year, well worth a watch!

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inspirit


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I took preview as a synonym for debut, but yes I see you're right, it was first screened more than 6 months ago. I guess arts films of this nature are complicated to get into even limited release. I also have mislabelled it a biopic, having read a little more, it sounds more interesting than that.

The NME says Jarvis, et. al., will be backed by "the film's house band".



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Violin Thing


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I would say it's a life story, but it's done in collaboration with Faithfull and isn't a standard biopic. Some bits work better than others. It's set for UK general release end of this month so counts as a preview! Portishead were the 'house band' I believe.

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JohnWayne


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Probably a controversial opinion but I couldnt stand the songs she did with JC.

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andy


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JohnWayne wrote:

Probably a controversial opinion but I couldnt stand the songs she did with JC.

 

Same here. Thought she ruined both songs and i'm glad Jarvis took them for himself again. Gotta say i never understood her and her music. I guess that's music, you either get it or you dont. 



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JohnWayne


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andy wrote:
JohnWayne wrote:

Probably a controversial opinion but I couldnt stand the songs she did with JC.

 

Same here. Thought she ruined both songs and i'm glad Jarvis took them for himself again. Gotta say i never understood her and her music. I guess that's music, you either get it or you dont. 

 Are you thinking of the songs he wrote for Nancy Sinatra? (Babys Coming Back To Me, and Dont Let Him Waste Your Time)? I did prefer JCs version of those songs to be fair, but then I prefer JCs versions of most songs!

 

He wrote Sliding Through Life on a Charm for MF (not Doom) and they sang Tonight from West Side Story together. I couldnt get past her singing voice, maybe it was less gravelly in her youth but it was hard to imagine she was ever a strong singer. 



-- Edited by JohnWayne on Saturday 7th of March 2026 11:29:29 AM

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andy


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JohnWayne wrote:
andy wrote:
JohnWayne wrote:

Probably a controversial opinion but I couldnt stand the songs she did with JC.

 

Same here. Thought she ruined both songs and i'm glad Jarvis took them for himself again. Gotta say i never understood her and her music. I guess that's music, you either get it or you dont. 

 Are you thinking of the songs he wrote for Nancy Sinatra? (Babys Coming Back To Me, and Dont Let Him Waste Your Time)? I did prefer JCs version of those songs to be fair, but then I prefer JCs versions of most songs!

 

He wrote Sliding Through Life on a Charm for MF (not Doom) and they sang Tonight from West Side Story together. I couldnt get past her singing voice, maybe it was less gravelly in her youth but it was hard to imagine she was ever a strong singer. 



-- Edited by JohnWayne on Saturday 7th of March 2026 11:29:29 AM

 oh yes sorry that's the one, i always mix them. But yeah when Sliding Through Life on a Charm demo was released last year i checked her version, and really did not like it all. So the comment is valid for both :D 



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inspirit


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I don't know much of her music; I have only Kissin Time, admittedly only bought for the Jarvis connection, & 'The Ballad of Lucy Jordan', on a compilation. I've heard some of the 60s stuff she did when she was very young, it's quite sweet but a bit lifeless, I guess they were marketing her as a pure and virginal schoolgirl. The adult voice is very different - I understand she had a heroin addiction at one time - yet the LP version of Sliding Through Life On Charm is also quite lifeless and deadpan. There's a live version on youtube (with JC) which has more life to it.

Voices damaged by a turbulent life can be characterful and interesting and better than they youthful voice (e.g. Joni Mitchell), but it's a bit of a knife edge, if it comes out listenable or painful. Jarvis's voice, after 50ish years of fags is much changed and deepened, but to no detriment (he'll get to that seismic Leonard Cohen rumble eventually). Jarvis' own (demo?) version of STLOC, on the Mojo CD, is also quite deadpan but I think it's works well - though when he sings 'snatch', it makes me cringe.

Faithfull's life story seems fascinating, should make for an interesting film, if it's done well. 

 

 



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inspirit


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P.S. Jarvis has written for Marianne, for Nancy Sinatra, and for Charlotte Gainsbourg - has he written for anybody else?



-- Edited by inspirit on Saturday 7th of March 2026 09:04:28 PM

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Eamonn


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Yes. Marc Almond and Air off the top of my head. I'm sure there are more.

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JohnWayne


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Tony Christie - Get Christie, a novelty song really but quite fun.

Also on the All Seeing I album: Walk Like a Panther, Stars On Sunday and Nicola for Christie and First Man In Space for Phil Oakey. 



-- Edited by JohnWayne on Saturday 7th of March 2026 09:31:41 PM

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Violin Thing


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The voice and the misrepresentation of Faithfull is covered in the film!

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Violin Thing


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Anyone end up going to this?

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Eamonn


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Giles Acrylic did. Did you? Saw a video of 'Charm on social media. Jarvis sure loves that Boss baseball cap, doesn't he?!

Sounded like a decent performance.Good to see Mark playing guitar too.

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Fran


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inspirit wrote:

P.S. Jarvis has written for Marianne, for Nancy Sinatra, and for Charlotte Gainsbourg - has he written for anybody else?



-- Edited by inspirit on Saturday 7th of March 2026 09:04:28 PM

 He seems sometimes to just write songs, then send them to someone he thinks it suits, like Walk Like a Panther for Tony Christie, Half-Hearted Love for Claire Maguire, Worship Me Now for Marc Almond to name a few. I've heard interviews with all of those about how they just got this song sent to them out of the blue and had varied initial reactions. Tony Christie's son had to talk him into recording it. Marianne commissioned hers. 



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cutcopy


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And Feist as well for her track Century. Got 2-1 deal because JC appeared in the video as well.

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