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On Demand

Soundcheck

Thursday, March 29, 2007
  • (1934, HIPS, HIPS, HOORAY) Wheeler & Woolsey peddle flavored lipstick to a legion of scantily-clad, eager testers.
    From the 1934 film HIPS, HIPS, HOORAY

    Being Musical

    B-musicals were low-budget song-and-dance rarities made in the 30s, 40s and 50s that proved to be a training ground for future A-list stars like Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor and many others. Today Soundcheck explores the B-musical. Also: Lower East Side band Beat the Devil, named after the 1953 cult movie, performs live.

Being Musical

B-musicals were low-budget song-and-dance films made in the 30s, 40s and 50s that proved to be a training ground for future A-list stars like Ann Miller, Donald O'Connor and many others. Film historian Joseph Yranski and former B-musical star Jane Withers join us to discuss the genre and 50 rare musicals now showing at Film Forum.

B Musicals at Film Forum

Beat the Devil

Beat the Devil's lead singer Shilpa Ray grew up in a house where Western music was outlawed. But she made stealth trips to the library where she listened to The Velvet Underground and other illicit, Western Bands. Shilpa performs live with the band in our Soundcheck studio.

Beat the Devil's Myspace page

Too much Tequila

Tila Tequila has 1.7 million friends on Myspace, making her the unofficial queen of the hugely popular site. Her talents include looking attractive and being loud. She also claims to be a musician. J. Freedom du Lac explains the phenomenon that is Tila Tequila.

Tila Tequila's Myspace page
Tequila Dreams, And MySpace Viewers Fantasize (Washington Post)

Suzanne Vega

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Bob Mould Live

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Dawn Landes

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The Heavy

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The Swell Season in The Greene Space

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Joshua Bell in The Greene Space

Soundcheck