Three great popcorn related things happened this week.

One was the reissue of this masterwork in one of those mini-vinyl sleeves -

 

Take 6 minutes and 43 seconds to remind yourself just how B-A-D the Godfather was at this point.

James doesn’t sing on this record – he plays organ and drums – but it is beyond funky.

The second thing was Kyary Pamyu Pamyu’s stage set which came complete with psychedelic teddy bear, bed, and a huge Popcorn holder.

 

You can see her popped corns in the background here. Deeply odd, but deeply fun.

Last but not least is Belgian Popcorn.

 

This brilliantly odd compilation by pop enthusiast and genius Bob Stanley of the mighty St Etienne collects 20 artists who matter in the Belgian Popcorn scene. They cross all genres and have in common their tempo which is always “slow swing” for dancers. The interesting thing about Popcorn is that no one has ever made a “popcorn” record (the James Brown one refers to a US dance craze and is far too full on) – it’s all about the DJ selectors scouring the world for songs that fit the need of the clubs. It can be rock n’roll, early soul, 50s country, ska and big city soul – or pretty much anything in between. It’s quite often pretty obscure and they seem to like big strings which is fun and apparently it might have been an influence on the brilliant Belgian DJs Aeroplane and their “slo mo balaeric’.

Anyway its yet another touch point for some music we wouldn’t have found otherwise like this excellently titled monster from Frankie Laine “Kisses that Shake the World” 

 

and this saucy instrumental La Tanya by Jay Abbot 

 

or this naughty latin instrumental by Ray Baretto. 

 

or this spicy 50s jam “Tabasco”