Although the words “dramatic” and “thrilling” are used as adjectives for a show about chess as often as we see Haley’s Comet, there is no doubt that these are the proper descriptors here. Released on October 23, 2020 as a limited series run of 7 binge-worthy episodes, it will have you saying – or screaming – “YES I AM STILL HERE” at Netflix. Fun fact, Scott Frank purchased the screenplay rights from Walter Tevis’ widow in 1992 and had been involved in attempts to get the story on screen since the acquisition. Yes, you read that right, that is 28 years of development before finally succeeding (also yes, I used a calculator). Needless to say this adaptation was worth the wait. Even the chess match scenes are riveting, electric, and sometimes even sexy. A sexy chess match, definitely a first. With critical acclaim across the board and a seemingly never ending shower of awards (Golden Globes, Critics Choice, Screen Actors Guild Awards etc) you need to see it.

K-tel is proud to have had a small part in this masterpiece of a series in partnership with Search Party Music with the classic song by The Vogues, “You’re the One”. The song can be heard at 20:33 of Season 1, Episode 3 entitled “Double Pawns”. 

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A sci-fi drama through-and-through, the show’s narrative centers on a close knit group of pre-teen/teen friends who find themselves entangled with mysterious forces and dangerous entities from a dark unknown place. These entities are trying to infiltrate their beloved fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana to destroy everything they hold dear. Known for weaving multiple plots together, Stranger Things even treats us to a classic “The-Government-Is-Covering-Up-Secret-Experiments” narrative to deliver our super powered protagonist. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer painstakingly recreate the feeling of being a pre-teen/teen in the 80s and the world the group navigates feel familiar, even to people born 1990-forward. It is easy to recognize that the real special sauce of the show is how this warm, nostalgic world is quite literally flipped on its head with the introduction of  “the upside down” and the mysterious forces/dangerous entities that creep forth from it. Add to this the attention to detail paid to developing each character’s personality (and by-way of that our attachment to them) the show really does a great job of reeling in its viewers. If you have a taste for loud fashion, synth music, telekinesis, and scary alien monsters from an alternate reality, Stranger Things will scratch your itch.  

In partnership with Nora Felder (Picture Music Company) K-tel is proud to have supplied a classic Christmas jam to the INCREDIBLE soundtrack of Stranger Things Season 2 in the form of Bobby Helms’ – Jingle Bell Rock. The song can be seen in Season 2, Episode 9 entitled “Chapter Nine: The Gate” at 46:51.

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With all this in mind SXSW decided to make Dave Grohl the keynote speaker in 2013, and there was a part of his speech which hit home for K-tel and had our chins gently dangling near the ground. Below is an excerpt from the speech posted by Rolling Stone: 

 “Now . . . before we go any further, I have to thank someone. I have to thank Edgar Winter. For allowing K-tel records to include his legendary instrumental “Frankenstein” on their 1975 Blockbuster compilation. It was this record that my sister and I bought at the drugstore down the street and brought home to play on the public-school turntable my mother would borrow from school on the weekends. It was this record that changed my life. A veritable “who’s who” of 1975 radio hits. But, it wasn’t KC and the Sunshine Band’s “That’s the way, uh huh uh huh I like it” song that made me want to pick up the dusty old guitar in the corner. Nope . . . and it wasn’t Dave Loggins’ “Please Come to Boston” or Silver Convention’s “Fly Robin Fly” that made me want to jump in a van with my friends and leave the world behind for music. No. It was (sings “Frankenstein”). A riff. I gave it all up for a riff.”

Needless to say, the fact a Rock Demi-God referenced a K-tel compilation as his career’s genesis at one the world’s best (and coolest) festival took the K-tel staff’s breath away. But more than anything, even 8 years later, it is humbling to know that the dreams original owner Philip Kives had of getting music to the people and providing value with his products in the process was achieved. In this case it just so happens that Mr. Kives’ dream set young Grohl on a path to having his name in lights and his place secured as one of Rock & Rolls greats, a Rock Star without any of the stigma attached, and that is pretty neat to us at K-tel. 

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A classic fish-out-of-water tale, Lasso is a folksy small town America football (pigskin football) coach and is recruited by the new owner of English Premier league team AFC Richmond, Rebecca (Hannah Waddingham) to lead her squad. The ask: for Lasso to hop the pond, and hop from American football to UK football. Rebecca’s real intention is to spurn her ex husband from whom she received the team in a divorce settlement. What is the best way to hurt someone intentionally? Destroy something they love, and love AFC Richmond her ex-husband did. In Rebecca’s mind there is no better retributive act than making AFC Richmond tank their season while her horrified husband watches from home in horror. With that goal (pun intended) in mind there is no better candidate to help than a mustachioed American football coach from the USA who knows nothing about soccer or the UK and slightly resembles Ned Flanders. Lasso himself also has ulterior motives – albe-it less nefarious ones – he is hoping relocating to the UK will give his on-the-rocks marriage the space it needs to see its way through the storm. Now heading towards season three, all of the writers have received juicy raises, and Sudeikis is rumored to be netting 1 million an episode. That is Seinfield money and the show has reached a critical mass point where comment sections internet wide debate the merits of the shows success. What’s that saying? You know you have made it when you have haters? The show is a great example of a feel good sports based show and is worth the watch for any sitcom fan. 

In partnership with super supervisor Tony Von Pervieux, K-tel is proud to have provided The Marcels – Blue Moon to the show. It can been seen in Season 2, Episode 8 entitled “Man City”. The song can be heard around the 28:46 mark being sung by the packed house at Wembley Stadium.

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