Trailer: https://rb.gy/wljb0c

I really liked watching this, especially after the second seasons of “Silo” and “Bad Sisters.” “Silo” had a couple of episodes that were so slow, with lame dialogue, that I only hung in there to find out what ultimately happened with Juliette. As for “Bad Sisters”…same deal, a few very slow episodes. This definitely should have ended after one season.

But “Sugar”…

These streaming series come out on Apple and you never know how good they are, because they drop one episode at a time, even the reviewers are not privy to the entire series, so you get an impression, and the impression from the reviews was good, no cigar, so I skipped it. But subscribing to Apple TV+ at the moment (I don’t need no application telling me when to cancel, I hate paying for what I don’t use), I decided we should watch “Sugar,” after checking out the RottenTomatoes numbers, which were 81/79, and you know my threshold is 81 on the Tomatometer (the critics’ number), so we dove in.

In other words, now that the entire series has played, those who did watch it felt the experience was worth it. But this is so long after the initial episode aired…

I know, I know, Apple has no product, and that’s why they drip it out week by week, but good shows end up being lost in the shuffle, “The Morning Show” has not recovered from its initial blah reviews. The first season ultimately played out and there was a re-evaluation, but at that point most people had moved on. What do they say, you only get one chance to make a first impression? People are overloaded with choices. You’ve got to make it easy for them. And if you miss your opportunity, if people are turned off once, the odds of getting them back are insignificant. Many series I’ve watched the first episode wasn’t fantastic, but I let it ride into the second and got hooked. But when there’s only one…

Well, all of “Sugar” is available now.

Now “Sugar” would work just fine sans the twist in the plot which is foreshadowed from the beginning and becomes fully evident with a few episodes left. “Sugar” works perfectly well as your standard private eye show, sans this extra layer.

And this extra layer is so whacked, that I thought “Sugar” must be an adaptation from a book, who would come up with such a plot twist, completely unnecessary, but it appears to be wholly original.

Now the star is Colin Farrell. In an understated role. But those clothes! It almost made me want to buy a bunch of Savile Row suits. Clothes make the man. And if you’re willing to drop 10k on a suit, people will notice. (Then again, maybe you need the body for it. And in the book on Babitz and Didion it’s stated that  Tom Wolfe came to the west coast in his white suit early in his career and the cognoscenti laughed at him.)

Although understated, Colin’s performance rings wholly true. And I’ve got to mention his wheels, a sixties Corvette convertible. I’d want to buy one if the air wasn’t so bad in the city, and convertibles are hell in traffic, especially on the freeway.

Amy Ryan as a faded rock star? I’m not sure I buy the rock star bit, but she’s down to earth in a passé way… For all the women on TMZ with plastic surgery looking like zombies, there are a ton of famous people past their peak living in the Valley who have aged gracefully, like Ryan.

Dennis Boutsikaris as Bernie Siegel almost steals the show. Not by overacting, but being totally subsumed by the character. You’ve seen Boutsikaris, he’s been everywhere, even if you don’t know his name. He was great in “Better Call Saul” and he has this ability to radiate intensity, without sacrificing intellect…I know people like this.

And I must mention Eric Lange as Stallings, another guy you know but can’t name. Lange inhabits the Stallings character, he’s a gangster without going over the top.

And sure, the other actors are very good, but the star of the show is…

The cinematography.

Now I don’t know if it will look as good on a non-OLED set, but it’s positively mesmerizing. L.A. is so vivid. Sure, it’s weird to watch after the fires, but this is L.A., definitely. Sunny, easy-living, suburban-like, yet with grit and danger underneath.

And then there’s the intercutting of old film clips. This is especially distracting in the first few episodes, jarring, if not totally superfluous. We haven’t seen this trope exercised to this extent since “Dream On.” As the episodes play out you find out that Farrell’s character Sugar is a film buff, and the scenes make more sense, but I can’t say they add much to the story, or even the viewing experience.

So Sugar is in search of Olivia. This is not “Bosch,” “Sugar” is much more stylized. But there’s the hotel rooms of “Goliath” and…unlike “Silo” and “Bad Sisters” you want to watch the next episode, your mind doesn’t drift, and it’s not an endless slog, there are only eight episodes, none of them an hour long, many not even close.

“Sugar” played out last spring, from April into May. There was a bit of talk about it for a minute there, but I did not get the vibe it is was as good as it is, worth the watch.

Art in today’s world is a time bomb. In many cases, it takes years for a project to resonate with the public. It all comes down to word of mouth, and after you hear about a show, a record, a movie from a bunch of people you trust, you check it out, and in most cases it’s just a touch away on your device of choice. And if you like it, you tell everybody about it.

Sure, they overhype the new projects of the stars, but if you’re starting from scratch, you’ve got to be in it for the long haul. Don’t expect immediate accolades. What you’re desirous of is a knowing acceptance of your place in the firmament. And there are so many variables, that almost all you can control is the work. But you want to make it easy for people to partake of. Hell, Peter Gabriel wouldn’t do a podcast with me because I criticized him for dripping out his new album track by track. People want to marinate in a Gabriel album, it’s an experience, one cut is not enough, and when all the tracks were available…there was no buzz, more of a whimper than excitement.

Which is the same thing with “Sugar”… By time the last episode played, very few people were still hooked.

I keep hearing people have a short attention span. Nothing could be further from the truth, they just have an incredible sh*t detector. They’re dying to marinate in the long form, and if they like something they’ll tell everybody about it. Young people have got short attention spans? Then why do they spend weekends watching episode after episode of “Friends” or “Sex in the City”?

In any event, I recommend you watch “Sugar.” It’s far from the best show you’ll ever see, but you can tell they’re trying, and there’s this visceral element…

I’m sad it’s over.

Who deserves a biopic or a documentary.

This is a live show, call in with your opinions.

Tune in Saturday January 18th to Faction Talk, channel 103, at 4 PM East, 1 PM West.

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“The World According to Allee Willis” trailer: https://rb.gy/8onh15

This is a fantastic film.

Of course I know who Allee Willis was. But I never met her, she was never my friend, I certainly never went to any of her parties. But people would talk about her. And what they constantly conveyed was that she was OUTRAGEOUS, LARGER THAN LIFE!

But I did not know she was tortured.

Those childhood wounds… They run very deep. Her mother ran interference, but her mother died when Allee was a teenager and her father married someone with two daughters who were girly. Allee was never girly. She was a tomboy. But even deep into her years, she could not admit she was gay. It was unacceptable, to society, and probably her dad. She always wanted to impress her dad, an impossible feat.

Her aunts and their kids were coming to visit her and…she couldn’t hear that their daughters had married doctors, the Jewish dream. The fact that she sold millions of records, that didn’t stack up, there was no comparison.

Allee was looking for love. Not just from a person, but from all of society. She was in endless pursuit of it. But fame never makes you happy, never in and of itself. But those with a deep hole inside pursue it, they believe it’s the only way out of their internal hell.

And it’s not always hell, but you just don’t feel like everybody else, you just don’t feel accepted, but if you’re famous…people will love you, right?

Ultimately in this doc they reveal the fact that Allee had loads of ambition, and acted upon it. I forgot that she had an album on CBS, after being a secretary for the company, that doesn’t happen by accident. You’ve got to need it.

Most people don’t need it that badly.

They think it’s about writing a song, getting lucky, after all, they’re talented, they DESERVE IT!

Well, at most talent is fifty percent. But what you’ve got to know, your heroes, the icons, are some of the most f*cked up people in the world. Sure, they might love what they do, but they need to do what they do to fill a hole deep inside, and without acclaim, there’s no chance of that hole being filled.

Not that anybody realizes this. They think an artist is someone who appears on “The Voice.” Hell, most of the judges on “The Voice” are not artists, because in truth you can’t corral an artist, even if they agree to do it they’re going to jump the fence, you can’t push them around, at some point they have to do it THEIR WAY!

And usually they know better. Everybody else has learned how to conform, they see the world through those eyes, but the artists, they’re outside society, they’ve got insight the average person does not, but when the average person is exposed to it…

So this is not the usual low budget hagiography of most rock docs. Nor is it a big budget biopic. No, the talking heads don’t rag on Allee, but her flaws are evident.

And one thing they emphasize is she can’t stand still, she can’t stand on her laurels, she can’t keep doing the same thing. That truly is the mark of an artist.

So you’ve got famous talking heads, the now deceased Paul Reubens who looks incredibly dignified. Julie Brown. Mark Mothersbaugh. But Lauren Wood? I saw her opening for some act at the Troubadour when she was part of Chunky, Novi and Ernie. I even bought Lauren’s solo debut. But I did not know she was involved with Allee.

Nor did I know Allee tried to create a social network called “Willisville” with Mark Cuban. Allee was ahead of her time. Many greats are. Allee knew the hoi polloi could create great entertainment, she foresaw the power of social media.

And sure, you’ll learn about the music business, the big bucks eighties.

But even more you’ll find out about this talented one of a kind person who just needed attention, that’s why she dressed like that. Was she warm and fuzzy? I never thought so from afar, and I’m not sure she was after watching this doc, then again most true artists are very sensitive, but can be one-minded and prickly.

The theatrical exhibition window is over, and now you can pay to see this movie on demand, but really, most people will never see it until it’s available as part of the fare on one of the big services.

And it’s not going to be a cult item that grows to be part of the cultural fabric, and it’s not going to jet Allee into the stratosphere, do for her what “Wayne’s World” did for Queen, but…

It will be inspirational for the loose nuts and bolts, those who don’t feel accepted, those with a need to express themselves.

And unlike the Anita Pallenberg doc, unlike so many music documentaries, you don’t have to be a fan of Allee Willis or even know anything about the music industry to enjoy this.

Allee wants to be remembered for her work, for what she left behind, physically and musically. But after this movie what she will be remembered for, if at all, and essentially none of us lasts for the ages, is being one of a kind, a human being who didn’t hew to the accepted path, who insisted on being herself, however difficult that was.

I hope it’s not too difficult for you.

It doesn’t matter if Drake wins. This will change record company behavior, as it should.

From time immemorial record labels have refused to have any responsibility for the recordings and actions of their artists. Which is kind of funny, since in almost all cases the labels own the recordings outright, yet treat the acts like independent contractors. There’s no health insurance. No benefits. The acts are on their own.

But when whatever the act does blows back on the labels they say…WHO ME COACH? I’m just an innocent bystander!

Record companies are not internet companies with no responsibility for the postings of their users under the law, there is no legal protection for labels. And unlike Facebook or YouTube or Instagram or TikTok, record companies don’t deal with an unlimited amount of talent posting willy-nilly. There are a very limited number of acts and the labels kn0w exactly what they’re releasing. Which would imply some responsibility, right?

So it’s all fun and games until someone starts shooting. Which is what happened to Drake as a result of the Kendrick Lamar recordings. Could the labels have foreseen these consequences? ABSOLUTELY! But as rappers are shooting each other on a regular basis, the labels have stood aside… After all, it’s THOSE people. What would happen if these rappers were white? Then again, Kurt Cobain committed suicide and the label accepted no responsibility. The label, and oftentimes the manager and agent, want the act to continue to work, screw their mental health, these percentage takers must get PAID!

And it’s not like the labels didn’t know exactly what was in the Kendrick Lamar lyrics…

And unlike so many of the inner city rappers who grew up under strained, dangerous circumstances, Drake is a middle class Jew, who made his name in a television program, “Degrassi.” Drake’s image is not based on danger. He got roped into this pissing match.

Sure, he responded, but when you’re accused of being a pedophile…

Meanwhile, it’s all a gold mine for the rights holders, i.e. UMG. All that attention, all those streams. Forget that Questlove called it the end of hip-hop, the revenues that rained down were astronomical. You might be complaining about Spotify payments, but “Not Like Us” has over a billion streams on the platform, and that volume generates an enormous amount of cash and lifts all boats, engendering more Lamar streams and as a result, an embellished image. Would Kendrick be playing the Super Bowl without “Not Like Us”? Not likely.

Meanwhile, Drake’s image has taken a significant hit. Conventional wisdom is that he lost the rap battle, is a weasly loser. Good luck with streams in the future.

Now Taylor Swift blew it in front of a worldwide audience at the Grammys and it didn’t hurt her career at all, maybe this is the same situation with Drake, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Ever been to a record company?

There’s a majordomo who is paid seven, sometimes eight figures, with no expenses. They feel like titans, above the riff-raff. And the riff-raff makes the trains run on time, the little people do the dirty work. And everybody wants a lot of streams for their bonus, assuming they even get one.

And these are not law school graduates doing the dirty work. Oftentimes they’ve got no degree at all, they don’t understand the concept of ethics, of consequences, it’s a team mentality, working a record is like war, and you don’t worry about collateral damage, but if there is some…

David Geffen famously refused to release music by the Geto Boys, who were signed to his label. Then again, this was before Geffen sold his label to Matsushita, he truly owned the company, it was his name on the records, and he felt responsibility.

No one at UMG built the label from scratch, everybody’s an employee. They’re detached. Furthermore, consolidation means there  are only three major companies, this conflict of interest was not an issue in the six majors world. But Universal’s market share is gigantic!

I don’t know the facts, they will be revealed at trial, assuming there ever is one, which is doubtful, these cases are always settled.

UMG’s response to the lawsuit doesn’t matter. All that matters is in the future, the brain dead worker bees will think twice about what they do. If there’s implied or possible danger, if rank falsehoods are distributed, they’re going to scratch their chins and maybe say they’ll sit this one out, maybe this record should be released independently. And, if they do get behind a record and there are consequences, they should be responsible for them.

Come on, was it foreseeable that there would be violence in the wake of the rap war, especially in light of the false accusations? OF COURSE! But Universal didn’t even contemplate this on its way to riches, or didn’t even care.

We live in a bizarre so-called democracy that’s supposed to be run by the rule of law, but even the Supreme Court is biased, untrustworthy, never mind hacks like Aileen Cannon. So why do you expect those further down the food chain to be worried about the legal system?

They’re not.

But unless we hold people and corporations responsible for their actions… And let’s not forget, the Supreme Court said corporations are people.

It doesn’t matter whether the labels skated in the past. In the present, is it all right to release and promote music that contains falsehoods that put others in danger?

Think about it.

One thing is for sure, as a result of this lawsuit the labels sure will be.