Saturday, October 11, 2008

Graham Kerr: A Festive Occasion Just For You

The Galloping Gourmet
Freemantle Records, 1971

Almost anyone who grew up in the 70's remembers Graham Kerr, The Galloping Gourmet. Writer, performer, designer, Kerr managed to capture romance, fun and enthusiasm for food on his unusual ad-lib cookery shows which won him world-wide fame.

Graham Kerr would sprinkle his cooking teachings with great understated humor and cynicism. This album presents Kerr as instructor, poet and comedian. I challenge Martha Stewart to describe a "turgid ripping open of aluminum packets" or even just to use the term turgid as powerfully as Kerr. The album starts with Kerr explaining exactly how to create a top-notch menu for a "festive occasion" including recommending washing out the ashtrays "unless you are the type who will use the empty oyster shells". The first half of the album continues with Graham reading fan letters - including a note from a 82 year old woman who explains how Kerr's tight pants are not sexy and how she feels sorry for how uncomfortable he must be. The first half finishes up with him yucking it up with his "spicy stories".

The second half of the album is a Kerr-picked selection of music, perfect for any festive occasion. Just in case you need to create this outstanding, fantastically festive dinner the LP includes all the recipes in the liner notes.

"May you have good coffee and good company above all else" - Graham Kerr

learn to be festive with Graham Kerr

2 comments:

Henry Warwick said...

Alan-

How are you doing this?

Are you using pop/noise reduction? If so, what and how much and how?

I have bunchies of similar records I want to bring into the digital light of day, but I am uncertain as to how to proceed.

your advice is welcome.

HW

Alan Herrick said...

I'm using a USB turntable with my mac - no special software beyond Amadeus. So far I am not pop or hiss reducing but there are plugins - the new sony usb turntable is pretty cool there are others that include software (Sony only has windows software included)