Having tried and failed to secure the job of scoring the Hollywood blockbuster Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (which Beta narrowly missed out on to John Williams), been through two messy divorces and unsuccessfully challenged former band member Nilesh McDuff-Cruz in the courts (McDuff-Cruz had broken away from Beta and begun touring as Nilesh McDuff-Cruz’s Chalk Mice), Max Beta had fallen on hard times by the early Eighties.

A lifeline appeared in 1984, however, when Fabio Polonini asked Beta to score his forthcoming movie, The Curse of the Serpent God. An Italian/Mongolian co-production, the film centred around the desert-based exploits of a leather-hatted, whip-toting archeologist and his quest to rescue near mythical artifacts from the Nazis.

Polonini had dabbled in various genres and gave us among many others Cannibal Surfers (1973), Fear The Sound Of The Nun (1971) and the spaghetti western Fifty Two Ingots For Johnny Earwax (1969) under the pseudonym Lance Kincaid.

The Curse of the Serpent God was set in Tunisia, filmed near Ulan Bator and edited at Bumblozitti studios in Rome. The shoot was beset with problems such as the male lead Alfred Collins (real name Alfredo Collinso) coming down with a rare case of Pushchair Syndrome and one of the stuntmen being looked at by a yak. 

Beta wrote the score for the movie at his then home in Java, and flew in all 126 members of the Chalk Mice to record in his own studio on the island. This in itself was a huge financial and logistical challenge, made worse by tabla player Maude “Elsie” Eccles falling from a Dakota DC-3’s cargo hold over Manila. Elsie never played again, to be replaced by Beta go-to musician Dave Copperhead, who also provides guitars on the piece.

The soundtrack to The Curse of the Serpent God was recorded in only two days and went on to be regarded as one of Beta’s finest efforts, while restoring him to financial health. As has been well documented, this was a mixed blessing as the funds from the project were mainly responsible for his purchase of a vast array of synthesisers and subsequent slip into electronic versions of colliery brass band classics.

The final sad chapter of this story saw most of the film’s soundtrack go missing, never to be found. Thanks to a recent discovery, however, the music from the iconic escape scene is available on Bath Toy Records and reproduced here with permission. We’ll perhaps leave the final word to renowned film critic Gorgal Windsor, who said:

“...Max Beta's pulsating score really makes the film, and is an essential purchase for hardcore fans of Italian exploitation music!”. 

A fitting tribute to all those who lost their lives or were injured in the making of the music for The Curse of the Serpent God.

The Curse Of The Serpent God (Escape Scene)

On The Lookout

A story of how confusing it often is when in a relationship and you're trying to understand whether the person you're interested in is actually really interested in you (or not) and the sometimes confusing messages and interpretations of actions that occurs.

So Confused

Thank you to the following:

•	Ellen McGennisken – on piano.
•	Simone McGennisken  - on vocals and co-author of the lyrics.
•	Danny McGennisken – on drums, acoustic guitars, MIDI keyboard/strings and for collaborating on the final mix.

Angel Face

Step Ladder

A mix of funk and rock - really pushed the slap bass and brass and guitar.

Labyrinth

Written and performed by Max Beta & The Chalk Mice, featuring Dave Copperhead on guitars. Mastered by Herb Greenside.

Talk Wrench

The 20 year old Singer-Songwriter Lara Samira from Berlin will release her new single ‘Something I Can’t Fake’ on February 12 on Dutch Indie label Toukan Records. The perfect Valentine’s song that makes you smile.
 
The song was recorded during the first lockdown in the Netherlands due to COVID-19, in March 2020. Social distancing and isolation have been a mental challenge but this just made her more ambitious to release her new single ‘Something I Can’t Fake’ hoping to bring some light and sparkle with Valentine’s Day in these dark times.
 
Lara, known for her participation on The Voice Of Germany, explains that her new single is honest and cheesy, but that’s what makes it so authentic. The song was written with pure happiness. ”Occasionally, my lyrics are as clear as looking through glass window panes and come straight from the heart- “something I can’t fake”. Like most of Lara Samira’s songs, this one came to life during one of her solo writing sessions in her own little bubble, her bedroom. “I love to include lyrics with hidden messages for myself! I might have done this with ‘Something I Can’t Fake’ too.
 
This is Lara’s first release on Toukan Records, led by producer Roulsen and songwriter Marcia Sondeijker hailing from Utrecht, The Netherlands, known for collaborating with Dutch artists Maan and rapper Sven Alias, Eurovision artists Tamta and Kristin Husøy.

OUT ON TOUKAN RECORDS ON FEBRUARY 12, 2021  PRE SAVE: https://sym.ffm.to/larasamira_somethingicantfake

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Angel Face

DavidJM

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