There are two reasons I’m having a hard time concentrating at the moment… and for several recent moments leading up to this one.
The first is a general lack of sleep and a slow switching of my sleeping schedule. That’s not really new, but aggravating nonetheless.
The second is an abrupt change in what I’ve been drinking. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve been cutting way back on the diet pop (root beer), and increasing my juice intake.
But somehow, over the past ten days, I’ve managed to up my daily liquid intake from 2L of pop, 4L of 1%milk, 6-8L of water and 1L of orange juice to nearly 8L of apple juice, 4L of 1%milk, 2L of orange juice and 6L of water.
Then, over the weekend, the pop started getting back into the liquid diet… which became ridiculous even by my drinking standards.
So, except for the milk and water, it’s all gone. It’s been three days. I do feel weird. That’s a lot of sugar to take out of a diet all at once. I’ve spent a lot of time just sort of hanging around, waiting for something… like the energy to make a decision.
One of the things I did manage to accomplish, was remembering the name of the villain in an animated movie I’ve only seen once, and that was back when I was a kid: Mok.
The movie was a 1983 Canadian animated movie called “Rock & Rule”… it’s kind of like a more coherent version of “Heavy Metal”, yet another classic Canadian animated film featuring sex, drugs, Satan and heaving bosoms.
Mok fucked me up when I was a kid. The guy looks like a vampire Mick Jagger and has Lou Reeds’ voice, and when he does drugs it’s your perception of him that gets distorted…
And he has what has to be the most ominous theme song in all of movie creation…
My name is Mok, thanks a lot
I know you love the thing I got
You’ve never seen the likes of me
Why, I’m the biggest thing since World War III
My name is Mok, and I’m on fire
I’m the match and I’m the pyre
I’m the voodoo black musician priest
Why, I’m the greatest thing since World War III
I’m the power Sodom used on Lot
I am the pillar, ha-ha-ha-ha, I am the snake
I’m the beat that makes you shake
I am the killer, I am the source
And you will worship me, of course
I’m the oracle, I’m the seer, the wit
There is no question that I am It…
“My Name Is Mok”, ‘Rock & Rule Soundtrack’; Lou Reed, 1983.
It’s my understanding… by which I mean I’ve done no real research, but this is the movie where “Evil spelled backwards is Live, and you want to Live… don’t you?” either was uttered first, or popularized.
Even if that’s bullshit, and it might be — I have no sugar in my system right now, it’s definitely the coolest moment it’s ever been used.
This is taken straight from the movie, it’s Mok / Mick Jagger / Satan singing his theme song, then getting high and explaining Good v. Evil to one of his henchman… who may or may not be David Bowie.
The entire movie is available on YouTube in ten minute segments, but the bastard who uploaded it won’t let people embed it in our blogs. So if you want to see it, and you really really should, just follow the link… [link].
The soundtrack includes music from Cheap Trick, Debbie Harry, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop and Earth, Wind & Fire. Awefuckingsome.
If you’re interested, and you really should be, I wrote a review of Heavy Metal over on my Other site. It’s pretty fucking cool.
So my questions for you on this sacred No Post Day are:
1. Outside of any religious teachings, when was the first time you recognized ‘Satan’ as a character in popular culture? I think mine might actually have been in comic books.
2. What’s your favourite pre-1990 animated movie?
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01
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...salted lithium. 
1)Spanish Train and Other Stories is the second album by Chris de Burgh, released by A&M Records in 1975.
“Far away, in some recess,
The Lord and the Devil are now playing Chess.
The Devil still cheats and wins more souls,
as for the Lord – he’s just doing his best.”
2) cant remember any
the last unicorn. or the hobbit.
which both freaked me out. and i don’t think i actually like them. but they’re the most memorable.
Awesome selection Mark… I had no idea the song was that old, I picked up the cassette in 1985 (I think… definitely 85 or 86), I think I played it every night for a year. “Spanish Train”, “Patricia the Stripper” and “A Spaceman Came Travelling” really helped me with my creative writing during that period.
Both excellent choices, Yo. I was given the LOTR series, and The Hobbit, by my mom’s then boyfriend back in 1982. In the situation I grew up in there was a conscious effort to not teach the kids anything about religion — specifically Christianity, so it took me a few years of reading LOTR before I got the Christian references. The ‘good v. evil’ stuff I picked up on right away, of course, just not the representations of God, Satan, Jesus, etc.
…are you telling me neither of you saw The Jungle Book? That was an awesome pre-1990 animated movie — Mom keeps telling me it was my first movie. You should both try Robert Crumb’s 1972 masterpiece, ‘Fritz The Cat’… sex, drugs, nudity, bestiality (the characters are all anamorphic animals who have sex and take drugs and beat up cops). It’s a whole lotta awesome.
You can watch Fritz in ten minute chunks on YouTube, starting here [link].
You can also watch another Canadian animated movie about the Devil, it’s a made-for-TV 30 minute piece called ‘The Devil and Daniel Mouse’. It’s from 1978, and it was the genesis of Rock & Rule.
1. The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Charlie Daniels–at least that is the most accurate I can think of right now.
2. The Hobbitt, I think. Sounds good anyway.
I remember seeing this film. I remember not liking it at all.
The SF holocaust film they did that only featured the music of Rush was not much better.
I have no idea when I first recognized Satan. And pre-80s? Dunno. The one where Bugs Bunny fought Hitler?
Howdy bromac… gotta love the Charlie Daniels, he did a Geico commercial recently where he played some of “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”, very funny.
I think you mean the original animated Lord Of The Rings… which I couldn’t watch when I was a kid because it was just too messed up.
Thankfully Justin, time heals all wounds. Even the ones which force you to hate whitey. I don’t like some of the main characters, like Omar, but the overall feel of the movie, and it’s inherent coolness, makes up for the whiny-ness of Omar.
If you can remember anything about the “SF holocaust” Rush movie, let me know.
…and if you watch Rock & Rule again I’ll give you $32 and a Big Sugar CD if you find the moose wearing a toque and a winter jacket with a Canadian flag on the back. Double dog dare you.
Funny how much of this stuff is based on Faust… R&R, Devil Went Down To Georgia, The Devil and Daniel Mouse… I think I’ve seen and read every version of Faust except the original.
Turns out it wasn’t a Nelvana production, it was by another company. It was really, really bad, though.
The Body Electric .