(terrific British actor) + (terrific British actor) = (hella crappy pop duo) [tag: Game of Thrones, Wire in the Blood, The Evil That Is Simon Cowell] The seemingly inexplicable existence of Robson & Jerome is old news to residents of the UK, but it recently came as a shock to *this* Yank. Twenty-some years ago, ITV broadcast Soldier Soldier, which can probably best be described as a military soap opera. While a number of well-known actors rotated through the cast during its seven-season run, the show is probably best remembered[1] for launching the acting [and, alas, singing] careers of Robson Green and Jerome Flynn. And -- like so much else that is wrong with popular music today -- the story involves Simon Cowell. The fourth season of Soldier Soldier included a Righteous Brothers-ish performance of Unchained Melody by Green and Flynn. After ITV was swamped with requests for the song -- and with encouragement and assistance from Cowell -- the duo released it as a single. ...the fastest-selling single of all time,[2] it turns out, selling over a million copies in less than a week and spending seven weeks at #1. Despite scathing critical reception -- viewed by critics as being devoid of artistic merit, sez Wikipedia -- Robson & Jerome would score two more #1 singles; their two studio albums, consisting entirely of covers, also went to #1. With music stardom beckoning, both actors left Soldier Soldier after Season Five; subsequently, the shows ratings plunged, and it was canceled the following year. Robson Green went on to produce and star in a number of well-known British productions (and for a while was Britains highest-paid television performer, a title now held by Simon Cowell[3]) -- most notably, in my opinion, the brilliant crime drama Wire in the Blood. After puttering along in a handful of roles, Jerome Flynn went dark for eight years, leaving acting and becoming a follower of, first, American guru Andrew Cohen and, later, Balinese guru Ratu Bagus. In 2010, he returned to the screen as Bronn in Game of Thrones; he also appears as Bennet Drake in Ripper Street. Far too many Robson & Jerome videos can be found on YouTube. Ive included my favorite, their cover [of course] of Up on the Rooftop. __________ 1. By those whove actually seen it, of course, and arent merely parroting what he read in Wikipedia. 2. In the UK, that is. 3. Even though distressing-sounding enough to be true, I actually made this up. However, Cowell *is* estimated to be the sixth-richest person in the British music industry. https://youtube/watch?v=r5V8ecsrxeY
Posted on: Tue, 10 Jun 2014 06:28:20 +0000
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