Rich Ashby

It’s tough at the top for Don Draper and Darth Vader

Wednesday, February 8th, 2012 at 5:17 pm

sterling cooper vader price from Dann Matthews on Vimeo.

Madison Avenue lothario Don Draper and super villain Darth Vader may initially seem to have little in common, but look a little closer and the similarities between both men are startling.

Lack of a Father figure
Draper’s back story is murky and his Father is a distant and mercurial figure.

Anakin lacks a traditional male role model, and despite Qui-Gon Jinn’s best efforts does go a bit off the rails to put it mildly.

Struggling to adapt to the modern world
The growth of Feminism and the beat generation are both sources of tension for the male chauvinistic Draper.

Vader is an advocate of top down management and doesn’t seem to realise that destroying Alderaan isn’t going to win you any friends in the long term.

Masters of reinvention
Draper stole the identity of a deceased Korean war colleague to become a slick and polished corporate executive.

Vader took a more radical route and had himself completely rebuilt after a bit of a skirmish with Obi-Wan Kenobi. Extreme makeover Sith style.

Winning friends and influencing people
All Draper needs to win a new pitch is a belt of Scotch and a few notes.

If things aren’t going his way Vader deploys the force grip. Certainly gets his point across in interminable meetings.

Both have a secret weapon
For Draper it’s his Kodak Carousel projector.

Vader prefers the Death Star.

Both are near the top of their organisation but are stymied by an intransigent boss
Roger Sterling blocks Draper’s progress at every turn.

Emperor Palpatine makes it fairly clear he’s calling the shots to Vader. I mean ‘what is they bidding my master?’ Really? That’s a tribunal waiting to happen…

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Fresh tracks

Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 3:38 pm

St Etienne are back after what seems like an age, with a superbly poppy single. It’s up to their usually high standards and is a confident blend of hooks, slightly wry lyrics and general loveliness. You can download it for free on their website.

On the slightly more intense end of the musical spectrum is the mean, moody and magnificent Touch by Holy Other. Definitely fair to say this is an earworm of a record and will burrow its way into your memory banks.

To round off for now, the wonderfully titled L’Equipe du Son remix of Beach by 80s Stallone is the uplifting tonic you need when the temperature around is dropping so rapidly.

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Dr Seuss + Darth Vader = festive cheer

Tuesday, December 13th, 2011 at 9:14 am

As it’s almost Christmas here’s a very cool mashup of two pop cultural icons; The Grinch and Darth Vader. Guaranteed to bring some festive cheer to even the most jaded Sith overlord.

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