A Head Full of Wishes is a site for Galaxie 500, Luna, Damon & Naomi, Dean & Britta and Dean Wareham. With news, articles and lists of releases and past and future shows.
My record collection
#091: I Shot Andy Warhol
I think this was the first Luna appearance on a film soundtrack and their contribution is the opening track on this album of Music from and inspired by the motion picture - in Luna’s case it is from since their cover of Donovan’s Season of the Witch plays while some Warhol superstars are reading the classifieds in a diner.
I hadn’t seen the film since it was shown late at night on BBC over Christmas 1998 so thought it was probably about time I gave it another watch - it didn’t seem to be on any of the streaming platforms available to me but fortunately someone had uploaded a pretty low-res copy on YouTube so that was what I sat in front of my computer and watched the other night.
The film is OK, not great - although Lili Taylor is great and that, and the music, is what makes it watchable. The film tells the story of Valerie Solanas, a troubled young woman who arrives in New York City with her SCUM manifesto and a play that she thinks that Andy Warhol should produce. But Valerie’s mental-health problems and the way she is treated (or perceives she is being treated) ultimately lead her to carry out the action that is mentioned in the film’s title.
It’s pretty much a one-woman show and Lili Taylor’s performance is exceptional and convincing.
The music is also pretty good, although… no Velvet Underground - apparently Lou was concerned that it might glorify Valerie so wouldn’t give permission… he was wrong, but maybe the VU would have been a bit too on the money and therefore be distracting.
No VU however does mean we get the bonus of Yo La Tengo being a VU type band, and some other gems snuck into the soundtrack - some of which appear on this album - and some that should… looking at you Walk On By - and oddly the Love track on the album isn’t the Love track in the film… I guess rights!?
Luna’s Season of the Witch was released as a single (more on that later) and also had a video which had clips from the film, combined with a Luna performamce of the song, and Dean snogging a handsome young woman.
- Catalogue Number: AHFOW 10/047
- Artist: Various Artists
- Title: I Shot Andy Warhol - Music from and inspired by the motion picture
- Notes: Luna open the album with Season of the Witch
- Packaging: Jewel case
- Format: CD