Tele-Ventures - The Ventures Perform the Great TV Themes - was released on a CD in 1996.
There are 25 tracks on this album. The total running time is about 67 minutes. The average running time for each track is more than two minutes and 30 seconds.
The CD comes with a booklet which you can take out. In the booklet there is a list with credits for each of the 25 tracks (three pages).
In addition, there is an essay about the album written by Steve Kolanjian (three pages).
At the end of his essay, we find the following message:
“This CD is dedicated to the memory of Ventures drummer Mel Taylor, who passed away during the production of this package. He will be missed.”
On this album, the Ventures play cover versions not of popular songs but of famous TV themes.
There is only one original Ventures composition here: track # 6 – Dick Tracy – which is written by the members of the band: Bob Bogle, Don Wilson, Nokie Edwards, and Mel Taylor.
In some cases, a TV theme is great, because it is catchy and harmonious. When it is played by the Ventures, it is sometimes better than the original.
In other cases, a TV theme is not so great. Even when it is played by the Ventures, it is still not so great.
We cannot blame the band for this. They do their best with every theme.
A big band appears in the background on nine tracks: # 1, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 22, 24 & 25. But in my opinion, this is not always a good idea.
It does not feel like the Ventures with a big band in the background.
I think the Ventures get the best results when they play alone, or when they have just a keyboard or a piano in the background.
Obviously, some tracks are better than others. I have divided them into four categories:
Category one
Four tracks deserve only two stars:
# 4, 11, 13 & 15.
Category two
Nine tracks deserve three stars:
# 1, 3, 14, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23 & 24.
Category three
Eight tracks deserve four stars:
# 6, 7, 8, 12, 19, 20, 22 & 25.
Category four
Four tracks deserve five stars:
# 02 – Secret Agent Man
# 05 – The Man from U.N.C.L.E.
# 09 – No Matter What Shape (Your Stomach’s in)
# 10 – Action
Let me add some information about some of the other tracks:
Track # 1 = Hawaii Five-O
This is the theme of an American police drama which ran on CBS for twelve seasons from 1968 to 1980. It was the longest running crime show on American television, until Law & Order surpassed it in 2003.
The Ventures recorded the theme in 1968, and it became a great hit for them in 1969.
In his essay Steve Kolanjian writes:
“The song helped the show in its rating (the show became the longest running crime series ever) and the show helped the song (The Ventures reached # 4).”
His statement about “the longest running crime series ever” was true when he made it in 1996.
The crime show was named after a fictional police unit on Hawaii, which is the 50th state of the US, but the last character of the title was written with the capital letter O.
In 2010, CBS started a remake of the series, and this time the title is Hawaii Five-0. This time the last character is written with a zero.
Track # 12 = Mission Impossible
This is the theme of a secret agent drama which ran from 1966 to 1973. A remake of the series ran from 1988 to 1990.
It is also the title of several movies starring Tom Cruise.
Here is the list of movies:
# 1. From 1996
# 2. From 2000
# 3. From 2006
# 4. From 2011 - Ghost Protocol
# 5. From 2015 - Rogue Nation
# 6. From 2018 - Fallout
# 7. From 2023 - Dead Reckoning (Part one)
# 8. Scheduled for June 2024 - Dead Reckoning (Part two)
Track # 22 = Charlie’s Angels
This is the theme of an action drama with several sexy detectives which ran from 1976 to 1981.
It is also the title of a movie which was released in the year 2000. A sequel, which has the title Full Throttle, was released in 2003.
When we are talking about an album with 25 tracks, we cannot expect each track to get a rating of five stars.
Even a dedicated fan (such as me) does not automatically like everything recorded by the Ventures.
Sometimes we are disappointed. Sometimes we want to ask: “Why in the world did the Ventures decide to record this tune?”
But when we are dealing with an album by the Ventures, we have high expectations. In most cases, they are fulfilled.
This case is no exception:
Tele-Ventures is a great album. The Ventures perform the Great TV Themes, and it is a great performance.
It is highly recommended.
*****
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