Music, Moment, Machine

There used to be a show called "Man, Moment, Machine" on the History Channel.  This is "Music, Moment, Machine" around cars.  It's funny how a song and a car get linked, whether through a car commercial, TV, or just driving around listening to the radio.  

My first recollection of Music, Moment, Machine is the use of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" in the pilot for the "Miami Vice" TV show in 1984.  Crockett and Tubbs driving through the streets of Miami on the way to a drug bust, the night time shots of the Ferrari Daytona, and the neon Art Deco backdrop, left an indelible mark on my young psyche.  The use of music and cinematography to tell a story was groundbreaking and has been copied many time since.    

For those of you too young to remember when "Miami Vice" was the coolest show on the planet, you missed out.  I won't explain it, nor will I attempt to justify the pastel wardrobe.  There's nothing today I can compare it to.  You just had to be there.  

After college I bought a LeBaron convertible and looked for any excuse to make a top down run from Columbia, MO into Kansas City or St. Louis.  Cardinals playing the Cubs tonight?  Let's go!  Late night White Castle gut bombs?  No problem!  

At the time, the Allman Brother's "No One Left to Run With" constantly played on the radio.  It was an appropriate song since one by one, all my friends left Columbia.  Then I left too, leaving the LeBaron behind.  Even with its clean looks and ragtop, there was nothing special about the LeBaron.  But there was something special about the memories made in that car.  It was easy to jump in it with three friends and head somewhere for a night of adventure.  

The new Jaguar F Type coupled with Lana Del Rey's "Burning Desire" and set in Chile's Atacama desert is another such moment.  All three are featured in the short film/Jaguar advertisement "Desire", staring Damien Lewis.  I have weak knees for Jags and I'm a fan of Damien Lewis because of his work on "Band of Brothers", "Life", and "Homeland".  The short film is not "The Godfather" but it is a fun diversion with a solid plot, good acting, and beautiful scenery.