A BELATED POST ABOUT "HOMICIDE - LIFE ON THE STREETS"

I read in the New York Times that “Homicide - Life On the Street” is streaming on Peacock. We might be signing up for that! Back in 1997, Love Riot played ourselves busking in a station for the opening scenes of "The Subway" episode with Vincent D’Onofrio and the incredible cast. It was quite the experience for us. The show had used a few of our songs in other episodes during bar scenes, but it was a thrill to play ourselves doing our song "Killing Time." Drummer Ron Campbell and I also had speaking lines. Some moments I remember: playing music quietly in between filming and chatting with David Simon; watching the special effects team try to make the actual crime scene look real - it took many takes until everyone was happy; being so star struck it was hard for me to say a few simple lines; filming my close-up at 5:45am, the last shot of the day; re-recording our song "Killing Time" at the police headquarters in the fictional "police precinct" on Thames Street in Fells Pt., just to get that live sound. We were honored to be part of such a great show.

Here's an excerpt from the New York Times. Find the entire review in this week's Watching section:

"Pop the champagne, ring the bells, dance the jigs, cancel all other plans: A time of great rejoicing is here. “Homicide: Life on the Street,” one of the greatest shows in TV history, is finally streaming (on Peacock). So long we wandered in darkness, begging for its return. How we lamented its absence while the years rolled by, our cries growing louder and more sorrowful. But now at last we feast.

“Homicide” debuted in 1993 with a tense, inventive nine-episode first season. Executive produced by Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and Paul Attanasio, and based on the book by David Simon, the show often has a jangly, jumpy feel. Its instantly recognizable bloopy phones ring-ring in the background, and quick and distinctive edits keep the rhythm unpredictable — as if scenes were following the cadence of thoughts, not the cadence of shows. The series blends gallows humor and cynicism with operatic emotion and soaring monologues, and the signature interrogation scenes play out like seductions, like battles, like debates, like dances.

The show is set in Baltimore and feels true to time and space in a way network cop shows no longer do. Everything is kind of grimy, yellowing before our eyes from the omnipresent cigarette smoke and general neglect, and you can hear how deflated the cushions on the chairs are at the precinct house..."