Looking through some old 2000AD covers today, and I saw this;
which reminded me of this;
which led me to think - did George Lucas read the galaxys greatest comic???
By the way - does anyone out there own a Cosmic Wars Watch?
You can view all the marvellous 2000AD covers ever published here.
I went through a break up with a girl in the spring of 1995. The day after it happened, I heard this track for the first time, and things were (almost) better again. As uplifting as the best Soul music can be, this stomper got into the charts in March 1995, and eventually got as high as number 9. It was the Boo Radleys finest hour, and as close as any British white indie band from Cheshire (or anywhere else) ever got to perfecting that beating rhythm that propelled the best Northern Soul and Motown tracks. The lyrics merely re-emphasise the beauty in the stirring music, shouting at you 'isn't it great to be alive???';
Wake up it's a beautiful morning
Feel the sun shining for your eyes
Wake up it's so beautiful
For what could be the very last time
The Boo Radleys very own Northern Soul anthem still sounds fresh because it is a classic pop song, its exuberance and infectious rhythm never outstaying its welcome.
The Boo Radleys at Wikipedia
BBC Interview with Martin Carr of the Boo Radleys
Review of 'Wake Up!', the album from whence the single came
The lyrics for 'Wake Up Boo!'
'A Fututristic Film of Survival'.
As the title suggests, this film is set in the year 3000, where the world, post-nuclear apocalypse, is all desert and it has not rained for years. As in Mad Max 2, a film it slavishly copies, there is a precious resource that the survivors covet. In this film that resource is not gasoline - it's clean water. I don't understand why they set it in the year 3000, when other Italian post-apocalypse movies of the time had more realistic 'futuristic' settings ('2019: After The Fall of New York' is the first example that comes to mind). The film was produced in 1983, and has all the standard features of these types of movies;
a) heavily customised vehiicles (usually involving grills and spikes),
b) everyone wearing leather or looking like they were in the Olivia Newton-John 'Physical' video and then didnt wash for 5 years,
c) the 'hero' being of dubious morality
d) car and truck chases
e) a fantastic video cover!! (see top of the page for proof)
It may sound like I don't like this movie. That would be wrong. I just dont think its a great 'Mad Max 2' rip-off, but even poor versions of the George Miller original have their qualities. Its engaging enough at times, with some great vehicular action scenes and cheesy dialogue to get through its 100 minute runtime. You can spot all the Mad Max 2 influences throughout the film. That should keep you busy as well. It has the look of a low budget cash-in, and that is all it is, but if you are willing to give your brain a rest, you could do far worse.
It does not appear to be available on DVD yet, though it is available on ebay from time to time on VHS PAL or NTSC formats. Is it worth it? Depends if you are a completist on this sort of stuff. I watched it in the mid eighties and thought it was okay, and then found it at a boot sale in Yorkshire in the late nineties on VHS and watched it and thought it was pretty poor. I have recently watched it a thrid time and thought it was a good laugh. I'd give it a 'positive' 5 out of 10. However, if you are just starting on this stuff, and haven't watched Mad Max 2 before, then watch that, not this! That film is definitive, and spawned the likes of this film.
Links
IMDB entry for the film
Great post-apocalypse film site with review of this film
Another great post-apocalypse film site deals with this film
A site dedicated to Mad Max movies discusses the films imitators
The May edition of Mojo has arrived. I dont get the same excitement from receiving it that I did a couple of years ago, but that is probably more to do with me than the quality of Mojo, which is generally very good. It's just that now I get more of a buzz from holding the latest issues of 'Walking Dead' or 'Infinite Horizon' in my hands.
Anyway, Mojo can still produce fantastic issues full of articles that I want to read and this month is one of them - there is a big article on The Specials and The Black Keys, both well written, informative and great photos. In the 'Ask Fred' section, where there is a regular section on music resources on the internet, a short piece can send you into Indie raptures. That is, if you were an Indie fan between 1980 and 1989, then you really should check this out;
http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indi
ehits/
it is the online version of a book that Cherry Red publishes. Compiled by the late Barry Lazell, this is an exhaustive but thoroughly enjoyable resource cataloguing the Indie hits between 1980 and 1989. To clarify, this was at a time when the Indie charts were a seperate entity, detailing the burgeoning 'DIY' scene that incoporated such disparate talents as The Smiths, Dead Kennedys, Toyah & Half Man Half Biscuit (and so many more). For example, here is the first and last Indie number ones of the 1980s;
Where’s Captain Kirk? - Spizzenergi
Getting Away With It - Electronic
There's an A-Z section covering all the bands whoever had an entry in the charts, and various stats lists (artists with most weeks at no.1, longest chart runs by albums).
As a child I would read Smash Hits (my first issue had David Sylvian on the cover, posing in a raincoat with a brolly). In Smash Hits they had the Indie top 10, and the summer of 1981 had such exotic entries as 'Neu Smell' by Flux Of Pink Indians. I would try to impress my primary school companions with this knowledge, but they were not impressed. Maybe I can try the same trick with my work colleagues now I have this resource available online? If nothing else, it will probably jog my memory on some of the stuff I have forgtten about after I embraced Indie (from about 1986 onwards). For example, Bands like Bob;
BOB
London-based guitar-pop quartet noted for their sharp songwriting, jointly fronted by vocalist/guitarists Richard Blackborow and Simon Armstrong, along with Jem Morris (bass) and Dean Leggett (drums).
Singles
KIRSTY (Sombrero OMBRER 2) (12" only) 17 2 11/6/88
ESMERELDA BROOKLYN (House Of Teeth HOT 003) 12 2 28/10/89
from http://www.cherryred.co.uk/books/indiehits/b.htm
You see, I have learned something already - the only single I have by Bob is called 'Convenience', and it obviously never made the charts. That is an injustice that I doubt we can fix with an online petition.
Links;
Cherry Red Records
Mojo Magazine
You might also be interested in indie-mp3 keeping the faith and preserving Indie & obscure peel sessions!
Released in the early spring of 2001, 'Since I left you', by the Melbourne collective The Avalanches is simply the most glorious, uplifting song you could possibly want to hear as you emerge from the gloom of winter. Its *ahem* like the sun bursting out from grey skies. The video is as glorious as the song;
The single even managed to get into the UK top 20, reaching a respectable no.16 in April 2001. (Source - www.everyhit.com)
The album it came from, also called 'Since I left you', was a work of great invention, created from over 3500 samples - and pretty much nothing else. The album is a great party album, and there is a lovely segue from the opener ('Since i left you') to the bassline from Madonnas' 'Holiday' that introduces the second track, 'Stay another season'. The Avalanches were the first artists to get permission to sample the work of Madonna, and they use that sample to great effect. There are reviews of the album in the links section below.
The Avalanches Official Site (they used to run a great t-shirt club there, but not any more - shame).
The Avalanches on Wikipedia
Metacritic reviews of the album, 'Since I Left You'
A review of the album on the BBC site
BBC article on press reviews of The Avalanches debut album
A few months back I posted the cover art for The Walking Dead #47, 48 & 49. I talked about the frenzied anticipation that the 'No-one is safe' story arc generated, and applauded the raw emotion displayed on each cover. They (the covers, drawn by Charlie Adlard) really do justice to this fantastic series. You can find that post here. Now we know the final issue of 'No-one is safe' is with us next week, and the cover has been amended slightly, but significantly;
What significance is there in posing Rick on the cover? Does this mean that Rick isn't a zombie after all (as suggested by the cover of #49)? Could it be that the covers from #49 onward are red herrings and Rick is the only survivor from the prison siege??? We know this has happened before, with the Image solicitations for September 2007 showing this cover for Walking Dead #43 (see here);
when all they wanted to do was keep the return of The Governer a secret - and here he is, on the real issue 43 cover;
It's another week of anxious waiting...........
Dont know a lot about the show - it was a short-lived Aaron Spelling series from the 70's. Not even sure if we got to see it in the U.K. The main reason I am posting this is becasue of the FANTASTIC theme music. A version of this, by the group Rhythm Heritage, got to No.1 on the US billboard chart in 1976. Its an uptempo funky classic with a real urgency about it. It got sampled by Lauren Hill on 'Sweetest Thing' and The Prodigy on 'Funky Shit'. For more information, check out the links here and here
More about Rhythm Heritage
You can get 'Theme From SWAT' by Rhythm Heritage on this fine album and find out a bit more info on DJ Pogo here
SWAT the TV series at Wikipedia (not much information on there to be honest)
Someone called SuperFuzz has put together a good mix of early hip hop classics including 'Schools Out' by Mekon feat. Schooly D, which samples 'Theme from SWAT'. Well worth listening too, he also gives a tracklisting and some observations. Here's the link;
http://superfuzz.podomatic.com/entry/2008-01-02T08_03_35-08_00
Oh my gosh. As the Kirkman/Adlard Zombie epic 'The Walking Dead' rushes breathlessly to the closing stages of its latest story arc, we have 3 future issues to speculate over. At least we know one thing with these future covers - Image are still going to be publishing The Walking Dead beyond the 'No-one is safe' arc (as if it was in doubt). Currently at issue 47, with 48 due in the next couple of weeks, we have seen deaths of major characters in a way that is probably unprecedented for a major comic book series. Kirkman is unafraid to challenge readers perceptions of what a comic book delivers. The cliffhanger from issue 47 suggests a shocking denouement to 'No-one is safe' that will radically alter the relationship dynamics between the surviving characters, and thrust some of the cast onto the centre stage. It is all very exciting, and I can honestly say that it is the best comic book on the market right now, even better than 100 Bullets or The Exterminators or The Goon.
I care about this book, its a monthly(ish) highlight, and when you have spent the 15 minutes or so reading it, you immediately want more. Those readers who just get the trades really miss an important element of the series - the fantastic cliffhangers, followed by the next issue cover printed on the inside back cover, which gives way to the longing for the next issue/fix (can last 3 weeks, can be 2 months, but is always painful in the best possible way).
Anyway, as I did in a post a few months back, let us look at the great work Charlie Adlard does with the cover art;
Issue 50
Brilliant - a gatefold cover that really hammers home the peril that Carl is in. As in the previous issues cover, Kirkman & Adlard are strongly suggesting that Rick Grimes' young son is going to be the focus of the next few issues at least. He appears to be surrounded and alone, but his posture suggests strength and maturity. He has certainly learned well from his dad on how to hold a pistol correctly, as a wave of the undead bear down on him. Who else would think to put a kid with a pistol on the cover of a 'mature readers' comicbook - and get away with it?
Issue 51
Zombie attack from the P.O.V. of the soon-to-be-victim. What we can assume from issues 50 & 51 is that the zombies are BACK. Away from the 'safety behind bars', we are being assured that regardless of the end of the last story arc, no-one is safe. Whoever belongs to those hands is certainly not safe. The perspective here, seeing the attack from the point of view of the victim, is in marked contrast to the top down view of issue 50, where we have a full view of Carl and can see his determined posture. The perspective shown in issue 51 is another recurring motif of the series - the 'tease' cover. In issue 49, Rick is shown in a shambling Zombie type pose, his face obscured by shadow, the suggestion being he is infected. We are 'teased' with the suggestion that the hero is with us, but in a radically altered way. With issue 51 we know that someone is about to be devoured by the undead, but who is it? The fact there are two hands outstretched in a defensive pose certainly rules out Rick.......
Issue 52
Probably the most intriguing and thrilling of all three of the covers. We can now assume that Carl survives the onslaught from issue 50.... Apart from that, what I love about this cover is the tease - it looks like the Katana that belongs to Michonne, and whoever is holding it looks to be threatening Carl (the tightly clenched fist around the Katanas handle, the way the blade seems to be raised towards the young boy). Who could it be? The Governer? Michonne? If it's Michonne, why would she be threatening Carl? You can see Rick Grimes son put his hand over his gun, but the facial expression, though one of surprise, is not one of fear....
So many questions. These covers, superbly rendered by Ardlard, pose as many questions as the clues they give us to what could be happening in the future. With Kirkman seemingly on top of things with publishing deadlines on this series, we should find the answers to all these things and more in the next few months.
Walking Dead covers 1 to 30
The Walking Dead at Wikipedia
Robert Kirkmans site
The Return of Resi
Released in 2000 as an exclusive for the Sega Dreamcast, Resident Evil: Code Veronica was the fourth entry in Capcoms Resident Evil series. The game is set three months after the events that occured during Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 - Nemesis. The plot takes the player from the besieged Raccoon City and into a whole new environment - Rockfort Island, an Island owned by the Umbrella Corporation. As the game progresses the latter sections of the game take place in a transport terminal in Antarctica owned by Umbrella.
The game begins with heroine Claire Redfield raiding an Umbrella Corporation facility in Paris after having left Leon and Sherry in search of her lost brother. This is the scenario of the intro film, which makes for one hell of an action scene;
particularly love the bit where Claire 'surrenders' and then it all goes John Woo as she drops to the ground, collects the falling gun and fires past the crowd into a load of canisters - KA-BOOM!!!
Links!!!
Wikipedias entry for the Code Veronica game
IGN reviews the Dreamcast version here
This blog mentions playing the Code Veronica game on the Dreamcast, and is generally an entertaining read about the Sega console - http://the-dreamcast-junkyard.blogspot.com/2007/11/stars-resident-evil-3.html
The Return of Wesker
One of the biggest draws of this game is the return of the indominable Albert Wesker, missing presumed dead since the original Resident Evil. Wesker is as synonymous with the series as Chris & Claire Redfield and Leon S Kennedy. To mark this event, and to promote the release of Code Veronica X on the Playstation 2, Weskers Report, a short film, was released. See below;
Wesker's Report
To promote the release of Code: Veronica X, as well as to commemorate the series' fifth anniversary, Capcom produced a fictional documentary titled Wesker's Report. The documentary was available as a DVD-Video that came bundled with the PlayStation 2 and Dreamcast versions of the game in Japan, given as a pre-order bonus in North America and bundled with the game in PAL regions. The DVD was also sold in North America via Capcom's online store at one time.
As the title indicates, the documentary serves as a retelling of the events of the first three games, as narrated by Albert Wesker. The documentary serves to explain Wesker's return in Code: Veronica and how he came to be hired by the new organization. In addition, it also reveals that the character was a former lab partner of William Birkin and that he was in league with Ada Wong (an agent of the same organization) during the events of Resident Evil 2.
A non-spoken written sequel to this documentary, titled Wesker's Report II, was released via Capcom's official site (in Japanese and English) to promote the GameCube remake of the original Resident Evil.
There is also a Debriefing report in the Code Veronica X strategy guide by Prima
Source - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resident_evil_code_veronica#Wesker.27s_Report
Here it is in full;
Following on from my Star Fleet piece, here is the theme tune, written by Paul Bliss, so click here for a piece of Puppet Sci-fi nostalgia
After the retirement of the mighty Tiswas in the spring of 1982, there was a gaping hole in the Saturday morning ITV childrens schedule (this was at a time when the
whole of Saturday mornings were given over to the kids). Although the main replacement in the Autumn of that year was The Saturday Show (initially called Big Daddys Saturday Show, although the famous Wrestler rarely featured), it was the half hour slot prior to the 'main feature' that is (certainly by me, probably by many others) remembered with much fondness and affection.
Star Fleet (aka X-Bomber (Xボンバー, Ekkusu Bonbā?) was a Japanese Tokusatsu puppet animation serial, originally aired in Japan in 1980 & 1981. A Star Wars derivative, its influences ranged from the George Lucas space saga through to the Gerry Anderson 'Supermarionation' productions with the spirit of the Saturday morning serials of the early 20th Century, such as Flash Gordon. It ran for a total of 26 episodes, and each episode ended with a preview of the next episode, hence the saturday morning serials comparison. The comparisons with Gerry Anderson are valid, though the diferences are apparent - whereas the classic 'Supermarionation' such as Thunderbirds and Captain Scarlet used puppets on strings, the Star Fleet puppets were rod controlled, so the characters were generally seen from the waist up.
The story was a fairly generic sci-fi romp, the scenario outlined here;
"The year is 2999 and the Earth is at peace following the Space Wars. The tranquility of the human race is ensured by Earth Defense Force (EDF). Shortly before the turn of the fourth millennium the peace is broken by the appearance of a gigantic alien battle cruiser. Powerless to defend itself, the EDF's Pluto base is completely destroyed and the evil Commander Makara reveals the same fate awaits the Earth unless the mysterious F-Zero-One is handed over to her.
Oblivious to the existence of F-Zero-One, and fearful of Makara's terrible retribution, the EDF presses into action a new and untested weapon, the X-Project from its hidden moon-base.
The series then follows the adventures of the crew of the X-Bomber, namely Doctor Benn, Shiro Hagan, Barry Hercules, John Lee, PPA (Perfectly Programmed Android), Lamia and her guardian Kirara, as they discover the nature of the F-Zero-One and try to protect it from the increasingly desperate and unstable Makara and her demanding overlord, the 'Imperial Master'."
taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X_Bomber
It was incredibly exciting. In much the same way that the Thunderbirds pilot episode 'Trapped In The Sky' set up a thrilling action set-piece that really made you want more, Star Fleet serves up a brilliantly staged spaceship assault on a moon base. The pace is frenetic and it really did demand my young teenage attention. Every Saturday morning was now a Star Fleet event, the preview of the next episode whetting the appetite. Here is an example;
Next Episode Voiceover (accompanied by clips of the forthcoming show
"X-Bomber is escorting a convoy of freighters through the Asteroid Belt where several craft have disappeared. The Imperial battle cruiser sets a trap and lures them into the gaseous seas of Jupiter. Is there any way out for Doctor Benn and his crew..? Don't miss the next episode of Star Fleet!"
taken from http://www.starfleetxbomber.com/episodes/03.htm
Star Fleet was not afraid to kill of major characters either, something that gave the programme a uniquely emotional edge over other childrens programmes at the time (with the notable exception of Grange Hill). It was great and I have many happy memories of me and my siblings really excited about watcing it every Saturday morning, and compiling videotapes of the episodes, watching them over and over again. Star Fleet got repeated a year or two later on Central and I watched them all again. Geek. Anyway, here's an overview of the main characters.............I know it sounds like I am taking the piss, but its affectionate humour, and they are only puppets
Main Characters
Shiro Hagen - the hero, but sort of Luke Skywalker in 'A New Hope' drippy. Good looking (but who wouldnt be standing next to Jon Lee?) and the pilot of the X-Bomber.
Barry Hercules - he had a burgeoning Afro made of sponge, and ATTITUDE. If your preference was Han Solo (like crying when he hit the freezing chamber in Empire Strikes Back) then Barry Hercules was your guy. One of the good guys, the weapons specialist on the X-Bomber (operating the DAI-X torso).
John Lee - despite nearly having the same name as the lead singer of Imagination, sounding permanently nasal and looking like a ginger friar, John Lee was another of the X-Bomber co-pilots (and operating the legs of DAI-X). He was the calm lake next to the raging sea that was Barry Hercules.
Lamia - sort of like Princess Leia, but without the balls. Simpering and pretty ineffective until she turns out to be the GODDAMN SAVIOUR OF THE UNIVERSE or something. What was that all about? Had an angry albino wookie-type bodyguard called Kiarara, speaking of which....probably the 'wookie' element in the show. Turns out that 'Kirara' is actually a little used female Japanese name, and there was also another manga and anime character called Kirara. It says so here. 
Commander Makara - doing the bidding of the Imperial Master in a crazy spaceship. She had an eye patch that talked! In the Japanese version, she was known as Bloody Mary, which sounds fantastic and suits her much better. She had a high, scratchy voice in the show, which suited her maniacal tendencies.
Dr. Benn - the Obi-Wan (Ben) Kenobi to Shiros Luke, he is the wise older man, and X-Bomber is his project. 
PPA - aka perfectly programmed android. There had to be droids, yeah?? Even more annoying than Lamia. Had a voice a bit like K-9 and really got on Barry Hercules tits. Looked a bit like a pacman if it had mated with Michael Knights car KIT, or better still, a Grandstand munchman handheld console like this one;
Other Characters
Captain Orion - a really crap sidekick for the splendid Makara - how did he rise through the ranks?? He dithers, he would rather run than fight and has a strangulated pattern of speech similair to bobcat goldthwaite in police academy...
General Kyle - leader of the EDF (Earth Defence Force). Spoke with a deep voice and authority. Had a grey beard. That'a all I can remember.
Captain Carter - Shiros mentor, he is an interesting character who, although not a major part, has an exciting part to play in the show. Had ginger hair - so much ginger hair in that show.........
Captain Halley - leader of the mysterious Skull (a silver sailboat in space!) who helps the F Zero One understand their true destiny.....
Caliban - another of the Imperial Masters evil henchmen, this one looks a bit like Locke from Lost, spreayed silver with a weird mini-telescope appendage on one eye. An evil inventor, manages to cause death and destruction in his brief appearances toward the end of the show.
The Imperial Master - the BIG BAD guy. Think 'emperor' and 'star wars', except this dude is bigger than planets.... so why, when he was that big, did he need Makara & co to go after F Zero One??
Termoids - the stormtroopers / cylons etc of the show. As the name suggests, they were insect-type droids. One or two of the Lego Bionicle Barraki collection look a little bit like the Termoids.
The Ships
The X-Bomber, looked a bit like a giant X-Wing Fighter (again with the Star Wars comparisons!!) with a sort of Giraffe neck and Snake head going on at the end. Big ship, big weapon.
Makaras ship, the Cruiser, looked a bit like a bald stoned cat after being attacked by a group of porcupines....
Star Fleet on DVD
For years I have wanted to get my hands on this show again. There are Youtube clips, and you can get VCD copies off of ebay (of the US version, which is slightly truncated). Apparently, and this is incredibly exciting news, Fabulous Films have gained the rights to release Star Fleet on DVD in the UK, and it is going to be the UK cut as well. The fabulous film site is here, and they have lots of other goodies as well (Fabulous Cities of Gold, Monkey, The Water Margin). So then we can enjoy this sort of stuff on DVD!!! Here's Shiro, Ben & John Lee combining the Head, Torso & Legs of DAI-X to rip apart an enemy base!!!
Finally, lots and lots of links! There are a few pictures that I have borrowed from these sites, so I would like to thank them for allowing me to use them. In particular, Star Fleet X-Bomber - I would have contacted you to get permission to use your great scans, but there is no mail contact!
Fan site SFXB
Fan site Big DAI-X
Fan site Star Fleet X-Bomber
Fan site DAI-X junction
The Wiki page on X-Bomber aka Star Fleet
BBC article / reminisces of Star Fleet
TV Cream entry for Star Fleet (somewhere down the middle of the page
Hey look, it's time to roll the credits.....
Ah, the genius of Tekken 3. Whilst both Tekken and its sequel, Tekken 2, were head and shoulders above the 3D fighting competition on the Playstation (its rivals, such as Battle Arena Toshinden just didnt compare in terms of playability or graphics), the franchise swansong on the PS1 was a defining statement. Released in 1998, the Playstation port of Tekken 3 was a near perfect translation of the arcade original (released in 1997), with lots of extras that Namco thoughtfully crammed onto a single PS disc. Amongst the extras was 'Tekken Force', a brilliant side scrolling Final Fight / Streets of Rage arcade scrapper. Once played, it is not easily forgotten, and I still catch myself, from time to time, intoning 'Chicken!!!' in the style of the Tekken Force vocal actor.
I remember seeing the game playing on Japanese import in a game shop in Hull in the early summer of 1998, and being absolutley stunned by it. When it finally hit the UK in that September, it was evident that I was playing possibly the finest PS game, and definately the best fighter for the machine. Before you can begin playing though, you get treated to an amazing cinematic intro, giving brief but beatifully realised back stories to the combatants taking part in the 'King Of Iron Fist Tournament 3' aka Tekken 3. From the pounding soundtrack to the stunning water effects and crowd sequences, the intro makes a bold statement - that this is a game you cannot ignore - that the game more than lives up to. I never really followed Tekken beyond the PS, although I played it on the GBA and PS2. Nothing could live up to Tekken 3.
And my favourite character was Bryan Fury - the way he did a reverse elbow smash followed by a piledriver punch was sheer class. Complete bastard though, a psychotic cyborg reanimated by the shadowy Dr Abel.
Read more about this superb game here courtesy of Wikipedia
This here is the Official Tekken site, courtesy of Namco.
Probably some of the best movie music ever was produced by composer Bill Conti for the soundtrack to Rocky. Alongside the famous theme tune "Gonna Fly Now" (a US Billboard No.1) is the equally stirring "Going The Distance", used in the climactic fight with Apollo Creed. As the title suggests, the song is used to convey the fact that the fight is going to be a tough one. The track starts with a sombre tone, to match the determination and resolve of Rocky in the ring, but it climaxes with a stirring interpretation of the title theme, as Rocky fights in vain to win the contest. It really is a superb piece, uplifting, stirring, emotional. It perfectly matches the tone of the film, and elevates the fight scene to an epic.
Anyway, sample it for yourself as some kind soul has posted it up on youtube (see below);
Bill Conti profile at the IMDB is here
For everything Rocky, go to totalrocky.com
A breakdown of which song on the soundtrack appears where in the film is here
Finally, the Wiki page on Rocky is here
