The "Peanuts" comic strip and its cast of wonderful neurotic characters is now 60 years old. Creator Charles Schulz has been gone now for ten years, but Charlie Brown and his anti-pals are still beloved and enjoyed around the world, and I suspect they shall be far past my own passing too.
It crossed my mind -- you never heard too much about what happened to the Peanuts gang as they got older. I was especially interested in the musical lives and interests of the characters, because I would be. In a remarkable coincidence, just today these photographs were unearthed, giving us rare insight into the amazing experiences of some of the group. Rolling Stone has nothing on me.
For instance, did you know that Snoopy was known as "The Fifth Ramone?" Well, OK, maybe there were other Fifth Ramones, sure, but none who played sax.
Schroeder signed on as a second pianist for Rufus Wainwright.
Linus was a natural to produce smart Christian indie artist Sufjan Stevens' Christmas set.
Also, did you know that Tegan and Sara were once Tegan and Sara and P. Patty? Patty left after a year to work as a lighting rigger for the Lilith Fair.
Charlie Brown and Marcie bonded over the music of Morrissey, both of them being intelligent, philosophical, and endlessly emo.
And, if you look reeeeeeeeally closely at the end of 'Til Tuesday's "Voices Carry" video, well...
© Copyright 2008- Marianne Spellman