Luke Sacks

When I heard producer/director/writer John Hughes died yesterday, it took a few minutes to hit me. While his movies are literally a part of my every day life – I don’t think I go 24 hours without quoting Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, 16 Candles or the Breakfast Club – I realized I didn’t know anything about the man. And that’s how he wanted it. A notorious recluse, Hughes let his films speak for themselves and to this day, they represent some of the best movies ever written about teenagers. No special effects or slick language. No gratuitous sex or quick cuts. Mostly truth and laughs.

Along with the Bratpack, the Griswolds and the Donger, Hughes created some incredibly memorable musical scenes throughout the course of his career. Below is a small tribute.

1. Danke Schoen > Twist & Shout – Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986, Written/Directed by John Hughes)

I remember seeing this movie in the theaters and halfway through this scene, the place was absolutely rocking. Beginning with a schmaltzy snippet of the Wayne Newton classic Danke Schoen, a tune mentioned or hummed several times throughout the flick, the scene erupts into a complete throw down with the Beatles version of Twist & Shout. From Ferris’s own father shaking it in his office to the thousands of extras lining the Chicago street on which it was filmed, it’s hard to imagine people having more fun on a movie set and it shows. The dance crew is spectacular with their Thriller-like moves and I always get a kick out of the “vibrating man” who shakes so hard his hat falls off his head. I defy anyone to change the channel when this scene comes on. READ ON for four more musical scenes from JH’s movies…

It’s another good musical week for the Biography Channel which will air several musical profiles this week including an extended two-hour program dedicated to Frank Sinatra airing Thursday, August 6

Biography offers a triple shot of rock music programming on Thursday night with profiles of Axl Rose & Guns n’ Roses (8PM), The Red Hot Chili Peppers (9PM) and Kurt

Woody Allen is a lot of things to a lot of people – actor, director, writer, comedian, creepy pervert. But he’s also a highly accomplished jazz musician as seen in

More than 1.5 million people were glued to their televisions on July 13, 1985 as some of the music world’s biggest stars took to stages in London and Philadelphia to

It’s a good week for great music on the late night talk shows when you have David Letterman welcoming Connor Oberst’s newest project (Monday) and Levon Helm (Thursday). Death Cab

Fuse will re-air its four-part series on the Dave Matthews Band, Road to Big Whiskey, beginning Wednesday at 10pm. The series takes a personal look at the band and its

While not a movie about music, Stand by Me is certainly a musical film. Country Music Television will air the 1986 Rob Reiner classic based on the novel by Stephen

Phish will visit Burgettstown, Pennsylvania, a city with under 2,000 residents, tonight to play a venue – now called Post Gazette Pavilion – that has seen more than its share of bust outs and stellar performances over the years. There seems to be something about those pine trees at the back of the lawn that makes Phish want to deliver something special at this shed.

Having already pulled out Destiny Unbound and Curtis Loew at Fenway Park, When the Cactus is in Bloom in Asheville and Highway to Hell and oh yeah, Bruce Springsteen at Bonnaroo, one has to assume that something rare or new altogether will find a spot in the setlist tonight.

Phish’s first show at the then-Star Lake Amphitheatre was on 8/13/97 and they wasted no time in giving fans something rare with the only performance to date of Elton John’s Amoreena. That show also featured the third-ever Izabella, the fifth-ever Crosseyed and Painless and one of the funkiest Gumbos ever played.

• 8/13/1997: MP3s Pt. 1, Pt. 2, Pt. 3 & Video Playlist

READ ON for a look at the other Burgettstown Phish shows…

If you aren’t Bonnaroo’ed out by the end of the weekend, Fuse will air a repeat of The Best of Bonnaroo 2008 this evening at 5PM EDT. So tune in