MARCH 5, 2025

The original - and still our favorite - Autoextremist logo. 

The AE Quote of the Century: Everybody loves The High-Octane Truth. Until they don't. -WG 

Editor-in-Chief's Note: What price abject mediocrity? $24 million, apparently. That's what former Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares was paid last year, according to Reuters. Even though it was a 37 percent pay cut, that's a lot of ca$h-ola for almost running Stellantis into the ground. It's flat-out disgusting when you really think about it. -PMD 

(Porsche)

Editor-in-Chief's Note: I should be used to being offended by the operatives in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen by now. After all, the "Greed Merchants" at Porsche seem to be on a relentless cadence of price gouging designed to fleece its "faithful" for every dollar they can. But the following missive from Porsche's PR minions is so disgusting to me I can't let it go by without mentioning it. The press release for the new Panamera GTS and Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid actually said this: "It’s not easy to imbue each Porsche with the spirit of the foundational 356. But every Porsche since has possessed it. Now, there are two more: the Panamera GTS and Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid, the latest to join the third generation of this illustrious model line." Seriously, Porsche? Comparing that bloated, 5,000 lb. leviathan to the exquisitely-rendered 356? I guess Porsche has well and truly embraced the "we have no shame" mentality. Just ridiculous. -PMD

 

The AE Song of the Week:

If you want it, here it is, come and get it
Mmh, make your mind up fast
If you want it, any time, I can give it

But you'd better hurry 'cause it may not last
Did I hear you say that there must be a catch?
Will you walk away from a fool and his money?

If you want it, here it is, come and get it
But you'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast
If you want it, here it is, come and get it
Mmh, make your mind up fast

If you want it, any time, I can give it
But you'd better hurry 'cause it may not last

Did I hear you say that there must be a catch?
Will you walk away from a fool and his money?
Sonny

If you want it, here it is, come and get it
But you'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast
You'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast

Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh
Fool and his money
Sonny

If you want it, here it is, come and get it
But you'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast
You'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast
You'd better hurry 'cause it's goin' fast

"Come And Get It" by Badfinger, from the album "Magic Christian Music" (1969).* Written by Paul James Mccartney. Publisher: Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC. Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind. Listen to it here. 

*Paul McCartney wrote this for the 1969 movie The Magic Christian, starring Peter Sellers and Ringo Starr. Much like the Beatles song "You Never Give Me Your Money" it's a stomp on the business partners who made his life miserable, particularly those at the label the group set up, Apple Records, which had become a financial sinkhole. As the song goes:

Did I hear you say that there must be a catch?
Will you walk away from a fool and his money?

This was the group's first single as Badfinger. Under the name The Iveys (they were re-named by Apple executive Neil Aspinall after "Bad Finger Boogie," they released the singles "Maybe Tomorrow" and "Dear Angie" earlier in 1969; they had high hopes for "Maybe Tomorrow," but it went nowhere in the UK and stalled at #67 in America. These songs were released on Apple Records; they signed to the label after The Beatles heard their demo and were suitably impressed. They recorded "Come And Get It" at the behest of Paul McCartney, who was asked to do the soundtrack for the film The Magic Christian but ended up writing just the one song for the project. McCartney also produced the song along with two others that Badfinger members wrote for the film: "Carry on Till Tomorrow" and "Rock of All Ages." These songs were combined some earlier Iveys tracks to form Badfinger's first album, Magic Christian Music. Paul McCartney recorded the demo of this song prior to a Beatles recording session at Abbey Road studios. He played all the instruments on the demo and had a clear vision for how it should sound. In The Beatles Anthology book, he explained that Badfinger wanted to do the song more in their own style, but he insisted they do it the same as on his demo, because he knew it would be a hit if done his way. He was right: the song was the breakout single for Badfinger. This song seemed to mark a turning point for Apple Records, whose artists included Mary Hopkin and the Radha Krishna Temple. "Come And Get It" was the first substantial hit on the label by a group other than The Beatles. Formed in 1968, Apple had some substantial talent on its roster, including James Taylor, but it was completely mismanaged and only fell further into disrepair into the '70s, taking Badfinger down with them. The song plays at the beginning and at the end of the movie The Magic Christian. In the final scene, Ringo and Peter Sellers fill a vat with excrement, throw money in it, and watch as people go in after it - a sentiment the Beatles were feeling around this time. (Knowledge courtesy of Songfacts.com) 

Editor's Note: Click on "Next 1 Entries" at the bottom of this page to see previous issues. - WG