Lost amid the hoopla over MJ's untimely demise, former Seeds bassist and front man Sky Saxon died this week. He was 71. Sky's snarling vocals and powerful playing were hugely influential to thousands of aspiring garage bands around the world. He largely faded from public view and never achieved the level of fame that many nof his peers did. But unlike some of his contemporaries, like Roky Erikson and Syd Barrett, he didn't descend into mental and physical decline.
Sky joined the Source Family commune in 1970 and remained with it until his death. He continued to perform in various bands for the rest of his life.
Check out The Seeds on Casey Kasem's Shebang show from 1967
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
Sky joined the Source Family commune in 1970 and remained with it until his death. He continued to perform in various bands for the rest of his life.
Check out The Seeds on Casey Kasem's Shebang show from 1967
OK, Li'l Missy is way too excited about this mini record player. I imagine her playing what must be really short songs with crappy sound for about an hour before losing interest. I have to assume that Ohio Arts thought they were creating an entirely new market for pre-tweens. You start with the Mighty Tiny and eventually move up to 45s. Didn't happen.
BTW, my birthday is coming up. I'd love one of these.
The Genius Of Ernie Bushmiller
These images come from a 1951 Nancy comic by the brilliant Ernie Bushmiller. The actual dates of the comics are difficult to determine, as Ernie had already been producing the strip since 1926. Also, Nancy comics always seem so be stuck in time, even when Ernie introduced beatniks and hippies into the strip. I wager some of these date from around WWII. Click on the images for a better look.
The bottom strip here shows off Bushmiller's clever use of wordplay. Ernie's clean, precise drawing style was the trademark of the strip. Note the archaic images of washboards and dunce caps (they show up frequently).
Mmm...Boople's Cookies and elegant popcorn.
The women's outfits and hairstyles are pure 1940s. The reference to white cord being hard to find has to be about wartime rationing.
Fireworks by mail! Impossible in this day and age.
More fireworks. Note the clever co-branding. "The Captain And The Kids" is pretty much the same as "The Katzenjammer Kids," as both were created by Rudolph Dirk. Dirk changed the name in 1915 after a dispute with Hearst. A version of "Katzenjammer" competed with the Kids until 1979!
The bottom strip here shows off Bushmiller's clever use of wordplay. Ernie's clean, precise drawing style was the trademark of the strip. Note the archaic images of washboards and dunce caps (they show up frequently).
Mmm...Boople's Cookies and elegant popcorn.
The women's outfits and hairstyles are pure 1940s. The reference to white cord being hard to find has to be about wartime rationing.
Fireworks by mail! Impossible in this day and age.
More fireworks. Note the clever co-branding. "The Captain And The Kids" is pretty much the same as "The Katzenjammer Kids," as both were created by Rudolph Dirk. Dirk changed the name in 1915 after a dispute with Hearst. A version of "Katzenjammer" competed with the Kids until 1979!
A short film by amateur film maker Sid Laverents, who died this week at 100.
I found this while cleaning out my attic recently. I was at this show in 1988. I went with my friends Bruce and Bruce. We got there about 20 minutes prior to the start. Oddly enough, the ring was still being set up. We sat there for a long time until finally the wrestlers started coming out. They turned out to be the same guys who set up the ring. Talk about a high-class operation.
The matches were fun, in the way that only Latino wrestling can be. The "Bloody"Dracula was more like The "Drunken" Dracula. We were even invited to have a drink with the wrestlers after the matches. Why we declined I'll never know.
About a year later we saw another match at Dickinson High School (my mother's alma mater) that featured lady wrestlers, midget tag teams, and a very old and very fat Sgt. Slaughter. Good times.
From a 1963 Amy Vanderbilt guide to entertaining:
"Now, I need someone to serve the meal. Hmm...child labor is an idea. On second thought, the little shit will probably report me.
I could also have old Uncle Tom do it. No, too politically incorrect.
Oh, fuck it. I'll do it myself.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
"Now, I need someone to serve the meal. Hmm...child labor is an idea. On second thought, the little shit will probably report me.
I could also have old Uncle Tom do it. No, too politically incorrect.
Oh, fuck it. I'll do it myself.
Noise Fans Of The World Unite!
Fans of old school aural assault are rejoicing (one would assume) at the current Throbbing Gristle tour. The band, was formed in 1975 and broke up in 1981. The various members went on to form Psychic TV, Chris + Cosey, and Coil. This is their first full tour in almost thirty years.
Lou Reed performed his epic 1975 "Metal Machine Music" in its entirety in NYC this weekend. By one account I read, the venue was half-full, and several members of the audience walked out. They were probably expecting to hear "Sweet Jane" or "Heroine," but it's their own fault, as the poster clearly stated that "No songs will be played."
Now if only Nurse With Wound would get back on the road...
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Lou Reed performed his epic 1975 "Metal Machine Music" in its entirety in NYC this weekend. By one account I read, the venue was half-full, and several members of the audience walked out. They were probably expecting to hear "Sweet Jane" or "Heroine," but it's their own fault, as the poster clearly stated that "No songs will be played."
Now if only Nurse With Wound would get back on the road...
Let's Make A Motherf@%$in' Cake, Bitch!
My favorite Icelandic kids show mashed up with my favorite potty-mouthed rapper? Pure heaven, I'd say.
