Jerry Lewis impersonator and B-movie staple Sammy Petrillo is dead at 74. Sammy worked the clubs with Dean Martin impersonator Duke Mitchell before starring in the truly bizarre "Bela Lugosi Meets A Brooklyn Gorilla." He went on to act in Doris Wishman films, had a cameo in "The Brain That Wouldn't Die," invented the prank phone call record, and came up with the idea for "The Munsters."
You gotta give Sammy his props. It must have been a tough gig, especially when Lewis started siccing his lawyers on him. To put this in perspective, imagine being an Adam Sandler impersonator. On second thought, don't.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
You gotta give Sammy his props. It must have been a tough gig, especially when Lewis started siccing his lawyers on him. To put this in perspective, imagine being an Adam Sandler impersonator. On second thought, don't.
While searching around for pix of the late Willy DeVille I came across "It Should Have Been A Hit" blog. It contains a plethora of '70s and '80s singles by such forgotten artists as Comateens, Henry Badowski, The Yachts, and Human Sexual Response. There's some not-so-obscure stuff here as well that didn't make the top-40. Do the Cadillac Walk.
From a 1941 newsreel, with typically unfunny commentary. As President Truman once said, "If that's art, I'm a Hottentot."
Best wishes to Adam Yauch, AKA MCA of the Beastie Boys, who announced he has cancer. Adam is a devout Buddhist, and I'm sure that will help him deal with it. Send him some good thoughts.
Avon Wild County Electric Guitar After Shave
Avon gets hip with Electric Guitar After Shave. The groovy box was enough to entice me, but imagine my surprise when I opened it to find a guitar-shaped bottle with detachable neck! The after shave smells pretty bad after 40 years, but I can't imagine it smelled any better back then. Rock on.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
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.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
I Beseech Thee, Please Find Me A Job
I was searching the Google looking for the Patron Saint of the Internet, when I found St. Isadore of Seville. Apparently he was a scholar who was locked up for being lazy. So far, I can relate. He spent his time gathering information and compiling an index of over 1000 manuscripts, thus creating the first search engine.
There's even a prayer associated with him. Here's an excerpt with all the Jesus-y stuff removed:
[W]e beseech Thee that,
through the intercession of Saint Isidore, bishop and doctor,
during our journeys through the Internet
we will direct our hands and eyes
only to that which is pleasing to Thee
and treat with charity and patience
all those souls whom we encounter.
The BBC has a list of saints for modern-day concerns. There's a patron saint of television, alcoholics, and, I kid you not, serial killers. Catholic Online has a comprehensive list of patron saints for all occasions.
A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man
Sorry about the lack of posts lately. I've been looking for a job and working on my website, among other things. I picked up a copy of Dick Cavett's interviews with rockstars at the library (times are tough). I was looking forward to his 1974 interview with David Bowie, which I had seen when it originally aired. It was as I remembered, with a sniffly, nervous Bowie gamely trying to answer Cavett's pointed questions.
Anyway, various parts of the show are available on YouTube, along with his bizarro appearance on Dinah Shore with Henry "The Fonz" Winkler. Here's a clip of the long-haired, puffy shirted David performing "Space Oddity" on an awards show in 1970. Apparently, his band in invisible. Enjoy.
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Anyway, various parts of the show are available on YouTube, along with his bizarro appearance on Dinah Shore with Henry "The Fonz" Winkler. Here's a clip of the long-haired, puffy shirted David performing "Space Oddity" on an awards show in 1970. Apparently, his band in invisible. Enjoy.
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From the National Institute of Chemical Dependency comes page chockablock full of drug info, including photos of drugs and drug paraphrenalia, and almost 2,500 phrases "relating to drug slang, street terms, street language, drug words, street drug slang." Now you can go to the copping zone to look for someone slanging schoolboy. Just watch out for the beat artists.
The Cramps Live at Napa State Mental Hospital 1978
Lux and company perform "The Way I Walk" to an appreciative crowd. Dig the guy with the suit jacket and skinny tie.
Bye Lux. You rocked.
Send some good thoughts to Ivy.
My friend Rick passed away last week. We met some time in the early '80s. We bonded over music. Rick had the most insane record collection I'd ever seen. He was the kind of guy who drooled over Japanese imports. He was heavily into British art rock (Cocteau Twins, Bauhaus, Joy Division). He could groove to pretty much anything, but he was drawn to the dark side.
The last time I saw him was in 1995. He was married to my ex-wife and living in Brooklyn. They broke up a few years later, and he went into seclusion. He started getting ill around ten years ago and was by all accounts a recluse. I didn't think about him too much until I heard about his death.
I was in a melancholy mood today, so I put on This Mortal Coil, which along with Leonard Cohen is my go-to sad music. Rick was a huge TMC fan. These two are dedicated to him.
I hope he's hanging around with Ian Curtis right now.
Song To The Siren
My Father
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
The last time I saw him was in 1995. He was married to my ex-wife and living in Brooklyn. They broke up a few years later, and he went into seclusion. He started getting ill around ten years ago and was by all accounts a recluse. I didn't think about him too much until I heard about his death.
I was in a melancholy mood today, so I put on This Mortal Coil, which along with Leonard Cohen is my go-to sad music. Rick was a huge TMC fan. These two are dedicated to him.
I hope he's hanging around with Ian Curtis right now.
Song To The Siren
My Father
Christian Bale Takes A Ride On The Crazy Train
Christian Bale's bizarre on-set tirade set to music by producer RevoLucian. Look for Babs around minute 1:37. It's got a good beat, and you can dance to it. I give it a 95.
Definitely NSFW.
A short clip of a performance by the great Central Jersey punk band. Notable for Joe Coleman's self-immolation by firecracker.
I'm insanely jealous of my NY friends who get to go to the Liz Renay exhibition at the Deitch Gallery. Not only does it cover her amazing career as stripper, actress, model, and gun moll, but it boasts several of her paintings.
The show closes tomorrow, but it lives on at the Deitch website.
In the last two days I've subjected myself to Jack Hill's "Spiderbaby" and José Mojica Marins' "Hallucinations Of A Deranged Mind." Honestly, I'm a pretty peaceful person, but I like a jolt of cartoonish madness to chase away the Winter blues.
"Spiderbaby (AKA "The Liver Eaters," "Attack of the Liver Eaters," "Cannibal Orgy," and "The Maddest Story Ever Told") was shot in 1964 but not released until 1968. It concerns the Merrye family, who all have a disease that causes them to devolve into more primitive life forms. Three of the children are living in the house (the ancestors' remains are lovingly kept in the basement). The children, Ralph (Sid Haig), Virginia (Jill Banner), and Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn), get their kicks from trapping and killing innocent visitors. They are watched over by their chauffeur Bruno (Lon Chaney Jr.), so you know there's trouble brewing. The amazing cast also includes Carol Ohmart and Mantan Moreland. Apparently, there's a remake in the works. God help us.
"Hallucinations" is a 1978 film cobbled together from censored and deleted scenes, as well as new footage. The film is a sort of condensed version of Marins' other demented classics ("Awakening of the Beast," "This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse"), with little plot and lots of torture, nudity, weirdo noises, and ultracheap FX. Marins' alter ego, Zé do Caixão ("Coffin Joe") presides over a sadistic hell where the damned are stabbed, pitchforked, eaten, stepped on, and generally not treated nicely. It's like Hieronymus Bosch made a home movie.
As Ghoulardi used to say, "Stay Sick!"
Monday, January 19, 2009
"Spiderbaby (AKA "The Liver Eaters," "Attack of the Liver Eaters," "Cannibal Orgy," and "The Maddest Story Ever Told") was shot in 1964 but not released until 1968. It concerns the Merrye family, who all have a disease that causes them to devolve into more primitive life forms. Three of the children are living in the house (the ancestors' remains are lovingly kept in the basement). The children, Ralph (Sid Haig), Virginia (Jill Banner), and Elizabeth (Beverly Washburn), get their kicks from trapping and killing innocent visitors. They are watched over by their chauffeur Bruno (Lon Chaney Jr.), so you know there's trouble brewing. The amazing cast also includes Carol Ohmart and Mantan Moreland. Apparently, there's a remake in the works. God help us.
"Hallucinations" is a 1978 film cobbled together from censored and deleted scenes, as well as new footage. The film is a sort of condensed version of Marins' other demented classics ("Awakening of the Beast," "This Night I'll Possess Your Corpse"), with little plot and lots of torture, nudity, weirdo noises, and ultracheap FX. Marins' alter ego, Zé do Caixão ("Coffin Joe") presides over a sadistic hell where the damned are stabbed, pitchforked, eaten, stepped on, and generally not treated nicely. It's like Hieronymus Bosch made a home movie.As Ghoulardi used to say, "Stay Sick!"
Groucho vs. Lord Buckley, Professor of Hipology
"Hipsters, flipsters, finger-popping daddies, knock me your lobes..." The fun starts around the 2:00 mark.
Apparently, all you need to be a Romanian game show host is great tits and a bad temper.
Sunday, January 04, 2009
I've been terribly remiss in my blogging duties these past few weeks. Mostly I've been trying to get over the endless socializing that the holidays bring. I also got laid off from my job (yes, I've joined the ranks of the unemployed), so finding gainful employment has become a priority.
Meantime, my winter projects are to catalog all of my media (a daunting task), deal with my eBay empire, and figure out how to work this FaceBook thing. If I were truly motivated I'd be writing epic poetry, learning Serbo-Croatian, and building birdhouses. But I'm not truly motivated, and anyway it would take away time from blogging.
Happy belated new year everybody. See ya soon.
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Meantime, my winter projects are to catalog all of my media (a daunting task), deal with my eBay empire, and figure out how to work this FaceBook thing. If I were truly motivated I'd be writing epic poetry, learning Serbo-Croatian, and building birdhouses. But I'm not truly motivated, and anyway it would take away time from blogging.
Happy belated new year everybody. See ya soon.
A list of blogs to cuddle up with on these chilly winter nights. Your welcome.
13 Blog
Stills and soundtracks from horror flix of yore.
I'm Learning To Share
Super-fun scans of old magazines and books, vinyl rips, and other cultural effluvia.
PCL LinkDump
Scanning the blog-o-sphere for the latest and greatest.
The Percy Trout Hour
PCL's own Percy Trout, bringing you classic nudie pix and so much more. A real picker-upper.
WFMU's Beware Of The Blog
The bestest blog from the bestest radio station this side of the Atlantic.
Phyllis Gabor
Always fun and smart. Not a lot of posts of late, but what's there is cherce.
ChrisGoesRock
An ambitious undertaking from Sweden. Chris posts tons of whole albums by the obscure and not so obscure. Some times 3-4 a day. I've snatched everything from Trout Mask Replica to some Neil Young outtakes.
PhotoShop Disasters
Spanning the globe for really bad examples of photo retouching.
Dadanoia's Weblog
The divine Kahlo's daily dose of art.
Schadenfreudian Therapy
Boss sounds and cool links from PCL's Baikinange.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
13 Blog
Stills and soundtracks from horror flix of yore.
I'm Learning To Share
Super-fun scans of old magazines and books, vinyl rips, and other cultural effluvia.
PCL LinkDump
Scanning the blog-o-sphere for the latest and greatest.
The Percy Trout Hour
PCL's own Percy Trout, bringing you classic nudie pix and so much more. A real picker-upper.
WFMU's Beware Of The Blog
The bestest blog from the bestest radio station this side of the Atlantic.
Phyllis Gabor
Always fun and smart. Not a lot of posts of late, but what's there is cherce.
ChrisGoesRock
An ambitious undertaking from Sweden. Chris posts tons of whole albums by the obscure and not so obscure. Some times 3-4 a day. I've snatched everything from Trout Mask Replica to some Neil Young outtakes.
PhotoShop Disasters
Spanning the globe for really bad examples of photo retouching.
Dadanoia's Weblog
The divine Kahlo's daily dose of art.
Schadenfreudian Therapy
Boss sounds and cool links from PCL's Baikinange.
I stumbled upon this one yesterday. It's the website of The Church Of Ed Wood, which the author, Reverend Steve Galindo, swears (repeatedly) is totally serious. I'm not sure how well maintained it is (updates seem to have stopped in late 2007), but it's chockablock full of interesting information, sound files, photos, and other assorted Woodian detritus. You can even get baptized into the church. If you ignore the annoying flashing images it's a pretty fun site. And remember, it's totally serious.
Church Of Ed Wood
Take a moment to send some good thoughts to Bettie Page. Bettie had a heart attack on Tuesday and is in critical condition in an LA hospital. Sources say the 85-year-old in a coma and is not expected to survive.
Stay strong, Bettie, and if you decide to move on to the big photo shoot in the sky, Godspeed.
I get a fair amount of emails asking me to spotlight bands and singers. Although I've done this a time or two, I don't want to make a habit of it. A lot of the stuff I'm sent is pretty good, but it's really not what this blog is about. And anyway, I don't have the time to listen to them all, and I certainly don't want to insult anyone by rejecting them. So I'd appreciate it if you folks could stop sending me your stuff. Thanks.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Brilliant Belgian artist Guy Peellaert is dead at the age of 74. Most famous for David Bowie's "Diamond Dogs" cover, Guy was the chronicler of rock and roll. He created amazing tableaux featuring rock luminaries in paintings that captured their personae in a way that photos never could. His book "Rock Dreams" blew my mind when it came out in 1974. You can check out some of the images from the book, as well as his comics and other illustrations at his website.
To all the trashaholics out there, I urge you to check out 13 blog, Music From The Monster Movies 1950-69. Your hosts Eegah! and Tabonga! provide screen captures (with witty commentary) as well as some choice music from the soundtracks of such films as "Psychomania" and "Las Vampiras." It also has what has to be the biggest logo in the blog-o-sphere.
This site is obviously pretty labor intensive, and the creators have been feeling a little under appreciated of late. So take a trip to monster land, and while you're there leave a comment or two. It would be a shame to lose this one.
WFMU's Beware Of The Blog is offering 28 classic moog tunes for your listening and dancing pleasure. If you ever wanted to hear moog versions of "I Walk The Line" or "Polk Salad Annie," here's your chance.
The Triumphant Return Of The Beatles Project: Why Don't We Do It In Abbey Road?
After a long hiatus the world-renowned Beatles Project is back with a re imagining of Abbey Road. It starts off with the post-Diana Ross Supremes doing a funky version of Come Together. Kojak himself does something with Something, followed by a jazzy recitation of Maxwell's Silver Hammer by Pernille Aidt. Geert Grote School sings a sweet version of Oh Darling. For an update on one of their members all growed up check out splogman's post about singer Floor. Mrs. Waylon Jennings does Octopus's Garden, and by the way, she's still not Lisa. Then comes Jette-Ives with a trippy I Want You (Shes So Heavy). Here Comes The Sun sounds great as in reggae style by the lovely Dawn Penn. Because is done in the only way that makes sense, as a Gregorian Chant by Schola Musica.
Then comes the fabled Medley. It kicks off with You Never Give Me Your Money by the never funkier Booker T. & The MGs. It segues into Sun King by the Bee Gees, who try their best to sound Spanish and fail miserably. Former Dead person Phil Lesh (who apparently has friends) does an admirable job on Mean Mr. Mustard, which was a jam (no, really?) that I cut down a bit. Manburger rips through Polythene Pam, and then Ray Stevens (yes that Ray Stevens) gives us She Came In Through The Bathroom Window. A lovely version of Golden Slumbers comes from the Brazilian singer Nonato Luiz follows. Then comes a rousing version of Carry That Weight in German by Karel Gott. The London Symphony Orchestra does The End, and the set actually does end with Her Majesty by Tok Tok Tok, complete with abrupt cut off.
Come Together - Supremes
Something - Telly Savalas
Maxwell's Silver Hammer - Pernille Aidt
Oh Darling - Geert Grote School
Octopus's Garden - Jessi Colter
I Want You (Shes So Heavy) - Jette-Ives
Here Comes The Sun - Dawn Penn
Because - Schola Musica, Martin Dagenais (Conductor)
Medley:
You Never Give Me Your Money - Booker T. & The MGs
Sun King - Bee Gees
Mean Mr. Mustard - Phil Lesh and Friends
Polythene Pam - Manburger
She Came In Through The Bathroom Window - Ray Stevens
Golden Slumbers - Nonato Luiz
Carry That Weight - Karel Gott
The End - The London Symphony Orchestra
Her Majesty - Tok Tok Tok
Why Don't We Do It In Abbey Road?
I saw the final show of the Dandy Warhols 2008 tour at the Roseland Ballroom in Portland last night. And of course they rocked. Being the last night of the tour, as well as a home coming, the Dandys played an exuberant, 2 hour + psychedelic freakout, complete with a cool-as-fuck light show. I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night, so I won't go into details. Suffice to say, they did not disappoint.
I figured it was about time for a face lift for this sorry excuse for a blog. So I spent about 5 minutes coming up with a new logo and layout. I mainly did it to fit in the cool new eBay widget that hypes my eBay store. I'm nothing if not shallow. As Sarah Palin would say "Gosh darn it, this is one fine blog, God bless ya!"
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
1910 Fruitgum Company: Hard Ride
Hard Ride was the last LP from über-bubblegum band The 1910 Fruitgum Company. After a string of hit singles (1-2-3 Red Light, Simon Says, Indian Giver) and five sugary pop albums the band of studio musicians put together by Jerry Kasenetz and Jeff Katz decided to go in a different direction. This surprising collection of blues/psych sounds nothing like its predecessors. Naturally, their fans didn't like it, and it sank like a stone.
Too bad. Hard Ride is a wild collection of fuzzy guitars, noodly synths, jerky syncopation, funky horns, and profound lyrics. It reminds a little bit of Steppenwolf. I don't think it's available on CD, so dig in and feel the vibe.
Don't Have To Run And Hide
All These Things
(a) Eulogy, (b) Selub
The Train
Creations Of Simon
Collections Of Thoughts
(a) In The Beginning, (b) The Thing
Togetherly Alone (5 Movements)
Hard Ride (zip file, 84MB)
Check out all things bubblegum at Bubblegum University
Marcia Strassman: The Flower Children
Here's a little tidbit from the Summer Of Love by Marcia Strassman. Marcia was a fledgling singer in 1967 when she recorded this little ditty about the Love Generation. It was a hit on the West Coast but failed to chart nationally. It was produced by Jerry Goldstein of The Strangeloves ("I Want Candy," "Night Time), who later worked with The McCoys, Tim Buckley and formed the funk band War.
"The Flower Children" contains such deathless lines as:
The flower children are blooming everywhere
Walking up and down the street, headed for somewhere
The flip side is a Phil Spector-ish number, complete with maracas, called "Out Of The Picture.".
Strassman will be more familiar to Americans as Gabe Kotter's wife in "Welcome Back Kotter." She has also starred in "Honey I Shrunk The Kids" and many other films and TV shows.
As for her singing career, Marcia recorded two other singles, "The Groovy World Of Jack And Jill" and "Star Gazer b/w Self Analysis" before calling it quits.
The Flower Children
Out Of The Picture
A collection of over 1500 album covers with nudity from M. Patton.
Among his many lists (I assume it's a guy, but there are enuf obsessive female record collectors out there to put doubt in my mind) is one of more than 2500 album covers that spoof other album covers. And I thought I had a lot of time on my hands.
Thanks to Kahlo over at Dadanoias for this one.
I can't resist any greatest hits package from the 60s and 70s. These would include original artists comps and contemporary hits done by other artists. I buy them even if the records are scratchy. As long as the cover is intact I'll dig deep and pay the 50 cents or dollar. The covers have to have at least one of the following:
*Happy, dancing teens in mod clothing (even if the music is by Percy Faith)
*A title like "20 Top Tunes!" or "Super Happening Smash Hits!"
*Quasi-psychedelic design
*"Hits" by bands you've never heard of (The Beachnuts, anyone?)
*The phrase "As Seen On TV"
Although the ones from the 60s are generally superior, the 70s collections are not without their charm, especially the oldies comps. I've organized a couple dozen of my faves in a Flickr set. Enjoy.
Super Top Smash Hit Songs
Here's a good time waster. The Word magazine has set up an interactive app that allows you to pinpoint the locations of where hundreds of album covers were shot. You can even upload your own.
Who knew that Elvis' How Great Thou Art was shot in Cap Cod, or that Neil Young's After the Gold Rush was photographed in Philadelphia. Go figure.
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/album_atlas
The Greatest Hits of Twelve Tone
187 hits on one great record!
I picked up this gem at my local thrift-o-rama yesterday. It's a 1967 book on how to recognize and cast out Satan. Apparently, the old boy is everywhere. The book is filled with nifty illustrations like this one. Oh, and I for one would probably figure out that this was the Devil. the pointy ears and demonic expression kind of give it away.
The book is really one, long advertisement for the ANTI-SATAN KIT. Only 50 cents, and it comes with its own holder!
You can use it in your bathroom. You never know when the Devil might be hiding in the moisturizer. Take that, Lucifer!
Or your den. Watch out! Satan might be lurking in that potted plant!
It was a library book. Doesn't look like it was too popular.
Thirteenth Floor Elevators On Where The Action Is
Roky Erickson and company poolside on Dick Clark's "Where The Action Is."
Tuesday, August 05, 2008
Netflix has added a "Watch Instantly" section that contains a ton of cool stuff that you can enjoy without waiting for that pesky mailman to deliver it to you. Lots of cool docs on everything from Allen Ginsburg to The New York Dolls, classic TV (Astroboy, The Outer Limits, Dragnet), and exploitation flicks in all genres. You can snuggle up and catch "The Astro Zombies" in glorious streaming video. Note: It only works on a PC, and then only on Internet Explorer. And you have to download their video player. Still, totally worth it if you're a subscriber.
Pictured below are stills from the awesome "Dragnet '67" episode "The Big LSD," featuring "Blue Boy, the travel agent." "Travel Agent" was supposed to be a hip term for pusher, but I guess it never caught on.
PS, sorry about the lack of posts. I am incredibly lazy.
Pictured below are stills from the awesome "Dragnet '67" episode "The Big LSD," featuring "Blue Boy, the travel agent." "Travel Agent" was supposed to be a hip term for pusher, but I guess it never caught on.
PS, sorry about the lack of posts. I am incredibly lazy.
