Monday, December 24, 2007

Santa Claus is coming!

Put out the cookies & milk, drop the needle on the record and do a little dance...



Gene Autry tells it how it is! Better be nice y'all...

Sunday, October 28, 2007

Skaterdater!

From Wikipedia:

Skaterdater is a short film that was released in 1965. It was written and directed by Noel Black and was the winner of the Palme d'Or for Best Short Film at the 1966 Cannes Film Festival. It was also nominated for an Academy Award in the Best Short Subject category.

The film has no dialogue. The surf rock-esque soundtrack was composed by Mike Curb and Nick Venet.

It was one of the first films that heavily featured skateboarding.

The skateboard riders where members of The Imperial Skateboard Team from Torrance, California. Their names are Gary Hill, Gregg Carrol, Mike Mel, Bill McKaig, Gary Jennings, Bruce McKaig and Rick Anderson.


I found the full length movie on Google video, the original film was in color, but this version is black & white. There are clips of the color version on you tube.


Thursday, October 18, 2007

Dwight Yoakam and Dave Alvin

I just love you tube, I waste so much time going back into the wayback machine finding all kinds of crazy stuff I'd forgot. Back in the '80's, there was a local L.A. cable access show called Art Fein's Poker Party. Art Fein had the best roots rock/talk show ever. I've heard it's back on the air, unfortunately I can't get it where I live now, so I have you tube to watch the highlights.

A few years ago, there was a club in North Hollywood called the Palomino Club. They featured all the country greats and legends, also allowed up-and-coming rockabilly and roots bands to play on off nights. My friends and I were huge Blasters fans, one of my friends befriended Dave Alvin, one of the two brothers who started the band. He told my friend to check out this guy called Dwight Yoakam playing his first show there. So we went. I was blown away by Dwight, even though he was so shy he played with his back to the crowd most of the show, or kept his head down with his hat pulled so far forward you couldn't see his face. This was in the early '80's, obviously he's overcome his shyness. Here's a little bit shy (note the dark shades) Dwight Yoakam and baby faced Dave Alvin playing on Art Fein's Poker Party in 1986.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Rosie Flores & Dave Alvin

Back in the 90's Art Fein had a local Los Angeles cable access show called, Art Fein's Poker Party. All the rockabilly singer/songwriters and traditional country artists stopped by to play. Recently, while cruising you tube, I found that they had posted them in segmented clips. I was thrilled to find this one of Rosie Flores (Screamin' Sirens) and Dave Alvin (Blasters) singing a duet called "Goodbye Again"

enjoy!




I'll be posting more in the future, stay tuned.

Saturday, September 1, 2007

Blazing Haley "Never Again"

Blazing Haley-Never Again


One of our favorite bands, Blazing Haley, hailing from Santa Barbara reunited after a long break at the Rat Fink Party in July. Here's a video from that event.

To hear more of this awesome band, just click here

You can also see them live at the Primer Nationals on Sunday, Sept. 2nd in Ventura, CA at 11 am.

See you there!

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66

The dance party continues!

So back in the day, my parents would hold these swanky cocktail parties on the back patio in the summertime. There was lots of booze, cigarettes and dancing to the music of Sinatra, Louis Prima & Keely Smith, Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass and others. But the one record that my sister and I really got into was "Mas Que Nada" by Brasil '66 In fact, they played it early on as a bribe to get us to go to sleep but how can you sleep when all the fun is going on in the back yard?

In fact, we played that record so many times we wore it out. In my lifetime, I've bought this album 4 times. Last week my cousin came by and borrowed it from me. Yesterday I started fretting that maybe she was going to never return it. Silly, I know. It's only been a week, but my baby's gone! I have to get a grip. It's my last vinyl copy and it's really hard to find in good shape. Must think good thoughts. The CD was re-issued, thanks to the film, Austin Powers so it's not lost forever. I just prefer to listen to it on the turntable as the pops and skips of vinyl are part of my life soundtrack for this record.

Please to enjoy:



Sunday, August 5, 2007

Summer Beach Party Continues

Psycho Beach Party

It's campy! It's corny! What's more fun than go-go dancing and transvestites? You tell me! Featuring Six Feet Under's Lauren Ambrose in a crazy, whacked out teen dance party slasher film! Lauren Ambrose channels Sandra Dee as Florence "Chicklet" Forrest. Amy Adams (Junebug) is the voluptuous, hot to trot, Marvel Ann; the girl in the way of the dreamy stud, Starcat (get it?) who is the guy Chicklet really wants. Thomas Gibson of "Dharma & Greg" fame plays the mighty Kanaka, who rhymes his lines like a crazy beatnik; he rules the beach and is head surfer dude to the homoerotic wrestling gang. But someone's killing the gang on the beach. Who can it be? Is it one of them? And what makes Chicklet go into a crazy trance, changing her into several aggressive personalities? Could she be the killer?

Still haven't peaked your interest? Then check out the trailer:



Psycho Beach Party Soundtrack features music from Los Straitjackets (who also make a cameo in the film), The Halibuts, Man or Astroman? and the Hillbilly Soul Surfers! Also, look for a cameo by Steve Wozniak!

Friday, July 20, 2007

Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass - Tijuana Taxi

It's Friday, time to go out dancin'! Here's something to warm you up before you go out tonight... maybe even learn a few new moves!

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Live Earth, Global Warming and taking action

For many years now, I have been frustrated by the amount of plastic bags I acquire when shopping, especially grocery shopping. It seems they put two items per bag so by the time I get home I have 7 bags for 15 items. So I started condensing my items into fewer bags, much to the clerks dismay. I think because they get into the corporate habit of not making the bags too heavy as to cut off circulation in the customer's hands, their solution is to use twice as many. But still I had a mountain of plastic bags. I thought if I just put them in the recycling bin that would solve the problem; at least I was helping by not clogging the landfills with plastic bags. Then someone sent me this link to an art exhibit by Chris Jordan.

Is that possible? It seems to be inflated, then I noticed while sitting outside a local shopping center, the amount of bags in each person's cart as they where headed back to their cars. Maybe it wasn't so far fetched. Either way, the message was received loud & clear. My unhealthy obsession with plastic bags had to stop.

With my current business ownership, I receive a large amount of promotional tote bags, from distributors, vendors and trade shows. I have piles of them. I decided it was time to start using the cloth bags. At first, when I went shopping, the sales clerks acted like I was some sort of a freak by suggesting I bag my own groceries into my cloth bags. They must of thought I had O.C.D. or something. Some said, "Oh, that's a great idea." others suggested I just bring my bags back and re-use them (another great idea). Then I started taking them to Costco, the clerks there thought I was a genius! Imagine all the people whining to them on a daily basis of never having enough boxes to put their purchases in. I often heard, "I wish more people like you would bring their own bags." Then Trader Joe's in our area started implementing a monthly drawing for a $25 gift certificate, every time you brought your own bag you were given a ticket in which to enter. Shortly after, I noticed more people carrying cloth bags to the local shopping centers and markets as well. While on a trip to Costco, my friend (who is admittedly shallow) confessed that she couldn't use cloth bags as they were just plain ugly. Perhaps if she could find a "cute bag" she might use it. I laughed because I thought she was kidding. Then she gave me a look letting me know she was serious. I asked her to define "cute bag" then I made one for her. Someone saw it, asked where she got it, then requested I make one for her. Suddenly I had people lined up for them, faster than I could make them. So I did some research and found a company that made some sturdy, fashionably hip black canvas bags so I could just adorn them. I now have some available to the public.


Even if you do not have an interest in buying one of my bags, look around your house. I'm sure somewhere, you have a stash of tote bags. Please use them. Or reuse the bags you have. In March 2007, the City of San Francisco will outlaw plastic bags by next year. Your town may be next. The Live Earth concert professed one thing repeatedly, by just taking one action you can help the environment. It takes little effort and costs nothing.

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Jesse Dayton and Lee Rocker

Back in the 90's, on one of my many road trips to Austin, Texas I went to the Continental Club and saw the most amazing rockabilly band called the Road Kings. The front man, guitarist Jesse Dayton, blew me away with his guitar playing. I have been a fan ever of his since. So imagine my surprise while perusing You Tube that I run across this clip of Jesse and Lee Rocker (Stray Cats, et al) jammin' at a NAMM Convention.


6:17 of pure joy!

Please to enjoy!



Saturday, June 23, 2007

Beach Party Movies! Oh Yeah!

When I was a kid, my cousin and I spent hours upon hours watching all those beach party movies and wishing we could dance like "Candy" the blonde shakin' machine. It seemed as if the local channels had them on a loop tape, they were always on in the summer time. We watched them over and over again much to our parents dismay. Once we were kicked out of the backyard pool for turning into prunes, we would dry out in the patio dancing the "Pony" the "Frooge" and the "Watusi." We would crack each other up by putting our index finger up to our temples to paralyze ourselves like Erick Von Zipper did, the "bad ass" biker dude who always tried to ruin the kid's fun in every film.



Here is a scene from Pajama Party one of our many favorites.



Our absolute favorite movie was Beach Blanket Bingo. Note: Candy is the blonde in the beginning of the clip dancing with the guy in the Rat Fink hat.



Recently, my friend's 7 year old daughter caught wind of these Technicolor dandies off of you tube, so I tried to remember the names of all of the actual films. Curiosity got the better of me, then I found this:

Frankie & Annette MGM Movie Legends Collection Box set
: Featuring Beach Blanket Bingo; How to Stuff a Wild Bikini; Beach Party; Bikini Beach; Fireball 500; Thunder Alley; Muscle Beach Party and Ski Party I damn near died from excitement! So much joy for under $30? The only bad news is the boxed set version will not be released until July 10th... can I handle the wait? I guess I'll have to!


The one missing is the Ghost in the Invisible Bikini but since neither Frankie or Annette are in it, it seems to reason it wouldn't be included.



I can't wait to carry on the tradition of living room dance parties with my little friend! In the meantime, there are many others to watch. I already have the Gidget Collection.

I love the campiness of Sandra Dee, the ruggedness of Cliff Robertson's "Big Kahuna" but James Darren wasn't as groovy as Frankie Avalon in our book. Sure we dug the crazy surf digs, the driftwood shack and the way Malibu Beach used to look like, but there's very few dance numbers. And dancing is what we do. With panache! My little friend found these movies too complex, she asked many questions throughout, such as "Why won't they let her surf?" "Why do the boys not want her in their group?" "Why can't girls do what the boys do?" "Why doesn't she just tell Moondoggie she likes him?" So many questions! I guess we have come "A long way, baby!" I loved Sandra Dee, as Gidget the best, the other actresses who played Gidget in the latter films never seemed to have the same energy, but my cousin and I watched them anyway. My little friend, however, did not care much for Gidget Goes Hawaiian so I didn't force it.





It seemed as with all successful movies there would be similar fare... the other classic films my cousin and I watched obsessively were


Village of the Giants Ron Howard creates a "goo" which causes all things who ingest it to become abnormally large. After testing the goo out on his pet ducks, the ducks become 20 feet tall and head straight for the "Whiskey a Go-Go" as ducks do! They tear up the dance floor hopping to the Beau Brummels Band. The local crazy teens want in on the action and end up terrorizing the town after they get their hands on the stuff. This movie not only stars Ron Howard, but Beau Bridges and Playboy playmate Joy Harmon. Also, the Disney staple actor Tommy Kirk. It also features various George Barris hot rods.


Where the Boys Are
Starring Connie Francis, Paula Prentiss, Frank Gorshin and Jim Hutton, the Spring Break in Florida version of the formula Beach Party movie. But Frank Gorshin steals this one as the myopic beatnik. Lots of girls unwittingly tricking boys into marrying them, one with tragic results...


That's all I can remember right now. Perhaps anyone else wants to add to this campy list of beach party fun? Comment now!

Friday, May 18, 2007

The Cramps, "Bikini Girls with Machine Guns"




Lux Interior and Ivy are the coolest couple in coupledom. They make pretty music together and pretty videos as well. No one can work a sequined bathing suit like Ivy. No one!

Friday, May 11, 2007

Billy Zoom, Brian Setzer & James Intveld



Good Gosh Almighty! Is it possible that this really exists? From an 80's era cable access show called "Art Fein's Poker Party", we find ~X~'s Billy Zoom, the Stray Cats' Brian Setzer (rockin' a sweet pomp-mullet) and James Intveld jamming to "Good Rockin' Tonight." Crazy, baby! Ca-ray-zee!

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Johnny Cash impersonating Elvis




Johnny Cash does his special rendition of Elvis Presley, good stuff!

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Is it Man, or Astroman?

Dig the surfalicious sounds of Man, or Astroman?



Tuesday, April 10, 2007

The Collins Kids, "Razzle Dazzle"



Larry & Lorrie Collins, on The Steve Allen Show, 1958

Sure the skit's a bit corny, but Larry Collins, at age 12, rocks harder than you on his double neck guitar whilst cuttin' a mean rug. Jealous, aren't ya?



Friday, February 23, 2007

Untamed Youth




"Untamed Youth" filmed in 1957, starred Mamie Van Doren featuring this crazy dance scene. The kids are all in Juvenile Hall for being scandelous in their behavior: Crazy Swing Dancing! Can you handle it? I think that you can!

Friday, February 16, 2007

Hellzapoppin'!




When I first saw this dance scene years ago, it blew my mind! Thanks to youtube, it's magically re-appeared. I can't believe that this 60 year old clip had not been more prominent in our culture. The predecessor to rock and roll, nobody holds a candle to this dance group!