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.