COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN OF THE DAY! 10-31-09

It's Halloween!!! It's Halloween!

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN OF THE DAY! 10-30-09

Another great old animation by Ub Iworks and music by Carl Stalling... this one back at Disney... created 1929. There was really something to dancing skeletons back then, I guess.

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN OF THE DAY! 10-29-09

...and here is Ub Iwerks' updated take on his 1929 Skeleton Dance; the Skeleton Frolic... only this one is from 1939 and in full technicolor color (and produced by Columbia this time around, not Walt Disney...).

COUNTDOWN TO HALLOWEEN OF THE DAY! 10-28-09

Let's start out our countdown to Halloween with one of the best.... The Skeleton Dance is a 1929 Silly Symphonies animation directed by Walt Disney and animated by Ub Iwerks. It is the first entry in the Silly Symphonies series. Music by the great Carl Stalling (with an adaption of Edvard Grieg's "The March of the Trolls").

YOUTUBER OF THE DAY! 10-27-09

Did you know Cheap Trick has their own YouTube page? They do! They have some great live clips from from all the way back to '78, silly interviews they did in Japan in the '80's, and more. See why the world loves these Rockford, IL heros who, by the way, are still kicking it out. I remember when I was about 9 years old sneaking into our shared bathroom so I could hear the music my brother was playing in his room... Cheap Trick ruled the record player for almost a year... ok, ok.... Let's Get Small and Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo! had their share of plays too....

We will miss you Anne for so many reasons.

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SAD NEWS OF THE DAY! 10-23-09

RIP Soupy Sales.... comedian, children's TV show host, and pie thrower (and receiver).... not to mention father to Tony and Hunt Sales who played rhythm section for the likes of Iggy Pop and David Bowie. He passed away in hospice care at the age of 93.

TIPLE OF THE DAY! 10-22-09

Ah, the tiple! Same size and shape as the baritone ukulele but with ten strings instead of four (although this guy has strung it with only four)... two sets of three and two sets of two. Look at this beauty with the mother of pearl and all the details! I became aware of this instrument when I saw my friend Ian's beautifully made solid body version he created at his Specimen Products. This one was also made in Chicago and actually not too far from Ian's shop. It was created by Regal Musical Instrument Company, makers of mostly resonator instrument parts for both Dobro and National in addition to their own line of fretted instruments. They were based in Chicago from 1908 lasting until somewhere into the '60's. The building on Grand Ave near Kedzie still sports a faded painted Regal logo on its side. BUY IT NOW!!!

COMPOSER OF THE DAY! 10-21-09

Rest in peace Viz Mizzy, the composer of the original Addams Family theme as well as the Green Acers theme and a host of other songs we all have in the fabric of our very being. He passed away this week at the age of 93.

SEWN MONKEY OF THE DAY! 10-20-09

For the organ player that has everything, here is an old, old stuffed organ grinder's monkey... I feel I have said all that needs to be said on this subject. BUY IT NOW!!!

EBAY ITEM OF THE DAY! 10-19-09

How cute! Someone has taken some their time and skill to imbed a tube amplifier into an old suitcase. It looks like a natural fit, too. It's probably a little 10 or 15 watt amp good for harp or low volume distorted guitar... and it's ready to use easily and then quickly unplug and move on when the show is over... probably best suited for living room gigs... and probably not suited for checking thru at an airport.
BUY IT NOW!!!

SLOW BURN OF THE DAY! 10-17-09

Here is one of the tracks from David Axelrod's amazing 1969 instrumental record "Songs of Experience". Carol Kaye is laying down the bass like only she can coupled with the great drumming of Earl Palmer on this brooding psychedelic funky jazz album that has moments that feel like a 70's cop show halloween episode.

Thanks to my friend Doug for this recommendation. I've not stopped playing it over and over since I got it.

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY! 10-16-09

Happy birthday to Nico who would have been 71 today if she hadn't have died in a bike accident in 1988. Here is the very lovely and sweet-voiced St. Vincent (Annie Clark) with her version of the this wonderful song from Nico's "Chelsea Girls" LP, her debut solo record released the year after she had left the Velvet Underground (though Lou, Sterling, and John play on this record too). "These Days" was written by the young Jackson Browne who also plays on the record.

Happy Birthday Nico!

SAD NEWS OF THE DAY! 10-14-09

Sad news....Blue Cheer Frontman Dickie Peterson Passed away on Monday, Oct 12, 2009.

FROM NEWS ARTICLE: Dickie Peterson, the singer and bass player of Blue Cheer, who are considered another one of the first heavy metal bands, sadly passed away this morning in Germany at the age of sixty one. The cause of death has yet to be announced but he had been ill for some time."

They were just in Chicago last year on a reunion tour. I am sad I missed that show. Their records along with the Stooges records scared me as a young kid in the same way punk rock bands like Rapeman and the Butthole Surfers scared me as a young man. I miss being scared by rock bands.

RIP Dickie Peterson.

UNHOLY MARRIAGE OF THE DAY! 10-13-09

We know the spud boys of DEVO have a twisted sense of humor, sure.... but what could have led to this unholy marriage of Jackson brother Jermaine lip-syncing his new 1982 hit song while strumming a flying V without a strap with Jerry and Mark from DEVO as his pantomime backup band?! (check out Mark 'drumming' on an Omnichord!) Did someone lose a bet? Did some one win one? Is this a sign of the end of days? Am I dreaming a terrible terrible dream?

UNSUNG HERO OF THE DAY! 10-12-09

Here we have a great old clip from guitar innovator Vincent "Vinnie" Bell who is playing Coral's version of the electric sitar that he helped design. (One of the very best uses of this instrument in my opinion was on the recordings by Philly soul group the Delfonics... now that is some BURNING use of the electric sitar!)

Bell was famous for his acid-y guitar/sitar work on the theme to the 1970 movie "Airport", his watery, wanting guitar line in Ferrante & Teicher's version of the theme to "Midnight Cowboy", his opening guitar riff on the Monkees' "I'm a Believer", the signature sitar line on "Green Tambourine" by the Lemon Pipers, as well as the distinctive percussive guitar work on Dionne Warwick's "Walk On By". Some also give him credit for creating one of the first versions of the wah-wah pedal in the 50's years before Thomas Organ released their first mass-produced version. Also, the Danelectro Bellzouki (12 stringed guitar) was their electrified version of a bouzouki (a old Greek and middle eastern stringed instrument) and was named in Bell's honor.

Salute Vinnie!!

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY! 10-9-09

To celebrate what would have been John Lennon's 69th birthday today, here is a nice bit of studio footage of JL recording one of my favorites "Oh My Love" from his "Imagine" LP along with George Harrison, Nicky Hopkins, Klaus Voorman, Phil Spector, and Yoko (is that Jim Gordon playing percussion in the drum room?).

It's shocking that he has been gone for 29 years... and also that I am now one year older than he was when he was shot.

Happy birthday Mr. Lennon.

ANIMATION OF THE DAY! 10-7-09

In tribute to the two amazing nights of Hubley family animations shown here in Chicago by animator Emily Hubley, here is one by her folks Faith and John Hubley from 1968 called "Windy Day". Emily and her sister Georgia provide the dialogue as they did for their parent's defining acheivemnet, "Cockabooty".

HYBRID OF THE DAY! 10-6-09

Here we have the musical equivalent to the spork. When you're out of ideas for creating something new, go ahead and nail two existing things together and call IT new... as is the case with the NATIONAL DOREMI TURNTABLE MINI-ORGAN made in the 70's probably for like a month until someone started thinking straight and halted production. This one comes with the 5 flexi-discs which are probably more rare than the player.... BUY IT NOW!!!

EDIT: This auction closed today and I know who won it! Yea!!

BAD ASS OF THE DAY! 10-5-09

I'll admit... I can't for the life of me figure this one out. OK, first we have perhaps one of the greatest drummers ever to pick up sticks Elvin Jones playing the part of a bad ass, sleeveless gunslinger killing a man... THEN we have the James Gang kick into a hippy jam... then Elvin takes over the drums for an extended drum solo to PROVE that he's bad ass...

I'm not sure if this clip is making want to rent this 1971 movie Zachariah or if it's keeping from doing so.

RUBE GOLDBERG OF THE DAY! 10-3-09

Oh, those crazy foreigners! If they wanted breakfast so bad why didn't they just open up a Waffle House? Diced, fried, scattered, smothered, covered, shamed, embarrassed... any way you want 'em in just minutes!

(Thanks to Coudal Partners for the link and daily inspiration!)

ORGAN LICKS OF THE DAY! 10-2-09

Here we have the blazing stylings of "The Barefoot Lady" herself, Rhoda Scott tearing it up on her B3... damn! Check out the fancy footwork! This is a clip from 1972. Rhoda is still touring Europe and occasionally the USA. We must all go see her.

Thanks to Miss Edith Frost for this smoking video pick!

DUET OF THE DAY! 10-1-09

Holy crap... The wicked wicked Wilson Picket at his wickedest with the freaking Bee Gee's backing him up... "soul brother" Barry stepping up and going toe to toe (well, almost)... backed by a burning band and horn section... watching this video is like working out! My pulse is up and I'm all sweaty! I could probably do without the slapstick at the end but hey... (Thanks to Coudal Partners for the link!)