Here’s a little-known clip of Martin Denny and his group playing their signature tune, “Quiet Village” on Webley Edwards’ Hawaii Calls TV special. (Host Edwards was the first radio announcer to broadcast news of the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese).
After the jump, more Martin Denny…
Source photos of pin-up girls next to their painted “after” image.
What caught my attention about these side-by-side comparisons is how they expose the 1950/60s version of photoshopping. Dig how painter Gil Elvgren, a noted American pin-up master, shaved the curves from real woman’s bodies to “improve” upon them, even back then!
Look at those itty-bitty waists and the exaggerated curvature of the feet! All of this crap has been around much longer than we’ve suspected!
And here I thought “duckface” was a MySpace phenomenon? Alas I’m proven wrong—apparently duckface was alive and well in the 1950s.
Elvgren produced many of his pin-up paintings for Brown & Bigelow, the same company who also produced Norman Rockwell’s decidedly more wholesome Boy Scouts calendars.
Via Retronaut
In this episode of Sanford and Son, “Fred’s Treasure Garden,” which aired on Nov 29, 1974, Grady finds some pot growing in the junkyard, mistakes it for wild parsley, makes a nice big salad out of it and hilarity ensues.
Even without Redd Foxx , this is some high grade shit. The roots of stoner humor.
Via the mighty Open Culture:
Hell. We tend to take it for granted. Have you ever stopped to think about the heating bills, or the stupendous overhead?
John Cleese plays a cash-strapped Prince of Darkness in this classic sketch from The Frost Report, the show that launched Cleese as a television star in Britain. He was 26 years old at the time. The program was hosted by David Frost, who is perhaps best known for his 1977 interviews of Richard Nixon. There were four other future Monty Python comedians on the writing staff of The Frost Report–Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Michael Palin and Eric Idle–but only Cleese was a cast member. The show was broadcast in 1966 and 1967, with each weekly episode centered around a particular theme, like love, leisure, class and authority. The “Souls in Torment Appeal” is from a March 24, 1966 program about sin. It’s a funny sketch.
And what a great Satan Cleese makes, too. I’m surprised more devil roles haven’t come his way.
Here in England, as the phone hacking scandal continues to escalate, questions about Tony Blair, and the exact nature of his relationship to the Murdoch Family (as in Manson, or Addams), endure. Far from their ideological opponent, Blair seems to have been something of an adoptee (or even initiate)...
Blair’s own account of his relationship with Rupert Murdoch appears in his memoir, A Journey , where he writes that that he “came to have a grudging respect and even a liking” for the disgraced media tycoon.
He was hard, no doubt. He was rightwing. I did not share or like his attitudes on Europe, social policy or on issues like gay rights, but there were two points of connection: he was an outsider and he had balls.
In a recent Vogue interview, Mrs. Murdoch, Wendi Deng , revealed that Blair became godfather to their daughter Grace in 2010, donning white robes for her baptism in the River Jordan, right where it’s thought John the Baptist first dunked Jesus Christ (Blair’s presence was omitted from the original 2010 Hello article).
An additional, equally curious detail, and one I think has yet to be considered alongside the above, is that Blair’s own youngest, little Leo (born in 2000), also had the mystical honour of being baptized in the same stretch of the Jordan (Something tells me the guests donned white robes then, too).
All of which invites two interpretations. What we have here is either one vulgar megalomaniac imitating another (perfectly possible), or this ceremony is something creepily and specifically religious. It might even be evidence of some sort of elitist religion, which is even weirder.
Of course to entertain such crazy thoughts you’d need to find a white-robed sect that was known for baptizing children in the Jordan. Hmmmm. How’s about… the Mandaeans (see below) a Gnostic sect that revere John the Baptist? That’s right, John the Baptist.
Now I don’t pretend to understand what all this means (or that it necessarily means anything at all), but anyone curious could doubtless do worse than refer to Christopher Knowles and his splendid parapolitical blog The Secret Sun (specifically here).
Otherwise, it’s just interesting to note what complete freaks run the show.
Wired goes behind-the-scenes of movies and popular drug-themed TV shows and gives you the skinny on what actors “actually toke—or snort or shoot or huff—on camera.”
Methamphetamine
The speed cooked up by Walter White (Bryan Cranston) on Breaking Bad won’t give you meth mouth, but it might cause cavities—rock candy is the stand-in for Heisenberg’s product.
Marijuana
Throughout Pineapple Express, characters smoke a nontobacco herb from online head shop International Oddities. It looks like pot, it blazes like pot, but no word on if it “smells like God’s vagina.”
Cocaine
Legend has it that Al Pacino plowed through real coke on the set of Scarface. When it was time for the cast of 2001′s Blow to go skiing, though, the actors snorted inositol—powdered vitamin B.
Crack
Ryan Gosling’s rock in the indie film Half Nelson was actually a piece of a broken drinking mug that prop artists had dyed with coffee. A bit of tobacco provided the smoke, and voilà: Pookie status.
Read more of Drug Doubles: What Actors Actually Toke, Smoke and Snort on Camera
The late video artist Nelson Sullivan captured this laugh-out-loud funny moment of backstage mayhem at Atlanta’s 688 Club on February 28 1986. It’s probably one of the two or three most sublime (non-musical) moments caught on tape of the Butthole Surfers in their lysergic prime (when the drugs were still working for them and not against them). It’s right up there with the “Bed In” interviews seen on the classic Blind Eyes See release. I’ve had a copy of this video, that Nelson gave me himself, just a few months after it was shot. This is a classic, trust me on this one. I’ve posted it here before, but in case you missed it then, well, don’t make that same mistake this time… Not unless you want to miss Gibby drawing a dick on a mural of Thor, finding “Lewis & Clark” and… much, much… more.
Here’s something that you have to know to be able to make maximum sense out of what’s going on here: Nelson—who had been invited to the show by then-drummer, Cabbage (Kytha Gernatt)—was behind the camera obviously. However, what you can’t see is that he was attired in an outlandish outfit comprised of red, white and blue plaid matching bell-bottom pants, vest and cap. It was truly an ensemble that “Rerun” from What’s Happening!! would have been ashamed to wear out of the house. The sight of Nelson—who was probably 37 at the time, but who came off a bit older—in this getup was perplexing to say the least, under any circumstances or in any setting, yes, even backstage at a Butthole Surfers’ concert.
So when you hear Gibby point at the camera and explain “Look at this dude, man!” or “What a dude!” he’s referring to the guy behind the camera, who was far, far freakier than anyone else in the room that night.
More of Nelson Sullivan’s unique videos of NYC nightlife in the 1980s can be seen at the 5 Ninth Ave Project on YouTube.
A wonderful tribute in the New York Times yesterday where artists were asked to contribute original works of art in memory of Maurice Sendak.
The piece pictured above was done by Gary Taxali. And how fitting it is. Just wonderful.
See the rest of the slide show, which includes art works by Art Spiegelman, Tomi Ungerer, Geoff McFetridge, Bob Staake, Marc Rosenthal and Jon Klassen in The New Times Sunday Review section.
Via Laughing Squid
A behind-the-scenes report on the making of The Horror of Frankenstein, Hammer Film’s seventh Frankenstein movie, and their first without Peter Cushing playing the eponymous Baron. This time the role was taken-up by Ralph Bates, who added a certain amount of loucheness to Victor. The film also marked, what has lately been described (see The Ultimate Hammer Collection) as a “bold departure into comedy horror”, which it is, and therefore slightly misfires, undermining the films more horrific elements. But still, there is much to enjoy in The Horror of Frankenstein - Bates’ performance, the always watchable Dennis Price, and great supporting roles portrayed by Kate O’Mara, Jon Finch (soon to be Polanski’s MacBeth), Veronica Carlson, and Dave (Darth Vader) Prowse, who looks as if his make-up as the monster inspired the Kirgan’s in Highlander. Even Cushing makes a cameo on the doctor’s slab.
I am great fan of Cushing, who could be both polite and menacing, a rare talent, and he was never less than convincing in any role he played. Here in an interview Cushing discusses his thoughts about Baron Victor Frankenstein, while Bates discusses his approach to the role. First broadcast on the BBC April 28th, 1970.
With thanks to Nellym
Nicky Thomas delivers…
The Old Grey Whistle Test was only in its second year on BBC2 when producer Rowan Ayers presented this reggae showcase in Edinburgh in 1973.
The lineup is almost completely comprised of Jamaican artists who had settled in London after touring Europe off of hits they scored in the British charts. The notable exception is the specially flown-in MC Dennis Alcapone, who delivers two of the three original tunes in this collection of excerpts (the other is Winston Groovy’s “I’m a Believer”—the one written by Mulby Thompson of Trojan Records, not Neil Diamond). It’s pretty rare to see footage from this early on of a reggae MC like Alcapone in front of a live band—until the late ‘70s, they were pretty much relegated to chatting over instrumentals at sound system dances.
After the agile Cimarons cover Bill Withers’s “Ain’t No Sunshine,” they back nearly all the other artists, until an all-white band pops up to back the Pioneers. The late Nicky Thomas offers up a compelling highlight with his paroxysmal covers of Syl Johnson’s “Is It Because I’m Black” and The Four Preps’ “Love of the Common People.”
The program was hosted by Alex Hughes, who as Judge Dread had just scored three charting British reggae singles of his own—the lewd nursery rhymes “Big Six,” “Big Seven,” and “Big Eight”—and was the first white artist to have a reggae hit in Jamaica.
One can imagine how many mods, skinheads, soul boys and other riff-raff this broadcast kept off the street at the time.
Part 1
The Cimarons - “Ain’t No Sunshine”
Winston Groovy - “I’m A Believer”
Dennis Alcapone - “Cassius Clay” & “Wake Up Jamaica”
Part 2
The Marvels - “Jimmy Browne” & “One Monkey”
Nicky Thomas - “Is It Because I’m Black” & beginning of “Love of the Common People”
Part 3
Nicky Thomas - end of “Love of the Common People”
The Pioneers - “Higher & Higher” & “Papa Was a Rolling Stone”
All Star Finale - “Freedom Train”
Pt. 1
Keep yr skank up: check out parts 2 and 3 after the jump…
Donald “Duck” Dunn has passed away.
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Dunn was the bass player in Booker T. and the MGs as well as a sideman to Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Eric Clapton, Wilson Pickett and many more. He was a key player for Stax recording studios and an integral component in the soulful funkiness of the “Stax sound.”
I remember seeing Neil Young on his 1993 tour when Booker T and the MGs were his backing band. I was expecting something bluesy and jazzy (you never know with Neil), but the band rocked hard. Dunn stood in one spot, blue jeans perfectly pressed with a crease down the middle, and laid down a groove as deep and massive as the Grand Canyon without ever breaking a sweat or mussing his impeccably coiffed hairdo.
Dunn died in his sleep in Japan after playing a couple of gigs at The Blue Note in Tokyo. He was 70 years-old.
Here’s a great clip of Dunn playing with Booker T. and the MGS on 1960s TV show Shindig.
Faye Dunaway is one hot mess in Frank Perry’s cinematic turd in the punchbowl. Happy Mother’s Day.
No… wire… hangers. What’s wire hangers doing in this closet when I told you: no wire hangers EVER? I work and work ‘till I’m half-dead, and I hear people saying, “She’s getting old.” And what do I get? A daughter… who cares as much about the beautiful dresses I give her… as she cares about me. What’s wire hangers doing in this closet? Answer me. I buy you beautiful dresses, and you treat them like they were some dishrag. You do. Three hundred dollar dress on a wire hanger. We’ll see how many you’ve got if they’re hidden somewhere. We’ll see… we’ll see. Get out of that bed. All of this is coming out. Out. Out. Out. Out. Out. Out. You’ve got any more? We’re gonna see how many wire hangers you’ve got in your closet. Wire hangers, why? Why? Christina, get out of that bed. Get out of that bed. You live in the most beautiful house in Brentwood and you don’t care if your clothes are stretched out from wire hangers. And your room looks like some two-dollar-a-week furnished room in some two-bit back street town in Okalahoma. Get up. Get up. Clean up this mess.
Mommie Dearest in all of its appalling glory:
Zilla Minx of Rubella Ballet has put together a wonderful documentary that tells the story of the women who pioneered the British punk rock scene. This is a vital film that brings some balance to the lopsided male-centric history of punk.
Featuring women punk rockers from bands of the era including Poly Styrene of X-Ray Spex, Vi Subversa of Poison Girls, Eve Libertine & Gee of Crass, Gaye Black of The Adverts, Michelle of Brigandage,Ruth & Janet of Hagar The Womb and journalists, authors and photographers Julie Burchill and Caroline Comb and more. This film includes interviews with the following women & rare footage of their 1980 s live punk gigs. Poly Styrene: Lead vocalist, X-Ray Spex. Gee Vaucher: Art Work, Crass. Eve Libertine: Vocals, Crass. Gay Black: Bass Player, The Adverts. Vi Subversa: Lead Vocalist & guitarist, Poison Girls. Julie Burchill. Author, Journalist. Lou Moon: Lead Vocalist, Evil I. Caroline Coon: Manager, Slits & The Clash, Journalist/Artist Zillah Minx: Lead Vocalist, Rubella Ballet Michelle: Lead Vocalist, Brigandage Helen Of Troy: Actress and Vocalist, FU2 Justine: Violinist, Grechen Hoffner Olga Orbit: Keyboards, Youth in Asia Nettie Baker: Author. Ruth & Janet: Vocalist & Guitarist, Hagar The Womb Rachel Minx: Bass player, Rubella Ballet Kara Minx: Child ballet dancer, Rubella ballet Mary: Bodyguard to Poly-Styrene.”
Watch it on Dangerous Minds and then buy it here. Support D.I.Y. films.
Guess who.
Update: the answer is…(drum roll)...Lux Interior!
Here’s a 35 minute recording of Roxy Music playing live at the Paris Theatre, London in 1972, which was broadcast on BBC radio in September of the same year.
Thanks to Vibracobra23 for the upload, and author and musician Stephen Thrower, who adds that:
[this was] previously available only on dreadful, tinny bootleg LPs but is now in pristine sound quality, and with an extra track - a fantastically intense version of The Bob (Medley.)
Tracklist:
1. The Bob (Medley)
2. The Bogus Man Part 2
3. Sea Breezes
4. Virginia Plain
5. Chance Meeting
6. Re-Make/Re-Model
The story behind the 1977 Topps Star Wars # 207 C-3PO trading card (known as the “boner” card) is that a pissed-off Topps graphics designer decided to give C-3P0 a hard-on and a couple thousand copies of the card were produced and released to the public before the prank was discovered. Of course, the card is a collectible and you can buy one now on eBay for a mere 19 bucks.
Might make a nice gift for that Star Wars fan in your life.
My co-conspirator here at DM Paul Gallagher covered this last year, but I found a nice new high quality upload of the video in full and thought I should update the article and share it with you all once again. I’m sure our new readers will appreciate it.
Here is David Bowie in the BBC production of Brecht’s play Baal, from 1982. It was directed by Alan Clarke, the talent behind such controversial TV dramas as Scum with a young Ray Winstone, Made in Britain, with Tim Roth, and Elephant.
Baal was Brecht’s first full-length play, written in 1918, and it tells the story of a traveling musician / poet, who seduces and destroys with callous indifference.
Bowie is excellent as Baal and the five songs he sings in this production were co-produced with Tony Visconti, and later released as the EP David Bowie in Bertolt Brecht’s Baal.
An early interview with some of the members of Monty Python (John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin), recorded during filming on the Yorkshire Moors - “Of course it’s changed a bit now. They’ve put the rocks in, haven’t they? That used to be the bathroom over there,” quips Palin, while Jones seeks attention by falling over, and Chapman sips his G&T. Filmed for the BBC regional news program Look North, this was originally broadcast on May 23rd, 1973.
Previously on Dangerous Minds
‘Away From It All’: Little-known Monty Python ‘travelogue,’ 1979
‘Sez Les’: What John Cleese did after ‘Monty Python’
The audio is a bit rough but this fiery performance by The Patti Smith Group on Cinco de Mayo at the Diego Rivera Museum in Mexico City immediately taps into something mystical. Patti seems completely possessed by the magic of the moment and the place. And the place is possessed of some serious mojo:
The unique museum was conceived and created by muralist Diego Rivera, who, motivated by his own interest in Mexican culture, collected near 60,000 pre-Hispanic pieces during his life and projected a building to place and exhibit them. It was completed after his death by architects Juan O’Gorman and Heriberto Pagelson and Rivera’s own daughter, Ruth. Built of black volcanic stone, it takes the form of a pyramid. The museum articles are collected from almost every indigenous civilization in Mexico’s history.
The building forms a teocalli with means “house of energy”, its design notably influenced by the Teotihuacan culture as can be appreciated in the building’s boards, recreating the image of the rain god Tlaloc. Wikipedia.
Patti is 66 fucking years old and she continues to amaze. And on the night of this performance, Patti had the help of Tlaloc the rain god, the good vibes of Cinco de Mayo and the Supermoon! - a rare and powerful convergence of place, energy and artist. Plus, it was The Patti Smith Groups’ first ever concert in Mexico. A good night for rock and roll.
Audio is real loud. You might want to turn down the volume.
Patti talks about punk rock at the Frida Kahlo Museum after the jump…
“Madwoman of the Sacred Heart.” Graphic novel by by Moebius and Jodorowsky.
On the heels of sharing The Holy Mountain with DM readers, I thought an Alejandro Jodorowsky documentary might be timely and this is a good one.
In 1994 French film maker Louis Mouchet interviewed Jodorowsky and a bunch of his friends and collaborators, including director Fernando Arrabal, Peter Gabriel, Marcel Marcea and artist Moebius.
Jodorowsky is witty and wise as he discusses his masterpieces El Topo and The Holy Mountain, his failed Dune project, the Tarot, his role as a teacher and reluctant new age guru. He’s kind of like Freud on psychotropics.
I hope you enjoy this fascinating look into the mind of a modern magician and trickster who is constantly evolving and adapting to new technologies and formulating new philosophies.
“As soon as I define myself I’m dead.” ~ Alejandro Jodorowsky.
Alejandro Jodorowsky- Constellation 1/4 by zindabad7
Parts two, three and four here.