February 1, 2010

Parasite

Copyright © 2009 Rick S. Hall.

Peter Peter & Kyed – “Acoustics of Crime”

Rick at 2:47 pm

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January 19, 2010

It’s All Right

Times Square, 1970. Photo by Nick DeWolf. (Wonderful archives here.)

Fear – “New York’s Alright If You Like Saxophones”

Rick at 9:37 pm

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January 20, 2007

Danny Wood

The YouTube video in this post has been removed per the request of the artist. (@10-7-2007)

Rick at 4:34 pm

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April 14, 2006

Profondo Guidos

Suspiria warped me. I was an adolescent watching primitive cable television when I stumbled across this bizarre movie that scared the poop out of me. For years after, I asked anyone who seemed cool if they’d ever seen it, but this was well before internet movie databases and DVD special editions and such, so it remained my secret nightmare. I gotta say, if you like a good horror movie and aren’t too literal-minded, then you have to see it. With the lights off. That’s an order, chief.

Later, I learned that this relentlessly dreamlike, color-drenched exploitation film was directed by Italian horrormeister Dario Argento, who selected a score composed by his frequent collaborators Goblin, a jazzy-rock combo who’ve done more than their share of beautifully nasty soundtrack work. Some have described Goblin’s sound and approach as an evil version of krautrockers Tangerine Dream. The premiere issue of Fangoria magazine contains a letter-to-the-editor by yours truly, begging for information about “Dario Argento & the Goblins” (as they were credited in the American release).

The movie also stars the ever-humorous Udo Kier, as well as gorgeous Stefania Casini who was so hilarious in Andy Warhol’s Bad the same year.

Suspiria the film is visually and viscerally incredible, but what really makes it work is Goblin’s driving, eerie, throbbing Italia-prog-disco soundtrack and especially its demonic nursery-song theme. A lot of reviewers describe the score as “loud” – which seems like an odd way to put it – but it’s certainly bombastic, with plenty of pumping sequencers and thumping bass, reverberating percussion and dark vocals. Argento’s previous Profondo Rosso a.k.a. Deep Red has a spooky synth theme with a gloomy virtuoso bass line and churchy organ solo. The boys scored many other Argento movies as well as, notably, George Romero’s Martin (1977) and Dawn of the Dead (1978) and Lucio Fulci’s Zombie (1979). Argento freaks should also possess the excellent organ-driven Keith Emerson score to Inferno (1980), the followup to Suspiria and second in Argento’s “Three Mothers” trilogy. Its knockout track is the pseudo-operatic “Mater Tenebrarum”.

My favorite dago wop, Steve Cattani, recently gave me a collection of Italian police-thriller music which contains the theme to La Via Della Droga a.k.a. Drug Street. It’s great, but I can’t vouch for the film, not having seen it. Goblin are still cooking up cruel music for films. They even contributed a tune to the Shaun of the Dead soundtrack!

Over time, Suspiria has inspired a cult of devotees from all over the civilized world and, judging from google, some really unoriginal goth bands and metal albums. So enjoy this slice of artful Italian sleaze, and when in Rome, be sure to visit Dario’s museum/bookstore!

Goblin – “Suspiria (Main Title)” from Suspiria (1977)

Goblin – “Witch” from Suspiria (1977)

Goblin – “Profondo Rosso (Main Title)” from Deep Red (1975)

Goblin – “La Via Della Droga” from La Via Della Droga (1977)

UPDATE: I forgot to mention that apparently Hollywood was threatening, once again, to wipe its fat ass on history by remaking Suspiria. Until last year, when somebody realized that Scream fans wouldn’t understand it. So justice prevails. This time…

Rick at 2:57 am

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March 24, 2006

Good Guys Wear ‘Em

Say, babies, get in on what’s happening. Here’s an item that’s always groovy. It’s not gonna wear out; it’s not gonna be out. It’s gonna be in. Be in. Wear it to Be-ins. Wear it to Love-ins. Wear it to… Turn-ins!

Your nazi helmet is factory fresh and comes with a choice of personalized decals. Made of the finest organic plastic, this item will never become obsolete. Kids – get your own helmet club! Plan secret meetings. Wear your helmets to school. Compare your genuine now helmet to Dad’s old one! Guaranteed complete protection in all demonstrations…

Hey, kids! Get uptight with your outtasight nazi helmet today!

(From You Are What You Eat (1968). Long time thanks to the Hound.)

Nazi Helmet ad (:57)

UPDATE: Corrected the name of the movie (thanks, Squeaky!) and discovered that this piece was on a track by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary. According to Wikipedia, Pete pled guilty in 1970 to taking “immoral and indecent liberties” with a 14-year-old female fan, and served three months in prison.

Rick at 8:45 pm

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March 20, 2006

Mothra Monday

This is not the place to learn all about the Toho Films pantheon of creatures. I don’t know a whole lot about Mothra, but I’m picking up a few facts here and there. She was an adversary of Godzilla and, for all I know, they became fast acquaintances or maybe secret fuck-buddies in later films… you know how fickle these radioactive monsters can be. Perhaps Ivan Lerner can step in and fill in the blanks. Or you can do your own research. This is the goddamn internet, in case you haven’t noticed.

What’s clear to me, and anyone else, is that Mothra is a giant moth. Let’s pause a moment and let that sink in. A moth. Possibly the most harmless pest in terms of battle, a fluttering, delicate moth can – what, nibble on your linens? Does Godzilla end up after the melee with raggedy-ass holes in his/her underwear? (Just kidding. Everyone knows Godzilla doesn’t wear any underwear.)

(...Damn, that’s sexy.)

As an aside, you can find out all about Mosura’s fragile ego and mothy powers right here. And this other page has the original version of the theme, as well as storyline summaries, smart links, cool photos, lyrics and translation.

The real movie came out in 1961, then was remade in 1996, probably because somebody imagined that was somehow necessary.

The U.S. credits for the original movie had Jerry Ito’s name listed as “Jelly Ito.” How excellent is that?

Anyway, I found an old cassette tape that has this tune which I’d assumed was by girl duo the Peanuts as those adorable little twin Japanese maidens (the Shobijin) that worship an enormous moth. This must be from a record I own called Godzilla Legend III: Dialogue of the Infantians by Makoto Inoue, which is apparently slavish synth interpretations of the original Akira Ifukube score, made in 1983. I like to imagine it’s the Peanuts on vocals, but for all I know it’s Pink Lady in a karaoke bar. Got your wings on, good buddy?

“Mosura” (theme)

Rick at 11:58 pm

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March 18, 2006

Humor Me, part 7

More posts are on the way. I took a week off of updating the site in order to indulge in some reading and movie watching, workplace drama, migraines, cooking and procrastination. Thanks, I’m nearly all better.

In the same vein as last year’s incredible remix of The Shining, here’s a new twist on Mel Gibson’s Christ. (YouTube video) To my readers who are christians or who only have dialup connections: sorry. The future’s a bitch, innit?

...After Ricky Anys played it for me, I spent a long time searching video sites for the official-looking trailer for Snakes on a Plane. Now I cain’t find it. Apparently this Samuel L. Jackson-oriented web meme is attracting cease-and-desist letters from company lawyers. Aw, jeez. Go ahead, sue everybody! Did I mention there are snakes on the motherfucking plane?!

Here’s another Joke of the Week, for Yoshi completists.

Finally, if you’re the “street team” kind of person, you can mail me a self-addressed stamped envelope and I’ll send you some of the new Toe Stubber stickers (actual size). Adhere them wherever people are likely to see ‘em – money, baby strollers, Hummer limos, poop, breast implants, American flags, crack pipes, etc. It’s perfectly legal, I think, not being a lawyer.

UPDATE: This post mysteriously disappeared over the weekend due to some server-side problems. Also, the RSS feed is acting strangely. All I can say is, it’s a good thing this website isn’t my only lifeline to sanity.

Rick at 7:11 pm

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March 11, 2006

Humor Me, part 6

For movie lovers, Criticwatch covers the shameful activities of fawning media quotewhores Paul Fischer, Harry Knowles, Bill Bregoli, Clay Smith, Pete Hammond, Jeffrey Lyons and Shawn Edwards (and last, but certainly not best, the legendary Earl Dittman), as they suck up to every megacorporation or publicist who offers them a shrimp platter or an official baseball cap, then foist their fluffy, drooling, content-free reviews on the viewing public. This is comedy with a burning core of righteousness. Ignore the myriad pop-up ads and sign their petition; it’s a good cause.

Then, via Hit and Run, here’s a bizarre little classroom movie one might call Planet of the Bike-Riding Apes.

And the Joke of the Week, late as usual.

Satisfied?

Rick at 12:53 pm

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March 2, 2006

Biker Movie Thursday

This is one of my very favorite artifacts: the original soundtrack from the film Naked Angels (1969) on Frank Zappa’s Straight record label. Today we’re presenting only the first tune on the album – the “Naked Angels Theme” – and sparing you the lame-ass studio boogie boredom that follows it. I wouldn’t waste your time.

But check out this churning fuzz monster. Many folks who are into biker instrumentals like to rave about Davie Allan & the Arrows (and they’re consistently good) – but Simmons & Steirling’s brash, nakedly commercial Naked Angels is A-list material. Hey, just because you’re a studio hack doesn’t mean you can’t cook the amps into overdrive and bust out a prime squealing bit of rough-trade road mythology once or twice in your lifetime. (UPDATE: Jeff Simmons is not a hack.)

The misogynist cover of this LP instantly attracted me, with its glamorous desert rape photo and sundrenched sleaziness. The movie’s very obscurity added to its mystique… which wore off slightly when I finally saw it, with Ivan Lerner, who curated a biker film festival at Anthology Film Archives. To be blunt, it didn’t leave much of an impression; though, as I recall, the filmmakers reused the “Theme” several times, like Curtis Mayfield’s “Pusherman” in the movie Superfly. Maybe it’s time for me to watch it again with fresh eyes.

And perhaps the “Naked Angels Theme” does go on a couple measures too long… but that makes it the perfect length to saddle up your gleaming chopped hog for a four-minute wind-swept freedom run, all the way down the endless highway, to that enormous new beige mega-mall they just opened.

Pleasant shopping, sucker.

Jeffrey Simmons & Randy Steirling – “Naked Angels Theme”

Rick at 12:03 am

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January 20, 2006

Turn Up the Volume

I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry. Is that enough for you bums? Yes, I took a few weeks off with minimal posting so that I could indulge in some unspectacular adventures: got depressed, visited family, got a promotion, went to Vegas, played around with my ex, got more depressed, started working out again and decided to return here and give you rocking fools some more tidbits of street knowledge.

What’s crackin’? Between games of Sudoku, I watched quite a few music presentations on the home screen, such as:

Alison Krauss & Union Station: Live DVD
A very cool, “family friendly” concert by this sweet modern bluegrass quintet/sextet, filmed in Louisville 3 1/2 years ago. I venture to say that most music fans would probably like to have sex with Alison Krauss, but that could just be projection on my part.

Black Oak Arkansas DVD
This disc is a bootleg that Sfumato sent me off of a VHS tape, which includes an amazing full performance from Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert, the horrifying 1980s Ready As Hell video and a brief tour of the Arkansas redneck commune conducted by Jim Dandy and the boys. Totally inbred and awesome; I hope to present some clips here after I get past the technological hurdles.

Inside the Sensational Alex Harvey Band DVD (UK import)
Pretty much useless. Mike Desert showed me this one, and he claims that the Kinks doc made by the same company is even worse! There’s some decent SAHB footage that, unfortunately, you can’t fucking hear because of nonstop voice-over jibber jabber from random self-styled rock critics and the doddering remnants of the Band who still survive. Honestly, this is a terrible job: half-assed editing and interviews that barely go past “Hmmm, how did that song go? Let’s see – doot doot doola doo…”

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If I still lived in NYC, I’d want to go out and see local treasures the Little Killers playing every other night, but who’s kidding who – I’d probably just take ‘em for granted and stay home like most everyone else these days.

Andy used to be in the Sea Monkeys with Dave the Spazz. He has a unique chugga chugga guitar sound that really hits the spot and talks his lyrics out with a compelling, sloppy swagger. Sara and Kari are a dynamite rhythm section, reserved onstage, but cool people… not to mention real nice to look at. The Little Killers were one of the first new bands in forever to come out on Crypt Records, a label not known to have a craving for flavors of the month. Dean Rispler produced their first album (from whence these two songs), and it oughtta just blow you away.

The Little Killers – “Butterfingers”

The Little Killers – “How Do You Do It?”

...also, check out the live video!

UPDATE 2-4-06: Mister Sfumato kindly redirects us to some primo clips that someone posted on YouTube of Black Oak on Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert that I mentioned up yonder.

Rick at 12:35 am

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November 27, 2005

Now a Word From Our Scumbag Sponsor

From the 1980s into the early 1990s, an ad hoc community of NYC crackheads, thieves and the homeless would assemble after dark on 2nd Avenue between 6th Street and St. Marks. There, like denizens of a more exotic and smellier Casbah, black-marketeers would display their wares upon discarded towels or dirty bedsheets – items plucked from dumpsters, or ripped from the glove compartments of parked cars. If a home was burglarized, many a victim headed straight for this impromptu outdoor thrift shop, and I heard more than once about people rescuing their stolen valuables just in time (after a few of the appropriate threats got bandied about). Like most of the avid shoppers, I liked to assume I was buying recovered trash and not supporting random theft, but you never knew the pedigree of the merchandise.

Like many a collector’s curse, I “lucked into” the habit of hoarding radio station promo records. I was walking home and some guy had a fresh stack of 45s toppling from his seller’s blanket. I stopped and read the labels; I couldn’t believe my luck. I ended up paying fifty cents apiece for them.

A bit of radio history. DJs used to receive these 7” ready-to-play commercials direct from the sponsor. Most of the time there were multiple versions of an ad (for example, a 60-second, 30-second and 15-second cut) separated by locked grooves in the record. It was often a one-sided disc, though sometimes two; sometimes 45rpm, sometimes 33.3; and the variety of promotions and cross-promotions is delicious.

These are a subset of those spots – movie trailers for radio play. Aside from the delightfully self-important announcers and hilariously sordid, completely misleading ad campaigns, I especially like that the format was so democratic – the major studios threw out tasteless ads for their big-budget schlock the exact same way Independent-International and AIP did for their repackaged Eurosleaze and homegrown exploitation flicks. Everything got pressed to vinyl. As a lover of these movies, it’s really cool to be able, in effect, to own a piece of them. At one time these commercial discs were the industry standard. Why are they so hard to find now? I suspect there’s a whole lot of other collectors out there.

The Naughty Stewardesses (60 sec.) imdb listing

Framed (30 sec.) imdb listing

Dr. Tarr’s Torture Dungeon (30 sec.) imdb listing

Frenzy of Blood double feature (60 sec.) both imdb listings

Loving Cousins (60 sec.) imdb listing

Mandingo (30 sec.) imdb listing

Angel’s Wild Women (30 sec.) imdb listing

Dreamer (30 sec.) imdb listing

Females For Hire (30 sec.) imdb listing

Triple Terror Show (30 sec.) all three imdb listings

The Lonely Woman (60 sec.) imdb listing

Ginger / The Abductors (50 sec.) both imdb listings

Island of Lost Girls / Nice Girl (60 sec.) imdb listing

Mark of the Devil (60 sec.) imdb listing

Nurses For Sale (60 sec.) imdb listing

UPDATE 12-1-05: If you’ve got the patience to fight the infamous Blogger servers, Skinny Robbie posted 100 more (!) radio spots on his blog last Halloween. You greedy, greedy people.

Rick at 9:02 pm

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