What I've been up to

I haven't abandoned ship here. I'm in the middle of moving. Above is about 75% of my CD collection. I haven't even touched the vinyl yet and frankly I'm scared to start.

Other than that, I've been busy with stuff. Svetlana finally recorded so hopefully we will have some sort of music available on the soon side. We've also played a record two shows in a month, so we're all pretty beat.

I've been enjoying unemployment, but I haven't really had too much time to catch up on the movie watching or music listening. I did get the Joe Henderson Milestone Box Set which has been completely rocking my world. This is some of the best mainstream jazz of the early 70s, to be sure. Highly underrated stuff.

I've also rediscovered my love of the Hammond B3 and all who play it. Specifically, I've been digging the recordings of Groove Holmes, Jack McDuff and Jimmy McGriff. Luckily for me, a lot of that stuff is available through eMusic so I'm not adding to the mountain of boxes above. I highly recommend Groove Holmes' On Basie's Bandstand and Jimmy McGriff's Groove Grease, if you have the chance to hear them.

(Yes, I know I did just throw a ton of Amazon Associate links at you. Sue me for trying to make a buck. I'm unemployed now, you know.)

Seriously though, firing up a bunch of ripping B3 discs has been about all that's keeping me going for packing all this stuff. I've lived in this place about 7 years and it shows.

OK, one more link, but it's another honest to Koresh recommendation. This Roma Violenta compilation of tracks from Italian cop movies of the 70s. (Think Dirty Harry but nastier.) This is some of the best driving music I've come across in a while. I wish I still had my Charger because this would be the soundtrack album. Another thing I'm thankful for eMusic for.

(While I'm whoring, if anyone wants 50 free eMusic downloads, shoot me your email. I feel dirty now.)

Enough of all that. I'm tired and I got another day of packing ahead. Just wanted to let you all know why you probably aren't going to hear much from me for a little while.

Cheers.

I'm almost sad really.

Because I know this thift score is going to take a while to beat. Yeah, I haven't done a thrift score in a while. I really haven't found that much interesting. But today...



Yes, that is an original pressing of Ska Authentic on the ND label from 1964, not Studio One like all subsequent pressings. The top seam is split, but the vinyl looks surprisingly good. How this ended up in a thrift store in Indianapolis (and remain in such relatively good shape) I'll never know.

Own a piece of Arch Hall Jr. history...

Do you have Twist Fever?

You too can sing the beautiful strains of "Vickie" lounging by the pool with Bud Eagle's 1960 Jazzmaster. (Richard Kiel not included.)

Interestingly enough, this leads me into a double barrel review. I recently got the Wild Guitar/The Choppers double feature from Something Weird and the Wild Guitar CD from Norton. Arch could actually play guitar and, even though he had some sappy stuff in his movies, the tape of him and the Archers playing at a drive-in is pretty rocking. Apparently he was a big fan of Albert King and Johnny Otis.

In the liner notes, he mentioned getting an endorsement deal with Fender for the Wild Guitar and they pretty much forced him into a Jazzmaster. Maybe this is the same one. Sure looks like it. (Yeah, I know he's got a Tele on the album cover. Sue me.)

Also got the Wild Guitar/Choppers double. I had Wild Guitar on an inspired dollar store DVD paired with The Beatniks. Needless to say, the quality on this is a million times better, plus you get all the extras Something Weird is known for.

As for the films, I really dig 'em. Wild Guitar is a "country bumpkin moves to big city to be a star" story but it's done really well. Yeah, Arch is sickeningly "Gee wiz!" through out, but his dad(!) and Ray Dennis Steckler are great as sleazy music industry rollers who lock Arch's Bud Eagle into a financial straight jacket where he has to be essentially a trained monkey. (And you thought that stuff didn't happen until Steve Albini wrote about it.)

The Choppers is a short JD picture. Shot several years before it was released, Arch looks about 12 in it. In this one, Arch plays a look out for a gang of car strippers. It's a fairly simple story, they get caught, people die, the survivors go to jail. The End. Oh, the greasy fat guy from Attack of the Giant Leeches is in there. That's a plus.

So, there it is. For some strange reasons, I'd claim being an Arch Hall fan. Yeah, he got knocked around on Mystery Science Theater, but he's got some kind of goofy charm I just can't put my finger on. You can get most of his movies cheap on public domain issues, well worth whatever you invest in them.

Welcome to the crappiest place on Earth!

In honor of the Chinese government's renewed pledges to curb intellectual property theft, I thought a trip to the Shijingshan Amusement Park was in order.



Hat tip to Cartoon Brew for the story.