Tag Archives: The Less Desirables

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 9/15/18

16 Sunday Sep 2018

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Salutations™!!

Points_on_the_Curve_CD_cover

©Geffen Records

It was a rather dreary day in WSNC yesterday and will continue to be for a few days. There were minimal folks out because no one knows what Florence is going to do. So, The BCPF and I made sure to get some good listening material at Underdog Records. And, we did! Here’s what:

  • Sly & The Family Stone – Fresh — #186 on the RS List and I love good funky rock and that’s what this is. Great stuff. Yellow label UK pressing, I believe. It’s in VG++ condition.
  • The Blue Öyster Cult – Tyranny And Mutation — This was the 23rd entry on the Eugeology list from last year. I stated at the time that I didn’t care to hear it again. I do want my list stuffs on vinyl, so here it is in my listening realm again. VG+.
  • Aztec Camera – High Land, Hard Rain — I had heard of Aztec Camera but knew nothing of them. I had seen a few AC albums and thought nothing of it. I didn’t know it was The BCPF’s kind of thing. She said it was and we got this one. I could tell right away that it was definitely her kind of thing. It’s VG++.
  • Simple Minds – Once Upon A Time — There are a lot of great songs on this album and I was very happy to have it. It was a VG++ rated album and we really enjoyed listening to it. Simple Minds are a great band and I’ll buy pretty much anything from them I find.
  • New Order – Low-life — This wasn’t purchased from Underdog Records but was given to us there by our pal Clay Howard. Clay’s the only person we know that will give you gifts for his birthday! It was a great listen and The BCPF was singing along with the whole thing. At least mouthing the words, she won’t sing in front of me for whatever reason. VG++!
  • Wang Chung – Points On The Curve — I will never understand what in the wide-world-of-sports they’re talking about on “Dance Hall Days” but I really like the song. There were several great tunes on this album, and I’ll venture to say it was one of my favorite listens yesterday. Good early 80s pop and the best part is we found it in the $1 bin. I will go as far as saying it was VG++.
  • Henry Mancini – The Best Of Mancini — I love Henry Mancini and his smooth and groovy jazz stylings. He does it really well not only as musical releases but in television and movies, as well. It was a $1 bin find and is VG+.
  • Rod Stewart – Never A Dull Moment — It was funny to watch both The BCPF and me trying to figure out how to get the vinyl out of the sleeve. It was some weird double-flapped gatefold type thing. It turns out you get the vinyl from the back of that. It’s difficult to explain. We just had never seen one like that. Anywhat! It was a $1 bin find and I was surprised how much I liked the album. Some of Stewart’s older albums are a bit bluesy for me. VG.
  • Rick Springfield – Success Hasn’t Spoiled Me Yet — Another great pop album from the early 1980s. Speaking of Clay Howard, the first time we talked about playing music together was him asking about doing a Springfield tribute band. “Don’t Talk to Strangers” is on this one. Great stuff. VG+.
  • Various – Hit Machine — My friend Taylor Chamberlin contacted me on my Instagram post about this. He asked if I had it and I said I didn’t, which was odd because I have such a vast collection of K-Tel albums. He left it at Underdog Records for me. That was a swell gesture of him, I think. Thanks, TC. It’s G+.

So, not a huge haul but a very satisfying one. We got to all but the BOC and K-Tel album yesterday. It was a great listen day. I’ll have some news about The Less Desirables and Underdog Records this week. But, let me say that you can find a lot of cool records both used and new at Underdog. A lot of the stuff from the late 80s and into the 00s that were not even really released on LP is not being re-released in that format and Underdog Records gets them. Be sure to listen to The Less Desirables to hear what the TLD/UDR exclusive deal of the week is.

Discogs is my go-to for cataloging my albums and listing them here. It’s the easiest way to keep up with your collection, too. And, they have a great marketplace for selling or buying your records, cassettes or CDs.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“What you gonna do when things go wrong? What you gonna do when it all cracks up? What you gonna do when the love burns down? What you gonna do when the flames go up? Who is gonna come and turn the tide? What’s it gonna take to make a dream survive? Who’s got the touch to calm the storm inside? Who’s gonna save you? Alive and kicking.” – “Alive and Kicking” (Kerr/Burchill/MacNeil)

Just Another Wednesday Night or: Let the Vacay Begin

29 Wednesday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

Tonight we recorded The Less Desirables and had a fantastic time with my friends, including the guest, Beth Blair and a friend of mine and the show’s Nutrimom TB, talking art, massage, healing, life, beer, everything! You can listen to that HERE! Around 9pm, though, my vacation started. What does that mean? Well, duh, that vacation just started, jeez.

boston-skyline-and-fan-pier-juergen-roth

Boston Skyline (©Juergen Roth)

I kid. It means that there won’t be much social media tomorrow, as opposed to regular Thursdays. It also means that here I am at 11:40p writing a blog post when I have to get up in less than five hours to get to the airport to catch a plane to Beantown. It means that I’ll be really tired in a few hours. It means that I’ll have a shload of fun. It will be fun, dang it!

I will still blog each day whilst I’m gone, but it may be anything like a long-winded post, a video, a picture, a thought, an observation, it may be any danged thing I want it to be. So, really, nothing has changed from normal. I’m just telling you that the random shite that may come from my fingers may be even more random than usual. You have been warned.

Enjoy your Labor Day weekend, Dear Reader. I’m going to enjoy mine. And you should certainly watch my social media because you know I’m going to be posting all kinds of stuff.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“I’m a sailor peg and I’ve lost my leg. Climbing up the topsails, I’ve lost my leg! I’m shipping up to Boston, whoa!” – “Shipping Up to Boston” (Guthrie)

Not Goodbye, Just See You Later or: A Fond Farewell

23 Thursday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

It was a bittersweet episode of The Less Desirables last night. On one hand, I got to see my buddy, “Superfan” Damien. On the other hand, it will probably be his last appearance for a while and most likely a long while at that.

20180822_202925

(left to right) “Superfan” Damien, me, David Stanley, Tammy Padgett (Bethany had left 😦 )

Damien has been with the show (and friends with the hosts) almost since the beginning. We met in January 2011 when Brian, The Beer Guru and myself went on a little beer excursion to the Triangle area. The show started in February 2010, so we had just started picking up some momentum. We went to Durham and Raleigh that day, on the schedule that Jay (The Beer Guru) had laid out for us. We started in Durham and it was an early morning jaunt to get to this non-descript little brewery called Triangle Brewing Company as they opened because we had a long journey ahead.

We got in and did a little brewery tour. Afterwards, as we were all in lines doing the tastings and purchasing stuff, Brian and I walked over to the management and asked if we could put our TLD sticker on the cooler door with the other stickers that adorned the heavy aluminum slab. As Damien puts it, “I heard Tim’s big, booming voice saying ‘we do a podcast.'” He walked over and said to me, “a podcast you say?” And, Brian and I proceeded to give him the pitch: “pop culture, blah blah blah, this, that, blah blah, Beer!” We all shined a large grin and uttered a chuckle on that.

He said he’d give it a listen and he did. He even wrote to us to tell us that he enjoyed it and that he listened whilst he was working out or mowing his lawn or other various chores. He wrote in regularly after that. He has been the constant at most of our “Post-Holiday/Anniversary” parties (they weren’t all called that, then) and other than The BCPF, has been to more than anyone else, including all the co-hosts past and present. He made several appearances on the show itself, which was always a fun time for us. He has been with us, really, longer than when Eugene was part of the show. Eugene didn’t come until mid-2011. He’s been with us through Brian leaving, Caitlin coming, Eugene leaving, Bruce coming, Bruce leaving, Danielle coming, Caitlin leaving, Bethany coming. He’s been here the whole time. He’s even been on The Beer Dads with us.

He gives me tips on “out there” films that I either haven’t seen, haven’t heard of or hadn’t cared to watch. I would say other than beer, his movie expertise has been the most helpful to me. He’s always on the lookout for beers that he hasn’t tried and he’s not afraid to voice his opinion of my admitted ignorance of things.

Why am I waxing poetic on the dude? Because I don’t know when I’ll get to see him again. His lovely wife, his beautiful daughter and he are packing (well they have already) up and moving to Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday. Bad for us, but really good for them. His wife couldn’t pass up the job opportunity that was given to her. She is going to work for the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. As Damien said, they “checked off all their boxes” on conditions of the job. It must be nice to get the “job of your dreams.” Wait… I already have that. But, for others, it must be nice.

The good news for us is The Less Desirables is available globally, so no matter where Damien goes and if he chooses, he can listen to our crap-spewing. He can still email and still be part of it. If we teach him how to Skype, we could have him on the show in that capacity. Also, he says he plans on making somewhat-frequent trips back and will definitely come back on when he is in. So, as he said last night, “this is only goodbye for now.”

Damien, you have been so important to the rise and success of The Less Desirables and you are a great friend to the show. More importantly, to me anyway, you are a great friend to me. I love you, brother. Safe travels and happy life to you and yours from all of us: the Beemans, The Less Desirables past and present and The Beer Dads.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“We may not know what each day has in store for us. We could be gone tomorrow. Any minute could truly be our goodbye. But we do have this moment. This time. Today. Right now.” – Grace Gealey

The New Show on the Block or: Knock! Knock!

15 Wednesday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

So, you know last night I said I had something to write about, right?

Well, that “something” was the addition (and somewhat subtraction) of the Apartment 5B Podcast to The Less Desirables Podcast Network! We have been doing Apartment 5B since February, publishing them (usually) every two weeks. We are working on getting the frequency to weekly because studies show that a weekly produced podcast is more likely to get listened to than one of any less frequency. A5BLogoTestCrop

Well, what is Apartment 5B, you ask? I’ll tell ya. First, 5B was the apartment number of Cosmo Kramer on Seinfeld. Since this is basically a pop culture podcast, with TV being a huge part of it, why not use a good pop culture reference? Why not indeed.

The tagline for this podcast is “Your Podcast home for Irrational Conversations
with the Cool Breezes of Anytown, USA.” It can be about anything or about nothing. See the pattern here? We talk television, movies, music, weird news, we spin a wheel and decide what random topic we’ll talk about.

Does any of that sound familiar? It’s really what The Less Desirables podcast started out being and it’s what I wanted it to become. Don’t get me wrong. I love The Less Desirables and what it has become but it wasn’t my original idea. Also, this isn’t my show. It’s the brainchild of Jeff Evans and “Rory.” I’m just trying to get it more traction by introducing the TLDN audiences to a new podcast. I’m even a “cast member” that goes by the name “Producer Tim.”

If you’re wanting to hear a fun (and sometimes explicit) podcast, give Apartment 5B a try. You can find it on The Less Desirables Network website. We release them every other Tuesday evening, currently. Again, we’re looking to up the frequency. You can find this week’s episode HERE. Enjoy it!

And, again… WELCOME TO THE NETWORK APARTMENT 5B!!!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“The aim is to have fun with the ‘everyday,’ or at least our everyday. That usually is shared agitation, alcohol appreciation, ridiculous journalism, sports, pop culture – you name it, it’s all there, simultaneously inappropriate and hilarious.” – Apartment 5B Podcast

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 8/11/18

12 Sunday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

Queensryche_-_Operation_Mindcrime_cover

©EMI

It was a great average Saturday for The BCPF and me. Sun was out mostly in the morning/early afternoon. We got home from Underdog Records and the bottom fell out. It was done before we went to Willows and stayed nice the rest of the evening. Here’s what happened at Underdog:

  • Queensrÿche – Operation: Mindcrime — I didn’t buy this from Underdog but I did get it from there. After looking for this album for a long while and through some negotiation, I finally was able to convince my friend Bill B-A to part with his copy. It sounds fantastic on vinyl and I actually heard things I hadn’t ever noticed. That happens with vinyl I have noticed. Once my favorite album of all-time, it moved down one notch when I realized the love I had for So by Peter Gabriel. Listening to this again, it can still be a contender. VG+ from Bill.
  • U2 – Achtung Baby — #63 on the RS list which brings me to 200 from that list. The search continues. One of my favorite U2 albums and the last before they went into “temporary insanity” state. “Mysterious Ways” and “One” are probably my two faves on this album, while “Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses” and “Even Better Than the Real Thing” are awesome, too. 2xLP New.
  • The Sisters Of Mercy – Floodland — This is solely a The BCPF thing. She went through (and still lives through some memories of) a goth stage when she was a bit younger. This is definitely “Dark Wave” material and I can see why she likes it. She is especially fond of “This Corrosion.” New.
  • Dio – The Last In Line — I couldn’t pass it up. VG.
  • Whitesnake – Whitesnake — One of my favorite hard rock albums of all time. There are no real clunkers on this album and I had hoped to get it on Record Store Day but while Jonathan ordered several copies, he only got two. Even being fourth in line didn’t get me that album. He had it this time. It was a label promo but that’s okay. It’s the full album. VG+.
  • Golden Earring – Moontan — Although there are only five songs on the album, it isn’t an EP because it still comes in at about 40 minutes. This is the “Radar Love” album. I didn’t know that Golden Earring were Dutch. VG.
  • George Harrison – George Harrison — A good album with some great tunes. It’s no All Things Must Pass, to be sure, but it is good nonetheless. “Blown Away,” “Faster,” and “Love Comes to Everyone” are on this album. VG+.
  • Nick Lowe – Labour Of Lust — Yes, I got this for “Cruel to be Kind.” No, the rest of the album isn’t as good as that tune. But, there are some good pop-music things going on in this album. It’s decent. VG+.
  • Journey – Look Into The Future — Journey’s second album and the penultimate to feature Gregg Rolie on vocals exclusively (which I think is a good thing, I’ve never really been a big fan of his). VG.
  • Various – The Story Of Great Music: Prelude To Modern Music and Various – The Story Of Great Music: The Romantic Era — Each from 1966 and are TimeLife collections, 4xLP each and the “Modern Music” one is VG++ in mono and the “Romantic Era” is NM in mono. I’m actually listening to the first one as I write this.
  • Traffic – The Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys — Notable for its really strange die-cut cover, this is a really good album from Traffic. The title song is a great listen as well as the whole album, really. Better than I initially gave it credit for. VG+.
  • The Alan Parsons Project – The Turn Of A Friendly Card — Man, I really dig me some APP. Who’d-a-thunk when I was a young lad listening to music and only knowing “Eye in the Sky” that I would grow up to become such a fan of the other (and in many ways better) APP albums? “Games People Play” and “Time” are the two best tunes on here, in my opinion. VG.
  • Robert Palmer – Heavy Nova — $1 bin find. It has “Simply Irresistible” and I know not much more than that. I think I got it from Columbia House on cassette when it came out because I forgot to send in my card. I may have sent it back or considered sending it back. I think I kept it, though. Oh well, it was $1. VG.
  • The Voices Of Walter Schumann – Songs Of The Ivy League — I have no idea what this is other than college songs. School songs and such. So it will be interesting. The BCPF wanted it for some song that was on The Gilmore Girls and it was $1. 10″ and in VG.

It’s always fun just going into Underdog Records and hearing people say they were playing “Beat the Beemans.” Yeah, we get there and start grabbing stuff as this list shows but there is a method to the madness, but we shan’t divulge the method. Check out The Less Desirables for the weekly TLD/UDR special that runs.

Discogs is where I catalog my entire collection. It (usually) keeps me from getting duplicates and helps me figure what’s left to get for my collection. I recommend using them.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“Did I disappoint you? Or leave a bad taste in your mouth? You act like you never had love and you want me to go without. Well, it’s too late, tonight, to drag the past out into the light. We’re one, but we’re not the same. We get to carry each other. Carry each other. One.” – “One” (Evans/Hewson/Mullen/Clayton)

Ain’t You Cool? or: The Lab

10 Friday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

I have been in The Less Desirables Studios in The Lab at Industry Hill for about six weeks, now. And, the only two problems I had with the space were the fact that I have a six-foot round table in the small podcast room where there should a four-foot table and that there was no AC in my suite but was everywhere else in the building.

TvO5n

What I thought I was going to have to do to cool off in the studio!

I’m happy to say that one of those things have been addressed and I hope the other will be in the next few weeks.

On Monday, the awesome folks at Piedmont Sheet Metal came out and rewired the AC unit and now, I have to actually turn the air up to let it warm up a bit because it can get cold. Now, the suite cools down but the podcast studio is still a bit warm. I guess I need to check the vent to see if anything is blocking it. Nothing is on the outside, but it could be on the inside. There are smaller holes and the holes are directional so that could be part of it, but I really just need to check it out. But, at least the suite is cooler.

I sat in there for several hours on Wednesday, prepping, recording and producing The Less Desirables. And yesterday, I was in there over two hours editing a podcast that I produce and while it was a little warm, it wasn’t unbearable. And, after 3B and I cleared the parking lot from the debris left in the lot, I was sweaty. However, that passed not too far in.

On Wednesday night during the TLD taping, guest host Tracy Bush said she was chilly and wished she had brought a sweater. I don’t really understand that as I don’t even want to wear a coat in winter. I don’t mean I don’t get why she’d want a sweater. I guess I’m saying I can’t empathize because I don’t experience cold like most people. I get cold, don’t get me wrong, but I have a wider tolerance for it, I guess.

I’m hoping to get the table situation worked out in the next week, perhaps the week after. I just want the guests and podcasts’ hosts’ to be comfortable when in my studio. I don’t know what I’ll run into when winter comes, but it’s around the corner so we’ll see when we get there. But, thanks to my landlords and Piedmont Sheet Metal for getting me chilly again!

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“A name you can trust. Solutions you can rely on.” – Piedmont Sheet Metal

You’ll Believe a Man Can Fly or: Superman Where Are You Now?

08 Wednesday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

As last week, I watched a movie whilst doing my social media posting and such after The Less Desirables show. This wasn’t a clunker like Starcrash. In fact, it’s totally the opposite. This was a fantastic viewing. It was Superman: The Movie (1978).

_Superman_II

©Warner Bros.

I first saw this film in a drive-in theater with my parents in 1978. It was, actually, followed by some adult movie that I apparently slept through. Incidentally, when Supergirl (1984) came out, I saw that at a drive-in, too, but with a friend and his family. I just made that drive-in connection.

Anywhat! I’ve always been into superhero stuff. Movies, comics, stories, magazines, action figures, etc. Superheroes and fantasy things (Star Wars, Star Trek, etc.), really. I have to admit, though, in the comics world, I can’t stand Superman. I think he’s cheesy and too goody-goody and is quite boring. I mean, come on, he’s basically invulnerable except for kryptonite and Doomsday and in the last few decades, magic. He really is an overgrown boy scout.

In all honesty, he is in the movies, too, but it was so entertaining. The special effects were remarkable for their time. This was after Star Wars so everyone stepped up their FX game. Christopher Reeve played the part so well. From clumsy, goofy, awkward as Clark Kent to “manly” Man of Steel as Supes.

Gene Hackman as a comical Lex Luthor was good although I always picture him more as a serious character.

I liked Margot Kidder as Lois Lane but the older I get, the more annoying all her screaming and caterwauling gets. Reminds me of Kim Basinger’s Vicki Vale in Batman (1989). Screaming all the time. Jeez. I also didn’t like the whole “can you read my mind” crap she started “thinking” during the flying scene.

And, former “Little Rascal” and “Our Gang” star, Jackie Cooper as Perry White was cool.

But, add in Marlon Brando as Jor-El and John Williams’ fantastic score and this was a very entertaining film. I loved Superman II (1980), too, although it had a slightly different feel. I think I could write an entire blog post on the drama that went down between many of the principal parties on the filming of Supes II. It’s too much to get into here, though.

I really dug the film and loved revisiting it again. Now I’m going to watch II.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Your name is Kal-El. You are the only survivor of the planet Krypton. Even though you’ve been raised as a human, you are not one of them. You have great powers, only some of which you have as yet discovered.” – Jor-El

Spinning Sunday or: The Haul 8/4/18

05 Sunday Aug 2018

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Salutations™!!

At Underdog Records yesterday, I was able to finally, once and for all, tackle a certain Beatles problem that I have had over the last few years. You’ll find out about it in this haul:

BruceWillis_-_ReturnOfBruno

©Motown

  • The Beatles – Rubber Soul — So, I have been burned (by my own self) over and over finding this on vinyl. Either it’s just a really sucky copy (usually with tape around the sleeve to keep it from falling apart and really scratchy vinyl) or I find a really good copy and it turns out to be the American version. And, to be honest, I hate the American versions of Beatles albums. Mainly, it’s just not what I’m used to. I have the entire Beatles catalog on CD in a box set and that’s the UK versions, to me, the real versions. So, I bought it brand new to finally kill the frustration. Now, the caveat here is that this is in mono. I don’t know how I feel about that, yet. I know the general consensus of folks when comparing the two, agree that the mono versions are probably more in tune with what they were trying to do. I will reserve judgment on that until I listen. All that being said, I finally have finished the Top 10 of the RS list as this sits at #5. Now, I only have 4 more to before the Top 25 is finished. I am sitting at 199 of the 500 on vinyl, right now.
  • The Clientele – Suburban Light — The BCPF loved the other album by The Clientele so she wanted to give this one a try. Sure enough, she loved it, too. I dug it also. New.
  • Coldplay – X&Y — Not my favorite Coldplay album (we know that’s Parachutes) but this 2xLP was there in “like new” condition for about half the cost so I couldn’t pass it up. This is where they started to lose me but I find that when I revisit, usually I can change my mind. We’ll see. NM+.
  • Pavement – Wowee Zowee — It’s weird that Pavement is a The BCPF band. It seems, all at once, to be totally against everything you’d think she’d like and totally everything she likes in one package. I don’t know how I feel about them, and there is another Pavement album we have to get because of the RS list, but this wasn’t on it. VG+.
  • The Autumn Defense – The Green Hour — Another that The BCPF really wanted. This was a past “Record Store Day” selection and one of only 500 pressed in the world, so it’s rare. We couldn’t pass it up. VG++.
  • Emmylou Harris – Blue Kentucky Girl — Not my favorite from Ms. Harris. I did get a little nostalgia because it reminded me of Ma Père listening to his records, even though he didn’t do that a lot. He didn’t play Emmylou but definitely this style. But, The BCPF wanted it and well, she gets what she wants (when I can help it). VG+.
  • Supertramp – Paris — A 2xLP live album from Supertramp’s Breakfast in America tour with minimal overdubs – or so they say. I hate they left off “Give a Little Bit” and “Goodbye Stranger” but it seems like the rest of the set is pretty sound. The reason for “Give a Little Bit” was that all the versions over several shows were awful. It was re-released in the CD/DVD anniversary edition of Breakfast… This was in VG+ condition.
  • Randy Newman – Good Old Boys — #394 on the RS list. This means that I have all of the RS entries for Randy Newman. I like him a lot. I always thought of him as a novelty act because a lot of his stuff is novelty-type songs, at least what I had always heard. But, he really digs in. I couldn’t get over the audacity of the song “Rednecks” but realized pretty quickly that it was not sensationalizing racism but actually mocking it. Still… even Newman felt weird performing it. VG+.
  • Bruce Willis – The Return Of Bruno — Yes, Bruce Willis, who I think has a decent voice and can play a mean harmonica. As I stated on social media with several people agreeing with me, it’s not a great album, it’s not a classic, it’s not a masterpiece. But, it is a decent album and it’s very entertaining. I know I had it on cassette when it came out, following the “mockumentary” that it accompanied, I may have it on CD, but I’m not certain. But, I enjoyed it and saw it and couldn’t pass it up.
  • INXS – INXS — INXS’ debut album and it’s not at all what I expected. It’s very new wavey and poppy and I loved it. At times Michael Hutchence’s voiced sounded like Tim Curry, but I also dig Tim Curry, so that’s great. It was more synth-driven and I had never heard any of the songs, that I knew of. It was a record company promo with a sticker on the front cover with checkboxes for “recommended selections.” Nothing had been checked. I found this in the $1 bin, but I’d still rate it around VG+ because it was in really good condition.
  • Eddie Cantor, Bert Williams, Van And Schenck, John Steel, Irving Berlin – Ziegfeld Follies Of 1919 —  A very entertaining recording (and accompanying booklet) of the famous Ziegfeld Follies vaudeville-like theatrical revue put on by Florenz Ziegfeld. And, did you know that Ziegfeld was married to Billie Burke? That’s right, he was married to Glinda, the Good Witch. This was a really great listen and it was a $1 bin find. VG/VG+.
  • The Melachrino Orchestra – Paris, The Sounds, The Sights — Another $1 bin find in which there is an accompanying booklet. This is about our beloved city of Paris and includes a guide to the sights and attractions of the City of Light, from 1956. We can’t wait to listen. VG.
  • Franz Schubert, Karl Böhm, Berliner Philharmoniker – Symphonies — A 5xLP collection of Schubert symphonies including Symphonie Nrs. 1-6, 8, 9 and “Rosamunde” which was written for the play Rosamunde, Fürstin von Zypern, by Helmina von Chézy. It was a $1 bin find but I believe the vinyl is VG+.

A decent haul this week, I think. Jonathan had just returned from a short sabbatical to Atlanta with his dad and he seemed a bit more recharged. A happy Jonathan means a happy Underdog Records. Speaking of Underdog and Atlanta… even though I hate the Atlanta Braves, it’s Jonathan’s favorite team. When the Braves complete a sweep of a series (which hasn’t happened a lot this year), there’s a “sweep sale” at Underdog Records. That can mean a variety of things so I recommend you watch their social media to see what that may be. Plus, the social media platforms is the best place to keep track of new arrivals to the store. Be the first to know and try to “Beat Beeman.” That is apparently a thing. Also, listen to The Less Desirables each week to hear the TLD/UDR special of the week.

And, when I’m there since my collection has grown, I can always cross-reference my collection to make sure I’m not doubling up on anything by using Discogs. I keep better track of my collection, my purchases and as was the case this week, let others track my collection to see if there’s anything to trade. Now, for the record, I don’t get rid of much but if it’s something I absolutely need, I may consider it.

Until tomorrow, keep spinning…
Scorp out!

—
“She’s a rounder I can tell you that. She can sing ’em all night, too. She’ll raise hell about the sleep she lost, but even cowgirls get the blues.” – “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” (Crowell)

Hello Old Friend or: Machine Gun Awesome

03 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Podcasting, The Less Desirables Network

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Salutations™!!

I can’t tell you how excited I am that I have my The Less Desirables logo up on the wall in the TLD studio in The Lab at Industry Hill. Kyle Woodall came this morning from Machine Gun Graphics and put it up for me. It’s 54″ big!

_tldlogo

Thanks Machine Gun Graphics!

I haven’t had a logo since we moved TLD from the studios on Fourth Street! When we moved from there, I tried to move the old logo by myself. After some work, I was able to finally get the logo off the wall and onto a shower curtain, per the manufacturer’s instructions. However, when I went to try and put it up in the Test Pattern studios, again by myself, it got stuck to itself and I ripped it in two places trying to get it unstuck. That ruined it, plus it was all wrinkly. So, frustrated, I just wadded it up and tossed it directly into the curbside trash can.

Well, The Less Desirables has a fantastic sponsor (one of our newest) and it’s Machine Gun Graphics. I talk about them every week and have posted about them, but really I can’t tell you how awesome this thing is. Brian and I have always been proud of the logo and to see it again, in all its glory, is amazing. I liked having the guests and my cohosts behind me in the pics but I really missed having them in front of the logo. Now, I can do that again! Can you tell I’m excited?

Machine Gun Graphics do things like this big wall sticker but they do T-shirts, jackets, sweatpants, stickers, bumper stickers, magnets, hats, patches, anything you can think of getting printed, MGG is your hookup! They are eco-friendly and eco-minded. Most of their inks are eco-friendly and they are able to get eco-friendly garments as well. They do orders large and small. They joke that they can do anything from 12-120,000 units but they’re not really kidding about that. And, hey, Kyle and Nikki are just fantastic people, easy to work with and get your things done! And they’re local!

Don’t want to go back and forth trying to design your stuff on the phone? Simple solution: go to their website and use their free design shop and design your own stuff. It is really that simple. They stand by their products and I stand by them!

Thank you, Kyle and Nikki, for just being that awesome!

Until tomorrow, happy to have his logo back…
Scorp out!

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“Always turns out quality products and will work with you every step of the way to make sure you are beyond happy with what you get. Best prices around.” – Connor Royals of Machine Gun Graphics

Ridiculous Fun or: I Can’t Unsee This…

01 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Life as We Know It, Movie Review

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Salutations™!!

… And why would I?

I know the title sounds a bit spazzy but the truth is, I sometimes just get in the mood for silly, stupid, ridiculous and horrible films. I love good films but sometimes you just need some mindless stuff to get you through the night, ya know?

_starcrash

©Columbia/New World Pictures

That’s what I’m watching now: silly, stupid, ridiculous and horrible. I’m watching Starcrash (1978). 1978 was after Star Wars (1977) and this was just an attempt to capitalize on the latter’s success. The acting, the plot, the effects were just awful. This goes beyond the fact that a very young David Hasselhoff is in it. The true sadness was a great actor like Christopher Plummer is also in it.

An outlaw smuggler named Stella Star (Caroline Munro) and her alien companion named Akton (Marjoe Gortner) are recruited by the Emperor of the Galaxy (Plummer) to rescue his son (The Hoff) and destroy a secret weapon by the evil Count Zarth Arn (Joe Spinell). There’s also a “robot,” that looks like a cheap Darth Vader, named Elle (which is a guy robot) and it’s voiced by Hamilton Camp who has the most ridiculous “country accent.” It’s not robotic, it’s not even alien. It’s very human. 

I laughed at the total BS that this film was. It kept me laughing throughout my work with social media for The Less Desirables tonight. I appreciate it for that. If I were rating this film, it would only be about a 1 star, but probably 2.5 on the entertainment value.

IMDb rates it 3.9 out of 10. I guess that ratio is about right. Rotten Tomatoes says it’s 33% rotten and the audience score is only 38%.

Here’s what Jeremy Wheeler from Rovi says on Rotten Tomatoes: Italian schlock-master Luigi Cozzi (billed as Lewis Coates here) directed this low-budget Star Wars rip-off in 1978, right when the sci-fi craze was hitting audiences on a world-wide scale. The story begins familiarly enough, with a huge spaceship tracking through an extremely colorful space scene while under attack by some kind of unknown and deadly force resembling a lava lamp. Being no match for the ’60s acid-flashback rays, they manage to jettison a few escape pods just before being blown to kingdom come. Fast forward now to the other end of the galaxy, where we find the best smugglers in town — gorgeous Stella Star (Caroline Munro) and space-pimp Akton (Marjoe Gortner) — outrunning a band of cops on their tail. Eventually, they’re caught, taken into custody, and sentenced to intense Labor Camps, where Stella is forced to wear a skimpy Barbarella-like outfit by the extreme, merciless guards. A break-out ensues, and in the intense laser shoot-out, Stella manages to escape, only to be captured again by the semi-green-skinned Thor (Robert Tessier) and his annoying southern-drawled robot, Elle (voiced by genre veteran Hamilton Camp). Brought in front of the Emperor of the Galaxy (Christopher Plummer) and reunited with Akton, the sexy duo find themselves suddenly in charge of finding Prince Simon (David Hasselhoff). Thus begins the heroes’ amazing adventure through space and time as they search for Hasselhoff and end up fighting Amazons, Cavemen, and the Evil Count Zarth Arn (Joe Spinell) along the way. 

That pretty much sums it up. It’s true crap and I’m glad I watched it. Will I watch it again? Probably not. If you come across it and need a good laugh, check it out.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“You know, my son, I wouldn’t be Emperor of the Galaxy if I didn’t have some powers at my disposal. Imperial Battleship, halt the flow of time!” – The Emperor