More Comedy thoughts...

I am in my early thirties and was raised on Video, like so many my age. Before my generation I think the idea of watching films more than once was not as prevalent. Like reading a book most people saw a movie once and that was it. With the advent of the wonderous VCR, however, movies could be viewed again and again and again....(much like my copy of BEETLEJUICE which I wore out).
All of this rambling is just to set up that I have seen TONS of older (mostly 70's-80's) comedies. They seemed to be my parents favorite. I was raised with JOHN CANDY, BILL MURRAY, GENE WILDER, TERI GARR, STEVE MARTIN, BERNADETTE PETERS, JOHN BELUSHI, etc. etc. etc.
and that style of comedic film is my favorite, but now with a new generation beginning to make films a new style is emerging. Comedies now are MUCH different then they were back then. This is the age of SUPERBAD and the offensive, irreverent, "stand up" style comedies with little plot/character and ALOT of jokes.
I am not saying that this is bad...I find alot of these films very funny, but I get nostalgic for the old style.
SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO here are a couple more fun lists...

My TOP 5 old style comedies:
1. FLETCH
2. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
3. ANIMAL HOUSE
4. FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH
5. BLUES BROTHERS
- honorable mention goes to NEIGHBORS

MY TOP 5 new style comedies
1. SUPER TROOPERS
2. HALF BAKED
3. GRANDMAS BOY
4. HAROLD AND KUMAR GO TO WHITE CASTLE
5. POSTAL

Japanese mod

YOU WANNA KNOW ME? WATCH THIS VIDEO.

TOP 10 Favorite Comedies

1. SUPER TROOPERS
2. FLETCH
3. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN
4. BILL & TEDS BOGUS JOURNEY
5. BIG LEBOWSKI
6. PEE WEE'S BIG ADVENTURE
7. BRAIN CANDY
8. HALF BAKED
9. MALLRATS
10. SO I MARRIED AN AX MURDERER

- AND HONORABLE MENTIONS GO TO...

JOHNNY SUEDE, MY BLUE HEAVEN, CHEECH AND CHONG: THE CORSICAN BROTHERS

Hopelessly devoted...

I know I've mentioned it before...that I love my wife and to the avid reader (ha ha) I'm sure you are like "Oh man, another schmalzy, mushy rant". But hell, why not I say. It is rare that one finds someone that just fills in all the gaps and makes everything feel whole.
I've had alot of girlfriends in the past, nearly all were really great chicks, but none of them made me feel like Stacy does. There was just always something missing.
Our first date was to a museum and it was one of the funnest times I ever had. Stacy has a degree in art so she explained all sorts of things to me from symbolism to history of the pieces. It was really magical. I remember looking at her and thinking she was the most beautiful thing in the gallery and feeling like I didn't want to be with anyone else.

BEATNIK (n.)

Beatnik (n.) -- sarcastic term for a beat. Derived by Herb Caen in 1958 as a combination of Beat and Sputnik

Dig it man, I ain't no clyde, I wear my cogs at night and always dig a wild wail coming from my box from early black to early bright. But damn, dad, I never really did dig the fore-runners of the whole scene see. I've read Ginsberg, Burroughs and Kerouac but they never really did it for me. I did however really like Neal Cassady's "First Third" that book blew my motor man. The real beats though were the ones who never got that label but lived exciting and wrote exciting. I prefer things more interesting than Kerouac talkin' 'bout putting a hole in the ground and...um...putting his....you know...becoming "one" with nature. Of course Bukowski always raised my brows. He was a damn dirty ape, but great to read. It's like tapping into the deepest darkest parts of yourself without actually having to have the psychological residue of committing the atrocities he did.

I do have to say that I consider Jim Thompson the first REAL Beat. Sure he's my favorite writer, but damn he lived an exciting life. Starting in high school he became a bellboy during prohibition helping rum runners and dodging house dicks. He drank so much and didn't sleep that at one point he walked into his house, paused, fell down and blood rushed from his mouth. From that point on he had the DTs, traveled on trains, hopped trains, worked trains, stayed in derelect hotel rooms, took odd jobs, dealt with odd people and created the BEST Goddamn Pulp ever written. He was BEAT man!

Sadly however, I think that the whole beatnik thang is totally male-centric and what little work of the beat women I've read didn't do it for me. I find that the rebel yell of ladies came later with Patty Smith, Lydia Lunch, and Exene Cervenka who pioneered what I would consider BEAT PUNK.

SO WHY ALL THIS BLAH BLAH BLAH about BEAT...ONLY because I wanted to tell you to watch ROGER CORMAN'S "BUCKET of BLOOD". It's a sarcastic horror/comedy about a busboy who works at a beatnik coffeeshop. He longs to become an artist and showcase his art in the shop. He soon discovers that murdering people and covering them with plaster is the HIPPEST thing he can do to become a REAL GONE CAT and crash the IN CROWD. My favorite part of the film is when the upper escelon beatnik fellow with a beard wears a tuxedo with burkenstock sandals. hahahaha. I LOVE ROGER CORMAN!

HEAVEN

Nerd x2

I'm not sure if any of you know this. But my wife Stacy and I are CSI junkies! We just freaked out because BRASS almost died and SARA and GILL were in the same hotel room in robes! WHoe!
Seriously we started out watching the show because I worked at a library and it had the first three seasons on DVD and I must say those seasons sucked! Still somehow we got hooked and we enjoyed the cheese factor. BUT then season 4 was AWESOME. Written well, directed well, and the character development really took off.
SO now we are up to the end of season 6. We've watched every episode so far. So if you call us you may hear me say "I can't talk now...I'm watchin' my stories."

PUNK ROCK GRRLS

Finally after after 14 years got to see the film "THE FABULOUS STAINS". I absolutely loved it. It is a sardonic look at male-centric bands and the struggle to find musical fame. It is more precisely the story of a punk rock girl who pioneers an all girl band who refuses to "Put Out". In her words that means she refuses to be taken advantage of and sell out. This film was one of the influences for the RIOT GRRLS movement of the 90's. The story is of the Stains rise to fame while touring with a punk band called the LOOTERS (who included the drummer and guitarist from the SEX PISTOLS and the bass player of the CLASH).

THIS IS A MUST SEE NOW THAT IT IS FINALLY RELEASED ON DVD!

Night of the Living BABY

Man I love being a Dad. I am now officially a "stay home dad", and I am having a BLAST! Violet is the cutest, craziest baby in the world. Sometimes she will do these strange little things or make strange noises and I will laugh harder than I have in years. Big belly laughs. It is ALOT of work though...It's actually really hard to entertain a little person all day long and even when she sleeps she demands that I hold her so it's hard to get anything done. I am in the slow movement toward starting a new band but I don't want to push my responsibilities right now. I have written quite a bit of random material but no songs...I'm thinking about trying to create a new sound by adding them all together into very short songs that all blend together to make one long one. A sort of Rock Opera style but with Garage Punk...as far as I know it hasn't been done. I'm taking alot of inspiration from MODEST MOUSE and the way they compose music but with a very different sound. We will see.
Right now I've got my hands full with the QUEEN of my life, little miss VIOLET. Oh, man, she is cute. I don't want her to grow up at all...but then I can't wait to read to her without her simply wanting to taste the edges of each page. BEING A POP IS AWESOME.HERE IS PIC OF MY TWO LOVES!

SON HOUSE art 05/09/08

VIOLET TURNS ZERO

Thursday was Stacy's due date so it would have been Violet's Birthday. So we had a ZERO BIRTHDAY party for her on Friday. It was fun to have friends over and celebrate. Thanks everyone!

Here is us blowing out the candle...

Again...This is my favorite Horror movie!

TOP 3 BLUES COMPILATIONS

Usually when people are just trying to get into a form of music...they reach for the first available compilation. While this is a good way to get some samplings of different artists, the wrong compilation can totally turn you off. Blues Comps are usually pretty standard but some are MUCH better than others. A few I've gotten don't really jive well...the "Martin Scorsese Presents" comps are this way...a couple are great, but others (although the music is very good) don't have the right flow. If I wasn't already a blues fanatic and got these comps I don't think they would grab my attention properly.
THESE THREE ARE THE BEST COMPS I HAVE FOUND SO FAR FOR EITHER AN AVID BLUES FAN OR SOMEONE JUST WANTING TO GET A TASTE:

#1 THE BLUES STORY - Volume 1
- this is the most accessible for beginners - every track is a premier example of listener friendly blues featuring a more CHICAGO mix.

1. Boom Boom - John Lee Hooker 2. Red Rooster - Howlin' Wolf 3. Dust My Broom - Elmore James 4. Honest I Do - Jimmy Reed 5. Thrill is Gone - B.B. King 6. Rollin' and Tumblin' - Muddy Waters 7. Santa Fe Blues - Lightnin' Hopkins 8. Crawlin' King Snake - John Lee Hooker 9. Sky is Cryin' - Elmore James 10. Mother Earth - Memphis Slim

#2 Americana Roots Songbook the Blues - Traditional Blues From the Heartland
-this is a fantastic Delta/Piedmont Blues mix, featuring my favorite delta player SKIP JAMES!

1. Blind Lemon Jefferson 2. I Saw The Light - Rev. Gary Davis 3. Candy Man Blues - Mississippi John Hurt 4. Devil Got My Woman - Skip James 5. Down The Dirt Road Blues - Charlie Patton 6. Statesboro Blues - Blind Willie McTell 7. That's No Way To Get Along - Robert Wilkins 8. Kassie Jones (Pt.1) - Furry Lewis 9. I Know His Blood Can Make Me Whole - Blind Willie Johnson 10. Good Liquor Gonna Carry Me Down - Big Bill Broonzy

#3 Dark Clouds Rollin': Excello Swamp Blues Classics
-This is my personal favorite comp. It is a nice mix of Zydeco influenced 60's blues. Featuring my other favorite player SLIM HARPO!

1. I'm Evil - Lightnin' Slim 2. You're Gonna Ruin Me, Baby - Lazy Lester 3. I Got Love If You Want It - Slim Harpo 4. Going Through The Park - Jimmy Anderson 5. I'm Warning You Baby - Lightnin' Slim 6. Lonesome Lonely Blues - Lonesome Sundown 7. Wild Cherry - Leroy Washington 8. You're Too Late Baby - Silas Hogan 9. I'm A Lover Not A Fighter - Lazy Lester 10. I Love The Life I'm Living - Slim Harpo 11. Naggin' - Jimmy Anderson 12. I'm Gonna Quit You Pretty Baby - Silas Hogan 13. I'm Glad She's Mine - Lonesome Sundown 14. I'm A King Bee - Slim Harpo 15. Mean Woman Blues - Whispering Smith 16. Loving Around The Clock - Lightnin' Slim 17. My Little Queen Bee - Slim Harpo 18. I Tried So Hard - Whispering Smith 19. I'm Goin' In The Valley - Silas Hogan 20. I Had A Dream Last Night - Lonesome Sundown 21. She's My Crazy Little Baby - Lightnin' Slim 22. I Need Money - Slim Harpo 23. Goin' Crazy Over T.V. - Jimmy Anderson 24. Dark Clouds Rollin - Silas Hogan 25. You're Playing Hookey - Lonesome Sundown 26. Rainin' In My Heart - Slim Harpo 27. Nothing In This World - Jimmy Anderson 28. Winter Time Blues - Lightnin' Slim 29. Cryin' Blues - Whispering Smith

I LUV MY BABY-and she loves Howlin' Wolf

I love being a punk rock daddy...me and my little one just watched a GREAT documentary called THE HOWLIN' WOLF STORY "the secret history of Rock and Roll".
*Although I have no idea what "secret history" is supposed to mean exactly.

MEET OUR BABY!

Hey...look at the proud pop!
I don't know who is cuter!

So baby Violet was born and it was a whirlwind week. Stacy's water broke out of the blue on Sunday morning.
We went to the hospital and then Tuesday night (the day before my birthday) she started having pains. They were not measuring on the monitor as labor, but Stacy insisted that they were getting worse and worse. Finally the nurse checked her dilation and she was FULLY DILATED. So the race was on an the room filled with nurses as I struggled to get my mask and hairnet on and get the video camera. They wheeled her into a different room, then decided to put her in yet another room. The doc came in and Stacy totally blew me away with her bravery. She delivered the baby in twenty minutes without anesthesia! Wow!
I was fine as I was filming (Don't worry I didn't film the actual birth) but after I switched the camera off I turned white as a ghost and almost fainted (ha ha) The nurses were then on the run to get me some orange juice to bring up my blood sugar. I laid my head on Stacy's shoulder, rubbing her arm as she pushed, suddenly a little pale baby was being lifted up onto her chest. I cut the umbilical chord and we were a family.

Baby...minus ten...nine...eight...

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Hey everybody,
Yesterday we had some shocking developments. Stacy's water broke and I took her to the hospital! We were not expecting this AT ALL. Because Violet's due date isn't until May 8th. We have been assured that, although she is six weeks early and therefore premature, she will be healthy.
They are going to try to keep Stacy comfy until THURSDAY and then if the baby hasn't decided she is coming out they will induce labor.
Needless to say we are pretty scared but excited at the same time. I can't believe that in two or three short days I will be a DAD.
I can honestly say though that I love Stacy, I love my life, and I just got a really good job so I AM VERY HAPPY and ready for this step. I cannot wait to hold little VIOLET in my arms.

It was just announced that Ray Park (from Star Wars Episode 1 fame - I guess) has been picked to play SNAKE EYES in the new GI JOE live action movie...



It seems that we have all grown in age but not maturity as we no longer play with action-figures but now make movies of our favorite toys. I am certainly not a GI JOE fanboy but I have a strong nostalgia for it, because they were my favorite toys as a kid. We couldn't afford M.A.S.K. and I never really got into TRANSFORMERS but I was obsessed with GI JOE -

Of course STORMSHADOW was my favorite figure but I also really liked BEACHHEAD, FIREFLY and *gasp* one of the few black characters: SGT. STALKER.


So while checking out YouTube for a any sort of teaser trailer for the upcoming movie I found the following REALLY STRANGE videos.

The first one actually a pretty good fan adaptation.


All I can say about this next one is WHAT IN THE HELL?!?



This is quite funny.



Before GI JOE I was a HE MAN fanatic. Remember Stinkor? He was covered in this felt material and he smelled really bad (for real). Ha ha - toys that stink.
O.k. so, I just had to add this because it’s seriously one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen. Its…
Unemployed Skeletor's video blog of evil # 1

Noir...and wrestling?

I just watched the most fantastic Noir film. Seriously one of the best I've seen. From the inventive camera angles to the dark characters it is just fantastic.

It is called NIGHT AND THE CITY and is directed by Jules Dassin.

Here's the low down:

A cheap grifter named Harry Fabian wants to be big time and does not care how. Like a junkie, he uses and steals from his girlfriends and fellow grifters until he finally cons himself into a corner trying to squeeze into the popular wrestling scene (?) in London in 1950.

This is a seriously dark film as Harry spirals down he brings everyone with him and they all have a bit of a doomed fate just by knowing him. It also has one of the darkest, melancholy endings I've ever seen.

SEE THIS FILM!

so fist ick 8 add

Hey look how cultured I look gazing at Art...I was probably thinking about the episode of Family Ties when Alex was forced by Mallory to go to Nick's art opening!

Greatest Score!

I found the best thing ever at the thrift store today. "Emmet Otter's Jugband Christmas" on VHS!
This is a movie I loved as a child and a few years ago searched high and low for it. Even EBAY didn't have it. I guess it is available on DVD now, but I've never seen it for sale. So anyway I got a piece of my childhood back for $1.40.

Whats behind the door?

Dog King & His Bride

Waiting...

Shadow Boxes & Shrines I've made

I made this PeeWee box for Stacy for Christmas.

Below are some Shrines I made to BLUES/BEAT/and ROCK&ROLL


And this fine Gem is a Suitcase Amp I made. I got the idea while visiting the local Thrift store.