A kinder, gentler version of the old blog. This will take a fun look at pop culture, because nothing upsets Ozarkers more than fun and pop culture. Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
DOES THE STATE OF MISSOURI HATE DOC SAVAGE???
Like many guys my age, I became enthralled with the adventures of Doc Savage, through the paperback reprints of the 60s, 70s and 80s. I was delighted a few years back to find that these thrilling stories were written by a man from La Plata, Missouri named Lester Dent. He used the pen name of Kenneth Robeson. The super strong, gadgeteer Doc Savage and his five assistants paved the way for such heroes as Indiana Jones, James Bond, Superman, Batman, the Fantastic Four and Johnny Quest.
So why does the state of Missouri rarely acknowledge Lester Dent and Doc Savage? Why do they spend money time and money promoting about Laura Ingles Wilder, who was born in Wisconsin?
I have found very few articles about Lester Dent and Doc Savage in the state’s media. Two good ones I found online are from Rural Missourian and one from an unknown source on the Truman University - Pickler Memorial Library website. However, you can find numerous articles from local newspapers and magazines about Laura Ingles Wilder’s connection to Missouri.
I will admit up-front, I despise the works of Laura Ingles Wilder. Especially the TV show Little House on the Prairie. This goes back to my horrible, tortured childhood in Lebanon, Missouri. I was often told by the adults in the community that I should watch Little House on the Prairie (and the Waltons) because it was “better for me” than the shows I liked.
That could be one of the reasons that Wilder’s Little House franchise is promoted by the state of Missouri over Dent’ Doc Savage. Wilder’s world is seen as good, old-fashion, wholesome entertainment, whereas Dent’s world is filled with modernism, science fiction/horror, and excitement, which is frowned upon by many in Missouri (especially in the Ozarks). Although, it should be noted that Dent always maintained that Doc Savage had “Christlike” qualities.
The Little House books talk about the world so many in the Missouri want to embrace. They want to keep Missouri a world of one room schoolhouses, church dinners and barn raisings. Even in the Great Depression, Doc Savage had television, jet planes and a telephone answering machine. Doc Savage had at his disposal the things we take for granted.
Part of the reason Doc Savage isn’t mentioned as much is Doc Savage has only been successful in the publishing world of paperback novels, comic books and magazines. He had a short lived radio show in the 30s and one on NPR in the 80s. He also had one movie, Doc Savage - Man of Bronze, in 1975. It stared TV Tarzan Ron Ely and Paul Gleason (later in the Breakfast Club). I seem to be the only person who liked this movie. There wasn’t a sequel.
Of course, Little House on the Prairie ran from the mid 70s through the 80s on NBC. Every week the Ingles family suffered one hard ship after another. That long running TV series, whether I like it or not, gives Wilder more publicity worldwide than Dent and Doc Savage has gotten.
Finally, the state of Missouri may prefer Wilder because her stories frequently took place in Missouri, where Dent sent Doc Savage and his five pals off on adventures around the world. Doc Savage also lived in a penthouse in New York.
Needless to say, I would still like to see Lester Dent and Doc Savage recognized more by the state of Missouri. The state of Missouri should be ashamed for ignoring Lester Dent’s contribution to the literary world and pop culture. Maybe some of our state officials should stop trying to block the President’s health care reform and give Lester Dent and Doc Savage their due.
Of course, opinions, like this one, explains why I’m called the Super Villain of the Ozarks!!! Mwu-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Labels:
Books. Comic books,
Detectives,
Doc Savage,
History,
Laura Ingles Wilder,
Lester Dent,
Little House on the Prairie,
Missouri,
Pop Culture,
Radio,
Superheroes,
The 30s,
The 60s,
The 70s,
TV
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
HOW TO WRITE ONE OF THE CURRENT CUT & PASTE COUNTRY SONGS
I hate when some doofus jumps my songs on the juke box at Buffalo Wild Wings. I especially hate when they jump my great classic rock/punk/funk picks for current country. The current state of country music is so bad. Most of the songs have a cut and paste quality to them.
What am I talking about? Most current country songs follow a pattern in the lyrics. When I worked in country music radio in the 90s, the songs each sounded different. The current country song crop all have lyrics that sound alike.
I have come up with a cut and paste method for writing a current country song.
First, you start off saying that you grew up on a dirt road.
Second, you mention your grandparents.
Third, mention going to church.
Forth, talk about drinking beer.
Fifth, mention listening to Hank Jr., Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett or Lynard Skynard or all of them.
Sixth, mention the mail box at the end of the dirt road you grew up on.
Seventh, mention blue jeans or cutoff jeans being worn by a girl.
Eighth, slam New York or Hollywood or both.
Ninth, compare your love for a woman to Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Tenth, mention that you salute the veterans and troop serving in the military.
Eleventh, mention drinking beer again.
Twelfth, mention listening to Hank Jr., Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett, or Lynard Skynard or all of them.
Thirteenth, mention driving your pickup down a dirt road.
Fourteenth, mention drinking beer again.
Fifteenth, mention going to church again.
Sixteenth, mention listening to Hank Jr, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett, or Lynard Skynard or all of them again.
Seventh, mention the troops and church or both again.
There you go. You now have a current hit country song.
What am I talking about? Most current country songs follow a pattern in the lyrics. When I worked in country music radio in the 90s, the songs each sounded different. The current country song crop all have lyrics that sound alike.
I have come up with a cut and paste method for writing a current country song.
First, you start off saying that you grew up on a dirt road.
Second, you mention your grandparents.
Third, mention going to church.
Forth, talk about drinking beer.
Fifth, mention listening to Hank Jr., Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett or Lynard Skynard or all of them.
Sixth, mention the mail box at the end of the dirt road you grew up on.
Seventh, mention blue jeans or cutoff jeans being worn by a girl.
Eighth, slam New York or Hollywood or both.
Ninth, compare your love for a woman to Johnny Cash and June Carter.
Tenth, mention that you salute the veterans and troop serving in the military.
Eleventh, mention drinking beer again.
Twelfth, mention listening to Hank Jr., Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett, or Lynard Skynard or all of them.
Thirteenth, mention driving your pickup down a dirt road.
Fourteenth, mention drinking beer again.
Fifteenth, mention going to church again.
Sixteenth, mention listening to Hank Jr, Johnny Cash, Jimmy Buffett, or Lynard Skynard or all of them again.
Seventh, mention the troops and church or both again.
There you go. You now have a current hit country song.
Monday, July 18, 2011
UPDATE ON THE "CUTTING LOOSE" LP - I'M NOT ALL WET (BUT SHE IS)
One of the early post on this new blog was about a 70's hits compilation I bought at the Heartland Antique Mall in Lebanon, MO. It was called Cutting Loose and featured a photo of a sexy girl in denim cutoffs painting a rainbow down the center of a highway. I also noticed that she had a "stain" on the seat of her shorts. I thought it was possible water damage to my cover, until I saw photos of it on other websites. It was on that photo too.
I made jokes to the effect that the girl had an "accident."
Last week, I began receiving several hits on this post from a progressive rock forum called Progressive Ears. There was a post from a forum member saying their brother had the LP when he was a kid. Another forum member posted a link to the post on my blog. Some commented on my evaluation of the cover and my questions about the model being incontinent. One person said the post was "tasteless" and one said I needed to get a life (How many times have I heard that?).
They also posted a link to another website with a photo of the LP with a credit to a website called Bizarre Records. I looked at this website until I found a post about it. The post on that website is entitled "Technicolor Pee."
Glad to know I'm not crazy.
I made jokes to the effect that the girl had an "accident."
Last week, I began receiving several hits on this post from a progressive rock forum called Progressive Ears. There was a post from a forum member saying their brother had the LP when he was a kid. Another forum member posted a link to the post on my blog. Some commented on my evaluation of the cover and my questions about the model being incontinent. One person said the post was "tasteless" and one said I needed to get a life (How many times have I heard that?).
They also posted a link to another website with a photo of the LP with a credit to a website called Bizarre Records. I looked at this website until I found a post about it. The post on that website is entitled "Technicolor Pee."
Glad to know I'm not crazy.
Friday, July 15, 2011
BAD FASHION OF THE PAST: Maize/Gold Men's Dress Shirts
There is one fashion trend of the past that I hope doesn't return. Nothing major, just a color of mens shirts. I feel it was something that just snuck in and had the staying power to become a major part of my childhood. It is a sometimes referred to as "maize" or "gold." They were at their peek of popularity from 1967 - 1976. They were a staple of most men's wardrobes, usually worn with a brown double-knit suit. My father had one of these shirts, my uncles had them, the men at church had them and KYTV's Bill Williams, Fred Miller and Ned Reynolds wore them under there KY3 blazers.
This was not just an Ozarks thing. You could find these on the newsmen on all three of the major networks. You saw them on the middle-age husband nervously laughing in the Smothers Brothers audience. You saw them on men in the audience of Ed Sullivan, Johnny Cash, Tom Jones and Carol Burnett. They were worn by old men dancing with their wives on the Lawrence Welk Show. They were worn by Karen & Richard Carpenter's Sunday school teacher on This Is You Life. They were worn by Buck Owens on Hee Haw and Bill Gaither on a Sunday morning religious program. They were worn by both Johnny Carson and Ed McMahon on the Tonight Show and Flip Wilson wore them on his show. They were worn by Mike Brady in his pre-permed hair days. They were worn by everyone on My Three Sons except Uncle Charley. They were worn by Mannix under his plad jackets. They were worn by that chain-smoking, Humphrey Bogart-dopalganger, lawyer on Dark Shadows (Can't remember that character's name-it is the same actor played the witch hunter Reverend Trask in the 1700-1800 story lines). They were worn by male contestants on Match Game, the Price is Right and other game shows of the day. They were worn by crooks on Ironside and The Mod Squad.
It was international too. Both Stuart Sullivan and Jason King on Department S wore maize-gold shits them, as did the poor, unfortunate London residents attacked by aliens on Doctor Who wore the maize-gold shirt. This trend even defied the Iron Curtain as evidenced by the famous You Tube clip of Russian crooner Edward Khil, the Trololo Guy. I mentioned many TV reference for one simple reason. It was through these old TV shows, especially the video tapped programs, and old photographs that we can see that THESE SHIRTS ARE BUTT UGLY!!!
Photographs, film and video have not been kind to the memory of this Vietnam era fashion statement of the Silent Generation. Thanks to DVD and various cable outlets showing these various programs, we can see this. The color can best be described as an old expired jar of mustard or the bowel movement of seven month old baby. Granted, this color did not look as bad as house paint or on household appliances, but it is rather jarring in the clothing world. Part of the problem could be it is a garish pastel yet it is drab and dull. As I mentioned they seem to look even worse in photographs and on video. They make the person wearing it (usually a balding man in horn-rimmed eyeglasses) stick out like a sore thumb. They could be standing next to an early 70s TV babe like Karen Valentine, Peggy Lipton or Maureen McCormick, yet the first thing you think when you see the photo is, "Where did that guy get that ugly shirt?"
Sometime in the mid-70s, this color left the fashion world to stay in the real of house paint, appliance colors and school buses. Maybe men began to see what these shirts looked like on them, especially when they were stupid enough to wear them with a green sport coat. The maize-gold shirt makes the wearer look hopelessly nerdy. Here is hope that the maize-gold shirt never comes back in style.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
I WAS IN A GROUP BEFORE I WAS A STAR
I thought it would be fun to list the solo artist, who first got our attention as a member of a group that their solo career later eclipsed. I left off a few obvious ones because we knew the group well enough that we followed them on to a solo career, i.e: All four Beatles, Michael Jackson, Lionel Ritchie, Phil Collins, Ozzy Osbourne, Diana Ross and Kenny Rogers. The groups I mention either had very minor “bubbling under” or regional hits, one hit or two or three minor hits. In some case another person’s name was on the band, but a major star was in the band or group somewhere. Also many of these were years before the artist made it big
Al Kooper - The Royal Teens/Blues Project/Blood Sweat & Tears
Wilson Pickett/Eddie Floyd - The Falcons
Bert Convey (game show host) - The Cheers
Patti LaBelle/Nona Hendryx - The Blue-Belles
Jake Holmes/Joan Rivers - Jim, Jake & Joan
Carly Simon - The Simon Sisters
Alan Arkin (actor) - The Tarriers
Tommy Chong- Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers
John Phillips/Scott McKenzie - The Journeymen
Michael Martin Murphy/Boomer Castleman - The Lewis & Clarke Expedition
John Denver - The Mitchell Trio
Linda Ronstadt - The Stone Poneys
Billy Joel - The Hassles
Debbie Harry - The Wind & Willows
Rick Derringer - The McCoys
Nick Gilder/Bryan Adams - Sweeny Todd
Duane & Greg Allman - The Hourglass
Joe Stampley - The Uniques
Delbert McClinton - The Ron-Dels
Ted Templeman (producer) - Harper’s Bizarre
Eddy Grant - The Equals
Marc Bolan (T.Rex) - John's Children
Gary Busey(actor) - Carp
Todd Rundgren - The Nazz/Runt
Dusty Springfield - The Springfields
Keith Emerson - The Nice
Rod Stewart - The Moontrekers/Jeff Beck Group
Peter Frampton - The Herd
Boz Scaggs - The Steve Miller Band
Don Williams - The Pozo Seco Singers
Chuck Woolery(game show host) - The Avant-Garde
Ted Nugent - The Amboy Dukes
Teddy Pendergrass - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Billy Squire - Piper
Paul Carrack - Ace
Vince Gill - Pure Prairie League
Bobby Brown - New Edition
David Lindley - Kaleidoscope
Don Glut (filmmaker/film historian/author) - Penny Arkade
Taj Mahal/Ry Cooder - The Rising Sons
Rupert Holmes - the Street People
Chevy Chase (actor) - The Chameleon Church
Billy Idol - Generation X
John Beck (actor) - The Leaves
Nick Lowe - Kippington Lodge
Dave Edmunds - The Love Sculpture
David Bowie - David Jones & the Lower Third/The Manish Boys
Warren Zevon - Lyme & Cybelle
Albert Hammond - The Magic Lanterns
I put the Magic Lanterns last to clear up one of the great misconceptions of rock and roll. Albert Hammond, who wrote the Hollies classic “The Air That I Breath” and had a hit with the song “It Never Rains In Southern California,” joined the group after they had a hit with a song called “Shame Shame.” However, many people have been under the mistaken impression that the bass player, Mike “Oz” Osbourne is Ozzy Osbourne. Some record stores and dealers have sold the Magic Lanters LPs for high prices, claiming it is early material from Ozzy Osbourne. Don’t be fooled!
Al Kooper - The Royal Teens/Blues Project/Blood Sweat & Tears
Wilson Pickett/Eddie Floyd - The Falcons
Bert Convey (game show host) - The Cheers
Patti LaBelle/Nona Hendryx - The Blue-Belles
Jake Holmes/Joan Rivers - Jim, Jake & Joan
Carly Simon - The Simon Sisters
Alan Arkin (actor) - The Tarriers
Tommy Chong- Bobby Taylor & the Vancouvers
John Phillips/Scott McKenzie - The Journeymen
Michael Martin Murphy/Boomer Castleman - The Lewis & Clarke Expedition
John Denver - The Mitchell Trio
Linda Ronstadt - The Stone Poneys
Billy Joel - The Hassles
Debbie Harry - The Wind & Willows
Rick Derringer - The McCoys
Nick Gilder/Bryan Adams - Sweeny Todd
Duane & Greg Allman - The Hourglass
Joe Stampley - The Uniques
Delbert McClinton - The Ron-Dels
Ted Templeman (producer) - Harper’s Bizarre
Eddy Grant - The Equals
Marc Bolan (T.Rex) - John's Children
Gary Busey(actor) - Carp
Todd Rundgren - The Nazz/Runt
Dusty Springfield - The Springfields
Keith Emerson - The Nice
Rod Stewart - The Moontrekers/Jeff Beck Group
Peter Frampton - The Herd
Boz Scaggs - The Steve Miller Band
Don Williams - The Pozo Seco Singers
Chuck Woolery(game show host) - The Avant-Garde
Ted Nugent - The Amboy Dukes
Teddy Pendergrass - Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes
Billy Squire - Piper
Paul Carrack - Ace
Vince Gill - Pure Prairie League
Bobby Brown - New Edition
David Lindley - Kaleidoscope
Don Glut (filmmaker/film historian/author) - Penny Arkade
Taj Mahal/Ry Cooder - The Rising Sons
Rupert Holmes - the Street People
Chevy Chase (actor) - The Chameleon Church
Billy Idol - Generation X
John Beck (actor) - The Leaves
Nick Lowe - Kippington Lodge
Dave Edmunds - The Love Sculpture
David Bowie - David Jones & the Lower Third/The Manish Boys
Warren Zevon - Lyme & Cybelle
Albert Hammond - The Magic Lanterns
I put the Magic Lanterns last to clear up one of the great misconceptions of rock and roll. Albert Hammond, who wrote the Hollies classic “The Air That I Breath” and had a hit with the song “It Never Rains In Southern California,” joined the group after they had a hit with a song called “Shame Shame.” However, many people have been under the mistaken impression that the bass player, Mike “Oz” Osbourne is Ozzy Osbourne. Some record stores and dealers have sold the Magic Lanters LPs for high prices, claiming it is early material from Ozzy Osbourne. Don’t be fooled!
Friday, July 1, 2011
DESDINOVA PICKS THE 60 BEST SUMMER SONGS
Once again I stole an idea from KY-3's Ethan Forhetz. One the KYTV website this week Ethan picked his 10 favorite summer songs. Like last time, I couldn't stop at only ten, I went to sixty again.
- Walking On Sunshine Katrina & The Waves
- Summer In The City The Lovin' Spoonful
- Good Vibrations The Beach Boys
- The First Day Of Summer Tony Carey
- Summertime Billy Stewart
- Soak Up The Sun Sheryl Crow
- Magic The Cars
- Hot Fun In The Summertime Sly & The Family Stone
- Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran/Blue Cheer/The Who
- Saturday In The Park Chicago
- Summer Rain Johnny River
- Summer Breeze Seals & Crofts
- Cheap Sunglasses ZZ Top
- Hot In The City Billy Idol
- Cruel Summer Bananarama
- Heat of the Moment Asia
- School's Out Alice Cooper
- Pleasant Valley Sunday The Monkees
- Beach Baby First Class
- California Gurls (feat. Snoop Dogg) Katy Perry
- Kokomo The Beach Boys
- Light My Fire The Doors
- Twisting By The Pool Dire Straits
- Vacation The Go-Go's
- Heat Wave Linda Ronstadt
- Echo Beach Martha & The Muffins
- Paper Sun Traffic
- Rio Duran Duran
- Boy On a Roof The Outnumbered
- Goin' Crazy! David Lee Roth
- Short Shorts The Royal Teens
- Sausalito Summernight Diesel
- Summertime, Summertime The Jamies
- Turn Down Day The Cyrkle
- Under The Boardwalk The Drifters
- September Earth, Wind and Fire
- I Got A Line On You Spirit
- The Theme From "A Summer Place" The Percy Faith Orchestra
- Summertime Girls Y&T
- Bummer In The Summer Love
- Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini Brian Hyland
- A Summer Song Chad & Jeremy
- Come On Down To My Boat Every Mother's Son
- Beautiful Girls Van Halen
- Holidays In The Sun Sex Pistols
- Black Water The Doobie Brothers
- Fun, Fun, Fun The Beach Boys
- Gimme Little Sign Brenton Wood
- Here Comes Summer The Dave Clark Five
- Cool Change Little River Band
- Rockaway Beach The Ramones
- Grazing In The Grass The Friends Of Distinction
- Sunshine Of Your Love Cream
- Moonlight Feels Right Starbuck
- We're An American Band Grand Funk Railroad
- Born To Run Bruce Springsteen
- Hello, I Love You The Doors
- Long Hot Summer The Style Council
- All Day Music War
- Summer Holiday Cliff Richard
- One Summer Night The Danleers
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