Visit My Friend Herbie J Pilato!

Howdy campers.  Last year I was privileged to edit Mary, by Herbie J Pilato.  In my doings with Herbie J, I found him to be a nice guy, who loves pop culture (especially ’60s TV).



Herbie J has an interview show called Then Again with Herbie J Pilato, in which he talks to some stars of our favorite TV shows.

You can watch them on Amazon Prime here.  Here is the show’s website.



Now, I’ve seen a couple of episodes, and they’re lots o’ fun.  Herbie J probes a little with guests who aren’t chatty.  When a guest wants to tell a story, he sits back and lets ’em roll.  He’s a good stand-in for all TV fans who want to get to know the stars better.


Check him out!
 

My Flying Saucer Blueprints

In honor of Kenneth Arnold's seminal saucer sighting on June 24, 1947, here are some floorplans for saucers, drawn by my twelve-year-old self in 1969.

 By the way, my handwriting at twelve is much better than the current vintage.

Recently unearthed in the attic, and now immortalized in electrons!  Pretty silly, eh?

See you next Monday!
 

MA-150 - National Anthems

Happy Independence Day to all and sundry!

As somebody said on a talk show earlier this week, “This nation was founded by imperfect men and based on an ideal of liberty.”  I’ll agree with that.  Our country is not perfect, but its ideals of equal opportunity, personal choice, and self-determination are second to none.

Heck, you don’t even have to be an American to get that!  Vide Tracks 22 or 26, both by Britishers.

01 - The Star-Spangled Banner - Reuben Guevara - 1978  (3:45)

02 - Long Long Ago - Merry-Go-Round Records - 1959  (2:45)
03 - There's a Service Flag Flying at Our House - Sterling Trio - 1918  (3:09)
04 - On the 4th of July - James Taylor - 2002  (3:24)
05 - America, Communicate with Me - Ray Stevens - 1970  (3:12)
06 - American Flag on the Moon - Brad Paisley - 2014  (3:49)
07 - Yankee Doodle Blues - Billy Murray & Ed Smalle - 1922  (2:56)
08 - Dixie & The Bonnie Blue Flag - Classical Brass - 1991  (2:25)
09 - Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly - Aaron Tippin - 2001  (3:44)
10 - Because All Men Are Brothers - Peter, Paul and Mary - 1965  (2:09)
11 - Only in America - Jay and the Americans - 1963  (2:01)
12 - National Emblem March - Tommy Dorsey - 1943  (3:00)
13 - Cool Water - Sons of the Pioneers - 1959  (2:08)
14 - America - Waylon Jennings - 1984  (3:24)
15 - Brother, Can You Spare a Dime - Rudy Vallee and His Connecticut Yankees - 1931  (3:39)
16 - The Immigrant (dedicated to John Lennon) - Neil Sedaka - 1975  (3:46)
17 - We Must Be Vigilant (American Patrol) - Hour of Charm All-Girl Orchestra - 1942  (2:51)
18 - Bugle Call Blues - Jack Pettis and His Pets - 1929  (2:42)
19 - It's America - Rodney Atkins - 2009  (3:29)
20 - Barnum and Bailey's Favorite - United States Army Band - 2012  (2:26)
21 - America Is My Home, Part 1 - James Brown - 1968  (3:20)
22 - Melting Pot - Blue Mink - 1969  (3:47)
23 - Alexander's Ragtime Band - Joe “Fingers” Carr - 1956  (2:07)
24 - Home on the Range - Gene Autry - 1947  2:37)
25 - Battle Cry of Freedom - John Williams and Chicago Symphony Orchestra - 2012  (2:14)
26 - Country Dances - The Swingle Singers - 1991  (3:30)

Here’s hopin’ you can draw a little celebration, inspiration, and even good ol’ American silliness from your heart as you listen.

https://www.filefactory.com/file/fmy0lv77lya/MA-150.rar

... And I’ll see you back here on Monday!
 

Much Ado About Holmes

In 1968, an amazing book was published.  Amazing to Holmseians such as I … The Annotated Sherlock Holmes.  Here's the ad in the New York Times Book Review section:

... And here’s their review:

A few years later, Reader’s Digest described someone a lot like our favorite consulting detective:

And in 1980, the World Press Review published a breathless revelation of I-don’t-get it.  If you can boil down the substance or intent of this piece into a sentence or so, please let me know!

And come back on this Thursday, the glorious Fourth, for a new music compilation celebrating our great land!
   

See You on Monday, July 1st!

It's a date!
 

A Doohan D-Day Salute!

As you know, this June 6th is the 75th anniversary of D-Day.  My father-in-law Jack Savage was part of the Allied invasion forces.

Another of the 150,000+ soldiers was a Canadian named James Doohan, later famed as Montgomery Scott of Star Trek fame.

Doohan was shot in several places, including losing his right-hand middle finger.  

Here's an article touting his appearance at "Tulsa Star Trek '83" in which he talks about his experiences.

And this photo was taken of me with Doohan at the same convention.  You can see his missing finger (does that sound right?) as he holds the pen.

Doohan was a master at shielding the fingers of his right hand from the cameras in Star Trek.  In nearly every camera shot he turns his hand to one side or has his fingers curled and you really can't tell.

Except for one scene, in 1967's The Trouble with Tribbles."  Kirk has just received his "chicken sandwich and coffee," and Scott bustles into the galley with a double-armful of tribbles.

In this silly way, I salute Doohan, my father-in-law, and all the other brave combat troops who on D-Day were part of saving the world.

SAH-LOOT!

  

MA-120 - Vacuum-Tube Predictionz

This is a socko, boffo compilation of songs from that storied era, the 1980s -- all gazing with hope, resignation, fear, or longing, into that hazy future.  What would the age to come be like?  A fascist state? a world under the gun of alien overlords? a time of mechanicals that would service every man's (physical) desires?  Or just a burned-out husk, a planet killed by its most parasitic lifeform?

Listen to these "Vacuum-Tube Predictionz" and decide  for yourself!

01 - Modern Man - 4 Out of 5 Doctors   1980   (3:37)

02 - Big Brother - Winston Tong   1985  (5:12)
03 - A Circuit Like Me - Metronomes   1980  (3:49)
04 - Everybody's Gotta Mutate - Instant Music   1980  (3:36)
05 - Computer One - Dear Enemy   1983  (4:39)
06 - Screen Me, I´m Yours - Tik and Tok   1984  (3:50)
07 - Replicant - Camera   1985  (2:26)
08 - 1980 1234 - Plastic Money   1980  (1:32)
09 - Armageddon - Data   1981  (3:07)
10 - Robot Love - Chrome Dinette   1982  (4:57)
11 - Future Shock - Communication   1982  (3:51)
12 - Systems Breaking Down - Anna   1982  (4:19)
13 - The Triangle Man - Sally Patience   1984  (3:18)
14 - Computer - The Microbes   1980  (2:35)
15 - Mechanical Minds - Prophecy   1983  (3:35)
16 - We Are the Sub-Machines - Toccata   1987  (3:29)
17 - My Robotic Friend - Trem   1983  (3:31)
18 - Computer Numbers - Vög   1981  (4:16)
19 - I'm Wearing an Appliance - Drop   1980  (3:18)
20 - Shock of the New - Trees   1982  (2:36)
21 - Evil Eye - Gymslips   1985  (6:19)

https://www.filefactory.com/file/1l31gtvpdky8/MA-120.rar

Remember, the future is always ahead -- so don't lose yours!
  

MA-137 - Flip City

Here's a few selections to make you doubt your sanity … or regret it!

01 - All in My Mind - Ohm and the Secret Sources ? - 1984   (4:40)

02 - Problem Child - Slugs - 1981   (2:57)
03 - They’re Coming to Take Me Away Ha-Haaa! - Napoleon XIV (Jerry Samuels) - 1966   (2:10)
04 - I’m Happy They Took You Away, Ha-Haaa! - Josephine XV (Bryna Raeburn) - 1966   (2:10)
05 - I’m Normal - The Emperor (Bob Hudson) - 1966   (2:14)
06 - They're Coming to Get Me Again, Ha Haaaa! - Napoleon XIV (Jerry Samuels) - 1988   (2:36)
07 - (Feeling Like a) Little God - Helicopter - 1981   (3:25)
08 - Sociopath - Ampop - 2002   (4:01)
09 - I'm Weird - The Wolffe Gang - 1981    (4:19)
10 - Paranoimia - Art of Noise - 1986   (3:15)
11 - Acute Schizophrenia Paranoia Blues - The Kinks - 1971   (3:31)
12 - Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment - Ramones - 1977   (1:42)
13 - Anxiety Reaction - Images in Vogue - 1982   (4:02)
14 - Mother - The Police - 1983    (3:05)
15 - Identity Loss - Active Ingredients - 1980   (2:01)
16 - Twisted - Joni Mitchell - 1974   (2:29)
17 - Absolutely Bill's Mood - They Might Be Giants - 1987   (2:36)
18 - My Inner Voices - Two of Us - 1988   (3:51)
19 - Screaming Nutter - The Candy Ranch - 1989   (3:18)
20 - Your Mother Is a Sociopath - Truckstop Honeymoon - 2011   (2:22)
21 - The Ripper - Bully Boy - 1985   (3:50)
22 - I Lost My Mind - Eye Do It - 1984   (3:20)
23 - Insitutionalized - Suicidal Tendencies - 1983   (3:49)
24 - Cracked Mirror - Moev - 1981   (5:57)

Gee, I hope somebody likes this stuff!

https://www.filefactory.com/file/4yvucfa1ex9o/MA-137.rar

See you back here on Thursday for the big (or deflating) wind-up to the Musical Month of May!

MA-148 - Stalking the Seventies

Here's thirty songs I've been keeping my eyes on for a while.

01 - The Mel Brewer Show (edit) - National Lampoon - 1975  (0:07)

02 - Impossibilities - The Bastards - 1979  (2:55)
03 - Disco Fever - Monroe - 1978  (3:17)
04 - Rock and Roll Housewife - The Vinny Band - 1978  (3:15)
05 - TVOD - The Normal - 1978  (2:53)
06 - Don't Bother Me - Simpletones - 1979  (2:15)
07 - Hello, I Love You - Novak - 1979  (2:28)
08 - Do You Have a Job for a Girl Like Me - The Delinquents - 1979  (2:07)
09 - Disco Love - The Molesters - 1979  (2:32)
10 - Who Needs Wildlife Anyway - The Grackles - 1979  (1:56)
11 - Pogo Dancing - Chris Spedding and the Vibrators - 1976  (3:05)
12 - What Happened to the Moon - The Late Show - 1977  (2:05)
13 - Irrelevant Battles - Patrick Fitzgerald - 1978  (1:54)
14 - They Saved Hitler's Brain - Unnatural Axe - 1978  (2:49)
15 - TV Adverts - The Nerves - 1978  (2:48)
16 - One Chord Wonders - The Adverts - 1977  (2:34)
17 - I've Got a Crush on You - The Rentals - 1979  (3:06)
18 - Magazine Girl - The Rousers - 1979  (2:53)
19 - Stuck on You - The Toasters - 1979  (2:55)
20 - TV Pox - No Way - 1978  (1:46)
21 - We Are the One - The Avengers - 1977  (2:40)
22 - I Can't Stand My Baby - The Rezillos - 1977  (2:36)
23 - Life's a Gamble - Penetration - 1978   (2:57)
24 - Hedi's Head - Kleenex - 1978  (2:11)
25 - The Day the World Turned Day-Glo - X-Ray Spex - 1978  (2:50)
26 - Everybody's Happy Nowadays - Buzzcocks - 1979  (3:11)
27 - Shout Above the Noise - Penetration - 1979  (4:02)
28 - Quality Crayon Wax OK - Essential Logic - 1979  (3:06)
29 - Living in the Eighties - Blue Peter - 1979  (2:08)
30 - Faerytale in the Supermarket - The Raincoats - 1979  (2:58)

A few are thrashers, a few are silly, a few are headscratchers.  But that's all right ... you have plenty of luscious fur on top of your dome to pad the itch, yes?

https://www.filefactory.com/file/2ad63d5h9jcs/MA-148.rar

We will see you back here on Monday, friends, to begin our final week of this year's Musical Month of May!