Some Vintage Pulp Art

Above is a few cool and sleazy pieces of vintage pulp paperback art for your enjoyment. The cover to "Those Sexy Saucer People" is hilarious. Enjoy.

LITTLE RICHARD: THE GIRL CAN'T HELP IT

I don't know why, but this song's been running through my head a bit too much lately. Pure raw, grimy, high octane R&B, courtesy of Little Richard. Here it's, 'The Girl Can't Help It". It's from the Pink Flamingos soundtrack, possibly the filthiest soundtrack ever made to perfectly compliment the John Water's cult classic about the filthiest people alive. I love this movie and the soundtrack equally. I think I'll be bringing you music from John Waters' films periodically from now on. I want to do some John Waters reviews to, but I've seen his movies so many times throughout my life I'm a bit burnt out on them at the moment...except for "Multiple Maniacs". I can't get enough of that one. And it's the one John Waters will not release on DVD so I'm stuck with my old VHS copy...

Anyway, enjoy Little Richard's "The Girl Can't Help It". More music from the films of John Waters is coming.

SERVOTRON

Servotron is a band that came out in the mid 1990's, formed from the ashes of the campy sci-fi/horror surf punk band "Is It Man or Astroman?" Servotron packs a powerful punch. Claustrophobic, robotic, science fiction punk are what these guys are all about, with a little camp and a lot of futuristic paranoia thrown in for good measure. Very foreboding, yet deceptively cheerful and cybernetically catchy at the same time. It is as if Servotron are gleefully welcoming you with open arms to the gloom of the future...

The two albums I have by these guys are "No Room for Humans" (1996) and "Entertainment Program for Humans (Second Variety)" from 1998. Both come highly recommended.

Here's "People Mover" from "No Room for Humans"...


...and here's "I Sing the Body Cybernetic" from "Entertainment Program for Humans". Enjoy.

WILLIAM SHATNER: LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

Ok. I knew that sooner or later I would have to put this on my blog. It was just a matter of time. I apologize in advance, but I just can't help it. Here it is, William Shatner's version of The Beatles" psychedelic classic "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds". Shatner's version is hilarious but yet effective. His dry spoken word delivery really hammers the lyrics home for some reason. I actually like his version in a twisted way, believe it or not. This had to be done, so here it is, like it or not.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Coming soon: Reviews of David Cronenberg's 1976 masterpiece of biological horror "Shivers" and director Kevin Connor's "Motel Hell" from 1980. Don't touch that dial.

LIQUID SKY: ME AND MY RHYTHM BOX

Here's one of my favorite songs from the soundtrack to the movie "Liquid Sky" (1983.) The soundtrack is very impressive in a sick, twisted, off-kilter sort of way. It is a deranged, frightening homage to drugged out new wave music. Whether it's good or bad, you be the judge. Grating it is, but it is also highly original and unintentionally hilarious at times. The movie is also not that bad either...campy, twisted, original, plodding, and grating in a good way ( if such a thing is possible.) It's well worth a review at some time in the future. For now, here's "Me and My Rhythm Box". The director Slava Tsukerman also co-wrote the soundtrack. Enjoy.

THE MISFITS

John Huston's "The Misfits" (1961). Let me start by saying that this film is a bit tough to review since most of the action takes place internally. With that being said, I'm going to give this my best shot. The Misfits is a dark film about a group of four misfits trying to find themselves in against the backdrop of a bleak desert landscape. If you are looking for a movie packed with action, The Misfits is not for you. But if love great dialogue and acting, lots of character development, and tension in the air that runs so thick that you could cut it with a knife, then this is the movie for you.

"The Misfits" is about four characters with little direction in life. They all seem to be running from something and searching for a happiness that they cannot find. There is Roslyn, played by Marilyn Monroe. She is a dancer who just went through a divorce. Then there's Gay, played by Clark Gable. He is a tough, cynical cowboy. Stuck in his ways, he refuses to work a steady job. Instead, the desert is his home, and he makes his living rounding up horses and selling them whenever he feels like it. He also has children whom he rarely sees. Next there is Guido ( Eli Wallach). He is a disillusioned war veteran who suffered a devastating loss of his wife during childbirth. His character is quietly desperate and saddening. Finally there is Perce (Montgomery Clift), the seemingly carefree and idealistic cowboy.

Gay and Guido want to head out to the desert to get away and find themselves, or lose themselves, whichever the case may be. They meet Roslyn and her wizened landlady Isabel, excellently played by Thelma Ritter. Roslyn wants to get away too, since she has just undergone a bitter divorce. So all four head out to the desert to stay in Guido's old house, the one his wife died in. There is plenty of drinking and fun. This is the most enjoyable part of the movie to me, just taking in these great personalities that on the surface don't have a care in the world, and listening to them talk. Gay and Isabel decide to live there for a while, and Guido drops by every now and then to visit.

Things are not as smooth as they seem, though. Soon they have to make some money so Gay and Guido decide they need to rustle up some horses to sell. "It's better than wages", as Gay always says. They need an extra hand and they go to a rodeo to find one. They pick up an old friend Perce to help them. This is when things start to go downhill. As we learn more about these characters, the less likable and the more believable they come. Guy and Rosilyn are already having a bit of a falling out at times. Rosilyn's innocent optimism clashes with Gay's tough as nails outlook on life. Both Guido and Perce seem to have their sights set on Rosalyn too. At the rodeo, there is a very harrowing scene when Gay has a durnken meltdown. He sees his daughters, goes to find Rosalyn to introduce them to her. Before he knows it, his daughters have left, and he has a complete breakdown. Gay's sadness literally punches you in the face. You can feel his remorse for living his carefree lifestyle and ignoring his family.

Tensions begin to mount as the need for cash becomes more serious. An inebriated Perce rides a bull to try to earn some cash and is almost killed. They need to go round up horses to make some cash, and this is where the true tension begins to set in. When they get to where the mustangs are there are not as many as they thought. They will only make about 150 dollars. You see, they sell them for dog food. Isabel is appalled when she finds this out. Watching as they round the horses up is very intense, brutal, and saddening. Roslyn and Gay are almost at their breaking point. Watching how this final drama plays out is fascinating. By the end of this movie, these characters really open up and we see them how they are really are, the good and the bad. Do they find happiness? Well, some do and some don't.

What I liked most about this movie is the natural feel of most of the dialogue, the impeccable acting, and the gorgeous cinematography. The screenplay, written by Arthur Miller, was about his soon to be ex-wife Marilyn Monroe. At times the dialogue is a bit stilted, but most of it flows very naturally. All of the acting here is top notch. Even Marilyn Monroe does a great job. This would be her and Clark Gable's last screen role. The desert cinematography is gorgeous and bleak, It perfectly mirrors the inner desolation of the characters. This is amovie I have to watch every few years or so. I never grow tired of it. Highly recommended.

ROGER MILLER: YOU CAN'T ROLLER SKATE IN A BUFFALO HERD

Here's a bit of deranged 1960's country by Roger Miller. I plan to write more about him at a later time, but for now, here's his seemingly nonsensical 1966 hit "You Can't Roller Skate in a Buffalo Herd". It may seem like a gimmick song at first, but listen to it closely...strangely enough, the message makes sense, and is fairly profound. At least to me any way...you be the judge.



Tomorrow...John Huston's "The Misfits" . Stay tuned.

THE SWORD TO BEGIN RECORDING NEW ALBUM THIS FALL

Great news! The Sword are to begin recording their third album this fall! It will be a science fiction concept album. For those not familiar with The Sword, they are an extremely talented band from Austin, Texas that has huge potential to become THE next big thing in the metal scene. Their sound is like a cross between the best 1980's thrash and speed metal bands such as early Metallica, and the heavy, 1970's, frayed nerve-endings doom of Black Sabbath and Pentagram. The Sword's popularity has already grown tremendously, with their songs showing up on the Guitar Hero game. Can't wait for this one to be released. In the meantime, here's "How Heavy This Axe", from their second album "Gods of the Earth". Enjoy.

OUTRAGEOUS CHERRY: STAY RIGHT HERE FOR A LITTLE WHILE

Sorry I've been absent for a whole week. The day-to-day routine has a been more hectic than usual so I haven't had much time to spend on the computer. Today I have a review for you of the album this blog was named after (well almost). It's Outrageous Cherry's "Stay Right Here for a Little While", released in 2003. It's a four song E.P. that, although short, packs a potent punch. The band is in top form here. On the first two tracks ("Stay Right Here for a Little While" and "Paradox Fiends") there is glossy yet distorted 1960's garage psychedelic rock filtered through a flawless 1960's pop sensibility that manges to remain cheerful and haunting at the same time. The last two tracks become quieter, darker, and more poetic. They display a sense of quiet, contemplative euphoria, especially on the final track "Anywhere". It brings to mind the saddening, beautiful, lost, and burnt out vibe of Syd Barrett's finest solo work. If you haven't heard any Outrageous Cherry before, pick this one up. And if you're a fan of the band and have somehow overlooked this release, you should get it. Highly recommended.

Stay Right Here For A Little While - Outrageous Cherry

BLOOD SHACK

Ray Dennis Steckler. What a director. You either love him or hate him, but even in his worst moments you have to admit that he has an excellent eye for cinematography and a whacked out, creepy, child-like (and very adult at times) take on life that he brings to his films. You know a Steckler movie when you see it. He made his movies the way he wanted to, without the backing of any major studio. All of his films are unique, and they are Steckler all the way through, take them or leave them.

The movie I'm about to review here is not one of Steckler's best. It is a film I'd rather leave than take. It is 1971's "Blood Shack", also known as "The Chooper". This movie has all of the intentions to be a very atmospheric desert horror film, but is cursed with too much filler, bad acting, and an almost comatose pacing. Normally Steckler makes these factors work work to his advantage, but in this film he falls short of the mark.

"Blood Shack" opens with high promise. An eerie desert landscape, and a haunted deserted old house where a mysterious killer has been running rampant. The caretaker of the ranch is an awkward looking cowboy, and speaks in a very thick John Waters-esque accent. He is always warning people to stay away from the house, but do they listen? No. They go on in, and the Chooper has his way with them. The Chooper's costume, like those of most Steckler villains is laughably simple. A hooded sweat jacket, some sweat pants, and a sharp object in hand. The Chooper is lacking in depth however. The strength of Steckler's villains, most played by the director himself by the way, is that they run about in broad daylight, are truly psychotic and menacing, and are very realistic. They could be any creepy guy you run into on the street. What is going through their heads? Will they snap? The Chooper lacks these depths. In place of menace, you have plenty of shadow to cover up the simplicity of the costume. He runs around screaming "Aargh!" with a long sharp object in hand, warning his victims well in advance that he is coming.

So any way, a couple of people go in the house and the Chooper offs them. The caretaker buries the victims in the desert. The inheritor of the ranch shows up, played by Carolyn Brandt, Steckler's first wife. We are treated, or cursed, with her extensive, hazy, voiced-over narration throughout the film. This kind of narration is one of Steckler's trademarks. It saves money when you can add the acting after the filming is done. There is someone wanting to buy the ranch very badly, too badly it seems. He is a member of the family that used to be part owner of the ranch. You see, the ranch used to be owned by two families, and it was lost in a high stakes poker game. The losing family has always wanted this land back because it sits over a huge underground lake. Very valuable property. What really happens here is this movie quickly digresses into an episode of Scooby Doo. I wonder who the Chooper is? It couldn't be the guy wanting to buy the ranch would it? Trying to scare people away so the property values will go down? It can't be...and yes, Scooby Doo style, our villain is unmasked in the end.

So we have a disappointing plot, but some eerie desert visuals are on display here. The whole ranch exhudes a vibe of eerie dilapidated decrepitude. There are some truly eerie shots of the house. It reminds me somewhat of an old, abandoned house I used to play in as a kid that I wasn't supposed to be in. All of this atmosphere is nearly ruined by endless rodeo stock footage and pointless footage of Steckler's two kids roaming around aimlessly (yes he stars his children in his films).

In the big picture, though, "Blood Shack" is not all that bad. It's a Ray Dennis Steckler movie for Christ's sake, so kick back, crack open some brews, and enjoy. Despite my complaints I liked this movie...just prepare yourself for a more mundane than usual B-movie ride and you'll be fine.

The version I have is on VHS and it contains two version's of the film, which was released with two different titles, "Blood Shack", and "The Chooper". The same movie, just edited in different ways. I understand that the version I have is also available on DVD with the added bonus of commentary by Joe Bob Briggs and other extras. Sounds like the DVD is worth checking out for the Briggs commentary alone.

On a more somber note, I did not know that Ray Dennis Steckler had passed away in January of this year. He will be missed, but his movies will live on forever.

SEPULTURA: "BENEATH THE REMAINS" AND "ARISE"

Sepultura's "Beneath the Remains" (1989) and "Arise" (1991). Back in my teen years I was huge fan of thrash and death metal. Two of the bands from this genre that have really stuck with me over the years are Slayer and Sepultura. Sepultura may seem like they shouldn't be metioned in the same sentence with Slayer, but let me tell you they are just as good or better than than Slayer was in their prime. Sepultura on their first two releases "Beneath the Remains" and "Arise" crank out some seriously infectious, blistering, downright evil metal packed with anger, foreboding and apocalyptic lyrics, and plenty of addictive sinister grooves. Both of these albums I had on tape way back in the day. I lost all my tapes in a fire, and Sepultura fell by the way side. For some reason I never repurchased them. That is, until today. I just purchased them this morning. Both of these albums absolutely blew me away when I re-listened to them after almost fifteen years. They are more powerful today that they were back when they were first released, in my opinion.

Around the time my interest in really heavy metal was waining I began to get into Ministry. Their apocalyptic industrial thrash/metal in my opinion could not be beat. Well, let me tell you something. Sepultura's music from these first two releases is just as heavy and intense as anything Ministry has ever put out. Also they heavily draw on Slayer's best two releases "Reign In Blood" and "South of Heaven" without sounding derivative in any way. They crank out the high octane aggression that would make Al Jourgensen jealous and load it with the most evil riffs and grooves this side of hell.

Ok, let's get down to business here. 'Beneath the Remains" is Sepultura's first release from 1989. These guys were really young back then, most in their late teens. Man, is this a heavy album. Loaded with blinding tempos, speed and aggression that borders on hardcore, and always an ear for the apocalyptic, crushing riff. Nothing to complain about here. Vocalist Max Cavalera's Brazilian accent really comes through on here. In my opinion, one of the heaviest and enjoyable thrash/hardcore/death metal releases of all time.

Next there is what I consider to be Sepultura's masterpiece: 1991's "Arise". The perfect metal album. Just as heavy as "Beneath the Remains", but slowed down a little. The all mighty evil riff takes control here, but the aggression never lets up either. The songwriting has improved immensely, with complex texturing and dizzying winding riffs throughout. Everything on this CD flows seamlessly. The lyrics are very prophetic...they sound like something straight from a Ministry album.

If you're into metal, you need to pick up both of these. They are a must have for your collection. Here's "Inner Self" from "Beneath the Reamins" and "Dead Embryonic Cells" from "Arise".

JOHNNY FULLER: HAUNTED HOUSE

OK. I know Halloween is still a ways off, but I can't help it. Soon Halloween stuff will be (if it's not already) in the stores and I can't wait. I'm in the spirit, what can I say? Here's a deranged rockabilly horror classic for your enjoyment: Johnny Fuller's "Haunted House" from way back in 1958. Brain damaging, campy, ghoulish goodness. Enjoy.

Two New Releases from Trouble

Chicago doom metal masters Trouble has two good releases coming out late summer/early fall. The first is their 2007 album "Simple Mind Condition". It has previously only been available as an import. It is being released here in the United States on September 1, 2009. The next is their elusive 1996 album "Plastic Green Head". It has been out of print for many years, and is being re-released with a bonus DVD on September 29, 2009. I am missing both of these albums from my Trouble collection and am excited about this news. To pre-order them at a very good price, click here. Now if only they would bring their self titled 1989 release and 1992's "Manic Frustration" back into print...

Coming Attractions

Coming soon...reviews of John Huston's "The Misfits" and Ray Dennis Steckler's "Blood Shack". Stay tuned.

SEPULTURA: BENEATH THE REMAINS

This album has been running through my head a lot latley. "Beneath the Remains" (1989) is the first album I ever heard by this band and it blew me away as a teenager at the time. Sepultura's music was a volatile combination of thrash, speed/death metal and hardcore punk fueled by an intense Brazilian anger. I loved it then...and still love it now. I do not have "Beneath the Remains" anymore but I'm planning on re-purchasing it soon. Sepultura's music is definitely not for everyone, but if you like your music heavy, I highly recommend this one.

I DRINK YOUR BLOOD

"I Drink Your Blood" (1971), directed by David Durston. This review has been a long time coming and I apologize for that....so let's get down to business. This is a grimy, low budget drive-in masterpiece. It does not live up to the high expectations that many reviewers have given this movie, but it is still a fun and filthy ride.

"I Drink Your Blood" is about a gang of violent, Satan worshipping, LSD taking hippies. They move into a small country town and take refuge in a dilapidated hotel. The locals do not take a fancy to them at all. A local child and his grandpa are on to these hippies' game pretty fast. The grandpa goes to investigate with a shot gun. The hippies manage to violently subdue him and load him with LSD. Grandpa returns home in shambles. His grandson vows to take revenge. He shoots a rabies infested dog, takes it's blood and injects it into meat pies, and feeds these freshly baked pies to the hippies. Of course they come down with rabies, and all hell breaks loose. Eventually a zombie-like plague of rabies takes over the town, and the citizens must board themselves up or become infected...

"I Drink Your Blood" has many flaws to me. It is not the balls out, drive-in hippie/LSD/zombie/exploitation flick that many bill this one to be. Instead it is hampered by bad acting, worse gore effects, and a director who can't decide if this movie should be funny or morbid, so he just plays it middle of the road. First off, let me say that I love the grimy vibe that this movie exudes. It made me want to take a shower after I got through watching it. At times it is truly nauseating. There is something missing however. It is neither terribly fun nor terribly brilliant. It is a fun ride and a great concept for a horror movie. I do think this movie could have been done better under different hands. I think "I Drink Your Blood" would make a great movie for someone to re-make. The idea is already there...I would like to see more done with it. As much as I hate re-makes, I would love to see this one redone. I've seen a ton of grimy, filthy, late 1960's and early 1970's gore flicks and I expected this one to be a cut above the notch. It wasn't, but I can't complain. Anyone with a passion for bad cinema needs to watch this one.

THE BEATLES: I WANT YOU (SHE'S SO HEAVY)

Possibly the heaviest Beatles song ever recorded. As I said in an earlier post The Beatles were not great all of the time, but when they hit, they hit hard. This song is dead on heavy. Here's "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" from their 1969 "Abbey Road" album. Enjoy. The eerie vocal harmonies and the somewhat dissonant, repetitive funereal guitar work really make this song.

LAST CARESS

"Last Caress" is one of my favorite Misfits songs of all time. Super catchy, dark, and blatantly offensive. Glenn Danzig's creepy/campy early Elvis style vocal delivery is top notch here. Here it is...love it or hate it.



As an added bonus, here is Metallica's version of the same song. This a killer cover version with The Misfits' "Green Hell" included. At the end you can hear the opening notes from Iron Maiden's 'Run to the Hills". It comes from Metallica's "Garage Days Re-Revisited", my favorite Metallica album of all time. What's your favorite Metallica album? I'd love to hear from you.

The Psychotic Fish

I don't know what to do with this thing. I think I need to frame it. A good friend of mine scored it from a mad street painter in Russia years ago and gave it to me. Can't get rid of it...I've grown used to it's insane stare and vibrant colors over the years. It's a keeper.

The Simpsons, Politics, and Guilty Pleasures

I'm back. Sorry I've been out for so long. Had a great week of vacation last week. My wife had company over from California and it was a blast. Suffice it to say I was dead tired. Then I come back to work and it is hectic. A very busy week. So what did I do to relax? I watched the Simpsons of course. I'm a huge fan of the show in it's first ten seasons or so, and I scored a great deal on the box sets from seasons four and five at $14.99 each. So I've been religiously watching them and am almost done. I already have seasons two and three, and season six is still sitting on the shelf for $14.99 at my local Wal Mart waiting for me to snatch it up. Gotta snag that one before it's gone.

Work still has me a bit stressed right now, as well as politics and the state of America at this moment. Let me first say that this is not a political blog and loathe talking publicly of politics. I am an Independent and a do not associate myself with any political party. There are good and bad aspects to both major parties. If you have been keeping up with the news, what I'm about to say will make perfect sense to you. I am horrified at the way the Obama administration is treating protesters to health care reform and cap in trade. The American people have a clear opposition to these two bills. Senators and Congressmen should listen to their constituents' outrage over these two matters. These are the people that they are working for, and the people are the ones who put them in power. Instead they treat these protesters as radicals and consider them a threat to national security. These politicians refuse to listen, and discount these protesters as fringe lunatics. It seems like the party in power here wishes to hush any opposition to it's beliefs. This is frightening to me. Let the voices of the American people be heard. It is unbelievable to me that our government would be trying to silence the anger of it's people. Imagine what would have happened if George W. Bush tried to silence protesters of the Iraq war? To all Americans...be careful out there. If you haven't read George Orwell's "1984", you should because that book is becoming more and more of a reality day by day.

So I've been relaxing with a few guilty pleasures: The Simpsons...and The Food Network, because I love food and I love cooking. What about you out there? Do you have any guilty pleasures?

THE GREEN SLIME

This is of my favorite trashy 1960's movie theme songs of all time..."The Green Slime" from 1968. I have yet to see this movie but I'd love to. It looks to be loaded with low budget sci-fi mayhem. I discovered the theme song on a compilation disc many years ago. Check out the song and video featured below. I'm sure you will enjoy.