cranched for now

Liberace of the Harp Lloyd Lindroth

2011-11-30T20:38:00.005-06:00

Lloyd Lindroth was not a character on SCTV, but he could have been. Lloyd moved to Nashville in the early 1980s, and performed on The Nashville Network and Hee Haw. For years he did a Vegas style show in the open air Cascades section of the Opryland Hotel. Here's a postcard that he passed out at one of his Christmas shows, click to enlarge, or for biggest picture, right click and open in a new window.

Listen to Lloyd's Somewhere My Love, from the album "Love Drops" by clicking here.

Lloyd passed away in 1994 at the age of 63, an interesting highlight in Nashville music history.

Mad Men Barbie Style Postcard

2011-09-16T17:22:00.001-05:00

A relic from the Reagan years, this officially licensed Barbie postcard says it all.

Big Lots 30% Off Sale

2011-08-21T16:59:00.000-05:00

I hope that in 10,000 years, future archeaologists will hit this rich vein of Big Lots collectibles. What will these artifacts say about our civilization?

Delta Burke Intimates - and Delta's been every size in the box!

Baby recliners - train your kids for a lifetime of watching TV.

Marvel Superhero Gummy Candy Finger Puppets - they battle, and you eat them.

Hey look! I got a text from Zac!

Now you're packin!

No comment.

And some pre-mixed cocktail slippers for the road!

Polio Shot Immunization Card from the 1950s

2011-07-31T14:44:00.000-05:00

It's hard for anyone under 60 to remember the panic that polio caused before the 1960s. It was a crippling disease, often leaving victims hunched over for life. It was also contagious, adding to the fear factor.
Dr. Jonas Salk developed the first polio vaccine in the 1950s, and families lined up to get their shots. The government and other organizations flooded the mail with immunization cards like this one, with spaces for each family member.

Later, the shots were given in school. The typical shot was a pressure activated needle with several smaller needles around it in a circular shape. The shot was usually given in the upper arm, and the circular pattern sometimes left a scar with a circle of dots and a larger dot inside.

Obviously even the ancient Spartans knew this, as evidenced by this still from "300". Click to enlarge.

Hans Conried and Fractured Flickers

2011-07-14T20:33:00.003-05:00

One of the funniest and silliest shows of the 60s was Fractured Flickers, a Jay Ward production hosted by actor Hans Conried. The show took old silent films and added audio, turning them into all new and funny stories.
Hans also interviewed stars in a special segment each week, like this Rod Serling video.

Fractured Flickers ran in syndication for 26 episodes during 1963. Several years ago the entire series came out on DVD, and I have my copy. You can order yours here.

In the late 80s I visited the Dudley Do-Right Emporium on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood to buy some souvenirs. Among them were these Fractured Flickers Stickers, click to enlarge.

Hans, a Baltimore native, is gone now, but his voice lives on in Dan Castellaneta's Robot Devil character in Futurama.

R.I.P. Hans Conried, Jay Ward, and The Dudley Do-Right Emporium.

More Hawaiian Shirt Wallpapers

2011-01-04T21:31:00.000-06:00

One of the more popular posts on this blog has been the original Hawaiian shirt wallpapers, from the fabric that I bought. Here are some more wallpapers scanned from other shirts in my collection. Click each image to enlarge to 1280X1024.

No Facetime? Get the iBurka

2010-09-26T09:52:00.000-05:00

Apple fans in the middle east won't get Facetime video service on their iPhones. As a capitalist, I know this just creates business opportunities. Behold my solution - the iBurka!

Bewitched Stove Figurine

2010-09-19T07:11:00.000-05:00

Saw this this other day in my neighborhood. Does anyone know the history behind this cool figurine of Samantha and her stove? Click to enlarge pic.

Dating Tip #179

2010-08-22T21:24:00.000-05:00

Don't wear these. Sometimes you don't want to be the fastest man alive.

Huntsville Space & Rocket Center 1982

2010-06-14T21:38:00.001-05:00

Here's a photo journal of one of my first visits to the Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama in the early 80s. You can see it's the 80s by my Ocean Pacific shirt from L.A.
Click any pic to enlarge.

Front of the building. Sorry, no pictures of the IMAX Theatre.

A Russian space capsule.

Inside the lunar module.

Miss Baker, the astronaut monkey, lived in the Rocket Center for years.

Star Wars influence.

My brother Tom in the moon buggy.

X-15. Awesome.

The Rocket Yard in the back of the museum. It's a history of American missiles.

No caption needed...

Goodbye from the nozzle of the Saturn 5!

Making of the Greyhound Jingle 1963

2010-06-10T09:49:00.000-05:00

Here's a promo disc from 1963 with the making of the Greyhound Bus jingle. This was given out to employees and vendors of Greyhound. Listen to part 1 here, and part 2 here. And special bonus, the orchestra is led by the great Raymond Scott!

Stoney's Beer Funky Radio Commercial

2010-05-09T20:38:00.000-05:00

Stoney's Beer is based in Pittsburgh. I found this commercial on an Evatone Soundsheet demo from the late 70s. Was this a joke commercial, or a really politically incorrect real spot?

Listen to or download the spot here.

If you know anything about this commercial, leave it in the comments.

Funny Oil Stop Signs

2010-04-30T20:39:00.000-05:00

I think I'm spotting a trend here.

Well, it's just an oil change, right?

Denny's Marketing Genius

2010-03-14T07:28:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to Denny's for the catagory extension of the decade.
Behold the Breakfast Appetizer!

I can't count the number of times I've wished for something to eat while breakfast was being cooked.
And what an appetizer...blueberries and white chocolate chips in pancake batter, deep fried, frosted with powdered sugar, and dipped in pancake syrup!

No joke, this is serious marketing genius.

Tug McGraw's "Lumpy" Childrens Book

2010-01-30T17:05:00.001-06:00

Phillies pitcher Tug McGraw took some time to write this kids' book back in 1983. It's the story of Lumpy the baseball, and his quest to be in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Will he make it?

There's an Evatone Sound Sheet floppy record inside with a special welcome from Tug.
Click here to listen!

Cool Art Deco NBC Radio Studios Hollywood

2010-01-20T18:05:00.007-06:00

Found this postcard recently, it's the NBC radio studios at the corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood. The building was new in 1938. The Art Deco painting is a perfect fit with the old style linen postcard. Click to view larger, and see more about the building at the Dear Old Hollywood blog here.

Here's another shot of the intersection, a photo this time.

PAMS Nashville My Hometown and more

2010-01-18T18:57:00.006-06:00

I wondered if there was a Nashville version of the My Home Town song from PAMS. Turns out a friend of mine had the record! Click here to listen.

WKDA didn't sell the whole concept, but they did sell the B side of the record. Here's the story of Elm Hill Bill.

PAMS jingle company has a page with more examples. And here are a few more versions,

Portland Maine, Louisville Kentucky, and Austin Texas.

PAMS Winston-Salem My Hometown Record

2010-01-03T18:33:00.007-06:00

Listen to or download "Winston-Salem My Hometown"

Here's a slice of retro for you. PAMS jingle company in Dallas made this generic song available to local radio stations around the country in the 60's. The station would find a local sponsor, write some lyrics, and presto!, a local hit.

There were over a hundred localized versions of this record, all recorded in Dallas. Radio Use Only blog has an amazingly complete story for you to read.

Bonus retroness: Thalhimer's Department Store was the local sponsor for this record through the local Top 40 station 1380 WTOB. Here's where you might have stumbled upon this record back then.

Shipley's Donuts in Nashville!

2009-12-27T13:10:00.003-06:00

Somehow Shipley's Donuts snuck into Nashville when I wasn't paying attention. If there's one near you, what are you waiting for?

Charles Stern Commercial Voice Reel 1986

2009-12-02T08:27:00.005-06:00

Here's the voice talent reel from the Charles Stern Agency in Los Angeles from 1986. This is a state of the art reel, as they represented many of the top commercial voiceover talents. Click on each of the roster names to listen to their individual demos: Paul Frees, Herschel Bernardi, Merlin Olsen, Telly Savalas, Granville Van Dusen, Hoyt Axton, Dennis Weaver, William Daniels, Don Messick, Chuck McCann, Joe Sirola, Robert Stack, Jack Lester, Ed Peck, Martin Doyle, Richard Bull, Daniel Dorse, and Mitzi McCall & Charlie Brill. Wow!

Postcard from Richard Nixon

2009-11-29T20:18:00.002-06:00

I'm using the front of this postcard from the 60s as my Christmas card
this year. You should, too. Click to enlarge.

B.M.S. Home Broadcaster

2009-11-29T19:21:00.009-06:00

Apparently the Mr. Microphone phenomenon started earlier than I thought. Here's the BMS Home Broadcaster, which allowed your voice to go over the radio from as far away as the wire would stretch.

It looks like a carbon microphone hooked to wires, which you then attached to these induction coils, which you placed between the tube and its socket:

Here's the instructions, click to enlarge.

The technology changes, but our sense of humor never gets anymore sophisticated.

Marine Corps PSAs from 1969

2009-11-10T15:18:00.004-06:00

Today's the birthday of the founding of the Marine Corps, so here are some public service radio announcements from 1969 from former Marines. Jack Webb, Art Buchwald, and Jonathan Winters were among the celebrities who recorded these for the Corp. Click the names to listen to Jack Webb, Art Buchwald, and Jonathan Winters.

Wonder Woman Movie

2009-10-06T09:23:00.004-05:00

With the success of the DC Universe animated direct to DVD movies, they're talking about filming a live action Wonder Woman movie this year.

Here's the theme song from the 1977 Wonder Woman TV series. Listen to it here.

So who will play Wonder Woman in the live action movie? Signs point to Australian model Megan Gale.

Works for me.

More Sci-Fi Paperback Art

2009-09-30T20:43:00.003-05:00

I found these at a local bookstore, the covers are great, the authors are some of my favorites. Click the pics to enlarge, and I'll let you know how good the books turn out to be.

The Shady Bunch video from Jim Gossett

2009-09-23T19:42:00.002-05:00

Acorn and their friends in a new TV show. As heard on the Lars Larson radio show.

Retro Cassette Boxer Shorts

2009-07-11T19:45:00.004-05:00

Not that much into fashion, but who could pass up these retro cassette pattern boxer shorts?

Thanks Walmart!

I know what you're thinking. Here's the wallpaper for you. Click to enlarge.

Transformers VS. Galactic Man

2009-06-28T12:45:00.009-05:00

Look! I just saved 200 million dollars for Michael Bay!

The Transformers 2 movie this weekend reminded me of an offshoot of the franchise, Galactic Man, sold at Radio Shack in the 1980s. This was an officially licensed toy, although the name was new. Let's watch Galactic Man transform from a robot to a space pistol.

Legs go in.
Legs compacts and toes fold in. Head spikes go down. Arms twist and compress.

Legs go into the body to form grip. Arms combine and pivot.

Completed gun. Extra piece caps arms, body splits, and site comes up.

You have your choice of sounds with Galactic Man. Watch video below to hear the sounds.

I'm On The Tonight Show

2009-06-02T11:54:00.004-05:00

Here's an embarrassing tape from Nov 1 1995. I was in Los Angeles for a computer animation convention and went to see the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Guests that evening were Alec Baldwin, Brooke Shields, and Dwight Yoakum. But I got caught on camera during the monologue. Enjoy my shame below:

I'm the second guy, Veterinarian Who Sleeps With His Patients.

It's on my resume now.

Thanks to Jay Leno for 17 very funny years. I've been a fan for a long time.

DirecTV Still Racist

2009-05-31T21:41:00.006-05:00

A while back, we showed you some of the programming truncations that might upset some folks.

Did DirecTV heed our warning? Not at all. Below, more examples from the past month or two.

When will it end? Click any pic to enlarge.

Farrah Fawcett Sings! Sort Of

2009-05-16T12:26:00.008-05:00

After Farrah Fawcett's intial surge of popularity in 1977, TK records went to the vaults and licensed this classic song for U.S. release. Jean-Paul Vignon was a moderate pop star in France, but this duet met with a less than stellar response from the public.

Click here to listen to the song. Click either pic to enlarge it.

Tampa Police Dance Band

2009-04-21T14:23:00.004-05:00

Here's an album from 1965 or so. Needing good publicity and outreach, the Tampa Police Department forms a 27 piece dance band. Actually, they're pretty good. Click here to listen to "I'll Remember April". Click either pic to enlarge it.

I don't think the offshoot band, The Policia Brass, would be as big a hit today in Tampa. Or maybe they would. Click here to listen to "The Mexican Shuffle" and make up your mind.

2009 Nissan Cube Sighting

2009-04-09T20:38:00.012-05:00

Here are some shots of the all new Nissan Cube, that hits the showrooms in May 2009. Click any pic to enlarge.

Asymmetrical styling makes the Cube interesting and unique.

Doors open wide and low for easy access.

This Cube is a pre-production model. The actual for sale model will vary slightly.

Dash is simple and functional.

Back hatch opens 90 degrees. This will be easy to load.

I think Nissan will sell a lot of these. It's a fun ride. Here's the official 2009 Nissan Cube site.

Saturday Morning In Franklin TN

2009-02-14T10:30:00.002-06:00

It's not often I see a car older than me.

Marilyn Chambers Disco Record

2009-01-30T09:42:00.005-06:00

This song has been floating around the tubes for a while, but here's a new lift from one of my 45s.

Marilyn was best known as a porn star, but the record is hilarious, especially the last 90 seconds or so. Possibly offensive, if you can be offended while you're laughing. Listen to it here.

I See Stick People

2009-01-28T16:57:00.006-06:00

Click for a wallpaper sized pic.

I'm seeing them everywhere. Peeking out from behind corners, in my face at the store, blinking past on TV.

Stick people logos.

The other day I figured out why they bother me.

1) They're easy to make, and they don't require a lot of talent.

2) There's an implied universalism that irks me. Isn't EVERYONE running in the 5K? Taking Crestor? Signing up for the Conference on Communication Interfacing? You're not on board with the Western Australian Institute for Medical Research as they lead the way to a healthier future?

Please companies, try a little harder, and demand more from your logo designers. After all, stick people logos have been around a long time.

Ernie Anderson Star Trek TNG Promos

2008-12-26T16:49:00.003-06:00

Here are some promos I found the other day. Ernie Anderson was a prolific voiceover guy for almost fifty years, but here's a show that I wouldn't have remembered him from - Star Trek TNG.

This video came from a satellite feed and is the first episode of the show. Click the video to see promos and show open by the great Ernie Anderson.

3M Tape Bias Settings

2008-11-11T09:31:00.014-06:00

Because, you know, you might forget.

Let's All Vote!

2008-11-04T15:10:00.002-06:00

Hexed by Kohner - A Proto-Tetris?

2008-10-28T16:26:00.003-05:00

Found this during a recent move. Kohner put out several versions of Hexed from 1968 to 1974. This edition was bought for 69 cents in a drug store in 1973.

All you do is dump out the pieces, and put them back into the box.
Sometimes you can solve it in a minute, other times it takes several hours.

Here's a solution that's not printed on the box.

Maybe Hexed was an inspiration to the creators of Tetris. Only the lawyers know.

Tip Toe To The Gas Pumps with Tiny Tim

2008-09-22T13:01:00.004-05:00

There's been a gas shortage in the Nashville area for the last week, and gas lines not seen since the Carter years. Here's Tiny Tim from 1979, with "Tip Toe To The Gas Pumps". It's not the greatest parody song ever, but it does remind us that government has done nothing to change the situation in 29 years. Click here to listen or to get it now.

Coolest Business Card Ever

2008-09-11T09:09:00.004-05:00

Once I met this guy. I asked, "What do you do?" He gave me this card.

Coolest business card EVER. Click to enlarge.

Microsoft for Dummies

2008-09-10T19:02:00.003-05:00

Does this mean you're twice as dumb if you use Vista? Just wondering.

Jerry Reed- One of the Good Guys

2008-09-03T16:12:00.006-05:00

Jerry Reed was a brilliant player and songwriter, and even a movie actor, but he was also a good guy in my corner of the world, voiceover acting.

Jerry recorded a lot of commercials at my studios over the years, including the Southwest Texas Dodge Dealers, and a lot of syndicated spots for tire dealers. But here are two recordings of his that he did just because someone asked.

Old West Gazette was a daily radio show written and produced by Bob Sanders and sponsored by Greyhound Bus. It ran from 1980 to 1982, and one day we asked Jerry to guest star in an episode. He said yes, and I went to his office to record him. Click here to hear the show.

The other voice actor is David Cobb, legendary WSM announcer who coined the phrase "Music City".

Another time Jerry came in to record a PSA for Murci Homes, an organization for special needs children. He had a prepared script to read dry, but he couldn't get into the rhythm. He picked up an old guitar propped up in the corner of the room, tuned it, and did the whole spot live, picking and talking. Listen here.

Jerry used his movie star status to bring more movie projects to Nashville and Tennessee. He also started a video company, TSC Productions, that produced fishing and outdoor shows. Jerry was a major talent, and a good person. R.I.P.

Red, White, and Green

2008-08-24T14:20:00.015-05:00

This isn't a political rant, but an advertising rant: Why does the Democratic Party keep changing the flag colors?

The old red, white and blue got a makeover several Democratic conventions ago for TV. The flag behind the podium was turquoise and salmon. It looked really pastel and horrible on video, where NTSC smeared it all over the screen.

Here's this year's logo for the Democratic National Convention Committee:

It looks off color again, so let's look at it in Photoshop. Click the pic to enlarge.

The darker or true blue should be RGB or Red Green Blue value 0 0 255. Here it is 0 144 214. This means that green has been added to the blue.

The lighter blue is still greened out towards gray. The RGB value is 1 74 142.

Same story for the red. It should read 255 0 0. It is 238 48 34. Again green has been added.

More green on the lighter red. RGB value is 248 163 134.

I don't understand what message this is supposed to be sending. They're trying to co-op the power of the red white and blue American flag, but at the same time change it to make it hip. This sends a message to me that says, "We're American, but cooler than those other Americans."

From an advertising point of view, this is a really elitist message. Stick to the true colors if you want the benefits of the image. This goes double for the upside-down flags.

Most Appropriate Celebrity Endorsement Ever?

2008-08-17T20:49:00.004-05:00

This is either the worst celebrity endorsement ever, or the most appropriate. Click on any image to enlarge:

I can see the head of Ham Jerky, Inc. thinking to himself, "Who embodies the concepts of ham and jerky together better than anyone?" Jeff doesn't help himself out with the lame jokes on the back of the package.

Note that the regular ham jerky below is $3.00, and Jeff's is $3.30. Now we know what a celebrity endorsement is worth.

Super Hero Band-Aids

2008-08-06T17:38:00.003-05:00

Cover up your boo-boos in superhero style! Seen on Dump Trumpet.

Click here to see the website.

Radio Station License Plates

2008-07-27T11:35:00.006-05:00

Here's a collection of license plates from some Nashville radio stations of the 1970s. Click any image to enlarge, and if you have any of these to show, post a link in the comments section.

WLAC -AM was still top 40 when this came out.

WSM-AM was news/talk all day and country at night, including the Grand Ole Opry Saturday nights.

SM95 was WSM-FM, soft pop and west coast rock.

Here's a bonus plate, the Exit/In, Nashville's hip spot for every kind of music in the 70s. Among the acts I saw there were Barefoot Jerry, Harry Chapin, Jan Hammer, and Stanley Turrentine.

If you want to see more souvenirs of Nashville radio in the past, check out the NashRadio group on Yahoo.

Amiga Point of Sale Video Clip

2008-07-21T17:16:00.004-05:00

Here's a clip from an Amiga Computer point-of-sale laserdisc from around 1990. The Amiga was one of the best of the early computers, capable of multi-tasking, animation, video editing, and more, all starting in 1985! Click below to watch.

100th Blog Post

2008-07-17T22:01:00.002-05:00

You know, I was hoping for a classy 100th post to this blog:

Thanks for the warning. There are some things man was not meant to know.

Martin Mull's "Serial" is on DVD

2008-07-08T21:37:00.005-05:00

One of the greatest movies ever is out on DVD, "Serial" from 1980 with Martin Mull, Tuesday Weld, Bill Macy, Sally Kellerman, Peter Bonerz, Tommy Smothers, and Christopher Lee, among others. Here's the original VHS cover, click to enlarge:

Martin is a family guy named Harv in Marin County, California facing all of the trends of the 70s at once: a newly liberated wife, bratty kid, drugs, free love and macrobiotic lifestyles. All of his friends react in different ways, but Harv doesn't really freak out until his daughter is swept up by a religious cult.

That's about all the plot, but the characters are enough to keep anyone interested. Highly recommended, click the link below to buy at amazon.com.

Click here to hear Michael Johnson sing the title song of the movie, "It's A Changing World".

Transistorize Your iPod Video

2008-07-04T17:28:00.007-05:00

You might remember one of the earliest entries on this site, "Transistorize Your iPod". Well, I sold the rights to publish it to Make Magazine, and an entire article appeared in Make Magazine Issue 13.

Now they've redone the whole thing as a video! Click below on the window, or if that doesn't work, click here to watch.

Transistorize Your IPod! - More amazing videos are a click away

Again, I think Apple should put this out soon.

Awesome Traeger Grills for Fourth of July

2008-07-02T21:31:00.010-05:00

This is the ultimate grill for the Fourth of July. What's more American than cooking your pig in a pig? Or your steer in a steer? Thanks to Traeger Grills , my dreams have come true!

If you missed the earlier post on Animal Fast Food Spokesmen, go look at it first. Then you'll realize that now you can get that animal approval for anything you grill at home.

Click for larger pics.

Here's the Lil' Pig grill from their catalog. These are pellet grills, they plug in and use electric heaters to burn compressed sawdust pellets.

And the Longhorn Steer for your steaks and filets.

I went to my local Traeger dealer to see the Lil' Pig in action.

Looks even better in person.

Curly tail is a nice touch.
Front view.
And the money shot, inside the cooking area. I'm saving up for mine starting now.

Mercury Space Stamps

2008-06-26T20:37:00.004-05:00

Here's a sheet of space stamps from the Mercury program in the early 60s. I went to the post office with my dad to buy these on the day of issuance. Everybody else did, too. The stamps aren't worth a lot of money, but they're still cool. Click the image for a wallpaper sized version.

Random Comic Books

2008-06-24T22:17:00.006-05:00

Here are some random comics from my collection that caught my eye. Click on any pic to enlarge, and post a comment if you'd like to see inside any of them.

Incredible Shrinking Old Spice

2008-06-18T22:02:00.003-05:00

Here's a shot of the latest shrinkage of the Old Spice deodorant case. Now $1.99 buys you a third less product. I've used Old Spice for a lot of years, and I swear when I started it was 6.25 ounces. Every once in a while they raise the price, then shrink the size, then drop the price back to the old amount. Now they're just shrinking the size and keeping the same price.

C'mon, Procter & Gamble! Give us a break! After all, how many of us Old Spice users are left?

Click the pic for an enlarged version

Apple Store Huntsville Opening

2008-06-01T20:18:00.016-05:00

A brand new Apple store opened up May 31 in Huntsville, Alabama, at the Bridge Street Town Center. There are more smart people in Huntsville that just about anywhere, so I went to check out the party. Be sure to click any pic for a larger version.

8:15am. Not much action. Security didn't allow camping out overnight.

Here are the characters you'd expect to see. There were about a hundred hardcore (get it?) Apple fans in line before everyone else showed up.

About a half hour before the opening, the Apple staff ran out and high-fived the waiting crowd. At the store opening, 500 people were waiting in a line that stretched halfway down the open air mall.

The first customer walks in, and the crowd genuflects to the Apple logo.

Here's the end of the line at the store opening, literally a thousand feet from the front door.

The store was busy the whole afternoon, which is when these shots were taken.

Geniuses.

Another successful opening. Enjoy your free T-shirt.

J. Geils "Love Stinks" radio commercial

2008-05-30T21:26:00.005-05:00

Love Stinks The J. Geils Band put out this album in 1981. The music is great, and you can click the link above to order on Amazon.com. But the radio spot promoting the album is one of the best of all time. Click here to listen. I'd like to know who produced this spot, so I could show my appreciation.

The Wrecking Crew Documentary

2008-05-14T19:58:00.006-05:00

The Wrecking Crew was the nickname for a legendary group of studio musicians in the 60s. They were the band playing on thousands of records made then, including the 5th Dimension, Byrds, Mamas & Papas, Beach Boys, Tijuana Brass, and more. Denny Tedesco, son of Crew member Tommy Tedesco, showed this film last month at the Nashville Film Festival. I got a last minute ticket, and I'm glad. It was one of the best music documentaries I've ever seen. Denny interviewed Crew members like Carol Kaye and Plas Johnson, who showed how they came up with the killer licks on hits by Sonny & Cher and others. According to Denny, there are 123 songs in the film, and 147 musical cues. If you have any interest in 60s music, you've got to find out more about this film. Go to the Wrecking Crew Documentary website and sign up to be notified of a DVD release. The more people sign up, the sooner the DVD will come out. Glenn Campbell says, "Do It Now!"

Eat Me - Fast Food Animal Spokesmen

2008-04-29T21:13:00.021-05:00

I saw this blog the other day, suicidefood, where someone is outraged that animals are used to advertise their own tasty selves.

I totally disagree. It gives me a warm feeling to be welcomed to a restaurant by a happy pig, cow, chicken, or fish. It's an extra stamp of approval that makes the food taste even better. Over the years, I've also collected pictures of animals advertising food, but only because I like them. Here are some shots I've taken around the country, click on any pic to enlarge.

BB's Bar-B-Q in Franklin Tennessee. What could be more welcoming than this?

Hog Heaven near Centennial Park in downtown Nashville.

The Crab Station at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Notice the neon crab presiding, and the crab hoodie.

King's Island in Cincinnati has the Busytown Grill.

Huckle Cat serves up the grub.

The Fish Market in Atlanta.

Mr. Barbeque in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Miss Fried Chicken and some great pies are there.

Nashville Tennessee has King Fish in the Germantown area.

Back to BB's Bar-B-Q. Had dinner here tonight. A jumbo barbeque sandwich with hot sauce and extra slaw.

EXTRA SLAW!

Bob and Doug McKenzie Cartoon

2008-04-29T12:24:00.009-05:00

There's word that a McKenzie Brothers cartoon is going to air in 2009. Here's the video:

aiwa JS216 AM-FM Stereo Cassette Recorder

2008-04-22T18:52:00.004-05:00

This is one of the coolest WalkMan type devices that I've ever owned. The awia JS216 is a joy to use because it just works. A cassette player and stereo recorder, AM-FM radio, and it records off the radio to cassette!

I used this to record airchecks from radio stations as I went around the country. The aiwa never broke or quit.

It still works today, just put in the two AA batteries.

The Omni Hut in Smyrna Tennessee

2008-04-13T20:15:00.020-05:00

The Omni Hut is another one of those restaurants that are local treasures. It's in Smyrna, Tennessee, just north of Murfreesboro, and accessible from I-840. Here are some shots from a recent Friday night visit. Click any pic to enlarge.

The interior is just what you'd hope for.

The service is quick and attentive.

The Omni Hut was opened in 1960. You can read more of its history here.

Flaming chicken sticks for an appetizer.

Here's the second larger dining room and the Flaming Volcano dessert.

The waiting area is filled every night. Omni Hut is open 5:30-9:30pm Tuesday through Saturday.

A souvenir! Two bottles of Omni Hut Teriyaki Sauce.

Visit the Omni Hut website at www.omnihut.com

George Of The Jungle Storyboard

2008-04-06T16:29:00.007-05:00

Here's a link to a George Of The Jungle storyboard that I bought from the Jay Ward store in the 1980s. I never saw the cartoon that was made from the storyboard. That's because this is the storyboard from the pilot episode, which was unseen until included on the George Of The Jungle DVD set released in February 2008. Here's a sample frame, the entire Flicker pool of images is here.

Is DirecTV's programming guide racist?

2008-04-02T21:27:00.006-05:00

Or, is it possible to be offended by a mindless computer truncation? Here are some shots, click to enlarge.

Two for one, check above and to the right of Ron

Something for everyone. Also seen, but not captured:

Log Cabin Ho (me)
This Old Ho (use)
Collegiate Ho (ops)
and Bill Gaither Ho (mecoming)

Swine Flu Radio PSAs 1976

2008-03-31T17:51:00.003-05:00

Back in 1976, Gerald Ford and the Center for Disease Control wanted you to get a shot for the Swine Flu. Here are some government produced public service announcements sent out to radio stations across the country that summer:

Give a listen:

Passalong :60
Passalong :30
Skeptic - Truckdriver :10
Skeptic - Woman :10
Skeptic - Male Executive :10

Radio QSL Cards Part 2

2008-03-21T21:15:00.007-05:00

Here are some more radio QSL cards from the 1960s. Back then, if you heard a faraway AM radio station, you could write them and give details of what you heard, and they would send back their QSL card as confirmation. QSL actually came from ham radio, but stuck through to the AMs. If you missed Part 1 of the QSL cards, see them here. As always, click any pic for a larger version.

Weird Things Found at Publix

2008-03-19T19:59:00.003-05:00

Pirate's Booty Chips taste like __________?

Better Homes and Gardens Guide To Entertaining

2008-03-16T16:44:00.003-05:00

Don't want to get too James Lileks on you, but there are a lot of these books out there.

I still have no clue how to plan a party, but I'm keeping this book for the next time I need it.

Yum, furry trout. Click for larger, furrier pic.

Actually, this woman is 65 now and this is still her home.

Freddy Morgan Hey Mr. Banjo

2008-03-12T21:33:00.005-05:00

Here's something from long ago to make you smile:

It's Freddy Morgan, former member of Spike Jones' Band, and his album from Liberty Records. Freddy was the co-writer of "Hey, Mr. Banjo". Give a listen to it here.

Hawaiian Shirt Wallpapers

2008-03-05T20:59:00.003-06:00

It's a slow news day, so here are two shots of some Hawaiian shirt fabric that I have. Click for wallpaper sized versions.

Awesome Family Portrait

2008-03-02T19:36:00.004-06:00

You've all seen the bad Olan Mills, Sears, and other picture galleries around the web. One of the better ones is here.

Now for the secret shame of my family - THIS photo!

It was 1971 in a suburb of Winston-Salem, NC. My mom was excited. Our next door neighbor, who was a traveling photographer, was going to be set up in the local shopping plaza the next day. My mom booked the local beauty parlor for the next afternoon. After my dad got home, we all were stuffed into our jackets and had our hair brushed. Then it was off to the plaza. Our neighbor was set up with a minimal amount of equipment. Not enough lights, and no choice of backgrounds. Here's the result. Click for larger pic.

Some notes: My mom's hair never looked like that before or since that day. Apparently the only 'do they knew at the beauty parlor was beehive. I'm the oldest, in the top right, resplendent in my brand new Robert Hall blazer and orange tortoise shell glasses. Of course, every jacket in the photo was a hand-me-down from me. And what can I say, everyone in my family is nearsighted. We could have gotten a sponsorship.

Update from my sister: "The best thing about that shoot that you didn't mention was that the "studio" was the open area just beyond the cash registers in the Ben Franklin store, so we were all laid out for all the kids from my school to watch and make fun of during the shoot, and for the next couple weeks at school."

To top off the embarassment, a short while later our neighbor was arrested. He wasn't a fulltime photographer, but an operative in a New York to Florida car theft ring.

It was not until 1983 that we assembled for another family photo.

Gene Gene The Dancing Machine

2008-02-20T16:17:00.006-06:00

Eugene Patton, or "Gene Gene The Dancing Machine" was a Gong Show stagehand who got into the act. He would come out and dance to Milton De Lugg's orchestra playing "Jumpin' At The Woodside" when the show needed a boost. This became so popular that a record was released in 1978:

Click either pic for a larger version. Listen to the music here.

I saw Gene every once in a while on The Tonight Show in Leno's early days. He's had some health problems and is now retired. Go watch him on YouTube and think some good thoughts his way.

Vanderbilt Cartoon And Comics Symposium 1972

2008-02-16T21:20:00.010-06:00

My freshman year at Vanderbilt, I went to a cartoon and comics symposium that was held on campus right across the field from my dorm room. Check the guest speaker list:

This was supposedly the first time Stan Lee and Jack Kirby had appeared together since Jack left Marvel. I left to go to the Friday night portion of the show.

I was super impressed just to see these guys, much less to hear them talk. Dave Berg came on and talked about Mad Magazine. Allen Saunders was older but very cool, and Stan Lee was Stan Lee. Gahan Wilson was very dry. Someone asked him if he was influenced by Charles Addams, and he looked at him a moment and said, "Yes".

Click either of the pics for much larger versions.

The next morning Garry Trudeau led off. Doonesbury was probably the hottest strip in the country then, and Garry got more questions than anyone else.

I wish I'd taken notes at the talks, cause I don't remember as much as I wish I could. Jack Kirby and Stan Lee both said nice things about each other, and Mell Lazurus drew a lot of his Miss Peach characters on a big easel.

T.K. Ryan was very quiet at first, but ended up showing off a very good sense of humor.

At the end of the talks, we all went out to Curry Field for a barbeque sandwich and questions and answers with the artists. I tried to ask an intelligent question of Garry Trudeau about the state of the Ivy League humor magazines since National Lampoon had all the talent, and he said the state of Ivy League humor was pretty sorry.

A great show, and I'm much more impressed at it now than I was at 19.

Separated At Birth?

2008-02-13T18:59:00.006-06:00

I was watching the new movie version of "Hairspray" the other night. Amanda Bynes plays Penny Pingleton, who looks like this much of the movie.

Where have I seen that expression before?

As the man said when asked how many Nashville record producers it took to screw in a light bulb, "I don't know, what do you think?"

Darryl Starbird's Hall Of Fame Auto Museum

2008-01-26T19:13:00.000-06:00

It was always a good time when Darryl Starbird's Auto Show came to town. They had the three ingredients for a good time - cars, girls, and rock 'n roll. Listen to a 1970s radio spot here.

Years later, Darryl's got his own museum close to Tulsa, Oklahoma. The pics you see here are from the museum website. See more here.

VeggieTales Seeds from Home Depot

2008-01-26T15:51:00.000-06:00

And you thought making your kids eat vegetables was hard before...

This is wrong on so many levels.

Art From Space World Magazine

2008-01-23T20:17:00.000-06:00

Space World Magazine ran these pics in 1982 for an article called "Space and The Arts". NASA hired artists to record their impressions of the space program from behind the scenes. The result was some wonderful art. Click any pic to enlarge.

"On the Pad and Launch" acrylic painting by Paul Salmon.

"Launch of the Columbia - STS-1" mixed media painting by Chet Jezierski.

"Space Shuttle Orbiter" by Robert McCall.

"Columbia Launch Fantasy" mixed media painting by Andreas Notebohm.

"Solid Rocket Booster Recovery Tests" drawing by Maria Epes.

"The Labyrinth" gouache painting by Charles Schmidt.

"Flight Of The Columbia" oil painting by Jack Perimutter.

Why Is That In The Ad?

2008-01-22T11:40:00.000-06:00

Here's an ad for the new Infinity Razor. Sounds like a great product.

One question, though. If this is the last razor you'll ever need, why would you want two of them?

GE Radios 1951

2008-01-21T15:19:00.001-06:00

Here are two General Electric radio ads from The Saturday Evening Post in 1951. In 25 years, people won't remember what a radio looked like.

Mazeppa Pompazoidi

2008-01-11T14:38:00.000-06:00

Gailard Sartain had his own late night TV show in Tulsa back in the early 70s, and it's attained cult status among those who remember it. His host name was Mazeppa Pompazoidi. Local guy Gary Busey was also on the show. A friend who used to watch the show loaned me this record:

Listen to "Scope Them Turkeys Out" here.

Find out more about the good Doctor and buy his videos at www.mazeppa.com.

The York Hotel Court Nashville

2008-01-08T21:36:00.001-06:00

I don't think it's here anymore. And I know those trees are gone.

Click pic to go back in time.

UPDATE: checked it on Google Earth. Hotel is gone, trees ARE there, I-65 is just behind the hill.

The 5 Neat Guys

2008-01-08T21:11:00.001-06:00

One of the best SCTV skits, the 5 Neat Guys. Joe Flaherty, Eugene Levy, John Candy, Dave Thomas, and Rick Moranis. See them in action here.

Click the pic for a nice wallpaper for your desktop.

The Peacemaker Comic

2008-01-03T20:37:00.000-06:00

"A Man Who Loves Peace So Much That He Is Willing To Fight For It!"
Well, it's not quite the Fugs and "Kill For Peace", but how could you not buy this comic book?

The Peacemaker was from Charlton Comics in 1968, who also gave us The Fly, The Jaguar, and Captain Atom. Funny thing, though, are the ads inside: Click any pic to enlarge.

You can make a lot of peace with all that stuff.

The Peacemaker's been brought back more times than an Arab-Israeli summit. You can read all of his convoluted history here.

The Cult of Whataburger

2008-01-02T18:55:00.000-06:00

On a trip to Pensacola Florida last month, I ate at a Whataburger for the first time in years. The chain has grown and shrunk regionally over the years, and they're now in ten states.

There was a Whataburger on Charlotte Avenue in Nashville in the late 70s, and I remembered the burgers as big and oniony. If anything they're bigger now, and really good.

Maybe they'll expand back to Nashville one day. Hope so.

Good burger chains are a treasure. In Nashville right now, we have Fat Mo's, and a new Five Guys in Green Hills. What's your favorite burger chain? Post a comment and let us know.

Christmas Ephemera

2007-12-20T19:46:00.001-06:00

More Christmas Fun: The Scared of Santa Gallery

The link for the whole collection is here.

Here are some Christmas pics. Click on them for wallpaper sized versions. Keep checking back, I'll be adding more Christmas ephemera through New Year's.

You can hear the song by clicking here.

As a kid, I won a copy of "Hooray for Santa Claus" on 45 rpm record. Years later I found a whole story album of the movie, and inside was this comic book!

Was there a whole set of California Raisin Christmas figures? I've found two.

Grinchy Mints. Yum.

And don't forget Pee Wee Herman's Christmas Card.

Hoveround Scares Me

2007-12-20T18:54:00.000-06:00

I don't know about you, but my worst nightmare is a bunch of oldsters doing wheelies in my mall, clogging up the streets, and showing up unannounced at my door. I'm almost in this demographic, but it scares me.

Sheraton - Boston Hotel

2007-11-25T20:19:00.000-06:00

"Boston's newest, most exciting hotel. 29 soaring stories of inviting convenience. Seven great specialty restaurants and lounges. Huge lanai terraced swimming pool. Right at Prudential Center Exit 22, Massachusetts Turnpike".

Memories of Opryland USA

2007-11-20T21:34:00.000-06:00

Opryland USA, or just "Opryland", was a theme park that opened in 1972. It drew people from all over the country to Nashville. Here are some pictures that I took during the height of Opryland's popularity in 1978. These were taken with a 35mm camera, but focus never was my strong point. Click on any pic for a larger version.

The Wabash Cannonball was the third roller coaster to be built at the park. The ground under the loop was always littered with caps and hats that had fallen off. At its peak, Opryland had five roller coasters.

To get these shots, I climbed and stood on the rail of the exit ramp. It took three minutes before security chased me off.

The Tennessee Waltz. Wait one half hour after eating before this ride.

Opryland had many stages with live shows, and music was piped throughout the whole park. You can get the whole experience by listening to Opryland Radio USA on www.live365.com. You'll hear actual recordings of park music and shows. If you keep the sound in the background, it's like you're there! There's also an Opryland Yahoo Group here.

The Flume Zoom was a favorite. Many hats were lost over the drop.

There was a full mechanical arcade. Here's the basketball game. There were also animal games. I wished I'd gotten a pic of the Tic-Tac-Toe playing chickens.

Opryland closed in 1997, but many people didn't realize that. I worked weekly at CMT, and for an entire summer, I would see RVs and vans from all over America pull up to the entrance, just like Walley World. There were full time staffers at the gate just to turn people away. Was the park closed due to insurance concerns, the fact that Dollywood and Branson were luring away customers, or new ownership that just didn't care? The debate continues.

Free At Last

2007-11-11T09:35:00.001-06:00

Seen just south of Franklin, TN.

I'm not sure this is what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had in mind.

Where Are The TV Themes?

2007-11-05T20:28:00.000-06:00

A great article in the Sydney Morning Herald about the reasons why TV shows don't have catchy theme songs anymore. Can you say M-O-N-E-Y? Read the article here.

Transistorize Your iPod!

2007-10-30T17:19:00.000-05:00

I never went anywhere as a kid without my transistor radio. As I grew up, I didn't hear my favorite songs on the radio anymore, so I began to collect them. But hearing "Monday, Monday" on giant stereo speakers didn't pack the emotional wallop of hearing it on the 2 and a quarter inch speaker. When the iPod Shuffle came out, it hit me. Now I could hear what I wanted the way I did in the 60s. Here's how you can, too. Click any pic to enlarge it.

Gather an old transistor radio, and some basic tools. Hey, this IS like the 60s. What we're going to do is wire the output of the iPod to the volume control audio input on the radio.

Open up the old radio and do some disassembly. Stick the tiny screws to a piece of tape for storage. This speaker has a hole in it that causes buzzing when you turn up the volume, but here's an old trick - layer rubber cement on until the hole is covered. No more buzz!

Now, prepare the plug that goes into the iPod. Solder a wire to ground tap, and a small 3.3K resistor to each out channel. This converts the stereo output signal to mono. I put a piece of paper inside the plug to prevent shorting, and screwed on the top of the plug.

Drill a hole in the back of the radio case for the wire. At this point, thread the wires from the plug to the radio. Now solder the ground wire and the hot wire to the two exposed tabs on the radio's volume control. Attach a 9 volt battery to the radio, plug the plug into the iPod, and turn both on. The sound should be coming through the radio speaker. Make sure the volume control on the radio is working properly. If turning it up makes the volume go down, reverse the two wires you soldered on the volume control.

Carefully replace the radio and the new wires into the case, and reassemble the radio.

I hung the iPod on the back of the leather case because I can still take it off to go to the gym, but if you have room, you could build it into the top of the radio case in place of the ferrite antenna. My radio already had a broken antenna wire, so I left it alone.

Now go to www.reelradio.com or www.airchexx.com, and grab some vintage airchecks from your favorite childhood station. I've loaded Bill Berlin WKDA Nashville, Dr. Don Rose from WQXI Atlanta, and various jocks from WKBW Buffalo, WEAM Arlington VA, and WOWO Fort Wayne IN. Make an iPod playlist with airchecks, your fave songs, and some old commercials.

Load it up and enjoy! Even the old school earphone works! Will Apple build these for us oldsters? I hope so, but why wait around?

E-Man Comics

2007-10-23T21:55:00.001-05:00

E-Man was a great comic I ran across in the 70s. He was an energy being from another planet who took on human form to fight crime. He also had a skeptical attitude about all things Earthian.

E-Man's creator went on to work on Plastic Man, another superhero with an attitude. Find out more about E-Man and other cartoon characters at the Toonpedia here.

Nashville Municipal Auditorium 1962

2007-10-21T10:28:00.001-05:00

Here's a postcard of the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, all shiny and new in 1962. Over the years, I've seen a huge selection of acts there: Three Dog Night, Tom Jones, Beach Boys, George Wallace, Journey, Ronald McDonald Circus, and more. It's been overtaked by the 25,000 seat Sommet Center, but still hosts some shows. See the Municipal today here.
Click for larger pic.

Happy Halloween from Ed Grimley

2007-10-19T21:25:00.000-05:00

A fairly decent costume I must say. Dress up your son as Ed Grimley! Triangle not included.

Click for larger pics. And yes, it does say "Flame Retarded".

Atragon Revealed!

2007-10-17T20:10:00.000-05:00

In 1965, I saw an ad on TV for what to a 10 year old boy had to be the greatest movie ever made - Atragon. Japanese scientists build a vessel that flies, goes underwater, and bores through the earth! I had to see this movie. (Click any pic for a larger version)

Somehow I never got around to getting to the movie, and over the years I missed it every time during the late night TV airings.

Finally in 2005, Atragon is released on DVD. Oh yeah.

An underground civilization is attacking the surface world, and the Atragon is dispatched to save the planet. That's about it. All of the plot info is here.

After waiting 42 years to see Atragon, was it worth it?

Yes. Buy your copy today.

School Safety Patrol 1960s

2007-10-16T20:38:00.000-05:00

Remember the honor, the glory, the admiration heaped upon the selfless guardian of the school trafficways, the Safety Patrol officer? Yeah, me neither.

Joining the Safety Patrol was my first attempt to impress a girl. She didn't really notice, but there's no way she could ignore a Safety Patrol Captain! Off to Officer camp.

Still no luck. Oh well, sorry Julie, I tried.
Move along.

Jay Leno at Zanies

2007-10-10T21:50:00.000-05:00

As long as we're on a celebrity kick, here's a concert flyer from the early 80s:

Love the endorsement. As always, click for larger pic.

I Met Captain Kangaroo

2007-10-09T19:26:00.000-05:00

Back in 1989, my son was signed up for a brand new day care center in Nashville. I went to the opening ceremony and guess who was on the corporate board? That's right, Lamar and Honey Alexander. But also Bob Keeshan, Captain Kangaroo! I went up and asked for a pic of him with my son Will. Click for souvenir-sized pic:

Seeing the Captain was one thing, but when I heard his voice I thought I was three years old again. He was truly as nice and soft-spoken as everyone says. That was a good day.
All hail the Captain!

Sound Advice for Young Women

2007-09-27T14:57:00.000-05:00

Susan Dey and Maureen McCormick give the goods on how to get a man. From Young Love comics, 1973. Click for much larger pic. Susan must have sold a few books in 1972 with this version: