Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Retro: Kimmer

Retro: Kimmer

Link to Retro: Kimmer

SCOTT MORGAN VIDEO ORIGINALS FOR WEDNESDAY!

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 05:33 PM PDT


Betty Everett

Scott Morgan and I play video challenge a lot on You Tube. I track down really classic soul tunes for Scott and Deniz Tek too. Scott is the master at finding the original covers of a lot of really classic tunes. Scott knows all the original vocalists and groups. It is an amzing musical education for my readers and me as well! I really am into these songs and in order....

You're No Good: Betty Everett (I Love this original better than Linda's)



Your Real Good Thing is About to End: Mabel John



Do Wah Diddy: The Exciters



I Dig You Baby: Lorraine Ellison



Super Duper Love: Joss Stone
in case anyone missed it it's on facebook and kim's blog. this is still my fave. very old school with betty wright in the producer's chair. hopefully amy winehouse doesn't destroy herself because she's also very talented. Scott M



Go Now: Bessie Banks

RETROKIMMER CHATS WITH MUSIC PROMOTER JACK ASHTON!

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 07:00 AM PDT


Vinnie Dombrowski, Jack Ashton

20th Annual Detroit Music Awards
April 15, 2011
Fillmore, Detroit, MI


Jack (Rockets Shirt) with our pal Johnny "Bee" Badanjek

Well it has been a wild two weeks for Kimmer. I have been out and about meeting a bunch of new people in the Detroit music business. One of my favorite people that I just met is singer Brian Bogart Begdorian. Brian is the lead singer for Slaves of Illuminati.


Kimmer and Brian having fun....

Brian was the lead singer for a favorite band of mine... Bogart. Brian and I were chatting away a few nights ago and he mentioned Music/Record/AR Promoter Jack Ashton. A light bulb went off in my mind... Hey I think Jack is a friend of mine on Facebook! I went to see and sure enough there was Jack. What a cool guy! I wrote to him and then called him in Hollywood. We had fun putting this piece together today. We have a ton of friends in common and we both love " the never take no for an answer theory"!!!



Here is a photo of Jack at CKLW with 3 Dog Night! Also the famous PD / MD from CKLW Rosalie Trombley. Bob Seger's song "Rosalie" is for the legendary Ms Trombley.

Jack is originally from Detroit and went to Cooley High. Of course, Jack grew up entrenched in the Sound of Detroit Rock n Roll. (So did Kimmer) Jack has had this absolutely HUGE career promoting bands, getting records radio airplay, and traveling on the road with bands like a very young Def Leppard... Check out the DL video below. WOW that had to be such a trip traveling with that band.


WLLZ Michael Benner, Jim Jefferson, Paul Sullivan,
Dick Williams, Steve Resnik, Jack Ashton

Jack and I talked on the phone a couple of times and I listened to his story and we have so much in common. Noticed right off the bat that Jack rarely talks about himself. He is all about one thing and that is the MUSIC. Jack was such an influence over the music of my generation and many others to come after. Read Jack's All Access INTERVIEW HERE



Jack booked bands at The Grande where The Rationals/MC5/SRC and alot of British bands used to play like The Jeff Beck Group with Rod Stewart and Cream. Jack launched John Cougar Mellencamp and a boat load of other bands too....

In radio Jack was influenced a great deal by CKLW PD/MD Rosalie Trombley... (weren't we all??) He told me that she was a great teacher and was so generous in sharing her knowledge. We have heard this from so many other people and bands too.



Jack is a huge Rationals fan too! Loved talking with him about Scott, Steve, Terry and Bill.

According to Jack... mainstream radio is still a big factor in promoting new records and bands. I was a bit surprised by that but relieved to hear Jack say that. He would know... I would have thought that online marketing had taken over radio.

We did talk a bit about promoting online. I like to innovate and push the envelope as I am a computer geek. Jack told me he thought maintaining the learning curve was best.



We picked these two videos to go with Jack's story today. The Babys and Def Leppard. We definitely plan to get with Jack for a part two and three... about some other bands and jobs he has had more on that later...



Thank you so much JACK for sharing your career with me and thanks BRIAN for the idea!!! XXOOK

[New post] First look at Marvel's movie Avengers

First look at Marvel's movie Avengers

This image from the Licensing Expo 2011 convention in Las Vegas has been making the rounds at MTV's Plash Page, Entertainment Weekly and ScreenRant to name just a few. Not exactly a movie poster for the impending 2012 feature film, it does give an idea of what to expect from the big picture Avengers.

While Iron Man, Thor and Black Widow all appear unchanged from their previous appearances, Captain America is sporting a redesigned version of his uniform already glimpsed in the trailer for the upcoming Captain America: The First Avenger movie. Jeremy Renner's bowman Hawkeye looks to be wearing a very much downplayed version of the hero's iconic purple duds and the Hulk is... big and green. Rumor has it that Mark Ruffalo, the latest actor to play the green giant, will be involved in the motion capture work for the Hulk, meaning that he will appear slightly different from the last time we saw him in 2008.

Until we get an official movie poster or trailer (both of which are a long way off), this is the closest we will get to what the Avengers will look like on screen together. After countless fan made images, I'm glad to finally have something at least partially legitimate.

The Avengers, directed by Joss Whedon, is slated for a Summer 2012 release.

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[New post] Doctor Who and the Gunfighters

Doctor Who and the Gunfighters

The Gunfighters

Story 25
Written by Donald Cotton
Transmitted April 30 - May 21, 1966
So fill up your glasses
And join in the song
The Law's right behind you
And it won't take long.
So come, you coyotes,
And howl at the moon
Till there's blood upon the sawdust
In "The Last Chance" Saloon.

After breaking a tooth on a boiled sweet in a previous adventure, the Doctor is in dire need of a dentist. Irony of ironies... the TARDIS lands in the middle of the Old West. Not just any location either, but the eve of the historic gunfight of the O.K. Coral. Ensnared by a case of mistaken identity, the Doctor, Steven and Dodo soon find themselves part of history's bloody web and are incapable of getting themselves free.

A highly unusual story for many reasons (a comedic historical with musical numbers), The Gunfighters supposedly came about due to the suggestion of actor William Hartnell. On a whim, the actor suggested that a western adventure may prove interesting. Later, Hartnell admitted that this marked the only instance that he made such a suggestion and that The Gunfighters had the lowest viewing figures of his time on the program (actually, this ins't true). Amused at his blunder, the actor agreed to keep his trap shut regarding plot ideas from that point forward. In 1966, Hartnell was finding himself in the unfortunate position of being against the production team. The only remaining member of the 'old guard,' he strongly disagreed with the direction that producer Innes Lloyd and Shaun Sutton wished to take that would see Doctor Who play to a more sophisticated adult audience. Hartnell also found the rise in violence distasteful and yearned for the simpler fanciful tales. In short, he had reached the end of his relationship with Doctor Who.

While I strongly regard Ian Chesterton as the ideal dashing hero that one wishes he could be if he had been chosen to travel with the Doctor, Steven Taylor was the harsh reality of what most of us would be like. Headstrong, clumsy and brave to a fault, Steven is nonetheless entertaining to watch during his short time on screen (most of the stories featuring Steven including the epic Dalek Master Plan are sadly lost). Steven and the Doctor butt heads but on a very basic level. It seems that most of the time the Doctor just wants to be rid of him and wanders off. That's not to suggest that he and Steven don't have any chemistry or fondness for each other, but they are chalk and cheese in so many ways; the genius and the buffoon, the brilliant tactician and the brave lone hero, etc.

Acting alongside Peter Purves (who played astronaut and panda bear enthusiast Steven Taylor), Hartnell was dismayed at the steady stream of dolly birds that the producers threw at the program, the latest of which was Dodo Chaplet. While Purves was an experienced TV actor and entertainer, Jackie Lane was a much younger actress and the subject of much hand-wringing at the BBC who could not agree what her character was all about. Her accent and demeanor changed from scene to scene and in the end, she makes very little impact, so little in fact that she disappears off screen in the War Machines a few stories later.

Both Steven and Dodo are overjoyed to find themselves in the Old West and disappear back into the TARDIS to get more appropriately dressed. They emerge in the most flamboyant costume versions of period clothing and the Doctor for a moment forgets his dental agony. In what looks to be a glossy silk Western-style shirt with sewn on stars on the chest, Steven whips out a pair of six-shooters and loudly declares that he is actually Dead Eye Steve... attracting nearby lawman Wyatt Earp who promptly arrests all three to keep them out of trouble.

Seeing no other recourse, the Doctor concocts a cover story for the law that he and his friends are entertainers, providing stage names Steven Regret, Dodo Dupont and Doctor Caligari. This somewhat pleases the sheriff, but they are warned to stay out of trouble. Unfortunately, trouble finds them. Dropping off the Doctor at Holiday's place of practice, Dodo and Steven giggle to themselves that their friend is on for a shock when he discovers the 1600's has not seen the advent of aesthetic. Retiring to the nearby saloon, the pair find themselves in the company of the Clanton Brothers, eager to find and kill Doc Holiday for their kid brother's murder. With very little description of Holiday to go one, they decide to sit and wait it out in the saloon until the boozing gambler shows himself. Meanwhile, Steven and Dodo are forced to live up to their cover stories and perform the dreaded Ballad of the O.K. Coral.

Recovering from his tooth removal, the Doctor is accosted by one of the Clanton Brothers, no doubt tired of waiting for Holiday to show himself. He misidentifies the Doctor as Holiday and challenges him to show his face at the saloon. Being an English gentleman, the Doctor no doubt thinks that he has just been invited for a drink and accepts. Seeing a way out of facing his just deserts and of wiping his past clean away, Holiday arms the Doctor and sends him on his way to the Saloon.

Realizing that the Clanton brothers are in town with only one purpose, Wyatt Earp and Marshal Bat Masterson decide to play their cards close to their chests and use the Doctor as a lure, drawing the Clantons into a trap. Unfortunately, Dodo and Steven get taken hostage and the dreaded gunslinger Johnny Ringo arrives in town for a piece of the action. For once, the Doctor has no interest in preserving history at all, he just wants to get his friends out of trouble to the safety of the TARDIS!

I have to be honest in saying that for the longest time I regarded the Gunfighters as the kind of thing parents threatened their children with if they wouldn't eat their veggies. But after reading favorable reviews, I was intrigued enough to give a second, third and fourth try. This review took me ages to get to but it had nothing to do with procrastination. It was a test of nerves and I passed... eventually.

Part of the problem is that many of the actors are distracted by trying to stick to their accents, a feat that proves to be too much sometimes as dialog gets garbled and an already strained plot is made nearly unintelligible. The first meeting of the Clanton brothers is intended to be a nail-biting tension-filled moment building up the danger, but the poor actors can barely make it through the scene of exposition for fear of tripping over their 'authentic' old west idioms!

A flawed adventure, The Gunfighters is helped by an outstanding cast including the late Anthony Jacobs as the scheming Doc Holiday. As soon as it is established that the story is set in the O.K. Coral of the Old West, the action shifts to Doc Holiday, hardly the vicious character of historical record, as he is depicted a nervous and retired gun-shooter trying to set up business as a (wait for it) dentist. His lady friend and former lady of ill repute Kate watches over him uneasily as Holiday polishes his examination chair and hangs the sign outside of his newly established place of business, just as the local law keeps a watchful eye in his every move, missing the no-good band of hoodlums riding into town to take brutal revenge on Holiday.

Anthony Jacobs is only one member of a superb supporting cast in this story, but some of the other actors may slip you by as they are more well known for their vocal talents than their faces. David Grahan, for instance, who plays the shaky barman Charlie, is the voice behind Brains from Gerry Anderson's Super Marionation saga, Thunderbirds. An accomplished character actor was almost cast as the 'deadeye' Johnny Ringo, but proved unavailable... Patrick Troughton.

Anthony Jacobs as Doc Holiday

I am a big fan of the historical Doctor Who adventures and of the comedic ones as well. Cotton's other efforts in this direction (The Romans and The Mythmakers) are good examples of how to get this right. Unfortunately, a massive monkey wrench is thrown into the mix in this case in the form of a musical lament played incessantly throughout all four parts. The lyrics were written by Cotton and series director Rex Tucker and while it may be charming and whimsical once, hearing it sung by characters on screen (at gun point) and as part of the narration is far too much. Even Shaun Sutton dismayed the overuse of the tune, stating that the poor American accents and slow direction were further hamstrung by that damned song turning up over and over, causing the action to come to a complete stop each time.

A polished actor with a deep love for the stage, Hartnell clearly relishes the light comedy here and plays the part of the reluctant deputy and of Holiday's first dental patient (or victim) to the hilt. There are some pearls of dialog throughout the story as the Doctor is handed a firearm at least three times and asks out loud why people keep giving him guns. This is no doubt an attempt to off-set the oncoming violence that the 'Ballad of the O.K. Coral' reminds us is coming.

With so many classic adventures missing, it is remarkable that of all stories, The Gunfighters remains perfectly intact (what about Marco Polo, The Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve? Galaxy Four, even!). The production values are top notch (with some wonderful camera direction and use of actual horses thrown in to make things interesting), but it is far too long. Classic Doctor Who is no stranger to a contrived run around, but this is a standout case thanks to the repeated Ballad of the O.K. Coral that opens, closes and bridges each of the four installments. A fun and light adventure, The Gunfighters also features some rather chilling gun battles, an oddity for Doctor Who at the time.

Earthstory (The Gunfighters and The Awakening) DVD Trailer
watch?v=E6xFf3JGdSM

Inexplicably packaged with the Fifth Doctor story, Awakening, the Gunfighters will be released on DVD in the U.K. next week (it will be released on its own in the US on July 12th). I am very interested in revisiting this story in DVD format and am curious what kind of light the production notes, commentary and documentaries can shed on this one.

Pre-order Doctor Who: The Gunfighters (released 7/12/11)

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Latest articles from Retro To Go

Latest articles from Retro To Go


Wonderful Copenhagen Poster

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:31 AM PDT

Wonderful-copenhagen-andemor 
Since we are big fans of Danish design, it seems rather remiss that we have never mentioned this classic poster design, Wonderful Copenhagen.

The poster was created in 1959 by Viggo Vagnby and is based upon a famous photograph of an incident from the same year where a policeman stopped the traffic to allow a family of ducks to cross the road in Frederiksberg. Although a popular image at the time, the poster fell out of favour and in1985 it was used as wrapping paper to protect a shipment of prints being entered into a competition in England, but by happy mistake, was entered into the competition which it won. The poster is now rightfully restored to its place as a classic and can be seen in the Danish Museum of Art & Design.

You can buy your own print of it from Posterland for 18.5 Euros.

Pin Up Jeans by Cooperative

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:15 AM PDT

Pinupjeans

The perfect pair of capri pants can be all you need to create an effortless pin up inspired look, but they're often hard to track down on the high street. These classically styled Pin Up Jeans by Cooperative are now available at Urban Outfitters, offering an unmistakeably fifties inspired look.

The use of denim is unusual but effective, with a light pastel blue shade tying in with the pin up aesthetic. With a high waistline and matelot buttons at the hip, the detailing is minimal enough to create a figure hugging pair that you can wear regularly.

They're now available from Urban Outfitters UK for £55.

Find out more from the website

Off Shoulder Wrap Top from ASOS

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:15 AM PDT

Asosoffshoulder

Sometimes its the most simple retro looks that can be the most difficult to find, with so many bold prints and bright colours on the market for summer. This Off Shoulder Wrap Top from ASOS is a rare find, providing an effortlessly stylish top to pair with your more head-turning skirts and trousers.

The off shoulder style, combined with a daring sweetheart neckline, leans on the sexier side of fifties fashion to create an instantly vintage inspired silhouette. Ideal for combining with a circle skirt, it's equally suitable for tapping into the 80s love of fifties updates too.

It's available now from ASOS for £20.

Find out more from the website

Tulip Dishcloth from Klippan

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 08:11 AM PDT

01 
We frequently feature tea towels on this site, but dish clothes are a little bit rarer (probably with good reason). This Tulip Dishcloth from Klippan is possibly only the fourth such item we've featured.

The retro tulip design was created by Lotta Glave (one half of the Swedish design team Bengt & Lotta). It is available in a choice of colours, either shades of blue or red/yellow/green. Each dish cloth costs £2.44, which is undoubtedly more than you'd pay for a normal pack of cloths, but cheap enough if you want to add that final finishing touch to a totally retro kitchen.

Buy them from the Scandinavian Design Center.

Froy & Dind Kitsch Tin Boxes

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 07:52 AM PDT

Aw10froy509000999-assorted

If you suffer from an inability to part with hotel sewing kits, odd batteries, rubber bands and the like then you need something smart and stylish in which to house your collection.

Created by Belgian designers Froy & Dind, this range of tin boxes is inspired by vintage fabrics and kitsch children's illustrations. Colourful and bright they're the perfect way to conceal your miscellany of useful items.

The tins come in different sizes and range in price form £5.95 to £16.95.

They are available from Liberty - find out more on the website.

eBay watch: 1960s Lambretta Luna 50CL scooter

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 04:52 AM PDT

Luna

I was browsing through the French Scootitude magazine the other day and noticed a feature on a rather weird, late '60s Lambretta. Today, I've just noticed one on eBay - the Lambretta Luna 50CL scooter.

It's a Lambretta, but perhaps not as you might expect. This particular small frame / small engined model was introduced in 1968, designed to sit alongside, rather than replace the more traditional scoots. The CL model was the slightly more luxurious model, with a built-in light, rubber mats and those distinctive handlebars.

This one is described as 'totally original', with 'very good' bodywork and seat, but could do with new cables and tyres. It does run well enough though. There's a dating letter from the DVLA showing its originality and can be delivered at cost. Price right now is £700 - loads more images on the listing page.

Find out more at the eBay website

Surpil SL10 chair by Julien Henri-Porché

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 02:57 AM PDT

Surpil_01_500

The Surpil SL10 chair designed by Julien Henri-Porché has a long history, dating back to 1927, but came from a very practical need. 

It was designed foremost for functionality: suitable for use in public spaces and also able to be stacked. Made from metal, the choice of material reflects the need for practicality. However, the chair still manages to look elegant and worthy perhaps of something more than outdoor furniture. 

The price would suggest so too: it costs £228.

Buy it from TwentyTwentyOne

60s-style floral bedspread from Bluezoo

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 02:52 AM PDT

Bluezoo

This floral bedspread, designed by Bluezoo has more than a touch of 60s flower power about it.

It's covered with a colourful flower design, reminiscent of Mary Quant's famous logo. To complete the retro feel, the reverse side is decorated with polka dots. Perfect for a kid's room, or even for a pattern-loving parent. 

A single set costs £22.40

Buy it from Debenhams

Classic American School Bus Pencil Pot

Posted: 14 Jun 2011 01:32 AM PDT

Prodvar_10300_1

Reorganise your workspace and add a splash of colour and style to your desk with this Classic American School Bus Pencil Pot from German designers Werkhaus.

This vehicular icon comes as a kit for you to assemble yourself in a few simple steps. It's made of sturdy mdf board printed with high resolution digital prints and coated with a UV curable coating to ensure the bright "school bus yellow" doesn't fade. It measures 22.5 x10.5cm so it ought to provide ample space for all of your desktop clutter.

The bus costs 14.90 from Little Zebra here.

Don't Be So Quick to Overlook the Maserati Grecale Folgore

If the GranTurismo Folgore is a guide, this Grecale Folgore could be surprisingly competitive. The EV GT was one of the year's best surp...