Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Retro: Kimmer

Retro: Kimmer

Link to Retro: Kimmer

RETURN TO FOREVER IV THIS FRIDAY AT MEADOWBROOK

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 12:34 PM PDT



Get Tickets HERE

Friday August 19 at Meadowbrook

Return to Forever is a jazz fusion group founded and led by keyboardist Chick Corea. Through its existence, the band has cycled through a number of different members, with the only consistent band mate of Corea's being bassist Stanley Clarke (Stanley Clarke is my favorite Bass man of all time).

Along with Weather Report and Mahavishnu Orchestra, Return to Forever is often cited as one of the core groups of the jazz-fusion movement of the 1970s. Several musicians, including Clarke, Flora Purim, Airto Moreira and Al Di Meola, first came to prominence through their performances on Return to Forever's albums.



After playing on Miles Davis's groundbreaking jazz-fusion albums In a Silent Way and Bitches Brew, Corea formed an avant-garde jazz band called Circle with Dave Holland, Anthony Braxton and Barry Altschul.

However in 1972, after having become a disciple of Scientology, Corea decided that he wanted to better "communicate" with the audience. This essentially translated into his performing a more popularly accessible style of music, since avant-garde jazz enjoyed a relatively small audience.

THIS FRIDAY: THE NINES AND THE MUGGS!!!

Posted: 17 Aug 2011 11:56 AM PDT



HEY GANG MEET ME IN YPSILANTI THIS FRIDAY NIGHT!

The NiNeS Reverbnation

This Friday we are going to hang out in Ypsilanti! with The MUGGS and the NINES....We haven't been to Woodruffs in a long time... It used to be the coolest bar in Ypsi and before that it was The Huron Hotel. I would like to see what the new remodeling looks like...

Our new friend Randy's son Kevin is in the NiNeS and Randy invited Kimmer and Lesley to come out... Should be fun!

Here is a bit bio from the NiNeS Facebook Page



Hard Blues, Garage and Psychedelic Rock
Members
Ian Kirwan
Kevin Bernard
Greg Ornazian

Hard Blues, Garage and Psychedelic Rock and Roll tossed into a blender and turned on high!
The NiNeS, formed in early 2010, have busted down the doors of the "New Generation" rock scene. The band layers Ian Kirwan's (Dangerous Pursuit) vintage "Dirty" guitar work and road-seasoned vocals with dynamic riffs and lyrical stories to create a genre defining sound chocked full of rock for a new generation of fans.



The band also features, Kevin Bernard (The Black Page) on the bottom end and Greg Ornazian's shotgun style on the kicks. This potent combination cranks out, blistering micro-anthems embodying that basic Rock and Roll steamroller aesthetic. Ultimately, it's "the NiNeS" live show that generates the most enthusiastic reviews. "Like your best friend's older brother's cool band . . . A kick ass show."

They perform without binding to convention, and without regard to perfection or even to the constraints of generic sound. Highs shriek, lows rumble, and no matter the size of the venue, rooms rattle. People stop what they're doing and watch. In the end, "the NiNeS" consider themselves to be very simply…. a rock and roll band. They eschew convention and boundaries in favor of pushing the envelope. They enjoy the freedom of making rock music, and take full advantage of the inherent rights it gives the artist to do anything that they want. ..

[New post] Doctor Who - Paradise Towers

Doctor Who - Paradise Towers

Doctor Who - Paradise Towers

Story 145
5-26 October, 1987

After establishing  his new persona, the Doctor takes his companion Mel to a tower block in space on the verge of collapse. A killer is at large, dragging victims to the basement to eat them up whole yet no one is interested in doing anything to stop the deaths. Fighting against impossible odds, the Doctor must put Paradise Towers to rights or it will collapse upon itself.

Each period of Doctor Who is marked by change, be it a change in production team or in the lead actor. In 1986, replacing the leading actor of Doctor Who was not the only task set before John Nathan-Turner and incoming script editor Andrew Cartmell. Frustrated with the lack of communication and his relationship (or lack thereof) with JNT, script editor Eric Saward walked off the set of the second part of Trial Of a Time Lord, leaving everyone in a fine mess. The ratings that had fallen so sharply for the 22nd series rose slightly for the 23rd, but BBC controller Michael Grade felt that more change needed to be introduced starting with the Doctor himself.

Theatrical actor Sylvester McCoy was the favorite choice due to his diminutive stature (in sharp opposition to Colin Baker's sturdy frame) and his impish behavior mixed with an otherworldly kind of intensity. Paradise Towers was the first story to be written for McCoy but it was commissioned and written with no knowledge of the 7th incarnation. The script by Stephen Wyatt was heavily influenced by the novel High Rise by JG Ballard, a brutally violent fiction set in a scientific marvel of an apartment block where the inhabitants are trapped and devolve into primitive social castes. Both Cartmell and Wyatt were on the same page regarding their excitement to develop such a story through the strange lens of Doctor Who... and the results are mixed.

The Doctor and Mel are looking for a holiday spot, something that the time traveling nomad finds wasteful. In any case, the Doctor compromises by taking the TARDIS to a state of the art masterpiece Paradise Towers. They arrive to find the structure to be a trash-ridden haven for hoodlums, patrolled by bureaucratic slobs acting as caretakers. Something has happened that has reduced the population of Paradise Towers into craven cowards scavenging for existence while an unknown menace kills off any of the unlucky ones. The Doctor must not only discover the source of this threat but unite the people of Paradise Towers in the face of a common foe.

Mel and the Doctor meet the Red Kang leader Fire Escape

There are many influences on the modern BBC Wales version of Doctor Who that can be found in the 24th series. Specifically, the fairy tale look and style of the program is very strong in Paradise Towers, something that was most recently picked up by the last two series. The drama and acting are so strained and obvious that it all comes off as children's entertainment. The Kangs look like harmless escapees from an off-Broadway play and the camp Caretakers are a joke. The sets are inspired but the lighting keeps them from achieving any real sense of danger or dread. Many fans point to these things as drawbacks but personally I think that they are part of the success of Paradise Towers and series 24 as a whole.

After several years of space opera and action/adventure, Doctor Who morphed into a kind of experimental program that posed as one thing but was actually another. I challenge any viewer to find a more saccharine sweet and innocent looking era than the 24th and 25th years of Doctor Who yet they contained some of the most horrific concepts in the programs history nested inside of a colorful kid's show. The clearest example of this is when Mel is captured by the two Rezzies Tabby and Tilda who trap her in a crochet net and threaten to cook and eat her. Not only that, they reveal that they have been sustaining their rotund figures by luring and eating teenage girls!

Paradise Towers is a bit of a failure, to be sure, but it also achieved so many fantastic moments and attempted to transform what had been a safe and predictable program into something entirely new. The characters of Tilda and Tabby and admittedly the only real pieces of evidence for this, but the cliffhanger featuring Mel screaming as they advance on her is completely terrific in its terror.

A deadly cleaner patrols the alleys of Paradise Towers

At the insistence of JNT, a monster was called for and the result was 'the Cleaners,' by far the most useless robot threat ever seen in Doctor Who. Apparently Cartmel and Wyatt imagined an organic beast pulling people down the waste chutes via tentacles, but this was nixed.

Armed with a dull slowly rotating cardboard blade, drill and pincer claw it is not only unclear how they could harm anyone it's also a mystery to me how they could clean anything! Exactly how does a drill or saw blade remove graffiti? It's no wonder the towers are so dirty. These things make the War Machines look downright menacing.

The Doctor is arrested by the Caretakers only to meet a 'deadly' cleaning robot
watch?feature=player_embedded&v=dyqoUiVVE9w

Celebrity guest stars may seem like a new thing to Doctor Who, but they littered the 1980's and this story is no exception. Known for his comedic work, Richard Briers is actually quite good as the Chief Caretaker. A bizarre micro-managing Hitler, he never really appears all that dangerous but he is clearly mad and a direct opponent to the Doctor's mission to fix the problems of Paradise Towers. When he is transformed into a weird robot-zombie, he not only gains a silver sheen and a silly voice but somehow grows a full mustache! What was that all about?

The Doctor (McCoy) is threatened by the Chief Caretaker (Richard Briers)

I have to admit that when I first saw Paradise Towers I really liked it. I was a fan of the 70's and 80's material (I still had no knowledge of the 60's) but this was so different that I felt some kind of ownership to it. This would certainly not appeal to the average fan of Pyramids of Mars or even Caves of Androzani. The 24th series was so absurd that it made the final Graham Williams efforts such as Nightmare of Eden and Horns of Nimon look sensible. There was a kind of darkly twisted situation comedy element as actors portrayed character types that were very familiar to viewers then took them in a different direction.

Mel is fattened up by a pair of 'Rezzies'

Bonnie Langford gets a lot of stick for her portrayal of Melanie Bush and I can't say it is entirely undeserved. While her more recent audio dramas vindicate her entirely, on screen she was a perky sprite with a squeaky voice who stumbled into trouble every week. Given that this was a more innocent era of Doctor Who, I couldn't imagine a more perfect companion to include. Her exchanges of dialog with the Kangs are laughable as she insists that she is a good girl who would never want to be in a gang. Likewise when Pex attempts to impress her with feats of strength his advances bounce right off of her androgynous figure. In the right story, Mel works very well, but one has to remember that she is a simpler character than Leela or Sarah Jane Smith. She is simply a know-it-all who can't seem to stay out of trouble and is completely incapable of helping herself.

This of course allows for the Doctor to be a tactical genius.

Mel is threatened by a pool cleaning robot

The Seventh Doctor was still a work in progress for Paradise Towers, but you'd never know it to watch the story. McCoy makes the part his own almost immediately with his physical mannerisms and infectious enthusiasm. One can see the influence of Buster Keaton, Stan Laurel and other early film stars in his behavior but all of that melts away in key moments where he interrogates the Chief Caretaker or argues with the inhabitants of the towers to defend themselves. I imagine that the actor was given very little to work with and he certainly filled up the blanks wonderfully. Paradise Towers may not be your kind of thing, but it does feature a very strong performance from McCoy.

I do disagree with the Doctor's 'brilliant plan' of asking the monster to come out of his home and then blowing him up. Surely there would have been a better resolution to the situation. Given that the Chief Caretaker was possessed by a great evil and the Doctor had just united the residents, kangs and caretakers in a spirit of peaceful coexistence it seems odd to limit that philosophy and just kill the villain. The BBC Wales program starring David Tennant had a similar view on good and evil and it just never washed with me. If the Doctor is so smart and heroic why doesn't he at least attempt to save the day without violence instead of formulating a scheme that revolves around explosives?

Stephen Wyatt would thankfully return in the following year with the Greatest Show in the Galaxy, an adventure that is still praised by fans as one of the finest Seventh Doctor stories. Featuring quirky characters, an unusual setting and bizarre threats it builds on what was evident here and produces a much more polished end product. Still, I have a soft spot for Paradise Towers.

The DVD just released has plenty of extras including a documentary shedding light on the production and even the aborted music score by David Snell. I highly recommend the secondary music track in favor of the naff one by Keff McCulloch that was used on transmission. Neither is perfect, but at least Snell's is evocative of a mood and doesn't include synthesized clapping sounds (what was that all about?).

If you are a fan of the McCoy era, this DVD belongs in your collection. If you are a devotee of the Tom Baker or Pertwee stories, I'd recommend skipping this one. But if you are a brave soul, you may want to give this one a try and see what Doctor Who was like when it was wild and fearless.

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Latest articles from Retro To Go

Latest articles from Retro To Go


Monique Dress by Heartbreaker Fashion

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 10:00 AM PDT

Moniquedress

To carry off a bold retro print, designers have to get the cut and shape of any piece just right for a true vintage feel. Heartbreaker Fashion rarely put a foot wrong, hitting the mark once more with this simple but stylish Monique Dress.

Shown here in their new print, aptly named Summer, they've plumped for a classic swing dress style that's ideal for the season. With a high neckline, sleeveless cut and subtle flaring at the skirt, the cute addition of a bow at the waist is made all the more effective by blending with the all-over print.

It's available now from Heartbreaker Fashion online for $90.

Find out more from the website

Adidas Montreal trainers reissues in a bold shade of blue

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 08:19 AM PDT

Mont

We've seen a few variations of these over the past few months, with a new Size? exclusive of the Adidas Montreal trainers just landing in blue.

A rather bold and eye-catching shade of blue suede, with white detailing and a contrasting sole. That heel is distinctive - as you might know, it was originally developed from the Gazelle design, but with a collapsible heel that was designed to allow footballers to get the shoe on and off easily after training. Or in your case, to slip on when you fall out of bed.

Available now if you want to brave the sluggish Size? website, £60 is the price.

Find out more at the Size? website

eBay watch: 1972 Citroen DS

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 07:54 AM PDT

Cit1

Looking for a project as winter approaches? This 1972 Citroen DS could be it.

Not as sharp as the 1969 version we featured a while back, but this isn't in the same condition. Not that we're writing it off - the car still has a lot going for it - and is ready to go if you want it for the daily commute.

Cit2

It has an MOT, it is tax-exempt and has recently been on the receiving end of a full service. It has also had four new tyres, a new exhaust, a new radiator and a new rear suspension gaiter and still has some period features, like the original radio and the original plate, valued at £500.

The seller claims it is used daily and garaged overnight and right now, it is at £3,000 on eBay if you want to make it our daily runaround. Lots more images on the listing.

Find out more at the eBay website

A Clockwork Orange book cover limited edition print by David Pelham

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 04:27 AM PDT

Clock

It is an instantly-recognisable image, with this A Clockwork Orange book cover limited edition print by David Pelham now available to buy in a limited edition.

It's available from new fine art company Wire Frame, which has reproduced the cover art of David Pelham, specifically his work on JG Ballard covers, but most famously of all, this cover for the original issue of Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange. It's a cover that has never been bettered by subsequent reissues of the book.

Each print is on matt 310gsm fine art paper and uses pigment-based lightfast inks. The prints are individually signed and numbered by the artist and include an accompanying certificate of authenticity. Sized at 60 x 40cm, you can secure one for £275.

Find out more at the Wire Frame website

Via Switched On Art

Vintage Czech pin necklaces from Aquvii

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 03:14 AM PDT

Czech badge

If you're on the look out for an unusual piece of vintage jewellery take a look at these Czech pin necklaces from Aquvii.

Not only vintage but well travelled too: the Japanese company has transformed a load of old Czech badges into chain necklaces. The badges feature a variety of emblems and themes, including the sporting shape of the design featured above. 

The necklaces cost £15 each. 

See the collection at Concrete Hermit

Original Second World War Rayon Stockings

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 02:37 AM PDT

Prod_21842_108 If you're a fan of retro style you can't get any more authentic than these Original Second World War Rayon Stockings from the Imperial War Museum Gift Shop.

Although one would think authentic forties stockings would be hard to come by, given that war-time shortages of nylons saw women reduced to painting seams up the back of their legs with gravy browning the Imperial War Museum have managed to source some original stock.

The stockings cost £39.99 a pair and are available in small, medium and large here.

Style Me Vintage: Make-Up

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 02:17 AM PDT

Style me vintage makeup

If you loved last year's Style Me Vintage: Hairstyles by Belinda Hay, chances are this new companion book Style Me Vintage: Make-Up will also be on your wish list. 

It's been written by Katie Reynolds, founder of the Powder Puff Girls (whose Powder Room we also featured last year), and a specialist in recreating retro glamour. The book gives you step-by-step instructions on how to use your cosmetics to replicate various different looks dating from the 1920s, right up to the 1980s. As with the other title, the book uses vintage fabrics and patterns alongside the instructions to create an attractive looking book. 

And at an amazing price too. The book is currently costs £6.29 from Amazon

Cherner Classic Walnut Side Chair

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 02:15 AM PDT

Chernerchair 
If you know your classic design, then you should have no problem identifying this as the work of Norman Cherner.

The Cherner Classic Walnut Side Chair has the same distinctive wasp-waisted shape as his armchair. It is made from moulded plywood and the example available here is covered with a rich walnut veneer. The chair costs £646 which is perhaps a bit expensive if you intend to buy a full set for your dining room, but undeniably stylish.

Visit the Conran Shop for more information.

Hackney Empire Wallpaper

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 02:09 AM PDT

He_w02

Embrace maximalism in all it's glory with this Hackney Empire wallpaper from designers House of Hackney.

The design features all manner of animal bacchanalia; from banjo-playing squirrels to cocktail-quaffing badgers and hookah-smoking sloths. The rich colours on a midnight blue background make for a sophisticated and subtle design that reveals it's exoticism on closer inspection.

The wallpaper is digitally printed with environmentally friendly inks and costs £148 per roll here. You can also buy cushions, lampshades and furniture featuring the design. The full Hackney Empire range has also been used to create a pop up Gin Den at Bistrotheque where you can sample a signature cocktail surrounded by the fantastical designs.

Enamel Whistling Kettle by Riess

Posted: 16 Aug 2011 02:04 AM PDT

Enamelkettle 
If you want the truly traditional experience of making a proper cup of tea, then you really need a kettle that whistles.

This Enamel Whistling Kettle is made by Austria by Riess & Co. It has the traditional rounded shape, but has been specifically designed with a large base, so that the water heats up with the minimum amount of energy. It is actually more energy-efficient than an electric kettle. The kettle gives out a loud whistle when the water boils.

It is finished in white enamel and costs £46.40 from Manufactum.

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...