Shameless Self-Promotion

Yours truly (and a bunch of other people) interviewed by Mr Dante Fontata over at PCL Linkdump on the scent of vinyl.

Buddy Bonds – An Orchestra of Organs

Is your insatiable organ-lust at peak intensity? Has the thrill of just one organ long ago faded? Do you crave more and more– your harmonic intensity increasing– until you burst forth in a melodic cascade of organ ecstasy?! Well, wait no longer, because Buddy Bonds has heard your prayers!

OK, in all fairness, Buddy’s idea of an “orchestra” consists of a measly three organs. But fear not– three organs can make an awful lot of racket. It is, as the back cover breathlessly proclaims, “the most ambitious undertaking of his 28 years as an organist!”

Probably the most interesting thing about this album is the way it anticipates the synthesizer boom of the 70′s. Buddy and his compatriots Ray Jenkins and Darrell Stuckey coax some very Moog-like sounds out of these otherwise unhip harps, creating a “way out” sound that’s sure to delight “the Hullabaloo-oriented teen-agers.” (Sadly, Hullabaloo-orientation is still not protected by federal law.) Or, as Ed Wallace of the New York World-Telegram is quoted as saying on the album’s reverse side:

The newest means of making hip-swinging music, which seems to propel the most casual foot-patter right out of his seat and onto the dance floor, is the electronic organ. This small box of electronic wizardry is filled with new sounds, and is capable of endless surprises of rhythm. Its voices and moods may be varied through a thousand colored tones, and on the drawing board of its engineers and designers are more wonders to come.

The foremost missionaries of the modern organ are two brothers, Ralph and Buddy Bonds, who came out of the armed forces to form the first twin organ team to appear in night clubs, hotels, theaters, and organ clubs throughout the country. Their numberous albums, several of them on the nation’s best seller list, propelled them into national prominence.

Question: why are there no more “organ clubs” in existance? At any rate, if you like your twin organ teams missionary style, this album is sure to delight. Sadly, Buddy’s fame appears to have been short-lived; I could find very little of interest about him on the web. Let this page be the resurgence of Buddy’s organ!

(PS: My apologies for the rather poor sound quality of this one.)

Listen:

War of the Worlds (abridged) read by Leonard Nimoy

Eat your heart out, Tom Cruise; Stephen Spielberg ain’t got nothin’ on Leonard Nimoy!

I remember attempting to read H.G. Wells’ masterpiece in high school, and failing miserably because it was just. so. boring. Every sentence in the book contained at least 3 SAT vocabulary words, making it cumbersone to read and nearly impossible to keep the plot in sight. Unfortunately, not even Mr. Spock can keep me awake for this entire record.

As a basic book-on-record, Leonard does the best he can with the vast moutains of clunky adjectives; his voice lends the right amount of suspense, credibility, and lack of emotion that is necessary for the narrator of this story. Fans of the book will probably either love this version, being only slightly annoyed that it’s abridged. All in all, Leonard Nimoy does a much better job as a book reader than as a singer. He seems in his element as a narrator, whereas his albums kind of sound like bad, slightly drunken exercises in karaoke.

But don’t take it from me! There are probably zillions of people out there who are huge War of the Worlds fans. Heck, H.G. Wells’ son scared the crap out of the nation back in the 1940s when he broadcast a radio-play version of this book; it’s that powerful. I’ll venture to guess that he omitted a lot of the adjectives for the radio version, though.

For your perusal:

Leonard’s singing career:

Narration:

The Turuttaret Trio – From Finland With Love

This trio of fine Finnish ladies’ talent is as big as their hair. Why, Maire Tammenlasko (accordionist) also wrote two of the songs on this record (including “Kapakkalaulajatar” or “Cabaret Singer”) and did most of the arrangements. Hannele Lehtonen is the Geddy Lee of the trio, playing bass guitar and singing. Amelita Tammela studied classical cello and piano, but now (or at least in 1974), bangs the drums slowly. These nordic chicks have played in the leading hotels and night clubs throughout Finland, according to the liner notes… and offer “this album to you for your listening and dancing pleasure.”

So put on your Finnish dancing shoes, because we now bring you:

Both of the above are Finnish Folk Songs; don’t ask me how to pronounce them or what they mean. However, they both have an insidious way of getting stuck in your head, even if you don’t know a word of Finnish.

The Original Trinidad Steel Band

There are no credits on the album whatsoever–nobody will own up to creating this masterpiece, except for Winston Jones, the “leader.” Which happy, be-ponchoed dude in a colorful silly had is he? Alas, we’ll never know. All we know is that this records contains 12 of our most beloved tunes rendered in none other than– steel drums! Each cut is a voyage of multiculturalism as we hear Caribbean rhythms and sounds bang out “Paris Mambo,” “Spanish Eyes,” “Guantanamera,” and of course, the staple of all records done in the ’60s, Offenbach’s “Barcarolle” from Tales of Hoffman. Crank up this album in the dead of winter when you yearn to be on a golden beach under palm trees with a bunch of guys with brightly-colored maracas emblazoned across their chests smiling at you.

Truckstop – Alles Klar

As 1980s German country music goes, I suppose this is pretty catchy. It doesn’t have any of the sad themes of modern country music– nobody loses a truck, nobody’s dog dies, it’s just happy little ditties about cowboys with a lot of slide guitar. But, it’s in German. Can you picture Herman Goering riding the range? Helmut Kohl rustling cattle? Well, neither can I, which is why I love this album.

The best track on the record is undoubtedly “Jonny Galaxis,” which is a space anthem set far in the future. It is the tale of Jonny Galaxis, the the 3-eyed futuristic space cowboy and seasoned sheriff, who threatens the narrator with a parking violation.

Here is my crappy translation (you at least get the gist of it):

“Truck Stop Mama” is an ode to a chick at a truck stop. I don’t really understand what they’re talking about, since I don’t know colloquial German trucker speak, but it sounds like they’re saying “truck stop mama is the best hammer. She’s our best piece, everyone she knows always comes back. Truck stop mama is an absolute hit, pampering truckers is for her the best luck.”

That sounds kinda dirty, which the rest of this album totally is not, as far as I can tell. But, who knows? Sit back, get yourself a bottle of Jack Daniels (or whatever the German equivalent is– Jagermeister?), chew on a stalk of hay and listen to the woes of the lonely (but not too lonely) German cowboy.

Jonny Galaxis

Marjorie Meinert – Sitting Pretty

Here’s a light, dreamy album packed with a whopping sixteen tracks of organy goodness. Marjorie seems to have been one of the major players of the 60′s organ scene, with at least 7 LPs to her name that I can find online. Here, Marjorie’s playing the Lowrey Organ, which according to Wikipedia was one of the first transistorized organs, and which apparently she was a spokeswoman for. The Lowrey here has a lighter, more etherial quality than the Hammond, and some of the tracks have cool guitar and vibraphone arrangements woven in. A sweet, swingin’ album with a nice upbeat tempo throughout.

Listen:

Lenny Dee – Dee-lirious

Some bouncy high-camp Hammond organ from Lenny Dee, famous for his hit “Plantation Boogie.” Whereas most Hammond organistas stuck to quiet, soothing ballads and slow, stultifying hymns, Lenny made his name with upbeat, sometimes goofy arrangements and swingin’ rhythms. These twelve tunes are are sure to enliven your next roller-rink-themed cocktail soiree. Lots more info on Lenny here and here. And don’t forget to get his autograph!

Listen:

It’s Organ Time!

The next few posts from me will be all organ records, from my growing collection. Planned:

• Lenny Dee – Dee-lirious
• Marjorie Meinert – Sitting Pretty
• Don Johnson – King of Organ with a Beat! (get ready to beat your organ!)
• Buddy Bonds – An Orchestra of Organs
• Maurice Montez – The Groovy Organ Goes Romantic (if my copy isn’t too scratchy…)
• Klaus Wunderlich – Wunderlich Bei Nacht

So mix yourself up a Manhattan, put on your best polyester double-knit slacks, sit back, and enjoy the swingin’ sounds of organ ecstasy!

Don’t you think it’s odd?

OMG, I just discovered that the theme song to proto-homo 60′s TV show “The Odd Couple” has lyrics:

No matter where they go
They are known as the couple.
They’re never seen alone
So they’re known as the couple.

As I’ve indicated
They are never quite separated,
They are peas in a pod.
Don’t you think that it’s odd.

Their habits, I confess
None can guess with the couple.
If one says no it’s yes
more or less, with the couple.

But they’re laugh provoking;
Yet they really don’t know they’re joking.
Don’t you find
When love is blind
It’s kind of odd.

But remember kids– they’re not gay, they’re just (as my Grandma liked to say) “good friends.”