Fun Finds: Futuristic Blue Light Radio

I love it when I run across a Fun Find: Defined as anything that is not usual and is usually rare. A Fun Find happens when you least expect it, too. Sure, I wander second hand stores and stop at garage sales, hoping to put myself in a better position to stumble on that great find, but I am generally numb to the banal tripe I run across. In this case I wasn’t even at one of these places when I stumbled onto an excellent Fun Find; which is even better.
My parents moved into a new house over summer. I helped them move one day and after the moving was done I noticed a box of assorted junk I knew wasn’t my parents. The first thing I saw was the blue light, K-Mart flashing in my mind. They said they found the box of stuff in the garage attic and didn’t know what the blue light was. Looking at it closely, I realized it was an AM (Amplitude Modulation) Radio. I opened the bottom to find the odd radio had been powered by a 9volt battery. The battery was of an antiquated style I’d never seen before. It looked like a crude prototype compared to the current streamlined style I’d known all my life. How old was this thing? I guessed it was from the sixties. Psychedelic, Man! My parents concurred and let me have it. That’s good because they would’ve had to pry it out of my cold dead hands!
It was a long ride home wondering if the Blue Light Radio still worked. Also, I eagerly awaited what I would find out about it on the InterWeb. I bought a new 9volt battery on the way home, just in case.
Once home, my first priority was to pull out the old battery, which looked corroded at the terminals. Not a good sign. But the battery looked intact, so maybe no acid got into the radio. Of course the radio may have been dropped and broken and wouldn’t work regardless. Maybe that’s why it was discarded? Gingerly, I wrestled the battery off. Despite this a corroded terminal still clung tenaciously to the receptor. Fuck! Not a good sign. With a multi-tool in hand and much care, I freed the offending battery part. I carefully cleaned off the vintage battery receptor. I connected the new battery: Moment of Truth.
It worked! I tuned it to the only Am station of note, 770 WLW, and it worked. I paused and crossed my fingers and pressed the light button. It Worked! Hell, yeah!
After this I did a search and found the old magazine add, you see pictured, along with some other photographed photos posted by people selling the same light, or something similar. Apparently, there had been a few modifications made over the five or so years the light had produced. Some people still had the box the light had come in! The light had been available from the late sixties to the early seventies, at around the height of the Apollo era. I wonder if Kmart had implemented the Blue Light Special, illustrated by a Flashing Blue Light at the top of the mobile Blue Light Special cart, which highlighted on the spot in-store discounts?

Judas Priest Writes Own Epitaph with Final Tour Announcement

It is with mixed emotions I ponder the news that Priest has announced their final tour which will commence Summer 2011. On one hand I’m sad to see them go but on the other hand I’m glad: I don’t want to see them go because they have been a part of my life since 1982, but not since Demolition have they broken new ground and it has been hard for me, as a die-hard fan, to see their decline in the Post Halford Reunion years.
This is truly an end of an Era. Judas Priest were the Vanguard in the wave of Heavy Metal that came on the heels of Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin, Cream, Hendrix, Deep Purple, etc. Bands who, in the late 60s and early 70s, that in piece or by part, created the brew that would become Heavy Metal music. Priest recognized this and turned it into a celebration, bringing all the heavy elements together while simultaneously extolling the virtues of “Heavy Metal” openly in their lyrics. They were the first to acknowledge the brotherhood comprised of heavy metal fans, they united us and made us feel proud to be metalheads. We take metal in the mainstream for granted now, but is was different in the 70s and 80s. Metal was considered subversive, satanic and stupid. But we knew better.
To be a Priest fan meant you were on the cutting edge of something good. But time passes and times change. It’s easy to forget now but Priest were gone before. Unlike now with final announcements, Priest ceased to exist for several years in the 90s. Halford left, somewhat acrimoniously; to start a Panteraesgue band called Fight and Priest were considered done, despite the fact they were looking for another singer. I held the torch but it seemed they were done as I read news that Glenn Tipton was working on a solo album.
I was just about to toss my torch away, disgusted that neither Priest nor Tipton had released anything, and that any news of Judas Priest had more or less completely ceased. And then it was announced they’d found a singer: Tim “Ripper” Owens. It would be another two years before Jugulator came out but it was enough to stoke my nearly extinguished flame. In the meantime Glenn Tipton released his excellent Baptizm of Fire album. The album astonished me with its modern and hungry ferocity and I looked forward to Jugulator’s eminent release. I must admit that I didn’t glom onto it immediately. Tipton’s album had raised the bar musically and Jugulator, written several years before Baptizm of Fire, didn’t compare. Though, taken in context it is an excellent album and it showcases Rippers powerful vocals and persona. It was weird hearing someone else sing in Priest but any doubts I had were soon dispelled after seeing Ripper with Priest live. HOLY FUCKING SHIT!
The Priest were back! After releasing Jugulator they released a live album called ’98 Live Meltdown, which they toured on as well. Three years they released Demolition, a powerhouse that continued what Tipton started on Baptizm of Fire and proved that Ripper had his own style. Demolition was Judas Priest at the height of their creative and adventurous powers. But few bought the album. Why? All my Priest brothers scorned anything Priest without Halford. It divided us. I was moving forward with my band and the others had grown old and jaded, unwilling even to listen to the “new” stuff. Fuck them, it was quintessential Priest and they had become close-minded because of who was singing. I was still holding the torch.
Halford released his own Priest album, called Resurrection, after the failure of his weak Industrial album, Two, which came out at the same time Jugulator did. It was obvious he wanted back in the Priest. I’d seen it before with Bruce Dickenson and Iron Maiden a few years before.
And so it came to pass that Halford rejoined the band in 2003 and I felt I was the only one who thought that it sucked. Priest were moving backward. I held out hope that they would take the logical step after Demolition with Halford but I feared they would backslide, rest on their laurels and produce an album that would offer no challenging material. Unfortunately, I was right about the backslide. The reformed Priest have played it safe in my book, mostly playing greatest hits tours in support of no new albums. In 7 years they have only released two albums of new material: The first, Angel of Retribution; a nostalgic trip down Greatest Hits Memory Lane and Nostradamus; an ambitious concept album that somehow fails to deliver. I respect this album, though, and I have staunchly defended it on the merit that it was not a safe album to do. And yet, as good of an album as it is, taken on its own merits (forget that it was done by Priest), it is not really a Heavy Metal album. Nostradamus is a low key, keyboard heavy, symphonic album with occasional bursts of metal, much of which harkens back to more obscure moments in their career. It is a long and demanding album (2 CDs), too, that could have been cut down to one disk.
But enough bitching, this is the end of an era after all. I’m glad for the music and memories that Priest have given me and there is some hope that we’ll get one last good album from them before they embark on their final tour. In any event, Halford has made it clear that his band will continue on and maybe Tipton will do another solo album. KK seems to be pretty much wrapped up with his golf course, so it’s safe to assume he’s done. Also, let’s not forget that Ripper is still around.

Duran Duran Article: Fragments

Circa 2007

By FuMaku!

…older material, but in a different way. This adds spice to the listening experience. Let’s face it, the same old, same old gets old! These are some of my favorite moments at a concert; when a band plays a song differently, the crowd stands mute and stupefied because they didn’t hear that “version” on the radio, and then they leap into ORGASMIC euphoria as soon as the band plays a “radio hit!” It’s like puppets on a string! In Duran’s case, they kept it edgy until… in 2000 they announced that the original five members were getting back together. Uh oh, nostalgia time! And so it was. But I announce now, with great aplomb, that Duran is back!

This new album (Editor’s note: Red Carpet Massacre) returns Duran to it’s hungry,…

Fragment 2: Song Notes

1) Funks it up a little bit – Anthemic

2) Rocks a bit

3) Funk But not Funk: Industro Funk

4) Radio Hit – Defined as… Lapses into Anthemic Sentimentality

5) Mid-Tempo Acoustic Melancholy

6) Hip Hoppy Bouncy Danses: Reminds me at moments of Liberty (Editor’s note: Duran’s 1990 Album) – certain Lyrical points

7) Upbeat toe tapping hands waving ass shaking dance electro house

8) New Wavish Rock, Punk, Techno – Numanesque Instro

9) Driving and weird, Mildly Ominous – Artsy + Avant – Nice Ending Fade

10) Upbeat and Melancholic – Something DD perfected – Dancing

11) Bowieish – The Return of the Sax Solo – More, More, More!

12) …

My Sweet Ass Boom Box!

I bought this boom box a few weeks ago and I love it! It is a Sony CD Boombox, model: ZS-H10CP. This boom box is everything I had been looking for: A durable, portable CD player and radio. The added bonus? You can plug in your MP3 player, too. This was important because I'm trying to get with the times and away from a CD only lifestyle. Of course I still have a lot of CDs, so the CD player on this is a necessity. The boom box is dust and water resistant and the CD door looks down when closed as a result. This is good considering my last boom box came to an end when my 4 year old daughter poured water over it. The boom box has mega bass and puts out a rich deep sound. At only a $130 with tax, it is affordable as well as impressive. For those who insist on taking their music around with them, I highly recommend the Sony CD Boombox, model: ZS-H10CP. You might have to hunt around for it though. Internet listings tagged it as out of stock and the only store I found it at was HH Gregg (hats off!).

Savage Dragon 159

I love this comic book! It always keeps me guessing. The plot line is always fresh, yet nostalgic in a Marvel Silver Age way, and is challenging to those who don’t like change. Erik Larson’s Savage Dragon, though a monthly, takes place in real time. That means that characters age and things change. Savage Dragon has been hitting the shelves for the last 18 years and it is the only comic book I buy anymore. It’s that good! Long after I grew tired of boring, predictable plot lines and mediocre art I still look forward to picking up my copy of the Savage Dragon every month.

This cover makes me think of how cool it would be if Peter Steele had been cast as the Savage Dragon in a big budget action movie. I was asked once in an interview (yes! a job interview) who my favorite comic book hero was: I said Savage Dragon. Despite my explanation of Savage Dragon’s coolness, I didn’t get the job. Perhaps he was expecting Superman of Zann (of the wonder twins)? Form of…a suitable employee! Fuck him. He no doubt didn’t appreciate the brilliance of my choice of super hero.

The Passing of Peter Steele

“I can’t believe I died last. I’m fucking dead again!” And so Peter Steele is dead at age 48, having departed his mortal coil on the evening of April 14th, 2010. Even now he’s pulling up to a fancy chateau where Jim Morrison, John Lennon and others await him, drinks in hand. Peter (Born Petrus) leaves behind family, his partners in crime (Type O Negative), his friends, his fans and a legacy of rich, inventive music.

When you come to follow a band’s music it is natural to follow them as a whole: reading about them, how they come up with their music, et al and when you follow them over a long period of time; you come to know the people, if only in a small way. Peter Steele was remarkably forthright in interviews and disdained putting on any airs, so they were honest interviews. And because of this; the reader, if inclined, could learn much of Peter. So when they die, unexpectedly at that, there is a sense of loss, at least from this fan’s perspective. On such occasions when musicians/composers I admire pass on, it is my ritual to celebrate their life by listening to their music while consuming vast quantities of beer and smoking. Also, I ponder the mortality question. Partying is a good way of getting some things out. But I must admit that days later I still feel gloomy. It’s sad that this larger than life character, not unlike Robert E. Howard, has gone from this world of life at far too young an age.

So long Pete. Drink one for me in Valhalla.

Space...The Final Frontier

It’s 2010: Compact Discs and the Exploration of Space is Dead. Record Stores are closing at an increasingly rapid pace, big-box stores that sell CDs are fazing them out, the last Space Shuttle Flight – EVER – is scheduled for this year and Obama has defunded the projected 2020 return flight to the Moon. The year 2010 is not what I expected. 2010 feels like defeat. (Insert Soundtrack now: Black Sabbath’s Electric Funeral) On the one hand I am a witness to the massive and turbulent change of the music industry: More than a mere format change, the business of music is changing as it begins to grudgingly embrace the digital era. On the other hand I am seeing the end of mans quest to explore space, a journey that only began 50 years ago.

Small MP3 players, capable of holding hundreds – if not thousands – of songs have made obsolete the notion of collecting bulky, stand alone packaging of individual albums, which usually contain a mere dozen or so songs. Whole record collections can be held in the palm of your hand and stuck in your pocket. Moreover, the fact that music is now rendered as a digital file, songs can easily be traded over the internet. This has virtually destroyed the notion that music should be paid for and that once a song is placed on the internet, you might as well consider it free to the world. I’m not saying that’s fair, it’s just the reality. Musicians, business men and consumer, alike, have been clumsily adapting to this inevitable change for the last decade, seemingly with no end in sight. Until now, that is. Now, we are closer to the end of the old ways than the beginning and within a year or two, at best, only a few boutique style record stores will exist. They will cater to a small but cultish group of people who will only let go of the past when they die. And when that happens, the stores will go with them forever. It’s not all bad, though. The internet offers collector, fan and the novice veritable treasures, heretofore unfound on any format, due in large part to the less than commercially viable prospect of producing a product that only a small niche audience craves (and pays for). Now many of those long out of print songs are readily available and can be purchased at a very reasonable price (around a dollar) and listened to mere minutes after paying for the song. Of course, whole discographies are available free on the internet which cheats the owners of said songs their rightful compensation. Nowadays, musicians have to tour in order to make money if they are to survive. Successful musicians will have to build the cost of making music into their projected touring revenue. Unfortunately, monopolistic ticket vending companies have been, yearly, inflating ticket prices for the last 20 years. This steadily increasing balloon has yet to pop which makes it difficult for a band to want to add any additional cost, as it will drive more frugal minded people away from seeing a band live. Seeing a band live is fast becoming an elitist sport, enjoyed only by those who can afford several hundred dollars per ticket. Even thousands per ticket.

MP3s, the internet and computers, as we know computers now, didn’t exist 50 odd years ago when man was beginning its journey into space. Within a dozen years of setting this goal, man was driving around on the Moon in what was the world’s most sophisticated Dune Buggy. Mind you, this was still decades before MP3s, the internet and GUI based computers became household items. I was born a month before Apollo 11 set down on the surface of a celestial body other than the Earth. I was born into a world where space flight and exploration was a reality. After five more successful moon landings, Congress, in their frugal wisdom, defunded the Apollo program, killing the last three scheduled Moon landings. Space flight was not done, though, as plans were already being drawn up for the next step in space travel: The Space Shuttle. The space shuttle would rocket out of the Earth’s atmosphere with the aid of detachable rocket boosters into orbit and later fly back and land successfully beginning around a decade later. Still this was before MP3s, the internet and sophisticated personal computers. America’s next big step was production on the International Space Station. Originally projected to take a decade to complete, 20 years later the space station is still being assembled. Though talk of missions to the Moon, Mars and various asteroids has taken place, timelines are always extremely long and America, in general has simply lost its lust to explore space. The space is only scheduled to last until 2015, the space shuttle program will die this year and hope of returning to the Moon has been squashed by Obama. So it’s over? In only five and a half decades America is throwing in the towel on space exploration? Of course probes will continue to be sent out, but the idea of man travelling abroad, celestially speaking, has been conquered by the incredible amount of time it takes man to travel the vast distances of space. And, we don’t want to spend the money. It’s hard not to feel cheated. A life-long love of Science Fiction had prepared me for the inevitable awesomeness of the future and high-technology, especially by the year 2010. But this has not come to pass. Despite the fact that current cell phone technology is far superior to the communicators the crew of Star Trek employed, space travel seems to be stuck in the Bronze Age: Unable to make that next jump in technology that will make what has come before seem crude in comparison.

So, where am I going with this? On the one hand, technology has been increasing exponentially for the last five decades, so much so that we barely notice it (ex: cell phones and personal computers) and yet, the space program seems to have been frozen in time for the last twenty years. Why is this? Technology has evolved at a staggering rate in so many unseen ways since man landed on the Moon but the technology of space travel has not. So soon since first seeing man walk on the Moon, THE GREATEST FEAT OF ALL MANKIND, man can’t be bothered to look away from their latest text messages. Instead of gazing longingly at the night sky and dreaming of being there, we seem to be more preoccupied with insulating ourselves from each other via digital interface. Browsing long hours in a record store and going to concerts offered a communal experience no digital interface could ever convey. The Apollo program offered humanity a collective goal to root for and it concerns me we don’t have something like that now. No more record stores, concerts and Moon landings. Bummer.