Category: Retro & Vintage

Saturday Matinee – Luther ‘Snakeboy’ Johnson, Big Guitars From Memphis & The Radiacs

Luther Snakeboy Johnson (aka Snake, Georgia Boy, Little Luther & Luther King) was born in 1941 in Davisboro, GA, and taught himself guitar while still in grade school. He served in the US Army, and after discharge performed with a gospel group before heading to Chicago. In the late 50s, he played regularly with Otis Spann and Elmore James before joining Muddy Waters’ band in 1967. This video is from a 1973 French television show; three years later he succumbed to cancer at the age of 34.

Big Guitars From Memphis show their chops in this video, recorded for Mugz, an indi film that was scheduled for 2010 but never released. (They don’t sound like Memphis because they aren’t from Memphis).

Doing 90 on the 90, The Radiacs are/were a psychobilly quartet formed in 1987 in Sheffield, UK. Can’t find much about them, but it appears they were active through 2011.

Got a lot to think about these days, and I think sitting out on the porch with a couple of dogs is a damn fine idea. See you there tomorrow.

Monkey Pastry Chef

“When wound and the start/stop pull actuated, the incredibly detailed and realistically modeled standing monkey chef begins his performance by looking left then right whilst opening and closing eye lids as mouth moves to speak, lowering head slightly to indicate his latest culinary creation…”

This mechanical wonder (ca. 1880) sold for over $36k in 2014, and was presumably purchased by someone to keep their little brats and pets in line.

[More photos and background story here and here.]

Pallasethesial Hot Links

Monsterburger, Stratsburg, Ohio (closed 2003)

K-Jee, The Nite-Liters (1971)
 The Nite-Liters were formed in 1963 in Louisville, Kentucky by Tony Churchill and Harvey Fuqua.  After recording two albums in the early 1970s, the group morphed into the 17-piece ensemble New Birth.

The Aria.

Camperocity.

It’s time o’clock.

Sound up. Way up.

Doin’ the squeege.

Baby goats in slo-mo.

A Thin Layer of Slugs. Eep.

“We’ll be sharing a cubicle.”

Another morning in Failville.

The Syllabus of Frankenstein’s Monster.

Techno unplugged [via Memo Of The Air].

Van Morrisson & the contractual obligation.

Escape From Pooky Park [via Mme. Jujujive].

The tides of the Korean War [h/t Bunkerville].

Rogue waves slam Roi Namur Island restaurant.

[Top image: AI-generated fast food venue found here, via here.]

From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.

Retro-Future Beetle Stretcher

Retrofuture Volkswagen prototype was designed by Mikhail Smolyanov / Solifuge Design, and he’s got a similar VW Bugsled in black. Since there are no images of modications in progress, I assume that the version above was never built.

HOWEVER, there is this:

Similar design, yet not the same. Image searches for this work in progress produced no matches.

[Top & bottom images found here. Not quite Rat Rods, but I stuck them in The Archive anyway.]

Happy New Year’s Eve 2023 – End of Year Playlist

Thought I might do something different this New Years Eve. Buried in the Archives are over 100 tunes that deserve a replay, at least in my opinion. Some are pure awesome, others are eye-rollers, but all are songs that pleased my earballs in 2023. Each set is in no particular order, one click and you’re off to the races. Have at it.

Set 1 – January, February, March

Set 2 – April, May, June, July

Set 3 – August, September, October, November & December

And one more thing: Happy New Year!

Auld Lang Syne Boogie, Freddie Mitchell Orchestra (1949)

[Caveat: I don’t own the copyrights to any of these recordings. They are presented here for entertainment purposes only. Apologies for the typo in the first track – That’s Stéphane Grappelli.]

Not Two Thumbs of Beaches

Pelo (“Hair”) was an Argentine rock magazine published from 1970 – 2001.
The image on the cover of  Pelo No. 5 (1970) is from Toe Fat‘s 1970 album Toe Fat.

Retro Memes

[Source: Bored Panda, includes short interview with the creator @The_AI_Dreams.]

The Outbursts of Everett True

The Outbursts of Everett True was an American two-panel newspaper comic strip created by A.D. Condo and J. W. Raper that ran from July 22, 1905 to January 13, 1927. It followed this setup:

Panel 1: Someone annoys Everett True.
Panel 2: He yells at and/or physically punishes whoever annoyed him.

Everett True also stood up for those who were being bullied, and often received smiles of approval from nearby observers. His wife never put up with his belligerence, and would hurl pots, pans and sometimes his supper at him if he mouthed off at home.

[Found here, description from here… and there’s more!]

Acervuline Hot Links

Being Without You, Maurice Williams (1966) Maurice Williams (with The Zodiacs) was best known for the classic 1960 hit Stay, the shortest recorded number one hit in the history of the Billboard Hot 100 chart (US).

Flötenkreis.

Mo campers.

Psychopomps.

Crochet del creepo.

Master level chess.

To us, he’s the king.

Song o’ the Starling.

Doggo photo awards.

I SO hope this is true.
Holy crap! IT’S TRUE!

In the Garden of Eden.

She meant Louis, not Luis.

She played all her victim cards.

Sonny Rollins’ solo floored them.

Canadian villagers eating street food.

Losing weight in ’58 [via Bunkerville].

Half man, half man [via Memo Of The Air].

“The Thatch Man” from the album cover of Led Zeppelin IV identified
[via The View From Lady Lake].

War correspondent Douglas Murray talks to Piers Morgan from the Israel / Gaza border.

[Top image found here.]

From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.

Acersecomic Hot Links

It Ain’t Nothin’ But Rock And Roll, The Matadors (1963) Puerto Rican street corner vocal group The Epsilons formed in Brooklyn NY, changed the name to the The Matadors and recorded four songs in 1963. There was another group with the same name, and rather than give up their matching bullfighter garb, they became The Toreadors.

Scarebear.

Campering.

“We’re toast.“

Go on. Take it.

Party’s cancelled.

$17.33 per gallon?

Meet Fred Dibnah.

Jinni in a Polka Dot Bikini.

“and finally, finally, i am a pinata.”

A happy ending [via Bunkerville].

In The Still Of The Night (1946)
[via Philosopher Mouse of the Hedge].

Party like it’s 1987 [via Mme. Jujujive].

Tom has been chasing Jerry for 80 years.

Wonderful and worrisome [via Memo Of The Air].

Study suggests: Less air pollution may cause rising temperatures.

[Top image: Mural by Belgium artist ROA found here.]

From the Archives: 1 year ago. 5 years ago. 10 years ago. 15 years ago.