Celebrating ESP-DISK' : 50 Years of Unimaginable Sounds – Imagined

Celebrating ESP-DISK’ : 

50 Years of Unimaginable Sounds – Imagined

This piece was originally published August 26th, 2013.

In 1963 a record label began on the 12th floor of 156 Fifth Avenue in New York City by releasing its first LP.

Bernard Stollman, a 34 year old jazz fan with a law background, had been working with some rhythm and blues and jazz musicians, helping them with copyright and contract issues.

Stollman had also learned the "International Auxiliary Language," Esperanto and recorded an album of songs and poetry all spoken in Esperanto, which he had hoped would further promote the language.

Bernard Stollman and one of his early ESP logos.

Titled, Ni Kantu en Esperanto, Stollman decided to self-release his album on a record label that was named after the language itself, ESP-DISK'.

Remembering SEAN HARTTER: Awesome Across The Universe(s)

Remembering SEAN HARTTER: 

Awesome Across The Universe(s)

This piece was originally published May 6th, 2013.

I still find this difficult to believe and am writing this piece while still in a state of grief and sadness.

On Friday April 27 without warning, the world lost illustrator/comic book artist Sean Hartter at the early age of 39.

REVEALING DAVID BOWIE'S BIRTHDAY SECRET

REVEALING DAVID BOWIE’S 

BIRTHDAY SECRET

This piece was originally published January 14th, 2013.

On Tuesday, January 8th at 5:00 AM, David Bowie, on what was his 66th birthday, gave his fans around the world an unprecedented gift by suddenly releasing a single, with an accompanying video and new photograph, on his web site and for immediate download purchase on iTunes.

The song was simply added without any notifications or press releases.

As I saw the video and listened to the song, with those incredible, familiar sounding chords, I knew that, for myself, 2013 was already off to a great beginning. For here was never expected new music from one of my top 5 favorite artists that I have revered since I was an inquisitive little child staring at the strange alien-like being depicted on the American LP cover for his Space Oddity album.

Presented was this fantastic surprise that is truly one the best kept secrets to ever have been tucked away by any legendary mega-selling. hugely influential musical performer long thought to be retired and finished with making music.

JOHN ENTWISTLE: Halloween's Favorite Bass Player

JOHN ENTWISTLE: 

Halloween’s Favorite Bass Player

This piece was originally published October 22nd, 2012.

John Entwistle was the legendary and highly influential bass player for The Who.

Before Entwistle, pop music fans of all different styles could care less about the bass as an instrument, often not paying that much attention to who was playing it or listening for its sound.

Playing the bass as a lead instrument with a full on volume, treble and bass attack, and with his very specific selection of type of bass, plus what strings and amplification to use, Entwistle brought an uncompromising new approach to the bass guitar.

"Of Sounds And Something Else": Remembering Music Producer TOM WILSON

“Of Sounds And Something Else”: Remembering Music Producer TOM WILSON

This piece was originally published September 10th, 2012.

September 6th marked the anniversary of the death in 1978 of one of music's great producers of the 1950's and 1960's, Tom Wilson.

Although his name is not as familiar as those of say, Phil Spector, Brian Wilson or George Martin, his achievements and influence are profoundly important.

Thomas Blanchard Wilson Jr. was born in Waco, Texas in 1931 and played the trombone as a hobby. Transferring from Fisk University, he attended and graduated Harvard University with a degree in political science and economics. While in Cambridge, he was caught up in the local Avant Garde jazz scene, belonging to the Harvard New Jazz Society and working at radio station WHRB.

It was at the radio station that he gained a business acumen and decided to invest $900 of borrowed money to start up a jazz record label in 1955.

BEASTIE BOYS' ADAM "MCA" YAUCH 1964-2012

BEASTIE BOYS’ ADAM “MCA” YAUCH 

1964-2012

This piece was originally published May 7th, 2012.

I heard the news late last Friday afternoon: Adam Yauch, The Beastie Boys' venerable, beloved MCA, had died at age 47.

I was floored. The more recent news on Adam's battle with his illness seemed to be that it was of a treatable variety, so surely he would not only return to making music soon enough, he would be back on the stage touring once more with his partners.

Oddly, just a few days ago, I was telling a friend how The Beastie Boys were among my favorite groups that I had yet to see live, but I was sure there would come a time. Now I am sure it won't be happening, and if the other B Boys decide to carry on, it will be difficult to recreate the magic of the mighty three.

MAURICE GOSFIELD: From Private Doberman to Benny The Ball

MAURICE GOSFIELD: 

From Private Doberman to Benny The Ball

This piece was originally published June 7th, 2011.

There are few character actors in the history of television that can equal Maurice Gosfield.

He had a screen presence that is still unmatched and a voice so distinctive as to lend itself to that of a timelessly beloved cartoon character.

With his 5'4", 200 lb. stature, and devil may care good looks, Maurice Gosfield took over Hollywood and became a man that women swooned over, children called their hero and men dreamed of emulating.

NICK LOWE'S LABOUR OF LUST: A CLASSIC BY A CLASSIC REISSUED AT LAST!

NICK LOWE’S LABOUR OF LUST: 

A CLASSIC BY A CLASSIC REISSUED AT LAST!

This post was originally published October 29th, 2011.

Nick Lowe will probably never be asked to guest on American Idol, and if he were I am pretty sure he'd say "no thanks".

Although his critiques would probably have made former judge Simon Cowell seem like an easy pushover, there are few artists who have earned more right to have one of their songs performed on such a show or give some advice to the fledgling performers than this legendary British singer-songwriter who has made an indelible mark on Pop, Rock and Roll, Punk, New Wave, Country Rock, Power Pop, and virtually any other similiarly identified style.

Lowe's body of work include a few Top 40 nuggets, one of his songs receives daily airplay around the world, and another actually turned up on a mega selling Grammy Award winning record breaking album.

How's that for a resume?

Richard Gottehrer: From Strange Candy to Dum Dum Pop

Richard Gottehrer: 

From Strange Candy to Dum Dum Pop

This piece was originally published February 8th, 2011.

Once upon a time, back in the early '60s, there was a trio of American songwriters/producers who, working as a team, had previously scored some major pop hits such as writing the chart topping song "My Boyfriend's Back" for The Angels.

This trio, Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein and Richard Gottehrer (a.k.a. FGG Productions) then decided to get into the recording and performing act themselves.

The Strangeloves sans the black sweaters

They pretended to be three Australian brothers, Giles, Miles and Niles Strange, who hailed from a sheep farm down under, where they became wealthy via an invention for crossbreeding the long-haired "Gottehrer" sheep.

Now, having plenty of money and time on their hands, they figured it'd be fun to form a pop band, thereby naming themselves The Strangeloves.

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART WILL LIVE FOREVER!

CAPTAIN BEEFHEART WILL LIVE FOREVER!

This piece was originally published December 21st, 2010.

This, my last Mystery Box column for 2010, is also among my more difficult writing challenges yet.

How to encapsulate, within this forum, not only my sadness at the thought that on December 18, 2010, Don Van Vliet a.k.a. Captain Beefheart, has shuffled off this mortal coil, but attempt to also effectively communicate my love, admiration and really, a fanatical appreciation of this artist—an artist of truly awe inspiring, exceptionally innovative magnitude.

Drew Friedman's TOO SOON?: 15 Years of Even More Genius

Drew Friedman’s TOO SOON?: 

15 Years of Even More Genius

This piece was originally published November 23rd, 2010.

One day, the gods of all ART great and marvelous, finally will decide to roll out their lengthy gilded achievement banner listing cartoonists, illustrators and caricaturists. This banner will have been imprinted (in a Ben-Day dots process) with all the names of those who have been creatively talented beyond the skills of mere mortal men and women.

Without a doubt, near the top of this list of illustrious souls, residing among the gloriously renown names of Jack Kirby, Harvey Kurtzman, Basil Wolverton, Jim Sterenko, Wally Wood, Steve Ditko, Charles Addams, Edward Gorey and Robert Crumb among others, will be the name...

Drew Friedman.

For, as R. Crumb so eloquently has written, "I wish I had this guy's talent."

I have been a huge fan of Drew Friedman's work for some 30 years now. Ever since I first laughed in astonishment at the panels that he and his equally talented brother, writer/musician Josh Alan Friedman (subject of a future Mystery Box column) came up with for inclusion in the seminal RAW Graphix Magazine, beginning with issue #1 in 1980.

RAW Volume 1, Number 1 (July 1980)

HALLOWEEN: Mystery Box Style...

HALLOWEEN: Mystery Box Style…

This piece was originally published October 25th, 2010.

Halloween is one of the stranger quasi-holidays that many of us celebrate. Personally I enjoy a round-the-year love of most things that many people only go for on Halloween such as creepy films, scary stories, kitschy bad novelties, and disturbing yet cool music.

Life is in so many ways, one big Halloween costume party, so when October 31st rolls around I usually see it more as a good time to bulk up on certain things that are more readily available this time of the year, until they are put back into the retail coffin storage warehouses or usually sold off at as cheap bargains (I always seek them out) to make way for the bad Thanksgiving decorations and props of November.

We all have our well loved movies, music, books and other activities to keep us happy around All Hallow's Eve. Of course nothing would be right without the prerequisite Bruce Campbell/Sam Raimi Shempfest that are the Evil Dead films, the original Romero classics Night Of The Living Dead and Dawn Of The Dead, Hitchcock's Psycho, numerous Vincent Price flicks (many are the wonderfully disturbed period films directed by Roger Corman of course), Dario Argento's Suspiria, and loads of the Universal Horror masterpieces.

In tribute to this year's Halloween extravaganza, I thought I would share a few lesser known delights that are my personal hand-picked classics, yet may be a brand new discovery for you, dear reader. Perhaps you will find one golden piece of candy corn among these Mystery Box faves!

A TRIP TO EDWARD GOREY'S ELEPHANT HOUSE

A TRIP TO EDWARD GOREY’S ELEPHANT HOUSE

This piece was originally published September 28th, 2010.

It was decided that after being a fan of the works of Edward Gorey for more than thirty years, it was high time that The Mystery Box Field Expedition Team would finally visit his home, which is affectionately called Elephant House.

I couldn't have been more excited for this chance to see first-hand what was now turned into a museum and thankfully, a living, breathing and ongoing exhibit of both his multitude of creations such as The Gashlycrumb Tinies (they are also scattered through the house like a scavenger hunt) The Doubtful Guest or his animated sequences for the PBS series Mystery!, and the everyday objects that he collected and lived among, objects that almost invariably turned into inspirations for all his works.

Mr. MOJO Rising: TOM WAITS Celebrates The Mag's 200th Issue!

Mr. MOJO Rising: 

TOM WAITS Celebrates The Mag’s 200th Issue!

This piece was originally published June 21st, 2010.


MOJO Magazine, the illustrious British music mag, has just published its 200th issue.

Incredibly, as a celebration for this important milestone, the powers behind MOJO have decided to turn their magazine over to one of the world's more talented performers and uniquely creative minds, none other than the inimitable singer-songwriter/musician/actor Tom Waits.

Since their original launch on October 15th, 1993, MOJO Magazine has pretty much steered a righteous ship of sound music journalism with a varied array of splendid coverage of the wide field of popular music that is worthy of writing about.

Anything from the obvious giants such as The Beatles, The Stones, and other British Invaders, through all the Classic Rock, Garage Rock, Psychedelia, Soul, R&B, Funk, Jazz, Country, Folk, Progressive Rock and Krautrock that you could possibly ask for.

While some have derided the mag for spending too much time on the past, the truth is that an equally fair amount is given over to newer artists of all types, experimental acts and those musicians and bands who are so wide ranging as to defy easy categorization.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DICK HYMAN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DICK HYMAN!

This piece was originally published March 7th, 2010.

Besides having one of the greatest names to ever grace an LP cover (as well as being a name that could easily provide hours of laughs for some adolescent stoners) New York City pianist/organist/keyboardist Dick Hyman has surfed over a variety of American musical styles and sounds for over 50 years and more than 100 albums.

From his earliest days as a classically trained pianist, Dick Hyman learned, through the influence of his uncle, the concert pianist Anton Rovinsky, to embellish, and improvise on the keyboard and became adept at utilizing the works of classical composers such as Beethoven and Chopin, fitting in their signature melodies within his own jazz improvisations.

He is one of the music world's greatest, be it as a pianist, organist, arranger, music director, or composer.

Hey Arnold Stang!

Hey Arnold Stang!

This piece was originally published January 25th, 2010

If ever there was a legend worthy of writing about here at The Mystery Box, then Arnold Stang is one of those legends.

On December 22nd Forces Of Geek ran an obit on this great man which you can find here.

I grew up with such admiration for Stang that I felt the indebted to include him as one of my Great Comedians Of The Past.


Arnold Stang migrated from his 1918 birthplace of Chelsea, MA to Brooklyn and grew up as as a young kid chasing showbiz, stardom and everything else that a lifestyle in the big city could offer him. He was savvy from the get go, winning an audition for a children's radio show at the age of nine.

Unlike say, the naive child actors who would become the Brady Bunch kids, Stang had drive, focus and adult ambition.

A TRIBUTE TO WILLIE MITCHELL AND HIS SOUTHERN SOUL SOUND

A TRIBUTE TO WILLIE MITCHELL AND HIS SOUTHERN SOUL SOUND

This piece was originally published January 11th, 2010.

You have doubtlessly heard a Willie Mitchell production.

Perhaps it was one of John Lennon's fave songs of the early '70s—the Ann Peebles' 1973 R&B/Pop classic, "I Can't Stand The Rain."

It might be one of Willie's own funky soul groove singles of the '60s such as "Soul Serenade," "Poppin'" or "The Crawl."





Or, eventually, if you've ever thrown a stone anywhere near a place where music was coming out of a speaker, then it was probably one of the many, many smash hits that Willie produced (and often co-wrote) with the inimitable Southern soul giant of the '70s, singer Al Green.

Take your pick: "Let's Stay Together," "Call Me," "Tired Of Being Alone," "You Ought To Be With Me," "Let's Get Married," "Love And Happiness," "Here I Am (Come And Take Me)" almighty Al Green gems easily recognized and forever playing somewhere on the planet at this very moment.

Al Green not really your thing? Then maybe you might better know his song that helped to put The Talking Heads on the legitimacy map in 1978 by getting a lot of airplay and becoming a hit for them in their earlier days (a time when they were previously just being thought of as a bunch of oddball art school types in polo shirts who did that wacky French laced "Psycho Killer.")...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, the legendary "Take Me To The River."

Willie Mitchell grew up in Memphis, and from an early age he was playing his main instrument, the trumpet, as well as studying music theory and composition. By the mid '50s he developed into a very popular bandleader and keen arranger in demand, (including putting together a few private parties for Elvis) and by 1959 while turning more and more towards becoming a recording artist, signed on with Hi Records as a performer, primarily as a means of showcasing his groovy soul, trumpet led dance instrumentals.

IRVING PENN: PHOTOGRAPHER (1917-2009)

IRVING PENN: PHOTOGRAPHER (1917-2009)

This piece was originally published October 12th, 2009.


Irving Penn will always be a name that is listed among the greatest of art history's most important and recognizable photographers. He is imitated by many, and many are those who more than likely have little idea of just what an archetype his photographic style is.

Penn's influence forever impacted the mediums of fashion, portraiture, editorial design, product photography, advertising, television. Subsequently, this laid the groundwork for the contemporary idea of a subject photographed as a beautiful work to be admired without the need for extemporaneous elements.


Among these many achievements, he is renowned for his longtime work that appeared in the illustrious Vogue—a relationship that began in the 1940's. Penn also was husband to one of his, and Vogue's famous models, Lisa Fonssagrives. She became one of the more popular "clothes hangers" of the '30s, 40's and '50s—one of history's first supermodels.

It was upon opening his first photography studio in 1953 that Penn stated what would become one of the most profound, influential and fundamental components for all his life's work, "Photographing a cake can be art."

Penn's primary method was sublimely straightforward and deceptively simplistic—usually photographing a subject against a simple gray, white or black background—in the barest of a studio setting. His light sources maximized the crispness and sharp focus he brought out of his subjects, yet never did his lighting seem harshly artificial. This method allowed a viewer to concentrate solely on a subject without distraction.

Whether Penn was photographing a celebrity, a still life of cigarette butts, or an ethnographic study of the indigenous people of some remote village in New Guinea, all became a model in the world of high fashion.

Irving Penn: In a Cracked Mirror (Self Portrait), New York, 1986 

FRANK NELSON: Comedy's Original Yeeeesssss Man

FRANK NELSON:  Comedy's Original Yeeeesssss Man

This piece was originally published October 5th, 2009.

Welcome to a new column feature that I will be often revisiting here at The Mystery Box...Great Comedians Of The Past.

With this feature, I look forward to paying tribute to the many wonderful actors and actresses of comedy who have helped me to laugh throughout my life, with the hopes that you may find a particular one that you may have not known of before and will add to your own list of favorites.

Warning: Obscure and yet, not so obscure, comedic character actor alert!

GREAT COMEDIAN OF THE PAST #1: FRANK NELSON

Frank Nelson was an early radio and later, television comedy great. He not only earned a permanent place in the illustrious history of both mediums, but also has forever become one of those singular talents with a memorable and legendary catchphrase that will forever be known for generations to come.

R.I.P. Lux Interior: Inimitable frontman for The Cramps

R.I.P. Lux Interior: 

Inimitable frontman for The Cramps

 

This piece was originally published February 4th, 2009

Lux Interior, singer for The Cramps, died today.

The Cramps were formed in 1976 by Lux along with his wife, guitarist Poison Ivy, and together they made some of the coolest green slime Z movie sounds ever heard. 

The Cramps merged rockabilly, shlock horror, drive-in trash and underground punk rock into a voodoo stew that few others could even hope to attempt with such singularly perfect results.

Simply put, he was among the most greatest of all frontmen to have ever appeared on a stage.