Zappa Video

STINKFOOT: FRANK ZAPPA
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Larry "Wild Man" Fischer

Derailroaded: Inside The Mind Of Larry "Wild Man" Fischer is currently running on Sundance Channel.

Josh Rubin's strangely fascinating documentary parses the life of outsider musician Larry "Wild Man" Fischer. Growing up in the '50s, Fischer was an undiagnosed manic-depressive schizophrenic who, after attacking his mother with a knife, landed in a mental asylum.

Eventually he headed to California in the late '60s, where Frank Zappa discovered him singing his own strange compositions for a dime a song along Sunset Boulevard. In a strangulated growl somewhere between a possessed Tiny Tim and Bobcat Goldthwait, Fischer's music is something of an acquired taste. Zappa championed him and he led a convoluted career appearing on Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In and landing on the British Top 50 charts.

Derailroaded is interspersed with plenty of talking heads delivering anecdotes, as well as footage of Fischer performing, but ultimately this is a film not about music or fame, but about the ravages of mental illness. Despite many moments of levity—such as a completely bizarre re-enactment of an interview between Dr. Demento and Frank Zappa, done with puppets—it's a devastating portrait of delusion and fathomless despair.

You sure can see the Zappa influence but man, oh man, was the poor guy ever out there.

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» Introducing: The Beatles (or Retirement Plan #7129)

Release Date: July 22, 1963? That's disputable. There are at least 3 different back covers of the album. I have the "Titles On Back" cover.

While visiting my old home place I looked through some of my old albums I asked my Mother to keep safe for me; after a few too many methaqualone do si dos and drinking games had left many vinyl treasures broken and spent.

I pulled out a few albums from their covers and researched them on Ebay with one eye towards my dream of sailing around the world and the other eye on it's ugly step-sister, reality. With so many variables on this particular Beatles' record-- (cover, sleeve, song selection and label,) and it's 'lovingly listened to' condition, I think I'll just hang onto it.

» Only $2.99 for Zappa's 200 Motels Soundtrack from 1971? But Ringo Starr is Larry the Dwarf. 2 lps and a booklet, too, and the booklet is priceless. 2 by gawd dollars and 99 frickin' cents.

» Blonde On Blonde and Ebay asks $7.49 for my favorite Dylan album.

That's always the way. Captain, unhoist those sails. Stuff I think should be worth more is given away while I'm amazed at the high prices on some generic crap.

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Orlando's Hard Rock Cafe's Vault is a museum. Collectibles include a snakeskin coat from Keith Richards; a purple suit from Jimi Hendrix; John Bonham's (Led Zeppelin) drums, and Bob Dylan's typewritten lyric sheets for "I Want You," "Absolutely Sweet Marie" and "Stuck Inside of Mobile with the Memphis Blues Again," songs from his landmark Blonde on Blonde album, in the Vault. There's also a wall-sized quilt depicting Frank Zappa as a playing card constructed from ladies' underwear thrown on stage during some long-ago tour. [link] [see gallery]



{local}

Web site picks top 100 places to live. Top 10 communities, which received the most nominations, were, in order: Venice, Fla.; Paragould, Ark.; Edmond, Okla.; Bonita Springs, Fla.; Asheville, N.C.; Colorado Springs, Colo.; Bartlesville, Okla.; Carlsbad, N.M.; Huntington Woods, Mich.; and Madison, Wis. [link]



{film news}

How could a film that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke and Benicio Del Toro get any cooler? How about by adding Johnny Depp? AND Christopher Walken? AND Steve Buscemi?! That's not cool enough for ya? How about if Quentin Tarantino directs a portion of it? Well that's precisely what's happening with Robert Rodriguez and his SIN CITY. [link]



As you were. Nothing more to see here.

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Good morning to you.



::The Updated Official Frank Zappa website now ready for your viewing and listening pleasure. Excellent.

[via: ollapodrida]



::Personalize your own sign. Many pictures to choose from. Both "G" & "R" rated pictures. [via: j-walk]



::For any question at all you may have, Ask Pud.



::How about a game of Scrabble? Visit Scrabblog.





Monday Quote

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return.

~Mary Jean Iron



Look on the bright side. And while you're doing that, I'll be over here looking through your stuff.

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»I am still SO disgusted about this family having their dog shot at a highway stop by Tennessee State Troopers. I gave the troopers my "Dickhead" award Jan 5. That post can be found if you scroll down below. Also on CNN. I hope this story doesn't die until everyone else is as disgusted as I am and the troopers are held accountable for their fuck-up. Good Morning America and the Today Show had this family on today. [They live about 20 miles from me in Saluda, NC]



»The music industry STILL owes you $20! Every US resident who bought a CD in the US between 1995 and 2000 is entitled to up to $20 from the music cartel as part of a court-mandated settlement over the labels' illegal price-fixing, which is one way that the music industry has ripped off the public. All you need to do is sign up at this site, and the RIAA will mail you a check. If so many people sign up that the settlement ends up getting spread too thin, the RIAA will mail charitable organizations the checks instead. You can't lose! Unless you don't sign up.

[via: under-cover]



»Anyone remember Captain Beefheart? They were a strange band in the seventies that were in the same humorous intellectual vein as Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. A 1970 album, Trout Mask Replica, is a record that repeatedly makes it onto critics' lists under headings like "Most Important Recordings Ever Made" and "Albums That Make You a Music Loser If You Don't Own Them." He runs a few businesses now. Online is Clamazon, a Web site for rare and weird new and collectible music you can buy or sell if that's your thing.



»The Rolling Stones will be doing their first live concert event on HBO on Jan. 18 from Madison Square Garden. And let us see. This emailing list is good if you like all things Stones. Clothes, pics, obscure interviews, etc. These folks are serious Stones fans. They follow them to concerts and attend the after parties with Mick and Keith. And now there's a blog about inner Stones info called Under-Cover.



Just Blog It!

Shirl has written her perspective on the color "lilac". From lilac's point of view. Part of the weekly assignment from Wednesday Wonder, by Hestia. Kathryn has filled in the gap of other Wednesday memes that have dropped off the planet. Stop by and bring your thinking cap. Kane, in Hawaii, mentions that it's Aloha Friday today and has added some nice pics to his Visuals section. My other Hawaii pal, from Louisana, Ailina, sounds off on bad manners today. Jenny from Texas glad she's made it through a 5 day work week. Alexandra has a loving tribute to her Mother today. Maggie is having problems with noisy neighbors. Arghhh! Brenda is wondering about the connection between Turkey's reluctance to comply with the US on their airspace and their recent plane crashes. Rhonda is going in to work despite still feeling sick. Does everybody have that damn flu? (((Sending healing vibes to you.)))



Thanks so much for all the kind words and well wishes on my new home here. I'm very touched by your sentiments. Now, go out and have a BLAST today/tonight!

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