recommended gigs

      

Friday 3-28-25 - Thee Swank Bastards, the Implosions and the Surfers of Mercy at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Boulder City Beer Fest and late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-29-25 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden TIki

Monday 3-31-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 4-4-25 - Christina Jean and the Howlers, Memphis Vampires and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 4-11-25 - Go Betty Go, Lords of Altamont, the Shakewells at the Usual Place

Wednesday 4-23-35 - The Holy Smokes, The Centuries, Lady Luck Lexy and Bo Peep and the Backbeat at the Sand Dollar Spring Mountain

Saturday 4-26-25 - The Ghastly Ones, the Shakewells, Gamblers Mark, Toe Tags at Swan Dive

Saturday 5-10-25 - the Venomous Pinks, the Minges, the Has Nots at the Griffin

Sunday 5-25-25 - New Bomb Turks, The Baboon Show, Civic, Cromm Fallon and the P200 at the Usual Place

Tuesday 5-27-25 - Detroit Cobras, Pure Sport, the Implosions at Grey Witch's grand opening

RIP Leanne Cowie of the Scientists

Drummer for legendary Aussie indie rock band The Scientists dies: 'She was the beating heart'

Another gone far too young. The Scientists were one of the more original bands out of the 80's - great, noisy stuff that I still listen to all the time and have even covered!

RIP Larry Tamblyn of the Standells

 

Larry Tamblyn, Co-Founder of Garage-Rock Band the Standells and Brother of Russ Tamblyn, Dies at 82

The Standells were a huge influence on my 60's leanings - so many great tunes!

recommended gigs

     

Friday 3-21-25 - Femaliens, United Defiance, Hollow Mute at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-22-25 - Femaliens, Negative Nancys, Wyatt and the Ashes, Not For Sale, Ugly Boy, We Might Die at Rangels Boxing Ring

Saturday 3-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 3-23-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 3-24-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 3-26-25 - Bear Supply at Red Dwarf

Friday 3-28-25 - Thee Swank Bastards, the Implosions and the Surfers of Mercy at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Boulder City Beer Fest and late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-29-25 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden TIki

Monday 3-31-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 4-4-25 - Christina Jean and the Howlers, Memphis Vampires and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 4-11-25 - Go Betty Go, Lords of Altamont, the Shakewells at the Usual Place

Wednesday 4-23-35 - The Holy Smokes, The Centuries, Lady Luck Lexy and Bo Peep and the Backbeat at the Sand Dollar Spring Mountain

Saturday 4-26-25 - The Ghastly Ones, the Shakewells, Gamblers Mark, Toe Tags at Swan Dive

Saturday 5-10-25 - the Venomous Pinks, the Minges, the Has Nots at the Griffin

Sunday 5-25-25 - New Bomb Turks, The Baboon Show, Civic, Cromm Fallon and the P200 at the Usual Place

Tuesday 5-27-25 - Detroit Cobras, Pure Sport, the Implosions at Grey Witch's grand opening

The Long Goodbye - Raymond CHandler

 

I don't know how much time had supposed to pass since the last book in the series but in this one Marlowe has rented a house (!) in Laurel Canyon (!) as opposed to his sketchy apartment in Hollywood, or his combined office/living space. He helps out a drunk in need at Dancers - the site of the blackmail in The Little Sister - and, of course, that leads to his latest adventure.

On a side note, it is completely hilarious that Chandler complains about stores "already" filling up with "overpriced Christmas junk" the week AFTER Thanksgiving and that the newspapers were saying that you needed to get your Xmas shopping done "early"! These days, that would be considered late!

So, I'm writing this as I'm reading the book and it is laid out basically like a series of vignettes - at least so far. He becomes friends with the drunk he helped out and, naturally, that leads to multiple murders, corrupt cops, a trip to Tijuana and a stay in jail. After that case plays out he is immediately hired by a stunningly beautiful woman to find her missing wealthy writer (and abusive drunk) husband, with little clues. But, Marlowe's resourcefulness and friends in the biz help him find the gentleman and return him home - although it is believed that he is also being blackmailed, but his rescue from yet another unscrupulous doctor comes first!

Lots more happens, natch, and more unscrupulous characters come out of the woodwork, more murder, more intertwined happenstances - seeming coincidences that are far too coincidental! Of course, it all fits together eventually, with even more murders, apparent suicides, beatings, etc., although not everyone lives to see it happen. Gangsters, cops, politicians, reporters and, of course, beautiful women all help'n'hinder Marlowe and some are both corrupt and legit.

There is a bit of a twist at the end, although not completely unexpected, but everything does fall into place and is explained and while Marlowe may lose some friends, he gains a one night stand - the first so far in this series, despite all of the lost chances.

I quite enjoyed this one - this and The Big Sleep are rightfully among his best known works. I will see what else is out there...

Kraven the Hunter - movie

 

It's funny but as a kid - hell, as an adult until now - I never really thought about the name Kraven rhyming with "craven" - not exactly a heroic - or powerful villain - name. Wonder what made Stan Lee (I believe) use that word, although, as I said, I didn't think of the implications until now, since it was in writing, rather than spoken.

In any case, I'm not sure why Marvel thought to use this character as the basis for a stand alone movie. He was an interesting Spider-Man villain, but not really one of his top foes. And, in typical movie fashion, they changed everything about the character, his origins, and his motives. Not to say that the movie as a movie is bad, but it has little to do with the comic book character.

The Rhino is also extremely, extremely different than the comic version and there is a strange, even in these settings, villain only known as the Foreigner, who has vague powers - possibly hypnosis combined with teleportation? I'm not sure...And, of course, there is a beautiful woman who has helped Kraven become who he is and has rescued him from certain death more than once.

Nice use of a Black Sabbath song, though, to soothe the savage Baby Boomer who doesn't appreciate the "Changes" you made to the story! And an appearance by the Chameleon?! (Also, nothing to do with the original character, but such is life in modern Marvel movies).

Not a bad movie - I enjoyed it, in fact - but almost nothing to do with the 1960's version of Kraven. Those who are not entrenched in Marvel lore will probably enjoy it more as they would not be expecting a different tale.

RIP Jesse Colin Young

Jesse Colin Young, Who Sang Youngbloods’ 1960s Anthem ‘Get Together’ Before Going Solo, Dies at 83

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Sad to hear. His "Darkness, Darkness" is a fave of mine....

The Little Sister - Raymond Chandler

 

As with all of Chandler's stories, nothing is easy for Phillip Marlowe and simple things like a missing person escalates into multiple murders, tough guys, movie stars (that was a change!) and lots of convoluted escapades. A young woman from Manhattan, Kansas asks for Marlowe's help in finding her brother who moved to LA and eventually stopped writing. His boarding house is beyond sketchy and murders pile up rapidly from there. Naturally, everything gets complicated, as well, as more'n'more characters appear, making it difficult to keep track of everyone - at least for me!

It is interesting that here Marlowe references previous cases (he is working in Bay City again) and previous characters. Keeps the continuity and all that...Once again, Marlowe gets doped up by an unscrupulous doctor - that tends to happen to him, apparently. This time out there's apparently a "reefer" gang that Marlowe got mixed up in - among other things, naturally.

But there are sexy movie stars - Marlowe has a lot more self-control that I had as a single man, as he continuously turns down offers of sex - with all kinds of connections to various characters, gangsters, numerous murderers - so many that it's difficult to keep track of them all - blackmail, of course there is, and Chandler's patented complicated twists'n'turns.

The fun thing about murder mysteries is trying to figure out the who-dun-it, although with Chandler's stories, there's really no clues as to who has really done what, as he makes it seems like one person, then another, then another is the villain until he wraps everything up in the end, kind of out of nowhere.

Again, I like his writing style and these are quick reads, but this one was a bit overly complicated just for its own sake and a bit strained, in my mind. I'll continued on the journey into Marlow-land, though, and see where else it goes.

recommended gigs

    

Friday 3-14-25 - Soldiers of Destruction, Lean 13 and Burlesque at the Double Down

Friday 3-14-25 - The Queers, Stagnetti's Cock, Gob Patrol, Battering Ham and At Odds at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday 3-15-25 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 3-16-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 3-17-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 3-17-25 - Big Like Texas, Wyatt and the Ashes at PTs 6560 Warm Springs

Friday 3-21-25 - Femaliens, United Defiance, Hollow Mute at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-22-25 - Femaliens, Negative Nancys, Wyatt and the Ashes, Not For Sale, Ugly Boy, We Might Die at Rangels Boxing Ring

Saturday 3-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 3-23-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 3-24-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 3-26-25 - Bear Supply at Red Dwarf

Friday 3-28-25 - Thee Swank Bastards, the Implosions and the Surfers of Mercy at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Boulder City Beer Fest and late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-29-25 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden TIki

Monday 3-31-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 4-4-25 - Christina Jean and the Howlers, Memphis Vampires and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 4-11-25 - Go Betty Go, Lords of Altamont, the Shakewells at the Usual Place

Wednesday 4-23-35 - The Holy Smokes, The Centuries, Lady Luck Lexy and Bo Peep and the Backbeat at the Sand Dollar Spring Mountain

Saturday 4-26-25 - The Ghastly Ones, the Shakewells, Gamblers Mark, Toe Tags at Swan Dive

Saturday 5-10-25 - the Venomous Pinks, the Minges, the Has Nots at the Griffin

Sunday 5-25-25 - New Bomb Turks, The Baboon Show, Civic, Cromm Fallon and the P200 at the Usual Place

Tuesday 5-27-25 - Detroit Cobras, Pure Sport, the Implosions at Grey Witch's grand opening

RIP Bruce Joyner

 

Just heard that Bruce Joyner (singer of the Unknowns, among many other projects) has passed away.

The Unknowns were a fantastic band and among the first musical friends I made in Southern California.

Terribly sorry to hear of the sweet and talented man's passing.

The Lady in the Lake - Raymond Chandler

 

In my continuing saga of Chandler/Marlowe books, we come to the next episode, this time a missing wife who ran away, but didn't do quite what she said and in the process, her disappearance coincided with another woman's murder and that, of course, leads to much more murder'n'mayhem.

There are innumerable cases of mistaken identity along the way as well as people pretending to be someone other than themselves, which makes the tale even more confusing than usual. There are lots of coincidences, plenty of people opening themselves up when they didn't have to (but it sure helped to solve the case!) and, of course, Marlowe just beaten up a few times and even jailed at one point, for no particular reason.

There's a bit of suspension of disbelief needed at times, but still enjoyable and, again, Chandler has a good style and a fun way with words, and I always dig hearing about my old home, Hollywood.

The High Window - Raymond Chandler

 

As I promised, I am continuing in my Chandler/Marlowe adventures with this, the third installment in the series. These are relatively quick'n'easy reads, and a nice diversion from real life, so I may go through the entire installment, although I also may decide to take a detour here'n'there, so don't hold me to it. It is nice to read about my old stomping grounds in Hollywood, even if it were in a very different time. It still resonates nicely and makes me miss the city.

In any case, here the Private Eye Marlowe is asked to recover a very valuable missing coin from a rich widow and, of course, as he investigates, murder'n'mayhem follow him. If anything, this tale might be more convoluted that the previous ones and it can get a bit confusing trying to keep track of the seemingly disparate threads. 

This time out Marlowe does not get any of the girls, although, in one way or another, he manages to help three lovelies without getting romantically involved with any of them. As usual, there are a couple of clever, unexpected twists but he does manage to pull them all together in a neat package at the end. 

I know that most people who might care about this sort of thing are already well versed in Chandler, but if not, and you dig mysteries and old Hollywood, these are entertaining reads.

RIP Brian James

 

That first album is stellar punk rock - still their best by far. Sad to hear of his passing - his guitar fueled this fire.

recommended gigs

   

Friday 3-7-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Skinny Bar

Saturday 3-8-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 3-9-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 3-10-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Tuesday 3-11-25 - Victims Family, Nasalrod, Fat Dukes of Fuck, the Bitters at the Dive Bar

Tuesday 3-11-25 - the Double Whammys at Composers Room

Friday 3-14-25 - Soldiers of Destruction, Lean 13 and Burlesque at the Double Down

Friday 3-14-25 - The Queers, Stagnetti's Cock, Gob Patrol, Battering Ham and At Odds at Backstage Bar and Billiards

Saturday 3-15-25 - Shanda and the Howlers at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-15-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 3-16-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 3-17-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Monday 3-17-25 - Big Like Texas, Wyatt and the Ashes at PTs 6560 Warm Springs

Saturday 3-22-25 - Thee Swank Bastards late night at the Golden Tiki

Sunday 3-23-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at Red Dwarf's Sunday Brunch

Monday 3-24-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Wednesday 3-26-25 - Bear Supply at Red Dwarf

Friday 3-28-25 - Thee Swank Bastards, the Implosions and the Surfers of Mercy at Red Dwarf

Saturday 3-29-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Boulder City Beer Fest and late night at the Golden Tiki

Saturday 3-29-25 - The Hypnotiques at the Golden TIki

Monday 3-31-25 - Thee Swank Bastards at the Golden Tiki

Friday 4-4-25 - Christina Jean and the Howlers, Memphis Vampires and the Hideaway at Red Dwarf

Friday 4-11-25 - Go Betty Go, Lords of Altamont, the Shakewells at the Usual Place

Wednesday 4-23-35 - The Holy Smokes, The Centuries, Lady Luck Lexy and Bo Peep and the Backbeat at the Sand Dollar Spring Mountain

Saturday 4-26-25 - The Ghastly Ones, the Shakewells, Gamblers Mark, Toe Tags at Swan Dive

Sunday 5-25-25 - New Bomb Turks, The Baboon Show, Civic, Cromm Fallon and the P200 at the Usual Place

Farewell, My Lovely - Raymond Chandler

 

After re-enjoying The Big Sleep, I pulled this one - I understand it to be the follow-up to TBS - from the library. Phillip Marlowe stars in this, as well, and while the character and storyline is similar, this tale is a little cringe-worthy in the 21st Century for being quite un-PC. I doubt that Chandler really meant anything by it, but there's a lot of racism here, not unusual for 1940, and for a "street-wise" private eye, I suppose. A bit of kudos to the library system for not censoring this, so that we know what the world was like back in the day.

Chandler certainly did have a way with descriptive words though and his analogies'n'similies are quite entertaining. But that said, in this episode Marlowe gets knocked around quite a bit and even is doped up (against his will) and so his narration goes a bit screwy when he is not of sound mind. This is a good literary device, but between this and his (now dated) slang, some of the narration can be hard (for me, at least) to follow exactly, although you catch the gist.

It's another complicated tale, with ex-cons randomly killing while looking for an ex-girlfriend (Marlowe just happens to get caught up in that) and a client getting murdered while Marlowe is supposed to be his bodyguard. As Marlowe follows up on tips and various lines, he runs afoul of the law and the crooks, and doesn't exactly enamor himself with the ladies who are trying to help him along the way.

I didn't think that this one worked as well as The Big Sleep and while the various tangents were mostly tied together by the end, some were left kind of dangling and some were pretty tenuous. Still entertaining and I will continue on a Phillip Marlowe kick for a little while as they are quick reads and fun diversions from the insanity of the modern world.

The Big Sleep - Raymond Chandler

 

I can't remember the last time that I read any Chandler - in fact, I didn't remember that I HAD read any Chandler until I got into this one and remembered bits'n'pieces - and I definitely saw Bogart playing this part, as well. But, I was randomly looking at the Libby app and trying to think of something to idle away some time and this came up.

Everyone knows Phillip Marlowe, the strong, quiet, smart, handsome Private Eye with a personal code of honor that doesn't always have him see eye-to-eye (so to speak) with the law or with the beautiful women that he inevitably runs into in the course of his cases.

Chandler writes with Marlowe in the first person, describing all he sees and does in the hard-boiled, down-to-earth language of the time, which is a big reason why this series became so popular. He also has intricate, multi-layered plots that spins you around until you don't kow where you're going until he pulls it all together in the end.

This tale starts with a simple blackmail and turns quickly into multiple homicides ('the big sleep") that, at first, seem unrelated - other than the fact that Marlowe is in the middle of it all - but Marlowe solves it all in the end.

I doubt that I need to recommend Chandler to anyone who cares about murder mysteries, but if by some wild chance you are interested in such things and haven't read him, do so!

RIP David Johansen

David Johansen, New York Dolls Lead Singer, Dies at 75 Following Stage 4 Cancer Diagnosis 

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Hard to believe that they are all gone now - and all far too young.

The NYD were a huge influence on me, even though I admit that I didn't quite understand them when I first heard them but they soon became an all time fave.

David couldn't "sing" in the traditional sense (and that was undoubtedly one reason why the Dolls didn't get bigger than they did at the time) but he was a helluva frontman and a terrific lyricist. 

Damn, it sucks getting old and watching your r'n'r heroes go...