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Showing posts from 2015

Interview: -- Steve Forbert (Singer/Songwriter)

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"... I'd rather do without prediction." ~ Steve Forbert ~ With 16 albums now under his belt, all sorely under-appreciated, Steve Forbert has taken us from "Alive On Arrival" (1978) to "Compromised."  (2015)  So, has he?  Compromised, I mean? Steve Forbert is a little older, obviously.  Wiser, well probably. He continues to wear his heart on his sleeve, but he keeps his arms a little closer to his vest.  And, I suspect, he's not near as "careless in his way"... not in the way that youth allows.  But he continues to write with a painter's eye.  And he lets us ride shotgun while he discovers his lot.  So...compromised?  I guess so. But fearless?  Hell yeah! Steve Forbert  Interview - December 2015 "Compromised" - Steve Forbert (2015) Casey Chambers:  Steve, I'm really excited about the release of your 16th studio album... "Compromised. "  It's good to know you're still..."

Interview: -- Carl Giammarese (The Buckinghams)

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"...It made us feel so groovy." ~ The Buckinghams ~ The Buckinghams worked AM radio like butter.  They created great pop songs and captured great pop sounds.  Fans were spinning 45s, drinking colas, and finding paradise by the AM radio dial. But in the late 60's, radio was starting to change and so were The Buckinghams .  At least they wanted to.  The band was adding more churn to their burn, keeping their garage vibe door open and slipping some light-psych in for good measure.  They definitely had something going on...and their albums were all the better for it.  A little more FM tasty, if you like. Unfortunately, the band found themselves pigeonholed inside an "AM Only" fence that wouldn't let them escape.  Not radio stations. Not record companies. Not even many of their fans.  This is no pity party, though; the boys were hugely successful.  Still, too bad what we might have missed.  And I mean really...too bad.  There was always room fo

Five Favorite Vinyl Community YouTube Channels

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Five Favorite Vinyl Community YouTube Channels Vinyl collecting is fun. Whether trying to flip through a couple of tightly packed boxes dropped off at a local Goodwill.  Or digging through a record stash hidden under a garage sale table...almost always with the name Laurie written on each one.  It's all good, 'cause sometimes you get lucky and find a few to take home.   The only thing that could make this addictive hobby any better...(aside from dropping the shipping charges on all online purchases)...is to meet some friends who share the same passion.   Well, the Vinyl Community Channel on YouTube has plenty of lovers of the record hunt.  Ordinary people displaying their recent finds and talking a bit about them.  They show the entire album.  Not just the front, but the back cover, as well.  And, if the album is a gatefold, the inside...which is almost never seen unless you're lucky enough to own it.   If you love albums or are just curious about the vinyl buz

Interview:--> Larry Sneegas ("Carnival Of Souls" / Actor - Prod Mgr.)

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"I love the dead before they're cold." ~ Alice Cooper ~ The film "Carnival of Souls" doesn't want to take viewers on a non-stop deathtrip...rather it tries to slip a few tabs of Oxy into the beverage for a much...slower...ride. Quietly creeping on little dead feet. And in 1962, director Herk Harvey , along with a small cast of part-time dreamers with cash flow resembling an after school special ...somehow pulled it off. And Larry Sneegas , actor and production manager for the film, played no small part in making sure Herk's vision succeeded.  Bearing a delightful resemblance to "...Vacation's" Cousin Eddie... Larry Sneegas was the "go-to" guy when things needed done. 53 years later, "Carnival Of Souls" is still reveling in cult status...being enjoyed by both critics and film-lovers alike. Larry Sneegas Interview - October 2015 "Carnival of Souls" (The Criterion Collection) Casey Cha

Interview:--> Randy Jackson (Zebra)

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"...now we know just what the journey's for." ~ Zebra ~ If I were to put together a list of just a few of the most underrated bands (to emerge out of the eighties) that I've had the pleasure of cranking through my stereo speakers or melting my headphones...the oft-forgotten Long Island trio... Zebra ...would definitely be on it. Their self-titled debut was one of the fastest selling albums in Atlantic Record's history. And their studio albums, four at the present, have all received high praise.  Yet more often than not, while sitting in a pass-around circle discussing merits of really good bands,...Zebra seems to get low-balled. Never an easy band to quite pin down.   Zebra was heavy rock, for sure.  Soft metal-prog, perhaps.  Occasional flashes of Zep and glimmers of Rush can be heard, but comparisons are never fair.  Toss your label tags in the bag, they'll only get in your way.   Zebra were smart, fresh, and consistently on their game.  They