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Showing posts from May, 2008

Book Buzz:-->"Dirty White Boys" by Stephen Hunter (1994)

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"The machine gun two step, the .38 caliber rag. The blackjack fox-trot are my favorite bag. Razor wits and late night hits are my claim to fame. I'm the deadly dancer... Legs Diamond is my name." Legs Diamond NO SPOILERS: " Dirty White Boys " by Stephen Hunter is a fiercely violent and often extremely graphic crime thriller revolving around one of the more interesting psychotic criminals to date. Meet Lamar. A prison-wise and street-wise convict who...along with a couple of other jailbirds...leads an escape from an Oklahoma prison. On their bloody trek through the state...they encounter a seasoned State Trooper... Bud Pewtie ...who makes it a point to attempt to bring these rancid rascals in...thus causing paths to cross at sometimes inopportune times. Nice! Author Stephen Hunter is dead-on creating realistic and verbally nasty interactions between Lamar and whomever he encounters. And without being obviously gratuitous. Also, giving Lamar no moral com

DVD Pick:-->"Touch Of Evil" (1958)

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" She was coming flirty. She looked about thirty. I would have run away, but I was on my own. She told me later she's a machine operator. She said she liked the way I held the microphone. I said, my! my! Like a spider to a fly ." Rolling Stones NO SPOILERS: Orson Welle's newly restored... "Touch Of Evil" (1958) ...is one of the last of a dying breed of film noir...and quite good. A black-n-white snapshot of the seedy streets on a border town. Before I sell this movie as some good late-night fodder for the buffs...let me briefly mention a few clinks in the armor I found annoying...if not unintentionally amusing. 1. Lead actor Charlton Heston is completely miscast as a Mexican detective. I couldn't help but expect Charlie to scream... "Let my people go! 2. Mexican mob-boss Grandi ( Akim Tamiroff) is just about the lamest "Goodfella" you'll ever see. A definite Sopranos reject. 3. Suzie ( Janet Leigh ) generates absolutely no

Track 4:-->"Alexis" - James Gang - Bang - (1973)

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"Alexis you always used to talk about leavin' your home town. Headin' on South... maybe down to New Orleans. And you wanted me to help you out. But you were just a young girl... and I was just a hobo that had my doubts." James Gang Straight up...this is not the James Gang you think you know. Joe Walsh is gone. Tommy Bolin has arrived. And it is an altogether different band. A different "sounding" band. But that's not a bad thing. With Bolin's arrival on "Bang" (hand picked by Walsh )...came a much needed creativity and energy boost. And the rest of the band mates seemed to have recharged themselves as well. "Bang" rings the speakers with several rockers...all with interesting riffs with a few Bolin burners. (Although Bolin seems more subdued than he would on his solo efforts.) Still, TB works his strings with entertaining magic and leaves listeners wanting more. Track 4 has Bolin and the Gang delivering a gentle b

Book Buzz:-->"The Frontiersmen" by Allan W. Eckert (1967)

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"Pipeline/ Walk Don't Run/ Secret Agent Man Medley" Junior Brown NO SPOILERS: Wow! From beginning to end... "The Frontiersmen" ...simply and unequivocally blew my freakin' mind. I can't wait to turn my friends on to this gem . Historical novelist Allan W. Eckert has weaved a spell-bounding tale of our expansion west into the areas around Ohio, Virginias and Kentucky during the time of the late 18th century. We learn about the skills of the frontiersmen...both in protecting settlers new to the areas, as well as safely exploring deeper into the wilderness. And, Eckert , also introduces the many various tribes of native Americans living in those areas and fairly presents their struggles with respect as well. A solid page turner , we quickly learn that neither side had a monopoly on brutality . The various ways of inflicting pain are nothing short of jaw-dropping. Humans are amazing in their ability to create suffering on each other. "The Frontie

Track 4:-->"Sub-Rosa Subway" - Klaatu - "Klaatu" - (1976)

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"New York City and the morning sun... were awoken by the strangest sound. Reportedly as far as Washington ... the tremors shook the earth as Alfie blew underground." Klaatu The band Klaatu ...thanks to their self-titled album...became famous (or infamous) ...for being the "rumored" collaboration of.. The Beatles ...incognito. From what I gathered talking to a few rock fans who were on-board with The Beatles from the time of "Sgt. Pepper" ... some conspiracy theorists concluded that Klaatu ...was really The Beatles . So as...to allow the "Mates from Liverpool" a chance to record together again...without the pressure of living up to their previous work!?! And...from a few songs on this album...I can see how a Beatles connection might be made. This...and the aching hope all Beatle s fans had that...John. Paul. George. Ringo... might truly try to pull a fast one and get back together for...one...last...time. Fun to believe, yes...but sadly untru