Duck, Duck, Goose Giving?

A couple of years ago, I had a conversation with a co-worker about Thanksgiving holiday meals and traditions. To my surprise, he brought up a term I had not previously heard: TURDUCKEN. How would one define and and use in a sentence?

I was late to work because my car needs a new turducken.
Turducken is one of my favorite speed metal bands.
Coming this Fall…Amityville Horror – The Turducken.
His lack of goal scoring him landed him back on the farm team in Turducken.
Her favorite Egyptian god was the three headed Turducken.

Still confused? It turns out, it’s a meal. According to the always reliable Wikipedia, “Turducken is a dish consisting of a deboned chicken stuffed into a deboned duck, further stuffed into a deboned turkey“. I guess if you don’t like regular stuffing, you just grab as many birds as you can and keep stuffing them one into another. Perhaps, Weird Al Yankovic could work his magic with the music of Deep Purple’s Space Truckin’ by replacing it with Turducken? I think would be a nice tribute.

Oh, and it really hasn’t gotten as weird as it can be. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turducken . Apparently, this is a term only used in North America. If you opt for goose instead of turkey, then you have “Gooducken.” That opens up a whole bunch of other culinary questions for me. I mean, why limit yourself to only stuffed birds… Couldn’t people in Florida use alligator? Would that be a Gatorducken or a Turduck-i-gator? And what if you prefer the taste of ham or beef? Surely, one could stuff Spam into any or all of the aforementioned options. Let’s face it, not everyone has the time or patience to cook one bird let alone three. I need to know what my canned meat options would be here.

Furthermore, why haven’t any of the major chain restaurants hopped on this idea? Chick-Fil-A or KFC seem like they would have an advantage with the chicken part, but I thought Taco Bell has done things like a taco stuffed into a burrito. Maybe I’m wrong, but will Americans consider ditching their preference for pumpkin spice this, that, and the other? McDonald’s could do a limited time offer like the McRib.

I’d love to say more, but I have to go kill three birds with one stone, then stuff them all.

Viva, Turducken!

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Walter Hill’s Warriors

If I had to pick a favorite film director, Walter Hill is a safe bet for me. I’m sure I’ve mentioned some of the films he directed…The Long Riders, Crossroads, Hard Times, Trespass. There are plenty more, too….Red Heat, 48 Hours, Geronimo: An American Legend. In short, his films kick ass. They’re macho and adventurous.

This time, I want to mention the 1979 film “The Warriors.” On the surface, it’s a film about New York City street gangs. Part of the appeal or backdrop to the film is the oddball assortment of gangs from the Grammercy Riffs to the Baldies and more (The protagonist gang from Coney Island is actually named The Warriors.) Any great action film has to have a great bad guy or guys. There’s no shortage in this film, but my favorite happens to be a gang called The Baseball Furies. They look like the NY Yankees crossed with KISS. They even have an eerie theme song of their own courtesy of Barry De Vorzon.

To put it in perspective, if I’m ever channel surfing, I ALWAYS stop on The Warriors. It’s a badass movie with lots of memorable scenes and one-liners. Hill’s film is based on a book (called The Warriors) by Sol Yurick. Here’s where it gets a little more confusing…Yurick’s book is based on Xenophon’s Anabasis… a Greek text about an army stranded behind enemy lines. If you watch the film, you can argue it’s “dated”, but great stories live on in my book, so I don’t buy that at all. Plus, I liked the Seventies.

You might recognize a couple of familiar faces in The Warriors. James Remar plays a brawny, tough guy-Warrior named “Ajax” and Deborah Van Valkenburgh (she was the brunette daughter in TV’s Too Close for Comfort) stars as the love interest for Warriors Gang Leader “Swan” (Michael Beck). David Patrick Kelly also delivers quite a performance as another antagonist to The Warriors. If you’re not convinced by now, you should know Joe Walsh collaborated with Barry De Vorzon on the song “In the City”, which closes this film.

Viva, Walter Hill! Viva, The Warriors!

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon.

Sunflower Ammo-Sonic Plant?

I don’t usually blog about current events, but this one struck a chord with me. A major electronics corporation is breaking ground on a new electric vehicle battery plant in the all-American small town of DeSoto, Kansas. The population there is five thousand plus. So why do I mention this? To paraphrase Austin Powers, I would have to say jobs and the economy “aren’t my bag, Baby.” However, what I find really interesting about this whole deal is the LOCATION of the new plant.

During one stretch of the horrible economy circa. 2008-2011, I lived in close proximity to the defunct Sunflower Army Ammo Plant which is, apparently, where the new plant is being built. I had never heard of the plant until lived in that area, but it was something to see. The best way I can describe it is like something out of a comic book or a sci-fi story. Lots of land, HUGE abandoned buildings, and no trespassing signs posted everywhere. Yes, it was a functioning ammunition plant during WWII and the Korean War. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunflower_Army_Ammunition_Plant .

To give this an extremely loose tie-in to my usual “bag” of music, I’m including the Bo Diddley-ish highway song “285 DeSoto” by The Homestead Grays. They were a very popular band based in nearby Lawrence, KS during my college years.

Getting back to the abandoned ammo plant, the grounds were really something to see. I always felt compelled to hop the fence and really take a closer look at the big, broken down buildings. However, a local guy told me nobody really knows what’s buried there…chemical waste, asbestos, ammo manufacturing parts, etc. so I never ventured past the fence. (If you’ve ever heard the story of the Mothman of Point Pleasant, West Virginia, I picture the T.N.T. area from that story looking similar. It would be a perfect place for the creation of a cryptid or superhero depending on your preference.) The same local guy told me there had been BIG plans to turn the area into an amusement park, but that never happened. No roller coaster rides on The Ammo Express? What a Bummer.

Another interesting aesthetic about the ammo plant is the four water towers which you can see from nearby. (These, on the other hand, reminded me of the scarecrows in the original “Planet of the Apes” movie. You know, the ones guarding “the Forbidden Zone”?) I don’t know. Maybe I have an overactive imagination, but it’s not every day you see a large scale abandoned facility. There’s something fascinating about it to me. It’s mysterious — kind of like where I put all of my photos I took near the plant.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

La Rage du Démon

Halloween…it’s that pseudo-demonic holiday which has historically kicked up the dental billing invoices a few notches. It’s also brought out the fear in so many…but all in good fun, right?

I think this entry will be hard to top some of past entries on my personal Halloween TV and film favorites (KISS Meets the Phantom of the Park, Abbott and Costello Meet Frankenstein, Paul Lynde Halloween Special), but here it goes. You might not have heard of this one. (I should warn you it’s in French with English subtitles.) “Fury of the Demon” was released in 2016 and was written/directed by Fabien Delage. What is it?

Well, imdb.com describes it like this: “A documentary investigation on the rarest and most controversial French movie in the history of early cinema: a fascinating, lost and dangerous short film which causes violent reactions to those who watch it.” Pretty creepy, huh?

If you watch the trailer, you see there are numerous French “film people” who were interviewed to provide some commentary on this one. I believe a distant relative of film pioneer Georges Méliès also put in her two cents. “Fury of the Demon” is definitely an offbeat film. You won’t see Jamie Lee Curtis or a hockey mask wearing psychopath in this one, but if you enjoy film, I consider it a must see.

If you’re in a crunch for time, you can always watch/listen to this freaky film set to the Munsters Theme by The Surf Dawgs.

I think the skeleton on a wind-propelled bicycle could be my favorite Halloween decoration of all time.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

Perfect Rockabilly Harmony

I was probably in my twenties when I went through my own personal rockabilly phase, but, honestly, I don’t think I ever left it. I’ve always loved what some call roots, Americana, or oldies music. Rockabilly seems to encompass all of that along with some twangy country guitar. While Elvis Presley is probably the most well known Rockabilly Cat of all time, his predecessor Carl Perkins had an enormous influence on aspiring musicians like The Beatles and many others. During my personal rockabilly phase, I stumbled upon a really catchy Perkins tune called “Your True Love.”

I think the call-and-response vocal harmony is what really grabbed my attention. Just today, I found a version by James McCartney — the son of Sir Paul McCartney.

I basically know nothing about James McCartney, but I think this is a great cover. I would say it’s pretty SWINGIN’.

This song brings to mind a few things. First, Carl Perkins was an enormous influence on The Beatles. For example, George Harrison apparently used the stage name “Carl Harrison” in his early days as a musician. Ringo Starr covered several of Perkins’ songs during the days of the Fab Four as did Harrison. Paul McCartney covered “Movie Magg” years later. I’m sure there has to be some John Lennon covering Carl Perkins as well.

Another point is Perkins’ songwriting is one thing which distinguishes him from a lot of his other peers. I mean he wrote “Blue Suede Shoes”, right? I hope he got a good deal on royalties.

There’s a great live version of this song with George Harrison and Dave Edmunds accompanying Perkins from a TV special called “Blue Suede Shoes: A Rockabilly Session” as well.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

More Ashes Than Wednesday

If I had to guess, YouTube would be responsible for the first time I heard this somewhat obscure Eric Clapton song called “Slow Down Linda.” It was originally released on his 1983 album “Money and Cigarettes.” I can’t tell you how many times I looked at the album cover in my local record shop and wondered what was happening there…it’s the one with the melting electric guitar on an ironing board while Clapton is smoking a cigarette.

If I had to describe the song itself, the word(s) that pop to mind might be boogie-woogie, rockabilly, or even country-rock. Of course, the presence of guitarist Albert Lee might be reason enough for that. I don’t think “Slow Down Linda” is what I would call musically complicated or sophisticated, but I think it works. Maybe that’s the beauty of it and/or why I like it?

If you haven’t heard of Albert Lee, it’s unusual to see him without his Einstein-esque-white-gray hair so consider this video a visual anomaly. (One website I found had Albert Lee at the #1 spot for Clapton’s best/favorite guitarists.)

Getting back to Clapton, I think this song is a good example of how varied his musical career has been. E.C. is revered among blues guitar players, but he has had plenty of well-known songs which don’t really fall into the blues category…”Tears in Heaven”, “I Shot the Sheriff”, “Wonderful Tonight”, etc. I think “Slow Down Linda” is a bit more like the country-rock of say “Lay Down Sally.” Besides, it has a good beat and is apparently easy to dance to.

Somewhere along the way, I remember Clapton talking about how The Band’s “Music from Big Pink” changed his life. I think this is pretty good example of that. Blues purists might write this song off as insignificant or a throwaway, but I say it’s just rock and roll.

In college, I remember giving this acquaintance of mine a ride into town and I had Eric Clapton’s Time Pieces Volume One playing in the cassette deck. When Clapton’s version of “Swing Low Sweet Chariot” started playing, he wasn’t really into it. It’s pretty obvious Clapton must have a spiritual side. I don’t know where the line “I’ve got more ashes than Wednesday” originated, but I think it’s a good one.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

The Original Metrosexual

There I was…searching YouTube for the song “Oh Lonesome Me” — a buddy of mine likes The Kentucky Headhunters’ version of it. (The original was written and recorded by Don Gibson and produced by Guitar God Chet Atkins.) One of the versions that popped up during my search was by a group called The Beau Brummels. I can’t say I’m especially crazy about it.

Nevertheless, this led me to check out Wikipedia re: the origin of the band’s name. Beau Brummell was an English dude who lived during the early 1800s. He wasn’t “O.G.” (Original Gangster), but he was apparently “O.M.” — the Original Metrosexual. He sounds like he was a bit like Paris Hilton…he was famous for being famous. Apparently, he was quite particular about his appearance and set the bar for all of the other gentlemen of his day. I don’t know if “metrosexual” is a term in England, but I guess Beau Brummell was also the “O.D.” — the Original Dandy.

“Dandy” isn’t a term I can ever say I’ve really heard used in my neck of the woods, but you get the idea — a pretty boy. What cracks me up about this whole thing is Wikipedia mentions a few different eras including Later Dandysim — that sounds like an essay question. (Essay Question Number One: Define and give the historical significance of Later Dandysim.) Geez.

The Wikipedia entry has some interesting pop culture references to Beau Brummell including a mention in the lyrics to Billy Joel’s “It’s Still Rock and Roll to Me”, film/TV, and a razor advertisement. Apparently, Brummell loved to gamble, and ended up fleeing to France and going into debtor’s prison.

There’s a statue of Beau Brummell at 53 Jermyn Street in London if you’d like to take a selfie with his likeness. Maybe San Francisco, the home of The Beau Brummels, should follow suit. We can only hope no one gives Paris Hilton the same recognition.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

p.s. Did the band think spelling it with one “L” was snappier?

A Shot of Rhythm & Keef

I’ve always been a fan of The Rolling Stones. I’ve blogged about some of their lesser known tunes, some of their hits, and even different eras including Brian Jones and Mick Taylor. While I think you have to give the hyperactive-rooster-strutting Mick Jagger his due as a front man, lead singer, and songwriter, that goes DOUBLE for Keith Richards.

Maybe I’m wrong about this, but isn’t a band member who sings (on stage) AND plays an instrument (on stage) automatically twice as valuable as one who only does one? In any event, my main purpose of this particular blog entry is to recognize the solo efforts of The Mighty Keef. Oh yeah, and he also co-wrote those Stones hits with Mick Jagger.

I can’t remember when exactly, but sometime in the past few months, I came across one of Keith Richards’ solo tunes I had not heard previously. It’s called “999.”

How would one describe this tune off the “Main Offender” album? Stream of consciousness is the phrase that pops into my mind. Lyrically, it’s more Dylan than Stones. Keef mentions a “damn monkey” on his back that’s “either too tight or it’s too slack.” Addiction? Yes, I think Keith has had his share of it like most rock n rollers. Maybe more. He also says he needs something in his Dixie cup. But then again, this cool cat says he has “a pocket calculator”….is he a Nerd in hiding? Beats me.

The bottom line is this…no matter how “cool” Mick Jagger is, he’ll NEVER be as cool as Keith Richards is. Keef’s group of musician friends is known as The X-Pensive Winos…include guys like Ivan Neville and Waddy Wachtel. That’s probably as cool as “The Rolling Stones” sounded in 1964. By the way, I think I still have 1988’s “Talk is Cheap” effort from Keef on cassette. Does that make me cool or a Nerd? Apparently, some people even dress up as Keith for Halloween.

Viva, Keef!

Honky Tonk: Hyde & Seek

If I had to pick one of my favorite songs by The Rolling Stones, it would be a tough choice, but one of the leading contenders is “Honky Tonk Women.” Why, you may ask? Well, the song itself has an outstanding GROOVE or feel to it. Warning: I’m going to get musically nerdy about it.

First of all, I would point out that Open G Tuning is used on Keef’s guitar as it is on many of their songs. (Instead of using standard low to high string E,A,D,G,B,E….it’s tuned to D, G, D, G, B, D. Actually, Keith usually removes the low E string if you really want to know.)

Before watching this clip, see if you can find all of these things in the video:

Bullfighter pants
Palm trees
Hell’s Angels denim jacket
Mick Taylor
Yellow bandana dude freaking out
A twelve sting guitar headstock
Vox amplifier
Bigsby tremolo
Someone yawning?
A guy wearing a paper hat

I’m sure there are plenty of other live versions of this song out there, but when I go to practice it, this 1969 Hyde Park performance is my go to version. I think the tempo of the song is a little slower than the studio version.

I’m pretty sure I first saw this clip in a documentary. According to Wikipedia, The Stones in the Park was a free music festival held on July 5, 1969. This was Mick Taylor’s first gig with the Stones following the recent death of The Rolling Stones’ Founder Brian Jones. Another clip I’ve seen of this concert shows Mick Jagger reading a poem in tribute to Jones with white butterflies released as well. A musician friend of mine says he only likes the Brian Jones Era Stones, which I found hard to believe, but opinions vary. This song is a big point for the post-Jones era in my humble opinion.

Getting back to the actual song, it’s basically made up of four chords: G, C, D, and A. It can be played in standard tuning, but I don’t think it has quite the same feel as playing it in Open G. I think it has a very bluesy, raw feel to it, and works well with harmonica and slide guitar, too. I won’t get into the origin of the song, but reserve the right to revisit it.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!

White Water, Cults, and Cream

If you have an affinity for 80s cheese, you might want to check out 1987’s “White Water Summer.” How would I describe the film? Definitely cheesy. A nerdy kid (Sean Astin) is sent on a wilderness outing because his father thinks it will make a man out of him or something like that. He’s joined by 3 other guys his age and a guide. The borderline psychotic guide is played by Kevin Bacon. I feel obligated to describe Bacon’s character as shaggy-haired, but completely bald-chested. (Viewers get to see him doing breathing exercises in the woods for some reason. I’m pretty sure he’s also barefoot.) They all do outdoorsy things like camping, fishing, rock climbing, starting fires, and peeing in the woods.

I don’t remember this film from the 80s or ever seeing on it reruns, but a couple of things about the film soundtrack jumped out at me. The first couple of tunes are by Bruce Hornsby and The Range (“The Wild Frontier” and “Western Skyline”), but what I’m always going to associate with this film is a song called “Aphrodisiac Jacket” by The Cult.

(Since I had to know, an aphrodisiac jacket was some sort of dinner jacket covered in cocktail glasses. I guess Salvador Dali was its creator.) To my ears, the lyrics are basically unintelligible, but I still enjoy the singing and the music. I could be wrong about this, but some of the descending chord changes sound like “White Room” by Cream. Musically speaking, there’s a “walk down” from the D chord. There are a couple of generic 80s hard rock tunes on the soundtrack, too.

So what do The Cult, Kevin Bacon, and Bruce Hornsby have in common? Well this cheesy 80s movie is the first thing which pops to mind. Maybe they should have a tribute concert and invite all of the soundtrack musicians to play. Naturally, they should all be shirtless and barefoot. That or they should wear aphrodisiac jackets.

Till next time, keep your Mojo on the Horizon!