toys in the VINYL FRONTIER

Planet of the Apes, Battle of the Planets, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors, Ultraman... All things I have at one time or another collected. Vinyl toys too, now days. Kool Toy Doc.



FROM LAUGHING SQUID

JERRY AND VANS

Truckin': Random traffic sign in Wicker Park

"it's the one that says bad motherf*cker."

You sort of assume Pulp Fiction happens in L.A. Maybe it is explicit in the movie, don't remember, haven't seen it in a long minute. After coming back from Asado Coffee Co, I was inspired and knocked out a little graphic homage devoted to the pleasure of the cortado (tall espresso shot, dollop of steamed milk) they served me, as well as the half pound of Siesta they ground for me. House coffee is filter drip one cup at at a time. Brightest cup you can find. It is not fast, but that is not the point. It's the shot to the heart. "Zed's dead baby", but Viva Asado.

Asado Coffee Company is at 1432 W Irving Park Rd. Chicago, IL

Sleepless in Siver Lake

Back after a lapse and subsequent demolishing of the original concept, or not. But anyway Les Savy Fav closed Green Fest in Wicker Park with colored tape, a dog, grease paint, lots of spakle-y sh*t, an American flag cape... Singer Tim Harrington is a Care Bear gone bad ass, constantly climbing up on things (in this case a beer tent) and sometimes falling down (also the case in the photo sequence). He reappeared in the third story window of an apartment overlooking the show in which earlier he had encouraged a woman in the window sing opera - and she obliged. Chair surfing as well, the band just rips it up while he goes nuts.

The Untouchables vs. Repo Man

A two-fer, as I was looking to post something by The Untouchables and up pops a little video of them in Alex Cox's Repo Man. Cult classic LA cinema with the boys playing Vespa riding thugs; Rudy gangsters! They were a sick band with loads of energy and style. Check 'em out getting down with 'Free Yourself' originally released on their 1984 Live and Let Dance EP. Repo Man came out the same year.

Poster by Zach Hobbs (Check his gig posters!)

Album cover from: Album Cover Art Gallery

THREE O' CLOCK: JET FIGHTER

How no one has posted this on youtube is beyond me. Maybe it gets pulled or something. I've played this record over and over for years. And their first EP, Baroque Hoedown. Footage of them on MV3 floating around. Rodney on the Roq jam for sure.

The Three O' Clock: Jet Fighter by Clark Quente

THE TARGETS - UNITY BEAT

Pamona College students circa 1981. Was the number one seller at Rhino Records in Claremont. I remember my friend's older brother had this record, along with The Purple Hearts. Senses Working Overtime by XTC. The Jam, going to Moby Disc to buy the first Style Council EP. The Question, Merton Parkas, The Untouchables, The Specials... Going to The Key Club, Timbers, Green Door, Fenders. Seeing Dance Craze at The Rialto. The whole mod vs ska thing opened my eyes and ears musically because to me there was no difference what-so-ever as it was all great music.

The Targets: Unity Beat by Clark Quente