Aug 03 2010

Tuesday uEtsy: The Mad Crafter

[Etsy.com’s tagline is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.” Coincidentally, there’s a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you’re looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]

The Mad Crafter (AmyLDice.etsy.com)

Knitting is something we all do. Seriously, if you break a bone, your body tends to knit the pieces together if you’re smart enough to see Doc Killian and get the fracture set properly. If you’re not, you end up like Craig Sands and become a champion Ping-Pong player. Of course, he could never scratch his nose ever again but, by and by, we suppose. Technically, what The Mad Crafter does is crochet, but we’re not certain our bodies do that and Killian was too busy with a rash of new customers, a trio of German tourists that what ate the bad mustard over at Donnie’s Time for Fun Funtime. That mustard is the most exciting ride at that place and is a known killer.

What first caught our eye was the number of horror and non-horror mounted heads that the Mad Crafter offers. Being that we’re prone to take our dead things, dig a hole and bury them, the idea of mounting them and sticking them on the living room’s wall doesn’t usually come as a first idea. But the Mad Crafter has us thinking differently. Take a look at ol’ Squidface as he’s delightfully reproduced here.

What won’t drive you mad, but is cute and deadly and a kill of a steal are the little buddies you can get from the Mad Crafter. Not only does she do mounted heads, she provides some of the well-crocheted items that will turn both your child and refuses-to-grow-up man/woman child squeal with delight and fright – like with this zombie, with attached brain.

Maybe you’re the indulgent type who has not one, two but three toppings on your ice cream when you hit up the local shops the way Cooldrige hit up the pharmacies on a morpheine kick. Dipped chocolate, sprinkles and a waffle cone offering you the trifecta of a confectionary delight on one of these summer afternoons. And you didn’t bring one for us? What gives? Aren’t we cool? While you go out and share with us, let’s talk about how The Mad Crafter has an item that fits your hedonistic nature – not only do you get one mythical creature, you get THREE! Not only is it a bigfoot, but their winterized version, the Yeti. And not only is it a yeti, but a ZOMBIE yeti. Here you see its head mounted on a square but the Mad Crafter offers a pocket-sized version if you want to carry around your little buddy with you.

As we said prior, Sasquatches are welcomed here in the Local. In fact, we showed a picture of this Pocket-sized Bigfoot to Glenn when he was stopping in last Thursday. Glenn’s one of the Local’s longest standing friends, which most don’t really notice, what him being six-five and covered in hair. Glenn was rather impressed with the accurate resemblence in yarn. Plus, he wasn’t at all taken aback at the thought of the mounted Bigfoot heads. Better to be fabricated than authentic, he said. Plus, the pocket-sized Bigfoot would do much for bettering human-sasquatch relations.

We also like dinosaurs. There’s not much to that, just that dinosaurs are pretty neat. Sure, there’s the whole ‘digging up the bones’ deal that we could tie into, but really, it’s been Local policy that “Dinosaurs are all right.” We had a vote and if you were to ever check the Local Logbook, detailing all the events and changes in policy that your Gravediggers Local has voted on in the past two centuries, you’d be surprised to see that, even from the first discovery, dinos and diggers of ditches have gotten on pretty well.

You want to know who else gets along rather nicely? You and The Mad Crafter. Go over and look at her works. See her wares. Buy something. Take it home and be happy. Add her on Facebook. See her blog. Check out the Etsy. And check back here next week for another Tuesday uEtsy.

Jul 29 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Shag! and The Art Of Tiki

With all of the focus on Tiki music here at the Local, it’s all too easy to forget its artistic side. Thankfully, Google Books makes it just as easy to jog one’s memory on the subject.

Let’s start with Tiki Art Now! by Otto Von Stroheim and Robert Williams. In addition to its great information on all things Tiki, it kicks off the art with Dr. Alderete’s “Acapulco Tiki,” wherein an El Santo-style luchador kicks back with a Munktiki brand “Kreepy” mug. It’s the perfect way to unwind after a hard day of wrestling monsters! The other pieces of art in the preview are a mix of cool and spooky, normal Tiki and horror Tiki.

The book’s striking cover art is by one Josh Agle, better known to his fans as “Shag.” In case you’re wondering about the name, it comes from the combination of the last two letters of his first name with the first two letters of his last name. Supposedly he adopted that alias in order to make it look like his band at the time, The Swamp Zombies, could afford to hire someone else to do their albums’ cover art. In fact, a large part of the band’s creation was due to his desire to make the album art!

His simple-yet-detailed retro style has made him a smash hit, both in the world of Tiki and the art world in general. There’s even an exotica CD devoted to songs inspired by his work! Which is quite appropriate, seeing as how he was a founding member of The Tiki Tones.

But there is more to Shag than Tiki. As noted here, Mr. Agle does not want to be known as “just a Tiki artist” as they are only one of the many aspects of his work. His official website describes artwork as a “blend of hot rods, tiki heads, skeletons, voodoo lounge, and kustom kulture all rolled up in a swanky package.” His long list of influences also includes (but isn’t limited to) 60’s culture (mildly NSFW), spies, thieves (I’d love to see Shag’s take on Lupin III), blaxploitation, horror, and martial arts movies. And, as noted earlier, he often combines these to create unique and interesting (and spooky) works. If anything, Shag is a “rooms you wish you had in your home” artist.

For more on his work, please check out the following links:

Shag: The Art of Josh Agle by Josh Agle, Colin Berry, and Billy Shire.

Bottomless Cocktail: The Art of Shag by Shag.

Shag, ltd., fine art limited editions: a catalogue raisonné by Shag, Douglas Nason, Jeremy Cushner, and Greg Escalante.

Don’t just look at the art, either. Those books are filled with fascinating interviews and writings on Mr. Agle’s work. I especially liked his observation on Tiki bars in Bottomless Cocktail: The Art of Shag.

Jul 27 2010

Tuesday uEtsy: Handmade Horrors

[Etsy.com’s tagline is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.” Coincidentally, there’s a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you’re looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]

Handmade Horrors (HandmadeHorrors.etsy.com)

Sometimes, you’re going to make a mistake. And that’s fine. The odds are that you, reading this, are likely human. Or human-esque; a good portion to count, is what we’re getting at. And with that, you’re bound to screw up.

Which is not really the kind of thing we want to lead into when discussing Handmade Horrors. Handmade Horrors gets it right, which is, by the book, the opposite of making a mistake. In fact, if you look at the work at their shop, you would petition Merriam-Webster to list ‘Handmade Horrors’ as an official antonym of ‘mistake.’ Someone flashes that Murky Skull Faceted Gem Necklace and you’ll say “that person is getting it–whatever he or she does–right.”

But we here at the local fall under the human side of things, or close enough. So we’re prone to the mortal folly of making mistakes. One of which, we were clued into late last week when Doc Killian came by, he corrected at a terrible, how you say, faux-pas, that we’ve done for a while.

Seems ‘Freakshow’ isn’t so much an adjective of sorts for our man Bernie, but the gentlemen’s last name. From suffix to prefix. Yep. Doc showed us the birth certificate and all.

What does this has to do with the Count Rockula Necklace you’re going to buy from Handmade Horrors so you can show up at the next psychobilly show to woo that creeper man or roller girl of your black velvet dreams? We suspect that Bernie Freakshow did the same to win the still-bloody heart of his lovely wife, Loretta–the one she was still gnawing on when he came over to ask for a dance.

You might catch the eye if you were wearing these Greaser Skull Earrings. I don’t know what Loretta had on the night she became Mrs. Freakshow. It probably was still wriggling but what can we say? It was a wedding. You don’t need to be as bold as Loretta but wearing these earrings will say you cater to a boldness that is rocking in its own way.

Granted, not everyone could find wedded bliss the same way that Bernie and Loretta did. Some people don’t like psychobilly and prefer punk rock. Look at this pin from Handmade Horrors. Totally rad, right? Bust heads, break hearts, looks fantastic.

Which brings us back to the idea of the beginning. Sometimes, we break things and we have to apologize, or, to a point, extend said apology in a physical exchange. A ‘gift exchange,’ if you will. Won’t say it’s Christmas in July because well, it isn’t. Or at least it won’t be in about four days but that doesn’t make these Ribbon Bracelets any less attractive (that might make them MORE attractive. Will wonders ever cease?)

What we’ve been trying to get to is that Poinsettia Freakshow is not that bad of a girl. And we may have hurt her feelings last week so we have to get her a gift. Mainly because Freakshow Bernie (sorry, old habit, and everyone just calls him ‘Freakshow’) is one of the better independent contractors in the six-county district and we don’t want him to sour on us. And, mainly, because Poinsettia is a nice girl. She does brighten up the Front Office when she’s around, whether we like it or not. We haven’t picked out a gift yet but we think Handmade Horrors has a good idea.

Don’t tell anyone. We have a reputation to uphold.

Handmade Horrors would like to note that Greaser Skull, Count Rockula and Punk Skulls designs are by: http://www.facebook.com/zmbgraphix. See what else Handmade Horrors has to offer you. They’re also on Facebook, Livejournal and they even have an official page you can check out as well. Buy something, look snazzy and come back next week for another Tuesday uEtsy.

[ed. Like the article states, we are prone to mistakes. We accidentally listed this week’s uEtsy as ‘Homemade’ instead of ‘Handmade’ Horrors. We have since corrected it.] 

Jul 20 2010

Tuesday uEtsy: Zed’s Zombie Ranch

[Etsy.com’s tagline is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.” Coincidentally, there’s a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you’re looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]


Zed’s Zombie Ranch (zedszombieranch.etsy.com)

Chances are, you own or will own your own house someday. Or you’ll come into possession, albeit temporary, of a yard. You think we here at the Local would encourage you to dig it up, bury something (preferably, something dead) and place some kind of marker, be it stone, tree or upturned rusted pickup, on top. Well, until 1922, that was pretty much standard Local policy. Wasn’t enforced, just highly encouraged. 

Thankfully for our property values, the official Charter was amended with new leadership and since then, it’s perfectly fine to decorate your yard with things other than stones and burnt out Fords. It makes sense that being practically in the landscaping business (y’know, just with dead bodies and all) we tend to take our yards and various patches of dirt with some serious consideration for looking good, or at least, not causing landlords and neighbors to call the city in complaints. While some of the more zealous of those out there might talk about seeds, watering schedules and fuel injected riding lawnmowers, we here at the local prefer to outfit our lawns with some nice art. 

This is why we want to give big thanks to Zed’s Zombie Ranch and the fine work produced by them. Well experienced metalsmiths and leatherworkers have produced some really fine pieces that will make your lawn stand out, in a good, non-violating city ordinances way. 



Take, for instance, this piece. Sasquatches, as you might not know, are highly ritualistic in their burial procedures and have been strong allies of the Local since near its inception. If we were to let Freakshow Bernie’s younger daughter Poinsettia write here, as she’s been begging, we might say “We <3 Bigfoot.” But, until she gets her shots and promises to stop covering the Union shovels with glitter, she’s not allowed a hundred yards near the Front Office. But Bigfoots? Bigfoots are all welcomed to drop by so we like this piece, which is highly functional as well as artistic. It says ‘POINSETTA, ARE YOU A BIGFOOT? NO? WELL LOOK AT THE SIGN. GO BACK HOME, GIRL.” 

We’re thinking of getting the ‘Go Away’ sign for the front door, because all of Zed’s Zombie Ranch produces signs both for mounting in your yard or mounted on your wall/door. Look at that piece of metal work. Fantastic. Who needs ‘beware of dog’ or ‘trespassers will be shot’ when you have something that says ‘the ancient nameless evils born of this old land will rise up to dance their play across your burning flesh if you ring my doorbell while I try to take a shower.’ 

Of course, Zed’s Zombie Ranch’s products aren’t all about telling you where and where not to go. Sometimes, you want people to gather together and party. What better way to invite them together with a skeleton knocking back a cold one? Goodness, we don’t know any better way. If you do, better tell Zed because until then, this skeleton is sitting as king of the hill.

The images you saw at the beginning of this week’s spotlight are featured on t-shirts, a new medium for the fine folk at Zed’s Zombie Ranch. Who doesn’t like a t-shirt? No, we’re seriously asking. Why does everyone think the questions we pose are rhetorical? Maybe we just want some answers, for once. 

So you now have an assignment. Get a yard. Don’t have one? Use your neighbor’s. Don’t have any neighbors? Make ’em. Buy one or five things from Zed’s Zombie Ranch. Decorate the yard. Sit back. Check out Zed’s Zombie Ranch’s new blogspot site and come back next week for another Tuesday uEtsy. 

Jul 17 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: The Waitiki 7

The Waitiki 7
Official Site
New Sounds of Exotica, Pass Out Records 2010

Hello, my name is Rapanui and I'll be your server for the evening.

Waitiki is dead, long live The Waitiki 7!

After their 2005 debut album, Waitiki released two more albums, 2007’s Rendezvous in Okonkuluku and 2009’s Magic Island Sounds: The Wedding Album, before departing from this mortal coil (figuratively speaking). However, its mission and spirit lives on in the Waitiki 7. Confused? Perhaps I should let band leader Randy Wong clarify the matter:

“We were asked by the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin, Germany to assemble an all-star group for their Wassermusik festival that summer, and The Waitiki 7 was born. Second we wanted to expand our scope beyond music, because we were starting to do tiki consulting, mixology (craft cocktails), and other stuff. Lastly, with The WAITIKI 7, we wanted to go after the jazz/world market which meant a more “serious” approach to the music. We need to create a separate identity for that sound because a lot of “serious” music critics etc. would scoff at a band that was as “silly” as our previous quartet work.”

Whereas the original band’s lineup consisted of:

Tim Mayer
Brian O’Neill
Abe Lagrimas Jr.
Randy Wong

The Waitiki 7 consists of:

Tim Mayer
Helen Liu
Zaccai Curtis
Jim Benoit
Abe Lagrimas Jr.
Lopaka Colon
Randy Wong

Despite the sharing of members from Waitiki, this is a new and different band. But although the tone may change, but the music is still great either way. Think of Charred Mammal Flesh as an impromptu jam session among friends at a private barbecue while New Sounds of Exotica is how the same friends (along with a few who missed the party) play for a big club gig.

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Jul 17 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Waitiki

Waitiki
Official Site
Charred Mammal Flesh, Pass Out Records 2005

Yum! Oh, and that pig looks pretty tasty too.

In our last exotica installment, I shared a story about the origin of the song “Bwana” (and about the use of animal calls in exotica) that had been told to me by an exotica musician. Since he went unnamed in that in order to help build interest for this particular installment, it’s time to give the man his much-earned credit: Randy Wong, the founder of the band Waitiki (and Waitiki International LLC).

Waitiki was formed in 2005 with the goal of introducing (and reinventing) classic exotica music for the listeners of today. Their debut album, Charred Mammal Flesh (subtitled “Exotic Music for BBQ”) shows the band’s method of going about this: a mixture of covers and original music.

And what exotic music it is! The liner notes instruments including (but not limited to): upright bass, vibraphone, marimba, melodica, and reeds. Given that I have no idea what some of those instruments sound like, some of my music descriptions are based on my best (careful) guesses. But while I don’t always know what I’m hearing, I do know what I like!

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Jul 13 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Witches in Bikinis

Witches in Bikinis
Official Site
Witches in Bikinis, Second Wind Productions 2005
A Scary Kind of Love, Second Wind Productions 2008
All Hallows Eve, Second Wind Productions 2009
Special Edition Sampler CD, Second Wind Productions 2009

Say WHAT?

Taking their name from the first song they ever recorded, Witches in Bikinis burst onto the scene in 2005 with their songs that mix serious and silly. The combination of bikini-clad female singers/dancers in colored wigs and a trio of musicians makes for a unique musical experience, be it listening to one of their CDs or catching a live performance. Why the bikinis? Well, besides surf music being one of their influences (along with rock and pop music), let’s look at this quote by Michael Dale (from a Broadwayworld.com review of the group) that sums it up quite nicely:

“Combining three beloved staples of 60’s pop culture – the girl group, the beach party movie and the low-budget horror flick – ‘Witches in Bikinis’ perform catchy and funny original songs, with arrangements heavy on the goofy rock/gothic sound.”

For this entry, I’ll be reviewing the previously mentioned discs in a somewhat order different than what I have written above. I’m doing this in order to recreate my original listening order and because the samplers foreshadow several things about WiB’s full albums (as effortlessly switch from one musical genre to another).


The sampler All Hallows Eve contains a single song of the same name. It begins with a slow fade-in to spooky sound effects, which are soon joined by a mournful piano (probably a keyboard set to sound like a piano). A creepy knocking-type sound is added, which eventually becomes part of an almost techno-like beat when the music gets more dance-like. After the refrain, wherein “All Hallows Eve” is said, a lone witch describes a tale of seeing a ghostly parade one Halloween night. This is the perfect song to start off a Halloween party, as it’s creepy and you can dance to it.

Let’s move on to the Special Edition Sampler CD, which demonstrates that most WiB either have only one witch singing or have a witch backed up by the other members. “Kissy Kissy Love Spell” is an example of the latter, which features a rousing opening. It’s very catchy, although the fun is kinda diminished when you realize that the song is someone openly flaunting their plan to use magical equivalent of roofies on someone. Despite the name, “Freak Show Safari” has nothing to do with sideshows. Instead, it focuses on people who choose to modify their bodies and dress outside the norm. It has a heavier feel to it than “Kissy Kissy Love Spell” and the lone singer’s intensity gives it a vaguely punk feel. The band’s surf influence is on full display in “Alien Surfer Babes,” from the “Wipe Out” style intro to its other classic surf touches (You’ll know what I mean when you hear it). The witches providing back-up are used to great effect, especially when providing the “oooo” sounds emphasizing the song’s sci-fi nature. The final two songs on the disc, “Vegan Lover” and “Movie Star,” prove that Witches in Bikinis aren’t limited to scary stuff and can do material about being in love (this will come up again later).

Something that particularly strikes me about their debut album, Witches in Bikinis, is the heavy use of a keyboard. This is merely an observation and not a slam at its use, as its sound is changed from song to song. Sometimes it sounds like what you would expect a keyboard to sound like and at other times it sounds just like a real piano or organ. In contrast, the use of the guitar is rather subdued and often subtly mixed in with the drums.

The first song, “Hold Me, My Little Ghostie,” makes great use of a comical faux Russian accent (and faux Russian music). The cutesy horror-themed references to kissing and cuddling are bound to be adopted by many who listen to the song and are undoubtedly inspired by the amorous female rabbit in Bugs Bunny’s Rabbit Romeo. “Horror Flick Chicks” humorously pokes fun at the poor decision-making skills of many women in horror movies by detailing several movie-style scenarios where female characters’ actions get them killed. There’s even a segment where, after a scenario is given, the singer quizzes on the listener as to what the character did. Several life-saving course of action are given, but the question as to whether or not she did those is always “No.” It is only when the bad course of action is given that the answer “Yes” is given and the song returns to normal.

“Witches in Bikinis” is the song that started it all. The serious-sounding tale of being lost in the woods and seeing something strange suddenly turning light hearted and silly sets the the tone for many a WiB song after this. “Spooks On the Loose” takes its name from a combination of two “East Side Kids” film titles, Ghosts on the Loose and Spooks Run Wild (which some sources claim was also shown as Spooks on the Loose in some areas). Despite what the title might make you think, the “spooks” of the song are actually a metaphor for the creeps and perverts harassing the song’s protagonist.

“Haunted Mansion” tells the musical tale of a haunted house’s history (and many victims). “Goblin Gaboom” is a very cute song about a little girl trying to deal with the various monsters she sees in her bedroom. Her methods range from threats to outright denial they exist, each time answered by the deep-voiced Goblin Gaboom. The singer does an adorable little kid voice although hearing that voice come out of an attractive women in a bikini must make for an odd experience at the live shows. “Cemetery Boogie” is an insanely catchy (like many WiB songs) boogie woogie song about what the dead do after dark. Following this (of course) is “Monster Woogie.” Said song is loaded with sound effects, from the use of “castle thunder” at the beginning to the effects overload towards the end. Like many a WiB song, it’s serious at first (being home alone and hearing strange things) then the goofy stuff starts in. As soon as I heard the term “gramophone,” I know it was going to get old school and the song did not disappoint. The song was very 40’s style, right down to the Betty Boop-esque scat singing.

“Subway Spooks” is a mostly serious tale of underground ghouls that bring to mind C.H.U.D. and It. There are, however, a few humorous touches. “Zombie March,” which involves a witch preparing a group of zombies for a flesh-eating rampage, is similar in tone, only with less humor content. Abandoning humor altogether, “Cave Fire” is a very spooky instrumental number in the vein of the Midnight Syndicate. It’s perfect for any home haunt or to use to creep out trick-or-treaters. Similarly, “Graveyard Tango” is an instrumental piece, although it’s more humorous due to its tango sound. There is also a hidden surprise after “Graveyard Tango” ends: After a long wait (and on some players, the track time going in reverse) you can hear a reading of the “All Hallows Eve” done in the style of “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”

That's funny, I don't see anything scary...

In sharp contrast to the first album, A Scary Kind of Love cranks up the guitar and lessens the keyboard use. It also allows the Witches to show their surf influences. Despite the name, “Mermaids in Outer Space” is not a surf song (although there is an “Alien Surfer Babes” shout-out). Instead, this tale of mermaids leaving the Earth is rather new wavey. “Dear Dr. Frankenstein” is a hilarious twist on the old “dead teenager song” genre, with the resourceful girlfriend of a dead drag racer seeking out the good doctor. “Video Vixen Vampire” is a rocking tribute to/parody of Elvira, wherein a vampiric horror hostess called “Vira” uses her fame and looks to lure unsuspecting victims into her clutches.

Although not an exotica song, “Calling King Kong” does share the genre’s focus on pagan passion. The singer states that although she generally prefers a man who his charming and witty, sometimes she yearns for something more primal. She doesn’t want the actual King Kong, it’s just a metaphor for the wild lovin’ she wants from her man. “O.O.B.E” stands for “out of body experience” and the song has a suitable otherworldly feel to reflect the singer’s recollection of her astral adventure. “Jennifer of the Jungle” is a non-spooky song about a young woman’s secret yearning to escape from the pressures of modern society. “Party Like a Chimpanzee” is a fun surf song about carefree partying like, well, a chimpanzee (minus the poo-flinging). “A Scary Kind of Love” is about woman’s relationship with her creepy (in a good way) boyfriend. Although her friends want her to break up with the guy, who she met at a graveyard, she’s only scared by how serious the relationship is getting rather than by his unusual interests.

“W.I.B. Reprise” is a quick, less than a minute reprise of the refrain from the song “Witches in Bikinis.” However, the minor changes in the song’s notes and slightly altered lyrics (now it’s “We are..” rather than “They were…”) make it clear that this is not a lazy cut and paste from the first album. This album’s version of “All Hallows Eve” is somewhat shorter than the sampler CD version, which seems to be missing part of that version’s long intro and outro. “Witches Theme” is the first of two closing instrumental tracks (echoing the first album) that mixes spooky and silly. Finally, the album closes with an excellent surf instrumental piece entitled “Rhumbazoid.”

So whether it’s a spooky beach shindig or a Halloween party, make sure to include Witches in Bikinis as part of your playlist!

Special thanks to Witches in Bikinis for the review copies!

Jul 07 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Arthur Lyman

Arthur Lyman
Bwana á/Bahia, Collector’s Choice Records 2008 (Original release date: 1959)

Double your pleasure...

During my last exotica album review for the Freaky Tiki Surf-ari, I briefly touched on the use of sound effects in exotica music. To quote the Wikipedia entry on the genre:

“Additionally intrinsic to the sound of exotica are bird calls, big-cat roars, and even primate shrieks which invoke the dangers of the jungle. Though there are some standards which contain lyrics, singing is rare. Abstract, sirenish ululations, chants, vocalized animal calls, and guttural growls are common.”

The horror connection is rather obvious. How did such sounds make their way into the style? Well, there are a couple different stories on the matter. This says that it all started at a Martin Denny band performance at the Shell Bar at the Kaiser Hawaiian Village (now known as the Hilton Hawaiian Village). During one of the performances, frogs from a nearby pool began croaking and stopped only when the music did. When the frogs started up again, some of the band members began responding with bird calls. Denny knew they was onto something when someone asked about the song with all the animal noises the day after and soon incorporated them into the act. In an interview with Time magazine, Arthur Lyman said that he started doing bird calls after getting a little tipsy during one of the Denny group’s performances and according to the product description here, percussionist Augie Colon started doing calls (which he learned to use while hunting) after joining the Denny band in order spice things up and quickly got the other members doing it as well.

One exotica musician I spoke with while preparing notes for a future review commented on the situation, noting that both men did bird calls for the group and felt that it was a case of spontaneity. He also humorously noted that any arguing over who started the bird calls is akin to “arguing who’s older when you’ve got a set of identical sextuplets.”

In 1957, after several years of working with Denny, Lyman left to start his own band. He released his first album that same year, Leis of Jazz. The CD I’ll be reviewing is a reissuing of his fourth and sixth albums, Bwana á and Bahia.

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Jul 06 2010

Tuesday uEtsy: Blood Bath

[Etsy.com’s tagline is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.” Coincidentally, there’s a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you’re looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]

Bloodbath (http://Bloodbath.etsy.com)

‘Your Flesh is Dying For It!” boasts Bloodbath, and to be honest, we think they’re right. Word from Doc Killian down at Serene Pastures says that the Hernandez kid, what caught in a bad motorcycle accident, was seen clutching a bottle of BLOODBATH Morbid Moisture BODY LOTION in the autopsy photos, despite no internet access at the mortuary and Killian’s practice of sending the orderlies out with oak table legs on any solicitors, lawyers or postal workers. Seems that the Hernandez kid’s body was dying for a bottle of Morbid Moisture, literally and figuratively.

We don’t really encourage you to go off and be that extreme, unless you’ve master the ability of post-mortem purchases. Last time we checked, VISA tends to frown on corpses buying stuff. So while you’re alive, might as well take care of yourself in the best way possible. Why not try some of Bloodbath’s fine products? Take, for example, these Sugar Scrub Cubes. Stripping away the stank of a job well done is vital if you want to make friends, influence people or not be pelted with rocks when you show up at the front office to clock in the next day. It’s just an idea, because dang, if we don’t have plenty of rocks.

One might think that the Vegan Perfume offered here might look like a tin of snuff or a car of sardines, we’re thankfully glad that it isn’t either and would encourage any of you (snuff, chaw and sardine fans alike) to put down those tins and pick one one of these. In according to the phrase, ‘a little dab will do ya,’ we’d like to see more dabbing of Bloodbath products and less salted fish smelling like tobacco.

People die every day, throughout the year. It’s a fact we all know but it’s one that we here at GdL don’t like to admit, mainly because it means working in the winter. The ground’s pretty hard. Sure, bodies smell less atrocious due to the forgiving cold weather but it takes Freakshow Bernie’s backhoe to get a good six feet down into the ground. And he doesn’t let anyone else drive it, it being his pride and joy. That means waiting out in the cold for him and ‘Norma’ to do the heavy lifting. And that means – chapped lips. Thanks to Bloodbath, there’s some fashionable and flavorable relief waiting for us come the first freeze. Morgue-A-Rita- Margarita goodness, Gasberry Lemonade, Screamsicle and Candy Corn are some of the offered flavors that might save your lips or encourage you to eat them.

We’re fans of soap, here at the Local. So it’s great that Bloodbath also includes some coffin shaped products meant to keep you clean, whenever you’re finally forced (by pitchfork) into a shower. Take care of yourself, peoples. You have plenty of time to stink when you’re dead.

Wonderful products to be had by all, and we encourage you to go have some. Hit up Bloodbath at their Etsy store or their official blog. And come back here next week for another Tuesday uEtsy at Gravediggers Local 16.

Jun 30 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: Strange But Surf

Strange But Surf
Official Site
Swimming in Reverb, Rancho Records 2007

You are getting very sleepy...

Surf can be a strange genre at times. It can both exist independently and be connected to Tiki culture. Despite the name “surf,” a surf song can have little or nothing to do with surfing (something that will be made very obvious over the course of the Freaky Tiki Surf-ari). What makes surf music “surf” is its distinct “wet” sound. Said sound is made by the spring reverberator in amplifiers for electric guitars, which can sound like waves. Hence the title of Strange But Surf’s second album, Swimming in Reverb. Interestingly enough, the CD’s cover shows the band in front of a Tiki bar called Otto’s Shrunken Head. This is the essence of Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: the mixture of Tiki, surf music and horror.

According to their Facebook page, Strange But Surf came into existence in 2003. That page also has a great quote from the band themselves: “More than just Surf, we combine Blues, Oldies, Rockabilly and more into our own genre of music, known as Strange But Surf.” Their online radio station also lists “Spy, Space, Horror, Tiki, and Lounge” as sources of inspiration. Although Swimming in Reverb is largely a surf album, some of these influences are present.


The album kicks off with “Secret Sea” by “Unknown.” Is it a cover of a song whose creator’s name is lost to the ages? Is it an original creation by a cheeky band member – after all, who’s better to write a secret song than an anonymous person? I can’t say for sure. All I do know is that I like it and that it is easily identifiable as surf to even a neophyte of the genre. Like the song before it, “Lobster Rock” is a snazzy instrumental track. Unlike the song before it, its author is known: SBS guitar player and drummer Barry Simon. “Hey Ho!” is by band founder Angelo “Marbles Mahoney” Liguori (also a drummer and guitar player). The limited vocals are a nice touch and sound authentically old school. If not for the brief references to the Ramones, this could easily pass for a 60’s classic.

“Baja” is a cover version of Lee Hazlewood’s musical sojourn to the Mexican peninsula of the same name. As you’ve probably noticed by now, I tend to bust out the fancy talk when I like a song but am unable to provide more than a sentence or two about it. I figure that it’s better to have a short, nice-sounding sentence than just saying I like it. This isn’t an issue with Angelo Liguori’s “The Martians are Pissed.” Appropriately starting off with a guitar imitating a theremin (and later mixing in metallic flying saucer noises), the band launches into a fast-paced surf song, pausing only for the singer’s brief asides about the angry Martians. Some might find this annoying, but I think it fits in with the song’s humorous tone and lyrics like “Orson Welles was right.”

“Down to the Water” slows things down with somewhat exotica-like surf piece by Strange But Surf guitarist Tom Vidal. It’s very relaxing and allows the listener to imagine they’re by the shoreline at the end of the day. Revving things back up is Angelo Liguori’s “Psycho DeMayo.” Although the name has a horror connection, the song itself doesn’t sound spooky. Energetic yes, creepy no. Then we get an amazing cover of the surf classic “California Sun” by Henry Glover and Morris Levy (as made famous by the Rivieras). Unlike the cringe worthy covers you might find on a bargain bin compilation CD, where the musicians seem to be trying to punish you for being too cheap to buy the original, this is a worthy successor to the Rivieras’ version. While sounding similar enough to the version we all know and love, there are enough differences to keep anyone from mistaking it for the real thing. Next comes an interesting surf cover of Allen Toussaint’s “Working in a Coal Mine” and the album closes with a cover of “Lone Rider” by the Supertones. Having never heard the originals, I can’t say how the covers stack up to them. Speaking of “lone riders,” I noticed that bassist Vincent Giovannantonio is the odd man out song-wise. I wonder if he is “Unknown”…

Due to its mix of content, Swimming in Reverb is a great way to ease in a traditional surf fan into the realm of spooky (or vice-versa). You won’t find it in most retailers due to it being published on CD-R, but you can easily order it directly from the band. If the use of recordable media irks you, then you might be pleased to know that Strange But Surf went the extra mile and used a type of disc designed to look like a miniature vinyl record rather than an unlabeled CD-R with the album name written on with a marker. In fact, I think it adds to the authentic 60’s feel of the album!

Special thanks to Strange But Surf for the review copy!

Jun 29 2010

Freaky Tiki Surf-ari: The Sound of Tiki

It all started when Strange Jason sent me a link to “Gateways to Geekery” article about exotica music from the Onion AV Club. Not only was it a great, highly informative read (although the author is laughably wrong about the quality of modern exotica groups), but it made me realize the connections between exotica/Tiki culture and horror.

My realization of this was sparked by noticing how menacing the idols depicted on the cover for Les Baxter’s Ritual of the Savage looked. This got me to think of how masks play a big role in both fandoms and inspired me to do further research into the matter. I soon realized that exotica was not necessarily all tropical flowers and sunshine. There is a darker aspect focusing on the forbidden and taboo. There’s the shrunken heads of Arthur Lyman’s Taboo II, Robert Drasnin’s Voodoo series and songs (and album covers) involve frenzied pagan rites, weird cries in the night or strange stone gods on forbidden islands. Is the intended goal of bringing customers into an artificial environment filled with spooky sounds sought by the designers of haunted attractions really all that far off from the goals of those who make Tiki bars and put the animal calls in many an exotica song? And let’s not forget the popularity of “zombies” in both Tiki and horror cultures…

Some of you are bound to be asking yourselves questions like “What exactly is exotica,” “what is ‘tiki culture,'” and “how does the surf music fit in?”

It’s tempting to take the easy way out by linking to some very informative websites on the matter and then move on to the next review. Instead I’ll explain things by reviewing a CD/booklet combo by the renowned Tiki authority, Sven A. Kirsten.

Continue reading

Jun 29 2010

Tuesday uEtsy: Craftie Robot

[Etsy.com’s tagline is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.” Coincidentally, there’s a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you’re looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]

Probably wondering ‘hey, GdL16. Why is today’s Tuesday uEtsy going up so late? I have all this money and I need to spend it supporting home-made goods and independent artists.” That’s a very good statement-question-statement, anonymous reader we just made up. See, today was a very busy day. June is coming to an end and we’re glad for that, since it’s been muggy, disastrous and all around tough to handle. Busy work, busy bodies, busy work burying busy bodies. In other words, we’ve been carrying a heavy workload and it finally caught up with us.

Fortunately, this week’s Tuesday uEtsy is great for us and for those of you who need to carry your own work, burden, crosses or tunes. Craftie Robot specializes in spooky, nifty and downright fashionable messenger bags.

Informational and functional, this Zombie Protection mask displays an often overlooked step in dealing with the un- or freshly dead. Plus, it’s stylish in that ‘gangreen rot’ color that can always be used to an advantage when fitting in.

Perhaps you’re not so much for protecting against as you are shooting at Zombies. This bag here displays which side of the dead v. alive side you choose. It’s a simple and slightly elegant design about the oncoming apocalypse.

It’s not all Zombies at Craftie Robot. Here, the classic symbol of death and pirates can be a way for you to tell people you are carrying poison, doubloons, radiation or that it’s not a good idea to mess with you on the bus today. Plus, it, like all Craftie Robot bags, fits most laptops and allows you to carry enough oranges to stave off scurvy.

There have been many of times where we needed a cheat sheet when it came to first learning which muscles did what, where the whatis was and what exactly we shouldn’t poke with the end of our shovels in case we needed to get a mop. Similarly, you can have your own method of quickly finding nerve points and the right muscles to sever with a prison shank with this lovely anatomic display on your own bag. Probably should avoid the prison and any other situation that involves the word “shank” or “shiv.”

Like most on Etsy, Craftie Robot expands to more than just one product. One of their other offerings is this lovely display of the human heart on a wonderful desk lamp, forged from a glass box. Add some atmosphere and some anatomy to your workspace, sleep space or love space. Hearts. Love. Light. Glass. It all goes together.

The final bit is a great item. It’s a belt whose buckle showcases a molecule of caffeine. Thank goodness for the stuff. Look, if you need to pick yourself up or pick your pants up, this is the belt for you. Walk into any store, point to your belt, say “THIS. NOW.” If anyone doesn’t know it, they don’t deserve your business. And anyone who gives you a cup of coffee deserves every dime you have on your body.

And so does Craftie Robot, so head on over today. Buy something, carry your weight, light up your light and keep your pants off the ground. And keep coming back here every Tuesday for another Tuesday uEtsy. 

Jun 28 2010

Defrosting The Minnesota Iceman

For the uninitiated, the Minnesota Iceman was sideshow exhibit featuring a hairy, manlike creature encased in a block of ice owned by a mister Frank Hansen. Hansen originally claimed to have bought the iceman in Hong Kong, which had been brought there by sailors who fished it out of cold Russian waters. Other tellings gave the location as Japan and Mr. Hansen later claimed to have shot it himself while deer hunting, adding that he could obtain another such specimen for the price of a stun gun. The final origin story was the most outlandish: the iceman was owned by a millionaire creationist who wanted to see how the public would react to it without alerting any scientists who might use it as further evidence of evolution. Naturally, he sought out Hansen, loaned him the iceman, and had him take it on tour.

In 1968 (two years after the iceman debuted), one Terry Cullen contacted a scientist with an interest in Bigfoot and other rumored beasts, Dr. Ivan Sanderson. Cullen has actually seen the exhibit in 1967 and was intrigued enough by it to contact numerous scientists in the hopes that they’d examine it. Sanderson contacted a like-minded scientist, Dr. Bernard Heuvelmans (the “father of cryptozoology“) and they contacted Hansen to have a look at it. They were not allowed to thaw it out and could only look at it through the thick ice encasing it in a dark trailer. Both men left thinking that the iceman was the real deal. Not only that, but they felt that its popped-out, bloody eye and the shattered arm raised near the head indicated that the iceman had been gunned down recently and was not merely the frozen prehistoric being that was advertised! Could it really be the remains of some unknown hominid or could it have been real human corpse that had been altered for dramatic effect? After all, at least one real human corpse had traveled the sideshow circuit before, so the idea isn’t technically unrealistic.

Convinced that what they had seen was real, Sanderson and Heuvelmans got to work on articles about the iceman. They also contacted Dr. John Napier in the hopes that he could get the Smithsonian Institute would look into the matter. Due to the “recently shot” theory, the FBI was even contacted about the matter (although they never looked into it)! Frank Hansen was less than pleased by this when word got back to him (presumably from seeing Sanderson talk about the iceman on The Tonight Show). The iceman was temporarily removed from view while Hansen debuted his “creationist millionaire owner” story in an announcement to the public in 1969 and explained the owner had taken it back and he was now only able to show a replica. Sanderson and Heuvelmans soon reported that the alleged replica was not what they had originally examined.

To make matters worse, the Smithsonian had found a special effects company that claimed to have made the iceman in 1967! Perhaps this is why Sanderson included an overly complex method of making an iceman-like figure in his article about the Minnesota Iceman, which contradicted the paper’s earlier claims that it would be impossible to make a fake corpse, hinting at a last-minute insertion. In any case, both of the men who examined it continued to insist that no model could have fooled them and they had seen a real creature (although this contradicts Hansen’s later story that he shot the iceman while hunting, stored it in a home freezer, and only displayed the model based on it).

Why would Hansen claim to exhibiting a model of a real creature after the people behind the Iceman model were found? Simple, it because would’ve killed his business in the long run for him to display something that was commonly known as a fake. But if it was advertised as a “recreation” of something, then there would still be some interest.

Now, despite the owner’s constantly changing origin stories for the creature (a classic sign of a liar) and the fact that it was displayed in carnivals, a surprising amount of people cling to the idea of the iceman being a real Bigfoot! Why? When asked, said people often say that the iceman was found to be real by two trained biologists and that the creature bore a striking resemblance to the description of a Vietnamese “wildman.” However, that actually doesn’t mean a whole lot…

Continue reading

Jun 27 2010

More Cool Cover Art

While browsing through the recent “Gravedigger’s Local 16 Flashback” entry, I couldn’t help but find myself drawn to the “Cool cover art” entry. Although the website noted in it (Critical Condition Online) is the undisputed king of online VHS cover art collections, I was inspired to see if there were any other sites devoted to cover art scans out there. I was not disappointed:

Itsonlyamovie.co.uk has a nice selection of British VHS covers from before the infamous “Video Nasties” crackdown.

Retro Slashers has a wonderful collection of the sort of slasher film box art that used to thrill us back in the day.

Both the Uranium Cafe and Friday the 13th: The Website have some cool pages devoted to VHS covers.

The Lightning Bug’s Lair has a cover gallery devoted solely to Christmas-themed horror movies.

Toho Kingdom has numerous pages devoted to both VHS and DVD covers.

Last but not least, the Horror Section offers a huge collection of covers from the best section of the video store, along with reviews and other goodies.

Jun 24 2010

Gravedigger’s Local 16 Flashback

After getting some good responses to linking to old GdL16 entries on Twitter, we here at Gravedigger’s Local 16 have decided to start a new feature spotlighting our older material. Each “Flashback” entry will showcase a variety of vintage gravedigger goodness for you to enjoy.

Why? Because we’ve put a lot of time and effort into our work and we’d hate to think any of our older material will go unread. This is especially a problem for the material written after the site went on an unplanned hiatus and a lot of our early readers vanished. So, without further ado:

Art Appreciation:

Cool Cover Art
Bob Eggleton Rules
Pumpkin Awesomeness
BEST PICTURE EVER
Graphic Displays of Halloween

Musings:

Pumpk’n
Finally, it’s Fall
Happy Halloween
AVOID AT ALL COSTS
Deep(ly Odd) Thoughts
Critters: Special Edition?
The Ghoulies are good enough
Throw back the coffin lid – and RISE!
If you want a job with guaranteed stability, learn to dig graves.

General Goodness:

Relics and Reptiles
The Gremlins Return
The “Ultimate Haunt”
Half a pint of snakebite
It Came From Wikipedia
Duane L. Jones (1936-1988)
The (Vincent) Price is Right
Vintage Halloween Insanity
The Gremlins Return…Again!
Grandpa and the Midnight Mutants
Oh May!George Takei and Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Jun 22 2010

Tuesday uEtsy: Jackie Hates You

[Etsy.com’s tagline is “Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.” Coincidentally, there’s a lot of spooky on Etsy, and each Tuesday, we highlight one of the sellers. If you’re looking to spruce up your look, redecorate your tomb or get a gift for that special something in your afterlife, Etsy.com is a place for spooky econo.]

Jackie Hates You (jackiehatesyou.etsy.com)

Folks, it’s alright to hate – if you hate the right things. We’re not fond of moral relativism here at the Local since it opt to leads people to question reputable sources under the ‘Who’s to say?’ Who’s to say how deep a body should be buried? Who’s to say when to engage in proper excavation rites? Who’s to say if it’s right or wrong to use the recently dead as extras in your community theatre’s production of ‘South Pacific?’

Moral mucking is something meant for filmmakers and philosophers. Here, it’s okay to hate. It’s good to hate fear, hate weakness and hate annoying people talking loudly on cellphones while you wait to order a burger during your lunch break.

That’s where this week’s Tuesday uEtsy, Jackie Hates, You comes in. There’s plenty of inappropriately ways to display your hate and very few socially acceptable ways. As you can see from the woman’s t-shirt below, you can proudly display your hate in a way that makes it attractive and sensible.

Granted, and we say this with little involvement, there’s the term ‘hater’ out there. And, as such a phrase has come of it – “hater’s gonna hate.” And if you hate, or hate haters, you’re pretty much establishing that it’s okay to hate since there’s little to be done about it. So be it the object or the source of the hate, hate goes and hate does.

Of course, there’s plenty more than the HATE brand offered by Jackie Hates You. Notice the fine jewelry offered – as this large black skull poison ring. How better to display this hate than by slipping some liquid arsenic into the diet Pepsi of the office coworker who keeps forwarding you those email-chain letters warning you against the death of Christmas or how your elected official is secretly a lizard person? (Note: DON’T DO THIS ANY OF THIS: POISONING PEOPLE OR FORWARDING THOSE EMAILS! damn. really, people.)

Perhaps you hate all those dudes who think that some splattering of grease paint and some old clothes makes an “hip, edgy ‘Dark Knight’ Heath Ledger Joker costume.” Or perhaps you really love bats. Hate or love, this is a really neat bat necklace offered by Jackie Hates You.

Perhaps it’s Valentine’s day or you’ve been dumped or perhaps you just hate all things good and lovely? Jackie’s got you hooked up with this black anatomically correct heart. Deflate those helium-filled nitwits who keep talking about Cupid and chocolates and blah blah blah with this fantastic necklace. Or, use it as a method to cheat on a biology test and show your hate for both Mrs. Brown and THE MAN for holding you back.

If by now, you don’t see how hate can be fun and somewhat profitable, we can’t help you. I think it’s been spelled out in big bold black letters so you might as well just send all your money to Jackie and hope that you somehow absorb a clue by the time it arrives. One of the finer things you can buy is this fashionable Skull and Crossbones pendant, which will at least make it look like you’re one creature who knows where to direct some darkness and fury, even if you listen to nothing but Swedish Children’s Techno while painting pink smiley faces on unused popsicle sticks.

Be sure to visit Jackie Hates You on Etsy and check out all the classy and demonstrative products that you can use in every functionable aspect of your life. And be sure to check back here next week for another Tuesday uEtsy.

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