Category: Music

A Girl Group of One

An hour of Sexy Pet, as she was called in France. It’s on Glynis GirlGroupGirl’s show ‘From Crayons to Perfume’ on WFMU.

Note to listener: This player may start automatically, depending on your browser. Especially if it’s Firefox.

Note to Glynis: It’s pronounced “Peh-too-lah.” Petulia is a 1968 movie with Julie Christie. Petula appreciates that “Pet” is a term of endearment, but she prefers being called by her full name. I know that because she told me herself. 🙂

Glynis played a later recording of “I Couldn’t Live Without Your Love”. This is the original, one of her perfect 60’s Pop singles.

Practical Matters

After computer graphics took over special effects in movies, the old way came to be called practical effects. Asteroid City has a cornucopia of wonderfully conceived and beautifully detailed models and miniatures.

“Freight Train” in the movie is a Skiffle record from 1957. It was released in England a few months before Paul McCartney joined John Lennon’s Skiffle group, the Quarrymen.

https://youtu.be/FRBRyl9XgrA

Debasement

A couple of years ago I started getting water in the basement during heavy rain. The problem has been getting worse, and during yesterday’s storm I rigged up something temporarily that seemed to help.

The house was built fifty years ago, and as best as I can determine there was supposed to be a basement walk-out entrance, but it was never completed. So that will be my next construction project, assuming I can find the right contractor. Someone who can also successfully tackle the water drainage problem.

The DJ Who Played VJ

Dick Biondi’s family has announced that he died last week, on June 26, at age 90. On February 23, 1963, Biondi was the first American DJ to play a Beatles record, a full year before they came here. Biondi was on WLS in Chicago, home of VJ, the only record label that wanted the Beatles.

https://www.beatle.net/biondi-announcing-please-please-me/

Biondi’s passing will make Sunday’s showing of a new documentary about his life bittersweet.

https://www.dickbiondifilm.com/