Monday, June 22, 2015

Casey's Musical Dustbin Radio Show: Tribute To The Monkees


Listen to the show HERE

Tribute To The Monkees Playlist

"Monkees Theme"   The Monkees
"Tomorrow's Gonna Be Another Day"  Monkees
"Last Train To Clarksville"   Jerry Reed
"Can You Dig It"   Monkees
    

   "Steppin' Stone"   Paul Revere & The Raiders
  "Mary, Mary"    The Monkees
  "Pleasant Valley Sunday"   Carole King
  "Cuddly Toy"   The Monkees

  "For Pete's Sake"  The Monkees

  Casey's Musical Dustbin Website

 

Thursday, June 4, 2015

Casey's Really Scratchy Record Collection Presents: "The Ventures Play The Batman Theme" (1966)


The Ventures were not only the greatest rock n roll instrumental group of all time, they were also the most prolific. In 1966 alone, they released four albums including, "The Ventures Play The Batman Theme", one of their best.

If you believe the liner notes on the back of the album (and you should believe them, The Ventures would never lie), the idea for the record's concept came from a fan who wrote a letter suggesting that the band record an album of  "tv action themes." (They even print the fans letter on the back cover.)

"Batman Theme", "Green Hornet", "The Man From U.N.C.L.E", "Get Smart" and "Secret Agent Man" are all here and given fabulous Ventures treatment. Extra credit should be given to producer Joe Saraceno for tastefully adding keyboards, percussion and backing vocals. Usually available on Amazon or e bay for a couple bucks. Well worth picking up.

Take a listen for yourself

Coolest Book In The World #186: "Three Men Seeking Monsters" by Nick Redfern

Like most kids growing up in the seventies, I thought at some point in my adulthood I would load up in a cool looking van and go hunting for ghosts,. Alas, as I approach the perilous age of fifty I have, in fact, never had the opportunity to do so, but Nick Redfern has.

"Three Men Seeking Monsters" is Redfern's account of roadtripping around England in search of monsters, ghosts and other weird creatures. Accompanied by two equally eccentric friends (or "mates", as they call them in Britan) they spend probably as much time drinking in pubs as they do haunted houses. Think Hunter S. Thompson meets Scooby Doo.

Redfern is a self described ufologist and cryptozooologist and has written a slew of books on flying saucers, monkey-men and NASA conspiracies. But you don't have to be a true believer to enjoy the book because it is more "On The Road" than "Mothman Prophesies" and Redfern actually has a sense of humor and doesn't take the subject matter too seriously. Plus they drive a cool van (well, it's actually a camper, but still...)

As far as ghosts, aliens and monsters go, I would describe myself as a cheerful agnostic. I doubt that any of these things actually exist but I think it would be pretty cool if they did. And if anyone has a cool van and wants to go hunting for ghosts, count me in. As long as we can stop at a couple of pubs along the way.

Nick Redfern's Website

Scooby Doo's Website

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Coolest Album In The World #262: "Ghost Stories For Young People" Alfred Hitchcock


Great spoken word album hosted by Alfred Hitchcock himself.  As a kid, we would sit in the dark listening to this on hot air conditionless summer nights with the sound of the crickets drifting in from the open windows.



                                                                                 


The album contains stories about  haunted houses, evil magicians, ghostly hitchhikers and even one about giant malicious squirrels.

The album was released in 1962 but still holds up well today. Just remember to turn out the lights and lock the door.