Donny & Marie New Year’s Eve TV Special

 Wow, some things from the past are just too weird to believe. Growing up, my oldest sister was a huge Donny Osmond fan. Our suburban household rang with a constant barrage of Osmond classics  like “One Bad Apple” & “Go Away Little Girl”.

My sister outgrew her Donny obsession about the time he started teaming up with his sister Marie. There popularity was at their peak when they made this 1976 New Year’s Eve Special. 

It’s amazing what passed for entertainment back in the seventies. This was the heyday of the variety show and the Osmonds pulled out all of the stops.

Highlights (lowlights?) include:

1. Terribly stupid jokes courtesy of Rip Taylor.

2. Fake out of control laughter by Marie upon hearing Rip Taylor’s terribly stupid jokes.

3. Donny’s over the top synthesizer solo dressed in purple sequined tuxedo & top hat.

4. The Osmond Brothers Band’s weird prog rock/ soul jam dressed in three musketeersesque pastel colored space suits.

5. A music of the 1920s song and dance medley.

6. Insane over the top audience response to all of the above.

These things could only of happened in the 1970s. It is worth checking out. If nothing else. it proves that we have evolved, at least a little, in the past fifty odd years.

Happy New Year.

-Casey Redmond

Deceased Village Antiques (McCutcheonville, Ohio)

 Driving on Ohio State Route 53 yesterday, I passed through the town of McCutchenville (population 371) where I saw this very cool holiday display courtesy of Deceased Village Antiques. (That's really their name.) An antique store with a sense of humor?  Possibly the only one in exsitence.

Casey's Really Scratchy Record Party: American Pie

 Today I am featuring my really scratchy vinyl  copy of Don McLean's album, "American Pie" Nice folk-rock sounds from 1972.  In addition to the title track, the album contains his other big hit, "Vincent". A lot of the songs on the record feature just Don's voice and guitar. He also plays banjo on one cut. Many of these tunes sound like they were influenced by Paul Simon.  The background singers on the album were dubbed, The 44th Street Rhythm & Noise Choir and supposedly featured Pete Seeger, Carly Simon and James and Livingston Taylor.  That is some choir.  Take a listen on The Mighty 88!  88.1 FM WDUS.

Music For A Lazy October Afternoon

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"Under cover of October skies".

Yesterday was an unseasonably warm day for October.  Deciding to spend some time outdoors, I stepped from my house and surveyed the activities that were taking place in my general vicinity.  My neighbors were indulging in various labors thar all seemed to end with the letters I-N-G, in other words; mowing, raking and, uhh....working.  I am by nature a rather lazy person and since there was a good chance that this could be the last warm and dry day of 2023, I opted for "hammocking" and that, to paraphrase Robert Frost, made all of the difference. 

If you are looking to indulge in some laziness today (or any day, for that matter) here is some music to help you enjoy your sloth.

NRBQ (The New Rhythm & Blues Quintet) has been around, in one form or another, since 1965. I have also been around since 1965 and though NRBQ has all the qualities I usually like in a band (catchy retro pop, stupid lyrics, weird tunes) I've never become much of a fan. However, their latest album, "Dragnet" ,is a pretty fun listen. Highlights include, "Where's My Pebble"(I have no idea what this tune is about but it rocks), "You Can't Change People", "Miss Goody Two Shoes", "The Memo Song" and the title cut. If you are looking for weirdness then "Five More Miles" and "L-O-N-E Lone-ly" should suffice.(The last two are like demented Tom Waits music.) Some of the tunes just sort of uhh….end. It's like they ran out of ideas (or time) and just decided to be done.  Regardless of how strange or weird, "Dragnet" has a laid back vibe that gives you the feeling that NRBQ isn't taking things too seriously or trying too hard which makes it perfect music for a lazy October afternoon.

This is a great early seventies singer/songwriter album and I am a sucker for seventies singer/songwriter music. Coming out in 1974, this was the begining of the end of Joel's mellow troubador period. In 1977 he would become the king of a arena rock with the release of The Stranger. Yes, Billy would go on and become a rock n roll star but in '74 he was still mining the same territory as his buddy Elton John (who would also go on to become a pretty big rock star). No real hits from this album ("The Entertainer hit #34 on the Billboard charts) but you have great tunes like "Los Angelenos", "The Great Suburban Showdown", "Roberta" and the title cut. With great lyrics, melodies and stellar keyboard work ("Root Beer Rag", "Los Angelenos") Streetlife Serenade is one of Joel's best. That being said, nobody seems to like this record very much. Even Joel himself . But it's a good album to hang out in the backyard to. 

Okay, I admit it. Peter, Paul & Mary can be hard to take. All of that earnestness makes me nervous. Plus, I am embarrassed that I like them. While wallowing in my hammock, I nervously scanned my backyard a few times to make sure none of my neighbors were within earshot of all that sincerity. It's not good for one's self esteem to like Peter, Paul & Mary, but we all have our crosses to bare. "Blowing In The Wind", "Early Morning Rain", "Jet Plane", and "Puff The Magic Dragon", what's not to like?. One of my all time favorites is the clueless, "I Dig Rock N Roll Music" which cemented their reputations as hopelessly square doofuses for eternity. (In their defense, they disliked the song so much that they allegedly never played it live.). Taking all of their dopiness into account,  what is more relaxing then mellow acoustic tunes about aeroplanes, dragons and peace? 

Scary Stuff In My Neighborhood

Tis the season to be wary! There has been some high strangeness in my area the last few weeks. Luckily, I managed to capture some of it on camera. . Enjoy and Happy Halloween

 

Cave Man Rock Podcast

 

Dig our new Caveman Rock podcast. As heard on Radio Free Logan, 88.1 FM WDUS. Rockabilly, Garage Rock, Instrumental tunes about cave people, dinosaurs etc…Listen HERE. BYOB & Crank it up!

Radio Free Logan: Jonathan Richman Tribute

 Here is our Johnathan Richman Tribute heard exclusively on Radio Free Logan, 88.1 FM WDUS. Live clips, interview segments etc... If you missed it live, you can stream it HERE. Have a nice day.

Five Weird Tunes To Make You Happy

Here are five songs I have been listening to a lot lately. Hope you enjoy.,,

The Night Beats: "Night Beat"  CLW Records (Edgewater, Colorado)

The Night Beats

One of my favorite early sixties primitive surf instro tunes.  Released as a single on CLW Records out of Edgwater, Colorado. The B-side is a cover of George Gershwin's "Summertime". Not sure if it was a vocal cut or another instrumental.Unfortunaely, I can't find a recording. Were The Night Beats a family band? There seems to be a big age dispairity and the two guys on the end resemble one another but, who knows? For more information on CLW Records, go HERE . Enjoy the tune below.

Eric & The Norsemen   "Norsemen's Theme"  

Eric & The Norsemen

Sixties midwestern rock n roll band out of the University Of Kansas. Really not all that obscure, they have lots of information online including a Facebook page. They toured around the region in the mid-sixties doing mainly cover tunes with some originals. This (self-released?) single is my favorite. A little bit of Peter Gunn vibe going on. For more information on the band go, HERE. "From the windblown hills of the icy Northland, I give you the Norsemen!"....

Errrol Parker  "Jerkology"  (1967) Decca Records

Fun record from obscure South African jazz musician, Errol Parker. A.hard bop tune in the Ramsey Lewis/Vince Guaraldi style of the time but Mr. Parker plays in a more rocking boogie woogie style. You feel like things could go off the rails at any minute. . His music became much more avant garde, as time went on, and he eventually switched instruments from piano to drums. His stuff is worth seeking out. Turn this one up, it will make you glad to be alive,

Marty Manning & The Cheetahs   "Tarzan Theme"  (1966) Columbia Records

Marty Manning was a Grammy award winning producer, composer and arranger who worked with many of Columbia Records biggest acts. He also put out of very weird experimental album called, 

"The Twilight Zone": A Sound Adventure In Space". This must have been his stab at at a hit record. I'm guessing The Cheetahs were just a bunch of studio hacks and after the single bombed, Marty probably went back to arranging horn charts for Perry Como. But, he left us a this fun rollicking one minute and forty one second chunk of fun and I, for one, am ever greatful.

Frank Zappa  "W.P.L.J"  (1970)  Bizarre/Reprise

Say what you want about Uncle Frank (and you can say a lot of things about Uncle Frank) but he sure loved old rhythm and blues and doo-wop . He paid homage whenever he could and he did it no better than on this cover of the Four Deuces 1956 record "W.O.L.D". The fact that he put it on an album (Burnt Weeny Sandwhich) that was, for the most part, composed of his left of center classical music pieces makes it, somehow, even more fun.  A great tune to cruise around in your car to. Incidentily, the initials stand for "White Port And Lemon Juice" which was a big drink among the younger crowd back in the fifities. Give it a try. Just not in the car.

Have a nice day!

Casey Redmond

March 24, 2023

Casey's Website

Radio Free Logan Returns Today!

Radio Free Logan (The Mighty 88!) has returned to the airwives just in time for the weekend. Blasting on 1/100th of a watt (or you can stream it HERE) we are bringing you a great day of music and information.

We kick thing off with "Casey's Really Scratchy Record Party" and our tribute to his legendary album,

"Hard, Hard, Travelin' Man". A truckers concept album from 1970. Wayout Bakersfield truck driver honky-tonk music. We are playing "The Whole Pie" today, back to front.

Then we will feature an interview with the late Dr. John (Mac Rebennack) from the late nineties (1997?) he did with Dan Akyroyd, (Elwood Blues) on the old House Of Blues Radio Hour. Great stories.

Then it's tales of terror on the Ohio Mystery Podcast as they go to Middletown, Ohio to tackle a mystety from 1892.

Tune in at 88.1 FM WDUS or you can stream it HERE

As always, BYOB & Crank it up!

Casey's Website

Casey's Record Review; "Diamond Girl", Seals & Crofts (1973)

Seals & Crofts has always gotten a bad rap. Sure they were, briefly, the kings of seventies soft rock with a string of AM radio hits that even your mom thought was cool. But they were were great songwriters, superb musicians and put out some eclectic weird interestingly produced albums.

1973's Diamond Girl album is a perfect example.

My brother owned this 8-Track when I was a kid and, like all 8-tracks, it played on an endless loop. Sure it had a couple big hits, the title track and "We May Never Pass This Way, Again" but also weird mystical hippie cuts ("Intone My Servant" and "Nine Houses"), folkie love tunes, ("Jessica", "Rubie Jean & Billie Lee") and even a Marty Robbinseque cowboy tune ("Dust On My Saddle").

Both musicians really shine instrumentally. Dash Crofts was a gifted mandolinist and he gets a lot of room to stretch out. The real reveal, however, is Jim Seals sax work. I was aware that back in the sixties he played tenor with The Champs but I never knew how good he was. The final cur on the album is an instrumental jazz-rock (ie."Fusion") cut called, "Wisdom" and Seals really cooks. It's worth checking out.

Casey Redmond

02-11-2023

Logan, Ohio

Casey's Website

"The Cleveland Horror Host Song" Casey Redmond

 

Here is my newest single, "The Cleveland Horror Host Song". It's my stupid (but in a good way) tribute to Clevleand's famous horror television hosts, Ghoulardi, Hoolihan & Big Chuck, The Ghoul, Superhost and Big Chuck and Little John. You can check out the video on YouTube for free or you can stream it on your favorite streaming platform. (If you stream it, I will recieve 1/78th of  nickel, so I've got that going for me.) Take a listen and remember, Stay sick!

Written by Casey Redmond

Casey Redmond; Vocals, Guitar, Keyboard, Harmonica, Drums.

Recorded at Casey's Musical Dustbin

Shangri-La, Ohio

Casey's Website

Casey's Movie Review; "The Dundee Project" (2017)

In 2017, Mark Borchadt, of American Movie fame***, released a forty minute documentary called, The Dundee Project. For many years, Borchadt had been attending and filming a UFO convention in the small town of Dundee, Wisconsin.  To call it a "convention" is an overstatement. It's basicslly a bunch of drunken UFO believers drinking beer in a parking lot waiting for aliens to fly by. To call The Dundee Project a "documentary" is an also overstatement. It's more like a home movie but that's what makes it fun.

Nothing much happens, to be honest, but it's a quirky character study of a moment captured in time. The hero of the film is a local crank named  UFO Bob. The elderly goodnatured UFO believer spends most of the movie pontificating on various pseudo scientific theories, laughing and downing bottles of Samuel Adams beer. 

The Dundee Project is not a great movie, to be honest, I'm not even sure you can call it a movie. But if you have thirty minutes or so to spare, take some time to hangout and drink some beer with the denziens of Dundee, Wisconsin. They're worth it.  Checkout the trailer below.

***On a sad note, I recently read that Mike Schank of American Movie passed away late last year. Checkout the obituarry in Rolling Stone Magazine HERE

Casey's Website

Radio Free Logan; Junk Radio 88

 All new radio show broadcast live on "The Mighty 88" back in November. Live with no editing or overdubs. Scratchy records, mistakes, lo-fi primitive. A moment in time. Rock N Roll, Jazz. R&B, weirdness and more. Take a listen at Radio Free Logan It's good for what ails ya.