Okay, I was Kidding...

That's NOT all. Please enjoy a video no less ridiculous than the 'Prince Charming' one referenced in the last post, but for a far superior tune. Stand, Deliver and have a great Labor Day Weekend!

This Post Will ALSO Self-Destruct...

Basically, I have no time to post up anything worthwhile. Please stare at the above picture of Adam Ant (w/ Diana Dors) and await further instructions.

*Pshhtt* That is all. *Pshhtt*

This Post Will Self-Destruct...

Basically, I have no time to post up anything worthwhile. Please stare at the above picture of Atom Ant and await further instructions.

*Pshhtt* That is all. *Pshhtt*

I *Heart* Oingo Boingo...

Seriously. Summer of 1985, I must listened to 'Dead Man's Party' over and over on my walkman, every night for almost 3 months. I still think they are one of the most underrated bands of all time. Then again, i'm also a bit of a weirdo. Enjoy, my tender lumplings!

Busy Day @ Work = Slow Day @ AMBFAD

Like that math or not, the tech/electronics business is fast paced! Mega-slammed at work and looks like that may be par for the course the rest of the week. I'll try to get some stuff of arguable substance up here when I have some time. Why? Well, because I love you.

For Those of You Who Are Curious...

The twins' check-up on Friday went fine. All their stats are where they should be, but (of course) they've come down w/ nasty-ass colds or some sort of allergy attack since then. Whoopee!

Everybody Walk the Dinosaur

I know. Like I really needed to get into another show outside of my existing 'Must-See TV' diet. As i've documented here, it's kind of funny that the BBC sci-fi show i'm really getting into has nothing to do with the program my blog takes it's title from. I just can't seem to line up my time in front of the telly w/ the new Dr. Who series...but thanks to my cable On-Demand service, i've been able to become a fan of another time-travel related show of their design.

'Primeval' started airing on BBC America on 9-Aug, airing every Saturday night at 9P CST. The show, is based around a team of scientists tasked with investigating the appearance of temporal time anomalies across Great Britain...weird rips in space and time, that are allowing both prehistoric and futuristic creatures to enter the present and really fuck shit up.

It's silly fun really, but the FX actually have ended up looking pretty respectable. Throwing some additional intrigue into the mix, there looks to be some meatier story arcs involving certain folks using said anomalies to their own agenda...the main character's thought to be long-dead wife no less. The actors involved aren't anything revolutionary, but they are likable, do a decent enough job and sure as hell look good doing it.

All in all...if you dig sci-fi TV that you don't have to think too hard about, it's a worthwhile way to spend an hour. I had seen write-ups in some of the UK Sci-Fi rags about it clear back to it's premiere there in 2007, so I was kind of stoked to see it come here. BBC America is airing the six-episode Season 1 in the states now and I hope it does well...Season 2 ended in February abroad and Season 3 kicks off some time in early-2009.

As I said earlier, if you have Comcast, you can dial-up each new episode for free in their On-Demand section the day after it actually aired. Plenty of time to catch up if you are looking for something new...or old, depending on which side of the anomaly you're standing on. Preview below to set things up a little. Cheers!

Does Anybody Remember Saturday Mornings?

I don't think they even have cartoons on Saturday mornings anymore...at least not on the major networks. Seriously, there was nothing better than kicking back in your Blue Falcon/Dynomutt PJ's w/ a bowl of Cookie Crisp and enjoying some animated goodness like Laff-A-Lympics or Super Globetrotters.

Forget global warming and social security...i'm just sad my sons will never know the joys of watching 4-5 straight hours of ridiculously-premised cartoons every Saturday morning. I'm pouring out of a glass of TANG on the pavement for all my dead, animated homies and throwing up a great jam by DJ Z-Trip in the sample area in their honor.

Ahhhh. Fond Memories...

I think I was on the back of the tour bus playing UNO w/ a couple of groupies when they took this. NO SLEEP TIL...BERWYN?

Forget Tequila...Tomorrow It's an Old Style!

Everybody have a great weekend. I'm off to the twins 2 1/2 month checkup this afternoon and then tomorrow it's out to the Friendly Confines for Cubs vs. Nationals! Hooooboy! GO CUBBIES and THANKS BRADLEY!

'1800 Essential Artist' Bonus!

As if the bottles weren't cool enough, the master chef at Gourmet Kickz has created what looks to be some absolutely sick-looking custom Nike Air Force 1s to match each of them! 9 shoes for each of the 9 bottles at launch in this limited series of 36 unique designs.

No official word on where and when they'll be available (or for how much $). Keep checking the G.K. website for more details...I know I will be. Booze, modern art and shoes...they figure a way to throw sex into this campaign and i'll quit my job to go work for them!

WHOA! Check These Out...

I swore off tequila back in College after an incident w/ a screen door, apartment balcony and our TV...but the 1800 Tequila 'Essential Artists' campaign looks cool enough to make me reconsider. They've commissioned 9 artists initially to design collectible limited edition bottles and are allowing others to submit new designs via their website.

Just so happens that a few of my favorites have been tapped as part of the original 9, including:

Jorge Alderete

Glen Barr

Josh Ellington

Chris Dean

Dasa Kim

Like I said, these are LIMITED designs...w/ only 1800 of each bottle being made available at certain high-end liquor stores for around $34. I'm going to do some looking around to see if any show up here. Get drunk on art and go to 1800 Tequila to get a better look at the bottles and the artists who created them!

Speaking of Kate...

I've had this tune stuck in my head for several weeks now. I know it's kind of a 1990 cast-off, but I just love the juxtaposition of Iggy's rawness and Kate's...well, Kate's signature pipes. If anything, I consider it a classic and think it holds up pretty well.

Come to think of it...I may just fire up 'Brick by Brick' to see how the entire album fares today. Smoke 'em if you got 'em!

A Public Service Announcement*

I know she's into chicks nowadays, but i'd go vegetarian for Kate Pierson in her prime.

* For Charles!

More Delicious Coen Goodness...

That's right, achievers...to mark the 10th Anniversary of the cinematic phenomenon that is 'The Big Lebowski', Universal is releasing a special edition of the DVD in both standard and the Über boss bowling ball packaging pictured above on 9-Sep.

Besides all the extras included on past 'Lebowski' DVD releases, the anniversary edition includes pretty much everything except a toe with nail polish. Bonus material includes 'The Dude's Life' featurette, 'The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later', production notes, 'The Making of The Big Lebowski', 'The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story' and the Jeff Bridges Photo Book. That's an even tastier offering than a burger from the In-and-Out over on Raford (or maybe it's Camrose).

I can't express how much I love this movie. While I have never attended the original/annual Lebowski Fest in Louisville, it's on my list of eventual road-trips. I totally missed the one they did in Chicago back in March, but i'll be there should one go down again this year...as long as it doesn't fall on Shabbos...I told those fucks down at the league office a thousand times that I don't roll on Shabbos!

Man, I'm Really Looking Forward to This...

I thought 'No Country for Old Men' was absolutely amazing, but i'm 100X more stoked to see the Coen Brothers dish out another comedy. While they've done brilliant work in more dramatic films like the aforementioned and 'Miller's Crossing', i'd give bigger shout-outs to 'Raising Arizona', 'The Hudsucker Proxy', 'Fargo' and 'The Big Lebowski' in the litany of my favorite flicks of all time.

So, obviously, 'Burn After Reading' looks like it will be right up my alley and pretty damn refreshing after a Summer-long binge on mega-blockbusters. A nice ensemble cast in Clooney, Pitt, Malkovich and McDormand look like they'll be turning in some awesome performances as well. I guess we'll see for sure when the flick opens on 12-Sep. Hope to make it to the theatre for this one...

AMBFAD (Comic) Book Club...Sort Of.

'Wonder Women of America'

I have a thing for cute chicks dressing up in capes, masks, boots, chains, spandex and/or leather. Now, 'i'm not talking chips, dips, chains, whips...candlewax on the nipples, or witchcraft or anything like that, no, no, no. Just a couple of hundred kids running around in their underwear.' You know...like a COMIC BOOK CONVENTION.

I had always seen pictures, but until I actually attended my first 'con' earlier in the Summer...I never really understood just how fanatical some folks can be about their favorite comics and/or movies. As I stated in my recap of my trip to Wizard World, I saw huge armadas of dudes in full Stormtrooper outfits...girls done up as everything from Power Girl to Spiderwoman (unfortunately, no Red Sonjas)...entire families (including infants) dressed up as the Justice League. It was pretty freaking wild, most definitely geekery of the highest degree.

Don't get me wrong, lest you forget i'm a proud geek myself, I fully endorse people letting their Superman 'S' emblazoned freak flags fly...especially the ladies. The new book from Amos Publishing, 'Wonder Women of America' is a celebration of these proud women who bravely subject themselves to leering glances from dudes like me, just to rep their favorite comic/film/video game heroine.

Compiled over 4 days at the 2007 San Diego Comic-Con, 'Wonder Woman of America' contains 185 photos of more than 100 women - from all walks of life, in all ages, shapes and sizes - dressed to the hilt as their favorite fictional babes. The book also contains quotes from many of them, giving some insight into why they dress in costume.

Personally, I feel safer just knowing they're out there...available for purchase at STRANGEco.

Beth, I Hear You Callin'...

...but I can't come home right now. I'm having dinner at my folks and i'll ring you after.

They May Look Insane...INSANELY KICK-ASS!

Oh man, does this commercial take me back. Me and my grade school chums had 'em all. We were full-fledged KISS disciples...'K(IDS) I(N) S(ATAN'S) S(ERVICE)'...well, as much as our regular Sunday School visits would allow us to be.

I've said it before, not only were they our favorite band, but our favorite superheroes. We'd air guitar/lip sync to 'KISS ALIVE' in our basements...act out 'KISS Meets the Phantom' during recess...hell, my buddy Gregg was such a hardcore member of the KISS Army that he broke his arm after falling off of his desk while hanging those boss interlocking posters from the 4 solo albums on his wall. That's effing dedication, baby!

Anyhow, thanks goes out to the almighty Percy Trout for posting this his blog 'o' wonders. I'm dedicating 'Love it Loud' over in my sample area to him. 'GET UP AND GET YOUR GRANDMA OUT OF HERE!'

More Poop Tomorrow...

I'm at home watching the boys, as Mrs. Famous, a teacher, starts a new school year today! Looks like Owen will be ready...how about you?

Okay Logan...I'll take that as a YES.

Shadow Dancing w/ the Girl U Want

Awesome.

'Heroes' AMBFAD (Comic) Book Club Bonus

Since 'Heroes' premiered back in 2006, NBC releases a mini-comic 'chapter' in an on-going 'graphic novel' on their website every Tuesday after a new episode. Each 7-9 page joint offers up additional character background and plot information not shown in the TV episodes. Written/Drawn by legit comic artists, they end up being a pretty awesome comic tie-in and an additional way to really get into the show.

DC Comics subsidiary, Wildstorm, released the first 34 chapters in a Volume 1 Hardback back in November (a TPB released earlier this year) and Volume 2 is set to be released this November. While you can read them all in PDF format HERE thanks to Wikipedia, I still recommend at least copping the TPB if just for the Alex Ross cover, bonus art used in the series by the amazing Tim Sale and an interview w/ his comic book partner in crime (and 'Heroes' Co-Executive Producer) Jeph Loeb.

I enjoyed Volume 1 a lot, but suggest you watch at least Season 1 before making the effort to read it for yourself. Without any exposure to the series, you'll end up more than a bit confused. Just another reason to start watching, kids!

'Heroes' Season 3. Choose A Side...

Holy. Balls. Last night, I was reading through the 'Madman Atomic Comics' TPB, while the wife was watching the Olympics and then...POW. I glanced up during a commercial break to see a :30 promo for the new season of NBC's 'Heroes'. To say i'm utterly geeked would be an understatement.

Why? Well, looks like this chapter of the 'Heroes' saga will feature a major focus on...VILLAINS. As i've stated before, be it a comic book/movie/TV show, a Superhero is only as cool as his Villains inspire him to be. So far, the most consistent foil in the 'Heroes' universe has been Sylar, but it looks like that is about to change.

A 2-Hour season premiere on 22-Sep will feel long overdue after the Writer's Strike cut Season 2 off at the knees, but it sounds like (per an NBC press release) in Episode 2 on 29-Sep things will get really good. Sylar declares war on 'The Company' by attacking their main facility and finds even more than he bargained for on the mysterious 'Level 5'. During a devastating battle with Elle, a dozen savage criminals - all with terrible abilities - escape.

Oh man, that sounds like an excellent set-up for an all out Good vs. Evil-style Battle Royale some point down the line. In the midst of all that, looks like Hiro will get himself a Flash-like nemesis in Daphne and Suresh becomes more than just a scientist studying these 'super' individuals...by becoming one himself. DAMN!

Look, i've said it before, you do not have to be a Sci-Fi/Comic Book geek to enjoy the hell out of this show (but it helps). You have a little over a month to peep Season 1 and 2 on DVD to get yourself up to speed and from the looks of the preview below, you'll be glad you did. 'Choose A Side', true believers...

Have A Great Weekend and Remember...

Because it Never Sleeps?

Decisions, Decisions...

Is the 8-Track compatible w/ my iPod?

That's A Good Question!

Gibby Haynes? Robert Williams? Flea? What's not to dig about this great video...for a great tune...by a great band?!

MUGGED AGAIN!

Looks like Wave 4 of the Marvel line of Hasbro's Mighty Muggs have been announced and, appropriately enough, it looks to be pretty FANTASTIC (get it? Wave FOUR? Fantastic? BWA-HA-HA!)...

Human Torch / Silver Surfer / Galactus

...w/ a nemesis for the Captain America released in Wave 2 to play with in...

THE RED SKULL!

Don't know exact date when they'll be available for order, I thought I read it'll be sometime in September. They aren't up for pre-order on the Hasbro website as of yet...in fact, I think the Red Skull may be an PREVIEWS magazine exclusive. Big Bad Toy Store seems to have them all for pre-order, but at a steeper price than the Hasbro direct store.

Outside of the MARVEL Universe, the wife/kids actually got me the Han Solo, Luke Skywalker ('Empire' version), Chewbacca and a Stormtrooper Muggs for my birthday. Hadn't planned on going full guns on the Star Wars line, but now i'm thinking I need at least Darth Vader and Boba Fett for proper representation. Maybe CP30 as well.

Also On the Asian Tip...

The comment from Chris on that classic TV post a few days ago, made me wax nostalgic for some of the finest Japanese television a kid like me could enjoy after a hard day of readin', writin' and arithmeticin'. Way before the mamby-pamby Power Rangers there was...

ULTRAMAN!

SPACE GIANTS!

JOHNNY SOKKO & HIS FLYING ROBOT

SPECTREMAN!

Lordy! I've Got Olympic Fever!

Well, maybe it's more of a low-grade Olympic Fever. I've actually never been that big on the Summer games, but I do end up watching a lot of the Winter stuff when that comes around. That said, I finally half-assedly rooted on Team USA w/ the wife last night while reading...Marvel's 'Captain America: Red, White & Blue' TPB actually...how fucking American am I?!

More so than w/ any of the actual events themselves, i'm absolutely enamored w/ the architecture of some of the facilities where they are taking place. Both the National Aquatics Center (AKA 'The Cube') and the National Stadium (AKA 'The Bird's Nest') are pretty inspiring in their design. Granted, the architects are Australian and Swiss, respectively...but they seem a perfect fit w/in the whole big, shiny Asian architectural aesthetic.

Just as, if not more, inspiring is the architecture of the Women's Beach Volleyball uniforms. To have to cover that much ground/range of movement, with only two athletes...while wearing what could be the equivalent of a few strategically-placed band-aids/dental floss...it truly gets a rise out of my 'Olympic Spirit'.

The sport has also produced one of the best Olympic photos EVER...

For real. It seems that Misty May-Treanor wanted the Pres to give her the traditional athletic butt pat, commonplace in sports as a way to say 'here's a gold star for doing something swell'...except it's on your ass versus a book report. Anyway, Dubya politely declined and backhanded her lower back. Jeez! Have you seen that butt? Now, i'd hardly take a bullet for the man, but i'd sign up for whatever Secret Service detail would put me in charge of stepping in to handle something like that on his behalf.

In all seriousness, both she and Kerri Walsh kicked some ass in the match I watched last night and seem like sweet, goofy chicks...who just happen to be Volleyball Super-Robots. Throw in Jason Lezak's killer surge in 4 X 100m a few nights back to keep the Phelps' medal-machine the story of the games and you really do have some interesting TV if anything.

A whole lot of drama leading up to these games, but (like my girl Mary J. says) it's nice to see it has risen above that...as it should. The whole concept of such a large-scale global consortium of folks throwing aside their political and personal agendas, even if just for a few weeks, is still pretty amazing to me.

The Olympics aren't (and never should have been) about Beijing...it's about the athletes, doing what they do, to bring us ALL a little more together. I think we can all certainly get behind that...

Speaking of Frank Miller...

I must have missed this when it hit the web, but the new trailer for his solo directorial debut on 'The Spirit' looks sexier than hell...both figuratively AND literally.

That is quite the nice little bevy of babes and, while I oft feel like i've had enough of him to last me 2-3 more lifetimes, Samuel L. Jackson looks like he's going to be a pretty boss nemesis as The Octopus. Worst case, something fun to look forward to in the holiday movie season.

AMBFAD (Comic) Book Club

The past couple of weeks, I spent some quality time w/ two of Frank Miller's classic interpretations of The Batman. Recently, he's more well known for the high-profile film adaptations of his work on 'Sin City' and '300', but his new take on several DC Comic legends back in 1986, along w/ Alan Moore's 'Watchmen', really ended up being game-changers to the entire genre.

'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' proved to be a shift to a new form of more 'adult-oriented' storytelling...peaking interest in the art form w/ a more mainstream audience and die hard comics fans alike. To mixed reaction, Miller not only redefined Batman in comics, but had managed to actually remove the campy Adam West TV image many had of the character and reanimate him into something more in-line w/ his darker origin.

Superhero or Vigilante? The answer probably lies somewhere in between and the root of both books is the struggle between the Yin/Yang of both roles. Not only does the struggle occur internally within Bruce Wayne, but is brilliantly played out externally w/ a Clark Kent/Superman of a much different mindset. Whatever the case, the resulting conflict make for enthralling reading in both books.

'Batman: The Dark Knight Returns' is set 20 years into an much darker, alternate future. In the absence of superheroes, ordinary criminals run amok w/ most super-villains incarcerated or otherwise killed. Batman has been retired for close to 10 years following the death of the second Robin. When a supposedly rehabilitated Harvey Dent returns to crime and a gang called the 'Mutants' begin to terrorize his beloved Gotham City, a much older Wayne dons the Batman costume again. However, even after apprehending not only Two-Face, but stopping a supposedly rehabilitated Joker AND Mutant gang...the increasingly media obsessed society debates publicly whether Batman is a savior or a menace, until a final showdown w/ the other half of 'World's Finest' results in his 'death'.

2002's 'Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again' picks up the story 3 years later, where (SPOILER ALERT) it turns out Bruce Wayne faked his death to operate underground as Batman. He expands his scope beyond Gotham and emerges from hiding to lead a rebellion of former heroes including The Atom, The Flash, Green Arrow and both Plastic/Elongated Man against the corrupt US government/puppet regime headed by Lex Luthor and Braniac. Supes and Wonder Woman both play pivotal roles as well, in a tale rife w/ unspoken political commentary about everything to blind patriotism to questioning those in charge.

I actually stopped and read the 'Dark Knight Returns' TPB back in the early 90's on a visit to the bookstore. I was blown away then and remain equally as impressed on revisiting it today. 'Strikes Again', while a little more rambling in it's story, proved to be equally as cool. The story and amazing art are both dark, jagged and thought-provoking in both cases and whether you are a comic nerd or someone who just appreciates good story-telling...add 'em to your bookshelf. The 'DKR' TPB is still a huge seller for DC and has never gone out of print 20 years after first being published...an amazing feat in the comic biz.

PAUL WESTERBERG

'5:05'

So, as of a week ago, it seems like the incredibly weird return of Paul Westerberg got a little weirder. If you recall my review of '49:00' posted on the same day, I noted that the album disappeared almost as quickly as it was up on Amazon for purchase. Well, it seems that the snippets of a dozen or so cover songs ranging from everybody from the Beatles to Bowie to Alice Cooper to the Partridge Family raised the ire of a lawyer somewhere out there and the album was pulled due to copyright infringement.

Personally, as the Mats/Westy sound has been ripped off by countless bands over the past few decades, I think he should have gotten a free pass on this one. However, that does not seem to be the case and prompted a sonic rebuttal of sorts in the 'missing' 5+ minutes from '49:00'...aptly titled '5:05'.

A whacked-out single that starts out w/ a snippet from a sped-up recording of an old Hitler speech until it breaks into an actual tune w/ the following chorus...

'If they wanna sue me

Can’t see through me

Bring on a lawsuit

I’ll bring the swimsuit

All you girls and guys

Make some noise

And join the 5:05'

...and ends up rounded out by a few Fuck-You's to what I can only assume is the litigious artist/label in question. Really, much like the offending album that started the brouhaha, you just have to hear it to understand.

This go around, you can buy it at TuneCore for either $0.99 or $5.05. I ponied up the fiver to help w/ Paul's legal defense fund and think you should do the same. He's the freaking Godfather for chrissakes!

Holy Crap!

How could I forget the show above in my last post about TV of days-gone-by?! If memory serves, it was on WGN some time around lunch between the network game shows and the good afternoon cartoons.

Granted, worried more about legos than sex/relationships, I hardly understood a lick of it as a little shaver...but i'll be damned if that theme song by the Cowsills isn't catchy as hell, even today. Love, Love, LOVE!

Like a Video Lost Ark of the Covenant...

I recently received a link to a site from a fellow NCHS alumnus who, in College, we affectionately referred to as (nobody fucks with the) Jesus (AKA Chris). Not just any website, but one that put me back in time quicker than you could say: 'Mr. Peabody'!

As you could probably hypothesize, I watched A LOT of TV as a youngster. I was that kid whose Mom had to forcibly eject him from in front of the tube to go outside and play. Growing up in Central Illinois, my lifeline to the big city of Chicago (and the TV of any merit that it harbored) came in the form of the superstation of WGN-9 and the odd inclusion of WFLD-32 in our basic cable package.

Frazier Thomas, Garfield Goose, Bozo's Circus, Ray Rayner, Family Classics, The Sunday Matinee, Son of Svenghoulie, Super Cartoon Sunrise, The Monstrous Movie, The Stooges/Rascals Hour, The Empire Carpet Guy...the list goes on and on. Along w/ the introduction of another superstation in TBS, all were total staples of my youth clear up until High School.

Not only were there the actual shows, but there were the regular weekend screenings of the Charlie Chan, Sherlock Holmes, Abbott & Costello, Ma & Pa Kettle that people still wouldn't care about even if they were PC enough to air. Then, mix classic re-runs from TV's golden age in stuff like Andy Griffith, Family Affair, Green Acres and Please Don't Eat the Daisies with animated fare like Tom & Jerry, The Flintstones, Speed Racer, Bugs Bunny and Woody Woodpecker (giving way to The Transformers, He-Man and GI JOE as I got older).

See why i'm so screwed up?! That's a lot of video baggage to carry around in your head, even to this day. Anyhow, the website in question that brought memories of ALL these glorious moments in TV rushing back into my head: FuzzyMemories.tv. I watched a lot of the clips from their archive on their YouTube channel, but had never actually visited the site until this morning.

If you grew up in or even around Chicago...HIGHLY recommend checking it out. Seriously, more fun than hitting the final bucket in the GRAND...PRIZE...GAME! Thanks again, Jesus.

'Casino Royale' Bonus Party Cut!

Italian movie posters for some of the 'Casino Royale' hotties including Ursula Andress, Jacqueline Bisset, Joanna Pettet and Barbara Bouchet!