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Showing posts with label best wishes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label best wishes. Show all posts
Follow HER Rainbow!
Cead Mile Failte, my Children. Well as the resident Irish American, allow me to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day. It bears note, though, that up until recently, all pubs in Ireland were CLOSED on this day because its a Holy Day of Obligation. Isn't that chock full of irony, considering its the biggest drinking holiday after New Years...but not so for the Irish for most of their history. My grandparents went to church to celebrate the holiday. So remember, it wasn't always just an excuse to get hammered...I typed as I take a sip from my oversize can of Guinness.
Slainte! Have a Guinness!
Oi!
I's got music for da peoples today!
That right there, is the logo of Shonen Knife (少年ナイフ or Shonen Naifu in Japanese--literally "Boy Knife") .
If you've never heard of them, there's really only one way I can think to describe them: Remember the origin story for The Power Puff Girls? Sure ya do! Well, imagine if after adding Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice, instead of Chemical X, Professor Utonium tossed in a copy of the 1978 Ramones LP Road To Ruin.
Instead of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup--you'd get Naoko, Atsuko, and Michie. (and later Etsuko, Ritsuko, and Emi)
Not a J-Pop band (nothing against J-Pop), SK (occasionally known as the Osaka Ramones) put a distinctively Japanese spin on American Old-School East-Coast Punk...The driving guitars and infectious, bare-bones rhythms are there--but the lyrics are about food, cats, bicycles, fish, candy, and rocketships...To describe the band in their own unique terms, they are--and I quote: "oo-oo-ultra-eccentric-super-cult-punk-pop-band-shonen-knife!"
Imagine if someone put Hello Kitty and Iggy Pop in the Brundlefly machine....
That's the original line-up: Michie Nakatani (Bass, left), Naoko Yamano (Guitar and vocals, center), and her sister: Atsuko Yamano (Drums, right). The photo is circa 1994. Here they are in 2009:
The line-up changed over the years (They formed in 1981, but were all but unknown stateside until '85--and didn't get a deal with a major label until 1992) Michie left the band in '99, Atsuko moved to bass, and Etsuko "Ettchan" Nakanishi became the new drummer (left, short hair) when temporary drummer, Mana Nishiura (not pictured), left the band in '04 (Tragically, Mana died a year later in an automobile accident while touring with Japanese Metal band DMBQ). In 2006, Atsuko quit the band after marrying and moving to L.A. (though she still plays whenever SK is in town) Touring bassist Ritsuko Taneda was then promoted to full member (Right, long hair). Naoko Yamano (center, duh) is the only founding member to have stayed with the band for its full 30 year lifespan (and one can't deny: she's remarkably well-preserved for a woman who'll be 51 this year!)
This lineup was maintained until last year, when Etsuko left (what is it about drummers?) and was replaced by Emi Morimoto (left, ponytail):
(EDITOR'S NOTE: It was 4 in the freakin' morning when I posted this originally--so it was a bit sparse. Thought I'd go back and juice it up a bit...Sorry for any inconvenience!)
Anyway, they're wonderful, magnificent, and adorable...Here in the States they've never had the success they deserved, and are best known as Kurt Cobain's favorite band:
Cobain sought them out after falling in love with their 1983 cassette, Burning Farm, which he first heard about when it was picked up by the indie label K records. (Later, Shonen Knife would also be distributed by the legendary grunge label SubPop) Amusingly, SK not only had no clue who Nirvana was, but also were a little afraid of Cobain and his cohorts. Later, Naoko would describe him as "very nice, but quiet".
SK became one of those bands that audiences didn't know (American audiences, at least), but other musicians loved...In 1989, a compilation album of SK covers by many of the biggest alternative acts of the late 80s and early 90s called Every Band Has A Shonen Knife That Loves Them was released. 20 bands contributed songs.
Bah! Time for me to stop wasting your time with mere words... hit the jump!
A serious note before you do: Our thoughts are with the people of Japan as they struggle to recover from the recent 8.9 magnitude Earthquake and the following Tsunami. Anyone wishing to assist can do so at http://www.redcross.org/
This is Tomato Head off of 1994's Rock Animals, probably the best known SK video in the States due to its appearance on Beavis and Butt-Head...FYI, this is about as "Dark" as Shonen Knife gets.
Here's a fan-made video for I Am A Cat from 1991's Let's Knife, SK's major-label debut. It's also my favorite SK tune, and may be the cutest thing ever to rise from the hand of man (3 words: SAMURAI. PIZZA. CATS!!!)
I'll have more videos for you folks soon, but I'll end tonight on a strong note with this vid for the title-track to 2009's Super Group. I Am A Cat may be my favorite song, but this is my favorite SK video by far! And try to wrap your head around this: The lead singer, Naoko Yamano, was 49 when she made this video...That's a 49 year old woman!
You always hear about how the Japanese are so much healthier than Westerners...How much more proof do you need?XD
More Knifey Goodness to come! I leave you with some lovely pictures of Ettchan:
Scoot-san
I's got music for da peoples today!
That right there, is the logo of Shonen Knife (少年ナイフ or Shonen Naifu in Japanese--literally "Boy Knife") .
If you've never heard of them, there's really only one way I can think to describe them: Remember the origin story for The Power Puff Girls? Sure ya do! Well, imagine if after adding Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice, instead of Chemical X, Professor Utonium tossed in a copy of the 1978 Ramones LP Road To Ruin.
Instead of Blossom, Bubbles, and Buttercup--you'd get Naoko, Atsuko, and Michie. (and later Etsuko, Ritsuko, and Emi)
Not a J-Pop band (nothing against J-Pop), SK (occasionally known as the Osaka Ramones) put a distinctively Japanese spin on American Old-School East-Coast Punk...The driving guitars and infectious, bare-bones rhythms are there--but the lyrics are about food, cats, bicycles, fish, candy, and rocketships...To describe the band in their own unique terms, they are--and I quote: "oo-oo-ultra-eccentric-super-cult-punk-pop-band-shonen-knife!"
Imagine if someone put Hello Kitty and Iggy Pop in the Brundlefly machine....
That's the original line-up: Michie Nakatani (Bass, left), Naoko Yamano (Guitar and vocals, center), and her sister: Atsuko Yamano (Drums, right). The photo is circa 1994. Here they are in 2009:
The line-up changed over the years (They formed in 1981, but were all but unknown stateside until '85--and didn't get a deal with a major label until 1992) Michie left the band in '99, Atsuko moved to bass, and Etsuko "Ettchan" Nakanishi became the new drummer (left, short hair) when temporary drummer, Mana Nishiura (not pictured), left the band in '04 (Tragically, Mana died a year later in an automobile accident while touring with Japanese Metal band DMBQ). In 2006, Atsuko quit the band after marrying and moving to L.A. (though she still plays whenever SK is in town) Touring bassist Ritsuko Taneda was then promoted to full member (Right, long hair). Naoko Yamano (center, duh) is the only founding member to have stayed with the band for its full 30 year lifespan (and one can't deny: she's remarkably well-preserved for a woman who'll be 51 this year!)
This lineup was maintained until last year, when Etsuko left (what is it about drummers?) and was replaced by Emi Morimoto (left, ponytail):
(EDITOR'S NOTE: It was 4 in the freakin' morning when I posted this originally--so it was a bit sparse. Thought I'd go back and juice it up a bit...Sorry for any inconvenience!)
Anyway, they're wonderful, magnificent, and adorable...Here in the States they've never had the success they deserved, and are best known as Kurt Cobain's favorite band:
Cobain sought them out after falling in love with their 1983 cassette, Burning Farm, which he first heard about when it was picked up by the indie label K records. (Later, Shonen Knife would also be distributed by the legendary grunge label SubPop) Amusingly, SK not only had no clue who Nirvana was, but also were a little afraid of Cobain and his cohorts. Later, Naoko would describe him as "very nice, but quiet".
SK became one of those bands that audiences didn't know (American audiences, at least), but other musicians loved...In 1989, a compilation album of SK covers by many of the biggest alternative acts of the late 80s and early 90s called Every Band Has A Shonen Knife That Loves Them was released. 20 bands contributed songs.
Bah! Time for me to stop wasting your time with mere words... hit the jump!
A serious note before you do: Our thoughts are with the people of Japan as they struggle to recover from the recent 8.9 magnitude Earthquake and the following Tsunami. Anyone wishing to assist can do so at http://www.redcross.org/
This is Tomato Head off of 1994's Rock Animals, probably the best known SK video in the States due to its appearance on Beavis and Butt-Head...FYI, this is about as "Dark" as Shonen Knife gets.
Here's a fan-made video for I Am A Cat from 1991's Let's Knife, SK's major-label debut. It's also my favorite SK tune, and may be the cutest thing ever to rise from the hand of man (3 words: SAMURAI. PIZZA. CATS!!!)
I'll have more videos for you folks soon, but I'll end tonight on a strong note with this vid for the title-track to 2009's Super Group. I Am A Cat may be my favorite song, but this is my favorite SK video by far! And try to wrap your head around this: The lead singer, Naoko Yamano, was 49 when she made this video...That's a 49 year old woman!
You always hear about how the Japanese are so much healthier than Westerners...How much more proof do you need?XD
More Knifey Goodness to come! I leave you with some lovely pictures of Ettchan:
Scoot-san
Bon Anniversaire James!
Fuck Aging Gracefully!
Nothing says happy birthday like Christina's boobs!
Always look your best for a birthday!
Give Cote a minute. She's looking for a good present!
Have a nummy treat for your Birthday!
And finally, Happy Birthday, Satan-style!
Enjoy the rest of your Day, James!
Hello Peoples!
Yeah, I've missed you all too! <3
Unfortnately, this will be the last you hear from me until at least Thursday: See my roommie's bro (you may remember him as the guy who locked me out of the desktop computer where I used to work) had a brain fart and forgot to pay the Comcast bill...for several months, apparently...until the balance got to the point where they refuse to restore service until they've been paid in full. So I've gotta wait until the yutz gets paid. :(
Right now I'm at Starbuck's, and I'll continue coming here until they kick me out or I run out of money--but unfortunately my limited access means excluding my online activities to the essentials...specifically communicating with my girlfriend. <333 ^_^
But I couldn't leave you folks high and dry! So have a lovely next few days, I'll be back soon, and please enjoy my favorite shots from the recent--and very unfairly maligned Devil's Playground Anime Burlesque! 8D
These pics could be considered NSFW, so I put them after a jump...Click at your own risk! \(^_^)/
Enjoy!
Scoot The Eternal
Here's a revoltingly cute idea: Do you have a kiss you'd like to plant on some individual whose lips are not readily available?
Then make use of the TTOS Digital Mistletoe!
Just name the recipient "Under The Mistletoe" so to speak in the Comments below. Anyone you like...you don't even have to know them personally--Hell, they could be fictional characters, I'm cool with that! XD
Make it a peck on the cheek...a full-on smooch...why, slip 'em a yard of tongue if you so desire!
(Digital Tic-Tacs will be discreetly provided :3)
And don't worry if you miss Christmas Day itself--feel free to use the Digital Mistletoe as long as it remains up!
Pucker Up, Peoples!
Ebenezer Scoot
Hey there folks
Around this time, I spend time youtubing old Christmas specials that my mom taped off the tv for me. Many times I have recounted these stories to my friends, who look at me cockeyed when I tell them my favourite Santa movie is the one where 'he is raised in a forest by wood nymphs'.
A lot of holiday specials I really enjoy were Rankin-Bass. Rankin-Bass really had it going on in my childhood. Not only did they produce The Last Unicorn, The Flight of Dragons (a often passed over fantasy flick I plan on writing about in the new year), The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings cartoon, they were heavily involved in the holidays. Not just Christmas mind you, as they also produced one of my favourite Easter cartoons too about a stuffed bunny that became the Easter Rabbit (of course, tying in with their Christmas theme, the stuffed bunny was given as a Christmas present from Santa).
Ranking-Bass made the most well known of the holiday specials. I am sure you have all seen:
Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer
Santa Claus is Coming to Town
Frost the Snowman
But do you remember these?
Puppet based
The Year Without Santa Claus
One year, Santa is sick with a cold and decides to cancel Christmas because he believes that the children don't care anymore. Mrs. Claus sends two elves, Jingle and Jangle, to a southern US town where it never snows to find out why people have stopped caring about Christmas. This movie is famous for its Miser Brothers, two sons of Mother Nature. Most people were reacquainted with this movie when Mister Freeze forces his henchmen to sing the Snow Miser's song in Batman & Robin. Not exactly one of my favourite specials but it is alright.
Rudolph's Shiny New Year
After Christmas, Father Time sends for Rudolph's help to find the missing new year baby who ahs run off because everyone laughs at his unusually large ears. With a clock soldier and a camel with a clock in its hump named Quarter After Five, Rudolph travels to many different islands looking for Happy, the baby new year (oh the puns kill me). Each island belongs to a Year after he retires. My personal favourite is the island belonging to OM (short for One Million BC) who yes, lives on an island of dinosaurs and sings a delightfully happy song about "raining sunshine" which my mom always started sisnging whenever it started raining with the sun out. The movie is a little dopey but it was one of my favourites. Rudolph was always a personal hero of mine. My mom's theme for Christmas decorations for me was reindeer, specifically Rudolph. When I was in daycare (which was at a nursing home), we had to sing a little Christmas concert for the old folks. I think I was about 4 at the time, and I had terrible stage freight. When we started singing Rudolph, I burst into tears and all the daycare supervisors started pointing at me, indicating that I was "Rudolph". My mom used that reasoning to associate me with the character I guess haha. My brother loved snowmen, so he got a lot of Frosty stuff. Anyways - as I was saying, Shiny New Year was one of my favourites because it's slightly weird and not many people remember it.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus
A hands down favourite Santa movie of mine. It starts out with the council of Immortals, who must decide that night whether they will grant Santa Claus the mantle of Immortality. This was a big deal for them, as no mortal had ever been given immortality. The Great Ak, the master woodsman who had a hand in the raising of Santa Claus, tells of his life among the forests, raised by a woodland nymph and a lioness. The baby, Claus, is sent out to live with mortals once he becomes a young man. He is joined by a friend, a sound imp who teaches him all languages of man and beast. He becomes well known for making toys and acts of kindness. Ther eis a lot more to this movie and I do not want to give it away at all! Let's just say it was described as a very dark Christmas movie. The best part is it's a novel of the same name by L Frank Baum - the man who wrote the Oz series. This movie is hard to find because it is not on DVD. Apparently it is now, but I question the quality haha. They tried to do a cartoon remake of the story, without the songs and it was terrible.. terrible!!
The Leprechaun's Christmas Gold
I gotta say, this one is pretty bad. It's like they were trying to make a St Patrick's Day Special but decided that they had to throw Christmas in there somewhere. There is nothing Christmasy about this at all. A Banshee needs to have gold given to her before Christmas or she turns into tears. That's all there is about Christmas in this one. View at your own risk.
Nestor The Long Eared Christmas Donkey
A donkey with unusually long ears is made fun of (running theme for these movies) but finds his purpose as the donkey that carries Mary to Bethlehem. This movie used to make me cry, but it really is a tamer version of Disney's Small One (youtube that one if you want to have a misty-eyed night).
Oh hell, Here's Small One too
Frosty and Rudolph's Christmas in July
I haven't seen this one for awhile, but Frosty and Rudolph help a cowgirl (yeah...) have a Christmas circus/rodeo thing in July. You need to have seen Frosty's Winter Wonderland for the story of his wife in this clip.
Little Drummer Boy
A Drumemr Boy and his band of animals in another sad movie. Drummer Boy goes to the Wise Kings to heal his dying sheep. I haven't seen this one for awhile either.
Cartoons
I guess at one point they got tired of using puppets and claymation and did the animation thing. Which was fine by me!
Frosty's Winter Wonderland
The following winter, the kids miss Frosty. As soon as it is winter time again, he comes back and enjoys playing with them. But at night when the kids go home, Frosty is left alone in the snow. The kids decide to make him a wife. Jack Frost, jealous of Frosty's popualrity, tries to thrwart all their plans. Short and goofy, but Paul Frees is the king of voices as usual. Apparently this one still gets shown on ABC during the 25 days of Christmas.
The Stingiest Man in Town
My absolute favourite version of A Christmas Carol (Muppet's Christmas Carol is a close second. A remake of a live action musical done on the Alcoa Hour. This one has so many great voice actors in it (Tom Bosely, Walker Matthau) and I find the songs really catchy. It's hard to find because I guess a lot of stations don't have the rights to it. The whole thing is uploaded on Youtube and you CAN get it on DVD - it's on a Christmas Classics collection. They won't let me embed this one, so here's the link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykm-nZ6bIoI
Bonus!!
I don't know where this one came from, and it is strange ... I do remember the intro vividly. I don't remember what else happens in this Christmas Special because I can't get myself to part 3.
Candy Claus
HO FREAKIN' HO!
Hmm...looks like I CAN still do jump breaks--I just have to post with my crappy old Yahoo account that cuts me off from my dear ones on Google chat when I use it. Merry Christmas and Suck my Balls, Blogger!
So here's the dealio: I don't have jack shit to do for the Holidays--so I'm taking advantage of my solitary misery for the benefit of you lucky peoples, who, gods willing, will be spending this Yuletide with your RL friends and loved ones.
Over the next three days I'll be posting various holiday related articles and content for you and your families' Christmas enjoyment--all I ask is that you remember me in your prayers to Santa.
Tonight, I'll once again be attempting a Youtube "Simulcast" of an MST3K holiday classic--a Mexican import more horrific than Montezuma's Revenge: K. Gordon Murray's production of "Santa Claus"!
Some of you may wonder why I don't go with the more traditional "Santa Claus Conquers The Martians"? Well, bad as that film is, and hilarious as the episode is, I always found this one to be a few notches above it on the WTF-o-meter. Come on! Santa lives in a castle in space, forces kidnapped children from around the world to make his toys and sing festive native songs on command, works with Merlin the Wizard, carries potent narcotics in a little pouch on his belt, and battles Satan one-on-one! (and I won't even get into the demonic wind-up reindeer!) Ok, granted, there's no lame-ass cardboard robot--but in every other way, this film is a superior romp in the jolliest circle of Hell.
The festivities begin at 7PM EST (I'm in Central, sure, but most of my audience seems to be further east)
If you're uncertain how to find this chunk of Christmas Crapcake--either search for "mst3k santa claus" at youtube itself, or go to my youtube channel (see link list on sidebar) and check the favorites.
We'll (assuming anyone shows) be chatting live in the comments section as we watch--Join us for some hilarious, disturbing, Holiday cheer!
I'll be back with more Christmassy goodness as I said, for now--here's a taste of the aforementioned film. It's not an MST3K bit, but that doesn't stop me from wanting to find the creator of this work of genius and bear his/her children.
Until tonight!
Scooter Claus
Hi People!
Our dear and lovely High Priestess and Comment Thread Den Mother Colleen is not well--and I don't mean that in the sense I usually mean when referring to anyone demented enough to write for my blog.
She'll be recouperating for the next few days--Goddess willing she'll be back to share her unique perspectives with you lucky readers(and berate me for making such a fuss over this)on Friday.
You all know I'm not a religious sort, but the Tao respects all faiths, so please offer her any prayers, positive energy, or just basic happy thoughts you can towards a speedy recovery.
For my part, I decided to unearth a message of goodwill from Youtube. I couldn't decide if I wanted to go snarky, or cutesy:
In the end, I did what best suits my personality--a little of both!
And now--the cutesy:
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| SALUD, COLLEEN! |
(P.S. Don't forget to check out Boredlizzie's first TTOS submission, right below!)
Scooter's Happy Thoughts
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