Monday, September 30, 2019

"Old Habits Die Hard"

Junkyard
Acetate Records unleashes Junkyard's previously unreleased 1992 album "Old Habits Die Hard" on November 22!

"Junkyard is not a band from the 80s. Junkyard is not a band from the 90s. Junkyard is pure kick-ass bar-hopping motorcycle-ridin' rock n roll that seems as relevant today as when they first started." - Riki Rachtman

Junkyard opens the vault and blows the dust off a killer collection of recordings slated as the follow up to 1991's "Sixes, Sevens and Nines." Guitarist Brian Baker's (Bad Religion, Minor Threat) opening riff serves up the concoction of raucous, bittersweet, bloozy rock that follows. Loose and tight in good measure, with stomping beats and dual guitars zigzagging around David Roach's raspy howl... make no bones about it - this band could play.
 
The strut and swagger of "Pushed You Too Far" and the soulful "Tried & True" are balanced by the slow, dirge of "Blue Sin" and the melancholic duet "Hangin' Around With My Dreams." "Old Habits" recalls everything from Sticky Fingers-era Stones and ZZ Top to the Ramones and Lynyrd Skynyrd (who they toured with in '91). More than anything else, though, it sounds like Junkyard. 
 
Back in 1992, Junkyard was a well-oiled machine, their previous two releases performed well, they had multiple videos in rotation on MTV, and successful club and arena tours under their belt. Looking to infuse more of their musical sensibilities into their third effort, they began writing and recording and in a short few months, they had compiled over 20 songs. The new material reflected more of their alt/punk roots, which wasn't much of a directional change considering their strong punk pedigree.
 
But the major label's rush to jump on the next "popular music trend" quickly led to Junkyards demise. "At this point, Nirvana's "Nevermind" album had been out a few months and we all kinda knew which way the wind was blowing," singer David Roach recalls, "we didn't really 'officially' break up as a band, it was as simple as the party's over." So, with zero fanfare, the band members signed their release paperwork from Geffen (a whopping 2 page fax), gathered their gear and parted ways... the tapes were left to gather dust in the vaults.

Twenty years later, Geffen re-released the first two Junkyard albums and once again, the band was in demand. Tours of Japan and Europe followed, including a headlining slot at Serie Z Festival in Spain, and the band started writing again. In early 2017, Junkyard released "High Water", their first full-length album in 26 years on LA indie, Acetate Records. The album peaked at 24 on Billboard's Hard Rock Charts and Junkyard once again played to packed houses across America and Europe. With the band back in form, it seemed like the right time to dust of the tapes.
 
"Old Habits Die Hard" pretty well summarizes where the band was at the time," Roach continues, "The addition of Tim Mosher (yes, way back then) brought another element to what Chris Gates and I had been doing. So it was the hard rock, blues, southern thing plus some more melodic and punk which was also a natural course considering where we came from."
 
"During the months we recorded these songs we were in various stages of dealing with Geffen. Trying to write a single, but also trying to not care and write for ourselves. The songs indicate the direction we were ultimately not able to take until all these years later."
 
"Old Habit's Die Hard" will be released via streaming, CD and 'Beer' colored vinyl on November 22, 2019. A limited number of signed LPs will also be available via acetate.com.
 

Sunday, September 29, 2019

Just Because...Pamela Anderson


Here For The Fun!
Pamela Anderson 
Just Because it's Sunday Funday, Just Because it's Paris Fashion Week & Just Because it's all about Vivienne Westwood darling, here is blonde bombshell Ms. Pamela Anderson!!!

Pam is looking chic, sleek and in the cut in what I presume may be a Vivienne Westwood creation, or not, the blurb did not say who she was wearing, it should have damn it! Well whoever she has on she looks amazing and ready to go full frontal fashion on any challenger's booty.

I once interviewed Ms. Anderson for Instinct Magazine for the now defunct "Chick We'd Switch For" feature. She is one of the nicest, funniest not to mention savvy individuals I have ever met. Quite gracious and down to earth too.

Thus here we are on this Sunday Funday with some fun and some sun. Whatever, enjoy!


Pamela on IG -
https://www.instagram.com/pamelaanderson/?hl=en

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Margaret Cho Gets Her Some "Law & Order: SVU"

Got Massage?
Margaret Cho
Photo:
Albert Sanchez 
One of my favorite people and my favorite TV Shows of all time, together on one night...I'm so in! 

Emmy and Grammy Award-nominated actress, comedian, author and producer Margaret Cho will guest star in the record-breaking 21st season of “Law & Order: SVU.”

Cho will guest star as the manager of a massage parlor who’s swept up in a sex trafficking sting operation.  The episode, titled “Counselor, It’s Chinatown,” will air in November. 

An accomplished performer in all formats, Margaret Cho could be called the “Queen of all Media” having conquered the worlds of film, television, books, music and theatre. She has five Grammy Award nominations (two for music albums, “Cho Dependent” and “American Myth”) and one Emmy nod for her groundbreaking work on NBC’s “30 Rock.” Never one to shy away from a difficult or taboo topic, her socially aware brand of stand-up comedy has made her both a thought leader as well as a teacher to those with open minds and open hearts. In 2017, Rolling Stone magazine named her one of the 50 Best Stand-Up Comics, calling her “the sort of funny, sex-positive feminist and LGBT activist younger comics continue to look up to.”  Equally as important as her creative side is the causes she is passionate about. Margaret is widely recognized for her charitable work with gay rights and anti-bullying campaigns. In every segment of her life, Margaret is honest, forthright, passionate, uproarious and always entertaining. 

Watch all-new episodes of “Law & Order: SVU,” the longest-running primetime drama in television history, Thursdays at 10 p.m. on NBC.

Margaret on IG - 

Friday, September 27, 2019

Film Buff Friday: An American Werewolf In London


One of my favorite horror films, of all time..."Yes" I saw it when it came out in theaters!
One of the greatest directors of the 1980s, John Landis (The Blues Brothers, Trading Places), expertly combines macabre horror with dark humor in the lycanthropic classic, An American Werewolf in London. American tourists David (David Naughton) and Jack (Griffin Dunne) are savaged by an unidentified vicious animal whilst hiking on the Yorkshire Moors. David awakes in a London hospital to find his friend dead and his life in disarray. Retiring to the home of a beautiful nurse (Jenny Agutter, Walkabout) to recuperate, he soon experiences disturbing changes to his mind and body, undergoing a full-moon transformation that will unleash terror on the streets of the capital... An American Werewolf in London had audiences howling with laughter and recoiling in terror upon its cinema release. Landis' film has gone on to become one of the most important horror films of its decade, rightly lauded for its masterful set-pieces, uniquely unsettling atmosphere and Rick Bakers' truly ground-breaking, Oscar-winning special makeup effects. Now restored in 4K, and presented with an abundance of extra features, this big beast of horror can be devoured as never before...

Bonus Materials

  • New 2018 4K restoration from the original camera negative supervised by John Landis
  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation
  • Original uncompressed 1.0 mono and optional 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio
  • Optional subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • New audio commentary by Beware the Moon filmmaker Paul Davis
  • Audio Commentary by actors David Naughton and Griffin Dunne
  • Mark of The Beast: The Legacy of the Universal Werewolf, newly produced, feature-length documentary by filmmaker Daniel Griffith, featuring interviews with John Landis, David Naughton, Joe Dante and more
  • An American Filmmaker in London, a newly filmed interview with John Landis in which he reflects on his time working in Britain and British cinema
  • I Think He's a Jew: The Werewolf's Secret, new video essay by filmmaker Jon Spira (Elstree 1976) about how Landis’ film explores Jewish identity
  • The Werewolf’s Call, Corin Hardy, director of The Nun, chats with writer Simon Ward about their formative experiences with Landis’ film
  • Wares of the Wolf, new featurette in which SFX artist Dan Martin and Tim Lawes of The Prop Store look at some of the original costumes and special effects artefacts from the film
  • Beware the Moon, Paul Davis’ acclaimed, feature-length exploration of Landis’ film which boasts extensive cast and crew interviews
  • Making An American Werewolf in London, a short archival featurette on the film’s production
  • An Interview with John Landis, a lengthy archival interview with the director about the film
  • Makeup Artist Rick Baker on An American Werewolf in London, the legendary make-up artist discusses his work on the film
  • I Walked with a Werewolf, an archival interview with the make-up artist about Universal horror and its legacy of Wolfman films
  • Casting of the Hand, archival footage from Rick Baker's workshop as they cast David Naughton's hand
  • Outtakes
  • Original trailers, teasers and radio spots
  • Extensive image gallery featuring over 200 stills, posters and other ephemera
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original poster art and artwork by Graham Humphreys
  • Double-sided fold-out poster
  • Six double-sided, postcard-sized lobby card reproductions
  • Limited 60-page booklet featuring new writing by Travis Crawford and Simon Ward, archival articles and original review

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Michael's Musings

My Doppelganger
Michael Shinafelt
My doppelganger brings all the boys to the yard...

What's new pussycat, whoa, whoa, whoa! Seriously what's new? I am curious yellow please do tell, or not. Whatever...I made it to the gym for the first time in two months on Tuesday. Me and my boot, hey it was made for walking, at least that bloody cast is off and I can now wash my right foot. "Yes" I said goodbye to right foot odor this week, Yay!

Now about that other issue, that one time at band camp when my doppelganger took over...

I draw inspiration from the meta, don't judge me 

The 21st record breaking season of one of my favorite TV shows, Law & Order: SVU premieres tonight, woot!

Keep others afraid of you by calling Fall "the harvest"

Remember it's head spinning season, spin it like a record baby!

The Emmy's happened this past weekend. The Kardashians presenting on them got laughed at like Carrie. I Tweeted about it and Entertainment Tonight used my Tweet in their post Emmy write-up. Here is the link: https://www.etonline.com/did-kim-kardashian-and-kendall-jenner-get-laughed-at-while-presenting-at-2019-emmys-132923

You say Label, I say Whore = Label Whore

The Impeachment process against Trump has been implemented. Let the cartoons begin!

On that note enjoying someone's public downfall does not pay your bills, stay focused


Woman Crush of the Week - Erika Jayne she'll be giving plenty of moxie as Roxie

If I told you once, I told you twice, I'm obviously not going to say it three times fast, duh

Mary Wilson of the Supremes was the first to go on Dancing With The Stars, in case you care

The best advice I can give you? Never give unsolicited advice

Are you a FOMO-sapien?

If you can't fly in the big leagues, stay off the broom

Soon I will be spread eagle somewhere, join me at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Celebrating Tom Petty


TOM PETTY’S LIFE TO BE CELEBRATED THROUGHOUT OCTOBER BY ‘TOM PETTY AND ME’ AUTHOR AS FANS MARK ROCK LEGEND’S BIRTH AND DEATH ANNIVERSARIES

Jon Scott, Music Label and Promo Man Who Saved Petty’s Career Remembers ‘One of the Most Important and Influential Rock Stars in the World’ in Latest Rock ‘n ‘Roll Adventure with Friend of 40 Years

“Six weeks before our first record was dropped by ABC Records, he went to the radio stations with a vengeance and brought that sucker onto the charts. And it wasn’t easy. We are forever grateful.” – Tom Petty, from the Hollywood Bowl stage at his last concert, dedicating “I Won’t Back Down” to Jon Scott

“We would not be listening to Tom Petty on the radio if not for you (Jon Scott), back in 1977.” -
Mark Felsot, producer of Tom Petty Radio, Sirius XM

As the rock world remembers Tom Petty with the October anniversaries of his death and birth, Jon Scott, the long-time friend and former record label radio promo man who saved the legendary rocker’s career “with a vengeance” en route to Hall of Fame status some 40 years ago is devoting the entire month to celebrating Petty’s life through the special relationship chronicled in Scott’s book, TOM PETTY AND ME: My Rock ‘N’ Roll Adventures with Tom Petty (CB Publishing, 191 pp., $25). 

On his latest rock ‘n’ roll adventure with Petty, Scott will be crisscrossing the country in October to join fans at celebrations in Gainesville, FL, where Petty grew up, and Los Angeles, where he landed 1974 in search of his first record deal with his band, Mudcrutch, and remained until his untimely passing as a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer rocked the music world two years ago, Oct. 2, 2017. 

Scott will be joining Petty fans in Gainesville Oct. 17-18 for several events at Tom Petty Weekend, honoring “Gainesville’s Favorite Son.” He returns home to Los Angeles on Petty’s 69th birthday, Oct. 20, to host Tom Petty’s Birthday, a four-hour celebration at Petty Cash Taqueria & Bar with live music by noted Petty tribute artists. 

With a foreword by John Mellencamp writing he’s “grateful for the immense amount of work that (Scott) did on my behalf and others,” Scott’s book similarly recounts how the author, as a radio promo man, was one of the main forces in helping to get Petty’s music heard on radio stations around the country. It began when Petty’s debut album, ignored and miscategorized as punk by the label eight months after its release, literally fell off the record company shelf and into Scott’s hands as ABC Records was preparing to drop the artist from its roster. So moved by what he took home and discovered in the grooves, Scott risked his job at ABC to convince his bosses he personally needed to give the album a second chance at radio and resuscitate Petty’s career from the music industry precipice.  

Petty acknowledged Scott’s importance from the stage of the Hollywood Bowl on September 25, 2017, at his last concert ever, dedicating “I Won’t Back Down” to Scott: “Six weeks before our first record was dropped by ABC Records, he went to the radio stations with a vengeance and brought that sucker onto the charts. And it wasn’t easy. We are forever grateful.” Watch that moment here.  

In TOM PETTY AND ME, Scott shares the series of coincidences and serendipity that brought him and Petty together, altering both of their careers. This is the story of incredible talent realizing a seemingly once-impossible dream by overcoming obstacles through the passion and commitment of one man who created a movement. In the process, the course of rock ‘n’ roll history was forever changed. 

Jon Scott was raised in Memphis, Tennessee, and like many young Memphis kids growing up in the ’50s, he was exposed to all types of music, including gospel, blues, and rock ’n’ roll. Jon had music running through his veins.  

When Jon was young, his mom would request songs and smile when the local country DJ would dedicate a song to her on the radio. That was when Jon knew what he wanted to do — make his mother smile, because she meant the world to him. Jon told his mother he would someday be a DJ. He began practicing with a tape recorder his father bought at Sears & Roebuck. At 16, Jon heard the Rolling Stones on the radio. He immediately went out and bought a Stones album and heard “Under Assistant West Coast Promo Man.” Jon thought that sounded like a pretty good job too.  

His father’s dream, however, was for Jon to go to Memphis State University and get a business degree. Jon dropped out to pursue the radio career he longed for at the famous Keegan’s School of Broadcasting in Memphis. His father was not pleased and told Jon he’d have to pay for tuition himself, so Jon found work at a local movie theater, where he had the good fortune of meeting Elvis one night.   

Jon’s dream finally came true when he graduated from Keegan’s and was hired by a small-town Tennessee radio station in Lawrenceburg. A year later, a premonition told Jon to go back home to Memphis, where he knew there would be a job waiting.  

Within two weeks, Jon was hired by WMC-FM100, a station that had been playing soft music, and whose general manager was ready to turn it into a rock 'n' roll station. On February 7, 1967, FM100 started playing rock ‘n’ roll that had never been heard before on Memphis Top 40 stations. It would become a part of the progressive radio movement, and Jon developed a huge nighttime audience, free to play whatever he wanted. FM100 helped break acts like ZZ Top, David Bowie, Pure Prairie League, the Doobie Brothers, Henry Gross, Billy Joel and Elton John. 

Another dream came true for Jon in 1973 when he left FM100 to work for MCA Records, first as a local promo man in the mid-South and then as a regional promo man in Atlanta. Soon after, he was offered his dream job at MCA as head of national album promotion and moved to Los Angeles in 1974. At MCA, he worked and traveled with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Elton John, the Who, Olivia Newton-John, Keith Moon, Roger Daltrey and Golden Earring, among others. 

Jon was offered a job at ABC Records, again as national head of album promotion, in 1977. This was when many serendipitous, cosmic coincidences would take place, especially with a relatively unknown band, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. Fate stepped in, and Jon has been credited with breaking the career of Tom Petty. He worked with Tom and the band for more than 40 years. 

TOM PETTY AND ME is available on Amazon and Amazon Kindle at 

TOM PETTY AND ME on the Web:





Monday, September 23, 2019

Fall Equinox

Peel Back The Layers
Michael Shinafelt

Well it happened today. We all collectively woke up and Bam! it was Fall just like that. Where did this year go, I ask you? I know you don't have an answer, and honestly I don' either.

All I know is I spent this year basically out of commission because of of a surgical procedure I had to have done and the adventure will finally be over in the next two weeks. Thus I am ready for a change of pace, that just so happens to coincide with the change of season 😘

Fall has always been my favorite time of the year, there is something comfortable, yet transformative to me about it. Having been laid up for ten weeks this is going to be one Hell of an interesting Equinox for me. "Yes" I have had a lot of time to reflect and redirect. 

What does it all mean? I know what it means, but I'm not going to spill, not yet anyway. Just know, you'll find out...

Michael has left the building, for now.

Turn and face the strange with me at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt

Sunday, September 22, 2019

The Emmy's Draw Nigh...

Gwen, Michelle, Gwen, Michelle
Michelle Williams
As an after thought this ayem I remembered today The Emmy's happen, unlike fetch they really do happen, every year...

Thus it got me thinking, not too much but just enough to recall one of the most stellar performances I have ever seen by an actress in a leading role, Michelle Williams nominated as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series/Movie for her portrayal of Gwen Verdon in Fosse/Verdon.

Let's face it, Sam Rockwell was good as Bob Fosse, but Michelle stole the MotherF#cking show as Gwen Verdon. Who knew little Jen Lindley from Dawson's Creek would emerge as a powerhouse acting butterfly?! Really, who knew? Any of you?

In conclusion while I will not be watching them I am rooting for Ms. Williams to hit a homer and take home The Emmy today. 

Why? Because she's worth it minions.

Mic Drop!

Michelle on IMDb -
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0931329/  

Saturday, September 21, 2019

Saturday Sinema: The Major And The Minor


Here's one from the great Director Billy Wilder starring Ginger Rogers!!!

From one of Hollywood's most acclaimed auteurs, Billy Wilder (Double Indemnity, Sunset Boulevard), comes the charming comedy classic The Major and the Minor. Legendary actress and dancer Ginger Rogers (Monkey Business) stars as Susan Applegate, a struggling young woman who pretends to be an 11-year old girl in order to buy a half-price train ticket. Fleeing the conductors, she hides in the compartment of Major Philip Kirby (Ray Milland, The Big Clock, The Pyjama Girl Case). The Major believes Susan is a child and takes her under his wing, but when they arrive at the military academy where Kirby teaches, his fiancée (Rita Johnson) grows suspicious of Susan's ruse... Co-written by Wilder and Charles Brackett (Hold Back the Dawn), The Major and the Minor assumes the guise of a light romance narrative in order to cleverly explore themes of identity and deception. Wilder's American debut is presented here for the first time in stunning High Definition, with a selection of illuminating extras.

Bonus Materials

  • High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation transferred from original film elements
  • Uncompressed Mono 1.0 PCM audio soundtrack
  • Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
  • New audio commentary by film scholar Adrian Martin
  • Half Fare Please!, a newly filmed video appreciation by film critic Neil Sinyard
  • Archival interview with Ray Milland
  • Rare hour-long radio adaptation from 1943 starring Ginger Rogers and Ray Milland
  • Image gallery
  • Original trailer
  • Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork
  • FIRST PRESSING ONLY: COLLECTOR’S BOOKLET WITH ESSAY BY RONALD BERGAN

Friday, September 20, 2019

"Uncivil War"

The Gang's All Here
BBMAK

BBMAK premiere their brand new lyric video for "Uncivil War" on Perez Hilton today: https://perezhilton.com/bbmak-uncivil-war-lyric-video-exclusive-premiere/ and  : https://youtu.be/_Xa1aK8_a8U 

The single will be available on all streaming formats Friday, September 20: https://ffm.to/eeww2n0

Here's what the band has to say about it: 

This song is a great epic love song and a heartfelt ballad. It's about reconciling with someone you love and having the courage to start all over again; putting the past behind and moving forward in a much more positive way. We love the string arrangement in this song as it takes the track to a whole new level. 

 Follow BBMAK:

Thursday, September 19, 2019

Michael's Musings

Is It Safe?
Michael Shinafelt
Last night like all good horror fans should, I watched the premiere of American Horror Story: 1984. It's off to a great start, every 80's slasher film cliche is intact and used. I especially like the references to other slasher epics in it...i.e. hitting a man in the middle of the road on the way to the summer camp (I Know What You Did Last Summer) The mental patients all escaped and roaming the grounds of the asylum (Halloween) or the pretty much exact replica of Camp Crystal Lake from Friday the 13th now christened Camp Redwood.

Hopefully the premiere continues to deliver on it's promise...

Words of Wisdom: Do not waste my tea!

Do you move your eyes when you eat and then moan?

Friends don't let friends bang girls at animal shelters because they want them to

Do you want to be a notorious homosexual when you grow up?


Although I know it's stuffing, who can resist a hung guy with a pornstache? I bring you Matthew Morrison in American Horror Story: 1984!!!

Pretty Little Liars Shay Mitchell celebrated her baby shower with, drum roll please, strippers! You go girl!

Is there anyone out there who gets excited over eating breakfast? Asking for a friend.

She used to be a Nun, she taught Catholic School after all


Woman Crush of the Week - Billie Lourd as Montana Duke on AHS: 1984

Retweet instead of bossing me around

"Hot new trend alert: people acting like dicks then calling their behavior "self-care" - Whitney Cummings

A smile and some ruffled sleeves do not say "jobs for everyone"

If the only way we could survive was for you to cut our your tongue, I'll do it for you

Do you think Melania Trump is any good at charades?!

Let your Freak Flag fly with me at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/MShinafelt