Double Vision

Jayne Mansfield & Mariska Hargitay

I thought we would kick off the first day of July with some of that ole' Double Vision. 

Here we have a side by side of Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU fame with her Mother the legendary Jayne Mansfield.

Notice anything? If you said they are Dead Ringers for one another except for the hair color you would be correct!

I first went WOW when I spied this image. I would have never seen the resemblance unless these two phtos of Mother and Daughter had been placed side by side.

File it under: Things That Make You Go Hmmmm

It's time to July!

Mariska on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/therealmariskahargitay/?hl=en 

Jayne on Wikipedia -

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jayne_Mansfield

The Fourth Of July

Happy Fourth Of July!

Hump Day & Chill

Current Mood
Kyle MacLachlan

While on Instagram yesterday I spied this whimsical image of Kyle MacLachlan in my feed, obviously I follow him on there. It made me smile and I felt it captures my Current Mood quite nicely on this July 1st Hump Day & Chill Thank You very much.

It also got me thinking about one of my favorite films of all time Showgirls, in which Kyle played the powerful sleaze Zack Carey. A film which that was an embarrassment to him at the time, but he is glad it took on a life of it's own as a "crowd-pleaser."

One of my fond memories of Showgirls aside from MacLachlan's delightfully slimy portrayal of Zack is the many shots of his supple booty. "Yes" Kyle has a nice full fleshy bottom that is a joy to behold.

Thus I surfed over to Tye Briggs Favorite Hunks & Other Things just knowing I would see those gratuitous images of the MacLachlan bum. Lo and behold I did! Turns out Tye revisited Showgirls this past April with many shots of Kyle's backside.

So let's celebrate July with some buns to Hump Day & Chill to, get your red hot MacLachlan Buns by hitting the link below!!!

https://favoritehunks.blogspot.com/2020/04/a-look-back-kyle-maclachlan-in-showgirls.html 

Flamin' Groovies

FLAMIN' GROOVIES To Reissue

"Now" and "Jumpin' In the Night" This Summer

The band that played a major role in the evolution of power pop and are considered a forerunner of punk rock readies two of their most popular albums

 This summer they will reissue two classic albums: "Now" on July 10th and "Jumpin' In the Night" on August 7th.

NOW (CD, July 10th)

While it took a long and torturous five years for the Flamin' Groovies to find their way back to an American record deal with Shake Some Action, a year and a half later the band had a follow-up ready, and while 1978's Flamin' Groovies Now isn't quite as cohesive as the album that preceded it, in many respects the band sounds at once tighter and more relaxed, with some time on the road firming up the rhythm section while giving the songs a bit more room to swing (which wasn't one of the strong suits of the British Invasion bands that provided their aural template). The band lost guitarist James Ferrell during the post-Shake Some Action tour, but former Charlatans picker Mike Wilhelm proved to be a more than simpatico replacement on these sessions, and while leader Cyril Jordan didn't come up with another new song as transcendent as "Shake Some Action," "All I Wanted" comes pretty close. But it's significant that most of the songs on Flamin' Groovies Now are covers, and while all of them are played with love, enthusiasm, and the right period flair (especially the Beatles' "There's a Place," Paul Revere & the Raiders' "Ups and Downs," and "Move It," an early U.K. hit for Cliff Richard), they give the album a feeling of being padded, and just because covering the Rolling Stones rarity "Blue Turns to Grey" was a good idea didn't mean the Flamin' Groovies had any business tackling "Paint It Black." All in all, Flamin' Groovies Now is a terrific-sounding record that captures a fine band when it was in great form, but it also makes clear that the gremlins that often dogged the Groovies in the studio (namely their inability to make a 100 percent satisfying album) hadn't gone away.

JUMPIN' IN THE NIGHT (CD, August 7th)

The third and last of the Flamin' Groovies late-'70s albums for Sire, Jumpin' in the Night storms out of the gate with the title song, a top-shelf rocker that brings the muscle of the Flamingo-era lineup of the Groovies to the more style-conscious British Invasion sonics of Cyril Jordan's version. Though Jumpin' in the Night never rocks that hard or that well again, it does sound decidedly tighter and tougher than 1978's Flamin' Groovies Now, and guitarist Mike Wilhelm, a new addition to the Now lineup, is much better integrated into their wall of guitars, with the Groovies sounding more solid than they did a year before. But while Jumpin' in the Night finds the Flamin' Groovies sounding better than ever, the material unfortunately lets them down. It's no wonder why the Flamin' Groovies loved the Byrds -- both were American bands who fell in love with the sounds of British rock and crafted their own variation on the style -- but three Byrds covers on this album is about two too many (especially given how clunky David Wright's drumming sounds on "5D"), and though having the Groovies tackle "Absolutely Sweet Marie" and "Please Please Me" sounds good on paper, the audible results are a bit underwhelming. (On the other hand, their cover of "Werewolves of London" is better than anyone had a right to expect.) The production and engineering by Roger Bechirian is crisp and flattering to the guitars, but lacks the resonance of Dave Edmunds' more layered approach on Shake Some Action and Now. A great band, the Flamin' Groovies often seemed to have a hard time reconciling their best qualities with the record-making process, and Jumpin' in the Night is probably the best example of this dilemma, though it has more than enough worthwhile moments to compensate. 

An Alarm(ing) "On Tour Age"

The Alarm Launch “On Tour Age” (#ontourage) Podcast

Thursday, July 18

40 date “Sigma LXXXV” Tour featuring The Alarm, Modern English & Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel begins Friday, July 19

 On July 18th 2019, The Alarm will launch 'ON>TOUR>AGE' -#ontourage, the first in a series of Vlogs & podcasts (available from The Alarm You Tube Channel and all good digital media outlets including the official alarm Facebook page), that will be broadcast throughout the length and breadth of the Sigma LXXXV Tour 2019.

The first event will go out 'live' on July 18th from Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where Mike Peters and The Alarm will pay homage to Elvis Presley, their friends U2, and a host of significant others, who have all made the pilgrimage to play at the birthplace of rock and roll.

Fans are encouraged to send suggestions for songs / artists to be covered to twitter.com/thealarm and tag posts with the hashtag #ontourage and any other artists identifiers and song links as deemed appropriate.

Utilising all the modern and accessible camera technology to create vital content, 'ON>TOUR>AGE' will be hosted by none other than Gareth Jones who will be the official MC, presenter and tour guide, taking viewers behind the scenes and into The Alarm's touring and recording world to interact with band members, and all the other essential characters who make a tour like Sigma LXXXV 2019 possible.

The Alarm
Photo:
Andy Labrow

'ON>TOUR>AGE'

Ever wondered what it’s like to go on tour with a rock band across America?

This summer, the 'ON>TOUR>AGE'  film crew with Gareth Jones as presenter, will hit the road, coast to coast with Mike Peters and The Alarm, taking in 40 shows in 40 cities, broadcasting findings and observations to the world and streaming daily on the Internet.

The Alarm and presenter Gareth Jones are no strangers to the USA, having  first arrived in 1983, as guests of Bono and U2 for the War Tour, creating a constant presence on the continent ever since.

What’s changed? Well,  'ON>TOUR>AGE' in association with Mike Peters and The Alarm, will contrast and compare as they bounce along the interstates and highways, headlining a massive 8 week tour of ballrooms, theatres and festivals.

'ON>TOUR>AGE' will also be co-hosted by Jules Peters - breast cancer survivor and Alarm keyboard player who (along with husband Mike Peters MBE), was the subject of two very recent, high-profile BBC documentaries, including the award winning US movie - Man In The Camo Jacket.

The 'ON>TOUR>AGE' entourage, features a host of formidable and humorous characters such as charismatic drummer Smiley who has performed with Robbie Williams and Joe Strummer. The 'youthful' James Stevenson of Generation X and The Cult (who can lay claim to having played guitar for 72% of the world's bands), not to mention being a connoisseur of fine drinks and vintage instruments.

Also on board are the wildly whacky and mildly eccentric team of American roadies and lampies, who set up the shows, and take down all the gear, night after night after night.

This innovative and intimate podcast series will give unrivalled access to the band and their entourage, telling their unique story and the rock and roll adventures that happen to them, in real time, on film and in vlog / podcast format.

Blasting out daily missives from the road, the truck stops, the diners, record stores and radio stations as they go about their business, not to mention playing concerts at some amazing iconic venues such as Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis Presley put together the first three chords of world changing music.

Where will it all end, where will it take them?

Tune in and find out this summer.  Available at all podcast online outlets and The Alarm You Tube Channel:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUxf6WCerflAEhwtniLeaNg

'ON>TOUR>AGE' - #ontourage

In addition, The Alarm have launched a very special exclusive You Tube Playlist featuring 33 tracks from all three bands - The Alarm, Modern English and Jay Aston's Gene Loves Jezebel that will all feature on this summer's forthcoming Sigma LXXXV Tour 2019.

The Alarm have also recorded their very own special versions of the Modern English classic 'I Melt With You', along with a stripped back reading of the 1983 Gene Loves Jezebel single - 'Screaming For Emmalene'.

Both tracks can be heard now exclusively on the official Alarm YouTube Channel and viewed on this page along with a premiere presentation of the widescreen edit of The Alarm classic 'Spirit Of '86', edited and enhanced by Gary Overington.

SIGMA LXXXV 2019 Tour Dates w/Modern English & Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel

July 17                   Nashville, TN                      Cannary Row (The Alarm only)

July 19                   Austin, TX                         3Ten Live

July 20                   Dallas, TX                          Gas Monkey

July 21                   Oklahoma City, OK         Tower Theater

July 24                  Las Vegas, NV                  House of Blues

July 25                   San Diego, CA                  House of Blues

July 26                   Temecula, CA                  Wien’s Family Cellars

July 27                   Los Angeles, CA               Microsoft Theater – Music Festival Show

July 31                    Phoenix, AZ                    Celebrity Theatre

August  2               San Francisco, CA           Regency Ballroom

August  3              Sacramento, CA               Ace of Spades

August 5               Portland, OR                     Aladdin

August 6               Seattle, WA                      Triple Door

August 7               Spokane, WA                    Bing Crosby Theater

August 8               Salt Lake City, UT             The Complex (The Alarm/Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel only)

August 9               Denver, CO                       Oriental Theater

August 10            Lawrence, KS                     Liberty Hall

August 12            St. Louis, MO                     Delmar Hall

August 14            Minneapolis, MN              Fine Line

August 15            Milwaukee, WI                  Turner Ballroom

August 16             Chicago, IL                        House of Blues

August 17            Detroit, MI                         St. Andrews

August 18            Cleveland, OH                   House of Blues

August 20            Portland, ME                     AURA

August 21            Boston, MA                        Paradise

August 23            Huntington, NY                  The Paramount

August 24            Jim Thorpe, PA                  Penns Peak

August 25            Falls Church, VA                State Theatre

August 27             Albany, NY                         Skyport – The Alarm only

August 29            Asbury Park, NJ                 Asbury Lanes

August 30            Staten Island, NY               St. George Theater

August 31            Philadelphia, PA                The Keswick Theater

Sept 1                   Norfolk, VA                        Norva

Sept 3                   Charlotte, NC                    Neighborhood Theatre

Sept 4                   Atlanta, GA                        Masquerade

Sept 5                   Orlando, FL                           The Social (The Alarm/Jay Aston’s Gene Loves Jezebel only)

Sept 6                  Bonita Springs, FL             Southwest Florida Event Center   Fort Meyers

Sept 7                  Miami, FL                           The Ground at Club Space

Sept 8                  St. Pete, FL                         Ferg’s Concert Courtyard 

Fourthing Hard

Fourthed Hard!
Justin Theroux & Laura Dern 

Normally when a Holiday is over I stop posting about it. But I decided to give the 4th of July one last go. Why? Because I saw this cool image of two of my favorites Justin Theroux & Laura Dern via Justin's Instagram with the caption "Fourthing Hard." Thus today's byline, naturally.

The main reason I thought to use it is sort of silly, sort of cool, sort of me Charlie. It's because Justin used some of the many graphics available on Instagram to add to his duo photo. I love that feature in "The Gram" and use it with frequency in my stories section. Sometimes recycling the image on my actual page or other places.

Now if only Justin would caption one of those magnificent images of him freeballing with something really provocative...one can dream can't one?

Justin on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/justintheroux/?hl=en   

Happy 4th Of July!

I Pledge Allegiance To Your Clothes...
Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard

Whilst searching the WWW for an image that really struck my fancy today I was pretty much at the end of the road until I stumbled upon this too adorbs pic of Kristen Bell & Dax Shepard in American Flag onesies.

Nothing says independence like PJ's with the old red, white and blue plastered on them I always say starting as of now, yes, right now.

Who better than to pull this fashion statement off than cutest couple on earth Bell & Shepard? They always make me smile when I see them together as you can see how much they enjoy each others company. 

So for this Tuesday, July 4th 2017 I wish you a day of laughter and levity. It doesn't get much better or independent than that I always say, starting right here, right now...

Kristen on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/kristenanniebell/?hl=en

Dax on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/daxshepard/?hl=en   

Fame Is Like Caviar

It's July 1st, yes peeps 2017 is more than half over and the Orange Menace is still being a worthless Bitch Baby. 

Normally I don't do posts about my wall calendar, but...this month's Marilyn Monroe quote for some reason captured my imagination: Fame Is Like Caviar....the accompanying image makes it even more intriguing, it gives it an ambiguity. Which actually works, depending on how you feel about devouring fish eggs.

Caviar is considered a delicacy and therefore if fame is like it, it must be delicate? A privilege? Something to savor? Perhaps something salty and nasty you want to spit out? Not all it's cracked up to be? The list of interpretations of of this quote are endless.

Having had a taste of a certain amount of visibility out there in the world I'm going to go with a little of both the glutinous definition of fame and the spitting version. 

Fame is like anything that enhances your life, the upside always out weighs the downside, but ever so often you want to spit it out. I for one like caviar and would never spit it out unless there was a very specific reason, think about that, but not too hard.

It's July 1st 2017, in what has been a fast moving, not to mention one of the most embarrassing years in American History. Keep yourself happy and do you!

Keep up with me on Instagram at:
https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en  

"Riot On Sunset" With James Durbin

I Love Rock-N-Roll
James Durbin
Photo: Heidi Durbin

James Durbin is back and he's ready to? Rock, of course! What other answer were you expecting?!?!

James Durbin has announced that he will release his new album, Riot On Sunset on July 15.  Riot On Sunset is the first new music from James in over 2 years and will include his latest single, “Smackdown.” 

“Smackdown” is available for digital download through CD Baby  here: www.cdbaby.com/CD/jamesdurbin2   and iTunes here: https://itun.es/us/S_4Fbb

“Smackdown” showcases James’ signature hard rock sound in a grand way with crunching guitar riffs and a truly epic drum beat.  From the opening bass riff to the closing scream & all the debauchery in between, James Durbin is back & better than ever before. 

The video for “Smackdown” has been making a serious impact since its release in April as it was selected for Loudwire’s Battle Royale competition where it currently occupies the #2 spot on their Top 10 countdown. See here: http://loudwire.com/battle-royale-devildriver-debut-big-backwordz-video-countdown-domination/

 Watch the video for “Smackdown”: 

James is also excited to get back out on the road this summer with his new band to perform brand new material from Riot On Sunset  for the first time.  “We’ve been grinding away on this album for months now.  It’s hard to believe it’s time to release it to the world on July 15. I feel like I’ve grown a lot in the studio and as an artist. I hope all the fans will enjoy what I have to say on the album as I have truly loved co-writing & co-producing Riot On Sunset” says James.  See below for confirmed tour dates.

2016 Tour Dates:

July

18                      Portland, OR                  Dante’s

19                       Seattle, WA                   El Corazon

21                      Salt Lake City, UT          Loading Dock

23                      Denver, CO                    Global Hall

24                      Kansas City, MO            Riot Room

26                      Chicago, IL                      Shubas

27                      Pontiac, MI                    Pike Room at Crofoot

28                      Cleveland, OH               Beachland Ballroom

29                      Fort Thomas, KY           Fort Thomas

31                      Universal City, MO       The Duck Room

August

1                         Tulsa, OK                        The Vanguard

6                         San Jose, CA                   Santa Clara County Fair

More dates to be announced soon!

  

Follow James on social media here:

Official website: http://www.jamesdurbinofficial.com/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/durbinrock

Facebook: http://facebook.com/durbinrock

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/durbinrock/