Michael's Musings

Curiouser And Curiouser!
Michael Shinafelt

"Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast." - Alice, Alice In Wonderland 

This quote from Alice In Wonderland used to seem far fetched. Well not so much anymore. The world we live in has indeed gone mad. 

Seeing six impossible things before breakfast is now the norm. Thus Alice In Wonderland was ahead of it's time. Speaking of time I'm running late, for a very important...time to move forward.

Everyone looks better with a corn dog in their mouth, the more you know

The trolls kept me in the dark, they held me down and fed me kale 

Beto O'Rourke = Good Trouble 

Erika Jayne can still afford a downsized glam squad???

Their eyes had no reason for being that blue

People are far too judgmental these days, I can tell just by looking at them...

Remember only wine can make everyone happy, not you

I'm too unverified for this sh!t

Woman Crush of the Week - Stevie Nicks! One of my all time greats, not to mention today is her Birthday!

Be very, very quite I'm hunting windmills and chasing waterfalls

Guess what I admitted to not knowing, knock yourself out Minions!!!

I want to play a tone deaf villain 

Unhealthy relationship expectations? You can always blame Nicholas Sparks

2022 it was the best of times and the worst of ______ fill in the blank, give it a name

What's your answer? Spill the tea with me here...

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

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt  

Hump Day & Chill

Anthony Perkins

Since I've been hanging out on the Universal Studios Lot of late. I have been under the influence of movie magic. That and the Alfred Hitchcock "Get Ready For Your Close-Up!" image I saw posted inside one of the buildings has me thinking a Hump Day & Chill in honor of Anthony Perkins is in order.

I've always found Perkins quite sexy, there's that handsome boyish exterior that conveys a certain All American innocence that masks a freak flag that is ready to fly at a moments notice. 

Not to mention Anthony happens to star in three of my all time favorite films: Psycho, Pretty Poison & Crimes of Passion. "Yes" in all of them he use his seemingly "normal" facade to mask some really twisted stuff!

Hey, I like bad boys who have a pretty exterior but give off a vibe that you just know there is a lot more going on beneath the surface fer sure.

So here is to the late, not to mention great Anthony Perkins.

It's time to Hump Day & Chill Minions!!!

Anthony Perkins on Wikipedia -

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

The Las Vegas Story

THE GUN CLUB'S 1984 CLASSIC THE LAS VEGAS STORY IS BACK AS DELUXE TWO-                    CD/DVD AND DOUBLE-VINYL REISSUES VIA BLIXA SOUNDS

 

Both the CD and LP editions come with a bonus disc of live tracks and home movies capturing the band on the road.

Street date June 17, 2022  

 

With a howling and unholy mix of punk rock and the blues, Jeffrey Lee Pierce and The Gun Club exploded on the L.A. club scene in the early '80s. By 1984, the band had gone through a few lineup changes and expanded their musical palette to deliver The Las Vegas Story, their most diverse effort to date.

 

Now the album is back as a super deluxe two-CD/DVD and double-vinyl set, containing a digitally remastered version of the original 11-track album produced by Jeff Eyrich. Both the vinyl and CD versions feature a bonus disc with 10 live tracks recorded at Scorgie's in Rochester, New York on August 8, 1984. The CD package includes a DVD of rare footage of the band both on and off stage. This isn't your typical high-gloss concert footage, but rather appropriately rough and raw footage that'll make you feel as if you're watching the iconic band in a club. The LP will include an exclusive download link for the video footage featured on the DVD. 

 

The Gun Club

For The Las Vegas Story, Pierce's original Gun Club co-conspirator guitarist Kid Congo Powers returned to the fold after quitting The Cramps to find that Pierce had now become an accomplished guitarist in his own right. Original drummer Terry Graham also was back behind the kit, with his former Bags bandmate Patricia Morrison recruited to fill the bass slot vacated by Rob Ritter (who coincidentally had played guitar in the Bags alongside Morrison and Graham). This is the only Gun Club album to feature this classic lineup.

 

The CD version includes a 24-page booklet with liner notes by Terry Graham, Kid Congo Powers and Patricia Morrison as well as producer Jeff Eyrich, and guest musicians Dave Alvin and Phast Phreddie Patterson. It also includes rare photos and ephemera. The LP version, housed in a gatefold package, also includes those liner notes, photos and ephemera.

 

The Las Vegas Story was originally released by Chris Stein's Animal Records imprint, awarded to him by Chrysalis Records for Blondie's huge commercial success. (The album is dedicated to Blondie singer Debbie Harry). It was recorded on the band's home turf of Hollywood, California at the famed Ocean Way Studios with Eyrich after the band's original wish list of Tom Verlaine, John Cale, Mitch Easter, David Lee Roth and Vanity 6 didn't pan out. With credits including T-Bone Burnett and the Plimsouls, Eyrich was more than capable and captured the band's raw sound in the off-hours at a discount rate, while more established stars Stevie Nicks and Ry Cooder were also working in the studios.

 

"Jeff Eyrich actually had a very good influence on us – and brought out different things in us. He didn’t poo-poo our ideas – like doing 'My Man’s Gone Now,'" Kid Congo writes in the liner notes. The George Gershwin-DuBose Heyward-penned classic from Porgy and Bess is one of two covers on the album. The other is a haunting take of Pharoah Sanders and Leon Thomas' "The Creator Has a Master Plan." And while Verlaine wasn't available to serve as producer, Congo and Pierce, with his newfound guitar prowess, channeled Television in the country-flavored original "My Dreams." Elsewhere, Pierce shows off his slide-guitar playing and improved songwriting. "In 1984, Jeffrey could rightfully call himself a singer-songwriter-guitarist, now an even more capable writer and performer," Graham writes in the liner notes.

 

The Las Vegas Story was recorded the year Ronald Reagan was re-elected to a second term in the White House and the Olympics had returned to Los Angeles for the first time in more than 50 years. "All the good things that we liked about Los Angeles were being swept away -- all the good dirt was being swept away," Powers writes. "I feel The Las Vegas Story captures the feeling of disgust with that."

 

That disgust yielded some incredible results. "I am extremely proud of The Las Vegas Story album," Powers added. "Not only did it mark my musical reunification with the very missed Jeffrey Lee Pierce, it marked so many possibilities for the future of our musical adventures."

 

Captured for posterity are those possibilities in the grooves of The Las Vegas Story, a musical tale well worth revisiting again.

Cannes(did)

Presently the Cannes Film Festival in France is underway. Sure there's glitz, there's glamor, but what about something a little more Cannes(did) and a lot less formal. I thought you would be all in for that.

Thus we have Sharon Stone chilling in the South of France with her friend Adam Senn the caption reads: "Sharon Stone reporting from Cannes" 

Simple to the point and behind the scenes. 

This capture of Sharon and Adam kicking it with cocktails (say that three times fast) is the vibe we want heading in to the final week of May. "Yes" it's the last full week of May Minions...WOW! Copy that one!!! 

Bend it like Sharon!

Sharon on IG -

https://www.instagram.com/sharonstone/  

Mad Photobomber

Mad Bomber
Jon Hamm, January Jones & Kiernan Shipka

I believe it was just yesterday that I was thinking of Mad Men and what a great show it was. In fact it is in my Top 5 favorite TV shows of all time. Which is a pretty amazing feat since I only have three favorite TV shows of all time. I'm still waiting on the other two.

So here you have it for Sunday Funday the oh so sexy Jon Hamm photobombing his lovely Mad Men co-stars January Jones & Kiernan Shipka at an event of some sort.

Nostalgia isn't just for geeks Virginia, Santa Claus on the other hand...

Thus I leave you with this image and memory of a time gone by when Mad Men aired weekly. 

We always have reruns Minions!!!

Mad Men on Wikipedia -

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

Aliens, Clowns and Geeks, Oh My!

"This is one of those films that can't be compared to anything else-a uniquely bizarre experience with the ability to enrage, enthrall, but mostly entertain."

     —Josh Millican, Dread Central

Out-of-work actor Eddy Pine stumbles upon the key to the universe and is drawn into an intergalactic conflict between killer clowns and sneaky green aliens--the fate of the planet hangs on the outcome. And thus begins a "wild, wacky comedy" (Horror Buzz) filled with hilarious twists and turns in this "fantastical sci-fi adventure!" (Bloody Disgusting)

From the mind of Richard Elfman (Forbidden Zone, Modern Vampires) comes another hilarious cult classic comedy featuring an all-star cast that includes Steve Agee (Suicide Squad), French Stewart ("3rd Rock From The Sun"), George Wendt ("Cheers"), Verne Troyer (Austin Powers), Anastasia Elfman (Bloody Bridget), Malcolm Foster Smith ("The Middle"), Rebecca Forsythe (Bronx Bull), Angeline-Rose Troy (CineDopes), Nic Novicki (Boardwalk Empire) and Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean) with a soundtrack featuring original music by Danny Elfman (Batman, Spider-Man) and Ego Plum ("SpongeBob SquarePants")!

Media

 Watch trailer »

Bonus Materials

• Aliens, Clowns and Geeks: Behind the Scenes Interviews with the cast and crew
• Interview with Writer/Director Richard Elfman
• 'Mambo Diabolico' Music Video
• Original Theatrical Trailer

Order Here -

https://mvdb2b.com/b2b/s/MVD10070BR

Every Dog Must Have His Day

Jon Hamm & Cora

Hello Minions can you guess what today is? Why it's National Rescue Dog Day...Arf!

With us today to help commemorate it  are Jon Hamm and his rescue dog Cora. Hmmmmm...with all the celebrities to choose from I wonder why I went with Jon Hamm? I'm sure you have a pretty good idea, let's face it you know why!!!

Here are the top reasons to adopt a Rescue Dog:

While there are probably hundreds of reasons to rescue a dog, here are my top reasons to adopt a rescue dog.

• You will be saving a life. ...
• You can help in the fight against puppy mills and irresponsible breeders. ...
• Time to find the right match for you. ...
• It's cost-effective. ...
• Because they might just save you.                                                                                                                                                           

National Rescue Dog Day on the WWW -

https://www.nationalrescuedogday.com/