For the taping of the special 25th anniversary show (aired, appropriately, in October 1995) we welcomed special guests "Weird Al" Yankovic, Art Barnes (AKA Bill Mumy), Bill Frenzer of Ogden Edsl, and members of Green Jelly, plus former "cast" members Capt. Chaos, SuLu, Jovial Joan, Ludicrous Lori and Life Size Lynn, along with two gigantic anniversary cakes.
Cathy Williams of Rhino Records was there to wave the Rhino flag, along with famed album cover photographer Henry Diltz, who preserved the happy faces you see on the cover and elsewhere in this issue! An excellent time was had by all. Thanks again to you, the listeners and Society members who made it all possible!
I do manage to get out of town once in a while, though. Recently I present my "Evening In Dementia" video, comedy and music program at several colleges and universities. In January I took it to my alma mater, Reed College in Portland, Oregon. In February I traveled to Lombard, Illinois to do my thing at the College of DuPage, the largest two-year college in the USA. They have a brand-new student activities center with first-class sound and video, and the show drew a large and very enthusiastic audience. In addition to many local Society members I enjoyed meeting Luke Sienkowski ("The Great Luke Ski") who drove all the way from Kansas City with his mother and brother. Blair Freeman of Canton, IL and Frank Merrill from Macomb also came a long way to catch the show. In April, Society member Grant Baciocco organized a show at California State University, Long Beach where I also had a great time; this show was open to student dormitory residents only.
On April 30 I presented a special program of "car tunes" (comedy and rock songs about automobiles) at an outdoor "parking lot party" put on by cable TV's "fx" network for TV executives attending a major convention in downtown Los Angeles. The party featured an amazing exhibit of "art cars" -- real, driveable cars with amazing artistic decorations ranging from the sublime to the truly outlandish. It was 96 degrees in the shade that day, and there was very little shade indeed in that parking lot! Stan Freberg came by to say hello, and to announce the upcoming Rhino Records release of the long- awaited sequel to his famous album Stan Freberg Presents the United States of America. The new album will continue Freberg's enlightened retelling of America's story up to the World War I era. It will be available as a single CD, and alos as a double-CD package together with the out-of-print original album. I wrote liner notes for the double-CD edition. Both editions will be released, fittingly enough, on July 4.
The Doctor's personal appearances are booked by Traditional Arts Services, based in Seattle. In addition to the "Evening of Dementia" program, Dr. D is also available as a guest speaker on such subjects as The History of Recorded Comedy, Sci-Fi Dementia, British Comedy and "Songs I Can't Play On The Dr. Demento Show," or as a master of ceremonies. If you are affiliated with a college, university, club or other organization that presents concerts or holds conventions, Traditional Arts Services would be interested in speaking with you. Contact John Ullman at (206) 367-9044.
While skeptics may dismiss the renaissance of the configuration as merely an ephemeral component of the ragin '70s retro craze, we Vinyl Junkies credit the resurgence to the enlightenment of the music buying public.
Many audiophiles favor the warm, rich timbre replicated on the funny old phonograph over the frigidity of CD sound.
As this is written, more than half of the singles on the Billboard Top 40 are available on 45 rpm discs, some with picture sleeves. Many of the top albums of the year are also on LP, including billion-sellers by Hootie & the Blowfish and Coolio. Pearl Jam's Vitalogy was released on LP before becoming available on CD, and reached #55 on the charts in its first week, based on vinyl sales alone.
Unfortunately, most major music store chains still do not carry vinyl. Break out the Yellow Pages and find those independent "ma and pa" record stores! Many support the vinyl format, and they need our support. Vinyl Junkies Unite! And do keep me informed of your local disc-coveries!
Cutting Up with Whimsical Will, a 60-minuteaudio cassette featuring 20 of Will's classic "break-in" interviews including the Batman trilogy, is still available. Write to Whimsical WIll c/o The Demento Society for details.
NAPOLEON XIV: The Second Coming
Here's the long-awaited CD reissue of Napoleon's legendary
"They're Coming To Take Me Away, Ha-Haa!" LP from
1966, plus tracks from his unreleased second LP that are even
better, and some nice recent recordings as well. The flip side of
the original "They're Coming" 45 is included as a hidden track.
For more details see DSN #108. RHINO RECORDS; IN STORES
(AND AVAILABLE FROM THE DEMENTO SOCIETY!)
REV. BILLY C. WIRTZ: Songs of Faith and Inflammation
Rev. Billy C. Wirtz is a Southern singer, piano player and
comedian with a nice command of roots-rock, blues and
country music, a slightly left-of-center outlook, a sharp eye
and ear for societal foibles, and a contagious lust for life and
laughter. He's in excellent form on this, his fifth album.
Recorded both live and in the studio, it features "Right Wing
Roundup," the poignant "Grandma Vs. The Crusher" and a
nice remake of "It's a Gas" (the belching song). HIGHTONE
RECORDS, DISTRIBUTED BY RHINO; IN STORES.
ADAM SANDLER: What the Hell Happened To Me?
Sandler is nothing if not versatile on his sophomore CD. "The
Hanukkah Song" and "Dip Doodle," recorded live, are just as
sweetly charming and almost as funny as "Lunchlady Land"
from his first disc. Elsewhere, Sandler finds humor in the
spectacle of a skydiving cow with a bad parachute, in
vignettes featuring the excruciatingly pitiful Excited
Southerner, and in what may be the dumbest dope song ever
written. Adam does get extra points for the CD's generous
74:59 playing time. WARNER BROS. RECORDS; IN STORES.
Buy This Box Or We'll Shoot This Dog: THE
BEST OF THE NATIONAL LAMPOON RADIO
HOUR
A weekly syndicated program of comedy sketches and songs,
the National Lampoon Radio Hour was an offshoot of
National Lampoon magazine. Launched in 1973, the Radio
Hour featured the top young comics of the period, including
John Belushi (who directed the program for a time), Richard
Belzer, Billy Crystal, Christopher Guest, Gilda Radner, Chevy
Chase and Bill Murray. All of them are heard, with dozens of
others, in the 139 tracks (ranging from four seconds to 8 1/2
minutes) of this 3-CD box. The Radio Hour was a direct
precursor of NBC-TV's Saturday Night (Live), and on this box
you hear the same brilliance you see in early episodes of that
show. RHINO; AVAILABLE IN STORES.
LOUDON WAINWRIGHT III: Grown Man
"IWIWAL" ("I Wish I Was a Lesbian") is the artist's funniest
song in years. Aside from that, this is a serious album, often a
deeply moving one. VIRGIN RECORDS; IN STORES.
WESLEY WILLIS: Rock 'N' Roll Will Never Die
Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic years ago, Chicago's
Wesley Willis discovered the therapeutic value of music, and
has written and recorded literally hundreds of songs. One of his
favorite subjects is other performers. Here's a handy sampler of
24 songs (most selected from earlier released on Willis' own
label) about such diverse artists as Mojo Nixon, Blues
Traveler, Shonen Knife, Liz Phair, Nirvana and the Rolling
Stones. Yes, they're all alike, but a few at a time make great
fun. OGLIO RECORDS, PO BOX 404, REDONDO BEACH, CA
90277.
HUDSON AND LANDRY: Best Of
Between the 1950s braininess of Bob & Ray and the 1990s
spewings of Howard Stern, Bob Hudson and Ron Landry ruled
L.A. radio for a year or two in the early 1970s. Their first two
LP's were national bestsellers. This CD has most of their
"hits": "Ajax Liquor Store," "Bruiser LaRue," "Obscene Phone
Bust." Their lowbrow humor (rather gentle by today's
standards, if politically incorrect on occasion) is still amusing.
The tape editing on this CD is a tad sloppy, and the cover will
never win a Grammy, but it's a serviceable anthology. DORE
RECORDS, 1608 ARGYLEAVE., HOLLYWOOD, CA 90028.
ROUNDER RECORDS sent along some other goodies recently,
along with Tiny Tim's Girl. The Bobs are the kings of
progressive a cappella (three kings and a queen, actually). Their
latest CD, Plugged, is a bit more reflective, less zany than
some earlier releases, but their music just keeps getting better.
Regarding that title: no, the Bobs have not turned into a rock
band, but they do use discreet electronic modification of their
voices on a few tracks, and a bit of percussion here and there.
Riders in the Sky do a different, equally wondrous sort of
vocal harmony, inspired by the Songs of the Pioneers and other
film and radio cowboys of days gone by. They always sneak in
a little humor here such as "The Trail Tip Song"; a line from
that song is their latest CD's title, Always Drink Upstream
From the Herd. Upper Crust (on the affiliated Upstart label)
write pink-rock songs about old money, opera glasses and
Little Lord Fauntleroy, and performs them in 18th century
costumes complete with powdered wigs. The absurd contrast is
fun; it'd be even funnier if the lyrics didn't strain quite so hard
to be clever (and if the lyrics were a little easier to understand
on the recording). Cheryl Wheeler sings "Is It Peace or Is It
Prozac?" and a couple of other funny songs along with some
moving and sensitive ones on Mrs. Pinocci's Guitar (on
Rounder's Philo label).
"Musical Mike" Kieffer has helped out on the Dr.
Demento Show for over fifteen years. You've heard his goofy
squeaky "hand music" on numerous Weird Al tracks from
"Another One Rides the Bus" to "Headline News." Mike works
full-time as an electronics engineer, but lately he has also
become quite an expert at restoration of sound on old
recordings. His biggest project to date is a 5-CD box set of the
complete recordings of Milton Brown, the 1930s Texas
singer and bandleader. Brown was on the bring of becoming
one of the biggest stars in country music in 1936 when he died
following an auto accident. His band was the first country
group to make records using electric guitar amplification.
Brown's music is often just as much jazz, blues and or pop as
it is country, and many fans have been rediscovering it lately.
It've been digging it since I was in high school. (TEXAS ROSE
RECORDS, C/O OJL, PO BOX 85, SANTA MONICA, CA
90406). Mike also worked on Sweet Potato Tooters, a single
CD by The Foursome, who became famous in the 1930s
for their lively vocal harmony performances featuring
instrumental breaks on the ocarina (or "sweet potato"). Del
Porter, later a founding member of Spike Jones' City Slickers,
was a member, and Spike himself is heard as a studio drummer
on many of these entertaining tracks. Both the Brown and
Foursome sets, incidentally, contain dubs of rare 78's from the
Demento Archives. (MUSIC & MEMORIES, PO BOX 99, ST.
AUSTELL, CORNWALL (U.K.) PL25 3YD).
"Smoke Two Joints" by The Toyes, unavailable for years, is
now on the compilation CD Thump'n Reggae Jamz (THUMP
RECORDS, PO BOX 445, WALNUT CA 91788).
RENEW NOW and get the 1996 membership package -- with
our best BASEMENT TAPES CD/cassette compilation
ever...featuring the top three most requested songs and comedy
bits of '95 ("Bulbous Bouffant," "Carrot Juice Is Murder" and
"Everything Reminds Me Of My Therapist") plus unreleased
songs by TOM LEHRER and "WEIRD AL" YANKOVIC!
The package also includes a full-color personally autographed
photo of Dr. Demento, plus a button, bumper sticker, press
kit, membership card, a coupon good for 10% on a future
purchase of CD's or other goodies, and four more issues of the
News. Get another year of laughter for just $16.95!
The Doctor Replies: I used to play piano. My father was a
pretty decent amateur pianist -- he played a lot of Chopin and
some pop music too. I started piano lessons at age 6 and took
them on and off through my college years. It was all classical
at first; later I taught myself the rudiments of blues and rock 'n
roll.
I was never by any stretch of the imagination a skilled pianist,
but I can be heard playing piano on two records.
One of them is not impossible to find. It's on a Vanguard
album called Requia by the acoustic guitarist John Fahey,
recorded in 1967. In the middle of a lengthy piece called
"Requiem for Molly" I can be briefly heard playing the old pop
standard "My Blue Heaven."
In 1994 I co-produced a 2-CD compilation John Fahey's
music for Rhino. "Requiem for Molly" is not included, but the
liner notes have more information on my long association
with John and how that particular session came about.
My other pianistic appearance on record back back in 1964, on
a record that is just about impossible to find. I joined a group
called King David and the Parables. We were UCLA graduate
students, and we played rhythm & blues. One day the head of a
small record company, Rev Records, asked us if we would be
interested in backing up a pop-rock singer named Jay Jay
Cameron, who wanted to do something with a bluesy sound.
Jay Jay had written lyrics to a song called "Short Dresses." We
set it to a simple blues tune, for which I got composers'
credit. We recorded it one Saturday in a small L.A. studio.
Some background voices were overdubbed later. It was released
on a 45 rpm disc - Rev R-107, couple with "Miss Missile"
(which we had nothing to do with). About 300 copies were
sent to radio stations. We heard rumors about it being played
on the air somewhere or other, but no orders came in, so that
was the end of it.
Not long afterward, the Supremes came out with their #1 hit
"Where Did Our Loe Go." It begins with a few seconds of
foot stomping, like "Short Dresses" did. There is no further
resemblance, but I still do a double take whenever I hear
"Where Did Our Love Go" on the radio.
King David and the Parables were only together for a few
months. Lead guitarist "King" David Cohen went on to be a
successful studio musician. He played the beautiful twelve-
string guitar part on Bobby Darin's "If I Were a Cerpenter."
Rhythm guitarist/singer Bernie Pearl has been one of L.A.'s
top blues bandleaders for the past 20 years. He founded
Southern California's biggest annual blues festival. Bassist
Stuart Brotman played with Canned Heat briefly, then joined a
band called Kaleidoscope that made several excellent LP's.
Lately he's been playing klezmer, the traditional Jewish dance
music that's enjoying a widespread revival. Drummer Craig
Woodson became a distinguished ethnomusicologist. And I
guess you know what happened to the piano player.
The Doctor welcomes questions about any aspect
of "mad music and crazy comedy" or record
collecting for future columns. Send your question
to PO Box 884, Culver City, CA 90232.
The price is just $1.00 per issue, plus $1.00 PER
ORDER for postage and handling. No shipping
charge if ordered with CD's, T-shirts, etc.
GET YOUR FRIENDS TO WRITE LETTERS TOO. Get a bunch of
them to sign a petition! Many radio executives are simply not aware how
many people enjoy Mad Music and Crazy Comedy. Let 'em know!
The Doctor thanks you.
If you have one of these defective tapes and would like to receive a
new one, simply send us the green folded "J-card" with the printed
song listing, along with your name and address, and we'll send you
a new one out with a J-card included. You do not need to return the
actual defective tape.
BASEMENT TAPES NO. 1 (CD only)
BASEMENT TAPES NO. 2 (CD only)
BASEMENT TAPES NO. 3 (CD and cassette)
TIME TO RENEW?
If the numbers 108 or 109 appear on your address label, your
membership has expired or is expiring, and this is the last
Demento Society News you will receive.
HOT OFF THE PRESSES!
NAPOLEON XIV - THE SECOND COMING
The first CD release ever for the complete
1966 album featuring " They're Coming To
Take Me Away, Ha-haaa!" Lots of bonus
tracks including songs from Napoleon's
legendary unreleased second LP. Includes
"I Owe a Lot to Iowa Pot" and "Split Level
Head." Notes by Jerry Samuels (Napoleon
XIV) and Dr. Demento! CD ONLY - $15.98
THE DEMENTOPHONE LINE is open 24
hours daily for your requests. Call
nights or weekends for lowest rates.
DIAL 1-310-ODD-TUNE
ASK THE DOCTOR...
Doctor, have you made any records as a musician?
- D.D.K., Los Angeles
WHEN ORDERING FROM THE DEMENTO SOCIETY...Please
allow 6 to 8 weeks for the processing and shipping of your
order. THANK YOU!
Enjoy the warm weather
in your very own
DR. DEMENTO
T-SHIRT!
SIZES L, XL, XXL Only $12.95!
ORDER NOW - LIMITED SUPPPLY
(especially on the XXL's!)
Use our handy order blank.
DEMENTO SOCIETY NEWS BACK ISSUES
We have the following issues in stock at press time:
Vol. 2 #2 (Monty Python, "Life with Dr. Demento" by "Mrs.
Demento") Vol. 3 #1 ("Collecting Cassettes," 1989 new
releases) Vol. 3 #2 (Moving Day in Dementia, 1990 new
releases) Vol. 4 #1 (Dr D's 20th Anniversary Tour) #101
(1991-92 new releases) #102 (Who's Whimsical Will, 1993 new
releases) #103 (Frank Zappa 1940-1993, late 1993 releases)
#104 (1994 new releases, Words from Whimsical Will) #105
(Late 1994 new releases) #106 (Spring 1995) #107 (Summer
1995) #108 (Fall-Winter 1995-96)
IF THE DR. DEMENTO SHOW IS NO
LONGER HEARD IN YOUR AREA...
WRITE to the PROGRAM DIRECTOR at one or more of the stations you
listen to and say how much you'd like to hear the show. (A letter is more
effective than a phone call). If the show was heard on a particular station
until recently, be sure to write that station.
ATTENTION CASSETTE USERS...
We have become aware of a manufacturing glitch in some copies of
the cassette version of Dr. Demento's Basement Tapes No. 4. On
these copies, the songs appear in the wrong order, with the music
beginning in the middle of "That's Mathematics" instead of with
"Bulbous Bouffant" like it should.
THE SPIKE JONES ANTHOLOGY
"Musical Depreciation Revue"
The Doctor himself personally compiled
and wrote notes for this 2-CD treasure
chest of Spike Jones' 40 greatest recordings.
2 CD's - $27.98. 32-track double cassette
package - $17.98. Add shipping charges.
SEND FOR OUR FREE CATALOG
It contains complete track listings for all the Rhino
CD's and tapes available through the Demento Society,
including DR. DEMENTO'S 25th ANNIVERSARY
COLLECTION, DR. DEMENTO'S COUNTRY
CORN, HOLIDAYS IN DEMENTIA and the
Doctor's unique kids' album DR. DEMENTO
GOOSES MOTHER.
A WORD TO THE WISE REGARDING OUR NEW BUMPER STICKERS....
The bumper stickers included with the 1996 membership package
are the new DECAL type. We think you'll agree they're our best-
looking, longest-lasting stickers yet. They're great indoors or
out, on a wall, in a scrapbook or even on a real bumper. But they
ARE decals...which means that wherever you stick them, they stay
stuck! They are not easily removable.
WE'LL PRINT YOUR NAME HERE
OR MOST ANYTHING YOU LIKE! The DEMENTO SOCIETY
NEWS is now accepting advertising. Just $18 per column inch
(this box is one column inch) or $30 for a two-inch ad. Camera-
ready copy or artwork required. Write Sue Hansen, Demento
Society News, PO Box 884, Culver City, CA 90232.
DR. DEMENTO'S BASEMENT TAPES Nos. 1, 2 & 3
are still available to members of the Demento Society. If you joined recently, or if
you now have a CD player that you didn't have when you joined, don't miss this
chance to complete your collection! Supplies are limited. You must be a member of
the Society to purchase these items. Price is $9.98 each plus shipping charge. Use
our handy order blank.
IT'S ALIVE - Bobby (Boris) Pickett / ORAL HYGEINE - Mr. Elk & Mr. Seal / THE SMALLEST THING KNOWN TO MAN
- Lorne Elliott / THE BABY ZONE - Glenn Super / MOOSE IN MY HOUSE - Scott Laningham / IN 1492 COLUMBUS
SAILED THE OCEAN BLUES - Tim Cavanagh / BOOGER ON MY BEER MUG - Sneaky Pete / HANGOVER - Krypton /
SHE GRABBED MY COCONUTS - Barry & the Bookbinders / TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALL GAME - Palm Springs
Yacht Club / MY DOG ATE NOLAN RYAN - Scary Gary Alan / BALLAD OF WOODY & MIA - Loose Bruce Kerr / I LOVE
YOU - Jim Fontano / BABY I'M DEAD - Mike Toomey / MUTANT COWS - The Dyzmals / LATE BLOOMER - Lauren
Mayer / THEY DON'T WEAR PANTS IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF FRANCE - John Bartles / SUSHI BABY - Bianca Bob
& Flystrip / ROAD KILL - Milo Tremley / MRS. FLETCHER (Help Me, I've Fallen) -- Slant 6 & the Jumpstarts / RUDY
RUDY - Harry Jeremy / FREEZE DRIED FIDO - Joe Keefe / WHITE SPOTS - Jesse Goldberg / THE YUM YUM TREE - Tom
Dark / A TERRORIST CHRISTMAS - James & Kling / I WANT A PART TIME GIRL FOR CHRISTMAS - Howie Nave
WHEN I WAS A DINOSAUR - Trout Fishing In America / HAPPY BIRTHDAY - "Weird Al" Yankovic / HIGH SCHOOL
GYM - Barnes & Barnes with SuLu / ESKIMO - Corky and the Juice Pigs / I WANNA FRIED PIE - Dick Price / DOG WITH
PLASTIC STOMACH - The Yuh-uh-uh-uhs / GIANT SPIDERS - Joe & Sharon Keefe / WE EAT KITTY CATS - The
Defectives / STRIP NAKED YOU SWEET MAGGOT - The Rudy Schwartz Project / B.A.R.F. CONSTRUCTION - Doo-doo
Wah / DISCO TOILET - Hersh & Chipkin / BAD HAIRCUT - Wally Pleasant / A TRIP TO JURASSIC PARK - Whimsical
Will / I GOT A CODE IN MY DOSE - Rosetta Duncan / DWARF TOSSIN' - Bouquet of Veal / 18 WHEELS LATER - Barry &
the Bookbinders / P. C. (Politically Correct) - John Kunich / CRAZY - Ace T. & the Hindenburg Ground Crew / THE RAG
RAG - Boogerman / BEER GUT - Da Yoopers / GET DRUNK WITH DIGNITY - Tim Cavanagh / THORAZINE SHUFFLE -
Modern Entertainment / AN AXL CHRISTMAS - Sponge Awareness Foundation / LET'S ALL GET DEMENTED - Ivor
Biggun
DOWN WITH V.E.G. - The Amazing Onionheads / STRESS - Jim Infantino / LAZIN' IN THE SHADE (Of The Information
Superhighway) - The Foremen / THRILLSEEKER - Fred Stoller / GOD TOLD ME TO ROB THE 7-11 - Dick Price / DO THE
PICARD - Rusty Humphries and the Boneheads / BALD GUYS - Faust & Lewis / I'LL BE MELLOW WHEN I'M DEAD -
"Weird Al" Yankovic / THE HARLEY-DAVIDSON POLKA - The Happy Schnapps Combo / ROLLERBLADING! - Tom
Dark / SPRING FISHIN' - Bananas At Large / I WAS BORN TEN MILLION SONGS AGO - Steven Brust / WE'RE ROCKIN'
IN THE REST HOME - Pat Sojourner / HAS ANYBODY SEEN OUR CAT? - Burt Shepard / CAT SONG - Joe & Sharon
Keefe / DACHSHUNDS WITH ERECTIONS CAN'T CLIMB STAIRS - The Mrs. Ackroyd Band / IF PIGS HAD WINGS -
Heywood Banks / EXISTENTIAL BLUES Part Too - Tom "T-Bone" Stankus / MR. GHOST GOES TO TOWN - The 5 Jones
Boys / GRIDLOCK CHRISTMAS - The Hollytones / CHEERIO CHERRY LIPS CHEERIO - Gordon Wallace (Dr.
Demento's Closing Theme)
Thank You & Stay Demented!
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