No. 115
IT'S ALMOST READY!!!
The Dr. Demento Official Website,
that is!
In fact, you can see it taking shape before your very
eyes if you access it now.
If it were a building, we'd have big signs out saying
"HARD HAT ZONE" and "WATCH YOUR STEP"
because it is still very much under construction!
You may need to use the "back" button on your
browser. But we have decided to let everyone take a
look and see the parts that are finished. Lots more on
the way...you will soon be able to hear recent Dr D
radio shows on your computer's sound system
through this website! (Wind up your sound cards...)
The address is...
Drop on by!
We Love Plastic
Not just the kind that records are made out of! The
Demento Society is now accepting Visa and
Mastercard for mail orders of membership and
merchandise. See our always-handy order blank
inside.
Demented Doings
Dr. Demento has written his first book. Not
everyone knows that Dr. Demento is a blues
historian, but he's been digging blues even longer
than he's been Dr. Demento. (Because of that, the
book will have his "real" name, Barry Hansen, on
the cover). The book goes all the way from the
earliest known blues singers (ca. 1900) through
Blind Lemon Jefferson, Lead Belly, Robert
Johnson, Muddy Waters and B. B. King all the way
to current teenage blues sensation Jonny Lang. The
publishers have gathered some great photos to go
with the Doctor's words. The title is Heavy, Man:
A Cruise Through The World Of The Blues.
Look for it in late summer or early fall.
At presstime the Doctor was scheduled to appear at
Tower Records, San Francisco on May 17th as
Bay Area host for the second annual Rhino
Musical Aptitude Test, the world's greatest
music trivia contest. The Doctor supervised the Los
Angeles test-takers last year. Earlier in May he
visited his alma mater, Reed College in Portland,
Oregon, and put on a show for students. The
Oregonian daily newspaper noted his presence,
calling him "perhaps Reed's most distinguished
alumnus."
Attention Southern Californians...
The Dr. Demento Show is now heard on station
KLSX (97.1 FM) Sundays at 11 PM. Thanks for
all your great support...good to be back!
The Dr. Goes Interplanetary
A new compilation CD called They Came From
Outer Space features booklet notes by Dr. D! We are
making this available through the Demento
Society...see back page.
Look Inside...
you'll find more Demented Doings plus reviews of
New Demented Discs on Page 2...
our trusty ORDER BLANK is on Page 3...
And still more goodies on Page 4!
More Demented Doings...
"Weird Al" Yankovic has written a stack of songs for
his next album and will soon be in the studio. Same
goes for Henry Phillips who has already given our
listeners a preview of his work in progress, a unique
piece called "Talkin' Again" in which he lets his
rock n' roll roots show...Stan Freberg has just
released his first new single in over 30 years, "The
Conspirasky Theory," on Rhino. A Freberg box set is
planned for late 1998 on Rhino Records; Dr. Demento
is collaborating on the project..."Cows With Guns"
by Dana Lyons, our number one song of 1997, is now
available as an illustrated book published by Penguin
Studio. The book, which contains a CD single of the
song, is available at bookstores nationally.
THE ROTO ROOTER GOOD TIME CHRISTMAS
BAND: Retro Rooter
A six-piece band featuring brass and saxes, the
RRGTCB was a major part of our show's first decade
(the Seventies). I played a couple dozen of their songs
on the air, and they made numerous concert
appearances with me in Los Angeles and elsewhere.
They recorded several "jingles" for me which I use to
this day: the opening theme, the fanfare that heralds
the Funny Five, "It's Time For Number One," and
the little "stinger" heard with the words "Stay
Demented!" at the very end of each show.
The RRGTCB made one LP, for Vanguard, which
hasn't shown up on CD. However, one of the original
members, Geoff "Dr. Mabuse d.o.a." Cooper, has just
put together a CD of the band's numerous demo
tapes, many of which were very popular on our show.
The sound quality is first rate (Geoff was a pro sound
engineer for many years) and the performances are
every bit as good as the LP if not better. The disc gives
us all sides of the band's huge repertoire, from the
Spike Jones-y versions of classical pieces they used to
play at outdoor events around L.A. to more pop-
sounding studio novelties like "Martian March" and
"Jungle Boogie." Also included is the first unreleased
tape I ever aired on my show, the RRGTCB's cover of
the Laurel & Hardy theme "March Of The Cuckoos,"
together with my actual on-air introduction.
AVAILABLE EXCLUSIVELY FROM D. B. COOPER'S
WHOLESALE MUSIC EXCHANGE, 1724 W. VERDUGO
AVE., BURBANK, CA 91506. PRICE $15.00
(INCLUDES SEMI-BOUND BOOKLET). SPECIAL:
MENTION THE DEMENTO SOCIETY NEWS AND SAVE
SHIPPING & HANDLING CHARGE (NORMALLY $4).
MORE INFO: 818-563-2222.
ROY ZIMMERMAN: Comic Sutra
Roy Zimmerman was founder and songwriter of The
Foremen, the satirical neo-folk quartet whose four
CD's have delighted many listeners ("Do The
Clinton," "Firing The Surgeon General," "Lazin' In
The Shade Of The Information Superhighway," etc.)
Roy left The Foremen a year ago as he moved toward
a slightly more "pop" musical style. His satirical
songwriting has made the transition splendidly, as we
can hear on this 11-song live recording. "Let's Get
Branded" is a sharp spoof of contemporary body
decoration. "Vasectomy" is hilarious autobiography,
and "Punish The People" cloaks a serious and
moving message with laughter and a beautiful melody.
This is not a CD you'd want to buy for your 10-year-
old, but it's adult humor of the very best kind.
METAPHOR RECORDS, PO BOX 334, PACIFIC
PALISADES, CA 90272.
BOB RIVERS: Best of Twisted Tunes (Vols. 1 & 2)
Known for his Twisted Christmas CD, Rivers is a
Seattle radio personality. Throughout the year, he
frequently features song parodies based on current
events, which he writes and produces. These are
supplied under exclusive contracts to other stations
around the USA. Two similar batches of Rivers' more
enduring parodies are on these CD's (15 tracks each).
Their craft blend of cynical satire and pottymouth
sleaze is typical of today's morning radio. While the
writing doesn't often match the consummate artistry
of Al Yankovic's, it definitely has its moments, and the
production (complete with celebrity impersonations) is
first rate. ATLANTIC RECORDS - IN STORES.
WENSIS SLA: THE CHASTON-GRODITSKI
ORIGINALS
Here's the most oddball CD I've gotten this year,
which is saying something in these parts. A couple of
cousins who grew up in an extended Polish-American
family near New York City in the Sixties used to make
up silly songs and record them on a home tape
recorder whenever they'd get together. In the
Seventies, after they moved to separate places, they
continued the series by mail. In the Nineties, 24 of
their favorites are on this CD. "We Burned The
Christmas Tree" is our favorite; others include "Brain
Rape," "Suddenly I've Got The Crabs" and "Shove
It Up Your Krzywa Dupa Dzlura." Perhaps you had
to be there...but these youthful exuberances have a
certain charm unlike anything you'll find in a CD
store. $15.00 - ORDER FROM PETE CHASTON, PO
BOX 758, KEARNEY, MO 64060.
also heard on the show...
"Uncle Mad Dog" and other comedy sketches by A
Cast of Thousands are on the group's CD Please Buy
This CD, available from A Cast of Thousands, 1001
Foxcroft Rd., Grand Island, NY 14072. Web:
http://home.att.net/~markholt
"It's Your Birthday And You're Still Stupid" by Bob
Lyons is a CD single available from the artist at PO
Box 21306, Columbus, OH 43221-0306
IF THE DR. DEMENTO SHOW IS NOT
ON THE AIR 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).
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!
Get Spaced
New to our catalog: They Came From Outer Space, a
CD compilation from Varése Sarabande Records.
The 16 tracks represent many styles of music but all
have to do with aliens, UFO's and space travelers.
Here's what's on it:
"Slime Creatures From Outer Space" - " Weird Al"
Yankovic
"UFO's" - The Undisputed Truth
"The Martian Boogie" - Brownsville Station
"Flying Saucer Rock and Roll" - Billy Riley and his
Little Green Men
"Our Favorite Martian" - Bobby Fuller And The
Fanatics
"The Flying Saucer" (Parts 1 & 2) - Buchanan &
Goodman
"The Purple People Eater" - Sheb Wooley
"Flying Saucer" - The Solid Senders
"Martian Hop" - The Ran-Dells
"Spaceman" - Nilsson
"Calling Occupants Of Interplanetary Craft" - Klaatu
"Flying Saucers" - The Mello-Tones
"The Blob" - The Five Blobs
"Stardrek" - Bobby Pickett & Peter Ferrara
"The Ballad Of William Robinson" - Billy Mumy
"Have You Seen The Saucers" - Jefferson Airplane
Of special interest are "The Ballad Of William
Robinson," written and sung by Bill Mumy, who
played Will Robinson on the original TV series Lost
In Space (and later went on to be half of Barnes &
Barnes of "Fish Heads" fame)..."Flying Saucers" by
The Mello-Tones, a very rare gospel-style item from
1951, and "Stardrek," a slightly different recording
from the one heard on Dr. Demento's 25th
Anniversary Collection.
We are proud to make this fine collection available
for $14.98 plus shipping. Available on CD only. See
our order blank on Page 3.
Worse Than Slime Sold Out
The Worse Than Slime compilation, listed in our 1998
catalog, is no longer available in any format. The company
that made it is no longer in business, and all stocks are
exhausted. Thanks to everyone who bought one from us!
It's T-Shirt Time Again!
ENJOY THE SUNSHINE IN YOUR
DR. DEMENTO T-SHIRT
- Dr. Demento's color picture on front
- STAY DEEEE-MENTED on back!
- Top Quality - 100% Cotton!
SIZES L, XL Only $12.95!
Size XXL $14.50
got catalog?
The Demento Society's free catalog lists dozens of
great CD's and tapes, including complete track listings
for all the Doctor's Rhino CD's. Three easy ways to
get one: write to PO Box 884, call the Odd Tune Line
at 562-ODD-TUNE, or use e-mail. Our
e-mail address is
DEMENTO SOCIETY NEWS Back Issues
Available again - Vol. 1 #1, our very first
newsletter, with a big story on Weird Al!
Reproduction - $1
Also: 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) (Reproduction) *
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 (Early '94
releases) * #105 (Late '94 releases) * #107 (mid-'95 releases) * #108
(late '95 releases) * #109 (25th anniversary) * #110 (late '96
releases), #111, #112, #113, #114
Limited supply - $1.00 each
Back to the list of issues of the Demento Society News