Music: Aarch Hall - Konga Joe

Arch Hall - Konga Joe (1959)

"Strangely, we find none of this terror in the song “Konga Joe,” by Arch Hall Jr., despite the fact that his song title implicitly references the most menacing figure conjured by the west out of the Dark Continent — King Kong. We might expect something more nightmarish from Mr. Arch Hall Jr., a grinning, blonde pompadoured, failed teen idol more famous for starring in a series of exploitation movies written and directed by his father." text and photo from The Essential Ghoul's Record Shelf

- Unlikely American Idols / Eye of the Goof
- The WILD GUITAR! of Arch Hall, Jr. / Mystic Knights of the Mau Mau

Music Video: Nina Simone: My Baby Just Cares For Me

My Baby Just Cares For Me... "featured on her (Nina Simone 1933-2003) debut album Little Girl Blue (1958) and was unnoticed for many years. Then in the mid-1980s, the song gets used in a Chanel no.5 advertisement. It was released as a single, and became one of Simone's biggest hits, causing her comeback."
Wikipedia

"Simone would never benefit financially from the album (Little Girl Blue), because she sold the rights for 3000 dollars. It meant that she missed out on more than 1 million dollars of royalties (mainly because of the successful re-release of "My Baby Just Cares for Me" in the 1980s)."
Wikipedia

The animation is of course made by Aardman Animations.

Blog: Musselsoppans Vänner Updated!

Musselsoppans Vänner has been updated with a bunch of new images. Get your can opener and enjoy!

Blogger: Problem

Have you noticed that new Blogger is slower when it comes to showing the images on your (or my) blog? Or is it just me and my machine?? :(

Architecture: The Futuro House

Via Rollmops in Kanzlerbunker

"Futuro is a round, prefabricated house designed by Matti Suuronen, about 100 were built during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The distinctive flying saucer like shape and airplane hatch entrance... /continue wikipedia article (short)/"

www.futuro-house.net
Photo gallery

PS I thought I had posted about this a long time ago but I couldn't find anything in the archives. At the worst it'll be a repost ;)

Blogger: Problem

I'm missing the darkish green-blue post background. It's all grey :( Why? I don't know, I didn't fiddle with it.

Update

Strangely enough it looked alright in IE but not in Firefox... I shouldn't have had to but I made some changes in the code (which I'm lousy at) so now the green-blue background is back but I lost the white shadowed outlines (wrap). However I don't think I mind. Time for some more change? I'm thinking of an all grey background including the sidebar. Or is it time for white? We'll see.

Nostalgia: Mastermind

Mastermind was a nice little board game I had as a child. Better still was the cover! What does the image tell us? With a master mind we'll get hot Asian babes? Isn't that James Last by the way?
Found here.

Commercial: Potato Chips - 1962

Clip added by cinema16



"This was an ad that was shown in Drive in theaters to try and get people to buy snack chip"
I'd buy 'em!

/mrdantefontana

Illustration: Cross-cut 007 locations

The "Disco Volante" from Thunderball

Cross-cut pictures of locations in James Bond films, from The Secret World of 007

Via The Crime in your coffee

Music: Dear Old Stockholm

Miles Davis - trumpet J. J. Johnson - trombone Jackie Mclean - alto saxophone Gil Pettiford - bass Kenny Clarke - drums (Recorded May 9, 1952 New York City)




Photos from Flickr (search "Stockholm")

Music: The Polyphonic Spree

was a song from the The Beginning Stages Of... album.

The Polyphonic Spree's Official Site - The official homepage. Under construction.
The Beginning Stages Of... Official Site - Features lyrics and liner notes from The Beginning Stages of.... Flash site.
Together We're Heavy Official Site - Features lyrics and liner notes from Together We're Heavy. Flash site.
Quest For The Rest - A Flash game featuring members of The Polyphonic Spree and music from Together We're Heavy.

Webplayer tool via Mr J via Stationsvakt

Art: The making of Hötorgskonst

At Make:, where I found it, they call it "a Mesmerizing video" and I would agree. Watch for 8.54 minutes as Janez Jevnikar "Sprayman" creats a piece of "science fiction art" using only spray paint. In Sweden we might call this Hötorgskonst* and that's not, generally, a flattering description. But this is fun to watch!


* Hötorget is a square in Stockholm where similar kinds of "art" was/is? sold. Konst is art.

Illustration: Tobacco ads & posters

You must see this outstanding collection of ads and posters for tobacco products - beautiful, crazy, sexy and sometimes sort of scary. Flickr: Photos from lamarde

More stuff on the subject of tobacco.

Ephemera: The Dayalets

The Dayalets at LILEKS

Via El Burlador

Odd: The Village Muffler Men

Muffler Men. Roadside America

Design: Casino carpets

What's your favourite casino carpet?
Casino carpet gallery

Via All About Nothing

James Bond

A Nazi-Indian?!

No, no, no! This papier-mâché Native American is probably greeting us with non-political intent.
Come join Tim, Tom and Pia and let's go over to grandma's for some papier-mâché making. What better to do on a rainy day? I believe it's a Polish book (Swedish edition) and it's printed in 1969. It has lots of colourful and fun stuff typical of it's time. You can find some scans of it here.

Cartoon: Professor Balthazar update

Another cool and trippy Professor Balthazar episode has been added to YouTube (by Dzmrdz):

Leteci Fabijan - The Flying Fabian. You can find it in my Balthazar playlist!

Thanks to Chris Sobieniak who has earned himself another Balthazar scouting medal! Check out his animation blogs.

Generator: Catalog Cards

Link!

Found through Stationsvakt Johnny who even has started a blog using this generator (in Swedish)

PS Looks best on white background.

Movies: Chaplin online

Charlie Chaplin productions from 1914 online and in public domain. Bibi has got the list and the links! And there are more to come! Bibi's Box of tricks.

Update 21/1: Part II - productions from 1915 & 1916

Movie art: Filmprogramme

I guess they are ads from and covers of German movie magazines...

Via Neurastenia

Illustration: Toru Fukuda

Those who know the blog knows that mod*mom has a great eye for cool, mod and nice designs and illustrations. Through "mom" I discovered the Japanese illustrator Toru Fukuda. His style makes me think of great commercial illustrations and childrens book's of my childhood's 1970s. Clear, kind of simple, colourful and fun. Visit his web site and his Flickr!

Music: Nico - Chelsea Girl

"Although Chelsea Girl (1967) was the first long-player from the German-born Christa Päffgen, it was not her debut solo effort. Prior to becoming involved with the Velvet Underground and..." (continue The Fringe: Nico "Chelsea Girl")

Music: More Gill Scott-Heron

Dead End is a Brazilian blog with lots of good stuff like:

• Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson - Winter in America (1974)

• Gill Scott-Heron - Free Will (1972)

Thanks to Seidrik of Seidrik Contemplatif actif who also painted this cool picture of Gill Scott-Heron. Check out Seidrik's other works and also visit his L'oeil et l'oreille for a cool selection of videos. Or take a photographic trip with Marseyaa...

Art: Photography and Painting

Example by Toulouse Lautrec

Photography was invented in the 1820s and developed and popularized during the rest of the century. The second half of the 19th century also saw big changes in painting - realism, impressionism and post-impressionism. This site in Spanish describes the influence which the invention of photography had on 19th century painting. Enjoy the pictures if you don't understand Spanish. La Visión Fotográfica en la Pintura - Impresionismo y Fotográfia

Update 23/1: some more links on the subject at Metafilter. Thanks PK!


Via Fogonazos

Music: Bacharach Baroque

Balthazar in Recordville presents 18th Century Corporation with BACHARACH BAROQUE

"Cheeky cover - Nice easy listening..."

Humor Video: Swenska tjej - It's the grej!

Thanks to Feckenbrenner

Illustration: James R. Bingham

Leif Peng of Today's Inspiration loves the works of illustrator James R. Bingham (1917-1971). And why not? Check these posts out: 1, 2, 3 and his James R. Bingham Flickr set.

Music: More Sivuca!

By now you probably know we are fans of the recently deceased musician Sivuca here at Martin Klasch. Reader Ron kindly pointed out the excellent Brazil music blog Loronix to us. They have among other nice things shared lots of Sivuca albums. I have noted the date for their posts thinking it might be smart to begin at the earliest - who knows they might go obsolete!

• 23 Dec Sivuca - Samba nouvelle vague (1961)
• 15 Dec Sivuca - Forró e Frevo (1980)
• 12 Dec Sivuca - Bossa Nova (1968)
• 18 Nov Sivuca - Sivuca (1972)
• 19 Oct Sivuca - Rendez-vous a Rio nr 2 (1965)
• 21 Sep Sivuca - Putte Wickman - Putte/Sivuca (1969)
• 6 Sep Sivuca e Seu conjunto - Motivo para Dancar Nr 2 (1965)
• 28 Jul Sivuca e Seu conjunto - Motivo para Dancar (1956)

There might be more that I didn't find...

Music: Lee Hazlewood - Cowboy in Sweden

Actually I have had the exact same post title before (2006-02-20) but it is not repost. This time it is the great RYP and his TWILIGHTZONE! who is sharing this great album from 1970. If you don't have it already I suggest you consider seizing this opportunity!

Lee Hazlewood - Cowboy in Sweden

Check this blog for more Lee Hazlewood (and other stuff): Realm of x

Not long ago I told you about the sad news that Mr Hazlewood is ill but also the happy news of his new record Cake or Death (link to that post).

Music: Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson - Bridges

Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jackson - Bridges
Via PCL LinkDump

Music Video: Strangers In the Night

"Strangers In the Night" is one of my favorite songs ever.
The song was originally written by Ivo Robić and then re-arranged for Frank Sinatra by one of the European kings of laid back orchestral easy listening (and I mean that in the most positive of ways!) Bert Kaempfert.
(The English lyrics were written by Charles Singleton and Eddie Snyder.)

I have a dozen of Herr Kaempfert's records. At least 2 of them has instrumental versions of the song.
Here is a wonderful clip of Bert Kaempfert and his Orchestra doing the song with the talanted and beautiful Swedish singer Sylvia Vrethammar. I think this show was recorded in 1979. Enjoy!

The clip was originally uploaded by operationuranus

(Note: I posted a video earlier on here at Martin Klasch In which you could enjoy Sylvia sing with Sivuca and Toots Thielemans)

/Z aka mrdantefontana

Illustration: Einar Norelius' Bland Tomtar Och Troll

Stephen at ASIFA has bought himself some Christmas presents - "a batch of various vintages of Bland Tomtar Och Troll" books, illustrated by Einar Norelius. And being a kind soul Stephen shares the illustrations with us:

• Einar Norelius' Bland Tomtar Och Troll (1934)
• Einar Norelius' Bland Tomtar Och Troll (1929)

Related posts in Martin Klasch

Illustration: Jim, Jock & Jumbo by Einar Norelius
Art & illustration: John Bauer
Gustaf Tenggren illustrations

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Zoology: Shmoo

"Shmoon are delicious, and are so eager to be eaten that if they are looked at by someone who is hungry they will gladly jump into a frying pan, after which they taste like chicken, or into a roasting pan, after which they taste like beef (Raw,they taste like Oysters on the Half-Shell). They also produce eggs, milk, and butter (no churning labor needed.) Their fresh pelt is a perfect boot leather, or house timber depending on how thick it has been cut. Their eyes are ideal suspender buttons, and their whiskers are perfect toothpicks. Naturally gentle, they require minimal care, and are ideal playmates for young children. In short, they are simply the perfect ideal of a subsistence agricultural herd animal." (from Wikipedia)













The Shmoo was created and first drawn by the cartoonist Al Capp in his newspaper comic strip Li'l Abner.















Skeletal Systems








Salt'n'peppah Shmoo

Cartoon: Professor Balthazar

Finally someone (DzmrDz) has uploaded some episodes of the Croatian cartoon Professor Balthazar. This I have been waiting for since March last year (old post). Thanks to anonymous commentator and to Fikret Karic for telling me this! One of the episodes has the very suitable title "Martin Makes it to the top". Sure the cartoon is in Croatian but if I could understand it you should too. Enjoy the colours, the characters and the music!




Did you note that in this first Balthazar episode - Izumitelj cipela - his beard is red and curly?

PS. The company DVDLAB are in the process of preparing an italian well restaurated version of whole series. We wish them good luck!

Info: A short break

You might have noticed that we are taking it a bit easy here at Martin Klasch. Well, we will continue doing so for a little while still. But before you know it (a day, a week or so) we'll be back in good form. So don't be a stranger. Check back soon, ok?

Happy 2007 - the year when pigs fly!

Postcard found at Penny Postcards