Hustle- The official show of Cratedigger

I will admit it. I hate TV. The only TV that I can stand is programming from the UK.

Hustle is an excellent show that I have been catching via tape delay. Basically, it is an ensemble-casted show that follows the travails of a group of grifters in London.

It has excellent writing, superb acting, and I noticed that the cinematography is quite good as well.

There are some more psychotronic sequences mixed in, too. The ep that I viewed last night had the character Danny Blue performing an historical scam from the '20s. This vignette was filmed in b/w with scrachy film effects and used the silent film method of showing diologue via cards interspersed between shots. Also Hustle uses a music video type film technique when the grifters are performing a scam- like stealing a painting or something.

If you have not seen this one, check it out.

I need to hear some killer garage!

Should I start off with "Determination" by The Kitchen Cinq?
I think so. It has been a day like that.
I just got another comp in the mail today. It is called "Hey Everybody."
It even has a disc that even I own, "Not Fade Away" by Corporate Image.
This might have to be listened to with a Duvel later.

Finds today in West Allis Wisconsin

I went to the Milwaukee Vinyl Record Show, actually a few miles west of downtown Milwaukee in West Allis. The event took place in the very enticing and authentic Burnham Bowl. I wish I could have had a couple of cold ones in the bar...

Anyway, I was there in search of garage vinyl and I came home with the following:

Ohio Express "Beg Borrow and Steal" Cameo 483
The Kitchen Cinq "Determination" LHI 17000
Unrelated Segments "Story of My Life" Hanna Barbera 514
Flaming Groovies "Now" Sire 6059

I am pretty psyched. My forum comp is coming further along. Those pics suck.

I saw this on boing boing

I have always been a fan of this particular image of the Fab Four. Seeing them on segway scooters is pretty choice.

There is another that is sort of funny that has Tiger Woods with the Stooges in a golf pose.


Here is a link to all of the bizarro shots.
Let the photo shopping begin.

Today is a rainy day... Listen to the Pretty Things

It is in the 40s outside with an 80% chance of rain. Seems like the perfect time to listen to SF Sorrow by The Pretty Things.

Let me go get me wool sweater and my cup of tea. I clicked over to Sonic Pollutions and as a coincidence, there was quite the feature on the Pretties and SF Sorrow. Tip of the headcoat for the link to the pic on the right.

SP gives a great rundown on the set up in '67 for the creation of SF Sorrow. He alludes to the Emotions sessions, ringed in by horn arrangements that helped them to get off the Fontana label and their subsequent move to EMI.

This got them into the Abbey Road studios at the same time as The Beatles were recording Magical Mystery Tour and The Pink Floyd were tracking Piper At The Gates of Dawn.

I read somewhere in the past, that the Pretties even "borrowed" George Harrison's sitar as their recording required it.

Sorrow was released at the same time in 68 as The White Album by EMI. You can guess the results for The Pretties.

Do your self a favor and head to Sonic Pollutions and read, and check out the video from 1998.

More Malibu Progress

Here is a shot of the underside of the 66 wagon. I glued the interior to the chassis and snapped the body onto the chassis. I painted the dual exhausts a silver color and the chassis is the same black pearl as the body.

I have also painted the front suspension and the rear end a gloss black for a nice contrast from the black pearl chassis. The front and rear tires and wheels are also assembled.

A bit off the path

This link is a pretty moving commentary on both how internet users are currently using media and where everything is going.

I feel that William Seward Burroughs would be especially interested in this piece as many of his predictions come true in this future based "historical" document.

At one point there is a demonstration of censureship/ media manipulation that rings true to that WSB method-- the Cut Up.

Stop everything and watch this:

http://epic.lightover.com

Malibu Update

Progress... The body has the windows installed, the exhaust is completed, the chassis has been painted the same black pearl as the body (on the top and on the bottom).

The interior is complete and the 396 has been complete for a while now.

The next step is to put the a arms in the chassis, and start putting it all together.

Texas- Location of Today's Tune

I have been a fan of Billy Gibbons, collector of many a cool ride and facial hair for many years.

I guess I am not that much a fan of ZZTop, but I like his guitar style, picking with a quarter, and having Rich Beck from Tempe AZ, working on his guitars. He was an obvious influence on Curt Kirkwood.

I also like some of the cars that he has. I am not talking Cadzilla, but more like the 32 Ford that he got a year or two back from Rudy Rodriguez or the Slampala pictured above.

For his music, I prefer his garage band, The Moving Sidewalks.
I have had a digital copy of their song "The 99th Floor" for a few years and it ranks as one of my frantic faves.

Yesterday, I received a comp called "Sounds From The Other Side." It contains, the track "Need Me."

In a word the song rocks. That is why it is my song choice of the day.

Sonic Pollutions

This is the most radical cool music related blog that I have seen in a long time.

The guy writes the lengthy commentary about each music clip, is right on, as far as I can tell, with accuracy.

I especially enjoyed his write up of The Stones 1966 Ed Sullivan appearance. Brought me back ten years or so to the time when I scored all of their Sullivan appearances on VHS.

Highly recommended and newly added to my links section.

Body and 396 are complete

After two coats of the black pearl on the body, I think I have as good a paintjob as I can hope for.

I finished the SS396 big block motor. I coated everything in flat black. It still looks cool with the chrome air cleaner and the chrome carb.

The directions could have had a better perspective or perhaps added an additional one. It was hard to determine where the starter and the distributor should go from the diagrams...

It was easier on the Mustang model, as I had much more familiarity.

black monk time lp

I saw that this reissue was out, and I had to have it. I have not had the chance to spin it yet, but am guessing that it is a boot as the real lp was called, "black monk time" not "black time."

Looking at my cd Repetoire reissue from the early 90s, all of the same tracks are here. Tracks 1-12 are from the original lp and the last 4 are bonus tracks from singles. On "black time" all 16 tracks are here but sequenced 1-8 on side one and 9-16 on side 2.

Will post thoughts after listening.

One coat, wet sand and another coat of paint

I sanded the white plastic body, wiped it with a wet rag, and then let it dry. When dry, I wet sanded it a bit, wiped it again and applied another coat of black pearl. I no longer have to worry about brush strokes, but I do have to worry about drips. The body looks pretty good as it drys on the project vise.

Miura is complete

The Black Pearl, one coat over the molded black plastic came out well. Spray paint is necessary for exterior paint jobs. I hope to perfect my technique for the Malibu which is a more detailed and complex model.

My skills are improving, but they are far from where I would like them to be. The headlights got a little messy...

Paint Booth and 66 Malibu Wagon

I stopped at Wally World and picked up some metallic black paint to finish the Miura. I also picked up a 66 Malibu Wagon that was on sale cheap.

When I got home, I fabbed up a paint booth out of an old Sierra Nevada box. I made a holder for the car bodies out of an old coat hanger.

Seemed to work pretty well. Check out the metallic paint on the Malibu- it is reflecting the flash on the camera! I think it will take two coats, though. You can also see the coat hanger to the left of the rear of the body that I am holding with my unseen left hand.

Weekend Wicker Park Scores

Over the weekend, Saturday to be exact, I took the train to Chicago and spent a few hours in the sun looking for vinyl.

I came up with the following 45s on the right:

Sorrows "No No No/Verde Rosso Giallo Blu" which is one of the bootlegs that is floating around, but has an attempt at appearing legit via the Pye label on the center.

Beatles "Nowegian Wood" EP. While not being much of a Beatles person, I do like both "Paperback Writer" and "Day Tripper" which appear on this disc. I believe it to be an original from Austrailia, it is on Parlaphone and has the small center hole, which I believe to be correct. The pic sleeve is somewhat yellow with age and looks to be 40 years old as well.

I also picked up a "Giants of The Organ" double LP on Groove Merchant from '73 and a Bobby Blue Bland LP which includes "Pity the Fool," which the sleeve says was performed on American Band Stand...

Seems like jazz, blues and soul vinyl is easier to dig and find things as opposed to rock or '60s which always seems picked over and to be over representing '70s and clASSic rock.

Back to the Muira

I finally got back to the dungeon of modeling and spent a few minutes on the Lambo. I cut the basic interior pieces and added some contrast in white enamel on the seats, gauges and steering wheel. There is not much detail in this kit. I am still considering getting a can of spray paint for the body as I think that the molded black will look lame even with the decals...

And my eyes are getting worse or the "Focus" is in order!

Milwaukee finds this past weekend

I went back to Milwaukee over the weekend and picked up 8 45s for $7. I am pretty that this is all common stuf, but the price was right.

American Breed Bend Me Shape Me Acta 45-811
Animals Inside Looking Out MGM K13468
Los Bravos Black is Black Press 6002
James Brown Sexy Sexy Sexy Polydor 14194
Byrds Mr Tambourine Man Columbia 43271 (to replace the one that I snapped late last year)
Desmond Dekker Israelites Uni 55129
New Colony Six I Will Always Think About You Mercury 72775
Troggs Wild Thing Fontana 1548

I think that it is time to find some new towns to hit... Madison???

Wheels done and mounted

This model is not all that detailed. The best detail is in the Campy rims (with separate knockoffs) and the hollow Goodyear tires that fit onto the rim, just like real life. The fronts steer with a sort of trailing link (I think). I had to put the chassis into my old model vice to hold the front assembly together. The rear axle broke during assembly (visible to the left of the pic), and I rigged it with some magic tape.

I think that I will try to paint the interior a bit so it isn't so crude.

Done

The 66 is done. My skills need an upgrade. The engine compartment looks ok, but the paint and glass is not up to my standards. Next up is a Lambo Muira model that I still have from 1979!