Upstate New York Notables: Peter Bagge

Peter Bagge (1957-), cartoonist, born in Peekskill, Westchester County.

March Desktop Calendar

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Upstate New York Notables: James Bacon

James Bacon (1914-), writer/actor, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Upstate New York Notables: Christopher Atkins

Christopher Atkins (1961-), actor, born in Rye, Westchester County.

Upstate New York Notables: Chester Arthur

Chester Arthur (1829-1886), 21st President of the United States, spent parts of childhood in Lansingburgh (Rensellaer County) and Perry (Wyoming County), attended Union College in Schenectady (Schenectady County), buried in Albany Rural Cemetery.

Upstate New York Notables: Harold Arlen

Harold Arlen (1905-1986), composer, born in Buffalo, Erie County.

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: Boyd McCoy

Boyd McCoy was a Rochester, NY performer whose records have gained some notoriety in the funk collecting world due to some hard-hitting 45s and LP tracks. Here we present the killer/corny title track from one of his LPs, "Locomotive Woman."

Boyd McCoy: Locomotive Woman LP (Funky, FR 2002, 1974)

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: Billy ThunderKloud and the Chieftones

Billy ThunderKloud, aka Vincent Clifford, an Indian from British Columbia, had some success on the 1970s country scene (his "What Time Of Day" hit #92 on Billboard's Top Songs of 1975 chart), and this is one of (at least) three LPs from him. On this one he does typical lounge standards like "Proud Mary" and "Take Me Home, Country Roads," plus this pleasant take on "Beautiful Sunday."

Billy ThunderKloud and the Chieftones: Where Do I Begin to Tell a Story LP (Superior, S 2010, 1975)

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: Barney Armstrong's Machine

Barney Armstrong's Machine were a lounge band who sponsored hydroplane races in the Pacific Northwest when they weren't jamming their versions of "Shakey Ground" and "Disco Inferno."

Barney Armstrong's Machine: Live at Jordan's Alpine LP (Rockin N' Racin', RRR 2947-1, 1978?)

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: The Bantams

You wouldn't know it from the clean-cut kids on the cover, but this record by the Bantams has some killer garage tunes, including this cover of "Susie-Q," complete with hellbent, pre-pube howls. Where are they now?

The Bantams: Beware LP (Warner Bros., W 1625, 1966)

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: American Whitewater

The immortal Century label was home to upwards of 80,000 (!) custom-pressed records, largely school band concerts, but including some stunning psychedelic and garage rock gems. Of course, Century pressed hundreds of lounge act LPs, including this live LP from the Concord, NH-based American Whitewater. Along with cocktail-era standards like "Proud Mary" and "Leroy Brown," they utterly decimate the Stones' "Brown Sugar" here.

American Whitewater: Live at the Red Blazer LP (Century, V-41977, 1973)

Vintage Signage 53

Martha's Motel, Queensbury, NY.

Upstate New York Notables: Don Arioli

Don Arioli (1936-2005), writer/director/actor/animator, born in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Terry Anderson

Terry Anderson (1947-), political hostage/journalist/professor, raised in Batavia, Genesee County.

Upstate New York Notables: Florenz Ames

Florenz Ames (1889-?), actor, born in Rochester, Monroe County.

Upstate New York Notables: Jeff Altman

Jeff Altman (1951-), actor, born in Syracuse, Onondaga County.

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: Forecast

I enjoy checking out booking sampler LPs; though they're usually loaded with dopey, wannabe-rock star AOR barband crap, the occasional rough gem can be picked out, like "Shot in the Dark" from Forecast, a loose, dirty basement rock outfit. This LP, complete with galactic record holder on the cover, was a QCA pressing from a Syracuse agency. I remember hearing radio ads for shows featuring some of the other acts on this record, like 805 and Alecstar. The liner notes say of Forecast, "the audience is chauffeured through time...the Who's Tommy...a salute to Hendrix...the Doors come to life...modern classics...showmanship and presence."

v/a: The Album, the Acts, the Agency LP (DMR, 107094X, 1981)

February Desktop Calendar

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Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: Alan Caddy and Bob Faloon

Alan Caddy, founding member of the Tornados who passed away in 2000, produced dozens of now sound/exploitation LPs chock full of a mix of rock and orchestral covers of hit songs of the day, mainly through the Canada-based Avenue of America label, for which he was house arranger and producer. Don't know who Bob Faloon was. Here's a gruff and loose cover of "Honky Tonk Woman" from their album of Stones covers.

Alan Caddy and Bob Faloon: Do Songs Made Famous by the Rolling Stones LP (Canada: Avenue of America, AVE-4304, 1972?)

Tomb of Vinyl Horrors: Affinity

The lounge band Affinity, in between rousing renditions of "New York, New York" and "I'll Never Love This Way Again" throw in a curve ball with their Scientology ballad "I'm a Thetan." They're still active in Arizona; here's their site.

Affinity: Live! LP (Aces, 810717, 1981)