I am honored to once again be nominated for an Emmy Award from the Capital Emmys, this time for Feast Your Ears: The Story of WHFS-FM 102.3. This caps a terrific festival run of sold out and enthusiastic screenings across the country.
You may stream the doc on the PBS App. And my previous Emmy-nominated doc, The Bayou: DC’s Killer Joint, is also streaming on the app.
Following its win as Best Documentary Feature at the DC Independent Film Festival, my doc Feast Your Ears: The Story of WHFS-FM 102.3 just won the Best Feature award at the Gaithersburg Film Festival.
The screening and reception were both delightful. In addition to Director Jay Schlossberg and Editor/Graphic Genius Dick Bangham, the panel discussion afterward included WHFS DJs Weasel, Adele Abrams, and Ty Ford. I was glad to act as moderator for the Q&A, and actually learned a few things. Thank you, G’burg!
The film is still available on the PBS App, as well as my former doc, the Emmy-nominated The Bayou: DC’s Killer Joint.
OK, enough self-praise.
My first thought is: Jesus Christ! Half a century ago?
But, yes, I was there at 11:30 Eastern Standard Time, Oct. 11, 1975, with pen and notebook in hand. I was prepared. Unlike perhaps most of the audience, I was prepared because I was a subscriber to the National Lampoon. And I listened, and taped, the weekly National Lampoon Radio Hour. Which meant that I knew who Michael O’Donoghue was, and Chevy Chase, and Belushi, and even Christopher Guest. I had seen the latter three in a live performance of the Lampoon‘s Woodstock takedown, Lemmings. One of the hardest I’ve ever laughed was at that legendary show. It’s also why I still kinda give Chase a pass, despite so many damning accusations of dickitude on his part. His performance in the John Denver parody Colorado was Chalpinesque in its timing, as were his painful pratfalls.
And as I watched that premier episode, I took notes. I’m not entirely sure why, other than to have a reference for the current comedy thinking. And I took notes for almost every show in the first couple seasons. And in the first five years — the Canon — I only missed one show. Which I saw later on reruns. (It was the Hugh Hefner episode.) Which meant that I didn’t have much of a social life in those days. I was mostly between bands, otherwise would be on a gig. There were times when I left parties early so I could be home watching the show, concentrating without the annoying distraction of…friends.
Although in 1978, I got one of the early VCR machines. It was neither Beta nor VHS, but a third type, modeled on the professional Sony U-matic 3/4-inch tape decks. The Quasar Great Time Machine was huge, with bulky, expensive tapes. But now I could record each show and still go out on a saturday night.
I still have the machine and many tapes, including a tape of the greatest Saturday Night Live episode: The King Tut show. Steve Martin was the host and the show included the wild and crazy Festrunk brothers, Theodoric, Barber of York, musical guests the Blues Brothers, and a lovely and weird dance number with Steve and Gilda.
(Sidebar: Later in 1978, I was in Dallas, visiting a now-married high school friend. For some reason, he thought it would be a good idea to visit a strip club. The first gal comes out, leans over the jukebox to choose a song to dance to. It was King Tut. I still prefer Steve’s version.)
So, yeah, it’s been a long time. I don’t take notes on shows I like anymore. I sometimes hit the “Like” button.
So, both of my feature documentaries are streaming on the exciting PBS App!
You may watch my latest doc, Feast Your Ears: The Story of WHFS 102.3 FM, about one of the last progressive radio stations in the country, as well as my Emmy-nominated PBS doc The Bayou: DC’s Killer Joint, which charts nearly half a century of music and popular culture through a waterfront nightclub. Both films were years in the making but a joy to work on. Click each link to watch.
Dan Pasley, the Shakespeare of advertising.
Another dear friend gone. Dan Pasley was a character in all the meanings of that word. He was an ad man, of the type that Don Draper would have become if he kept writing ad campaigns into the ’70s. Dan was kind enough to include me on many of his jingles, and other projects. I not only got to play drums, but I was sometimes a voice actor. Dan would show up at the studio with a briefcase, which he would open to reveal a bottle of alcohol and a yellow legal pad. The next several hours would be spent trying to make art. Or advertising. Or something. Dan was really a songwriter, a playwright, a provocateur. Which was not always what the client wanted but the work sure stood out from the usual tripe. (For instance, a 60-second radio jingle for Britches Western doesn’t mention the clothing store until 31 seconds into the song.)
While I have copies of many of the songs I worked on (Penguin Feather, Jerry’s Subs, Clydes), I don’t have a copy of Don’t Buy Books By Crooks, the theme song for the Committee to Boycott Nixon’s Memoirs–an attempt to stop the disgraced president from cashing in on his infamy. Dan’s ad agency handled all the promotion. Here’s a New York Times editorial turning up the paper’s nose at the very idea.
Despite what the Times said, Dan got a T-shirt to Dan Aykroyd, who promptly wore it on Saturday Night Live.
I still remember the song’s opening lines:
If the hero of San Clemente
Sells his books he’s gonna rake in plenty
And I don’t think that he should make a dime
I took the portrait above at a Bicentennial party in Arlington. Dan Pasley was definitely the Shakespeare of advertising. And so much more. Will miss him greatly.
Presenting the latest music video from America’s premier purveyors of Dock & Roll, The Yachtsmen. The band consists of John Penovich (guitar), Ben Holmes (drums), and Mark Noone (bass). Mr. Noone wrote the song and sings lead.
The video was edited by Brad Dismukes, who also provided the special special effects, with cinematography by Rich West. Quasi-direction by Yours Truly. Recorded on location at the Palisades Hub Cap Center in Washington, D.C. Enjoy.
So I go places and notice things. Like how after this Bed Bath & Beyond store in Rockville closed the entire building seems to be dying. The rest of the shopping center–with a Petco, a Michaels, and an Aldi–looks just fine. If a suburban shopping center can ever look “fine.” Anyway. I go places, I notice things, and then I make stuff. Please don’t ask me why.
Quite proud to announce that the documentary that I’ve been working on the past several years, Feast Your Ears: The Story of WHFS 102.3 FM, received the Best Documentary Feature award at the DC Independent Film Festival.
I recorded this interview with drummer and Gene Krupa authority Brooks Tegler on July 6, 2007, at Bias Recording Studios in Springfield, Va. I had recently been anointed as New Media Editor at Washington City Paper, mostly because I had a newfangled minDV camera and went around bothering people with it. I covered the first Capital Fringe Fest and first DC Shorts Festival. Those videos are on Youtube somewhere, but this one never got posted. Because shortly after, my father died, City Paper was sold and the new owners laid off two thirds of the staff, including me, then my mother died, then the economy died in 2008 and I had other things to worry about.
So, sorry, Brooks. But here it finally is. There is more, including an interview with vocalist Jim Stephanson and a lengthy talk about Gene Krupa’s cymbals and gear. Those will be posted soon.
Around 2009, I went over to Bill Holland‘s house with the idea of recording him taking the famous Downbeat Magazine Blindfold Test, or my version of it. Originated by famed jazz critic Leonard Feather in the ’40s, the idea was to get prominent musician’s reactions to records of the day.
Like Feather, Bill Holland is one of the most knowledgeable musicians around. He was the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for Billboard, as well as the leader of one of D.C.’s finest bands, Rent’s Due.
I planned to do a series of blindfold tests, but with music from my collection, or songs that resemble music.
But…
After I got the tape home I discovered that the image had the time code visible. Annoyed at myself, I put the tape away and never did another blindfold test.
Of course, I could have just put an ID graphic covering the time code, as I have now done. Sigh.
Anyway, I finally transferred the tape and you can see Mr. Holland’s exquisite knowledge and wit on display. Enjoy.
Side note: This includes a track from Tina Louise, of Gilligan’s Island fame. I did another video about a reel-to-reel tape of her album, not remembering that I had featured her in this video. Crazy.
