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Rodney Dangerfield! Brilliant Comic “Gets No Respect!”“Rapping’ Rodney”! His Hilarious “Caddyshack” Outtakes!

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Rodney Dangerfield


“I Don’t Get No Respect!”

It was his signature catchphrase, but legendary Comedian Rodney Dangerfield got respect for being one of the greatest standup Comics of all time!

Rodney Dangerfield best movies

“That’s The Story Of My Life…”

Dangerfield perfected a deadpan delivery of jokes that always put himself down – always along the lines of:

“I don’t get no respect, no respect, no respect at all…that’s the story of my life”…no respect…you now my wife, she cut our lovemaking down to once a week…that’s nothing, two guys I know she cut out altogether!”

rodneydangerfield

Rodney Rocks The Tonight Show!

Rodney Dangerfield was a salesman in the 60’s, who took his stage name in order to do standup comedy at night. After years of struggle, he got a chance to perform on The Ed Sullivan Show, and a star was born. His non-stop string of self-deprecating one-liners were hilarious. He ended up appearing on The Tonight Show 35 times, and Johnny Carson loved him…

Rodney Dangerfield The Tonight Show

Here is a six minute bit with Rodney on The Tonight Show – siting on the couch with Johnny Carson the entire time – tossing out non-stop one-liners and cracking Johnny up!

Easy_Money_(1983)_film_poster

Dangerfield then made a string of hit comedies – beginning with the comedy, “Easy Money”- check out the trailer:

BAck To School Rodney Dangerfield

One of Dangerfield’s biggest hits was the comedy “Back To School”, when he enrolls in college to try and become closer with his estranged son.

Here is the classic scene where he angers his history teacher, the brilliant Sam Kineson…

Sam Kinison Back To School

“Oh…Somebody Step On A Duck?”

Finally, Dangerfield will always be loved for his role in “Caddyshack”…what was originally a cameo role grew and grew based on the comic’s hilarious ad libs during filming…

Caddyshack_poster

The film is legendary for all of Bill Murray’s ad libs on set, but here’s Rodney turning a clubhouse meal into hilarious chaos…

Rappin Rodney

Rapping’ Rodney!

Finally, Rodney Dangerfield had one of the first rap hits with his 1983 single “Rappin’ Rodney.” Here is the hilarious music video:

Performing on The Tonight Show was a launchpad for many comics, and here a book that takes you inside Johnny Carson’s world…

Bombastic Bushkin Johnny Carson book

Read some incredible stories about Johnny Carson, as told by his Attorney, described on the show as “Bombastic Bushkin!” Read more here:


“Bombastic Bushkin’s” Fascinating Johnny Carson Book! Late Night Talk Show Wars!

Another comic who became famous thanks to incredible appearances on The Tonight Show was the late Garry Shandling:

Garry Shandling and Johnny Carson

See some of Handling’s best moments here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/08/rip-garry-shandling-brilliant-tonight-show-standup-larry-sanders-hilarity/

Leave a comment and let me know your favorite Rodney Dangerfield moment!

Rappin Rodney



Game Show Models! Given’ Out “Exploitation” Goodies! Classic Cult Grindhouse Fun!

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game-show-models-movie-poster

“You’ve seen them give out prizes on Daytime TV – now see the goodies they give out at night!”

Well, it’s not difficult to see what this movie is up to – time to look at another unique genre of exploitation!

First, check out the wacky – and amazingly all over the map tonally – trailer for “Game Show Models”!

Game Show Models sex movie


Bravo To “Vinegar Syndrome” For Showcasing These “Game Show Models!”

If you are a fan of cult cinema, this is the movie for you…a story that tears the band-aid off of the seedy underbelly of Hollywood…and includes a man have sex with a woman wearing THIS mask!

cult game show modesl movie

OK, let’s be honest: “Game Show Models” is just another great example of 1970’s sexploitation: find a topic that you can exploit with lots of beautiful young women, tons of nudity, some goofy comedy and a bit of social commentary – it’s what Hollywood does best!

game-show-models-movie-poster

the poster for the film promises lots of fun, and that’s what the movie delivers.

Here is a great in-depth review on “Daily Grindhouse” – check it out here:

http://dailygrindhouse.com/thewire/dvd-review-game-show-models-1977/

“Vinegar Syndrome” has released a number of great exploitation films from the 70’s – movies that played an important role in cinema – because they showed that people just wanted to get out of the house and have some “good, clean naughty fun” in the theaters, and these movies did the trick!

classic sexploitation

If you want to see more about this film – and why wouldn’t you? Then check out my story here:


https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/28/a-saint-a-woman-a-devil-classic-vinegar-from-a-syndrome-you-need-to-control/

Many of these films were forgotten to time before Vinegar Syndrome brought them back for film buffs to re-discover:

Sugar Cookies classic exploitation

“Sugar Cookies” is another example, and you can see that wacky trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/06/12/sugar-cookies-neglected-cult-troma-sexploitation-rescued/

Vinegar Syndrome also brought back what may just be the single most obscure cult film of all time – which I immediately bought!

telephone book blu-ray

“The Telephone Book” is almost impossible to describe, and here is the original theatrical poster which doesn’t help much!

telephone

See the trailer for this film here:


https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/25/the-telephone-book-a-legendary-mind-blowing-obscure-cult-classic/

As a cult movie buff, I appreciate what Vinegar Syndrome is doing to preserve these culturally fascinating films – see their entire release slate here:

https://vinegarsyndrome.com

Leave me a note to let me know if you plan to check out these “Game Show Models!”

game-show-models-movie-poster


World’s Best “Weasel” Coffee! Bring On The Kopi Luwak! Yes, It’s “Poop Coffee!”

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A Palm Civet stands near Arabica coffee cherries in a coffee plantation owned by state plantation firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara XII in Bondowoso, in Indonesia's East Java province June 27, 2009. The fruits are fed to civets bred in cages and their droppings collected to make a brew enriched by the civets' stomachs that sell for as much as $770 a kg in London. Picture taken June 27, 2009. To match Reuters Life! INDONESIA-COFFEE/  REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas (INDONESIA - Tags: BUSINESS AGRICULTURE ANIMALS) - RTR2HLBT

A Palm Civet stands near Arabica coffee cherries in a coffee plantation owned by state plantation firm PT Perkebunan Nusantara XII in Bondowoso, in Indonesia’s East Java province June 27, 2009. The fruits are fed to civets bred in cages and their droppings collected to make a brew enriched by the civets’ stomachs that sell for as much as $770 a kg in London. Picture taken June 27, 2009. To match Reuters Life! INDONESIA-COFFEE/ REUTERS/Sigit Pamungkas (INDONESIA – Tags: BUSINESS AGRICULTURE ANIMALS) – RTR2HLBT

Have A Cup Of Coffee! This Guy Is Making A Fresh Pot!

Don’t be afraid. Yes, I am going to share a cup of coffee that was “harvested” in a very unique way…

weasel coffee

Time For A Nice, Hot Steaming Cup Of Poop! (Coffee That Is…)

First, I have to thank my friend Sabrina Miller, who brought this back to me from her worldwide travel adventure! The fact that she carried “weasel” coffee to me all the way from Vietnam means more than I can express!

Sabrina, I promised my “review”, so here we go! First, how can you NOT love anything labeled as a:

“Premium Weasel Product!”

Premium Weasel Product

Time For A Sip Of Kopi Luwak!

From, let’s discuss what makes this coffee so unique.

These cute animals are known as Civets, and they “make” this coffee in various locations in southeast Asia. It’s known as “Kopi Luwak”, coffee made from beans that have been through the intestinal system of this tree cat!

civet poop coffee

Kopi luwak – or civet coffee, includes part-digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet – you see, this animal has exquisite taste in beans, and so only the best ones make it “through the system”, so to speak…

Civet-Coffee-2

Here is how it is official explained:

“Producers of the coffee beans argue that the process may improve coffee through two mechanisms, selection and digestion. Selection occurs if the civets choose to eat cherries. Digestive mechanisms may improve the flavor profile of the coffee beans that have been eaten. The civet eats the cherries for the fleshy pulp, then in the digestive tract, fermentation occurs. The civet’s protease enzymes seep into the beans, making shorter peptides and more free amino acids. Passing through a civet’s intestines the cherries are then defecated with other fecal matter and collected.”

There you go!

A four month old Luwak is tempted by some red coffee beans at the BAS Coffee plantation January 20, 2011 in Tapaksiring, Bali, Indonesia. The Luwak coffee is known as the most expensive coffee in the world because of the way the beans are processed and the limited supply.  The Luwak is an Asian palm civet, which looks like a cross between a cat and a ferret.  The civet climbs the coffee trees to find the best berries, eats them, and eventually the coffee beans come out in its stools as a complete bean. Coffee farmers then harvest the civet droppings and take the beans to a processing plant. Luwak coffee is produced mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago, and also in the Philippines.

A four month old Luwak is tempted by some red coffee beans at the BAS Coffee plantation January 20, 2011 in Tapaksiring, Bali, Indonesia. The Luwak coffee is known as the most expensive coffee in the world because of the way the beans are processed and the limited supply. The Luwak is an Asian palm civet, which looks like a cross between a cat and a ferret. The civet climbs the coffee trees to find the best berries, eats them, and eventually the coffee beans come out in its stools as a complete bean. Coffee farmers then harvest the civet droppings and take the beans to a processing plant. Luwak coffee is produced mainly on the islands of Sumatra, Java, Bali and Sulawesi in the Indonesian Archipelago, and also in the Philippines.

How Can You Argue With That Face?

As you can see, these Civets are eager to please, and I was eager to try this coffee, and share my “tasting” with you!

weasel coffee

world's most expensive coffee

First thing is to admire the packaging, with the official “WEASEL” logo on top, and a website in Vietnam where the coffee was sold…

Now let’s be honest, I’m just making coffee here, so the process is pretty straightforward…

making cat poop coffee

cat poop coffee review

cat poop coffeee taste test

Time To Sip The “Cat Poop Coffee”…

First, this coffee is rich, so I didn’t need to use much to get a flavorful cup of coffee…the smell is very smooth and chocolate-y, OK no jokes, it is what it is…as for the taste…

John Rieber cat poop coffee test

Terrific Kopi Luwak!

This coffee is terrific! Silky smooth, with absolutely NO bitterness or harshness – it’s a soft, mellow but full-bodied cuppa Joe!

It actually has a rich, thick mouthfeel – and so smooth…I added a bit of milk, since that is how I like my coffee, but I also sipped it plain first, and it was delicious!

cat poop coffeee taste test

My wife, Alex also tried some, and she enjoyed it as well! Michaela, who I work with, was very hesitant at first, but she also enjoyed her cup…so “weasel coffee” was a hit on all fronts!

Thanks again to Sabrina Miller for this great gift – and I also wanted to share this as well: the intrepid reporters at “RocketNews24.com” were also willing to try it!

First, they showed the original of this amazing coffee:

civit coffee

They also had a bunch of great pictures of the tasting, including the beans after “extraction” from the civit, roasted and resting in the sun…

poop coffee beans

As always, you can read their entire tasting review here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2015/10/01/we-try-civet-poop-coffee【taste-test】/

When I was in Tokyo, I got the chance to try some very unusual coffee there:

John Rieber and coffee jelly

Coffee Jelly

Yes, it comes in a can, and if you want to see how it tastes, here is my story:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/12/23/crazy-tokyo-food-coffee-jelly-meat-fish-mix-octopus-bar-almond-fish/

If you like wacky food products, check this out!

wildest food art

Yes, they are making food out of everything these days – check out some of the wildest food art here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/04/the-worlds-wildest-food-art-disgustingly-wacky-food-creations/


Let me know if you’ve tried “Weasel Coffee!”

weasel coffee


Five Pound Burger! Thailand’s Biggest Mouthful! World’s Most Exotic Burgers!

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5 pound burger

Wrap Your Mouth Around This!

I love burgers. EVERYBODY LOVES BURGERS.

So, when I see a story from my favorite website, “RocketNews24” – showing how one of their intrepid reporters bit down on a 5-1/2 pound burger, I grabbed my passport!

world's biggest burger


Welcome To Thailand!

Yes, this massive burger – which is stuffed with whole onion rings, comes to us from Bangkok’s 25 Degrees restaurant. Needless to say, if you can eat the entire thing in a half hour it’s free – otherwise you pony up $39 for the treat!

thailand's biggest burger

It’s an international “Man V. Food” episode in the making, and if you want to see how this Reporter did, check out the story at “RocketNews24”:


We take on Thailand’s five-and-a-half-pound hamburger, and live to tell the tale

As always, I appreciate this culinary trip around the burger world…

I already showed you Cambodia’s best burger:

MIke's Burger Cambodia

Mike Serves Cambodia Up Right!

I have always wanted to travel to Cambodia, and now, I have a good excuse…Mike’s Burgers serves up a massive tower of fun!

cambodia hamburger

Check out Mike’s Burger House here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/01/10/yes-its-cambodias-best-burger-mikes-burger-house-stacks-them-high/

And in honor of the Olympics, don’t forget the Rio’s unique burgers – where you eat the wrapper!

brazil burger wrappers

That’s right – the burger is wrapped up, but that is part of your meal! Check it out here:


Have You Seen Brazil’s Edible Burger Wrappers? Check Out The Future Of Burgers!

Finally, don’t forget Tokyo, where they now serve a “wet burger”:

japanese wet burger ad

I will need to go there right now to see what all the fuss is about – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/10/wild-bacon-ramen-okonomiyaki-pizzas-hot-and-wet-burgers-japanese-fast-food-madness/

Leave me a comment with your favorite international burger destination!

thailand's biggest burger


Olivia Munn! From G4’s “AOTS” To “X-Men!” Olivia’s “Ninja Warrior” Run!

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Olivia Munn G4 Host

Introducing Olivia Munn!

Well, that’s what we did at G4 in 2006, when I hired Olivia as Kevin Periera’s co-Host of “Attack Of The Show!” Here they are hosting the network’s live E3 coverage in May of that year – one week after she was hired.

E3 2006 Olivia Munn

Olivia stepped onto the stage and hosted hours of live coverage day after day, along with Kevin, Morgan Webb, Adam Sessler and the entire G4 team.

I was lucky enough to work with all of them – including the incredibly talented team behind-the-scenes – who turned E3 into a signature event for G4.

Formula D 4.2.06 Todd and Olivia

What people don’t know is that, after hosting hours of live coverage from E3, Olivia took an overnight flight with me to Atlanta, and the next day she hosted our “Formula D” coverage – on only four hours sleep. Here she is with our Production Manager extraordinaire Todd Miller…Olivia was a workaholic for G4 form day one…

Olivia Munn G4 2006

Olivia’s Legendary Audition Tape!

Several years later, Olivia agreed to let us air her “audition” tape – the very first footage of her testing with us for the host role. She literally met Kevin one minute before we filmed this – and as you can see, they were magic together:

olivia munn dangling hot dog

Olivia quickly became famous for her willingness to perform outrageous stunts on the show – like eating a dangling hot dog – and then of course, she put on a french maid’s outfit and jumped into a gigantic chocolate pie!

Olivia Munn French Maid outfit G4

olivia-munn-g4-media__iphone_640

Olivia Munn 2009 Comic-Con

Comic-Con!

G4 was also the first network to ever broadcast an entire show live from inside the Comic-Con convention…we turned the iconic San Diego event into a worldwide live television broadcast…and Olivia loved to dress up in outrageous outfits there as well!

Comic-Con 09 G4 Stage

olivia-munn-comio-con

The entire G4 team sat for hours signing autographs…they all loved talking to fans – those were great times for the network…we also aired the first-ever live coverage of a “Star Wars” fan convention:

Olivia_Munn_as_Leia_striking


Olivia IS Slave Leia!

Olivia went all out with her “Slave Leia” outfit, hosting the show while honoring “Star Wars”…

olivia-munn-attack-show-princess-leia-4

Here is an inside look at the convention, with more pics of Olivia:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/10/19/the-force-awakens-final-trailer-is-here-amazing-star-wars-cup-clingers-darth-vader-cmas-tree-olivia-munn-is-sexy-princess-leia-darth-vader-on-violin/

I also had the chance to travel to Tokyo with Kevin and Olivia, and got this behind-the-scenes shot of them dancing with Shibuya’s legendary “Dancing Stormtrooper!”

Olivia Munn Dancing Stormtrooper

JR and Olivia Munn Shibuya

Both Kevin and Olivia were fearless in Tokyo, running around the city in crazy outfits, and at one point even racing Dekitora trucks!

Deckitaora trucks tokyo

Olivia Munn Tokyo

Olivia Munn runs Ninja Warrior course

Olivia Runs The Ninja Warrior Course!

I was with Kevin and Olivia when they ran the famous “Sasuke” course in Tokyo – known around the world as “Ninja Warrior.” Trust me when I tell you – it is a LOT harder than it looks!

Olivia Munn Ninja Warrior John Rieber

You can read all about her “Ninja” adventure here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/07/30/ninja-warrior-olivia-munn-and-kevin-pereiras-race-to-greatness-sara-underwood-rules-the-course-oliva-munn-as-psylocke/

It was so much fun working with Olivia, Kevin and the entire G4 team all around the world…or even in LA, when Olivia dressed up for a special “Avatar” skit we did on the Attack Of The Show:

olivia munn avatar

Olivia also dressed up with Kevin and Chris Gore for an “X-Files” skit – it seems that we were always putting on fake outfits at G4:

Olivia Munn X-Files skit

Olivia Munn X-Men movie


Olivia as “Psylocke!”

And now, Olivia stars in the new “X-Men” movie, and we are all so excited for her! If you want to see more of Olivia’s work at G4’s Comic-Con coverage, you can click here:


https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/22/comic-con-2014-g4s-epic-live-shows-remembered-amazing-cosplay-photos/

Bravo to Olivia on her success, and here’s to much more “Psylocke” to come!

Olivia Munn G4 Host


Welcome To “Sharkansas”! Hilariously Dopey Horror! Women In Prison Flicks! Cult Animal Horror!

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sharkansas-massacre-watch-the-film

Welcome To “Sharkansas!”

Sometimes, movies are so “bad” they become “great”, and here’s proof!

swamp sharks cult b movie

“Swamp” Sharks!

We’ve seen “sharknadoes”, now there are sharks that come from the swamps of Arkansas to feed on beautiful girls!

sharkansas campy horror

Time To Dive Into The “Sharkansas Women’s Prison Massacre”!

The trailer says it all:

Sharkansas-Womens-Prison-Massacre-2015

It happens all the time in Arkansas: a “fracking” accident rips apart the earth’s crust, and out pour prehistoric sharks – who naturally attack a group of beautiful young women who happen to be staying in a remote cabin!

sharkansas

I have read reviews that point out this is “nudity free”, meaning it’s a classic “B” movie designed to air on cable channels all across your dial for years to come…Dominique Swain and Traci Lords star in the film, which doesn’t demand anything more than for you to sit back and watch the “sharks fly”!

wacky horror sharkansas

Director Jim Wynorski made classic “B” movies like “SORORITY HOUSE MASSACRE 2” and “BIG BAD MAMA 2.” If anyone can make this kind of campy horror entertaining, it’s this guy…however, if you REALLY want a “women’s prison” film, then you should try this one…

Pam Grier nude scenes

If your “cult cinema” tastes run a bit more lurid, then you will find these “women in prison” more to your liking:

Black Mama White Mama

Pam Grier is the “Queen of Blaxploitation”, and “Black Mama White Mama” delivers the “women in prison” good in a newly remaster blu-ray – see the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/03/21/black-mama-white-mama-queen-of-blaxploitation-pam-grier-naked-showers-women-in-prison-classics/

frogs horror film

If you want to see more killer animals, check out this cult classic…yes, “Frogs” that kill! See the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/18/zombeavers-the-latest-in-killer-animal-movies-frogs-ants-and-more-campy-horror/

These films aren’t only found in the US: there are hilarious cult horror films from Japan that will blow your mind!

dead-sushi

“Killer Sushi” Anyone?

Yes, a great film tells the story of sushi that kills! See the trailer for “Dead Sushi” here:


https://johnrieber.com/2015/01/28/killer-sushi-toilet-zombies-karaoke-terror-tasty-japanese-exploitation/

Leave me a message and tell me what your favorite cult “B”Sharkansas-Womens-Prison-Massacre-2015 film is!


World’s Best Burgers! Great 2016 Memorial Day Slider Recipes!

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Big Bacon Cheeseburger

If you have a taste for a “sliderific” holiday weekend, you can bite down hard right here!

cheesebuger recipes


Calling All Burger Lovers!

Time to start planning your upcoming holiday weekend menu – for SLIDERS!

hamburger slider

I love holidays! Cooking burgers is one reason, grilling sliders is another. Look at how good this is, a perfectly composed slider getting a big assist from my best friend, BACON:

Here are some of my favorite slider recipes – all with an international flair!


A Worldwide Slider Celebration!

The key to an international slider is what flavors the basic hamburger patty. Your basic hamburger uses good quality ground beef with at least 15% fat content, to ensure lots of juicy flavor. I mix in raw minced onion and minced garlic, with salt, pepper as well.

badhappy-burger

That’s it for me – upon this temple of meat flavor, I add unique ingredients that give my sliders an international flavor…here are some of my favorite recipes!

spanish-hamburger


Spanish Sliders – Hamburguesa!

Let’s get started with Spain, since I just got back from Barcelona…this is a great example of taking a regular burger and giving it an international feel…using some of the special spanish flavors to give the burger a catalonian flavor!

spanish_style_burgers

Begin by cooking the burger first with Manchego cheese (a sheep’s milk cheese from the La Mancha region in Spain) and Jamón Iberico, (Iberico ham – prosciutto-like ham that comes from Spanish black pigs). Then, top the burger with olive tapenade…you can find recipes for making it, or you can buy it in a jar, but it includes black olives, capers, anchovies, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice. Take a bite and you will wake up in Barcelona…

spanish-hamburger

Or, if you are just in the mood for a burger that will drive you NUTS…or perhaps you don’t want a burger at all, well here’s the answer!

nutburger recipes


The Nut Burger!

The Nut Burger was made famous at Matt’s Place Drive-In in Butte, Montana. Matt’s Place Drive-In was established in 1930.

And, in honor of vegetarians who have chosen to read this post, there is a great “no meat” burger waiting for you!


“No Meat” Nut Burgers!

1 medium onion
1 cup walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews or other nuts, preferably raw
1 cup (raw) rolled oats or cooked short-grain white or brown rice
2 tablespoons ketchup, miso, tomato paste, nut butter or tahini
1 teaspoon chili powder or any spice mix you like
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

2 tablespoons peanut oil, extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn.

1. Grind onion in food processor. Add nuts and oats, and pulse to chop, but not too finely. Add remaining ingredients except oil. Process briefly; don’t grind too finely. Add a little liquid — water, stock, soy sauce, wine, whatever — if necessary; mixture should be moist but not loose.

vegetarian nutburger recipe

2. Let mixture rest a few minutes, then shape it into 4 burgers. (Burger mixture or shaped burgers can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to a day. Bring back to room temperature before cooking.) Put oil in nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron skillet and turn to medium. When oil is hot, add burgers to skillet. Cook about 5 minutes, undisturbed, until browned, then turn with spatula. Lower heat a bit and cook 3 or 4 minutes more, until firm.

This is good enough to satisfy meat eaters, too!


Korean Kimchi Barbecue Sliders

korean kimchi-burger

When I was in Seoul, we ate every night at a korean BBQ, where you grill your own meat and seafood on the round grill embedded in your table, then wrap the grilled food around lettuce or thinly sliced pickled vegetables. Taking that as an inspiration, Korean sliders are best when you add pickled cucumbers, a splash of rice vinegar and kimchi.

As you can see, it’s all about how you season your burger patty – and there’s a world of great flavor to enjoy!

korean-bbq-kimchi burgers

Japanese Wasabi-Avocado Slider!

Wasabi Avocado

I read about this over the holidays and I made one…it was delicious! It is very simple: a slider patty topped with sliced avocado, and a heavy dose of wasabi mayonaise. Trader Joe’s sells it, or buy some great mayo and wasabi and mix it together to the strength you can handle…this is delicious with a Sapporo! One last look….trust me, MAKE THIS ONE!

japanese-wasabi-avocado-slider

The Sriracha Burger!

Wasabi not powerful enough for you? Well, THIS will do the trick:

This is a GREAT idea…the recipe is from the terrific “Serious Eats” website!

Sloppy-Sriracha-Burger

3 pounds ground beef (preferably chuck, 80/20)
1/4 cup soy sauce
10 tablespoons Sriracha
4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
4 slices thick-cut bacon
2 large sweet onions
3/4 cup blue cheese dressing
8 sesame seed buns
8 thick slices Swiss cheese
1 large beefsteak tomato, sliced
Arugula or romaine lettuce

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of the Sriracha, and the pepper.

Cook the bacon. While the bacon is cooking, peel and quarter the onions. Once the bacon is cooked through and slightly crispy, remove the slices from the pan, reserving the remaining bacon fat in the pan. Cook the sliced onions in the bacon fat over medium-low heat until they caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes.

Grill the burgers. While the burgers are cooking, in a small bowl, combine the blue cheese dressing with the remaining 5 tablespoons Sriracha. Lightly toast the buns on the grill during the last minute of cooking time.

sriracha burger recipes

To assemble, spread the blue cheese mixture on both halves of each hamburger bun. Stack a burger patty, Swiss cheese slice, bacon, caramelized onions, tomato slice, and a small handful of arugula between each hamburger bun.


Bam!

Australian Sliders!

Australian hamburger recipe

I uncovered these two years ago in Melbourne. They add a slice of beetroot underneath the burger. It adds a great, slightly nutty flavor to the slider. Look at how beautiful that big chunk looks on the burger above…Everything else is the same – add cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce if you like – and if you want to go totally Aussie, add a fried egg on top….the best!

australian hamburger recipe

Now, if you REALLY want to get creative, throw the concept of a slider out the window altogether!


THE CHEESEBURGER SUB!

From The White House Sub shop in Atlantic City, I got this delicious cheeseburger sub – it’s a cheeseburger on a sub sandwich roll…easy to do and a fun change of pace!

hamburger recipes


The All-American Bacon-Cheeseburger Slider!

Taylors Refresher Bacon Cheeseburger

What can you say? After a trip around the world, it’s nice to come home and have an all-american slider…made vertically like so:

Top Bun
Cheese – melted and dripping
Bacon! Bacon! Bacon!
Slider Patty
Tomato
Pickle
Mayonaise, mayonaise, mayonaise!
Bottom Bun

See that? DO NOT DEVIATE – this is perfection.


WHAT THE – ???!!???

What do you think of THIS? My daughter Jessica poses in front of the ad for the “Green Peas Pachislo Burger” in Tokyo…we don’t know what it was, and didn’t bother to find out, but we loved the ad!

Jessica sent me a list of sliders being made by an innovative food truck in Seattle. Look at some of these variations on a slider!

Curb Jumper Classic Cheese Slider

Certified Angus Beef, Melted Sharp Cheddar Cheese, Roma Tomato, Red Onion,
Spring Mix with Roasted Garlic Aioli.

mushroom-burger-b

Shrooom Slider

Certified Angus Beef, Melted Provolone Cheese, Sauted Crimini Mushrooms,
Caramelized Sweet Onions, Spring Mix, Roma Tomato and Spicy Mustard Aioli


Southwest Turkey Slider

Handmade and spiced Turkey Patties, Melted Pepper Jack Cheese, Roasted Anaheim Peppers,
Cumin- Cilantro Slaw, Frizzled Onions with a Chipotle Aioli.

turkeyburger recipes

Salmon Slider

Handmade Salmon Patties, Frizzled Onions, Spring Mix, Roma Tomato with a Lemon Pepper Aioli

salmon burger recipes


Paulie’s Pulled Pork Sliders

Rubbed and Slow Roasted Pork in a Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce topped with a fresh
Cumin- Cilantro Slaw

Taylors Refresher Cheeseburger

Don’t Be Intimidated!

And remember, if all else fails:

White Castle To The Rescue!

White Castle CU

And when in doubt, grab a dozen White Castle sliders and dress them up with some of the above flavors – or make them for breakfast!

White Castle Sliders

The “White Castle” Breakfast Slider!

You can begin your slider-fest first thing in the morning – just click here for an easy and delicious breakfast slider!


My Homemade White Castle “Breakfast Sliders!” Behold the 380 Calorie Wonder!

Leave me a message and let me know if you try any of these and how they turn out! Thanks!

The Trump Burger


Todd Is “Tortured!” Todd Rundgren’s Hilarious “Bang On The Drum” Hit! Record Label Swan Song! The Terrific “Ever Popular” Goodbye to Bearsville!

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Todd Rundgren Tortured Artist picture

Todd Is “Tortured!”

Time to look at another Todd Rundgren classic. Here how Todd describes this record:

“I knew that the label was not taking, or promoting, my records seriously, so I thought, ‘why don’t I do an album where I don’t try so hard, and let’s see if it makes any difference?'”

Todd-Rundgren-Presents The-Ever-Popular-Tortured-Artist-Effect

Todd Fights Back!

Here is the setup to that incendiary quote. Todd was responding to Bearsville, his record label…who Todd felt had been unwilling to support his music. His previous album, “Healing”, included one of the first songs ever shown on MTV, but the label still didn’t support the album!

Todd Rundgren Healing album

See the story of the brilliantly hypnotic “Healing” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/30/todd-rundgren-healing-hypnotic-masterpiece-one-of-the-first-mtv-music-videos/

After that, Todd managed to wrest this band Utopia away from the label, and they signed a deal with Network records…

utopia-todd-rundgren-1982-network

Their first album was being recorded and ready for release, so Todd just had one more thing to do: fulfill his contractual obligation to Bearsville, and release one last album!

Todd-Rundgren-Presents The-Ever-Popular-Tortured-Artist-Effect

The story Behind “The Ever Popular Tortured Artist Effect”!

It was Todd’s 10th solo album, released in 1982. That’s right – ten studio albums! This one, however, was bittersweet – fulfilling a contract and planning to move on…one book tells the inside story of this time in Todd’s career – make sure to read the incredible book about Todd Rundgren in the studio:

Todd Rundgren music producer book

In the book, Todd explains how he was feeling at the time:

“I knew that the label was not taking, or promoting, my records seriously, so I thought, ‘why don’y I do an album where I don’t try so hard, and let’s see if it makes any difference?'” Thus the reference to a ‘tortured artist.’ I had to deliver an album, but I wasn’t totally excited about the prospect.”

todd rundgren-utopia-sound


Todd’s Lack Of “Excitement” Still Delivers!

Even with Todd frustrated by his label, and focused on a new Utopia album, he still delivered one of his most enjoyable, pop-infused records! And of course, he did it alone!

Todd Rundgren in studio

According to Utopia Sound house engineer Chris Anderson, Todd liked working alone at that time.

“Typically, on the solo albums, I would set up the machine for him and make sure that everything was working right, then I’d just leave him alone.”

Here’s a look at the great songs on “The Ever-Popular Tortured Artist Effect”:

“Hideaway”

It’s an effortless pop classic – strong hooks, great lyrics and a smooth Todd vocal. Here is Todd’s original music video – a great song with a very creative video to back it up!

Todd Rundgren music video

“Influenza”

Classic Todd wordplay, with an easily repeatable hook.

Here is a great live “With A Twist” version!


“Don’t Hurt Yourself”

Another song that should have been a single…a beautiful ballad of regret…

“I’ve done some bad things
This I know
If I can’t change things
Tell me so
It does no good to break your toe on the wall
I know you’re angry
That’s all right
I said I don’t care
Well, I lied
But I don’t care who wins the fight after all
As long as you don’t hurt yourself
Don’t hurt yourself
It’s bad enough
Don’t hurt yourself
I wouldn’t want to see you make
Trouble for yourself over
My mistake”

Here is just the audio for the song, with a heavily-infused early 80’s sheen:

“There Goes Your Baybay” ends side one, another nice Todd pop song…for a contractual obligation, Todd has delivered another side of great pop tunes…

Todd-Rundgren-The-Ever-Popular-Tortured-Artist-Back-Cover

Side two begins with a cover song, “Tin Soldier”…as Todd relates:


“With ‘Tin Soldier’, I was starting with a song I’d always loved…I suppose it could have been tired on Faithful, but it was perfect for the mood I wanted for this.”

“Tin Soldier” is Todd’s cover of a song by The Small Faces. Here some great trivia about the original song:

Small Faces Tin Soldier

According to wikipedia, when “Tin Soldier” was released in 1967, the BBC demanded the band change the ending, mistakenly believing that Songwriter Steve Marriott sang “sleep with you”, although the lyric is “sit with you”. Marriott explained that the song was about getting into someone’s mind — not their body!

Todd said he could have included it on “Faithful” – his album that included one entire side of “covers”:

Faithful Todd Rundgren

Here is a look at the songs he did cover on that brilliant record:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/14/todd-rundgren-stays-faithful-a-shocking-record-label-betrayal-beatles-covers-brilliant-new-songs/

“Emperor of the Highway” was next, one of Todd’s goofy larks…which led to a “goofy lark” that has proven to be one of Todd’s biggest hits!

Todd Rundgren - Bang The Drum All Day

“Bang the Drum All Day”

It’s the “go to” song at all major sporting events in the US – Todd’s iconic anthem to goofing off instead of working!

Here is a great live performance from the show I saw with him in Beverly Hills in January 2016:

Todd Rundgren Live Beverly Hills

The song actually entered the Billboard Top 40 when it was released! As Todd says in the Paul Myers book:

“It may have turned into a cash cow in the end as a sports anthem and the like, for better or worse.”

Todd didn’t want the song to define him, and I understand his point of view at the time. With a record label refusing to promote him, classic songs like “Hideaway” were being ignored, and “Bang The Drum” was almost a hit in spite of the record label.

Here is the entire review of his 2016 Beverly Hills show:


https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/07/todd-rundgren-rocks-beverly-hills-todds-2016-tour-reviewed/

“Drive”

For me, Todd ends his “contractual obligation” with two of his strongest anthems. Here is a great live version of “Drive” from 2012 – Todd showing a ton of energy:

Thanks to “Walkerbrothersmusic” for posting this great live version on youtube.

Todd ends the album with this great song:

“Chant”

A positive chant that ends the album on a high note:

“We can’t turn back the clock
But we can chant for love
Let’s cut the idle talk so we can
Chant for love”


Here is a terrific live performance:

The album was his last official release on Bearsville Records, but the label did a nice job with the packaging. The cover was lots of fun, especially when you opened it up – lots of fun imagery!

Todd-Rundgren-The-Ever-Popular-Tortured Artist album release

So this was the end of Todd’s musical ride with Bearsville. He focused on his work with Utopia, but he wasn’t finished releasing great solo music.

Todd ended the decade with another masterpiece:

todd-rundgren_nearly-human

“Nearly Human” is more classic Todd, and here is a look at some of the album’s great songs:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/26/todd-rundgren-is-nearly-human-todds-6-fingered-masterpiece/

Todd is still recording and touring – wrapping up his solo tour to prepare to hit the road with this guy:

Ringo-Starr-and-Todd-Rundgren

Here’s a look at the next installment of Ringo’s “All-Starr” Band:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/12/16/ringos-all-starr-band-rocks-on-todd-rundgrens-2016-tease-the-beatles-tour-on/

Leave a message to let me know what you love about Todd’s “Tortured” work!

Todd-Rundgren-Presents The-Ever-Popular-Tortured-Artist-Effect



Political Chaos 2016! “Network” And “Broadcast News” Nailed It! “This Town” Confirms The Shenanigans!

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“I know it’s fun. I LIKE FUN. It’s just not NEWS!”

Best movies about TV

“It’s Just Not NEWS!”

This quote sums up the 2016 US presidential election to date. It’s from a movie that imagined the world of television news as something too powerful, too influential – an institution that was changing into the soap opera it was documenting:

broadcst news political reality


“Sorry… sex, tears… this must be the news!”

Shouting, insults, outrageous claims – and yes, “sex and tears” as well – this political season has been more chaotic than ever – and the yelling and screaming are what’s getting all the headlines, rather than the serious topics impacting the country! As Holly Hunter said in “Broadcast News”, to an audience of bored journalists who applauded footage of the world’s largest domino set – while a nuclear peace treaty debate was ignored by all three networks:

“I know it’s fun. I LIKE FUN. It’s just not NEWS!”

Here are two films that accurately forecasted the chaotic political coverage of today:

movies about TV Broadcast news

Broadcast News!

William Hurt, Holly Hunter and Albert Brooks star in this terrific film. This movie takes an incisive look at the changing world of television News.

Here is the trailer for this Oscar-nominated film:

Albert Brooks plays a bitter network News Reporter who watches as Tom Grunick, played by William Hurt, gets promoted based solely on his looks.

The best dialogue – in a film full of great dialogue – is when Brooks explains to Holly Hunter who he thinks handsome Anchorman Tom Grunick really is:

“I believe that Tom, while a very nice guy, is the Devil…what do you think the Devil is going to look like if he’s around? Nobody is going to be taken in if he has a long, red, pointy tail. No. I’m semi-serious here. He will look attractive and he will be nice and helpful and he will get a job where he influences a great God-fearing nation and he will never do an evil thing… he will just bit by little bit lower standards where they are important. Just coax along flash over substance… Just a tiny bit. And he will talk about all of us really being salesmen.

broadcst news political reality

After this heartfelt, serious critique of the universal decline of broadcast news standards, Brooks finishes with a line that is even more telling:

“And he’ll get all the great women.

Sound familiar amid the political discourse of 2016?

The Future Is Here!

I watch the current presidential election with a mixture of sadness and fascination – books will be written dissecting what happened to American politics in 2016. The political climate this year is close to toxic, a sideshow where serious issues are tossed aside in exchange for yelling, insults and sexual innuendo.

worst 2016 presidential debate moments

I Don’t Blame The Candidates!

This post isn’t about a specific political view, or about any one Candidate – this is about how non-stop cable television coverage has influenced how we get our news. After all, TV is about ratings. Donald Trump gets ratings. Yelling and insulting each other gets viewers. So, in our business, when your show gets a number, you order more episodes!

Donald Trump reality star

I do NOT blame the candidates. No matter how you feel about their actions, their accusations or their integrity, we have the ultimate choice – DON’T VOTE FOR THEM.

Our past is littered with presidential campaigns that have gotten down and dirty – but today’s media atmosphere lets the world hear everything live!

Broadcast and cable TV News networks offer instant coverage 24 hours a day – more pundits, more talking heads, more shouting about nonsensical issues…and it all started with one prescient film that saw this day coming:

Network I'm as mad as hell


“I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, ‘I’M AS MAD AS HELL, AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!'”

Network!

This brilliant indictment of television news was Oscar-nominated for Best Picture in 1976 – with an oscar-winning script by Paddy Cheyefky that saw the sordid future of TV – which has come true.

Here are the opening lines of the movie:

“This story is about Howard Beale, who was the news anchorman on UBS TV. In his time, Howard Beale had been a mandarin of television, the grand old man of news, with a HUT rating of 16 and a 28 audience share. In 1969, however, his fortunes began to decline. He fell to a 22 share. The following year, his wife died, and he was left a childless widower with an 8 rating and a 12 share. He became morose and isolated, began to drink heavily, and on September 22, 1975, he was fired, effective in two weeks. The news was broken to him by Max Schumacher, who was the president of the news division at UBS. The two old friends got properly pissed.”

This is a brilliant dissection of a business just waiting to be perverted by greed, money – and ratings.

Take a look at the trailer:

The movie won a slew of Oscars in 1976, including Peter Finch as Best Actor – his nomination and award were posthumous. Finch became the first posthumous winner in an acting category. Faye Dunaway won Best Actress, leading to this legendary photo the next morning.

Faye Dunaway Best Actress Network

Best Actress in a Supporting Role went to Beatrice Straight. Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen was awarded to the brilliant Paddy Chayefsky.

Network I'm as mad as hell

Watching this movie again, and seeing how network news is imagined with live horoscope readings and much more, only makes me wonder what Chayefsky would think if he was with us today.

And if you want to imagine a world where just the act of being on television makes you a star, then look no further than here:

the-king-of-comedy

Martin Scorsese imagined a world where fame came from begin famous, no matter how you achieved your fame…the brilliant “King Of Comedy” also previewed a world where being on TV is all you needed – no matter how you got there:

king-of-comedy-movie-title

Read more about this brilliant film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/05/the-king-of-comedy-brilliant-film-amazing-reunion-bernhard-lewis-feud/

Finally, the real world of politics has changed as much as television has in the last thirty years:

This Town political book

This brilliant book takes you inside the world of Washington DC to show how the “business of politics” runs – read about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/12/02/dirty-sexy-politics-the-politics-of-brilliant-book-this-town-washington-dc-expose/

Let me know what you think!

worst 2016 presidential debate moments


Forgotten Beatles Songs! Classic Lennon-McCartney Hits – For Others! The Songs The Beatles Gave Away!

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The Beatles Songs Gave Away

“Paul McCartney and John Lennon Have A Song For You…Please Hold.”

Can you imagine getting THAT call? Well, it happened a number of times in the 60’s and 70’s – John Lennon and Paul McCartney routinely wrote songs The Beatles gave away to others!

Songs The Beatles gave away

When A “Beatles” Song ISN’T A Beatles Song!

Wikipedia has an entire entry about songs that were written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney for other Artists..here is how they categorized them:

1 – Recordings by the Beatles of Lennon–McCartney songs that the group ultimately decided not to release.
2 – Lennon–McCartney songs that the Beatles deemed unsuitable for the group at the outset and did not even attempt to record themselves.
3 – Songs that had been intentionally written for other artists.

The songs lennon and mccartney gave away

“The Songs Lennon and McCartney Gave Away!”

Because EVERYTHING The Fab Four has done has been extensively documented, these songs exist for fans to enjoy.

This compilation album containing the original artist recordings of songs composed by John Lennon and Paul McCartney was released in the UK in 1979! Here is a look at the lineup:

Songs-Beatles-gave-away-back

The first song on the compilation album is actually the last song that was given to others. “I’m the Greatest” was recorded by Ringo Starr for his “Ringo” album – and written specifically for him by John Lennon in 1973 – the rest of these songs were released as singles during the active Beatles years in the 1960s.

Ringo Starr Ringo

Ringo’s Classic “Ringo!”

All of the other Beatles gave Ringo a song for his classic solo album, which was a huge smash thanks to songs like “Photograph”.

Here is the video for John’s “cheeky” song “I’m The Greatest!”

classic-ringo_starr

Paul and George also gave songs to Ringo, but this Lennon tune is the best – and John included his version of it on his Lennon box set, playfully rehearsing the song to the others in the studio:

John Lennon anthology box set

John was on his “lost weekend” at the time, in LA hanging out with Harry Nilsson…read about it here:


https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/29/lime-in-the-coconut-harry-nilssons-musical-madness-john-lennon-shenanigans/

One of the greatest songs written for others was thanks to Paul McCartney, and it also had a Ringo connection!

badfinger-come-get-it-

Ringo’s Hilarious Movie! The “Come And Get It” Theme!

Paul also wrote a classic song for Ringo, except in this case, it was the theme song for Ringo’s movie “The Magic Christian.”

Check out the trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/02/ringo-starr-the-fab-fours-magic-christian-madness-raquel-welch-dominatrix-great-solo-music/

You must check out this movie…the theme song was a big hit for Badfinger, who recorded on The Beatles’ Apple label. Here is Paul’s demo of the song:

Paul McCartney solo recording

“If you want it, here it is
Come and get it m-m-m!
Make your mind up fast

If you want it anytime I can give it
But you better hurry ’cause it may not last”

The Magic Christian soundtrack

McCartney recorded a solo demo of the song on July 24, 1969, when he arrived early for an Abbey Road session. He sang the double-tracked lead vocal and played all the instruments: he sang and played piano on the first take, sang again and played maracas on the first overdub, drums came third and bass guitar was added last. It took less than an hour to finish. It was officially released in 1996 on “The Beatles Anthology 3” and issued under The Beatles’ name, even though McCartney did the entire song by himself…

Beatles Abbey Road pictures

Here is an amazing montage of the songs that John and Paul wrote for others, thanks to the internet!

“SgtPepperChannel” on youtube posted this – bravo! As you can see, John and Paul did a ton of music for others, as they were amazingly prolific….

Cilla Black sings The Beatles

“It’s For You!”

You heard a snipped of this in the montage – “It’s for You” was written by John and Paul for popular singer Cilla Black – and it was a UK Top Ten hit in 1964.

Here she is performing the show on UK TV, with a cameo appearance by Paul and John at the end:

John Lennon Paul McCartney 1965

Singer Cilla Black recorded the song at Abbey Road Studios in July 1964, with George Martin producing the session. Can you imagine the creatively that was going on at the time?

Cilla-Black-Paul-McCartney

Cilla Black recalled the recording session years later:

“That was some session…John and Paul joined me and George Martin. We made one track and then everyone had a go at suggesting how they thought it should be recorded. George said it should be one way, John and Paul another and I just added my suggestions while they were thinking of what else they could do with the composition.”

Paul and Linda McCartney

Macca’s “Penina!”

In the late 60’s, Paul was very prolific, and he wrote the song “Penina” at the Hotel Penina in December 1968, when he was vacationing in the Portuguese region of the Algarve.

Here is the song as recorded by the Portuguese singer Carlos Mendes:

George Harrison Cream Badge

George Writes With Eric Clapton!

The Beatles were so prolific as a group that they had more than enough hits of their own – and George got into the action as well!

badge

George wrote “Badge” with Eric Clapton for his group Cream. The song was originally an untitled track. According to wikipedia:

“during the production transfer for the album Goodbye, the original music sheet was used to produce the liner notes and track listing. The only discernible word on the page was “bridge” (indicating the song’s bridge section). Due to Harrison’s handwriting, however, Clapton misread it as “badge” — and the song was titled soon thereafter.”

Ha! Here’s an audio only version:

Now back to that “bad handwriting” story – Harrison remembered the story differently:

“I helped Eric write “Badge” you know. Each of them had to come up with a song for that Goodbye Cream album and Eric didn’t have his written. We were working across from each other and I was writing the lyrics down and we came to the middle part so I wrote ‘Bridge.’ Eric read it upside down and cracked up laughing– ‘What’s BADGE?’ he said. After that, Ringo [Starr] walked in drunk and gave us that line about the swans living in the park.”

Geroge Harrison Eric Clapton

So there you have it, a drunk Ringo contributed as well! The Beatles were amazingly prolific, and left us with an unbelievable catalog of music to love.

However, their songs were sometimes used in some VERY questionable ways – like these two films!

All This And World War 2

Various  - All This And World War II

“All The And World War WHAT!?!?!?!?”

If you haven’t seen this movie, you are lucky! It’s a documentary about World War 2, full of war images, death and destruction, with a Beatles soundtrack! See the unbelievably wrong trailer here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/20/the-beatles-worlds-best-music-worst-movie-choices/

And here is an image you will never be able to burn out of your skull:

bee gees and george burns sgt. peppers

Yes, The Bee Gees are dancing in “Sgt. Peppers” outfits along with Peter Frampton and George Burns!

This movie is embarrassing for all concerned: stick with a Beatles classic like this instead:

Let-It-Be-1970

Here is a look at the legendary “Let It Be” documentary, which includes lots of strife between he band members, and the incredible rooftop performance in London:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/04/06/let-it-be-the-beatles-lost-documentary-londons-live-beatles-rooftop-concert/

Leave me a note on your favorite Beatles anecdotes!

The Beatles Let It Be


James Gunn! The Origin Of Troma’s “DolphinMan”! Wrestlers V. Zombies! New Tromatic Classics!

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Troma James Gunn

James Gunn And The Origin Of “Dolphinman!”

Yes, “Guardians Of The Galaxy” Director James Gunn created the iconic Troma character “Dolphinman” – with my wife, Alex Duda!

James is shown above on the right, along with the terrific Tiffany Shepis, Sgt. Kabukiman and of course, “The Toxic Avenger”…from the Cannes film festival in the late 90’s, and THIS is Dolphinman:

Troma Dolphinman

The Origin Of A Superhero!

Why am I doing an “origin” story? I will explain in a moment. But first, I am ready to reveal “the man under the mask” – the first greg Actor to play this iconic movie character.

Nobody knew the amazing Actor behind this character, until now – because the first Actor to ever portray Dolphinman was none other than:

Steve with Troma

Steve Kmetko!

That’s right, Entertainment Journalist and E! News Host Steve Kmetko was the FIRST DOLPHINMAN!

Here’s how it happened: when Alex and I produced E!’s Cannes film festival coverage, we always shot special segments with Troma founder Lloyd Kaufman and his great Tromatic team:

Me and Troma

James Gunn wrote some of the classic Troma films like “Tromeo & Juliet”, and was part of the team in Cannes getting attention for Troma’s slate of movies.

One year, my wife Alex and James created a new super hero for Troma – “Dolphinman” – it showed Lloyd neglecting his other Troma characters…there is more to the story to come, but why am I telling you all of this? Because “Dolphinman” is back!

DolphinMan Battles The Sex Lobsters


Dolphinman Battles The Sex Lobsters!

Troma has unveiled the latest underwater superhero adventure – and Director John Brennan keeps the Dolphinman legend action-packed – check out the trailer:

You can see more of this film by going to the Troma website and signing up for their latest hits…here is a link:


http://www.troma.com/news/24174/world-premiere-of-dolphinman-battles-the-sex-lobsters/

Troma is keeping busy, with classic movies on their youtube channel, and new cult films like this as well:

Troma Pro Wrestlers Versus Zombies

How can you not love a movie like this? Troma always delivers a wacky good time. Here is a look at my top ten Tromatic Classics:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/02/11/tromas-top-ten-the-tromatic-classics-unveiled/

One of the latest new releases is Troma’s sequel to their classic:

class-of-nuke

“Readin’, Writin’ And Radiation!”

“The Class Of Nuke ’em High” is one of Troma’s best, and last year, they did a sequel:

Return-to-Nuke-Em-High

Now, they are working on part two – which you can see here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/06/17/kick-troma-into-movie-theaters-sex-violence-support-the-return-to-nuke-em-high/

There are so many great Troma films, and thanks to blu-ray, some of the oldest are getting a second life!

sugar_cookies_1973

Read all about the re-release of the legendary “Sugar Cookies” here:


“Sugar Cookies”! Neglected Cult Troma Sexploitation Rescued!

Now, back to Dolphinman – here is the story of how James Gunn worked on our terrific “Wild On The Riviera” creation of Dolphinman:


https://johnrieber.com/2014/05/08/director-james-gunn-geek-guardian-of-the-galaxy-my-cannes-photo/

Let me know your favorite Troma classic!

DolphinMan Battles The Sex Lobsters


Cooking “Dishwater Salmon!” Spaghetti Hot Dogs! Amazing Cooking Techniques!

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Time To Wash Your Dirty Plates – And Make Some Salmon, Too!

I walked into my kitchen yesterday and saw this staring at me:

dishwasher salmon

Here’s A Kitchen Question For You!

For all of the great Chefs reading this, a question: when you use your dishwasher, do you ever set it to “lasagna”?

dishwasher lasagna

And even more importantly, when you have an important dinner party coming up, do you make sure that your salmon is perfectly prepared – by tossing it on a “rinse” cycle?

Dishwater Salmon


Welcome To The New World Of Culinary Wonder!

Imagine my surprise when I came across this: salmon being cooked “sous vide” style in a dishwasher!

dishwasher salmon

And guess what, this salmon isn’t alone! People are making all kinds of dinners in their dishwashers!

And it’s not even all that crazy… it’s a cooking method that involves putting your food in an environment that’s heated to somewhere between 160F and 300F…

cooking-dishwasher

Um, But Why A Dishwasher?

Why NOT!

A dishwasher gets up to more than 200 degrees, and it goes through several variations of how that heat’s applied, from the actual washing cycle to the drying cycle.

dishwasher cooking

Here is what it’s all about: when you cook in a dishwasher, you are cooking in “hot water” and hot, moist air, which approximates the “sous vide” method of cooking. So, your dishwasher has now become as important as your stove!


Delicious Dishwasher Salmon!

Time to get to the proof: let’s look at two dishes that are cooked inside a dishwasher!

First, Realsimple’s website has a great story about Chef Bob Blumer’s dishwasher salmon…all of the pics and instruction can be found by clicking HERE:


http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/cooking/bob-blumers-dishwasher-salmon-recipe-00000000022899/index.html

And to see this cooking method in action, the video can be seen here!

cooking salmon in a dishwasher

Well, I can now re-think how I’ve been making my salmon! And, if you are a fan of salmon, what about this!

dishwasher-lasagna

Dishwasher Lasagna!

Yes, your dishwasher isn’t just for salmon anymore! “Wikihow” has posted a great tutorial on how to make your own lasagna – in your dishwasher!


http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Lasagna-in-Your-Dishwasher

dishwasher lasagna

Of course, imagine your dinner guests popping into the kitchen right as you are “checking on dinner!”

dishwasher lasagna

Making Your Own Dishwasher Lasagna!

Here’s a great video by a chef named Natalie on youTube, and she’s having a great time with her “dishwasher Lasagna!”

Check out the video:

spaghetti hot dogs

Spaghetti Hot Dogs!

If this “dishwasher” cuisine has you feeling adventurous, then try these amazing “spaghetti infused” hot dog bites…the entire process is here!


Spaghetti Hot Dogs! Amazing Cooking Technique That Works!

And what about if you like eggs, but hate trying to separate the yolks from the egg whites?

egg tower

Well, we’ve got that solved for you as well, thanks to the Chinese! Click here to see an amazing new invention that does the separating for you!

https://johnrieber.com/2012/08/23/amazing-egg-yolk-magic-thanks-to-the-always-inventive-chinese/

The Sorcerer's Apprentices

If all of this culinary magic has you hungry for more, then check out this book about the most imaginative Chef on the planet!

el bulli food

Chef Ferran Adria created magical food at his restaurant el bulli…which is now a training institute…but click here to read a book about the apprentices who learned to cook magic:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/11/03/cooking-the-worlds-most-scientific-food-el-bullis-amazing-molecular-magic-meet-the-sorcerers-apprentices/

Let me know if you are up for some “dishwasher lasagna!”

dishwasher-lasagna


“Venus And Mars!” Paul McCarney’s Classic “Rock Show!” An Almost Lennon-McCartney Reunion!

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Wings-Venus-and-Mars-copyright-PAUL-MCCARTNEY-photo-LINDA-MCARTNEY

Paul McCartney’s Outer Space “Rock Show!”

Here’s the former Beatle holding two planets…and here’s why – Paul’s late wife Linda was an amazing photographer, and she was capturing Macca with his “Venus And Mars” album cover prototypes: two circular orbs that represent our planetary neighbors:

Paul McCartney Venus And Mars


“Venus And Mars Are Alright Tonight!”

Time to take a look at Paul McCartney’s followup to his greatest achievement of all time…yes, this is the album that Wings released after Macca’s masterpiece “Band On The Run”…

Band On The Run

After a rocky start to Wings, the band hit their stride when they released this worldwide smash hit…see some great videos from the album here:


“Band On The Run!” Paul McCartney’s Triumph Over Adversity! Classic “Chaos & Creation!”

So how to follow up? Well, McCartney took the band right back into the studio and began working on new material…

Paul McCartney Venus And Mars

“Venus & Mars”

“Band on the Run” overcame band defections, leaving only Paul, wife Linda and guitarist Denny Laine in the lineup. McCartney added Jimmy McCulloch on lead guitar and Geoff Britton on drums to the Wings line-up in 1974. Joe English also played drums on the album and the tour, and ended up in Wings for awhile…

Wings-Venus-and-Mars-group-copyright-PAUL-MCCARTNEY-photo-LINDA-MCARTNEY

“Venus And <ars / Rock Show" –

The album gets off to a raucous start, as Paul writes a song about the fans – who are off to see a rock show…

Here is the band performing "Venus And Mars / Rock Show" From "Wings Fly South" 1975 – a classic Macca performance!

Venus-And-Mars-2CD-1024x894

“The Lights Go Down – They’re Back In Town O.K.
Behind The Stacks You Glimpse An Axe
The Tension Mounts You Score An Ounce Ole!
Temperatures Rise As You See The White Of Their Eyes

If There’s Rock Show
At The Concertgebow
You’re Got Long Hair
At The Madison Square
They’ve Got Rock And Roll
At The Hollywood Bowl,
We’ll Be There . . . Oo Yeah . . .”

What a great start to the album, and Paul was very happy with the band…

Venus_and_Mars_--_Rock_Show_(Yes_single_-_cover_art)

As Paul remembers:


“I felt really comfortable with that band. I had written Venus And Mars songs in Jamaica – we were getting around a bit in those days! – and had the album pretty much mapped out. Even though we didn’t use the style of New Orleans on the album, it influenced the way we felt about the music and added to the spirit.”

Venus-And-Mars-Box-1024x681

“Venus and Mars / Rock Show” was followed by a beautiful ballad “Love In Song”, then one of McCartney’s old style ditties, “You Gave Me The Answer”…

Go Behind Venus and Mars and At The Speed Of Sound_0110_MainNews


“Magneto and Titanium Man”

Next up was a fun, mid tempo rocker written by Paul – who was a Marvel comics fan – having fun with the Marvel characters Magneto, Titanium Man and the Crimson Dynamo The legendary Stan Lee, who co-created all three characters, said he thought the song was “terrific”.

Wings Magneto and Titanium Man

Here is a spirited live performance from 1975.

“Letting Go”

Next up is a bluesy rocker from Paul, in the vein of “Let Me Roll It”…

Here is the great live version from the Wings 1976 world tour:

venus and mars music

Side two begins with a short “Venus and Mars Reprise”, then a couple of mid-tempo rockers:
“Spirits Of Ancient Egypt” and “Medicine Jar”…

Call_me_back_again

“Call Me Back Again”

Next up is a classic McCartney song, a soulful wail of a song as he pleas the love of his life to call him back again….check out this great video:

“Listen To What The Man Said”

Next up is a classic McCartney single: catchy, upbeat and fun….here is a video covered with great movies of Paul and Linda – look for Linda making a Wings logo out of carrots!

Thanks to “TheMusicalSteve” for posting on YouTube….and the video part was made by “mralan1969uk”!

“Treat Her Gently – Lonely Old People” is a great mashup of two soft ballads, with perfect Macca vocals…and “Crossroads” is a very short instrumental that wraps up a terrific album…

Venus-And-Mars-Box-1024x681

But There’s More!

A couple of years ago, Paul released “Venus & Mars” in a beautiful expanded package…in addition to the original CD, you get a bonus CD full of great songs, including the classic “non-album” track “Junior’s Farm”…here is “take 16” from Paul and the gang in 1974:

Here’s the lineup on the bonus CD:

1. Junior’s Farm
2. Sally G
3. Walking In The Park With Eloise
4. Bridge On The River Suite
5. My Carnival
6. Going To New Orleans (My Carnival)
7. Hey Diddle [Ernie Winfrey Mix]
8. Let’s Love
9. Soily [from One Hand Clapping]
10. Baby Face [from One Hand Clapping]
11. Lunch Box/Odd Sox
12. 4th Of July
13. Rock Show [Old Version]
14. Letting Go [Single Edit]

Lennon McCartney feud


Almost A Lennon – McCartney Reunion!

Here’s some great trivia about John and Paul. According to wikipedia – John Lennon, in a nostalgic mood during his Lost Weekend period of the time, had told May Pang (his then girlfriend) that they would visit the McCartneys during the recording sessions for Venus and Mars, and considered writing with him again. Lennon’s planned visit never happened due to his reunion with Yoko Ono!

Well, that’s a shame, but Macca was flying high without him…here’s the promotional film explaining what is being offered on the remaster album!

“Venus And Mars” Soars!

Venus and Mars rocketed to the top of the music charts in the US, the UK and other countries around the world – and while many feel it’s not quite as good as “Band On The Run” – well, what could be?

wings over america

The band headed out on the road for their classic “Wings Across America” tour – see some of the performances here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/07/12/paul-mccartney-wings-over-seattle-the-kingdome-implosion-seattle-sports-history/

Paul was on a creative roll during this period of the 70’s…and that included writing the greatest James Bond theme song of all time!

live and let die 007

Here is my list of the best and worst Bond themes of all time:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/11/05/rock-on-007-the-best-and-worst-james-bond-theme-songs/

Let me know your favorite song from “Venus And Mars!”

Paul McCartney Venus And Mars


Cinema Psycho Cats! Killer Go-Go Dancers! Crazy White Females! A Trilogy Of Terror!

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Time To Get A Little “Psycho!”

Run, don’t walk to your favorite blu-ray store or on demand device and check out three great examples of “cinema psycho cats!”

CONFESSIONS-OF-A-PSYCHO-CAT_

“This Is The Beginning Of An Unholy Nightmare!”

Well, it is according to the hilariously “over the top” trailer…check it out!

“Their Confessions Run Deep!”

Oh, and did I tell you that Mr. Raging Bull himself, Jake LaMotta, stars in the film?

Jake LaMotta Psycho Cat

Well, that’s not fighting shape for sure, but read all about this cult masterwork here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/03/celebrating-a-psycho-cat-raging-bull-jake-lamottas-exploitation-masterpiece/

Now that you’ve had a taste of crazy, time to meet “Lila”:

Mantis in lace psycho killer

That’s right, she’s got a bad attitude and a big stick, so trouble is brewing! Oh, and she’s also a “go go” dancer!

Lila aka Mantis In Lace

“Lila” is a seemingly good-natured go-go dancer who strips at a seedy topless bar on the Sunset Strip. Don’t believe me? Here are the opening credits, with the least sexy “go go” dancing you’ve ever seen!

sexploitation

I love the lyrics to the song as they sing:

“Lila, Mantis In Lace!”

Why? Because they released the film with that title as well!

mantis-in-lace

There is a lot going on here, which you can check out by clicking on my story…and if you do, I may even explain how THIS happened!

sexploitation

Yes, President Obama and Joe Biden are eating in a cafe with the movie’s poster behind them!

Psycho Go-Go Dancers, Delinquent Schoolgirls and Candy Snatchers! More 70’s Grindhouse!

If you need a more modern version of “psycho cat”, look no further than here!

singlewhitefemale

“Living With A Roommate Can Be Murder.”

Finally, here’s a more modern take on crazy – as Bridget Fonda discovers when she uses the phrase “single white female” in an ad for a roommate…

Here is the trailer for this 1992 classic:

Leigh

This is a terrific thriller, what I call a “B” movie with an A-list cast! Click here to see more about modern day psycho cats!


Single White Females With Fatal Attractions And Basic Instincts Wanted! Crazy Ladies Welcome!

Let me know what you think of this classic genre!

Mantis in lace psycho killer


Gritty 70’s Action Explosion! Hollywood’s Biggest Stars! Classic 70’s Action Hits!

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Steve McQueen The Getaway

Looking For Some Action?

Well, Steve McQueen is ready to deliver…and so is Clint Eastwood, who saw what McQueen was packing and decided to upsize it a bit!

Thunderbolt and Lightfoot classic movie

A Gritty Action Explosion From The 70’s!

Here are five films that ooze grit, grime and action from the 70’s – a special time in movies – BEFORE SPECIAL EFFECTS – when cars ACTUALLY flew!

best movie car chases

Enjoy “The Seven Ups!”

Here’s a movie starring Roy Scheider that flew down the streets of New York with one of the best car chases ever captured on film!

The Seven Ups!

The Seven Ups!

Here is the gritty trailer:

This movie isn’t well known, but has been released on DVD, so you can take a tour along New York’s seedy west side highway for an incredible car chase…

THE-SEVEN-UPS

This is just one of the great 70’s action films that uses New York as a “set”…check out more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/09/07/new-yorks-gritty-movie-streets-taxi-drivers-subway-hijackings-cop-chases/

Clint Eastwood had a string of big action hits in the 70’s, but this is my favorite:

action movie thunderbolt_and_lightfoot


Thunderbolt And Lightfoot!

This 1974 action film is a classic, criminally overlooked Clint Eastwood heist movie – Jeff Bridges was Oscar-nominated for his role here – and it is directed by Michael Cimino, who would go on next to do the Oscar-winning best picture of 1978, “The Deer Hunter!”

Check out the trailer:

Jeff bridges oscar

Jeff Bridges Flirts With Oscar!

That’s right, Jeff Bridges was Oscar-nominated for this film, and he is terrific as always! Clint Eastwood plays a bank robber par excellence with a flair for explosives who is being hunted by his former partners, who think he has their loot from their last job.

clint eastwood jeff bridges movie

Bridges is his eager apprentice and sidekick, who helps him escape; when Eastwood finally makes peace with his hunters, Bridges convinces them to try a daring robbery–but things inevitably go awry.

Now, if this whet your appetite for “Big guns”, then look no further than here:

Dirty Harry

Eastwood’s most iconic role from the 70’s was a Detective Harry Callahan- AKA “Dirty Harry”:

Dirty Harry Poster

This is a great film, one of the best films of all time…read more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/01/24/the-greatest-70s-action-films-ever-biggest-stars-with-the-biggest-guns/

Some of the classic early 70’s films were all about the war in Vietnam, and the impact back here at home:

Electra_glide_in_blue

Electra Glide In Blue

This obscure classic starred Robert Blake as a “good cop on a bad road”…

Here is the trailer, which begins with a great instrumental from members of the band Chicago:

electra glide in blue

There are so many interesting things about this film, including the fact it was directed by the Producer of the band Chicago! Read more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/04/19/electra-glide-in-blue-forgotten-masterpiece-robert-blakes-best-role/

One of the 70’s more unusual action stars is none other than iconic Comic Actor Walter Matthau:

The Laughing Policeman

The Laughing Policeman

Matthau made several gritty action films in the 70’s including this one, where he plays a weary San Francisco detective trying to solve a vicious crime…check out the trailer:

Bruce_Dern_Walter_Matthau_The_Laughing_Policeman_1973

Bruce Dern stars in this as well…obscure but worth finding…see more here:


Bank Robbers And Bus Massacres! Charley Varrick! The Laughing Policeman! Walter Matthau, Action Star!

The other huge action star of the 70’s was also one of Hollywood’s “coolest” Actors:

McQueen

The Getaway!

In 1972, Steve McQueen and Ali MacGraw blew the doors off movie screens around the world in Sam Peckinpah’s action masterpiece “The Getaway.”

Here is the original trailer:

McQueen and McGraw

McGraw and McQueen had an affair while making this film, and Sam Peckinpah was his normal “out of control” self when directing…see more on this legendary Director here:


https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/05/the-wild-bunch-billy-the-kid-sam-packinpahs-soup-tossing/

Let me know what your favorite 70’s action film is!

getaway



Tokyo’s Monster “Aloha” Burger! These Japanese Burger Recipes Are Piled High!

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Giga Monster Aloha Burger recipe

Time To Bite Into Four Pounds Of Fun!

When you think of Tokyo, sushi comes to mind – and light, lots and lots of lights:

tokyo nightlife

However, some of the wildest posts from Japan are about their burgers! Yes, Tokyo is in love with the hamburger, and they love to stack them as tall as their neon!

tokyo monster burger

Meet the Giga Monster!

Teddy’s is a classic Hawaiian burger chain that has opened in Japan, and they announced their arrival with the “Giga Monster Burger”, which – as RocketNews24 points out – “combines their Classic, Original, Western, Avocado, and C.C. Rider burgers into a giant, towering monster that should please even the pickiest burger afficianado, weighing in at 1.8 kilograms (four pounds)!”

teddys-bigger-burger-giga-monster-burger

With so much burger comes a very big price: 6,800 yen/US$64 – yes, $64 for a burger, but I say that a 4-lb. masterpiece like this can be split at least five ways, so grab some friends and go to town!

Of course, the wacky minds at “RocketNews24” have the whole story here:

http://en.rocketnews24.com/2016/06/10/hawaiian-burger-restaurant-in-japan-offers-up-a-5-in-1-monster-burger/

If this makes you hungry for Tokyo’s best burgers, why not go straight to the top of the “tower!”

Tokyo burger tower


The “Tokyo Burger Tower”!

Tokyo’s skyline just got tastier with a burger that celebrates height! See more of this culinary marvel here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/11/tokyo-burger-towers-led-zeppelin-burgers-wild-wild-meat-the-worlds-most-creative-burgers/

Or maybe you need something with less meat…but lots and lots of noodles!

japanese noodle burger

The Towering “Noodle Burger!”

Tokyo’s wacky Lotteria restaurant offers this up, and incredible burger tower with noodles! Check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/05/16/japans-massive-noodle-burgers-green-gum-shakes-more-amazing-lotteria-madness/

Finally, I have shared this unique burger with you before:

foie-gras-burger-wendys

Yes, it’s a “foie gras” burger, and Wendy’s sells it in Japan…yes, WENDY’S!

See more of Japan’s most unusual burgers here:


https://johnrieber.com/2012/08/07/lobster-burgers-foie-gras-burgers-tokyo-gets-burgered-mcdonads-goes-for-olympics-gold/

And let me know if you are ready to say “Aloha!”

Giga Monster Aloha Burger recipe


Todd Rundgren’s Live “Nearly Human” Tour! My 1990 VHS Survives! Classic Live Performance Video!

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Todd Rundgren Nearly Human tour

Todd Rocks My VHS Player!

I was going through an old box, and look what I found! Todd Rundgren’s incredible 1990 tour to support his brilliant “Nearly Human” album!

todd-rundgren_nearly-human

What A Concert!

I was lucky enough to see this at the Wiltern theater in Los Angeles…a collection of Todd’s biggest hits AND new songs – what a collection!

Todd Rundgren Nearly Human live

Look at the songs being performed on this tour: new Todd, classic Todd and some great Utopia as well!

The concert kicks off with his classic “Real Man”, from the “Initiation” album…here is a great live version from that tour:

live Todd Rundgren

Another classic Todd song from the mid-80’s is part of the tour, “Something To Fall Back On”…here is Todd performing it live during the 1990 tour…

Todd Rundgren concert tour

Todd Gets “Mated!”

You can see Todd’s wife Michelle singing backup on this classic Utopia song “Mated” from the tour:

Todd and Michelle Rundgren

That’s Michelle in the middle, of course…finally, here is one of Todd’s greatest songs from the album – and he is performing it live in Tokyo as part of this tour – “The Want Of A Nail:”

Todd Rundgren live 1990

What an incredible show – so many of the songs can be found online, but you can also buy Todd online or from amazon as well – and you can get great merchandise from Todd’s store as well, so make sure to support him!

http://toddstore.bigcartel.com

Ringo-Starr-and-Todd-Rundgren

Another great way to support Todd is to see him live! Todd is still on tour in 2016, entertaining audiences around the world as part of Ringo’s All-Starr band – see some highlights here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/12/16/ringos-all-starr-band-rocks-on-todd-rundgrens-2016-tease-the-beatles-tour-on/

I also posted a story about the entire “Nearly Human” album…

todd-rundgren_nearly-human

You can see some great music videos and live performances here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/08/26/todd-rundgren-is-nearly-human-todds-6-fingered-masterpiece/

Finally, I shared my experience seeing Todd live in January 2016:

Todd Rundgren Live Beverly Hills

You can see some of his live performance here:


https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/07/todd-rundgren-rocks-beverly-hills-todds-2016-tour-reviewed/

Leave a message to let me know if you saw this tour!

Todd Rundgren Nearly Human tour


“Driving Rain!” Paul McCartney’s “Casio” Cover! “Freedom” Tribute! Two Week Recording Session!

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Paul McCartney 911 concert


Paul McCartney’s Emotional “Freedom” Tribute!

One of Paul’s most memorable moments took place in 2001, when he wrote a stirring tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack…it’s a dramatic end to what was conceived as a “Beatles style album”…

Paul McCartney Driving Rain album cover

Paul McCartney’s Two Weeks Of “Driving Rain!”

Later Paul McCartney albums are interesting to me…Macca tried a number of things, not always successful, and also reverted at times to his straightforward “pop” sound. For his 2001 release “Driving Rain”, he tried something else – a Beatles recording style!

It all started on his previous album, “Run Devil Run.”

paul_mccartney_run_devil_run_location_atlanta_georgia_

“During some of the interviews I’d done around Run Devil Run, I’d been talking about the old way we used to record with The Beatles around the time of the early albums … The band for that album had said to me, ‘Can we learn up what songs we’re going to do, like a week before we go into the studio?’ And I’d said, ‘No, no homework.’ So we did it the same way with this new album, following the same technique.”

Beatlesbible.com has this great quote, which continues:

“We came in on Monday morning, I’d show them a song and we’d start doing it. We didn’t know what was going to happen and it was a little bit into the unknown for all of us. The band on this album is a new band who I’d never worked with before, never even met before. It was into the unknown too for David Kahne and consequently it started to be a little bit different than what any of us would have done. All of us were having to think on our feet, and that process led us into something different from what we normally do. So for me, that’s what I mean by this album is not necessarily what you expect from me, because it’s not what I was expecting. But by going into the recording freely, not dictating, things just evolved.”

Paul McCartney 911 concert

On September 11 2001, McCartney was sitting on a plane in New York City when the terrorist attacks occurred and was able to witness the events from his seat. As wikipedia reports, “incensed at the tragedy and determined to respond, he composed “Freedom” and helped organise (alongside Harvey Weinstein) The Concert for New York City, a massive all star show at Madison Square Garden on 20 October where “Freedom” was performed”.

Driving Rain Paul McCartney

The cover of the album featured a photograph taken with a Casio wristwatch that had a built-in camera.

“Lonely Road” starts the album, then the first single: “From a Lover to a Friend”

Here is the song performed live at The Concert For New York City after 9/11:

“She’s Given Up Talking” and the title track “Driving Rain” are next:

Here is Paul performing the song live on his 2002 tour:

“I Do” and “Tiny Bubble” follow, then a great pop song: “Magic”

Here is a terrific fan video put together on YouTube by “StrawberryLennon9’s channel”

pauljamesmccartney

“Your Way” and “Spinning on an Axis” are next…”Spinning” and “Back In The Sunshine Again” were co-written with his son James.

“The lyrics on the album are kind of quite simple; there’s nothing deeply deep. I’m not trying too hard, I’m just spinning them out, not worried if I’ve heard a phrase before and just gone for it. There’s a couple of songs on this where I’ve just put two songs, or fragments of songs, together. I just thought, ‘That will go with that.’ It meant at times that instead of getting a 4/4, four beats to the bar, in slamming them together you’d get a 5/4, but I thought that’s OK, I’d fix it later. But when I played it to the band and to the producer, they loved those little odd bars.”

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)

Paul McCartney and Heather Mills at the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City, California (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage)


“About You” – His “Heather Mills” Song…

I am among those who do NOT like Heather Mills…from the moment she stated she never listened to The Beatles, I was turned off to her, and ultimately, she and Paul divorced.

However, the next song on the album,”About You” was written for her, as Paul thanked her for helping him get over the death of Linda…

“You give me power to get out of bed
When in the morning I’m feeling dead
Living and loving, there’s a lot to be said, it’s true

Gonna say it about you
Say it about you”

Here is a great youtube video from “piggies1”:

“Heather” and “Back in the Sunshine Again” are next – “Sunshine” was also written with his son James…

Linda Paul and James McCartney

“Your Loving Flame” was written on the 36th floor of the Carlyle Hotel in New York…as Paul explains, a creative spark can come from anywhere:

Paul McCartney 2001

‘Driving Rain’ was written in Los Angeles – there was a lot of rain and so on our day off we went off for a drive in this little corvette that I hired, we drove up the Pacific Coast Highway and went up to Malibu and had a bit of lunch. In the evening, feeling great after a nice day out, I was sitting around at the piano and I just started writing something half based on that day out. People say ‘how do you get your creativity’ and I think the answer is you just have to be open to stuff.”

“Riding into Jaipur” and “Rinse the Raindrops” are next, with “Raindrops” turning into a 10-minute jam…very much in Paul’s “Fireman” mode…

“Rinse the raindrops
From your head
Wipe your eyes
Go back to bed
In the morning
Skies’ll clear
And I’ll be here

See the sunlight
Break the ice
For the birds of paradise
Listen to the song they sing
Awakening”


A special fan video posted by “mccrabapple’s channel” on youtube:

McCartney’s Indian holiday had affected his voice during the sessions, as he later recalled:

“When I was in India, a carpet salesman ripped me off. He told me that this carpet was the rarest thing ever but when I got to the next town I found another 20 of them. So I rang him and during the argument, and not helped by the weather, I started to lose my voice. The following day it went totally. I couldn’t talk. With only a week to the recording sessions, I still couldn’t get the high notes. So I came to LA with my voice in quite a rough shape and decided to do the easy songs first, just to get the tracks down. But then I ended up just letting loose on one track, this monster 10-minute song called Rinse The Raindrops, where I really ripped it, and it all came good. It’s a nice quality if you can get it, a rawness. My voice has never been trained, so I just cross my fingers and go for it. I just wing it every time, like I always have done.”

Thank to “Beatlesbible.com” for the McCartney quotes!

Freedom_mccartney_single

Paul’s Stirring “Freedom” Tribute To The Victims of 9/11:

As mentioned, Paul was on a plane waiting to take off when the tragic events of 9/11 unfolded. He wrote a heartfelt tribute to those who lost their lives that day, and premiered it at “The Concert For New York City”:

Paul McCartney 911 concert

Due to the last minute addition of “Freedom” to the album, it isn’t listed on the early releases…

The Concert For New York City

“Freedom” was recorded live during The Concert for New York City with later studio overdubs. There are some copies of the CD that were issued with an outerbox and a different cover and the tracklistings featured “Freedom” as an official track.

Paul-McCartney-Driving-Rain-2001-Back-Cover-60233

Reviewing the album for Uncut magazine, Ian MacDonald noted McCartney’s spontaneous approach to its recording, such that,

“In parts (for example, the lengthy closer ‘Rinse The Raindrops’), the results are almost ferocious, coming as close to a McCartney-esque Tin Machine as one could reasonably imagine.” MacDonald considered the more “polished and produced” tracks to be “the most successful”, however, and concluded: “Possibly a grower, this album is certainly better than anything Macca’s done for some while, if not the late masterpiece some of us have been hoping for.”

Paul McCartney Driving Rain album cover

Impulsively, McCartney halted the pressing of Driving Rain so that “Freedom” could appear as a hidden track (since the artwork had already been printed).

Paul McCartney Driving Rain tour

Beginning in April 2002, the Driving USA tour – a significant success which would lead to worldwide tour extensions – was launched.

According to wikipedia, McCartney said in 2007 there are those who ascribe “militant” connotations to “Freedom” and, because of this, he had decided to remove the song from his setlist. About the song, McCartney added:

“I thought it was a great sentiment, and immediately post 9/11, I thought it was the right sentiment. But it got hijacked. And it got a bit of a militaristic meaning attached itself to it, and you found Mr. Bush using that kind of idea rather a lot, in a way I felt altered the meaning of the song.”

Freedom_mccartney_single

Some elements of the album are experimental, just as this album was:

mccartney_ii_special edition

Read all about his terrific “McCartney II” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/11/28/mccartney-ii-paul-mccartneys-experimental-masterpiece-the-secret-stories-of-mccartney-ii/

Let me know what you think of “Driving Rain!”

Paul McCartney Driving Rain album cover


Linda Blair’s Head-Spinning Photo Shoots! From “Exorcist” To “Explicit” TV Movie “Born Yesterday!”

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linda_blair_hot

Linda Blair Makes Heads Spin Again!

She may be best known for one of the most shocking scenes in movie history – the moment in the classic horror film “The Exorcist” when the little girl Regan “turns” around to address someone – without moving her body!

Exorcist movie trivia

Yes, it’s just one of many stunning images from this classic film – so what could Actress Linda Blair do to “out do” it?

Well, when she grew up, she did THIS!

Linda Blair Oui magazine naked pictures

Hello, Linda!

Time to look at one of the more controversial moves that Linda Blair made in her career – her decision to pose topless in the “Gentleman’s” magazine of that era, Oui!

Linda Blair nude photo spread

I will refrain from showing any of the more explicit topless pictures, but I will share a link later in the story if you choose to get more info yourself…

First, let’s look at Linda Blair’s road to her provocative photo spread!

Linda Blair The Exorcist

Linda Blair’s Breakthrough Movie!

Linda Blair has had a long and acclaimed career, but she got her start in the biggest way possible – by starring in “The Exorcist” when she was just thirteen years old. She was Oscar nominated and won a Golden Globe for her performance, which is one of the most shocking performances of all time…

The Exorcist movie

Here is the original trailer, that only hinted at the intensity of this film:

In the more than forty years since it was released, “The Exorcist” has remained one of the most shocking films ever made….because of moments like this:

shocking exorcist scenes

The-Exorcist green pea

“Cue The Soup!”

The moment when Linda Blair unloads gallons of green liquid onto her guests is a legendary horror moment that never fails to shock…

The Exorcist trivia

Great “Exorcist” Trivia!

Here is some great trivia about the film:

The refrigerated bedroom set was cooled with four air conditioners and temperatures would plunge to around 30 to 40 below zero. It was so cold that perspiration would freeze on some of the cast and crew.

The air was saturated with moisture, resulting in a thin layer of snow once falling on the set before the crew arrived for filming!

Exorcist movie trivia

Oh yeah, and then there is the “head turn” sequence! As you can see in this picture, Blair is holding a crucifix for all the wrong reasons…another scene that was so shocking that audience members fled the theaters when it was playing – this type of horror reaction just doesn’t happen any more!

shocking exorcist scenes

You can read more great “Exorcist” stories here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/10/31/the-shining-room-237-the-exorcist-the-greatest-horror-movies-ever-made/

And now, back to some more Linda:

Linda Blair photos

Making Controversial Choices!

Linda Blair took many courageous chances when she was young – such as starring in the TV movie “Born Innocent” in 1974, portraying a 14-year old girl sentenced to a women’s prison!

Born Innocent movie

The film’s most notorious scene involved the rape of Blair’s character in the prison’s communal showers by a girl gang – with a plunger handle! This was the first all-female rape scene aired on American television!

born_innocent-linda blair rape scene

Blair had a run of cult 80’s films as well, including “Savage Streets” – where she played a vigilante seeking revenge for her sister’s brutal rape and friend’s murder!

Savage Streets Linda Blair

As you can see, Blair had a provocative pose in the film’s poster, as the Actress was pushing boundaries in her career.

Perhaps the most surprising choice she made was this one:

Actress Linda Blair nude photos

Oui! Oui!

However, in 1982 the Actress showed her most “adult” side by appearing in a photo spread for Oui magazine!

Linda Blair nude photo spread

The pictures show the Actress in various stages of undress, and it was only a year later that Blair showed up in an Italian Playboy pictorial as well!

Linda Blair nude Playboy Italy

She wasn’t “little Regan” any more! If you want to see more of her Oui magazine pictorial, check out this story on the great “Cinesploitation” website:

http://www.cinesploitation.com/2016/03/photo-gallery-linda-blair-oui-magazine.html

The Actress has had some personal and professional issues over the years, but she has also become an animal rights activist. Blair also devotes time to a non-profit organization she organized, the Linda Blair WorldHeart Foundation, focused on rescuing abused, neglected and mistreated animals.

Linda-Blair Going Vegasn book

Linda Blair has also written a Vegan Cookbook, and appears in various TV shows and films as well…

Bravo Linda for your varied career!

Linda Blair Oui magazine naked pictures

Blair wasn’t the only star who went from “innocent” to “provocative”…remember Ann Margret?

ann-margret elvis presley

She starred with Elvis in a 60’s musical comedy, but in the early 70’s she ended up in bed with Art Garfunkel!

Ann Margret nude

Read more about this sex kitten here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/23/hollywoods-legendary-sex-kitten-ann-margret-rock-operas-baked-beans-elvis/

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment!


Led Zeppelin “Stairway To Heaven” Courtroom Update! Jimmy Page Testifies!! Homage Or Theft?

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Here’s the trial update – Jimmy Page testifies in court!

johnrieber

Led Zeppelin remastered

“While it is true that a descending chromatic four-chord progression is a common convention that abounds in the music industry, the similarities here transcend this core structure”

With those words, a Judge is taking Led Zeppelin to court! That’s right, rock’s most famous song, “Stairway To Heaven”, has a date in a courtroom due to a long-standing lawsuit over charges that the band stole the song!

As the Judge states above, there are enough similarities in the two songs to send this case to a jury!

led-zeppelin-spirit-stairway-heaven-lawsuit

Lawyers for Led Zeppelin tried to throw the case out, but the Judge ruled otherwise. Here’s how it all began:

“Stairway To Heave” sounds a lot like the song “Taurus” — by a band called Spirit who – allegedly performed it while touring with a young Led Zeppelin in the late 1960s.

As the Judge noted:

“For example, the descending bass line in both…

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