Paul McCartney’s “Toss Off” Gems!

Paul McCartney routinely released songs throughout his career that never ended up on albums – at least not until special editions and bonus tracks became part of the “reissue” strategy in music.

It all began with The Beatles, who released “All You Need Is Love” and “Baby You’re A Rich Man” while fans waited for the release of what would turn the music world upside down:

Incredibly, those two classic songs were NOT included on “Sgt. Pepper” – instead ending up on “Magical Mystery Tour”, a collection of songs from their short film – and a few “odds and ends”…

“Daytime” Gem!

“Daytime Nighttime Suffering” was a song written by Paul McCartney and recorded with Wings. I just bought a book called “Paul McCartney: Recording Sessions 1969-2013” – focused on all his post Beatles music.

Perasi points out that Paul wrote “Suffering” over a weekend, after challenging the other Wings band members to write a b-side song by Monday!

It was the B-side to the 1979 single “Goodnight Tonight,” which was a big hit around the world – and again, NOT included on the upcoming Wings album at the time!

These two songs were released while fans waited for what was, ultimately, the final Wings album, “Back To The Egg.”

I posted a story about the soft commercial interest in the final Wings album, the truly under-rated “Back To The Egg.” While music at that time was going heavy into punk and the 80’s sound, this album was a traditional rock/pop release – and has held up really well over the years. See some of the music videos from the album here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/30/paul-mccartneys-cracked-back-to-the-egg-the-all-star-rockestra-band-a-musical-farewell-to-wings/

Considering that “Goodnight Tonight” was a big hit single, it’s a shame it wasn’t on “Egg”, and was instead one of Paul’s many “cold cuts” – songs not included on his album releases…it was finally included on the remastered CD years later as well as the collection “Wingspan: Hits and History.”

As I said, “Goodnight Tonight” was a big hit, with a fun music video released to support it.

Here is the “Goodnight Tonight” video:

According to the book “Band on the Run: A History of Paul McCartney & Wings” by Garry McGee, the writing of the song was as follows:

“When Wings was recording Back to the Egg, Paul had announced to the other band members that if they could come up with a good enough song, it would be recorded and put on B-side of the single. Such a generous gesture opened financial doors for the other band members, as the song could earn a small fortune as the flip side of a hit single. Each member–including Linda–spent the weekend trying to compose the song, but when Monday morning rolled around, Paul announced that he had written ‘the one.’ It was included as the B-side of ‘Goodnight Tonight’, which hit the top ten on both sides of the Atlantic in the spring of 1979 and went gold in the United States.”

“What Does She Get?”

Well, Paul spent the weekend recording this fun, high spirited and ultimately a bit of a raucous pop gem:

“What does she get for all the love she gave you
There on the ladder of regrets?
Daytime nighttime suffering is all she gets”

This song is fun, energetic – pure Paul – here is an audio-only version:

The song was recorded January and February 1979 as part of the “Egg” sessions. Here’s some fun trivia: McCartney’s son James, who was a baby at the time, can be heard crying about two minutes into the song.

According to wikipedia, McCartney cited the song as “one of my current favourites” in a 1984 interview with Oprah Winfrey, and I think it’s a fun “cold cut” that should be remembered!

“Cold Cuts” is a collection of McCartney bonus tracks, non-album cuts, and other material never officially released – it was supposed to come out several times, but never did…here is a look at some of the songs that were to appear on it:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/12/paul-mccartneys-cold-cuts-classic-macca-one-beatles-legendary-single-gems/

Let me know what you think of “Daytime Nighttime Suffering!”

Meet Actress Jill Banner!

If you don’t recognize this star, it’s because her movie roles were overshadowed by her personal life…but if you saw her screen debut, you’d never forget it!

“I caught a big fat bug right in my spider web and now the spider gets to give the bug a big sting. Sting! Sting! Sting! Sting! Sting!”

Here is a “True Hollywood Story” if there ever was one: an Actress who made her debut in one of the craziest cult films ever, and ended up on the arm of Marlon Brando!

This ultra-rare photo shows Banner with Brando, and here is the fascinating story that brought them together….it all began with this cult classic:

Spider Baby or, The Maddest Story Ever Told!

This is one cult gem! Legendary Exploitation Director Jack Hill made his moviemaking debut with this tale of a strange trio of kids being raised by iconic Hollywood horror star Lon Chaney Jr!

Character Actor Sid Haig also stars in the movie, which is a black-and-white horror film revolving around Chaney’s attempt to keep these problematic kids away from society…there’s a reason for it, of course…

Elizabeth: “Spiders don’t eat other spiders.”
Virginia: “Cannibal spiders do.”

You see, Jill Banner plays Virginia, who likes to keep pet spiders – she also has fun with her own spider web…as one of her guests found out the hard way…

Her sister Elizabeth has her own issues – and together, these two sisters don’t mess around!

“Spider Baby” was shot in 12 days August 1964 on a $60,000 budget. Lon Chaney Jr. was paid a flat fee of $2500 for his performance, each of the other actors were paid $100 a day – yes, this is low budget filmmaking!

Actress Jill Banner Made her movie debut in the film – at age 17! Many years later, Director Jack Hill was told that the actress was so embarrassed by acting in the film that she never told anyone that she had done it!

The film was made in 1964, but didn’t get released until 1967 – by that time, Banner would be seen in DEADLIER THAN THE MALE (1966) and THE PRESIDENT’S ANALYST (1967) as well as episodes of DRAGNET and IRONSIDE.

The “Marlon Brando” Connection!

After working steadily in the business, Banner moved to New Mexico in the 70’s but returned to Hollywood – and was linked to Marlon Brando!

Here is what I found online:

According to Charles Higham`s 1987 book, “Brando, the Unauthorized Biography”, the fiftyish Brando and 20-something actress met while filming “Candy” and became a couple. In Marlon Brando’s own 1994 autobiography, “Songs My Mother Taught Me”, he apparently discusses their relationship, but disguises certain details of her life and refers to her by the name “Weonna”.

A Tragic End…

Here’s where the story takes a tragic turn. When she was 36 years old, Banner was living with Brando and working on a screenplay with the Actor. Banner was involved in a car accident on LA’s Ventura freeway and died on August 7th, 1982.

Banner’s movie debut can be seen on a restored blu-ray, and you can also read a ton of material on “Spider Baby” at the film’s official website:

http://www.spiderbabyonline.com

Banner had a short career, but she is mesmerizing in the film, and her story end on a very sad note…

By the way, while this was Jack Hill’s directorial debut, he went on to make some of the greatest 70’s exploitation films of all, like this:

Hill was also a master of “blaxploitation” as well – working with the legendary Pam Grier on this classic:

You can see more of his work on the film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/01/02/foxy-brown-cleopatra-jones-blaxploitations-kick-ass-women/

In researching this “True Hollywood Stories”, I have come across a number of stars who died before their time. The Jayne Mansfield story also has a tragic end.

Mansfield was a huge star in the 50’s and 60’s, a smart “sex kitten” who knew how to play the Hollywood game.

On June 29, 1967, Mansfield and her Attorney Sam Brody were driving home from a nightclub performance in Mississippi when they crashed into a semi-truck, instantly killing both of them. Jayne Mansfield was only 34 years old at the time of her death…

You can see more of her story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/12/28/jayne-mansfield-the-tragic-life-of-hollywoods-legendary-sex-kitten/

And here is another story of a rising star who died in a car crash:

Soledad Miranda has just stared in the exploitation classic “She Killed In Ecstasy” when tragedy struck.

In August, 1970, Soledad and her husband went out driving along the Costa do Sol highway in Portugal. They were involved in a collision with a small truck which completely crushed their car. Though her husband, who was driving, only had minor injuries, Soledad received serious fractures to her skull and spine, placing her in a deep coma. She died several hours after the accident…

You can see more about his great Actress here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/19/legendary-sex-kitten-soledad-miranda-ecstasy-vampyros-lesbos-new-cult-films-releases/

I know these are sad tales, but thanks to blu-ray and DVD, the work can live on for fans to appreciate…

Welcome To Jackson!

Well, that’s a friendly greeting! I visited Jackson, Mississippi in late 2015 with the best of intentions: and as I always do, I added a few days to my trip to have time to check out the city…

The city is named after General Andrew Jackson, who was honored for his role in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812 and later served as U.S. President.

I chose to stay in the historic downtown area, where the state capital was located…

I chose the historic King Edward Hotel downtown, which was declared a Mississippi landmark in 1990. It was also closed and vacant for nearly forty years before being completely renovated in 2006 – and it is now a Hilton Garden Inn…

Frank Sinatra! The Rat Pack! Jackson’s Racial Divide!

My visit began with a sobering note…

When I arrived at the Jackson-Medgar Evers International Airport, I grabbed a cab and headed to my hotel. The airport was small, and there was an older Yellow Cab sitting out front. My driver was a 75-year old black man who told me he’d lived his entire life in the city.

This was my first trip to the “deep south”: I grew up in Seattle, so I had never “walked through” the history of segregation in this part of the country in person.

As we drove to my hotel, the Cab driver told me a story, involving Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr and my iconic hotel: in the 60’s, when the rat pack came to town to perform, they stayed at The King Edward.

My Cab driver told me that when they arrived, Frank demanded that the entire entourage, including Sammy Davis Jr, be housed at the hotel.

He paused for a moment in case I didn’t understand the implication.

“So the hotel was segregated at the time?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Yes”, he told me, “but Frank got what Frank wanted, so Sammy stayed with the rest of the Rat Pack at the hotel.”

At this point, my 75-year told black Cab driver paused again before he continued with the devastating punchline to the story:

“After they left town”, he told me, “the entire hotel closed up…”

He paused again as if remembering the pain of what he was about to say….then added:

“the entire hotel closed so that they could wash it down to get rid of any evidence of Sammy staying there.”

Wow. I was, indeed, in the deep south – a south that has terrible history of racial injustice, violence, and segregation.

I am glad that I am too young to have lived through this shocking period on our country’s history: it’s impossible to imagine that signs like this were everywhere in the south – hard to imagine that segregation ever existed.

The great film “Hidden Figures” includes a subplot regarding segregated bathrooms as part of the film:

You can see more about that here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/23/the-phenomenon-of-hidden-figures-shining-a-light-on-neglected-history/

I was to see many more examples of this past when I took a walk around the downtown area…

Jackson’s “Freedom Trail!”

There are plenty of opportunities to put yourself in history here: there are many signs like this that showcase important locations in the fight for civil rights and desegregation.

As wikipedia reports:

“the mass demonstrations of the 1960s were initiated with the arrival of more than 300 Freedom Riders on May 24, 1961. They were arrested in Jackson for disturbing the peace after they disembarked from their interstate buses.”

The Greyhound station is still there, and the sign gives an in-depth history of the events that took place there in the 60’s…

Remember that I arrived at Jackson-Medgar Evers Airport? As wikipedia reports:

“In Jackson, shortly after midnight on June 12, 1963, Medgar Evers, civil rights activist and leader of the Mississippi chapter of the NAACP, was assassinated by Byron De La Beckwith, a white supremacist associated with the White Citizens’ Council.”

So here was another piece of history – a great Civil Rights leader murdered simply because he wanted equal rights.

Walking further, I came across this historic spot as well:

The Woolworth’s Counter Sit-In!

The building is gone now, but this was the site of a crucial moment in civil rights history: can you even imagine a time when black students would be attacked for daring to sit down with white customers? It’s sobering to read these signs and realize the violence that surrounded the struggle for civil rights.

As wikipedia notes:

“Segregation and the disfranchisement of African Americans gradually ended after the Civil Rights Movement gained Congressional passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. In June 1966, Jackson was the terminus of the James Meredith March, organized by James Meredith, the first African American to enroll at the University of Mississippi.”

As I wandered through downtown Jackson, I thought about the history that I had seen up close, and it was surprising to see that the state flag had a confederate symbol on it:

There have been attempted to have it removed, but so far none have been enacted. It was a Saturday, and most of the state capital buildings were closed….infact, the entire downtown seemed closed up:

The more I walked around, the more desolate and abandoned the downtown area felt to me…here are some of the images I captured on this bright, sunny and deserted day in Jackson:

i was struck by how dead it was…while it was a saturday, and was the state capital, there was no one there. I know that was was on the edge of Jackson’s downtown, but it was eerily quiet, even in the historic Mayflower cafe:

I ordered a Shrimp Po’Boy, then headed back out – I came across another historical site: The Greenwood Cemetery.

That seemed to sum up my excursion around town that day…now I know that there are vibrant parts of the city, no doubt surrounding the many colleges in the area: but the historic part of downtown Jackson was desolate…I changed my ticket and left the next day – there was nothing else for me to see.

I began on a downbeat note about my Hotel, which was segregated at one time as were many of Jackson’s businesses. The city has been the center of our country’s civil rights movement, and some of those scars are still there.

The renovated King Edward Hotel itself was beautiful and had a great staff…in fact, as I was leaving I passed a sixty-year old black Bellman, who was doing something that almost made me laugh out loud:

He was whistling “The Wreck Of The Edmond Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot!

There are large areas of the south that have been left to decay and die…and a legendary Travel Writer wrote about them:

This fascinating book is a trip through the backroads of Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama and more…read about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/09/travel-the-deep-south-two-new-memoirs-capture-life-down-south-in-dixie/

The other terrific look at life down south is from a great Author Richard Grant:

Grant lived in Pluto, Mississippi and wrote about his adventures – with a revealing look at how segregated the state still is today – by choice. Check out this terrific book here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/10/12/dispatches-from-pluto-terrific-new-american-travel-richard-grants-dangerous-adventures/

Finally, I also took a trip through rural Oklahoma in late 2015, and saw many of the same things:

There’s no doubt that many parts of rural America are simply dying out – here are some pictures of the ghost towns I saw in Oklahoma:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/11/12/morning-in-red-state-america-how-the-dying-towns-of-oklahoma-help-explain-election-2016/

I am glad that Jackson has put up so many reminders of its troubled past, so that we can learn and move forward….

OK, complete disclosure: I love Octopus Balls. Now, you may want to know why, so let’s take a trip to find out together:

Octopus Balls in Tokyo!

It all began on my first trip to Tokyo, when I had a day to myself to explore.

I wandered through Tokyo’s Asakusa district, filled with small shops – and lots of places to get street food – and came across this incredible food stand: serving up Octopus in many unique ways: you could get it on a stick and of course, they had my first exposure to “Octopus Balls!”

I ate the Octopus on a stick, which was tender and smoky – and of course I had to try a platter of fried Octopus Balls: here’s what they are – chopped up Octopus, vegetables, spices and other Japanese stuff, mixed into a batter that is then deep-fried, then topped with a creamy asian sauce…Wow! I could eat these balls forever!

Of course, not ALL food in Tokyo is for everyone – because I found these for sale as well:

Yes, these are “Almond Fish!” It’s a popular snack in Tokyo, just one of the many unique items I sampled there. You can see more here:

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

So, I was hooked on Octopus Balls – but what do I do when I’m not in Tokyo?

No worries! Back in LA, I found another place to enjoy Octopus Balls:

Takoyaki! Octopus Balls!

Yes, I found a shop in LA’s Koreatown district that served Octopus Balls as an appetizer…these deep fried Octopus balls came in a delicious mayo with green onions – they were moist, full of great chunks of Octopus, and very filling for an appetizer!

They also served Ramen burgers there as well:

See more of this culinary adventure here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/02/19/l-a-s-ramen-burger-seaweed-fries-octopus-balls-ramen-burgers-galore/

Finally, a new Ramen shop opened up in Chicago – and guess what they serve?

Miso-Ya Ramen shop in the Streeterville neighborhood has great ramen, delicious fried chicken and yes, Octopus Balls that are served topped with Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)!

So there you go: three different cities, three great Octopus Ball dishes…

These guys are stuffed with a lot more than just Octopus, and here is an easy recipe to make them yourself!

http://www.japanesecooking101.com/takoyaki-recipe/

I plan to make these at home, because there are so many reasons for loving Octopus Balls – no apologies, just a happy smile when I finish eating!

Here are some of my favorite street foods:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/23/pork-belly-tacos-octopus-balls-bacon-wrapped-hot-dogs-worlds-best-street-food/

Let me know if you’ve had the chance to try these delicious taste treats!

Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!

For those who don’t live in California, the massive drought for the past decade has left this state parched for water…

If you don’t know that the state delivers a massive amount of food to the rest of the world, this was indeed worrying…

Well, for most of the state, the 2016-2017 winter season has given us plenty of THIS:

In some areas, the rain totals alone are 200-300% above normal – and much of that water is being saved in reservoirs and underground aqueducts, to help what has been a dry decade in California…why should YOU care? Well, here is a look at what California delivers every year:

California is the world’s 5th largest supplier of food, cotton fiber and other agricultural commodities.

California is the largest producer of food in the U.S. yet has less than 4% of the farms in the U.S.

Some of these crops are exclusive to California: almonds, artichokes, dates, figs, kiwifruit, olives, persimmons, pomegranates, pistachios, prunes, raisins, clovers, and walnuts

California is the largest exporter of almonds in the world

California is the number 1 dairy state in the U.S.

California produces over 86% of all the lemons consumed in the United States.

70 to 80% of all ripe olives are grown in California

California accounts for 94% of the processed tomatoes in the U.S.

California is the nation’s leading producer of strawberries, averaging 1.4 billion pounds of strawberries or 83% of the country’s total fresh and frozen strawberry production.

The value of the California strawberry crop is approximately $700 million with related employment of more than 48,000 people.

California produces 25% of the nation’s onions and 43% of the nation’s green onions.

So, as you can see, the rain is going to be beneficial to all of us!

NYT/MAMOUTH LAKES, CA-3/2/2017– The Sierra Snowpack is much deeper than it has been in many many years. NASA has a plane that research scientists from the Jet Propulsion Lab use to record telemetry about the snowpack. We fly over the eastern Sierras in the Mammouth Lakes area where NASA has collected data. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . <<<<>>>>: Closer in view of huge snow drifts in the Eastern Sierras. CREDIT PHOTO–JIM WILSON/THE NEW YORK TIMES. 10203627A NYTCREDIT: Jim Wilson/The New York Times

Record snowfall this year has done much to alleviate the state’s water crisis as well. You see, most of California depends on this snow in order to have fresh drinking water in the summer and fall, when the snowpack melts…

These terrific photos from The New York Times capture the beauty of this snow…

NYT/MAMOUTH LAKES, CA-3/2/2017– The Sierra Snowpack is much deeper than it has been in many many years. NASA has a plane that research scientists from the Jet Propulsion Lab use to record telemetry about the snowpack. We fly over the eastern Sierras in the Mammouth Lakes area where NASA has collected data. . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . .. . . . . <<<<>>>>: Trees on a slope in the snow covered eastern Sierras. CREDIT PHOTO–JIM WILSON/THE NEW YORK TIMES. 10203627A NYTCREDIT: Jim Wilson/The New York Times

The New York Times has terrific reporting that tells the whole story – and the news couldn’t be better…just look at this chart, the red line at the bottom reflects the 2015 snowpack, and the blur line at the top shows this year so far:

This year’s massive rain and snow are helping the state get out of the devastating drought conditions, and that’s good for everyone…bravo to The New York Times for another in-depth piece of journalism, which we need now more than ever…check out the entire story here:

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/22/us/california-measuring-snowpack.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

This crazy weather has been a boon to the state, but also caused some damage as well:

090-222_0548
Calaveras Big Trees State Park
© 2011, California State Parks.
Photo by Brian Baer

One of California’s legendary Redwoods collapsed in a storm..one of the classic “drive thru” trees that were carved out in a strange period when entrepreneurs devised unique ways to get “tourists” to visit…see the story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/10/one-of-californias-last-drive-thru-redwoods-has-fallen/

It’s easy to take great journalism for granted, but in an era of “fake news”, we need the real facts more than ever! I began supporting The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times – so they can continue to bring us the news we need to know…

“We Can’t ALL Be Nice Girls…”

Brie Larson gets down and dirty in this new action thriller!

“Free Fire” Is About To Unload!

“Free Fire” is a new British action-comedy film directed by Ben Wheatley, starring Brie Larson, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer and Cillian Murphy.

First, check out the trailer!

I am SOLD on this for two reasons: first, what a great cast, and they are all clearly having a blast with this film!

Second, it’s because of the Director, Ben Wheatley!

Sure, this picture was taken in jest, but if you haven’t seen any of his films, are you missing out!

“Kill List” and “High Rise” are just two of his terrific movies: gritty, unconventional and wildly entertaining, and “Free Fire” looks to be another great action thriller for us to enjoy!

I love that Brie Larson is taking on wildly different roles post Oscar win: it will help her avoid the “Oscar curse” in my opinion, especially if she keeps working with great new Directors like Wheatley.

Here is a great article from “The Guardian” all about the movie:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/mar/23/director-ben-wheatley-cruelty-feels-more-honest-to-me-free-fire

And if you want to get a taste of his widely creative films, start here:

You can see the trailer for his “hit man horror” film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/19/kill-list-director-ben-wheatleys-shocking-thriller-brilliant-hit-man-horror/

I have to say, I’m loving this trend in film – empowered Oscar-winning women kicking ass!

Here is the red band trailer for Charlize Theron’s new action thriller “Atomic Blonde!”

https://johnrieber.com/2017/03/12/check-out-the-amazing-charlize-theron-trailer-for-atomic-blonde-celebrate-empowered-women-kicking-ass-on-film/

I can’t wait to see “Free Fire”!

I Love The 80’s!

How can you not? There are so many things that make the 80’s special: Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”, the best George Michael music, goofy sitcoms and of course “Back To The Future”…

“Stranger Things” Revisits The 80’s!

There is a lot of nostalgia for the 80’s right now, especially due to the phenomenal success of “Stranger Things” on Netflix, which captured perfectly the vibe of the decade, a “Stand By Me meets Stephen King” show that everyone loves…

Season two was just announced, and here is the trailer for the second season – which I cannot wait to see:

OK, that is certainly a trailer that gives NOTHING AWAY, but still, I cannot wait!

To celebrate this retro gem, I wanted to look at some of the best music and movies from that decade…beginning with one of the best comedies ever made:

Time To Enroll In “Ridgemont High!”

It’s a classic 80’s comedy – with all of the hair styles, slang phrases and attitude that you equate to this memorable decade.

One of the most iconic moments of the decade happened when Phoebe Cates stepped out of a pool in “Fast Times At Ridgemont High” – well, at least in Judge Reinhold’s fantasy:

Check out the hilarious trailer:

“Fast Times” is one of the best movies about growing up in suburban America – check out more here, including some hilarious trivia about THIS GUY:

This movie is full of honest moments about growing up in the 80’s…and of course, the greatest character of all, thanks to Sean Penn!

Enjoy more Spicoli here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/12/01/living-in-fast-times-growing-up-as-a-horny-stoned-teenager-at-the-real-ridgemont-high/

There were many great cult movies in the 80’s, including this little-known comedy from Kurt Russell:

Check out the trailer for this comedy shown as a “used cars” ad:

“Used Cars” is a raucous comedy about disreputable salesmen – it bombed upon release, but is now seen as a classic 80’s comedy – two more bombs from the 80’s also have aged well:

these are three terrific movies that have been neglected – but thanks to blu-ray, area ll ready to be re-discovered…

See my story about “Used Cars”, “The King Of Comedy” and the brilliant “Withnail & I” here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/06/20/cult-movie-weekend-neglected-80s-comedies-withnail-pupkin-kurt-russell/

Along with great movies, the 80’s gave us great music – and one very iconic Musician:

Billy Idol’s Rebel yell!

Talk about an 80’s classic! Billy Idol has the brains and the bravura – and he ruled the decade!

Here is the music video for his iconic hit “Rebel Yell”:

Billy Idol had a string of hits throughout the 80’s, and has remained a compelling figure, releasing a candid autobiography about his life and music:

This great Singer/Writer was also a great Actor – with his “spot on” camera from “The Wedding Singer!”

All of this makes you want to know more, doesn’t it? Well, there is lots of Billy Idol trivia here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/02/02/billy-idols-rebel-yell-adam-sandlers-wedding-singer-cameo-why-billy-idol-matters/

As much of a “Survivor” as Billy is, some music Artists aren’t meant to endure – as Neil Young wrote:

“It’s better to burn out than to fade away…”

As you can see, that hair sure did! Yes, this was a hairstyle in the 80’s, thanks to a band that had a unique sound as well as look. While “A Flock Of Seagulls” didn’t persevere, this guy did:

Yes, Adam Ant Lives!

It all began in the 80’s with these lyrics!

“Unlock the jukebox and do us all a favor
That music’s lost its taste so try another flavor…Ant Music!”

Check out the music video – and I dare you NOT to click your fingers to it:

Adam And The Ants didn’t last long as a group, but boy, did they ever capture the sound of the decade…

Adam Ant still performs, and his music is pure 80’s magic – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/20/classic-80s-brit-pop-animal-style-flock-of-seagulls-adam-ant-bow-wow-wow/

And finally, there is a GREAT film that actually captured the raucous energy of punk rock going into the 80’s:

“Rude Boy” was a fictional movie about a roadie for The Clash – and they filmed great scenes of the band performing live – and just threw their fictional “roadie” on stage with them!

Read more about this terrific musical film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/09/the-clash-is-live-rude-boy-iconic-punk-music-meets-classic-cult-movie/

There you have it, a quick skim across the pop culture greatness of the 80’s…share your favorites!

Band: A Flock of Seagulls (Mike Score in the centre).
Bad eighties hair hairstyle

It’s A Superstar “Feud!”

My wife Alex and I are loving the new FX series “Feud”, highlighting the Hollywood battle between screen legends Joan Crawford and Bette Davis. The show is currently airing, and showcases these legendary Actresses trying to make a comeback in 1962 with the horror film “Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?”

Their feud while making the movie was legendary, and led to the new FX series called “Feud”, starring Susan Sarandon and Jessica Lange…who are phenomenal in the roles…

The surprise success of the film led to a string of “old lady horror” films, including another from Bette Davis, who discarded Crawford and made the smash hit “Hush Hush Sweet Charlotte”:

Davis was on a roll, chewing up the scenery – and her co-stars! Take a look at this terrific movie trailer from that time:

This was another smash hit – and over the next decade, some great Hollywood Actresses jumped on the bandwagon – let’s take a look!

Hey, Old Ladies! Calm Down!

Hey, it’s two crazy old ladies fighting! What’s up? And how does it lead to THIS???

Wait, Debbie Reynolds? In a horror film? What’s going on here? Oh, and can someone PLEASE calm Shelley Winters down?

Introducing Classic Old Lady Horror!

If you have not seen any of these movies – and these performances, you are missing out on some of the most entertaining “B” movies ever made – and great opportunities for America’s finest Actresses to bare their teeth! It was a fascinating trend in film in the late 60’s and early 70’s. Let’s look at some classic “old lady horror”!

First, the question:

“What Makes Her Garden Grow? Wouldn’t You Like To Know?”

Whatever Happened To Aunt Alice?

Oh, it’s EXACTLY what you think! I mean, in a world where “Soylent Green” is people, what do YOU think makes her garden grow? Oscar winners Geraldine Page and Ruth Gordon team up for a gem of a horror film – check out the trailer:

As “Aunt Alice”, Ruth Gordon applies for the job of housekeeper in the Arizona home of widow Claire Marrable in order to find out what happened to a missing widowed friend.

As you can see, a very whacked out Geraldine Page plays widow Claire. The crazed Page, left only a stamp album by her husband, takes money from her housekeepers, kills them, and buries the bodies in her garden. A perfect setup for a classic horror film!

Remember that Page later won an Academy Award as Best Actress in 1987…and here she gets the chance to showcase her scenery chewing ability…

Claire Marrable: You are the only mistake I made.
Alice Dimmock: Didn’t you ever think you’d be found out?
Claire Marrable: No and I won’t be.
Alice Dimmock: Giving yourself away like that…
Claire Marrable: To you? You are a dead woman.
Alice Dimmock: Oh no, I’m alive. See, I’m very much alive. And I’m not gonna be your next victim!

This is a terrific poster as well – memorable imagery for classic horror! And remember, Ruth Gordon ALSO WON AN OSCAR – doing a horror film – for “Rosemary’s Baby” – check out my story on that film here!

https://johnrieber.com/2012/10/26/rosemarys-baby-jessicas-scared-to-death-great-halloween-horror/

Shelley Winters Bites Down HARD!

Now, time to move on to a classic “scenery chewer!”

“Aunt Roo is a witch!”

She sure is! Shelley Winters stars in this little-seen horror film, and she doesn’t leave a single scene unchewed!

Who Slew Auntie Roo?

Shelley Winters is evil Aunt Roo in this take on “Hanzel and Gretel” – note that the poster says “Who Slew Auntie Roo?” but the trailer says “Whoever Slew Auntie Roo”…whoever, whatever, check it out!

This is a retelling of the old tale of Hansel and Gretel, but set in England in the 1920s. To the children and staff at the orphanage, Auntie Roo is a kindly American widow who gives them a lavish Christmas party each year in her mansion.

In reality, she is a severely disturbed woman, who keeps the mummified remains of her little daughter in a nursery in the attic. Of course she does! I mean, look at crazy Shelley Winters!

To paraphrase The Doors, “The men don’t know but the little boy understands…”

Katy Coombs: You said she was going to eat us.
Christopher: She was, later.

Again, classic poster art sells this as another “crazy old lady” horror film!

Finally, let’s check out a film that offers a chance for Debbie Reynolds to get into the horror game!

“I offered you my blessing. You refused it. Now move along!”

What’s The Matter With Helen?

Yep, it’s crazy Shelley Winters again, but this time she tangles with “America’s Aging Sweetheart” Debbie Reynolds!

Set in the 30s, Helen and Adelle are two women whose sons commit a gruesome murder. After their conviction, they move to Hollywood change their names and open a dance school for girls. Adelle is looking for a good life and when one of the parents of her students who is wealthy takes a liking to her she thinks she’s got it made.

Calm Down, Shelley!

Helen is the crazy one, and she thinks that someone who blames them for what their sons did is stalking them. But Debbie Reynolds, as Adelle – thinks it’s all in her mind. Time for some blood to flow!

According to Debbie Reynolds, Shelley Winters’ psychiatrist advised her not to portray a woman having a nervous breakdown because, at the time, she was having a real-life nervous breakdown. “She’s the kind of actress who becomes the part she’s playing…” said Reynolds, “so all through the film she drove all of us insane!”

Shelley Winters decided that after they came in from the rain, her Helen character should have a moment when she kissed Debbie Reynolds Adelle character on the lips. This unscripted moment was filmed but removed from the final print of the movie to avoid attaining an R-rating.

Another classic movie poster – and a fun movie once again starring two of Hollywood’s classic movie stars, in roles you don’t think of them for!

And thanks to MGM, you can get two of these gems on one double bill DVD!

The tragic deaths of Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher make the HBO documentary on their lives even more poignant…see more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/12/29/rip-carrie-fisher-rip-debbie-reynolds-hbo-bright-lights-documentary-captures-their-life-together/

Let me know what you think of “granny horror!”

Welcome To A Surreal American Junkyard!

I came across this photo and was mesmerized: a junkyard full of abandoned cars, broken down, twisted and stretched out to give the entire image a surreal, science fiction quality.

This is the amazing work of Photographer Aydin Buyuktas!

Photographer Aydin Buyutkas photographed some iconic images of America’s western states, using a process that turns the images into works of art – the “Red Road” photo just one example.

These surreal images of America’s wild west were highlighted in a story in The Guardian, a terrific UK-based website with a US edition – a great new source covering the best of the world’s news: crime, politics, culture and yes, America’s wild wild west, as shot by this amazing photographer!

Photographer Aydin Buyuktas shoots these in a very specific way – a process that takes months…I know this because of the great story in The Guardian, which reports:

“He spent a month driving 10,000 miles across Arizona, California, New Mexico and Texas to create these distorted images, which are collages composed of 18 to 20 pictures that take about two months to complete after shooting”

It leads to images like this – a refinery out in the middle of nowhere:

These photos are works of art – beautiful – but haunting as well.

Bravo to The Guardian for their story – see the entire report, with a lot of other great pictures, by clicking here:

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2017/mar/28/surreal-american-landscapes-aydin-buyuktas-pictures

Bravo to Aydin Buyutkas for the amazing photography. I am a fan of America’s wild west, which was featured in a terrific non-fiction book that looks at the exploration of this vast land:

Author Richard Grant spent time traveling the backroads of America’s western states – along with “Nomads” – people with no home but the great outdoors…you can read about this terrific book here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/04/08/american-nomads-the-amazing-adventures-of-warriors-mountain-men-and-the-wild-west/

Let me know what you think of these amazing photos!

The Eagles Live!

Well, fans at least have two chances to keep the Eagles spirit alive…word just broke that the band is headlining two shows this summer – with Steely Dan AND The Doobie Brothers in support! WOW, what could top that breaking Eagles news? Well, how about this! A new CD of classic live Eagles performances has been released!

I was lucky enough to see the band in the late 70’s, but never at these shows from the early to mid-70’s, when Don Henley and Glenn Frey were really defining the sound of the band.

Here is the news about this release from the website “That Nashville Sound”:

“Shortly before the worldwide release of ‘Desperado’ in April 1973 the Eagles, while touring Europe, performed at the Sporthal de Vliegermolen in Voorburg, Holland on 10th March. Recorded for a Dutch TV broadcast, the band played a rip-roaring set for 50+ minutes, including a storming 11 minute version of the classic, debut album cut ‘Witchy Woman’.”

March 1972 — The rock band The Eagles rest in a desert valley. The Eagles were the most popular band of the seventies and their reunion tour in the nineties was also very successful. — Image by © Henry Diltz/CORBIS

An ELEVEN MINUTE JAM ON “WITCHY WOMAN?!?!?!?!?”

Here is more:

“The Eagles played at the California Jam festival in Ontario, California on 6th April 1974. Attracting more than 300,000 fans and billed as “the Woodstock of the West Coast”. Portions of the show were telecast on ABC television in the United States, exposing the Eagles to a much wider audience.”

Well, I bought the album from Amazon UK, and it was shipped to me within days.

Here is a look at this album, which will feature classic live performances of their greatest early hits…some have referred to this release as a “bootleg” – the unauthorized release of material from a band without their permission. However, I bought this off of Amazon UK and I have the physical release at home!

I’m honestly not sure of who had the rights to release these two live performances, but as a lifelong Eagles fan, it is a revelation! There are some songs I’ve never heard, and some songs performed differently live than they ended up on the albums!

Let’s take a look at the release track by track:

A short “Introduction” leads into “Come All Ye Fair and Tender Ladies” – an obscure traditional folk song, then the band goes right into their classic song “Take It Easy” – here is the audio of this performance as part of my review:

As you heard, the band’s harmonies are gorgeous on “Come All Ye” – almost seems to me like a way for the band to warm up their harmonies before kicking into “Take It Easy” – and what about that very soft, country vibe to “Take It Easy”? More on this song later…

“This Is A Song About Tequila. Mexican Whiskey!”

That’s how Glenn Frey introduces the next song on the album, their new song “Tequila Sunrise”, which he says has a “latin beat” to it…and they do the song almost as an “a cappella” song – with just a single acoustic guitar.

Here is the audio of the song, shared as part of my review – and note at the end they have an extra stanza with lyrics not on the album!

“Wonderin’ If I’m Growin’ Wise, Or Telling’ Lies…”

Wow, a longer version of the song, with additional lyrics not on the album! I love the sad, almost world-weary nature of the singing here, especially as they are introducing these songs to the audience.

“Tequila Sunrise” is now a signature Eagles song, but wasn’t a big hit when released…in fact, the “Desperado” album was a flop when it came out – here is that story:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/04/the-eagles-desperado-disaster-brilliant-music-shocking-album-snub-beautiful-tequila-sunrise/

Back to the live release:

“Saturday Night” is next, also from their second album, followed by one of the band’s early classics:

“Peaceful Easy Feeling”

Here is a live version of the band performing the song on the BBC from 1973:

Look how young they are! then one of my favorite tracks, a live early version of:

“How Long”

The band’s longtime collaborate J.D. Souther wrote this country rocker – and this early live version is raucous and shows the band rocking out a bit!

Here is an audio version live from Don Kirschner’s Rock Concert show from 1972:

The band finally released it on the “Long Road Out Of Eden” album – you can click here to see the music video of their studio take on this classic song:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/04/01/the-eagles-swan-song-long-road-out-of-eden-glenn-freys-farewell/

A trio of songs from “Desperado” are next:

“A Certain Kind of Fool”, “Outlaw Man” and “Out of Control” all contribute to the concept of the band as outlaws – and Glenn in particular tells stories about the “rock star/wild west outlaw” connection – the songs have a more vital sense of urgency when performed live…next up, the legendary take on their first smash hit:

“Witchy Woman”

Yes, this bootleg release has an eleven minute version of the song – the band is on fire! Here is the introduction to the song, a guitar solo that then clicks into the signature hook – gives you an idea of how they played with the opening before launching into the hook:

The entire eleven minutes are mesmerizing – the band is clearly trying to show their musicianship here – and it sounds great.

“Witchy Woman” was, of course, a huge hit single from their phenomenal debut album…here is more trivia about that album – and some fun stuff about Winslow, Arizona as well:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/14/the-eagles-their-smash-hit-debut-album-the-iconic-winslow-arizona-statue/

Speaking of the debut album, the next two songs on this collection are from the debut album: “Keep On Tryin'” and “Early Bird”, then one of my favorite rockers from “On The Border”:

“James Dean” really shows the band coming together – fast, rocking, and raucous as well…check out their early live performance here:

https://dailymotion.com/video/xo4eap

The instrumental “Blackberry Blossom” is next – letting the band showcase their guitar work, but other than that, nothing special, then Randy Meisner takes over on “Midnight Flyer” from “On The Border”, which is also an upbeat rocker that showcases the band’s great harmonies. Then comes the classic opening track from that album:

“Already Gone”

I love this song – so much fun, so much energy…check it out here:

https://dailymotion.com/video/x2oky0y

I love the album “On The Border”, which saw Don Felder join the band – here is more trivia and some videos as well:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/03/14/on-the-border-the-eagles-say-hello-to-don-felder-goodbye-to-glyn-johns-don-henleys-brilliant-1-best-of-my-love/

The live finale of the album is their first smash hit, that also opened this live CD – but this version rocks more, the band clearly making their sound more mainstream on this version, which was recorded 13 months after the first one:

They are clearly having a blast performing, and this has Jackson Browne on the it, so it’s a great collectable to have.

Here is a live performance the band did from Central Park in 1973:

So there it is – a collection of vintage live Eagles songs from early in their career – with some songs treated differently, the extra stanza on “Sunrise”, and the sound of the band early in their career – and absolutely terrific!

Thanks to “That Nashville Sound” website for the story on this release – let me know what you think!

Welcome To The Cannes Film Festival!

It’s the world’s most celebrated festival du film, taking place on the French Riviera every May – this year marks the 70th anniversary of the event, but the official poster is stirring up a big controversy!

French Actress Claudia Cardinale Has Been “Slimmed Down!”

The official film festival poster was released, and it includes a stylized shot of iconic French Actress Claudia Cardinale…but fans immediately noticed something!

As Deadline.com reports:

“The Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday revealed its official poster for the 70th edition, kicking off May 17. In the image, a joyous Claudia Cardinale is seen dancing on a Roman rooftop, and showing a bit of thigh from under her twirly skirt. Evidently it’s too little a bit of thigh for some outlets and individuals who have run articles and taken to Twitter decrying the airbrushing of the original 1959 photo of the Italian icon.”

Here is the new poster, followed by the original shot of Cardinale…note the shape of her “revealed” thigh in both shots:

The change was immediately noticed by the french press. According to Deadline.com, Liberation said, “Between the original and the copy, Claudia Cardinale dropped a dress size.” Magazine Telerama added, “While the poster is magnificent, we can see and deplore that the photograph has been largely retouched… Pity.”

The story also includes a response to the controversy from Cardinale herself, who says it’s all part of the artistic process!

“I don’t have any comment to make on the artistic work done on this image. It’s a poster, which beyond representing me, represents a dance, a flight. The photo was retouched to accentuate the effect of lightness and to transpose me into a dream character; it’s a sublimation. Concerns over realism have no place here, and, as a committed feminist, I see no attack on the female form. There are other things happening in the world right now that are more important to be discussing. It’s only cinema, let’s not forget that.””

So, it seems that the iconic Actress doesn’t mind a bit of “altering” for artistic purposes.

Here is the entire story on Deadline.com, with a lot of twitter activity about the controversy as well:

http://deadline.com/2017/03/cannes-film-festival-claudia-cardinale-poster-airbrush-controversy-1202055656/

I attended the film festival on many occasions, but one of my favorite times involved a trip with Joan and Melissa Rivers:

Filming the “Cannes Fashion Review” with Joan and Melissa is a career highlight – and my wife Alex created the content with the mother/daughter team:

Here is a look at our trip to the south of France:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/05/12/melissa-rivers-new-memoir-joan-rivers-storms-cannes-joan-and-melissas-hilarious-cannes-fashion-review/

We had incredible adventures in Cannes, along with co-workers like by good friend Antonio Ruiz:

I also had a memorable trip one year when we worked with Adult film star Jenna Jameson there – she was an E! special correspondent:

You can read more about that wild adventure here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/05/08/cannes-2016-remembering-joan-rivers-jenna-jameson-my-seven-greatest-cannes-film-festival-moments-arnold-schwarzenegger-jcvd-my-favorite-cannes/

Yes, Michael Castner, I dint forget you! Michael hosted many of our Cannes adventures, including this great moment interviewing Arnold Schwarzenegger!

Let me know what you think of the poster Cannes-troversy!

25 Years Of “Basic Instinct!”

Wow, time flies when you are getting naked on screen! Yes, it was 25 years ago that Sharon Stone cemented her place in movie history, thanks to an erotic thriller with one very memorable scene:

“Basic Instinct” Sneaks A Peek At Movie Infamy!

Without a doubt the most controversial movie of 1992, and one of the most notorious Hollywood films of the last 30 years – you know, because of THIS scene:

Sharon Stone made Hollywood history with this memorable “show and tell” during her police interrogation in “Basic Instinct”…immediately turning the cops into a bunch of drooling idiots…

AND THE LEGEND GROWS!

Every movie buff knows that Stone wasn’t wearing any underwear in the scene, but here’s some backstory:

“According to Sharon Stone, director Paul Verhoeven asked her to remove her underwear for the leg-crossing scene, as he said they were too bright and reflected at the camera. Stone agreed to do so under the assumption that her genitals weren’t visible. It was only at an early preview that Stone discovered Verhoeven chose to use this specific shot. ”

However, Director Paul Verhoeven’s version of the story is different.

He says that “he told Stone beforehand about the leg-crossing shot, as it was important for showing Catherine Tramell’s free-spirited nature and her constant drive to toy with people. Stone was reportedly excited about the idea and shot the scene. However, during the early preview, her agents supposedly disproved of the scene, fearing it would harm her future career. According to Verhoeven, Stone radically changed her mind about the shot and demanded that he remove it, which he ultimately refused.”

Either way, the controversy about the scene made the movie a huge hit – at a time when Michael Douglas was one of Hollywood’s biggest box office stars.

“Basic Instinct” was also one of Douglas’s “penis movies” – he was letting it fly onscreen at the time – here are the others from that era!

https://johnrieber.com/2014/01/13/fatal-attractions-basic-instincts-full-disclosure-the-infamous-michael-douglas-penis-trilogy/

The “Vanity Fair” Story!

The success of “Basic Instinct” is the setup for a terrific new article in the latest Vanity Fair magazine.

This sex-filled murder mystery in 1992 led to the rise of a whole new genre of “direct to VHS” erotic thrillers, which is covered in a terrific new Vanity Fair article!

As you can see by the cover, Vanity Fair covers all sorts of “inside entertainment” stories, but this one is fascinating!

“The Sexpendables!”

The article talks about the era after “Basic Instinct”, when erotic thrillers were wildly popular, and smart companies flooded the marketed with movies like “Sins Of Desire”….here is an excerpt from the article:

“For prolific and proficient B-movie directors, the erotic thriller was another color to add to their palette. Before Basic Instinct, Jim Wynorski was best-known for such horror cult favorites as Chopping Mall, Sorority House Massacre 2, and 976-Evil 2. Following the release of Basic Instinct, he got the call to do Sins of Desire (“She was seduced into a world of sexual adventure . . . and dangerous deception”). “I was good and I was fast,” Wynorski tells Vanity Fair. “They knew the product would be solid.”

These B-movies ultimately helped brand a pay cable channel – they became “skinamax” features, sexy erotic thrillers that earned Cinemax a reputation for showing them all day and night – classic cult stuff like this!

Yep, even Madonna dove deep into the b-movie pool – here is the Vanity Fair article:

http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/03/basic-instinct-anniversary-sharon-stone-video

Of course, in an earlier era, these films would have been shown on New York’s notorious “grindhouse” district of 42nd Street!

Here is a look at some of the wildest films that populated Times Square in the 70’s!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/08/23/a-42nd-street-grindhouse-tour-of-new-york-seven-sexploitation-classics-that-turned-times-square-down-and-dirty/

Here’s to 25 years of “Basic Instinct” wildness!

Time To Play Ball!

It’s that time again: all baseball fans look forward to the start of the 2017 season, when every team is in first place!

That won’t last long, but even more important than how well your favorite team plays is how well the fans eat!

Yes, you can buy “bacon on a stick” at some ballparks – and every season, we look forward to seeing what unique concoction is next…well, 2017 is here and so is THIS!

Wake Up To The “Sunrise Dog!”

Looks like I have to head to Kansas City this year, to see the Royals play and to bite down on this!

The “Sunrise Dog” is a hot dog topped with fried eggs, bacon, cheddar cheese and smothered in white sausage gravy. SOLD!

Bite Into Some Pulled Pork – On A Funnel Cake!

Kansas City is just getting warmed up! They also have this amazing concoction!

The “Pulled Pork Patty Melt” is a funnel cake with BBQ pulled pork, fried onion, shredded cheddar, and Monterey Jack cheese WITH bacon, and a jalapeño skewer. SOLD AGAIN!

Here’s one more – but you better bring a BIG appetite:

Bite Down On “The Boomstick”!

The Texas Rangers want to satisfy EVERYONE’S hunger! They offer a two foot long hot dog known as “The Boomstick”, and this year, it’s getting even bigger!

Yes, for the 2017 season, the Texas Rangers are taking their famous “Boomstick” and taking it up a notch.

Behold the “Most Valuable Tamale”. This 2-foot behemoth is a tamale filled with the Rangers’ 24-inch “Boomstick” hot dog.

Yes, two feet of hot dog fun – with all of the added sauces and toppings that come with a tamale. Yes, they will smother it in chili and nacho cheese!

This feast will cost you $27, so save your money now, and show up hungry!

Bravo to USA Today for this list! See more of their wacky findings here:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2017/03/crazy-ballpark-stadium-foods-2017-mlb-season-diamondbacks-royals-cubs-baseball

It will be tough to top of some of wacky food offerings from last year:

Remember the Tater Tots topped with Coca-Cola Ketchup?

Last year, the Atlanta Braves decided to unload this on fans – would you bite down on it? See more from 2016, including the “Burgerizza” mashup by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/03/31/the-burgerizza-tater-tot-chops-the-wildest-baseball-food-for-2016-play-ball/

Play ball!

Welcome To Chicago!

Welcome to one of America’s great cities – Chicago!

The “Windy City” has so many great things to offer – like this spectacular view of the downtown area from 91 stories high – at the John Hancock Tower just north of Chicago’s famed “Loop” – and that building also offers a spectacular view of Lake Michigan and many of Chicago’s terrific beaches:

My wife and I live part of the year in Chicago – on the 25th floor of an apartment building that looks out at Lake Michigan and the Chicago River, and directly east of us was this empty lot, which in the beginning of November started becoming home to a new high rise building:

Since then, I have taken pictures of the new building as it creeps higher and higher into the sky – by April 2, it looked like this:

It’s not obstructing our view, so who cares, right? Then I saw they were adding another construction crane to the northwest corner of the building – except something was wrong…check out the video:

Talk About Your Tower Of Terror!

That’s right: as you saw in the video, something clearly needed to be tightened, repaired or otherwise worked on, and these two guys were 30 stories high doing it!

Fair to say you can’t take a job like this if you have a fear of heights!

Can you imagine begin on your hands and knees repairing something 30 stories above traffic?

As you saw on the video, and can see here as well, they are attached to the frame by a safety cord – but still – is this a job that YOU’D WANT??!?!?!?!

This is just one of the dangerous jobs I wouldn’t want – here’s another one – a skyscraper window washer – like this guy outside our window:

I saw this construction repair work going on and was fascinated by it – in fact, you see a lot of things from our window:

Yes, I witnessed a lightning storm once that lasted for several hours, with massive thunder as well….

Here is the video:

This thunderstorm -with lots and lots of lightning, was amazing to experience, and I was equally fascinated by this skyscraper repair work high above Chicago’s Grand Ave.

Let me know if you’d take this job!

Want To Hang Out With John Wayne and James Caan?

Well, the best I can do is take you to the place they filmed together – so you can recreate the action scenes for yourself!

Welcome To The “Gold Rush” Town Of Nelson! Population: 37!

I love to travel, and I am fascinated with America’s abandoned “ghost towns”…especially those that have a cinematic past – now, thanks to a great website and book, I found the location of the classic movie “El Dorado!”

Wooden Shack Of Americana – Eldorado Canyon Techatticup Mine – Nelson NV – HDR

Bravo To “Atlas Obscura!”

I found a website that is devoted to amazing stories and pictures of some of the most forgotten, abandoned or just off the beaten path places in the world!

“Atlas Obscura” sends me a ton of great stories about towns like this: yes, this is what remains of Nelson, Nevada!

Here is how “Atlas Obscura” describes the place:

“Nelson, known by the Spaniards that discovered it as El Dorado, was the site of the scandalous Techatticup Mine. An area rich in gold, silver, copper and lead, the land was mostly settled by Civil War deserters, and was the site of one of the largest booms the state of Nevada ever encountered.”

For those familiar with the John Wayne movie “El Dorado”, scenes were shot here – this was one of his biggest westerns, and gave James Caan a huge supporting role as well …you can see more about this film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/02/05/the-wrath-of-caan-james-caans-greatest-hits/

You can drive right onto the set today, as this rich piece of cinema history exists today, and I absolutely want to go here and see it in person.

Nelson is located at the very bottom of the state of Nevada, about 25 miles from Boulder City.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Atlas Obscura continues:

“What remains of Nelson lies above the flood channels, a few scattered ranch houses, the remnants of a Texaco station, and the standard weather-torn buildings and machinery. Used as the location for many photo shoots, music videos and several feature films, the site features one unusual spectacle of a small aircraft seemingly smashed nose-first into a dune.”

Here’s the kicker: this plane never crashed, it was placed there as a prop for the 2001 Kevin Costner movie “3000 Miles to Graceland.”

Thanks to Atlas Obscura for illuminating this classic wild west ghost town…see more of their story and pictures here:

http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nelson-ghost-town

I follow the website, and plan to buy the book they just released as well:

It’s a huge book full of unique places to visit…as they describe it:

“Inspiring equal parts wonder and wanderlust, Atlas Obscura: An Explorer’s Guide to the World’s Hidden Wonders celebrates more than 600 of the strangest and most curious places in the world.”

Sold! See the ad for the book here:

http://www.atlasobscura.com/books/

As I said, I love to travel, and offbeat places fascinate me. I was in rural Oklahoma last year and came across a LOT of virtual ghost towns there as well:

Much of rural America is dying – young people can’t wait to leave, and there is little or not industry to draw anyone new…these were the kinds of towns I came across on my car tour:

You can see more pictures of this disappearing part of our country by clicking on my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/11/12/morning-in-red-state-america-how-the-dying-towns-of-oklahoma-help-explain-election-2016/

A great Writer spent a year in rural Mississippi and recorded his adventure as well:

Richard Grant tells a great story of a small state also dying off…read my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/10/12/dispatches-from-pluto-terrific-new-american-travel-richard-grants-dangerous-adventures/

I will post more pictures once I get to see Nelson closeup – until then, kudos again to Atlas Obscura!

Wooden Shack Of Americana – Eldorado Canyon Techatticup Mine – Nelson NV – HDR