On my very first episode of Over Under Sideways Down on LuxuriaMusic.com, I featured the legendary Manny Freiser, writer of the ’60s garage nugget “Let’s Talk About Girls,” member of the Grodes and Tongues of Truth as well as a very active producer and writer during Tucson’s bustling local scene in the 1960s. It was my first attempt at live radio as host and engineer and the show proved to be a battleground of train-wrecks. It’s a good thing that not many heard it and that it wasn’t podcasted. Now that the show listener-ship is up by huge percentage points (thanks to all 72 of you) we are going to give it another shot – this Wednesday, 11/7 at 3-5 pm. Tune in for informative banter, radio commercials and a stack of awesome vinyl featuring the 1960s Tucson Sound! If you miss it, we’ll post a podcast on this site shortly after!

This year’s Tiki Oasis VIP Gift Bag (handed out upon check-in at The Crowne Plaza Hotel and limited to 500) will contain this postcard which has a unique download code for the free 14 song TOP SECRET DIONYSUS RECORDS SAMPLER, featuring tracks from Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited, The Martini Kings, Orchestra Superstring, Kava Kon, Robert Drasnin, Creepxotica, Skip Heller, Jerry Sun, The Creepy Creeps, The Satelliters, The Creatures of the Golden Dawn, Redondo Beat, and Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers. About a week after the event ends, we will be sticking these in all Dionysus Mail-Order packages until we run out.

OVER UNDER SIDEWAYS DOWN
with your host Lee Joseph
The first and third Wednesday of the month
3 pm – 5 pm Pacific on LuxuriaMusic.com Internet radio

Hi Friends, I’m going to be joining the crew at LuxuriaMusic.com for my very own two-hour, bi-monthly Internet radio show called Over Under Sideways Down, which debuts on Wednesday June 6 from 3pm – 5pm Pacific.

I named the show after the beloved Yardbirds song, and the name describes perfectly where I’ll be taking the listener: All over the musical map.

Each show will have a different but focused theme. One of the two monthly shows will feature a guest musical or local art luminary who will discuss their past and/or present and share their own and their favorite music. The other show I will do solo, armed with two hours of music and minimal patter.

Here is the show line-up for June and July:

Wed June 6: Tucson, Arizona ’60s Sound Survey with special guest Manny Freiser.

The debut show will feature two hours of music and talk about the local Tucson, AZ. music scene in the 1960s. Former member of The Grodes / The Tongues of Truth  / Spring Fever and writer of Nuggets classic “Let’s Talk About Girls” will join me in-studio to discuss his experiences in the “Old Pueblo,” adventures in Phoenix and Los Angeles clubs and studios and his surprise discovery that one of his long forgotten compositions’ had become a garage-rock classic.

Wed June 20: First Day of Summer and Surf Spectacular

An entire show celebrating the season and featuring a slew of summer, sun, surf and beach songs!

Wed July 4: Voodoo!

Guest Bob Drasnin joins me in-studio to discuss the making of his exotica classic, Voodoo, his exotica comeback album Voodoo II, his big band days, recordings with Red Norvo and his time working in television as composer of music for shows like The Twilight Zone, Mission: Impossible, Wild, Wild West, Hawaii Five-0, Time Tunnel, Lost In Space, Mannix, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Voyage To The Bottom of the Sea. We will play some of his recordings, incidentals and his jazz favorites.

Wed July 18: Psych 102

Two hours of psychedelic sounds; honing in on tracks you probably, or should know.

Other show plans include:

A Gold Star Studio special featuring previously unheard interviews with studio owners and engineers Dave Gold, Stan Ross and Larry Levine with music and jingles recorded at the studio over their three plus decade existence.

East Side Sounds – Featuring a slew of East LA tracks from the early ‘60s through the early ‘70s with guest, East LA luminary Mark Gurerro.

Passion for Power – Featuring ‘60s power-pop and ‘70s – ‘80s Mod/power-pop revival tracks.

Bubble Glam – A mix of bubblegum and early glam.

Monstereo – A mono/stereo listening session featuring tracks mostly spanning 1966-1969 though I may throw in some exotica records too. I will play select mono/stereo mixes back to back and ask the listeners to comment (via chat room or email) on which ones they like best. Comment highlights will be featured on the Dionysus Records blog.

Do the Funky Ripple, Fletcher! – Two solid hours of soul and funk.

Why Don’t We Do It On The Road? – A mixture of live and fake live recordings.

Out of Vogue – Songs from the 1940s Vogue 78 RPM Picture Disc catalog as well as other 78 RPM treasures.

I’m also planning shows focusing on ‘50s R&B/doo-wop, rockabilly, exotica and more, and will be inviting special guests to share their stories and songs.

Please tune in, and if you can’t listen live, the shows are podcasted right after broadcast and archived on the LuxuriaMusic site.

Cheers –  See ya in the LuxuriaMusic.com chat room!

Lee

Over Under Sideways Down graphic by Ellie – Art Stuff Graphic Design

Dionysus Records proudly announces two vinyl LP releases for May of 2012: Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited “Plays Lost TV Themes” and The Creatures of the Golden Dawn “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was The Ground”

Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited “Plays Lost TV Themes” with free digital coupon – Dionysus Records ID123390 – click here to purchase

Out of print as an LP for over 15 years, Stereophonic Space Sound Unlmited’s debut platter, “Plays Lost TV Themes”, was originally released on Dr. Dream records on both LP and CD in 1997. When Dr. Dream folded operations a couple of years later, Dionysus Records reissued the CD, but not the LP version of this album.

Even with six full-length albums (including a soundtrack for a movie about Swiss racecar driver Jo Siffert) under their belt, not much is known about this mysterious Swiss electronica duo – not one SSSU photograph exists! But that hasn’t stopped them from garnering a legion of fans who love all retro, surf, spy, Henry Mancini, John Barry and electronica from buying and loving the group’s music.

The album jacket was designed by artist SHAG before he became famous. The LP was cut at HRS (History of Recorded Sound) on a vintage Scully lathe using a Westrex 2-B stereo cutting head. And – this LP has what is called an eccentric shut-off groove; when the album ends, the tonearm is lead to an off-center circle groove (harmless to the stylus) that swings the tonearm back and forth – this was a feature that was common on 78s and pre-1961 albums – it was used to kick in the shutoff or changer mechanisms. Dionysus had HRS cut the record this way because they are record geeks and wanted to take the retro thing a step further…

The Creatures of the Golden Dawn “Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground” with digital coupon, edition of 500 on gold vinyl – ID1233147 – click here to purchase

Arriving after the ’80s garage/psych revival – Bethlehem’s The Creatures of the Golden Dawn came on the scene with a lot more attitude then similar-minded combos. Lead by vocalist Mark Smith – their knife-sharp punky garage-meets-the-early-days-of-psychedelia tunes were filled with hooky riffs and always shadowed by varying degrees of darkness. The Creatures amassed a cult following in the states and Europe, and were played heavily on Little Steven’s Underground Garage syndicated radio show.

“Dark Was The Night…Cold Was The Ground” is a collection of what Mark Smith felt were the group’s best recorded efforts and includes tracks from their CD releases as well as their 7″ EPs. Though test pressings for the album were in Mark’s possession, Huntington’s Disease took his life before the LP was finalized. Thanks to the help of Mark’s brother Gregg and former Creatures of the Golden Dawn guitarist Steven Schlack, work on the record continued, was approved and set for release.

From the LP liner notes: Born of angst and attitude, The Creatures of the Golden Dawn bring forth a collection of songs compelling you to get up and get to action!  Savage rhythms, angry guitars and vocals filled with rage and emotion will set your souls, hearts and minds on fire!   This is the music that has brought teenagers around the globe to the edge of mania!  So get ready to GO with the primitive beat of The Creatures of the Golden Dawn!

The First Annual CreaturesFest in memory of Mark Smith—lead singer of Lehigh Valley, Pa.-based band The Creatures of the Golden Dawn and advocate of the 1960s-inspired rock music genre known as “garage”—will be held 5 p.m. to midnight Saturday, July 21, 2012, at North Penn Gun Club, Trumbauersville, Pa. Proceeds will benefit the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Huntington’s Disease Society of America. Smith died from Huntington’s-related complications at age 52 in 2011.

“A purpose of this premier event is to celebrate Mark’s life by featuring the music he loved. It’s also to raise awareness of Huntington’s Disease and to raise money for research,” says Scott Steinberg of Bethlehem, Pa., who is organizing the event with the help of a volunteer committee.

“Funding research is important because Huntington’s tears families apart,” adds Gregg Smith of Wescosville, Pa., committee member and Mark Smith’s brother, noting that their mother also succumbed to the disease.

New Jersey-based garage band The Insomniacs will headline. The event will also include live performances by the following bands, all of which feature at least one former member of The Creatures of the Golden Dawn: Consolidated Fuzz (Lehigh Valley-based garage); Strange Haze (New York City-based garage/psychedelia); House of Fire (Philadelphia area-based neo-psychedelia); and Wormwood Scrubs (Lehigh Valley-based garage infused with British invasion). Plus, other local musicians—Danielle Lubené (of The Danielle Lubené Band), Doug Ashby (of Tavern Tan) and Mike McMillan and Laurie Ann Hullinger (both of The SaddleTones)—will perform a musical tribute to Woody Guthrie, who died of Huntington’s Disease and whose 100^th birthday is this year.

In addition, CreaturesFest will feature a display of Woody Guthrie’s life and lyrics. A silent auction will feature CD box sets, gift certificates and original artwork. A raffle will feature T-shirts and CDs and the recetly released Creatures of the Golden Dawn LP. Food and drink will be available for purchase from the onsite kitchen and bar.

A Lehigh Valley native, Mark Smith formed The Creatures of the Golden Dawn—formerly known as “The Creatures”—in the mid-1980s. Known for its monthly performances at The Funhouse, Bethlehem, the band also played venues in Philadelphia, New York City and as far away as Moscow. The band recorded several CDs of predominantly original songs, which are featured on Sirius/XM satellite radio’s “Little Steven’s Underground Garage,” a show produced by Steven Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band. While the group endured many personnel changes over the years, Smith remained constant, continuing to sing, play harmonica, and write and record original music and lyrics until his death. Smith also hosted his own weekly “Exploding Plastic Inevitable” show on WLVR, 91.3 FM, the radio station of Lehigh University, Bethlehem. A limited-edition compilation LP titled “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground” was recently released on Los Angeles-based Dionysus Records.

Huntington’s Disease is a devastating, hereditary, degenerative brain disorder for which there is no cure and only one FDA-approved treatment. Huntington’s Disease may affect cognitive ability and mobility; symptoms may include depression, mood swings, forgetfulness, involuntary movements—known as “chorea”—and lack of coordination. As the disease progresses, concentration and short-term memory diminish, and involuntary movements of the head, trunk and limbs increase. Walking, speaking and swallowing abilities deteriorate. Eventually the person becomes dependent for all care. Death can result from complications, such as choking, infection or heart failure.

Event admission is $20 per person at the door. North Penn Gun Club is at 2555 Tollgate Road, Trumbauersville, Pa., 18970

The event is sponsored, in part, by All That Salon, Emmaus, Pa.; The Compact Disc Center, Bethlehem; and Double Decker Records, Allentown, Pa.

If you are interested in helping to sponsor this event, contact Scott Steinberg at
610-868-5775.

For most people these days, the name Dick Clark congers up images of New Years Eve – and un-hip Top 40. Some of us who watched American Bandstand and Where The Action Is as often as possible, know different. Dick Clark presented a long list of great bands and artists via his TV shows – from Link Wray to X and all in-between. In my childhood, I watched American Bandstand every week and have memories of coming home from school daily and turning on Where The Action Is which made me want so badly to be a teenager (and made me feel like I was cheated when I was a teen during the ’70s). The image of Blue Cheer playing “Summertime Blues” in front of a stage full of Marshall amps with their long hair swinging from their heads is burned into my brain. Dick Clark booked bands like Love, Captain Beefheart, Syd Barrett era Pink Floyd, The Bubble Puppy, The Music Machine, Blue Cheer, 13th Floor Elevators (both on American Bandstand and Where The Action Is) and many others. Here’s some video:

This Friday: LA’s 60s / mod dance party – The Blackeyed Soul Club in Downtown Los Angeles DJs Howie Pyro and Jason Pandora are joined by Lee Joseph from Dionysus Records who brings some amazing records to the turntable. FUN FUN FUN!

The Blackeyed Soul Club happens every Friday at The Monty Bar: 1222 West 7th Street  Los Angeles, CA 90017, (213) 228-6000, www.montybar.com

Before the club, come to La Luz de Jesus Gallery  for the opening of Scott Hove’s “My Private Apocalypse” and Joe Sorren’s “When The Rains Come” exhibitions, opening at 8PM.

Click Here to play or download a podcast of Howie Pyro’s LuxuriaMusic.com “Intoxica” Internet radio show which aired on 1/10/12 and featured me as special guest – with a stack of garage, surf and instro insanity plus a set of  trashy and wild South American 45s spanning the late ’60s through the early ’70s -it was quite a show! To Howie’s dismay, we played a Led Zeppelin cover on the show though Los Commandos did a great job of turning “Moby Dick” (with a riff stolen from Sleepy John Estes)  into a sloppy and inept teen garage instrumental which was further twisted with the infamous Intoxica echo over most of the really sloppy drum solo. Thanks Howie and LuxuriaMusic.com!

Photos: Howie Pyro is very excited to play the record pictured below which I took from www.devildick.blogspot.com as I didn’t have mine handy while putting up this post.

Howie Pyro has asked me back to his INTOXICA show for a third time – I’ll be bringing a box of garage, surf, pysch and weirdo 45s with an accent on fabulously trashy South American (mostly Peruvian) records from the ’60s! Listen Live via the Luxuria.com website on your computer and smart-ass phone – sign up to the Luxuria.com website and post your snide, rude and nearly funny remarks in the chat room! OR – download the podcast when ready!

9:00 PM  – luxuriamusic.com

The Bullet – Eight Year Anniversary Dance Party –  NO COVER!

Saturday, September 24 at 9:00pm – 2 am
Hollywood Studio Bar and Grill
6122 W Sunset Blvd
Los Angeles, CA

Celebrate The Bullet’s eighth anniversary in style with vintage soul, garage and freakbeat 45s. NO COVER ALL NIGHT and 100% non stop dancing with Bullet DJs Dan Electro, Soulshaker, Jason Pandora, Dr Ray, Ladybug and Lee Joseph + special guests!

– Huge dancefloor
– Booth seating
– lighting fx show
– 60s video projections
– Outside smoking/drinking area
– FREE PARKING
– Food Served til 1030pm
– $4 Stellas and $5 Jack n Cokes til 10:30 pm

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