Dionysus Records welcomes  Jimmy Vargas & The Black Dahlias!

Jimmy Vargas is a racketeer and crooner, reincarnated from the twilight side of Los Angeles’ sin alley circa 1947. Lilana is a sorceress and exotique from the Mission Dolores San Francisco by way of Buenos Aires Argentina.

Brought together in the Broadway dancehall on North Beach by the Black Pope of the Bay City on the eve of the Dias De Los Muertos 1992, Vargas and Lilana’s relationship forged over several lifetimes. Vargas venerates her as his Shadow Bride. She vaunts him as her swinging Galahad, Gnostic crooner, and carney wise-cracker. Liliana alone tempers and guides the melodies, visions and words that come from Vargas’ hands. Her sexotique DNA alone seeds Jimmy Vargas & the Black Dahlia’s canon.

Jimmy Vargas & The Black Dahlias have created seven albums; the first, El Torchtura, was released in 1994 and set the template with its’ melancholic jazz swing, torch and Lynchian soundtrack. Six more sassy, satanic, swing noir episodes have followed, tempered all by Liliana’s essence and mystic influence. Liliana’s iconic holy image is embossed on each of their records and DVDs, as a haunting talisman.

Dionysus Records now stocks several Jimmy Vargas releases in our mail-order cart and will soon be releasing Digital versions of each album. Keep your eyes open for a new Vargas & Dahlias CD/Digital release and a vinyl LP in 2013! Click this link to order all four releases in-stock:

Death Swings’ (Album I & II)
Lust Angeles (Album VII)
My Shadow Bride Ghosting
Requiem For My Shadow

Their new disc, Lust Angeles, is now unleashed just in time for the zeitgeist. It’s a vintage and futuristic soundtrack for the new metaphysical soul shift. Fleshed in satanic hosiery and divined in a Gnostic spirit, these are urban hymns for the unsaved sons and daughters of Eve and features nine more tracks of lupercalian blues, scorching mambo and torch that one would imagine blasting out of a Hollywood pleasure house jukebox of 1948.

Congratulations to  tattooist, Creepy Creeps and Creepxotica guitarist Dave Warshaw whose intricate ballpoint pen on wood art has made the cover of the August 15th issue of  his hometown weekly, The San Diego CityBeat! Perfect timing too what with Tiki Oais starting on the 16th!

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.

This Wednesday, August 15, 3 PM – 5 PM Pacific, tune in to Lee Joseph’s “Over Under Sideways Down”  on LuxuriaMusic.com for a special show featuring Tony Marsico of The Martini Kings who will be playing the Tiki Oasis main stage – Friday, August 17 at 6:40. Lee and Tony will discuss Mission: Tiki Oasis 12, The Martini Kings, their new Dionysus Records release “Palm Springs Serenade,” their new self-released CD and back catalog, and some of Tony’s fabulous history playing music with the likes of The Plugz, The Cruzados, Bob Dylan, and others!

Cocktail Nation 228 Palm Springs Serenade

On this show podcast –  Tony Marsico from the Martini Kings was interviewed by host Koop Kooper in regards to the new Martini Kings vinyl release and launch party.

Palm Springs Serenade Podcast

Joel Altruda  Playboys Theme
Henry Mancini Something for Cat
Lenny Dee Moonglow and Theme from Picnic
Howard Shore Ed Wood Main Title
Combustible Edison Call of the Space Siren
Stereophonic Space Sound Unlimited The Case
Vic Flick Copacibinsky
Trudy  Pitts Take Five
Paul Phillips I Only Have Eyes For You
Cal Tjader- The Way You Look Tonight
Grace Knight Your Cheatin Heart
Tony Bennett – Wave

Koop Kooper
www.cocktailnation.net

The Martini Kings “Palm Springs Serenade” vinyl LP release, closing party for Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker and Miles Thomspon and Tiki Oasis pre-party!

Sunday, July 29, 2012
4 – 7 pm
La Luz de Jesus Gallery
4633 Hollywood Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90027
323-666-7667
www.laluzdejesus.com

Come have one more look at Brad “Tiki Shark” Parker’s “Tales from the Tiki Lounge” and Miles Thompson’s “Warm Fuzzies, Cold Pricklies“ show and celebrate the release of The Martini Kings’ “Palm Springs Serenade“ LP on Dionysus Records at this combination record release, show closing and Tiki Oasis pre-party.

The band will be playing a set and signing their new album, their first on vinyl – 180 gram vinyl with cover art by SHAG and a free digital download code.

On July 4, exotica and TV/film music legend Robert Drasnin appeared on Over Under Sideways Down episode III on LuxuriaMusic.com  for an in-depth interview about his incredible musical history. Robert brought in numerous samples of music he played on, composed and arranged and told some great stories including one about The Grateful Dead’s involvement in the re-vamped Twilight Zone series.

Here is a link for the show podcast – listen online or download!

Robert Drasnin and Lee Joseph at LuxuriaMusic.com, July 2, 2012

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

Redondo Beat brings their sweet rockin’ Power Pop to a few spots in Europe this month – here’s the schedule!

• THU, 10.05. – Burgos @ estudio 27
• SAT, 12.05. – Santander @ SALA ROCAMBOLE
• WED, 16.05. – Ourense @ Sala Auriense
• THU, 17.05. – Logroño @ Sereo Bar
• FRI, 18.05. – Sant Feliu De Guixols @ Sala TZVR (ATZAVARA)
• SAT, 19.05. – Zaragoza @ La Boveda
• SUN, 20.05. – Torredembarra @ La Traviesa
• WED, 23.05. – Montpellier @ Mojomatic
• THU, 24.05. – Bergamo @ Arcibloom
• FRI, 25.05. – La Spezia @ Shake Club
• SAT, 26.05. – Bucine @ Spectre Live Club
• SUN, 27.05. – Latina @ Sottoscala
• TUE, 29.05. – Brescia @ Lio Bar

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.