Ah Hawaii….  Every time I think of it, it’s like I’m standing on the beach with Ray Walston, staring out over the South Pacific at Bali Hai.

Unfortunately, we can’t all be Obama.  Not all of us are lucky enough to have allegedly been born in the Aloha State.  There is a solution, though.  The fabulous sounds of Martin Denny. 

Throughout the 50’s and 60’s, piano player Martin Denny was the king (and arguably creator) of exotica,a musical sub-genre that embraced the mysteries of the far away islands.  At the height of the tiki-bar movement Denny became a musical god, a bringer of strange and wondrous sounds designed to compliment your rum.  Sadly, when the tiki fad was abandoned during the taste-apocalypse that was the 1970’s, Denny faded into obscurity.

These days, he’s regained his former fame, influencing a whole new generation of exotica artists.  The Martin Denny Blog is dedicated to keeping his memory, and music, alive.  Click on over and check it out.  There’s a wealth of history, and most of his albums are available for download.

-Robert Laurie

http://themartindennyblog.blogspot.com/

I was all set to come in with a story about how “this is a sad day for rock and roll,” but that hair makes it impossible.  Gun toting murderous musical crazy, Phil Spector, was handed a sentence of 19 years to life this afternoon.   The jail term stems from the death of an actress, Lana Clarkson, who was shot in Spector’s house in 2003.

Spector was  most famous for his “Wall Of Sound” recording style that made 60’s girl groups sound incredible and The Beatles sound like a muddled mess.   Equally impressive, however, was his manic behavior.   Notorious for freak-outs, violent outbursts, and tantrums,  the producer has had a history of strange incidents.   Previous examples include accusations of molestation by his sons, the kidnapping and imprisonment of his wife, Ronnie, a fight with John Lennon where he fired several shots into the ceiling, and a bizarre  recording session with The Ramones where he held the band at gun point until they played the Ronnettes hit “Baby I Love You.” 

In 1999, Time Magazine reported that each night, Spector would stalk the grounds of his estate, skulking through the bushes, wearing nothing but a Batman costume.

I’m sure he’s disappointed to learn that his cell will not have a glass coffin for his wife….a feature once boasted by his California estate.

Bye Bye, Baby.

-Robert Laurie

Each week we will post links to an album or two, freely available somewhere on the web, that you can download and enjoy while you do whatever it is you do.  For our inaugural edition, we have two selections for you.   Just hit the links and enjoy.

First up is Harry Nilsson’s 1977 release Knnillssonn.  Out of print, and mostly forgotten, this record may be less famous than say Nilsson Schmilsson or Son of Schmilsson, but the music here is absolutely first rate.  It was Harry’s favorite record of the period, and deserves a better fate than it’s recieved.  Songwriting at its finest, coming to us via the fine folks at For The Love Of Harry.

Next up is a podcast, one you need to subscribe to. Each week, Koop Cooper get’s behind the microphone and serves up Cocktail Nation.  It’s a fantastic free show, easily the best of its kind, featuring the finest in Lounge, Exotica, and Space Age Pop from mid-century to the present.  Swank beyond words, this show is in heavy rotation here at HQ.  Check it out.

We promise, if any big news hits, we’ll do our best to drag ourselves away from the lawn chairs and write about it.  Otherwise, That’s all for now.

-Robert Laurie