There's them there snakes in the long grass

Whilst the vultures circle and the mercury rises Den finds himself sat in the garden reading (I should have stayed there instead of watching those red shirted chumps) and over-eating and drinking on the Thompson's birthdays. And so we're on to Burly Q on Saturday and you really ought to be there if you're in town.

A little different from my usual fare but this is my blog so I don't give a fig. My lovely Mrs. bought me this LP for my recent birthday and a combo of the great tune, the lovely Zooey and the great moves in this vid has ensured it's been a head worm all week for Den. The first time I heard it was if I'd heard it so many times before. Great tune!

She & Him- In the sun

Vincent Casell as Mesrine what can I say? Kermode hits the nail right on the head with this film. I ain't watched part two yet but I don't usually buy into the TV booshwash about flicks but Kermode is spot on with this one. Cassell also sports (is it a fake?) rather fetching slug on his top lip as he delivers what Kermode calls the film that 'Public Enemies' should have been. Looks like Ludivine Sagnier is in part two...glory be!

Kermode on Cassell

Is it wrong to have a crush on a comic book character? Nah! Well Mina kept me company all weekend so I have to let her into my corner of the net. I still daren't watch the film version though so it's on to my Joe DiMaggio biog before 'The black dossier' arrives...This is perhaps my fave of all Alan Moore's super-uper-duper comic books. Now if I could get my hands on a copy of 'Lost girls'....

Alan Moore on "The league of extraordinary gentlemen"

I got another heartbreaker on my hands

It's been heating up in Denville and a pit-stop at El Jackster's was greatly appreciated along with the Haggis flavoured crisps, which, on reflection I probably could have lived without. I've got a couple of goodies for you this week with deep digging in the vaults alongside some brand new stuff as new to me as I think it will be to you.

I was talkin' this one up at the aforementioned party with a fellow fan of Gene's. I've had this for a good few years from my side-dealer who used to use the Banda printer (no-one knows what these are other than me and Mark) and Gene sports a nice sweater on the cover. Gene's best side...possibly? He could look a little bit more excited about things tho!

Gene Pitney- She's a heartbreaker

I know absolutely zip about these guys other than they appear to be providing some music to a flick from the 60's. Great tune with a pretty stupid title if you ask me.

Los Beatniks- Tampic twist

It's been a while since I dipped my toes in the 'eat-it's-self-alive' world of Northern soul. I've had this one a good for you years without giving it much attention. Nice to have a good female duo from the sixties. I can't think of any others. Probably a good job this one wasn't on Motown other wise Berry may have been requesting a duo of a different kind from these gals!

Dottie and Millie- Talkin' about my baby

This is another memory of my teenage years. Along with 'Midnight Cowboy' and 'Here we go round the mullberry bush' these are films that make me think of '94/ '95 and watching them with Den Snr. So I was chewing the booshwash with Paul the other night about this one and so I went on to watch it. I'd forgot just how ahead of it's time/ sad this flick truly is. That said- I wanna go! Roman world please!! Here we have a 'making of' for ya which ain't on my vanilla US DVD. I'm told that this is the first flick to use 'pixalisation'...there is a literal pixalated mare in this flick (term of enderement used by Grandpa Iniquity!)

Westworld making of

Got no strings

Ooo it's been a good few days since I last swung by this part of the world. What have I been doin? Well, first trip to Scunthorpe was done the other week along with triathalon viewings and free feeds. What more could you want...oh, yeah a cider lolly in a paper wrapper! £1!!!

Yup, I know I keep turning to the ever- creepy Cliff. But I couldn't let this one fly past thanks to my hombre, Michael. I just don't understand why he's Cliff Richard Jnr! Anyway, If you ever wanted to see what Cliff looked like as a Thunderbird: look no further!

Cliff Richard- Shooting star

Only a short one this week but I will be back with MORE! next time, Denettes

Birth of the Octopi!

More journeys into the unknown this week from chez Den (Scunthorpe this time...) coupled with a visit to the Lowry to see the ever-good Frisky & Mannish (previously blogged 'ere). I've convinced my squeeze to watch another French flick that had been lurking on the hard drive for months which was the bees knees (those Frenchies seem to be able to churn out the flicks with much more class than the mockney gangster cack that keeps tricklin' down the leg of British cinema...don't even get me started on Danny D**r. Anyway, a couple more rag- bag tunes that have popped into the idea box this week along with the loverly Amelie Soleil...future star of Burly Q on July 3 (tickets available here)

More bonkers fun from the greatly under-rated 80's beacon-shiners XTC in their never bettered 60's alter-ego the Dukes of Stratosphear...I dig the bonkers WW1 vibe!

The Dukes of Stratosphear- You're a good man Albert Brown

It never ceases to surprise me how you can find good stuff lurking out there. This would have seriously fried my wig as a teeny-bopper with so much stuff available (I can barely keep up now...I really need to jack in the stinking day-gig). This is a Swedish (Methinks) pop singer's take on the great track by Carole King. The orig has been doin' the rounds in my world since '98 but this version may just top it...judge for yo'selves peeps.

Alice Babs- Been to Canaan

Carole King- Been to Canaan

Great flick that whizzed by and didnt outstay it's welcome. Perfectly demonstrating just how messed up those teenage gal's can be...

Water lillies trailer

Possibly one of the best promo shots I've seen in a long time of the loverley Amelie Soleil who is due to land at Burly Q in July. Fantastic burlesque that uses a prop that no-one else is ever gonna try and copy...can't wait to see this act for real!

Amelie Soleil show reel

Burning with a low blue flame

In Den land things took an unexpected detour down a dead end last week but with the schnoz firmly to the grindstone now he's back churning out his weekly editions of guff-like prattle and noise. So tune in those cab doors pop-pickers and open those windows on the eyeball pleasers...

First out of the traps is everyone's favourite crooner to be blown up by the Nazi's- Al Bowlly. He's been one of my £1 bargain LP snags of late and there's been a few docu's about him on Radio 2. They tell me this guy was the first vocalist to operate a hand mic...he's got a lot to answer for then...seriously under-rated everywhere but in S12 Al deserves your TLC.

Al Bowlly- Guilty

And on to the smokin' palamino that is Jane Russell singing I song I first heard on the isle of Maui last August, not only heard folks but actually learnt to play on the uke! So imagine my surprise when I found this version...Burly Q fans should look out for our July show for a little Hawaiian interlude!

Jane Russell- Lovely hula hands

What can I say about this flick? It would appear in Den's dictionary under 'Eyeball pleaser' for it's sheer beauty and stylized greatness along with the bizarre sight of Gene Kelly speaking French. However, it's a load of fluff that goes nowhere. The best bit comes 1o mins when Catherine Deneuve sings this ditty with her sis "Les Chanson des jumelles"...take it away gals...

Les demoiselles de Rochfort

Fall in and dig the happenings

Another Burly Q is firmily under the belt and with just 6 weeks 'til the next un I gotta start movin'. The ol' idea box has been boxed in by a number of bad cats this week. And in this case bad isn't as good as you could possibly get. Take it away, Den.

So first up this time is the mildly amusing Ruth Wallis who I snarfed up an album called (and I kid yea not) "French postcards set to music". Outrageous I guess at the time this (and the actual vinyl, which sounds more like an LP pressed on wet cardboard) hasn't aged particularly well. I'd like the think the working title for this ditty to the hay parlor was "Beard".

Ruth Wallis- Queer things

I've just finished flicking the paper on Nick Tosches 'Dino'. I asked my sidekick Cherry the other night what she thought a Dean Martin roast was and her reply involved Frank Sinatra and some dumb dolly from the Sands hotel circa 1962. Anyhow, in my head I had visions of Dean and all his show biz pals all scoffing nosh around a big table. We were both wrong it's this bizarro concept...I'm told by Tosches that there was some clever editing going on in some of these as they couldn't get 'em all together at the same time. Avoid the Sammy Davis episode for the usual black and jew gags. This one, however, rips apart America's oldest and most intelligent Prez...Fudge me this Rickles character looks more like the Thing than that bloke who works with my trouble and strife!

Don Rickles on Dean Martin's Roast...roasting Ronald Reagan

I'm a bit hit and miss when it comes to plugging what I dig in the world of burlesk. But with the Burly Q hangover biting my better half pointed me in the direction of the NY- based Nasty Canasta and her fanstastical ginchy fan-dance. I dig it. You should too!

Nasty Canasta- Fan dance

Playing bedwarmer

There's been a lot spilling from the ol' pie chopper recently and maybe one or two too many of the pies an' all. So I've got some more platters for ya from the good ol' tube with a bit of Elvis 70's style- glam, crap novelty records, a welcome return for Dino (just reading the Tosches biog) and the puppet master that is Leggy Pee (great moniker, gal!)

First outta the traps is perhaps the ugliest bunch of mugs this side of Uggville. The guy with the girls hair and earrings kills me. I have this fantasy Elvis Lp where he records some stuff from the seventies...this is one 'em. These munters are coming up on the rails in Chez Den...

Mud- Rocket

I make no apologies for this stinker of a tune. I recently DJ'd at a dance- craze themed night which featured novelty sides a go-go but thankfully not this one. It's worth watching to see Ted's huge arms flapping in the breeze. This guy's got mits like a wicket-keepers gloves! I wonder what 'Wesley' is like...then again, mebbe not.

Ted Cassidy- The lurch

The mid-60's Dino is unfairly dissed by Tosches and even the early 80's had it's ups in Den's book...(I admit it- I love Cannonball Run...! it ain't no sin to take your skin off and dance around in your bones...!). Anyway, Den's sibling has this side tucked away in the attic and I tried to find the ever elusive 'Shades' but no dice so hear Dean do Motown people...

Dean Martin- The tracks of my tears

A great stage name and Leggy pulling off the difficult trick of making something hard look easy. I'm never sure if the folks get it tho as they fall into the trap of thinking that she's just trotting out some bilge. Judge for yourselves but I like it!

Miss Leggy Pee