#RCA report

[fruitcage]

[kraniumet]

day off secondhand haul. 14$ 1999 mini audio system and a 1938 maths textbook

[bispsolutions]

Oracle TRCS Return To Accrual Adjustments

[blanchebees]

Please reblog and spread.

If you're an artist drawing Sleep Token, know that if you're gonna sell fanart, the label is gonna take them down, instagram posts and accounts may as well.

I personally got my prints on my Inprnt shop taken down, even with or without tags or the absence of the band's logo.

The reports started back in march, around the time when ST had switched labels to RCA, owned by Sony Music Entertainment.

Don't want to sit down and let big corporations screw over small independent artists so if you wish to do something against this please interact!

If you have experience with complaining to a label don't hesitate to comment!

[humanoidhistory]

RCA 501 all-transistor computer system, as seen in the RCA Annual Report 1959.

[elkkiel]

Regarding ST's merch, I think it's really obvious quality wise what merch the boys had a direct hand in and what merch is just RCA slapping ST's name and logo on something because they know it'll sell. The figurine and the constant HT/Spencer's drops scream RCA just trying to make a buck.

I think the big thing we can do as fans, or in this case consumers, is just be really picky about what merch we actually buy. Let sales numbers and the market talk for us ig (ew capitalism, but unfortunately that's how this works)

Things like the graphic novel? Hell yeah, support the shit out of that! We're out here Obtaining new, original stories made in collaboration with the band themselves, AND supporting art that aligns with the band's previously-curated brand image. Throw your money at that or hype it up online, since that's what we REALLY want to see from them. (even if it's too $$$ for many people. But, I get the sense that they wouldn't mind the pdf being shared with other fans lol. You can't tell me those nerds haven't read pirated manga/comics/books online before)

The low quality, soulless Licensed Products keep on coming because there's apparently a market for them. People will buy it just because it's ST, not because it's actually worth the money. As if it'll bring any value to their experience with the band. How many fans actually want a fuckin lava lamp, or any assortment of the hot topic merch that's just Vessel's face cheaply screenprinted on the front?

I think there's a lot of hype and market potential for their brand and likeness right now, and—for a corporate entity—it makes sense to flood the market like fucking Atlantic with whatever merch will sell. Voting with your wallet really does help. Not buying into the obvious cash-grab merch produces data that tells marketers that we're tired of it. It produces trend reports which indicate their current merch practices are becoming unprofitable to continue (oh, the horrors!)

Idk like I said last night, there seems to be a big disconnect between the band's history of being very selective with aesthetics/design, and whatever is going on right now. Personally, I'd much rather wallow in despair over sleeping through a relatively rare merch drop during European daylight hours. Because then at least the drop feels worth it, and fans who were able to buy merch will have a better, higher quality experience that actually aligns with their brand. Literally anything other than what we're seeing from them right now.

Sorry I just woke up not too long ago, so this might not read very clearly. I want to see my boys succeed and make a living off their art as much as anyone else, but surely there's a better way to support them.

[hooked-on-elvis]

What is your favorite part of the '68 Special?

Pictures: Singer Presents  ... Elvis, commonly referred to as the '68 Comeback Special. 1968.

For me, undoubtedly I say my favorite part of the '68 Special is the sit-down concerts, specially the reunion between Elvis and the remaining members of Elvis' former band, the Blue Moon Boys, Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana.

I wonder if the fans, not the specialized critic such as musicians and general people in the business but specially the fans, back then, while watching this TV special for the first time, understood or merely felt the significance of this moment. I wonder if they were surprised in seeing Elvis not only back onstage after a while but back onstage with Scotty and DJ Fontana by his side. Man, that was special! To me, the most special portion of the '68 Comeback. ♥

Bill Black, bassist, unfortunately passed away in 1965, while Elvis was still full time engaged with his Hollywood career. Fans only wish Bill could have been there with Scotty and DJ. He had that irreverent performance that fascinates me, surely he would've been a great asset to the show. I only feel sorry Elvis, neither Scotty or DJ, ever mentioned Bill on the '68 Special, but its understandable the reason why. It wasn't about the Blue Moon Boys more than it was about Elvis returning to the stage. Even so, had Bill made it to this moment, man! That would've been something else. Even more meaningful than it already was.

Scotty Moore: His memories on the '68 Comeback Special and 'behind the scenes': Elvis and The Blue Moon Boys performing in Europe?

Source: Excerpt of the documentary "Elvis: The Birth of Rock n' Roll" (2004)

Scotty reveals Elvis asked him and DJ Fontana if they would agree to go on the road with him again, this time performing overseas, in Europe. Curious enough, to that question, Scotty says Elvis called him and DJ Fontana to another room in his home, so they could talk in private - which was something unusual for him because "usually anything he had to say, he'd say no matter who was around".

For the longest time, performing around the world was something Presley aimed. Ever since he had been stationed in Germany with the US Army during his service time, a period he did paused his career therefore he didn't perform while in Europe between 1958 to 1960, reporters asked him if and when that moment would come when Elvis would go back to Europe but this time for live concerts, to the thrill of his passionate fans overseas who followed him career from afar, many since the 50s. Unfortunately touring outside US (other than few performances in Canada in 1957) never seemed the get the right time.

Once Elvis begin performing live again in 1969, after he was out of the movie contracts, Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, would always have excuses on the tip of his tongue for why an European tour, or world tour for that matter, would not be a such good idea. When Elvis received some death threats coming his way through letters sent to his crew occasionally, starting from 1969 on, those incident perfectly fit to Colonel Parker's intentions for his gold boy. Parker would use the incidents to manipulate Elvis to believe they couldn't do his security properly out of the US. Colonel would tell Presley how it would be too dangerous for him, besides they could make just as much money performing home as they have been doing so far.

Elvis never had this one dream of performing overseas coming true in his life, as much as another reunion between him and the Blue Moon Boys never came to be after the '68 Comeback Special. Scotty says that private conversation in Elvis' home (in 1968) was the last time he was together with Elvis like that, which makes this moment in history one of a kind.

During the '68 Special (sit-down concert), Scotty submits a special request to Elvis for them to play "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" together.

The song was recorded by them on February 3, 1956, at RCA studios in New York. It was released as B-side to the EP "Elvis Presley", out in September 1956. The cover shows Elvis, Scotty Moore and Bill Black performing together.

Later, the song would be featured on the LP "For Elvis Fans Only" released in 1959. Elvis would frequently include "Lawdy Miss Clawdy" to his main setlists from 1970 to 1975, occasionally performing it in 1976 and 1977.

No wonder Scotty picked this song. Maybe a subtle way of honoring late Bill Black. ♥

About their performance of this tune during the '68 Comeback Special:

As they jam together, Scotty gives a cue and Elvis tears into “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” with a raw assault of mixed emotion. His performance is so intense that it almost—in the best way—scratches the ears. Vocal cords that, so far, have proved their owner’s mastery with smooth singing are pushed to the point of fraying at the edges. As Greil Marcus noticed, when Elvis lurches into the number, what he experiences is a feeling that is both joshing and liberated. At one point, as the musicians jam together, it’s possible to hear Charlie Hodge getting carried away with laughter, as if bobbing in the fray of a heady, almost oceanic moment. In his underrated 2004 pocket volume The Rough Guide to Elvis, Paul Simpson describes “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” as “Elvis’s answer to Jack Kerouac’s On the Road.” Taking on this old staple in the Comeback, what the singer delivers is lusty, passionate, and commanding, yet also desperate, angry, and sad. He conjures with immense powers. — Mark Duffett (Counting Down Elvis - His 100 Finest Songs, 2018)

Again, what is your favorite part of the '68 Special?

[elvis1970s]

The first of two New Year concerts Elvis performed was 1975-76; one night at the Silverdome, Pontiac, Michigan, to a record in-person audience of over 62 000. Newspaper reports of the time conveyed the excitement with headlines, 'Elvis Still Shakes 'em Up', and 'The Legendary Elvis Dazzles New Year's Eve Stadium Crowd'. The $800 000 gross for the night also attracted widespread publicity, at that time a record for a single performance by a solo artist.

The time of year, and the unprecedented size of the venue, created a number of challenges. The weather was freezing, described by a concertgoer as 'the worst ice-storm ever', and there was an unfamiliar stage rig; Elvis biographer Peter Guralnick suggested that there was no way Elvis could have pre-approved the design which left him isolated on a catwalk several feet above the main stage, making the usual eye-contact and unspoken communication with the band difficult to impossible.

It appears the audience remained generally patient and did not allow the sense of excitement to be undone by ticketing mix-ups, troublesome sound and the freezing temperatures, as well as a seemingly endless pre-programme which on this occasion also included a group named Bodie Mountain Express, a side project of Colonel Parker who was trying to get them signed with RCA.

Early in the show, Elvis tore the seat out of the 'rainfall' jumpsuit and had to leave the stage to change into the 'white V-neck', on his return joking about being a 'quick change artist'.

The Detroit News;

"...Inside the stadium, there were some hassles over tickets. A few fans complained of duplicated seat numbers. Others, most of them $15 stadium floor seat ticket holders who were unprepared for the booming acoustics of the arena, complained about the sound. Others weren't happy about their distance from the stage, but many Elvis fans seemed content to watch 1976 come in through a pair of binoculars...Presley hit the 50-yard line stage - a platform 10 feet off the stadium floor, surrounded by speakers and connected to his dressing room by a 70-yard tunnel - At 11:10 pm; women in glittery dresses and billowing pantsuits joined kids in a rush toward the stage. Lots of screaming. Everything flickered as a generation of flashcubes meets oblivion..."

It was the most ambitious single performance since Aloha, and once again, after some nervous moments, and in almost impossible conditions, Elvis rose to the challenge.

He talked a little about the show in a lighthearted moment on stage in 1976;

The Pontiac Silverdome was demolished in 2018.

[stevenbasic]

Growing ino the Job, Post 362: That Was Then, This Is Now, p14

<clap clap clap clap!>

<thwap thwap thwap thwap!>

Holy Jesus…holy god…holy f-fuck…

What’s happening!?!

Static crackled around the announcer’s nasal, staccato voice sizzling from my new RCA tabletop radio. 

“Attention! Attention attention! Stay tuned for a special report!”

<clap clap clap clap!>

Despite the alarm in the radio broadcast, my whole world was focused on what was smack-dab in front of me, jiggling in quakes of cheesecake, being slammed with everything I had as I stared at its planetary immensity and held onto its hips for dear life. 

<thwap thwap thwap thwap!>

Melissa’s ass. Melissa’s enormous ass. I was fucking her from behind, the hourglass of her bent doggy-style over my desk, her polka-dotted blue poodle skirts lifted up around her broad woman-hips. 

<clap clap clap clap!>

<clickety-clickety-click!>

<thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap!>

“The women have stormed the Capitol! The scene is chaos! Here in Washington! Hordes of them! Mobs!”

I looked down at us, at where we were joined, and gasped. Her hips dwarfed mine. They were wide, confident with fertility, tremendous, the globes of her ass perhaps greater in mass than my whole torso. My own hips, trying their best to make <smack smack smack> impact appeared meager and thin compared to the birthing behemoths of this woman who - oh god oh god oh god - needed to bend at the knee to allow small me to - oh god oh god oh god - fuck her. 

<clap clap clap clap!>

<clickety-clickety-click!>

<thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap thwap!>

Oh my god! I can't stop! I can't stop!! 

Why am I so small?!?

What’s happened to me?!?!!!!

The radio continued to blare fire, screaming and violence coming from its speaker. The announcer, a man, sounded terrified, his voice nasal and staccato. 

“We are witnessing a historic day! The capitol is being overrun! Men are fleeing! Their feeble attempts to stop the horde are nothing compared to the might of these women! It’s a brutal sight!”

Oh, baby, oh yes, oh Doctor JAY!! Melissa screamed, laughing and cajoling me, looking back now over her shoulder, watching with glee as I tried my best, ramming into her but so overwhelmed and confused by her size that my mouth hung actually agape. Oh what a MAN you are! she cheered, What a man you are to take my big fat ass! C’mon! Show me! Show me what a man you are!!

Lights above us, everything that lit the room, flickered. Shadows grew longer reaching out toward me. The desk,  the very room shook from our exertions causing one of my framed degrees to fall and crack against the floor. The smell of ozone and sex filled the office as the air sizzled with electricity.

Static crackled, a woman’s voice took over the radio. Strong, resonant, stentorian. A speech, a broadcast. Had I heard it before?? This woman? This speech?

“My fellow Americans! Times are changing! Men have been regressing. They are becoming smaller. They are becoming weaker. They can no longer provide for us like they once did. They can no longer provide for themselves. It is clear they need someone to care for them, protect them, and make their decisions. Men can no longer be allowed to act on their own, and therefore as your President I hereby, with the authority of Congress, strip men of all their rights and autonomy. Starting today they are to be declared dependents and will be the sole charge and property of their most significant female relationsh-“

DoctorJay, oh yes Doctor Jay! I don't know how you can take it! How are you still holding back?!  Melissa sang as we continued to fuck,, Don't you want me??

<Hurrrptt>!

I looked down at her, my little hands on her broad hips and oh my god has she gotten bigger?!? 

Aren’t I huge enough for you? Don't my curves OVERWHELM you enough?

<Hurrrpppttcchh>!!

I was losing my grip I was losing control I was stumbling literally and stumbling my feet on tiptoes nearly unable to good god look at the size of my dick in and out and in and out it’s a monster

Flicker. Crackle of static. Electricity, and perfume of some Other. 

<clap clap clap clickety clickety click>  

“The time of men has come to an end. It is time for women to finally and fully take over! Where men have failed? We. Will. Rule! Let today be known, sisters, as the first day of the Matriarchal States of America, and let men shrink, and shrink, and shrink. Let them take their proper place in-“

Oh god I want you in me NOW!! Melissa bellowed with lungs more than human, suddenly straightening her knees telling me to hold on AND LIFTING ME holy god right off my feet! 

In me!! ON ME!

I held on, I clung to her for dear life. I held her hips while my own still tried to fuck her though…oh god…my feet were a foot off the floor dangling uselessly now. She looked back at me and smiled wickedly, her eyes sparkling like arcane gems as she leaned forward lifting them higher.  My face planted against her wide back as my arms sought purchase around her waist like a baby monkey. I am so much smaller than her and-

I want you on me in me, I want to fucking OWN YOU, in my bra, in my pussy my womb, up IN me your whole nnnnNNNNGGGGH!!! 

Darkness, lights. The sun itself outside through the window flickered no flashed no beat like a strobe, like the heartbeat of some titan. 

<clap click clap clickety clap!>

IN ME!!

The other girls are here!

They’ve been here the whole time!  Watching!

They’re surrounding me!!

And they’re HUGE!!

OH MY GOD THEY’RE GIANTS!!

THEY'RE ALL GIANTS!!!

Come on Dr. J show us what a 'man' you are!

That's right pump pump pump those little hips into her!

Show her who’s boss!

IN ME!!

Oh Jesus Christ they're smiling they’re clapping they're watching me… 

You like this little man??? You like holding onto her like that??

He does! Looks at him!

He’s sinking into her!

Oh god oh Dr. J just wait! There’s SO MUCH MORE to come!

<clap clap clap!!>

GET INSIDE ME!!!

HOLD ON!!

no…! I’M SHRINKING I”M SINKING I’M GETting sucked i-in…

Wait what? The lights, they were changing. The air itself was changing

“You’re okay, hold on…hold on…hold on…” she was telling me, urging me to cling to her as I began to jerk and buck into her, my tiny body…but at the same time now in her arms. I was both waking and finally climaxing my weakness into her enormousness. 

Nnngh nnngh nnngh!! Right into her!! She’s fucking HUGE!

Yes yes hold me…hold me…

nnngh…nnngh…nnngh…

The lights stopped flashing and pulsing as I did, even as I came I saw the lights flicker one last time and dim, fade, darkness quickly flowing in from all directions. Was I being pulled into her?  No, no. The dream, which had become a nightmare was ending. 

“Hold on…” I heard her say, from somewhere else, “Hold on Jay, you’re okay…”

============================================

[eptodaytommorowforever]

Events In The History And Of The Life Of Elvis Presley Today On The 28th Of October in 1957.

Elvis Presley Pan Pacific Auditorium, Los Angeles On October The 28th, In 1957 (First Show).

In his first show at the Pan Pacific Auditorium, Elvis Presley was determined to impress his celebrity-studded audience, and he did. With Hollywood celebrities and their children among the more than nine thousand in attendance, Elvis Presley performed eighteen songs ending with 'Hound Dog'.

Throughout Elvis Presley's performance that night, a three-foot tall replica of Nipper, RCA's trademark, sat at one side of the stage. Concluding the show with 'Hound Dog' Elvis Presley grabbed Nipper around the neck (Pictures below) with his left arm and lifted him from the floor, eventually lying on the floor while continuing to sing into the microphone in his right hand.

The audience went wild but the newspapers the following day took a different view - As often happened at Elvis Presley concerts in the fifties, eyewitnesses saw the same stage events differently as they were filtered through predetermined prejudices, both for and against Elvis Presley

At a party in his hotel suite after the show, Elvis Presley met Ricky Nelson, while hosting entertainers Nick Adams, Carol Channing, Sammy Davis Jr and Tommy Sands. Nick Adams and Sammy Davis Jr entertained the guests with impressions. Elvis Presley's date for the evening was Anne Neyland. rare b/w candids of elvis presley speaking to LA journalist's reporters and backstage and performing at this show concert taken by fans audience members.

[mariacallous]

Hollywood has an inclusivity problem. How is this possible, in 2024, you wonder, when films like King Richard or Sound of Metal or Everything Everywhere All at Once—all nominated for Best Picture Oscars—suggest otherwise. They are films rich in story, dimension, and purpose. They are also exceptions to a long-established rule: White men still run Hollywood. Women remain almost entirely shut out, compared to their male colleagues, while disabled and Black actors are underrepresented in all major employment arenas for theatrical film, according to UCLA’s most recent Hollywood diversity report.

In the face of this, Kamala Avila-Salmon wants better for Hollywood and its storytellers. Avila-Salmon is the head of inclusive content at Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, where she began her stint in 2020 and has since leveraged her experience as a marketing savant (she has held top-level roles at RCA, Universal Pictures, Google, and Facebook) to shift how the studio makes movies. At Lionsgate, her main directive is simple: to create a creative economy that allows for more attentive storytelling. Stories of magnitude and conviction, yes, but also ones with as much reach as possible. It begins, she tells me, by having an “audience-first” mindset.

This month she launched Story Spark, an online tool that helps creatives understand the limits of their scripts and hiring choices by pushing for inclusivity in all aspects (it resembles a BuzzFeed-style multiple-choice questionnaire). As AI threatens a shrinking workforce and streaming upends traditional viewership, Avila-Salmon believes Story Spark can be a bridge to a healthier future for Hollywood. “Story Spark isn’t telling you if the movie is good,” she jokes when we chat over Zoom. “I have no idea.” You don’t upload a script. There is no secret counsel of industry insiders judging your work behind the scenes. Story Spark is simply meant to challenge writers and filmmakers to create their most audacious work possible. And, yes, there will be plenty of notes.

[jazzandother-blog]

Jaco Pastorius unreleased "Teen Town" Weather Report live 1978

This never-before-heard version of Jaco's "Teen Town" is musically unique and worth hearing. After the tune ends, all four band members walk to the front of the stage to thank crowd. Recorded live 1978, Reading, PA. Weather Report: Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Peter Erskine.

Credits from Peter: "My father Dr. Fred Erskine shot the Washington and Reading videos of Jaco w/ WR (1978). The sound came direct from the front-of-house mix board, engineered by Brian Risner, and my dad was using an old RCA video camera (at least one of those shows without a tripod), a heavy beast of a thing."

[whositmcwhatsit]

Hi!

Idk if this sent the first time, the wifi i’m using is really bad, but anyway…

I’m not sure if you’ve already done this, but I was wondering if you had any recommendations on books about Elvis? I’ve already read Last Train To Memphis but that’s just about the only one.

I’m a relatively new fan, but he’s so magnetic and interesting — I’d love to learn more about him 🫠🫠

Thank you!! xx

Hi there! So, it's really a case of what you're looking for, because there are lots of different entries into the world of Elvis. Heads up, first of all: Everyone and their elderly third cousin twice removed has written a book about Elvis. They all put themselves at the centre of Elvis' life and decisions to some degree or another. They all talk about his excesses and problems as if they were not just as heavily involved and partaking just as much. Some will quote conversations with Elvis as if they are verbatim. A healthy dose of cynicism is needed throughout. Also, don't bother reading anything by The Stanleys. This is my golden rule. So, I assume you're going to read Careless Love by Peter Guralnick, but I'll recommend it anyway. It's a hard read towards the end, and Guralnick's own feelings kind of color things in contrast with the more 'objective' Last Train. Still, I consider it a must read. If you're looking for more of an overview using more than one voice, I'd recommend Elvis and The Memphis Mafia by Alanna Nash with Billy Smith, Marty Lacker and Lamar Fike. They tell a good story, they are 'characters' in their own right, and they give you a strong idea of the vibe around Elvis. Disclaimer: facts are sometimes less important than a good yarn. Like I said, most of his friends wrote about him at least once. Some are more entertaining and readable than others. Lots of people like Joe Esposito's books, such as Good Rockin' Tonight and Elvis- Straight Up, because he comes across as personable and more respectful. Just remember that he was reporting back to The Colonel and good friends with Priscilla, Lisa and EPE. Same with longtime EPE employee Jerry Schilling's Me and Guy Named Elvis, but I like that he was quite different from the rest of the Memphis Mafia and this colours his stories. I really enjoyed Larry Geller's If I Can Dream. While the man loves the sound of his own voice, he also gives an insight into Elvis' struggles in the mid-60s with losing touch with himself and the life he is living. He saw Elvis in a way that most of the other guys couldn't comprehend because of their backgrounds maybe. Some of his stories also have a weird surreal truly Elvis quality. To get a glimpse into Elvis's upbringing and strongest relationship, Elvis and Gladys by Elaine Dundy is a good one. He makes much more sense when you feel you understand where he came from, at least to me. In terms of the women, Linda Thompson's A Little Thing Called Life is a fun read. She probably got to a more intimate insight into Elvis as a famous boyfriend than any of the other women, including Priscilla, in my opinion. She knows how to spin a tale too. June Juanico's Elvis: In the Twilight of Memory is a swoonworthy dream. She is a great writer, and got to sample some pre-superstar boyfriend Elvis. I also enjoyed Joyce Bova's Don't Ask Forever. It gives a view of how it must have been to be one of his side-chicks- Elvis had a new phone line installed in her apartment just for him and would try and get her to skip work (At Capitol Hill!) because her work was less important than his! If you're interested in any of Elvis's work, I highly, devotedly recommend Ernst Jorgensen's Elvis: A Life in Music. This man is the one who should get all the credit for Elvis's legacy continuing so far. Forget EPE, RCA, Sony, all of them. He is the supreme Elvis historian, has scoured and catalogued the vaults for all Elvis' recorded material. He is involved with the FTD label, which rescued and released all the outtakes, alternate versions, studio banter, concert soundboard recordings, everything. He is my hero. I think everyone has a different version of Elvis that they love, so if anyone else has any other recommendations, please chime in! And remember, we don't read a Stanley. Thank you for reaching out. Let me know what you end up reading next, I love a book discussion!

[thislovintime]

Photos © Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images, Jeff Hochberg/Rock Negatives, Disc & Music Echo, Icon and Image/Getty Images; photo 9 shows Peter at Decca in London, with Cyril Black of Screen Gems, Terry Oates of RCA Victor, Jack Magraw of Screen Gems, and Colin Borland of Decca (photo published in Billboard’s January 20, 1968 issue).

“The Peter Tork you saw on Top Of The Pops last week was, to use his own words, ‘My public image.’ The zany goon-like character was in top TV form as he clowned his way through 30 minutes of semi-chaos […]. Some accused him of acting, and he admitted of course that he was. That was what people excepted him to do. But the Peter Tork who peacefully sat cross-legged on a table in a small room at Decca’s Regent Street offices was Peter Tork, no acting, no clowning — just a singularly intelligent young man with a surprisingly (when you think of the TV character) wide vocabulary. ‘I don’t know why it is. I just seem to have been born with a large vocabulary and now I’m stuck with it!’ [….] On more than one occasion, armed with his own camera, he turned the tables on unsuspecting photographers, most of whom didn’t really appreciate the subtlety of the Tork sarcasm.” - Disc and Music Echo, January 13, 1968

“He sat cross-legged on the Big Executive Desk, surveying us all with confidence but occasionally giving himself away by tearing nervously at one of his multi-colored moccasins. Around his neck he wore beads ('I like them’) and his bearded face smiled the most when he was asked questions about fans, shaving, or the fringed handbag around his waist. Peter Tork was meeting the Press — not the zany stumbler from the Monkees’ series, or the fellow you saw teeny-bopping around your ‘Top Of The Pops’ screen last Thursday. This was a gentle and articulate Monkee who talked like a Websters’ Dictionary.” - Alan Smith, NME, January 13, 1968

“In fact I arrived at London Airport completely unannounced and was able to walk around the city for three days completely unnoticed. I visited ‘Granny Takes A Trip,’ ‘Apple’ and the ‘Speakeasy’ and I found them all very good. In fact the juggler’s shirt I’m wearing was bought at Apple.” - Peter Tork, Disc and Music Echo, January 13, 1968

“Peter Tork, while living up to the TV legend, is straightforward, friendly and very human. […] [H]e thoughtfully tugged his sun-streaked brown hair, which erupts from his mobile face and slides down the slender stem of his neck in a silken flow, only to find its exit to the shoulders cut off abruptly by the stylist’s scissors. He has almost always the look of patient resignation worn under the make-up of great clowns, and his face arranges itself into any number of humorous attitudes with the ease of a bendy doll… screwed up like an unwanted love letter or innocent as a boy accused of scrumping apples. His mouth is soft and sweet, and there is both shrewdness and kindness in his small, searching eyes. […] He winced when a reporter opened his question with ‘we’re honored to have you here,’ and on being informed that ‘your banjo-playing was for many of us the highlight of your concerts here,’ he murmured a quick ‘that’s very kind of you’ and brushed off the questioner. Compliments wash against him like so much spray on a cliff-face. […] The conference broke up with requests for autographs all around, and for the first time, Peter seemed genuinely touched by this subtle flattery. My last sight of him was a smiling figure signing autographs for fans in the rain, each one with a ‘Love from Peter Tork’ and a flower. And the sweet smell from the joss stick smoldering in his hand was still with me as I walked away.” - June Southworth, Fabulous 208, January 17, 1968

“‘We thought the present shows were losing their impetus. They were getting harder to act. We felt yoked by the plots. We want our shows to be fun, simple… but inventive, fresh and interesting. Did you see “Magical Mystery Tour”? Did you like it? Good. That’s what we like. We could not do more shows like those in the past. We must go as far afield as possible… on the lines of “Magical Mystery Tour.”’ […] Peter also revealed that in the future he hopes to concentrate more on folk music, particularly on the Monkees’ forthcoming albums.” - NME, January 13, 1968

Additional photos from the press reception, and Peter looking through entries from fans for NME's Monkee Faces contest. (More photos from that occasion here.)

During his time in London, Peter also wrote "Long Title..." (read more here), was a guest presenter on Top Of The Pops, and took part in recording sessions for George Harrison's Wonderwall Music, playing banjo (more about that here).

[goodbysunball]

Mid-year report: 2023

More for my sake than yours, my memory's like a sieve these days - but here's a quick list of the stuff that's resonated most so far this year. Yes, I am going soft on you.

Sixteen alphabetical bullet points:

Cheater Slicks, Ill-Fated Cusses LP (In the Red)

CIA Debutante, Down, Willow LP (Siltbreeze)

Joe Colley, Acting As If 10" (Substantia Innominata)

Delco MF's, March of the MF's 7" (MF Records)

Disintegration, Time Moves For Me 12" (Feel It)

Leda, Neuter LP (Discreet)

Nusidm, The Last Temptation of Thrill (Bruit Direct Disques)

Olimpia Splendid, 2 LP (Fonal/Kraak)

Primitive Man & Full of Hell, Suffocating Hallucination LP (Closed Casket Activities)

Tàrrega 91', Fill De La Merda 7" (La Vida Es Un Mus)

Terrine, Standing Abs LP (Bruit Direct Disques)

Valee & Harry Fraud, Virtuoso (SRFSCHL/Fake Shore Drive) - minus the Twista verse on "WTF"; gonna live in "Dutty Laundry," "Sea Bass" and "Yea But Um" for the rest of the summer

Veeze, Ganger (Navy Wavy)

Witness K, s/t LP (ever/never)

Young Nudy, Gumbo (RCA)

Young Thug feat. 21 Savage, "Want Me Dead," and Young Thug's "Mad Dog" and "Gucci Grocery Bag" - been enjoying Metro Boomin's version of Business Is Business a little too much, given that it's weighed down by terrible features, but these songs stick

[fithragaer]

Dreamt last night that staff released a major update where any post that contained “threats to American national security and interests” would be immediately reported to the RCA, which was some new usamerican intelligence agency. Posts would be reported regardless of the country the OP was from and tons of posts were seemingly getting removed at random because of it. User reaction was like 60% people completely dropping this site, 20% people not taking it seriously, and 20% people doing the whole “let people enjoy things!!!” song and dance. People kept paying for checkmarks and blazing posts the whole time