#bc it was 40 a few days ago the heat in my building is still on EVEN THO ITS 77 TODAY

[leasboyfriend]

playing kh2 with my fancy headset for the first time bc i need to inject Axel's voice directly into my brain

[thedgreene-blog]

the TOP 10 albums I saved to my Spotify in 2017

Seasons greetings friends. I write to you from icy cold Vernon, BC. I’m fighting a sore throat, dried out sinuses, and an eye infection I got from the pool at the Vernon Lodge (formerly the Best Western, currently featuring a Don Cherry branded sports bar). But enough about me. Grab a cup of hot cocoa and kick up your feet. It’s time for another one of D. Greene’s horribly written year end top 10 lists.

10. The Guess Who - American Woman (also Wheatfield Soul and Canned Heat)

 We’ll start off with a perfect double whammy example of why you should stop reading this right now. Seriously. Ok well don’t say anyone even remotely recommended reading this all the way through. First off - These albums came out over 40 years ago. Second - I listened to them all 5-10 years ago. But guess what amigos - they weren’t saved to my Spotify library until this year. I have a beautiful memory of driving around getting together production requirements for a weekend of shooting Gritzmore Season One which is available for your viewing pleasure on YouTube and Funny or Die. With me were my friends Derek (listens to Black Sabbath and Queens of the Stone Age), Justin (listens to Tragically Hip and Anime music), and Melissa (listens to only Japanese folk songs and Lady Gaga(Zef if you’re reading this please DM me)). Despite our wildly different tastes in listening; all genres were transcended by the heavy yet clean and spatial Canadian dad rock majesty that is the Guess Who. While most dad bands force you to listen to a best of because of the sheer monotony of a pentatonic rock album produced in the 70s, The Guess Who’s albums hold up. You’ve got the sounds of jazz, hard rock, 60s referencing psych and more. I’m really running out of steam here and I’m still on number 10 oh my god. Be a good Canadian and listen to some Guess Who.

9. Painted Fruit - PF II

And now to completely stray from the previously mentioned guide lines seemingly rendering this piece of “journalism” more pointless than it all ready is. This album isn’t on Spotify but it is on Bandcamp. Painted Fruit are some old friends from the mother land, Vernon. I shot a video for them a while ago. It still kind of holds up even though it’s on YouTube in 720p. This album sports shiny reverberating guitars influenced by beach rock, drums caught up half way between garage and math rock, and vocals obviously influenced by Talking Heads or similarly uninhibited post punk wailing. My favourite track is “Primitive” it really heats up near the end. Very upbeat but dark. It’s not too common an album can keep you tuned in start to finish but the Fruit’s second album is mentally stimulating all the way through whether it’s on in the car or if you’re taking a more scrutinizing listen with headphones.

8. Fleetwood Mac - Future Games

If you’ve ever spent any time around me you know I don’t shut the fuck up about pre-Stevie Knicks Fleetwood Mac. I think I’m SO god damn cultured because I can say “ACTUALLY they started out as a blues band before transitioning in psychedelic and eventually soft rock”. Wow David. Mr. Rock and Roll trivia. You don’t know shit about what’s going on in the world politically or even in your own city for that matter. You don’t watch sports. You don’t even watch current TV and movies even though you claim to be a writer and director. But I bet you’ve got some sick ass trivia about Fleetwood Mac. They’re that band that does “thunder only happens when it’s raining” right? They’re pretty good - my mom has a few of their CDs. Whatever don’t tell me how to live my life. One day I’m going to get on Jeopardy and then we’ll see who’s laughing when I burn the fuck through the entire rock and roll trivia category and the $1000 daily double is “this guitarist played in Fleetwood Mac before departing and eventually joining the religious cult known as the Children of God” “WHO IS JEREMY SPENCER, ALEX!?” Anyway this album is really good and it’s finally on Spotify. And not to confuse you, Jeremy Spencer plays on Then Play On, which is not on Spotify yet. Danny Kirwan is on Future Games.

7. Kanye West - 808s and Heartbreak/Graduation

Hey Kanye how you doing buddy? Seems like you’re thinking about a lot. Got a lot going on upstairs. Glad I got to see the Life of Pablo show before you cancelled the rest of the tour. If you need to talk or anything I’m right here. It can’t be easy keeping up with those krazy Kardashians. What happened to the album you said you’d put out by this past summer? Can we have a little teaser at least? I was going to DM you on Twitter but you deleted it. Well I just wanted to write and say that I was listening to 808s and Graduation and was thinking about how 10 years ago you literally laid the ground work for the majority of current pop and hip hop. Every dance track lately has the same synth sounds as Graduation. Even rock artists are writing easy listening yacht rock inspired songs again. And who did you sample on Champion? That’s right Steely Dan. You were pumping out vocoder and heavy minimal bass 10 years before Future and 21 Savage. You’re truly an artist my friend even if I compared you to dads who use Facebook last year. Gimme a call man let’s hang out - I miss you.

6. Once and Future Band - Once and Future Band / Brain

The best kind of satisfaction is the kind you didn’t even know you were after. I came across Once and Future Band and realized I had an itch for prog rock I didn’t know needed scratching. If you’ve ever rocked out to Yes, early King Crimson, late Led Zeppelin, Supertramp, I urge you to check these guys out. Every song plays for around 5-6 minutes. Each track an adventure. They even pepper in elements of classic rock and pop but keep you guessing with messy yet precise fills and time signatures. I just noticed their EP “Brain” isn’t on Spotify anymore which is a huge bummer but you should try and track it down.

5. Arcade Fire - Everything Now 

Arcade Fire are a band that “get it” in every sense of that expression. Lyrically I haven’t identified with songs like the ones on Everything Now since...I want to say ever. They’ve completely found their place sonically after the somewhat experimental “Reflektor.” We can all pretend the song you put out with Mavis Staples doesn’t exist, don’t worry. The singles off this album are perfect. The album tracks leave nothing to be desired. Your music videos - MOIA *kissing fingers hand gesture*, your concert OH MY GOOD GOD it was a work of performance art. It’s hard to put into words how Arcade Fire pleases me as a band so I’m going to stop now. Please keep making records forever. Also u kno Arcade Fire can get it ;)

4. Vulfpeck - Mr. Finish Line

This year I was introduced to one of the tightest bands of I’ve ever heard. I’m not using tight like I’m a snowboarder from 2009. I mean musically this band is tight. Vulfpeck is based around 2 guys who went to music school and became gods of building beautiful, happy, upbeat songs around a bass guitar and a drum kit. There is one fill in the track Baby I Don’t Know where the saxophone and the guitar walk down some sort of mind mending jazz scale that just about broke me the first time I heard it. I feel like I intended for this article to be funny but I’m getting really earnest with these entries which isn’t good because it’s not funny and it’s not written well why are you still even here. Hang in there. If you prove you read it all the way through I’ll shake your hand, look you in the eye, and say say thank you.

3. The Lemon Twigs - Do Hollywood

A studio band built around 2 kids who were 17 and 19 or something when this came out. I’m not a real journalist do your own fact checking. I just know when I saw them play at the Cobalt they weren’t even close to old enough to drink in Canada. The Lemon Twigs are part of a fascinating group of LA musicians who seem to all be associated with Johnathan Rado - member of Foxygen, produced this album for the Twigs, produced Tim Heideckers album that came out this year. (How Tim Heidecker is spending his time creatively recently is very questionable. Wareheim remains my favourite. Also Tim and Eric shaped modern comedy but that’s a different essay). Rado also worked with Diane Coffee, former Foxygen drummer, former child actor - like the members of the lemon twigs. The Twigs went to the same high school as Billy Joel which probably doesn’t mean anything but hey isn’t LA neat? In their circle as well is Alex Cameron whose latest album is pretty fun. Basically what I’m getting at here is I’m a big Hollywood wannabe who feels left out of the fun. I just wanna be famous ok? Dammit. This album is great check it out.

2. Sufjan Stevens - Carrie and Lowell Live

Sufjan Stevens is a fascinating artist and person. Who would you sit down and have a 4 hour conversation with if you were given the chance? Sufjan Stevens is on my list. I want to know his creative process, how he spends his days off, how he decides what clothes to wear, why he would cover Hotline Bling live (not complaining - it was incredible to see in person). I got to see Sufjan in concert twice last year and while the experiences were almost too good to be true I was left both times with the bittersweet feeling that I may never experience this or something quite like it again. It’s definitely not being there but if any of Sufjan’s work needed a live recording it was Carrie & Lowell. 

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

HAIM - Just the song You Never Knew. Devonte Hynes is one hell of a producer and song writer. I think I tricked myself into liking HAIM just because I have crushes on all three of them. When I get to Hollywood I’m going to ask Alana on a date.

John Lennon - Mind Games

There’s so much post Beatles music I feel like I’ll never get through it all. I’m usually turned off by Lennon’s cynical lyrically driven basic rock songs but there’s some really good stuff on this album.

Kevin Morby - City Music

New music that sounds old. This album is great and led me to listen to a bunch of his old stuff too. If you don’t know Morby listen to Singing Saw, Harlem River, and follow him on Instagram.

LCD Soundsystem - american dream

I’m more into dance music than I’ve ever been. Not EDM but music by bands that makes you dance. Also my friends got to see them live in New Orleans and I’m definitely not jealous and didn’t have FOMO the whole time they were there and I was back in Vancouver.

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffit

Zeppelin’s best album that isn’t made up of songs completely stolen from black musicians.

Loving - Loving

Cool easy listening woozy Mac DeMarco rip off tunes.

Nick Hakim - Green Twins

Cool soulful spacey psych music that doesn’t cross into sounding like Hozier.

Paul McCartney - Pure McCartney

Best of Paul who is the best Beatle.

Shintaro Sakamoto - various

Awesome Japanese psych pop.

Steely Dan - Aja

The best of all dad/yacht/jazz rock there is. The bench mark for easy listening melodic rock. I listened to I Got The News probably 200 times this year.

The War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding

I call bullshit on every music writer who put this in their year end list. No one has played this album past like track 5. It all sounds the same.

NUMBER ONE BEST THING ON THE SPOTIFY OF 2017

Mac DeMarco - This Old Dog

I love Mac. I want to be his friend. Actually I just want his life. I follow him and Kiera on Instagram. His cover of Wonderful Christmastime he just put out is great. I hope Mr. DeMarco keeps making music for decades. What a guy. He doesn’t even shave or dress up when he goes on network late night talk shows. Unfortunately I don’t go to his concerts anymore because they used to be $20 and now they’re like $60. Anyway man keep doing your thing. I don’t care if I come across as a mindless hipster who happens to also roll up his pants. I like your songs. You write great lyrics about love and life. You can shred guitar. Your live cover of Reeling In The Years is amazing. I still laugh about the time I saw you cover Enter Sandman and Smoke On the Water. Mac 4ever.

Well that about does it. Hope you all had a great Christmas and a great time reading this. I’m gonna go put visine in my eyes and watch Elf.

Love, David. (go watch Gritzmore Season One and email it to all those network executives you’re secretly friends with)(here’s a picture of me in my dad’s old clothes)

[itsworn]

Barn Find 1932 Ford Roadster Becomes a 1940s Hot Rod with Perfect Patina

Dreamer. Ever since it appeared as a bimonthly magazine in 2008, HOT ROD Deluxe has strived to keep the past alive. Barn finds understandably play an essential role in this scheme due to their historical importance, but the pool of dusty 1930s relics being stashed away continues to thin as time passes. Meaning: Good luck finding one. Dave York was one of those dreamers who resigned himself to the idea of never being able to come across such a find. However, the instincts of the Surrey, British Columbia, resident proved wrong, as his inspiring story will confirm.

Before digging further into our tale, let’s introduce a second Canadian largely responsible for its outcome: Cam Grant. Regular HOT ROD readers might remember his name, thanks to an extensive article devoted to him in the June 2012 issue. He incidentally launched a line of hot rod windshields in the style of the DuVall model, though he eventually sold all the patterns to his good friend Dave York. Cam has been a longtime hot rodder, having amassed an impressive assortment of vehicles and parts over the years, including a pair of ’32 Ford roadster bodies.

Their story goes something like this: According to legend, a Deuce had been sitting in a barn loft a few hundred miles outside of Vancouver, BC. “I was skeptical that it would be a ’32, let alone a roadster,” Dave says. “I was in Cam’s garage one night in 2010, and he told me two of his friends had taken a truck and trailer to search for the car. We joked, commenting that it might turn out to be a Chevy coach or something like that.” A week later, Dave returned to his buddy’s house for another bench-racing session. Cam showed him a picture on his computer of a Deuce roadster, in what looked like the inside of an old barn. Yep, the legend proved to be true. “Look closer,” Cam indicated; and as Dave zoomed in, he could discern a second ’32 roadster behind it. He was speechless. One of the two gentlemen who had found the Deuces truly scored, paying 1970s prices for the pair, which had been stored in the barn for three decades. However, they were not what he wanted, so he called Cam, who didn’t think twice about it and purchased them on the spot.

Along with many others, Dave informed Cam that if one of these shells came up for sale, he would be the man. Mister Grant decided to resuscitate the white body first and hung the blue one in his rafters. A couple of years passed, and Dave received a phone call with a familiar voice at the other end simply asking: “Do you want the blue roadster?” As soon as he hung up, he was on his way to Cam’s place with a car trailer in tow. Sure, reviving the old Ford tin might translate into challenges, from a bent dash to smashed door tops. “But I had a vision in my head, so these issues didn’t really matter. It was pure cool.”

Having a deep appreciation for historical hot rods, Dave insisted on preserving as much of the patina as possible, gingerly fixing one issue at a time. He started by cutting off the upper part of the inner doorskins, thus gaining access to the door tops, which needed to be hammered and dollied into shape. He never intended to metal-finish them. Then the cut-out areas were simply welded back in before tackling the next major job: the “twist” of the body, handled thanks to a Porto-Power ram, heat, hammers, and a dolly. You’ll be surprised how well the doors open and close now. Dave additionally managed to locate hood sides and tops with matching patina, along with a grille shell, altered eons ago by removing/filling the bezel and radiator cap.

Extracted from a ’39 Ford, the flathead V8 was originally from a ’41 Mercury, the perfect foundation for a ’40s-style hopped-up motor. It looks great, too. You can’t miss the Navarro heads and dual Stromberg carbs; however, the block hides a number of other popular hi-po goodies from the same era: Iskenderian 400 Jr. cam, Johnson adjustable lifters, together with Lincoln Zephyr springs and stainless valves. The burned air/fuel mixture travels through Red’s headers and 1-3/4-inch exhaust lines sans muffler. Since our photo session, Dave has also replaced the Mallory dual-point distributor with an H&C magneto fully rebuilt by Tom Cirello. Power makes its way to the rear wheels via a ’39 Ford gearbox; opening its top divulged a set of desirable (and stronger) Lincoln Zephyr gears, a rather unexpected but welcomed surprise.

The puzzle began to take shape, yet still missed a few components, such as the complete roadster top. “One of my friends, Keith Warren, fortunately had the irons and original wood that he had squirreled away since 1963,” Dave recalls enthusiastically. After chopping the stanchions and windshield frame by 4 inches, he went to work to cut the irons accordingly, achieving an esthetically pleasant chopped top. “Many thanks to my father, John, who handled the woodwork. The ends of the rear bow had to be extensively modified in particular so that the top wasn’t so wide in that area.”

One of the most difficult challenges was yet to come: What material could he use to cover the reworked top mechanism? New and fresh-looking canvas was obviously out of the question, but another friend, Paul Reichlin, had the perfect solution. The owner of Cedardale Upholstery in Mt. Vernon, Washington, Paul has a ton of experience with traditional hot rods, in addition to Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance winners. He had saved a complete but aging soft top from an older restoration, based on a phaeton almost a century old. Worn out and stained, the material was ideal for what York had in mind. It matches to perfection the old leather that covers the bench seat, as well as the original wood floorboards.

With Frank Burns handling the wiring and a few other friends helping along the way, Dave managed to build a ’32 Deluxe roadster that truly catches the spirit of the 1940s. He and the car have entered a number of events in recent times, including Southern California’s 2014 Grand National Roadster Show (a 2,600-mile round trip from Vancouver), where he parked within the renowned Suede Palace. A proud addition to the Torchmen Rod & Kustom Club out of Langley, BC, the derelict Ford still continues evolving, though, with the latest addition being a genuine Halibrand Culver City quick-change.

They say a hot rod is never finished, a gearhead’s motto already in 1946, and still applicable in 2017, as Dave York will confirm.

From the outset, Dave York’s plan for his barn-find roadster was to preserve the car’s patina, although the body still required a bit of TLC due to the body and dash being damaged. Dave did not use a speck of body filler during the restoration process.

These three pictures tell the tale of this fantastic find. The first photo divulges the vehicle, still a roller, during the 1970s. Next, you can see its shell in the company of a second ’32. “That white roadster had been channeled a long time ago,” Dave explains, “but the floor and subrails were gone. On the other hand, my blue roadster had great rails and floor, yet the areas along the cowl and a quarter-panel hadn’t fared well. When stored, the car had been rolled over on its top side with a bulldozer or some piece of equipment. Both door tops sustained damage, and the body was twisted. After years of collecting trapped water, the cowl and quarter-panel became pin-holed in a few areas.” The third photo shows the body and frame being moved out of the barn.

How cool is this chopped top? The material was salvaged from a late-teens phaeton, once in the hands of the Harrah’s Collection. It had sustained water damage while in storage. “That stained fabric was a little weak and tore easily, so I had it double-laminated with modern Stay Fast canvas,” Dave says.

The engine and three-speed gearbox came from a ’39 Ford cabriolet, as its owner wanted to swap it for a more up-to-date V8. Dave thought he had purchased a stock 221ci engine, but after removing the stock iron heads, he soon discovered it was originally from a ’41 Mercury and thereby displaced 239 ci.

As you would expect, the motor has that “1940s hot rod appearance,” thanks to a pair of Navarro heads (bought by one of Dave’s friends from Barney Navarro before he passed away in 2007) and dual vintage Stromberg 97s with SP tops, bolted to an equally old Edelbrock Slingshot 2×2 manifold.

Much in the spirit of 1940s hot rods, Dave’s roadster relies on a stock, non-dropped axle. However, the use of ’40 Ford juice brakes in lieu of cable-activated drums was a fairly common practice. The car also retains its factory lever shocks, front and aft. Notice the nice overall finish of the chassis and components, painted satin black.

“My father John located an old brown love seat at a secondhand store,” Dave remembers. “I stripped it of its patina’d leather hide, and Bob Campbell whipped up a great pleated seat for me.” Bomber-style belts have been a hot rodder favorite since the early days of the hobby.

A ’37 Lincoln Zephyr supplied the steering wheel, while the column support came from another Lincoln, of ’32 vintage. For ease of mind, a couple of old Sun gauges (oil temp and fuel level) were discretely positioned under the dash. We dig the Yankee accessory turn signal switch as well.

Dave elected to reuse the factory 90-mph ’32 speedo, while two additional Eelco instruments keep him informed of the oil pressure and battery charge. The original bronze SCTA badge to the right of the cluster came from friend Pat Swanson.

A bunch of hot rods built back in the ’40s ran their headlights fairly high, and this one is no exception. To achieve the feat, Dave modified/straightened two ’32 Ford fender braces, which now serve as individual stands for the Corcoran Brown headlights.

Period-correct Ford ’39 taillights look perfect on each side of the stock gas tank. Check out the rebuilt Houdaille lever shock, above the springs.

The roadster rolls on a set of 16×4 ’35 Ford rims, though you can’t see the wires anymore, ad they are being hidden behind a set of desirable Lyons wheel covers. Moderate rake relies on Firestone rubber measuring 6.00-16 and 7.50-16.

Here is a bonus picture recently snapped by Dave, showing the roadster now equipped with side curtains, a neat addition.

Tribute

A keeper of the “traditionalist” flame in British Columbia, Dave has also been known for his fantastic ’49 Ford cleverly built as a tribute to the mid-1950s custom cars. Its story begins 15 years ago when he purchased the shell of a Tudor sedan, primered and already chopped 3 inches by the previous owner. While managing to get his ride on the road fairly quickly, he was never satisfied with the top chop; so in 2009, he decided to completely revamp the vehicle. The roof lost another 3-inch slice, and the body received several alterations, such as moving the headlights forward 4 inches and installing ’51 Olds 98 taillights. The green color came from the 2007 Jeep paint chart. Under that hood lurks a more-than-able 327ci Chevy engine.

After Dave worked until 3 in the morning with friends, his maiden voyage behind the wheel was to Santa Maria’s 2010 Cruisin’ Nationals. It captured the imagination of many enthusiasts, so much so that the duo was invited to the 2011 Grand National Roadster Show. That year, the event offered a special exhibit called ���Customs: Then and Now,” featuring no less than 75 “members of the custom car royalty,” with the oldest models built in the 1940s. Being a part of that exhibit certainly was a highlight in Dave’s years of involvement in the hot rod and custom scene, accompanied by his wonderful better half, Belinda.

The post Barn Find 1932 Ford Roadster Becomes a 1940s Hot Rod with Perfect Patina appeared first on Hot Rod Network.

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