Pencilstorm Hall Of Fame Nominee: Angelo Julius Palma's Facebook Page - by Scott Carr

You may be asking yourself, why would someone's Facebook page be nominated for entry into the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame? Well, the short answer is because Angelo Julius Palma's Facebook page kicks ass. It's like a daily rock 'n roll history lesson. The guy posts all the coolest rock 'n roll birthdays, album releases, and random bits of trivia that makes logging onto Facebook every morning worthwhile. Angelo is the real deal, he grew up in the days when being a rock star meant something and loves sharing all his rock and roll memories with those lucky enough to be on his friends list.

Some may remember Angelo from his days working behind the counter at Singing Dog Records but my personal history with Mr. Palma came a bit later when he owned a record store in Youngstown, Ohio called Pussycat Records. Angelo used to run ads in a record collecting magazine called Goldmine and he would list records that he currently had for sale. Remember this is pre-internet and Ebay, everything was done via snail mail but Angelo always had the coolest records. I bought tons of great stuff from him, including Hanoi Rocks, New York Dolls, T. Rex, Sweet, stuff that you didn't see hanging around at my local used record stores in Huntington, WV. Angelo's motto for his record store was "If you can't find it, I will." When I moved to Columbus in the early 90's I ran into Angelo face to face for the first time at a record convention that used to be held at Veterans Memorial. Again Angelo's booth was always loaded with all the coolest stuff and I'd always walk off with a tasty stack of wax.  I crossed paths with Angelo again when he was booking and promoting shows at Skully's Music Diner. He booked my band in the venue a few times and every time I would see him we would talk about the band Angel and why they were the greatest unknown band ever.

It comes as no surprise when I post a picture on Facebook of The Faces A Nod Is As Good As a Wink... to a Blind Horse LP that Angelo asks "Hey man, do you have the giant poster that originally came with that record?" or if I post a picture of Alice Cooper School's Out LP "Do you have the panties that came with that?" Angelo doesn't ask these questions to be a show off, he asks because he is generally excited by all aspects of the music that he is passionate about. 

Angelo knows his stuff and is always happy to tell you what he thinks is cool and will just as quickly tell you that Alice Cooper hasn't made a decent record since 1974. 

Angelo regularly professes his love of all things Tommy Bolin, Glenn Hughes, Phil Lynott, Nikki Sudden and Wally Bryson on his Facebook page. If you don't know who any of these people are , you are not worthy of Mr. Palma's friendship, so move on.......

Scott Carr is a guitarist who plays in the Columbus, OH  bands Radio Tramps andReturning April.  Scott is also an avid collector of vinyl records and works at Lost Weekend Records. So...if you are looking for Scott....you'll either find him in a dimly lit bar playing his guitar or in a record store digging for the holy grail.

Flyer for Angelo's Pussycat Records.

Angelo's Johnny Thunders period. Based on the hair alone Angelo deserves a spot in the PSHOF.

Mr. Palma with Mr. Stanley.

Angelo and Rick Springfield

Angelo with Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls @ Bernie's 

Buggy Eyes and a Big Butt, part four: Movies 52-66

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

Ratings key:
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ = I can’t see giving anything that I’ve seen once five stars
★ ★ ★ ★ = get to the theater / move it up in your queue
★ ★ ★ = “three stars is a recommendation” - The Empire [magazine] Podcast
★ ★ = if the remote is too far away, you could do worse
★ = if the remote is too far away, get someone to move it closer then throw it at the TV

052
Southpaw (2015) ★ ★
stars: Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker
director: Antoine Fuqua

Did you see Rocky III? Change who gets killed, add a child custody case, make two characters call each other “baby” so much that you’d get alcohol poisoning if you drank a shot every time they did, and you’ve got Southpaw.

watch Creed instead

053
Room (2015) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Joan Allen
director: Lenny Abrahamson

The reveal of the situation the two leads are in is so well crafted that I wish I hadn’t known anything about the movie before seeing it. An impossible feat then because how would I have known to see it? A bigger problem now because it’s an award nominee and winner. So, if you somehow don’t know anything about it, you're one luck duck. Just know that it is worth watching.

double feature pairing: Pan's Labyrinth

054
Dance, Girl, Dance (1940) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Maureen O'Hara. Lucille Ball, Ralph Bellamy
director: Dorothy Arzner

Two dancers of a traveling dance troupe struggle to make it in the dance world. (One more time for luck? Dance!)  Judy has aspirations to be a world class ballerina. Bubbles knows how to work the stage and rich men.

Lucille Ball was a spectacular presence. A singing, dancing, joking spectacular presence.

Did you know night court was a real thing? I thought it was just a premise for a great sitcom. I spent a good amount of the scene’s time find-and-replacing characters from Night Court. Then I wondered if the show ever referenced this movie. Not for a whole episode, but the gag at the top of a court scene that would lead into the main story. Then I was introduced to Abraham Lincoln Johnson and Martha Johnson.

Earlier, Judy watched a dance routine in which two of the dancers were in black face. A surprise, but for 1940 maybe not so shocking. When Judy and Bubble’s night court case resolved, and the next case was called, two African-Americans walked past the camera.

I don’t know what to make of that. In both cases, the screen time was minimal to the point of being unnecessary. The inclusion of both blackface and black faces had to be intentional. For a movie that was progressive in its treatment of women (Judy is career-minded, forgoes pairing off with a rich man, breaks during a burlesque performance to berate the men who come to leer at them), it’s hard to think the filmmaker decided to be racist for a few seconds. I suppose one could be pro-woman and racist. Still, how much more American can you get with names like Abraham Lincoln Johnson and Martha Johnson?

double feature pairing: Footloose

055
Legend (2015) ★ ★
stars: Tom Hardy, Tom Hardy, Emily Browning
screen writer/director: Brian Helgeland

Reggie and Ronnie Kray were the most notorious criminals in London during the 1960’s. Or so Legend’s narration says. It wasn’t effectively shown. Maybe that’s because the narration came from Frances Shea, Ronnie’s eventual wife. The information was so dry that she could have been reading newspaper articles about the brother’s activities. No insight. No snap.

Remember when Spandau Ballet’s Kemp brothers played The Krays?

watch Adaptation instead

056
Intruders (2015) ★ ★
stars: Beth Riesgraf, Rory Culkin, Martin Starr
director: Adam Schindler

It’s a nice twist to make the victim of a home invasion agoraphobic, unable to have left her house in 10 years. The twist she turns against against her attackers is surprising then kinda dumb. The movie must have known this, since everything wrapped up in 80 minutes. That’s not enough time to get upset about it.

watch Vacancy instead

057
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) ★ ★ ★.5
stars: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman
directors: Glen Ficarra, John Sequa

The adaptation of Kim Barker’s book, The Taliban Shuffle, an account of her time as a war correspondent in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The power lies with Tina Fey, leading with her dramatic leg. Fey’s pairing with Christopher Abbott and Billy Bob Thornton are two of the best the movie has to offer.

Also, it’s tough to be down on a movie when it starts with “Jump Around.”

double feature pairing: Good Morning Vietnam

058
London Has Fallen (2016) ★
stars: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and others cashing in a paycheck
director: Babak Najafi

This story of a terrorist killing all the world’s leaders (except for America’s!) at the British Prime Minister’s funeral was written by a computer. Another computer compiled outtakes from the actor’s previous movies to create the images. (I’ll eat my hat if Morgan Freeman and Gerard Butler were in the same room when they filmed their scene together.) And how is it that the President of the United States of America, the man who just help kill all the terrorists, isn’t the one giving the rousing speech about not minding our business in foreign affairs to cap it all off? Because Morgan Freeman is the Vice-President, and Morgan Freeman is hired to make speeches.

Sometimes I just want some movie popcorn. Maybe I should learn to make it myself.

watch water boil instead

059
The Last Days of Disco (1998) ★ ★ ★
stars: Chloë Sevingy, Kate Beckinsale, Chris Eigeman
writer/director: Whit Stillman

“The times, they are a-becoming quite different.”
- Seymour Skinner

double feature pairing: Diner

060
Love & Friendship (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevingy, Xavier Samuel
screen writer/director: Whit Stillman

A lady searches for a husband for her daughter and herself. Based on Jane Austen’s Lady Susan.

Fancy dress and pretty locales. Funny words and portrayals. It’s the world of Jane Austen, a place I don’t frequent, though it’s nice to check in from time to time.  

double feature pairing: The Prestige

061
The Night Before (2015) ★ ★ ★
stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie
director: Jonathan Levine

It’s the final run of a Christmas tradition three friends have shared for 10 years. Hilarity ensues.

Would you believe mild amusement? The story is pat. Performances from Rogen, Ilana Glazer and Michael Shannon made it watchable.

double feature pairing: Three Amigos

062
Black Rock (2012) ★ ★ ★
stars: Katie Aselton, Lake Bell, Kate Bosworth
director: Katie Aselton

Three friends return to the isolated island of their childhood to reconnect. Trouble finds them. Survival tries to save them.

The movie’s strength is in its character moments and motivations. Even though a few action beats are a bit forced, it generally works.

double feature pairing: Backcountry

063
Rififi (1955) ★ ★ ★ ★
stars: Jean Servais, Carl Möhner, Robert Manuel
director: Jules Dassin

This is widely considered to be one the best heist movie of all time. I now can agree. The heist of a jewelry store is still tense after all these years and the movies inspired by it. What I wasn’t expecting was the strength of the aftermath, when the success spirals out of control.

double feature pairing: Sneakers

064
Pixels (2015) ★
stars: Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan
director: Chris Columbus

Video games from the 1980s attack Earth.

Sometimes I can’t sleep.
Bad movie, bring on the sand.
Man, that did not work.

watch The Last Starfighter instead

065
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) ★ ★ ★
stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher Jr.
director: Dan Trachtenberg

Michelle crashed her car. Howard has taken her to his fallout bunker just as the attack from…he can’t be certain, and she’s not certain about him.

I don’t know how much to say about this in-spirit sequel to Cloverfield. If you are looking for another Cloverfield, you’ll be waiting for the last 15 minutes. If you are looking for a tense thriller in an enclosed space, enjoy the monster movie at the end.

Since I’ve seen it, the original origin story I heard makes a lot more sense than the narrative I’ve seen in recent articles. It’s a good movie, however I was distracted by the seams, perceived or real. You should see it before investigating that too much.

double feature pairing: Attack the Block

066
The Brothers Grimsby (2016) ★.5
stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson
director: Louis Leterrier

I went for the spy comedy, forgot that gross-out comedies were still being made. Good golly, new level reached.

watch Spy instead

Counters:
66/366 movies (se7en movies off pace)
11/52 movies directed by women

THE TOP THREE

Q&A Intro, 1-17, 18-36, 37-51, 52-66, 67-74, 75-87, 88-103, 104-120, 121-131, 132-152, 153-173, 174-187, 188-221, 222-255, 256-287, 288-314, 315-341, 342-366, Index

Pencilstorm Hall of Fame Nominee: Pink Floyd / The Wall (The Movie) - by Wal Ozello

I know what you’re thinking. Of course Wal is going to nominate The Wall. But allow me to walk you through what I consider as one of the greatest marriages of music and cinema…..

FADE IN on a luxurious art deco hotel hallway. The camera ever-so-slowly floats down the hallway. In the distance we see a maid using a canister vacuum to clean the muted green carpet and we make our way towards her. The camera plane is skewed a bit, leaning towards the right, to give us a feeling of instability while floating towards the maid. When the camera reaches the end of the hallway, and as the maid steps to the canister vacuum to turn it on, we cut to the perspective of the floor looking up at the maid. Her foot comes into frame and covers the camera lens as we CUT TO BLACK.

Thus starts the cinematic masterpiece known as “Pink Floyd - The Wall.”  This is not a two hour music video. It’s a work of art, a beautiful blend of rock music, film, and animation – steeped in a story attracting the same audience of rock n roll.

Birthed out of Roger Waters’ neurotic mind, filled with the dark animation of political cartoonist Gerald Scarfe, and directed by the sensationalism of Alan Parker (Commitments, Mississippi Burning, Angel Heart), Pink Floyd – The Wall debuted in 1982. The story follows Floyd “Pink” Pinkerton’s (Bob Geldof) journey through life fueled by the soundtrack of the album by the same name. Albeit his glorious rock n roll stardom, Pink wallows in depression due to the loss of his father in the war and doting and controlling mother. His relationships continually falter throughout the film as he takes a one-way trip on the crazy train. Metaphorically speaking, he builds a wall between himself and the world and fills his inadequacies with the euphoric drug of performance.

I encourage you to rent this disc and watch it. You’ll discover a brilliant film that easily stands on his its own, but is brought to another level with the music of Roger Waters. Even if you’ve already seen it, this is film to re-watch as an adult. Sober.  It’s in my Top Ten all time movie favorites.

Some memorable parts:

•  An extreme close-up of his Mickey Mouse watch. The camera slightly pans to reveal a cigarette with a lengthy ash, then tilts again for a full shot of Pink’s face. It slowly moves into an extreme close-up of his eye
• A scene where concert go-ers rush into a stadium to get great floor seats. It’s intercut with soldiers rushing into battle.
• A touching scene where Pink is on a playground as a child. He see another child playing with his father and tries to “adopt” the dad as his own.
• How seven minutes of editing magic can sum up Pink’s relationship with women during the song “Mother.”
• The flower animation scene which follows, underscored by “Empty Spaces.”
• Watch for the cameo from Bob Hoskins. 

Wal Ozello is a science fiction techno-thriller novelist and the author of Assignment 1989 ,  Revolution 1990, and Sacrifice 2086. He's a resident of Upper Arlington, Ohio and a frequent customer at Colin's Coffee.

Pencilstorm Hall of Fame Nominee: Willie Phoenix - by Ricki C.

The photo above was taken the first day I ever became a roadie for Willie Phoenix.  It’s of Willie Phoenix and drummer Dee Hunt when they were in Romantic Noise, taken in May 1978 at a lunchtime gig they played at the Columbus Metropolitan Library downtown.  It’s one of those photos in my picture books that makes my heart hurt every time I look at it.  It makes my heart hurt because of how young we were; because of how light-hearted Willie looks in the pic; and because of how good (and how much like BANDMATES) Willie and Dee Hunt look in the picture.

I became a roadie for Willie Phoenix that day because Dee sported a double bass drum kit at the time and when the band showed up to the library gig in a ragtag assemblage of cars and bass player Greg Glasgow’s cab-over Datsun camper (visible behind me in the photo below), everybody thought somebody else had brought the two bass drums, thus nobody had brought EITHER bass drum.  I was managing a 10,000 square foot K-Mart warehouse at that time and as I surveyed the disorganized mass of gear spread out in the library parking lot – minus both bass drums – I said to Willie, “Don’t you guys have a checklist of the equipment so that when you load it out of the rehearsal space you know you have everything?”  Willie looked at me and said, “You’re the new roadie.” 

Thus began my career as a roadie that continues to this day.  I learned so much from Willie that first year I couldn’t even begin to tell you: watching Romantic Noise from the wings or from the lighting board at the old Agora was like a rock & roll PHD education.  I learned how to sharpen my rather expansive songwriting down to a succinct precision; I learned how to rehearse a band; I learned how to pace sets.  I learned about professionalism.  I learned how everything – songs, how a band LOOKED & MOVED onstage, how that band was LIT – added up to a whole, to a presentation, to rock & roll.  I had been in bands for 10 years by that point and it was like I was a rank amateur standing next to Willie.

I worked for Willie for the next 14 years: through Romantic Noise to The Buttons to The Shadowlords to The True Soul Rockers.  I ran lights, I wrangled guitars, I published band newsletters, I set microphones back upright after Willie knocked ‘em over, I paid for people’s drinks when Willie jumped on their tables and spilled them, I did whatever Willie told me to do.  Willie said, “Jump,” and I asked, “How high?”  

My employment from 1978 to 1992 certainly wasn’t continuous: sometimes I quit, a couple of times I’m sure I got fired.  Willie often treated me with the utmost respect, sometimes he yelled at me like I was a 12 year old girl.  I often saw him as a kind, caring human being, I sometimes witnessed him as a petulant child.  But here’s something I have never forgotten – and that YOU, gentle reader, should know – Willie Phoenix is the greatest rock & roll performer Columbus, Ohio HAS ever known, and – at this point – probably WILL ever know.  – Ricki C. / March 10th, 2016.  

Any Pencilstorm readers out there who are interested in a few thousand more words on Willie Phoenix should check out The Ballad of Willie Phoenix, parts 1-4 on Ricki’s old blog, Growing Old With Rock & Roll.

Ricki C., May 1978 / all photos on this page by one of The CookieBakers: Erin, Kim or  Cindy.

Romantic Noise in full rock & roll flight at the library: left to right; Greg Glasgow, Dee Hunt, Willie, John Ballor

Not everything is ancient history: Ricki C. lends a hand w/ Willie, October, 2015, at the 6:30 mark. 37 years & counting.

My Favorite Cheap Trick Track Produced by George Martin - by Colin Gawel

The great, great, great George Martin has passed away. I think reasonable people can agree that without George, there would have been no Beatles. And a world with no Beatles is like a world with no melody. I won't bore you with my take on all the great work Sir George did. Others are better qualified to tell that tale and certainly social media is bustling with great stuff to check out. So do it.

George did produce one record for my favorite band, Cheap Trick. And though he caught the band just past its peak, there are many interesting moments worth giving a listen. My favorite is the song "World's Greatest Lover." It has such a  unique arrangement and feel. It has George's handiwork all over it. R.I.P. George Martin.

Provided to YouTube by Sony Music Entertainment World's Greatest Lover · Cheap Trick / 廉價把戲合唱團 All Shook Up ℗ 1980 Epic Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment Released on: 1988-06-14 Associated Performer: Cheap Trick / 廉價把戲合唱團 Producer: George Martin Composer, Lyricist: R. Nielsen Vocal: Robin Zander Guitar, Keyboards: Rick Nielsen Percussion: Bun E.

Pencilstorm Hall of Fame Nominee: Get The Knack by The Knack - Scott Carr

Click here for the complete nomination list for the 2016 Pencilstorm Hall of Fame. Winners announced April 14th at CD102 Big Room Bar.

When the idea of the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame was first hatched and the nominating committee began bouncing ideas around, Get The Knack by The Knack was the first thing that I thought of.

Released at the tail end of the 70's , Get The Knack is possibly the best power pop debut album ever released. Actually, you could say best debut album from any genre. Comparisons to The Beatles were often mentioned in early reviews of the band but The Knack felt musically they had more in common with The Kinks and early Who. Listening to Get The Knack proves the band was more in touch than their critics.

"My Sharona" still stands as one of the best singles ever released. The guitar solo in "My Sharona" is worthy of it's own nomination in the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame...it's really that good.

Beyond "My Sharona" the album is loaded with great songs. I won't bore you with all the details but you can read my article I wrote about it last year on it's anniversary here..

While I respect Pencilstorm mastermind Colin G's choice of Paul Stanley's 1978 solo album being inducted this year. Paul's album has one major flaw: has anyone heard the song "Hold Me, Touch Me"?  It's a snoozefest. Get the Knack is 100% perfect start to finish. So, if we only induct one album into the hall this year it should without question be Get The Knack.

So I ask my fellow committee members to not "Nuke The Knack" and give this album some serious consideration for the 2016 class of the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame.

Listen to the "My Sharona" guitar solo in all it's glory.......

I don't own the rights of this piece of song; they belong to The Knack

One listen to Get The Knack and you'll agree it deserves a spot in the Pencilstorm Hall of Fame....

Vinyl

....and lastly check out the trailer for the new movie Everybody Wants Some!

Subscribe to TRAILERS: http://bit.ly/sxaw6h Subscribe to COMING SOON: http://bit.ly/H2vZUn Like us on FACEBOOK: http://goo.gl/dHs73 Follow us on TWITTER: http://bit.ly/1ghOWmt Everybody Wants Some Official Trailer #1 (2016) - Glen Powell, Tyler Hoechlin Comedy HD A group of college baseball players navigate their way through the freedoms and responsibilities of unsupervised adulthood.

Scott Carr is a guitarist who plays in the Columbus, OH  bands Radio Tramps and Returning April. Scott is also an avid collector of vinyl records and works at Lost Weekend Records. So...if you are looking for Scott....you'll either find him in a dimly lit bar playing his guitar or in a record store digging for the holy grail.