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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 17m

PLAYBOY: "What is the Eighties' dream to you, John?"

LENNON: "Well, you make your own dream. That's the Beatles' story, isn't it? That's Yoko's story. That's what I'm saying now. Produce your own dream. If you want to save Peru, go save Peru."

~ John Lennon (in Sept. 1980)

(much more: alt text)

Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 27m

Remembering singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, author, ex-choir boy & boy scout, visual artist, peace activist, stay-at-home househusband, Monopoly fanatic and notoriously bad driver John Ono (Winston) Lennon, born October 9, 1940, in Liverpool, England (d. December 8, 1980). More: alt text

Here are four little-known facts about John Lennon:

He hated his own singing voice. Despite being celebrated for his vocals, Lennon was famously critical of his own voice and often asked producer George Martin to obscure it during recording sessions. He once asked if Martin could "smother it with tomato ketchup or something" to hide the natural sound.

He was a terrible driver and got his license late. Lennon did not get his driver's license until he was 24 years old, and he was known as a notoriously bad driver. After crashing his Aston-Martin in 1969, injuring himself and his passengers (Yoko Ono, Julian Lennon, and Yoko's daughter Kyoko), he gave up driving for good.

He was a choirboy and a Boy Scout. The future rock 'n' roll rebel and iconoclast started his singing career as a choirboy at St. Peter's Church in Liverpool and was a member of the 3rd Allerton Boy Scout troop as a child.

He loved to play Monopoly and was obsessed with Park Place and Boardwalk. During the Beatles' touring days, Lennon was a devout Monopoly player. He reportedly did not care if he lost the game as long as he owned the high-value properties of Park Place and Boardwalk.

From 1975 to 1980, Lennon took a five-year hiatus from the music industry to focus on raising his son, Sean. This role was a marked departure from his public life and a rare choice for a man of his fame at the time.

Before finding fame, Lennon took a summer job as a baggage handler at Liverpool Airport, which he reportedly hated.

During one summer, he worked briefly at a pub on the outskirts of Reading, assisting the bartender and helping with food service as a barback and busboy.

Here are four interesting and little-known facts about John Lennon's life in New York City:

He found privacy and anonymity in NYC: Unlike the constant fan attention he faced in the UK, Lennon found New York City offered a degree of anonymity, allowing him to walk around the city and feel more comfortable. This was a significant reason he chose to live there with Yoko Ono after the Beatles broke up.

He took up sailing on Long Island: Lennon developed a passion for sailing, particularly on Long Island, where he and Yoko had a waterfront house. He found the experience of sailing, including one voyage to Bermuda that he described as "the most fantastic experience," to be incredibly rewarding.

He co-created an art exhibition combining his visual and Yoko's avant-garde art: In New York City, Lennon and Ono collaborated on an art exhibition. This was part of their broader artistic expression together, which included avant-garde art and films, a significant aspect of their life in New York.

He was a peace activist at heart and staged "Bed-In" demonstrations: While many know of his musical legacy, Lennon was also a dedicated peace activist. Even before moving to New York, he and Yoko famously held "Bed-In" protests for peace from their hotel rooms in Amsterdam and Montreal, demonstrating their commitment to world peace.

Lennon was an art student at the Liverpool College of Art from 1957 to 1960. He was known more for his rebellious behavior than for his academic discipline, but his time there cemented his passion for the visual arts.

Throughout his life, Lennon created visual art, primarily humorous, autobiographical line drawings and caricatures in pen and ink. His work was featured in books and exhibitions, including the controversial Bag One lithographs.

He published several collections of his quirky writings and illustrations, including In His Own Write (1964) and A Spaniard in the Works (1965).

As his global fame grew, Lennon used his platform to advocate for peace. He and Yoko Ono staged numerous anti-war protests, most famously their "Bed-Ins for Peace". Their campaign included billboards in major cities with the message "War Is Over! If You Want It."

Lennon was vocal in his support for various causes, including civil rights and feminism. His activism was so effective that the Nixon administration attempted to deport him due to his opposition to the Vietnam War.

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 55m

Remembering the Who's stoic bassist... the classically-trained multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, painter/illustrator and film & music producer John Entwistle, born October 9, 1944, in Chiswick, London, England (d. June 27, 2002). He was nicknamed "The Ox" and "Thunderfingers." More: alt text

Here's something interesting about John Entwistle: he coined the name Led Zeppelin. While discussing forming a supergroup with Jimmy Page in 1966, Entwistle and The Who's drummer Keith Moon joked that a new project would be likely to "go down like a lead balloon."

Entwistle then reportedly interjected, "More like a lead zeppelin!"

Page loved the phrase and used it for his new band, dropping the "a" from "lead" so it wouldn't be pronounced "leed."

According to The Who's Pete Townshend, Led Zeppelin was a band that copied The Who's heavier sound after they pioneered it. Despite his public contempt for their music, Townshend insisted that there was no real personal feud with the band members, who he considered "really great guys."

A trained classical musician, Entwistle was famously known for his work on the bass, but he was also the only member of The Who with formal musical training.

He began on the piano at age seven, then switched to trumpet and French horn, eventually joining the Middlesex Schools Symphony Orchestra.

His brass section on tracks like "5:15" and his French horn part on "Pictures of Lily" were a result of his training.

Key Who tracks that showcase Entwistle's classical influences include:

"My Generation" (1965): This track features one of the first and most recognizable bass solos in rock history. The quick, rattling runs of notes, played with a pick and inspired by his horn training, elevate the instrument from a background role to the forefront.

"The Real Me" (1973): On this 'Quadrophenia' track, Entwistle's bass playing is a driving force, with a powerful and melodic line that features upper-register solo figures interwoven with lower twisting lines. The bass line often mirrors the vocal melody, demonstrating a sophisticated, classically-influenced sense of harmony.

"5:15" (1973): Also from 'Quadrophenia,' this song features a snarling and constantly evolving bass groove combined with melodic, upper-register lines. Entwistle also arranged and performed the brass parts on this track, another direct nod to his formal training.

"Won't Get Fooled Again" (1971): The bass line on this track is described as almost "contrapuntal" to the guitar and vocal parts. It features a pentatonic figure, trills, and blue notes that contrast with Pete Townshend's playing, creating a complex musical texture.

"Baba O'Riley" (1971): The isolated bass track for this song reveals Entwistle's nuanced and intricate playing, showcasing his impressive skill and understanding of music theory.

"Dreaming from the Waist" (1975): This track from 'The Who by Numbers' features a highly melodic bass line with multiple solo figures throughout, showing Entwistle’s command of the instrument.

Entwistle was instrumental in the development of Rotosound's Swing Bass 66 stainless steel roundwound strings in the mid-1960s, which transformed the tone and role of the electric bass in rock music.

His search for a brighter, more defined sound to cut through The Who's intense volume led to a new standard for bass strings.

In 1966, Entwistle approached Rotosound founder James How seeking strings that would provide a brighter, more "piano-like" tone with better projection. He found that existing flatwound strings, and even early Rotosound attempts, had weak-sounding E and A strings that didn't vibrate correctly.

Entwistle took his bass to the Rotosound factory to work directly with How. After two hours of experimentation, they discovered the problem was in the core of the string, which needed to be thicker to vibrate correctly. They also made the overall gauges slightly heavier.

The custom strings that resulted from this collaboration became the commercially available Rotosound Swing Bass 66 set. Entwistle endorsed the strings in exchange for a lifetime supply, a deal that included his image on the packaging and a jingle on The Who's 1967 album, 'The Who Sell Out.'

Entwistle also helped invent heavy rock by pioneering high-wattage amplification. To hear his bass over Keith Moon's explosive drumming and Pete Townshend's feedback, Entwistle pioneered the use of high-volume, high-gain amplification.

He was one of the first bassists to use "bi-amping," sending his bass's low and high ends to separate amplifiers. By experimenting and adding more speaker cabinets, he drove Townshend to follow suit, leading The Who to become known as "the loudest band on the planet."

Entwistle was also a talented visual artist with a dark, cartoonish style. He was an accomplished painter and illustrator who created the artwork for the cover of The Who's 1975 album 'The Who by Numbers.'

He exhibited his art, which often featured caricatures of his fellow rock musicians, and later evolved toward a more lifelike style. His work, which included a signature sketch of the "Boris the Spider" character, earned him a following among collectors.

In the years before his death, his art evolved from simple line drawings to more lifelike representations, with prominent pieces including a series on "Guitar Gods" featuring Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton.

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 1h

"America is a dildo that has turned berserkly on its owner."*

~ writer Tom McGuane to fellow writer and friend Jim Harrison, from "A Chat With A Novelist," published in Sumac IV, no. 1 (Fall, 1971)

*The internet claims that McGuane never said or wrote this, however, but it's a good quote anyway

Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 1h

Néfertiti (Remastered)

YouTube video by France Gall Officiel

www.youtube.com

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 1h

You might know this one from the time April March covered France Gall's "Laisse Tomber Les Filles" (written by Serge Gainsbourg for her 'Poupee De Cire' LP) as "Chick Habit," which was a college radio hit in 1995, later showing up in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof in 2007.

France Gall - Laisse tomber les filles 1964 HD (Tele Melody)

YouTube video by Narek Tiraturyan

www.youtube.com

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 1h

Remembering French yé-yé singer France Gall, born Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall on October 9, 1947, in Paris, France (d. January 7, 2018). '1968,' her seventh studio LP (and weirdest) was obviously influenced by the Beatles' 'Revolver' & 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.' (more: alt text)

'1968' (released in 1967) is an expected post-'Sgt. Peppers' hip swing into candy psychedelia, featuring flutes, strings, sitars, and more rhythmic shiftiness. The previous odd touches of banjo and plucked guitar and, of course, that echoey voice remain.

Among a bushel of quirk, Serge Gainsbourg’s “Teenie Weenie Boppie” is especially ginchy, balanced by Gall pulling out a more tough staccato vocal interpretation; and “Avant La Bagarre” shows she still pops with the most day-glo of ‘em.

France Gall was embarrassed by her biggest hit, a song with hidden sexual innuendo.

At 17, she was a wholesome, teen pop star when she won the 1965 Eurovision Song Contest with "Poupée de cire, poupée de son." The song was also penned by Gainsbourg, a major figure in French music known for his provocative lyrics.

However, she later felt betrayed after discovering the sexual double meanings hidden in his songs, most notoriously "Les Sucettes" (The Lollipops). She was so upset by the revelation that she refused to speak to Gainsbourg for years and stopped performing the song.

France Gall came from a musical dynasty but had to change her name to enter the business.

Gall was born Isabelle Gall, but her producer insisted she change her name because another singer named Isabelle was already famous.

She was the daughter of Robert Gall, a well-known lyricist who wrote for stars like Edith Piaf and Charles Aznavour. Her maternal grandfather was Paul Berthier, the co-founder of the prestigious children's choir Les Petits Chanteurs à la Croix de Bois.

Despite her lineage, it was her father who first encouraged her to record demos and helped launch her career.

She did not always win over audiences with her famous Eurovision song.

Despite her ultimate victory at Eurovision in 1965, Gall's performance was reportedly booed during rehearsals, and some critics found her live delivery to be pitchy.

Her then-boyfriend, singer Claude François, also criticized her performance over the phone.

The song, which was more pop-oriented than the contest's traditional ballads, was a bold choice that ultimately paid off, bringing her fame far beyond France.

France Gall essentially retired from the music world to focus on humanitarian work after two personal tragedies.

After her husband and long-time collaborator, Michel Berger, died suddenly of a heart attack in 1992, Gall withdrew from the spotlight. The next year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she survived.

Her final withdrawal from public life came after her daughter, Pauline, died from cystic fibrosis in 1997.

In the following years, Gall channeled her energy into humanitarian projects, particularly those addressing famine and drought in Africa.

As a farewell to her career, France Gall par France Gall, a documentary movie, was shot in 2001, and millions watched the documentary when it was broadcast on French television that year.

She staged and appeared in the 2007 France 2 documentary Tous pour la musique, marking the 15th anniversary of Michel Berger's death.

A long-term breast cancer survivor, Gall died, aged 70, of an infection after a two-year battle with a cancer of undisclosed primary origin, at the American Hospital of Paris in Neuilly-sur-Seine on January 7, 2018.

She was buried with her husband and daughter on 20 Avenue Rachel (division 29) at Montmartre Cemetery in Paris.

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 1h

Ask him the most "Florida" thing he's seen since moving there (if he doesn't live there now, he did at one time). I sorta know Robbie a little too, so ask him if he's found a music community there too.

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 3h

CNN's Boris Sanchez: "?"
Stephen Miller: "...."

Jimmy Kimmel explains: "Sometimes the batteries run out on dildos."

I might delete this because I can't look at Stephen Miller's face for too long without wanting to punch something

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 15h

Good riddance & tough titties to the Parents Television and Media Council (PTMC), the "watchdog" group ("Won’t someone think of the children?") who apparently had a problem w/ nipples. They've now filed for bankruptcy. They can go fuck themselves for all I care about them.

The sworn nipple-fighters of the Parents Television Council have filed for bankruptcy

www.avclub.com

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 18h

Ron Dean, beloved Chicago actor for over four decades, has died

Ron Dean, the tough-as-nails character actor in some of Chicago’s most iconic films and television series, has died.

reelchicago.com

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Bryan Thomas @munkiman.bsky.social · 18h

R.I.P. tough-as-nails character actor Ron Dean, 87, a former ex-con who appeared in many iconic films and TV series, usually playing cops, detectives & crooks, or basic blue-collar working class Chicagoans of one type or another. I'll list some of his film & TV resume roles in the alt text.