In my buying up of boxes of old slides, I've acquired a boatload of 1960s-era Tournament of Roses parade slides. If you want to see the majority of them, they're over at Collector's Quest right now. There's still more to come, so I'll be uploading all day probably.
I stumbled into this baby on Saturday during thrift shop excursions.
A select group of records, each with sticker prices higher than the LPs in the regular rack, sat at the wrap desk. I poked through them and while I could wrinkle my nose at most of them, this one stuck out both for its comic cover design (as in 'looks like a comic' -- tho, I admit it is comic in other ways) and for its hefty (for me) price tag. $8.99? I've paid much less for a box full of records. In fact, I don't think I've paid this much for a record since they were the only other way to buy them other than cassette tape... And I didn't even know what this one was or who made it.
New Birth? Featuring Leslie Wilson? Behold The Mighty Army? And why did the thrift shop think this was worthy of such a price? Was it the slit-open but largely intact cellophane? Well, curiosity and nice looking vinyl won over and I brought it home.
Turns out New Birth was a concept band. The brainchild of Vernon Bullock, New Birth was a touring company comprised of several groups who could each perform separately as well as part of the larger group. They were formed in 1963 with some help from Harvey Fuqua, and signed with RCA, but it wasn't until 1971 that Leslie Wilson (and his brother Melvin Wilson, Ann Bogan and a few others) joined.
New Birth recorded five albums for RCA. Then, in 1975, they split with RCA, Harvey Fuqua and their management and signed with Buddah Records where they made two records.
At Buddah, Melvin created a new stage presence for New Birth's rebirth. Bill Witten made stage costumes for the group, which had come to Marvin in his dreams. The group also incorporated the use of rear screen projection and had films commissioned to run as part of their performance, which was also a first for R & B artists. (soulwalking.co.uk)
It was during these "Buddah years" that the band "all lived together in a mansion in the famed Hollywood Hills that they dubbed 'the band house'."
Also during this time, in 1976, they released Love Potion. The album had award-winning cover art, designed by Melvin Wilson and photographer Norman Seeff, which featured all 12 band members posing together naked.
In 1977 they released Behold The Mighty Army, which was the last album. In-fighting & bickering over money, creative differences (and likely who used who's toothbrush) brought the New Birth to the same old death.
New Birth's songs have apparently been covered (or sampled) by K-Ci & Jo Jo, Notorious BIG, Something for the People, and De La Soul, to name a few. So some of it may sound a bit familiar.
As for the sound of the LP, it's classic soul mixed with old school funk and it doesn't disappoint.
New Birth still exists -- with Melvin & Leslie Wilson. But that's not the New Birth that Bullock had in mind, now is it.
The retro holiday magazine says this crepe paper, cardboard and ribbon concoction is for children's holiday parties; I say they could have easily made this a Santa theme rather than clowns -- but then I'll find any reason to change a clown into Santa (or any other non-clown character).
The only thing more frightening than a clown, is a clown with a square head -- and four faces. But maybe you never really liked little Johnny that much anyway...
We remind the brave, and the insane who wish to create the gay paper party trimmings, to click on the images to see larger scans with directions. We also caution the same to think before they create -- did we mention clowns are scary?
Thirteen Things That Made Noise in Wards Catalog in the late 60's
Pierre Poodle is a 6-transistor radio, with the controls on his tummy:
Big Plush Talkers are stuffed animals with chatty rings & talking strings. There's Bugs Bunny; Sniffy the Skunk who talks and smells like mint; and Montana Mouse, who, while "shocking pink" is "dressed like a real frontier hero" and "talks with a Western twang" as he shares "10 secrets".
There are several talking circus toys here, Larry the Lion, Patootie the clown, and my favorite, Chester O' Chimp who says, "I speak English, can't you talk Monkey?"
Hey! Hey! They're the Monkees! (And they "talk to each other just like on TV!)
These talking hand puppets feature pull strings so that each chats up a storm. There is Tom the cat with Jerry the mouse in his hand, King Kong, and Bugs Bunny.
This one is abso-frickin-lutely my favorite. Her name is Scooba-Doo, and she says, "I'm Scooba-Doo. Come on, let's get with it!" because she's a "member of the swinging generation" -- which may explain her "striped mini-dress and mod necklace", but should she really say, "Dig my crazy black stockings!" -- really? Me thinketh someone wasn't as hip as they thought daddy-o.
Not only does the dressed in red Baby Secret doll say, "Hold me close and whisper!" but they stress that her lips move and that she can be put in any baby-like position. (My mind is seriously in the gutter.)
"Nobody can out talk us!" Danny O'Day ventriloquist dummy comes with a record by Jimmy Nelson to teach you "instant ventriloquism". Rowlf Muppet is just a puppet. And while both require your own voice, I had to show them off here too. Consider them, numbers 14 &15, as a bonus. *wink*
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We got the kids a few of these toy pens by Stylus Pens (the SpongeBob Squarepants Etch A Sketch Pen & the Nerf Dart Blaster Toy Pen -- and the Star Wars Darth Vader Lego Pen I kept for myself) and they were huge hits. At such small prices, I'm thinking we'll be adding to their collection with birthdays etc.
But the best gift by far was Flarp -- just 88 cents at Walmart, it was not only the thing the three youngest (ages 4, 7 and 11) played with the most, but the thing they called their favorite gift and mentioned to others first when asked what they got for Christmas. We always say that a purchase of Flarp is the best 88 cents ever spent.
See some folks with Flarp in action:
Lessons learned? Kids are cheap thrills seekers. Just like cats.
You can spend big bucks on the latest toys, but all your cat wants is a wad of tin foil rolled into a ball to bat about, or the plastic ring on a milk jug, or a rubber band... I suspect our kids might be easily amused with the same. But we settle for cheap toy pens & Flarp -- oh, and Silly String. Every birthday party, we arm the kids and the grown-ups (all the way to Great Grandpas & Grandmas) with cans of silly string and that's their favorite part.
Sure to make your teen scream, this wild 45 holder is as chic-kitsch as it gets.
Bold velveteen animal print and rickrack? Two tacky things that go great together! All topped off with a dime store fashion doll -- like the cherry on this sweet sundae for your eyes. (We don't advise licking fashion dolls.) And the records inside? They are like the scoops of vanilla -- nearly ignored with all those dizzying toppings.
(This is so grand, I think I need to make kitchen canisters like this. Flour, sugar and tea never had it so good.)
A vaudeville "Novelty Act", photo dated 1915. I have no idea what the act was, even if dancing is part of the name; but I'm sure "Dolly" was a good egg.
Taken from a 1965 Christmas craft publication, these are mostly made with things you have in your home -- so get busy this weekend!
Ooooooh, make Santas? Learn decoupage? From instructions on a record? Why a monkey could do it! ...A monkey who understands English, anyway. Now I want to decoupage a monkey.
The next few prove that retro 60's persons loved the tinfoil...
A tinfoil angel centerpiece:
A flaming tinfoil wreath:
Tinfoil snowman:
And my personal favorite, tinfoil kitty-cat cookie holders -- they're not just for Christmas anymore.
Make festive holiday chandeliers out of coat hangers and cone-shaped paper cups. No mention of light, but I guess I'm expecting too much from paper cups and hangers.
Or, you could go for something more dreamy & use all your clear glassware, filled with colored water, to make this castle.
I don't know that a castle is particularly "Christmas-y" but the 1965 holiday magazine has it in there...
Moving on.
A good hostess wears pretty holiday petti-skirts:
Use your flatware to make a lovely decorative, um... er, serving tray?
I guess your guests won't mind a fork that's been taped to a McDonald's tray... Then again, the house was likely set on fire by these candle holders made of paper.
Don't forget to stand at the door and hand out these gifts you've made for your guests who run from the fire...
Like this flamboyant hairspray can:
As the line says, "For the person who has everything..."
I know I'd enjoy holding a wet faux fur handle as I brush my teeth... And glitter in your teeth? Makes your guests want to say, "Oh no, you shouldn't have!"
But then they notice the guy next to you is getting a well-dressed pet rock:
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
* Nobody puts Baby in a corner. * I can't even do the meringue! * I carried a watermelon. * You're invading my dance space. * Go back to your playpen, Baby! - The steps aren't enough - feel the music.
I love my country, 'deed I do But oh, that war has made me blue. I like fightin' that's my name, But fightin' is the least a-bout the fightin' game. When Mister Hoover said to cut my dinner down, I never even hesitate, I never frown; I cut my sugar, I cut my coal, But now they dug deep in my soul.
I've got the blues -- I've got the blues, I've got the alcoholic blues. No more beer my heart to cheer; Goodbye whiskey, you used to make me frisky. So long high-ball, so long gin. Oh, tell me when you comin' back a-gin? Blues -- I've got the blues Since they amputated my booze Lord-y Lord-y, war is well -- you know, I don't have to tell-- Oh, I've got the alcoholic blues, some blues -- I've got the blues.
Prohibition that's the name, Prohibition, drives me insane. I'm so thirsty, soon I'll die, I'm simply goin' to 'vaporate, I'm just that dry. I wouldn't mind to live forever in a trench, Just if my daily thirst they only let me quench; And not with Bevo or Gingerale I want real stuff by the pail.
Copyright 1919 by Broadway Music Corporation. Words by Edward Laska, music by Albert Von Tilzer.
The needle of the Norelco Auto Mignon stays in the groove of our 45s, even when we drive over rough roads. But since there's no record changer, we must insert each record we want to play, then remove it when the song is over.
Flying through the air, In a private aeroplane O'er the world we go, High above the rain! Wings on airplane zoom Making spirits bright What fun it is to ride and sing A flying song tonight!
Zoom and whirr! Zoom and whirr! The sky's an open lane! Oh, what fun it is to ride In a zooming aeroplane! Zoom and whirr! Zoom and whirr! The sky's an open lane. Oh, what fun it is to ride In a zooming aeroplane!
Seems here they won't sell to US customers -- and while they say nothing of prohibiting such things, (this) one imagines it has something to do with the cord/plug/socket/electricity. Bummer.
Because nothing says 'breakfast' better than skull-and-crossbones toast & a GnR ref on my toaster.
