See You After SoonerCon

SoonerCon 22  is in a few weeks and I am part of the Program Book team.  I'll be taking off from here until some time in the beginning of July.

We've still got some work to do on putting the beast to bed.  See you in a few weeks!

 

Re-Post: Farewell to a King-Sized Sweetheart

 

Here’s what the Daily Oklahoman’s obit read...

March 22, 1959 - October 28, 2011 MOORE Mark Lynn Barragar left this life to be with the Lord on Friday, October 28, 2011. He was born March 22, 1959 in Columbus, Kansas. He was the only child of Wallace and Loree Barragar. He graduated with the Capitol Hill High School Class of 1976. He spent most of his working life as a Master Control technician. Mark enjoyed a variety of pastimes, especially entertaining. Many people know Mark best by "Ranger Roger," the name he used when he hosted "Camp Kids Club" on KOKH (Channel 25) from 1991 to 1998. His most recent passion was as an Elvis "tribute artist" known as the "King-sized King." Mark married the love of his life, Yvonne, in 1981 and is the stepfather of Dru West of Chicago, IL; and Yevette O'Leary of Shawnee, OK; and is survived by them and his son-in-law, Michael O'Leary; and grandchildren, Turner, Kathryn, Ashlyn and J. Patrick. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wallace and Loree Barragar. A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, November 1, 2011, at John M. Ireland Funeral Home Chapel, Moore, OK, under their direction.
 

I knew Mark since the 1990s.  He came to a ThunderCon in full Klingon regalia.  Believe me, you pay attention to a 6-foot-4 Klingon!

Mark had played the Frankenstein Monster on Count Gregore’s Sleepwalker’s Matinee on Channel 5.  In the 1990s he was “Ranger Roger” for Channel 25.  Later he became an Elvis tribute artist, “The King Size King.” 

 

Here is Mark in the 1990s in his Frankenstein get-up, while I am wearing my Mazeppa Pompazoidi

costume made by my mom when I was about 15 or 16.

 

In the 2000s, Joyce and I saw him perform as the King several times, once at Moore’s Yellow Rose Theatre, where we bought this CD.
 

In between, Mark had talked to me about having his own show as a horror host (probably based on Count Gregore and other hosts).  I wrote him a couple of scripts, and when Mark said his character would be Cyclopean, I suggested we name him Professor Eisingel (“Eye”+”single”, get it?)  Alas,
nothing came of that.
 

You can find a few more tributes here:

http://www.thelostogle.com/2011/10/31/rip-ranger-roger/

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSlh=1&GRid=79691753&

As to his CD, here are the tracks:

1) 2001 / That's Alright Mama

2)  Hound Dog

3)  Treat Me Nice

4)  Love Me

5)  Follow That Dream

6)  Viva Las Vegas

7)  In the Ghetto

8)  Wonder of You

9)  American Trilogy

10)  I Can't Stop Loving You

And here is the link:

http://rapidshare.com/files/3266399397/B%20-%20KSK.rar

 

See you next week!
 

Put That Ho Down!

Here we have the triumph of process over art, of arrangement over original.  This is one of those "safe" records that you could listen to with your grandparents.  They would appreciate the bouncy, upbeat music (as they would think of it).  You would cringe as you imagined how many steps the final product might be from the spontaneity and freedom that is the origin of musical art.

01. Devil’s Dream (1:38)

02. Turkey in the Straw (1:49)
03. Back Up and Push (1:34)
04. Maiden’s Prayer (3:03)
05. Golden Slippers (2:33)
06. Fire in the Mountain (1:46)
07. Arkansas Traveler (2:15)
08. Orange Blossom Special (2:39)
09. Listen to the Mocking Bird (1:58)
10. Faded Love (3:11)
11. Fisher’s Horn Pipe (1:31)
12. Chicken Reel (1:52)

I just re-listened to a few bars of "Faded Love" -- which is my fine State of Oklahoma's official Country and Western Song -- and cringed anew.  If "Love" were like this song, then it could not fade, because it would be sealed in Lucite and wrapped in about three layers of lacquer, sprayed with clear Rustoleum.

This definitely fits into the category of so-bad-it-'s-OK.

 

What do you think!  Let me know.

 

I Am a Free Man!

This music was featured in the series, which I watched on public TV as a teen or pre-teen.  Not until much later did I learn about things like "library music," and that a lot of the very appropriate background music heard in the series was indeed pre-composed library music.

There were some originals too -- the theme (by Ron Grainer) and its permutations.

This music started out as a series of cassettes bought in the 1980s.  They are not identical to the "Files" CDs that are currently available.  There are a few tracks here that are not there.

I cobbled together my own CD art, from various sources.

Who Is Disc One
01. Arrival - Main Title Theme (2:18)
02. Arrival - Number 6 Attempts Helicopter Escape (1:57)
03. Arrival - Band Marches into Village Main Square (1:46)
04. Arrival - Chimes (Original Unused Main Title Theme) (2:16)
05. A, B & C - Engadine's Dreamy Party (1:21)
06. Free For All - Mini Moke and Speedboat Escape (2:53)
07. Free For All - Cat and Mouse Nightclub Mechanical Band (1:35)
08. Free For All - No. 6 Wins Village Election (1:28)
09. Free For All - Violent Capture of No. 6 in Rover Cave (1:44)
10. The General - Professor's Wife Outdoor Art Class (0:39)
11. The General - Security Clearance for Board Members (0:50)
12. The General - Villagers' Examination Results Celebration (2:02)
13. The General - No. 6 Encounters the General (0:38)
14. The General - Destruction and Final Report (2:34)
15. Fall Out - Full Version - Main Title Theme (3:33)
16. Many Happy Returns - No. 6 Aboard Gunrunners' Boat (1:57)
17. Dance Of The Dead - Village Square Carnival Procession (2:18)
18. Dance Of The Dead - No. 6 Steals a Lifebelt (1:42)
19. Checkmate - Escapers Attack Searchlight Tower (1:54)
20. Hammer Into Anvil - No. 2 Has No. 6 Followed to the Stone Boat (1:54)
21. Hammer Into Anvil - Farandelle Played by Village Band (3:13)
22. Hammer Into Anvil - Fight Between No. 6 and No. 14 (3:56)
23. The Girl Who Was Death - Village Green Cricket Match (1:56)
24. Once Upon A Time - No. 6's Regression to Childhood (2:10)
25. Once Upon A Time - No. 6's Schooldays Revisited (0:40)
26. Once Upon A Time - Main Title Theme Reprise (1:09)
27. The Chimes of Big Ben - No. 6 in His Cottage (3:18)
28. The Chimes of Big Ben - No. 6 Espies the Cleaning Maid (2:17)
29. The Chimes of Big Ben - Village Band Afternoon Concert (2:20)
30. The Chimes of Big Ben - No. 6 Hides Loudspeaker in Refrigerator (3:03)
31. The Chimes of Big Ben - No. 6 Tree Chopping and Raft Building (2:32)
32. The Chimes of Big Ben - Curfew Time - Bedtime (1:57)
33. The Chimes of Big Ben - No. 6 and Nadia Inside Crate (3:01)
34. The Chimes of Big Ben - Announcement of Art Competition for Seascapes (2:40)
35. A, B & C - Engadine's Party String Music (2:45)
Here is Number One
UPDATED LINK as of November 25, 2013:
http://yadi.sk/d/2eJ5FgF1DEURb


The New Disc Two
01. A, B, & C - No. 6 Arrives at 'Dreamy Party' (2:05)
02. Many Happy Returns - No. 6 Adrift on Raft at Sea (2:53)
03. Many Happy Returns - Invitation to Human Chess (2:43)
04. Dance Of The Dead - Village Morning, Prior to Carnival (2:07)
05. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling - En Route to Kandersfelt (1:30)
06. The Girl Who Was Death - In the Magnum Record Shop (2:00)
07. The Girl Who Was Death - You Have Just Been Poisoned (2:34)
08. The Girl Who Was Death - On the Big Dipper (3:39)
09. The Girl Who Was Death - Chase with Sports Cars and Helicopter (2:33)
10. The Girl Who Was Death - Good Night Children, Everywhere (1:29)
11. Fall Out - President's Speech (2:38)
12. Fall Out - No. 6's Speech (2:15)
13. Fall Out - Back in London (1:45)
14. Fall Out - Alternative Prisoner Main Title Theme (3:08)
15. Arrival - Nos. 6 & 9 Listen to band (2:40)
16. The Chimes Of Big Ben - Nightcap with Nadia (2:24)
17. The Chimes Of Big Ben - Nadia's Escape Swim (3:06)
18. The Chimes Of Big Ben - Outside Exhibition Hall (2:23)
19. The Chimes Of Big Ben - Escapers Launch Dinghy (1:13)
20. A, B, & C - Drugged No. 6 Collapses (1:51)
21. Free For All - Breakfast with No. 2 (1:18)
22. The Chimes Of Big Ben - Speedlearn Broadcast (0:43)
23. Dance Of The Dead - Insomnia for No. 6 (3:39)
24. Dance Of The Dead - No. 6 Leaves the Dance (1:31)
25. Dance Of The Dead - Mob Chases No. 6 (0:47)
26. Hammer Into Anvil - Kosho on Trampoline (1:29)
27. A Change Of Mind - No. 6 is Refused Coffee (2:15)
28. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling - Janet's Birthday Party (1:20)
29. Do Not Forsake Me Oh My Darling - Europe by Lotus Seven (1:10)
30. The Girl Who Was Death - No. 6 Plays Cricket (2:22)
31. The Girl Who Was Death - Benny's Turkish Baths (2:31)
32. The Girl Who Was Death - Barney's Boxing Booth (1:59)
33. The Girl Who Was Death - Fairground Fashion Photography (1:25)
34. The Girl Who Was Death - Lotus Elan in a Spin (2:24)
35. The Girl Who Was Death - The Lighthouse (2:25)
36. Fall Out - No. 2 Gives Rocket a Stare (1:19)
37. Fall Out - Rocket Ignition (3:03)

Here is Number Two
UPDATED LINK as of November 25, 2013:
http://yadi.sk/d/OJYgTjRhDEUWg

And howdy to Darth Sphincter ...

Be seeing you!

 

Remembering Some Olden Days

From the fine folks at National Geographic comes an album intended to remind you of some good old days, around the turn of the 20th Century I think.

01. The Thunderer - The Park Pavilion Concert Band and String Ensemble (2:04)

02. My Wild Irish Rose - Bluegrass Student Union (2:16)
03. Summertime Medley (The Sidewalks of New York - I Don't Want to Play in Your Yard - In My Merry Oldsmobile) - The Park Pavilion Concert Band (4:13)
04. Wait Till the Sun Shines Nellie - The Thoroughbreds (1:42)
05. On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away - The Thoroughbreds (1:56)
06. Meet Me in St. Louis, Louis - The Park Pavilion Concert Band and String Ensemble (2:48)
07. Grandfather's Clock - Gove (3:43)
08. Hello Ma Baby - The Park Pavilion Concert Band and String Ensemble (1:00)
09. Evening in the Park (The Band Played On - Love's Old Sweet Song - Daisy Bell) - The Park Pavilion Concert Band and String Ensemble (4:21)
10. I Love You Truly - The Thoroughbreds (2:59)
11. In the Good Old Summertime - The Park Pavilion Concert Band and String Ensemble (1:39)
12. Sweet Adeline - Bluegrass Student Union (3:15)

 

The good news is, you can listen to this in the air conditioning!

Here it is.

UPDATED LINK as of November 25, 2013:
http://yadi.sk/d/JK8CgfqfDEGuR
 

Come into the Parlor, My Dear ...

 

 

 

 

"Yes, and it's a fine, fair evening to you, too, Miss McSweenie!"  Joe "Fingers" Carr seems to be saying as his digits caress the ivories.

 

 

This fun album of  reminiscences came out nearly fifty years ago.  He's a review from Billboard magazine's May 19, 1956 issue:

 

 



 

And here are the liner notes from the back of the album:

 

One of the great things about records "in the old days" was that sometimes you got some bonus reading material on the record sleeve.  In this case it's not a fancy photo or lyrics, but the record label boasting about how great their product is:

 

But what about the music? you ask.  Well, ask no longer.  Here are the songs:

 

1. Moonlight Bay (Percy Wenrich/Edward Madden - 1912) 2:02

2. Take Me Out to the Ball Game (Albert Von Tilzer/Jack Norworth - 1908) 1:40

3. That Old Gang of Mine (Ray Henderson/Mort Dixon/Billy Rose - 1923) 2:43

4. Let Me Call You Sweetheart (Leo Friedman/Beth Slater Whitson - 1910) 2:20

5. Smiles (J. Will Callahan/Lee S. Roberts - 1917) 3:19

6. My Wild Irish Rose (Chauncey Olcott - 1899) 2:40

7. The Gang That Sang “Heart of my Heart” (Ben Ryan - 1926) 2:17

8. By the Light of the Silvery Moon (Gus Edwards/Edward Madden - 1909) 2:14

9. I Love You Truly (Carrie Jacobs-Bond - 1911) 2:25

10. Moonlight and Roses (Ben Black/Neil Moret [a.k.a. Charles Daniels] - 1925) 2:34

11. There’s a Long, Long Trail (Alonzo Elliot/Stoddard King - 1911) 2:07

12. Three O’Clock in the Morning (Dorothy Terriss/Julian Robledo - 1922) 2:45

13. Shine On Harvest Moon (Nora Bayes/Jack Norworth - 1911) 2:07

14. Home Sweet Home (John Howard Payne - 1823) 2:22

 



By the way, Joe "Fingers" Carr was a nom de guerre of a fellow named Lou Busch.

Hope you like it!

  UPDATED LINK as of November 25, 2013:
http://yadi.sk/d/h2xPKEt4DEGwq

Can You Have TOO MUCH Star Trek?

More disco from MECO, the guy who found a whole new musical market when he released a disco version of John Williams' Star Wars theme back in 1977.

He came back for more with these two 1979 films.  Side One was Star Trek related and Side Two covered John Barry's pompous score for Disney's bloated sci-fi stab at the
 box office, The Black Hole.

01. Star Trek Medley
02. Love Theme From Star Trek
03. Theme From Star Trek
04. Theme From The Black Hole
05. Clearmotion
06. Space Sentry
07. Meteorites
Here you go.

MA-25 - Over Reaction

Here's another group of fun songs from the atomic choir, from cartoons and girl groups to satire and punk.

1 - Hydrogen Bomb        Al Rex         1959

2 - The H-Bomb's Thunder         John Brunner     1959

3 - Walking On The Ground         Sheldon Allman       1960

4 - Standing on the Outside of Your Shelter    Shel Silverstein     1962

5 - Doomsday  The Shirelles     1964

6 - Atom Ant      TV Theme       1965

7 - Testing the Bomb      Shel Silverstein 1965

8 - Who's Next Tom Lehrer 1965

9 - Apeman The Kinks   1970

10 - We Got the Neutron Bomb The Weirdos 1976

11 - Bombers (Single Version) Gary Numan / Tubeway Army 1978

12 - Save The World George Harrison 1981

13 - Going Under Devo 1981

14 - It's a Mistake Men At Work 1983

15 - Armageddon Planet P Project 1983

16 - Distant Early Warning Rush 1984

17 - P.O.E Adam Ant 1985

18 - Common Ground Goanna 1985

19 - Lucky The Dead Milkmen 1985

20 - Put Down That Weapon Midnight Oil 1987

21 - Luftwaffe Flashlight Brown 2000

22 - Nuclear Blues Seismic Anamoly 2003

23 - Iranian Uranium Robert Lund 2006

24 - We're Gonna Drop the Atom Bomb Turbonegro 2007

25 - Atom Ant   Theme Remix Cartoon Network Groovies 2008

26 - Nuclear Disaster The Fresh and Onlys 2009

Boom!