Pop Culture Safari!

Pop Pic: Elizabeth Montgomery

Comic Book Art: John Byrne X-Men Portfolio Art

Watch Pete Townshend join cast of 'Tommy' on 'The Tonight Show'

New Beach Boys Documentary Streams May 24 on Disney+


From Disney+:

Today, Disney+ announced that “The Beach Boys,” an all-new documentary, will stream exclusively on Disney+ beginning May 24, 2024.

“The Beach Boys” is a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music, and the iconic, harmonious sound they created that personified the California dream, captivating fans for generations and generations to come. 

The documentary traces the band from humble family beginnings and features never-before-seen footage and all-new interviews with The Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, David Marks, Bruce Johnston, plus other luminaries in the music business, including Lindsey Buckingham, Janelle Monáe, Ryan Tedder, and Don Was. 

Viewers will also hear from the group’s Carl and Dennis Wilson in their own words, plus view a new interview with Blondie Chaplin and hear audio from Ricky Fataar. 

A Kennedy/Marshall and White Horse Pictures Production, “The Beach Boys” is directed by Frank Marshall and Thom Zimny and written by Mark Monroe. 

The film is produced by Frank Marshall, Irving Azoff, Nicholas Ferrall, Jeanne Elfant Festa, Aly Parker, with Nigel Sinclair, Mark Monroe, Tony Rosenthal, Cassidy Hartmann, Glen Zipper, Thom Zimny, Beth Collins, Jimmy Edwards, Susan Genco, Marc Cimino, Jody Gerson, Bruce Resnikoff, and Ben J. Murphy serving as executive producers.

The official soundtrack for “The Beach Boys,” featuring songs from the film, will be available to stream and download on May 24, and the group’s iconic 1964 album “Shut Down, Vol. 2” is being released on limited edition blue and white marble vinyl on March 29. 

Additionally, the group’s only official book, “The Beach Boys by The Beach Boys,” will be released on April 2, via Genesis Publications (for more information and to pre-order: https://geni.us/beachboysbook).

Pop Culture Roundup: Batman's New Look, 'The Studio' Comedy Series Cast, David Byrne et. al. for Abortion Access, More


ITEM!
Celebrating the 60th anniversary of the debut of Batman's "new look."

ITEM! David Byrne and Devo, Courtney Barnett, The War on Drugs and more are contributing songs to an album that benefits abortion rights org Noise for Now.

ITEM! Catherine O’Hara, Kathryn Hahn, Bryan Cranston and more will appear in "The Studio," a new Apple TV+ series coming from Seth Rogen.

ITEM! Check out some rare illustration work by "Little Lulu" Marge Buell.

New on Video: Warner Archive Collection: 'They Drive by Night'


Order now from Amazon

Details:

Humphrey Bogart and George Raft star as two brothers trying to keep their independent trucking company in business--battling cutthroat competition from unscrupulous trucking companies and from crooked distributors as They Drive By Night. 

After ten years of the Great Depression, scrappy Joe and Paul Fabrini (Raft and Bogart) are still--just barely--in business. Paul dreams of spending more time with his wife, and Joe has his eye on waitress Cassie Hartley (Ann Sheridan). 

Then Paul loses an arm in an accident and can no longer drive. But when Lana Carlson (Ida Lupino), the wife of the Fabrini's main rival, falls in love with Joe, she murders her husband and offers an interest in the company to the Fabrini brothers. Joe refuses to marry her, however, and Lana accuses Joe of her husband's murder in this hard-edged, classic drama directed by Raoul Walsh.

Watch Sleater-Kinney Play Live on KEXP

Pop Pics: Walt and Ed

Hey! I have a tip jar now!


You may have noticed, I have a tip jar now.

In well over a decade of blogging, I've never had one. But I have a tip jar now because I was thinking:

Why don't I have a tip jar (now)? After all, if a reader had the ability to tip even $5 to help me buy three-quarters of a pint of beer, that would make doing this blog a little more fun.

I put a lot of time into this thing, waking before dawn (this is not a joke) to peruse the Web for interesting pop culture news; keeping track of new comic book, music and book releases; finding Pop Pics, and putting up (I hope) entertaining posts like my look backs at comic book covers, song and album releases from 50 years ago (currently we're in 1974). Even a few pennies showing appreciation would be nice (but not necessary).

So, if you dig, have dug, or will dig hanging out at Pop Culture Safari! please note that I have a tip jar now.

Nothing is expected, but anything is appreciated. The main thing is you're here, and I hope that you'll keep coming back. Let's keep old school pop blogging alive! It's fun and it keeps us all out of trouble.

Thank you, readers!

Pop Artifact: Vintage Jimi Hendrix Experience Poster

TwoMorrows Launches New Retro Horror Mag - 'Cryptology'

On the heels of its recently published book, "It Rose from the Tomb," TwoMorrows (publishers of Alter-Ego, Back Issue Jack Kirby Collector and other great mags and books) is launching Cryptology, a new magazine looking at vintage horror culture. 

You can order copies or subscribe here.

Here's a look at the first four issues' covers and contents:

Cryptology #1
“Greetings, creep culturists! For my debut issue, I, the Cryptologist (with the help of From The Tomb editor Peter Normanton), have exhumed the worst Horror Comics excesses of the 1950s, Killer “B” movies to die for, and the creepiest, kookiest toys that crossed your boney little fingers as a child! But wait... do you dare enter the House of Usher, or choose sides in the skirmish between the Addams Family and The Munsters?! Can you stand to gaze at Warren magazine frontispieces by this issue’s cover artist Bernie Wrightson, or spend some Hammer Time with that studio’s most frightening films? And if Atlas pre-code covers or terrifying science-fiction are more than you can take, stay away! All this, and more, is lurching toward you in TwoMorrows Publishing’s latest, and most decrepit, magazine—just for retro horror fans, and featuring my henchmen Will Murray, Mark Voger, Barry Forshaw, Tim Leese, Pete von Sholly, and Steve and Michael Kronenberg!”

Cryptology #2
"Heh-heh-heh, it’s me again—the Cryptologist—and my ghastly little band have cooked up a few more grisly morsels to terrorize you with! Amongst them is Roger Hill’s conversation with diabolical Don Heck, along with a complete 1950s story by that fabled horror comics artist! For something even more gruesome, Steven Kronenberg slices up his favorite severed hand films! Barry Forshaw brings back the otherworldly horrors of Hammer’s Quatermass, while Tim Leese spends more Hammer Time on that studio’s output. Then, Richard Hand resurrects spooky old radio shows, while editor Peter Normanton prepares a viewing of horror-inspired covers from the Shadow’s own 1940s comic book! We’ll cover another Killer “B” movie classic, along with more pre-Code comic books, and Pete Von Sholly gives his twisted take on cartoon horror. So peer into the dark side with TwoMorrows Publishing’s latest terror—scribed just for retro horror fans!"

Cryptology #3
“I, the Cryptologist, am back with editor Peter Normanton and my horrible little troop of ne’er do wells, to inflict the dread of Mars Attacks upon you—the banned cards, model kits, and despicable comics, along with a few words from the film’s deranged storyboard artist Pete von Sholly! The chilling poster art of Reynold Brown gets brought up from my vault by Steve Kronenberg, along with a host of terrifying puppets from film, and more pre-Code comic books Dr. Wertham would prefer you forget! Plus, Tim Leese spends more Hammer Time on that studio’s films, we run from another Killer “B” movie (1959’s The Manster), and Justin Marriot flips through obscure ’70s fear-filled paperbacks. It’s more retro-horror to satiate your sinister side!”

Cryptology #4
“I, the Cryptologist, throw open my putrid sanctuary, as acclaimed illustrator Alex Ross regales us with the gory lowdown on his Universal Monsters paintings. Tim Leese and Hammer Time then take us face-to-face with that studio’s classic film “Brides of Dracula.” Mark Voger puts the horrors of 3-D movies of the 1950s into focus, and editor Peter Normanton literally brings that era’s 3-D comic books to life with a mini-history, and complete 3-D story reprint! From there, we embark on a journey to discover the early origins of blood-curdling slasher movies, as a prelude to the macabre pre-Code artwork of Atlas’s Bill Everett and ACG’s 3-D maestro Harry Lazarus. Another Killer “B” movie awaits (courtesy of Steve Kronenberg), as does cartoon creepiness by Pete Von Sholly. It’s a crypt full of the macabre, prepared especially for retro horror fans!””

Pop Pic: A Bunch of Bradys

 


Pop Artifact: Fred Flintstone on Dino Toy

 


Big Albums of March 1974: ABBA, Eagles, Mott and More

A look at some of the most notable LPs released this month 50 years ago. Click the links to order from Amazon.

The first internationally releeased by the pop quartet. Their names are helpfully spelled out in parentheses on the front cover. 

Songs include the title track (which was released in English, Swedish, German and French as a single, and which hit #6 on the Billboard charts), "Honey Honey" and "My Mama Said." 

The LP only hit 183 in the U.S., but it introduced the quartet to the American market where they eventually did very, very well - just everyplace else. A 50th anniversary edition is out April 5.

The King's 20th LP offers solid 1970s Presley fare and did well on the country charts. "I've Got a Thing About You Baby" and "Take Good Care of Her" stand alongside some of his best work.

Frank's fusion-y sixth solo LP is his all-time top seller in the U.S. and yielded his first Top 10 single, "Yellow Snow." I've always enjoyed Zappa's early Mothers stuff and his instrumental forays best, but if you did the "humor," there's some good stuff here, as on all of his albums.

Speaking of fusion: Weather Report's fourth LP captures them cultivating the sophisticated, yet approachable sound that brought them great commercial success once bassist Jaco Pastorious came on board. The LP earned solid reviews and was rated "Album of the Year" by Downbeat readers.

Mott's last before singer Ian Hunter split to go solo. Great, glammy stuff, including "The Golden Age of Rock and Roll" and one of my faves by the group, "Roll Away the Stone," which I bust out each Easter.

I never liked 'em, but there's no denying their popularity of power as a chart force. This one yielded "Best of My Love," (which I do sorta like, and which hit #1) along with "James Dean" and "Already Gone." I'll listen to it again and see what happens.