DWIGHT AND BUCK . . . "THE STREETS OF BAKERSFIELD" . . . . PASSING THE TORCH , KEEPING THE FLAME ALIVE . . . . BUCK'S BEEN GONE FOR SOME TIME NOW BUT THE MEMORY LIVES ON . . . . YEE HA !!!

NO INTRODUCTION REQUIRED . . . . DWIGHT YOAKAM AND MR BUCK OWENS DOING THE CLASSIC "STREETS OF BAKERSFIELD" . . . . A TOWN THAT SPAWNED A SOUND.

**** Click on link or post title to yodelay along with a dynamic duo of the country kind . . . giddy up !!!
Dwight Yoakam, Streets of Bakersfield Video - YouTube

"2011 BROOKLYN INVITATIONAL" VIDEOVERVIEW . . . . REALLY COOL MOVING PICTURES FROM RICHARD GRABBE OF A SHOW I'D LOVE TO GET TO . . . . ONE DAY . . . . HOOK IN AND DIG IT !!!

"THE BROOKLYN INVITATIONAL" IS ONE OF THE GIGS I WOULD ONE DAY VERY MUCH DIG TO CHECK OUT, GIVEN THE HEADSPACE BEHIND IT'S INCEPTION, THE PEOPLE INVOLVED AND THOSE WHO GET INVITED TO PARTICIPATE, IT'S RIGHT ON TOP OF MY GOTTA DO IT LIST . . . .

I HAVEN'T DONE TOO MUCH OVERSEAS TRAVEL FOR A FIFTY YEAR OLD BLOKE . . . . BUT THAT SHIT IS ABOUT TO CHANGE THIS YEAR WHEN I GO BACK TO THE STATES AGAIN  . . . . THIS TIME ON MY OWN, NO NEW BRIDE, NO RESTRICTIONS AND NOTHIN BUT FREEDOM AND THE DESIRE TO SUCK IT ALL IN . . . . I FEEL LIKE MORGAN FREEMAN'S CHARACTER IN THE 'SHEEPSHOP CONTENTION" . . . . EXCITED LIKE A KID BEFORE CHRISTMAS . . . . CAN'T WAIT !!!!

I was initially searching for "Free to Wander" to scope out again and happened upon this cracking bit of footage on Mr Grabbe's 'Vimeo' site, it's a pretty chill trip through the place and the bikes and certainly hit all the right buttons for me . . . . even being so far and so remote from events such as this, mini docs like these can really put you in the zone . . . . the whole interweb scene can elicit feelings and emotions that take you back to being that kid immersing yourself in magazines just to get somehow closer to the stuff you feel so drawn to . . . . [it's a shame I took so long to overcome my fears and phobias and begun to embrace it and utilize its potential] . . . . it's a groovy feelin, not as good as the real deal I know, but it will suffice for the present . . . . it'll have to !!

***** Big thanks to Richard Grabbe for the video and the Vimeo mob as well, to take a stroll around the show, click on below link or on post title and enjoy . . . .
Brooklyn Invitational on Vimeo

FROM THE LEAVE IT TO 'BEAVER' FILES . . . . "NAKED ON WHEELS" . . . . MAN, THOSE EUROPEAN CHICKS ARE FULLY FREEDOM LOVIN TYPES, LIKE NO INHIBITIONS WHATSOFUCKINGEVER . . . . A LOVELY PIECE OF FAMILY FUN CINEMA WITH ALL THE ESSENTIAL INGREDIENTS . . . . H.A CHAPS FULLY PATCHED AND ON AN ECLECTIC RANGE OF BIKES, NICE RIDING FOOTAGE IN THE MIDDLE OF MOTHER NATURE'S GREAT WIDE OPEN . . . . OH. . . . . AND NUDE CHICKS GOING TWO UP . . . . ON BIKES THAT IS !!!

Don't know much about the vid other than it was posted by the very mysterious man in the top hat, "Lord Black" . . . . an enigma wrapped in a riddle disguised as a conundrum . . . .

Anyway, a groovy bit of Lowbrow Cinematic Titilation of oldish, but unspecified date, featuring members of the Swiss, at least presumably, H.A on a nice cross count-ry [in Shakespearean double entendre] jaunt on a melange of scoots with a pair of rather delightful, fair skinned maidens thrown in for very good measure . . . .

I'm not generally given to thoughts of posting scantily clad or, in this case, nekkid babes because so many of you already have it well under control . . . . however, being a true patron of 'the yartz', as we say downunder, I figured I'd give them, sorry, I mean 'it', a stab . . . . if you take my meaning . . . .

**** Click on the link below or on porn, I mean post, title to feast your eyes upon this wonderful bit of easyridin, in the wind, beaver bakin action . . . thanks to "LORD BLACK" and VIMEO . . . .
naked on wheels on Vimeo

"DON'T LET'S START" - THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS . . . . . POP HASN'T ALWAYS GOTTA BE A DIRTY WORD . . . . QUIRKY, LEFT FIELD AND DECIDEDLY GEEK POWERED, THEY WERE DEFINITELY GIANTS IN MY MUSICAL WORLD BACK IN THE DAY . . . . DORKS OF THE WORLD UNITE . . . . REVENGE OF THE NERDS IS NIGH !!!!!! HEY JOCKS AND FOOTY HEADS . . . . TAKE A PISS IN YOUR EAR, THAT TINY PARTICLE OF BRAIN IS ON FIRE . . . . OR YOUR REAR, WHATEVER COOKS YOUR EGGS . . . . DICKHEAD !!!!!

CLASSIC INDY POP TUNE FROM THE STATES CIRCA 1987 . . . . THESE GEEKY DUDES HAD SOME KILLER SONGS WITHOUT A DOUBT . . . . I WAS A TOTAL FAN, THE TAPE WAS ON CONSTANT PLAY IN MY '71 GTR TORANA UNTIL IT GOT CHEWED UP AND SPAT OUT ABOUT A YEAR LATER . . . .

IT AIN'T BUTCH, BUT FUCK, IT'S COOL . . . . TO ALL THE JOCKS IN THE WORLD WHO ALWAYS ARRIVE AT "THE SCENE" JUST A POOFTEENTH TOO LATE TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, WE'RE ALL LAUGHIN AT YOU . . . . SOMETIMES YOU JUST HAVE TO SAY 'FUCK IT' AND JOIN IN WHILE YOUR BIG, DUMB, DINOSAUR MATES ARGUE WHETHER IT'S COOL OR NOT . . . .

I REMEMBER YOU ALL . . . . AND YOU DESERVE THE DULL, MONOTONOUS, TOTALLY STRESSFUL LIVES YOU'VE ENDED UP WITH . . . . HA HA HA . . . . EVEN THE MONEY CAN'T TAKE AWAY THE PAIN !!!!!

***** PUSH THE NASTY BUTTON BELOW OR ON POST TITLE TO SIT BACK AND HAVE A NICE LITTLE CHUCKLE TO "THEY MIGHT BE GIANTS" . . . . . HE HE HE HE !!!!
They Might Be Giants - Don't Let's Start - YouTube

RADIO BIRDMAN - "ALOHA STEVE AND DANNO" 1978 . . . . A TRUE BLUE AUSSIE/NORTH AMERICAN COLLABORATIVE EFFORT . . . . A MAJOR LEAGUE CONTRIBUTOR TO THE IMMEDIATE POST PUNK MUSICAL ENVIRONMENT, SUDDENLY EVERYTHING ELSE BECAME OBSOLETE . . . . FEATURING THE HUGE TALENTS OF ROB YOUNGER, DENIZ TEK, PIP HOYLE, CHRIS MAZUAK ET AL, THESE GUYS DREW A LINE IN THE SAND THAT INDELIBLY MARKED THEM FOR LIFE AS MUSICAL GROUNDBREAKERS IN THE AUSSIE ROCK SCENE . . . . AND ULTIMATELY AROUND THE WORLD . . . . . RADIOS WOULD MOST CERTAINLY APPEAR . . . . AS WOULD RUMOUR, BULLSHIT GOSSIP AND BONAFIDE LEGEND . . . . BIRDMAN WAS FOR REAL, ASK NO QUARTER AND GIVE NOTHING BUT ALL THEY HAD . . . . FUCK THE WORLD AND ALL BE DAMNED !!!!

Nothin much more to say than that really . . . . . well, I lied, there's so much more . . . . plug in, turn up and let it rip . . . . talk about freak out the fucking squares, Birdman talked the talk and sprinted the walk . . . . 

Taking the best of influences from The MC5, Stooges, Dolls, Stones and a whole bunch of their own unique, soaked in napalm, dirty socks rock and roll, this outfit took no prisoners . . . . . they scared the fuck out of mainstream rock circles and blazed a trail that made it possible for the nascent Aussie post punk/indy rock scene to follow into the eighties and beyond . . . . make no bones about it motherfuckers, these dudes made most "so called" punk acts look like whimps . . . .

No more blabbing, cut to the chase, go and buy their shit, put it on, crank the volume and suck up the essence of rock and roll, do some research as well, once again, as The Saints implored thirty plus years ago . . . know your product !!!!!

***** CLICK ON BELOW LINK OR ON POST TITLE TO GIT SOME OF THE BIRDMAN WITH "ALOHA STEVE AND DANNO" . . . . BURN YOUR EYE AND YOUR EARS !!!!!
Radio Birdman - Aloha Steve & Danno (1978) - YouTube

THE FREAK . . . . MOTO GUZZI V8 GP RACER . . . . WHAT'S WILDER THAN A HONDA 250/6 GP ROCKET ??? THE GUZZI V8 . . . . ABSOLUTELY BLOODY BERZERK, NEVER TOTALLY SUCCESSFUL NOR SORTED BUT BEING ONLY 498 cc AND WITH EIGHT OF EVERYTHING IT WAS A FUCKING MIRACLE IT WENT AT ALL . . . . [HEY LOVEY, CHECK OUT THE EXPLODED DIAGRAM ON THIS ONE !!!]

I RAN A BLURB ON THE REMARKABLE WORKS HONDA 250/6 GP RACER A WHILE BACK AND HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR SOMETHING CONCISE AND WITH DECENT PICS TO GET THE IMPACT ACROSS THAT THE INSANELY ADVANCED GUZZI V8 MUST'VE HAD IN ITS DAY . . . . THERE ARE SEVERAL VIDS ON POOTUBE WORTH A SQUIZ AS WELL . . . .

THIS GREAT LITTLE ARTICLE, ORIGINALLY FROM 'MOTORCYCLE NEWS' AND POSTED ON 'OZEBOOK.COM' IS A PERFECT OVERVIEW OF ONE OF MOTORCYCLINGS GENUINE ACTS OF ENGINEERING INSANITY/GENIUS . . . . A TRULY WICKED PIECE OF KIT THAT NEVER REALLY GOT TO ITS ULTIMATE STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT . . . . NONETHELESS, JUST KNOWING IT WAS PRODUCED, RACED AND IS STILL AROUND TO MARVEL AT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH . . . . THE MOTO GUZZI V8 . . . . FANTASTICO !!!!!!!

****** CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW OR ON POST TITLE TO HAVE A PERVE ON THIS BIT OF MECHANICAL MADNESS . . . . OH YEAH !!!
Moto Guzzi V8

TREVELEN AND SUPERCO . . . . GONE . . . . . .???? . . . . . DEFINITELY NOT FORGOTTEN . . . . IN MY OPINION, ONE OF ONLY A HANDFUL OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE "BIKER BUILD OFF" CIRCUS WHO ACTUALLY HAD A FIRM GRIP ON TURNING OUT RIDES WITH PERPETUALLY ENDURING STYLE, . . . . AMIDST A SEA OF FUGLY, HIS BIKES WERE NOTHIN BUT CLASSIC CHOPPER . . . .

I KNOW IT'S ALL OUT PERSONAL TASTE AND PERCEPTION BUT THAT'S MY CALL . . . . WITH VERY FEW EXCEPTIONS, THE CUSTOM BIKES THAT STAND THE TEST OF TIME AND ONGOING CRITICAL ACCLAIM ARE NOT THE HIGH END, MEGABUCK, SQUINT AND BLING JOBS, BUT RATHER, THOSE BASED ON DOING THE SIMPLE THINGS WELL AND SHOWING RESPECT FOR THE CLASSIC ELEMENTS FROM THE PAST . . . .

Trevelen's Build Off efforts always stood apart from the majority of the show's other contestants, along with Indian Larry, Cole Foster, Chica, Shinya and a few others, proudly tipping his hat to the era that was his inspiration and key influence . . . . . I ain't sledging the quality of workmanship and attendant skills of the others, merely suggesting that a huge chunk of their collective output will forever be tied to a very small window in time and styling cues, ultimately 'dating' the bikes almost by the relevant episodes conclusion . . . .

Surely the true 'test' of any piece of design, whether that be a car, a bike, a watch, a camera, a boot, a what fucking ever, is that it maintains a lasting aesthetic quality in combination with its ability to do its intended job with total functionality and ease of maintenence ???? Just because a bike is built to enter a show or contest, should that dictate all sense of purpose and practicality be abandoned to the point where all you end up with is slightly mobile, post modernist, mechanical sculpture . . . ???

Now, I've not read or heard too much of what this bad boy made good has been up to in the last couple of years, I suspect that like many of those who became involved with and caught up in the T.V bike wars of the last decade, the economy has slowed down, money has tightened up and customers might not be bangin on his door with the frequency of six years ago . . . . I had read somewhere a while ago he had stopped building and done a "Rodriguez" and just vanished . . . . [and I wonder ??] . . . . whatever it is, I don't give a fuck, I just wish him well for the future and I'll continue to get great delight and joy out of every time I lay my eyes on one of his God damn gorgeous, timeless bikes . . . . .

***** CLICK ON LINK TO TAKE A LOOK AT ONE OF SENOR RABANAL'S STUNNING PRODUCTIONS . . .

RANDOM ORANGE PRE UNIT TRUMPY PART II . . . . SAME BIKE AS PREVIOUS POST BUT IN A DIFFERENT GUISE . . . . WHICH CAME FIRST . . . . BUGGERED IF I KNOW !!!!

CLEARLY THE SAME TRUMPY AS THE PREVIOUS POST, JUST AS CLEARLY, EITHER DONE BEFORE OR AFTER THE OTHER VERSION . . . . I COULD UNDERSTAND BOTH FORMAT'S BEING THE FINAL RESULT . . . . PURELY DEPENDENT UPON PERSONAL PREFERENCE.

PRE UNIT TRIUMPHS, WHAT'S NOT TO LIKE ??? CHOPPED, BOBBED OR BOG STOCK STANDARD, WAY COOL POMMY KIT AND A LEGIT SHIT, TWO WHEELED LEGEND !!!!!

**** SAME AS BEFORE, ONLY THE POST TITLE WILL GET YOU INTO THIS ONE  -  GO TO IT AND CLICK !!! THANKS TO CLASSICSOLUTIONSUK FOR THE PHOTO AGAIN

RANDOM ORANGE PRE UNIT TRUMPY . . . NICE LINES, COOL STANCE AND A COLOUR THAT NORMALLY I WOULDN'T REALLY GO FOR . . . . KEEP IT SIMPLE, ALWAYS A GOOD CALL.

JUST STOLE THIS FROM A SITE CALLED 'CLASSICSOLUTIONSUK' . . . . COULD HARDLY MISS IT WITH THAT NEAR DAYGLO ORANGE PAINTWORK . . . THOUGHT IT LOOKED SWEET SO STUCK IT UP . . . . IF ANYBODY OWNS IT OR KNOWS WHO IT BELONGS TO, LET ME KNOW AND I'LL PUT UP THE DETAILS

***** CLICK ON POST TITLE TO GET SOME SOME ORANGE CRUSH . . . .

"ON ANY SUNDAY" . . . . "BECAUSE IT'S WHAT I LIKE TO DO" . . . . FLAT TRACKIN, FLAT OUT AND FULL ON !!!!! THERE WOULDN'T BE A MOTORCYCLE LOVER BETWEEN THE AGES OF FIFTY AND SEVENTY WHO WASN'T AND STILL IS AFFECTED BY THIS CLASSIC BRUCE BROWN DOCO . . . THE U.S FLAT TRACK SEGMENTS WERE THEN, AND STILL ARE, MY MOST LOVED IN THE FILM . . . BIG BIKES, BIG SPEED, BIG TALENT AND BIG BALLS . . . . THIS SHIT IS THE 'REAL DEAL' . . . . BREAK NO BONES ABOUT IT !!!!

YEAH, I KNOW I'VE COVERED IT BEFORE . . . AND I'LL PROBABLY TOUCH ON IT AGAIN, IF THERE IS A SINGLE, SIGNIFICANT, PIVOTAL MOMENT WHEN MOTORCYCLES BECAME THE BE ALL AND END ALL IN MY LIFE, SEEING "ON ANY SUNDAY" AT THE CINEMA AS A TEN YEAR OLD BACK IN 1971 WAS IT . . . . WHEN I CAME OUT OF THE THEATRE AT THE END OF THIS EPIC FILM I KNEW THAT THIS 'FEELING' WAS ONLY GONNA GET STRONGER AND THERE WASN'T ANY TURNING BACK . . . . IT WAS A CONCRETE CONFIRMATION IN MY TINY MIND THAT MOTORCYCLES AND THE RUSH THEY DELIVER WOULD STAY WITH ME AND CONTINUE TO FESTER FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE . . . . .

The portion of the film I've included in today's post is the final of the year's flat track championship at the Sacremento Mile . . . . Romero, Mann, Lawill, Aldana, Rice and company battling it out for the Grand National Title and the number 1 plate . . . . unfortunately, it wasn't a type of racing that existed in Australia at the time, still doesn't really, a bit of historic action and that's about it . . . . anyway, the coverage of this kind of racing was the highpoint of the film for me . . . . the speed they were obviously going and the control these guys had over their bikes had me by the sac, not to mention the human aspect of the get offs, the failures, the travel and the perception of classic old time cool was palpable . . . . it was also the last great days of Beezers and Trumpy's against the might of Milwaulkee, a few years later and the British motorcycle industry was all but fucked !!!

Bruce Brown's cinematography still holds up today and is part of the film's timeless appeal, the shots capture completely the downright speed these freaks are travelling at when they drop into a turn, the micro second adjustments they make with 'bars and body weight, those hefty steel shoes attached to the left hoof, the pain of Dick Mann riding with a still broken leg, a young Jim Rice competing after mashing his face up earlier in the day . . . . and the seasons continued mechanical failures for Mert Lawill . . . .

I probably watch all or bits of On Any Sunday once every couple of months . . . . I feel very much as I did as that young kid seeing it for the first time forty years ago . . . I hope that never changes, ever. It is a "must see" piece of motorcycling history, especially for any of today's young crew, there is a real and enduring "quality" this masterful bit of cinema posesses . . . . pass it on whenever and wherever you can . . . .

***** click on the link below or on post title to reacquaint yourself with some butt puckering action from possibly my favourite movie ever . . . "On Any Sunday" . . . yee ha !!!!
On Any Sunday (1971) part 7 - YouTube