THE COMPLETE 14 "BATMAN" WINDOW CAMEOS . . . . I JUST RIPPED IT FROM G.E.F's "WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE ?" BLOG . . . . HE TOOK IT FROM "BOING BOING" . . . . AND THEY SWIPED IT FROM "LOOMYAIRE" WHO PUT THE SHIT TOGETHER IN THE FIRST PLACE . . . .

I guess this will be of more interest to folks my age or from mid-late thirties up, unless you're one of the blessed sixties pop culture geeks out there . . . . coming across this only minutes ago was like finding the entrance to Shangri-la . . . . I figured out most of these classic, deadpan, dry as a Nun's whatsit cameos a long time ago . . . . but there were several that had always eluded me . . . . now, now dear friends, I can sleep at night, my search is at an end, yea verily, for I am sated . . . . Holy "give the game away Batman !!!!"

THE CLASH - "THE CALL UP" . . . . MY MOST LOVED BAND, A KILLER TRACK FROM THE TRIPLE ALBUM "SANDINISTA" . . . . STRUMMER AND THE BOYS DID THE TRIPLE THING TO GET OUT OF THEIR EXISTING CONTRACT . . . . THIS POST WAS INSPIRED BY A BRILLIANT READ ON "CRO CUSTOMS" BLOG . . . . GIVE IT A SERIOUS SQUIZ, EVERYBODY SHOULD . . . . THEN GO SHARE THE LOVE !!!

The Clash, a band who were so influential in the direction the post punk music would take, the Sandinista set is often dismissed as by many scribes and critics, especially those who hang onto that old maggot of "I only like their first two albums, then they sold out" . . . . what a bunch of old cobblers you wankers, they pushed themselves into totally unchartered waters for the bands of their time . . . .

Introducing all manner of sounds, styles and approaches that were not only foreign to all at the time but, and more importantly, incapable of being made flesh due to the overwhelming mucical ineptitude of most of their contemporaries . . . . not only that, they just loved the bigger picture of the world of music and weren't afraid to embrace a period of insane change, both classical and emergent musical styles, reggae, soul, R+B, country, jazz, the early hip hop/rap stuff  . . . . these guys weren't haters, they were ambassadors for peace love and understanding [thanks Declan McManus], and if they were hating, it was directed toward things worthy of contempt and needing change . . . .

Anyway, I won't start myself up, I'm gonna go read Mr Caleb Owens' blog again . . . . such was the impact his spiel has had on me . . . . a bunch of my personal baggage needs to be ditched . . . . or at least tweeked . . . . read it too, then go out and ride, open your eyes a bit wider than before and share some love . . . . it's pretty easy to do when the common link is so bloody strong !!! Forever Two Wheels . . . . not so much of 'fuck the world' . . . . or as Cro put it so simply - "Love to Ride, Ride to Love"

1971 DAYTONA 200 . . . . DICK MANN'S SECOND WIN IN A ROW ON BOARD A BEEZER TRIPLE . . . . A STELLAR FIELD, INCLUDING, NIXON, EMDE, ALDANA, HAILWOOD, SMART, AND ROMERO . . . . ABOUT THE LAST OF THE GLORY DAYS.

I knicked this from "RandysClassicVideos" off the old PooTube in the aftermath of my blurb on the wonderful Brit triples the other day . . . . I initially went hunting for specific footage of 'Slippery Sam' but most of it was fucking ordinary, then I stubbed my toe on this stuff and couldn't be more chuffed . . . . just check out the lineup for this event, not just the cream of the crop from the Golden Age of American two wheeled pedallers but also the likes of Mike 'The Bike' Hailwood and Paul Smart who was about to take Ducati to the centre of the world stage with his legendary win at Imola on the beautiful 750 roundcase . . . .

It's a funny thing that in the final deaththrows of the British bike industry in the early seventies, they found their greatest support in the U.S of A . . . . given that the Yanks had always gobbled up huge numbers of Pommy export numbers, particularly Trumpy's and Beezers, it should come as no surprise I guess . . . . Johnson Motors was in many ways responsible for this state of affairs, to the point of forcing Meriden and Small Heath into supplying bikes like the T120R and it's B.S.A equivelent for racing duties both on the oval tracks and scrambles/desert racing tour of the day.

Even though the Brits themselves were constantly developing their own, many of the long lasting innovations for both the parallel twins and, later on, the triples, were undertaken Stateside, heaps of these performance parts are still the basis for many of the aftermarket standards available today, the end result at the time was much better durability and reliability, especially in higher temperature environments such as North America and Australia.

It's all beside the point really, tragically, the poor old Poms were unable to stave off the inevitable demise of what had been, arguably, the most influential motorcycle industry in the world and by pretty much 1975, it was fucked, as I said in the other article, all over Red Rover. The U.K economy was not enjoying the same purple patch as their trans Atlantic cousins and the slide into 'Anarchy in the U.K' continued unabated.

Thankfully, the Yanks were able to save Harley from a similar fate through AMF having bought the operation, the great irony is for me and many others, the AMF era is loathed and detested by so many hardcore Harley lovers but the simple reality is this . . . . without their intervention, the Milwaulkee Marvel would have gone the way of every other U.S manufacturer and become extinct, it would not have been there for Willie G and his White Knight Posse to buy back . . . . if only John Bloor or some other unrelated, dispassionate, non motorcycling corporate entity had done the same in Blighty for the likes of N.V.T when it was really required !!!!

ON THE OTHER HAND, THIS IS FULL ON . . . . "FOK JULLE NAAIERS" BY 'DIE ANTWOORD'. . . . GENERALLY FUNKIER EDGED SOUTH AFRICAN ENSEMBLE HAVE GOT THEIR GRUMPY PANTS ON IN THIS ONE . . . . THERE'S A SUPER INTERESTING STORY BEHIND IT TOO SO PAY ATTENTION . . . . SNAP QUIZ AT THE END KIDDIES !!!!

THIS IS ONE SEETHING, MALEVOLENT, HATEFUL, INTENSE, ANGRY, OFFPUTTING AND RIVETING LISTEN, ESPECIALLY WITH THE ACCOMPANYING FILMCLIP . . . . NEVER SEEN SO MUCH ALMOST TANGIBLE LOATHING IN THE EYES OF MUSOS IN MY LIFE . . . . A REAL DEPARTURE FROM THEIR EARLIER SHIT AND UTTERLY CONVINCING . . . . DON'T FORGET THE BACKGROUND STORY . . . . SUSS IT OUT PEOPLES . . . . WORTH THE HUNT.

SIMPLY CALLED "WALKING" BY FELLOW SOUTH AFRICAN ZEF BAND "DIE ANTWOORD'S" CHOMMA [MEANING BUDDIES IN SLANG AFRIKAANS] . . . . . IT'S A PRETTY COOL TUNE AND THEY'VE VERY THOUGHTFULLY INCLUDED SOME TWO WHEEL ACTION THROUGHOUT THE VIDEO . . . . NO, IT'S NOT HARDCORE CHOPSVILLE BUT IT MAKES A NOT TOO SHABBY VISUAL . . . . KICK BACK AND RELAX TO "WALKING" . . . .

LANCE MOUNTAIN'S "POOL SERVICE" . . . . SAW THIS ON THE 'KILLIN IT' LADS BLOG AND WAS CLEAN BLOWN AWAY . . . . POOL CONSTRUCTION NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD . . . . AND "MAN MOUNTAIN" HAS ALWAYS BEEN A SKATE HERO OF MINE.

ONE OF MY MOST LOVED SKATIES WAS THE RED 'FUTUER PRIMITIVE' DECK I HAD BACK IN THE MID EIGHTIES . . . . EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT STICK FELT GOOD UNDER MY SIZE TWELVE PLATES OF MEAT . . . . PERFECT CONCAVE, KICK ANGLE, NOSE AREA, IT WAS BLOODY PERFECT . . . .



Everybody knows that Lance has been through some shit and it's just good to see him come out the other side with talent and mind seemingly still intact . . . . hell skater then and now, some super cool stuff in this Nike produced clip, unreal compressed overview of how a pool is masterminded then followed by some classic ripping on the virgin shotcrete . . . .

I wish I could say I'm still out there and hitting it like Mountain, T.A and half of you guys I read about on your various blogs but I'd be lyin . . . . I'm still toolin around on a Gonz with my eleven year old daughter and skatin for fun but my left wrist is just a mess and the fifty one year old hips and knees are just about fucked and the desire no longer overcomes the pain . . . .

What hasn't changed is the feeling I get inside when I'm watching others tearing it up in a pool that is just perfect, like the virgin build featured here . . . . all my respect and kudos to all you guys and girls still out there going hard . . . . . inspirational shit, love your collective work !!!

PETE YORN "LIFE ON A CHAIN" LIVE AT SOME JOINT CALLED 'FINGERPRINTS' . . . . MUSIC AT IT'S MOST BASIC, RAW, FUNNY AND HONEST . . . . TOO MANY WINES, HAD THE SUCKER IN MY HEAD ALL NIGHT . . . . TRAVELLIN MUSIC, TOO DRUNK TO RIDE THOUGH . . . . BEDTIME I RECKON, MIGHT JUST LIE DOWN HERE A WHILE . . . . ZZZzzzzzzzzzzz

HE'S BAAAAACK . . . . SAN DIEGO DEFINITELY IS GERMAN FOR WHALE'S VAGINA . . . . THOUGHT I'D TRY TO WRAP THIS INTO A BIKE AND BURGUNDY TYPE DEAL . . . . ONE OF "THE" FUNNIEST FLICKS I'VE EVER SEEN . . . . I JUST HOPE THEY DON'T FUCK UP THE SEQUEL . . . . HOLLYWOOD SCREW UP A SEQUEL . . . . ???? NOOOOOOOO !!!!

I don't know about managing to throw a Trident, T150 or T160, or a Hurricane or Rocket III, but I've had the pleasure of punting a few of all of the above around in the dim, distant nineties and if they were in good fettle it was always a thrill . . . . smooth, turbine like power delivery given the 120 degree crank throw set up, not shabby handling and quite bloody quick for when they were released . . . . 'Slippery Sam' was still racking up race wins long after both Meriden and Small Heath were just a memory.



Sadly, the Pommy triple in all it's forms coincided with the advent of the CB750/4, the Z900 and it was all over Red Rover, playing catch up was never going to set the 'shit' to rights and the deathknell of the once great British motorcycle industry sounded with a deafening clarity . . . . even the Harris Trumpy's were plagued with quality control issues and Norton's rotary was a dismal failure . . . .

Thankfully, the allure of the pre '75 Brit bikes only seems to be growing with time and the number of quality, passionate custodians and caretakers similarly, thus insuring their ongoing survival, and that's a fucking good thing !!!! Long live the legends from the shores of old Blighty !!!!

HUSKER DU - "DON'T WANNA KNOW IF YOU ARE LONELY" . . . . A BAND OF IMMENSELY INFLUENTIAL PROPORTIONS, I FIGURE, ALONG WITH DINOSAUR JR, SONIC YOUTH, MUDHONEY AND THE PIXIES, WITHOUT THEM, NO 'SEATTLE SOUND' . . . . SADLY, SEEMINGLY LARGELY FORGOTTEN THESE DAYS AND NEVER GIVEN THE CREDIT THEY DESERVE . . . . A WICKED TUNE FROM THE MOULDY MAN AND THE BAND . . . . TURN UP, TUNE OUT AND GET EMOTIONALLY SELFISH !!!!!

I know that Bob Mould went onto to form 'Sugar' while dodging the barbs and epithets from one time close mate, co-writer and fellow Husker Doer, Grant Hart, but have no idea what either are up to these days . . . . it was a hateful, bitter bust up too by all reports of the day . . . . the sort of shit that can really only happen in scenarios like being in an intense, tight, living in each others pockets existence as only a band on the road and in the studio can provide . . . . anyway, enough of that shit . . . . hope they're both still in the land of the living and maybe not hating each other as much as they used to . . . . if anyone has some info regarding this, please let me know . . . . sorry about the absence of the 'Umlauts' above the letter 'U' in the bands name . . . . I can't do everything !!!

STRAIGHT UP SIXTIES DRAG RACING, THIS IS THE FULL ON FOSHIZZLE . . . . MAKES ME FEEL LIKE A NINE YEAR OLD AGAIN . . . . THIS SHIT IS SO RAD, SUCH A COOL FLASH, UNCLUTTERED BY POLITICALLY CORRECT, SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE DO-GOODERS, IT'S DANGEROUS, JUST AS GOD INTENDED IT . . . . THIS FANTASTIC FIFTEEN MINUTES OF TIME TRAVEL IS COURTESY OF SOME GO FAST FREAK BY THE NAME OF "LEIF44444" . . . . HE'S GOT TONS MORE BRILLIANT ARCHIVAL STUFF ON POOTUBE WHICH I'LL BE PAWING OVER FOR THE NEXT YEAR . . . . A SIX PACK OF NITRO TO GO-GO PLEASE MISS !!!!

GARLITTS, PRUDHOMME, GASSERS, ALTEREDS, SUPER STOCK, DRAGSTERS, FUNNY CARS, MONSTER MOTORS, FIRE SUITS, THEY'RE ALL IN THIS SHITHOT DOCO COMPO THAT "LEIF44444" HAS ASSEMBLED . . . . . AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE, IT'S THE MOTHERLODE OF CLASSIC SIXTIES MOTORSPORTS . . . . CHECK THE SHIT OUT !!!!

THE MID SIXTIES . . . . IT WAS THE HEIGHT OF THE SPACE RACE AND THE COLD WAR, "M.A.D", UP, UP AND AWAY . . . . THINGS DID GO BETTER WITH COKE, BUT YOU WEREN'T MEETING THE NICEST PEOPLE ON A HONDA YET, DR STRANGELOVE, ROCK AND ROLL . . . . . HAROLD HOLT GOES SWIMMING, CASSIUS CLAY FREAKING OUT WHITEY, VIETNAM ENTERING CONDITION 'ORANGE' . . . . BUT IT WAS THE LAST OF THE GREAT AGE OF INNOCENCE, THIS KINDA STUFF ALMOST TAKES ME BACK.



And in the midst of it all was the pinnacle of what started just prior to WWII, the basically West Coast centred, hot rod spawned, faster pussycat phenomenom of drag racing . . . . massive hemi and side oiler mills, blown and gulping nitro infront of the pilot !!!! High mag content components, pushing the laws of physics into the unknown red zone . . . . yes, we're going faster now, but it's not the same, it never will be . . . . lucky we've got superb highlights to look back on, hope you dig it !!!!