Walter Lantz's "Scrub Me Mama With A Boogie Beat"

Walter Lantz was an animator whose chief claim to fame was his Woody Woodpecker cartoons. Less known is the fact that Lantz created a film that is so blatantly racist, so unashamedly degrading to African Americans that... Well... It's actually funny.

"Funny" in the sense that, when confronted with such unrelieved, jaw-dropping ignorance, you can't even waste your energy getting indignant. You just have to laugh at the prima facie absurdity of the thing.

We first came across "Scrub Me Mama" about 20 years ago when it resurfaced, after decades of utter obscurity, on Rhino Home Video's "Weird Cartoons, Volume 2." Watching it, you may be inclined to think that we're much more enlightened these days. And in some sense, you'd be right. Much more disturbing than anything this film can serve up is the era that allowed it to be made -- an era that's long gone.

But while today's mainstream has no tolerance for such depictions of African Americans, other populations still seem to be fair game. Asians, Italians, not to mention the overweight and the mentally ill, are just a few groups that are still regularly subject to harmful stereotyping in our popular entertainment.

That said, Don Raye's title song is a damned catchy one. So if you find the video to be too much for your delicate sensibilities, just minimize the screen and listen to some crazy boogie woogie... Rub-lee-ub-dub!

The Sonics:

Retooled and Refueled

(l to r: Original Sonics Rob Lind, Larry Parypa and Jerry Roslie)

Throughout the first night of Cavestomp 2007, total strangers would approach us simply to express some variation of this sentiment: "I can't believe we're here to see The Sonics!"

There was a strong current of "pinch-me-I'm-dreaming" drifting through the ether. For the past 35 years, the band has resisted all overtures to reform... But tonight was the night.

And, holy shit, The Sonics delivered.

The band rehearsed anywhere from six to eight months (depending on what you read) for just these two shows, and the effort truly showed. We at Radio Zero hate hyperbole, but for those who worship at the altar of garage rock gods, this concert was nothing short of witnessing a second coming.

Original members Jerry Roslie, Larry Parypa and Rob Lind were ably augmented by two other Northwest garage rockers -- bassist Don Wilhelm (from The Daily Flash) and drummer Ricky Lynn Johnson (from The Wailers.) Wilhelm told us that original bassist Andy Parypa (Larry's brother), was actually sitting in at a Daily Flash gig back home that very evening, so Wilhelm could play with The Sonics. Oooh, the eerie synchronicity! And original drummer Bob Bennett flew in from Hawaii just so he could be in the audience, though he did not play.

Bennett was not the only one with serious jet lag -- people actually flew in from as far away as England and Japan to witness this event. For those unable to attend, there will be a DVD and live album (the band is recording overdubs tomorrow, in fact.)

And for those unable to wait that long, we shot some footage of the moment that 35-year sound barrier was broken. (As Cavestompers like to say: "It's primitive." But just you try holding a camera still when nearly four decades of pent-up ecstacy finally gets unleashed all around you.)

There are no plans for The Sonics to perform beyond these two Cavestomp shows, but Larry Parypa says future shows would be considered if, among other things, there is enough positive feedback from these performances.

Well, we can't imagine The Sonics aren't feelin' the love right about now.

Harold and Maude Trailer
Featuring Cat Stevens'
"If You Want To Sing Out, Sing Out"

It's The Reunion We Were Told Would Never, Ever, EVER Happen.

Since they broke up decades ago, they’ve turned down many offers and serious gobs of money to perform again.

Regularly lauded as one of the most influential rock and roll bands in history, its members seemed content to just sit back and watch their legend grow... Which it has, to genuinely mythological proportions.

But just last week, fans the world over lathered in sheer ecstasy when news of the impossible was confirmed... There would finally be a one-off reunion.

Uh, what's that you say...? Led Zeppelin?

Well, as nice as it is to hear that those boys are back in the sandbox, we’re talking about something far more monumental…

The Sonics were one of, if not the great architects of the raw rock and roll that went on to be known variously as Garage, Punk and Grunge. In their heyday of 1964-66, The Sonics were cranking out some of the fiercest gutbuckets of sound ever waxed, with a power that holds up remarkably well to this day.

Just think about what was on the radio then…. Lovable mop-tops, harmonizing surfer boys, cuddly girl groups… Hell, think about what's on the radio today... and know why the world needs The Sonics reunion... Now more than ever!

More info at the Cavestomp! MySpace page

Jose Gonzalez "Killing For Love"

The Tears Of A Clown

Crispin Glover's "Clowny Clown Clown"

Toothache Of The Clown

Jerry Lewis in "The Day The Clown Cried"
Wikipedia Entry

Bonus Happy Clowns! Clown Ministry

When Peter Kaukonen attended Stanford University in the early 60's, he majored in biochemistry, human sexual behavior, and musicology, none of which appeared on the curriculum.

Peter played the folk circuit with people who went on to become Janis Joplin, the Quicksilver Messenger Service, the Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane. (In the picture, he's the guy whose teeth are visible.)

His musical odyssey since then has been marked by detours and excursions, possibly symptomatic of ADD or Tourette's. He has played, toured, and recorded with Johnny Winter, Jefferson Starship, Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna, and his own Black Kangaroo.

By the way, virtually all of the above was lifted verbatim from Peter Kaukonen's site, which has more, so much more, about the man and his music from a live performance broadcast this past December on KRSH-FM. Joining Peter is bassist Michael Lindner (pictured here blissfully unaware), a long time compadre who also played in Black Kangaroo.

Peter Kaukonen will also be live in the tattooed flesh on Friday, July 6th at the Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick, New York. Contact them at (845) 258-4858 or wvwinery@warwick.net for more info, or visit their Events Calendar.