T-shirt #138: Classic Starman

T-shirt #138: Classic Starman

There are so many things to do in this world.
There are so many things to read, to watch, to take in via the ears.

Not like "back in the day."

Back then, there were only three TV stations if your family lived in a good area and had a decent TV. Some people lived in burgeoning metropolitan centers and had access to maybe five TV stations.

Books came from the library more often than from the bookstore. And the Internet?
What's the Internet? Is this something invented by Stark Industries or Advanced Idea Mechanics in Marvel Comics?

Had you told my eleven year old self in the weird year of 1971 that in 40 years I would be creating and publishing a daily journal dedicated to reviewing these past experiences with popular culture and other issues around our identity, our own process of individuation, and that I would be publishing this daily log on a vast computer network used by billions of people every day, I would not have been able to understand you.


Okay, no. Strike that. I was a reader of science fiction, comic books, and an avid viewer of Star Trek, The Time Tunnel, and Dark Shadows all of which featured time travel and some of which featured computers. So, yeah, I would understand you. But I would have been blown away nevertheless.

And I know many of you would agree with me. Even those younger than me, born after the invention of the early Internet (ARPANET - 1971), but before the true proliferation of the Internet among the public at large (commercialized in 1995) may connect to what I am saying and may have similar experiences.

The world was so much smaller then. Bigger is not necessarily better.
In fact, people want to make the world smaller. Smaller is easier to deal with. Bigger is overwhelming.

Even this blog, at times, feels overwhelming. There's so much to say, so much to share, which is why I often write WAY too much. I am trying to get it all in and share with you during your one stop to my page as I always assume is the most common reader, though I know some are visiting more often, and I am humbled by your kind attention. I will try to make your time spent here worthwhile. So I am working to be more focused and less diffused. Long jams that go on for thirty minutes in concerts may inspire some people, but in our fats paced and short attention span culture, sometimes, even 100 words seems like a burden let alone over 3000 words. One of the recent blog entries I am most proud of is T-shirt #128, which clocks in at 3140 words. I just had a nice conversation about that one with my friend Andy "Big" Momotiuk. Thanks Big Andy!

What's my point? I am promising a bit more focus and spacing out the big essays with shorter posts. I suspect today is sort of medium-sized.

The long term exploration here will be in the subject of how the world is different today. I know it's obvious that the world is different, but I am interesting in exploring how this works for how identity shaped by popular culture works. Back in the day, I watched a lot of crap or read some crap simply because there was nothing else to read or watch. My choices were limited. Do I love a show like Gilligan's Island because it was very good or because I had little choice but to watch it if I wanted to watch something because it was on every day.

So, today is dedicated to a quick little round up of a half dozen things of interest, all of which are things to read.

But first, two quick comments.

1. Today's shirt is the Classic Starman (Ted Knight circa 1941). I am ashamed to say that I had thought the shirt was Kurt Busiek's Samaritan from Astro City (great comic). But when I searched images online, no, actually this is the original Starman. I am not exploring the subject of Starman today. DC has put the character through many iterations, but the comic by James Robinson and Tony Harris that ran from 1994 to 2001 featuring Jack Knight was some DC's best recent stuff. I actually own a shirt from the Robinson/Harris comic and a watch, so I can devote more text to this great comic then. For now, on to other subjects.

2. Valiant in Yahoo news??  UNITY ARTICLE. I spend mornings on Yahoo going through sports stuff. Sometimes I look at other things. The other day, glancing at Yahoo's entertainment news feed, there was an article about Joss Whedon's SHIELD TV show (because Yahoo is now linked with ABC news) , something about Miley Cyrus, and this article about a new Valiant comic.

VALIANT? I consider myself a big comic geek, but even I cannot read everything. I read Valiant books when Jim Shooter launched them in 1989-1990, but then I lost interest and did not return when the company rebooted in 2005.

But here's the puzzling thing: there were THREE stories in the feed from Yahoo and one was about Valiant. Is this because the vast social media network knows I like comics and the feed is tailored OR is it just that even the smaller comic companies are making big news now that Comic Con is one of the biggest entertainment events of the year (up there with the Oscars and the Emmy's for media attention).

Review OPTIC NERVE #13

Drawn and Quarterly Blog announces OPTIC NERVE #13

I wrote about Optic Nerve in T-shirt #98.

I have been raving in my local comic shop (Fanfare) about Adrian Tomine and Optic Nerve.  And then the issue comes out and the style is much than some of the more realistic panels and pages I posted when I did the send up in #98. Still, despite Tomine's more cartoony work for this issue, the story is just as strong as the other work (mostly to be found in collected editions).

"Go Owls," the main story of issue 13, is described on the D&Q blog as  "a dark comedy about 12-step programs, drug dealing, and minor league baseball."

The story is just as strong as Tomine's other efforts. The art appears ultra cartoony but has great depth and nuance. Tomine also takes guff from readers who want to see his work on the Internet in digital form as seen in this panel included here.

So far this book is only available in paper form either for shipping from a comic vendor online or from your favorite local shop assuming they ordered some copies. It's $5.95, but it's well worth the cost for such a rich and complex story that features no super-heroes at all.

Because all these comics do not have to be about super-heroes or fantastic things, right?

Review of Lazarus

Another fantastic comic book that I want to recommend by singing its praises is Lazarus by Rucka and Lark.

I know I say that I am "a huge fan" of some thing quite often, but I really am a huge fan of Gotham Central from DC (2003-2006) that featured the last pairing of Rucka and Lark (and Ed Brubaker co-wrote the series with Rucka).

Image has been hitting it out of the park lately with some of the best comics in the business. I cannot possibly read everything being published even from the major companies, but I have added several excellent Image books to monthly orders, including Mind the Gap, Saga, Mara, Clone, Great Pacific, America's Got Powers, Satellite Sam, Fatale, Ten Grand, Jupiter's Legacy, and now, also, Lazarus.

Lazarus is a great near future thriller about a world in which the wealth is even more consolidated in the hands of a very, very few. Here's the preface blurb: "The world now lies divided not amongst political or geographical boundaries but amongst financial ones. Wealth is power, and that power rests with only a handful of FAMILIES. The few who provide a service for their ruling Family are cared for. All others are waste. In each Family, there is one person given the best they can offer, training and technology and assets, every scientific advantage. This person is named their Family's sword and shield, their protector, their LAZARUS. In the Family Carlyle, the LAZARUS is called Forever. This is her story."

The first issue told a compelling story, only providing enough background on this new world to aid the immediate set of scenes. The same style of storytelling (less background, more direct mimesis) held true in the second issue. The first issue did come with a long afterword written by Rucka explaining how the book came to be; the second issue contained more letters but a short newsy bit on how current tech predicts what is being shown in LAZARUS.

Some of the vital stats help put the book into perspective along with startling imagery by Lark:
Los Angeles, Family: Carlyle
Population [Family]: 3 (2 permanent)
[Serf]: 322,274
[Waste]: 2,874,500 (estimated)

As an extrapolation of our current state of affairs, Lazarus is even more compelling, thought-provoking,. and worthy of discussion. Possibly Image is proving itself capable of better work than any of the other big name companies. This book is well worth your time.

Comic Book Resources on Lazarus

"Ultimately, Rucka wanted to emphasize that while "Lazarus" is a book set in a new and different world, the story really boils down to character.

"Look," Rucka said, "I don't like books that are polemics and I don't like reading something that feels like I'm being lectured to," Rucka said. "We talked about the economic divide and things like that, but the fact is, this is an adventure story, this is a story about a woman, it's about Forever Carlyle. Everything else is backdrop. Just the opportunity to do this story the way we want, how we want, man, I love it. I'm so excited. I'm so excited that we finally get to show people what we've been working on for so long. i really hope folks will dig it, I really do. I think Michael has done some of the best work of his career on issue one certainly and I am having a blast. That's what I've got to offer'"(Comic Book Resources on Lazarus, 2013).

BLEEDING COOL ON LAZARUS

"Lazarus by Greg Rucka and Michael Lark is (by the author’s own admission) “hard sci-fi” but it’s also as frightening as it is exciting. Frightening like the fear that comes with knowledge, the more you learn the more you know and the more you know the more you fear. Knowledge may be power but it’s also goddamn unsettling" (BLEEDING COOL ON LAZARUS, 2013).

DAMN Good Comics: Charles Skaggs on Lazarus
SPOILER ALERT! Don't read the next quote if you want to avoid it.

"This first issue opens with a demonstration of said resurrection ability as Forever is shot three times and left for dead, only to rise a minute or two later and swiftly kill all three of her attackers.  As Forever relays the details of what happened to her doctor James, we get our first glimpse inside her head with hints that she isn't entirely satisfied being her Family's protector against people who are only looking for something to eat" (DAMN Good Comics: Charles Skaggs on Lazarus, 2013).

Review of Ocean at the End of the Lane

REVIEW FROM GOODREADS: Simple truths: Neil Gaiman is an excellent writer. Neil Gaiman's books are always excellent and enjoyable. I am giving this book five stars simply because I cannot give it 4.5 stars. It's excellent and well worth reading. But I am suffering from symptoms of wanting something more. Like _The Graveyard Book_, this story is entertaining and chimerical. Gaiman is smart enough to leave much of the explanations to our imaginations, which is a wonderful technique to increase my enjoyment of the book. But I want something into which I can sink my teeth all the way, something like _American Gods_, and so news that he is writing a sequel to coincide with the projected six-season HBO show is more exciting to me than this book as excellent as it is. If you want to give it a try, do the audio. Neil Himself (his Twitter handle) narrates, and it is an excellent way to read the book, much like his wife's experience, for whom he wrote the book, and to whom he read each day's pages in bed before sleep. I recommend a similar method of ingesting this story.

KamerTunes Blog

I found this other blogger doing something similar to what I am doing. Instead of working his way through his T-shirt collection, he is working his way through his music collection, tackling one musical artist[s] at a time.

I made the header above the link.

Right now, Rich Kamerman is touring through XTC with very lengthy essays on each album and the tracks of each album. It's well worth reading if you like XTC and pop music in general. Recently, he also toured through Alice Cooper, Neil Young, and PJ Harvey.

Check out his blog!

GUN MACHINE by Warren Ellis (and the DEAD PIG COLLECTOR)


My Gun Machine review from GOODREADS: SPOILER ALERT!! Do not read my review if you intend to read this book. Finished! I wanted to give this book five stars. I really did. I am a big fan of Warren Ellis' work. He is a big part of my daily life. I receive his Twitters. I follow his web site. I get his Gun Machine emails. I read and have read pretty much everything he's done. This book is a great read. It's fast paced, clever, intriguing, and well written. The characters are vivid. The situations are realistic. The premise is imaginative and quite puzzling. Ellis unfolds the story with great pacing and elegant design.

Two aspects held back my fifth star. His use of figurative language is at times a bit over-wrought, and this is coming from Mr. Gorpy Baroque himself. But sometimes, Ellis' figurative word play just doesn't work. It reads like he's trying too hard. Some of these tropes work in Twitter messages. In prose, not so much.

But it's really the ending that held back the fifth star. As I was about twenty pages from the end, I wondered how he could possibly wrap up all these loose ends in so few pages. Well, he didn't completely wrap them all to my satisfaction (not the caveat: "my satisfaction") and the whole ending plays out in a very hasty way. The trap the main character, Tallow, lays for the antagonist, The Hunter, is a good one and that plays well, but the rest is too rushed and disappointing given the slow build-up of the investigation. But the crown to the disappointment tree came with the easy explanation of the gun machine, given by the villain no less, after coming back to himself after being pumped full of anti-psychotic drugs. It reads like an after thought and is very anti-climactic after the 280 pages of build up. Knowing that Ellis was writing to a set maximum (perhaps set by the publisher) because I watched him work toward it daily (and complain about it), I may be biased into thinking the ending is rushed. But then again, I think I could make the argument with anyone that the book could have benefited from at least another 25 pages and possibly a few more.

Still, I loved it. I love Ellis' work. The book deserves its accolades. The book deserves to be read. If you read this far, I hope I have not spoiled it all too much.

Diegesis-Mimesis: DESIGN FICTION

The other night in bed I was reading the links I posted the other day about Ellis and his recent story Dead Pig Collector.

Warren Ellis Talks About His New Novella And Living In A Science Fiction Present

'Dead Pig Collector': Eight Questions With Author Warren Ellis [INTERVIEW]

In the Forbes interview, Ellis mentions "Design Fiction," which is a new art form championed by Bruce Sterling, which led me to a posting on SLATE:

Sci-Fi Writer Bruce Sterling Explains the Intriguing New Concept of Design Fiction

In turn that article led me to explore diegesis and mimesis in relation to Design Fiction. More products of this thought process to come. Meanwhile, if you are interested, check out the Slate article and the cool article because as Ellis mentioned some of the most intriguing fiction work today is being done in Design Fiction video.

- chris tower - 1308.06 - time

T-shirt #137: KUDL - KUSS - Purple -2006

T-shirt #137: KUDL - KUSS - Purple - 2006

I questioned the wisdom of presenting another KUDL shirt for the third day in a row. But it is KUDL Monday, and it's a very special Monday. Today, August 5th, marks the last Monday of the KUDL 2013 summer season.

Also, tonight we will host the first two games of our 2013 tournament, playing the rest of the games on Saturday, August 10th.

So far in the history of this blog, I have featured 14 KUDL shirts or Ultimate shirts with KUDL related photos. I have featured shirts from every year of KUDL (2007-2013), except the very first year, when we were called KUSS: Kalamazoo Ultimate Summer Syndicate (2006).

I drafted what I thought was a rocking and awesome team, but somehow, through no my fault of my own (or at least that is my story), we did not win a single game. Not one. I do not remember too many more details of whether we played close games or how often we were blown out. I do not remember scores or statistics from our year of loss. But I do have some nifty photos. And in keeping with the short and fun posts, I present another series of photos. Don't say that I did not warn you.

From KUSS costume night with Ed Kenny

From KUSS costume night: team captains (Ryan Kircher not pictured)
L-R: me, Ed Kenny, Kent Elliott, Matt Frayer, and Dan Lipson

Bobby Frantz and Miah Newhouse

L-R: Miah, Van, me, Touchdown Jesus, Tiffany Gleason, Hari Johnson,
Melissa McKim, Stu Gulliver, Bobby Frantz, and ...? I forget

L-R: Hari, TDJ Walters, Van, Craig Schram, Miah, Lanny Potts, mem Stu, ??, ??, Dave Schram

Greg "Van" Isom happy with his award

Watching the KUSS finals and keeping score
Me, Ali Almadari, Van, Ryan TDJ Walters

Team Purple cheers to lift its spirits before another loss.

- chris tower - 1308.05 - 9:37

T-shirt #136: KUDL 2013: Pink

T-shirt #136: KUDL 2013: Pink

Still maintaining the time off time.

What you will find here are some photos of recent events with captions, and a few links of some good, recent blog things that have caught my attention. If you need something to read, check out some of these.

Photos to the right are actually two different photos with very subtle differences.

Today's shirt is the Pink KUDL 2013 shirt. I wanted to have pink as our team color this year but was beaten to it by Will Maddix and his color theft (as I like to tease him). The pink team won no games all season until they beat our Light Blue team by two points two weeks ago. Fitting and ironic.

LINKS


THE TROUBLE WITH TROLLS

WHAT'S IT LIKE TO BE HYPNOTIZED?

DC COMICS: THE NEW 52 AT TWO

THE "I FULLY EXPECT ABUSE" GAMBIT

HOW WOLVERINE'S CLAWS WORK

Warren Ellis on DEAD PIG COLLECTOR

Warren Ellis Talks About His New Novella And Living In A Science Fiction Present

'Dead Pig Collector': Eight Questions With Author Warren Ellis [INTERVIEW]

RECENT PHOTOS

Grading Robot rarely has a day off. A true day off. None of these days (Friday-Sunday, today) have been completely work free, but they have been more work free than usual. Today, Sunday, only a very little work needs to be done, and it is not the kind of work that will require powering up Grading Robot. The man-machine goes back online tomorrow (Monday).

In taking off as much time as possible from work and sort of taking off the weekend from the blog, I managed to attend Day Three of the Fab MagiCelebration in Colon, Michigan on Friday, and I rode about 20 miles of the Kal Haven Trail (about 10 out to Kendall and 10 back) with my friend Chris Dilley yesterday, Saturday. Two Bucket List items down.

BTW, there's a nice little old style general store right off the trail in Kendall. It's awesome. I recommend the ride to the general store and back. I should have taken a picture of the general store. Maybe next time.

Here's some photos (with comments and some captions)...

Here's me posing with this handsome bunny in front the Fab Magic Shop,
not to be confused with Abbott's.

This is Abbott's or MECCA for magicians.
It has not changed much in the last 30 some years.

Here's a beautiful depiction of what's happening in Colon:
Two different magic fests, two different companies,
two different weeks.

This all seems a bit silly that there are TWO different magical conventions and that this silliness has been going on for ten years as this was the 10th annual Fab MagiCelebration is all the more silly.

Silly, silly, SILLY. But it is more magic for people and more business into Colon, so it's not all bad.

For more, info: FAB MAGIC

and

ABBOTT'S MAGIC COMPANY
The Abbott's site has some You Tube clips and there's more on You Tube if you are interested.

ABBOTT'S GET TOGETHER - OFFICIAL SITE

ABBOTT'S GET TOGETHER - WIKIPEDIA

Find other Wiki links off the page above if interested.

Above you will see two different pictures, On the left, a very nice photo of Ivan and me taken by the helpful young man who showed us magic and sold us magic at Abbott's. This is an interior shot of Abbott's.
On the right is a poster display at the third magic shop in Colon: Sterlini, which is next door to Fab Magic on the main drag in Colon: State Street.



Close up of the Doug Henning costume from Broadway's The Magic Show. I did not ask if this is replica or the actual costume. Given its display and prominence, I suspect it may be the original, though there may have been more than one costume.

STERLINI MAGIC

I am going to include all the Amazing Billini pictures even though some are blurred. Even the blurred ones give the effect of the startling magic taking place in the Fab Magic Shop for the free magic show on Friday August 2nd 2013 during the Fab MagiCelebration.

This is funny. Apparently, there is an Amazing Billini in England that is different than this Amazing Billini featured here. The Amazing Billini featured here does not have a web presence that I could find.

Billini doing something amazing with tubes

Billini explaining his grandmother's spirit is
in the book he's holding. Why does that guy have such a big hat on
that blocks my view? ASSHAT!

Ye Olde milk jug trick, though a bit blurry. Probably because
of the asshat with the huge HAT!!
I almost asked him to remove his hat.

Billini did a good olde fashioned kid-centered magic show

Billini's Zombie illusion

Billini was very hot and had to wipe his head a lot
Not that he's doing that in this picture,
but I wanted to mention it.

Billini used many volunteers, which was nice to see.

Finale: Billini magically produced chocolates that he
threw to the audience

Here's some of the most impressive magic we saw Friday night.

Rings & Bowling Ball 2011

- Charlie Frye and Company

-chris tower - 1308.04 - 11:35

T-shirt #135: KUDL Yellow 2007

T-shirt #135: KUDL Yellow 2007

Welcome to Saturday.

For you, it's Saturday. For me, it's still Friday, and I am in the M&M Grill in Colon, Michigan using the free Wi Fi connection and killing time before the evening performance at the Fab MagiCelebration.

This is another of the many shirts I have from KUDL 2007. This one in yellow. It seemed like a good "day off" choice.

Today, today for you, which is Saturday, I am planning to teach two classes (my normal Saturday work routine), and then head off for an hour or so along the Kal-Haven Trail, and then turn around and come back. This is part of the "bucket list" of things I wanted to do before I have surgery on the 16th of August (so expect another blog break then).

But now, after learning what I have learned here in Colon, the thing I really wanted to attend is next week. Clearing two days from the work and family schedules in two consecutive weeks may not be possible. But there is always next year, except for this lingering feeling that my "normal life" will come to an end on the 16th with the surgery, which is not true, but that's how I feel.

But you know, I am keeping this one short. Day off and all that.

Check back tomorrow for pictures from yesterday at the MagiCelebration and today on the bike ride.

Viva la "time off!!"

POSTSCRIPT: I am typing this last bit on Saturday, back home. Being in Colon yesterday was like stepping back in time. After driving home last night, things felt different. The same familiar places around my house and even my house itself felt different. The feeling is starting to fade, but it was still strongly in force this morning as if I had taken a trip back in time. My body returned from the past first, but my consciousness still remained in the past and is returning to the present more slowly.

- chris tower - 1308.03 - 8:55

T-shirt #134: Explore the Secrets of Balloon Anatomy

T-shirt #134: Explore the Secrets of Balloon Anatomy

WE INTERRUPT THIS REGULARLY SCHEDULED BLOG FOR AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a busy week, Grading Robot is powering down.

ALSO, the little man who runs Grading Robot from the inside is also taking a break.

Since I started this blog, I have realized that it is an EVERY DAY THING. Dedicating myself to 365 T-shirts means that EVERY DAY I have to come up with a post. I have realized that I cannot write a large essay every day. I cannot create a love letter to some beloved popular culture icon every day. And, surely, I cannot expect (do not expect) readers to read every post every day. It all seems a bit much.

And so... I have to figure out ways to manage all of this. One thing I started doing around post #57 is working ahead. I had to start writing the bigger entries in advance or plan them for days so that I had time to render the size of entry I desired. I have been hit and miss with this approach. I have a list through #142 right now with a couple of unnumbered entries logged and queued. And I have been sketching out some of these entries and pushing them back when I am not yet completed with the draft of the content or the thinking through of the content. For a while, I was doing very well with the schedule of sitting down each morning and writing the next day's entry, which gave me plenty of time to think and revise. But I have struggled to maintain this writing in advance system. So, time for a new approach:

MR. T-SHIRT BLOGGER IS TAKING THE WEEKEND OFF!!

What does this actually mean? How can I take the weekend off? If I take time off, wouldn't this mean I would not actually produce 365 T-shirts consecutively and fail in my mission? Yes, that's true. So, I am not skipping any days. There will still be posts. But I refer you (if curious) to T-shirts #s 65-67 posted May 25-27th (1305.25-.27) for the last time I took a weekend off for Memorial Day and family time. There were posts.

But they were short and simple. Same concept.

Today, Friday, I am off to Colon, Michigan, better known as the magic capital of the world with my step-son Ivan. Though I do not plan to wear a T-shirt for the day, expect pictures and a future posting detailing our adventure. We are attending the Magic Get Together that is held every year in Colon. It used to be called the Abbott's Magic Get Together after the name of the magic company located in Colon and the reason why Colon is considered the magic capital of the world. Now, I believe, it is called the Fab MagiCelebration after the new name for the Abbott's Company: The Fab Magic Company. (IMPORTANT NOTE: The previous sentences are inaccurate. Keep reading for the real scoop.)

For those who have not learned this nugget yet from my blog, or know it about me, I used to perform magic as as semi- and part-time professional in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I attended several get togethers in Colon back then and performed in the youth talent contest (which I am currently missing as I could not get to Colon in time for it). This is probably my first get together attendance since 1980-1981-ish. I am excited, and I am even more excited to share it with my step-son Ivan.

Expect more information and dedication to this lovely enterprise in a future blog entry.

Tomorrow, I am heading out the Kal-Haven trail on an extended bike ride with my pal Chris Dilley, and Sunday is a day dedicated to my beloved wife, Liesel, and our home. Though I am not idle, my presence here must be light.

Today's T-shirt is a creation of artist Robert Lewis: "Explore the Secrets of Balloon Anatomy."

I worked with Robert at a Kalamazoo-based comic book company called Chiasmus in the mid-1990s.

Robert is an original and brilliant artist, and I adore his work. I have another T-shirt of his which I will feature in the future.

I have lost track of Robert, and his name is too common to produce much in a Facebook search.

I chose today's shirt because balloons are featured prominently in magic shows, as fun sculptures--balloon animals--and as illusions ("magic tricks"), such as penetrating a balloon with a large needle (one of my favorite all time magical effects).

See you all tomorrow but back to full swing next week!

- chris tower - 1308.02 - 10:19

UPDATE: So, here I am, sitting in the World Famous M&M Grill, which is next door to the Fab Magic shop pictured here. They have free Wi Fi. And ice cream. And homemade goulash.

Why am I updating my blog? Well... because I made a HUGE ERROR.

Guess what? The Fab Magic Company and the Abbott's Magic Company are NOT the same thing!! I am embarrassed that I did not better investigate the situation here in Colon before I came down, and I am even more embarrassed that I did not better educate myself before I officially proclaimed the how and the what of my  re-connection with the world of magic on this blog. I furthered my error by suggesting that Abbott's had dropped its historic name and renamed itself. This is not AT ALL what happened as I have now found out by spending part of the day in Colon. In fact, there's not just two different magic shops. There are THREE different magic shops in this little town of Colon, Michigan.

Apparently, some years ago, two gentlemen had a falling out: the owner of Abbott's and the (now) owner of the Fab Magic Company. Now, because these gentlemen cannot get along, the Fab Magic Company and Abbott's both host their own conventions, which this year are one week apart. Currently, Ivan and I are attending day three of the four day Fab MagiCelebration. Next week, the Abbott's Company will host its 76th annual Magic Get Together. After a visit to Abbott's, we learned that next year will be the 80th celebration of Abbott's as a business (as it opened in 1934) and the 77th Get Together.

I am not sure if I will be back next week, though I may try, as the real re-connection would be with the REAL Get Together of my past: The Abbott's Magic Get Together!!

- one again, now updated, by chris tower - 1308.02 - 17:53

T-shirt #133: Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon 1972

T-shirt #133: Pink Floyd: Dark Side of the Moon 
- Rainbow Theatre - 1972

I did not choose the "Concert T-shirt" category for this shirt. Obviously, this is a concert T-shirt, but I cannot claim I was at the Rainbow Theatre of London in 1972 for the culminating performances of Pink Floyd's sixteen date UK tour of their new and unrecorded piece of music entitled The Dark Side of the Moon.

After all, I was ten years old when all of this was happening.
I had not even heard of Pink Floyd yet.
But it is cool to have the shirt.

This retro shirt is available online (mostly through eBay). It was a gift from my best friend Tom Meyers, also known as the Lord of Chaos.

It's rather odd that I did not own a Pink Floyd T-shirt prior to my friend sending me this one.

But sadly, Pink Floyd is one of the few bands or artists that I dearly love that I have never seen live. And now with the death of Richard Wright (2008), there's no chance for a reunion of the foursome (not counting the era in which they were a five-some, including the brilliant Syd Barrett.

There are amazing resources online for this seminal rock concert series, starting with Pink Floyd's own site and historical timeline.

PINK FLOYD - TIMELINE - 1972

One site provides the tour program from those shows in 1972:

PinkFloydz.com Rainbow Theatre Tour Program

There are FLAC bootlegs available for download on a guitars site:

[FLAC] Pink Floyd - 1972-02-20 - Rainbow Theatre, Finsbury Park, London

All four shows are available as downloadable bootlegs via:

VIVA LES BOOTLEGS

There's also a great history of the bootlegs for this show and "restored" versions at

BIGOZINE2

Amazingly, there's a You Tube "video" ... or rather a still shot with the bootleg recording.

*********************************************************************************

Pink Floyd Rainbow Theater London 20-02-1972

*********************************************************************************

If you want to get crazy, there's NINE HOURS of the complete RAINBOW TAPES (all four shows) on You Tube along with a huge selection of other stuff: the director's cut of the Live at Pompeii movie, Complete 1973 Earls Court concert, Pink Floyd Live at the BBC 1970-1971, and so much more. You Tube has become a Pink Floyd's fan paradise.

Fans of Pink Floyd--those well acquainated with every note and nuance of Dark Side of the Moon--will find this recording of one of the early performances of the album to be quite different than the eventual 1973 studio recording. In fact, listening to it now, I am inclined to argue that some of the choices here in the live version work better than the choices for the studio album, especially in the instrumental ending to "Breathe."

Then again, some of the changes made for the studio album were quite wise, such as the vocals for "Time" and the addition of Clare Torry's vocals to "Great Gig in the Sky."


"Time" is one of my all-time favourite Pink Floyd songs. Do you feel a list coming? Oh yeah...

My first Pink Floyd album was 1975's Wish You Were Here, which I did not own until 1979 shortly before the release of The Wall, my second Pink Floyd album.

I listened to these albums repeatedly over the years; however, in the last 20 years or so, I have found it increasingly difficult to listen to the entire album of The Wall, which I find incredibly depressing and upsetting.

The core three albums Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), and Animals (1977) are the triumvirate of my love for Pink Floyd with the first side of Atom Heart Mother as an honorable mention.

In college, when trying to stay up for three days straight to get work done at the end of the quarter, I would "power nap" to any of these albums: too caffeinated to sleep, I would have a lie down while listening to the album and be somewhat refreshed afterwards.

Animals has probably become my favourite of these three albums, and it is definitely the one I have listened to the most and find the most complex and enduring. As much as I love Wish You Here, I find "Welcome to The Machine" and "Have a Cigar" a bit tedious and find that I would rather just listen to "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I-IX" uninterrupted. I do adore Dark Side of the Moon and have decades of enjoyment from it, and I do not tire of it, but there's something about Animals, which seems more sophisticated and has managed to grow with me through the years.

Once again, I cannot indulge in a lengthy love letter for Pink Floyd as Grading Robot must robotically dispense with all of this WORK. But I can see more Pink Floyd love letters being featured on this blog before the 365 days runs its course.

*********************************************************************************

PINK FLOYD - "Time"  (Wembley, 1974)

*********************************************************************************

Amazingly cool video... Oh how I wish I had seen them live.

TOP TEN FAVORITE PINK FLOYD SONGS

1.  "Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts I-IX"
2. "Time"
3. "Dogs"
4. "Atom Heart Mother Suite"
5. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
6. "Wish You Were Here"
7. "See Emily Play"
8. "Comfortably Numb"
9. "The Great Gig in the Sky"
10. "Learning to Fly"

COMICS I read Fatale volume three the other day. It was VERY EXCELLENT. This "noir"-esque series by Ed Brubaker and Sean Phillips is SUPERB, and it would be one of my top five recommendations for anyone, especially non-comic readers, to try of the current crop of comics (along with things like Saga,  Optic Nerve (obviously), Daredevil (need a superhero choice), and Lazarus... Okay, and FABLES because I need a DC pick to go with the Marvel pick and the THREE Image picks). READ COMIC BUZZ REVIEW. WEEKLY COMIC BOOK STACK Not a very exciting week. Because of skips and delays, it's difficult to compare this month to last month at this time. Guardians of the Galaxy takes first this week instead of third like it did on June 26th simply because none of these other comics can be ranked higher and other issues came out June 26th that did not come out this week. I am loving Daredevil, though I often rank it lower because I want to give it my full attention and want it first up in night #2 of the week's comic reading. However, X-Men, which is enjoyable but not amazing, takes a back seat to Daredevil and Guardians this week simply because of the nature of the week. I would place Optic Nerve on top of the stack because I do dearly love it as explained in T-shirt #98. BUT it looks as if Tomine is experimenting with a different style, and I often delay gratification on comics like that one until I can just focus on it when I am alone and not likely to be interrupted. I did not get the last Defenders read yet, but it was actually next up on my stack before buying this week's comics, so it stays ranked in the new comics. And I sprung for the $7.99 Inhumans reprint because I love the Inhumans and the giant-sized comic features great art by Neal Adams, whom I have mentioned many times on this blog (such as in T-shirt #83). COMICS FOR 1307.31 Guardians of the Galaxy #005 Daredevil  #029 X-Men # 003 Uncanny X-Men #009 Tom Strong and the Planet of Peril #1 Optic Nerve #13 Fearless Defenders #006 (back log) Fearless Defenders #007 (this week) Something Inhuman This Way Comes: Black Bolt (reprints: one shot) BACK LOG Batman Incorporated #13 FF #010 Indestructible Hulk #011 The Ultimates #28 Uncanny X-Force #009 Uber #4 - chris tower - 1308.01 - 9:16