June 24, 2024

 Hi folks, and Happy Summer. I hope your's is off to a good start. I went to see Todd Rundgren on the Summer Solstice (June 20) at The Saban Theater in Beverly Hills. Grimsley went with. 'Twas a straight shot getting down there; no traffic on the 405 south at 6 pm, then a nice drive on Wilshire Boog through BH to The Saban. Free street parking, which always rules.

Todd went on at 8:10 and played until 10:17, 24 songs including encore. He never spoke to the audience except at the end, to introduce his band, which included longtime members Kasim Sultan on bass and backing vocals and Prairie Prince on drums. He also had a woodwind player for the first time, at least that I've seen him. Let's see...how many times have I seen Todd now? I guess the first time was with Utopia (on the "Ra" tour) at the Santa Monica Civic, which Google tells me was on April 7, 1977. That was when he had that big steel-framed pyramid on stage and he ascended it, while playing guitar, with the help of a grappling hook. Then I saw him solo (as Todd, with backing band) at his famous Roxy shows in May 1978. Those shows got turned into a live album ("Back to the Bars"), and I know I went to at least two of them (my photo of Todd shredding on guitar was taken at one of those Roxy shows). I next saw him at The Country Club in Reseda on December 29, 1981. Lilly was with me, and then we saw Ozzy with Randy Rhoads two nights later on New Year's Eve and went to the after-party, a legendary night to end a legendary year.

Google says that Utopia played The Country Club in November 1982. I was fully metallized by then, and I wasn't really following Todd or the band after they made "Swing to the Right", but I'm sure I saw that one. I never would've missed Utopia playing in Reseda. Still, I don't recall it clearly except for Roger Powell and his bank of synths. Lillian, did we go to that show?

After that, I didn't see Todd for over seven years, until January 17, 1990 at The Wiltern. I think he had a choir with him that time. Lilly was definitely at that show. Pat went with us. But then...

...I didn't see Todd Rundgren for 26 years! Holy smokes. Well, what can I tell ya. "Life, Yosemite" as Shecky would say, and he has the same birthday as Todd, so it's appropriate, and HBD to both on June 22nd.

But in 2016, Todd announced a free show at Pershing Square in Downtown L.A., so I went (with Grim), and I didn't know what to expect, because he'd been making these sort of "homemade", computer-based albums for many years, using a drum machine, all electronic, no guitar, but at Pershing Square he had a real band, and he played a mix of classic material and his post-1980s stuff, and all of it sounded incredible. He had this new green Strat that he's used ever since, which he absolutely wailed on. Most surprisingly, his voice sounded as good as ever, and he was 68 then. Last Thursday he was two days from turning 76 (and Shecky from turning 68).

At the Saban, he played an eclectic set, this time made up almost entirely of his newer material. Of the 24 songs, I only knew about ten, but everything sounded fabulous as always. I've seen Todd five times since that Pershing Square show: on New Year's Eve 2016, then again in 2017, 2018 (the Utopia reunion show) and 2019, and then at The Saban, so that makes about a dozen times all told (give or take). As far as live performers go, I've said to Grim that Todd is among the candidates to be The Last Man Standing; I think it'll either be him, Alice Cooper or Sparks...

Last night I watched Montgomery Clift in "The Big Lift"(1950), which is about the American airlift of food and supplies into postwar Berlin after the Soviets tried blockading the city. I'd seen the movie once before but had forgotten about the blockade. The Soviets were prepared to starve the citizens. Monty plays an Air Force sergeant assigned to the airlift, which is facilitated with C-47 Troop Carriers. He and Paul Douglas are among the few professional actors in the film. A screen card reads: "Everyone else in uniform is a member of the Unites States Armed Forces."

This is a great movie on so many fronts. We are shown much aerial footage of the C47s in action, particularly the hazardous landing approach they have to make onto a makeshift Berlin landing strip, coming in right on top of tall stone apartment blocks. 

Monty wants to see Berlin and is unhappy when told he has to stay on the tarmac with his  plane, which will make many return trips from the USAF base in England. It is clear that the Russkies want Germany for themselves, hence the attempted blockade of Berlin, but America has put its foot down and you really get a good overview of the reasons for the Cold War here, and in real-time 1950. However, the American radio press is in the city, wanting a story on the airlift. A host interviews Monty, who trades the request for pass to leave the airport. The radio host arranges to get him a leave, and while sightseeing, he meets the beautiful "Frederica" (Cornell Borchers), a war widow and part of a German women's group who wish to thank the American sevicemen who are bringing them food and medical supplies. Monty asks to see her again and soon falls in love. Paul Douglas plays a Polish-American sergeant, an expert air traffic controller (and this is another fascinating aspect of the film because they show you the real thing), who hates Germans because he was a prisoner of war. However, he too can't resist the pull of female companionship, and he has a "schatzi" on the side just like Monty does. The difference is that Douglas treats his gal the way Jackie Gleason treats Alice. His portrayal walks a fine line between bitter and sympathetic, but in the end his cynical eye saves Monty a lot of heartache. Monty's relationship with Frederica has them running around on a Berlin escapade: befriending a wacky Russian spy, hiding from Navy MPs. Monty ultimately wants to marry Frederica and bring her home to the US, but she has a secret that is ultimately uncovered by Paul Douglas.

The whole thing was shot on location in Berlin, so, as with "Judgement at Nuremburg", you see the utter destruction of a major German city.

While Monty doesn't have much to do dramatically (except at the end), this is one of my favorite of his movies. He's young here, and natural (like in "Red River"), and appears to be having a good time just making the movie. 

Besides him and Douglas, and the ladies of the plot (and the comedic Russian spy), there are dozens of interesting moments that belong to the amateur actors of the USAF and Navy. Half the movie is theirs, and all are great, especially in the numerous flying scenes. This is a movie that feels like you are living it as you watch. There is so much going on. We used to talk about "packing a script" with "a ton of stuff" when we watched our 60 minute westerns. They do the same thing here in a two hour movie. I think it's a classic, and a historical record also...

More music:  I got a very cool Youtube recommendation the other day for Spanky and Our Gang. Remember them? They were a Sunshine Pop act during the brief heyday of that subgenre, 1966-68, and they sounded like a combination of The Mamas and the Papas and The Association. I loved that kind of music as a 7 year old, and of course, so did the whole world (or at least the American pop market). You might remember the song "I'd Like to Get to Know You", and if you don't recall the title I guarantee you'll remember the melody and Spanky's vocal. Listen also to "Sunday Will Never Be the Same" or "Lazy Day", or better yet, watch Spanky and Our Gang perform all three songs on The Ed Simian Show. 1967 was an especially interesting year for pop culture, with flower power exploding. It was kind of an isolated year as the 60s go; it had it's own vibe. Whereas 1965 was marred by massive rioting and social unrest, and 1966 was better but the music was Dylanish and folkie, 1967 was the first psychedelic year, and that did not have to mean LSD. Watch Youtube clips from Simian and other shows. Look at the sets and clothing for clean-cut acts like Spanky or The Strawberry Alarm Clock, or Sonny and Cher. They look like something out of Alice in Wonderland. That was the 1967 Vibe: colorful clothes, love-ins, flower power, and Sergeant Pepper. What a great year, and without the introspection of '66 or the political unrest of '68. 1967 was a Pop Island, and groups like Spanky and Our Gang and The Association led the way. Speaking of the latter, I am a big fan of The Association, who were huge for about three years, and made some of the greatest pop songs ever conceived...

I've been reading Stephen King's new short story collection "You Like It Darker". First of all, I love how he has a statement for a title, and it's obviously directed at the reader. But on second glance, it may be a question (even without a question mark), because on the back cover he uses it as a tag line: "You like it darker? Fine, so do I." Meaning: : "Get ready for some very scary stories, even moreso than usual." One toward the end, entitled "Rattlesnakes", actually brings back a hint of Cujo the dog and is one of the most skin-crawling things he's ever written. There's also a great one called "Two Talented Bastids" involving aliens appearing before two hunters in a Maine forest. If you like short stories, you can't beat Stephen King. A little light-hearted reading for your Summer afternoons. I'm also looking forward to Paul Tremblay's "Horror Movie"...

And that's about all for tonight. Next time we'll have the debate to dissect and howl over. It should be a hoot. And it won't be long until Trump is sentenced, so we have that to look forward to, also (even though it will be appealled). And Lulu tells me I should be receiving the proof copy of my book between July 6th and 14th, so there's that, too. Stay tuned.