Happy Birthday, Wanda Jackson!

When I lived in Portland, many years ago, I saw Wanda Jackson, on a tour where she was singing with pickup bands at each stop, usually a local act that was probably also the opening band, if I recall correctly. Anyway, the whole show was arranged by Miss Meghan, a DJ that I worked with back then, and she and her friend were the “between act DJs,” and I was there to help wrangle the gear, or something. (I might have just gotten on the list and showed up. It’s hard to remember precisely, as I got to do a lot of both when I lived in Portland and worked for KPSU.)

Anyway, Wanda was amazing, and it was a fun night of drinks and flirting and great music and rock and roll that was always my goal, most nights, back then. One of those nights that you don’t get to engage in, very much, anymore, for a lot of reasons, many practical, others… less so.

But, I know that any day now, I will be sad that she has passed, and I will get to remember that night again, then.

And, it’s also Friday, so: maybe we should just have a party in honor of someone truly great, and celebrate someone I like before they have passed.

An Appearance on Hollow Earth Radio!

As is often the case, we scratch each other’s backs in the rough and tumble world of creative expression. And that is very much the case in radio. I’ve been a fan of Hollow Earth Radio for years now, a place that started out as an all ages venue, and has evolved into the radio station that it is today. Available on KHUH 104.9 in the Seattle area, and reliably available to listen to at their website, where they offer some great shows.

In particular, Urban Mutant not only seems to have a lot in common with my own show, but we have a guest DJ in common, too: Arvo Zylo, who is a regular feature on Mid-Valley Mutations, four times a year. In this case, Arvo guested on their show, and produced a radio mix that includes one of my tunes in it, among many, many other things.

You can hear it all here: The Arvo Zylo Guest Mix.

Thanks again, Urban Mutant, Hollow Earth Radio, and Arvo Zylo, for being a supporter of what I do!

Happy Birthday, Tor Johnson!

I primarily know Tor Johnson from Plan Nine From Outer Space, but certainly, he is a force to be reckoned with, no matter how you encounter him. However, it is this comic strip, by Drew Friedman from the 80’s, that I always think about, when I think about Tor. I have no idea if it is based in truth, but perhaps that is not important.

How many Tor? Well, we only ever knew one. But perhaps we were not the ones better off in that scenario.