Pseu Pseu Pseudio – Pseudonymous Musical One-Offs

In thinking about and working on a post covering one-album-wonders, I was reminded of a few single releases that were pseudonymously attributed to otherwise non-existent performers. Of course many musicians release music under stage names and a list of their releases would include the entire catalogs of  everyone from David Bowie, to Elton John, to … Continue reading Pseu Pseu Pseudio – Pseudonymous Musical One-Offs

You probably haven't heard but today is Missouri Day. For this piece I'm honoring Missourians who've worked in Hollywood -- mostly as actors but as directors and film scorers as well.

37 Years! Celebrating (or at least thinking about) VHS

The inaugural Cassette Store Day took place this past 7 September. On that day, over 50 audio cassettes were released by major musical acts like The Pastels, The Flaming Lips, and Suicidal Tendencies. Unfortunately for video cassette fans, Cassette Day was a strictly audio observance. For whatever reason, Cassette Culture (or the cassette underground), which … Continue reading 37 Years! Celebrating (or at least thinking about) VHS

Upcoming Satyajit Ray screenings in Los Angeles, London, and Vienna

Satyajit Ray fans have cause to celebrate with several upcoming film events coming up involving a large body of his film work. Satyajit Ray was a Bengali film director from India who is widely considered to be one of the world's greatest filmmakers. During his life (1921-1992) he directed 36 films, including features, documentaries, and shorts. … Continue reading Upcoming Satyajit Ray screenings in Los Angeles, London, and Vienna

Upcoming outdoor film screening — Monsoon Wedding

Although summer movies are usually associated with blaring GCI spectacles playing throughout the world's multiplexes, in Los Angeles we're blessed with a popular alternative option -- outdoor screenings. Instead of Crows, Goobers, Jujyfruits, Raisinets, and delicious but nauseating gallons of buttered popcorn a ttendees can in many cases pack a picnic basket or grab some proper … Continue reading Upcoming outdoor film screening — Monsoon Wedding

No Enclave — Exploring the Remains of Los Angeles’s Little Italy

Los Angeles and Orange counties are home to many official and unofficial (but widely recognized) ethnic enclaves, including Cambodia Town, Chinatown, Filipinotown, Koreatown, Little Armenia, Little Arabia, Little Bangladesh, Little Brazil, Little Ethiopia, Little India, Little Osaka, Little Russia, Little Saigon, Little Seoul, Little Tokyo, Oaxacatown, Tehrangeles, and Thai Town. Attempting to gain official recognition are … Continue reading No Enclave — Exploring the Remains of Los Angeles’s Little Italy

The Cooper’s Doughnuts Uprising

The Cooper's Doughnuts Uprising - LGBT Heritage Month at the Amoeblog. Although it's usually overshadowed by New York's Stonewall Riots, ten years earlier Los Angeles was home to what's often considered to be the first gay uprising in modern time. Happy LGBT Heritage Month!

The Cooper Do-nuts Uprising

Cooper Do-nuts sign (image source: Stephen Seemayer and Pamela Wilson's film, Young Turks (1982) May 1959: Seven years before Silver Lake's Black Cat Riot and ten before New York's Stonewall riots, a group of drag queens, trans women, and hustlers clashed with LAPD officers at a location of the local Cooper Do-nuts (also known as Cooper's Donut Depot, Cooper's Doughnuts … Continue reading The Cooper Do-nuts Uprising

Dragnet – The greatest police procedural and realest of the real

DUMMM DAH-DUM DUM Though nowadays the Dragnet franchise is best  emembered today as a TV series (or two TV series), it began existence as was most exceptional as a radio drama. Dragnet starred Jack Webb as Sergeant Joe Friday, an LAPD detective who, when the series began, lived at home with his mother and later on his own in a Silver Lake bachelor pad. It first aired on 3 June, … Continue reading Dragnet – The greatest police procedural and realest of the real

Pan-Asian Metropolis — Sriracha 101: Dispelling myths and misinformation about Sriracha

Huy Fong sriracha (source: NPR) As much as I try to resist the urge to be a know-it-all (and recognize the fact that I don’t, in fact, even know that much – especially about the very things most worth knowing), occasionally I have to get all Bobby Fletcher (the famous checkersmaster) and drop some science of the … Continue reading Pan-Asian Metropolis — Sriracha 101: Dispelling myths and misinformation about Sriracha