"Rock Box" Track of the Day archive

January 3, 2011: The Crystal Method, "Starting Over"
January 4, 2011: Run-DMC, "Rock Box"
January 5, 2011: Pulp, "Like a Friend"
January 6, 2011: Classic & 86, "Ridin'"
January 7, 2011: The Roots feat. Malik B. & Dice Raw, "Here I Come"
January 10, 2011: Puccio Roelens, "Caravan"
January 11, 2011: The Who, "I'm One"
January 12, 2011: Madvillain feat. M.E.D. a.k.a. Medaphoar, "Raid"
January 13, 2011: Stevie Wonder, "I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever)"
January 14, 2011: Elton John, "Amoreena"
January 17, 2011: Edo G feat. Masta Ace, "Wishing"
January 18, 2011: The Motherhood, "Soul Town"
January 19, 2011: Tom Jones, "Sex Bomb (Peppermint Disco Mix)"
January 20, 2011: Matt & Kim, "Good Ol' Fashion Nightmare"
January 21, 2011: The Jimi Hendrix Experience, "Crosstown Traffic"
January 24, 2011: A Flock of Seagulls, "Space Age Love Song"
January 25, 2011: Brother Noland, "Coconut Girl"
January 26, 2011: Spandau Ballet, "Gold"
January 27, 2011: Aloe Blacc, "I Need a Dollar"
January 28: 2011: Harry Nilsson, "Jump Into the Fire"
January 31, 2011: The Blind Boys of Alabama, "Way Down in the Hole"
February 1, 2011: Vampire Weekend, "A-Punk"
February 2, 2011: Beastie Boys, "Shambala"
February 3, 2011: Cameo, "Candy"
February 4, 2011: Tony Lucca, "Devil Town"
February 7, 2011: Earth, Wind & Fire, "Reasons"
February 8, 2011: Dinah Washington, "This Bitter Earth"
February 9, 2011: Raekwon feat. Inspectah Deck, Ghostface Killah and GZA, "Guillotine (Swordz)"
February 10, 2011: Iggy and the Stooges, "Search and Destroy"
February 11, 2011: Neil Richardson, "The Riviera Affair"
February 14, 2011: The Jackson 5, "Never Can Say Goodbye"
February 15, 2011: The Skyflakes, "Talk About Today"
February 16, 2011: Pixies, "Where Is My Mind?"
February 17, 2011: The Dubliners, "The Rocky Road to Dublin"
February 18, 2011: Roxy Music, "Same Old Scene"
February 21, 2011: The Bar-Kays, "Too Hot to Stop"
February 22, 2011: Geto Boys, "Still"
February 23, 2011: Death from Above 1979, "Romantic Rights"
February 24, 2011: The Heavy, "Short Change Hero"
February 25, 2011: The Pogues, "The Body of an American"

The "Rock Box" block on A Fistful of Soundtracks airs 4-6am, 9-11am and 3-5pm on Mondays and 5-7am, 9-11am and 3-5pm on Fridays.

More Shirts, More Dolls -- Wow!

OK, was I like, not supposed to post this fabulous photo recently uploaded to the Men's Sew-Along Flickr group just because it can already be seen on the blog of Canadian sew-alongette and Mom-of-adorable-boy-model, Sony?

Let Sony have her attorneys contact my attorneys.

Sony is one of those annoyingly creative sewers who don't only have superb skills but also exquisite taste.  When Sony finds a spare moment in her busy day raising her own children, she whips up things like this for her friends' kids.

And -- as if you couldn't guess -- she knits too, inventively.

Naturally, Sony also writes, cooks, and does photography, all beautifully archived on her charming blog, Sewing Roots.  Friends, what are we going to do about the Sony's of the world?

I wasn't much happier to see this exquisite creation in our Sew-Along Flickr group, which looks like it was ripped out of a Barney's window display created by Simon Doonan.  What's up with that? 



To his credit, at least talented Edsel doesn't have a blog -- yet.

Moving on, the Vinyls were all set to play tennis today.



But it's raining hard, so no go.  New outfits for nothing!



Earlier, I'd dug out my Sterilite plastic toy box and look what I found:  Skooter, shoeless and still dressed for a party she attended -- at the Dream House, no doubt -- forty-five years ago.  There's something slightly Miss Havisham-esque about this pre-teen.



A Malibu Barbie I picked up who knows where, who could use a bath.



And this lovely brunette Sixties Barbie my dear departed friend and Barbie collector Kurt gave me many years ago.





It may be time to get Barbie a Sixties mod dress (no Seventies fringe, Lauriana -- promise!) and some shoes.

Meanwhile, two new Kens will be joining the family later this week.  I think this a Malibu Ken -- or Melanoma Ken -- I'm not sure.  What a tan!



And also a Live Action Ken (without his bandstand, alas).  I don't have a good pic of him yet but who couldn't use a little live action in their lives?  (see video  below)

That's it, kids!  I have a lot of sewing and net gathering to do this week as well as continued Men's Shirt Sew-Along nagging.   Busy, busy, busy!

Happy Monday, everybody!
 

F.A.M.E. BEL AIR MAGAZINE OSCAR VIEWING PARTY @ FALCON ON SUNSET....

Rick Amor of Bel Air Magazine and Oscars

Harrison Held wearing Kate Mesta Star of David Dog Tag

Amit Liran as "Oscar"

Doll talk + Cathy's Comeback muslin!

The darts need work, of course, but I think you'll agree that Vogue 4018 looks promising if a little Cinderelly at the moment.



It may be time to channel my inner fairy godmother.

Can I be real with you for a moment?  The dilemma is -- as always -- boobage.  I'm thinking of maybe sewing in a couple of these, or nothing at all.  Cathy's more Francoise Hardy than Mamie Van Doren, after all, and I don't think she needs dramatic enhancing, do you?  She badly wants to be a positive role model for other young women considering a career in modeling or hostessing, and young men too.

But enough about Cathy's attributes and lack thereof.  You're undoubtedly wondering about how Ken and Allan are getting along.  Friends, they argue constantly, mainly over clothes.

Yesterday, another package arrived in the mail.  It contained...

MORE cute Ken and Allan outfits!



How Negroni are these marvelous print shirts?  We were all very excited.



Yesterday evening the boys wanted to go out on their own and explore the neighborhood.  Ken wore his new red quilted ski jacket with mustard knit dickie, while Allan opted for green retro-print shirt and mod suede vest.



This did not sit right with uptight Ken, however, who refused to go out if Allan wore that fringe vest, especially with those two-toned shoes.



Allan -- who's clearly the conciliator, relented finally, opting instead for gray suit jacket with pocket square.



But then Allan felt resentful.  Finally, Ken compromised: Allan could wear the mod suede pants, and tone down the outfit with white shoes and coordinating tennis sweater.



And off they went.  



More pics and the full-blown argument below.



Patient readers, Ken and Allan have requested that we no longer refer to them as dolls, a term they find, if not exactly demeaning, confining.  They prefer to be called fashion figures.  Please make a note of it in future comments.

You may have noticed their new sturdy black metal stands, proudly made in the USA and a steal at $2.50 each on eBay.  If you have dolls, er --fashion figures, and I know many of you do, do give them the gift of true vertical posing.  How would you like to lean all day or lie flat on your back with your feet stiff in the air?

On Facebook yesterday, MPB reader Mikel admitted to owning "at least 2000+ vintage & repro Barbie's."  In light of this, I ask you, would it be so terrible if I picked up another Ken or two?  I find the flock hair Kens ugly but I wouldn't mind a painted hair brunette or maybe even a hard-to-find Brad or Curtis.   It's easier to have one doll per outfit and not have to dress and undress them all the time and I do think they're a good investment, especially as petroleum by-products become more costly.

In Sew-Along news, we have many new contributions in our Flickr group, including Ken and Allan-worthy garments by Mainely Dad, Very Purple Person, Edsel, and others! 
 
Collect them all Check them out!

I know many of you are still working on your shirts.  Remember, March is just around the corner and then your mid-term evaluations.  Please keep plugging away!

See you bright and early on the morrow!

When Ken Met Allan or "Guys and Dolls"

He's here.  After yesterday's rant about my eBay seller, how embarrassed I was when the mail delivery person dropped off a big Priority Mail box not an hour later.  Oh, Joy!

I sliced the box open.



I removed its contents.



I opened the lid...



After a near fifty-year slumber, there was my Mattel Allan, looking fresh as a daisy -- the miracle of injection-molded vinyl.  Even his breath was minty.



I left the room and gave Allan and Ken a few minutes to get acquainted.



They seemed to like each other.

Next, we had to put some street clothes on Allan and get Ken out of the suit he'd been wearing since 1964. So many choices!

Tennis whites?



Dinner clothes?



I opted for casuals.





Readers, I am so happy.  Metal stands should arrive any day now, so they won't have to lean.  Should I splurge for acrylic display boxes too?

Only one small regret.  Allan was looking a little dusty so, after some online research, I took a little diluted rubbing alcohol to his youthful visage and gently wiped it with an old rag.  He looked better than ever!



Then I took the rag to Ken.  Now Ken, who looked absolutely pristine when he arrived, may have been touched up over the years.   Look what happened:

Before:



After:



Folks, it seems Ken had been penciling his brows for years.  Or maybe not.  In any case, I think you'll agree that if you didn't know his brows were supposed to be six shades darker than his hair, you wouldn't think he looked unusual.



Allan prefers that Ken's brows match his hair.  Thank goodness!

Much of Allan's wardrobe is pristine, and given what a PITA it is to get them dressed and undressed, I wouldn't be surprised if Allan had hardly been played with at all.  They don't bend at the elbows or knees.  Try putting socks on without bending your ankles -- and then shoes.

Friends, I think that's all we have time for today.  I'm taking Ken and Allan out for brunch and then maybe a movie.  If you'd like to see more photos of the boys and their clothes, you can find them here.

In closing, if you had to date a 12" vinyl doll, whom would you choose, Ken or Allan? 

Skin diving, anyone? 



Have a great day, everybody!