Archive for May 29th, 2012

May 29, 2012

Commandant Lassard

cop

Commandant Eric Lassard is the fictional head of the Metropolitan Police Academy in the 1984 film ‘Police Academy,’ as well as its six sequels. He is portrayed by actor George Gaynes (b. 1917). Lassard is rather eccentric. He is rarely seen without his many goldfish, frequently travels by golf cart, and tends to destroy things while golfing in his office. He also often loses track of his thoughts, either by beginning to pace and proceeding to walk several yards away from the group he is addressing, or by repeating the word ‘very’ (e.g. ‘have a very, very, very good day’). The commandant is a skilled billiards player, once clearing an entire table in a single turn.

Comdt. Lassard’s younger brother, Captain Pete Lassard (played by Howard Hesseman) is head of a precinct that has one of the worst crime rates in the city until the a group of Eric’s graduates eventually snag a gang that’s been terrorizing the streets. A nephew (possibly Pete’s son), Nick Lassard, is with the Miami Police, but leaves to join Eric in ‘Police Academy 6.’

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May 29, 2012

Glass Candy

italians do it better

Glass Candy is an American electronic music duo from Portland, Oregon, formed in 1996. The band consists of Ida No (vocals) and producer Johnny Jewel (synthesizers, guitar, production). While the band’s early catalog blends elements of No Wave and glam rock, their later work incorporates Italo disco. The band is known for evolving through the years since their original collaboration, and experimenting with various musical genres. No’s vocals have been likened to ’60s German singer Nico and ‘a frightened Debbie Harry or a pissed-off Lene Lovich in a haunted disco.’

Jewel has cited Marilyn Monroe films, 1980s cop show soundtracks, ‘Goblin,’ and John Carpenter soundtracks as inspirational. All music tracks are produced by basic analog equipment, without computers. The group has also said that stores could appropriately file their music ‘between Olivia Newton-John, Suicide, and Schoolly D.’ No describes their early work as ‘droney and weird.’

May 29, 2012

Record Store Day

dave grohl

Record Store Day is an internationally celebrated day observed the third Saturday of April each year. Its purpose, as conceived by independent record store employee Chris Brown, is to celebrate the art of music. The day brings together fans, artists, and thousands of independent record stores across the world.

Record Store Day was officially founded in 2007 by Eric Levin, Michael Kurtz, Carrie Colliton, Amy Dorfman, Don Van Cleave, and Brian Poehner and is now celebrated globally with hundreds of recording and other artists participating in the day by making special appearances, performances, meet and greets with their fans, the holding of art exhibits, and the issuing of special vinyl and CD releases, along with other promotional products to mark the occasion. Past Record Store Day ‘Ambassadors’ include: Metallica (2008), Jesse Hughes of Eagles of Death Metal (2009), Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age (2010), Ozzy Osbourne (2011), and Iggy Pop (2012).

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May 29, 2012

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends

flaming lips

The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends is a collaborative studio album by The Flaming Lips. Recorded throughout 2011 and 2012, the album was released as a limited edition on vinyl for Record Store Day on April 21, 2012. Four songs from the album were previously released on collaborative EPs in 2011. Following their last full-length album, 2009’s ‘Embryonic,’ the band produced several EPs with other artists including Neon Indian, Lightning Bolt, Prefuse 73, and Yoko Ono. Four tracks from these sessions appear on the album. The remaining seven songs were recorded at different times and locations, and are exclusive to the LP.

Mainstream artists such as Kesha and Coldplay’s Chris Martin share space with more experimental artists such as Lightning Bolt and Prefuse 73. The band released the double LP in vinyl form in a 10,000 unit run. Each disc has a unique pattern. Coyne has stated that he has requested and been given blood samples from some of the album’s collaborators. Coyne claims to have blood from Kesha and Neon Indian’s Alan Palomo. He plans to place small amounts of the blood sandwiched into the vinyl of limited editions of the records, and make these available to ‘interested rich Flaming Lips people.’

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May 29, 2012

Gumball 3000

two-lane blacktop

The Gumball 3000 is an annual British 3,000-mile international road rally which takes place on public roads, with a different route around the world each year. Founded in 1999 by British entrepreneur Maximillion Cooper, it sees an annual entry of 120 cars, which are mostly exotic and powerful sports cars. However, more unusual entries (such as police cars and camper-vans) have been seen.

The Rally is not a serious race in the traditional sense of rally races – there are no prizes for being fastest or official timekeeping of any sort. Organizers emphasize that it is a road trip adventure and not a race. The accolade of ‘Spirit of the Gumball’ Trophy is awarded to the driver(s) each year that embody the fun freedom of spirit and adventure that the event strives for. It is often awarded to the drivers of the vehicle that has perhaps been regarded as an ‘underdog’ (such as the Citroen 2CV, a Ford Transit ice-cream van, or 1963 VW Campervan) – or to the participants that have completed the 3000 miles against all odds, such as fixing their broken vehicle, or getting lost en route.

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