photos by Styrous®
Styrous® ~ Sunday, July 31, 2016
July 31, 2016
July 30, 2016
20,000 Vinyl LPs 62: Samson and Delilah ~ 10" of fun
10" vinyl LP record
photo of album by Styrous®
~ ~ ~
I
started the Vinyl LP series because I have a collection of over 20,000 vinyl record albums I am
selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Inquire
for information here.
~ ~ ~
I was about 9 years old when I saw Victor Mature with Hedy Lamarr in Cecil B. DeMille's Biblical epic, Samson and Delilah, (1949). I loved the great scenes with Samson fighting soldiers, lions, etc., but my favorite part of the whole movie was, and still is, the Temple of Dagon scene when Samson (Mature) brings down the house (pun intended). Pretty cool stuff for a nine-year-old kid.
Temple of Dagon scene
By Paramount - AllPosters.com, Public Domain
The film's special effects were supervised by Gordon Jennings. The "money shot" was the toppling of the temple of Dagon, the god of the Philistines. It is the penultimate scene in the film, cost $150,000, and took a year to shoot. The bottom portion of the temple was constructed full-scale. A separate 37-foot high model with a 17-foot high Dagon statue was built for the photographic effects. The model was destroyed three times in order to shoot it through different camera angles. Footage of the full-scale set was merged with footage of the scale model using a "motion repeater system" fabricated by Paramount, which enabled the exact repetition of camera moves.
Samson gets clipped by Delilah
The film received its televised world premiere at two of New York City's Broadway theatres, the Paramount and the Rivoli, on December 21, 1949, in order to "accommodate the 7,000,000 movie-goers in the greater New York area.
movie poster
As with all biblical themes, the destruction of the Temple of Dagon was interpreted by classical artists. According to the biblical narrative, Samson died when he grasped two pillars of the Temple of Dagon, and "bowed himself with all his might" (Judges 16:30, KJV). This has been variously interpreted as Samson pushing the pillars apart (top) or pulling them together (bottom).
Samson destroys the Temple of Dagon
Gustave Doré, ca. 1860
"And he bowed forward with all his might and pulled the pillars over with him, bringing down the roof upon those that were under it. Samson himself was among the dead; but in his death he killed more of the Philistines than he had killed during his life."
Bible illustration - ca 1890
Samson's Fight with the Lion
Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1525
The Blinded Samson
Lovis Corinth, 1912
The score for the film was written by Victor Young, one of the great composers of film scores of that period. The screenplay was written by Jesse L. Lasky, Jr. and Fredric M. Frank.
Label: Decca – DL 6007
Format: Vinyl, LP, 10", Album
Country: US
Released: 1950
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 Samson's Call
A2 Miriam And The Dance To Dagon
A3 The Valley Of Zorah
A4 The Feather Dance
A5 Delilah's Theme
Side 2:
B1 Blind Samson
B2 The Philistine March
B3 Delilah's Remorse
B4 The Feast Dance
B5 Bacchanale
B6 Delilah's Harp
B7 Samson And Delilah
Credits:
Composed and Conducted by Victor Young
Notes:
Maroon label with gold print in circular pattern.
Stats
Victor Young, The Paramount Symphony Orchestra* – Samson And Delilah (Themes From The Score)
Format: Vinyl, LP, 10", Album
Country: US
Released: 1950
Genre: Stage & Screen
Style: Soundtrack
Tracklist:
Side 1:
A1 Samson's Call
A2 Miriam And The Dance To Dagon
A3 The Valley Of Zorah
A4 The Feather Dance
A5 Delilah's Theme
Side 2:
B1 Blind Samson
B2 The Philistine March
B3 Delilah's Remorse
B4 The Feast Dance
B5 Bacchanale
B6 Delilah's Harp
B7 Samson And Delilah
Credits:
Composed and Conducted by Victor Young
Notes:
Maroon label with gold print in circular pattern.
Net links:
Stories From The Hebrew Bible: The Strong Man
Delilah's theme on YouTube:
Samson destroys the Temple of Dagon on YouTube
Complete soundtrack
Having a bad haircut can be quite traumatic!
~ Rachel Lauren Stevens (Spice Girl)
Styrous® ~ Saturday, July 30, 2016
July 29, 2016
20,000 Vinyl LPs 61: Carmine Stipo Chews Your Mood
Carmine Stipo, Chews Your Mood
front cover
photo by Styrous®
Carmine Stipo, released two solo works; Carmine Stipo Chews Your Mood, . . .
. . . a 45 rpm, with the songs, My Time and I'm Leaving from the album . . .
. . . and the album, Carmine, a soul, disco & funk work.
Carmine Stipo, Carmine
front cover
photographer unknown
photographer unknown
Stipo, who produced The Stip album (see link below), had a bit part as the bartender in the bar scene in the film, Cruising, which starred Al Pacino.
left: Carmine Stipo, right: Al Pacino
film still
Lorimar Productions, Inc.
Copyright©1980
Copyright©1980
Carmine Stippo:
Filmography:
1980 Cruising
Bartender (as Carmine Stipo)
1968 What's So Bad About Feeling Good?
Charlie (uncredited)
1967 Love Is a Many Splendored Thing (TV Series)
Rocco Fiore (1971)
Music department:
1980 Jane Austen in Manhattan (composer: song "Here We Are Again")
Stage Performances:
One Is a Lonely Number 1964
[Off-Broadway]
Spike
The Awakening of Spring 1964
[Off-Broadway]
Television work:
(1972) television commercial for Diet Dr. Petter
(1973) television commercial for Dash laundry detergent
Net links:
I'm Back podcast
20,000 Vinyl LPs 60: New Wave in New York 1 ~ The Stip
~ ~ ~
I
started the Vinyl LP series because I have a collection of over 20,000 vinyl record albums I am
selling; each blog entry is about an album from my collection. Inquire
for information here.
~ ~ ~
In 1982 I went to New York for the first time. It was the height of the New Wave era; the music was fresh and exciting in San Francisco and it was fantastic! It had evolved from hardcore punk: Jello Biafra aka Dead Kennedys, Toiling Midgets, The Offs, The Residents, AlieNation, Crime, Flipper, The Avengers, Hot Tuna, No Alternative, The Nuns, Mutants, The Units, Negative Trend, the VKTMS, SVT, Impatient Youth (and many, many other groups) into something that was totally unique and I wanted to see what was going on there in New York.
I searched out all the new wave music I could find and I was not disappointed. I discovered many exciting groups. The Stip was one of my finds.
The Stip vinyl LP record
front cover
front cover
photo by Styrous®
Although The Stip has been forgotten in the memory of the music world, much less the history of new wave, members of the group went on to perform with world class artists of many different walks in the music, theater and performance industries as well as social and political movements (more info below).
The Stip vinyl LP record
back cover
back cover
photo by Styrous®
As with all albums, I have a favorite track. The opener for the album, I'm Back, is my pick. It sounds pretty tame by today's standard but at the time, 1982, it was right up there with the best of the new wave coming out. It should have become a classic New Wave hit but somehow it never made it and it disappeared in the mist of time. It is a fast and driving-with-determination song. Rick Ulfik utilizes swooping synths with exquisite results. If you'd like to hear it, click on the arrow in the next panel to listen while you read the rest of this article.
The Stip - I'm Back
audio file
The Stip ©1982
The Stip ©1982
(click on arrow)
The Stip vinyl LP record
back cover detail
back cover detail
detail photo by Styrous®
As far as I know, the group only had this one release, however, executive producer, Carmine Stipo, released two solo works and a 45 single from one of them (see link below).
the members of the group:
Rick Ulfik (Keyboards):
Ulfik wrote the music for the soundtrack, Street Trash, in 1987; it won the Silver Raven award at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film. The film has acquired a status as a cult classic independent horror-comedy and is one of a number of films known as "melt movies". He also wrote the music for Document of the Dead (1985), a documentary about the films of George A. Romero, with a behind scenes look at the 1978 film, Dawn of the Dead. He was founder of We the World, an organization dedicated to Global Peace and Unity; Co-Chair of The Foundation for Ethics and Meaning; U.N.
Representative, Communications Coordination Committee for the United Nations.
The Stip vinyl LP record, side 1
photo by Styrous®
Rick Cutler (Drums):
Some of the artists Cutler has performed and recorded with include Michael Franks, jazz violinist and record producer Noel Pointer, Stevie Van Zandt, Herbie Hancock, Freddie Hubbard, Don Rickles, Billy Eckstine, Gloria Gaynor, Rodney Dangerfield, Regis Philbin, Donna Summer, Larry Coryell, Jon Lucien, Johnny Hartman, Savion Glover, Perry Farrell (of Jane's Addiction), Richie Stotts (of the Plasmatics) and Charles Aznavour.
He has performed in many Broadway shows including Hair, The Wiz, Candide, They're Playing Our Song, Woman of the Year and Seesaw.
He was one of the original percussionists for, Mass, by Leonard Bernstein, which was written and performed for the opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He performs on the original recording of that piece with Mr. Bernstein conducting.
He has performed in many Broadway shows including Hair, The Wiz, Candide, They're Playing Our Song, Woman of the Year and Seesaw.
He was one of the original percussionists for, Mass, by Leonard Bernstein, which was written and performed for the opening of the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. He performs on the original recording of that piece with Mr. Bernstein conducting.
The Stip vinyl LP record label, side 1
photo by Styrous®
Chico Rindner (Bass):
The bass player for The Stip went on to perform with Jake & the Family Jewels, Gato Barbieri at the Festival International de Jazz de Monteal, (there is a DVD of the performance) and other venues such as the Broadway musical, Marlowe, in 1981. He also appears on the only album Beds produced and an album released in 2006 by Beach Boys lyricist, Neil Rosengarden, Upsidedown Furniture.
Alan Ross (Sax):
Ross has worked with Kylie Minogue, Jennifer Rush, the German pop group Queensberry, Tim Harding, Tata Young, Tony Santos, Chet Baker, John Coltrane, Stan Getz, Roll Deep, Kristian Leontiou, Biz, Cherie, Vic Lewis, Sonique, C21, Liberty X, Aaron Carter, Damage, Fred Ross, Ross, Tom Jones, Gary Barlow, Tina Turner, Ali, 911, Melanie, John Entwistle, Louise, George Michael, Judy Cheeks, Melba Moore, Evelyn "Champagne" King, Wilson-Gale, Lisa B. Burns, Stanky Brown Band, Suntreader aka Morris Pert, Aaron Wright and the Aprils, Riders of the New Purple Sage, Renaissance, Kid Creole and the Coconuts, O’Jays, Denise Williams, Marvin Gaye, Lorna Luft, Liza Minelli and Cissy Houston.
His has prodiced commercials for Century 21, Pepsi, Mc Donalds, and IBM, and performed in the orchestras of such Broadway shows as Dancin, Barnum and Hey Ma.
The Stip vinyl LP record label, side 2
photo by Styrous®
The Stip 1982
Side 1:
I’m Back 4:27
Superpower 5:40
Summer Was 2:49
None of Your Business 6:43
Side 2:
Wandering Eyes 7:38
Our Worlds 4:24
All My Friends Have Gone To California 6:13
The Stip
204 West 10th Street
New York, NY 10014
Chelsea Sound Studios
Greenwich Village USA
mixed by Phil Bulla
produced, arranged and conducted by Rick Ulfix
Executive Producer: Carmine Stipo
Bass: Chico Rindner
Drums: Rick Cutler
Keyboards: Rick Ulfik
Synthesizers: Rick Ulfik
Sax: Alan Ross
Background Vocals:
Jocelyn Brown
La-Rita Gaskins
Connie Harvey
Voices:
Michael Meskers
John Oliver
Carmine Stipo
Side 1:
I’m Back 4:27
Superpower 5:40
Summer Was 2:49
None of Your Business 6:43
Side 2:
Wandering Eyes 7:38
Our Worlds 4:24
All My Friends Have Gone To California 6:13
The Stip
204 West 10th Street
New York, NY 10014
Chelsea Sound Studios
Greenwich Village USA
mixed by Phil Bulla
produced, arranged and conducted by Rick Ulfix
Executive Producer: Carmine Stipo
Bass: Chico Rindner
Drums: Rick Cutler
Keyboards: Rick Ulfik
Synthesizers: Rick Ulfik
Sax: Alan Ross
Background Vocals:
Jocelyn Brown
La-Rita Gaskins
Connie Harvey
Voices:
Michael Meskers
John Oliver
Carmine Stipo
Styrous® ~ Friday, July 29, 2016
July 11, 2016
Zapodorada?
photo by Styrous®
I was asked what "Zapodorada" means.
This is a legitimate question as the word makes no sense in Spanish, English nor any other language. So, here's the story. The image was originally titled, "Shoe". Pretty exciting, eh? So, I renamed it, "Shoe Under Golden Light". In Spanish, that translates to, Un zapato debajo de la luz dorada.
Now, though it's not unusual to have long titles (I have a work with a much longer name), Un zapato debajo de la luz dorada is cumbersome, so I took the zap and o from zapato and added the dorada. Ergo: Zapodorada. And anyway, it's my birthday and I can name it whatever I like.
Zapodorada is showing in the exhibition currently at the Gray Loft Gallery in Oakland until August 12, 2016.
summer salon
July 8 – August 12, 2016
Closing (2nd Friday) Reception:
August 12, 6 – 9 pm
Gallery Hours:
Saturdays, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Sundays by appointment
July 8 – August 12, 2016
Closing (2nd Friday) Reception:
August 12, 6 – 9 pm
Gallery Hours:
Saturdays, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Sundays by appointment
Gray Loft Gallery
2889 Ford Street, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94601
GrayLoftGallery@gmail.com
www.grayloftgallery.com
510.499.3445
July 9, 2016
Gray Loft Gallery ~ summer salon opening
photos by Styrous®
summer salon
July 8 – August 12, 2016
Closing (2nd Friday) Reception:
August 12, 6 – 9 pm
Gallery Hours:
Saturdays, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Sundays by appointment
July 8 – August 12, 2016
Closing (2nd Friday) Reception:
August 12, 6 – 9 pm
Gallery Hours:
Saturdays, 1:00 to 5:00 pm
Sundays by appointment
Gray Loft Gallery
2889 Ford Street, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94601
GrayLoftGallery@gmail.com
www.grayloftgallery.com
510.499.3445
Styrous® ~ Saturday, July 9, 2016
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)