1964: The light I gave to you

 1964: the Jelly Beans, "I Wanna Love Him So Bad"  

 1964: The Shangri-Las, "Remember (Walkin' In The Sand)"  

Note the allusion to military service: boyfriend got drafted?

 1964: Dusty Springfield, "Wishin and Hopin'"

This is the second Bacharach/David tune recently, the other being "My Little Red Book," performed by Love.

 1964: The Drifters, "Under the Boardwalk"

     MEANWHILE: Monday night, I found that neither my phone nor my internet wifi worked, and since I don't have a cell phone (not one that works in these hills), that's pretty serious. The semester is about to begin and, well, being incommunicado isn't helpful.

     The next day, I called AT&T and tried to get them out here to fix the lines. The best I could do was a window of 8:00 a.m. to noon today. 

     They never showed up. They did not communicate with me using the ways I gave them (my sister's land line, etc.).

     I called again. They said they'd try to get someone out there by 6:00. But again, they were a no show.

     I've been trying to call AT&T in the last hour, but they're overwhelmed and said to call back later.

     Naturally, I've been through this before. On occasion, I've been forced to wait weeks while they get their freakin' acts together.

     The world ain't what it used to be. Sheesh.

     UPDATE [Thursday night]: The AT&T guy is supposed to show up between 8 and 12 Friday morning. We'll see.

     UPDATE [Friday night]: they never showed this morning. Eventually, I guy showed mid-afternoon and couldn't fix it. He'll be back tomorrow afternoon, I guess.

     UPDATE 1-8: still have no service. Technician won't call back.

     UPDATE 1-9: at long last, the lines are repaired—but the problem seemed to be something other than the causes earlier claimed. —Whatever; I'm once again connected to the world.

 1964: The Beach Boys, "Don't Worry Baby"

Inspired by the Ronnettes' "Be My Baby," which was a hit a year earlier. Some consider this the Beach Boys' finest recording and Brian's finest vocal. It's my fave.

1966: nearly forgotten, disquieting, vatic gems!

1966: Arthur Lee's LOVE, "My Little Red Book"

I just got out my little red book 

The minute that you said goodbye 

I thumbed right through my little red book 

I wasn't gonna sit and cry

1966: The Seeds, "Can't Seem to Make You Mine"

"...the glorious primitivism and narrower focus of their debut [album] ultimately works to their advantage; there are few albums of the era that mirror the delicious arrogance of a beer-sodden teenage misfit with the effortless simplicity of the Seeds, and it's justly celebrated as a classic of first-wave garage punk."

1966: The Standells, "Dirty Water"

"The Los Angeles band was actually hardly typical of the young suburban outfits across America who took their raw garage sound onto obscure singles recorded in small studios. They'd been playing L.A. clubs since the early '60s, with a repertoire that mostly consisted of covers of pre-Beatles rock hits. Drummer (and eventual lead singer) Dick Dodd had been a Mouseketeer on television, organist Larry Tamblyn was the brother of noted film actor Russ Tamblyn, and Tony Valentino was a recent immigrant from Italy."

Yeah, down by the river 

Down by the banks of the river Charles 

Aw, that's what's happenin', baby 

That's where you'll find me 

Along with lovers, muggers, and thieves 

Aw, but they're cool, too

1966: Syndicate of Sound, "Little Girl"

"...Syndicate of Sound singer Don Baskin and bassist Bob Gonzalez ultimately took that inspiration and penned a unique number incorporating sonic elements of Britpop and folk-rock with a dark, brooding, and dyspeptic lyrical sentiment, delivered with an almost discomforting level of sanguine indifference."

1966: 13th Floor Elevators, "You're Gonna Miss Me"

"The 13th Floor Elevators [of Austin, Texas] were trailblazers in the psychedelic rock scene, and in time they'd pay a heavy price for exploring the outer edges of musical and psychological possibility, but along the way they left behind a few fine albums, and The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators remains a potent delight."

You're gonna wake up wonderin' 

Find yourself all alone 

But what's gonna stop me, baby? 

I'm not comin' home

1966: ? and the Mysterians, "96 Tears"

"It only took one song, the organ-driven number one smash '96 Tears,' to make ? & the Mysterians into garage rock legends. Eccentric frontman Question Mark ... cultivated an aura of mystery by never appearing in public without a pair of wraparound sunglasses; he frequently claimed he had been born on Mars and lived among the dinosaurs in a past life, and that voices from the future had revealed he would be performing '96 Tears' in the year 10,000. On a more earthly level, the Mysterians' sound helped lay down an important part of the garage rock blueprint, namely the low-budget sci-fi feel of the Farfisa and Vox organs (most assumed that '96 Tears' had featured the former, but ? later remembered using the latter)."

And when the sun comes up, I'll be on top 

You'll be right down there, looking up 

And I might wave...

1966: The Troggs, "I Can't Control Myself"

"...[T]he words weren't making suggestions but spelling sexual desire out pretty clearly. In particular the line about the slacks hanging low and hips showing, sung with unsuppressed hunger, didn't leave much to the imagination. Nor did the final parts of the verse, where the melody ascended dramatically before pausing for [singer Reg] Presley to seethe the title phrase, after which the band crashed conclusively on a chilling minor chord."

1966: The Monks, "Complication"

"If anything, the Monks were far wilder than their story would suggest; they may have looked bizarre in their matching black outfits, rope ties, and tonsures, but it was their music that was truly radical, with the sharp fuzz and feedback of Gary Burger's guitar faced off against the bludgeoning clang of Dave Day's amplified banjo (taking the place of rhythm guitar), as Roger Johnston pounded out minimalist patterns on the drums, Eddie Shaw's electric bass gave forth with a monstrous throb, and Larry Clark's keyboard bounced off the surfaces of the aural melee."

People cry, 

People die for you. 

People kill, 

People will for you. 

People run, 

Ain't it fun for you.

AND A PERSONAL FAVORITE:

1966: Love, "No Matter What You Do"

Do you remember me? 

I'm the one you talk about 

Do you remember me? 

I'm the one you booted out 

 [Chorus] No matter what in the world you do Hey, 

I'll always be in love with you 

No matter what in the world you say Girl, 

I'm gonna love you anyway

     The rhythm guitarist and second singer for Love was Bryan MacLean, who wrote some of the band's best songs, including the lovely "Alone Again Or." After his association with Love, MacLean underwent a conversion to Christianity and pursued Christian music. His half-sister, Maria McKee, formed the band Lone Justice in the 80s, and one of that band's best songs was written by Bryan: "Don't Toss Us Away," which was later a hit single for country singer Patty Loveless. Bryan died of a heart attack in 1998 at age 52. 

I wild night up here in the mountains

No passage for now. The oak tree is bigger than it looks!

     We're having a wild night here in Lambrose Canyon (Trabuco Cyn. area just above O'Neill Park). Officials are evacuating residents of nearby neighborhoods: Silverado Cyn., Modjeska Cyn., etc. The weather people are warning that we might get 5-7 inches of rain tonight! (That's a frightening thought.) 

     Already, a large tree has fallen and has blocked our exit from Lambrose Canyon. Anni sent me a pic. (See.) 

     Evidently, there was a construction worker at the rental (on our property) who discovered late this afternoon that he was no longer able to drive out (i.e., to drive home). Anni got on the horn to try to get help with moving the tree; she didn't get far; after a while she sought the guy out but could find neither him nor his pickup. But the tree's still blocking the road! Huh?

     I suggested taking a look up Lambrose in the other direction: the road peters out into non-existence and mud as it goes up a box canyon (back in the early 70s, it was still passable but it has steadily deteriorated). But Anni couldn't find him there, nor is there any indication anyone had driven up that way. 

     So it's a mystery. 

     Sounds like one of our neighbors has arranged for help with the tree in the morning. So there's that.

     We'll be all right, I'm sure, though we may experience some flooding tonight (especially down at the studio, which flooded a week or two ago during a relatively moderate storm). 

     And boy is it cold—about 49 degrees already! (My place doesn't have heat, 'ceptin for one or two space heaters.) Sheesh!

     As always, Teddy says "hey!"

Voice of OC photo

Now your Daddy don't mind

Some of my favorites ca. 1960:

 

Henry Gaston: amazing falsetto (1960)

IN THE STILL OF THE NIGHT. The song was recorded in the Saint Bernadette Catholic School basement in New Haven, Connecticut in February 1956. Marty Kugell produced the song. The saxophone solo was played by Vinny Mazzetta of New Haven. The rhythm section was Doug Murray (bass), Bobby Mapp (drums) and Curlee Glover (piano). (Wikipedia)

Fred Paris and the boys: 1956

1961

LOVER'S ISLAND. The Blue Jays were an American vocal doo-woop group who surfaced fleetingly in the 1960s. Hailing from Venice, California, the group consisted of Leon Peels (who came from Newport, Arkansas), Van Richardson, Alex Manigo and Leonard Davidson. They formed n 1961, and landed a record deal with Milestone Records. Their only hit was their debut single “Lover’s Island” which broke into the Top 40 in 1961. (MentalItch)

Rosie and the Originals: 1961 hit. One
of John Lennon's all-time favorites

ROSIE: "I [at age 15] played [Angel Baby] for [the Originals] and I just had the arrangement as [I] knew it. It wasn't sophisticated. They liked it. They just started playing parts. The guy that was on the 45, that played on the record, was not our horn player, Alfred Barrett. He was Tony, who actually played bass guitar. We ended up going to the only recording studio we could find within a 100 mile radius. It was on the outskirts of San Diego, on a farm. He was an airplane mechanic. He'd taken part of his hanger and was gonna have a studio when he retired. So, we were there all day, playing it over and over, trying to get it sounding just right. I was playing piano on it. We called Alfred 'cause he wasn't there yet. He said he couldn't get out of the house. His mother wouldn't let him leave 'til he finished mowing and raking the yard. He didn't make the session, so, that's how the terrible horn solo got on there, 'cause nobody knew what they were doing." (Gary James’ interview of Rosie Hamlin)

Major campuses will start January Online

7 U of California Campuses Will Start January Online 

Inside Higher Ed

So will Loyola Marymount, Oakland and McDaniel as fear of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and its impact spreads. 

Seven University of California campuses announced Monday that they will start instruction online in January in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19. 

The campuses are at Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz and Riverside. UC Santa Barbara announced on its website that “Given the uncertainties around the Omicron variant, UC Santa Barbara will begin winter quarter with two weeks of remote instruction. The quarter will begin as scheduled Monday, Jan. 3, and in-person instruction will resume Tuesday, Jan. 18, following the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday, subject to reassessment of the situation early in the quarter. The decision to delay in-person teaching is related to supporting students and instructors, particularly those who either test positive over winter break and cannot travel back to campus on time, or who test positive upon arrival and need to isolate.”… 

COVID-19 Changes Plans for Next Semester 

Inside Higher Ed

DePaul, Harvard and Stanford students won’t have in-person classes the first weeks of the semester; Penn State, UCLA and U of Southern California are considering such a move; Cornell has surge in infections; Bowie State, Towson and Tufts move finals online. 

COVID-19 is leading some colleges to alter their plans for the next semester, even as it continues to impact the semester that is finishing up. The concern is the Omicron variant of the virus, which transmits much more quickly than other versions and appears to infect some people who are vaccinated. 

In most cases thus far, the Omicron variant does not cause vaccinated individuals to experience anything but mild symptoms, according to public health experts. But college officials are still worried. .Stanford University announced that it will start the winter quarter online, from Jan. 3 until Jan. 18….

More Colleges Announce Changes for January

Inside Higher Ed

Lately overheard in Mayfair

 

I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of SoHo in the rain
He was looking for the place called Lee Ho Fook's
Gonna get a big dish of beef chow mein

Lockerbie, 33 years on

Solstice. The shortest day of a long year. We begin to turn back to the sun today. The days grow longer. Rebel Girl is ususally on her way to Mexico about this time of the year but this year, like last year, she is staying put. This morning is cold.  Another storm arrives tomorrow.  This morning's headlines are all about the new variant, the ease of its transmission.  

33 years ago, Lockerbie Scotland, Pan Am 103, Cipper Maid of the Seas.

From 2013: 

Rebel Girl is a party girl and even though she does not ascribe to any particular faith, she enjoys this season of celebration with its stories of miracles and lights, pilgrimages and stars shining bright. She likes the solstice best and feels a sense of accomplishment on living through that day, the shortest one of the year. When she was a child learning of such things in a public elementary school classroom, Rebel Girl once imagined she could hear the gentle crack of the earth's axis as it tilted, once more, back toward the sun, toward light.

The past 25 years have usually found Rebel Girl and her family hurtling south to Mexico on the Solstice. This year, they will be a little late. But every year on the Solstice, they remember that first year they drove south for the season: 1988. She first wrote about on the blog five years ago.

from December 22, 2008
It was 20 Years Ago Today:
Twenty years ago, Rebel Girl and Red Emma first headed south into Baja, borrowing a friend's car and another friend's travel guide (what friends!). They fell in love with a part of Mexico that many find unlovable (the desert! The Sea of Cortez!) and have returned every year except for this one. This year finds them at home, unnerved by the brutal violence along the border, unwilling to be Americans who drive past other people's tragedies on their way to their own good time.

They usually leave on Solstice, the shortest day of the year. Rebel Girl can't remember if that was true for that first trip twenty years ago. She expects it might be. All she knows is that when they left, they knew about the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

So they left on or shortly after December 21, 1988 and returned sometime after the new year, covered in dust and sunburnt. They hadn't followed the news very much, hadn't thought about the bombing except in the way that you do about such events, a distant awareness of someone else's heartbreak. So when they returned and found out that Liz Marek, fellow activist and friend had been on board the flight, there was shock. Liz was an activist of some standing in the LA area, a veteran of the so-called Great Peace March across that country and of many Nevada Test Site actions, a charismatic lead singer in a lesbian rock band and general all-round good person. Liz, working for a non-profit housing agency, had been instrumental in helping Red and Reb and their roommates obtain an apartment after their eviction from their home (long story).

Liz had once complimented Rebel Girl on her design of a banner for a Test Site demonstration even though Rebel Girl now understands that Liz was only being kind. Rebel Girl was on her knees painting it in the sanctuary of the Church in Ocean Park (some church!). Liz had stopped by on her way to a meeting. The banner was wincingly raw and earnest and the memory of it still possesses the power to embarrass Rebel Girl: "The Patriarchy Stops Here," it read, with an angry pregnant woman, her womb filled with a mushroom cloud, pushing back at the lettering.

Rebel Girl still remembers how Liz could belt out her band's version of "Devil in a Blue Dress" (she sang it as "Big Dyke in a Blue Dress"). Back then, she admired the courage, humor and vision of activists like Liz – they had fun at the same time they did good works. She wanted to be like them: gutsy, justice-loving good people.

Liz had been sitting in seat 36 C of the Pan Am flight, traveling with a friend, having got cheap seats for a holiday trip to England. She was 30 years old. The obituaries all identified her as an actress and peace activist.


Later, when Liz's memorial was held at the Church in Ocean Park, Rebel Girl couldn't look into the faces of Liz's family, of her mother; their grief was too stark. She concentrated instead on repairing the cake which had suffered some damage in transit. It was white frosting with blue cursive lettering spelling out Liz's name and some other message Rebel Girl can no longer remember, just as she can no longer remember the witty name of Liz's band.

So, while people gave eulogies and sang songs, told stories and wept, Rebel Girl repaired the sky blue letters, rejoining the links, restoring the integrity of the final loops of the lowercase "k." She smoothed the frosting, white as a cloud.

*

The original post inspired a few comments from other friends of Liz who found it via the web:

Anonymous said...
I was on the great peace march and searched out Liz's name today in memory of her great funny human self. I think [her] band was the Diet Cherry Cokes.

Anonymous said...
I knew Liz on the GPM and deeply appreciated her intelligence, wit and humanity. Thanks for your remembrance of her.

Dear Rebel,
I was at the memorial for Liz at Ocean Park and I visited the Pan Am Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery every year until I left DC in late 1999.

Her family was very kind to me at a time when they were grieving and I'll never forget how gracious they were/are. Especially when I told them about the couple of times I'd be so darned frustrated with knocking on the porta pottie doors and hoping folks would knock back so I could feel the vibration and not accidentally open the door and expose them. When Liz was around and saw me she'd grab my hand and pull me down the line of porta potties and would knock and knock until she found an empty porta potty for me. Her actions saved me a lot of time and she needn't've done it but did because she "got it" that I'm deaf and sometimes a helping hand helps just that much to make one's day a bit brighter. Just for this not so little kindness she's aces in my book.

Just so you know, I was shown kindness by every Marcher while I was on the 9-month walk. This made a huge impact on me. Huge. It still does to this day.

Jules
Peace Marcher

Twenty-five years is a long time.

Liz's mother still lives in Brookfield, Connecticut.

Rebel Girl found an article from Tuesday August 29, 1989: "Mother Makes Somber Visit to Lockerbie" which is exactly what its title suggests. The online version of the article features a tiny black and white headshot of Liz; it is not the best photo and the online scan of it fragments it even more but there's something there still in Liz's eyes that Reb likes to see. Her direct gaze. It's Liz all right. The article appeared in the Connecticut newspaper The Day.

Immediately to the right is another article: "Black, white African leaders meet: Kaunda, de Klerk talk in Zambia" and a larger photo of de Klerk, Botha (remember him?) and a skeptical Kaunda who is described as "a relentless critic of apartheid."

*

2021 update:

Others continue to find this story and share their own:

In 2015, Jonathan K Cohen said…
I sang at the funeral of a college classmate who perished in Pan Am 103. I was pretty numb, but I got through it. It had been arranged by my college, and the mourners thought I was much closer to Andrew than was actually the case, but I was filled with horror. Someone whom I liked and had had conversations with had been blown up and scattered over Scotland. It got to me in a way that not even 9/11 did.
9:29 AM, December 20, 2015 

In 2017 Zippy said…
Liz was my babysitter back in brookfield. I have fond memories of the Mareks, their home, and their kids. Liz was sweet and kind to me.

And finally Liz's mother Adelaide passed away in 2016 at the age of 86 on October 27, days before the election. Her obituary recommends: "In lieu of flowers, VOTE."

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