He has a radio program on WXOU out of Oakland University
Wild At Heart
I have 2 role models for my radio career. The second is British DJ John Peel. The first is Dr Demento who announced last week that this weekend, the Dr. Demento Show will have its final broadcast on KIYU, KLOO, WLVQ (QFM96), WRKH (The Rocket) and KOZT (The Coast). To quote his publcist on his website, "This was a very painful decision for the Doctor...he really hates to let it go after almost 40 years...but he has come to agree with his manager and his family that it's necessary. The broadcast has been losing money for some time". The good news is that Dr Demento intends to continue producing new shows every week for www.drdemento.com for the foreseeable future. A new one will be available Saturday morning, June 12, and more new shows will be posted every Saturday thereafter. Also...if you live in or around Amarillo, TX, you're in luck. By special agreement and due to contractual considerations, a version of the internet show will be heard weekly on KACV-FM there, at least through the summer. So while the Dr is hanging it up, it is nice to know that weird, demented music still has a place out there. When I first started my radio career, his albums formed a staple of my shows, esp in the Oneonta market where I would play the likes of Ogden Edsel, Weird Al, Spike Jones and countless others. I have just about every collection that Rhino has put out and as long as I am on the air, I will keep playing those songs also.
Back in 1984, John G Avildsen directed a coming-of-age/martial arts film starring Ralph Macchio as an underdog kid who is being bullied, Pat Morita as the teacher and Elisabeth Shue as the girlfriend. This is one of the better films of it's types and it is still hard not to get excited as Macchio's character wins his fight despite being out-manned. Well, the new "The Karate Kid" stars Will Smith's kid Jaden as the underdog, martial arts great Jackie Chan as the teacher and newcomer Wen Wen Han as the girlfriend. The story is very similar to the original except it takes place in China as Jaden and his mom moves from Detroit for work at the auto plant. Here Dre (Jaden) incurs the wrath of the class bully at his new school whose teacher teaches bad martial arts. After being beat up, he makes an unlikely ally in the form of his aging maintenance man (Chan), a kung fu master who teaches him the secrets to self-defense. Where the old film sees Macchio waxing cars and practicing in the backyard, the new films sees Jaden in the masters back yard and also scenes at some very scenic Chinese temples. I must say that while the film doesn't have quite the power of the original, it is not all that bad. Some of the emotions fall flat at times but overall it should delight most parents and their kids. And of course you have heard that it should more accurately called "the Kung Fu Kid" for the style of fighting but they do abring that up in the movie so at least we know that the title is pure franchise material. So basically, I still recommend the 1984 but some of the nice scenic shots of China are nice to see even when other elements tend to fall aside (I think the actors are a bit too young to truly portray the emotions and relationships the film calls for). BTW, what happened to his first friend in China who disappears for almost the whole film only to turn up at the tournament in the end? My grade is a B-.
"Toy Story 3" is coming out soon and here are just a few fun facts to remember for when you get to see the movie. 1) Hidden in Andy’s bedroom is a hint at a new character in next year’s “Cars 2”. 2) A few pieces of art hanging on the walls in Andy’s room were actually created by “Toy Story 3” art coordinator Erin Magill when she was in high school. 3) The pins on the map in Andy's room correspond to the hometowns of “Toy Story 3” production staff. You can also donate toys for tots where gifts raised will be held and distributed at Christmas time to less fortunate children in Detroit. Dates include Tuesday, 6/15 at Uptown Palladium 12 Advance Screening in Birmingham or from Friday 6/11-6/18 at the Detroit Science Center. Each person that donates a toy will receive one free museum admission when one is purchased. Toys can also be purchased on-site in the museum's new Explore store. For more info, visit www.toysfortots.org.
Young actors can get excited about Who Wants Cake? announcing the creation of its new summer youth acting troupe, The Upstart Players. Director Debbie Lannen will be holding auditions at The Ringwald Theatre this Wednesday, June 16th (6:30-8:30PM), and will cast for the inaugural Upstart production, "Kokonut High". The Upstart Players is a new young actors troupe whose home will be The Ringwald Theatre in Ferndale, MI. The program is for actors ages 13-18 who are interested in training in a professional theatre environment and appearing in a professionally produced show (as all those award nominations and wins show). Please prepare a one minute monologue of your choosing and there will also be cold reading from the script. For more information, contact Debbie Lannen at 248-739-0987.
After a few weeks with not much happening, things pick up and here are a few of my suggestions for the concert goer.
Tuesday (6/15) - "Bamboozle Road Show" w/LMFAO and Third Eye Blond (and more) @ Pine Knob
Wednesday (6/16) - Kate Voegele opens for Jordan Sparks @ Royal Oak Music Theatre, local pop star Marshall Crenshaw @ Callahans, Powerman 5000 @ Blondies, Shemekia Copeland @ the Ark
Thursday (6/17) - jazz artist Dave Koz plays Sound Board @ MotorCity Casino, British singer Holly Golightly & The Brokeoffs @ Majestic Cafe, Joanne Shaw Taylor @ Callahans, Enter the Haggis @ Liberty Plaza (Ann Arbor) for "Sonic Lunch"
Friday (6/18) - guitarist Orianthi (Michael Jackson, etc) opens for Adam Lambert @ Royal Oak Music Theatre, Spin Doctors w/Stewart Francke and Lonestar play downtown @ Detroit Riverfront, The Moody Blues @ Fox Theatre, ZZ Top @ WFCU Centre (Windsor), Carolyn Striho and Stewart Francke @ Magic Bag, Wayfarer Roots & Bluegrass Festival (featuring Jill Jack, Catfish Mafia, the Ragbirds, Steppin' In It, Misty Lyn and the Big Beautiful, etc) @ Magic Stick, New York Dolls @ Majestic Theatre, the Verve Pipe @ Heritage Park (Canton)
Saturday (6/19) - Verve Pipe lead singer Brian Vander Ark @ Karen's Place (Leonard), MC Hammer plays downtown @ Detroit Riverfront (also local artists Robin Horlock Band, Horse Cave Trio and Whitey Morgan & The 78's), blues artist John Lee Hooker Jr @ Callahans, Sheryl Crow and Colbie Caillat @ Pine Knob, Child Bite CD release party w/ Silverghost @ Magic Bag, Friendly Foes open for Red Iron Orchestra @ Pike Room, Dirty Americans @ the Pike Room, breast cancer benefit featuring Sponge @ Fat Catz (Warren)
Sunday (6/20) - jazz greats Chick Corea Freedom Band w/ Christian McBride, Kenny Garrett, Roy Haynes @ Detroit Orchestra Hall, Detroit Symphony w/The Reefermen and Blues Traveler play downtown @ Detroit Riverfront, guitar great Jeff Beck @ The Fillmore, OTEP @ Emerald Theatre (Mount Clemens), Alpha Centauri Parti (featuring 12 local bands including Terrible Twos and the Frustrations) @ Majestic Complex
Monday (6/21) - Twistin Tarantulas and Band B play downtown @ Detroit Riverfront
Also, as you know Cyndi Lauper is coming to the Motorcity Casino on July 1st and will be performing tracks off her new blues album "Memphis Blues" which has guest appearances by BB King and Allen Touisant. You can win a pair of tickets be listening to my show on Saturday morning between 8-10AM on www.wxou.org or 88.3FM. If you want to support one of her many charities, go to http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/truecolors10/catalog_items and you can bid on a number of cool items. Cyndi fans can bid on a Styling/Shopping Experience with Cyndi Lauper in NYC (current bid $2,200), an exclusive Cyndi Lauper Autographed Barbie Doll (current bid $275) or a pair of glittery heels worn and Signed By Cyndi (current bid $301). Other cool items include the opportunity to see Lady Gaga at her sold out July 7th concert at Madison Square Garden with airfare included, the chance to play golf with Alice Cooper, visit the set of "The Office" or a meet and greet with Aerosmith (comes with Steve Tyler autographed scarf). There are a lot of other cool items for bid so support a good cause and get some cool stuff. You have until July 24th for final bids.
Lastly, I am going to tie in my band of the week to the setting of the Karate Kid film by loking at China and specifically the Twelve Girls Band. They are an all female Chinese musical group which were selected by audition from more than 4,000 contestants and initially consisted of twelve members before the addition of a thirteenth. The Twelve Girls Band use traditional Chinese instruments to play both traditional Chinese and Western song. The groups origins look to the history of China as Wang Xiao-Jing created the ensemble, he knew it needed 12 members. Per Chinese mythology it is the twelve jinchai (12 hairpins) representing womanhood. For the new project, the women were inspired by the art of the Yue Fang, the ensembles who played in the Tang Dynasty courts during the years A.D. 618 to 907. I had the pleasure of seeing them a couple of years ago at the music hall and the music was simply beautiful. Here are a couple of songs that attest to that.
Have a good week!