Greta Thunberg Pleads with Jesse James Dupree to Switch to Battery Electric Chainsaw Ahead of Performance at Ohio Bike Week 2025.

I love Jackyl, but that stinky Chainsaw has got to go, says the noted environmentalist.

Creative Commons/You Tube

Outspoken activist Greta Thunberg has taken it upon herself to spearhead the international cabal of rock music enthusiasts encouraging Jackyl front-man and self-anointed “Lumber Jack of Love” Jesse James Dupree to cast aside that stinky two-stroke and get hip with a new emissions-free, battery-powered chainsaw. 

Thunberg wishes to make it clear that she wishes for the summer concert party season to continue unabated, albeit with fewer noxious two-stroke emissions. “Like most young Swedish people, my life revolves around three things: Calling out hypocritical world leaders and gross corporate polluters, scarfing those meatballs at IKEA, and blasting some f#cking Jackyl from the tape deck in my Volvo EV. I mean, Jesse James Dupree is basically the Bob Dylan of Scandinavia.” 

Preferred over four-stroke models for their lighter weight and quick-revving nature, the two-stroke has been the choice of lumberjacks and musicians for decades. But the new wave of battery-powered chainsaws offers some excellent alternatives. Stihl, the brand most commonly associated with Dupree, makes several dandy battery-powered chainsaws, including the Stihl MSA 220 C-B; it’s got plenty of power and a 16-inch bar, so it won’t be too emasculating when Jesse suggestively positions the saw amidst his loins and “jams” along with the band. It’s a crowd favorite. 

Equally as troubling is that while now assembled in the U.S., the German company’s founder was apparently a bit of a Nazi back in the day and was arrested as such during WWII. But let’s not throw stones. 

Thunberg is on the record as preferring Husqvarna battery-electric chainsaws from her native Sweden for her personal arborist needs. 

Ohio Bike Week runs from Friday, May 30 through Saturday, June 7 in Downtown Sandusky, Ohio, a suburb of the Cedar Point Amusement Park. Catch Jackyl on Thursday, June 5th on the Jackson St. Pier in downtown Sandusky. Show starts at 6 PM. 

Legal Note: This is obviously satire. Get with it nerds.The part about Jackyl playing Bike Week, however, is 100% legit.

Jimmy Page and the Yardbirds Played a Cincinnati High School Prom

"Jimmy’s first question was, 'Why are you dressed like that?'" I said, "You’re playing at our prom." And he said, "What the fuck is a prom?"

Even if you've already managed to catch a screening of Becoming Led Zeppelin, you need to to surf on over to the The New Yorker and check out David Owen's essay on the Yardbirds playing the prom at St. Xavier High School, an all-boys Catholic prep school in Cincinnati. 

Click here to read "Before He Formed Led Zeppelin, Jimmy Page Played a Prom in Ohio," by David Owen.

It's a great example of not only how unpolished the business of rock and roll was then, but also provides a rough timeline of sorts for the pending breakup the Yardbirds and the subsequent birth of Led Zeppelin.

Here's the band performing the night before on Cleveland's UPBEAT! TV show:

And of course, here's the official trailer for Becoming Led Zeppelin:

For those in the cheap seats it's worth mentioning that seven years later, Frank Marino and Mahogany Rush would play a similar Catholic Boys Academy in Toledo, Ohio:

Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story

UPDATE: Third Man Records Cass Corridor is screening Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story on Thursday, December 19th at 7 PM.

Be there, or don't.
Get advance tickets here.

The Trailer for Stunt Rock Says Everything About the 1970s Worth Saying

Hatched in the fertile mind of English-Aussie film veteran Brian-"subtlety is probably not my middle name"-Trenchard-Smith, Stunt Rock delivers every single drop of testosterone-driven excitement the poster and trailer promise. In short, things blow up, cars crash, and mystical satanic-tinged rock is performed with all the artistic nuance of a stack of concrete blocks falling from a scaffold.

Lest you film aesthetes dismiss Stunt Rock as just another piece of celluloid schlock created to lure libidinous and thrill-hungry teens to the drive in, consider the plot as outlined in Wikipedia:

"Australian stuntman Grant Page accepts a job on an American television series and travels to Los Angeles, where he reunites with his cousin, Sorcery band member Curtis Hyde. Hyde performs with a heavy metal band called Sorcery, playing the part of The Prince of Darkness who is locked in cosmic combat with the King of the Wizards."

"Eventually Page's reckless behavior attracts the attention of newspaper reporter Lois, who is writing an article about his career-obsessed co-star Monique van de Ven, both gravitating towards the stunt-man's professional fearlessness. Later the trio attend Sorcery concerts, enjoy Hollywood parties with the band, and explore the nature of extreme living."

But for all of Stunt Rock's hubris and reckless abandon, the single most impressive aspect of the film is that it managed to get made. I'll let the film's auteur, Brian Trenchard-Smith, give you the lowdown on how a momentary, throw-away idea navigated the typical Hollywood pitfalls that have felled countless projects and managed to make it to the silver screen.

Fun Fact: Phil Hartman appears in Stunt Rock as the personal assistant to Monique van de Ven.

The Lost Footage: KISS Live at Cobo Hall, Detroit, Michigan, May 16, 1975.

Hey kids, remember the rock group KISS? 

No, not the current pair of flaccid yentas and day-hire imposters trading under the name—I'm talking about the group born from the fertile New York streets of the 1970s. The one that unwittingly managed to blend the rust-belt bombast of Grand Funk Railroad with the street smarts of the New York Dolls and wrap the whole thing up in kabuki-themed Evel Knievel production with just the slightest touch of Alice, Iggy and Ziggy mixed in to satisfy the elitists.  

Well, that KISS only lasted for about three years, starting in 1974 with the eponymous debut album and blowing the doors off the finish line with 1977's Love Gun, their sixth long-player in under 48 months. Sure, they put out music for decades after that, but like most underdogs who actually get what they want, success forever changed them.

That of course necessitated the firing of Ace Frehley and Peter Criss, two modern-day Bowery Boys straight out of central casting whose careers would've hit a brick wall at the Lincoln Tunnel without the drive and organization of Paul and Gene. Unfortunately, the pair took 75% of the personality and all of the humor and street credibility out the door with them. 

But back in '75, they were still cocky, aggressive, and white hot. And like other bands of the era, they knew if they could take Detroit, the undisputed ground-zero for high-energy rock and roll, they could succeed anywhere. So the band and manager doubled down and decided to record a live album at Cobo Hall. 

Now, nearly fifty years later, a video artifact of that landmark gig in May of 1975 surfaces without explanation. 

There's some missed cues, the tempos sway, the guitars are slightly out of tune and are plugged directly into the amps, and I think you can hear Peter's kick pedal occasionally. In other words a perfect scenario for teen nirvana.

It's pretty great.

1:04 Let Me Go, Rock & Roll 

3:24 C'mon & Love Me  

6:57 Firehouse  

12:40 Deuce  

18:59 Rock & Roll All Nite  

24:42 Quick glimpse of the banner from the back cover of Alive!  

25:49 Black Diamond

Supercut of Two Lane Blacktop Set to Pink Floyd's "One of These Days" is Sublime.

 

Get the Criterion Collection release of Two Lane Blacktop here. 

There’s No Such Thing as a Wrong Note–Art Tatum

Brother Ryan A. Bunch weighs in on the reluctant legacy of the Glass City's musical influence:

"Art Tatum’s dilapidated childhood home sits on City Park Avenue along the Dorr Street Corridor just on the outer edge of downtown, a total wreck, abandoned for decades. Out front, a gleaming bronze historical marker notes the sad relevance of the gaping hole in the foundation, the overgrown lot, the paint long-past chipping. The only splash of color offered on the drab scene is a few muraled boards guarding the long-open windows painted by teens from a nearby junior high school a few years ago. This is the perfect metaphor for Toledo music. We can’t talk about what is without talking about what was."

Take the  deep dive here:

You’re Never That Far From Toledo: a survey of music, history, grandiose complacency, and talent export in the Glass City—by Ryan A. Bunch

 

UPDATE! The Carpenters Had a Sweet Custom Van and I Want to Do Bong Hits in It Right Now

"Powered by... Bear"

UPDATE 2/15/2019: Thanks to the efforts of PDGB reader Benjamin Kleschinsky, we finally have some clarity regarding the mysterious "Powered By Bear" tagline painted on the Carpenter's van:

"I did a lot of research about this photo, and as it turns out this photo was tampered with. Above the word "Bear" was another person, the actual Bear. "Powered by Bear" referred to their road manager who drove the van that carried their equipment, their first cousin Mark Rudolph. I have linked the original photograph scanned onto computer. Many thanks to the many people who helped me find the answer."

We'd like to echo Benjamin's comments and extend a hearty PDGB thanks to the people who assisted him in solving this pressing matter. Now with further delay, here is the actual unedited photo:

The image can also be viewed on Kleschinsky's Flickr page.

Who is this "BEAR," and why was he chosen to power Karen and Richard Carpenter's van? We can tell it's a Ford Eonoline and appears to be wearing AAR wheels, but so many questions remain: What was the extent of Bear's involvement? Did they own an actual live bear that could drive? If so, did his big paws make it difficult to handle the tricky one-two shift of the old three-on-the-tree column-mounted shifter?  Did Donny and Marie have a custom van? What about The Cowsills? Were Richard's business-casual elephant bell denims custom made? Do you think Karen would bogart a roach? Would people ignore pleas to, "Don't come a knockin'," if the van was, in fact, "A-rockin'?" Which is more depressing: Rainy days or Mondays? If you know the answers to any of these questions, please share in the comments.

Fun Fact: Before Richard found stardom with his sis, he was fired from Disneyland because his music was considered to be, "too radical."

Rob Zombie’s GMC Motorhome from the Movie "31" Is for Sale.

You know what they say, kemosabe; in Hell, everybody loves popcorn.

Produced by General Motors for the 1973 to 1978 model years, the GMC motor home was at the time the only fully-finished motorhome to be produced by an American automobile manufacturer. Featuring sleek modern styling, rear air suspension, a low ride-height, front-wheel drive (courtesy GM's Unified Powerplant Package as found in the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado), and an aluminum and fiberglass body, it was everything the competition wasn't.

Long a Hollywood favorite, the GMC Motorhome has appeared in numerous features including Stripes where it appeared in slightly reconfigured form as the EM-50 Urban Assault Vehicle. Additional screen appearances include Minority Report, Anchorman 2, Snake and Mongoose, and many more, not to mention dozens of television appearances.

 

Yet for all the big camper's screen time, Rob Zombie's 31 is the first time the GMC motorhome was cast in such a sinister light. Once the ne plus ultra of the motorcoach world, in 31 the 1976 model appears tired and barely functional, simply a tool to transport a bunch of carnies from town to town. 

Previously available on the used market for a fraction of their original value, remaining examples in good condition are now trading for stupid money thanks to sudden interest of otherwise well-intending folks, who, due to either pangs of nostalgia or simply just having too much time and money, pretty much ruined the vintage camper market for the rest of us. And that's where this one comes in-what better way to hit the campground than in this road-weary and graphically adorned sin-bin? Mix in a few crates of pyrotechnics and PBR en route and you're guaranteed to draw the attention of the campground hoi polloi. If this sounds like your idea of a good time, head on over to GWS Auctions to see more pictures and bid.

Necrophilia Not Funny, Alice.

Say what you will Ms. Landers, but Alice's sense of humor was not lost on a few kids from Maumee, Ohio.

Punk Rock in Detroit (1976-1986) Presented by Third Man Records and Cranbrook Art Museum

C'mon down and hang for a bit and bat the fat–it could be wacky. It's free.

Where:  Third Man Records
              441 W Canfield St, Detroit, MI 48201
       
When:   Saturday, August 4, 2 p.m.

John Deere W330 PTC Combine Posts Blistering 5-hour, 36-minute and 11-Second Nürburgring Lap Record!

02.07.73 Raw Power Released, Life Made Tolerable.

Released 49 years ago today.

Brutal, simple, and boogie-free, Raw Power forgoes melody instead relying on the visceral power of the guitar riff to drive the songs forward. Although hardly noticed when released in 1973, the album would serve as the "how to guide" for aspiring guitarists of the nascent punk scene. Without it, players such as Cheetah Chrome, Johnny Ramone, Steve Jones, and countless others would likely have never made it out of the basement. For that we are eternally grateful.

Produced by David Bowie, the original mix was polarizing. Several attempts have since been made to "improve" it, which at this point is a bit like trying to punch up the Ten Commandments for a more casual feel. But before the masters were committed to vinyl, a few early mixes were leaked to WABX, Detroit's premier FM rock station at the time. Listen here as Mark Parenteau and Dennis Frawley discuss and play the tracks during a live broadcast.

John Lee Hooker in Frogtown: The Secret Session at Toledo's Sweeney Sound Engineering

Dig below the surface of Toledo's rich and diverse music history and you'll inevitably uncover vague references to  John Lee Hooker recording at Toledo's Sweeney Sound Engineering. While the bluesman's affinity for the Toledo-adjacent Hines Farm blues club is well documented, the link between Hooker and Sweeney Sound is far more tenuous.

Hooker's notoriously cavalier attitude regarding the signing of and adhering to binding contracts makes verification difficult, but Sheldon Brown, son of Detroit Based Fortune Records founder Jack Brown, has long maintained that John Lee Hooker’s first recording session was actually conducted under his father’s supervision at Toledo’s Sweeney Sound Engineering. The session, which reportedly produced the tracks “Miss Sadie Mae: Curl my Baby's Hair” and “609 Boogie,” went unreleased at the time. Additionally, David A Carson confirms the session in his exhaustive Grit, Noise, and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock 'n' Roll. This is significant as historians have for years generally credited Hooker's late 1948 recording of "Boogie Chillen" at United Sound Systems in Detroit as his first session. These claims instead indicate that Hooker's first session was, in fact, in Toledo.

Information detailing the history of Sweeney Sound Engineering is similarly hazy, a lazy google search turning up a 1950 recording of Fred Harris & his Uptown Band. Ripped from the 1980 release, Vintage Toledo Blues 1950-1980 (TRH Records #8001), Fred Harris--not to be confused with the legendary Canadian TV host of the same name--apparently went on to form Fred Harris' Red Tops who recorded this jam in the studio at Toledo's WTOD radio station in 1957.

Given the willingness of Fortune Records founder Brown to travel to Toledo for a session, what other gems may have been committed to tape or acetate inside the walls of Sweeney Sound Engineering? Those with even cursory knowledge of the studio and or the owners/employees are encouraged to chime in in the comments.

Linkapalooza: 
The Bull- Fred Harris' Red Tops Organ Trio- New Song
Remembering Hines Farm, a legendary African-American mecca for the blues
Hines Farm Movie

Five Photo Flashback: Maumee Car Show 2010

Glad-Bagged Ford F250