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A few years ago, I went to see a play on Broadway called Looped. It was about the all-day and late-into-the-night session of trying to get Tallulah Bankhead to dub (loop) a single, simple line of slurred dialogue into the film Die! Die! My Darling! Bankhead arrives, looped herself on drugs and booze, making the session nearly impossible and extremely frustrating.
At left is a picture of Stephanie Powers as Tallu in Looped. Who would remember her better from that time?
Die! Die! My Darling! was Bankhead's final film. Ironically, she plays a religious fanatic, scarier than Carrie's mom. This Hammer horror flick is one of their best and, in fact, Fanatic was its original title. However, when Columbia Pictures released this film in the USA, Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte was such a hit, they changed the title to something Bankhead actually says in the film.
Bankhead basically plays Jane to Stephanie Powers' Blanche in this delightful tour de force! Campy as all get-out. Outstanding support from the great character actress Yootha Joyce and a young Donald Sutherland as her henchmen.
Here is Bankhead in all her messy glory, one of the best Grand Guignol hags in Movieland, her glamor roles long behind her. Perfect for Halloween and not to be missed.
This 1965 film is currently part of Columbia's Choice Collection on dvd and available on Amazon.com.
It was a night that I, for one, will never forget, and I am sure I'm not the only one.
Bernie Furshpan's Metropolitan Room, on West 22nd Street in Manhattan, was more than just simply a packed house; it was filled to the shaking rafters with an exceptionally appreciative crowd.
It was a love fest. It was a night of diva worship. It was a birthday celebration, as Ms Moore turned 70 yesterday. (Pieces of Melba's birthday cakes were shared with the room.) It was cabaret at its best. It was joy. It was heavenly. It was a part of entertainment history. It was dynamite!
When I entered the club with my pal Nick Lion, my very good friend Kevin Scott Hall was on a queue of people waiting to get in, which I assumed we'd have to join. Kevin was, after all, Melba's press guest and also did a q&a with her.
Nick went to the front desk and lo and behold, our good friend Denise-Spann Morgan of The "Marvelous" Marvelettes had us on her guest list, so we squeezed into her booth. Bernie greeted us in the lobby and ushered us in. It's always nice to see Bernie and his beautiful wife, Joanne, at the club.
Bernie, Joanne & Nick
NYC talk show host Barry Z sat in the booth directly behind me.
Richard Skipper was also in the house and we got to talk after the show. Always great to see Richard in the house!
I have to admit that I arrived in a bad mood after an awful traffic day into Manhattan. It's Halloween weekend, the Mets are playing, and a truck burst into flames in the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel, closing traffic there and making my commute complicated and my livery car driver nasty and difficult to deal with. But Melba lifted my spirits high with her performance after I finally arrived.
Melba & Me
Hers was an eclectic selection, kicking off with "Don't Rain on My Parade." Melba did her disco hit, "This Is It," sang "I've Got Love" ~ a beautiful number written especially for her, from her Broadway breakthrough Purlie. She even covered The Beatles' "The Long and Winding Road" beautifully. Yes, it has been long and winding for us all.
Melba's dad, who is 100 years old now, even came onstage to play piano and sing with his daughter aside the piano. His gravelly "Satin Doll" was a delight! Melba had some wonderful duets as well.
Fans brought Melba bouquets of beautiful flowers, and gifts. My own Nick and Denise even went up to the stage to give her presents. Can you believe the diva is 70?! She is still a beautiful babe. Melba wore a white, dressy pantsuit with black trim and a train. The top had a peplum to it. She wore heels but doffed them at some point. Actually, somebody took them off for her. Now, that's true divahood!
Melba's fantastic back-up consisted of a three-piece band and three back-up, all-male vocalists. All were superb.
Nick gifts Melba
This was it, and we all knew it was a good thing. A great thing, in fact! Nothing but kudos and eternal love, Melba! Come back to Metropolitan Room soon.
Here's a haunting melody from Grace Jones on my Halloween Countdown.
"Libertango" is here for your Mischief Night -- or as we called it back in Paterson, NJ when I was growing up -- Goosey Night, meaning you might get "goosed;" that is, your butt might get pinched or tickled as a prank while you're on the street.
Today, Patti Page croons the title tune from the film Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964) on our Halloween Countdown. The movie starred Bette Davis and Olivia DeHavilland, who is 99 this year.
Polanski's The Fearless Vampire Killers or Pardon Me but Your Teeth Are in My Neck is both funny and scary, kind of like Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein.
My brother and I loved this film. My Mom took us to the Totowa, NJ drive-in to see this. I remember it was very cold, so we were all bundled up in the backseat in our pjs. We also had the drive-in's heater on in the car.
The film features Jewish vampires and gay vampires to comic, though not offensive, effect, Quite progressive for the time I think. I just watched the film today and loved it all over again.
Sharon Tate is in this. She and Roman fell in love on the set. The film has a light-heartedness about it. After Sharon's untimely death, Polanski's films turned much, much darker. His next film would be the bloody MacBeth.
The film was originally entitled Dance of the Vampires but I think the more comic name suits it best. The climactic vampire ball is still chilling to me. Oh, those damned mirrors!
Michael Jackson's "Thriller" is the perfect dance tune for any Halloween party.
Here is the video, one of MTV's highest rated of all time. Michael was still cute when he made this. Then he started getting scary-looking in real life through repeated surgeries.
This song includes Vincent Price "rapping." John Landis (An American Werewolf in London) directed the video. He brought along Rick Baker from American Werewolf to do the make-up.
Unforgettable choreography by Michael Peters.
Incidentally, Playboy centerfold Ola Ray plays Michael's girlfriend in this. She had to sue the superstar for royalties due to her. Eventually, after Jackson's death, his estate settled with Ms Ray out of court.
A British comedian and satirist parodied this song wonderfully.
Jackie Clune (imagine Karen Carpenter saying "clone") captures The Carpenters' lead singer's vocals delightfully in this dancefloor send-up. Karen's brother Richard, admitted his sister became obsessed with her diction around this time.
Yesterday, I posted the original version of Occupants on my Halloween Countdown. Here's the cheeky hiNRG dance mix.
Ms Clune is a UK dj, impersonator and comedienne. Ironically, perhaps, it was recorded for the Klone dance-music label.
Here's Grace in your face with her new autobiography, I'll Never Write My Memoirs, as cheeky as its title suggests. Oh, and at around 400 pages, it's as juicy and revealing as I'd hoped it would be. It's unlikely you'll be disappointed.
The book takes its title from lyrics, written by Grace herself, in a song from her Nightclubbing album. This memoir is as outlandish as any of Grace's live performances. While she says scathing things about her long-time boyfriend Dolph Lundgren, for example, the book is also disarmingly touching, as when Grace writes about her abusive childhood in Jamaica.
Grace tells all, in her famously fearless fashion, about her years as a model, as a disco diva, a Studio 54 party animal, her involvement with Andy Warhol and the NYC art world, Hollywood and movie-making, her gay icon status and her gender-bending stage persona. She mournfully recounts the early days of the AIDS epidemic, of losing friends in the 1980s.
Grace Jones lived through it all. Her brushes with other celebrities are all detailed here. There isn't a dull moment in I'll Never Write My Memoirs, I will guarantee you that. There were parts where I wished Grace wouldn't move at such a gallop and give us more details. She has so much to say and so much to cover in her career that has spanned several decades. She even has some things to say to the likes of Lady Gaga, Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj. Listen up, girls! The book, now in hardcover only, includes pages full of Jones' personal photographs, most of them in color. I'll Never Write My Memoirs is available at Amzon.com, Barnes & Noble and at bookstores everywhere.
Close encounters of the third kind are scary, especially since those who claim to have been abducted by aliens from another world usually tell us they were given rectal probes. Were the aliens, perhaps, searching for their brains?
The Carpenters -- Karen and Richard -- knew the aliens just want to be close to you. The song, written by Klaatu a year earlier, was covered by The Carpenters in 1977. I'm pretty sure Klaatu is of this planet, but who knows?
Enjoy this song and video as Halloween Countdown continues into its final week. Note the Phil Spector influence, especially toward the end.
Here's a dance mix for our Sunday Halloween Countdown. Glenn Rivera created a video using scenes from the Bewitched movie that starred Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell.
The singer is Polly Brown who had an international hit with "Up in a Puff of Smoke" in 1975. Well, that's the way some witches go out, isn't it?
Halloween Countdown will continue until All Hallow's Eve this Saturday.
Let us remember that Maureen O'Hara lived a good and a long life. She was 95 when she died today. O'Hara is also recalled by all for her great beauty.
As a child, I first set eyes on Ms O'Hara when watching tv's Million Dollar Movie. The film was 1939's The Hunchback of Notre Dame, opposite Charles Laughton as Quasimodo. O'Hara was Esmerelda.
Growing up, what did I know from gypsies except that, when I misbehaved, my mother said she was going to sell me to them? So, for me, an Irish colleen passed for gypsy! Why not? If I'd been sold to Maureen O'Hara, maybe it wouldn't be such a rough deal, I thought.
Hunchback was Maureen's second movie. Her first was Jamaica Inn (and no, she didn't play a Jamaican), directed by Alfred Hitchcock and, again, O'Hara starred opposite Laughton. It was Charles Laughton, after all, who discovered her for the movies. Watching her screen test, Laughton was struck by the Abbey-trained actress' very expressive eyes, which she used most effectively throughout her career.
The other movie I loved, starring Ms. O'Hara, was The Quiet Man, a classic I watch almost every St Patty's Day. Her chemistry with John Wayne in that film is simply remarkable. O'Hara and Wayne remained lifelong friends. And, rumor has it, possibly more than just friends.
Last year, the actress received an honorary Academy Award.
Lon Cheney Jr as The Wolfman; Henry Hull as The Werewolf of London
Here's a catchy, Halloween-appropriate song from 1978. Warren Zevon's single, "Werewolves of London," off the album, Excitable Boy, was a major radio hit and a hit at record stores as well back in '78.
Mick Fleetwood and John McVie are featured in Zevon's band on this song.
Make Halloween your night to howl as my Halloween Countdown carries on!
Julie Budd returned to the Metropolitan Room to belt out Frank Sinatra and Sinatra-associated tunes last night. She was delightful as always from start to finish.
Her talent to amuse was evident, from start to finish, in her patter. It was a night of both laughter and thunderous applause. The joint was jumpin'!
Ms. Budd was in no-holds-barred mode. When she finished off with "I'll Be Seeing You," Nick and I both wept because it was a favorite tune of our mothers -- who left us exactly two and three years ago to the day.
Julie's heartfelt renditions are her forte. Although her voice is frequently compared to Streisand's, Nick and I agreed Julie's voice is even better as it rarely slips into vibrato mode.Viva la Julie!
Incidentally, I thought Julie's guitarist, Sean Harkness, bore a strong resemblance to my doctor (Spinelli), so I asked him if we could take a picture of us together. Honestly, Dr S and he could be twins!
After the show, Nick and I went down to our haunt, The Monster, on Grove Street in the Village. Must have been my lucky night as I met two very tall, good-looking young men who took a distinct interest in me for whatever reason.
The first guy (left) lives in neighboring Bensonhurst. I make it my policy not to take people home on the night that we've just met. Besides, my house was kind of messy, but a date is in the cards. I offered him a ride back in the cab with me, but he declined. I also got mystery date #2's phone number. My pheromones must have kicked into high gear after Julie's show! Just some innocent fun at Nick's and my after-party.
By the way, Nick and I had VIP seating at the Metropolitan Room, thanks to both club manager Bernie Furshpan and performer Dorothy Bishop. The cheese platter was fabulous! I was scrupuously clean-shaven tonight at Nick's insistence as, in my last photo with Julie, I was a little grungy under the chin line. Thanks once again to friend Richard Skipper, Julie's press manager, for inviting us... and for taking our picture (at top)!
As for tonight, how much more fabulous could it get?! Seems I'm officially back On the Town again.
Julie's new album, Remembering Mr Sinatra, is available on cd and for downloading on-line. It can be purchased through Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iTunes and CD Baby.
Julie will return to the Metropolitan Room on December 10. The club is already taking reservations.
Yes, Bette Davis goes twistin' the night away with this rock number from What Ever Happened to Baby Jane!
This was a rare release to promote the movie at the time.
Enjoy it on my 2015 Halloween Countdown!
You may recognize the music as the number Davis' obnoxious next-door teenaged neighbor (played by Davis' daughter) blasts on her record player in the film).
Let's see what's on the slab today on our Halloween Countdown!
"St. James Infirmary Blues" is an American folk song. It became something of a jazz standard with Louis Armstrong, though my fave rendition is Cab Calloway's.
I have an entirely Freudian view of the 1955 B-horror flick, Cult of the Cobra, from Universal Pictures. Every time the cobra raises its ugly head, it's like a phallic symbol rising. Friends of mine watched this with me one afternoon, a few years back, and we all laughed and hooted at what seemed quite obvious to our libidos.
In this film, Marshall Thompson and Richard Long play "roommates." Oh, you know those bachelor types before Stonewall! Long has a blond girlfriend. In 1955, however, that could mean trying to go straight or a "beard."
Then along comes Faith Domergue, a B-movie girl of the period, and of This Island Earth fame, with her guided missiles.
In exotic, xenophobic India (studio backlot), six Army buddies stumble upon a bizarre Hindu ceremony. They witness a sacred ritual that involves a ridiculous dance with a woman rising from a clay jar, dressed in a body stocking head to toe (because Domergue can't dance for shit, but it's a plot point they not see her face as well). David Janssen (tv's The Fugitive) is among the Army boys.
You know, sometimes when you're drunk at a bar, it's best to just go sleep it off. It really is, rather than go looking for kicks, which these dudes do. Naturally, they end up having a curse placed upon them, and karma is a bitch -- Ms Domergue to be specific. Ms D's Cobra Dance is, however, no match for Maria Montez's in Universal's Cobra Woman, filmed a decade before.
Living in the closet kills is the subliminal message I take away from Cult of the Cobra. However, see it for yourselves and tell me what you think.
Written by Jerry Davis, directed by Francis D. Lyon with much noirish style. Beautiful b&w cinematography with top-notch production values.
Marcella Puppini's first name is pronounced Marchella; not Marsella. She has just released a solo album, which we discuss in our Q&A. She is also the founding member of the Puppini Sisters, who have a new album coming our way in early 2016. She is a gifted singer, trained in opera, an artist and a clothes designer who's worked for Vivienne Westwood. I spoke with Marcella over the phone. She resides in London.
Buddy Beaverhausen: What drew you to the '30s-'40s big band and swing styles, and harmonies with The Puppini Sisters?
Marcella Puppini: It really came out of loving The Manhattan Transfer, though their harmonies are a bit more strident than ours. I've always been very into harmony music and jazz. I was always into big band music, I love Duke Ellington, and then I got into The Andrew Sisters. And that's when I got the idea of girl-group harmonies and The Puppini Sisters.
BB: Rumor has it The Puppini Sisters also have an upcoming album. Is that true?
MP: Absolutely. We're all very excited. It's set for a March 2016 release. We just finished recording it at the end of September.
BB: I last saw the group at BB King's in NYC. Will the group be touring again in the USA?
MP: Yes, I expect so. The laws have changed regarding taxes but we're figuring out a way of doing it.
BB: Now that we're in this election year in America, what is your view from abroad on what's going on here politically?
MP: I just find it really, really frightening! I think we're all, frightened for you in the States. If conservatives have their way, it would be very dark science indeed for everyone but white, straight males.
BB: I find the whole "open carry" gun thing total insanity. Thank God we don't have that in NY.
MP: Fabulous. Over here, we just don't understand that at all. And the whole religious issue. Isn't it part of your Constitution that denies that?
BB: Yes! Absolutely.
MP: So many decisions are being made on "Christian values", and I don't get it.
BB: Neither do a lot of us.
MP: I even got into an argument on Facebook with someone. Stupid of me, but I couldn't let that slide by. I think your Republican Party is pushing a dangerously fascist-like agenda that we, in the UK and Europe know too well.
BB: Might you be coming to NYC to promote your solo album?
MP: Yes, I'm speaking to an agent about this. We're being promoted on an American label now, which is good news.
BB: I'm sure you're aware you have a large gay following. And my blog has a large LGBT fan base.
MP: Wonderful!
BB: Any shout-outs to your LGBT fans?
MP: I have enormous gratitude for a community that has supported everything I have ever done, and that has shown me love (and fun!) since I first moved to London. I'd be nowhere without the drag artists I worked with at Madame JoJos (when I was a tequila girl), who taught me how to put on make-up properly. Or without the girls at the Candy Bar in Soho, where I used to do podium dancing when I was a student. (That was fun!!) Without the gay community, the world would be such a sad place indeed. So much art and creativity comes to us from that community and enriches us all! Plus, so much strength for positive change. BB: Much success with your new album and where can fans find it currently. MP: Currently at Amzon.com. BB: Thank you very much for taking out your time to do this Q&A with me. MP: Thank you! And I love reading your blog. I enjoy your edge and your comments. I'm not going to use the word campy.... BB: It's ok, feel free! I love it! MP; [laughs] Ok. It's a dream-come-true blog. You like all the things that I like! http://www.marcellapuppini.com
Marcella Puppini's first name is pronounced Marchella; not Marsella. She has just released a solo album, which we discuss in our Q&A. She is also the founding member of the Puppini Sisters, who have a new album coming our way in early 2016. She is a gifted singer, trained in opera, an artist and a clothes designer who's worked for Vivienne Westwood. I spoke with Marcella over the phone. She resides in London.
Buddy Beaverhausen: You were nominated Mayoress of Camden a couple of years ago. What would that title entail you to do?
Marcella Puppini: It's totally honorary. In fact, I wasn't nominated; I was chosen by the Mayor of Camden to be his escort at gala events. We worked with The Amy Winehouse Foundation and I put together other goodwill events for the borough of Camden in London.
BB: Let's talk about your new album, Everything Is Beautiful. How would you describe its overall style? MP: I call it electro-vintage. An electronic recreation of styles such as Swing, Motown, some atmospheric noir-ish ballads, torch songs. So. it's a reimagining of those styles. BB: I thought I detected a bit of Karen Carpenter on your vocals for "Boom Boom," the opening track. MP: Oh, I adore Karen Carpenter! She's an idol of mine. Thank you so much. Maybe it was a little subconscious that I sounded like her on the song, then. BB: Let's talk about "Boom Boom," which is the first track on the album. MP: Yes, all right! I wrote that song to express great optimism. It's a happy song, I think. And I really had a Motown rhythm in mind. When it came to the bridge, I was just making up words like "zoom zoom" and "boom boom." and then I realized that that should be the chorus. BB: Well, I love it. MP: Thank you very much. BB: Your voice is classically trained, but at university, you majored in fashion design. Why was that, and what was it like to work for Vivienne Westwood? MP: I went to college in London, where I wanted to stay. At the time, the Music department was not offering anything, so I thought another talent I had was art and drawing, So, I applied and got in, which amazed me. And I was so lucky to get to work for Vivienne Westwood. It was a great experience because I got to work with such talented, creative people. It was a short period of about two years but it was really wonderful. BB: You were born and raised in Bologna, Italy. When did you move to England? MP: When I was 18. BB: Who were Marcella & the Forget Me Nots? MP: It came together in London, where I was working on a show and had to put together an all-girl orchestra. The bass player in our orchestra used to be with Courtney Love's band. It was really great fun and was meant for pure artistic expression. BB: You had a huge club hit here in the United States as the vocalist on Rich B's "Revolution." Did you know that? MP: Yes. Rich and I met at a club in Soho where I used to be a cocktail waitress. Yeah, just like the song "I was working as a waitress in a cocktail bar...." [laughs] Rich and I became great friends. In fact, I met my husband through Rich. We fell in love at one of Rich's parties. "Revolution" was recorded in 2002 and reissued in 2012, and that was when it became such an international hit. BB: What musical artists inspired you when you were growing up? MP: My mom used to listen to David Bowie a lot when I was about eight-years-old while she was doing the housework. I really got to love his music. Then, I got into Kate Bush. I don't know if she's known that well in the States. BB: Absolutely! She's a star. MP: Great. I was completely enamored of her in my early teens, and then I became completely enamored of Jazz. I went looking back... to Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan. I later was crazy about The Manhattan Transfer as well, and that's how I got into the whole Swing sound. http://www.marcellapuppini.com [Part 2 of this interview tomorrow. Lots of surprises and new revelations!]
1971's What's the Matter with Helen? was written by Henry Farrell, who previously scripted What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? and Hush, Hush Sweet Charlotte.
Again, Mr Farrell created a star vehicle for aging stars. Debbie Reynolds looked glamorous and could still tap dance with the best of them. Call this "Screaming in the Rain" if you'd like.
The story is about the mothers of two convicted killers who bond during that horrible ordeal and decide to move to L.A. The film is set in the 1930s. In Hollywood, the odd couple set up a tap dance studio together for aspiring Shirley Temple types. Debbie teaches, Shelley accompanies on piano.
It is rumored Debbie, a co-producer of this film, thought Shelley was unpleasant to work with and overly competitive. Shelley said, of Debbie, "Thank God they didn't give me a real knife!" This only added to the tension between them on-screen.
When Shelley does crazy, she goes full throttle and over-the-top, as you all know. What's the Matter with Helen? is a camp, Grand Guignol, hagtastic classic, and the friction between the two leads only adds to the tension in the film.
Dennis Weaver is Debbie's boyfriend and Agnes Moorehead gives a wonderfully unforgettable co-starring performance. Handsomely filmed in Technicolor, nicely edited, sturdy direction by Curtis Harrington. Highly recommended.
Horror Hotel is the title for the American market of the UK's City of the Dead. Here it is in all its glory; the entire film on my Halloween Countdown this year. Perfect for your Friday night.
The late Christopher Lee, Betta St. John and an accomplished British cast portray Bostonians who, largely, happen to have veddy English accents for the most part.
A trim and economical film released in 1960, the first by Amicus Productions, it was made at under 90-minutes with double-bill status in mind. I saw this movie, as a kid, at the US Theater in Paterson, NJ (on a double-bill with Werewolf in a Girls' Dormitory) and still have great affection for it. One of my favorite horror films of all-time.
The sets and characters are especially unforgettable. Mr Lee, of course, but also Patricia Jessel -- who I think bears a strong resemblance to Annie Lennox, Jonathan Dyall as Jethro Keane, Venetia Stevens as the plucky coed Nan Barlow, and Ann Beach as the sad sack mute hotel maid Lottie.
The overriding message to the film, in my estimation, is don't stand up your boyfriend on a date -- or all hell will break loose. You in danger, girl!
This song from C.J. & Co. is, perhaps, perfect for Halloween parties.
"The Devil's Gun" was a club and radio hit. It topped the Billboard charts and was a huge hit, in 1977, at Studio 54 and other venues.
There was some controversy at the time because the song was released during the Summer of Sam. Scary! Of course, that might have been a complete coincidence as the song was probably recorded beforehand.
Melba Moore basically needs no introduction. She is a diva to be reckoned with; one who has conquered the Broadway stage, the recording industry and, now, cabaret. I am thrilled, then, to present to you our exclusive Q&A. This is it! Buddy Beaverhausen: Besides working with such luminaries, you are an icon in your own right! What was it like to win a Best Performer in a Musical Tony for Purlie! at such a young age? Melba Moore: It was so exciting! I had no idea what was going on around me. Dizzying! I have to watch the videotape today to know what was going on. [laughs] I mean, I spent so much time learning how to be that character and have her accent, and even learning what was stage right and stage left at that time! At the Awards ceremony, because it was on tv, all the lights were on and I could see Pearl Bailey! I could see Lauren Bacall! It was incredible! Jack Jones was the announcer on that show and he was always drunk! So he said my name all wrong. Suddenly, I heard the audience chant "Melba Moore! Melba Moore!" I was so discombobulated that night. But it still has had such a dramatic effect on my life because people truly appreciate and respect the Tony Awards. BB: Before Purlie!, you were in Hair. And you did the famous nude scene in that? MM: Right. BB: Were you in Hair at the Public Theater or when it moved to Broadway? MM: When it moved to Broadway. BB: I've interviewed Lala Brooks and know she was in that. MM: I love her! We sang "White Boys" together. We had a ball. She is wonderful! BB: What directed you towards being a disco diva? MM: My label knew that was what was happening at the time and, so, I had many hits in that genre, happily! But it was the times; I mean, even Ethel Merman put out a disco album. BB: [laughs] Well, it wasn't quite the same as yours! MM: "This Is It" was very successful for me. Van McCoy helped usher this sound in and I had a big hit with "This Is It"! BB: What drew you to the Metropolitan Room as a room you'd like to perform in? MM: Well, my team and I scoped it out and thought it had a great vibe. Also, Bernie and Joanne are wonderful to deal with. The Metropolitan Room has such a great feel and style to it, and I can have an intimacy with my audience which is wonderful! And cabarets are making a great comeback now. It's so great to meet with our audiences. BB: Can't wait to see you at Bernie's place! BB:You were marvelous at the Sarah Dash birthday brunch at 54 Below. How long have you known Sarah and Nona Hendryx? MM: Well, Sarah used to work for my production company. She and Nona are like family to me! They're both wonderful. Sarah is so sweet, generous and kind. And so genuine. BB: My blog has a lot of LGBT readers. I think they'd be curious if you've ever seen yourself impersonated or lip-synched to live. MM: No, actually I'm aware of all this but I've never seen myself impersonated. Very flattering though! BB: You have a new cd coming out. Please talk about that. MM: Yes, it has a new single from it called "What Can I Do to Survive?". It will be available on-line and at stores everywhere. BB: Any last shout-outs? MM: Yes,thank you! I want to thank all your readers for their support. It means so much to me. I think my show at the Metropolitan Room on October 30 will sell out, so please buy tickets now while they last. Thank you, Buddy Beaverhausen! And I hope you'll enjoy my soon-to-be-releases album! Bless you all! Lots of love! http://www.melbamoore.com
Melba Moore basically needs no introduction. She is a diva to be reckoned with; one who has conquered the Broadway stage, the recording industry and, now, cabaret. I am thrilled, then, to present to you our exclusive Q&A. This is it!
Buddy Beaverhausen: I understand you come from a musical family. Could you tell us more about that?
Melba Moore: Absolutely. My father was a musician as was my mother, who also sang. She married my stepfather, also a musician. My brother, who passed away, was a wonderful pianist who majored in Music in college. I went to college at Montclair State Teacher's College, New Jersey, majoring in Music. So music was the centerpiece of our lives.
BB: You'll be performing at the Metropolitan Room on October 30th. What might audiences expect?
MM: I hope to do a few little surprises because this is going to be my third or fourth time at the Metropolitan Room. Cabaret audiences have really evolved and they have even more sophisticated tastes nowadays. I'll probably perform songs from Broadway shows and some things from the Great American Songbook. Maybe something by Ella Fitzgerald or Frank Sinatra or Streisand. Of course, I'll be singing songs from my own Broadway shows.
BB: And will you be singing "This Is It?"
MM: You know, we're getting several request for that song. So I'll consult with some people and, if we feel it's appropriate for the room, well do it.
BB: You've worked with so many great people throughout your career. Who were some of your favorites?
MM: Oh, so many, it's hard to think. I just worked with Jeanie Tracy, who worked with the late, great Sylvester. Recently sang with Jean Carne. So many wonderful voices!
BB: Anyone you've worked with, then thought, "Mmmm... Maybe not again?"
MM: You know, I'll work with anyone. We don't need to have an ideal relationship personally. I've had some bad experiences with promoters, but not talent. Even Anita Baker, who is known for being not easy to get along with. She was always nice to me. Maybe because I don't compete with other singers when I sing.
BB: I remember seeing you as a guest on Bea Arthur's variety special in 1980. What was it like working and singing with the late Ms Arthur?
MM: Oh, she was so sweet and kind to me. She also came from a stage background and had a really good voice. I enjoyed singing Fats Waller songs with her. A gentle lady and a kind spirit. And, of course, she was so tall and white and I am so short and dark, we made a good pair. I sang "Your Feets Too Big" to her. [laughs] And the costumes and gowns were to die for. It was great fun. Great, great fun! And everything on that show was top-notch: the production, the musicians. Rock Hudson was on that show too, and Wayland Flowers and Madame, his wonderful puppet. I had a ball!
Thanks to Ron Richardson, Bernie Furshpan and Sarah Dash for helping set up this Q&A.
My Halloween Countdown continues with three of my favorite ladies: The Puppini Sisters!
This jazz tune has always been hep and feelin' kind of groovy. It's been covered by many great recording artists, perhaps most notably Dusty Springfield.
The Puppini Sisters make this song their own in their '40s-styled jazz/big band style. Wonderful harmonies!
The ladies are especially cute in the music-video version of this song.
Lene Lovich was Goth before it was trendy! It was only natural she'd bring her unique voice to sing "Gothica" on her last (2005) album.
Lovich is of Serbian descent, born and raised in Detroit, but long based in England now. She and husband, Les Chappell, have long had a creative relationship together as well, starting with her first hit, "Lucky Number."
So, here it is, on this year's Halloween Countdown: "Gothica"!
Ken Russell's The Devils was released after editing in the United States that was enforced upon the director by The Legion of Decency. In fact, the Catholic church condemned the film after failing to stop its release altogether.
Although the edited American version is still all that's available on dvd in the States, other Regions throughout the world can now view the director's cut.
I was, however, able to find the original, unexpurgated UK trailer:
None other than director Gillermo del Toro lambasted the American cut for its abysmal treatment of an artistic masterpiece.
Vanessa Redgrave is brilliant in her co-starring role with Oliver Reed who is also splendid. Their scenes together scintillate and sizzle with real chemistry between the two (who were rumored to have an affair off the set).
The film, based on the book, The Devils of Loudin, written by Aldous Huxley, graphically details the sexual hysteria and sadomasochism that takes over a convent. Derek Jarman created the magnificently surreal sets.
Very highly recommended. It would be insane to bill this with, oh, say, The Trouble with Angels.
Cher has certainly been revived from the dead enough times to make this song on my Halloween Countdown just perfect for the season. Stevers62 does another expert remix for Halloween time!
We've all heard it said that, after an atomic blast, there would be nothing left but cockroaches and Cher!
She is indestructible. Almost inhuman. Here she is in all her fabulousness with soundbites from George Romero's Night of the Living Dead, for your latest Halloween Countdown entertainment.
Do you believe in life after... death? You haven't seen the last of Cher!
Janet Jackson gets her groove back with her new release, Unbreakable. Buddy Beaverhausen gave this a listen and was not disappointed in the pop singer's new effort.
Janet is now a survivor and she's out to prove it to us. This album has a new gritty/ funky quality replacing the sweetness of her younger years. ("Too much sugar is bad for your smile" are lyrics from the single "No Sleep.) Songs of experience.
I bought my copy of Unbreakable on cd at Rebel Rebel on Bleecker off Christopher Streets. The cd has liner notes, lyrics and photos.
Janet no longer has the whispy, girly sound of her early days. Her voice has strengthened and toughened with time. Lots of brass on this album, including trombones and trumpets. It's a new but becoming sound for her. She and her band also conjure up memories of Sly & the Family Stone in "Gon' Be Alright." Her first single from the album is "No Sleep," a rather sexy little tune. I expect to see it climb the singles charts soon.
Overall, despite a couple of misfires out of 17 tracks, this album is recommended to Janet fans, produced by Jam & Lewis, her old collaborators. R&B, dance music, adult/contemporary, rock, soul, it has it all going on!
More radio-styled horror and it's very intense, so listen if you dare!
Perfect spooky stuff for Halloween. My brother and I had Arch Oboler's Drop Dead album on vinyl, and this track was our absolute favorite. Yeah, we were pretty ghoulish kids, especially around Halloween time. Oboler had a radio show, Lights Out, that featured tales of terror and the macabre.
Never have latex gloves being turned inside-out been put to better use.
Gretchen Reinhagen returned to the Metropolitan Room last night, reprising her show "Both Sides Now." The charming diva, with her wry and clever patter, belted out 16 songs (including encore), displaying great modulation over her powerful voice.
In a '70s groove, it was great to listen to Ms Reinhagen cover classic covers from that period. Like her medley of Linda Ronstatd's "You're No Good/ When Will I Be Loved" or "The Tracks of My Tears." "Don't Rain on My Parade" was another hit. It was an appreciative crowd that attended. Gretchen had stiff competition as Lady Gaga debuted in American Horror Story during showtime last night. But she had able assist from musical director Tracey Stark and Andrew Sotomayor, each on piano and vocals as needed.
It was so good to greet Gretchen and her wife, Deb, after the show, as well as promoter Richard Skipper, musical director Tracey Stark, and to sit with my friend Nick Lion in one of the rear booths over a couple of pino grigios... on the rocks as is my wont.
Afterwards, we went to Marie's Crisis, a venerable gay/ theater peoples' bar pre- Stonewall, around since the 1950s and it looks it. It still has a hep aspiring-stars crowd in attendance (many very cute), gathering around the piano. It's nice to see some things are seemingly eternal. After one for the road, Nick and I parted company as I headed back to Bay Ridge in a car.
It's great being back cuz, oh, Toto, there's no place like home. And that's where the heart is. In the nightlife once more.
In light of posting Judy Garland singing "The Purple People Eater" yesterday on my Halloween Countdown, here's another sci-fi-based novelty tune from the same era.
"Little Blue Man" (1958) was a cute, little diddy sung by Betty Johnson, best known for her 1957 version of "Little White Lies." I guess colors and the word "little" were her lucky charms.
Johnson's voice is very Doris Day-cum-Patti Page. This single was a radio and commercial hit in its day.
As a kid, I loved it. My Mom bought the 45 to play at home. She liked the song herself and would sing me to sleep at bedtime with this as she gently ran her fingers through my hair.
The scariest thing about this record is what the singer does to the Little Blue Man in the end. "I don't wub you any more!" Schizophrenic delusion or close encounter of the third kind?
