ALL AMERICAN HIGH.
Posted on September 22, 2015 1 Comment
After countless viewings over three decades of Fast Times at Ridgemont High, many of us have roamed the earth wandering how much of Cameron Crowe’s vision of high school in 1982 was actually true. If only a certain long-lost documentary would suddenly resurface to the masses, giving us an hour-long glimpse of what high school was like…
Well, that time is now as filmmaker Keva Rosenfield’s All American High is available for viewing for the first time in 25 years. The documentary takes a look at Torrance, Southern California’s class of 1984 by the perspective of a Finnish exchange student named Rikki. Watch the trailer below.
Prom night! Keg parties! Punks! Football games! The mall! All themes and events are examined through the eyes of this foreign exchange student during her time at Torrance High. The film was recently given an upgrade which includes a bonus portion that catches up with a few of the students, now all grown up. All American High: Revisited is available to watch on Amazon, iTunes and GooglePlay.
SEPTEMBER’S LOST LEGEND OF THE MONTH: GINO VELTRI.
Posted on September 9, 2015 1 Comment
Press play, then continue to press play until you understand 100% of the lyrics to this mega-hit by September’s Lost-Legend-Of-The-Month…glam rock messiah Gino Veltri!
Dear Gino,
It would mean the world to me if you played at my niece’s upcoming first communion party. The other day she walked into my garage and the poor girl witnessed two local long butts from the neighborhood getting out of the TNUC jacuzzi naked. I apologized and promised that this weekend I’d host her first communion family function. So when I asked her what dream band would she choose to rock out on my backyard gazebo, you know what she said? Van Halen. I explained to her that with my limited budget it could only be the bar mitzvah/banquet hall lost legend, Gino Veltri.
See, my relatives normally avoid me like the plague, treating me like I’m some misfit-manimal-leper who they’d love to send away on a plane with a 1-way ticket to Guam. You could say I’m the Uncle Buck of this extended family, but not the Uncle Buck that learns the valuable lesson at the end of the movie. I’m the horse race betting, Mercury Marquis-driving, microwaving his laundry Buck Russell. To the cousins, grandparents, brother-in-laws and most definitely sister-in-laws, TNUC is nothing more than a drifter. A misplaced neanderthal living in today’s society. However I can’t fault them completely for having these thoughts because a part of me gets it. The late nights, motorcycle fumes, pit stained trenchcoats, aqua net residue, quaalude withdrawals, Beer Wolf basement dungeon, Kelly Bundy obsession…I mean, I kind of get it.
But ask the kids who everyone’s favorite uncle is and Uncle T is forever reigning supreme. It’s probably because I have the last still-working, ORIGINAL Crocodile Mile water slide in my backyard, plus a private stock of non-expired Hi-C Ecto Cooler always ready to go.
In the event of a scheduling conflict and you guys happen to be rocking one of your signature sets at a flea market or indoor laser tag this weekend, we’d still love to have you play the annual TNUC summer close-out pool party at the end of the month. Just a few minutes to bask in those nasty riffs heard at the Madison Estate’s 3rd grade graduation party and this party will be even better than a Brad Wesley pool party.
Respectfully,
Uncle TNUC
OK, maybe not better than a Brad Wesley pool party.
[Lost-Legend-Of-The-Month is a heartwrenching chronicle of forgotten iconic warriors who were either wiped off the face of the planet for reasons unknown or simply never got the chance to “peak” during their short-lived careers. We cherish these individuals and devote an entire month to celebrate their impact on society. To see the rest of em’, go here.]
THE NIGHT CREEPER.
Posted on September 1, 2015 2 Comments
Every so often Uncle T gets the urge to switch gears and share something way beyond the boundaries of the Land of TNUC. As much as we love to delve into familiar content around here (Beer Wolf, long butts, pizza), we won’t allow these beloved topics to back us into a corner.
Enter a gang of creeps from the U.K. by the name of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats, a group who’s been on our radar since their breakthrough debut record Blood Lust arrived in 2012. Their music is a strange brew of 60’s psychedelia, biker fuzz and pop music, all mixed together and delivered inside a horror movie. The band uses mostly vintage amps with not a care in the world for anything polished or hi-def. The key ingredients to Uncle Acid’s well-balanced diet are riffs, guitar solos and blood. If you’re new to the group, imagine for a moment if John Lennon was booted from The Beatles and at the same time Black Sabbath abandoned Tony Iommi at a truck stop. What happens next? The two of them start a biker gang and convince a bunch of people to follow them to the countryside to sing songs about death and rituals. Now your body is ready.
For starters, here’s ‘I’ll Cut You Down’ from 2012’s Blood Lust.
Most importantly, Uncle Acid is an album band. Their eerie pop songs can stand alone if if need be but they really shine when played cohesively. These records are constructed for the listener to sit down and get lost inside. The more you listen, the more little things start popping out and piecing together. Your mind then starts to wander and it’s during this time that you begin to sink into the little world of Uncle Acid & The Deadbeats.
The band also deliberately keeps a low profile to allow the music to speak for itself. Uncle A himself once described his feelings about this in an interview: “I was terrified of Ozzy Osbourne growing up, which was before the whole ‘The Osbournes’ thing. I just thought ‘this guys a fucking lunatic, he must live in a castle somewhere’ and you build up this image of people. I think it’s great that there’s some mystique about it. Those images that you think up make the music even better.”
If you’re a regular around here, you know TNUC supports this type of thinking. It’s a damn rare thing these days with people demanding to know everything and bands bombarding their fans with useless information like what they had for breakfast. What happened to the mystique? After all, isn’t that supposed to be part of the fun?
Uncle Acid’s follow-up sophomore record, Mind Control, arrived in 2013. This time around the deadbeats’ channeled Charlie Manson, Jim Jones and other cult types to create a more psychedelic and conceptual offering than the band’s debut. It was a strong album and well thought out, but to me couldn’t match the ferociousness of Blood Lust. Now, in 2015, the band is about to release their 3rd full length effort The Night Creeper on September 4th (this Friday).
Easily the most twisted tale in their discography, The Night Creeper is a concept record that follows a slasher Italian Giallo story. The band returns with that warm, analog production but this record in particular has an extra-thick layer of grime attached to it which remarkably adds to the murderous storytelling going on. Uncle A himself exhibits a Night Creeper persona not only in the lyrics but using a distorted vocal style which creeps and slithers through each track like a witch. Sleazy scenes unfold but in the most soothing manner, one that balances darkness and light really effectively. My current highlights from the album are ‘Downtown’, ‘Pusher Man’, ‘Murder Nights’ and ‘Slow Death’, all infectious songs that get under your skin in the best way possible.
Listening to this album lays a certain vibe in the room that feels almost similar to watching a movie like 1974’s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Not in the sense of the story, but rather that aura of seediness, setting an atmosphere which feels like it’s been soaking in the air of a slaughterhouse for years. If there was ever a record to capture that ‘grainy’ quality of old, classic horror films – this is the one.
The Night Creeper should really appeal to horror soundtrack lovers, regardless if you only listen to electronic or synthesizer based horror scores. Uncle Acid makes us well aware that clashing guitars and eerie vocals are just as effective, if not more so, due to the sheer volume and intensity. These songs will seep so far into your senses that by the end of the album you’ll be praying for someone to turn The Night Creeper into an actual motion picture.
Do yourself a favor and wait until evening hours. Then raid grandpa’s liquor cabinet, get a campfire going and turn this one up as loud as possible from start to finish.
Watch the new video for ‘Melody Lane’.
LP/CD Pre-orders:
Rise Above Records
iTunes
Amazon US
Amazon UK
…and catch Uncle Acid on ‘THE NIGHT CREEPER TOUR’ this Fall with special guests! Tour dates at AcidCoven.com
HAPPY 30TH, TEEN WOLF.
Posted on August 23, 2015 6 Comments
On this very day in 1985, Teen Wolf clawed its way into theaters across America. This under-appreciated slice of cinema has no business being as good as it is and I mean that in the best way possible. It’s a coming of age story about an average high school kid with issues like not getting noticed, being on a crappy basketball team, and turning into a werewolf…AND IT RULES ON EVERY CONCEIVABLE LEVEL.
Part of why Teen Wolf was slightly overlooked in 1985 was from being in the shadow of a mega-blockbuster classic called Back to the Future, Michael J. Fox’s other film released during the same summer of 85′. What a time to be alive.
Celebrate the film’s anniversary by grabbing some party snacks and queueing up Teen Wolf tonight. When you’re thirsty for more, here’s a download to the film’s pop soundtrack which features rip-roaring party hits, inspiring anthems and Miles Goodman’s synth score. Sadly, most of the score is still absent with no plans for an expanded edition on the horizon. Here’s hoping soundtrack revivalist companies like Waxwork and Death Waltz/Mondo read this!
Teen Wolf (Atlantic Releasing Corporation)
1) James House – Flesh On Fire
2) The Wolf Sisters – Big Bad Wolf
3) Mark Safan – Win in the End
4) Amy Holland – Shootin’ for the Moon
5) David Palmer – Silhouette
6) Mark Vieha – Way to Go
7) David Morgan – Good News
8) Miles Goodman – Transformation
9) Miles Goodman – Boof
AUGUST’S LOST LEGEND OF THE MONTH: BILLY FROM OVERBOARD.
Posted on August 17, 2015 Leave a Comment
If this face doesn’t scream “Lost-Legend” louder than anyone else, I don’t know what does. Congratulations to Billy Pratt from 1987’s summer-scorcher Overboard on claiming the spot for August’s Lost-Legend-Of-The-Month!
Wild Bill almost took home the Deadbeat-Of-The-Month prize during last year’s countdown, but he got shoved to the side and TNUC now feels really bad so we’re hoisting him up on the Lost-Legend platform of excellence. For some reason he works in both categories anyways.
Without reiterating the entire plot, Overboard stars Kurt Russell playing the role of Dean Proffitt, a single dad/carpenter/personal idol who gets hired to repair a closet on a yacht which is owned by a rich, pretentious husband and his horrendously snobby wife Joanna (Goldie Hawn). After the job is completed, Joanna whines about it not being up to her standards and refuses to pay Dean. She throws a tantrum and ends up tossing all of Dean’s tools in the ocean. Joanna ends up falling overboard and gets a bad case of amnesia, which inspires Dean to take advantage of the situation and convinces her that she’s his wife and mother of his rambunctious kids.
Billy is Dean’s best pal and drinking buddy. He proclaims that back in the day the two friends were known as “Mean Dean Proffitt” and “Bad Billy Pratt”. Since then they’ve spent their time bowling, pounding Miller High Life and chasing women of all shapes and sizes. While it’s not directly mentioned in the film, Billy’s reputation and local legend status in Elk Cove, Oregon is that he’s a supposed jack of all trades. During the scene where Dean tells Billy about how his tools were sent flying into the ocean, there’s a sign hanging on Billy’s trailer that reads BILLY PRATT. Contractor, Real Estate Agent, All Purpose Photography. “Whatever It Takes”. Billy’s many talents come in pretty handy for Dean when he asks him to do some early photoshop work on some photos in attempt to convince Joanna that they’ve been married for years. Another high score for Bill.
In one of his most memorable scenes, Billy puts on a classic pervert face as he stares at Joanna when she’s giving Dean an innocent foot massage. When she takes notice and whispers to Dean about it, he makes up a lie that she and Billy were high school sweethearts and then asks her “You don’t get any of the old feelings back when you look at him, do you?!”.
He might appear to be your average, every day slob drowning in grain alcohol at your town’s nastiest bar, but a closer look at scenes in the movie has Uncle T taking the high road with the belief that Billy simply hasn’t had a proper shot at life (definition of Lost-Legend). Not only does he go out of his way on separate occasions to help Dean out of the doghouse with Joanna but he’s also a co-inventor of Dean’s “Wonders of the World” miniature golf course dream.
Uncle Bill!
Billy shows up in only a few scenes but leaves a strong presence still felt 28 years after the film’s release. Now we’re faced with questions that plague our minds… Where is Billy Pratt right at this moment? Did he in fact stick around with Dean years after the opening of “Wonders of the World”? Or did he have dreams of his own? How does he adjust to modern day society? So much has changed since 1986 but there’s no way in hell that this guy has altered his ways. Let’s be serious for a moment…Bad Billy Pratt isn’t driving a environmentally-friendly vehicle and shopping exclusively at Whole Foods. I refuse to believe it, and so should you.
To help everyone reflect on this Lost-Legend, here’s a classic cut from Alan Silvestri’s score to Overboard. Play this one on the boombox by the lake as summer camp comes to a close!
[Lost-Legend-Of-The-Month is a heartwrenching chronicle of forgotten iconic warriors who were either wiped off the face of the planet for reasons unknown or simply never got the chance to “peak” during their short-lived careers. We cherish these individuals and devote an entire month to celebrate their impact on society. To see the rest of em’, go here.]
MONSTER TRUCK MANIACS.
Posted on August 5, 2015 5 Comments
Images courtesy of Monsterphotos.com
Face the facts, we’re long overdue for a discussion about MONSTER TRUCKS. It all started the other day as I was reclining on my alligator floatie in our tv/pool area watching Road House for the 700th time. The scene came up when Brad Wesley gives the “ok” look to one of his goons to proceed with driving a Monster Truck through Strodenmire’s car dealership, demolishing every perfectly good car in sight. It donned on me that we haven’t covered all-things MONSTER TRUCKS even at least once on TNUC. The sudden shock and confusion made my box of Keebler Magic Middles launching into the pool. If a small town-conquering, evil-doer like Brad Wesley understands the raw power of a pickup truck set on 66-inch wheels, so does Uncle T.
Call me trashy or a deadbeat, but I think classic-era Monster Trucks hold a special charm in the same category as say, American Gladiators and female mud wrestling. (Two subjects we’ve already covered here). Big, dumb and tons of fun.
This scene cost $500,000 to stage and was shot in a single take. They used a “Bigfoot 7” which was specially built for the movie. The guy operating the truck was Jim Kramer, the president of Bigfoot.
Did you know that the first “Bigfoot” was built in 1979 by an ex-construction worker from St. Louis? Bob Chandler turned his Ford F-250 pickup into something he could go off-roading with and promote his family’s 4×4 shop. He ended up making appearances with the truck at car shows and one day asked a local farmer if he could place two dilapidated cars in a field so that he could videotape himself crushing the cars with his “Bigfoot” as a joke. Shortly after the stunt, a motorsports promoter stepped into Chandler’s shop and caught the footage on the TV. He asked Chandler if he’d repeat the stunt in front of a crowd. Chandler agreed and in the following years cars were being demolished inside arenas across America, with imitators, sponsorships and thousands of screaming children and beer-annihilating adults. The behemoth on wheels gained so much popularity that it spawned toys, merchandise, appearances in movies and even an animated series in 85′ called Bigfoot and the Muscle Machines.
See, there are actually interesting things to learn about Monster Trucks. Beyond the brute strength of these vehicles and how they ranked during competitions, some of the names and artwork are just downright inspiring. Sometimes all you needed was a glance at the name or artwork painted down the side of a Monster Truck to feel its wrath. Some of these trucks may be long and gone but the crude tude’ and sheer nastiness remain in photographs.
Now it’s time for TNUC to countdown OUR top 10 MONSTER TRUCK MANIACS (With little information about these trucks, we’re purely basing this on “looks”!)
#10 HAWAIIAN PUNCH
Idea for parents trying to impress their kid with the ultimate birthday surprise…hire the “Hawaiian Punch” Monster Truck to crash the backyard birthday-pizza-party. Make sure he follows strict orders to 1) plow directly through your snobby neighbor’s hydrangea garden, 2) crush the inflatable rental jump-a-roo and 3) completely demolish the above-ground pool. PARTYTIME.
#9 NO PROBLEM!
You just gotta’ appreciate the positive attitude of this carefree slayer of automobiles that calls himself “No Problem!”. Stacks of cars in his path? No problem! Engine meltdown? No problem! No seat belts? No problem! No sober driving allowed? No problem! Not caring that the gal you scored with at the lake last night was your 1st cousin? No problem!
#8 STROH’S STRIDER
Leave it to one of the premiere kings of ‘deadbeat beers’ to create their own Monster Truck. OF COURSE Stroh’s needed to be involved. It really is such a perfect marriage. Paulie from the Rocky movies should be driving this thing around Philadelphia screaming at people in his signature deadbeat language.
#7 HOT STUFF
Rumor has it that Kip Winger from the band Winger is now the proud owner of this rompin’ and stompin’ Jeep CJ-7. Every day he drives “HOT STUFF” up and down Daytona Beach with his sunglasses on, chewing gum ecstatically with his oily bicep extended out the side door, giving a thumbs up to every buxom babe in sight. Nah, just kidding. Would be the ideal situation, though.
#6 EXCALIBER
“Excaliber” was one of the more popular monsters throughout monster truck history who lasted a lifespan from 1985 to 2013. I definitely lean towards the simpler “old pickup on cocaine” style of Monster Trucks, rather than some of the more intricate and crazy body work styles of today. Plus, how can you not fall in love with that photo? A 13,000 lbs Chevy soaring through a cigarette-hazed filled arena. It’s magic.
#8 HULKSTER
At the Halloween Havoc pay per view in 1995, Hulk Hogan’s “Hulkster” truck pushed Giant’s “Dungeon of Doom” truck out of the circle for the win in what WCW had named a “Sumo Monster Truck” match. The rules were that you had to get both sets of axels out of the ring, which was 100 ft. in diameter. Pretty dumb, yes, but still riveting entertainment. (WATCH HERE). Hulk’s truck was a “Bigfoot” model and featured his bulging, hot dog colored arms on each side of the vehicle. Besides Hogan, WCW also built custom trucks for Sting, Medusa, Goldberg, NWO and Macho Man!
#4 BIG BEAR
There’s just something about the current status of this abandoned “Big Bear” truck that’s both sad and intimidating. The weeds and shrubbery have grown around it so perfectly that it almost looks like it’s part of a horror movie scene. They should turn this area into a haunted maze of forgotten, abandoned Monster Trucks with surprise truck driver corpses popping out to scare people.
#3 HEAVY METAL
HAVE MERCY, I don’t even WANT to know what goes on in back of this “Heavy Metal” van. That’s right, even vans often times showed up during Monster Truck events. For some reason they remind me of that chunky metalhead bully that you had shop class with in high school.
#2 GRAVE DIGGER
The main event of Monster Truck events was and still is the eerie beast known as “Grave Digger”. From what creator/driver Dennis Anderson can make a 10,000 pound vehicle do in the air to the mystique behind the behemoth, Grave Digger will never stop. In the Monster Truck universe it’s the equivalent of The Undertaker in the WWE.
The truck started off as a simple ‘mud bogger’ (an off-roading event involving 4×4’s) but after Anderson volunteered to drive the 1951 Chevy Panel Truck at a Monster Truck event after one of the scheduled trucks pulled a no-show, the Grave Digger saga was born. The truck was an instant success with Anderson’s aggressive and no-holds-barred driving style. He left the art of mud bogging to pursue a lifetime of Monster Trucks.
The truck got it’s name from when Anderson was trash talking with some of his trucker compadres’ and said “I’ll take this old junk and dig you a grave with it”, referencing the age of his old truck compared to their modern trucks. In 1986 the truck received its famous foggy graveyard paint job. The bloody lettering, green flames, ghost skull, haunted house and tombstones displaying the names of competitors are crucial features of Grave Digger and really haven’t changed much since its first incarnation roughly 30 years ago. For this we applaud Grave Digger. *(Look out for TNUC’s Spookiest Monster Trucks countdown, coming this October)*
#1 VOICEOVER GUY
Our #1 pick isn’t even a Monster Truck because it’s something far more loud and destructive. It’s the #1 Monster Truck voice-over commercial guy. The guy who could say something like “rubber baby buggy bumpers” and have you curled up in a fetal position on the couch holding onto your favorite stuffed animal with fear.
Not to discourage other voiceover people in the Monster Truck community, but there’s really only one master. I’ve been obsessed with this guy’s bloodcurdling voice for YEARS. Every time I’m driving down the street and catch one of his commercials on the radio I blast it as loud as possible. Unfortunately at this moment I could only find this one crappy video on YouTube, but the hunt for more is ON. I must find out who this demonchild is, where the dungeon he records this stuff is, how he got his voice to sound so demonic and finally, hire him to perform something exclusive for TNUC. If you disciples have any information regarding the ultimate Monster Truck voice-over guy, please consult Uncle T.
♦ ♦ ♦
We hope you enjoyed reading about Monster Trucks. If you made it this far, you rule. Stay tuned to our Instagram for the upcoming #MonsterTruckMonday feature! (Thanks again to Monsterphotos.com)
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