RETROBAND.

Posted on June 14, 2013     4 Comments


Growing up and watching horror movies, did you yearn to own some of the rubbery creatures and slimy substances you saw on screen…but they were restricted to only existing in the movie? Even the smallest, most obscure critters that might have showed up for 5 minutes in a film sometimes had the most appeal and had my imagination taking flight right after feasting my eyes upon them. Especially being really young and watching the same movies over and over again, after repeated viewings it felt like you knew what the little vermin actually felt like, smelled like…it’s just too bad they were only in the movies. Hell, even some fake food looked mighty appetizing to me even though it looked mighty fake (i.e. Back to the Future’s “Hydrated Pizzas”).

A new Texas-based company by the name of Retroband sprung up this year and apparently ran into the same problem! Retroband is a one man operation that is here to “make toys you wish they had growing up”..JACKPOT.. From the packaging to the toy itself, everything he does is custom made. His first release was a line of Creeps from Night of the Creeps, which sold out quickly.


Not exactly the first thing that comes to mind when you think of wanted toys, but that’s what’s genius about it. Obscurity and simplicity are key. Even if Night of the Creeps had been a box office smash, they would have never made rubbery Creeps. TNUC snatched one up as soon as he got the tip that these little mutants of love were being made. 

TNUC wanted to introduce himself to this warrior of the wind and ask him a few crucial questions..

T: Besides being a guy that makes ruthless toys, we know nothing about Retroband. How did this whole thing start?

Retroband: Ha! Hey thanks Uncle TNUC. It was an absolute joke at first amongst a close friend and I. He’s the actual cut-out card illustrator on the card backs. We both entered our 30’s and wondered why these toys never existed. Most likely because the movies were not made for children, lol. I decided to take the challenge and see where it would take me. I got an amazing response and sold out in less than 2 days!

T: Any early childhood toy and/or horror movie tales that inspired you to do what you do?

RB: Toy? Kenner of course. I never got into the GI Joes. I loved simplicity.
Creepshow was what really made fall in love with horror as a kid. Comic with horror did it. I later got into EC Comic/Tales from the Crypt. The rest is history. I still have my Creepshow and Tales from the Crypt comics to this day!


T: What are some future ideas for Retroband? Is there a dream-toy you’d love to create one day?

RB: I cant say too much on whats coming out but I am doing an action figure with accessories series. I think I’m making those dream toys, lol. But one of my all time favorite films is Lost Boys. I would like to do a Frog Brothers combo pack.

T: Something tells us your a big collector. What sort of gems adorn your home?

RB: Man I got some stuff. I collect vintage VHS, Marvel figures, Kenner figures, Garbage Pail Kids anything and zombie toys, comics and merch for days! I’m obsessed with EC Comics. Vintage Tales from the Crypt is what I’m after at the moment.

T: At Camp TNUC, we’re big supporters of the miniature creature-culture in movies like Ghoulies, Critters, Gremlins…even the little buggers’ from The Gate make me happy. Mattel came damn close with their line of rubbery puppets in 1986, the Boglins. Have you considered going this route for a toy someday?

RB: Ha I actually owned a Boglin as a kid. I tore out his eyes and used to wear them in class.
I was talking about that not too long ago. I love Critters. I wanted to actually make one but it seems 2 or 3 other artists already made them. Quite well actually. I’m definitely working on a critter, but its not on the list you listed 😉

T: I saw the Hydrated Pizza Hut replica packages from Back to the Future 2 pop up on eBay the other day. It got me thinking, are you strictly going the horror route? Or would you step into other genres?

RB: I hope 2015 has those pizzas. I’m already disappointed that hover boards and flying cars don’t exist! But although I’m obsessed with horror I definitely am taking a different route on genre. I thought about doing a bully series which consisted of Biff and a few others. I get bored rather quickly in what I do so you can expect a different genre in the future for sure.

For the longest time I thought that NO one would ever care about Night of The Creeps or any other B-Type film figures. I was totally blown away on how many followers and support I was receiving each day after I launched the Creeps! It feels great having others share the same passion as I do. I’m very grateful and if it ended tomorrow I’d be happy.

T: Lastly, here’s a guest question from our friend and bad-ass movie poster designer Marc Schoenbach of Sadist Art Designs…What do you think of the new NES Jason action figure?

RB: I got that shit on pre-order! I am not passing that up. The packaging is amazing and so are the color combos on the figure. I was super glad NECA showed some NES love. Much respect. 

—
Thanks again Uncle TNUC for the opportunity and shout out for having Brooke McCarter as your profile! Him and Alex Winter are what made me want to become a Lost Boy. They made it look so damn good!

For more on Retroband and to see the step-by-step process in his lab, follow him on Instagram @retroband.

 

BROTHERS FOREVER.

Posted on June 11, 2013     Leave a Comment

Right off the bat, I can assume what some of you are thinking. “Really Uncle T? ANOTHER post about the damn Barbarian Brothers? Can you just get over it already?”

The answer to that is no, I cannot. News just came to Castle TNUC that one of them is actually my biological father. Laugh all you want, judge if you must, but this was pretty heavy news for a Tuesday afternoon. Some of you are just going to need to bare with me during my reflections on the greatest meatball pairing to ever grace the silver screen.

Here’s a current history of TNUC scriptures regarding The Barbarian Brothers..all of which are required reading material:

I. The Wild Ones
II. Official Barbaric Fashions
III. Barbaric Lyrical Insight  
IV. Typical Evening

If you have no recollection of their 1994 comedy opus Twin Sitters, TNUC will be your guide. The tale of Twin Sitters begins with the musclebound twins starring as Peter & David Falcone, Italian restaurant entrepreneurs. The twins are hired by a wealthy businessman to babysit his preppy, blonde-headed little twin nephews while he testifies against his evil boss. Hijinks and grief are all these little brats bring to the Falcone’s. Of course the brothers eventually put them in their place, and offer the youngsters philosophies about pasta, monster trucks and wearing clothes that look like The Ultimate Warrior and David Lee Roth combined wardrobes. The Barbarians are at their acting peak. Twin Sitters would be the last starring roles the brothers would ever experience again. But wait…there’s more. What if I told you that these two meatballs helped create and entire motion picture soundtrack for the film? What if I told you they not only sung on several of the tracks, but rapped too? What if I told you the soundtrack is so rare that it is nearly impossible to track down, yet we’ve excavated a track just for you disciples to embrace today?

The fact that someone OK’d the Barbarian Brothers to create a soundtrack to this movie is mind-shattering to begin with, but it’s entirely true and that person deserves a medal of honor. The brothers rap and sing on such songs as ‘You’re Full of Balogna’, ‘Whatcha’ Lookin At’ and ‘You Got the Right to Say No to Drugs’. AOR legend and emmy winning singer/songwriter/producer/guitarist Paul Sabu lent vocals to (3) of the tracks on the Twin Sitters OST, including the emotional rollercoaster ‘BROTHERS FOREVER’. If for some abominable reason you’re not a fully-commited Barbarian Bros fan, this song is your final test. One last shot at catapulting you into the Barbarian disciple you were destined to be, from here to eternity…

It’s hard not to get a little choked up while listening to this track. It’s a well-done slice of AOR that in my perfect world would fill an arena of screaming, devoted Barbarian Bros fans. The icing on the cake is the artwork to Paul Sabu’s album featured above. A long-haired warrior in a leather jacket with no shirt underneath, standing in front of a sweeping sunset. It makes perfect sense why The Barbarians and this guy got along so good… can you imagine what sort of hijinks the three of them got into?

 

LE MATOS::THE INTERVIEW.

Posted on June 3, 2013     Leave a Comment

It feels like we’ve been eagerly awaiting the debut Le Matos LP for decades. For the life of me I can’t remember when I got in contact with the Le Matos brethren, but it was probably sometime during 1987 while passing each other in prep school hallways. It was around the time when TNUC was about to be kicked out of the 9th school in one year’s time, wandering the halls in the trench-coat, rat-nest hair, dangling-cross earring and high tops with the over exaggerated tongue sticking out. Campus administration were appalled by his appearance and influence on other students. Aside from bumming a few cigarettes from them, I didn’t know much about the Le Matos boys, only that they were rumored to have a secret society which met every night at midnight in an old mansion at the top of a hill. Of course upon hearing about this, I WANTED IN. 
But that’s ancient history. These days the Montreal-based group have released their proper debut entitled ‘JOIN US’ which landed digitally last month. The stunning vinyl release will be available soon which features an artwork layout that will make your head explode. The songs on ‘JOIN US’ journeyed far beyond our expectations. Imagine having the best-era Tangerine Dream inject steroids before entering the studio and you’ll be on the right track to what you should expect on this record. Several cuts on ‘JOIN US’ sound straight out of a lost Lucio Fulci or Lamberto Bava film, but tougher and tighter. Modern-day horror producers and film music recruiters should take note if they know what’s good for them. We recently sat down with the principal architect behind Le Matos and friend Jean-Philippe Bernier to ask a few vital questions… 

 

T: How did the LE MATOS project start? Did you guys attend prep school together?

JPB: I met Max in film school at the end of the 90’s, and after we graduated we both started working at a movie theater in Montreal, which was when we met Jean-Nicolas.
Jean-Nic was my roommate at the time. After Max’s place got robbed one night, he decided to bring his Moog Voyager and his Juno 106 to my place, scared that the thief would come back for his expensive gear (in french we call gear “Matos”). That night we decided to plug everything and we did the long jam, ‘Piège de Crystal’. Right then and there Le Matos was born.
As for Vincent, last year we decided to add a live drummer to the band and since Vincent was the drummer of Max’s metal band, it was just perfect!
T: How were you inspired to write these songs? The movie character references in some song titles are great, did you write these songs with certain films in mind?
JPB: All the song’s names are from movies that inspired the songs or that we thought fit the vibes of the tracks. Some are more obscure like ‘King’s Filth’ and others more obvious like ‘Interceptor’.
Take for example ‘Montrose’; In the making of this track we felt like it had this 80’s fashion television theme vibe, but in a melancholic way (http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xtxce4_citytv-fashion-television-1986_people#.UaAjmSv726Q), so I remembered the cheesy movie from the past about fashion, Mannequin (1987) with Andrew McCarthy. One of the best characters in this movie was the flamboyant window dresser called Hollywood Montrose.
T: Anyone with a soul who flips through a stack of records and sees the artwork for ‘JOIN US’ staring them in the face is going to immediately pick it up for a closer look. It’s really stunning. Can you talk about the thought process behind it all?
JPB: Like I said, we were always inspired by movies… and in the beginning, all the Le Matos branding was from memories and obsessions with movies of our past. Like the photo of us in the fog stems from Carpenter’s The Fog. Or the glowing eyes from Demons. 
But so many outrun and synthwave producers were making more and more references like us. I think we always had a more dark and realistic approach in our visual, with a remake vibe instead of just making some look-alike images of posters. Don’t get me wrong I love all those images… but I think we needed a bit of fresh air.
So for the first LP, we decided to change the look… so we asked ourselves what’s our band about… and the answer was Nostalgia! After that we asked ourselves what our other obsessions were when we were kids. Max and I were obsessed with paranormal books. One of our favourite series was ‘Inexpliqué : Le Monde de L’étrange de L’insolite et du Mystère’ (http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NzUwWDEwMDA=/$T2eC16JHJF0E9nmFQhPSBRN6H-c1!g~~48_35.JPG). So I did lots of research on these books and decided to do the first chapter about a secret society.
I started the project with Danny Demers, a graphic designer from Montreal, and we worked on the branding of the “secret club”. When he showed me the “hands” I was shocked!!! It was perfect. At that moment I knew I had to make it real… in our world, not just on a logo but with us. So one of my ideas was to recreate Danny’s secret club logo with us and that became the gatefold picture of the LP. The members making the circle around the hands and us in a triangle, much like Danny’s logo. Everything came to me after that…us finding the hands in the woods, which is like a prequel to the album’s artwork. The assermentation on the cover, and the clubhouse on the back. To make this vision possible, I asked two of my friends to help me out, Simon Duhamel (photographer) and Sarah Hall (artistic director).
T: TNUC is a massive fan of your cover of Phoebe Cates ‘How Do I Let You Know’ w/ Coeur De Pirate (Private School soundtrack), Have you guys thought about doing any other covers?
JPB: We love reworking movie soundtracks, so for sure we will make other covers. We like the idea of making a soundtrack cover EP. In the past we did a Blade Runner cover of ‘Retired’ and we did a Carpenter cover that is only available on the LES ENFANTS TERRIBLES “Take 1” mixtape.


T: You played SXSW this year as a complete live band. How has the transition been so far playing live?
JPB: We have been playing live since 2008. We decided to add a drummer last year and for the first time in SXSW we did our show with a live drum (not a electronic drum). Normally, all synths and electronic drums pass by the computer and are mastered by Jean-Nicolas before playing in venues. So it was a bit stressful when we did the show without trying that setup first. But at the end it was amazing!!!
T: TNUC would love to be an honorary member of LE MATOS, and receive his pledge pin and official crest. Is this a possibility?
JPB: Le Matos is the band.. and the band is part of the “club”…
You are already part of the club and we will send you your badge and amulet. But once your in… there’s no turning back. And next time we’re on the west coast rest assured you’ll be initiated…
T: When TNUC interviewed Steve Moore in 2012 (here), we asked the following question which we’d like your thoughts on. One of my serious dreams for TNUC is to have a massive and absurd collection of merchandise, like stuff that you really don’t even need or use. If some lucrative, corporate-pig record company handed you a check for $50,000 strictly for designing LE MATOS merch items, what sort of obscure items would adorn the LE MATOS gift shop?
JPB: I guess we would make a short film in the Le Matos universe. Something about the “Hands”. And after that we would release a limited edition laser disc only.
T: What’s next for you guys with this album? Music video…possible touring?
JPB: For sure we want to do some shows in the US… we want to do shows in NYC, LA, Detroit, Cleveland (home of Girlfriend Records). Tell your local bookers to email us!!!
As for a music vid, I’m working with friends on 3 scripts for 3 different tracks… but it’s hard to make it happen without money. The ‘Sarah’ screenplay is complete and is more like a short film than a music video. I really hope we get to make this one.
T: Lastly and most important, favorite pizza & pizza toppings? 

 

Jean-Nicolas: Parisienne pizza with snails

Jean-Philippe (me): Pizza-Getti with pepperoni and cheese .. and hot sauce!

Vincent : the Meat lovers! with bacon, pepperoni, smoked meat, ham, name it!

—

You can already stream & download ‘JOIN US’ through Girlfriend Records here http://girlfriendrecords.bandcamp.com/album/join-us, but the vinyl (!!!) will be available as a  limited release soon in a package containing an amulet, patch and download code. This will allow you entry into the Le Matos secret society if you act fast. Stay tuned for more info..

LeMatos.com
Soundcloud.com/LeMatos

I DREAM WITH AN ANGEL TONIGHT.

Posted on May 27, 2013     4 Comments


I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again, when cueing up a Lovelock remix, you’d better have your Comme des Garçons overnight bag packed, because you’re headed somewhere else. Weather that be to a private bungalow in Tahiti or to the dark & stormy senior citizen lounge at your local country club, you’re voyaging elsewhere. It just so happens that Lovelock has cast his remix spell on a Sally Shapiro track for the Swedish italo-disco duo’s upcoming remix LP, coincidentally titled ‘Elsewhere’. The album will release tomorrow which remixes each track off their fantastic third album, ‘Somewhere Else’.  

Typically wherever that “place” Lovelock brings us will be warm… but with the required cool breeze. The smell of cocoa-butter lingers in the air. Someone’s going to be wearing small, white shorts. 

Some of Steve’s (Lovelock) remixes are fun & bouncy, while others take the more romantic & atmospheric stroll. For his latest, think less Weekend at Bernies and more Blue Lagoon…



Lovelock breathes new life into an already beautiful song. The lush rhythms, tropical bounce and crashing waves paint immediate visuals in my mind. This all builds to a chorus that by the end has Steve pushing Sally’s vocals over a cascading waterfall to descend into an underwater soundscape abyss. After listening I promptly started browsing through the work of artist Jim Warren, and stumbled on one of his waterfall pieces (see above). They accompany each other immensely. 

As stated, the remix album releases tomorrow on CD and download. TNUC strongly suggests ordering the CD as the first 200 copies are signed by Sally. You can already order the CD here http://www.johanagebjorn.info/shop.html. 

INSTA-SAX.

Posted on May 14, 2013     6 Comments

ATTN: Fans of the legendary Tim Cappello:

Unless you’ve followed the man’s career for the past 3 decades, prepare to indulge in the full-course-feast of sweaty saxophone that you’ve been longing for since 1987. For those of you dwelling in a cave, Tim Cappello is the oily, mega-muscled, tanned-skinned beast behind the saxophone in 1987’s ‘The Lost Boys’. His moves and charisma have been documented in the TNUC history books since he first stormed the stage at Santa Carla’s annual summer boardwalk concert series. But what else do you know about this greasy biceped behemoth? Every person I’ve ever watched ‘The Lost Boys’ with always asks about him and asks if there’s “more”. Well hold on to your long butts, because we’ve narrowed down every mandatory Tim Cappello crotch-thrusting saxophone moment you’ll need for survival.

Let’s first begin with a brief history behind the ponytailed warrior of the wind. In the late 70’s Tim went from recording & touring with Peter Gabriel to becoming a full-blown heroin addict. He kicked smack in 1979 and began bodybuilding. History books don’t confirm when the oil and crotch-thrusting techniques came into play, but we believe it was somewhere during this off-time between projects. In 1980 he began touring with Carly Simon during which one performance saw Cappello being lead on stage by Carly in a leather g-string, dog leash and chains. For the next few years Cappello would perfect his sexual stage performance in miscellaneous projects.

In 1984 he was hired by Tina Turner as her keyboardist & saxophonist. He scored big with an appearance in her mega-hit ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’, from the Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome soundtrack. Hungry fans have the following choices:

1) Watch the entire video from the beginning, letting the build-up consume you until the saxophone explosion.

OR

2) Experience INSTA-SAX @ 3:05.


The buzz-saw entrance of the saxophone is an eruption that no other instrument could hold a candle to. Cappello also provided sax duties on the soundtrack’s 2nd single and video ‘One of the Living’, in which you’ll see his wardrobe and general moves are pretty much identical to those found in the ‘I Still Believe’ concert experience (The Lost Boys). Watch for over-the-top sax crotch-thrusting into the night on this one. Once again, you have the choice of..

1) Watching the video and attempting to wait for you know what.

or

2) Experiencing INSTA-SAX @ 2:52.


Next up is strictly for the sax-junkies who’s mottos are “excess is better”. Here we go…E V E R Y ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’ sax solo caught on tape from the years 1985 to 2008. Total, nonstop, uncut saxophone brought to you by Timmy C. Don’t hurt yourself with this one.


You’ve got to really hand it to Cappello for giving pure power to that instrument. If you’re with us and still breathing, let’s cool down with the one that started it all. The classic Tim Cappello sax moment that defines so much we stand for at Camp TNUC. I’ll leave you with one last dose of information, TNUC is currently in talks with Cappello to provide music for an upcoming, official ‘TNUC Theme’ that would be used for a future project. More on that later..

TRENCHCOAT-NOIR.

Posted on May 2, 2013     4 Comments

The late-great Benjamin Orr (The Cars) released a song in 1986 that would remain forever in our hears but lost in the shadows for years after it’s initial success. ‘Stay the Night’ is the musical equivalent to that brisk breeze at night that makes the little hairs on your arm stand up. If you have a state-of-the-art stereo system, this would be the prime time to use it. Otherwise, find a solid pair of headphones and get ready to dive into this slice of trenchcoat-noir splendor.

You read that right, trenchcoat-noir is a genre filled with songs that are drenched in that steamy, late-night darkness that we discuss frequently here. It makes me want to throw on the TNUC personal trench’ and roam empty streets, smoking cigarettes and reflecting. Another appealing aspect of this song is that it has fallen head-first into forgotten gems territory and it somehow makes the song more sacred and special. When was the last time you heard ‘Stay the Night’ on the radio, or on your old man’s stereo? It’s most likely been a while. Or possibly never?

As with most of the catalogue from The Cars, production on ‘Stay the Night’ is top notch and crisp. I can’t help but think of the moon room scene from Revenge of the Nerds, when Louis seduces Betty in the dark room full of air mattresses. “Wanna do it on the moon?” Ultimate background music for that frisky business.

**BONUS** Even though you wouldn’t consider the following track to be trenchcoat-noir, we had to make this last minute addition of Ric Ocasek’s ‘Emotion in Motion’, due to the fact that it’s Benny’s fellow Cars brethren and it’s yet another blissful tune lost at sea. There’s no stalking-the-streets vibes on this one at all. It’s more of a mid-afternoon snack on the deck of your beachfront property. Play and enjoy the free downloads.


Have a trenchcoat-worthy track in mind? Share them on the TNUC Facebook page and i’ll re-post them for all to indulge in.

MOLTEN HEAT