RUSH
R40 LIVE

Concert Film Available 20^th November 2015
Epic Live Show with 40 Year Career-Spanning Set list

Exclusive One-Off UK Advanced screening on 17^th November @ Gibson Showrooms, London – To attend simply pre-order R40 Live from the Official UK store for your chance to win tickets

All roads have led to this. Forty-one years in the making, the R40 Live tour took a very real journey back through time. Beginning with the grand design: a state-of-the-art stage set that pivots, rolls and dives, and brings Clockwork Angels in to bombastic, colourful life before marching stridently back in time (through theatre stages, a panoply of band and fan shots, the accrued memories of a life spent playing live) to a mocked-up school gym and the band playing there; a solitary bass amp set on the chair behind Geddy Lee, a mirror ball spiralling crazily above, casting thin rods of light like a light rain across the crowd, Working Man coming to a shuddering halt as the band’s beginning becomes their end.

Rush recorded and filmed R40 Live over two sold-out shows in the band’s hometown of Toronto at the Air Canada Centre on June 17 & 19, 2015 in the middle of their R40 Live 35-date North American tour.

R40 Live had the trio of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson and Neil Peart, performing a career-spanning live retrospective celebrating their 40+ years together. The epic live shows by the Rock Hall of Famers were captured with 14 cameras to present the band feature-film style.

The centre-point of this tour was the remarkable set-list, coupled with their idea of a “de-evolution” set design. When the band opened the show with cuts “Headlong Flight” and “The Anarchist” from their most recent studio recording, 2012’s Clockwork Angels, they did so with all the bells and whistles from that extensive tour. They worked backwards through their catalogue as the show progressed, the innovative set design making for constant visual eye-candy, as stagehands exchanged the gear and props on stage to resemble the era-correct tour staging in accordance with the songs being played.

The first set featured the infamous dryers on stage while they played “Roll The Bones”, “Subdivisions”, and for the first time ever live, “Losing It” featuring violinist Ben Mink who appeared on the original studio recording from 1982’s Signals.

The second set opened with classics “Tom Sawyer”, followed by crowd favourite, “The Spirit of Radio” but also included “Jacob’s Ladder” which hasn’t been performed live since 1980 on their Permanent Wavestour. The last few songs of the R40 were set against the persimmion curtained theatre looking stage, with the crowd raising their lighters or camera phones to  “Closer to the Heart” and then Alex and Geddy appeared with their signature doubleneck guitars as they played Xanadu, into the epic “2112” and encore with “Lakeside Park/Anthem” and “What You’re Doing/Working Man”.
The concert film also includes the the band’s renowned tour videos, highlighted by “Roll The Bones (R40 Live)” that features array of special guests in the rap part of the song: Jay Baruchel (She’s Out Of My League), Les Claypool (Primus), Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones), Tom Morello (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave), Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers), The Trailer Park Boys, and Jason Segel & Paul Rudd (I Love You, Man). It is the first time the band put the song back in the setlist since the Snakes & Arrows tour in 2007/2008. During the R40 Live tour, “Roll The Bones” gained new life and became a fan-favourite with an arena sing-a-long to the chorus “Why are we here? Because we’re here – Roll The Bones”.
Singer/Bassist Geddy Lee explained how the large group of cameo appearances came about, "We had this older video of an animated Skeleton doing the "rap" part of “Roll The Bones”, and felt it was time to update the concept for this tour. So after a lot of joking around with our show design team, we thought it would fun if we called upon some of our well known pals and see if they wanted to have some fun with the lyrics. There were so many good and funny moments that it was hard to choose, some really hilarious and outrageous stuff!  I'm so glad it worked out as it brought a big smile to the faces in the audience (and to us!) every single night!"
R40 Live audio was produced by Rush & David Botrill, mixed by David Botrill (Tool, Muse), the film was directed by Dale Heslip and produced by Allan Weinrib. The live photograph on the cover of R40 was shot by baseball Hall of Famer Randy Johnson, who captured the band in a rare moment when both Geddy  Lee and Alex LIfeson were on Neil Peart’s drum kit riser. “As a friend and fan of Rush, and the passion I have for photography to capture moments, it’s great that both can blend together for a lasting impression here for the world to see,” commented the self-described ‘6”10 ninja in the photo pit’ who was on a portion of the tour in his new role as photographer.
RUSH R40 Live will be released on November 20, 2015, and will be available in the following configurations:
·       3-CD/1 Blu-ray set
·       3-CD/1 DVD set
·       3-CD set (audio only)
·       Single-disc Blu-ray
·       Single-disc DVD
Pre-orders available here – http://po.st/tcP8Wz
“Their influence is undeniable…and their legacy is that of a band that stayed true to themselves no matter how uncool they may have seemed to anyone.  I think it’s safe to say that Rush are indeed a band that has balls…and they’ve ALWAYS been cool.” - Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, inducting Rush into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

“Its long been a wonder how Rush prouduce such a huge sound with only three blokes…a world class performance” - The Sun Rush live review

“A full on prog-rocking spectacle” - Time Out

“Rush rarely disappoint. Long may they continue” - The Independent 5/5 live review

R40 TRACKLISTING / CD

Disc One
The World is .. The World is ...
The Anarchist
Headlong Flight
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
How It Is
Animate
Roll the Bones
Between the Wheels
Losing It (with Ben Mink)
Subdivisions

Disc Two
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio
Natural Science
Jacob’s Ladder
Hemispheres: Prelude
Cygnus X-1/The Story So Far (drum solo)
Closer to the Heart
Xanadu
2112

CD Disc Three
Mel’s Rockpile (with Eugene Levy)
Lakeside Park/Anthem
What You’re Doing/Working Man

Bonus
One Little Victory
Distant Early Warning
Red Barchetta
Clockwork Angels
The Wreckers
The Camera Eye
Losing It (with Jonathan Dinklage)

DVD/Blu-ray

Set One
The World is .. The World is ...
The Anarchist
Headlong Flight
Far Cry
The Main Monkey Business
How It Is
Animate
Roll the Bones
Between the Wheels
Losing It (with Ben Mink)
Subdivisions

Set Two
No Country for Old Hens
Tom Sawyer
YYZ
The Spirit of Radio
Natural Science
Jacob’s Ladder
Hemispheres: Prelude
Cygnus X-1/The Story So Far (drum solo)
Closer to the Heart
Xanadu
2112

Encore
Mel’s Rockpile (with Eugene Levy)
Lakeside Park/Anthem
What You’re Doing/Working Man
Exit Stage Left

Bonus
One Little Victory
Distant Early Warning
Red Barchetta

Rush.com
#R40live

Uncle G's Fun Movie Reviews_Reel Evil

Classic Rock Radio Dot CO Dot UK
19 Oct 2015
Uncle G's FUN Movie Reviews
Spotlight: Reel Evil (2012 Full Moon Features)
By: Gary "Uncle G" Brown
Twitter @GBrown0816

Note: Since the 1990’s, I been watching / collecting Full Moon Features movies. Here’s one from my collection.

Reel Evil (directed by Danny Draven)

Reel Evil - DVD - signed by Danny Draven (director) / Charles Band (producer)

From Charles Band’s Full Moon Film Studios in Hollywood California, comes yet another cool indie / B horror film. This one’s called; Reel Evil. A found footage horror movie. I know, not again. Seen enough after Blair Witch right? Honestly, I’m not a fan of the storyline myself. Still, I like the way Full Moon presented it, and I’m actually fine with this motion picture. Matter of fact, I’m pretty happy with it.

I purchased the DVD off Full Moon’s website;

www.fullmoondirect.com

Caught the pre-sale a couple / few weeks back. Arrived in my mailbox autographed by the director of the film, Danny Draven, and film company head, Charles Band. Didn’t charge more for the signatures. That I liked. Just paid for the product. Motivated me to join in, and get it for the home collection.

One of the stars in the film is a lovely young actress name; Jessica Morris. She also starred in one of my favorite Full Moon flicks from the year 2008; Dangerous Worry Dolls. Seems to have a good career going. Appeared on the daytime soap ‘One Life To Life’ for several years. She also did an episode of one of my wife’s favorite TV shows; CSI. Certainly gives a well done performance here. One of the best I seen her do.

Directed by Danny Draven. In his early thirties he already has an impressive resume of the IMDd website. By watching this film I can tell it’s going to get a lot better. From the intro to the end credits, he directed this movie to come out looking pretty damn cool. Filmed in six days (he states that and gives all kinds of details on the commentary track that came with the DVD).

Without giving too much away, an eager three person film crew gets their BIG break filming behind the scenes footage for a horror movie that’s being filmed in one of the creepiest places found in Los Angeles, California. Our young wannabes wander off by themselves, starting a rather scary trip through the bowels of what was once an insane asylum. Welcome to their nightmare.

The DVD is LOADED with lots of cool bonus features. The BEST one; VideoZone. For me it’s the return of. I missed the official return found in the bonus bits of the newest Puppet Master movie. I fell in love with the special feature Videozone back in the 1990’s. One Full Moon VHS tape back in the day, would come with besides the featured movie, commercials for their products, and then; VideoZone. It’s a behind the scenes look at the film you just saw. A whole night’s worth of entertainment. All that was missing, was the popcorn. And then VideoZone disappeared for years. My guest was that it became to expensive to keep doing. Cut into profit. Became just a distant memory. Until now !! Super glad to see it’s return.

Congrats to Full Moon / Danny Draven for doing a real good job here. Great audio sound. Includes a ton of Full Moon new and old trailers. Comes with a DVD-Rom feature; shooting script and movie poster. All that and a good movie in which everything is centered around.

Check out Full Moon’s official website(s) for additional information / ways the film is available for sale / viewing. Link provided in the beginning of the story. You can also check out Full Moon’s streaming service to see if it’s available on there.

http://fullmoonstreaming.com/

                         Official Full Moon Features Trailer (2012) 

Check out Full Moon's official website(s) for additional information / ways the film is available for sale / viewing. Link provided in the beginning of the story. You can also check out Full Moon's streaming service to see if it's available on there.

http://fullmoonstreaming.com/

Update 2015:  Director Danny Draven recently completed filming a new movie called Patient Seven that is being distributed by Terror Films. Stars one of the coolest action guys around; Michael Ironside. Can't wait to see this one. 

Danny Draven Official Facebook Page 

https://www.facebook.com/danny.draven.9

Dennis Dunaway_Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group

Author(s): Dennis Dunaway and Chris Hodenfield

Published: 2015

           ClassicRockRadio.co.uk PRESENTS 

               Uncle G's FUN Book Reviews

By Gary "Uncle G" Brown

American Correspondent for ClassicRockRadio.co.uk

Twitter @GBrown0816

First Published: October 15, 2015 
Revised July 04, 2016

"In fond memory of Glen Buxton 1947-1997"

Ordering old school via phone, 'Good Records' in Dallas Texas USA, took my order, and a few days later Dennis' book arrived. I had already seen a picture of the book on Dennis' official Facebook page. First impression was I liked the cover photo, and that the book had eleven words in its title. If on Facebook and being asked if it was a good title or not, I'd press the 'like' button. It clearly gets the point across that this was a book written (with help from C.H.) by the original bass player in Alice Cooper. The one, the only, Mr. Dennis Dunaway.

Now notice that Dennis has the word 'group' after Alice Cooper. It helps separate from Alice's ongoing solo career that started when Vince jumped ship (management in tow) in '75. Since then Alice has had an overall successful solo career that began with the mega successful 'Welcome To My Nightmare' album. An interesting catalog of albums followed. In 2015 we find Alice doing a side project, as part of a supergroup called 'The Hollywood Vampires' that just released their debut, self titled album. Frankly, I feel Alice deserves RnRHoF induction, on his solo career alone. Good for him he's already inducted, and rightfully so for being one fifth of the Alice Cooper 'group'. Which is where getting back to the book, this story ends. Admitted into the RnRHoF back in 2011. The 'group' since then has shown it still has some punch left in them which was apparent at a recent 2015 reunion show / appearances in Dallas Texas (Good Records). Glen was of course missed, but Alice, Neal, Michael, and Dennis played an eight song set that proved something is still there. I personally would luv nothing better than a new 40 to 45 minute Alice Cooper group concept album, and after it's release, a tour. If not wanting to embark on a full size tour, maybe just a handful of shows so to be professionally recorded; Audio & Blu-ray. From my lips to God's ears, there is still time left.

Dennis' recalling of events, lays out exactly how the Alice Cooper group came about. The vast majority of the certain to be, if not already, best seller chronicles mostly up to '74's Alice Cooper Greatest Hits album. Superb cover artwork by Drew Struzan on that one btw. For the 'group' this was pretty much the end. On record the 'group' would not play again and it would be minus GB, until Alice's follow up to Welcome 2 My Nightmare; Welcome 2 My Nightmare (2011).

Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group. Dennis Dunaway's personal recalling of his life. A very interesting one indeed. Successful with other bands since his Cooper days, and successful in life with a wife and two kids that has certainly kept him well grounded. 

I personally never met Dennis, but I know Michael Bruce, and Neal Smith. I also had the honor of hanging with Glen Buxton when he was in Houston, back in '97. I sat at a table with him and a few others after the Billy Blues show, and was amazed at how well he held our attention. I got to ask him anything I wanted. The dude was so cool and laid back. He sat there attentively as each of the three of us spoke, and then when finished he'd reply. Actually, he used the free time by reaching in and out of this black medicine bag he had with him. In the middle of long answers he's reaching in, grabbing a can of beer or a cigarette, and not miss a fucking beat. He gave responses in great details. Wonderful stories about The Doors, and Kiss.

I made a beer run for GB back when he did the record show appearance, and a cigarette run (Old Gold or Basic's 100) when at Billy Blues. Least I could do for one of my all time guitar heroes. 

One of the coolest and then saddest things ever in my life … the Area 51 show, at what would be GB's last ever public appearance. When it came time for the Cooper's anthem 'School's Out', I got to stand directly in front of Glen, as he played those all too famous, first opening guitar notes. A week later, Glen Buxton was dead. I still get choked up when I think about it too hard. My last memory of GB is him being in the back seat of a car, and exchanging pleasantries back and forth. In the rain, the automobile sooner or later pulled away. I believe it was Jeff Jatras (manager of Michael Bruce ) who seven days later told me Glen passed away.

One fanboy moment I had with GB was giving him a tee shirt. Right before the Area 51 show was to start. Was surprised and honored he actually wore it on stage. An attitude shirt I had specially made in Daytona Beach, Florida a few years before that. I never wore it. Hung on a hanger in my bedroom closet. Would scare mothers and children. It read on the upper arm sleeve; "Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones, but Whips and Chains Excite me". On the front of the black tee-shirt; "What are You Staring At Dickhead!" I forget the rest. 

October 12, 1997 @ Area 51 in Houston Texas USA
Left to right: Neal Smith, Richie Scarlet, and Glen Buxton

My real regret is that I never asked to have a picture taken with him. My wife got him to sign a couple things. Treasured items now. 

Speaking of the Houston appearence, Michael Bruce's manager told me that he would send posts I authored on Sick Things (a public Alice Cooper Internet Discussion Group) about Michael's playing, to Neal Smith. To help get him interested in coming to Houston which he did, along with GB. Dennis gives him credit for the '97 reunion, in which I do as well. It would have never have happened without his persistence. As for the record, and sorry if it's a spoiler, but Mr. Dunaway was ill at the time, and could not participate in the '97 Houston original Alice Cooper 'group' reunion. Alice wasn't there as well. It was never believed he would show up anyway. Michael, Neal, Glen, with the help of Ace Frehley's bass player, Richie Scarlet, and a local Houston musician playing keyboards and helping with backing vocals, John Glenn could not have done any better. For the short time they practiced, and played together, the five of them ended up a pretty tight band. These guys ROCKED! Weather wise in Houston, all during this time, it rained cats and dogs. A contributing factor I believe to Glen's demise.  

Michael Bruce once told me it was always better to take the high road, or whatever you could fit in your pockets. Only kidding! Luv U Bro'! TONS of memories. R.I.P Jeff Jatras. Truth is the man was a true scumbag the majority of the time. Killed himself in 2011. Sad in a way. Many that knew him who upon hearing news of his passing were quoted as saying; "Good riddance!"

Dennis' new autobiography, Snakes! Guillotines! Electric Chairs! My Adventures in the Alice Cooper Group. Recommend reading, so say I.

http://www.dennisdunaway.com/book/

Review_Desert Sweets - A Place Meant For Birds

Classic Rock Radio (Dot CO Dot UK)
A ClassicRockRadio.co.uk New Music Review
Spotlight: Desert Sweets - A Place Meant For Birds (2015)

By Gary "Uncle G" Brown
American Correspondent for ClassicRockRadio.co.uk
Twitter @GBrown0816
10 Oct 2015 

Writing while under the influence of Desert Sweets

Ready...Start...Go

I begin by visualizing a watering hole that could be located in any small town, or large city. A building on the corner, where the wooden floors could use a good mopping. In the middle of the business establishment was a spot where there were several pool tables. Musical notes from different instruments can be heard throughout the bar, but I was too twisted to figure out if it was a performance, or a rehearsal. The faint smell of cigarette smoke courtesy of a lady outside smoking nonchalantly near the barely opened shit house window.

One night in the Big Apple, I literally walked face first into the front doors of an old and at the time nearly forgotten Ed Sullivan Theater, because I wasn't looking where the fuck I was going. In my late teens, or early twenties. Bar hopping in NYC, decades ago, was always an eye-opening experience for me.

For hours I sit and drink at my favorite at the time drinking establishment. I simply felt at home. As a child in 1969, I watched the Apollo Moon Landing while sitting on a bar stool, on a television set located in a South Amboy, New Jersey tavern because my Father stopped going home after Mom died. A professional musician who drank herself to death. On nights she worked, I was allowed to watch her perform one set, while eating a hot tomato pie. And here we were, my Father and myself, back at the scene of the crime.

While Pops best friend, and he were on non speaking terms, Dad's drinking buddy aka the town drunk, while out and after having consumed possibly one alcoholic drink too many, fell backwards from his bar stool, and landed head first on the hard floor below. Looking the same as any of the other times he was publicly intoxicated, people at first stepped over and around him. Again, not the first time Ace was found while looking down from a stand up position. This would be his last. The man when breathing and not totally shit-faced, enjoyed quiet times at home watching the boob tube with his elderly Mother, who unfortunately had the difficult task of having to bury her one and only son.

The End.

"OK Class, time to put down your pencils."

And there you have it. I had totally no idea what I was writing about, before I wrote (typed) it. While the creative juices were flowing, in the background, coming out my home stereo system, was my one and only inspiration. Desert Sweets newest release; A Place Meant For Birds. An almost all instrumental true avant-garde project. The groups first in over a decade. Just under fifty-five minutes long. Seven tracks total, with two of them coming in at over the ten minute mark. Three very talented / seasoned musicians. Captured live in New Mexico a couple years ago. While I was recently thinking about how I was to go about writing about it, the idea popped in my mind about doing some 'improvisational writing'.

Hearing 'A Place Meant For Birds' inspired me to apparently write about pubs of long time pass, and of some of my recollections regarding one, King Alcohol. Wasn't planned. Sounds triggering old thoughts and memories. Glad the opportunity arose to tell the world about about Ace. He was really into baseball, and favored pitchers. Totally blitzed while standing in the middle of a public street, he'd pitch a perfect game. Never got to experience his glory because the police would always arrive by the ninth inning. When quized later on, he would respond with how the rest of the game went. Happened more than once. People would come out of their house, and sit on the curb watching him. Didn't like it when someone would trash talk. Was skinny like Gilligan on that tv show about the stranded castaways. Wish I remembered the man's real name. May 'Ace' rest in peace.

Knowing your craft, one learns keeping doors open, can help one get craftier. Expand one's regular horizons. Exceed one's boundaries. Frank Zappa was perhaps my first exposure to anything musically out of bounds. That and the sounds I would hear when I spun my Partridge Family albums backwards. Instead of hearing them singing 'come on get happy', in my already then warped little mind it sound to ME like; "I AM SATAN AND I WILL EAT YOU!" And then I'd let go of the needle, and I'd hear them sing normally; "Come on get happy." I digress. For myself progressive rock exceeded the three minutes / three chord / repetitive beat format of pop radio that I was immersed in my youth. Also, being incarcerated in Asbury Park, New Jersey, at the ripe age of thirteen, first exposed me to black people and jazz music. The hippest guards were smoking weed when all was clear, and pumping out the jazz fusion. All while beating me in the game of chess. Lesson learned was to always keep an open mind when it comes to music. And for the most part, that I have.

"Sand shits from the corner of my lips" -- Lisa Gill (poem …track six)

All three players of Desert Sweets have interesting musical backgrounds. Worth investigating. Let me introduce; Biggi Vinkeloe (alto saxophone, flute) / Mark Weaver (tuba, didgeridoo) / Damon Smith (double bass).

Desert Sweets @ the Outpost, Albuquerque, NM 03/14/13
Photo by: Mark Weber

Uncle G Rating

Avant-garde not have the same interest with the general public as adult contemporary, standard rock music has. To give this a rating as I would anything I normally would, simply would not be fair. Thing is, some people out there upon giving this thirty seconds of their time, would dismiss what they heard, as perhaps not even being not music at all. Meaning not traditional music per-say. Sally's not coming around any mountain here. Yet it's all sound with one purpose, to make the brain react. So Sally can still come with her six white horses, and hopefully not have any hay stuck between her butt cheeks. The human mind in all its glory, is engaged. Nice when the response is favorable.

Right here and right now, I'm officially saying the new Desert Sweets release called, A Place Meant For Birds, is worth the money to acquire it. If I was doing a one to five star review with one star meaning it sucks uncooked turtle testicles, to five stars meaning it's well worth having in the personal collection, I'd then follow that up by saying something much like this; Uncle G gives Desert Sweets - A Place Meant For Birds …5 stars!

Also getting a 5 star review … the cover art. LOVE IT! And the paper sleeve the CD comes in that has this uniquely interesting cowboy image, not surprisingly, has a nice feel to it also. No expense spared. The painting is called, Cowboy Angel II, by Delmas Howe (2009). Catches the eye fer sure. An oil on canvas, 70" by 44". 

Honorable Mention: My African Grey Parrot; Bela Brown. Her favorite track on Desert Sweets - A Place Meant For Birds is track six; The Wind Has Taken My Breath.

Bela Brown
Hatched 10 Feb 1999
Favorite Food: Peanuts (in the shell)

*Bela Brown's Helpful WebLinks*

Biggi Vinkeloe: www.biggievinkeloe.com

Mark Weaver: www.facebook.com/mark.weaver.315

Damon Smith: http://balancepointacoustics.bandcamp.com/

Lisa Gill (poet): poetlisagill.wardpress.com/about/

Inspiration: Rio Bravo Fine Art Gallery - www.riobravofineartgallery.com

To Purchase: http://geni.us/2NL7

OH..and don't believe that shit about the Partridge Family. No Satan, and besides who isn't happier at this moment any more than David Cassidy? So come on ... get jovial. You'll be glad you did. 

Uncle G's FUN Movie Reviews_The Ladies of the House

Classic Rock Radio (Dot CO Dot UK)
02 Oct 2015
ClassicRockRadio.co.uk Presents:
Uncle G's FUN Movie Reviews
Recommended Age: 16+
Spotlight: The Ladies of the House (2015)

Like the television show Cheaters, this movie was filmed in Dallas, Texas. Of course next time around I'd suggest to the filmmakers filming in the great city of Houston. Still in Texas. Not that anything is wrong with Dallas. I moved to Houston in '86, and then moved out to a small neighboring town called Katy, in '14. Twenty eight years I lived in Space City. Looking back on almost three decades, I can say while there, that the fourth largest city in these United States, did me well. Really I just got bored living there, and was looking for a change.

In Dallas it's colder in the winter. They get ice and snow there. Houston as a rule, does not. Ruins it for me living in a place like Dallas, because I absolutely hate living in real cold climate. Snow and ice is where I draw the line. The summertime temperatures in either Dallas or Houston can be at times, awful hellish. Not that anyone gets used to the sweltering heat. Every year, millions of folks get by the best they can, including yours truly.

Since being in Texas, I have been to Dallas a small handful of times. Speaking of the cinema / movies, on one trip there I met indie film director / producer Charles Band at one of his Full Moon Road Shows, back in '08. With him, the lovely actress Robin Sydney (star of Full Moon's Gingerdead Man). And musically, Dallas rocks as well. Always a good show to be caught somewhere. I witnessed the original line up of Asia at the House of Blues there a few years ago, and met former Yes lead singer Jon Anderson, there back in 2012. But I still like Houston better.

Jumping ahead to the present, the big news here in Katy Texas among the film buffs, is that I (Uncle G) actually watched the same movie TWICE in two days. It's called; The Ladies of the House. A fairly new indie horror / suspense film that I caught by chance while surfing Hulu's horror movie category. I get Hulu monthly for their extensive television library. They also showcase movies worth checking out as well. Such is the case with; The Ladies of the House. And as I said in the beginning, filmed in Dallas Texas.

The person with the most star power in the cast of, 'The Ladies of the House', is mostly known for a career in adult X-rated flicks. Participating in more serious hardcore activities that according to actress Michelle Sinclair, whose known in the adult film industry as 'Belladonna', 'paid more' than just regular / normal on camera sex did. As well it should. In the business since 1999, she told Diane Sawyer in a televised interview that she was able to pay for a sister of hers to go to college, with some of the money she was making. Most actresses in adult films piss their money away and end up having nothing to show for it. So maybe this story on this one individual is different? Most are tragic. So much so, that I don't get into porn myself. To each, their own. Human beings are sexual creatures. I have no problems with adult consensual sex, or it being filmed and viewed by the masses. Personally I don't get off watching females doing sexually explicit things they really otherwise would not be doing, just because they got to pay the rent.

As Belladonna, Michelle ends up having quite a few video credits, so she's kept herself pretty busy there for a while. Butt that was then. Nowadays, Michelle is retired from the acting part of the porn business, her last credit on the IMDb website dates back to the year 2012. About the same time the movie I'm writing about now, started being made. Michelle is married now, in her early thirties, and according to one of the bio's I read about her, is busy raising a child. I'll state for the record that the young woman does a good job as 'Ginger' in 'Ladies in the House', proving Michelle really has acting crops, for those who believe no such thing is required in the porn world. It's apparent that she can contribute, and very nicely at that, to mainstream cinema as well.

Thing is, it wasn't Michelle that attracted me to this new indie offering. I knew nothing of her / Belladonna before streaming this film...twice. I was just maybe interested in viewing something on TV while eating dinner (pasta and sausage with a glass of chilled sangria). The title caught my eye; The Ladies of the House. That's how it happened. Then I decided I wanted to write about it, so I watched it again, and took notes while doing so.

The internet streaming network Hulu(Plus), states it came out this year (2015), but the IMDb website says 'The Ladies of the House' came out in 2014. Could have had a limited showing? Today, it's released to the masses. "The Ladies of the House' can be found in several places of the world wide web. Just checking, I found out for $3.99, one can view it via Amazon Dot Com. Can be purchased on disc as well.

After enjoying my dinner, I kicked back and dug in watching the rest of the movie. A cool ass B horror flick about vengeful (rightfully so in this situation) cannibal bi-sexual strippers. Read on still curious person.

The bi-sexual stuff is tastefully done, girl on girl, and for those who dig the sex stuff, some hetro sex is included in the spinning of this yarn, as well. Not that heavy. Besides, this isn't a sex film. The four actresses who share star billing are in fact playing women who are young and healthy sexual creatures. They are, after all, strippers. Very little full on / direct nudity by the way. Not really needed. Better sometimes letting one's imagination do it's job. A reflection of a well done directional job by rookie film director; John Stuart Wildman. Plenty of good conversation and goings on in between the naughty / gross bits to keep one's attention.

'The Ladies of the House' is actually a solid story. Paced very well. Clever dialogue. The guys in this film are point blank assholes', and unlucky for them, the ladies have the upper hand here. Teaches what can happen if deciding to follow a dancer home. Bad idea for the three young men out having a good time. The first time around director receives a writing credit as well along with the gifted story-teller / writer Justina Walford. And they are also listed as producers with a small group of others. Not that it takes a village to make a good horror / suspense film. But it helps to have a good crew, in which it seems those behind the scenes at 'The Ladies Of the House' were.

Uncle G Rating

Using the IMDb one to ten star rating system, whereas one star means it's bad, to ten stars in, which means it's good, Gary "Uncle G" Brown gives 'Ladies of the House', a solid 8 stars. Story got a little confusing towards the end. Also, the BIG guy's death was gruesome and all, but shouldn't he made more noise when finally fatally assaulted? I guess in my mind that I wanted to hear him squeal loudly like a pig. Guess he went into shock. So in my mind anyway, a couple scenes that maybe could have used tightening. Damn near a perfect B horror movie, and really worth viewing more than once.

The film's score by Yasuhiko Fukuoka was very well done. I have seen requests from people on the Internet asking about where to buy a soundtrack. Very impressive! 

Overall, I enjoyed 'The Ladies of the House' very much. Would of course recommend it to other B movie horror fans like myself. 

Gary "Uncle G" Brown
American Correspondent for ClassicRockRadio.co.uk
Twitter @GBrown0816

B.B. KING

Ladies and Gentlemen…. MR B.B. KING

5^TH NOVEMBER 2012

In celebration of B.B. King’s 50^th Anniversary signing to ABC-Paramount Records in 1962, comes this multi-format career retrospective, leading the way with a slick 10-CD, 194 track collection chronicling his entire career from his first recordings in 1949 through to his most recent studio album all housed in a beautiful luxe box including a 72-page silver gilded hardback book, featuring essays from  Ashley Kahn and Dick Shurman. The set is also packed with glorious images and memorabilia, illustrating this incredible career, all lovingly assembled and engineered by Grammy Award-winning consultant Bill Levenson.

The title is also being released on a 4-CD Cutdown Version and Digital Deluxe (mirror of 4-CD physical cutdown plus bonus album Lucille Talks Back).

“B.B. King is one of America’s few, long-standing musical treasures whose stature has grown to an unassailable, international level. Despite his 85 years, King continues to tour, perform and to grow in influence, casting a shadow that reaches far beyond the blues scene from whence he first came. His warm, downhome vocal style, his distinctive, “talking” blues guitar playing, and his songs that sing of love’s joys and hardships – “Sweet Sixteen”, “How Blue Can You Get?”, “Help The Poor”, “The Thrill Is Gone” and countless others – are all indelibly imprinted elements in the modern musical heritage.”  – Ashley Kahn

 

KEY FEATURES:

•           Two CDs chronicling his early years on Bullet, Modern/RPM and Kent/Crown Records

•           Eight CDs chronicling his recording achievements on ABC-Paramount, ABC Bluesway, ABC, ABC/Impulse, MCA and Geffen Records, as well as high profile collaborations

•           Highlights include key recordings from every ABC/MCA/Geffen era album

•           Rare, non-album singles

•           Rare album tracks

•           Previously unreleased recordings from his historic May 2, 1970 Carnegie Hall Concert

•           Rare “One Touch” EP tracks:

•           Collaborations with Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, U2,Elton John, Robert Cray, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Gary Moore, Bobby “Blue” Bland, and others.

ROD STEWART

CLASSIC ALBUM SELECTION

(5-CD SET)

An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down

Gasoline Alley

Every Picture Tells A Story

Never A Dull Moment

Smiler

16^TH OCTOBER 2015

Before Rod Stewart became known as a global rock superstar and master interpreter of the Great American Songbook, the albums he made for the Mercury label between 1969 and 1974 established him as one of rock’s most distinctive and expressive singers and gifted songwriters.  The five solo albums that Stewart released during that period — An Old Raincoat Won’t Ever Let You Down - also known as The Rod Stewart Album (1969), Gasoline Alley (1970), Every Picture Tells a Story (1971), Never a Dull Moment (1972) and Smiler (1974) —feature a rootsy, folk-blues-leaning style, steeped in traditional soul and R&B. This superb 5-CD collection brings together all of these albums in their entirety and offers musical insight into his early creative development and emergence as a major artist.

Rod Stewart shows no signs of slowing as he continues to follow a busy touring and recording career. He’s about to release a brand new studio album, ‘Another Country’ and his 2013 album Time, for Capitol Record featured 11 original tracks and marked his return to songwriting after nearly two decades. Time entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 1, setting a new British record for the longest gap between chart-topping albums by an artist -- and in the US, it marked Stewart’s highest-charting album of original material since 1979. Most of the release was born during the period he worked on what would later become his internationally best-selling book, Rod: The Autobiography.