The machine, made by Martin Molin, uses an elaborate marble track system to create a sophisticated song. There are some 2000 marbles raised by a tracked elevator which is powered by some vigorous hand cranking. As they descend, the marbles strike the right parts of a glockenspiel, percussion instruments, and bass guitar. A lever system allows the operator/musician to turn selected instruments on and off. This allows the machine to be played in a way that goes beyond simply turning the crank and allowing the programmed track to run.
Many thanks to the lovely Rachel for the perfect Superbowl Sunday link (not for actual football fans, of course).
This incredible clip of prancing footballers and a leotard-clad Debbie Reynolds playing a football is from the 1953 musical I Love Melvin. The New York Times claimed this “musical comedy contrivance is almost too liberal for words.” You be the judge.
A while back I posted about popular songs getting the minor key treatment (which is great for someone like me, who has a bright heart but loves dark things).
The Gregory Brothers have turned Jingle Bells into a somber tune, sure to bring a little melancholy to your holiday.
I urge you to drop everything and watch the inimitable Morgan Freeman in the role of a vegetarian vampire (he starred in The Electric Company 45 years ago). Within 10 seconds, you’ll realize the combination deadpan delivery and exaggerated vaudevillian charm is nearly impossible to describe…but utterly fantastic.
I’ve actually never seen this show. Has anyone watched it?
Aside from Beth Gibbon’s haunting vocals (I still adore my old Portishead albums) over Gonga’s sludgy drone metal, this video is so worth watching for horror fans, as it nods to horror classics of yesteryear.
Three words: So. Much. Boris. A little Karloff makes everything better.
I try not to post long videos here. I understand that everyone is busy (and I personally rarely take the time to watch lengthy videos I come across while browsing online…even if they look interesting). BUT…children of the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s…these are worth your time.
The creators have taken (often embarrassing, highly dated, yet in some cases enjoyably nostalgic) clips from bygone TV days and edited them together in themed compilations. I laughed out loud multiple times.
Do not miss the video that begins at 8:00 in Cultural Meltdown. I ferociously googled the lyrics to find out more about this song and nothing came up. But look and listen!
Yeah, that’s the nature of the beast
Keeper of the male persona
Yeah that’s the nature of the beast
Keeper of my status quota
“Status quota?” What does that even mean? Don’t you want to rush to the 8 minute mark now?
There are a bunch of others I intend to watch as well! Thank you, GD, for finding these!
This is one of the most disturbingly surreal videos I’ve ever seen. Classic mid century “music of the future” plays while a group of kids (in monkey masks) ride their bikes until, one by one, each meets an untimely end. The narration…the visuals…it’s all SO good. This is a must-see for fans of all things strange and unusual.
The names of the characters alone make this worth watching. Rooty Toot Jasperson
Tinkerbell McDillingfiddy
Stanislaw Higginbottom
Phil Floogyl
Mossby Pomegranate
Trigby Fipps
(and more…I won’t give them all away)
If you’re interested, it was featured in a Boards of Canada video as well:
(Thanks for reminding me this exists, Cat Daddy-O!)
I often get emails from artists and businesses (who clearly haven’t read the blog) asking for promotion. But recently I was surprised by a heartfelt personal note from a lovely young woman, sharing her music with me.
I confess, I thought “Oh no…this girl is such a sweetheart…what am I going to say if the music is terrible?”
But guess what? Madison Chasebelongs on SWS (and in anyone’s collection of dark cabaret for that matter)! If I were to have an automatic piece of music playing when my blog page opens, this would be quite appropriate:
Her songs are a soundtrack for eying shelves of broken dolls in a forgotten antique store, or for the greatest tea party…in hell. These are the lullabies discarded toys sweetly sing to each other through cracked lips.
Well, that’s my version. But here’s the official word:
Madison Chase is a North Carolina based musician. Her genre has been referred to as Creepy Pop, Circus Pop, and Chamber Pop and draws influence from classical, pop, industrial and jazz. Madison plays a variety of instruments and began studying piano at the age of six, and by twelve she had moved her focus to cello.
When you listen, take note of the fact that most of these songs came out when Madison was only *14*. I only wish I had been this cool at 14. I was still (begrudgingly) wearing clothes my mom picked out, trying to convince my friends to see horror movies, and staying up late to watch 120 Minutes and Headbangers Ball on MTV (they still played music back then. Yes, I’m that old).
SheWalksSoftly 