12.30.2009

Super Star...


GMC Hauler...


Stolen from J Jurkowski Collection                                                                                                      

12.29.2009

Headbanger...

As seen on E-Bay, Le Bon Coin and DAVIDA helmet (UK).











Motorcycles PEUGEOT...






12.28.2009

Space 1999...

 In 1999, Moonbase Alpha is set up to act not only as a research center, but as an early warning station in case of alien attack. Its commanded by Americans Commander John Koening and Doctor Helena Russell.
Also at this time, Earth has decided to ship all of its nuclear waste to the Moon. Unfortunately, on September 13th, just as a deep space probe is to be launched, a chain reaction causes the waste to explode, causing the moon to be ripped from its orbit and sent hurtling out of the solar system.
Now, the crew, formed of 311 inhabitants, must struggle for survival as they go further and further out in space. During their interstellar journey, the Alphans encounter a vast array of alien civilizations, dystopian societes, and strange phenomena previously unseen by man.
At the time of its production, Space: 1999 (ITV, 1975-77 - 48 episodes) was the most expensive British TV series ever made. But the show's development was far from straightforward.
The stars of the show were American actors Martin Landau and Barbara Bain, a husband and wife team that had previously starred in the hit US spy drama Mission: Impossible (US, 1966-73). The casting choice was dictated by the need to sell the show to American broadcasters - there was little hope of bankrolling the production without US sales.
The first season has a cool, sedate atmosphere. The show seems strangely calm, even during the fast-paced sequences in the action-oriented episode 'War Games' (directed by former Ealing stalwart Charles Crichton), which sees the Moon's inhabitants attacked by a race of aliens that judge humanity to be "a contaminating organism, a fatal virus, a plague of fear".
Season two dramatically changed tack under instruction from its US distributor - the order was to dump the first season's philosophical treatise on humanity and replace it with action and humour. Fred Freiberger, producer of the much-criticised final season of the original Star Trek (US, 1966-69), was brought in to oversee the changes, but his influence killed off the show's individuality, once again turning a ground-breaking science fiction show into a trite space opera. Gerry Anderson described much of Freiberger's influence as "awful". Space: 1999 failed to break orbit for a third season.
Martin Landau (Commander John Koenig); Barbara Bain (Dr Helena Russell); Alan Carter (Nick Tate); Barry Morse (Professor Victor Bergman); Catherine Schell (Maya); Tony Anholt (Tony Verdeschi) were the main characters in this serie.
{info. selected from BFI -A. Clark-}
The serie was called Space 1999 (or Cosmo 1999).
I, personally, remember of the space-ship called "Eagle" a killing machine (and beautifully designed) when Alan Carter was on the commands.

Have a beautiful day,

Listen to KRAFTWERK "Radioactivity"

Dreamer...


12.26.2009

Rene ARNOUX...


Rene Arnoux alias "Nene" seemed to be born for turbo cars. With 18 poles (the most by a non-title winning driver) He was undoubtedly one of the fastest drivers of the early 80s and certainly a one-lap wonder when pressed. A real racer best known for his epic battle with Villeneuve at Dijon, he was also a man who could stir up politics within a team - which is not what you want when paired with Alain Prost (Team Renault). With René choosing to go his own way in 1982 internal conflict flared up in the same way Villeneuve and Pironi clashed at Ferrari that year, although fortunately the Renault feud didn't end in the same tragic way. Brought in to replace the fallen Ferrari warriors, René came closest to the title when driving for the Scuderia before his unceremonious sacking at the start of the 1985 season (after 1 race) meant he became a bit player from that instant on.


After sitting out the season, he resurfaced in another home team - Ligier. In 1986, this outfit went through a resurgence of form - Arnoux and Jacques Laffite both led the Detroit Grand Prix - but over the winter, Arnoux’s public comments cost the team an Alfa Romeo engine deal. In reality, he was never a feature up front again. The Ligier days, ending in 1989, marked the era of Arnoux as a troublesome backmarker, particularly when Prost was doing the lapping! After this, rare Le Mans outings, with Dodge and Ferrari, were his sole racing activity. He went on to work with the DAMS F3000 team, and with Pedro Diniz and the Forti Corse F1 squad.

Arnoux came to prominence during in the traditional French way, slicing through the various Elf Renault supported categories. His pace and natural speed was undoubted, as he won several of the junior formulae. First he took the Formule Super Renault championship in 1975 before moving on to claim his biggest title, the 1977 European Formula Two Championship

Statistically, René Arnoux’s F1 career is extremely interesting, showing him as one of the fastest men around in the turbo-charged Grand Prix era. Not only did he win seven races in the early eighties, but he also set twelve fastest laps, eighteen pole positions (no other driver has had more without being a World Champion) and led twenty-five GPs in total (ahead of champions like Jones, Hunt, Scheckter and Andretti). He was second best qualifier in ’82 and ’83, and led ten of sixteen races in the first of these seasons - more than anyone else. He was a pace-setter throughout the years 1979-1984
 
Have a beautiful day,
 
Listen to GEORGE HARRISON "Faster"
[source: F1 logbook]


L&L Choppers...

Located in a building on industrial area (Netherlands), L&L Choppers is quite THE spot for shopperparts - from old school to swedish chopper- and no matter the style you like you will find your stuff or they will for you.

If you're not enough handy, this shop offer some custom bikes who really kickass even if their main business is to furnish all needed parts to build your own bike.
I've been there 2/3 times with friends and it's sure a good spot to know.

Check those guys if you're around... http://www.l-l-choppers.com/


Have a Beautiful day


Listen to A GROUP CALLED SMITH "Mojaleskey Bridge"
[Pics stolen from L&L Choppers -all rights reserved-]

12.23.2009

Michel VAILLANT

Created in 1957 by French author Jean Graton, and continued by his son Philippe and the Studio Graton, the Adventures of Michel Vaillant represent a unique work in the history of comic strips and automobile racing. Unique, because if the Adventures of Michel Vaillant are all fiction, they invite the reader into the real world of motor racing that both Jean and Philippe Graton have been acquainted with for the past 50 years.
In the comics, Vaillante was in the beginning a French transporting company. They also created their own trucks and cars, and decided to enter the Formula 1, with Michel Vaillant, the son of Henri, as their pilot. The chief designer of Vaillante is Jean-Pierre, the elder brother of Michel. Later, Steve Warson, american pilot, will become the best friend of Michel and an excellent driver for Vaillante.
Vaillante has a large following in France and Belgium, and there are many toy models of Vaillante cars available, based on the series. There have been also a few attempts to create real Vaillante cars, both road cars and racing cars. Recently, in 2002, a Vaillante prototype participated in Le Mans.
In 2006, a prototype blue SEAT Ibiza Vaillante designed by Luc Donckerwolke is presented in Geneva.
Michel Vaillant has been adapted into a television series, several animated pictures and into a feature movie written and produced by Luc Besson. But it is in its original form (graphic novels) that the saga weaves its magic. The realistic drawings constitute an exceptional encyclopaedia of 50 years of motor racing.
This imaginary hero, recognised by the world of racing (Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari personally wished him a happy 20th birthday), defends the fundamental sporting values that have survived all the different trends.



Have a beautiful day

Listen to AIRBOURNE "Too much, Too young, Too fast"
[Stolen from Michel Vaillant.com]



Fiat ABARTH 131







12.22.2009

The Detroit Cobras...

One of the earliest groups to emerge from the Detroit garage rock scene, the Detroit Cobras developed a reputation as the Midwest's finest (and most distinctive) cover band -- while the bandmembers devoted themselves to performing other people's material rather than recycling established hits, the Detroit Cobras dug deep into the well of vintage R&B and primitive rock & roll sides, building an individual identity out of lost classics from the past which they modified to fit their swaggering aural personality. The Detroit Cobras were formed in 1995 by Steve Shaw, who developed a taste for classic R&B from spending time with Alex Chilton, whom he met through his friends in Detroit primitives the Gories. The first edition of the Detroit Cobras featured former exotic dancer Rachel Nagy on vocals, Shaw and Maribel Restrepo (ex-Vertical Pillows) on guitars, Jeff Meier (from Rocket 455) on bass, and Vic Hill on drums, and they released their first 7" in 1996.
In what would prove to be the first in a long line of personal changes, Hill was replaced by Chris Fachini by the time the Cobras released their third single (which also hit the stores in 1996), and their debut LP, Mink Rat or Rabbit, featured a third timekeeper, Damian Lang (who'd worked with Snake Out and Elvis Hitler). During the three years that passed before the Detroit Cobras appeared on the Jack White-produced compilation Sympathetic Sounds of Detroit, founder Shaw left the band, with Dante Aliano stepping in on guitar and Rob Smith taking over on bass. Rachel Nagy's tough but soulful vocals and Maribel Restrepo's lean, muscular guitar lines would be the group's only constants from this point on, though they would be enough to earn the group a potent following on the American garage scene and a major buzz in the United Kingdom, where they scored a deal with the fabled indie label Rough Trade, which released 2001's Life, Love and Leaving in Great Britain (it appeared on Sympathy for the Record Industry in the United States). (That LP also featured new guy Eddie Hawrsh on bass.)
While veteran tunesmiths Ellie Greenwich and Jackie DeShannon expressed interest in writing material with the group, the fourth Cobras album, 2004's Baby, once again featured them rocking out on a stack of R&B dusties, though Greg Cartwright, who helped produce the album, did co-write an original with Nagy and Restrepo, "Hot Dog (Watch Me Eat)." The album also documented another Cobras lineup, with Nagy and Restrepo joined by Steve Nawara on guitar, Joe Mazzola on bass, and Kenny Tudrick on drums. After a brief hiatus and a move to Bloodshot Records, the Phil Spector-influenced Tried and True was released in 2007 with yet another rotation of musicians -- reintroducing Greg Cartwright and adding seasoned bassist Carol Schumacher, a fellow member of the Reigning Sound, to the ever-changing roster.
The Detroit Cobras, another "must-have" in your play-list.

Have a Beautiful Day

Listen to THE DETROIT COBRAS "Midnight Blues"
[From All Music Guide-MD]

Hummer-istic...



A Hummer H1 is a rather chunky piece of machinery. It's part of America's contribution to bigger is better and in fuel efficiency term, it has the social conscience of a fly for a piece of meat.
To most green campainers, it's the devil himself, and probably rightly so. It's huge and more suited to downtown Baghdad, covered in armored plates.
To most "enthusiastics" of Off-Road, this beast is the absolute vehicule of going through the worst Earth's reliefs.
To most daily drivers, as i am, the H1 when suddenly emerging from nowhere, is quite difficult to remove from our path (cf. photo)
I will drive a new car tomorrow

Have a beautiful day,
Listen to PUSCIFER "Queen B"

12.21.2009

This is your day...

Frank ZAPPA



Samuel L. JACKSON



 Listen to FRANK ZAPPA "Muffin Man"                                                                                       
R.I.P.                                                                                                    


Headbanger...

As seen on E-Bay










12.20.2009

Buggy...

August 1966, USA. A dune buggy bouncing on the cover of Hot Rod magazine.
This is the beginning of an invasion of insects rolling in the US! History of dune buggy begin in 1963, in the golden state of California, and the hero is Bruce Meyer. It is a brilliant designer of 37 years, wild surf, sea lover, and leading scholar of polyester material that has no secrets for him and with whom it already manufactures boards and multihull boats. One day, being with his wife in search of a "spot" on the side of Pismo Beach, it drops off to a group of surfers having fun jumping in the dunes with strange devices they call Dune Buggies. In fact, it is mostly jeep stripped of any body parts, whose chassis has been shortened. Amateur builders have, for security, welded somehow a hoop directly on it, but the result is really beautiful! Some of them use a mechanical VW, Bruce observes connoisseur since driving an old combi.
Bruce found the idea fun. The next day he cut the rear fenders of his VW bus and adapt it for large wheels it produces itself by welding a VW veil to a  Buick rim . Everything is equipped with tire 9.50 by 15, and allows the minibus to take her new friends further along the beach, but with limitations that suggest to Bruce that we can do better!
His creativity is on and if the idea of rolling in the dunes is fun, it is certain that there is an easier and more attractive way to do so. The idea running through his head, and after several months of gestation, many sketches and some models, it launches in August 1963 in the manufacture of master. The first draft of wood and plaster will serve to make the mold out for a polyester hull.
The machine who was carves from its hands inspired both the Schwimmenwagen and a car cartoons! Very short, it has a round nose, wings wide and flat, it has no doors and bonnet, and receives a tubular frame built
into the bodywork, which has components from the Beetle.
The first hull out of the mold in May 1964 and Meyer Manx number one, quickly assembled, is very fast on the beach! The result exceeds their expectations in both performance and popularity,  Bruce realize immediately that he has invented something fantastic. Once it starts to make circles on the beach, everyone pounces on him! What's this? How much does it cost? Where can I buy one?
Given the demand, he decided to start a small series. 11 kits out of its mold while before he realizes he is losing money by selling at 985$, after all this is a nice sum in 64! (Later, the kit will be sold 140$ !). Upon reflection, he realizes that eventually he threw the best part of the VW: the chassis! It remains only by shorten  the size of it. Bruce knows this is possible because he saw a Soothsayer, a small sports car based on VW made like that.
He immediately attacks the shortening of a platform and sets the mold accordingly. He has invented the dream car for all manufacturers. The one everyone wants to buy, that everyone can build! He quickly flooded America with thousands of Meyer Manx kits emerging from its plant in Costa Mesa. The success of this invention creates manufacturers of buggies everywhere! And of course, the design of his buggy is copied worldwide! 47 years ago, Bruce Meyer had not deceived by inventing the concept of the buggy and drawing the Manx!

Have a beautiful day,

Listen to FOO FIGHTERS "Learn to fly"

Empty vessels make more noise...


Do you ever find yourself in complaint mode? Do you ever bemoan your luck, whinge at the people character or whine about people actions?
It's not hard to find good reasons to complain about most things/people, if we look hard enough! For those who find themselves complaining a lot it does tend to be learned, developed and practised habit over a long period of time, probably since childhood. For them, it will always feel OK and natural to seek out the things that could be, should be, ought to be better! After all nothing is perfect in an imperfect world! (especially virtual)
The Complainer expects others and the World to make them happy, thought happiness is a self-created state of mind. The Complainer tends to feel powerless and often hopeless, lost in thoughts of his own.
The Complainer is essentially angry. They believe they can effect change and get what they want just by displaying their anger at what has just happened, or not happened. They would probably even start complaining if someone suggested that complaining is not such a bright idea!

Then, you have at the other end those for whom the world is a wonderful place, constantly full of surprises and discoveries, despite what others may see as not wonderful. When things go wrong, or turn less than expected, they accept it, take in the way it is and just keep moving...
Occasionally they are tempted to stop and jump in the light of a negative reflection, but it doesn't last long as they realise that life, in the meantime, is moving on.

Have a beautiful day.

Listen to RADIOHEAD "House of cards"

12.18.2009

The Black Angels...


Newcommers on the stage (since 2004) this group psyche rock from Austin (Texas) ressurects the sound hard, rock, psychedelic. Their name derives from The Velvet Underground song "The black angel's death song".
The group's debut was generally well received in the independant underground rock. With eclectic and dreamlike titles, deep and committed, slashed on all sides, even sutured not to burst under the mounted acid music, The Black Angels offers a dark, lyrical content worthy Velvet, Doors,....
I've been lucky to watch/listen their concert at The Troubadour (Los Ang.) -those guys are really great- Since then, this is a "must have" on a playing list.

Songs :: Black Grease, You on the run, Manipulation, Doves, Science killer,...

Have a beautiful day

listen to THE BLACK ANGELS "Young Men Dead"

TGIF...


Dreamer...









Even if the Triumph is kickass, the last one  is quite my favorite...  looks like a West Coast fabrication.  Love the paint job on the gas-tank.

[pics stolen from "The Hate Factory]

                                                                                                                  



12.16.2009

Music...

The relationship I have with my iPod (got one as gift) may be verging on the unhealthy side. I spend three hours last night organizing my songs and making playlists of my various moods. Of course the iPod can't be totally blame for the music marathon.
But if you're in the market for a remedy and have time in your hands, and a ipod, go through all the songs on your gadget and give the appropriate song a rating -like five stars- once, playing those top ratings songs should you make feel better. I'm sure you didn't know this "trick" and  i say to myself "you're a genius" (sarcasm).
Certains songs sometimes make me believe in God (did i just say that?), others provide stalwart evidence of the contrary. But the positive point is that i don't have to listen to the commercialized 'music' out of the radio. Even my Indie 103.1 suffer from commercials.
Music can do anything. If someone tells you otherwise or calls you a pacifist, Headbanger or peace-loving hippie then just jam a fist in their eye socket and keep on rocking.
Yes, i absolutely sleep with my ipod. Her name is Apple...

Have a beautiful day

Listen to AIRBOURNE "Runnin' wild"

12.14.2009

Betty Page...


After a childhood spent in Nashville in a conservative and religious family, Bettie Page who dreams of becoming a movie actress bends baggage to New-York. At first, she poses for magazine publishing photography Art. But her meeting with photographer Irving Klaw, specialized in sadomasochistic cliches, will propel her to a new level... as a top-rank pin-up.
The talk of the town, by posing on sulfuring magazines covers, brings success and in 1955 she became one of the first Playmate of the Month for the magazine Playboy.
Forgotten during the 60's, Betty Page turn herself to the religion. In the 80's, her pictures starts to reappear and became an icon of the subculture.
In December 2008, she died in a hospital in Los Angeles, she was 85 years old.
A bit of America has gone...

Have a beautiful day
Listen to WES PUDSEY & THE SONIC ACES "My baby looks like Betty Page"

12.13.2009

Collapse...

Being a Pittsburgh STEELERS fan for 20 +years now... I just start to realize that the Playoffs picture is now unreachable.
It's baffling because nobody saw it coming from Coachs, Players and Fans. The Steelers are better than that and with all the respect to those teams but  losing to the Browns, the Chiefs and the Raiders... this is embarrassing.
There are 3 games to play - Three games that, only few weeks ago, seemed likely to determine wether this would be a good Steelers season or a great one... Now, we hope to finish this quickly to come back next year stronger and better.
Mike Tomlin should stick -well, get back-, as Bill Cowher did, to a power running offense as the Steelers did for many years. This is their identity... Power Run and Nasty Defense.
So long...

Have a beautiful day.

Listen to BIG COCK "Built for speed"