And the Same to You: 2013

Wednesday 19 June 2013

Leonard Cohen - Death Of a Ladies Man (1977)

This is one of my all-time favourite albums, but its overlooked within Cohen's discography. It doesn't really fit neatly with the rest of his work - so perhaps this partly explains it. Compared with Cohen's other work the production is much richer and the songs are funnier too.

It was recorded in 1977 and produced by the legendary/infamous Phil SPector who is credited with writing the music. According to wikipedia Cohen and Spector fell-out during through recording (rather like Lennon did with Spector during the Rock'n'Roll sessions), so several songs only feature guide-vocals. Spector can
be heard providing backing vocals on several tunes - his weedy, thin voice can be best heard in the fade-outs.

Cohen is often regarded as a solemn, melancholy artst but this album is packed with wry humour. The songs are mainly about sexual frustration and relationships. As evidence - just check-out the song title "Don't Go Home with Your Hard-On". Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg also feature among the massed-chorus of this song.

Jarvis Cocker, springs-to-mind, as another artist whose songs have covered similar themes.

I can't think of any other case where I can detect any direct musical influence in Cohen's work - but elements of Donovan's Atlantis and Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, I think, can be heard in the 9-minute final track "Death of a Ladies' Man".

It'd be interesting to read some contemporary reviews of this album. I gather it was a critical and commercial failure at the time and Cohen was dismissive of the results.

Its also got a great cover. Just who are those women?

I think in the 36 years since its recording, it has dated-well, and I can easily imagine listening to this album in another 36. (I hope so anyway).

Monday 20 May 2013

Kilban - just who was he?

Kliban was by all accounts was a guarded individual who only very rarely granted interviews. It occurred to me that after many years as a fan that I didn't know what he looked like. There's a cartoon of his called, something like, "Watch-out Cartoonist in Town" (I forget the precise title) and it shows a Jewish-Italian looking guy with busty models on either arm, strutting down the street, with by-standers showing deference to-da-man. This is the likeness that I had in mind. I wasn't too far wrong - I guess the cartoon was also a clever self-parody.

Here is an article providing many biographical details and tantalising photos of him as a teen and as an adult.

The Hour - Oct 2, 2003

Tuli Kupferberg on Self-Publishing

This rare article first appeared in DC Gazette, June 1982. Tuli talks about his self-publishing ventures in the pre-blogging, pre-internet age. Do try and checkout some of his self-published gems - they are becoming increasing rare - perhaps in the future they'll only be found in museum collections..

DC Gazette, June 1982, p 8

DC Gazette, June 1982, p9

Recreational / Political Kliban

This rare poster is probably alone in conveying Klibans' personal political views


Apple Pie, January 1976

Thursday 28 March 2013

Kliban - Graphics works

I've come across only a few example of Klibans' illustrations - here are a few.

The black & white image is taken from "THE DIVORCE SEEKERS : A Photo Memoir of a Nevada Dude Wrangler. By William L. McGee and Sandra McGee", the image itself is a re-production from an earlier bookcover "None of the Comforts of Home" (1967).

Nevada Dude Wrangler (1967)

Here are some illustrations from the political/New-Left magazine, Ramparts (1966). The artwork is much more detailed demonstrating another facet to his technique.

Apparantly, Kliban was a very keen landscape watercolourist - it'd be interesting to see some examples.

Ramparts-1966 Aug

Sunday 24 February 2013

Oink! and Alan Moore

Looking through my old Oink! books I came across this 1988 missive from Alan Moore. It appeared as the foreword to "Uncle Pigg's Crackling Tales" 2. I attach cover scan from both volumes and the foreword to volume 2. Charlie Brooker's cartoons don't appear here - although there are a couple of uncredited strips.

I was surprised to see that Alan name-checked Kliban. Its odd to learn that I'd read about Kliban perhaps 12 years before I really became aware of his work.

I've met Alan on a couple of occasions and I recommend trying to attend one his talks. He's always an entertaining speaker, even if you don't necessarily agree with his world-view.

I wonder if thats a self-portrait?

Uncle Pigg's Crackling Tales 1

Uncle Pigg's Crackling Tales 2

from Uncle Pigg's Crackling Tales 2

Sunday 10 February 2013

Oink! and Charlie Brooker

Looking back over my blog postings I have noticed that there has been an over-emphasis on American cartoonists. I'm not sure why this has been - I do like British & European cartoonists like Tomi Ungerer, Gerald Scarfe, Ralph Steadman, Banx, Tony Husband as well as the cartoonists who appear in Viz. I hope to redress (address?) this in-balance in future posts.

I first learnt several years ago that Charlie Brooker - newspaper columnist, screen writer, critic, media commentator, author, satirist, video-games review, TV personality was also a cartoonist for the superb late-eighties children comic Oink!.However, at the time I couldn't find any images on the Internet to actually see his efforts (several have since appeared).

I strongly recommend tracking down episodes of Screenwipe or its various spin-offs programmes. His collections of newspaper columns are also pretty good - although the quality is variable and reality-TV references date badly. I don't suppose he ever intended his weekly missives to be anthologized. On balance, he did alert me to the fantastic song "So What" by the "Anti-Nowhere League", for which I am very grateful.

Oink! ran for 68 issues over couple of years (1986-88). It was marketed as Viz-for-kids and featured several cartoonists who later contributed to Viz. I actively followed the comic from about 6-months after launch through to the end and also joined the fan-club.

I even remember submitting some cartoons myself. They didn't appear. Anyway, happy days!

Its taken me several years to finally re-discover my Oink! comic collection. I can quite understand archives who lose or misfile something only for it to be re-discovered years later...its easily done.

So, after a gap of 25 years, what are his cartoons like? Well - they're fairly basic and probably not the best examples in the comic but they're OK. He was only about 16 or 17 at the time. So pretty good considering.

Here are some images from Oink! Holiday Special 1989.

Oink! Holiday Special 1989

Charlie Brooker, Oink! Holiday Special 1989

Groening before the big-time

A rare article on Matt Groening from Saturday Review, Mar/Apr 1985

Saturday Review, Mar/Apr 1985

Futzie Nutzle and Kliban : Modern Loafer

Here are some images from Futzie Nutzle's 1981 collection "Modern Loafer". Kliban kindly provided a foreword.

The cartoon clear gives an indication of his influences. I know Kliban admired Steinberg too.

Futzie Nutzle, Modern Loafer (1981)

What is a Futzie Nutzle?

Futzie Nutzle is the pen-name of a cartoonist active in the 1970s. His work appeared regularly in Rolling Stone through-out this time.

I don't know much about the artist but here are some examples. He has a very distinctive style. There a couple of collections, but I've only seen the first (Modern Loafer). I'll cover this in another post.

Futzie Nutzle

Kliban - Evergreen Review 63 - Feb 1969

For me, this period marks the "golden age" of Evergreen. Great covers and layout. Illuminating articles. Good cartoons and interesting ads.

I think I know what she's thinking...