... my unimaginative answer went straight for the mildly anachronistic fact that I have a Geography/Archaeology Bachelor's degree, but I could just as easily have spoken about my predilection for analog audio - the type preserved in concentric grooves on retro-vinyl platters known as records ...
... my overwhelming preference is, not surprisingly, for Jamaican music-forms, but my tastes are eclectic enough to embrace multiple genres, which makes for a large collection of diverse direction ... no longer the reigning format of issuance, records are now irreverently found (if at all) in dusty corners of thrift-stores, junk-shops and clearance-houses ...
... on a recent excursion to one such emporium, which has yielded a full set of sharp kitchen knives, sundry furniture items and utilitarian bric-a-brac, I made a foray into the boxes of forlorn LP's, in search of a way to turn one dollar into its weight in gold ... emerging grimy, but clutching a dank smelling sleeve which would regress me to the early/mid 1950's ...
... back then, indigenous music in Jamaica was called Mento, a more afro-percussive folk-style than the popular Trinidadian sound-of-the-day, but similar to the casual ear and consequently often marketed as Calypso ...
... as it turns out, this relic really is as represented, cool calypso, significantly featuring typical ribald lyrics and uncredited vocals from Gene Wolcott a.k.a. The Charmer (later to become Louis Farrakhan, Nation Of Islam leader), among others ...
... I've noticed copies of this relatively rare record sell online at prices ranging from $20 to $150 depending on condition of the playing surface and the state of the cover ...
... and indeed, it is that cover that leads anecdotally to a most titillating tease to this curious collector ...
... chiffon shrouded show-girl Venus LaDoll, who graces the front, proves an enigmatic enough figure to outshine calypsonians ... my research reveals beguiling photos of this dancer-cum-comedienne turned burlesque stripper, whose act held "hip-tossing" sway in and around the years 1953-1955 ... ... the sexy pics and the "bump and grind" descriptives, by themselves, would've been sufficient to keep my interest ... but ...
... "let them eat cheesecake!" could be the post-script riposte, as this lady, who reportedly tripled her income by embracing the time honored art of striptease, may be best remembered for being awarded "a small fortune" by a food manufacturer after testifying in court that she found a bug in a can of potted ham ...
... yep, y'heard it here kids, record collecting can be fun ...
... "let them eat cheesecake!" could be the post-script riposte, as this lady, who reportedly tripled her income by embracing the time honored art of striptease, may be best remembered for being awarded "a small fortune" by a food manufacturer after testifying in court that she found a bug in a can of potted ham ...
... yep, y'heard it here kids, record collecting can be fun ...
A Geography/Archaeology Bachelor's degree, I had no idea - that is awesome. And as for the lovely Ladies, well they are just lovely!!! :)
ReplyDelete*waves* Told you I'd get here eventually! :p
ReplyDeleteI've said before, but it needs saying again. I absolutely LOVE your randomness! :D The way you switch to so many subjects in one post... some people would say it's confusing, annoying, whatever, but I find if refreshing.
"seems some people can't live without periodic updates on their favourite castmembers from Stargate franchises"
^^ damn straight! I only started watching in S3 by catching an ep here and there, but then I was totally hooked. Some fandoms consist of people who are utterly obsessed, know every ep name, quotes, storylines etc., and little else but I honestly think that with the SG fandom, there's a lot more to it that just geeking out. I truly believe that I'm part of a fandom who truly respect the actors, writers, directors et al and their craft. Because it was such a long running franchise, fans like to keep an eye out for what you guys are doing next. It's lots of fond memories looking back, but also being excited about what's next for everyone. :)
Geography AND Archaeology? Blimey, that's a hell of a combo! This was at Nottingham I assume? Up the Forest and all that!
Ahhh, records. It's such a shame these days that vinyl is often only available as a limited edition. I agree, record collecting can be fun... time to teach the kids of today how things used to be. They may not have the same sound quality as CDs and mp3s but there's nothing like the scratching sound of a well played LP.
I think that's enough of a ramble for now. See you next time! :)