This new years thing, its a good show...

Tony Rodelle Larson - Bear Rug (B-side of Cool Yule, 1962)

Auld Lang Syne: Sun Ra in Detroit (1981/82)

Thanks to Peter O. for sending along this little treat. Its Sun Ra &  His Cosmo-JetSet Arkestra in Detroit on New Year's eve, 1981 into '82. Enjoy...

Happy new year everyone!

Well, we've made it through another calendar year, so here's to us! I'd like to thank everyone: for their contributions, for taking the time to stop by & have a look here, and even leave a comment once in a while! Happy new year to you, and all the best for 2014!

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My #1 cultural moment for 2013

This pretty much says it all...

Endless Art 2013: The Stupefaction obituary round up

Alvin Lee

Hugo Chavez

Bobby Rogers (the Miracles)

Stanley Snadowsky (The Bottom Line)

Richard Street (the Temptations)

Cleotha Staples (Staples Singers)

Magic Slim

Damon Harris (the Temptations)

Kevin Ayers

Tony Sheridan

Mark Kamins

Shadow Morton

Rick Huxley (Dave Clark Five)

Paul Tanner

Donald Byrd

Reg Presley (the Troggs)

Ed Koch

Patty Andrews

Leroy Sugarfoot Bonner (Ohio Players)

Steven Kramer

Stan Musial

Earl Weaver

Jimmy O'Neill (Shindig)

Claude Nobs

Lou Wilson (Mandrill)

Patti Page

Ray Price

Peter O'Toole

Colin Wilson

Joe Bihari (Modern Records)

Jim Hall

Nelson Mandela

Junior Murvin

Dick Dodd (the Standells)

Saul Leiter

Chico Hamilton

Todd Christensen

Lou Reed

Butch Warren

Noel Harrison

John "Gypie" Mayo (Dr. Feelgood)

Ronald Shannon Jackson

Bum Phillips

Gloria Lynne

Roland Janes

Phil Chevron (the Pogues)

Gates Brown

Jim Riecken

Ken Norton

Jackie Lomax

Prince Jazzbo

Murray Gershenz

David Frost

Sid Bernstein

Marian McPartland

Elmore Leonard

Cedar Walton

Haji

Allen Lanier (Blue Oyster Cult)

Jon Brookes (The Charlatans)

Eydie Gorme 

Jody Payne

Karen Black

Cowboy Jack Clement

Tim Wright (Pere Ubu, DNA)

George Duke

Art Donovan

Mick Farren

Maxwell's

Ronnie Cutrone

Walter De Maria 

JJ Cale

Lewis Lymon

T-Model Ford

Peppi Marchello (the Good Rats)

Toshi Seeger

Jim Kelly

William Mysterious (the Rezillos)

Alan Myers (Devo)

Bobby Blue Bland

James Gandolfini

Chet Flippo

Slim Whitman

Darondo

Arturo Vega

Joey Covington (Jefferson Airplane, Hot Tuna)

Deacon Jones

Andreas Thein (Propaganda)

Jean Stapleton

Marvin Junior

Ed Shaughnessy

Clarence Burke Jr

Marhsall Lytle

Mulgrew Miller

Mack Emerman (founder of Criteria Studios)

Jean Bach

Trevor Bolder

Ray Manzarek (the Doors)

Taylor Mead

Cedric Brooks

Lonnie Turner (Steve Miller Band)

Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)

George Jones

Cordell “Boogie” Mosson RIP (Parliament Funkadelic)

Richie Havens

Christina Amphlett

Storm Thorgerson

Pat Summerall

Vince Montana Jr.

George Jackson

Jonathan Winters

Jimmy Dawkins

Annette Funicello

Les Blank

Margaret Thatcher

Andy Johns

Harry J

Roger Ebert

Robert Zildjian

Phil Ramone

Deke Richards (Motown)

Paul Williams (Crawdaddy Magazine)

Gordon Stoker (The Jordanaires)

Cyril Green aka Big Chief Ironhorse

Bobby Smith (the Spinners)

The Boston Phoenix

Clive Burr (Iron Maiden)

Peter Banks (Yes)

Bill Allen
Ronnie Biggs
Al Goldstein
Yusef Lateef
Paul Blair

Movie of the Week: Urban Struggle (1981)

After recently reading Jack Grisham's (TSOL) book, An American Demon, this rarely seen documentary charting the final days of punk club, The Cuckoo's Nest, located in Orange County, California, seems appropriate. Good stuff.

By the way, I highly recommend Grisham's book. He was one sick puppy back in the day.

Tom Waits 1971 Unreleased & Undocumented First Demo Tape

Via The Eyeball Kid comes news of the sale at Record Mecca of some audio ephemera - a 1971 Tom Waits demo tape which includes a previously unreleased song, "Tornado In My Soul"...only $4000.00! As of this posting its been sold. Here's the scoop:

An unreleased and undocumented 1971 Tom Waits demo tape, including the never recorded song “Tornado In My Soul.”  This tape came from the collection of Waits’ first manager, Herb Cohen, with “Tom Waits Demos Tape 1″ on a card taped to the box front, and song titles in an unknown hand. The back of the box has crossed out song titles of tracks by the Michigan band The Litter.

The seven demos include the completely unknown song “Tornado In My Soul” and unreleased, alternate demo versions of tracks that appear on Waits’ debut Closing Time and The Early Years and The Early Years Vol. 2 cd‘s.  

The tracks are:
1. Pancho’s Lament – Unreleased version with spoken introduction, different lyric from The Early Years.
2. My Old 55 – Unreleased version with spoken introduction, piano backing instead of the guitar on The Early Years.
3. Tornado In My Soul – Unreleased and undocumented song.
4. Rockin’ Chair – Unreleased version with spoken and sung introduction and different lyric to The Early Years.
5. Virginia Avenue – Unreleased version with different lyric to The Early Years.
6. Rosie – Never released as a demo and different to Closing Time version.
7. Mockin’ Bird – Unreleased spoken introduction, similar to version on The Early Years Vol. 2 but possibly a different take.

To our knowledge, this tape is completely uncirculated and previously unknown.  A truly unique and historic artifact from the earliest days of Waits’ recording career.

A professional digital transfer of the tape is included.  Note: We are selling this as an artifact only, and no rights to release or duplicate this tape are included nor implied.

View it here.

Movie of the Week: Concerts For the People of Kampuchea (1979)

This 1979 concert, organized by Paul McCartney for the people of Cambodia, was well known to many of generation simply because of the resultant compilation released in 1981 on Atlantic Records (below). The movie has also been available since '81, but I've never seen it until recently. Included are the following, and full setlists are available here:

QUEEN
Now I'm Here
We Will Rock You
Crazy Little Thing Called Love

THE CLASH
Armagideon Time 

THE PRETENDERS
Brass In Pocket 

PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS
Got To Get You Into My Life
Every Night
Hot As Sun
Coming Up

THE SPECIALS
Monkey Man

ELVIS COSTELLO & THE ATTRACTIONS
The Imposter 

ROCKPILE & ROBERT PLANT
Little Sister
 

IAN DURY & THE BLOCKHEADS
Sweet Gene Vincent
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick

THE WHO
Sister Disco
Baba O'Riley
Behind Blue Eyes
See Me Feel Me/Listening To You
Won't Get Fooled Again

ROCKESTRA
Introducing Members Of Rockestra
Lucille
Let It Be
Rockestra

Paul Blair RIP

Paul Blair - RIP

Before & After: Have a cool yule, man, and later, like, dig?

Before: Edd 'Kookie' Byrnes - Yulesville (1959)

After: Tony Rodelle Larson - Cool Yule (1962)

A beatnik's wish: Merry Christmas everyone!

Ellen Stratton, 1959

Patsy Raye & The Beatniks - Beatnik's Wish (1959):

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Yusef Lateef RIP

Yusef Lateef - RIP

Lets Get It On

Stupefied: The NME UK Top 30 Singles of 1977

Well, here we are...the so called ground zero of punk rock, and the punks are certainly pushing out the rest of the competition when it comes to the UK faves of the year. Especially the Sex Pistols, the Jam, Ian Dury, and Elvis Costello. Not to mention Bob Marley or David Bowie. All of them have multiple entries. If you didn't know which way the wind was blowing it would have been a good time to rethink your strategy. 

As usual, your choice: Spotify or YouTube

01. Pretty Vacant - Sex Pistols
02. Watchin' The Detectives - Elvis Costello
03. Sex & Drugs & Rock 'N' Roll - Ian Dury
04. God Save the Queen - Sex Pistols
05. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - The Ramones
06. Heroes - David Bowie
07. 2-4-6-8 Motorway - Tom Robinson Band
08. Waiting In Vain - Bob Marley & The Wailers
09. Do Anything You Wanna Do - Eddie & the Hot Rods
10. Alison - Elvis Costello
11. Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman
12. Spiral Scratch EP - The Buzzcocks
13. Sweet Gene Vincent - Ian Dury
14. In the City - The Jam
15. All Around the World - The Jam
16. Complete Control - The Clash
17. Lookin' After No. 1 - The Boomtown Rats
18. Peaches - The Stranglers
19. Oh Bondage! Up Yours - X-Ray Spex
20. Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel
21. Gary Gilmore's Eyes - The Adverts
22. More Than A Feeling - Boston
23. American Girl - Tom Petty
24. Short People - Randy Newman
25. Showroom Dummies - Krafwerk
26. Dirty Pictures - Radio Stars
27. Orgasm Addict - The Buzzcocks
28. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes - Elvis Costello
29. Sound & Vision - David Bowie
30. Jamming - Bob Marley & The Wailers

Richard Boch remembers the No Wave era

"The End" by Pat Place

Richard Boch, 1979

Friend Richard Boch, who currently is working on a memoir of his time as the door man of the Mudd Club, wrote a nice article for the Poughkeepsie Journal about the late 70's in downtown NYC. Some of his art, along with pieces by Bob Bert, Pat Place, and photos by Godlis & Marcia Resnick, are currently on display at Ai Earthling Gallery in Woodstock, NY, entitled No Wave Heroes through January 12.

New York City, 1978 — the streets were dark but the noise was deafening. I was out every night, far from the sidelines where I once stood, and moving toward the heart of what was happening.

When CBGB, the birthplace of punk, ushered in the sea change a few years earlier, I cheered as Patti Smith and the Ramones — radical and on fire — came out swinging. Boundaries undefined, they opened the door for no wave’s primal scream. Lydia Lunch grabbed a microphone and her band, Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, let loose a disjointed urban mashup of sound; James Chance and the Contortions — saxophone and vocals wailing away, Pat Place’s guitar tearing right through the middle. Arto Lindsay’s band DNA was a pounding, frenzied scream and cry. Boris Policeband followed up with a sonic assault on violin and transistor radio, taking pride in his ability to clear the room.

In the spring of 1978 musician and superman Brian Eno stepped in and tried to produce and define the no wave sound before the next fire started. A few months later, Steve Mass opened the Mudd Club on White Street and gave everyone a place to call home. Continued here.

"Cookie Mueller" by Bob Bert, 1985

Before & After: There Ain't No Sanity Clause

Before - The Marx Brothers:

After - The Damned:

Five By Five: Year End Favorites, Part 3

 

I put out the call to some friends for a simple list of five favorites from the year...anything: events, concerts, recordings, personal moments, whatever. The title is in honor of the first responder, Andrew Loog Oldham, being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A big congratulations to him! This is the third of three installments. HUGE Stupefied thanks to everyone who contributed, and to everyone who takes the time to have a look at Stupefaction...Happy holidays all!

 

Gillian McCain -  semi-off the top of my head:

1. Alice Munro receiving Nobel Prize
2. Matte magazine
3. And Every Day Was Overcast by Paul Kwiatkowski (Black Balloon Publishing)
4. Megan Cump's photography
5. Ann, a one-woman show written and performed by Holland Taylor about former Texan Governor Ann Richards

Liz Maher - 2013 - not such a great year. I nominate sleep as the best thing of the year:

Arctic Monkeys - AM - Good Pop-thump, thump, thump…
My Bloody Valentine - MBV
Black Angels - Indigo Meadow - Maybe 3 very good songs, several other ok songs
Queens of the Stone Age -...Like Clockwork
Beyonce - Beyonce over Sadat X "We In New York" because I'm going mall over street
British Sea Power - Machineries of Joy
Prince - "Screwdriver", "Breakfast Can Wait" and "Da Bourgeoisie"
Daft Punk Random - Access Memories
London Grammar - If You Wait
Lorde - Pure Heroine - I admire Lorde's contempt
The Wytches - Beehive Queen & "Digsaw"

Ed Ward - 
 

1. Einstein on the Beach at the Netherlands Opera, 1/11/13. Never thought I'd get to see this, and then the opportunity and means to do it dropped into my lap. Astounding. 

2. Leaving Europe after 20 years. When I moved to France in 2008 after 15 years in Germany, I was happy to be there. At the same time, Amy Rigby and Eric Goulding were pulling up and moving back to the U.S. I didn't understand this, but five years later, I do: it was evident that the people who run France do not want Americans living there, despite what other French people think. So I'm not.

3. Mick Farren dies a very rock and roll death. Never met him, never really had any back-and-forth with him. Introduced to his blog through Stupefaction, though, and he felt like part of the family. Shocking he went so young, but coming off-stage at a gig? Coulda been lots worse. 

4. Dan Penn: The Fame Demos. Lotta wisdom in these three-minute pieces. 

5. The tamale lady: A couple of weeks after I moved into my place here in Texas, the doorbell rang on a cold day and a little woman with an insulated bag offered me a dozen chicken tamales for ten dollars. She's come back several times since. The tamales are stupendous, and she's made me feel like I'm tied in, some way, to my neighbors here. It's a start.



Andy Schwartz - 

1.     SPRING BREAKERS [movie written & directed by Harmony Korine]

2.     THE DOUBLE [novel by George Pelecanos]

3.     FRUITVALE STATION [movie written & directed by Ryan Coogler]

4.     THE GEATOR PRESENTS “THE DIVAS OF ALL TIME” [concert hosted by Jerry Blavat a/k/a “The Geator With The Heater” – Kimmel Center, Philadelphia PA. With Darlene Love, Freda Payne, Candi Staton, The Tymes, Baby Washington, Blue Magic, and The Soul Survivors]

5.     A.K.A. DOC POMUS [documentary directed by William Hechter & Peter Miller]

Binky Philips - 

1. My guitars and playing them with The Planets

2. My new tiny thug cat, Monte Rock IV

3. Women with bare feet

4. NASCAR/The Who (an apropos pairing, no?)

5. Abusing Reefer

I left off my wife and daughter because they are ALL of it put together.

 

 

Five By Five: Year End Favorites, Part 2

I put out the call to some friends for a simple list of five favorites from the year...anything: events, concerts, recordings, personal moments, whatever. The title is in honor of the first responder, Andrew Loog Oldham, being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A big congratulations to him! And also a special shout out to my favorite fashion illustrator, Jennifer Lilya. She's got a book deal! This is the second of three installments. 

 
Robbie Dupree - Top 5 Best films of this Century:

No Country For Old Men

Inglorious Bastards

Hugo

Vicki Christina Barcelona

There Will Be Blood 

 

 

Jennifer Lilya - Top 5 for 2013:

1. Icon Inspiration: The triumphant return of Kathleen Hanna: The Punk Singer movie, the release of 
The Riot Grrrl Collection & The Julie Ruin album and tour.

2. Art Book: Bold, Beautiful & Damned. Classic 80s fashion illustration by the late Tony Viramontes. Delicious, perfect, traditional art.

3. Love & Beauty: Laurie Anderson's perfectly written obituary for Lou Reed. Pure magic in loss.

4. Live Music: Billy Idol at the Capitol Theater in Port Chester. Front row, of course. 58 years old and hotter than ever.

5. Personal Achievement: Getting a book deal & subsequently working virtually non-stop all year long. My step-by-step fashion illustration book and instructional videos will be released in Fall 2014 by North Light Books. Yay!

Tony Fletcher - Top 5 Books I Read in 2013:

Run Wild by Boff Whalley

Scream If You Want To Go Faster by Russ Litten

Present Shock by Douglas Rushkoff

Red Army Faction Blues by Ada Wilson

The Love Song of Jonny Valentine by Teddy Wayne

 








Dan Selzer - Top 6 most played songs added to iTunes within the last year:

1. Clio - Faces

2. Fleetwood Mac - Albatross

3. Holden - The Caterpillar's Intervention

4. Alex Fergusson - Stay With Me Tonight

5. Laughing Clowns - Eternally Yours

6. Sensational Creed - Nocturnal Operations

 
Jason Gross - Top 6 things that I hate about "Inside Llewyn Davis":

1. The person it's modeled after, Dave Von Ronk, is infinitely more interesting that the title character.

2. The title character himself is such a self-righteous, empty, blasé wretch that he dishonors Von Ronk's memory

3. Little in the film shows you what an interesting, vibrant scene that was going on in Greenwich Village at the time

4. Even though the musical movement was very political, you'd never know that from the movie

5. What's probably the worst Coen Brothers movie is also their mostly highly praised one that's already getting Oscar talk

6. The most interesting character is a cat. The people who you'd want to know more about (the driver and the club owner) get shafted for screen time.

Before & After: Changes

Before - Black Sabbath

After - Charles Bradley w/the Budos Band

Lou Reed's Private Memorial, Apollo Theater, NYC 12.16.13

Lou by David Gahr

This past Monday, friends & family of Lou Reed gathered at the Apollo Theater in Harlem for a private, invite-only memorial service. Jim Fouratt was kind enough to tape it, and its an incredible document. 

Jim writes: THIS A IS A LOW RES GOOD AUDIO DOCUMENTATION OF MOST THE PERFORMANCES AT THE Memorial. Includes Laurie Anderson, Mo Tucker, John Cale, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Paul Simon, Antony, John Zorn, Jenny Muldar, Lenny Kaye, Mark Ribot, Hal Wilner + others. I made it for myself and share it with all LOU fans who were not able to attend. Let me put the memorial into context: In the Buddhist tradition it takes days 49 days for the spirit to leave the body. It is called "bardo." Like Jewish Shiva, Irish wakes and different cultural rituals, it is a time for the living to share stories and simply just sit together to help each other and most importantly help the spirit be fully freed into into the Cosmos, December 16 was the fiftieth day and at the Apollo Theater a celebration of Lou Reed's life and work took place with his friends and family gathered with his wife the artist Laurie Andersen all saying goodbye, good speed Lou.

Five by Five: Year End Favorites, Part 1

I put out the call to some friends for a simple list of five favorites from the year...anything: events, concerts, recordings, personal moments, whatever. The title is in honor of the first responder, Andrew Loog Oldham, being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A big congratulations to him! This is the first of three installments.

ALO by Ambrea Dean

Andrew Loog Oldham -

1. Shambhala Mountain Center. "Chi-Gung, meditation, 12-step seminar," December 5th-8th MM13 with Kevin Griffin & Greg Pergament.

2. Re-watching Lou Reed's BERLIN directed by Julian Schnabel

3. Catching the hype as opposed to the content of David Bowie's THE NEXT DAY

4. Catching, finally, Wayne Wang's SMOKE with Harvey Keitel & William Hurt

5. HOUSE OF CARDS w/Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright...

RB, Mudd, 1979

Richard Boch - Top 5 Meals at Dave's Luncheonette, Canal Street NYC 1979-80:

5. Eggs Over, Potatoes, White Toast, Extra Grease

4. Eggs Over, Potatoes, White Toast, Extra Grease, Coffee

3. Hot Dog with Mustard To Go

2. Hot Dog with Mustard, Onions, Sauerkraut To Go

1. Two Hot Dogs with Mustard, Onions, Sauerkraut and a Vanilla Egg-cream ~ the second Dog eaten on the front steps of the Mudd Club

Delphine Blue - Top 5 Non-Brooklyn events:

Delphine at by Janette Beckman

Mark & Cetera, Santo's Party House, 4/17/13 - Mark Kamins' sudden passing in February knocked the club music world on its ass. The party to celebrate him was an ecstatic night featuring 19 DJs and the first performance by Konk since 1986, not to mention Coati Mundi, Johnny Dynell, Lady Miss Kier and many others. Everyone swore they saw Mark in the crowd, more than once....

The Clocktower closing party 11/23/13 - Our out-going Mayor sells the municipal building known as The Clocktower (designed by Stanford White), home to the Clocktower Gallery since 1973 and Art on Air Internet Radio. Before its conversion to condos the farewell party was an orgy of art and music and an amazingly cool looking crowd. Alanna Heiss who ran this little arts mecca made her farewell toast on the spiral staircase to the clock. The party featured a sunset dance on the roof by legendary Butoh dancer Min Tanaka.

Lou Reed Memorial, Apollo Theater 12/16/13 - A beautiful touching, intimate, and at times very funny memorial designed by Laurie Anderson featuring Lou's tai chi master Ren Guangyi as well as Hal Willner, Jenni Muldaur, Philip Glass, Emily Haines, Patti Smith etc. plus amazing film clips. Everyone floated out the door when it ended, entirely uplifted.

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, Beacon Theater 3/29-3/30 - So intensely amazing that I only went one night. To see it a second night might have lead to a sensory overdose.

Peter Hook and The Light Webster Hall, 9/13/13 - The infamous feud between the original members of New Order prevented fans from seeing all the players together. New Order played outdoors in Brooklyn on 7/24/13 bringing fans a lot of joy. But Peter Hook has been touring Joy Division's albums with his own band since 2010. This show featured the entire New Order albums Movement and Power Corruption and Lies. There was a lot of 'fuck you, here's how we do it' making for a blisteringly hot performance.

Kate With Bob Marley

Kate Simon - Here are 5 showbiz biographies that filled me with joy:

Under a Hoodoo Moon: The Life of the Night Tripper

by Mac Rebennack & Jack Rummel

Rage To Survive: The Etta James Story

by David Ritz & Etta James

Mr. S: My Life with Frank Sinatra

by George Jacobs & William Stadiem

The Peter Lawford Story: Life With the Kennedys, Monroe and the Rat Pack

by Patricia Seaton Lawford

Lucky Me: My Life With and Without My Mom, Shirley MacLaine

by Sachi Parker & Frederick Stroppel

Laura self-portrait

Laura Levine

May 1

September 26

February 20

March 14

August 2

Daily Travels: Bayside, Queens

Al Goldstein RIP

Al Goldstein - RIP

Ronnie Biggs RIP

Ronnie Biggs - RIP

Happy 70th birthday to Keith Richards!

The Rolling Stones with manager Andrew Loog Oldham, London, 1963. Left to right Andrew Loog Oldham, Keith Richards, Bill Wyman, Charlie Watts, Mick Jagger and Brian Jones. By Terry O'Neill.

New documentary: Everybody Street (2013)

Godlis hipped me to this very interesting historical look at street photographers in New York City, Everybody Street.

From the film's site:

"Everybody Street" illuminates the lives and work of New York's iconic street photographers and the incomparable city that has inspired them for decades. The documentary pays tribute to the spirit of street photography through a cinematic exploration of New York City, and captures the visceral rush, singular perseverance and at times immediate danger customary to these artists.

Featured Photographers - Bruce Davidson, Elliott Erwitt, Jill Freedman, Bruce Gilden, Joel Meyerowitz, Rebecca Lepkoff, Mary Ellen Mark, Jeff Mermelstein, Clayton Patterson, Ricky Powell, Jamel Shabazz, Martha Cooper, and Boogie, with historians Max Kozloff and Luc Sante. 

Rent or buy this film, and see some extra features, at Vimeo here.

New music from Swervedriver, and Primal Scream US tour dates...what year is it again?

So much to keep up with at the end of the year...there's too much! Its an embarrassment of riches. Anyway, having just finished Alan McGee's memoir, Creation Stories, it seems Creation Records is creeping its way back into some sort of general consciousness - or at least mine.

First up, here's a brand new track from the newly reconstituted Swervedriver (above). "Deep Wound" doesn't skip a beat, and picks up just where they left off. Look for a new album next year.

And then we have the announcement of some rare shows by Primal Scream (Bobby Gillespie pictured above) here on the east coast next May. They'll be at Warsaw in Greenpoint on May 11 and Irving Plaza in Manhattan on May 12. Nice! For their full run of US dates check this post on Brooklyn Vegan. Definitely get out and see them as they don't come 'round these parts too often.