Groovy Discovery Channel video of a Traynor Valve 50 being assembled in the plant. I suppose some purists would find this appalling, those who want to believe that the touch of a human hand touched on every part of the amp renders it somehow sacred. All I can see is a machine that seats and [...]

I just love it when they do this.

Not a good month for creators. Dave Stevens, creator of the Rocketeer, passed away this week from a rare form of leukemia. I credit Stevens with coalescing my interest in retro-futurism and pulp adventure into a form that, in 1982, was dear to me, the comic book. Stevens’ artwork had a classic warmth to it [...]

Rockpile was the tool with which Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds crafted perfect rock and roll/pop/pub rock. I lean more towards Nick’s material, though I am getting old and crusty enough that the more traditional sounding Dave Edmunds appeals to me. Lately I have been on a major Nick Lowe kick. Their big hit, “Teacher Teacher.” And [...]

Sad news: the creator of Dungeons and Dragons, Gary Gygax, died in his home at age 70. It can be argued that he fathered an entirely new hobby, the role playing game, whose influence over popular culture and pastimes has been pervasive for the last thirty years. Rules-moderated play acting, which is essentially what D&D [...]