Author Archives: Greg

Raspberries – Pop Art Live

Comments Off

I got some pretty cool news to share today. More than 30 years after the original members of Raspberries last played together, Omnivore Recordings is releasing a 2-CD/Digital set entitled Pop Art Live on August 18, 2017. The show captures their November, 2004 reunion show at Cleveland’s House of Blues. Along with “Go All The Way” (featured in Almost Famous), 27 additional Raspberries classics will be included. Cameron provides his thoughts in the liner notes, along with longtime Raspberries experts Bernie Hogya and Ken Sharp. As always, it will be available at your favorite independent record store or through Amazon. We will share Cameron’s piece when the triple LP colored vinyl is released in November.

 

 

Filed under News
Aug 17, 2017

Neal Preston – Exhilarated and Exhausted Book!

Comments Off

“I want the reader at the end of this book to feel like they’ve just spent a year on the road with Zeppelin with one day off, then six months with Guns ‘n’ Roses, with one day off and then five years with Bruce Springsteen. Exhilarated and exhausted.” -Neal Preston

Legendary rock photographer Neal Preston has officially announced his new book, Exhilarated and Exhausted. In addition to a collection of amazing photographs, the 336 page book is crammed with personal stories, backstage intrigue and plenty of Neal’s humor. It’s really much more than just a collection of photos, it’s an insightful look from Neal documenting his 50 years in the business. The book will also include an introduction by Cameron. The book will be released on October 24, 2017.  You can pre-order your copy now at Amazon.com. More to come!

Filed under News
Aug 7, 2017

Fast Times Deleted Scene – Spicoli on Merv Griffin

Comments Off

We thought it would be fun to wrap this Fast Times 35th anniversary celebration with this Spicoli scene that was not to be. In Cameron’s book, Spicol’s dream sequence occurs on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson. After Johnny turned it down, it was written for Merv Griffin, Tom Snyder and finally David Letterman. All of them graciously turned it down for a variety of reasons (more here), so the scene was re-written as a surf competition interview with Stu Nahan. We thought you might like to read the Merv Griffin version. Enjoy!

DARKNESS

We are in the middle of a deep, dark void. After a

moment, a pinprick of light appears in the

distance. We head towards the light. We are being

led somewhere important.

 

As we draw still closer, curtains suddenly part to

reveal a wildly cheering studio audience. We hear

the voice of Merv Griffin.

 

MERV GRIFFIN (O.S.)

Will you please give a warm welcome

to… Jeff Spicoli!

 

The Merv Griffin Show band begins playing a Merv

Griffin Show version of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell”.

Someone hands Jeff Spicoli a microphone. He works

the studio audience into a frenzy as he sings the

words to “Highway to Hell”: Merv Griffin show

style.

Read the rest of this post

Filed under News
Aug 4, 2017

Fast Times 35th Anniversary Screening This Weekend!

Comments Off

As we previously mentioned, Fathom is hosting the TCM 35th Anniversary screening of Fast Times at Ridgemont High this weekend on over 750 screens. These screenings will take place this Sunday and Wednesday, but check for theaters and times in your area over at the official site. The screening will be hosted by TCM’s Ben Mankiewicz.Check out the trailer above and the poster below!

 

 

Filed under News
Jul 28, 2017

Summer Screenings

Comments Off

Hi all. Long time, no talk. Sorry for the lack of updates, but things should be heating up again soon as summer is in full swing. Speaking of summer, we wanted to share a few film screenings we’ve heard about around the country. If we missed some, please let us know.

July 20th – Almost Famous – Rooftop Cinema Club – Montalban – Los Angeles, CA

July 30th/Aug 2nd – Fast Times at Ridgemont High – Fathom/TCM Classics – U.S.

August 9th – Almost Famous – Rooftop Cinema Club – Brooklyn, NY

 

Filed under News
Jul 11, 2017

Exclusive: Singles – Citizen Dick – Smarter Than You Review

Comments Off

Have you ever wondered what the full review of Citizen Dick’s album said? Jeff was trying to spare Cliff’s feeling, but we won’t. We keep things going for Singles Week with the full review!!

CITIZEN DICK
Smarter Than You (LP)
Real Clever Records

Once again, when the Cliff Poncier begins swinging… you know what you’re in for. More pompous, dick-swinging swill from a man who has haunted the local scene for much too long. You wish that Cliff would move to another town, like Minneapolis or Los Angeles or New York. A town where he could disappear into the masses and not stand out like the relentlessly mediocre talent that he is.

Mediocre? Well, that’s probably a rather kind term for the kind of music that Poncier’s new band purports to play. This is Seattle grunge rock at its predictable and painful best/worst. Slashing guitars mesh with sonically ‘treated’ vocals to create a kind of desperate preening, prodding and chugging mess. Mark Arm probably dreams about music like this, and then wakes up grateful. In fact, Citizen Dick makes groups like Gruntruck and Sadhappy sound like geniuses.

The very cover of this album makes me want to piss blood. There is Poncier, his arms spread like a scabarous messiah, begging to be appreciated. I remember when Poncier met my sister at the Central one night. He called her answering machine for a month straight, leaving yearning and dull-minded, semi-pornographic messages of love. And my sister is not good-looking. It makes you wonder about Poincier, and it makes me wonder about me. Why my life has come to this. Reviewing the music of a puss-faced immature pussy hound with a fake wig for hair.

And that’s me being kind.

Read the rest of this post

Filed under News
May 17, 2017

Exclusive: Singles Deleted Scene – The Poncier Tape

Comments Off

To celebrate the release of this week’s Deluxe Soundtrack for Singles, we thought you might like this never before seen deleted scene. This would have played near the end of the film as Bailey is going to the doctor and runs into Cliff busking…enjoy!

Filed under News
May 16, 2017

Say Anything… Filming Locations

Comments Off

To celebrate today’s anniversary for Say Anything…, I’ve teamed up once again with the amazing Lindsay Blake to revisit all the locations from the 1989 film. While some 2nd unit footage was filmed in Seattle, all the key locations were filmed in the Los Angeles area. Let’s dive in!

 1. Corey Flood’s House (2545 Ganesha Avenue, Altadena) – Though an establishing shot of a traditional two-story home at 3627 Northwest 65th Court in Seattle was used to portray the residence of Lloyd’s gumptious BFF Corey Flood (Lili Taylor), all actual filming took place a good 1,100 miles away at a dwelling in Altadena.


 

2. Lloyd’s Apartment (318 South Canyon Blvd #3, Monrovia) – The non-descript apartment building where Lloyd lives with his sister, Constance (who was played by Cusack’s real life sister, Joan), and nephew, Jason (Glenn Walker Harris Jr.), is another San Gabriel Valley locale. The two-story complex can be found on a shady street in Monrovia, looking much the same today as it did onscreen 28 years ago. The actual interior of Unit #3, including the bathroom where Lloyd calls Diane for the first time, was utilized in the film.

3. Lakewood High School Graduation – Santa Monica College Amphitheatre (1900 Pico Boulevard, Santa Monica) – The large amphitheater where Diane gives her famous “I’ve glimpsed our future and all I can say is, ‘Go back!’” valedictorian speech is sadly no longer standing. Formerly located at Santa Monica College, the arena was razed in 2009 to make way for a student services building.

Read the rest of this post

Filed under News
Apr 14, 2017

  • Almost Famous- Paramount+, AMC+
  • David Crosby: Remember My Name- Starz
  • Elizabethtown- FUBO
  • Say Anything...- Disney+, Hulu, AMC+
  • Vanilla Sky- Paramount+,Showtime
  • We Bought A Zoo- Disney+, Roku