Dell Map Backs

A batch of the wonderful Dell "Map Back" books. First published in 1943, they ran numbers 1 through about #550, when the maps were no longer featured on the backs. Numbers 1-5 were also map-less, although a later printing of #4 ("The American Gun Mystery") did have a map.

Number 55, The DA's Daughter by Herman Peterson.



Number 111, Greenmask by Jefferson Farjeon. Joseph Jefferson Farjeon (June 4, 1883--June 6, 1955) was a decendent of Thomas Jefferson. A prolific author of mysteries, he wrote over 80 novels.



Number 135, Meat for Murder by Lange Lewis.

Stocking Stuffers

A few treats I found in my Christmas Stocking this year. Thanks Santa!

Happy New Year

Some photos from the family vault as I take time to reflect on years past. All circa 1950-1954.

View of New Haven from East Rock:


Sister with dolly at Clark's Pond (about 1/4 mile from the Door Tree):


Mom and grandpa:


Sister and dad at Toy Town (Winchendon, MA):


Brother (me) and sister:

Jeff Buckley

Backstage somewhere with Paul McCartney. Jeff put out one amazing album (Grace) before he drowned in the Wolf River. Also one of the few musicians to do a credible cover of a Leonard Cohen song.

Two Kings

Elvis Presley and B.B. King, in Memphis. December 7, 1957.

Jack Nitzsche

Jack Nitzsche (1937-2001) produced and/or arranged gazillions of artists throughout his 63 years. The Rolling Stones, Neil Young, Captain Beefheart, Doris Day, the list is nearly endless. Here's his arrangement of the Sonny Bono-penned hit "Needles and Pins".

Bo Diddley

He's a man. Clips from "The Big TNT Show" (1966) and Ed Sullivan (1955). That's a very unusual dance the gals are doing in the second number from the Big TNT Show.

The Kinks

Here they are performing my favorite Kinks song "See My Friends".

Bill Haley

There doesn't seem to be too many clips of Bill Haley and the Comets playing live in circulation. Too bad, they were a hot neo-rock-a-billy band. Here's one though, courtesy of good ol' Ed Sullivan.

Talking Heads

Here's Dave and the gang playing the old chestnut "Psycho Killer".

Sam and Dave

Ca. 1967. Listen to their great version of "Soothe Me" from the Stax-Volt Scandanavian tour in '67. Booker T and the MGs and the Mar-Keys are the back-up musicians.

Chuck Berry

Everybody has a favorite Chuck Berry song. Mine is "Promised Land".
"The 'Hound broke down and left us all stranded in downtown Birmingham". That's poetry!

The Yardbirds

Ca. 1967-8 line-up consisted of (l-r): Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf and Paul Samwell-Smith. Here's the group doing a rip-snorting version of "Over, Under, Sideways, Down".

Frank Sinatra

This is a pretty cool photo from "Johnny Concho".

The Seeds

This clip of their appearance on "The Mothers-in-Law" TV show may be the greatest rock video of all time. From 1966.

The Walker Bothers

Scott (left) and Gary (right) Walker weren't really brothers. They were friends from California who decided to go to England in the early '60s and try to jump on the Brit-Pop bandwagon. They succeeded, and Scott Walker has since become a cult fave. Their early songs were standard-issue covers, but they later scored with songs featuring Scott's gorgeous baritone vocals.

Otis Blackwell

Composer of "Don't Be Cruel", "All Shook Up", "Great Balls of Fire" and many others, I can't find any performances by Blackwell out on the Internets, but here's a version of his song "Return to Sender".

Kate Bush

"Hounds of Love" is a great album. I never realized that she was inspired by the 1957 film "Night of the Demon", even though I knew there was some old movie dialog in the HoL track. Here's a pretty nice mash-up.

Halloween 2009

Halloween is always a busy time around here. Carving pumpkins (my favorite part), giving out treats to the neighborhood kids (after sampling the candy for purity), and watching some Halloween classics (The Exorcist and The Ghost Goes Gear). Happy Halloween!

Mike Bloomfield

There's not much live footage of this seminal 1960s rock-blues guitarist. Here's "Messin' With the Kid", which looks like it was filmed using a 16mm camera aimed right at the TV!

Terry Reid

Supposedly Terry Reid was Jimmy Page's first choice for vocalist in Led Zepplin.

Zal Yanovsky

Lead guitarist for the Lovin' Spoonful, he was the spark-plug for the band as evidenced in this clip from "The Big TNT Show" (1966).

John Coltrane

I'm not a huge jazz fan, but I can listen to Miles Davis or John Coltrane anytime. Coltrane had a crack band when he performed "My Favorite Things" in 1961.

Tim Buckley

There's plenty of good clips of Tim Buckley on YouTube, like this version of Fred Neil's "Dolphins", but I'd never seen this one of him performing "Pleasant Street" before.

Smokey Robinson

One of the greatest songwriters on the 1960s and '70s, he was also an incredibly soulful singer.

Jim Morrison

An out-take from the "Morrison Hotel" cover shoot, 1969.

Neil Young

March, 1974.

Jeff Beck

Ca. 1966.

Gillian Welch

One of the finest singer-songwriters in America.
"My First Lover" and "I Wanna Sing That Rock and Roll" with her perfect foil, David Rawlings.

Sister Rosetta Tharpe

This picture is probably from the '50s. She not only sang amazing gospel, but she could really rock the guitar. Take a look at "Up Above My Head" for proof.

Gene Vincent and his Blue Caps

A still from the 1956 film "The Girl Can't Help It"

Elvis Costello

Ca. 1978.

David Bowie

From 1975. I can't quite read the label on the guitar. Hagstrom maybe?


Here he is playing it on "The Midnight Special" in '75:

Fred Neil

Ca. 1965?

Rod Stewart

Ca. 1965.

The Who

From 1967. Looks like Keith walked into a door...

Son House

Backstage, Newport Folk Festival, 1964.

Onstage, undated photo.

Columbus Day Special

Two pictures today:

Frank Sinatra with Dean Martin.

Nancy Sinatra.

Roy Buchanan

Ca. 1975.

The Stanley Brothers

Ca. 1964. Ralph on banjo, Carter on guitar.

Muddy Waters

Ca. 1966?

Tony Joe White

Ca. 1969.

Musical People

Pictures of people who make music.
Unknown street musician, Macon, Georgia - 1973