Author Archives: Brandon Adamson

Skytrain to Nowhere

By Brandon Adamson

skytraintonowhere_vibrant300_largerforweb

Skytrain to Nowhere is an imagination driven and esoteric volume of free-form poetry. The book documents the author’s experiences, thoughts and observations while riding the skytrain at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport over the period of several weeks. Since the skytrain is only designed to transport travelers between various terminals and parking facilities at the airport, someone spending nearly 50 hours riding it purely for recreation and artistic inspirational purposes is highly unusual (to put it mildly.) Aside from occasional quirky anecdotes about various passengers, the poems mostly deal with themes of motion, the passage of time, and nostalgia. The author grapples with these issues from a retro-futurist perspective. Skytrain to Nowhere celebrates the realization that our vitality hinges on our ability to always keep moving, while recognizing we are unwilling or unable to leave some things behind on the journey.

Purchase Skytrain to Nowhere on Amazon.

Compare and Contrast – Brandon Adamson EP

By Brandon Adamson

compareandcontrastlightgreenforweb

A folkish EP / mini album of organ-based, minimalist pop songs, with unassuming vocals and authentically retro style. These modest jams utilize a couple of vintage Bontempi organs from the 70s and 80s as well as a 1975 Cordovox combo organ. There is some 3/4 acoustic guitar in the title track, and some space theremin is peppered in here and there.

Available on Apple Music

Beatnik Fascism

By Brandon Adamson

beatnik fascism

New poetry book available, “Beatnik Fascism.” It’s 86 pages and contains about 60 poems. The theme of the book is how the thought criminals are the non-conformists of today and operate within society but detached from it. It contains elements of futurism, transhumanism, race realism, anti-consumerism and anti-capitalism. The poems often incorporate the use of beatnik slang terms into their messages.

Battle Beneath The Earth

By Brandon Adamson

PDVD_301

This is a highly creative movie, that is underrated in my opinion. You know that old saying “are you trying to dig a hole to China?” Well, the central plot of the film is that the Chinese have advanced technology and are secretly tunneling to the US to detonate nuclear bombs under America’s cities in order to take over the country. The US military figures out the plot after they are alerted by one of their own ex soldiers who is thought to be crazy. Anyway, there ends up being a huge battle in these tunnels to determine the fate of the country.

battle-783939

The reason this movie is considered to be “bad” by most is that many of the Chinese are played by white British actors who are made up to look Asian. The PC busybodies of today would probably ban this film if they actually had any curiosity that would lead them to be aware of the existence of obscure classics like this. Anyway, the actors being made to look Asian is a little bizarre and distracting, but it makes sense given that this film was made in 1967. At that time, China was mostly cut off from the western world and Western countries did not have good relations with China, especially after the Korean War. Britain in particular(where the film was made) had bad relations with China because of the dispute over Hong Kong. In fact, China had secret plans to invade Hong Kong the very year that this film was made but opted not to. So it follows then, that the film makers would not have had access to a pool of popular or known Chinese performers to fill these leading roles.

BattleBeneathTheEarth_026

Since China was so isolated, it left a lot of room for the story to speculate on China having some kind of advanced technological capabilities, since the nation was such a mystery. Who knew what sort of secret weapons the Chinese might have or what they could be up to?

BattleBeneathTheEarth_001

If you can get past the casting choices and makeup, Battle Beneath the Earth is actually an imaginative and fun little movie. I’ve probably seen it over 30 times. It never really gets boring, and it offers a unique glimpse of how the Chinese were perceived by the West at a tumultuous period in history, just before they began to open themselves up to the world.


Brandon Adamson is the author of “Beatnik Fascism“

Romesville

By Brandon Adamson

Googie René – Romesville –
This oddball classic 1959 “beatsploitation” song is incredibly catchy and fun. The whole album is filled with beatnik lingo tracks like “Caesar’s Pad.” Could listen to these tunes on repeat for hours while relaxing in the bathtub.


Brandon Adamson is the author of “Beatnik Fascism“

Cinnamon Toast

By Brandon Adamson

derek cinnamon song

Like Sam the Sham and The Pharaohs’ “Little Red Riding Hood,” Derek’s hit song “Cinnamon” had a charismatic creep theme(the song was actually by Johnny Cymbal, but he released it under his younger brother’s name.) It’s a classic stalker’s anthem, about a guy who isn’t taking no for an answer. It’s never made clear whether the girl might be interested despite his arrogant display, or whether he may even just trying to convince himself to bolster his confidence. There’s a hint that rather than being a predator, he’s the one hurt by the punishment of rejection:

Sneakin down your alley way
And knockin’ on your door
Thought I had enough but I’m back for more

One can almost hear it as a Wonder Years styled inner voice encouraging him to keep trying. After all the stalk talk, he nervously knocks on her door, and she opens it, mildly annoyed. He says meekly, “Cinnamon, do you think we could maybe go out for coffee?”

“No thank you. I have to wash my hair. Maybe some other time.”

As he walks home dejectedly, he begins singing this song again to himself as some sort of defense mechanism and buildup for the next time.

Cinnamon is a pretty hot name for a 60’s suburban teenage girl, maybe even superior to Mercedes(Heather Graham) as the love interest of Corey Haim in the 1980’s film, License to Drive. I definitely empathize with the protagonist of this sexually charged song.

“Cinnamon” by Derek is one of my favorite jams of the 1960s. The lyrics are stalkerish and would trigger most millennials, but it remains to be seen whether it’s a dangerously creepy song or merely a pathetically creepy one. It’s a line fine line we walk. Take a chance and dance around it with us.

You can’t hide girl
I’m comin’ inside girl
Do what you want to
Baby I’ll let you
Might as well face it
Cinnamon you know I’m gonna get ya


Brandon Adamson is the author of “Beatnik Fascism“

How to Improve Your TV Watching Experience Overnight

By Brandon Adamson

twotunetvset

I haven’t watched regular tv in a long time. I hate almost every thing that’s on and have for probably the past 20 years or so. Not just the IQ draining reality tv crystal garbage, but even those dramas people think are amazing and groundbreaking(“Mad Men” etc.) Once you notice the false depth and attempts to package tired cliches as profound statements, theses shows become thoroughly unwatchable.

The other day, I was thinking about it though, and it seems to me that we may have reached a point where watching one of those Fisher Price “Two Tune” tvs(that any 70s or 80’s kid will remember) may be more entertaining and stimulating than anything on current television programming. For a more rewarding experience, watch the screen on an old music box tv and tell me that’s not more satisfying than the crap that’s polluting the old plasma. The beauty! The innocence! The ambiance! The quaint activation of imagination! You won’t find it in the consumer trance inducing signals they’re beaming at you. Yes, I’ll gladly wind it up, stare at the two tune tv screen and repeat 50 times over rather than sitting through a tedious episode of “Game of Thrones” or a game of sportsball. If you want to dramatically improve your TV watching experience overnight, you should too.


Brandon Adamson is the author of “Beatnik Fascism“

Little Fevers

By Brandon Adamson

Little Fevers is a band from Minneapolis that features two guys and two girls. Their new album “Field Trip” is terrific an is characterized by sort of a vintage indie sound. It’s sort of a combination of 60s folk rock and early 2000s indie pop. One particularly stand out song is “Apple Tree,” which is quite catchy. I would like to see this band really catch on.


Brandon Adamson is the author of “Beatnik Fascism“

Birthday Boy

By Brandon Adamson

BrandonAdamson_BirthdayBoy_albumcover_forweb

An obscure 90’s oddity, Birthday Boy‘s aesthetic resembles something of a “Lo-Fi Leisure Suit Larry.” The song, “Right Back Where I Started” chronicles the love life of the character Michael from the show, “Melrose Place.” If fact, those who remember the show can probably recognize the chronologically accurate storyline and the women being referenced in the lyrics.

Originally released on cassette in 1996, this is one the most unusual recordings from a highly experimental era of indie alternative music.