Vintage-Leisure

By SoulRideblog.com. 1930s to 1980s. Mid-century pop culture. Movies, music, books, vinyl, fun.

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Once Upon a Time…

…in Hollywood

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The Low Spark of High Heeled Boys

Traffic

1971

Steve Winwood’s second band. This was the group’s fifth album and most successful in the US, peaking at Number 7. The album cover has two corners cut off to give the illusion of a 3-D cube.

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(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear b/w Puppet on a String

Green vinyl, 1978

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Guitar Man

1981

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Elvis World: The Truth About Priscilla

You may or may not know this but there is “out there” a vast contingent of people who have a real hatred of Priscilla Ann Wagner Beaulieu Pr

The truth is not always out there when it comes to Elvis and Priscilla. But when their truth is revealed, it is seen to be not necessarily bad nor good. It simply is.

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Playlist: A Saturday in November

I love Christmas music. Music in general appeals to my imagination and Christmas music in particular has a singular effect on me. It has alw

Are you decorating for Christmas this weekend? Have you already?

Me? Christmas begins for me on the Saturday before the last full week of November. Either way, here's a playlist for the early days of your Christmas season.

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King Movies: Priscilla

Priscilla (2023) Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi Director Sofia Coppola American Zoetrope/The Apartment Pictures (113 mins) All images © Amer

As a happiness peddler, I'm not good at being negative. That being said, I thought I would share some thoughts on the new film Priscilla, based on Priscilla Presley's life with Elvis.

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Winter Movie Review: North to Alaska

This may be news to you but “winter” is a genre of film and I’ve made a good case to support this. Here’s a review of another favourite wint

North to Alaska

Released November 10, 1960

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Book Talk: Cousin Brucie

“It may be only one man’s story, and it can be read as the simple saga of some vinyl recordings, and the machinery by which those recordings

Fresh up on the website it’s a book review of a memoir from one of the two biggest voices of AM radio in the 1960s - it’s your cousin and mine, Cousin Brucie. Click the link for the full skinny on this book about a living legend.

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King Reader: Baby, Let’s Play House

Baby, Let’s Play House: Elvis Presley and the Women Who Loved Him by Alanna Nash (2010) Like an idiot, I saw this book that I had never hear

This may change your whole perspective. To fully understand Elvis Presley, one needs to study his relationship with women. This is probably the deepest psychological work on the man that I have read.

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On July 19, 1954, Sun Records released "That's All Right" by Elvis Presley with Scotty & Bill.

And the rest, as they say...

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Red West died on July 18, 2017.

He was one of the good ones.

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Head over now to SoulRideblog.com - you didn't know you needed it but you'll find that it's all you want.

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UnEarthed: The Films of William A. Graham

Once again on UnEarthed, we are looking at the 11 feature films of a prolific television director. Like our previous look at Toronto’s Harve

Fresh up on the website we take another deep dive. This time we feature the films of William A. Graham. You may have never heard of this prolific TV director but his 11 features bear discussion.

It started for me with Change of Habit, Elvis Presley’s last film, and then I saw Graham’s name on one of my new favourite films, Then Came Bronson. When I looked deeper, I was intrigued by what I saw and I thought I’d share.

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Janet Leigh at 22 years old

Born July 6, 1927 in Merced

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July 5, 1954

Memphis

Sam Phillips was waiting. He was waiting to hear the sound he always knew was out there - maybe this kid had it.

They had been recording ballads but nothing was working and everyone knew. Especially the kid. So, to let off steam, the kid launched into an old blues tune he loved, amping it up. His sidemen fell in, digging it. Sam sat bolt upright. Finally, he was hearing it.

So, out of frustration and rage came That’s All Right Mama by Elvis Presley. Nothing was ever the same.

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The Flickers: La Bamba

La Bamba (1987) Starring Esai Morales, Lou Diamond Phillips, Rosanna DeSoto, Danielle von Zerneck, Elizabeth Peña, Joe Pantoliano, Rick Dees and Brian Setzer. Directed by Luis Valdez. From Columbia…

I'm thrilled to finally issue my thoughts on one of my Top 25 and one of my first favourite films, La Bamba (1987). Great music and great visuals, sure, but this film is all about one man - Esai Morales. The performance he gives is one for the ages and it may be my favourite. Ever.