Stardust? Nope....Sand. In His LUNGS!

Ahh, the Stardust. The glory days of the Strip when you actually had to pull a lever to place a slot bet. Today, the rubes can hardly be bothered to push a button. But they do, and despite the economy, the casino up north has glamorous folks a plenty maneuvering their scooters to the changer's booth and back to the machine for button pushing just like a monkey addicted to tobacco. For the record, the legally fixed return ranges from 75% to 83% or so depending on your state. Gee...GOOD ODDS!

The Stardust history is rife with questionable dealings primarily due to Tony "The Ant" Spilotro, who ran the show. Even his wiki page is full of, I quote "weasel words" which seems appropriate. I don't have the time or patience to summarize Tony's life, but you can "bet" if Joe Pesci plays you in a movie...you have a colorful story. I can tell you, however, that when he was found buried in a cornfield along with his brother "the autopsy performed on the recovered bodies allegedly found sand in the brothers' lungs, leading examiners to speculate that they had been buried alive" Later testimony disproved this. I'm no doctor, but I attribute it to some windy days in the early days on the strip.

Anonymous Vernacular Snapshot Collection Jim Linderman

The Paintings of Camera Club Girls by Rudolph Rossi

So a few folks have received their copies of Camera Club Girls, and two wrote to say "They're PAINTINGS" and I'm like, yup. Do you think I would do a book of plain ol' PHOTOGRAPHS of naked women? Indeed, Rudolph Rossi took all these black and white nude photographs around 1950, blew each up himself to 8 x 10 (or larger) and HAND-PAINTED them all. That was sorta the point. They are tinted like many photographs throughout history, but Rossi took it to the extreme.

Group of Rudolph Rossi Photograph Details, circa 1950 Collection Jim Linderman
LINK to Dull Tool Dim Bulb Books HERE

Herbert Freeman Orlando Artist

I used to be quite involved and enamored of what was once known as outsider art and is now known as who knows what. I can only do so much, so have drifted to other things. I don't know what to call it, but I have always felt the untaught are God's chosen artists, and no artist with art training, no matter how good, important or profound, has any advantage at all over one who creates without the training. I'll even go as far as to say those without training are even MORE exceptional for the most part, as it comes from an innate, still not understood but certainly no less difficult and no less important place. When created under less than ideal circumstances, as this appears, it is also certainly a far greater accomplishment. I have no idea who or what Herbert Freeman is, but this is exceptional work. More information is at The Freeman Project.

Bro' Tom Skinner Lays a Love Bag of Skin on you (the Thrilla in Manila Paper)

I present Tom Skinner and his "Up from Harlem" to steer you the right way. Preacher Tom lays his Jesus bag on heavy in this great, great Al Hartley penned "Spire Christian Comics" to correct your behavior.  Skinner sorta invented the "Jesus Freaks" back in the hippie days.   

Spire Christian Comics specialized in taking regular comic book figures, such as Archie, Dennis the Menace and other normal (but sinning) characters and giving them a solid dose of good ol' faith. (They also had the nerve to charge 39 cents each)  Comic books for the kids at Bible Vacation Camp. 

Righteous Al was able to line up Archie and others for the series because he worked for Archie Comics. This one doesn't have the red-head in Riverdale going up to Harlem for a score, unfortunately.  "Jughead...DRIVE!"

I've been on the corner indicated in the top picture many, many times. It ain't like that, Bro.Skinner passed away, but donated his papers to the Billy Graham Center Archives in Wheaton, Illinois. A most valuable resource, and one which will be increasingly important as research is done on right-on, high five alive messengers such at Tom (lay me some skin) Skinner.Tom Skinner Up From Harlem Spire Christian Comic 1975 Collection Jim Linderman

The Mechanix of Folk Art

All Cribbed from early 1930s issues of Home Mechanix.

Greil Marcus Writes Again. Van Morrison's voice.

I have always taken Van Morrison for granted. Even during last years recent touring reconstruction of the masterful album Astral Weeks, (The masterpiece he painted twice, Moondance being the second) his voice has always just seemed part of the world. Just as he always wanted and repeatedly sang, his work popped up from the radios not as a surprise at all, but as a pleasing sensation everyone was familiar with (and always, ALWAYS turned up as directed and sung along to) but never thought much about. Like the late Alex Chilton, he has always been a comfortable presence like plant shoots in spring, a rusted chain link fence around the lake, a limb slowly wavering in the wind, but never troubling and never in the way.

The only time I saw Van Morrison perform was the early 1980s and he was short and round like a giant freckled toad. When he took out his saxophone and raised it to his lips, the instrument rested nearly horizontal on his belly and the horn pointed directly at his face, but I knew the stage held greatness.

Marcus has created a slight book for him, far less smart than "Invisible Republic" (which was a better title than "That Old Weird America") but no less essential. Three chapters in, I was pulling out the old bootleg of the Moondance demos, Just Van the Man and a few tentative musicians. Mine come from the wonderful Scorpion Three CD bootleg which is all of his music I need. There are certain times when hearing that voice, the only Irish red-headed voice I know, tinker and capture "Domino" in every manner, (a "harmony" version, a "rap" version, a "flute" version...) is so soothing it just makes all seem well. He eventually nails it, and "Caravan" and "Everyone" (you don't recognize the titles, but you've sung along) are a revelation with just his voice, and it makes me long for the days when vocal imperfections and mistakes could be spun into gold by a true artist.

Half of the musicians who mattered moved to Woodstock before the big concert, before it was tie-die heaven, because Dylan and the Band were there. They all wanted to be in the Band. Dr. John, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Bobby Charles, even George Harrison came calling and many stayed. They all went to Woodstock when Dylan lived there and the Band was figuring out what came after Little Richard, drunken sock-hops and the whirlwind Manchester. Soon it was mostly booze and drugs, but for a time it was Laurel Canyon in the Catskills. Marcus caught on early. He reviewed the original releases 40 years ago for Rolling Stone. I realize this book review is hardly that...one should always wait until you finish the book and turn the music off. But the book has already given me an appreciation which was always there and needed goosing. To me that means, already, Good Book.

Jim Linderman Camera Club Girls: Bettie Page and her Friends: The Work of Rudolph Rossi

For over 50 years, the extraordinary Hand-Painted Original Photographs of Bettie Page and nude models of the 1950s taken by Rudolph Rossi lay hidden. Now, for the first time, over 100 have been published in Camera Club Girls by Jim Linderman. 114 pages, 35 pages of text and 180 pictures, the book tells the story of the informal groups of early camera enthusiasts in New York City who paid ten dollars each to photograph naked women, including Bettie Page, in dingy studios and outdoor excursions. As much the history of early erotic photography and Times Square smut as it is the story of the exceptional personal vision of an artist, master photographer and painter which has not been told until now. The photographic find of the decade, and an amazing story which combines passion, painting, photography and early porno in a tale never told. Preview 15 pages of the book at right and order.

Draw Like Daisy Mager

One of the most prolific children's illustrators in history was Daisy Mager, but you wouldn't know it by searching Google. Sometimes I fear nothing began before Al Gore invented the internet. I've seen Mager's work all my life, but try to find her biography. Even finding a first name took some time. These were published by Saalfield, a company which operated in Akron, Ohio and did primarily children's instruction books, toys and paper dolls. They lasted nearly 100 years, but had the bad fortune to go out of business just before the internet came along, so Daisy will ever remain a nobody. Saalfield's library and archives were purchased by Kent State University the year they went under. I'm sure more information on the prolific and perpetually positive Mager is to be found there, as the artwork alone held by the school is 89 oversize boxes...but it is midnight, this is only a blog post, and Daisy Mager only taught me to draw and connect the dots, not look stuff up.

8 children's activity books illustrated by Doris Mager 1953 (from a set of 20) Collection Jim Linderman

Spring 2010 at Dull Tool Dim Bulb

It is spring indeed, flowers are popping. Progress too! DULL TOOL DIM BULB BOOKS will announce the FOURTH BOOK in the series of limited edition Art and Photography books very soon. Stay Tuned.

Child's paper weave Flower, circa 1890 Collection Jim Linderman

Jim Linderman Foam International Photography Magazine

(Click to Enlarge)

I am pleased to have a brief article and profile in the Spring 2010 issue of Foam: International Photography Magazine. As Foam is likely the most beautiful (and interesting) photography magazine published, this is quite an honor. Please follow the links to Foam and consider ordering a subscription or purchasing some of the back issues. Advertisers? This is a splendid publication to reach the worldwide art market, photography or otherwise, as the coverage of the booming European creative fine art photography scene is exceptional. The Spring 2010 issue alone is over 200 outstanding large pages.

At the Circus in Black and White (Japan style) #18

Number 18 of "At the Circus in Black and White" provides proof the circus knows no borders.

Group of early Japanese Circus Postcards, date unknown.

Luc Sante on Real Photo Postcards: The New School Lecture

I might be a little slow on the draw here, but The Parson's Department of Photography at the New School has loaded Luc Sante's lecture on Real Photo Postcards given in conjunction with publication of his book Folk Photography: The American Real-Photo Postcard. The link here is a rare opportunity to watch and hear an entire lecture by an important scholar (and see plenty of the images from his book) Link and text following is provided by Exposures, the Aperture blog. The video is presented in two parts.

As part of the Parsons Department of Photography at The New School Lecture Series, writer and critic Luc Sante gave a talk at Aperture Gallery last November on his new book, Folk Photography: The American Real-Photo Postcard, 1905–1930, which was recently excerpted in Aperture magazine, Issue 196. The full version of this talk is now available to view on our multimedia page divided in two parts.

This clip below is an excerpt from the event where Luc Sante explains how he started collecting postcards thirty years ago. He then reads the introduction to his book going through the development of photo postcards with the dissemination of pocket cameras in the first half of the 20th century and the particular style of this non-academic American vernacular art.

To watch the full version, click on these links below:

Part 1, Part 2

The FIRST Abstract American Art The Parfleche

It is almost as if there used to be an unspoken, institutional refusal to acknowledge the beauty and validity of Native-American Art. To admit the culture or peoples you are discriminating against (or unfortunately, slaughtering) is capable of creating art which reaches or exceeds the contributions of one's own dominant culture is somehow inconvenient. Thus Indigenous Antique Native American Art has for the most part (in the relatively short history of European culture in the Americas) been traditionally relegated as "artifact" rather then art. Somehow, it is easier to explain away the treatment of a culture if you dismiss or avoid their contributions of an artistic or spiritual nature. This has certainly changed over the last few decades, as splendid and exceptional examples have finally been placed in spotlights before the "correct" people and presented as the art it is rather than storing the objects in the back room of the Natural History Museum.

That there is moral, ethical and often legal baggage in collecting (and owning) Native American art is undeniable. It is a rather splendid irony that some of the most beautiful examples ARE baggage! The Parfleche. Although produced by the thousands by virtually every tribe within reach or trade of Buffalo skin, the word is not recognized by my spell checker. Parfleche, basically French for "against arrows" is applied to hard, durable cases and objects of dried hide as they could do just that. Deflect the tip of an arrow. The Indian backpack, saddle bags or suitcase otherwise known as Parfleche is itself a wonderful functional adaptation, but each tribe also imbued them with colorful patterns which appear similar, but as with all art forms, as one becomes familiar it is easy to discern between motifs and tribes. Collectors of American Indian Art may know about beaded objects, woven objects and pottery...but painting was involved as well! Painted Drums, Shields and Parfleche are, I believe, the best kept secret in American Art.

Among collectors, of which there are not too many, I suppose Plains tribe examples are most common. Other groups, Plateau even Southwestern, produced the Parfleche as well. The technique was the same...stretch it out, stake the ends to let it dry and fold the object like a giant wet burrito into a rectangle. It will stiffen hard as rock. Then decorated with vegetal dye, maybe some urine, (yep...just like Andres Serrano) or pigment with family, tribal or spiritual design. Each roughly two foot long case would hold family items, documents, clothing, even food as it was carried on horses, lashed to packs and hung in tents. Early Native American painted objects are rare, but exceptionally beautiful. The FIRST ABSTRACT ART produced within these shores, they belong not in museums of relics or artifacts, but exhibited as fine art alongside the art of European cultures.

To my knowledge, the Parfleche has never been presented in a major exhibition on the East coast, although they turn up in antique shows and isolated pieces are occasionally seen in folk art gallery shows. Santa Fe galleries and institutions exhibit them more frequently. The National Museum of the American Indian in New York owns splendid pieces but I don't think more than one or two are shown at any given time. They look like Mondrian, but they are much, much older and far less "valuable" though no less important.

The "best" are Buffalo, old and pre-reservation era. Later examples were produced for trade (and tourist trade) from cowhide. Reproductions, recent examples and even some made to deceive exist. Smaller items such as medicine bags were also produced, these often were stitched rather than lashed and have bayeta trade cloth "selvedge" sewn on the edges with sinew. Authentic matched pairs are particularly desirable and though "price is in the presentation" it is not to difficult to find splendid pieces on the market.

The major work and exhibition of Parfleche remains the 1994 book by Gaylord Torrence. The American Indian Parfleche: A tradition of Abstract Painting broke ground when it was published, and remains one of the most beautiful books on art ever produced.
Jim Linderman

1928 Perp Walk of Edward Hickman Los Angeles "Fox Slayer" Meet the Press

"Interest in Edward Hickman, Los Angeles "Fox Slayer" of Marian Parker has not laxed since his trial and death sentence, judging from this picture of the crowd journeying to Richmond, California to get a glimpse of the young slayer as he was hustled from a train to a ferry bound for San Quentin Prison to serve a life sentence. Hickman is bareheaded and sweater clad. Manacled to him and at the right is Welby Hunt, his pal in another crime, who was sentenced to life imprisonment."

Anonymous Press Photograph, hand-embellished 1928 Collection Jim Linderman

Bunny Yeager Lovely Lass with Lens 36-25-37 Heroes of Photography #1

Linnea Eleanor "Bunny" Yeager is a pioneer woman photographer whose work you know but don't. Those in the art world may be tempted by pass her by as she worked in the pin-up business. That's right, a woman taking pictures of women for men...and in the 1950s no less. Yeager took some shots of a personal, patronizing kind as well: she was named "Prettiest Photographer in the World" by US Camera Magazine in 1953. (With competition from fellows like Weegee, I'm not quite sure how much of an honor this is) Likely the only professional photographer who has had her measurements reported by Celebrity Sleuth, she was also named one of the top ten women "Photographers of the Year" in 1959 by the Professional Photographers of America and has lived long enough to see her work exhibited in a retrospective at the Andy Warhol Museum last year.

Not only did Bunny photograph pin-ups for Playboy (and countless other men's magazines) she was a model herself. Born in Pennsylvania, Bunny moved to Florida and soon became one of the most in-demand models on the beach. No less than Joltin' Joe Di Maggio, himself a fine judge of female talent, crowned her "Miami Sports Queen" in 1949. But Bunny had artistic aims and brains along with her beauty and began taking pictures of her fellow models, many of whom posed for free to help her out. She reportedly had an additional advantage...some of the more modest models had no difficulty shedding ALL their clothes for a woman, and much of her early work was nudes rather than the "nearly nudes." made by her male competition. Her empathy and collaboration with the models helped her create stupendous glamor. One of her first works became a cover for Eye Magazine. A few years later she photographed vacationing Bettie Page and sent the pictures to Hugh Hefner. One became the centerfold and Bettie became Playmate of the Month in January 1955. She later took the famous beach photos of Ursula Andress used for the James Bond film Dr. No. She liked Hollywood...much of her work was for the industry even if her credits read like a "B Movie" festival. Bunny is still doing still work from what I can tell.
by Jim Linderman

Uncredited Photographs published in "Scamp" magazine 1957

The Ten Lives of Iggy! The SECOND annual Dull Tool Dim Bulb Lifetime Achievement Award™ presented by Jim Linderman

The Second Annual prestigious Dull Tool Dim Bulb Lifetime Achievement Award™ award goes to Michigan native Iggy Pop, nee' Iggy Stooge nee' James Newell "Iquana" Osterberg Jr. of Muskegon, Michigan.

One of my heroes since I was a child, King Iggy was born 12 miles north of where I sit today. By the time I was old enough to sneak out and see him perform, he was already hooked on junk and living across the state in a radical pig-stye in Ann Arbor performing as retarded baby brother to the MC5. (Another glorious group of talented misfits worth searching You tube for, and whose once thought revolutionary claptrap now seem like prophecy)

Iggy's first "big" record was probably "Search and Destroy" which not only managed to put the Vietnam war into perfect perspective a decade before Springsteen's "Born in the USA" it also managed to name check another prominent Michigan invention...Napalm.

I first heard of the mighty Iggy when someone, I can not remember who, told me they saw a performer cover his chest with an unknown sticky substance and chicken feathers while terrifying an audience of about 50 people. This would have been around 1968. Subsequent performances, which I always did my best to see, included peanut butter, blood, vomit and an abandon that makes Mick Jagger look as stiff as Richard Nixon (who I also saw the same year, running for president and already tricking the good folks of the state in the Civic Center of Grand Rapids) Just for the record, around the time Mick Jagger was pleading from a nice safe stage in limp fey voice "come ON people" as a man was being beaten to death by Hell's Angels in front of him at Altamont, Iggy was literally fist brawling with bikers while recording his live album "Metallic K.O."

Furthermore, Iggy is no fool. One can easily find the clip for the show in which a drugged out, wounded and near toothless Iggy discusses the difference between Dionysian art and Apollonian art with a stunned Tom Snyder. (I am not kidding here...there is a clear and pure artistic vision at work in this muscular addled and addicted musician) I am also sure he won every damn argument he ever had with David Bowie, even if he was slurring his words. Iggy also had the charm to romance no less than Dinah Shore on national television.

For his unswerving ability to make every other "rock" performer seem like a pussy, and in this I do not exaggerate, every damn one. For his uncanny ability to keep a waistline and torso hard as stone well until his fifties. For entering not "rehab" but a freaking MENTAL HOSPITAL to get cured (Man up, rock star wannabes) For his amazing celebration of life despite the adversity of commercial failure, drug addiction, the loss of friends and surviving in a world he invented but has profited from less than shallow imitators...and because "Search and Destroy" "I Wanna be Your Dog" "The Passenger" "Real Wild Child" "Five Foot One" and "Lust for Life" are among the greatest songs of my generation. For once being so desperate to PERFORM he hired Soupy Sales children to back him and finally because Iggy has managed to have ten lives in the time most of us have one, the Dull Tool Dim Bulb Lifetime Achievement award is bestowed. For most performers, selling a song for a commercial is a loser, pathetic thing. For Iggy, it is freaking just rewards and poetic justice.

The astounding clips here include an iconic, legendary, crowd-walking performance which belongs in the Museum of Modern Art collection (seriously) and the equally legendary performance 40 years later when Madonna, another Michigander, shamed the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by choosing a REAL rock and roller to perform her songs when she was inducted.

As is tradition with the Dull Tool Lifetime Achievment Award™, a few little known facts about the award winner:

He did the voice of "Lil' Rummy" on the Comedy Central show Lil' Bush.

Elijah Wood is to play him in a forthcoming biopic, which keeps failing to get off the ground as no actor can come close to matching even a 30 second clip of the artist.

He reportedly called Moe Howard when naming his band, to make sure he wouldn't be upset there was another band of Stooges.

He invented the Stage-Dive

He ran away from school to learn drums with legendary bluesman Sam Lay, who played for Little Walter, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters and Bob Dylan...Dylan himself once sent a telegram thanking Sam for playing on "what many say is my best album." So even as a child Iggy had the taste for the real thing.
Jim Linderman

At the Circus in Black and White #17

An unusual addition to the "At the Circus in Black and White" series as this is actually a unique photograph of a silent film being made at Universal Studios in 1915. Remarkable that even as early as this circus sideshow banners were familiar enough in the public consciousness to satirize them in a movie. Also remarkable that even back in the silent era, motion picture studios would go to the trouble to commission such elaborate (if primitive) backdrops for what would have been used only in a brief scene or short film. Add a scary clown, a fellow in drag and a miniature pony...it all adds up to a great photo!

Photo of Film Set Universal Studios 1915 Collection Jim Linderman

Important Long Post for Fans, Friends and Followers!

A personal note...I suspect I am going to be slowing down the posts on DULL TOOL DIM BULB. Many of you know I have breathing problems...living in Times Square gave me 25 years of diesel flavored air, running in the park every night after rush hour sucked in plenty more, and 9/11 gave me another solid dose of minuscule lung fibers, so only I'm good about half-a day. I do the posts and take my medicine but it's been a long winter, I'm wore out and hung to dry. Plus, I am having such a wonderful time putting together the VINTAGE SLEAZE blog, which is going very very well indeed.

I also have to do a few other things. Dull Tool Dim Bulb Books while unprofitable, deserves attention...and another book is on the way. I have an EXTRAORDINARY story to research, it will take some time and effort but I am anxious to get started. It's almost time to start growing the tomaters. Plus, somehow I'm going to scrape up the energy to scrape down the house and paint it. I'm going to do one square inch a day...unless it rains.

I am NOT abandoning the site! Merely devoting a bit more time to the OTHER sites. I expect to post at least once a week at Dull Tool Dim Bulb, so not to fear.

In the meantime, follow the following! Just like this blog, they are "all killer, no filler."
Vintage Sleaze
Dull Tool Dim Bulb Books
old time religion
Wondrous World of Wendt
The Painted Backdrop

Jim