Friday Night Videos

People today just can't understand what a huge deal Tim Burton's Batman was when it came out 30 years ago. It was such a big deal that Prince's accompanying soundtrack was an event unto itself as well (this does not diminish Danny Elfman's score, which was profoundly influential in its own right). The first track off Prince's album was the surreal "Batdance," and it was a monster hit. The second single, which actually featured in the movie, was the wildly flamboyant "Partyman," which I've long considered the best work on that disc. Oddly, "Partyman" was only a top 20 hit, and I never saw a video for it (despite "Batdance" running what seemed like 24/7 on MTV at the time). Turns out, MTV refused to air the extended video because of the sexuality of the girl in the water tank and Prince's supervillain move of killing everyone at the party (oops! Spoiler alert!). In any event, Prince's estate has no aversion to the interwebz, and in the last few years has released all manner of Prince videos on YouTube for us all to enjoy, and this gem is a dandy piece of 1989 frozen in amber.

Previously on Friday Night Videos... Jimmy Castor.

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Friday Night Videos

I'd never heard of Jimmy Castor prior to this week. And a quick scan of his biography online shows that he had a hand in all sorts of musical styles. With his group the Jimmy Castor Bunch, however, he was pure, distilled funk, as evidenced by his 1973 hit, "Troglodyte (Caveman)." Can you sock it to me? Right on!

Previously on Friday Night Videos... The Kinks.

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Friday Night Videos

The Kinks have been broken up since 1996, with only occasional solo albums from Ray or Dave to fill the void amidst perpetual rumors of a reunion. In light of that, new Kinks music is rare. We've gotten a few unreleased bonus tracks here and there on remastered albums, and the 50th anniversary of Arthur, or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire brings us a new gem in the form of "The Future." It's a freaking do-wop song! It's a nifty number that has its charms, but it is easy to see why it didn't make the final album--the acapella harmonies simply don't fit with the sound of the rest of the album, even though the lyrics match the mood quite well. Fortunately, it's no longer unreleased. I wonder what other treasures remain hidden in the vaults?

Previously on Friday Night Videos... Mikaela Davis.

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Chicken Ranch anniversary: CLOSURE!

On this date in 1973, the infamous Chicken Ranch brothel of La Grange, Texas, closed its doors for good. The closure followed a week (give or take--it's been tough to pin down exact dates) of broadcasts by Houston TV station KTRK's consumer affairs reporter Marvin Zindler, accusing the brothel of corruption and conspiracy. The Chicken Ranch had survived attempts to close it before, but the white-hot media spotlight proved too much for it. Today marks the 46th anniversary of its closure.

On this date in 2016, however, another milestone was reached, with the official release of Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch: The Definitive Account of the Best Little Whorehouse. Has it been three years already? Apparently so, but it's hard to believe. The six years I put into it seem to have paid off as far as critics are concerned, with the book's reception being as close to across-the-board positive as is reasonably possible.

Just a reminder--book reviews help tremendously. If you've read Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch and are willing to do so, even a short sentence or two on Amazon, Goodreads or other online book site would help get the book in front of new eyes and spread awareness. Thanks!

Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch: The Definitive Account of the Best Little Whorehouse is available from both Amazon.com and BarnesAndNoble.com. It's also available as an ebook in the following formats: Kindle, Nook, Google Play, iBooks and Kobo.

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