Spike Jones in Hi-Fi

Via Greg Cartwright via Strider Records

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Christmas Fun...or Christmas Misery. Choose Wisely!

(This post was supposed to go up around lunchtime, but I didn't press "post".)

Spike Jones & His City Slickers - "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer"

Bill Anderson - "My Christmas List Grows Shorter Every Year"

WARNING: If you're having a bad Christmas, or are alone right now, I strongly urge you not to click on this one. Seriously. Proceed at your own risk!

One Hundred Years Ago Today

December 14, 1911- May 1, 1965

On this day in the year Nineteen Hundred and Eleven, in the city of Long Beach in the land of California, a child was born unto a humble railroad agent and his bride, and they did christen the infant Lindley Armstrong Jones. And lo, because he was so slender, like unto a railroad spike, men did call him "Spike." And when he became a man, he gathered unto him many odd-looking Disciples, and together they made Music of a nature unlike any the the world had ever heard. And they traveled throughout the land, bringing this Music to all the people, and their Glorious Cacophony brought Joy unto the Multitudes,even unto his death and beyond, and his Song shall sound throughout the world, until the End of Days. Amen.

More on Eddie Brandt

Here's the L.A. Times obituary.

Eddie Brandt, 1924-2011

    Eddie Brandt was a piano player, writer, and arranger for Spike Jones & His City Slickers for many years, which alone should qualify anyone for a cushy spot in the afterlife. But that's not nearly all! He was head writer (and provided "Incidental Voices") for Beany & Cecil, he wrote for Hanna-Barbera in the '60s on Frankenstein, Jr. and The Cattanooga Cats, among others, and he even had an uncredited role as a piano player in Paul Frees' classic The Beatniks! I didn't have a lot of luck tracking down any good photos of the man (here's a so-so one of him in the '70s with Johnny Bond and Bob Nolan), but you can see him talking about his old boss in this clip:





   He also ran what sounds like a pretty amazing video store in North Hollywood, still being run by his wife and son. I would suggest checking it out if you find yourself in the vicinity.

   The Hollywood Reporter has the story. Note that they cite his age as 89; I'm going with the birthdate cited by the IMDB, which isn't always wise. Caveat emptor.

BONUS LINK: here's Mark Evanier to say a bit more about Mr. Brandt.