Did Ancient Polynesians Visit California?

Scholastic scientists ignore Thor Heyerdahl’s publications to the point of constant embarassment. For example the sewn plank canoe mentioned in this article is found along the way from the Pacific Northwest to Hawaii, Micronesia, Melanesia and New Zealand. These places surround a natural ocean route, described by Heyerdahl in the 1950s. Many ethnical and cultural evidences can be found of contact with pacific indians and polynesian people. And I would expect excactly that from people populating almost every significant island in the polynesian triangle. Why should they stop there? The Americas are hard to miss once you enter the Japan current. Remember Johnny Depp drifting out in a canoe at the end of Dead Man? If redwood lumber was taken to Hawaii by stream, why not canoes of coastal settlers? Maybe the occasional dead Northwestern indian’s canoe landed in Hawai’i front tip first – they would have regarded him a god! Hawaiki!

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? Maybe so. Scholars revive idea using linguistic ties, Indian headdress Keay Davidson, Chronicle Science Writer Monday, June 20, 2005 Scientists are taking a new look at an old and controversial idea: that ancient Polynesians sailed to Southern California a millennium before Christopher Columbus landed on the East Coast.Key new evidence comes from two directions. The first involves revised carbon-dating of an ancient ceremonial headdress used by Southern California’s Chumash Indians. The second involves research by two California scientists who suggest that a Chumash word for ‘sewn-plank canoe’ is derived from a Polynesian word for the wood used to construct the same boat.

Did ancient Polynesians visit California? Maybe so. / Scholars revive idea using linguistic ties, Indian headdress

Save Trestles

Myspace.com Blogs – It’s ass kicking time! – Surfrider Foundation MySpace Blog

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This Sunset Strip Summer

Domenic Priore writes:

O.k., lots of fun stuff to think about, and to do: I’ve set it up so that if you live anywhere near New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles, there will be a ‘Riot on Sunset Strip Film Festival’ near you. Please check out:http://dumbangelmag.blogspot.com/

There’s lots of cool pictures here as well, and a link to watch Lloyd Bridges driving ‘The Silhouette’ for a couple of minutes… along with some groovy Love, and Brian Wilson ‘Smile’ stuff.

In L.A., I’m doing a ‘Beatnik Sunset Strip’ slide show at Skylight Books in Los Feliz, Thursday, June 26 (free), then the following Sunday (June 29), will be hosting two documentaries at The American Cinematheque’s Egyptian Theater… the Love documentary Love Story, and one on jazz vibraphonist/arranger Gary McFarland This is Gary McFarland. Both events start at 7 p.m.

In New York, it will be the ‘Riot on Sunset Strip Film Series,’ over two months of midnight movies at The IFC Center in Greenwich Village, each weekend starting July 25.

In San Francisco, The Red Vic Movie House on Haight Street will feature the ‘Riot on Sunset Strip Weekend’ featuring Riot on Sunset Strip, The Trip, You Are What You Eat and the Love documentary Love Story. This will happen August 28 through 31st.

So, have a look, it’s an easy thing to peruse, and a lot of fun this summer to come from it. …

Wrecking Crew News

From Wrecking Crew News:

Hi Wrecking Crew supporters!

After playing to great response at SXSW, Buffalo, Nashville and Seattle Film Festivals (see reviews), we are thrilled to announce that ‘The Wrecking Crew’ documentary will have it’s Los Angeles premiere on June 28th, 2008. The film will play under the banner “Movies That Matter” as part of the Grand Performances Program in downtown LA at 350 S.Grand. Ave.

This is a free, outdoor festival-style screening under the stars. You can bring a picnic, deck chairs, blankets and even white wine, they don’t allow red wine as it can stain the granite in the Festival area. If a picnic is not your speed, there are some great restaurants in the area. Even though tickets are free, please make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to eat and find a place to sit. Don’t forget a chair or blanket.

We are also very honored to announce that the presentation of the film will be followed by a live performance by Wrecking Crew alumni Hal Blaine (drums), Carol Kaye (electric bass), Don Randi (piano) and Chuck Berghofer (upright bass). Vocals by Julia Fordham and other guest aritsts.

Please Help Us Spread The Word. Its Very Important That Musicians And Music Lovers Know Of This Event. Thanks For Your Support.

I wrote a bout the Wrecking Crew movie here earlier.

Robert Drasnin and Waitiki
at Tiki Oasis 8

Otto von Stroheim writes about Tiki Oasis 8 musical programming:

Tickets are on sale for Tiki Oasis 8!
Tickets have been on sale for a while
But I wanted to let you know
Hotel rooms are going fast and there are only a few VIP passes left

We very quietly added Robert Drasnin and Waitiki to the schedule recently
One of the best classic Exotica acts and one of the best new Exotica acts on the same bill!!

The Robert Drasnin orchestra features Skip Heller on atmospheric guitar, Alice Berry on wordless vocals (aka Formica Dinette), and Mark Riddle (Tikiyaki Orchestra) on keyboards, as well as members on Waitiki in the backing group.

To get an idea of what the show will be like on Sat check out this video from last year

Aktivieren Sie JavaScript um das Video zu sehen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHXuIF7qd_k

If you are already booked and are not aware of the room parties, please check them out here:

http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=27862&forum=17&97

Bodies of Water

I randomly clicked a track on the Spreeblick blog’s newest music review. And it was Doves Circle the Sky by Bodies of Water. And I must say once in a while there’s new music that I really like for some reason or other. This track was playing during one of these very rare moments. Maybe I should listen there more often, since this was the first time I did that!

Popgun! 24 Bodys of Water und Ladyhawke

Waikiki Beachboys by Brian Chidester

Brian Chidester, co-author of Dumb Angel Magazine 4 and the upcoming Pop Surf Culture book (among other things) has a short film about the Waikiki Beachboys on YouTube currently.

Aktivieren Sie JavaScript um das Video zu sehen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wwvYNW07q0A

Quote from Tiki central:

It’s a short documentary that I directed four years ago, as a teaser to a larger project about the Waikiki Beachboys… native Hawaiian surf instructors and nightclub entertainers from the jazz age up through the ’60s. There were two great generations of Beachboys, and even though there are still beachboy concessions on Waikiki Beach today, the music and scene is nowhere near what it was back in the day.
I hope you enjoy the clip. I have tons of interview footage ‘in the can.’

Bo Diddley, R.I.P.

One of the most unique personalities and biggest inspirations in Rock’n’Roll.
According to Spreeblick Bo Diddley left this world today due to a heart problem.

Bo Diddley, R.I.P.

300 Days Alone on an Island

They already know they are going to edit 300 days into 52 minutes…! Doesn’t the island look gorgeous from above?

Quote from Private Islands blog:

French explorer and adventurer Xavier Rosset is about to embark on a 300 day trip to live alone on a remote tropical island in the South Pacific. His adventures will be filmed and used for a 52 minute documentary.

Xavier’s only luggage will be a Swiss army knife, machete video camera and a solar panel for charging the camera. He will spend 10 months alone on an island to develop another way of life through an exciting adventure, a return to the elemental sources. Xavier will survive alone on an island without human interference and without polluting emissions.

via Boing Boing
Xavier Rosset, 300 days alone on an island

Guitarist Jerry Cole Died on Wednesday

from Jerry Cole’s MySpace profile:

Our dear friend Jerry Cole died Wednesday night at his home in Corona, California. Funeral services are still pending but a public memorial is also being planned for the near future. Jerry’s wife Gale was with him when he suffered a massive heart attack. Jerry was 68 years old and is survived by Gale and their daughters, Monique and Katrina, and son, Cane. Jerry’s other son, Keith, died just a year earlier at the age of 28.

from Answers.com

Throughout the ’60s and , guitarist/songwriter Jerry Cole worked with some of the most prominent talents in rock’n’roll, including Them, the Beach Boys, the Byrds, and as a session man in Phil Spector’s ‘Wrecking Crew.’ With his own group the Spacemen, Cole released four albums of space-age surf music in just over two years, beginning with 1963’s Outer Limits. As the ’60s progressed, Cole worked on sessions for the Byrds’ ‘Mr. Tambourine Man’/’I Knew I’d Want You’ single and Them’s 1965 self-titled album. He teamed up with Roger McGuinn again in 1972 for McGuinn’s debut solo record, and session work with Roger Miller, Chuck Howard and Susie Allanson sent him in a country-rock direction. Cole’s work with the Spacemen was collected in the 1999 Sundazed compilation Power Surf! The Best of Jerry Cole & His Spacemen. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide

Jerry Cole