As I discuss below, after the Robar Model 19 gets back from Robar, it's next stop after a little shooting with the trigger being installed will be Zev Technologies.
As I discuss below, I daily carry a Zev Spartan Model 19 and it is one of the finest firearms and shooting irons I've carried for self defense over the past 30+ years in law enforcement. It takes the Glock to a new level.
So since Zev will install all their parts that you buy, my reduced grip Glock will go to Zev, perhaps where I can get it back as a Christmas present.
At Zev, I plan to have all Zev internal parts installed, along with their dimpled match barrel. I'll keep my stock Glock slide on the gun, since I don't plan on running an RMR on this gun. I love the Zev slides, but that's a big expense and will keep the Zev part of the project far cheaper.
After I recover financially from all the Zev work discussed above on the Model 19 Robar project, the second Robar project I want to do will be a bit more expensive, but still reasonable, but is also something I've wanted to do for quite a while.
I've got a nice 1989 Browning Hi Power that I'd like to do a few mods on. I don't have several thousand bucks to get full stippling of the fore and back grip and a light jewelers stipple on the top of the gun. Or a carry job removing all the sharp edges.
I plan just to get some trigger work and hammer replacement done. Perhaps a coating on the internals of one of Robar's durable finishes, as thats a service they offer, and of course replacement of other internal parts like springs, firing pin, etc with some high end products.
The IWB holsters I use are leather and do a great job of preventing contact of the gun with my torso/belt line. So I'm not concerned about a carry job or any of the plethora of other fine features this gun has that don't directly concern the trigger mechanism.
My gun that I'm sending in runs a set of Pachmayer grips that feature both a rubber front grip strap and a rear grip strap rubber covering as well. It's a nice feeling grip. I'm a big Pachmayer fan and have been for 37 years now, so it's no surprise I favor these grips on the Hi Power.
What I do want Robar is:
1. A magazine safety disconnect job;
2. Install/tune the Cylinder and Slide trigger assembly/job;
3. Have the Cylinder and Slide round hammer installed;
4. Install night sights (I'm not sure of what kind yet but I'll have them install some modern night sights);
5. Install a left side only safety;
6. Replace all internals springs, guide rod, firing pin, etc parts
and have them coated in one of Robar's durable finishes.
Then I'd like all the external pieces gold plated by Robar, i.e. :
-Trigger
-Hammer
-Slide Release
-Safety
-Mag release button.
Just 'cause. I'd like to end up with the "non-external work" version of the Hi Power featured in this article.
I don't see on the Robar website that they doing blueing, and particularly the type of DEEP rich blueing for which some BHP's are famous for, and although my gun features sort of a flat gray finish of some unknown type, I want it deep blued after the trigger work.
So I need to find a place to send it to for a deluxe blue job. Then that would be that.
The third project I'm contemplating with Robar is a similar grip reduction job like the one being done now but with a Gen 3 Model 21 SF. I don't know if the SF would make for a smaller grip than the regular 21 via the Robar reduction process and finger groove removal, but I've got one so that's whats going to go. Again, I'll go with light texturing, or may ask them to leave it reduced but untextured for the next step in the process.
The 21 will leave Robar and then go to Zev Technologies.
My carry gun for the last year has been the Zev Tech Spartan model Model 19. About the only thing left Glock about it is the frame. The Zev trigger is fabulous, and really just a perfect trigger for a striker fired gun. The only thing my Zev Spartan lacks is the reduced grip, as Zev does remove finger grooves.
I particularly like Zev's grip stippling, so I'd like to have this Model 21 Robar project stippled at Zev after reduction at Robar. Zev will install FOR FREE all parts you buy, and in the future Model 21 Robar project, as well as my current Model 19 Robar project, I'll be using the stock Glock slide.
I don't plan on putting RMRs on these guns, as they will be purely carry and are being downsized to accentuate their concealment quotient as well as be more comfortable in the hand. Thus, I'll use a stock Glock slide.
I DO like the Zev barrels, and I plan to ultimately get both the Model 19 and the Model 21 to Zev for a barrel, internal parts and their trigger. Springs, stainless steel guide rod and all those other parts that Zev makes.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Friday, August 17, 2018
THE ROBAR GLOCK 19 GEN3 PROJECT HAS LAUNCHED
Recently, a friend of mine who owns a gun shop and who is quite the machinist, artist, mechanic and all around good guy, Iraq/Afghan Special Forces type fellow, showed me a Glock he had done a frame reduction on.
After hours of whining on my part for him to sell it to me, as it was a work of art, he agreed to do one for me, but advised that it would "take some time", meaning, quite a while. I intend to take him one of my G19 Gen3s as I have several.
The Gen3 G19 is one of my carry favorite guns, and until the G19 Gen 5 came along, it was the stock Glock that had the best trigger for me. With exceptions where I wander back to my roots of various calibered Colt 1911s, Browning Hi-Power or the occasional revolver carry, its my G19 that is with me every day.
I didn't like the Gen4 triggers at all on the 19, the 34 or the 41 that I have. I traded both the 19 and the 34 and put an Apex Trigger on the 41. Big improvement.
I really think the Gen 5 trigger is a huge improvement over the Gen4 and even the Gen3, but I've moved to installing Zev triggers on all of my Glocks save for a few kept stock.
And onto the Robar project. After seeing my friends G19, which had a grip reduction (rear hollow space) and a finger groove elimination, resulting in a FAR THINNER grip on the G19, much closer to a Commander with fat grips than a regular G19. His had a lot of other custom frame features, such as double undercut trigger guard, grooves on the side of the grip to aid mag extraction (I didn't care for this) and a very cool area on the front right and left side of the front vertical part of the trigger guard, a slightly scalloped area where I normally rest my finger when it's not on the trigger.
I did some research on the internets and then ran into an LEO buddy I work with who had just had his G34 done at Robar. The grip reduction and finger groove elimination were well done, and the aggressive texture he chose was nice.
I myself went with the light texturing on my order. I sent a NIB G19 Gen3 OD frame/Tennifer Slide to Robar to have the grip reduction and finger groove removal and texturing, including the frame flats, double undercut trigger guard and having some night sights and a new trigger installed.
I'll keep you posted on the update. They got the gun last week and I'm looking at several months til I get it back, although they are known for beating their estimated work time significantly.
I can't emphasize what a different feeling gun the Glock 19 is with the hollow of the rear of the grip removed. Not only does it make the gun smaller in an area that aids concealment, it's far more comfortable to shoot a gun that fits your hand well. It fits my hand well, anyway.
Robar mentions that the grip reduction is far more noticeable on the large frame Glocks, but I found it dang noticeable on the 19. I'm pretty sure I'm going to like the work Robar does, since I've already seen it and felt it, but the next gun I send will be a Gen 3 G21 SF to see how significant that reduction is. What I'm wondering is whether the SF would make a smaller grip than a regular Gen 3 G21.
Glock should be doing this themselves, along with the flat front grip of the Gen 5. To me, the hollow space has always been a mystery, and I've long thought that a much better grip could be had by eliminating it. Soon, I'll find out.
After hours of whining on my part for him to sell it to me, as it was a work of art, he agreed to do one for me, but advised that it would "take some time", meaning, quite a while. I intend to take him one of my G19 Gen3s as I have several.
The Gen3 G19 is one of my carry favorite guns, and until the G19 Gen 5 came along, it was the stock Glock that had the best trigger for me. With exceptions where I wander back to my roots of various calibered Colt 1911s, Browning Hi-Power or the occasional revolver carry, its my G19 that is with me every day.
I didn't like the Gen4 triggers at all on the 19, the 34 or the 41 that I have. I traded both the 19 and the 34 and put an Apex Trigger on the 41. Big improvement.
I really think the Gen 5 trigger is a huge improvement over the Gen4 and even the Gen3, but I've moved to installing Zev triggers on all of my Glocks save for a few kept stock.
And onto the Robar project. After seeing my friends G19, which had a grip reduction (rear hollow space) and a finger groove elimination, resulting in a FAR THINNER grip on the G19, much closer to a Commander with fat grips than a regular G19. His had a lot of other custom frame features, such as double undercut trigger guard, grooves on the side of the grip to aid mag extraction (I didn't care for this) and a very cool area on the front right and left side of the front vertical part of the trigger guard, a slightly scalloped area where I normally rest my finger when it's not on the trigger.
I did some research on the internets and then ran into an LEO buddy I work with who had just had his G34 done at Robar. The grip reduction and finger groove elimination were well done, and the aggressive texture he chose was nice.
I myself went with the light texturing on my order. I sent a NIB G19 Gen3 OD frame/Tennifer Slide to Robar to have the grip reduction and finger groove removal and texturing, including the frame flats, double undercut trigger guard and having some night sights and a new trigger installed.
I'll keep you posted on the update. They got the gun last week and I'm looking at several months til I get it back, although they are known for beating their estimated work time significantly.
I can't emphasize what a different feeling gun the Glock 19 is with the hollow of the rear of the grip removed. Not only does it make the gun smaller in an area that aids concealment, it's far more comfortable to shoot a gun that fits your hand well. It fits my hand well, anyway.
Robar mentions that the grip reduction is far more noticeable on the large frame Glocks, but I found it dang noticeable on the 19. I'm pretty sure I'm going to like the work Robar does, since I've already seen it and felt it, but the next gun I send will be a Gen 3 G21 SF to see how significant that reduction is. What I'm wondering is whether the SF would make a smaller grip than a regular Gen 3 G21.
Glock should be doing this themselves, along with the flat front grip of the Gen 5. To me, the hollow space has always been a mystery, and I've long thought that a much better grip could be had by eliminating it. Soon, I'll find out.
Saturday, April 21, 2018
GOD BLESS TRANQUILITY AND HER LOYAL SECRET SERVICE AGENTS
I was moved beyond belief when I read various articles in this mornings papers about how many former Secret Service Agents who had served Mrs. Barbara Bush, the former FLOTUS of our great land.
In a time of bad news after bad news, and even in the sorrow of the passing of an American Icon like Mrs. Bush, it's the kind of story that made my day and nothing can take away that kind of feeling of pride and joy in the acts of some Secret Service Agents showed just how far their loyalty goes.
One former agent penned an article for CNN about his personal experiences with Mrs. Bush. You can read some other articles about the agents coming out to protect her here, and especially here, where you can see numerous photos of agents protecting her.
The articles I've read don't reflect whether there were any of the current Bush family protective unit with her body, but I suspect they might have been busy with President Bush and all of the travel involved in this funeral for him.
It's so touching, in these times, to see the camaraderie and esprit de corps of these fine agents as they come, likely from other parts of the USA, to do their final duty for their principal. No telling what kind of personal things were going on in their own life, but likely some had some important milestones or issues going on in their life, yet they hear the bugle call to duty and here they are.
As an American, a Texan and a former Houstonian, I salute these agents for their loyalty and respect.
In a time of bad news after bad news, and even in the sorrow of the passing of an American Icon like Mrs. Bush, it's the kind of story that made my day and nothing can take away that kind of feeling of pride and joy in the acts of some Secret Service Agents showed just how far their loyalty goes.
One former agent penned an article for CNN about his personal experiences with Mrs. Bush. You can read some other articles about the agents coming out to protect her here, and especially here, where you can see numerous photos of agents protecting her.
The articles I've read don't reflect whether there were any of the current Bush family protective unit with her body, but I suspect they might have been busy with President Bush and all of the travel involved in this funeral for him.
It's so touching, in these times, to see the camaraderie and esprit de corps of these fine agents as they come, likely from other parts of the USA, to do their final duty for their principal. No telling what kind of personal things were going on in their own life, but likely some had some important milestones or issues going on in their life, yet they hear the bugle call to duty and here they are.
As an American, a Texan and a former Houstonian, I salute these agents for their loyalty and respect.
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Merry Christmas to all, Happy Holidays to all, and most of all, pray for world peace!
So I wish you a Merry Christmas, hoping all is well with you and yours. I've received many comments lately in other threads and promise to write more at some point in the future. As an active parent AND grandparent, as well as husband, employee, friend and other duties, I've been remiss in blogging for the past several years. To paraphrase the late, great George Harrison, such is life.
To all others of other beliefs, Happy Holidays!
My wish for world peace is what I'd like for Christmas.
Sunday, September 24, 2017
CHARLES BRADLEY...REST IN PEACE, SIR, WE HARDLY KNEW YE...
I am absolutely ashamed to say that, until his death yesterday, I had never heard of the great talent that visited this earth for the past 68 years, not getting his music "out there" until 2011, when he was 62 years old.
I'll be up front with you. Mr. Bradley moves my soul when he sings. Go here while reading this tribute and listen to AIN'T IT A SIN while you're reading this humble prose. We'll start with that one. I know it's gonna make you forget all about this blog post you're reading.
I'll wait until you cue it up. There. Got the volume right? Have you ever heard anything like this voice in your life, other than perhaps the likes of the late Robert Johnson, the late Louis Armstrong and other great blues talents that long ago left our realm.
These great blues singers, they had one thing in common apparently, from the video interviews with Mr. Bradley on YouTube and the articles I've read online about him. They had a real bad upbringing and perhaps, a troubled continuing life. Indeed, if there is a modern face of a soulful blues singer, it was Mr. Bradley.
That is not the defining fact of a man. The good Lord above gave Mr. Bradley an ability to sing that forged Mr. Bradley's unique sound that fell somewhere in between Al Green and the late James Brown.
I hate that I'm writing the phrase "the late" so many times already.
As the lead singer of an late 1980's original Houston blues band that I played drums for, Joyce Bradshear once intro'd a song at a gig by stating, and I'm paraphrasing here..."That it's funny how something so sad can make you so happy. People listen to the blues when they're down, when they're troubled about something, and the whole grieving process of the song just somehow make you in your situation feel better about your blues". That quote doesn't do her justice.
About now you should be ready for another gem of Mr. Bradley, and this one was a real surprise. Although I'm in my fifties, and spent the mid 60's until now just obsessed with lots of different kinds of music, I'm not the biggest Black Sabbath fan. Yes, there are a few songs like Paranoid and Iron Man that I like somewhat, but it was really the songs like Crazy Train from Ozzy's solo career that were more accessible musically to me.
So I discover yesterday that one of Mr. Bradley's cover tunes was called Changes and was done originally in 1972 to an awful and dreary musically composed tune by BLACK SABBATH. Mr. Bradley takes CHANGES and makes it a totally new song.
Mr. Bradley has 3 albums that he released in this short period of being a professional bluesman. I'll give Mr. Bradley the honor of mentioning his loyalty to his excellent band. He kept the same band over the last 7 years, and that's something a lot of rising star singers and guitarists often don't do.
They get more famous, more experienced musicians to play with them. I'd actually be surprised if his management and label had not at some point had a run made at them by any number of experienced musicians, wanting to start a band with Mr. Bradley singing. Old guys, guys that have been playing the blues for a living for as long as Mr. Bradley's band has been alive.
If that didn't happen, with regional stars or former semi-major blues musicians looking for that next great gig while he was alive, it certainly would've happened soon as his immense talent was being heard daily by so many others.
Mr. Bradley's story reminds me of my good friend CAROLYN WONDERLAND a blues siren and songstress herself and of her persistence in the music business in Austin.
A talented blues guitarist as well as trumpeter, I've been watching and waiting for the rest of the world to notice her intense talent since she was 15 and busing tables at the Monday Night Blues Jam at the now defunct Dan Electro's blues bar in Houston, Texas.
That would be exactly 29 or 30 years ago. As the drummer for the house band on many of those nights for the last several years of my law school days, Carolyn would get up and sit in on a tune with the band. You knew one day she'd be noticed and be famous.
If memory serves, after one of her regular appearances at the Harley festival in Stugis, she was hired by and did a tour playing guitar with none other than Bob Dylan.
For a taste of Carolyn's music that you'll come back to at Christmastime, go to BLUE LIGHTS, song written by the man who taught me how to blues drum beginning in 1984, when I was first in one of his bands, the legendary Kenneth Blanchet, or "Little Screaming Kenny" as he's known.
Screamin' thought my drumming was too busy., "too cymbally", he said. And he was right, it was. Way too busy.
He complimented my rock sensibilities, and then handed me a stack of old blues albums and told me to take them home and tape them and bring them back and listen A LOT to them to learn how to play blues drums. Screaming taught me that less is more, many times musically speaking.
But that's the fellow who wrote Blue Lights, and I sure would have liked to have heard Mr. Bradley belt out that number.
You can find several albums of tunes out there from Mr. Bradley. Rest in Peace, sir. I will continue to listen to your legacy.
I'll be up front with you. Mr. Bradley moves my soul when he sings. Go here while reading this tribute and listen to AIN'T IT A SIN while you're reading this humble prose. We'll start with that one. I know it's gonna make you forget all about this blog post you're reading.
I'll wait until you cue it up. There. Got the volume right? Have you ever heard anything like this voice in your life, other than perhaps the likes of the late Robert Johnson, the late Louis Armstrong and other great blues talents that long ago left our realm.
These great blues singers, they had one thing in common apparently, from the video interviews with Mr. Bradley on YouTube and the articles I've read online about him. They had a real bad upbringing and perhaps, a troubled continuing life. Indeed, if there is a modern face of a soulful blues singer, it was Mr. Bradley.
That is not the defining fact of a man. The good Lord above gave Mr. Bradley an ability to sing that forged Mr. Bradley's unique sound that fell somewhere in between Al Green and the late James Brown.
I hate that I'm writing the phrase "the late" so many times already.
As the lead singer of an late 1980's original Houston blues band that I played drums for, Joyce Bradshear once intro'd a song at a gig by stating, and I'm paraphrasing here..."That it's funny how something so sad can make you so happy. People listen to the blues when they're down, when they're troubled about something, and the whole grieving process of the song just somehow make you in your situation feel better about your blues". That quote doesn't do her justice.
About now you should be ready for another gem of Mr. Bradley, and this one was a real surprise. Although I'm in my fifties, and spent the mid 60's until now just obsessed with lots of different kinds of music, I'm not the biggest Black Sabbath fan. Yes, there are a few songs like Paranoid and Iron Man that I like somewhat, but it was really the songs like Crazy Train from Ozzy's solo career that were more accessible musically to me.
So I discover yesterday that one of Mr. Bradley's cover tunes was called Changes and was done originally in 1972 to an awful and dreary musically composed tune by BLACK SABBATH. Mr. Bradley takes CHANGES and makes it a totally new song.
Mr. Bradley has 3 albums that he released in this short period of being a professional bluesman. I'll give Mr. Bradley the honor of mentioning his loyalty to his excellent band. He kept the same band over the last 7 years, and that's something a lot of rising star singers and guitarists often don't do.
They get more famous, more experienced musicians to play with them. I'd actually be surprised if his management and label had not at some point had a run made at them by any number of experienced musicians, wanting to start a band with Mr. Bradley singing. Old guys, guys that have been playing the blues for a living for as long as Mr. Bradley's band has been alive.
If that didn't happen, with regional stars or former semi-major blues musicians looking for that next great gig while he was alive, it certainly would've happened soon as his immense talent was being heard daily by so many others.
Mr. Bradley's story reminds me of my good friend CAROLYN WONDERLAND a blues siren and songstress herself and of her persistence in the music business in Austin.
A talented blues guitarist as well as trumpeter, I've been watching and waiting for the rest of the world to notice her intense talent since she was 15 and busing tables at the Monday Night Blues Jam at the now defunct Dan Electro's blues bar in Houston, Texas.
That would be exactly 29 or 30 years ago. As the drummer for the house band on many of those nights for the last several years of my law school days, Carolyn would get up and sit in on a tune with the band. You knew one day she'd be noticed and be famous.
If memory serves, after one of her regular appearances at the Harley festival in Stugis, she was hired by and did a tour playing guitar with none other than Bob Dylan.
For a taste of Carolyn's music that you'll come back to at Christmastime, go to BLUE LIGHTS, song written by the man who taught me how to blues drum beginning in 1984, when I was first in one of his bands, the legendary Kenneth Blanchet, or "Little Screaming Kenny" as he's known.
Screamin' thought my drumming was too busy., "too cymbally", he said. And he was right, it was. Way too busy.
He complimented my rock sensibilities, and then handed me a stack of old blues albums and told me to take them home and tape them and bring them back and listen A LOT to them to learn how to play blues drums. Screaming taught me that less is more, many times musically speaking.
But that's the fellow who wrote Blue Lights, and I sure would have liked to have heard Mr. Bradley belt out that number.
You can find several albums of tunes out there from Mr. Bradley. Rest in Peace, sir. I will continue to listen to your legacy.
Friday, September 15, 2017
R.I.P. HARRY DEAN STANTON-YOUR MUSIC TOUCHED THE DIVINE
I stole part of the above title from a comment on a great Harry Dean performance of the classic Jim Reeves song "He'll Have to Go" at his 80th birthday party.The audio is not so great on it.
But the audio is pretty dang good on a wide variety of other Harry Dean Stanton Band tunes available on youtube. My favorite is this version of LOVE POTION #9. Looks like some Hollywood studio pros backing him, especially the trumpet player. I'd love to know who he is, as his playing sounds very familiar. In any event, the trumpet solo starting at about 1:35 is just absolutely awesome.
That day that always comes for all of us arrived for Harry Dean Stanton. Living to 91 is a damn great thing, particularly when you remained active in your art until it was your time to go.
I wrote some eight years ago about Harry Dean and my great admiration for him HERE and told some of my stories about chasing him all over Hollywood. To keep up with Harry's gigs in those pre-internet days, friends would send me the gig pages from the Los Angeles Chronicle and I subscribed to a magazine called Music Connection for a number of years, which covered the music scene in general in LA.
Ah, Harry Dean, you brought so many of us so much pleasure with your acting and your singing and your art.
Although I am a musician, I'm not an actor, yet the fact that Harry Dean's acting career really didn't take off big time until he was 58 years old, after decades of character actor roles, gives me hope that I'll shoot off into the stratosphere SOON on my future ventures, since I'm nearing that age.
Harry Dean kept a low profile personal life. Off the top of my head, I recall that at some point after moving to LA, he and Jack Nicholson roomed together for several years, in a remote house in one of the beautiful canyons and hills overlooking Hollywood. You can't tell me those guys didn't have some fun in that house!
He served our country in the U.S. Navy as a cook and was in the Battle of Okinawa. Do you think that experience was what drove Harry to acting? Even as a cook, men you've gotten to know disappeared and died. You saw the disfigured. Maybe that was what led him to leave his studies in Kentucky and head to Pasadena to study acting, as did other of his day that were WWII and Korean War vets.
Harry was 7 years older than my late mom and dad. He took a chance. A big chance. While my parents successfully pursued the American Dream, guys like Harry were still doing character parts.
When El Fisho Jr. was much younger, in elementary school, like his dad he developed an interest in U.S. military history. We watched Kelley's Heroes many many many many times, an extremely safe movie nowadays and hardly violent at all. Heavy on dialog. It captivated me as a child when it was on T.V.
I made a point to indicate who Harry Dean was and tell him of some of my fascination with his acting and his music. Over the years, he's seen several movies and shows with Harry Dean, but he's not the fan I am. My wife is a big fan, but again, apart from a few good friends spread throughout The Great State of Texas and a few other places, there are few I've met that share my fascination with Harry Dean.
It is said Harry's passing was peaceful. I've been in that same hospital that he passed in many times for various medical testing.
I'll always remember seeing him play music. As great as his acting abilities, he always touched a subtle nerve in the music he played. Go to YouTube and do a search on his name. I've provided a few links about, and Love Potion #9 remains a big favorite. I'll get it going on the phone bluetoothing to the car stereo driving down the road and hitting repeat a few times. I really need to find out who that trumpet player was as I'd like to hear some more of his stuff.
I'll write some more soon about Harry Dean. He made the world a better place. He made me laugh and feel different feelings and his music levitated me to a joy that certain bands do. He has charisma in his musical delivery.
I'll close with one of my favorite clips from the movie Repo Man,
where Harry Dean is schooling his protege Emilio Estavez on the CODE OF THE REPO MAN It's so hard to believe this clip was from a movie that released 33 years ago. Man, it just seems like yesterday we rented that on VHS and cracked up. It was one of those outstanding movies of that time, along with Paris, Texas and Taxi Driver and so many great masterpieces.
Here's THE CODE from the CODE OF THE REPO MAN:
An ordinary person spends his life avoiding tense situations. A repo man spends his life getting into tense situations.
Bud: [doing speed with Otto] Never broke into a car, never hotwired a car. Never broke into a truck. 'I shall not cause harm to any vehicle nor the personal contents thereof, nor through inaction let the personal contents thereof come to harm' It's what I call the Repo Code, kid!
Don't forget it--etch it in your brain. Not many people got a code to live by anymore.
To some, Repo Man might not be on the level of more dramatic movies. There is all kinds of stuff going on in Repo man, with Emilio stuck in a highly dysfunctional family and as a former punk rocker, just looking for his place in life.
I hope your spirit is happy and free, Harry Dean.
But the audio is pretty dang good on a wide variety of other Harry Dean Stanton Band tunes available on youtube. My favorite is this version of LOVE POTION #9. Looks like some Hollywood studio pros backing him, especially the trumpet player. I'd love to know who he is, as his playing sounds very familiar. In any event, the trumpet solo starting at about 1:35 is just absolutely awesome.
That day that always comes for all of us arrived for Harry Dean Stanton. Living to 91 is a damn great thing, particularly when you remained active in your art until it was your time to go.
I wrote some eight years ago about Harry Dean and my great admiration for him HERE and told some of my stories about chasing him all over Hollywood. To keep up with Harry's gigs in those pre-internet days, friends would send me the gig pages from the Los Angeles Chronicle and I subscribed to a magazine called Music Connection for a number of years, which covered the music scene in general in LA.
Ah, Harry Dean, you brought so many of us so much pleasure with your acting and your singing and your art.
Although I am a musician, I'm not an actor, yet the fact that Harry Dean's acting career really didn't take off big time until he was 58 years old, after decades of character actor roles, gives me hope that I'll shoot off into the stratosphere SOON on my future ventures, since I'm nearing that age.
Harry Dean kept a low profile personal life. Off the top of my head, I recall that at some point after moving to LA, he and Jack Nicholson roomed together for several years, in a remote house in one of the beautiful canyons and hills overlooking Hollywood. You can't tell me those guys didn't have some fun in that house!
He served our country in the U.S. Navy as a cook and was in the Battle of Okinawa. Do you think that experience was what drove Harry to acting? Even as a cook, men you've gotten to know disappeared and died. You saw the disfigured. Maybe that was what led him to leave his studies in Kentucky and head to Pasadena to study acting, as did other of his day that were WWII and Korean War vets.
Harry was 7 years older than my late mom and dad. He took a chance. A big chance. While my parents successfully pursued the American Dream, guys like Harry were still doing character parts.
When El Fisho Jr. was much younger, in elementary school, like his dad he developed an interest in U.S. military history. We watched Kelley's Heroes many many many many times, an extremely safe movie nowadays and hardly violent at all. Heavy on dialog. It captivated me as a child when it was on T.V.
I made a point to indicate who Harry Dean was and tell him of some of my fascination with his acting and his music. Over the years, he's seen several movies and shows with Harry Dean, but he's not the fan I am. My wife is a big fan, but again, apart from a few good friends spread throughout The Great State of Texas and a few other places, there are few I've met that share my fascination with Harry Dean.
It is said Harry's passing was peaceful. I've been in that same hospital that he passed in many times for various medical testing.
I'll always remember seeing him play music. As great as his acting abilities, he always touched a subtle nerve in the music he played. Go to YouTube and do a search on his name. I've provided a few links about, and Love Potion #9 remains a big favorite. I'll get it going on the phone bluetoothing to the car stereo driving down the road and hitting repeat a few times. I really need to find out who that trumpet player was as I'd like to hear some more of his stuff.
I'll write some more soon about Harry Dean. He made the world a better place. He made me laugh and feel different feelings and his music levitated me to a joy that certain bands do. He has charisma in his musical delivery.
I'll close with one of my favorite clips from the movie Repo Man,
where Harry Dean is schooling his protege Emilio Estavez on the CODE OF THE REPO MAN It's so hard to believe this clip was from a movie that released 33 years ago. Man, it just seems like yesterday we rented that on VHS and cracked up. It was one of those outstanding movies of that time, along with Paris, Texas and Taxi Driver and so many great masterpieces.
Here's THE CODE from the CODE OF THE REPO MAN:
An ordinary person spends his life avoiding tense situations. A repo man spends his life getting into tense situations.
Bud: [doing speed with Otto] Never broke into a car, never hotwired a car. Never broke into a truck. 'I shall not cause harm to any vehicle nor the personal contents thereof, nor through inaction let the personal contents thereof come to harm' It's what I call the Repo Code, kid!
Don't forget it--etch it in your brain. Not many people got a code to live by anymore.
To some, Repo Man might not be on the level of more dramatic movies. There is all kinds of stuff going on in Repo man, with Emilio stuck in a highly dysfunctional family and as a former punk rocker, just looking for his place in life.
I hope your spirit is happy and free, Harry Dean.
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
A REAL COLT DREAM THAT REALLY IS COMING TRUE!
YES MY FRIENDS, like the election of President-elect Donald J. Trump just two short months ago, EVERYTHING is coming up roses!
As an aside, thank goodness for Kellyanne Conway. I'm glad she's staying on. Her statements over the past few days over the Meryl lecture and the pre-speech attempt to incriminate President-Elect Trump over what has of this writing shown to be a mess of baseless allegations and things that didn't happen, paid for by first the Republicans then then Democrats.
As for Kellyanne, I hope they find great schools for their kids but I also really hope her genius Supreme Court practice attorney of some renown is appointed Solicitor General. Heck, I've read his resume online, he's way qualified in Supreme Court Practice, if I read correctly, for almost 20 years now, and the perfect age, to be a Supreme. Why not? The man is highly qualified.
Most lawyers never get to practice before the Supreme Court. My late Father argued a landmark case before the Court over 40 years ago, and was awestruck by the experience, even being a big city lawyer used to jury trial and appellate arguments.
Mr. Conway, again this is from memory, has been practicing repeatedly before the Supremes since the late 90's, and likely in many other courts as well. But I get the idea SCOTUS is his specialty.
Also, I don't know what Kellyanne's role with the new POTUS will entail, but I sure hate to see her not be the public face in media representing him. At least in times of crisis, I'd prefer to see her repping Trump in tough situations and issues, with all due respect to his recently appointed, one resigned and appointed PR crew and spokespersons.
But Hillary's defeat is not the only dream that's come true. I, and others I know, recently had another dream come true...Colt is back in the Double Action revolver business.
So to shift gears entirely, let's talk about a new Colt revolver. DA. Double Action.
Although for others in the gun industry who read about new products this is not likely real breaking news, but from the linked article about the NEW COLT COBRA PISTOL you can read that it's a fairly recent development.
I sent Zach at the blog on the right side of your screen that link and he was impressed like me. Also like me, I think he harbors hopes of development of other DA revolvers if this introduction is successful.
Yahoo. We need Colt back in the double action revolver business.
And Colt, if some web surfing employee or bot is on the web and comes across this, I've got a great business plan suggestion for you.
It's really simple and something you already do.
In addition to getting the Cobra out for sale for sale in the VErY near future, and to you need to INCREASE production of ALL of your single action revolvers. Immediately if not sooner.
AND as I write this, my shooting heart goes pitter patter like so many other satisfied Colt revolver shooters with the that Colt is HOPEFULLY developing some other great DA revolvers (HINT to COLT: BUILD SOME MORE PYTHON, DIAMONDBACK, LAWMAN and perhaps a .357 Detective Special!) That's all speculation and wishing on my part folks. Not anything I've heard. Just what I'd like to see.
As I said above, let's get those production facilities going 24/7 on the Single Action Colt revolvers. Both the Peacemaker and the New Frontier.
Since your business issues, I've seen lots of very nice new Colt 1911's from entry level to Gold Cup at my local dealers. There has been a paucity, however, of .38 Super Guns other than the full size all steel Government model. Which, by the way, is a fantastic gun.
But getting back to increasing production for the single actions. Lots of folks I know spend, every few months, some bucks on a long distance or a black rifle in the SA Colt price range, or on high end 1911's from many brands that cost far more than the SA Colt revolvers. Lots of these guys, like me, would buy one on the spot, but I'm just not getting the chance.
Colt, you will sell every one you can make, as you already undoubtedly do since I have not seen a new Peacemaker for sale in at least 7 years in a gun store, let alone ever seeing a New Frontier for sale ever. Or for that matter, I've never seen a New Frontier other than on media and in print.
Frankly, it's rare to see any Colt revolver be it single or double action, new or used on sale at any gun shop, but the single action Colts are a hard to find bunch for any kind of semi-reasonable prices (within the realm of what is actually reasonable for a Colt nowadays, not some skewed idea of what the price should be).
So yeah, it'd be great if I could snag a nice Peacemaker in ..44 Special or 45 Colt or even .357 or even something with harder to find and more expensive ammo like the .44-40 at MSRP or even a little less or a little more. But I'd prefer the first two over the latter.
Mostly, I'd just like to see A SINGLE new Colt Single Action.
In my gun shop travels, in terms of interesting guns that are not the same fare most gun shops have, I occasionally see Interterms era Walthers and Lugers, Browning Hi-Powers, various 1960's-1980's S&W revolvers, a stray H&K P7 or (rarely) a P9S. Even Mauser pistols! But rarely Colt revolvers.
I can almost count the number of Colt double action revolvers on two hands that I've seen in the last decade for sale. Of course, I bought several of them. But here's a list, with the most recent (and highly overpriced) siting listed last, to-wit:
All guns in excellent condition and Blued except where noted.
1. Anaconda 4" Nickel or Stainless?
2. Python 8"
3. Python 8" with extra 3" (California Special) Barrel, NIB
4. Three Detective Specials, 3rd Generation, near 100%
5. Python 6"
6. Colt Cobra, 2nd Generation, near 100%
7. Colt Python, 2.5" barrel
8. Colt Python, 2.5" barrel, 85% finish
9. Colt .357 Magnum, 4" pre-model name, 85%
10. Colt Lawman, nickel, 2.5" barrel
So out of the hundreds of Lugers, HK's and other unusual guns I occasionally see in stores, I see about 1 Colt double action revolver a year.
Yes, I know there are stores, like a shop I'll not name in Houston that carries a lot of high end and hard to find firearms, where at some times there are a lot of recent single action Colts for sale. Some extremely fancy and highly expensive. But you will pay a premium price for a used gun there, and again, although I like to troll their website, I have not seen any new single action Colts for sale there in some years, although it's possible I've missed them as I don't troll it often.
And yes, I know Gunbroker and similar sites have Colts for sale, but I like to feel the gun if possible. My friend Zach found me a fantastic .223/20 gauge Savage Model 24 at a store near his house that had a nice webpage, and I bought it sight unseen and it's just a fabulous gun in excellent condition at a cheap price for that gun. Even came with a very nice scope that's dead on accurate. But before I spend larger dollars on a gun, I'd like to feel the action. It's all about the action in a revolver.
How about it, Colt?
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