TDA's Wall of Wheeze

AOL Radio Launches It's Polka Channel!

2009-07-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

AOL Radio launches it's Polka Channel today and I'm honored that they asked TDA to be a part of it. The channel will feature all different styles of polka. Here's some easy to follow instructions I received from AOL on how to tune in.

"You do not have to be a subscriber to AOL to listen and there is no charge to you to listen. It is free to all plus we have a great tuner app for iPhones.
Here’s how you tune in from your computer.
Point your Internet browser to: www.aolradio.com and you’ll see a button on the page that says “Listen Now.” Click that and a player pops up. There will be a big column on the left hand side that says “Stations By Category.” Polka will be in the category “World/International” at the bottom of the alphabetical category listing. For a short time it will also be listed in “What’s New” at the top of the column.

Be sure to rate the songs you like, because that's how they decide which ones to keep playing. (Hint,hint)

Who knows, this could be the first step to bringing back the Polka Grammy!

White Castle Memories

2009-07-01T06:05:00.000-07:00

When I was 17 I had a Honda CB 160 which I thought was the coolest bike in the world. A few of my buddies had bikes too and we used to all sleep over at someone's house and then take off for midnight rides. Our route was usually Outer Drive, which is a loop that runs through Dearborn and a bunch of Detroit Metro suburbs, as well as Detroit itself. One highlight of the trip was going by Zug Island, just downstream from the Ford Rouge Plant, and marveling at the flames that shot out of the smokestacks. Very cool.
Another highlight was our stop at Mott's Hamburgers, (now called Motz's Hamburgers because the old owner wouldn't sell the name) which was a knock off of White Castle, It had the exact same white tile building, in fact, now that I think of it, it probably WAS a White Castle that had relocated elsewhere. (Like everything else in Detroit.) We loaded up with 8-10 sliders each and hopped back on our bikes to complete the loop and get back home right around sunrise. Those were the days! If you'd like a taste of this experience, White Castle is making it easy. To celebrate their 88th birthday they are giving away free sliders. Kick start that old bike and go pick one (or 10) up!

TDA Covers: 20 Years of Accordion-Fueled Rock 'n' Roll

2009-06-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

Those Darn Accordions has covered some pretty varied musical terrain over the past two decades. The originals and polkas are one thing -- we've tossed plenty of tunes into the genre blender and pushed frappe repeatedly. We tried not to make too much of a mess.

But, as you can tell by this long (and probably incomplete) list of rock 'n' roll songs we've played over the years, we've taken the accordion to some pretty strange places in our never-ending pursuit of the ultimate squeezebox rock cover songs. Some of these covers became staples of TDA shows and even made it on to our recordings; others disappeared from the set list almost immediately, for whatever reason.

As we pull together set lists for our 20-city tour, we've been thinking a lot about what we should play. We've been getting a kick out of the whole "trip down memory lane" thing, and we'd like to take you with us.

So let us know: Which of these covers would you like to hear? Which ones should be banished forever? And which ones have we forgotten entirely? Let us know in the comments section below.

Whole Lotta Love/ Black Dog -- Led Zeppelin
Magic Carpet Ride -- Steppenwolf
Low Rider -- War
Frankenstein -- The Edgar Winter Group
We're an Accordion Band -- Grand Funk Railroad
The Devil Went Down to Georgia -- The Charlie Daniels Band
Back in Black -- AC/DC
Baba O'Riley -- The Who
Radar Love -- Golden Earring
Pump It Up -- Elvis Costello
Making Our Dreams Come True -- "Laverne and Shirley" theme song
Godzilla -- Blue Oyster Cult
I Melt With You -- Modern English
Moondance -- Van Morrison
Party Hard -- Andrew W.K.
Shine Your Light -- The Mavericks
Aqualung -- Jethro Tull
Stairway to Heaven -- Led Zeppelin
Uncontrollable Urge -- Devo
Fire -- Jimi Hendrix
Surrender -- Cheap Trick
(Keep Feeling) Fascination -- The Human League
Proud Mary -- Ike and Tina Turner
It's Now or Never -- Elvis Presley
Play That Funky Music -- Wild Cherry
Viva Las Vegas -- Elvis Presley
It's Not Unusual -- Tom Jones
Our House -- Madness
Da Ya Think I'm Sexy -- Rod Stewart
Sleep Walk -- Santo & Johnny.
Walk Don't Run -- the Ventures
Pick up the Pieces -- Average White Band
Tear the Roof off the Sucker (Give Up the Funk) -- Parliament

Follow Drew's Blog

2009-06-28T07:47:00.000-07:00

Drew Carey has a blog up and is posting some funny and interesting stuff ranging from his job hosting TPIR (The Price Is Right), The Seattle Sounders (he's a minority owner), his adventures on Second Life and his adventures in real life. Dang, if he gets a third life I won't be able to keep up.

Dreaming Up a New T-Shirt

2009-06-28T07:00:00.001-07:00

This being our 20th anniversary and all, I thought we should try to come up with a new t-shirt. I had a meeting with a local artist/friend and we knocked around a few ideas. I'm pretty excited to see what he comes up with. His name is Frank Samuelson and he's done some very cool work. Check it out!
BTW, we will be phasing out the Flaming T's, so if you think you might want one, you should drop by the TDA store.

Get Well Soon, Dr. Creep

2009-06-27T15:55:00.000-07:00

Dr. Creep, the pancake-makeup-wearing frightmaster who hosted horror movies on Dayton, Ohio, television in the '70s and '80s, is having health problems.

A benefit show to raise funds for the good Doctor (aka Barry Hobart) is being held next month in Springfield, Ohio. I wish Those Darn Accordions was on the bill -- Dr. Creep's lineup of horribly great movies on Shock Theatre provided hours of entertainment during my formative years in the Dayton area.

Dr. Creep's style of weirdo TV humor and horror was great. He never failed to entertain. And now, when I watch bumpers like the one above, I realize he was playing Steely Dan and Pink Floyd during his corny intros and such. The world needs more of these types of local horror shows.

Get well soon, Dr. Creep. Thanks for all the horribly fantastic memories.

[via Laughing Squid]

The Story Of Clyde

2009-06-20T11:53:00.000-07:00

I made a demo of a tune in honor of the recently departed Clyde Forsman and put it up on our MySpace page.
For those of you who were lucky enough to see Clyde perform and meet him, I hope this brings a smile to your face.

Cheers,

Paul

Video: Catnip Makes Kitties High as a Kite

2009-06-16T15:50:00.000-07:00

I don't know what's funnier in this Weird Nature clip: The Scared Straight-style video of cats that are high as a kite, or the overblown BBC-ish voiceover.

"In the presence of catnip, they do the unexpected," the breathless announcer says. "As well as rolling around, apparently in ecstacy, they chase imaginary mice."

[via Laughing Squid]

Hamster Runs Obstacle Course

2009-06-09T16:22:00.000-07:00

The only way this could be better would be with a different soundtrack. And maybe a longer run, with some flames and water hazards.

(via Urlesque)

Saying Goodbye To Clyde Forsman, 1915 to 2009

2009-06-06T09:54:00.000-07:00

Clyde Forsman, former Those Darn Accordions frontman and tireless champion of the accordion, passed away peacefully Friday night at his home in San Francisco. He died of complications from diabetes, compounded by a series of strokes, according to his family. He will be greatly missed.

A wonderful entertainer, Clyde never failed to bring a smile to the faces of his fans, whether he was knocking them dead with his takes on Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" and Rod Stewart's "Da Ya Think I'm Sexy" -- which remain to this day the standard by which covers of those tunes must be measured -- or just chatting before or after a show.

With a lifetime of experience as a musician and carpenter, he always had a story to tell. His amazingly colorful tattoos (which can be seen on the covers of TDA records Squeeze This! and No Strings Attached) always caught the audience's eye. But it was Clyde's limitless charm and infectious personality that hooked 'em forever.

To say that we had some amazing times on the road together would be an understatement. Clyde's performances with TDA were legendary.

I had the honor to work side-by-side with Clyde for more than 10 years and I can tell you that his energy and humor were truly inspiring. He joined TDA at the very first gig in at San Francisco's Paradise Lounge back in 1989 at the age of 74. He stayed with us till 2000, wowing crowds at hundreds of shows.

Clyde's performances across the country won him friends everywhere we played. He was always eager to talk to fans before and after a show and regale them with countless tales, each one more amazing than the last. I know he drew great pleasure from his time spent with TDA and appreciated all the kind words and encouragement he received from his fans. Thank you all for helping make this wonderful memory for him.

Say It Isn't So! No More Polka Grammy!

2009-06-05T12:50:00.000-07:00

Dang! Just when TDA was putting together songs for our first polka CD, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences has decided to eliminate the category. I was really hoping to give Jimmy Sturr a run for his money. Ah well, I'm glad we found out now, rather than after we had the finished CD in the can. I guess it's back to the drawing board.

Outrage: Grammys Kill 'Best Polka' Category

2009-06-05T11:31:00.000-07:00

The Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences is eliminating the Grammy for best polka album.

The latest slap in the face to accordion lovers everywhere, announced Thursday, is a move to keep the Grammys "pertinent within the current musical landscape," according to the recording industry group.

"It's not that the polka world's not used to it," said Carl Finch, leader of the mighty Texas band Brave Combo, which beat out perpetual winner Jimmy Sturr for the polka Grammy twice in the last decade.

"The polka world expects it," said Finch. "It's like, 'Yeah, the man did it to us again.'"

No kidding -- this is an outrage! The academy now wants polka records to be nominated in the folk category.

This is all part of the gray-beard music industry's drawn-out death throes -- the old categorizations don't work anymore. The old ways of selling records don't work anymore. The superstar system doesn't work anymore. MTV doesn't play music, people don't buy CDs, even the giants don't reliably sell millions of units anymore.

Maybe the Academy will replace the polka category with a "best manufactured band created for a television show and marketed via a soft-drink tie-in" category. Because it's clearly not about the music anymore.

Video Contest Competition

2009-05-31T11:42:00.000-07:00

The entries are rolling in for the TDA Two Decades of Squeezebox Insanity Video Contest... Where's yours?

Last Chance to Win

2009-05-31T09:14:00.000-07:00

Well folks, today (May 31) is the last day you have to enter the TDA's Two Decades of Squeezebox Insanity Contest! Bust out the webcam, choose your favorite track, make a great video, and you could win all the stuff you see here!

Check out the official contest page for full details.

Beer Sommelier Makes Food Pairing Easy

2009-05-25T11:01:00.000-07:00

At a loss as to which kind of beer to drink with your Memorial Day meal? Probably not. But if you are, the Beer Sommelier is happy to help. Just select your meal's main ingredient, then select the dish, and the website will bubble up a handy list of appropriate brews.

OK, now I'm thirsty.

P.S. If you choose to enjoy a beverage on this holiday, take a second to lift it to the sky and offer a toast to all those who have served (and are serving) in our nation's military.

Let's Get TDA On Pandora

2009-05-20T07:47:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of Pandora? It's a very cool online personal radio station that streams the music you are most likely to be in interested in. It's all part of what they call the "Music Genome Project". One way they decide which music to add to their library is by the number of requests they get for an artist or song. That's where you come in! Please visit the Pandora site and request your favorite TDA tune. Let's get TDA on Pandora!

New Kiss Release?

2009-05-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

World's Least Likely Headline?

2009-05-12T07:24:00.000-07:00

"Accordion band back by demand" ... I am so sorry the story is not about Those Darn Accordions.

TDA's Awesome Video Contest

2009-05-02T08:39:00.000-07:00

The songs of Those Darn Accordions have inspired plenty of strange
mental imagery (and maybe a few hamster-related nightmares) over the years. Capture your own vivid TDA vision on video, and you could win a sweet set of earphones.

Just pick a TDA song, make a video for Those Darn Accordions'
Two Decades of Squeezebox Insanity Video Contest, and upload the clip to YouTube. If your video is picked as the First Prize winner, you'll get
a pair of Ultimate Ears 700 Noise Isolating Earphones, which retail
for $229. These are great earphones: They utilize advanced audio
technology that's used by 75 percent of touring musicians live
onstage. (And they make accordion music sound fantastic!) We are also throwing in a bunch of cool TDA merch to sweeten the deal. So get out your video camera and start shooting. We can't wait to see your vision of your favorite TDA song!

To kick things off, my son Jonny and I made our own homegrown video in our backyard.
Check it out!

Drew Carey Takes One For the Sounders

2009-04-28T09:15:00.000-07:00

Our pal Drew Carey is a minority owner of the Sounders, Seattle's new expansion soccer team that is up in my neck of the woods. He recently had to dodge a beer thrown from a rabid Toronto fan during a game in Canada. The ever witty Carey emerged unscathed and got off a rejoinder to the Toronto fans. Speaking of beer, we've got our own Carey beer connection right here. Go Sounders!

Make a One String Bass

2009-04-25T15:21:00.000-07:00

Are you and your friends planning to dress as TDA for Halloween this year? Well, the gang at Make Magazine recently posted this video that will help out the friend dressing as Lewis. With just a PVC pipe, some plywood, & guitar bits you have working one string bass!

TDA Is Now on Twitter

2009-04-25T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hey, who doesn't need to waste more time typing out and sharing the latest little everything? Follow us @tdaccs ...

Teller Talks Magic and Science

2009-04-24T15:05:00.000-07:00

In the current issue of Wired magazine (which is crammed with interesting stuff):

Magic and the Brain: Teller Reveals the Neuroscience of Illusion

We're fans of Penn & Teller -- great comedy, great magic, great genre-bending entertainment. (And Teller's a swell guy to talk to.)

New TDA Demos on MySpace

2009-04-18T08:17:00.000-07:00

We are contemplating taking a shot at a Polka Grammy next year. (Yes, there is a Polka Grammy). I put up 4 new tunes on our MySpace page for you to check out and weigh in on. Please let us know what you think!

Video: Robot Fetches a Beer

2009-04-05T12:36:00.001-07:00

Thirsty? Watch as these robotic bartenders pour, then deliver, a cold beer to their human overlord.

Current price for one of these metallic manservants: $400,000. But Tokyo University engineers hope to cut that to just $40,000 within 10 years.