The Duchess Has Arrived

The 2004 Royal Enfield Bullet 500 ES was delivered to my house this morning. I took it for a quick three mile test ride through my neighborhood to discover that it's in desperate need of a tune-up and a new rear tube or tire. I suppose this is to be expected since it only had 234 miles on the odometer and was never broken in properly. I guess it's time to make friends with the Virginia Enfield dealer.

She's a raucous old gal:

Retro Arcade DJ

My last post got me to thinking about an oft forgotten aspect of the great video arcades of the 1970s and 80s...the music. At the Aladdin's Castle in the mall near my home in Texas, these soundtracks featured a colossal mashup of rock, r&b, punk, pop and new wave hits, coupled with cheesy DJ commentary during segues between songs. If I remember correctly some of the syndicated programs even had advertisements for new game consoles during commercial breaks.

So with that being said, and with far too much time on my hands, I created a playlist of my own. It's best listened to on random.

Enjoy:

Pinball Wizard

Bally

Flash Gordon

1980

Gottlieb

Close Encounters of the Third Kind

1978

Gottlieb

Haunted House

1982

Photos taken in 2008 at the Luna City Arcade.

Easter with the King

A couple of weekends ago, well, Easter weekend to be exact, I had the chance to check out the new Elvis exhibit at the Newseum in DC.

I am a "recovering" Elvis junkie, truth be told, have all of the greatest hits collections, seen the movies, read the books, been to Graceland, peanut butter and 'nana sandwiches, fried bacon, TCB Mama, the works, etc. etc.

With Elvis memorabilia it's easy to develop a "been there, done that, seen it all" sort of mentality. Especially if you've been away from it awhile like I have.

But then a crazy thing happens. You get sucked in. Again. Next thing you know you're buying the '68 Comeback Special on DVD for $30 at the gift store. You go home and watch the tape and realize all over again...damn he was good.

And there will never be another artist like him.


Elvis's black leather Harley Davidson jacket from the 50's "greaser" years.

Elvis's 1957 Harley Davidson.



This terrible photo is of the display containing the suit Elvis wore to open the '68 Comeback Special, the Gretsch "Country Gentleman" guitar he played in 1969 during a four-week engagement in Vegas, and the belt he wore when he met with President Nixon at the White House in 1970.

The jumpsuit Elvis wore during rehearsals for the "Aloha from Hawaii" concert in 1973.

The famous cape. The actual outfit he wore during the concert is at Graceland.

Welcome to 1955!

I am in the process of buying this beautiful 2004 Royal Enfield Bullet 500ES in British Racing Green. The bike only has 234 miles on the counter and was used as a display piece in the owner's home.

What's great about these motorcycles is that they retain their 60+ year old European style even though they're now manufactured in Chennai, India. Don't break what ain't broken. It has both traditional kickstart and modern electric start, and there are a ton of aftermarket accessories available.

There is a pretty dedicated fan base out there too for Enfield enthusiasts and I plan to become one of them.

The cruddy iPhone photos don't do it justice.

More to come as this project unfolds...

East Coast Summer Swelter

ISO50 Playlist #8 is now available on the TYCHOMUSIC Blog. It hits you like a warm summer breeze.

Click here to give it a listen.

The Hell's Angels. Motorcycles, Outlaws, Rebels, and Brothers.

The Oakland chapter of the Hell's Angels tear down the highway behind their fearless leader.

“If I ever get too old to ride my Motorcycle, and have pretty girls, I’d rather just rob a Bank and go back to prison.”
-Ralph "Sonny" Barger

The long and colorful history (60+ years) of the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club has been widely documented by the media. Magazines, movies, books and songs have all made attempts at capturing the essence of bike club culture - the look, the feel, and the sound of this other world. Not always successfully either. Because this sordid tale swoops over, around, and through the lives of hundreds of outlaws, felons, rebels, vets, outcasts, and inbetweeners.

We are tranfixed by those who dare to live on the fringe of society, and often make vain attempts to personify and relate to these intriguing individuals.

They have chosen to live their lives in the only way they can. Hard and fast; with a screaming engine between their knees and rubber spread down the highway.

For freedom is nothing but an open road.

Close-up of two Hell's Angels Berdoo jackets on the backs of two riders. Bill Ray. 1965. LIFE Magazine.

Road grime and hardened gazes. This biker personifies the tough as nails "one percenter" stereotype associated with motorcycle clubs. Bill Ray. LIFE Magazine.

Check out those dual exhaust pipes. Probably more effective in looks and sound rather than speed and performance. A real cop magnet, for sure. Bill Ray. LIFE Magazine.

Elevated handlebars and a wide grip. This style came into fashion with Hell's Angels in the late 1950s, and eventually spread into mainstream motorcycle culture. Not purely for looks, but for comfort on long rides. Bill Ray. LIFE Magazine.

Wives, girlfriends, steadies, and one-nighters. In the club's early days it was ok for your "old lady" to flaunt the death's head. Today, relinquishing the patch without a fight are grounds for expulsion. Bill Ray. 1965. LIFE Magazine.

An Angel's old lady gives us the finger as they cruise down the boulevard. Bill Ray. LIFE Magazine.

Booze and Broads. Hell's Angels relax at a cafe during the 1960s. Bill Ray. LIFE Magazine.

Hell's Angels motorcycle gang on the road. Bill Ray. 1965. LIFE Magazine.

Hell's Angels bike rider. Bakersfield, CA, 1965. Bill Ray. LIFE Magazine.

Sonny Barger on a '46 Harley stroker. At the crossroads of the 1950s greaser look and the long-haired hippie sylings of the 1960s. November 1959.

Sonny and Co. congregate outside the El Adobe bar in Oakland just before the Oakland-Frisco wars. 1961.

Barger riding his hog in this undated photo.

The great Ralph "Sonny" Barger in the driver's seat of his Harley. I love the look of the dual balloon tires.