RETRO KIMMER'S BLOG: March 2012

3.27.2012

RETROKIMMER'S DRUM OFF WAS A BIG HIT!!!!

Detroit Rock Poster Artist Carl Lundgren

My Drum Off was created to introduce young drummers to my legendary drummer friends....

Well well well what a great time we had Sunday at my first Drum Off in Ann Arbor! This event took many twists and turns before we launched. I do believe that it evolved into an entertainment show more than a competition. The audience was very enthusiastic and seemed to be very entertained.... I know I was...

It was so much fun watching these fantastic young drummers! The drummers were also fascinated watching each other play. We really loved watching World's Youngest Pro Drummer, Julian Pavone watching Legendary Drummer Muruga.... Wow!

Drummers Ralph Serafino, Tony Bojanic, with Rick Ruiner lead singer of the Ruiners, Skid Marx fabulous friend and Bass player with the Seatbelts/Circusboy and many more... and finally the beautiful Carrie Marx whom I love dearly.

SPECIAL THANKS....
Carl Lundgren
Tim Faucher/Joe Leone
The School of Rock St Clair Shores
Julian Pavone
Fran and David Doman
Nadirah and Bruce Maki
Bogdon Vasquaf
Cathy Stoner
Art King
Muruga Booker
Tony Bojanic
Ralph Serafino
KJ Knight
Johnny Bee Badanjek
Dennis Machinegun Thompson
Scott and Leanna Asheton
Alex King

Bogdon Vasquaf you'se guyz ROCKED !

Art King "Couldn't ask for a better way to spend a Sunday, great event and great people."

Rick Ruiner Congrats on a wildly successful event! Awesome time!

3.23.2012

PLEASURE SEEKERS, CRADLE

The Quatro Sisters.....

UPDATE!!!!

****I am so bummed to announce that Suzi Quatro has been injured and had to cancel her appearance at the Detroit Music Awards.... Suzi broke her right knee cap and left wrist after leaving an airplane in Kiev... She has a cast from toes to thigh on her leg and from fingers to elbow on her arm! Poor Suzi!!!****

Good news is that her sisters Patti and Nancy Quatro will appear as originally planned with The Pleasure Seekers and Cradle YES!!!

The original hard rocking girl band is returning home to Detroit to be honored at the Detroit Music Awards 2012. This is going to be huge! Arlene, Patti, Nancy, and Suzi will be performing live at the show!.. Some of our pals will be backing up Miss Suzi, Todd Glass on drums and Robert Gillespie on guitar. Stay tuned for more Quatro Rock info as it comes in.

Artist: The Pleasure Seekers, Cradle and Suzi Quatro
Date: Friday, April 27th 2012
Time: 7:00pm
City: Detroit
Venue: The Fillmore

3.14.2012

BARBIE IS 53 YEARS OLD!

My favorite doll of all time Barbie by Mattel

Very Cool Photos of Vintage Barbie

Let's Play Barbie

Sculpted in Grace Kelly’s likeness and featuring a Silkstone® body, this doll marks the first time outside of the Barbie® Fashion Model Collection that Silkstone® has been used for a celebrity doll.

Barbie 1959

Ruth Handler watched her daughter Barbara play with paper dolls, and noticed that she often enjoyed giving them adult roles. At the time, most children's toy dolls were representations of infants. Realizing that there could be a gap in the market, Handler suggested the idea of an adult-bodied doll to her husband Elliot, a co-founder of the Mattel toy company. He was unenthusiastic about the idea, as were Mattel's directors.

During a trip to Europe in 1956 with her children Barbara and Kenneth, Ruth Handler came across a German toy doll called Bild Lilli.[ The adult-figured doll was exactly what Handler had in mind, so she purchased three of them. She gave one to her daughter and took the others back to Mattel.

Bild Lilli Doll

The Lilli doll was based on a popular character appearing in a comic strip drawn by Reinhard Beuthin for the newspaper Die Bild-Zeitung. Lilli was a blonde bombshell, a working girl who knew what she wanted and was not above using men to get it. The Lilli doll was first sold in Germany in 1955, and although it was initially sold to adults, it became popular with children who enjoyed dressing her up in outfits that were available separately.

3.13.2012

VENUS AND JUPITER DAZZLED US!

My zoom shot of Venus and Jupiter

Visited with my friend Michael tonight... haven't seen him in a very long time. Michael is a song writer/singer/producer. Very talented indeed. I have his cds and press release information. Tomorrow he and I are working a story for my readers...

While at Michael's he told me about the 2012 Jupiter and Venus Conjunction. We went outside and were watching it while it was still daylight. My camera couldn't pick them up at that time. A few hours later they really popped in the night sky... thanks Michael xK

Venus and Jupiter have been dancing toward each other in the night sky for months, and they'll finally come together this week in a dazzling show for skywatchers.

Beginning Monday night, the two brightest planets in the sky will be so close together that you'll be able to block both of them out with a few fingers held at arm's length. The celestial action peaks Thursday, when Venus and Jupiter line up in what's known as a planetary conjunction.

Venus-Jupiter conjunctions are fairly special events, occurring roughly every 13 months. And this one should be the best conjunction for several years to come for viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, experts say, because the two planets will be visible for so long in the evening sky. At mid-northern latitudes on Thursday, the pair should blaze bright over the western horizon for about four hours after sunset.

Though Jupiter is about 11 times wider than the roughly Earth-size Venus, Venus shines much more brightly than the gas giant from our perspective — about eight times more brightly this week, in fact.

Video: Jupiter & Venus Loom Large

That's because Venus is much closer to us than Jupiter is. On average, Earth orbits 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) from the sun, a distance defined as 1 astronomical unit (AU). Venus zips around our star at about 0.72 AU, while Jupiter is found roughly 5.2 AU away from the sun.

Venus and Jupiter waltz toward one another this week

ANDY OWINGS MUSIC MYRTLE BEACH SC!

Andy Owings Sr and son Andy Owings Jr. Photo by Scott Smallin

Had the opportunity to speak with Andy Owings Senior today about his music store Andy Owings Music located in Myrtle Beach, SC. Andy opened his own store after working for another store for 14 years. This store opened in September of 1975.

Andy loves working in his store and shares duties now with his son Andy Jr. Andy Jr. was out running a delivery today when I called so I had the distinct pleasure of chatting with his Dad.

Entrance is under the Grand Piano ...

Andy Owings Music is located in Myrtle Beach South Carolina... A long way away from my town but I heard about this cool store this past weekend. A friend of mine visited Owings Music recently and was blown away by the vibe of this very cool store.

Andy Sr. told me today that their old mall store had about 8400 sq ft of space and the new store almost half that space. The solution was to hang merchandise from floor to ceiling and create a mezzanine area upstairs. Very cool combined with the grand piano facade for the entrance...

He was very impressed by the instruments and equipment, the layout, and the service from the heart. My friend spends a lot of time in a variety of music stores so I was surprised to hear how excited he was by Owings Music.

See Andy Owings Music on Facebook

Andy Owings School of Music is your premier and family-friendly local music learning center in the city of Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand area. The music school and music academy's mission is to provide family-friendly and school approved music lessons that students can take for a lifetime of musical enjoyment.

Andy Owings Music on You Tube

Please browse their facebook page and visit the school location at Coastal Grand Mall, and check out their music programs and facility for yourself, and you will agree that they are simply the best location in the city of Myrtle Beach for music lessons for the entire family.

We really enjoyed chatting with Andy today and hope to visit his store in the near future!

3.09.2012

RETROKIMMER SCOUTS THE SCHOOL OF ROCK!

Mikey "the machinegun" Faucher

Michael Kalisz

For more info visit the SOR website

Drummer Smokin Joe Leone and son Ian

What a blast I had tonight! I went out to scout drummers and met the gang at the School of Rock in St Claire Shores. I had met quite a few of the students at another event last year. Though I was there to meet drummers we ended up watching the rehearsal of the SOR band... they are playing this Sunday at the Hard Rock Cafe in Detroit! Go check out these fabulously talented young kids..

Owner Tim Faucher has so much in common with me. We really support young musicians and hope to help promote them and assist in getting their careers started. We would love to have them come out and join us at the Drum Off March 25 in Ann Arbor. Press Release here

I saw Tieler drumming last year and he just blew me away... He is young but so powerful...and FAST.... We have a lot of speed drummers coming out so this competition is going to be big fun! That's what Retrokimmer's Drum Off is about...FUN and letting these drummers shine...

Marisa Nichols on vocals

Please stay tuned and if you are a drummer or know some send them over to me! Call Kimmer at the office 734 327 0099. We are getting down to the wire and need a few more drummers to fill out the day. Thanks so much to Joe Leone and Tim for having us visit tonight!

3.05.2012

RETROKIMMER'S DRUM OFF PRESS RELEASE!

RETROKIMMER'S DRUM OFF PRESS RELEASE

Let the drum rolls begin! Music/celebrity blogger Retro Kimmer presents her first promotional talent show in Ann Arbor Sunday March 25, 2012. Retro Kimmer’s Drum Off shines a huge promotional light on the up-and-coming careers of our talented amateur drummers of South East Michigan. This show is designed to showcase locals and further professional careers. All contestants will be winners!!!!

Music/Celebrity Blogger, Retro: Kimmer presents her first promotional talent show Sunday March 25, 2012 in Ann Arbor. This show is designed to showcase the talent and assist the careers of amateur drummers of South East Michigan. Kimmer has produced many major events nation wide with this event being close to her heart as a music blogger.

Special Guest/Sponsor -- Julian Pavone, "The World's Youngest Professional Drummer!"® and Guinness World Record Holder will be performing!

RETROKIMMER'S DRUM OFF JUDGES:

Muruga

Grammy nominated Detroit Drummer Muruga (Steve Booker) has had a vast drumming career. Muruga played at Woodstock, with John Lee Hooker, Jerry Garcia, and many many more... Read Muruga's complete biography HERE

Ralph Serafino

Ralph Serafino is known best for his work with The Rob Tyner Band and The Torpedos featuring Johnny Angelos. He has also played with The Look, Robyn Robins Band (formerly Bob Seger’s Silver Bullet Band), and The New MC5. He is the Drumslinger of Detroit!!

As one of the finest drummers Kimmer knows... she called Tony B first to ask him to participate as a judge for her Drum Off!

Tony Bojanic

Tony B the drummer of The Seatbelts is one of the best drummers in Detroit! Take a look at The Seatbelts fabulous video "My Little F4" featuring Tony B...

3.02.2012

REAL DETROIT SWAGGER: THE CRASHDOLLZ!

The Crash Dollz Rachel Rekkit and Nikki Darling called Kimmer on a 3 way last night and we had such a fun chat about the evolution of their music how happening it is right now... I absolutely LOVED them and their tune "Female Anarchy". Totally identify with their lyric... I really love meeting artists that have a very strong drive to succeed and follow their dreams. To me.. that is what life is about.

I saw a quote yesterday on Facebook and it said.."Life is not a game...quit trying to be a player.."

What??? LIFE IS THE GAME AND WE CAME TO PLAY... Rachel and Nikki definitely came to PLAY...

The CrashDollz sent Female Anarchy to share with my readers.....

The Crash Dollz are totally punk but also metal as well. Totally Detroit if you ask me. The girls talked about the Detroit music scene and their place in the revolution of women in rock. These girls are the real deal...

CRASHDOLLZ
Nikki Darling- Vocals
Rachel Rekkit- Guitar
Ron Krash- Bass
Brian Kaos- Drums

CrashDollz are considered to be one of Detroit’s top up and coming Punk bands of 2012. Labeled innovators in the Punk music Genre/Industry for bringing punk to a very refreshing updated place, where talent is not in short supply, CrashDollz have found an explosive combination of Raw Punk and Loud Metal.

Leading the way on vocals is Nikki Darling, with her Raw, Aggressive and Powerful vocals. Nikki's technical ability as a singer adds enormous depth to an otherwise stale genre.

Followed by Guitarist Rachel Rekkits loud in your face guitar riffs and whiz-kid solos that make no apologies for stomping on your ear drums! Meanwhile, Brian Kaos Brings his hard hitting drums to Crashdollz style, pounding his drums into submission while splitting stix.

Finally, you have Ron Krash on pounding bass and smoldering punker attitude. Rons edgy playing and punk-purist stance anchors the band perfectly. CrashDollz is the band to watch in 2012!