Ian Whitcomb's ukulele heroes, downhill skateboarding, Kwayzar the 84yo rapper, Tuesday night in Anaheim, and the El Segundo Blue.
Kwayzar: The 84-year-old rapper who auditioned for 'Little Rascals'
The city of Downey has a rich history of musical talent. It spawned The Carpenters and Metallica's front man James Hetfield. The town's newest addition to the roster is an 84-year-old rapper named Kwayzar.
His real name is Stanley Jerry Hoffman. When he was starting as a rapper in the early 1990's, he was looking through some astronomy books and found the term quasar, "It's a big pulsing, massive amount of energy, but very mysterious and unknown," he says, and it described him perfectly. He changed the spelling, but he's still full of energy.
Hoffman started his career in showbiz long before he picked up rapping. When he was four, he tried to break into acting. It was 1932, he auditioned for a role in the The Little Rascals. Hoffman's mom was bed-ridden with tuberculosis, so a family friend drove Stanley to the audition.
The director made Stanley's guardian leave the room, which made him panic. He said they began to ask him basic questions -- like where he was from, his name -- and he just froze. The studio called him back for another interview, but the same thing happened. He didn't say a word. Kwayzar still thinks of that moment, and says; "What would have happened to me in that career if I just talked?"
Stanley changed his game plan, and instead of talking his way into stardom, he started singing. He was touring the country doing comedy gigs in 1951. While on the road, he wrote a song about the space race between the U.S. and Russia. When Stanley had a tour stop in New York in 1956, he recorded his song and called it "Satellite Baby."
He went to radio stations around New York City to get them to play his record. But Hoffman couldn't land a record deal, and spent $3,000 on trying to get the song pushed.
Stanley wasn't going to give up and pursued a career in stand-up comedy. He almost landed a gig on the Ed Sullivan show, but right before he was booked to go on, the show got cancelled. He then went on to a more stable career in real estate, and finally started making money -- before losing $375,000 in the stock market.
After all of his setbacks, Hoffman said, "What do you do in life? Are you just gonna quit? So I figured, the hell with it! I'll just go back into showbiz and see if I could drum up anything."
He read an article in the paper in the early nineties about Ice Cube--the rapper. That's when he discovered a new kind of music. He took a listen and said, "Hell, all they're doing is rhyming, and a lot of it is really bad rhyming. I said, 'Well God, I could do that.'"
He took a bunch of his comedy routines and turned them into rap songs around 1992. He wrote songs about space, the Internet, and futurist sex.
Kwayzar has now been in the rap business for twenty years and like a lot of artists, still hasn't broken through. His YouTube videos only have a couple thousand hits. So why hasn't he dropped the whole "showbiz" thing? "Well I know one thing," he says. "If you stop you're dead. I got so much behind me. Why would I just want to leave it all and forget about it?"
Kwayzar says -- especially to older people -- pursue your dream, never quit, and follow his personal motto, "I Can Still Do It."
'Ukulele Heroes' take center stage in Ian Whitcomb's new book
If you've never heard of Ian Whitcomb, don't call yourself a die-hard fan of the ukulele. Not until you listen to this radio feature, anyway.
Whitcomb's eclectic musical life goes back decades, to England during the British Invasion of the 1960s when he made it big with the hit "Turn Me On." From there, after becoming disillusioned with the psychedelic direction of rock 'n' roll, he transitioned to recording Tin Pan Alley songs with his trusty ukulele. The instrument just stuck … for a number of reasons.
"I found that when you use this to a young lady, when I was in my first courting days … these songs are powerful and very effective songs, indeed," Whitcomb told Off-Ramp's John Rabe, describing a walk down a beach with a young lady, whom he — presumably — successfully seduced with a song on the uke. Plus: "You don't have to lug around amplifiers or pianos ... I've noticed that whenever I sang with the ukulele, people smiled."
Now at the ripe age of 71 — "I'm very old indeed" — Whitcomb has released a new book: "Ukulele Heroes: The Golden Age," a visually rich collection of archival photos, sheet music, anecdotes and histories of the men and women crucial to the success of the uke through the decades.
The self-professed "Jimi Hendrix of the ukulele" (because he plays it left-handed, and not restrung, just as Hendrix played the guitar) joined Off-Ramp to speak about the history of the ukulele, the resurgence of its popularity and he spotlights some of his favorite uke heroes.
In our video, Ian and John also sing a delightful duet: "Lovely Hula Hands."
Interview Highlights
On the inspiration for his hit "Turn Me On":
"It was all inspired by a girl that I'd met in Seattle the previous year when I was on a tourist trip there … she said to me 'Ian, your accent is really turning me on.' I thought, what a wonderful expression, you can turn on a tap, but to actually turn on somebody's body … it was rather exciting."
On why he shifted away from rock 'n' roll:
"I was the Justin Bieber of my time, you've seen the photographs. The point is that the record company, Capitol Records, wanted a follow-up [to "Turn Me On"], but we just couldn't find anything. We had a song called "N-Nervous,' but it didn't really do the trick. My heart wasn't in rock 'n' roll anymore, it was becoming rock, it was becoming psychedelic and it wasn't my field. I had a ukulele, I always had a ukulele, I used to take the ukulele on the bus, on these tours, then one day a group called The Turtles who were on tour with me said 'Ian, those songs that you sing are really funny, why don't you record them?' So I did, I went in and recorded 'Where Did Robinson Crusoe Go,' and I've been recording that kind of song ever since, and so my career has gone backwards."
On why he was attracted to the uke:
"First of all it's very portable and it has a lovely, what I call pleasantly prescient sound. I'd found one in my cousin's houses in the 1950s. As you can see I play it left-handed, I am playing it upside-down, it's not retuned, I'm like Jimi Hendrix on the ukulele…you don't have to lug around amplifiers or pianos. It's portable."
On how the ukulele came to America:
"It was brought across by some Portuguese who were coming to work in the sugar plantations of Hawaii in 1878. They came on one ship and many of them were luthiers. The instrument they brought with them on the ship because it was compact was called a machete. The Hawaiians took to these at once. When the Portuguese landed and became disgruntled with the sugar business they started to make ukuleles for the Hawaiians, and they christened it the 'leaping flea'" (meaning ukulele in Hawaiian).
On the revival of the ukulele:
"The actual revival began on the West Coast, and it was largely because of Jim Beloff. He helped invent a ukulele called a Fluke, I was actually playing it, which is an inexpensive ukulele made of plastic. Then there were various ukulele clubs that formed on the coast, we're going back 20 years, so it started here, gradually spread. When the recession began, people could afford to play ukuleles, they couldn't necessarily afford to buy expensive instruments anymore, and I think the ukulele has a folky sound, a people's sound, to it. I think that it was a reflection of the recession."
On his encounter with uke legend Roy Smeck:
"I met him in New York in the 1980s when I was playing in a club there. He sat like a king on a throne, and in front of him were displayed all of these ukuleles and banjos. He said 'Give me your ukulele…if you're going to be in vaudeville, you've got to tune your ukulele up!' So I picked up my ukulele and tuned it very high. I thanked him, although I knew vaudeville was long dead. Well, that evening I played in the club and every string broke. I went into the store and I said 'do you have any ukulele strings'? They said 'yeah, why?' And I said "Well I want to buy some" and they said 'Well we only have one make, the Roy Smeck.' I thought, that bastard, he sits in that corner, breaks peoples strings so they have to go down and buy his goddamn strings. Anyway, thats the story of Roy Smeck, god bless him."
On uke legend Tiny Tim:
"Unfortunately he set it back in a way, because people saw him as a joke. It wasn't his fault; it was Johnny Carson's fault for treating him like a freak. But he really was very sincere about the songs that I think he sings rather well. He plays perfectly good, quite functional ukulele, I must say. He was a hero to me. He knew all the names of these old singers, Henry Burr. I'm not sure that be brought them back, but his knowledge was extraordinary. He was a tragic character."
Ian Whitcomb has weekly shows on XM Extreme Talk (with a music show) and Luxuria, and will perform a uke singalong at the Coffee Gallery in Altadena on Friday July 27.
El Segundo Blue Butterfly saved from the brink of extinction
Over 25 years ago, the El Segundo Blue Butterfly was near extinction. After years of habitat destruction, the rare species numbered the low five hundreds, limited to a few small patches of land near LAX. In 1976, it became the first ever insect on the federal endangered species list.
Today, after the airport spent millions of dollars, the El Segundo Blue is thriving--now numbering well over 100,000. Off-Ramp Producer Kevin Ferguson went along for a tour of the butterfly's habitat.
On a cool Tuesday afternoon, a dozen journalists meet at the LA Airport's Flight Path Museum, a small building dedicated to the airline industry's golden age.
Every summer, when the El Segundo Blue is most active, LAX employees and consultants conduct a butterfly census: a survey of the El Segundo sand dunes. We’re in the middle of the count right now, but it looks like the butterfly population is sticking within its normal range.
After some introductions from LAX officials and a briefing on the history of the butterfly, the group piles onto a bus, headed for the habitat.
Just west of LAX's four runways, the dunes are a 43 acre plot of brush, sand and water overlooking Dockweiller State Beach. Planes fly overhead as reporters and cameramen struggle for a glimpse of the endangered bug:
Heading up the tour is entomologist Dick Arnold, who specializes in endangered insects. He's been working with LAX to protect the Blue Butterfly since conservation effort began in 1986. He said when the airport worked to protect the El Segundo Blue, they got a lot more than they bargained for.
"This is a habitat that supports a lot of unique species. Because it's a butterfly, people can better relate to it than they can some wasp, or beetle," said Arnold. "It's kind of an endangered habitat."
Arnold said that because of the conservation efforts, not just the butterfly is thriving, but the entire El Segundo Sand Dunes habitat.
Skaters, public weigh in on safety as Los Angeles downhill skateboarding ban looms
Earlier this year, two teenagers died in separate incidents while riding their skateboards downhill in San Pedro. In May, Los Angeles City Council begun exploring a measure to ban downhill skating in response. The proposed ordinance, which could be approved by the city council before the end of August, would prohibit skateboarders traveling over 25 miles an hour.
Off-Ramp contributor Jefferson Yen went to San Pedro to find out how people are reacting to proposed ordinance.
It’s a sunny afternoon in San Pedro and Lafayette Martin is skating with a friend in Averill Park.
Martin, 19, and his friend Niguel Dottin, also 19, perform tricks on the sidewalk.
San Pedro has skateboarders like any other city but because of the city’s hilly terrain, there are many who practice skating downhill, known colloquially as “bombing.”
Two teenage skateboarders died earlier this year, in separate incidents, both from falling while skating downhill in San Pedro. In light of their deaths, Los Angeles City Council began exploring a measure to ban downhill skateboarding.
When asked about the proposed ordinance, Martin concedes the council’s idea has its merits.
“But when people are skating down the hills, we can’t really test how fast we’re going,” said Martin.
Martin added a caveat saying that he only skated downhill to get from one place to another and not as a recreational activity. He pointed out that his board – the kind of skateboard most people imagine – was built for performing tricks. Skaters who like to skate downhill or “bomb” use larger boards that can go faster.
What’s the draw of downhill skating? Martin pointed to a prominent feature of San Pedro: the terrain.
“We have a lot of hills, nice hills that you can pick up a lot of speed. It’s the thrill of it, kids love it,” he said.
Chris Gregg, 42, echoed Martin’s sentiments.
“I think it’s kind of naive,” said Gregg with a laugh. “The helmet part’s great. But the part of the skateboard going under 25 miles per hour? No, some kids are downhill skaters that’s what they get their kicks on. Twenty-five miles per hour... that’s a little unreasonable.”
Others aren’t as thrilled about skaters using the city’s roads for recreation. Natalie Suric, 20, and Reana Burich, 20, support the council’s push to ban downhill skating.
“I think the whole downhill skating should be illegal, period. Because so many times coming down the hill, right here, I’ve almost hit them,” said Suric.
Burich agreed, adding that she has also had close calls with skateboarders
Some, like Heather Hovard, thought it would be best if the city built another skatepark so accidental deaths wouldn’t happen on the streets.
“The physical activity of skateboarding--I’m not against. But I think there needs to be a place for these kids to go,” Hovard said.
She voiced support for the city council’s ordinance. Adding that she was frustrated that police officers did not cite skateboarders for violating traffic regulations.
While reactions are mixed, the true test lies in the poposed law's ability to deter skateboarders - a group known to push the envelope - from skating downhill.
With in-house gardens, restaurants take 'eat local' movement to the next step
As even more Los Angeles diners crave locally grown produce, several restaurants in Los Angeles meet the demand by growing their own fruits and vegetables in house. Off-Ramp contributor Sonata Lee Narcisse visited several restaurants--and their in house gardens.
In an area of about 180 square feet—literally her own backyard—Chef Niki Nakayama grows enough produce to feed a restaurant full of people. The fruit, vegetables and herbs she grows behind her San Gabriel home will eventually make their way to the plates of patrons in her Palms restaurant called n/naka. “These are going to be beans. Kodojoluko," said Nakayama. "Like long Japanese beans.”
The day I came to visit, Daniel Allen was there helping out. He works for Farmscape, a company that builds organic gardens for residential spaces, schools and restaurants. He helped Niki create this space. “And then I’d talk to her about what some of our standard crop offerings are," said Allen. "I think we mixed them together to come up with a good mix that is heavy in Japanese vegetables and herbs.”
n/naka is just one of several restaurants in the area growing its own fruits and vegetables. Post and Beam in Baldwin Hills, Playa in Mid-City and the Jonathan Club in downtown LA are all feeding guests from their own gardens. These restaurant gardens are part of a larger culinary movement that has already been established in parts of Europe and Asia.
“It’s definitely a trend we’ve been seeing," said Daniel Allen. "I think Niki was ahead of the game a little bit in starting her garden 3 years ago because especially this year we’re having a lot of restaurants approach us.”
Niki’s enthusiasm for farm to table cuisine bubbles over as we tour her garden--she reaches for a special variety of carrot. “This is like the original inspiration to grow my own vegetables because I’ve only seen them in Japan," she said. "I was like I can’t get those in America. We’ll just have to grow it!”
Using those kinds of speciality vegetables is key to n/naka’s dining experience. That means n/naka’s menu is based on what’s available in the garden at any given time. While offering a seasonal menu from a small backyard garden may be tough-- it’s where chef Niki’s creativity thrives. “I love it because when I see the garden and sometimes I have no idea," she said. "But I come out and something is ready and that ingredient just inspires the dish. And it’s perfect!”
Inside n/naka, Mariko Fujinami and 3 girlfriends have just completed a 9 course meal WITH wine pairings. Lobster, sashimi and mussels are just a few of the delicacies they dined on this evening. Their sashimi dish featured radishes fresh from the garden. And several courses were garnished with nasturtium -- an edible flower with a peppery flavor profile. But for Mariko, this is nothing new. She’s dined at the restaurant once a month since October 2011.
n/naka's garden is a big reason Fujinami keeps coming back. “I think she puts a lot of care and thought in every dish that she serves," she said. "I know her vegetables are -- most of them are grown by her. Organic. And you can taste that difference.“
With year round sun and moderate temperatures Los Angeles has the perfect climate for gardening but the city is little short on space. The Jonathan Club - a 117 year old private social club in downtown Los Angeles made do with their rooftop. The club’s general manager, Matthew Allnatt took me for a tour of their rooftop garden 12 stories above the ground and surrounded by half a dozen skyscrapers. The fruit trees, micrograins and herbs are planted in containers that share space with the club’s two tennis courts.
Allnatt said it’s important for the club to offer clientele fresh organic ingredients. But the motivation for the garden extends beyond business. He hopes the garden will help influence how people think about growing food downtown.
“Here we are, one of the great agricultural spots in the world," said Allnatt. "Year round we have this ability to grow anything we want. And why shouldn’t we be able to do that downtown?”
The Jonathan Club’s garden was met with some skepticism from veteran members and staff when it was put in 7 months ago. But they’ve become believers. And now, the club has drawn up plans to expand their garden.
Be blue better: Dylan Brody's 'Modern Depression Guidebook'
Commentator Dylan Brody, a Paxil user himself, has just released an e-book called The Modern Depression Guidebook, with much more advice on getting the most out of melancholy.
There’s something my third-grade teacher told me about homework that my wife recently repeated to me in bed. If you have to do something anyway, you might as well give it your best effort. That’s why I wrote The Modern Depression Guidebook.
Like millions of other Americans I sometimes get depressed. My mood can swing like Diana Krall on a three-martini lunch.
Sure, Scientologists might believe that what depressed people need is a punch in the arm and a hearty, “cheer the hell up,” but you and I know that’s utter nonsense. You don’t need cheering up, lip-stiffeners, medication, meditation or herbal tea, dietary advice, exercise, therapy or self-help books. You need to be left alone to watch reruns of Criminal Minds and wallow.
You don’t want advice on how to be less depressed because in depression you have at last found something you are good at.
But are you good enough at it? Of course not. Nobody in a depression ever said, “I’m good enough.” Well, I think it’s time to improve your skills. I’m here to help you make this your best depression yet with a new game Self Loathing for Idiots. This game will surely help you on your way to your deepest possible lows and you can play it alone inside your home, so you don’t even have to take a shower and change out of your bathrobe.
Here’s how it works. Look around you until something, anything catches your eye. Now, see how few thought connections you have to make to get to your current mantra of self-degradation. It’s like Six Degrees of Kurt Cobain. For example, from where I sit right now I can see that one of my bookshelves needs a minor repair.
1. That’s an easy fix.
2. I’ve been aware of this problem for some time now.
3. Why am I so lazy?
4. I hate myself!
Just four steps! Once you start playing, you can’t stop. It’s fun, easy and you can do it while carrying on other activities; not that they’ll be productive or worthwhile activities like doing the dishes or changing out of your bathrobe. Practice until it becomes second nature and pretty soon you’ll have your mood spiraling downward like Stephen Hawking at the Guggenheim.
Before I go, here are two other quick tips for increasing your self-loathing and deepening your depression and these two are incredibly easy and take almost no time at all.
First of all, think about the things you have done in your life of which you are most proud. Now think about what your parents would say about those things being your greatest accomplishments. Now, don’t you feel crappy?
Second, for a double dose of downer, compare your accomplishments to date with what you once imagined your accomplishments would be at this point in your life.
Now you’re doing depression right!
If you have to do something anyway, you might as well give it your best effort!