Friday, March 27, 2009

? and the Wisterians


Perhaps you remember the band ? and the Mysterians from the 60s? I hated them and their hit tune 96 Tears. First of all, the tune sucked moldy eggs. I like the song now, as a sort of "historical snapshot" of all the kinds of music that coexisted on the "rock and roll" AM airwaves. But the tune brings up painful memories of "greaser bands" who played this tune, kicking our asses at the Teen Center Battle of the Bands in Van Nuys, CA. "Greaser band" was our derogatory name for bands that didn't do "sophisticated" music like Beatles, Hollies, Association, etc. - you know, vocal harmonies, more than three chords. To each his own.

But I digress. Here's an excerpt from my heavily researched article on a mysterious vine that grows along Santa Barbara's Highway 101.

I'm not sure which I saw more of this past year—political ads warning that Barack Obama was an Islamic, communist foreigner or public service announcements about the switch from analog TV to digital. It made me wonder just how many people still get their daily dose of media from an antenna on the roof.


More at my column at In the Garden of Ed(en) Edhat.com

7 comments:

themanicgardener said...

I hate that song, I've always hated that song, and of course it's the only song I've ever won (as a 45, in a spot dance in 8th grade. Go figure.

--Kate

Ewa said...

tv crap is limited a lot in my house

Bay Area Tendrils said...

Hey Billy, just returned from Mill Valley and admit to being surprised to find the facades in town draped in blooming wisteria. My Midwestern roots still tingle when I come upon such a delightful sight/scent in.... March! Surely I've been transplanted to the garden of Eden, Yah?

EAL said...

Lovely wisteria!! One of my favorite plants of all time, now matter how aggressive it is.

I like 96 Tears too.

Ross said...

Wow! How can I get hold of one of those cable thingamys, so I can be so knowlidgable about Wisterians and things?

Entangled said...

I like that song! I only remember the name of the band because it was the answer to a trivia question on a radio show (years ago).

Here on the east coast, Wisteria has been branded one of those evil invasives that nobody is allowed to like any more. Not true on the west coast?

...Entangled...
(northern and central Virginia)

Garden Wise Guy said...

Elizabeth: As long as you set up a "demilitarized zone" that keeps it from climbing, it's quite a fine plant, though I'll admit that in another climate it might be more like a pit bull in some gardens.

Ross: You have to have a degree in electrical engineering to be allowed to possess such an advanced technology as cable TV. Sorry. Back to school for you.

Entangled: If we had more moisture throughout the year, I'm sure it would be more of a pest. Same as the English ivy I've seen taking over natural areas in the Pac NW. Here's it's only hackneyed, but not pestilent. It's big brother, however, Algerian ivy (Hedera canariensis) is a scourge.