Allee Willis Blog » Allee Willis

13May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Blue Jean Pitcher

13May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Blue Jean Pitcher

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Blue jeans were SO popular in the 70’s they not only were wrapped around every inappropriate body shape imaginable but also around every object that could possibly be interpreted via denim. This pitcher is one of my favorites. Not only is the blue ceramic faithful to the blotches of fading with deeper blue remaining around the stitching but it even has a glossy ceramic rawhide label.

I used this on the set of Just Say Julie, the first music video clip show on MTV ever, which I art directed from 1989 to 1991. That’s when I crossed the line from a collector of great Atomic design into hard core Kitsch. Some of things I bought at swap meets were so ugly it creeped me out they were in the car. But they were perfect for Julie as they were as crass and commercial as many of the videos she was spoofing.

12May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Ice Cream Cone Radio

12May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Ice Cream Cone Radio

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Although the ice cream looks more like dry wall spackle this radio, made in 1977, still plays beautiful static-y music like the day it was born. Made by Amico, the only sign of decay is the color of the ice cream itself which has faded from the purrfect strawberry pink on the inner side of the plastic to a dull brown rum raisin outside. The cone pulls out of the base so you can walk around pretending you’re eating it, a fun activity for some back in the day, especially those on roller skates. I remember thinking that there should be bases for real ice cream cones so people like me who licked slow to drag out the ecstasy of my favorite Pralines ‘n Cream wouldn’t have it dripping all over their hands. This is still my emergency radio in case of earthquakes.

11May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – BRILLIANT Jr. High Performance of “September”

11May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – BRILLIANT Jr. High Performance of “September”

The competition for my favorite version of September, which I co-wrote for Earth Wind & Fire, not to mention the dozens of other songs of mine whose copyrights are infringed upon daily on YouTube, is fierce. But this junior high school performance rises to the top – the choreography, harmonies, costumes, cheap and glorious sound and grand finale swirling together to make the perfect Kitsch kocktail. Anyone who knows me knows I’ve seen very few of the original artists who’ve recorded my songs in concert yet I’ll drive hundreds of miles to hear someone doing them in some unrecognizable lifeform way. I only wish I could have been at this school for this performance!

A personal shoutout to YouTube who, despite making me take down videos of my own songs which I co-own the copyright to, allows proliferation of hundreds of versions of these songs without demanding those infringers take their videos down – i.e. they protect the record companies and big corps and screw the creators. Although this double standard shows a distinct lack of ethical or moral conscience, were YouTube not turning a blind eye to satisfy their business model I wouldn’t have the pleasure of experiencing my songs as I love to hear them most – destroyed.

10May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy Mother’s Day In Matching Outfits

10May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Happy Mother’s Day In Matching Outfits

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Dated Mother’s Day, 1951, this is a photo of the Smith family who lived in my house long before I bought it. My driveway never looked so good. Neither did mom, matching her family like a set of pristine bowling pins or Melmac plates.

08May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Mosaic Clown

08May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Mosaic Clown

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Like the vaunted Poodle, the Clown is another species who attains almost instant Kitsch status just by existing. Especially if they’re made of a material other than paint, in this case mosaic tiles, the building block of Kitsch empires. The piled up cubed ham size red ones for the nose look like melting frozen raspberries while the iridescent tourq eyes stare right at you. The pink frame with the 3D happy faces, melted at the bottom as they were secured with hot melt glue, doesn’t hurt either.

07May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Poodle Vase

07May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Poodle Vase

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If it’s vintage and involves a Poodle there’s a 90% chance it qualifies as pure Kitsch. In the 1950’s and 60’s there were as many Poodle pitchers and vases as real dogs. The more textured, flocked or pink the canine, the better the pedigree. The perfectly-postioned-for-Kitsch-fluff balls at the end of their appendages qualified Poodles as instant icons for the Kitsch driven Age of Atomic and Mod.

06May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – String Art Owl

06May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – String Art Owl

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In the 1970’s, more owls lived on wood paneled walls than in trees. The owl is clearly the National Bird in the state of Kitsch as flocks of them thrive in burnt metal, ceramic and the all important Hi Art of Kitsch, String Paintings. This one is especially fancy, incorporating mohair yarn as feathers and a driftwood perch.

String art kits are still available.

Here’s an especially slap happy string art guy.

05May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Velveeta Camera; Say Cheese!

05May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Velveeta Camera; Say Cheese!

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Slapping advertising on Instamatic cameras was all the rage in the 80’s as advertisers realized their brands could be pushed on just about anything. You got this one by sending Kraft some box tops + minimal coinage. 110 Kodak film cartridge inside still fresh as a loaf of Velveeta, the never-aging cheese.

04May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – The Del Rubio Triplets!!!

04May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – The Del Rubio Triplets!!!

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With the spectacular mini-skirted, go-go booted guitar playing singing stars, who I’m credited with discovering, in the living room of their mobile home, 1986. For a Del Rubios smorgasbord plus “Neutron Dance” and “What Have I Done To Deserve This” as you’ve never heard them before run here.

03May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Geraldine & Ricky “Trees Talk Too!” LP

03May 2009

Allee Willis’ Kitsch O’ The Day – Geraldine & Ricky “Trees Talk Too!” LP

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Long before I co-wrote the musical The Color Purple, in which trees are a powerful symbol, I believed these lumber providers were among nature’s most powerful species. But I never knew they could talk. Geraldine Murray, who claims God delivered her the gift of ventriloquism while she was asleep at age 14, apparently felt differently. Her wooden friend, Ricky’s, voice could make your ears bleed, perhaps causing the tree, well actually shrubs, they’re sitting in front of to creak loud enough for Geraldine to interpret it as speaking.

Geraldine & Ricky cut a few albums on the World Records Of Nashville label in the 1960’s. Though all that survives in my collection are the covers – vinyl cracks a lot easier than wood – they are among the Kentucky Derby champions in the Christian Kitsch LP race.

Geraldine and more wood: