April 03, 2007


Volume 19: The Further Saga of Alemany '66:
As revealed by The Shadow
with minor assistance from F.J. Bonaccorso



Special Dedication to a very special friend:
Barbara Broeski Tennis
"The Sheri Lewis Show" featuring the loveable Lambchop,
is an all-time favorite of "Dr. Barb"

Radio Station XERF, Del Rio, Texas
Sound Tech Sandy Savko Clark: Get ready Melodianne, in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - your on the air.
Melodianne Shaw Duffy: Hel-loooooo music lovers this is Sierra Stardust and its time for that good old rock N roll. Our first dedication, Leader of the Pack by the Shangrila’s, goes out to Sharon Zoller Ringleb from all her classmates at St. Ferdinand's. There is probably a hidden message in that song title, but I would not know. (Cut to music)
Melody (aka Sierra): Thanks, Pat for letting me get my feet wet on the first song. I feel so honored to be following in the footsteps of the Wolfman. I can’t believe he has retired from radio?
Pat Lucatorto: I can tell you, that Wolfman was tickled three shades of pink to know you were coming to join the show, Melody. Actually, I better call you Sierra so I get used to the stage name and don't blow it on the air. (music is ending). Aaaaaahhhoooo, this is the Midnight Rider, welcoming ya'll back to Del Rio for some old time rock. Hope you enjoyed your dedication Sherrie Z. and our next dedication goes out to Leo Restrich from an Alemany mystery woman. Leo, here is I Wanna Hold Your Hand by the Beatles. (cut to music).

Pat: And we are back courtesy of those good folks at Bob Carlin Hoola Hoops. Bob and his staff have been making quality hoola hoops since 1972. And remember, Carlin Hoola Hoops is the official maker of hoola hoops for the President of the United States. If we were on TV I would show ya'll this picture I got sent to us by President Hawkes, but unfortunately we are can only broadcast sound waves so ya'll have to trust the Midnight Rider.


For you doubters who do not trust the Midnight Rider, seeing is believing!
President Judith Hawkes displaying radical form
for the Japanese Prime Minister at a recent summit meeting on Maui.
Following the hoopla, the Prime Minister took the Prez to a very serious paint ball fight
.

Pat: We have a caller from Las Vegas. Who is this?
Caller: This is Mike Klute. Just want to say, Midnight Rider, that even though we miss the Wolfman, you are a shining light and all of Alemany is thrilled to be able to hear one of our Monarchs playing the music we love at XERF. Keep up the good, good work.
Pat: Thanks, Mike. We try to please. Can I play a song for you?
Mike: Well I am cruising in my 1955 Chevy down the Vegas strip. Could you play an American masterpiece about the Chevy on the levy?
Pat: You got it Mike. I am cueing up American Pie by Don McClean. This is from the Midnight Rider to all Alemany Indians that are listening. Love you all. (cut to music about good ol' boys drinking whiskey and rye!)
Melody: Our next dedication is from Diann Manemann DePasquale to her hubby, Frank DePasquale, here is Brian Hyland singing, Sealed With A Kiss. (Cut to music).
Pat: Aaaaaahhhhooooo. The Wolfman taught me how to howl before he left the show and it's my way of saying, "We love you, Wolfman, where ever you are". The Wolfman is all over the globe opening new child care centers and schools with the great philanthropist of our time, Oscar Rivera. Take care, Wolfman, and you too, Oscar. And now, we have a little trivia question, the fifth person that calls with an answer during the next song has a chance to win a bonsai redwood tree from King Bonsai. This bonsai redwood is cut to perfection with loving care by Karen King, master bonsai stylist and owner of King Bonsai located near the corner of Nordhoff and Sepulveda in Northridge, California. And remember their slogan, "You don’t have to be a King to shop at King Bonsai". Although, come to think of it, King Bonsai does supply the King of Sweden with all his royal party bonsai needs. And now, our trivia question, deals with our sister radio station, Boss Radio KHJ 93. What was the number one song in the 1968 KHJ 93, Los Angeles, Top 300 Songs of All Time? Remember DJ’s Robert W. Morgan, Charlie Tuna, and Humble Harve at KHJ? While you think about that, I am dedicating the number 5 song from that KHJ survey to Bob Johnson from Sierra Stardust and The Midnight Rider. Here is Paul Mauriat playing Love is Blue just for Beej. (cut to music)
Melody: Patrick, we have a caller on the line from Stockholm, Sweden.
Pat: Hello, Stockholm?
Rex Olliff: Hello, Patrick and Melodyanne, this Rex.
Pat: Rex Olliff, the King of Sweden?
Rex: Yes, I was just watering my bonsai trees, Up on the Roof, and listening to your show. My answer is California Dreaming by the Mammas & Poppas.
Melody: Great guess, King Rex. That song was very popular, however, it was #11 which I recall is Dave Gieg’s old football number. Sorry but no bonsai for the King.




The official royal portrait of King Rex Olliff the Good
Looks like Rex did not use sun screen while watering his roof-top
Karen King bonsai trees, but obviously he was wearing gardening gloves.

Pat: Ok, we will give you listener's one more chance. We will take the 7th call during our next song. Our current song is dedicated to Jenny Pacheco Escobedo and Marie Barragan Lewis from their Santa Rosa classmate, Susan Guzman Perez. Susan is sending out, the #297 top song of that 1968 survey, from the group We Five, You Were On My Mind.
(cut to music).
Pat: We have a caller who hails from Eagle Point, Oregon. To whom am I speaking?
Trudy Barela Bridgers: Hello Midnight Rider and Sierra, my name is Trudy, and first I have to say that I miss the Wolfman so much. Please send him my best wishes.
Melody: We will send your best to the Wolfman, we miss him too. Do you have an answer for us Trudy?
Trudy: Is it Light My Fire by the Doors?
Pat: We have a winner. Congratulations, Trudy, you will be receiving an 88 foot high miniature bonsai redwood from King Bonsai because you named the Top Rock and Roll Song of the all time as proclaimed by KHJ in 1968.
Melody: And as far as I am concerned, Don McClean was correct in his neoclassical American Pie, the music did die after we lost Richie Valens, the Big Bopper, and Buddy Holly.
Pat: Well maybe it entered a long protracted upheaval, but following those guys we did have the Beatles, Beachboys, Stones, BeeGees, Supremes, and a few dozen other Motown greats that kept us going into the 70's, Melody. So I would have to dispute that point. But as for rap and hip-hop, it sucks.
Melody: Midnight Rider, do you believe we are out of time. This has been so much fun. I hope this is the first of thousands of shows that I do with you. This is Sierra Stardust signing off with the Midnight Rider and sending the #112 song from The KHJ Top 300 of 1968 to all our classmates from Alemany '66, Up, up and Away by the Fifth Dimension. Good night everyone.


Solomon Sea, East of New Britain Island (Check your world atlas)
Paul Pichotta: This is Maori Cutter to Abyssal Explorer, come in, Mike.
Michael Kieber: Mike, here. All systems are operational, we just passed below 21,000 feet. We are powering up the floodlights. We will be back in touch once we get below 22,000 feet.
Sheri Richards (LA Times correspondent): Thanks for agreeing to let us press types accompany the expedition, Paul.
Jim Poltl: Thanks to your newspapers for donating so generously to this research expedition, Sheri. It costs over $4,000 a day to keep the Maori Cutter and the Abysal Explorer operating at sea.
Ron Phipps: Ayep, but if we photograph a Colossal Squid in its deep sea habitat, the Chronicle and the Times will increase readership to more than pay for this little sea cruise, right, Sheri.
Sheri: Right you are, Ron.
Mike: We just passed, 22,000 feet.
Randall Jensen (San Franciso Chronical correspondent aboard Abyssal Explorer): Oh my goodness, look at that sea mount at 2 o'clock, Mike.
Mike: Wow, let's move in closer. Those look like black smokers. I am turning on the remote cameras, Paul.
Randal: Excuse, me. What are black smokers?




Black Smokers discovered by the Abyssal Explorer


Judy Balzer Bell (Chief Geologist on the Abyssal Explorer): Think of them as miniature volcanoes with smokestack chimneys rising from the ocean floor, Randy. They release lots of minerals and sulfide gases and should harbor a wealth of sea life that feed off the nutrients.
Mike: Look at those giant tube worms and clams!!!! And look over there, a purple and green and yellow and blue octopus. It’s just like I imagined Ringo Starr singing in that Beatles song. Mike sings, "I’d like to be, beneath the sea, in an octopuses garden….."

Giant Tube Worms, Sulphuroides kieberi, named by Jim Poltl after discoverer and first person to photograph this species, Michael Kieber.

Randy: Never mind the octopus. I don’t like the way that bizarre creature pressed up against right viewing port is looking at me? Gad, what teeth.
Judy: Relax, Randy, that glass is 6 inches thick.



What Randy Jensen saw pressed against his viewing port!!!!

Near the top of the Mighty Matterhorn, Switzerland
Bob Johnson: I am not Evel Knievel, Mary! Are you in your right mind? Tell me there is a mistake and that this is not the ski box course.
Mary Ganssle Johnson: Now, now, Beej. It's not as bad as it looks. Take a couple of deep breathes and drink in the scenery. This is your kind of course. And, oh by the way, I took out a $5,000,000 life insurance policy with your grandchildren as beneficiaries, so you have nothing to worry about.

Bob Johnson, just before Mary pointed out the course he would have to
ski-box down in the race.

Bob: This is a death wish. There is no way I am going to drive this. I am taking Dan McMahon up on his offer to teach me how to throw the caber. I quit.
Joe Dispensa: Hey, Bobby, have a chug on this, it will do you good. It calms the nerves. (Joe hands Bob his goatskin bota bag).
Bob: (Takes a long squirt of the contents and starts choking on the 200 proof contents. Frankie DePasquale gives Bob a slap on the back which causes Bob to lose balance, land on his back, and start sliding down the mountain). Aaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiieeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!
Further down the mountain, Mike Modugno turns to Steve Modugno: Hey, Steve, look there goes Bob. He is not supposed to be practicing today. The course is not officially open yet.
Bob: OOOOOOOOhhhhhhhh Nooooooooooooo. Ouch! Uuuuf. Aaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiieeeeee!
Steve: If Bob wanted to test the course today, why didn't he ask for the ski box up here? Look at the great line he is taking down the mountain. I think he is the best driver in the world!

At the bottom of the mountain, a shouting Bob: Hey up there can you hear me? Dispenza, throw the bota bag down here. I need another shot of whatever that was. Then I want to try that ride again with the ski box. (Thinking to himself, man that was fun).


The Matterhorn course as Bob Johnson, "butt-scooted" down his practice run.
No problem for an athlete like the "Beej".



Zippy, the bat, the Shadow's little known nocturnal friend, says, "See you in Volume 20. Same bat time, same bat channel"

Next time we will rejoin Kathy Cota and Ruby the Elephant, “On the Road Again” and maybe we will see if John Barreiro got any good pics of the Tyranosaurus.

Are you laughing out there, Pani DiTrapani?

THE "SHADOW" IS BACK, by popular demand!
(Scroll down to Volume 19 below)

For those of you still struggling with accessing the "Extras" section of your DVD, you may scroll down to the "DVDs for Dummies" blog (right below Vol. 19).

The AHS '66 Reunion DVD is still available. Order now, so you won't miss a moment of this nostalgic trip down memory lane. We also welcome your comments, don't be shy.

The Editorial Staff