Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

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Stories Behind the Music -- The Best Halloween Songs

There are a number of songs that might, arguably, be in the category of the best ever Halloween song. The three below are on most top ten Halloween song lists -- by the experts in such matters. Personally, as an old radio guy, I would say that these three picks by me are in ascending order. In other words, the first one is probably not as high on the heap of Halloween favorites as the one at the bottom.

First we have Warren Zevon. This song, late 1970's, established this former session musician as a major talent in his own right, even though it was a pretty off-kilter song. Actually, I think almost all his songs were off-kilter, whether he was singing about excitable boys or werewolves of London.

 The next artist might be weirder than the song. Screamin' Jay Hawkins was an oddity of the 1950's. Originally the song I Put A Spell On You, which he wrote, was going to be recorded as a ballad. But he could not resist adding those weird Hawkin's touches -- grunts, groans, voodoo images, costumes. He was one of the early rock n' rollers and popular with Alan Freed, who introduced R&B music to the white kids. While this version is heavy on weird, with a capital W, the song is now classic and has been recorded, in a serious manner, by many performers.

If there is a classic of Halloween, and there is -- then it is this next song. Bobby Boris Pickett was not into being a singer. He wanted to act. However, he was able to do an impression of famous actor Boris Karloff, so he was the lucky stiff who got to record the true Halloween classic. Bobby Boris Pickett and the Crypt Kickers took the Monster Mash to #1 in 1962.

 

For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar  

  Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

9 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 30 2008 10:09AM

Scammers and Slammers

I had a low-down and deceptive phone call at the office today. From the very beginning, it did not seem right. A man with a foreign accent, but very good with English, identified himself as being with the local yellow pages. In this area, the most widely used yellow pages directory is from DEX. There are other competitors locally; however, and they are legit. This guy told me, confirmed and said that he was with DEX. No doubt about it, right?

I was cautious, not going to give him any personal info. Then he said he was just updating my current business listing from last year. He read me most of the information (which he got somewhere and that would not be hard to do).  I asked what the cost was and he said the same as least year, not that I have my DEX yellow pages cost at my fingertips. Then he asked if I was authorized to make the purchase. I am sure he was recording me, so I very clearly made a point of saying "yes, assuming that you are, as you told me, representing DEX yellow pages." I said that about three times. He said he would send an invoice. I said that was weird since I paid monthly, added to my Qwest phone bill. He then said that was just fine, continue to do that. Hmmmm.

Then he, to complete the process, hooked me up to the "verifier" who would make it all official. I was told not to ask her any questions. She came on the line and I said: Is this the DEX yellow pages? She said "no" she was with YP.com, online yellow pages. After some more questions, she said she had no clue what the guy told me but that they had nothing to do with DEX. I said goodbye and called DEX. They said this company, and others like YP, try that sort of sneaky slamming and they will probably still try to send me a bill. Good luck to them in collecting it. I will send them a copy of this blog.

It is amazing just how sleezy these marketers can turn out to be. This guy outright lied to me, not so surprising in the field of telemarketing, but to say he was with DEX --wow!. Seems like he would know that the truth would come out and he would end up with a non-paying and disgruntled business. What is the point in that?

If you want to find out who to avoid, this is the website that the "verifier" girl -- who was more honest at least -- told me about. You can check it out to see where the snakes live.   http://www.yp.com/

 I also saw a story about these fine folks that involved the Better Business Bureau and an investigation that did not go well for YP. I guess, when your company gets so low down you cannot even admit in public to the corporate name, that things are getting pretty desperate.

Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

14 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 28 2008 10:36PM

Stories Behind the Music -- Johnny and the Moondogs

Johnny and the Moondogs -- A household name right? After all, you have all heard Johnny and the Moondogs on the radio, you might even have a CD.  The name still doesn't ring a bell? I bet it will, let me explain.

In late 1959, there was a guy band in Great Britain, pretty much unknowns, and they decided to compete on a TV show called Carrol Levi's Star Search. Normally the band went by another name -- The Quarry Men. It seems that nobody knows, or at least nobody is telling, why the band went with the Moondog moniker for that appearance. 

In reality, it took the band another year before they came up with their permanent name. If you still have no clue who I am talking about, or if you just don't want to think about it, click on the link below and you will find the true identity of these individuals who blazed a trail and made millions in pop music. 

 Johnny and the Moondogs Live, a few years later

For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar  

  Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

3 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 27 2008 10:40AM

Stories Behind the Music -- A Legend Beyond His Hits

Bo Diddley. Ever heard that name before? Probably. The man with that stage name was an interesting case study in the history of early rock n' roll. His real name was Otha McDaniel. But, for as long as I can remember, the name Bo Diddley has been synonymous with the title "master and legend of rock music".

Diddley's legendary status came about even though the artist did not have that many hit songs. He is so important, historically, that there are songs with his name in the title. The first "Diddley" titled tune was recorded by Diddley himself. But other artists have also recorded songs about Bo Diddley.  Bo got the name in an amusing way. He was about 15 years old and he was practicing the guitar. A neighbor girl saw him and said that he sure looked like a real Bo Diddley when he was playing. The boy had no clue what that meant, but he liked the name. He would be Bo Diddley.

Diddley holds the distinction of being the first and one of the only artists whose name became the title of his first hit single. Yep, it was called Bo Diddley and others recorded it as well. This cut made it to #1 on the R&B charts in 1955.

Over the years Diddley put his name in the titles of other songs too. The flip side of that first R&B hit has stood the test of time. It is, probably, Diddley's best known song. Check out his guitar in the video. Some people believe that Diddley was the founding father of funk. His songs had a distinctive beat.

Some of the songs Diddley wrote were bigger hits for other artists than they were for the man himself. I'm a Man was an early hit for the Yardbirds, from the UK. Another of his songs Who Do You Love has become a standard with rockers.  Case in point: Here is Eric Clapton, with Robbie Robertson of the Band, doing their rendition of that Diddley classic.

 

The late Bo Diddley is a rock n' roll legend and innovator, despite the fact he did not have that many hits. He had respect though, almost from the start. Many famous artists worshiped his abilities. Even back in 1963, the Rolling Stones added Bo Diddley to their tour.

For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar  

  Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

9 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 26 2008 11:02AM

Unexpected (Active) Rain -- Why We Are Hired and Illogical Logic

I estimate that twenty percent, or more, of my inspection work comes from my firm's online presence. Sure, the bulk of my work still comes from referrals, mostly from past clients or real estate professionals, but I think I can make an argument that I have achieved some modicum of success with my efforts at online marketing. I want to share with you a few things I have learned while working in the rain.

I find that, as my marketing efforts evolve with the changing and highly competitive marketplace, I am amazed by things I discover about the general public. Some of it makes sense, some defies reason. There is one big discovery I made, almost two years ago, that becomes more important all the time.

 .

Active Rain serves many functions and, while it may not be all things to all people, it comes close to that lofty goal in my book. What can it do for you? Active Rain is a high visibility, and neatly organized, site that will host your blog posts.  Active Rain can dramatically enhance your online marketing efforts. Playing in the rain helps a person achieve his or her marketing goals by providing strong search engine optimization (SEO).

I have had realtors tell me that competitors in the market become discouraged with their search engine optimization. I have been told that some inspectors have said: "the King of the House guy gets all the google." That is not exactly true -- another local AR member gets some of it and it does fluctuate a little bit. But I have great SEO and, as I have confessed before, the power comes from Active Rain. It is the driving force being used in conjunction with key words, back links and a quality main website.

The way I look at it, Active Rain is an awesome vehicle that gives a person potential, but that person has to go to the effort to make it work. A realtor asked me the other day how much my dominant SEO cost. The answer was zero in dollars but lots in sweat equity. To be successful in the rain, and online, you have to work diligently, stay up with and get in front of your competition, use effective key words and be consistent.

SEO juice, as I have stated before, comes from the power of the rain. Since I have written a post that discussed that topic, I want to head off on another track.

Speaking of tracks, I track where my business comes from.  When I book a job, I ask how the client found me and why I was selected. Some of the answers are no-brainers -- what you would expect. In that category, we have the following:

#1  reason -- you were at the top of the search engine maps page

 #2  reason -- you dominated the organic results at the search engine. This often has subtle overtones. For example, they visited my web page, and/or my Active Rain page, and liked my qualifications and my sample report.

#3 reason -- through the online search they found stories, about my firm, in the print media.

Bellingham Herald article

Bellngham Business Journal article. (The reporter found me, in the first place, through Active Rain.)

Now, all this seems logical, so far. Let's briefly look at some of the funny reasons I have been selected. Some of them make sense, others are a stretch.

#4 reason -- spelling is good

I had two people, in one week, tell me that they hired me because they scoured my sample report and they did not find spelling errors. In one case, the lady was an English teacher and she wanted an inspector who could spell. Drag your cursor over the spelling bee below who will tell you more about the importance of good spelling.

#5 reason -- I like your truck and sign

They thought I had a cool truck and they liked the logos and the name of the company. (I have yet to be hired out of love for my snappy green outfit.)

#6 reason -- love them furry creatures

I have been hired because they liked animal photos or stories in my blog. In a related vein, some of those people said they also liked the humor.

  

#7 reason -- nice gap between two front teeth. (Yes, now we are getting into weird) 

I was hired once because the client liked the gap between my front teeth. He saw the gap in my website photo. As he got out of his car, he smiled, pointed at a gap between his own teeth and said -- "that is a main reason I hired you. We both have gaps between our front teeth."

 

#8 reason -- the best is yet to come or "no action yet but wishful thinking on my part"

Now that I know what people are looking for, I have been highlighting a new photo of myself. I think it has everything people desire. This is strong marketing stuff folks.

 

Feel the power -- (1) it is very "green", like the wildlife photos, it makes me organic and at one with the earth; (2) the gap in my teeth is prominently displayed (crucial to marketing); (3) the king is clearly detail-oriented as the head is well-centered in the pumpkin. Honestly, this has all the things clients are looking for, except one. It is lacking in humor, but sometimes you have to take the serious approach.

All joking aside, you never know why people will hire you. It may be for illogical reasons. One fact remains: If you do not keep your company profile out there (online) for people to see, then nothing will happen. The public will never find you, so they will not sample your presentation and style to determine if they like you or not. That gives you no chance at their business.

Bottom Line -- Use the power of the Active Rain wisely. This site gives you the tools and power you need to do an awesome job of marketing your services. However, you are the marketer -- the one who must make it happen. While Active Rain helps people find you, you have to sell them, impress them. Make the sale! Make sure that your online image projects your best qualities. Do not waste the power of the rain. What is waste? Waste is when you are found online, but potential clients are non-plussed or turned off by your online image. You cannot please all the people all of the time, but give it your best shot.

Have fun in the rain, but remember that this ain't no silly little game. Give Active Rain your best efforts so it can be your "rainmaker."  This site, I guarantee it, can be a money maker for your firm. Keep that in mind and your banker, and your significant other, will be glad that you did.

Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

37 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 25 2008 04:13PM

Mind the Gap

I remember, when I was visiting the United Kingdom, riding the Tube -- the underground train -- I kept hearing these words on the P.A. system in the subway --

"Mind the Gap"

At first, being a greenhorn, I did not even know what they were talking about. Actually, it is a reference to the gap from the landing platform to the train. There really is quite a gap and you have to be careful to avoid being maimed.

This same expression "Mind the Gap" is a good one to remember when flashing dormer areas at a roof. The photo below shows deterioration of the siding. At the top, you can see a piece of metal flashing.

Fact is, there was a metal flashing installed at this dormer -- I think retroactively. It had not been there forever on this older home. However, even when they installed the flashing, they failed to trim the siding to end above the roofing material. As it is, the siding had been absorbing water for years. This photo shows that deterioration and weathering, with some decay.

If you are building or remodeling, take this advice: Install a metal flashing and don't forget to "mind the gap".

Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

9 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 25 2008 10:23AM

Stories Behind the Music -- British Invasion By Woman

When you think back to the British Invasion of the early to mid-1960's, you have to think of the boy bands -- Beatles, Stones, Searchers, Dave Clark 5, Animals, Yardbirds, Kinks, Hollies. There were not that many solo artists who landed on our shores, male or female, but there were a few. One of those hit-makers, early on in the invasion, was a petite female from over the sea. She participated heavily in that lucrative British landing on North American soil.

Petula Clark had to be, as I remember it, the most successful of the female solo artists. Dusty Springfield did well, but Pet Clark took the prize. She had a head start and was well-known in Europe long before the Beatles ever hit. In fact, back in 1943, she had a radio show and, as a result of her efforts, she had appeared in over 20 movies by the end of the 1950's. Her recording career officially began in 1949.

Come the 1960's, a young producer and songwriter named Tony Hatch was added to her team. He had, previously, had success with Tennessee Ernie Ford, over here, and he had discovered the Searchers over there. They had some success during the first wave of the British Invasion.

Hatch went on a trip to New York City. He walked down the street and got a feel for Broadway. The producer and writer then wrote some music about his experience. Catch was, he wrote only the music -- there were no words. Hatch thought he might persuade the Drifters to give it a listen. But, when he played the tune for Petula Clark, she liked the melody and suggested that he take this song about Broadway and write some words that were as good as the melody. The song, words and all, was released in October 1964 and it became a true classic of pop music. See if you remember this one. 

According to Billboard magazine, up until 1988, that was considered to be the #318th most popular song in the history of rock n' roll music. The funny thing about this classic recording is that Hatch said he was still working on lyrics only 30 minutes before the session began. In 2003, the song was revisted when it won another award, a Grammy Hall of Fame Award.

Clark had a number of hits, clear up until 1972. Downtown was, for sure, her monster. But, next in line behind that, was my favorite Petula Clark song. She released this one in 1966.

Petula Clark is still on the road, doing what she has been doing since 1943 -- entertaining! Boy, that is some longevity. Last year she performed near Bellingham at a Native American gambling casino.

For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar  

  Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

3 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 24 2008 10:05AM

My Very Seasonal Second Career

Everybody knows that there is big money in being a model or a mascot. Heck, Ronald McDonald and the Red Robin are famous. Me, I am still trying to find my sea legs in this arena --  but working hard to make it all fall into place. My home inspection assistant Nutsy makes big money in his spare time modeling squirrel attire and paraphernalia.

This season, I have been working part-time as a pumpkin -- very part-time in fact. I thought that you might like to see my latest publicity shot out at Stoney Ridge Farm. I am hoping that Nutsy will soon be back from his deployment with the French Foreign Legion at that trouble spot in Algiers because, honestly, I may not be cut out for this line of work, even part-time.

 I figure that I need to get out of this career before someone decides to make a pumpkin pie.

 

Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

8 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 24 2008 09:30AM

Things Change -- Deck Safety

When a deck is of significant height, say 30" above grade, it should have a guardrail around it. People have known that for years. While sometimes homeowners neglect to install such a rail on a deck that is about 30" high, almost everyone agrees that a deck several feet off the ground should have a guard rail.

Below is a rail on a deck that is about 7' off the ground.

bellingham home inspector, king of the house

There is a rail there, and it is at least 36" high above the surface of the deck. So far so good. However, there is a problem. Some of the spaces, gaps, between the rail are as wide as 7". Now, at one time, do-it-yourself books used to state that a rail should not have any gaps wider than 6". However, today, that standard is no gap wider than 4".

The reason for this is simple: A child might be able to get through a gap that is wider than 4". With safety, far as I can tell, rules almost always become more strict. Very seldom, do they backoff or go backwards.

Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

19 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 23 2008 02:09PM

Stories Behind The Music -- Spector's Wall of Sound

There is considerable legend that goes with producer Phil Spector and his "wall of sound" recording techniques. To better understand where he was coming from, when he developed the wall of sound, one has to realize that at that time in the early 1960's, all hit tunes were made by airplay on AM radio, a medium that broadcast in mono.

While others were experimenting with stereo, mixing tracks and putting different instruments at different microphones, so they could be separated on a final recording, Spector, at his Phillies label, recorded in mono. He wanted the people out there, listening to AM radio, to hear the songs exactly as they sounded to him in the studio. It was all one big sound. He needed a sound so strong that even weak vocals would sound big. Spector would fill the studio with quality musicians, up to 30 of them.  He called his recordings "symphonies for kids".  

Spector, while a controversial and unpopular character in his personal life, was very successful in music. Over the years, he produced not only the early 1960's artists he is famous for but he also worked on a Beatles album and he worked, individually, with George, John and Ringo. Paul was not so keen on Spector's sound so kept his distance. BMI, the largest music licensing firm, considers a Spector production to be the most successful song ever recorded -- "You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'.

While that is a brief introduction to Spector, the song that is generally considered to be the "first" of the wall of sound productions was by an all girl group. Actually, they were just a bunch of kids. They called themselves the Crystals and Do Doo Ron Ron went all the way to #3 in 1963.

 

That record was the beginning of the wall of sound. The Crystals would have other classic tunes over the years, including And Then He Kissed Me-- one of my favorites from the girl groups. Probably the most famous of the early wall of sound recordings was an effort by another girl group. Even Beach Boy, Brian Wilson, stated that he learned how to produce a record by listening to this #2 pop hit from the Ronettes. The year was 1963. 

Spector went on to marry Ronnie, the lead singer of the Ronettes. Suffice it to say that it did not end well. Ronnie eventually fled the house and charged abuse.

The song that is considered to be the, shall we say, "masterwork" of the wall of sound was River Deep, Mountain High, by Ike Turner (another big treat of a guy) and Tina Turner. It was released in 1966. While it was highly lauded, and, in the UK, it was considered to be the masterpiece that Spector had hoped for, it bombed in the USA. You will see Ike in the video but Tina is, of course, the only one to watch.

 

Spector, very angry at this rejection of the song, shut down his Phillies record label. However, that did not stop him from influencing the direction of music. After closing the label, he has worked with many different artists, as mentioned previously. This is, by the way, the same Phil Spector who made the national news a couple years back, when he was charged with a murder at his home. The first trial ended in a hung jury. From what I have read, the prosecutors plan to try him again on the charge.

For more "Stories Behind the Music" click on the guitar  

  Steven L. Smith

 Bellingham WA Home Inspections

  

        

        

Check out "This Day In History" -- music and vintage television from the 1950's through the 1980's.  I enjoy writing these articles because they take me back to my days in radio broadcasting. Click on Elvis' gold record, below, to revisit those golden hits of yesteryear.

           

12 comments • Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector • October 22 2008 12:44PM