By nature, I am a rockabilly gal, but I go hog-wild for anything monster surf or Tiki-related.

I knew I would never be the same when I heard Los Straitjackets play the “Titanic” theme in an Atlanta warehouse in a triple-billed show a few years back.

I LOVE Martin Denny and Esquivel.

I squealed in delight when I recently found a double CD of ‘Wild Guitar’ and ‘The Beatniks’ at my local Dollar Tree for a cool buck.

I covet an Eegah poster a friend used to have slapped to his wall (and pray to the Tiki gawds he has not sold it).

Tiki, you see, like, weaks me.

And I have a crush on Maynard G. Krebs from The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis:

In the Tiki-Beati, Tiki-Beati, Bea-Tiki Room.

The art of Derek Yaniger (paintings, serigraphs, illustrations, tiki mugs…he is also the author of Wildsville: The Art of Derek Yaniger)

Here’s Derek’s bio from his Web site:

“Okey Dokey Doggie Daddy, lemme give ya the skinny on what makes me tick tock.

I sprung off my squawkers in 1960 in SwineCity Arkansas. Once I ponied up the bread, I split. I blew into Atlanta ’round the mid ’80s and gotta gig scratchin’ out art at a local sweatshop. I copped a squat there for 3 years but the cabbage was like, nowheresville, so I just had to cut out. I gave that nogoodnik from creepsville the heave-ho. I still roost in Georgia but nowadays I print my own foldin’ green. Over the past 20 years, give or take, I’ve rolled out chicken scratchins for some way solid big wigs like Marvel Comics and Cartoon Network. Today I spend my dims and brights pedalin’ my art to such mags as Atomic, Barracuda, and Car Kulture Deluxe. I also land a lot of gigs doin’ prints for shows like Tiki Oasis, Hukilau, and the Wild Weekend.”

The feeling you’d get from the elements that make up his work are a like hitting the perfect happy hour; a place you accidently stumble upon that serves a strong, vodka tonic with a twist of cold, fresh lime (my art ref: mod Cubism, with a twist of Duchamp, maybe); if one could translate the sound of a swanky sax in animated images, with beatnik “liner notes,” I think that’s what you’d hit on. In each piece a I hear a wild, cool and swingin’ tune that really cooks, with gas. So fill’er up, I say….

It’s a very cool collage Tik-nik with burlesque nods, appro-po colors…..mini-murals of very well-crafted Bea-tiki Shrinky-Dinks.


I’m recalling Chuck Jones’ ‘The Dot and the Line: A Romance in Lower Mathematics’, based on the book by Norton Juster:

I’m having plenty of Rocky and Bullwinkle and Wacky Packages flashbacks. :)

Ah, to be a fly on the wall of a 1960′s barber shop peering through that jar of Emerald City liquid full of contents that look like Acme rubber combs. Sigh.

Oh-oh. Get out of the car. Jethro just lost his rope belt and has commenced to gladiating — the Forbidden Dance.

But have no fear. Kick back with an “Orange Juice on Ice” under some party lights and swing with the art of Derek Yaniger….(and buy some while you are at it)… he’s one cool cat.

Now let’s show some ‘Fight Club’ spirit: What’s your power animal? I’ll show you mine if you show me yours.

Video of the day:

The Legendary Stardust Cowboy on Laugh In:

If you ask me, he was the only true bit of talent on that stage that night during the era of Hippiefest TV. if you get a chance to hear him sing Fly Me to the Moon, please do. It’s really quite something to hear. I hear he paints, too, we’ll have to drop him a line sometime.

“Rockin’ Chair on the Moon” Props– coming soon, to a post near you:

An interview with Mr. Derek Yaniger– (we’re a-hopin’…:)…

And maybe….just maybe, we’ll make one quarter-turn dial on the knob in the wayback machine…and meet Mr. Mike “M.C.” Kostek (and talk about a ’45 (vinyl) of Marlin Perkins vaccinating a cat).