T.V. Tunes - Lenny & The "Squigtones"

I grew up practically glued to the T.V. I've always joked that television was my babysitter. Which, really isn't a joke at all. Throughout the '70's, and even the early '80's, right after dinner was t.v. time.

I've no doubt many of you know exactly what I'm talking about. Especially back then when people weren't that concerned with how many hours a week their kids were in front of the t.v.

I remember Alice Cooper's "Welcome To My Nightmare" television special. There were almost always "specials" on during prime time. The "Superfriends" live action special, "Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park", "Captain America", and a host of "Star Wars" Christmas specials were all watched by me while visiting my grand parents house.

Back in the '70's there was a lot of records for/about t.v. shows. "All In The Family", "Kojack", not just those Peter Pan records for kids, (anyone else remember these? "at the sound of the chime, turn the page!") but records aimed at the shows audience so as to squeeze every bit of marketing out of a popular series. "Happy Days" was a big one.

I had a record once called "Fonzies Greatest Hits". The only single thing this record had to do with Fonzie, was the fact that his picture was on the cover. There was even a perferated die-cut section on the back to pop out and bend so it would stand like a picture frame.

But not one single song on the entire album has anything to do with Fonzie. He didn't sing, Henry Winkler in NO WAY appeared on the record in ANY fashion. There were no show-snippets, dialogue, I don't even think the theme song was on it! It was merely a Golden Oldies Greatest Hits kind of compilation a-la "Dick Clarke Presents..."

Not even all of them were Rock 'n' Roll. (Theme to "A Summer Place"?)
Awesome if only because it's such an overboard example of shameless penny-pinching commercialism.
A fine specimen indeed.

So when I found Lenny & Squiggy present "Lenny and the Squigtones" (Casablanca, 1979) I didn't think twice about it. I dished out my $3.60 and was thrilled by the fact that it still had the poster in it.

Lenny & the Squigtones L.P.

The record is recorded live during what sounds more like a cabaret act at the Roxy in Hollywood with 14 or so original songs (music and other material by Mike McKean "Lenny" & David L. Lander "Squiggy") with some comedy bits in between.

Poster included with L.P.

The biggest surprise of all came when I seen the guitar credits going to Michael McKean and Christopher Guest. Not only that, but on the inner sleeve, which has some cool live photos and a group photo, Christopher Guest goes by the name of Nigel Tufnel!

 So here is what seems to be the debut performance of the infamous Spinal Tap guitarist!  

This is a cool artifact when you consider it's early on in the beginning of what would be years of comedy collaboration between Guest and McKean.

The material itself isn't really that remarkable, and the characters, although funny on "Laverne & Shirley", seemed to be stretched a little thin. Whatever, the crowd sounded like they were having fun. I picture like tables on the floor and couples at small candle lit tables. I don't know. I've never been to the Roxy.

Guest & McKean costar in  "This is Spinal Tap".

If you ask me, it's worth the three or four bucks for the Nigel factor and the poster alone. Other than that, another cool piece of television history. And if that's what your into...

 happy hunting!