HAPPY 150,000

Spy Vibe topped over 150,000 visitors this week. I raise my glass to all Spy Vibers in thanks for sharing 1960s Style in Action with our community. A tip of the bowler hat to all fans of retro spies, mid-century modern, cold war design, space-age fashion, mods & moongirls, jet-setters, The Beatles, Swinging London, soundtracks, and well-dressed adventure. Cheers!

GET SMART: "99" SONG

Honor Blackman and Patrick Macnee of The Avengers weren't the only 1960s spy actors to record novelty records (check out Kinky Boots). Get Smart's Barbara Feldon recorded this cloak and dagger ditty, 99, in 1966 during the big spy boom. The lyrics below paint a great bachelor pad fantasy of adventure. Feldon played agent 99 during the show's run from 1965-1970, and reprized her role in a number of reunion projects. According to IMDB, agent 99 was voted by the TV Land hall of fame in 2004 as the "most stylish secret agent." That's pretty high praise, considering the competition of Mrs. Emma Peel, the Girl From U.N.C.L.E., and others. Check out the stills in this video and tell us what you think. Would you vote for 99?

Lyrics from wouldyoubelieve.com:
So you think you see a pussycat you'd like to pet
You start to come on strong to see how far you will get
You feed the pussycat that I'm a tiger lie
You don't know that you're mess'n with 99, 99
You brag about your motorboat and Cadillacs
How you cheated 'bout a million on your income tax
It isn't 'til they slap you with a great big fine
That you know that you've been mess'n with 99, 99
There's music on the hi-fi and she dims the light
She fixes a Martini that is out of sight
Your tongue begins to loosen 'cause you're all alone
But that ain't a olive buddy that's a microphone
You're a foreign spy who wants to come in from the cold
And you've never been uncovered you're so self controlled
But when they find your body floating down the Rhine
That's a lesson don't go mess'n with 99, 99
You're the highest paid informer for a Balkan State
On your night off you invite her for a dinner date
But when she freshens up, you'll end up unemployed
'Cause that ain't a lipstick buddy that's a Poloroid
So listen tigers this is what it's all about
A pussycat will get you if you don't watch out
Though she may send shivers running up and down your spine
She is doing her caress'n with a tiny Smith and Wesson
And that means you've been mess'n with 99, 99, 99, 99

DISCO DANCING- PANTON STYLE!

Spy Vibe recently highlighted designer Verner Panton, his collection at Design Within Reach, and Panton's influence on the films, The 10th Victim (1965) and Danger Diabolik (1968). Spy Vibers might enjoy this video from ESL music by Chris Joss, which uses an animated version of Panton's interior environments. It's groovy!

ELSA MARTINELLI

The fabulous Elsa Martinelli, photographed on the set of Elio Petri's The 10th Victim (1965) by Secchiaroli. A beautiful example of mid-1960s style and Op Art. Martinelli was born in 1935 and discovered by designer Roberto Capucci in 1953 while she was working as a barmaid. She last appeared on the TV series Orgoglio (2005). In addition to The 10th Victim, Martinelli appeared in many classic retro films, including OSS 117 Takes a Vacation (1970), Candy (1968), and The Trial by Orson Welles (1962). Spy Vibe looks at 10th Victim sets and Mods to Moongirls costumes.

HOLLYWOOD SCREENING

The experimental film for Jason Whiton's winning-remix for Yoko Ono celebrates the meaning of her name, ocean child, with images of sea creatures. Next screening is at the New Media Film Festival in Hollywood on May 21st. More info at the film's website here. Additional Yoko Ono and Beatles-related news on our Beatles page here.

BIG BUNNY

Happy Easter to all Spy Vibers! Thanks to agent JKraus, we continue our Bunny Weekend with Hugh Hefner's private DC 9 jet, dubbed Big Bunny. Delivered to Hef in 1969, this was Playboy's flying headquarters and bachelor pad. According to the aviation forum, the plane featured twelve on-board beds, a bar, a lounge, a disco, entertainment equipment, a Roman tub, dining set, and a water bed. The stewardesses were called Jet Bunnies. Here is Jet Bunny, Anne Denson, from the ex-Bunnies website.


This soundtrack is Cy Coleman's Playboy Theme from the Playboy's Penthouse, Playboy After Dark television program, which you can catch a brief glimpse of on the plane's entertainment screen in the clip. I hope everyone can travel in this kind of style today!

BEHIND PLAYBOY BUNNIES 2

Our Bunny weekend continues with a more in-depth look at the world of Playboy Bunnies. In this documentary, former Bunnies talk about how liberating it was to shed post-war inhibitions and escape the limited roles of wife and secretary that society had offered up to that time. Our Bunny Post #1 highlighted the unglamorous work behind the scenes and the perspective of Gloria Steinem. But in this clip, we hear former Bunnies define themselves as pioneers and feminists. Publisher Hugh Hefner talks about Playboy's role to counter the repression of the Eisenhower/McCarthy years, when women were being pressured to go back into the homes after being in the workforce during WWII. He also talks about the anti-establishment nature of Playboy and of stand-up comics in the 1950s as important stepping stones to the "real social revolution that took place in the 1960s." The first Playboy club hosted by Playmates (not waitresses) opened in Chicago on February 29th, 1960. One of the strict rules was that Bunnies did not date the guests, supporting the magazine's mission to provide respectable, urban pleasure and sophisticated fun. Arranging a date with an employee or guest, even providing a last name or phone number, resulted in immediate dismissal. Spy Vibe's Behind Playboy Bunnies 1 here. Hugh Hefner and our article Set For Adventure here. More info at the ex-Playboy Bunny website here.

BEHIND PLAYBOY BUNNIES 1

It's Bunny Weekend at Spy Vibe! The Playboy Bunny symbolized sexuality in the cold war era by providing an icon for publisher Hugh Hefner's celebration of sex and individual freedom. The success of his magazine and chain of clubs showed that people were ready to bring sexuality out into the open and to move away from the repression of the Eisenhower years. The first club started in Chicago in 1960 and was an important stepping-stone to the social revolution that would happen over the next decade. According to Gloria Steinem and others in these two short documentaries, those voluptuous vixens were still tied in some ways to post-war attitudes. One Bunny tells us just how much energy and practice it required to present that Bunny image on the job. Follow our Bunny Weekend with Behind Playboy Bunnies 2 for more in-depth views on the Playboy Bunny Years with interviews with ex-Bunnies and with Playboy founder, Hugh Hefner.

Go behind-the-scenes with Playboy Bunnies at the Ex-Playboy Bunnies website. Spy Vibe also recommends the book, 50 Years of the Playboy Bunny. Image above of Bunny Deana with James Bond actor George Lazenby.

JOHN BARRY'S KNACK SOUNDTRACK

The Spy Vibe world lost one of the great composers recently when John Barry passed away in January. We celebrated his career, including the James Bond films and The Ipcress File, and highlighted Barry's score to the mod classic, The Knack... And How to Get it (1965). Screen Archives Entertainment announced today that they are releasing a limited-edition run of the soundtrack (1,000 units), transferred directly from the MGM studio master tapes. The new release will not include dialog from the film, which fans may remember hearing on the out-of-print Ryko CD from 1998. From Screen Archives Entertainment:

"Long-awaited and necessary new edition of a master classic by John Barry—one of his most influential works from the sixties. The Knack…and how to get it—winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 1965—is an unforgettable film, a symbol of a generation, and a true witness of its time. Smart and sexy, the film was the first collaboration between John Barry and Richard Lester (a partnership that would be repeated in 1969 with Petulia and in 1976 with Robin and Marian). Barry's music is vibrant, funny, powerfully melodic, and well-remembered as an icon of the Swinging London movement.

The Knack was previously released on CD by Ryko in 1998 but that version has been out-of-print for many years. Our edition is based on a new transfer from the original stereo tapes housed in the M-G-M vaults, resulting in sound quality that is much improved. We have removed the dialogue included on the Ryko edition to offer the same musical experience and track order prepared by Barry for the original 1965 United Artists Records LP. The deluxe booklet includes 24 pages with lots of stills and new liner notes by Geoff Leonard and Pete Walker. A necessary tribute, sadly posthumous, to one of the greatest, most celebrated and influential composers in film history: John Barry." Spy Vibe John Barry obituary here. More posts about satire & surrealism (Peter Sellers, Richard Lester, John Lennon, etc) in Swinging London here.

THE AVENGERS BBC TODAY

Today (April 20th) on BBC Radio Night Waves, Brian Clemens talks about The Avengers. From BBC: "Matthew Sweet dons his kinky boots to investigate the phenomenon of The Avengers, 50 years after its first transmission. As well as its regular cavalcade of cyborgs, spies and megalomaniacs, The Avengers seemed to present the world of British television with a new action figure - the liberated single female who, week after week, proved to be deadlier than the male. But how progressive was its sexual politics? Was Diana Rigg in her all leather cat suit a male fantasy or a feminist icon and did Honor Blackman always play second fiddle to Patrick Macnee?


Matthew has assembled a crack team of thinkers to ponder these mind-bending questions - teenage fans Bea Campbell and Sarah Dunant, historian Dominic Sandbrook and one of the masterminds of The Avengers, the screenwriter Brian Clemens." Listen to the broadcast on BBC 3 at 21:15, April 20, 2011. More information about the 50th anniversary of The Avengers here. Spy Vibe's fashion article Peeling Off the Trench Coats here, and Avengers digest here.

SEAN LENNON LIMITED EDITION

Sean Lennon's new project with Charlotte Kemp Mahl, Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger, has been touring to support their new album, Acoustic Sessions. There is a quality in Sean's voice that rests authentically in this comfortable pocket of harmony and acoustic guitar. It's reflective and warm, and evokes for me many summers spent in Japan with bossa nova and lo-fi sounds. To celebrate national record store day on Saturday, the band released a limited edition electric album called La Carotte Bleue. It's a playful pack of tunes, which includes a cover of Comic Strip by Serge Gainsbourg. Sean's in fun form here, and the band made a DIY video filled with comic heroes and shades of William Klein's Mr. Freedom (1969). The eight electric tracks were released as a French EP, and include "Jardin Du Luxembourg" "Rainbows In Gasoline" "Robot Boy" "Comic Strip" "Walt Disney Sitting In A Chaise And Drinking Cordials" "Britney Jean" "2012" "Carrot Blue." The copy I held at Amoeba Records, in limited-edition blue vinyl, included a free digital download. The album is also available for download at the Chimera website, Amazon, and iTunes. There is a fun, 1960s legacy at work here, and I think Spy Vibers will enjoy Sean's bash at the Gainsbourg classic. Support your local record stores & enjoy new tunes from Sean Lennon. Spy Viber creator Jason Whiton's remix and experimental film for Yoko Ono news here. More at the Spy Vibe Beatles page here.

DIABOLIK

Danger Diabolik (1968), the super-cool film by Mario Bava, came up on our radar again this week with posts about designer Verner Panton. The film, which starred John Phillip Law and Marisa Mell, is a cult classic and one of the best adaptations of a comic ever made. Despite the pedigree, however, the film has been tagged unfairly in the pop-consciousness as trash/camp due to its heckling in Mystery Science Theater 3000. Spy Vibe agrees with Double O Section and writer/artist Steve Bissette that MTS3K went too far when they chose the film as their final episode. As much as I enjoy their riffs on bad-but-fun flicks, Mike and the robots had no business dragging Bava's Diabolik into that campy pigeonhole. As Bissette pointed out in his special feature on the DVD, it was not a campy movie. The characters may have winked at each other, but never to the audience.


If you haven't seen it in a while, watch Steve's bonus feature before the film for some great insights about Bava's use and blend of comic and film forms. I assume most Spy Vibers know that Danger Diabolik was based on an Italian comic series. Bissette points out some great panel-to-frame comparisons. The official website (Italian) includes some cool on-line comics (both drawn panels and photographic-panel formats). Danger Diabolik came in at #1 in our top-10 set countdown. The film also sports some of the best Spy Vibe fashion you'll ever see on screen! Additional Spy Vibe posts about Danger Diabolik here.

DIETER RAMS & VERNER PANTON

Deutsche Welle highlights two iconic designers during the Swinging Sixties in this short feature. Dieter Rams (1932-) is most known for bringing cool minimalism to functional housewares and electronics. And Danish designer, Verner Panton (1926-1998), brought pop sensibility to furniture, lighting, and interior environments. Spy Vibe's look at Verner Panton-style sets in Danger Diabolik (1968) here and in The 10th Victim (1965) here. Dieter Rams at the Design Museum here.

VERNER PANTON DESIGN & DANGER DIABOLIK

Our friends at Design Within Reach offer an exclusive catalog of Verner Panton creations. Adding to their current line of lights and a Panton chair, pre-sale of Panton furniture and rugs will begin in May. DWR recently spent time with Verner Panton's wife, Marianne, to discuss the designer's work and artistic process. Full interview here. Panton's designs have appeared on Spy Vibe's radar in the past, including our Top-ten Set Countdown #1 (Danger Diabolik). Designer Verner Panton's "total environment" installation exhibits, such as Visiona (1968) and Visiona II (1970), were room constructions of fluid, organic forms. Here is Panton's design followed by Diabolik's vault room. See how Panton-style furniture also appeared in our Top-Ten #5 film, The 10th Victim. For more information about Panton, check out the very cool Verner Panton Museum page here.

THE KREMLIN LETTER

Five years after its original DVD-release announcement, The 1970 spy classic, The Kremlin Letter, is finally available. A network of older spies from the West recruits a young intelligence officer with a photographic memory to accompany them on a mission inside Russia. They must recover a letter written by the CIA that promises American assistance to Russia if China gets the atomic bomb. The film's cast and crew includes heavy-hitters, including director, John Huston, and actors, Bibi Anderson, Richard Boone, Max von Sydow, Orson Welles, and George Sanders. Produced through Twilight Time and 20th Century Fox, the film is available through Screen Archives Entertainment and Amazon. This is a limited release of 3,000 units only. DVD Beaver review here.

BEATLES: NEW RELEASES

The creative force of The Beatles community continues with some exciting new projects and special releases. Here are a few of the major works on our radar to help fans keep track. More Beatles news on our page here. Beatles images by Richard Avedon.


George Harrison: Director Martin Scorsese will release a documentary film next fall about George Harrison called Living in the Material World. Scheduled to be published at the same time, Olivia Harrison is working with Abrams on a companion book that will include George's own personal archives of never-before-seen photographs, diaries, and memorabilia. The book will chronicle his life, and his career from The Beatles to solo years and the Traveling Willburys. Press release here. The all-star tribute Concert For George was recently released on Blu-ray. You can see a clip of Paul McCartney and Eric Clapton from the concert on Spy Vibe here.


John Lennon: The first collection of personal letters and cards written by John Lennon will be published next fall by Little, Brown and Company. More info at Reuters. In movie news, Lennon's collaboration with Richard Lester on the anti-war film, How I won the War (1967), has been remastered and is available on-demand. The highlight of the release is a limited-edition book filled with never-before-seen photographs and contact sheets that document the making of the film. More about Lennon, Lester, and surrealism in the 1960s on Spy Vibe here. The excellent documentary, Lennon NYC, is now available on Blu-ray. For readers interested in studying John Lennon through the lens of Jungian archetypes, I recommend viewing the recent films, Nowhere Boy, Lennon Naked, and Lennon NYC as an illustration of the Journey.


Paul McCartney: There is a wonderful series of deluxe editions from Paul McCartney's catalog being produced. Following the release of Band on the Run last fall, the next albums to get the archival treatment are two projects that Paul made alone in his home studio in times of great transition. McCartney (1970) was recorded during the end of The Beatles and included an interview, enclosed in the record sleeve, that announced the break-up of the band to the world. Highly recommended! The second album is McCartney II (1980), a post-Wings experiment with early electronic beats. Although the album doesn't reach the heights of Liverpool Sound Collage (2000) or McCartney's electronic duets with producer Youth under the Firemen moniker (1993 to 2008), McCartney II remains an interesting document of musical ideas from the era. Both will be released on June 14th, 2011, in CD, deluxe CD/Book, and vinyl editions. More info here. The excellent limited-edition book, Paul McCartney Paintings, is now available in paperback through the Fest for Beatles here. Paul also appears to be compiling a new CD of Beatles/Wings covers. His son, James, recently joined The Cure to record a piece for the project.


Linda McCartney: Paul's family recently launched an official (and beautiful!) website dedicated to Linda McCartney in advance of the new Taschen book, Linda McCartney: Life in Photographs. The book will span her career as a photographer, from iconic 1960s rock images to photojournalism and fine art projects. It will be available in trade, collectible, and art editions. The rarest printings will include limited-edition photographs signed and numbered by Paul McCartney. Above image by Linda McCartney.


Yoko Ono: Spy Vibe creator, Jason Whiton's remix and experimental film tribute to Yoko Ono screens next at the New Media Film Festival in Hollywood on May 21st, 2011. Above image and current interview with Yoko at Spinner here. News about Yoko's exhibits, music, and charity efforts on her official website here.


The Beatles: Readers looking for limited-edition art books should explore the many projects created by Genesis Publications. A recent Beatles release, A Day in the Life, is a photographer's chronicle of the day in February, 1963 that the band hit #1 (Please Please Me/NME charts). According to Barry Miles' Beatles Diary, the band played a gig at the Cavern, saw their original drummer, Pete Best, for the last time, and drove to London with excitement about their chart success. This collection of photographs should bring this historic day to life. Here in the States, Cirque Du Soleil continues its fabulous run of The Beatles show, LOVE, in Las Vegas. A new iTunes APP is available that offers fans show content, music and videos. Finally, Beatles scholar Bruce Spizer will publish his new illustrated history of the Beatles recordings on Parlophone this summer.

SECRET AGENT SUPER DRAGON CONTEST

I took a short break today during a marathon songwriting session and caught a few moments of MST3K's spin on the Eurospy classic, Secret Agent Super Dragon. I'm a big fan of the robots and the 'satellite of love'. When I was running a film series on the east coast, I even got in touch with Mike Nelson to talk about arranging an event. It wasn't in the stars for us at the time, but it sure would be fun to do someday. Since then, I've seen many variations of MST reunions, and I'm always thankful for a chance to spend time with those guys around a so-bad-it's-good movie. Some of their picks were quite excellent as original films, Danger Diabolik being the first on the list. I can't quite get Super Dragon up there in the same league, but I am interested in seeing a straight cut of the move. The film was made at the height of the spy boom in 1966 -with Marisa Mell (Danger Diabolik) I might add! The secret agent was played by Ray Danton, who appeared in The Man From U.N.C.L.E. and Honey West in the 1960s and many crime/spy shows in the 1970s, including the role of Derek Flint in a 1970s effort to bring the Flint films to the small screen.


Secret Agent Super Dragon makes use of fun spy conventions, like outrageous gadgets, femme fatales, evil baddies, henchmen, secret lairs, and a plot to turn people into slavish zombies. What more can you ask for? Sounds fine on paper, right? Judging by the original trailer here, tell us what you think- Fun spy fare? Or, obvious MST3K candidate? Vote here in the comments section, I'll choose a winner from the voters, and one Spy Viber will win a Secret Agent Super Dragon prize from the Spy Vibe archives. Deadline is next week, April 18th. Good Luck! Image from the Marisa Mell website. Movie review at Double O Section here.

LONDON BEATLES STORE

Readers who miss the days of the Fab Four Superstore and Beatlemania Shoppe will want to check out the London Beatles Store. Established near the Baker Street station in London, the shop also offers on-line ordering from their extensive catalog of cool Beatles merchandise. In addition to the expected books and posters, you will find rare treasures, including original autographs, photographs, and even Richard Avedon prints! London Beatles Store website here. Spy Vibe Beatles articles and news page here.

NEIL INNES TOUR

Songwriter extraordinaire, Neil Innes, is best known for his musical contributions to Monty Python (remember Bravely Bold Sir Robin?), the Bonzo Dog Band, and the brilliant Beatles-style mockumentary band, The Rutles. Innes began his career with fellow art school pals in the mid-1960s with the Bonzo Dog Band, which became a feature act on Do Not Adjust Your Set (1967-1969). The show's cast included future Pythons, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, and Eric Idle. The Bonzos also made an appearance in The Beatles film, Magical Mystery Tour (1967) and recorded their hit, Urban Space Man, produced by Paul McCartney in 1968. Their work has been collected in a recent CD compilation called Dog's Life: 1967-1972. I think Spy Vibers will enjoy Neil's musical cocktail of humor and heart.


Neil Innes is currently playing some UK dates and will begin a tour of the US and Canada on May 5th. More info at the Neil Innes website here. Neil's site also hosts and audio page with lyrics and live recordings, including a great fave of mine, Questionnaire. Here are a few classic Rutles moments to bring joy to your weekend: an excerpt from the Rutles film, All You Need is Cash (watch for some great Beatles parody!), and Neil's Lennonesque, Cheese and Onions.

Readers may also like to check out the experimental film and remix I made for Yoko Ono, The Sun is Down, which screens next at the New Media Film Festival on May 21st in Hollywood. The film celebrates the meaning of Yoko's name, "ocean child," with images of sea animals dancing and moving through their secret gardens. I also completed a tribute collage, Lennon70, for the recent John Lennon 70th anniversary. Spy Vibe Beatles articles and news page here. Spy Vibe home. Happy Weekend!

SPY VIBE CARS

Spy Vibers, start your engines! Well-dressed adventure and the Spy Vibe flare was seen throughout the arts and entertainment in the 1960s, but two major designs from the motor-car world rest toward the top with engines purring. Yes, I'm talking about the Jaguar E-Type (XKE) and the DB5 by Aston Martin. Both cars loomed large in television and cinema during the spy boom. Goldfinger, Thunderball, Danger Diabolik, The 10th Victim, Casino Royale, and Jerry Cotton immediately come to mind. Like Sean Connery or Twiggy, the cars themselves remain iconic characters. Here is quick look at the influence of the E-Type on future auto shows, and Top Gear's look at both of these Spy Vibe-fave rides. Happy Friday!

THE AVENGERS ANNIVERSARY LAUNCH

Honor Blackman and Paul O'Grady press release to launch the 50th anniversary event this summer. I love Paul's description of how the show created a vision of life in Britain- completely chic with champagne, fancy cars, and a nice double brandy with the arch-villain before the fight. Brilliant! More info at the event website here.

The Avengers 50th Anniversary Press Launch from Avengers 50th on Vimeo.

KINKY BOOTS!

In honor of the upcoming events celebrating the 50th anniversary of The Avengers, Spy Vibe brings out this old chestnut- originally posted here in Peeling Off the Trench Coats back in 2009. Spy Vibe first began as a website, then moved here to the blog lair. We've had over 120,000 visitors and we thank you for sharing this world of well-dressed adventure and 1960s style in action. More Avengers and fashion at our article Mods to Moongirls. Now, let's get into something really pressing- Kinky Boots!


Video montage from Top of the Pops:

Just follow the bouncing, er... you get the idea!

KINKY BOOTS LYRICS
Her: Everybody's going for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Him: Kinky boots,
Him: It's a manly kind of fashion that you borrowed from the brutes,
Her: Borrowed from the brutes,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots.
Her: Fashion magazines say wear 'em,
Him: And you rush to obey like the women in a harem.

Her: Full length, half length,
Him: Fully fashion calf length,
Her: Brown boots, black boots,
Him: Patent leather jackboots,
Her: Low boots, high boots,
Him: Lovely lanky thigh boot,
Her: We all dig those boots.

Her: Everybody's crazy for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Him: And whether you're in evening dress or bathing suits,
Her: You wear boots, boots, kinky boots.

(Boop boop, boop boop)

Her: There are twenty million women wearing kinky boots, kinky boots,
Him: Puss in boots,
Him: Footwear manufacturers are gathering the fruits,
Her: Gathering the fruits,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots.

Her: Advertising men say try 'em,
Him: And you all run amok like a flock of sheep to buy 'em.

Her: Sweet girls, street girls,
Him: Frumpy little beach girls,
Her: Square girls, cool girls,
Him: Sexy little schoolgirls,
Her: Maiden aunties,
Him: Major debutantes,
Her: They all dig those boots.

Her: Everybody's rushin' for those Russian boots,
Him: Prussian boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Both: Cover up those slender little tender foots with kinky slinky,
Him: Leather is so kinky,
Her: Come and get those kinky boots, boots, kinky boots. Her: Everybody's going for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Him: Kinky boots,
Him: It's a manly kind of fashion that you borrowed from the brutes,
Her: Borrowed from the brutes,
Her: Kinky boots.
Her: Fashion magazines say wear 'em,
Him: And you rush to obey like the women in a harem.

Her: Full length, half length,
Him: Fully fashion calf length,
Her: Brown boots, black boots,
Him: Patent leather jackboots,
Her: Low boots, high boots,
Him: Lovely lanky thigh boot,
Her: We all dig those boots.

Her: Everybody's crazy for those kinky boots, kinky boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Him: And whether you're in evening dress or bathing suits,
Her: You wear boots, boots, kinky boots.

(Boop boop, boop boop)

Her: There are twenty million women wearing kinky boots, kinky boots,
Him: Puss in boots,
Him: Footwear manufacturers are gathering the fruits,
Her: Gathering the fruits,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots.

Her: Advertising men say try 'em,
Him: And you all run amok like a flock of sheep to buy 'em.

Her: Sweet girls, street girls,
Him: Frumpy little beach girls,
Her: Square girls, cool girls,
Him: Sexy little schoolgirls,
Her: Maiden aunties,
Him: Major debutantes,
Her: They all dig those boots.

Her: Everybody's rushin' for those Russian boots,
Him: Prussian boots,
(Boop boop)
Her: Kinky boots,
Both: Cover up those slender little tender foots with kinky slinky,
Him: Leather is so kinky,
Her: Come and get those kinky boots, boots, kinky boots.

AVENGERS 50TH ANNIVERSARY VIDEO

If Spy Vibers weren't already excited about the upcoming 50th Anniversary celebration of The Avengers in June, here is teaser video from the official event website to whet your appetites. Spy Vibe is dedicated to well-dressed adventure of the 1960s. With the program's special cocktail of flare, playfulness, innuendo, and fashion, The Avengers stands tall above the rest. The first spy show I ever saw was U.N.C.L.E., but the first spies I ever loved were The Avengers. It is said that our parents imprint a kind of "map" on us as babies, which influences the kind of people we are attracted to later in life. I believe the cast and crew of The Avengers imprinted me with a "map" that set me on a course to appreciate a certain style and humor. Thank you to Brian Clemens, Leonard White, Patrick Macnee, Honor Blackman, Diana Rigg, Laurie Johnson, and everyone for such a gift. See The Avengers on disc, streaming on Netflix, and see The Avengers cast and crew this summer.

BEATLES TOP CHARTS

The Beatles Made Hot 100 History on the Billboard Hot 100 47 years ago today, April 4, 1964, when they became the only act ever to monopolize the chart's top five positions.

The Billboard Hot 100, April 4, 1964
Position, Title
No. 1, "Can't Buy Me Love"
No. 2, "Twist and Shout"
No. 3, "She Loves You"
No. 4, "I Want to Hold Your Hand"
No. 5, "Please Please Me"

Spy Vibe Beatles articles and news page here.

AVENGERS 50TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

Spy Vibe fave The Avengers is celebrating its 50th anniversary this summer at the University of Chichester in June! The two-day event will host a gathering of cast and crew, including Honor Blackman (Cathy Gale), Linda Thorson (Tara King), Brian Clemens (writer), Leonard White (producer), and directors Don Leaver and Gerry O'Hara. Special video greetings will be made by Patrick Macnee (John Steed), Joanna Lumley (Purdy), and Laurie Johnson (composer). From Macnee's website: "Fifty years ago - on January 7th 1961, the first episode of The Avengers was broadcast. On February 9th, 1961 - The Beatles made their debut at The Cavern Club in Liverpool, England. A coincidence? Or was that year truly the moment when the grey England of the 1950's bloomed into something way more colourful?" I'm with you, Pat! I think of it as the pollination of the sexual revolution, the youth movement, the cold war, and the space race- all influencing new expression in the arts. But, perhaps it was just something in the water?


Striving for a more in-depth experience than the average fan event, the organizers of the 50th anniversary celebration are planning detailed discussions with cast and crew. There will also be a display of memorabilia, including Emma Peel's Lotus, signing sessions, and a party held in a recreation of the infamous Hellfire Club (guests should not anticipate an entrance by Diana Rigg dressed as the "queen of sin"). I think I need to book my ticket! Full guest list and information at the official event website here. Honor Blackman website here.

MINI WEEK: 9 MINOX CAMERA

Mini Week continues with a look from Reuters at the development of the mini spy camera by Minox and other spy devices- including a camera belt!

MINI WEEK: 8 MINI COOPER TOP GEAR

Mini Week Continues with the Mini Cooper: "Car of the 1960s" by Top Gear:

MINI WEEK: 7 MINI SKIRTS 1966

Mini Week continues with this short news feature about mini skirts and pop art fashion in France in 1966.

HERMES PRESS

Our friends at Hermes Press have outdone themselves again! With their great attention to quality printing and reproductions, Hermes has been adding to their catalog of 1960s Gold Key comic reprints with editions of Voyage to The Bottom of the Sea, Dark Shadows, My Favorite Martian, Land of the Giants, and stunning collections of comic strips like The Phantom, Buck Rogers, Brenda Starr, Male Call, Roy Rogers, and Steve Canyon. Visit their booth at Wondercon this weekend in San Francisco (Saturday panel scheduled re: their new book about John Buscema), and look for their books at fine booksellers and comic shops. Spy Vibers will especially love their many books related to Gerry and Sylvia Anderson, Irwin Allen, and James Bond. More information at their website here.

MINI WEEK: 6 TWIGGY & MINI COOPER

Mini Week continues with the meeting of two Swingin' London icons, the Mini Cooper and Twiggy!

MINI WEEK: 5 PETER SELLERS MINI COOPER

Mini Week continues with Peter Sellers & Britt Ekland (Man With the Golden Gun). Thanks to my Spy Vibers for the tip! From Getty Images: "Swedish film actress Britt Ekland cuts an outsize birthday cake as her husband, English comic film actor Peter Sellers (1925-1980), bursts from it driving a Mini. The occasion is the celebration of the second anniversary of the Radford Coach Building Firm in Hammersmith. The car itself, a 'Radland De Ville', capable of 110mph, was built to Sellers' own specifications as a present for Ekland. (Photo by Roger Jackson/Central Press/Getty Images)." Word on Mini forums is that Ekland cherished the Mini for years until it was stolen.

Sellers is also seen below with a Mini Cooper at the Hooper Works in 1963. Sellers drove a Mini with Elke Sommer (Deadlier Than the Male) in the film A Shot in the Dark (1964). More Peter Sellers and British comedy in the 1960s on Spy Vibe links: Sellers & Lennon, UK Satire & Surrealism, Arabesque, Satire Boom, The Prisoner 'Fallout".