Works Project Administration posters '36-'43

Get ready to meet the ultimate time-killing aid- 907 WPA projects- 47 pages to sift through. Mostly beautiful, screen-printed posters commissioned by the the Federal Art Project (FAP)!

"About this Collection
The Work Projects Administration (WPA) Poster Collection consists of 907 posters produced from 1936 to 1943 by various branches of the WPA. Of the 2,000 WPA posters known to exist, the Library of Congress's collection of more than 900 is the largest. The posters were designed to publicize exhibits, community activities, theatrical productions, and health and educational programs in seventeen states and the District of Columbia, with the strongest representation from California, Illinois, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. The results of one of the first U.S. Government programs to support the arts, the posters were added to the Library's holdings in the 1940s."

Here is only a small fraction of my favorites I've gone through and chosen amongst all the 907 in the collection.

To see the rest after my picks, visit the Library of Congress WPA Posters page.



























(I feel so conflicted with the exchange between these two!)

I GOT MY ATTITUDE!

Well, I had a good holiday con mi familia, los Regalados de Casi. Castillo, Jalisco. Upon being back for 2 weeks, I’ve been battling a nasty, consistent little bout with both laryngitis and sinus infections. In addition to that, been battling the ghost of Christmas ruin. Bah, humbug.

What isn’t “bah, humbug” is this Bad Brains show I found on the Kill Your Pet Puppy webzine. Dude’s audio is usually full albums sides or full, uncut sets. Can’t complain because his are usually straight vinyl rips or rips of first generation cassettes he got in trades back in the day. Considering that, I took it upon myself to splice up this Bad Brains set from CBGB, circa Dec. 26, 1981.

Honestly, I kind of think this set shreds more than the DVD-showcased CBGB set from the next year. This has 10 songs which all sound great due to a soundboard recording. Almost all of them shred, and unfortunately there’s a reggae song that rears it head which is amongst one of their worst. It definitely conjures up a Jethro Tull vibe in parts.

However, also notable is the chaotic vibe of this particular set. Every song sounds like its on the verge of falling apart with each deviation from the standard, established notes in the song. Plus a cover of “12XU” to start the whole damn thing out with!?

The fun of discovering each song’s deviations while splicing it apart completely helps me overlook the fact that later on I did find this set already spliced in its entirety on another blog. This one probably sounds the best, though.

CLICK ON THE FLYER OR DON’T DIE!
(Flyer links to buried treasure)


Bad Brains- Live, CBGB, 1981/26/12
01) 12XU
02) Don't Need It
03) Supertouch/Shitfit
04) Big Takeover
05) Riot Squad
06) I
07) The King Of Glory
08) F.V.K.
09) We Will Not
10) At The Movies


In addition, here’s the most raging picture of Harley and John Joseph posing with Isabella Rosellini’s oscars. You see, they were friends with a young NYHC girl who later pursued fame as an actress. Her best known role was in The Silence of the Lambs, as the “rubs the lotion on the skin hostage”.

As the story goes, due to this girl’s entertainment lawyer parents representing Isabella Rossellini, the legendary NYHC skinhead crew, including the Cro-Mags in question, find themselves partaking in celebrity condo-sitting duties. Subsequent punx hijinx ensue. The night's festivities find the crew playing catch with a Pomeranian, trying on women’s lingerie, and taking Polaroids of each other posing with Isabella's prized Oscars. According to JJ, the photos were hidden throughout the house for an intended eventual discovery, perhaps by a maid or Isabella Rosselini herself. Apparently two of those photos were discovered-



Perhaps the Bloodclot live set and demo/compilation song will be up next.