BRASS TACKS PRESS
Website: www.brasstackspress.com. Click for List of Articles.
2023-08-04 The Canyon Chronicle - “The Children’s Guide to Astral Projection, 20th Anniversary” by Pablo Capra
2022-04-18 Robert Campbell: Collected Works 1976-2004 - "Three Poems" by Robert Campbell
Chorus:
Down there where the sweet sunbeam flowsbeneath enchanted nightshade grovewe can make love in the coveof the Magical Woman.
Overdubs (alone or harmonized):
Come greet me, my lovecome down and see meyou know you need me.
2022-04-18 Robert Campbell: Collected Works 1976-2004 - "Short Story: Tachyon Capsule of Physics" by Robert Campbell
Dear Linda,I’m leaving the country. I can’t explain now but here is a small gift I am leaving for you as a token of my love. I hope you like it.Pleasant thoughts,Jameson
2022-04-18 Robert Campbell: Collected Works 1976-2004 - "Introduction" by Pablo Capra
Robert Campbell, Marshall High School yearbook, 1969. |
2021-12-24 The Canyon Chronicle - "Mindwalk: The Screenplay"
Fritjof Capra wrote the book The Turning Point (1982), and his brother Bernt Capra created the story for the film and directed it. Photo c/o the Capra family, November 1991. |
2021-09-17 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
- 1959-07-02 Topanga Journal - “Record Steam Heat Peak Produced at Nearby Nuclear Reactor”
- 1962-04-19 Topanga Journal - “The Destruction of Pine Tree Circle” by Phylliss Graham
- 1962-12-27 Topanga Journal - "Malibu Stirred by Freeway Reports"
- 1962-12-27 Topanga Journal - “Malibu ‘Assured’ Nuclear Reactor Safe”
2021-07-23 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
2021-07-09 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
2021-05-28 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
- 1924-09-16 Santa Monica Outlook - "Mrs. Van Skike Makes Record Swim from Venice to Topanga"
- 1960-11-17 Topanga Journal - "An Unusual Display of Northern Lights"
- 1960-12-08 Topanga Journal - "Most Malibu and Topanga People Are Republican" by Forrest deButts
- 1962-01-18 Topanga Journal - "Topanga Temperature Topples to 18°"
- 1997-10-09 Messenger - “Sightings: UFOs Anyone?”
2021-04-30 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
2021-03-19 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
"Topanga Before Today"
Compiled by Pablo Capra
Topanga Historical Society Archivist
As Archivist for the Topanga Historical Society, Pablo Capra saw an opportunity to compile historical vignettes lifted from bygone newspapers and publications that capture the times when they were written. Pablo encourages you to support the Topanga Historical Society by becoming a Member or buying a book at www.topangahistoricalsociety.org.
2021-02-19 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
- 1911-08-07 Santa Monica Outlook - “Many Comical Costumes at Hard Times Dance”
- 1916-02-25 Santa Monica Outlook - “Hart and Company in Topanga Canyon”
- 1942-12-04 Topanga Journal - “Be Ready”
- 1945-09-21 Topanga Journal - "Topanga General Store: DDT"
- 1955-09-08 Topanga Journal - “Retreat from Smog”
- 1958-10-16 Topanga Journal - “PTA Festival Hobo Days at School Sat.”
- 1958-11-27 Topanga Journal - “Radio-Active Fallout Almost Disappears”
- 1959-04-16 Topanga Journal - "Annual Hobo Dinner"
- 1979-09-13 Messenger - "Midnight Munchies"
- 1979-09-27 Messenger - “Topanga’s First Million-Dollar Property”
2021-02-05 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
- 1907-04-27 Los Angeles Record - “Believe Old Man Has Bandits’ Treasure”
- 1912-07-26 Essex County Herald - “Girl Is a Recluse”
- 1952-10-31 Topanga Journal - "2nd Fernwood Resident Sees a Flying Saucer"
- 1955-12-08 Topanga Journal - "Sons of Beaches square-dance group"
- 1957-08-08 Topanga Journal - "Motorcyclists on Tear in Canyon"
- 1962-02-08 Topanga Journal - “Les Hite: Former Band Leader Dies in Topanga”
- 1975-06-25 Independent - "Supervisors Ban Beach Nudity"
2020-12-24 The Canyon Chronicle - "Topanga Before Today" compiled by Pablo Capra
“Topanga Before Today”
Compiled by
Pablo Capra
Topanga
Historical Society Archivist
- 1910-08-29 Santa Monica Outlook - “Whether 'swallowtails' shall supercede outing shirts is the burning question..."
- 1916-01-03 Santa Monica Outlook - "Two Methods of Publicity Described by S. M. Booster"
- 1920-12-03 Star Gazette - "Marion Davies: Gossip from Movie World"
- 1965-09-10 The Malibu Times - “Canyon Club: Decision Due on Topanga Club”
- 1967-10-09 Santa Monica Outlook - “A Film on the Drug LSD"
When Pablo Capra, The Canyon Chronicle’s (and Topanga’s) intrepid researcher of Topanga history, began reading old newspapers, he discovered numerous vignettes that caught his attention but weren’t relevant to the books and articles he was writing. Too small to publish on their own, we found them interesting and amusing enough to present them as ongoing glimpses into our local history and start with these. Pablo encourages you to support the Topanga Historical Society by becoming a member or buying a book at www.topangahistoricalsociety.org.
2020-08-23 Performing Arts Review - “The Mystery Man From The Magic Band” by Lee Greene
by Lee Greene
The Mystery Man from The Magic Band: Captain Beefheart's Writing Partner Revealed by Herb Bermann, Introduction by John "Drumbo" French, Interview by Derek Laskie, Foreword by Alec Baldwin (Brass Tacks Press, 2015) |
Captain Beefheart’s 1967 debut album Safe As Milk. |
Herb Bermann’s original lyrics sheet for the song “Electricity.” |
As it happens, the real Herb Bermann is not a one dimensional talent, whose only claim to fame is writing the lyrics to a cult band album, though that in itself would be worthy of note and interesting to read about. It turns out that Mr. Bermann has a long, colorful history in the entertainment industry with many turns and an assortment of positions besides lyricist: screenwriter, playwright, radio jockey, and actor in TV, film, theater, and commercials. In the 1950’s he was a DJ on the Billboard Top-30 KNOG in Nogales, AZ and KTUC in Tuscon.
In the late 1960’s he began writing theatrical plays, and then television screenplays, continuing through the 1970’s when he penned screenplays for popular TV shows like S.W.A.T., Wonder Woman, and Medical Center, winning a Writer’s Guild Award for his screenplay for NBC’s The Psychiatrist: Par for the Course (1971) directed by Steven Spielberg. After the Gold Rush (1970), one of his film screenplays from that era, co-written with Dean Stockwell, was the inspiration for Neil Young’s 1970 “Billboard Top Ten Pop Album” by the same name.
1960s headshot of Herb Bermann, using the name Herb Masters. |
Herb Bermann in Topanga Canyon, 1969. Photo by George Herms. |
Herb Bermann is no longer a mystery, a mythical invention of Captain Beefheart / Don Vliet, hidden in obscurity. He now is recognized with entries in Wikipedia (“Herb Bermann is an American lyricist, screenwriter, and actor...”) and IMDb (“Herb Bermann is a writer, known for S.W.A.T. (1975), Wonder Woman (1975) and Medical Center (1969)...”).
2020-06-26 The Canyon Chronicle - “Book Review—Topanga Beach: A History by Pablo Capra” by Linda Ballou
2019-02-13 Topanga Historical Society - "Presentation Video: Native Americans of Topanga Beach" by Pablo Capra and Chester King
Pablo Capra and Chester King present "Native Americans of Topanga Beach" at the Topanga Historical Society.
2019-02-08 Messenger Mountain News - "Topanga Historical Society Presents: Native Americans of Topanga Beach" by Joe Sloan
About Me
- BRASS TACKS PRESS
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Official website at www.brasstackspress.com