More Panic!

Seth of Bangor, Maine emailed:

Chris: I'm a huge fan of Panic at the Disco. I'm sending you a couple of illustrations of Nine in the Afternoon:

Thanks, Seth!

Panic at the Disco are Union Suit Fans in the Limelight!

Panic at the Disco is a Las Vegas, Nevada rock band founded in 2004 by Brent Wilson, Brendon Urie, Ryan Ross, and Spencer Smith, boyhood friends. Their first demos were actually produced while the boys were still in high school. The band's first studio album was “Fever you Can't Sweat Out” in 2005.

The accompanying photos, however, are taken from the group's first single entitled “Nine in the Afternoon” from their second album, “Pretty Odd.” A video by the same name was filmed on December 20 and 21, 2007 and released on January 28, 2008. During one of their lengthy practice sessions, someone asked the time. Spencer said that it was seven in the afternoon. This was later change to nine in the afternoon to match other song lyrics.

"The concept of the video for the song is a series of bizarre yet fundamentally recognizable events with the band members," according to the release. Forty extras were used in their video. There are different period shots, wardrobes, looks and hair changes. MTV reported at the time, "...in the video there are gratuitous fake mustaches involved and a rather bizarre parade being led by the members of the band, who are dressed in what could only be described as Sgt. Pepper's meets ice-fishing attire with lots of epaulettes and long thermal underwear. "

In addition to their Union Suits, the boys also wear sashes featuring the phrase 'Pretty Odd'. The current members of Panic at the Disco and extras performed as a marching band within the video. Their marching attire consisted of band hats,  boots, and one-piece button-down long underwear. At times during the video they wear animal masks. 

Several scenes within the video relate to the Beatles including a scene in which the boys run from screaming girls reminiscent of “A Hard Day's Night.” The animal masks were taken from the Beatle's video, “I am the Walrus.” MTV premiered the music video of "Nine in the Afternoon" on February 10, 2008 at 9:00pm to wide acclaim!

Panic at the Disco
with Their Clothes On 

Spike Jones and Friends, Union Suit Fans in the Limelight! *

Long before Panic at the Disco another famous band was running around town in their Long Johns!

In June 1949, Spike Jones and His City Slickers as his band was known along with some other buddies marched in a parade right up Market Street in San Francisco all the way to the Curran Theater in their long underwear. They played musical instruments as they strutted around in public.

Along the way, they met up with
James C. Petrillo who at the time was
the Musician's Union president. 

Spike Jones, a great band director as well as a satirical funny man, thought it a great idea for him and his band to appear in their "Union Suits" in support of the musician's "Union." For some reason, Spike wore an Indian headdress as well as a cowboy gun and holster over his underwear.

 All agreed, it was not a normal day in San Francisco when Spike Jones was around!

To see the video of Spike Jones' Petrillo Parade in 1949 San Francisco, highlight, copy and paste:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1w16PRMwFM

* I wish to thank Stan the Man from Southern Arizona for introducing me to the Spike Jones parade. Stan is a movie fan so I have a feeling this blog will receive more posting suggestions from him in the coming months! Thanks, Stan!

Spike found a great deal of humor in one-piece long underwear. On another occasion he appeared with Marilyn Monroe and Ken Murray at the 8th annual Los Angeles Times Charity Football Game in 1952. This time Spike wore a red Union Suit while providing half-time entertainment to a large crowd. Proceeds from this charity event went to the Boys Club of Los Angeles.

A few years later Marilyn would attract John F. Kennedy, a suitor who favored Union Suits as well. (See my Union Suit Fan posting of May 26, 2016, "Presidential Underwear.")