Phil Austin, dies at 74; voice of Firesign Theatre's Nick Danger
In dorm rooms across the country in the late 1960s and early 1970s, sometimes through a haze of pot smoke, a recording could be heard that sounded like an old-time radio detective show mixed with Eastern mysticism.
He's ready for excitement,
He's ready for anything,
He's Nick Danger, Third Eye!
As many boomers know, Nick Danger was a character created by the highly satirical Firesign Theatre, a comedy group whose albums became a touchstone of the countercultural era.
Phil Austin, 74, the founding member of the group who created and voiced the wacky detective with the mystical "third eye" power, died Friday in Fox Island, Wash.
http://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-phil-austin-20150620-story.html
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Have not listened to that in decades. Still remember many bits.
Genius at work there.
Just wow.
RIP!
Regretfully the only result was the monotonous staccato of rain drops on my desk top.
But I still have that two bit ring from the Cracker Back Jox. Will treasure it forever, along with the bag with the pickle.
All right. Everybody into the time machine.
Put down that pickle!!!
Peter Bergman's obit from 2012: http://t.co/QsdPeSSa
On edit: still wondering where Ruth is.
and I've copied them from vinyl, to CD, to mp3.
The classics.
Fort Stinkin' Desert and Cobalt Testing Range 
I think I'll tune the climate-control to Tropical Paradise
Pass gently Phil
Antelope freeway, two miles.
Shadow Valley Condoms! If you lived here, you'd be home by now!
(Love the license-plate protector! 
)
According to my careful prosthesis, this man has the plague.
However, I must bow to your Shadow Valley Condoms quote. You win the Firesign Theater quote off.
Regards. And such a thing is the best way to celebrate a life dedicated to satirical humor.
And don't get me started about life sized models of the Taj Mahal made entirely of oleomargarine. But let's knock on the door anyway and see if the tiny Doctor Tim is in... schlup! schlup! schlup!
The sun rises. He's done it again. Oh no! It's paisley!
My best to you.
and the Small Animals Administration? 
Not only did I used to have all of that stuff memorized, but my circle of weirdo-intellectual friends even did Nick Danger as a Talent Show entry once. The crowd loved it! I got to play the announcer.
"Where's the fire, Danger?"
"In your eyes, Lt. Bradshaw."
Om.
Om.
Range.
Quoting FT is always fun, and your knowledge is way up there, too
My best to you.
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Public Radio also introduced me to "The Fourth Tower of Inverness." Remember that?
There were Firesign Theatre and other artists who forced you to use your imagination (chemically enhanced, if need be).
I mourn his passing, as do I mourn the passing of an era that forced us to use our minds to use words and sounds to paint pictures in a classic and exquisite form of good storytelling.
So long, and thanks!
I loved Firesign Theatre.
Listening to the monotonous staccato of rain on his desk-top, his nostrils flaring at the smell of Pyramid patchouli...
