How come no one ever told me about Patience and Prudence?
08 February 2010
04 February 2010
4 Sale
And now for our first commercial message:
Hey kids. My mom acquired some sweet records and music memorabilia and is selling the stuff on eBay. Check it out right here. If you buy stuff, be sure to tell her I sent you so that she won't disown me. Later.
-slizwiz
Hey kids. My mom acquired some sweet records and music memorabilia and is selling the stuff on eBay. Check it out right here. If you buy stuff, be sure to tell her I sent you so that she won't disown me. Later.
-slizwiz
08 January 2010
The Darkest 80s - Goth Was Never This Pitch Black
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I've watched c-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those ... moments will be lost in time, like tears...in rain. Time to die.
And so it began. Or ended.
It occurred to me that Richard missed out on a truly bizarre period of pop music having not listened to radio from 1979 through 1982 (which was also during the conception and birth of MTV and the music video as we know it). During that time music was more focused on the actual music rather than an image. Punk had it's influence a couple years before and New Wave was a novelty. Hip Hop was still very much a sub-genre and Rock was rolled so much it became dull and blunted.
During this period quite a few Country and Country-influenced artists dominated the mainstream, bringing their soft-edged twangless tones to the topper-most of the popper-most. Guys with beards and feathered hair and girls with dowdy floral dresses and Baptist bouffants ruled the day. Also, the novelty song was a popular choice then too, as well as limp, ineffectual Pop (like it always has been). All the songs and artists listed below were popular and would play on the radio one right after the other along with songs like Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)’, Kenny Roger's 'The Gambler', AC-DC's 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap', and Kool And The Gang’s ‘Celebration’.
God bless my blue transistor radio, the Might 690 in Orange County, California, and 96KX and Q-105 in Tampa, Florida.
Some of these are amazing, others are…best forgotten (culminating with the final video, 'I've Never Been To Me', my choice for the cheesiest song ever).
---
Juice Newton - 'Queen Of Hearts'
I love Juice Newton (there, I said it). This song was great and her sense of melody and fun just showed. Yes, this is one of the best songs on the list.
Bertie Higgins - 'Key Largo'
A local boy for us Tampa Bay area people (he was from Tarpon Springs or New Port Richey). The requisite beard is mighty and the collar carefree.
Paul Davis - ''65 Love Affair'
He was truly an enigma to me. He looked like a bear but sang like a muffin. Love this guy.
And just for reference, this is the hunky Paul Davis at that time:
The Oak Ridge Boys - 'Elvira'
Again, on the awesome list. Who didn't love the ORB?
Melissa Manchester - 'You Should Hear How She Talks About You'
Something about this song always struck a cheese chord in me that I couldn't get past. Not hearing it in 20 years it's alright now, but back then forget it.
Chilliwack - 'Gone, Gone, Gone'
Truly confounding. Don't know who they were (except Canadians) or what this song was, but it was something I had heard many times and not heard ever. Or ever again.
Dr. Hook - 'Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans Talk'
I would play this song a lot on the jukebox at Dawg's in Mission Bell. Thankfully, I could play it unashamedly because I didn't listen to lyrics then.
Sylvia - 'Nobody'
The Lesser Charlene. Nothing else to say here.
38 Special - 'Hold On Loosely;
Southern Rock, the South will rise again, Lynnaddrraddd Skhyyhdnfaardard FOREVERRREEREERRR!!! At least they have two drummers and some nice guitars. Can't we get them on a plane too?
Joe Dolce - 'Shaddap You Face'
I was 10 and obsessed with this song. God bless K-Tel records. My poor parents.
Charlene - 'I've Never Been To Me'
13:11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
13:12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13:13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people.
13:14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
13:15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.
13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
13:17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
13:18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
---
Thank you Prince, Duran Duran, and MTV for coming along and saving us all.
-NF.
08.01.2010
And so it began. Or ended.
It occurred to me that Richard missed out on a truly bizarre period of pop music having not listened to radio from 1979 through 1982 (which was also during the conception and birth of MTV and the music video as we know it). During that time music was more focused on the actual music rather than an image. Punk had it's influence a couple years before and New Wave was a novelty. Hip Hop was still very much a sub-genre and Rock was rolled so much it became dull and blunted.
During this period quite a few Country and Country-influenced artists dominated the mainstream, bringing their soft-edged twangless tones to the topper-most of the popper-most. Guys with beards and feathered hair and girls with dowdy floral dresses and Baptist bouffants ruled the day. Also, the novelty song was a popular choice then too, as well as limp, ineffectual Pop (like it always has been). All the songs and artists listed below were popular and would play on the radio one right after the other along with songs like Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)’, Kenny Roger's 'The Gambler', AC-DC's 'Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap', and Kool And The Gang’s ‘Celebration’.
God bless my blue transistor radio, the Might 690 in Orange County, California, and 96KX and Q-105 in Tampa, Florida.
Some of these are amazing, others are…best forgotten (culminating with the final video, 'I've Never Been To Me', my choice for the cheesiest song ever).
Juice Newton - 'Queen Of Hearts'
I love Juice Newton (there, I said it). This song was great and her sense of melody and fun just showed. Yes, this is one of the best songs on the list.
Bertie Higgins - 'Key Largo'
A local boy for us Tampa Bay area people (he was from Tarpon Springs or New Port Richey). The requisite beard is mighty and the collar carefree.
Paul Davis - ''65 Love Affair'
He was truly an enigma to me. He looked like a bear but sang like a muffin. Love this guy.
And just for reference, this is the hunky Paul Davis at that time:
The Oak Ridge Boys - 'Elvira'
Again, on the awesome list. Who didn't love the ORB?
Melissa Manchester - 'You Should Hear How She Talks About You'
Something about this song always struck a cheese chord in me that I couldn't get past. Not hearing it in 20 years it's alright now, but back then forget it.
Chilliwack - 'Gone, Gone, Gone'
Truly confounding. Don't know who they were (except Canadians) or what this song was, but it was something I had heard many times and not heard ever. Or ever again.
Dr. Hook - 'Baby Makes Her Blue Jeans Talk'
I would play this song a lot on the jukebox at Dawg's in Mission Bell. Thankfully, I could play it unashamedly because I didn't listen to lyrics then.
Sylvia - 'Nobody'
The Lesser Charlene. Nothing else to say here.
38 Special - 'Hold On Loosely;
Southern Rock, the South will rise again, Lynnaddrraddd Skhyyhdnfaardard FOREVERRREEREERRR!!! At least they have two drummers and some nice guitars. Can't we get them on a plane too?
Joe Dolce - 'Shaddap You Face'
I was 10 and obsessed with this song. God bless K-Tel records. My poor parents.
Charlene - 'I've Never Been To Me'
13:11 I saw another beast coming up out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, and he spoke like a dragon.
13:12 He exercises all the authority of the first beast in his presence. He makes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose fatal wound was healed.
13:13 He performs great signs, even making fire come down out of the sky to the earth in the sight of people.
13:14 He deceives my own people who dwell on the earth because of the signs he was granted to do in front of the beast; saying to those who dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast who had the sword wound and lived.
13:15 It was given to him to give breath to it, to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as wouldn't worship the image of the beast to be killed.
13:16 He causes all, the small and the great, the rich and the poor, and the free and the slave, to be given marks on their right hands, or on their foreheads;
13:17 and that no one would be able to buy or to sell, unless he has that mark, the name of the beast or the number of his name.
13:18 Here is wisdom. He who has understanding, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. His number is six hundred sixty-six.
Thank you Prince, Duran Duran, and MTV for coming along and saving us all.
-NF.
08.01.2010
22 December 2009
Disco Revenge
I'm not original so I want to copy Nafa and post my favorite disco songs.
The only KISS song I like:
The only KISS song I like:
18 December 2009
'To My Surprise (LISTEN!) One Hundred Stories High...'
A short list of my top songs of the Disco era. Put on yer boogie shoes, duders.
If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
'To dreams that never will come true...' One of those rare pop songs with insightful lyrics and a driving beat. Penned by the Bee Gees but made amazing by Yvonne 'Mary Magdalene' Elliman, this was featured in the monster film Saturday Night Fever, which we will hear from again shortly.
***
Boogie Shoes - KC & The Sunshine Band
A sing along from the hitmakers KC & The Sunshine Band. Definitely not as annoying as That's The Way I Like It and featuring a horn section that you should kill for. Best song about shoes since Carl Perkins.
***
How Deep Is Your Love? - The Bee Gees
The Aussie brothers were kings of the era, just about every song they did could make this list, but this ballad just rises high above the rest of their great songs. It was a slow, meaningful tune but still had that swing to it. Gorgeous stuff and another from the SNF soundtrack.
***
If It Wasn't For The Nights - ABBA
Greatest band ever and another of their absolutely underrated classics. Pure Disco from the North. They even got that bouncy bassline worked into it--not bad for land overrun with reindeer.
***
Disco Inferno - The Trammps
Hands down the best song of the SNF soundtrack, of The Trammps, and of the era. Everything is in this--the faux classical rises, the driving beat, the dirty bass, the IN-YOUR-FACE horns, the desperation/flirtation vocals, and a hook that will lodge itself in your brain like one of those little skewer things that the ancient Egyptians used to pull out a pharaoh's brain before mummification. Just turn it on, turn it up, and burn this mutha down.
If I Can't Have You - Yvonne Elliman
'To dreams that never will come true...' One of those rare pop songs with insightful lyrics and a driving beat. Penned by the Bee Gees but made amazing by Yvonne 'Mary Magdalene' Elliman, this was featured in the monster film Saturday Night Fever, which we will hear from again shortly.
***
Boogie Shoes - KC & The Sunshine Band
A sing along from the hitmakers KC & The Sunshine Band. Definitely not as annoying as That's The Way I Like It and featuring a horn section that you should kill for. Best song about shoes since Carl Perkins.
***
How Deep Is Your Love? - The Bee Gees
The Aussie brothers were kings of the era, just about every song they did could make this list, but this ballad just rises high above the rest of their great songs. It was a slow, meaningful tune but still had that swing to it. Gorgeous stuff and another from the SNF soundtrack.
***
If It Wasn't For The Nights - ABBA
Greatest band ever and another of their absolutely underrated classics. Pure Disco from the North. They even got that bouncy bassline worked into it--not bad for land overrun with reindeer.
***
Disco Inferno - The Trammps
Hands down the best song of the SNF soundtrack, of The Trammps, and of the era. Everything is in this--the faux classical rises, the driving beat, the dirty bass, the IN-YOUR-FACE horns, the desperation/flirtation vocals, and a hook that will lodge itself in your brain like one of those little skewer things that the ancient Egyptians used to pull out a pharaoh's brain before mummification. Just turn it on, turn it up, and burn this mutha down.
16 December 2009
09 December 2009
Planets
I don't know about you but I think Planets are a great, great band. Usually they are covered head to toe in skin tight white outfits with a projector playing over their bodies. But this spastic duo has also been seen in their human skins as well. Their music is bass, drums, half-whispered vocals and God knows what else. All in all, this is good stuff.
Planets Myspace
Planets blog
07 December 2009
Town Without Pity
LeEtta and I are still enjoying our free 6 months of satellite radio and we've been hitting the 50s and 60s stations like red headed stepchild biznitches. One song that came on this morning was 'Town Without Pity' by Gene Pitney. Holy shit, this is one fantastic song. It makes me want to start another blog called The Songs That Should Not Be. This is just a miserable song (in a good way) tied to what sounds like a miserable movie. This is a great track to wallow in. How about that? Songs To Wallow In. Hmm, no. I'll just stop now.
When you're young and so in love as we
And bewildered by the world we see
Why do people hurt us so
Only those in love would know
What a town without pity can do
If we stop to gaze upon a star
People talk about how bad we are
Ours is not an easy age
We're like tigers in a cage
What a town without pity can do
The young have problems, many problems
We need an understanding heart
Why don't they help us, try and help us
Before this clay and granite planet falls apart
Take these eager lips and hold me fast
I'm afraid this kind of joy can't last
How can we keep love alive
How can anything survive
When these little minds tear you in two
What a town without pity can do
How can we keep love alive
How can anything survive
When these little minds tear you in two
What a town without pity can do
No, it isn't very pretty what a town without pity
--Richard
04 December 2009
Shiina Ringo - "Ringo No Uta"
Well, since we've got this face-lift and Shiina Ringo's lovely mug is up there, I might as well get off my butt and introduce you. The first introduction I'd ever had to her was with her song "Ringo No Uta." My chest feels like it's all stuffed with cotton when ever I listen to this song, her voice and the composition are so ridiculously beautiful.
"Ringo No Uta" has a new promotional video on YouTube:
but the first video of this I'd ever seen is:
She's had a prolific solo career (discography) and recently formed a band: Tokyo Jihen. The music is all still prime, this song is "Osca:"
Now if you go about looking for just the song, "Ringo No Uta," you are going to run into another, older song by the same name that has been done and redone by a variety of performers. It's cute, and I love old music, but Shiina Ringo's is a much better composition in my opinion.
Cheers!
--LeE
"Ringo No Uta" has a new promotional video on YouTube:
but the first video of this I'd ever seen is:
She's had a prolific solo career (discography) and recently formed a band: Tokyo Jihen. The music is all still prime, this song is "Osca:"
Now if you go about looking for just the song, "Ringo No Uta," you are going to run into another, older song by the same name that has been done and redone by a variety of performers. It's cute, and I love old music, but Shiina Ringo's is a much better composition in my opinion.
Cheers!
--LeE
Looking Back At The Apocalypse.
The end of the world isn't what it used to be. It isn't even what it is. Even after the great apocalypse there at least was plenty of hair mousse, pleather, and headbands. Life after World War III was a big subject for '80s music videos and most artists were looking towards the future (the one '80s exception is Adam Ant who always seem to be taking inspiration from museums). Here are a few classic visions of the future.
Sigue Sigue Sputnik - 21st Century Boy
All hype and some delivery (and a personal favourite). They touted themselves as the 'Fifth Generation Of Rock And Roll', ordered us to 'Fleece The World', put advertisements between every song on their debut album, and envisioned a shiny-plastic-ambiguously-sexual-guns-and-rockets-exploding-helicopters 'Blade Runner'-esque vision of the future. Some places they were right on the mark. They were the logical grandparents of 21st century artists like Lady Gaga, the Spice Girls, and even Kanye West.
***
Blondie - Atomic
Blondie can do no wrong (nope, I won't even bad mouth The Hunter). The video for Atomic shows that even after the bombs fall, if you can find a garbage bag to wear you can still party like it's just prior to 1999.
***
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - You Got Lucky
What says end-of-the-world-1980s better than sepia sky washes, faux cowboy swagger, video games, pod cars, and dust? Absolutely nothing. Still among one of the best videos of the area and a surprise from the usually straight-rocking Heartbreakers. Sometimes it does pay to experiment.
***
Rick Springfield - Human Touch
Pop idol and daytime television heartthrob, Dr. Noah Drake had a vision of the future that landed him only about 6 years from the time I'm writing this post. If it plays out like he predicts in this video, then something went very wrong in the 2012 elections. At least spandex will stand the test of time.
***
Duran Duran - Wild Boys
YES! This is what the future was going to be like! Flying things, mild torture, spectacular escapes, things burning, easily defeated foes, victorious posing. This was 'Mad Max' played by the best band in the world. Telecasters kill, Andy, so use your powers for good!
***
Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself
Arguably in the top 10 of the all time best songs of the 1980's (even if it is a remake of his ex-band's song--Generation X, which also featured Tony James, the duder with the pink hair in Sigue Sigue Sputnik). Proto-Soviet stylings and dancing zombies. I can think of no more appropriate way to close out this post.
Sigue Sigue Sputnik - 21st Century Boy
All hype and some delivery (and a personal favourite). They touted themselves as the 'Fifth Generation Of Rock And Roll', ordered us to 'Fleece The World', put advertisements between every song on their debut album, and envisioned a shiny-plastic-ambiguously-sexual-guns-and-rockets-exploding-helicopters 'Blade Runner'-esque vision of the future. Some places they were right on the mark. They were the logical grandparents of 21st century artists like Lady Gaga, the Spice Girls, and even Kanye West.
***
Blondie - Atomic
Blondie can do no wrong (nope, I won't even bad mouth The Hunter). The video for Atomic shows that even after the bombs fall, if you can find a garbage bag to wear you can still party like it's just prior to 1999.
***
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - You Got Lucky
What says end-of-the-world-1980s better than sepia sky washes, faux cowboy swagger, video games, pod cars, and dust? Absolutely nothing. Still among one of the best videos of the area and a surprise from the usually straight-rocking Heartbreakers. Sometimes it does pay to experiment.
***
Rick Springfield - Human Touch
Pop idol and daytime television heartthrob, Dr. Noah Drake had a vision of the future that landed him only about 6 years from the time I'm writing this post. If it plays out like he predicts in this video, then something went very wrong in the 2012 elections. At least spandex will stand the test of time.
***
Duran Duran - Wild Boys
YES! This is what the future was going to be like! Flying things, mild torture, spectacular escapes, things burning, easily defeated foes, victorious posing. This was 'Mad Max' played by the best band in the world. Telecasters kill, Andy, so use your powers for good!
***
Billy Idol - Dancing With Myself
Arguably in the top 10 of the all time best songs of the 1980's (even if it is a remake of his ex-band's song--Generation X, which also featured Tony James, the duder with the pink hair in Sigue Sigue Sputnik). Proto-Soviet stylings and dancing zombies. I can think of no more appropriate way to close out this post.
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