Category: Artists (Page 156 of 262)

Flashback Friday – “Gone!”

June 15, 2007 / Will Harris

Title: Gone!
Date of Creation: Sometime around May 1992, I’d have to guess, since it would appear to be the first tape I made after graduating from Averett College. (Accordingly, the last tape I made before graduating was entitled Going, Going…)

Side 1:

“Main Title,” James Horner (Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)

Over the years, I’ve gotten less and less apologetic about declaring “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” to be my favorite film of all time; accordingly, I barely cringed at all when I recognized the initial strains of James Horner’s score for the film’s main title sequence. Not that I didn’t enjoy hearing it; I just immediately thought, “Oh, God, I’ve got to explain why I put it on here.” But then I realized that, no, actually, I don’t have to explain a goddamned thing. I love this score. Somehow, however, this disc managed to get purged from my CD collection, but hearing this track again makes me want to buy it back.

“That’s The Way It Stays,” Little America (Little America)

I know this was released on Geffen Records, but I always got the impression that the band’s success was rather regional. I don’t know that I ever heard their songs on the radio or saw videos for them; I just know that one of my oldest friends, Jeff Castelloe, forced their music down my throat while I was working music retail, which is how I came to hear them and learn to love them. And what’s not to love, really? It’s just good, catchy pop-rock with a bit of jangle. (And, yes, that IS a scan of the cassette rather than the CD; ever since they reissued the band’s two albums as a 2-fer, you can’t find a decent .jpg of the self-titled debut by itself.)

“Never Will Forget You,” The Candy Skins (Space I’m In)

These guys just couldn’t make a wrong move, as far as I was concerned…I’ve got every album they put out, and I enjoy them all…but it was this debut that sold me on them. It’s really one of those records where every song had the potential to be a hit single, if only the right people had been listening. Unfortunately, they weren’t. But at least the cool people were. And that’s why we covered them in our list of The Best Albums You’ve Never, Ever Heard (Well, Probably Not, Anyway).

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Bullz-Eye’s eight bands that should break up, and eight bands that should reunite

June 14, 2007 / David Medsker

Late last year, after the annual Bullz-Eye holiday party, a couple members of the music staff did what they do best: they bellied up to the bar and drank some more. We began talking about bands we wish we had seen while we had the chance, which led to a conversation about which bands we’d like to see get back together. Along with some obscure favorites (we will not sleep until Sugarbomb makes another record), the three bands that we all wanted to see get back together were the Police, Squeeze, and Crowded House.

It is now six months later, and guess who’s coming to a shed, pub, or coliseum near you? Yep, the Police, Squeeze, and Crowded House.

What this means, of course, is that we have magical powers, and that by merely wishing something to be, it soon is. It also means that it was only a matter of time before we were wholly corrupted by our newfound abilities, and what began as a good-natured chat about bands that left too soon became a diatribe about which bands just need to freaking stop already. It was therefore decided: for every band that we reunite, another band must be torn asunder. Below is an example of each.

Band that should break up: U2
Listen to the Irish pre-grunge rockers’ grungy early-’80s anthems – such as “Sunday Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” – and you hear passion. Fire. Something to live for, and possibly, to die for. The Joshua Tree was the creative and sales apex for the band, and it’s been downhill for the two decades since.

After the live Rattle & Hum album, U2 reinvented itself as an upscale dance-rock band, a pretty cool parlor trick. But their problem was, there was no substance behind the beats, and the band’s relevance eroded. By the time the band rolled into 1997, it had become a parody of itself, promoting its “Pop” tour at K-Marts and hemorrhaging money when no one came to the shows.

It’s 2007, folks. No one’s denying U2’s recaptured its politically astute fan base, but it took terrorism on a massive scale – and the band’s touching, reverent salute to the victims at the following Super Bowl halftime – to get them back. They’re off again, doing poppy, say-little-if-anything tunes, trying to speak to the iPod generation on TV commercials. It’s time for Bono to become the mature, full-time political ambassador we know he can be, and reap the humanitarian good his name and reputation can accomplish. It’s time for The Edge to validate his quirky technique by launching a guitar school. As for the other two guys, they’ll make fine A&R men for record labels. But please, break up the band. There’s nothing left for them to say.– Mojo Flucke, Ph.D.

Band that should reunite: Elastica
Elastica was a band out of time not once, but twice. On their 1995 debut, when they were ripping off Blondie, the Stranglers and Wire – literally, in some cases – their Brit Pop peers were writing love letters to Paul Weller, John Lennon, Scott Walker and Ray Davies. When they finally got around to releasing their second (and last) album The Menace in 2000, the British music scene was mining the mellow gold of Travis and Coldplay, while Radiohead had finally succumbed to the robots. Elastica, meanwhile, were considered hangers-on to a defunct scene that they never belonged to in the first place. Deciding that the band was more trouble than it was worth, lead singer Justine Frischmann threw in the towel in 2001.

If she only knew what the future held. Dance rockers Franz Ferdinand are one of the biggest bands in the world, and the Arctic Monkeys, who reinvented both ‘quirky’ and ‘angular,’ are bigger than Jesus in England. The Futureheads and Shiny Toy Guns? They’re practically Elastica spinoff groups, a la General Public and Fine Young Cannibals forming from the ashes of the English Beat. You know how labels used to re-release the same song a decade after it first charted (Hello, Benny Mardones’ “Into the Night”)? “Your Arse, My Place” would be a Top 10 hit on modern rock radio right now, if given the chance.

Your moment has finally arrived, Justine. Give Donna and Annie a ring and get together for a drink or two. Dust off the gear, plug in, and take these drooling synthesizer dorks to school. –David Medsker

To see the rest of the bands that should break up and bands that should reunite, click here.

Alternative, Artists, External Music, Lists, Pop, Rock

What better way to greet a Sunday morning…

June 10, 2007 / Will Harris

…than with Kermit the Frog and Debbie Harry duetting on “Rainbow Connection”?

Alternative, Artists, Pop, Rock, Songs, Videos

Deep Cuts: Morrissey & The Smiths

June 8, 2007 / Will Harris

They doth call him the Pope of Mope, and it’s a title he’s earned a hundred times over…and then some. Whilst fronting the Smiths in the mid-1980s, Morrissey quickly became known as the poster child for all those lonely teenagers who craved love and acceptance but were finding it hard to come by, and when the Manchester four-piece broke up in 1987, the majority of those morose music fans followed Mozzer to his solo career, where he further trumpeted his woe-is-me mentality. (C’mon, now: it’s such a hallmark of his work that even he makes fun of it sometimes!) Morrissey’s recording career has spanned almost 25 years, and although he’s been a staple of the UK charts – and of US college radio – for the majority of that time, there are plenty of his songs, both solo and with the Smiths, that can be readily classified as Deep Cuts.

A few samples…

“Work is a Four Letter Word,” The Smiths – Just Say Yes: Sire’s Winter CD Music Sampler

Does anyone else remember these great compilations that Sire Records used to release? They were awesome, particularly this first volume, which is as good a one-stop lesson on modern rock circa 1987 as you’re likely to find. In addition to tracks by Depeche Mode, Echo & the Bunnymen, the Ramones, and the Replacements, you’ll find the Smiths covering Cilla Black. Johnny Marr declared the recording of the song to be “the last straw” — and given that it was recorded during what would prove to be the Smiths’ final session, that’s apparently exactly what it was.

“Get Off the Stage,” Morrissey – Piccadilly Palare single

While it’s not exactly the albatross about Morrissey’s neck that the line “hope I die before I get old” is for the Who, you can understand why this goofy but fun diatribe aimed at aging rockers with limited musical palates isn’t pulled out more often. It’s a little risky for a man which such a recognizable sound to be crooning, “And the song that you just sang / It sounds exactly like the last one / And the next one / I bet you it will sound / Like this one.”

“Sorrow Will Come in the End,” Morrissey – Maladjusted

Yikes, dude! Bitter much? Essentially a spoken word piece, with Mozzer launching into a tirade against the results of a royalties battle with his former Smiths bandmate, Mike Joyce. “A man who slits throats has time on his hands,” sneers Moz, “and I’m gonna get you!” It’s so over the top that it’s a laugh — but not as funny as Joyce’s scoffing response to the lyrical threatening: “If Lemmy had written it, I might be concerned.” Ouch!

Check out the whole piece here, then stop back by and offer your opinions and / or alternate suggestions for the list!

Alternative, Artists, Deep Cuts, External Music, Pop, Rock Babes, Songs

Morrissey Morrissey deep cuts Morrissey playlist The Smiths The Smiths deep cuts The Smiths playlist

Flashback Friday: “So Very Special”

June 8, 2007 / David Medsker

Mixed July 10, 1993

Actually, the tape was called “So Fucking Special,” for reasons that will soon become clear for those who haven’t already figured it out. But I’m not that same young punk anymore, and decorum compels me not to lead a piece with an expletive. Drop one in the first line of the piece, sure. But the headline? That’s just crazy.

Side One

“Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car,” U2 (Zooropa)

In retrospect, the actual verses to this song are pretty flat, but hot damn, do I still love that intro and that backward bass line.

“In Yer Face,” 808 State (Ex:El)

To quote Jason Thompson, this album PWNZ. I always wanted to find an a cappella version of House of Pain’s “Jump Around” and lay it over top of 808’s “San Francisco.” If anyone can help me find that a cappella, I’d be forever in your debt.

“We Don’t Take/Hack/Charlie X,” Information Society (Hack)

Hack was one of the last records released before the sampling laws forced you to pay anyone and everyone you stole, which effectively killed sampling as an art form. You almost get the sense that they knew the window was closing when they made this song, because this song samples everyone, from James Brown, Beastie Boys and Digital Underground to Kraftwerk and Malcolm McLaren.

“Big Car (Limo Mix),” Severed Heads (Rotund for Success)

I had seen this record in stores for years, and I just knew that it was something that I would like Eventually, I found the 12” at a steep discount, and took the plunge. Now for the strange part: as much as I love this song – and I looooooove this song – I never sought out any of the band’s other stuff, though I’ve been wondering for years where that “All the way to the bottom, Maggie. You’ve made it!” quote came from.

“Thieves Like Us,” New Order (Substance)

The instrumental mix, thank you very much. Do you suppose the Human League contemplated a lawsuit for the song’s similarity to “(Keep Feeling) Fascination”? Speaking of the Human League…

“The Lebanon (extended version),” The Human League (Hysteria)

…and while we’re talking about songs that could have benefited from less singing, I will admit that I never realized how crap the lyrics to this song really were until much later. The music track, though, is fab, and the extended instrumental bits throughout confirm that.

“She Sells,” Roxy Music (Siren)

Most people have forgotten this, if they ever knew it, but Roxy Music used to rock, dude. Love that “Trampled Underfoot” bit right after the chorus.

“People Are Strange,” Echo & the Bunnymen (The Lost Boys Soundtrack)

I had recently upgraded this to CD from LP. Doors songs sound much better when they’re not performed by the Doors.

“Hayfever,” The Trash Can Sinatras (I’ve Seen Everything)

I am not joking when I say that I nearly fell out of the shower the first time I heard this song, I was so blown away. Years later, I joined an email list for fans of the Trash Cans, and one of those fans was…Will Harris. Yep, that’s how we met, for those keeping score at home.

“Sheila Take a Bow,” The Smiths (Louder than Bombs)

La la la la lala la la.

“Ride (Moby’s Odessa Mix),” Soho (Thug)

Moby had done a crazy-ass remix of “Beat It” in 1992, so when I saw that he was working with my Smiths-sampling sistahs, I was intrigued. Imagine my surprise, then, when the track was actually smoothed out rather than ramped up. While no one would ever dance to it, something about that repeated line – which I never quite understood; is she saying “Now the voices fly you”? – hypnotized me. Years later, Moby would pull a similar ambient stunt with Blur’s “Beetlebum.” I was not as amused.

Side Two

“Creep,” Radiohead (Pablo Honey)

I made this tape after visiting my buddy Steve in Cleveland. This song was all over the place that summer, and Steve and I would just walk around imitating the chunk-chunk sound of Johnny Greenwood warming up his guitar for the chorus. I bought a CD single of “Creep” instead of the album because I was convinced that they would be a one-hit wonder, and that this would be all that I would ever need from the band. Huh.

“Hollywood,” World Party (Bang!)

When I made this tape, I wouldn’t have dreamt that one day I would be interviewing Karl Wallinger, World Party’s lead singer. But one day, I did, and he was the coolest.

“Goodnight Song.” Tears for Fears (Elemental)

I was a bit burned out on “Break It Down Again” by this time, so I opted for what I was positive would be the next big hit from the album. Huh.

“The Prisoner,” Howard Jones (Cross That Line)

This one may appear to be a little out of step with everything else, but keep in mind that HoJo released his awesome Greatest Hits album on June 29 of that year. Since I never bought Cross That Line, I was thrilled to finally have this song.

“Second to None,” Electronic (“Feel Every Beat” CD single)

I bought anything and everything associated with the first Electronic album, which meant the collecting of a bunch of crap remixes, a couple decent ones, and this great B-side.

“It Must Be Obvious,” Pet Shop Boys (“So Hard” CD single)

“We’re meant to be friends. That’s what it says in the script,” Neil Tennant said. I couldn’t help but think that he was telling me something, since I was dating someone that I had no business dating. “Everyone knows when they look at us / Because they do, it must be obvious,” he says in the chorus. I always projected that the rest of that sentence was, “It must be obvious that we don’t belong together.” I would date that girl for a total of six years.

“Walking in My Shoes (Random Carpet Mix),” Depeche Mode (“Walking in My Shoes” CD single)

Thanks to his work with Scritti Politti and Seal, I was all about William Orbit in the early ‘90s, and while I am still a huge fan of his Strange Cargo III album, it is now clear to me that everything this man will ever do will sound just like this.

“Cold as Stone,” a-ha (Memorial Beach)

Anyone who hasn’t heard a-ha since the glory days of “Take On Me” and “The Sun Always Shines on TV” will be shocked, shocked when they hear this. Eight minutes in length, with a pseudo-spaghetti western intro and outro and booming drums, this is not your mother’s a-ha. Of course, because it wasn’t their mother’s a-ha, no one cared, and the album stiffed. But they should have cared, damn it.

“UMF,” Duran Duran (The Wedding Album)

There are times when Simon LeBon is as subtle as a jackhammer. “I’m making love to the ultimate mind”? Gee, what ever could that ‘F’ in the title stand for? Still, as British faux-funk goes, this was a fun one, and I always wondered if this would have fared better as a follow-up to “Come Undone” than “Too Much Information” did.

“Deep Forest,” Deep Forest (Deep Forest)

Courtesy of my then-roommate Hope. I never realized until now how much that vocal sounds like Bjork.

“Future Love Paradise (Reprise),” Seal (Future Love EP)

I have at least one alternate version, and in some cases seven versions, of every song from Seal’s first album. This was the last piece to fall, and while this reprise isn’t earth-shattering or anything, it’s still pretty cool.

“Beauty Stab,” ABC (Beauty Stab)

I had a couple minutes of tape to fill, and while ABC’s “rock record” is generally frowned upon, I still dig it.

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