DaRK PaRTY ReVIEW

Thursday, February 05, 2009

Cool 80s Tunes That Still Rock

A Dozen Alternative and New Wave Songs With Lasting Power

“New Year’s Day”
U2

“New Year’s Day” is the most underrated U2 hit – despite the fact it was the band’s first breakout song. Bono originally wrote the lyrics as a love song to his wife, but then he rewrote it about the Polish solidarity movement. The bass line really kicks major league butt – and the Edge even experiments with keyboards.

“I Ran (So Far Away)”
A Flock of Seagulls

A Flock of Seagulls redefined “hair” band, as in bad hair – with lots of points, barbs, and swoops. Jay-sus! But the song “I Ran (So Far Away)” (see video above) still holds up amazingly well. The tune is much more complex and layered than you’d expect from a New Wave pop song. When it was released in 1982, the MTV video featured the band in a room full of mirrors and aluminum foil – which was considered edgy at the time – being stalked by babes painted different colors.

“A Promise”
Echo & the Bunnymen

The “Echo” in the band was the sound machine. “A Promise” is classic post-punk tune released in 1981 and really established Echo & the Bunnymen as a band to watch. The song has a fantastic backbeat with a mysterious, almost mystical lyric treatment. Who knew a bunch of rabbits could play music so well?

“A Night Like This”

The Romantics

The Romantics may have suffered from having terrible branding. They were a hard-rocking Detroit alternative band, yet because they formed on Valentine’s Day, they decided to call themselves “The Romantics.” Bad move. They are generally remembered for the hit “What I Like About You,” but the band’s best song is definitely 1980’s “A Night Like This.” It simply rocks.

“Save It For Later”
The English Beat

The best of the British ska bands, The Beat, really outdid themselves with the 1982 “Save It For Later,” which admittedly isn’t really a ska song, but a boppy New Wave pop tune (see video below). An instrumental version of the song appeared in the teen movie “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in 1986.

“Too Far Gone”
The Feelies

As we’ve noted before on DaRK PaRTY – the Feelies should have been huge. You want guitar work? Do you punk-infused alternative music that steamrolls over speed bumps? Then look no further than the underrated “Too Far Gone” from 1988. Smash mouth pop at its finest.

“Birth, School, Work, Death”
The Godfathers

The Godfathers had bad timing. They were an alternative rock band in London before, you know, there was really such a thing. So they never hit the big time. But you won’t get a more cynical, anthem like song than “Birth, School, Work, Death,” which takes on more meaning these days than it did in 1988.

“Shelter”
Lone Justice

Lone Justice was a flash in the pan 80s act that played country infused New Wave. The 1986 song “Shelter” is a love song – but sung so passionately by lead singer Maria McKee that it just becomes infectious (as well as highly emotive).

“Driver 8”
R.E.M.

It’s really no surprise that R.E.M.’s music holds up three two decades later. After all, they were one of the band’s (along with U2) that shaped music in 1980s. But “Driver 8” from 1985 deserves special recognition as one of the band’s most rocking tunes. The song is about a train. Go figure.

“Blood and Roses”
The Smithereens

Another band that managed to avoid mainstream success. Yet the band was influential. Supposedly the 1986 album “Especially For You” was a favorite of Kurt Cobain and the best song on that album is the funk-infused “Blood and Roses.”

“Pale Shelter”
Tears for Fears

Tears for Fears is a band that people like to mock these days, but they made some good music. “Pale Shelter” is a love song – between children and their parents. How’s that for original? The song was released in 1986, but didn’t become a hit until the band remixed it a few years later. It’s the remix that makes the song work.

“Fisherman’s Blues”
The Waterboys

This is, by far, the Waterboys’ best song – a mix of traditional Irish music, country, and rock. It’s a beautiful song and dedicated on the 1988 album of the same name to the Greenpeace.

How about you? Any 1980s songs that still work for you and you’d like to recommend? We’re all ears.

12 Terrible Songs

5 Questions About: The Feelies (Interview with lead singer Glenn Mercer)

5 Underrated Bands from the 1980s

Labels: 1980s, Music

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Posted by GFS3 at 11:36 AM.

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Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Great Tunes: Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit"

It’s the scene from Hunter S. Thompson’s “Fear & Loathing in Las Vegas” (1972) that skyrocketed Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” to one of the greatest psychedelic rock songs ever recorded.

Thompson, tripping on a bad combination of LSD, cocaine, mescaline, and alcohol, stumbles into the torched hotel room of his attorney, Dr. Gonzo, who is submerged in a hot bath. He orders Thompson to throw his tape deck into the tub at the peak of “White Rabbit.”

“’White Rabbit.’ I need rising sound… And when it comes to that fantastic note where the rabbit bites its own head off, I want you to throw that fuckin’ radio into the tub with me!”

Thompson refuses, but Dr. Gonzo threatens to kill him if he doesn’t. So as lead singer Grace Slick and the Jefferson Airplane build “White Rabbit” to its crescendo and Dr. Gonzo screams for death by electrocution, Thompson throws a grapefruit in the water instead.

Do bad drug trips get any more twisted than that?

“White Rabbit” was first written in 1965 when Slick was the lead singer of The Great Society. The song was one of the reasons why Jefferson Airplane recruited her as its new lead singer to replace Signe Toly Anderson, who left the band after having her first child.

The song first appeared on vinyl in 1967 on Jefferson Airplane’s “Surrealistic Pillow” album. The song juxtaposes characters from Lewis Carroll’s children’s novel “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (1865) with the hallucinatory experiences of an acid trip.

“White Rabbit” builds to a rising crescendo and adds elements of Spanish music, a snapping snare drum, and a driving electric guitar to create its own hallucinatory experience. It’s hard not to listen to “White Rabbit” and Grace’s trippy lyrics without a powerful urge to reach for the water bong.

Most of the lyrics get Carroll’s characters wrong (The White Knight, for example, does not talk backwards and the Dormouse never says “Feed your head”), but it doesn’t really matter. In fact, it adds another layer to the mystical feel of the number.

Because “White Rabbit” interpreted Carroll’s classic in a completely new way – infusing it with 1960s hippie messages and suddenly all of these innocent and vibrant characters have darker shades and that hookah-smoking caterpillar becomes damn suspicious. Because he is smoking from a hookah and sitting on a fucking mushroom.

Then there is Slick herself. She looks like a college honor student with her puppy dog eyes and librarian good looks (she was a model before she was a singer). But underneath those American girl looks was a rebel -- a free spirit. You didn't know what Slick would do next. Hell, she wanted to spike U.S. President Richard Nixon's tea with LSD. She brings that shimmering tension to the vocals of "White Rabbit."

The song has had incredible influence and according to the music site All Music, “White Rabbit” has been covered by more than 100 bands, including the gothic punk band the Damned and jazz musician George Benson.

But the song has had more than just musical influence – it’s a full-blown cultural phenomenon. Listening to “White Rabbit” is like stepping into a time machine back to the 1960s and stirs up striking visuals of the time: Woodstock, round sunglasses, hippies without shirts, headbands, and mood rings.

“White Rabbit” has been featured on the Simpsons – three times. It was featured in Oliver Stones’ “Platoon” and been written about by Stephen King. Blue Man Group has done a cover. It inspired the book “Go Ask Alice.” It’s in video games and was played on “The Sopranos.” It’s everywhere.

What do you think Morpheus was referring to when he said to Neo in “The Matrix”: “You take the blue pill - the story ends, you wake up in your bed and believe whatever you want to believe. You take the red pill - you stay in Wonderland and I show you how deep the rabbit-hole goes”? It certainly wasn’t Lewis Carroll.
Morpheus is talking about “White Rabbit.”

The Lyrics:

One pill makes you larger
And one pill makes you small
And the ones that mother gives you
Don't do anything at all
Go ask Alice
When she's ten feet tall

And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you're going to fall
Tell them a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Recall Alice
When she was just small

When men on the chessboard
Get up and tell you where to go
And you've just had some kind of mushroom
And your mind is moving slow
Go ask Alice
I think she'll know

When logic and proportion
Have fallen sloppy dead
And the White Knight is talking backwards
And the Red Queen's "off with her head!"
Remember what the dormouse said;
"Feed your head!
“Feed your head!”

Good Songs From Really Awful Bands

Overlooked Albums From Really Good Bands

Highway to Hell: The 10 Greatest AC/DC Songs

Labels: Great Tunes, Jefferson Airplane, Music, Music Review, Songs, White Rabbit

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Posted by GFS3 at 2:34 PM.

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Friday, November 14, 2008

Good Songs, Really Bad Bands

10 Rock Classics Sung by Downright Awful Musicians

The cliché is: “Even a broken clock is right twice a day.” And to stretch the metaphor to its utmost limits – even crappy bands and musicians hit pay dirt. DaRK PaRTY has collected a list of 10 major league great tunes sung by downright awful bands. Feel free to add your own addition to the list in our comments section.

“Don’t Bring Me Down” – Electric Light Orchestra

Forget the gag inducing lyrics because it is like a hack missing half his brain wrote them. How else to explain: “You’re looking good just like a snake in the grass/ One of these days you’re going break your glass”? What the hell does that even mean? Yet, “Don’t Bring Me Down” is a thumping rock classic by a terrible “symphonic rock” band from 1970s England. Try not to like it – we dare you (see video above).

“Sundown” – Gordon Lightfoot

No one really likes Gordon Meredith Lightfoot – because he’s friggin’ Canadian “rocker.” But “Sundown” is a funk-induced bluesy rock number that simply cranks. Lyrics like: “I can see her looking fast in her faded jeans/ She’s a hard loving woman, got me feeling mean” sound like they are being narrated by a private detective in some gin-soaked barroom in Florida.

“Mr. Jones” – Counting Crows

Yeah, yeah, the Counting Crows makes me sick, too. Only a terrible band would list “Mike & The Mechanics” as an influence. It’s fun now to pretend that “Mr. Jones” is a crappy song, because of its mega-popularity. But it isn’t. Just like “Cat’s in the Cradle,” the sappy weeper by Harry Chapin, “Mr. Jones” can make a grown man weep.

“Naked” – Goo Goo Dolls

Goo Goo Dolls are from Buffalo – very close to Canada. But that doesn’t explain why they are one of the wimpiest bands in existence. Have you seen what they wear? Christ All Mighty. But listen to the guitars in “Naked.” This is a rock song.

“Flirtin’ With Disaster” – Molly Hatchet

Molly Hatchet wanted to be the next Lynyrd Skynyrd. They failed. Miserably. But among the dozens and dozens of mediocre southern fried rock, Molly Hatchet gave us “Flirtin’ With Disaster.” How can you not like lyrics like: “I’m out of money/ I’m out of hope/ It looks like self destruction”? Makes us want to drink Kentucky bourbon and get a speeding ticket.

“Lunatic Fringe” – Red Rider

Cough! Canadian! cough! Is there a theme here? Red Rider was bad. They never had a song in the Top 40. Yet somehow they managed to release 10 albums. Who is responsible for this? They must have heard “Lunatic Fringe” and thought – Wow! But “Lunatic Fringe” – good as it is – is not Red Rider. Crappy music is Red Rider.

“It’s Been Awhile” – Staind

Wait a minute. Crappy music is also Staind (a band that can’t even spell). But they are from Springfield, Massachusetts, so I’ve got to give them a break. Hey, the Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, too. “It’s Been Awhile” rocks. Truly. It rocks and thumbs up for using the words “fucked up” in the lyrics.

“More Human Than Human” – White Zombie

White Zombie was a “noise” rock band. And they lived up to the genre because White Zombie made a lot of goddamn noise (Rob Zombie, in his solo career, however, rocks). “More Human Than Human” is a tribute to the movie “Blade Runner.” It sears your eyeballs out. Great stuff. And Rob Zombie is from Haverhill, Massachusetts and we were born in the same year 10 days apart. Yo, Rob!

“No Rain” – Blind Melon

Can you say overrated? If you look up “overrated” on wikipedia you’ll find a picture of the Dallas Cowboys, but underneath that you’ll find mention of Blind Melon. “No Rain” is about a sensitive poet who searches for love even though in might be insane. But the rifts make you want to air guitar.

“Someday” – Nickelback

There’s no need to shout. I know Nickelback sucks. Why wouldn’t they? They’re from Canada. The whole concept of easy listening grunge is… well, let’s put it this way. Can Soundgarden please beat the snot out of them? That said “Someday” really breaks the mold and delivers a driving rock anthem (see video below).

“Things Can Only Get Better” – Howard Jones

He of the spiky hair. If you were alive in the 80s, then you will still not understand how the hell Howard Jones became a huge pop star. This is an artist who began his career playing synthesizer behind a mime. Yet the song “Things Can Only Get Better” is fun. It’s just a joy to listen to – and you’ll find yourself singing along. You’ll hate yourself afterwards, but you’ll do it anyway.

Pure Badness: 12 Terrible Tunes

Guilty Pleasures: Songs You Only Listen to Alone

The 10 Best Songs by the Doors

Labels: Alternative, Music, Rock

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Posted by GFS3 at 8:55 AM.

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Monday, October 13, 2008

12 Terrible Tunes

Radio on. Car sailing along the pavement. The music blows through the windows like the summer wind.

And then one of those songs comes on.

Buzz kill music. The mood implodes and you nearly drive off the road trying to turn off the damn radio. You are experiencing a terrible rock song. A song that makes you cringe.

These tunes are difficult to identify, but everyone has them. They are usually bygone hits – so they continue to get radio airplay. They even have die-hard fans (who clearly have some rare form of brain damage).

DaRK PaRTY has identified 12 of these nasty numbers. Here are the some of the songs that have us trembling in disgust.

“Ebony & Ivory” – Paul McCarthy and Stevie Wonder

Could there be a more talented duo than McCarthy and Wonder? Could there be a song so lacking in subtleties that is like a frying pan to the side of the face? Is the song about piano keys or about race relations? Well, gee, maybe both! The song reached number one in both the UK and United States in 1982.

Lyric Sample: “Ebony and ivory live together in perfect harmony/ Side by side on my piano keyboard, Oh Lord, why don’t we?”

“Hangin’ Tough” – New Kids on the Block

It’s easy to pick on boy bands when they record songs like 1989’s “Hangin’ Tough.” Drum machines and electronic keyboards have never sounded so tinny. It’s also amusing to listen to fashionable young punks who don’t shave yet try to sound tough.

Lyric Sample: “We ain’t gonna give anybody any slack/ And if you try to keep us down were gonna come right back/ And you know were/ Hangin’ tough, hangin’ tough, hangin’ tough/ Are you tough enough?”

“Rhinestone Cowboy” – Glen Campbell

There’s a lesson for all of us in “Rhinestone Cowboy.” If Neil Diamond has already recorded a song: it should be avoided at all costs. Clearly Glen Campbell ignored this sound advice when he recorded “Rhinestone Cowboy” in 1975. It became both a country and a pop hit and more than 30 years later it simply won’t die.
Lyric Sample: “Like a rhinestone cowboy/ Getting cards and letters from people I don't even know/ And offers comin' over the phone.”

“Muskrat Love” – Captain and Tennille

This 1976 cover song hit number 4 on the charts. It is a song – literally – about two muskrats falling in love. There are sounds – embedded in the song – of two muskrats making love. This song will make you want to kill all muskrats.

Lyric Sample: “Nibblin' on bacon/ Chewin' on cheese/ Sam says to Suzie/ Honey, would you please be my Mrs/ Suzie says, yes, with her kisses.”

“Oops, I Did It Again” – Britney Spears

The video features a 20-something astronaut (he must have had intense training when he was in elementary school) on Mars who stumbles on a Britney CD. Now we know. “Oops, I Did It Again” killed all life on the Red Planet.

Lyric Sample: “I cry watching the days/ Can't you see I'm a fool/ In so many ways?”

“Rich Girl” – Hall & Oates

The Son of Sam serial killer allegedly said “Rich Girl” was one of the motivators for his murderous sprees. Enough said.

Lyric Sample: “You can rely on the old man’s money/ It’s a bitch girl but it’s gone too far/ Cause you know it don’t matter anyway/ Say money but it won’t get you too far.”

“Paradise by the Dashboard Light” – Meatloaf

We groan when this song comes on the radio. It’s not only horrible – it’s long. Sex as a baseball game! Wow, what a concept. And let’s face reality here: who would have sex with the overweight Meatloaf in the backseat of a car?

Lyric Sample: “Let me sleep on it/ Baby, baby let me sleep on it/ Let me sleep on it/ I’ll give you an answer in the morning."

“Invisible” – Clay Aiken

Is this an original song? It sounds like a pop by numbers tune – bits stolen from every bad song ever recorded. But it’s also stalker creepy as Aiken pines to watch his girl (boy?) friend without her/him knowing it. This 2003 number has become absolutely unlistenable. Nice hair, Clay.

Lyric Sample: “Whatcha’ doin’ tonight/ I wish I could be a fly on your wall/ Are you really alone/ Who's stealin' your dreams?”

“Mr. Roboto” – Styx

It’s a futuristic epic! It’s a sci-fi rock opera! It’s a car commercial jingle! It’s got a robot singing in a robot voice! And look Styx (possibly the worst band of all time) can dance like robots!

Lyric Sample: “I'm not a robot without emotions-I'm not what you see/ I've come to help you with your problems, so we can be free.”

“Bohemian Rhapsody” – Queen

We can’t hit the off button fast enough when this 1975 song comes on. Awful! Glam rock has never been so pretentious. Freddy Mercury’s stream of consciousness nightmare is worse than fingernails dragging down the side of a chalkboard.

Lyric Sample: “I see a little silhouetto of a man/ Scaramouche, scaramouche will you do the fandango-/ Thunderbolt and lightning-very very frightening me.”

“Illegal Alien” – Genesis

Parodies bomb when they don’t work. Case in point: “Illegal Alien” is supposed to be a satire about the difficulties of being a Mexican immigrant in

the U.S. But instead it’s just offensive. A happy, bouncy pop number that is probably very popular with members of the KKK.

Lyric Sample: “It’s no fun/ Being an illegal alien.” (see video above)

“With You” – Jessica Simpson

Another pop flop that sounds like it was stolen from various discarded hits over the decades. It’s disjointed. It’s awkward. And it was a hit in 2004. What the hell is wrong with us?

Lyric Sample: “Cuz I start thinking about it/ I almost forgot what it was like/ To know what love feels right.”

The Sexiest Song Ever Recorded?

Guilty Pleasures: Song You Listen to Alone

Highway to Hell: The Best of AC/DC

Labels: Britney Spears, Clay Aiken, Genesis, Jessica Simpson, Music, Paul McCartney, Queen, Stevie Wonder, Styx

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Posted by GFS3 at 11:21 AM.

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Monday, August 18, 2008

The Sexiest Song Ever Recorded?

Who Can Match the Sex Appeal of Nancy Sinatra Singing "These Boots Are Made for Walking?"

Nancy Sinatra may not have invented the concept of pop singer as sex kitten, but with her 1966 hit “These Boots Are Made for Walking” she came damn close to perfecting it.

Can you say: Purrrrrrrrrrrr?

Rock critic Tom Breihan describes the song as “maybe the finest bitchy kiss-off in pop history.” That’s putting it mildly. “Boots’” is subversively nasty stuff – conjuring images of erotic, sadomasochistic encounters in hotels with underage girls that would make your hometown minister sweat through his priestly collar.

Take a gander at lyrics like: “You’ve been messin’ where you shouldn’t have been a messin’/ and now someone else is gettin’ all your best.”

And:

“You keep playin’ where you shouldn’t be playin’/ and you keep thinkin’ that you’ll never get burnt. Ha! I just found me a brand new box of matches yeah/ and what he know you ain’t had time to learn.”

I’m starting to sweat myself.

“Boots” was written and produced by Texas-born Lee Hazlewood who instructed Sinatra to sing the song as if she were a 16-year-old girl breaking up with a 40-year-old man. Apparently, Nancy took that advice to heart and the result was seductive, high-camp pop hit.

She sings the song like a playful seductress who knows she’s got the goods – and knows how to use them (see the go-go video above). Nancy knows how to use that smile of hers to good effect – using her voice (and in the video her eyes) to convey sexiness more effectively than most of today’s scantily clad pop mavens could ever dream of.

All you have to do is listen to Jessica Simpson’s poorly executed attempt to cover the song for the movie “Dukes of Hazard” to understand that being sexy is more than wearing short shorts. Nancy oozes sex appeal while Jessica oozes raunchiness.

There’s no doubt that Nancy had limited vocal range and she won’t be appearing anywhere in the pantheon of great female vocalists. But on this song – Nancy hit magical pay dirt. It’s a one-hit wonder of astonishing achievement – combining borderline vague sexually charged lyrics with Sinatra’s nice, but somewhat dirty ingénue persona.

Part of the magic came from being backed up by some rather magnificent musicians – who add a sultry sizzle to the song. That’s where the legendary Los Angeles session musicians known as the Wrecking Crew came in. The key was using Carol Kaye on electric bass and Chuck Berghofer on the double bass – giving “Boots” that heavy, driving backbeat that adds to the atmosphere. The tangy guitar and bass that just picks and sails at the end of each refrain doesn’t hurt either. It’s no wonder that the troops in Vietnam fell in love with this number.

What’s not to love? A beautiful blond singing about catching her lover with another woman – so for revenge she breaks his heart in two and starts giving all of her attention to a new (and damn lucky) boy toy.

Few songs hit the pay dirt for playful sexiness as “Boots” – and certainly Nancy Sinatra drive more sex appeal into one pop song than the likes of Brittany, Jessica and Christina have done over there whole careers. Here’s a nod to “Boots” as one of the sexiest songs ever put to vinyl.

An Interview with Indie Pop Princess Linda Strawberry

Guilty Pleasures: Songs You Only Listen to Alone

Strange Fruit: The Making of a Protest Song

Labels: Music, Nancy Sinatra, These Boots Are Made for Walking

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Posted by GFS3 at 6:16 PM.

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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Essay: The Disgrace of Hip-hop

Hip-Hop and the Glorification of Repression

Most hip-hop music has become pornography – a glorification of smut. It’s a musical wasteland of drugs, violence, murder, rape, and misogyny. Forget the thugs and criminals that populate the scene (from Lil’ Kim who recently went to jail for perjury or 50 Cent who has been linked with gang shootings).

All you have to do is pay attention. Listen to the lyrics like this gem from Eminem:

“I told the doc I need a change in sickness/ and gave a girl herpes in exchange for syphilis/ Put my LP on your Christmas gift list/ You wanna get high, here bitch just sniff this.”

What a wonderful message for youngsters. Why would any parent allow an Eminem album in their home? Why would that kind of language and hatred toward women be tolerated?

It’s hard to believe that hip-hop music started in 1979 with Sugar Hill Gang’s delightful and playful “The Rapper’s Delight.” It had all the hallmarks of what would become hip-hop, including arrogant and boastful lyrics about the narrator’s sexual prowess and physical toughness, but the song also celebrated diversity:

“I'm rappin to the beat/ and me, the groove, and my friends are gonna try to move your feet/ see I am wonder mike and I like to say hello/ to the black, to the white, the red, and the brown, the purple and yellow/ but first I gotta bang bang the boogie to the boogie/ at celebrated music, culture, and good times.”

Hip-hop apologists claim that hip-hop reflects life in the ghetto. That may be true, but just because our inner cities are broken and the reality is disgraceful doesn’t mean we have to celebrate the worst aspects of them.

It is easy to pretend that hip-hop is some kind of pop culture documentary, but that’s a lie. Hip-hop celebrates the mayhem and thug lifestyle of the ghetto. It’s part of the repression that keeps inner city minorities trapped in the cycle of poverty. When you glorify shooting police officers and selling drugs and degrade education and earning an honest living then impressionable young people make the wrong decisions.

Hip-hop isn’t high art. It’s sleaze. But don’t take our word for it – listen to the words behind the music. It’s all the evidence you need.

“If I was fucking you, I'd let the homies fuck too/ Run up in the guts bust nuts and we're through/ Hey you feenin'/ cooch screamin', heatin' cleanin'/ Tag-teamin', suckin' semen.”
-- Ice Cube, “If I Was Fuckin’ You”

“Last time them niggaz rushed me, I aint bust but now I'm touchy/ Trust me, aint nothing jumpin but these buck shots/ Them niggaz got enough knots, I'm poppin corrupt cops/ Ya motherfuckaz catch a hot one/ You wanted to start a problem, now you coward cops have got one.”
-- 2Pak, “Soldier Like Me”

“I used to be scared of the dick/ Now I throw lips to the shit/ Handle it like a real bitch/ Heather Hunter, Janet Jack-me/ Take it in the butt, yah, yazz wha.”
-- Lil’ Kim, “Big Momma Thang”

“In the hood niggas know, how I handle my problems/ I walk up close, and I fo', fo' revolve 'em/ Don't make me run to you, put the gun to you/ Have yo ass on Phil Donahue explaining what the fuck I done to you.”
-- 50 Cent, “Make Money By Any Means”

“That day came the two started fuckin/ All the time you know kids habit's/ Every single day fuckin like rabbits/ Sneakin out the car when he was 15/ Climbin in the window and fuckin all night see/ Fuckin during lunch in the junior high bathrooms/ Drinking champagne and trippin on mushrooms/ His dick was metal her pussy was a magnet.”
-- Kid Rock, “Black Chick, White Guy”

10 Things John Wayne Would Never Do

An Interview with Pop Rocker Linda Strawberry

Guilty Pleasures: Songs You Only Listen to Alone

Labels: Essay, Hip-hop, Music

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Posted by GFS3 at 9:43 PM.

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Thursday, May 29, 2008

5 Questions About: Linda Strawberry

An Interview with Indie Rock Queen
Linda Strawberry

(Remember “The Godfather” when the horse head ends up in the mobster’s bed? That head? It’s the music business in 2008. MP3s, music sharing, playlists, iPods, and the death of CDs have the industry fretting like a mobster without his prized race horse. Yet despite the blood and guts, there is still good music being made. Case in point: Linda Strawberry – a talented singer and keyboardist. Linda has developed a rabid following of fans – pretty much by herself. It speaks to her talent and her ability to reach out to her fans through the magic of the Internet – using YouTube, MySpace and other social media sites to distribute her music. Linda took some time between gigs (yeah, we like that word) to answer some of our questions.)

DaRK PaRTY: How did you get started in the music business?

Linda: My parents are freakishly talented. They are both amazing pianists, vocalists, and composers (currently in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir). So, I was always around music since I can remember. When I was 13 my dad set me up with a little writing studio in a closet in the basement and that was the beginning of my song writing. When I was 17, I had written about 70 songs and my mom helped me go to every producer in the state to try to pursue what to do with them. I eventually met Bjorn Thorsrud and Tony Zito who helped me record my first demo and introduced me to Billy Corgan.

Then I realized I didn’t know who I was yet or exactly the artist I wanted to be so Billy suggested I take a little time to get to know myself. So I put my own music aside for a while and began working in the studio. I had just left Mormonism so I had about two years where I was just sorting out my head and reading everything I could get my hands on. By the time I was 21, I felt I had a good grip on what I wanted and a good background on what a mess the music business was.

So, I jumped head first into it. In the last five years I have recorded about 40 songs and written at least 100 with only six released. I have had and lost deals as I’ve watched the music business grind to a halt. Now signing with one of the only remaining labels seems more risky than starting my own and trying to build what I’ve done independently so I’ve started Lovely Chaos Records in my house. I am trying to do whatever I can on my own until things get better.

It’s a hard business to be in right now. Lately, I have been focusing my creative efforts more in visual art to pay the bills. I have the mentality of doing everything I possibly can on my own and not relying on other people to make it happen. It can be tiring though recording, writing, mixing, doing all the album art, business stuff, and running all the promotions... but that’s where I’m at.

DP: You toured with Billy Corgan (playing keyboards) during his solo tour in 2005. How did you meet him and get connected with his project? And did it influence the way you approached your own music?

Linda: I sort of answered this in the above answer. I met Billy when I was 18 through Bjorn Thorsrud (producer/engineer). The first time I met him face to face was at a Smashing Pumpkins in-store performance in Salt Lake City when they were doing the Machina Tour.

The first thing Billy ever said to me was “Can you help me tie my dress?” That’s when he was wearing those leather dresses. I was petrified of him. He immediately reached out to me though and started pushing me. My first time ever on stage was singing “To Sheila” at the last Smashing Pumpkins show.

My first time having a song released was a recording of “Love to Love” we did for the SPUN soundtrack. Now, eight years later, we are still really good friends and I have never known a harder working or more talented musician. I can’t even think of how many songs I’ve watched him write over the years or it will make my brains explode. He NEVER STOPS! It makes me work harder!

How I came to be on the solo tour was that I was recording in Chicago and there had been some turmoil with my record so we had dinner and he asked me if I wanted to take a break and see the world. Three weeks later, I was in Portugal standing in front of a $60,000 a week lighting board.

DP: We have been digging, well, your song "Dig." Can you tell us more about it?

Linda: I wrote “Dig” at a very low time. I was in love with a very dangerous man. H e treated me like shit, controlled me, manipulated me and I still stuck around like a moron. When I wrote “Dig,” I was in Chicago trying to get over him. I remember laying half off a mattress scribbling the words onto the back of a receipt trying to pour all the lust, love, and despair into one song.

“My mouth is hung/ Lips bee-stung from tears/ I could die/ I could die/ I could die but I backbend to push you in farther than you’ve ever been/ I’ve never believed such words as I believe when you string them up.” That’s all sex and me knowing that I shouldn’t be there but doing it anyway and risking everything even knowing that everything out of his mouth was bullshit.

“Love I forget where my endings begin/ never such a calm undoing as this/ pierced right through by a single kiss.” About how I would try to leave but would end up back and there was no boundary. I was like calmly accepting my own undoing just to walk through his door and kiss him. What’s that line? “Casting pearls before swine…”

Now the song has an entirely different sexy meaning. When I sing it it’s to my new amazing boyfriend who has healed me so much (and who I hope I’ll marry) and its still dirty and seductive but in the best ways plus true devotion (which is so much hotter).

DP: You've been a master at using the Web to grow your fan base -- leveraging YouTube, MySpace, etc. Do you like going directly to the fans or would you prefer working with a recording label?

Linda: I love having direct contact with people. I have lots to say and it’s nice to have a place to talk about what’s going on in my head. Our culture is changing so much about the way we communicate and listen to each other. Also, with things being so dead in the industry there’s no way I could just sit back and assume any of this would get done without me doing it myself. So, I do whatever I can. Its tiring but I’ll continue to do it for as long as it takes to get where I’m trying to go. The fans who write me keep me going.

DP: What musical artists have influenced your work the most and which bands are you listening to these days?

Linda: Musical Influences – obviously Billy Corgan/Smashing Pumpkins , Siouxsie Sioux, P.J. Harvey, The Cars, Depeche Mode, Diamanda Galas, Marianne Faithfull, Annie Lennox, Irving Berlin, Steve Reich, Joy Division, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Bjork, the Go Go’s, Roxette, Billie Holliday, and Nico.

New bands... Hmmm. Its hard to name specific bands because I listen to everything. Can I sneak past this question?

5 Questions About: The Feelies (with Glenn Mercer)

Overlooked Albums by Some Great Bands

10 Really Bad Videos from the 1980s

Labels: 5 Questions, Linda Strawberry, Music

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Posted by GFS3 at 3:32 PM.

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Monday, May 19, 2008

Classic Rock Bands Everyone Likes, But Nobody Loves

Classic Rock Bands That Are Nobody's Favorites

This is the musical equivalent of the old idiom: “Always the bridesmaid, but never the bride.”

There are classic rock bands that simply demand favorite status: the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Bruce Springsteen, U2, Van Halen, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, the Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, The Who, etc. Their music touches people’s souls. They’ve got fan clubs and rabid fans – these are the bands that used to have their logos scrawled on high school book covers.

But then there are these classic rock bands – staples really – that are good, damn good in some instances, but they just don’t rate favorite status. Most people like these bands, but for whatever reason they don’t ignite the same passions as the great bands do.

It’s like being a B student with an older sister who is in National Honor Society. She’s got a leg up on you.

Here is our list of the 10 Greatest, But Not Favorite Classic Rock Bands:

Rush

The power rock trio from Canada have some amazing songs from “Tom Sawyer” to “Fly By Night.” They continue to be a staple on classic rock radio, but even the band acknowledges that people either hate or love them. But the love never got to favorite status for most people (who weren’t raised in the Great White North). The major problem with loving Rush seems to stem from the voice of lead singer Geddy Lee – who has one of those high-pitched voices that could wear thin after listening to it for an entire album. As a result, Rush is better digested in quick doses. But it’s hard not to like their concept album “2112” (see video above)

Bad Company

Rugged rock band Bad Company was the first band produced on Led Zeppelin’s label. The band was formed from the remains of Free, Mott the Hoople, and King Crimson, but they never achieved “great” status. But they did have some excellent early albums in “Bad Company” and “Straight Shooter.” Their self-titled “Bad Company” remains a classic heavy rock song (along with “Can’t Get Enough,” “Rock Steady,” and “Feel Like Makin’ Love”). Yet, the somehow none of Bad Company’s music hit it out of the park – great stuff, but just not favorite stuff.

ZZ Top

ZZ Top were the darlings of MTV in the early 1980s. They had a string of hits in “Pearl Necklace,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” and “Gimme All Your Lovin’.” But the southern fried pop rock quickly wore thin (as did the concept of hot chicks driving around in a flaming red hot rod). It’s hard not to like ZZ Top’s guitar driven music, but you’re definitely not going to have their logo tattooed on your forearm.

Boston

Surprise, surprise, surprise, the band Boston hails from Boston, Massachusetts. Talk about a band that’s got an iron grip on classic rock stations. Is it possible to listen to these stations for an hour without hearing “Smokin’,” “More Than a Feeling,” “Foreplay/Long Time” or “Don’t Look Back”? Yet despite wide-spread popularity and best selling albums this 1970s dynamo is rarely considered anybody’s favorite band.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

American roots rock band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, is another band with a lock on classic rock stations. They loaded up the charts in the 1960s and 1970s with a string of hits including: “Suzie Q,” “Proud Mary,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Down on the Corner,” and “Run Through the Jungle.” CCR has the added advantage of being a band that makes you turn up the volume on the radio. But a favorite? Nah!

Foreigner

Foreigner barely skirts being a guilty pleasure band – barely. But they survive on classic rock stations because of their pop-infused hard rock numbers like “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Hot Blooded,” “Head Games,” and “Dirty White Boy.” It actually surprising how many good songs are in the Foreigner catalog. Yet I venture that only one or two people in the world would admit to Foreigner being their favorite band of all time (and those people are probably the mothers of a couple of the members).

The Steve Miller Band

Is there any rock fan that doesn’t like a Steve Miller song? Here’s another classic rock band that has a long list of hit singles: “The Joker,” “Take the Money and Run,” “Fly Like an Eagle,” and “Jet Airliner.” Steve Miller rocks. But is there anyone out there that lists Steve Miller as number one? Have you seen Steve Miller lately? He looks like an accountant. And maybe that’s what held them back from reaching the next plateau – they just weren’t that interesting.

Traffic

The English psychedelic rock band responsible for the incredible “John Barleycorn Must Die” album. And who can’t get their feet tapping when “Dear Mr. Fantasy” comes on the radio? Yet Traffic suffers from being too esoteric and arty for anyone but Soho artists. Couple of cool songs – one great album – and always the bridesmaid.

Blue Oyster Cult

One of the best named bands in history (Blue Oyster Cult is from a poem by the band’s manager about a group of aliens that secretly manipulate human history). Here’ s a heavy metal band that gave us “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper,” “Burnin’ for You” and the always popular “Godzilla.” But here’s another band that suffered from a lack of personality and magnetism. Take away the music and they were boring – and dull bands aren’t favorite bands.

The J. Geils Band

I was a big fan of J. Geils Band during their heyday in the early to mid- 1980s. They put on a rollicking live concert with its blues-infused R&B rock. Peter Wolf was a great front man and lead singer and they gave us the seminal hit album “Love Stinks.” Here’s a band with a lot of great songs: “Must of Got Lost,” “Southside Shuffle,” “Whammer Jammer,” “Centerfold” and, of course, “Lost Stinks.” But even when I was loving J. Geils they were never my favorite band. They just couldn’t put enough points on the board for that (see video below).

The Best of Old Van Halen

The 9 Greatest Songs by Led Zeppelin

Labels: Bad Company, Blue Oyster Cult, Boston, Creedence Clearwater Rivival, Foreigner, J. Geils Band, Music, Rock, Rush, Steve Miller Band, Traffic, ZZ Top

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Posted by GFS3 at 9:54 AM.

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Wednesday, May 07, 2008

5 Questions About: The Feelies

An Exclusive Interview with Glenn Mercer, Front man for the Feelies

(The Feelies were the “it” bad of the indie press back in the early and late 1980s. In fact, R.E.M. says the Feelies' “Crazy Rhythms” album was a major influence. The Feelies were a band that gave new meaning to guitar-driven rock. They infused punk and alternative stylings into classic rock components to create a unique sound. The band, which received rave reviews from critics, never quite broke into the mainstream. They broke up in 1992. But the music gods are kind and the Feelies are gearing up for a reunion tour this summer and possibly a new album. Glenn Mercer, the Feelies lead guitarist and singer, gave an exclusive interview to DaRK PaRTY.)

DaRK PaRTY: You started playing music with a band called Outkids in 1976, which evolved into the Feelies. Who came up with the name and why did you decide that the "Feelies" represented the music you were playing?

Glenn: I started playing music in bands for years before the Outkids, but that was the first one to play original songs. Bill suggested the name, from the book Brave New World. It didn't really have any connection to the sound, which was more traditional garage/punk early on. When the textures developed, the sound seemed to fit the name more, but it wasn't planned, it was a natural progression.

DP: Was there a philosophy behind the music? What were you trying to accomplish with the Feelies?

Glenn: We didn't discuss 'band philosophy', we just played, jammed, developed, like most bands, until we arrived at a sound. It was based as much on what we left out as what we put in to the music. Another factor is that we wanted to reflect the environment that we lived and worked in - the suburbs and the sounds within our neighborhood.

DP: "Crazy Rhythms" was released to amazing critical praise in 1980 (the Village Voice called it one of the best albums of 1980). What was your reaction to being an "it" band and having the music industry fawn all over you?

Glenn: I think we felt a little bit of relief, because we knew the record was unique and didn't really fit with much of what was around then. At the same time, we had the confidence that it would do well. We had recorded a four song demo that came out sounding real good, considering that it was done quickly in a small, bare-bones studio, so we had faith in our recording capabilities. We also realized that good reviews can only take you so far, and that many other challenges lay ahead.

DP: Despite the great reception to "Crazy Rhythms," the Feelies didn't release another album until "The Good Earth" in 1986. What was the reason for the delay and do you think it played a role in why the Feelies didn't become a commercial success?

Glenn: The delay was a result of the band breaking up and re-forming. The second line-up was in place by '83/84, so it wasn't that much time. We then spent a few years writing songs and securing a record deal, so we stayed pretty busy during that time period. We also had involvement with our side-bands, the Trypes, the Willies and Yung Wu.

As far as the impact to our commercial success, I don't think we ever fit into the traditional idea of 'commercial'. At that time, during the late 80's, college radio was a major outlet for alternative music and we had a lot of success at that level. The long time between our 1st and 2nd record may have even helped the band in many ways. It gave us a better perspective on how and why we fit into the 'industry'. I think that we found that the business had changed in good ways, making it easier for us in the long run.

DP: Our favorite album is "Only Life"(1988) -- which kicks major ass. Can you tell us about how the album came about and your favorite song from the LP?

Glenn: “Only Life” began the same as the others, with a collection of songs written over the course of several years. This was our first on a 'major label', so we might have felt a bit more pressure to produce something that would take us to another level beyond the college market. At the same time, we felt very confident, having the success of the “Good Earth” and “Crazy Rhythms.” We recorded most of it at a top-level studio in New York City in comfortable surroundings and it was a pleasure to make. My favorite song on that album is Higher Ground. I've had many people tell me that the song has been an inspiration to them, and you can't ask for more than that, as a song writer.

Bonus Question: It's been announced that the band plans to have a reunion tour this summer. Are the Feelies back and are you recording a new album?

Glenn: We're playing a few shows in N.J. and N.Y. and might play more in other places, like Chicago and Boston. We're also working on some new songs, with the idea of recording another record.

5 Underrated Bands from the 1980s (includes the Feelies)

Highway to Hell: the 10 Greatest Songs by AC/DC

The World's Greatest "Live" Reggae Album

Labels: 5 Questions, Alternative, Glenn Mercer, interview, Music, The Feelies

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Posted by GFS3 at 9:49 AM.

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Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Guilty Pleasures: Songs You Only Listen to Alone

A rather callous friend has a favorite axiom in the form of a riddle. It goes like this: “What do mopeds and fat girls have in common? They’re fun to ride, but you don’t want your friends to see you on one.”

Clearly, he’s a man of high culture.

But there is a deeper meaning here. There are some things that are oh-so pleasurable – but extremely embarrassing.

We call them guilty pleasures.

And nowhere do guilty pleasures proliferate like they do in music. All of us have those damnable songs that we wouldn’t be caught dead listening to if there were other people in the room.

Songs that make us prance and sing in the shower – and then we pretend to hate when our jazz aficionado friend comes over for brunch and we talk about the genius of Miles Davis and Charles Mingus.

Allow us to share with you some of those guilty pleasures. Those ridiculous little numbers that we can’t shake – those sugary, bouncy tunes that we can’t live without (even if we listen to them in the closet).

U Can’t Touch This

Artist: MC Hammer (see video above)

Released: June 1990

Album: "Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em"

Ridiculous Fact: The song is used in a commercial for the antipbacterial hand cream Purell.

Favorite Lyric: “Break it down/ Stop, Hammer time!”

Where Are They Now: MC Hammer is married with six children. He became a born-again Christian in 1997 and currently has a TV sow on the Trinity Broadcast Network. He actually officiated the wedding of washed up actor Corey Feldman in 2002.

Stunning Insight: The real reason “U Can’t Touch This” rocks is because it samples Rick James’ “Super Freak.”

Ice, Ice Baby

Artist: Vanilla Ice

Released: 1990

Album: "To The Extreme"

Ridiculous Fact: “Ice, Ice Baby” was used on the commercial advertising the children’s Christmas movie “The Santa Clause 3.”

Favorite Lyric: “Yo VIP let’s kick it!”

Where Are They Now: Vanilla Ice has become a staple on bad reality TV shows – the low point being beaten in a boxing match by Todd Bridges during “Celebrity Boxing.” He was also arrested in 2001 and in 2008 for beating his wife.

Stunning Insight: That familiar base line? It’s David Bowie and Queen’s song “Under Pressure.”

Scooby Snacks

Artist: Fun Lovin’ Criminals

Released: 1995

Album: "Come Find Yourself"

Ridiculous Fact: The Scooby Snacks in question are diazepam (also known as Valium), which allows bank robbers to remain cool, calm, and collective during a heist.

Favorite Lyric: “Is this some Kharmic-Chi love thing happening here baby or what.”

Where Are They Now: The band is still together and has a cult following, especially in Britain.

Stunning Insight: The popularity of “Scooby Snacks” may have been because of the sampling of Quentin Tarantino movies in the song.

I’m Your Boogie Man

Artist: KC and the Sunshine Band

Released: 1977

Album: "Part 3"

Ridiculous Fact: The song was featured in all four “Scary Movie” trailers.

Favorite Lyric: “I’m your boogie man that’s what I am.”

Where Are They Now: Harry Wayne Casey “KC” still tours and does about 200 shows a year.

Stunning Insight: KC and the Sunshine Band made a career of writing disco songs that became guilty pleasures. DaRK PaRTY has a bad KC jones.

Achy Breaky Heart

Artist: Billy Ray Cyrus

Released: 1992

Album: "Some Gave All"

Ridiculous Fact: The popular song was partly responsible for helping revive an American tradition: the mullet hairstyle.

Favorite Lyric: “You can tell your ma I moved to Arkansas Or you can tell your dog to bite my leg.”

Where Are They Now: While his popularity has plummeted, Billy Ray Cyrus is still kicking around on the entertainment fringes and even sang the “Star Spangled Banner” to kick-off game 5 of the 2006 World Series. He also has a new hit song “Ready, Set, Don’t Go” released in 2007.

Stunning Insight: On further reflection “Achy Breaky Heart” isn’t that good.

Footloose

Artist: Kenny Loggins

Released: 1984

Album: The Footloose Movie Soundtrack

Ridiculous Fact: Kenny Loggins performed the song at Live Aid with Chevy Chase in 1985.

Favorite Lyric: “Loose, footloose/Kick off our Sunday shoes/ Please, Louise/ Pull me offa my knees.”

Where Are They Now: Loggins is back to performing and recording again. He released an album in 2005 and started his own record label “180 Music” in 2007.

Stunning Insight: The song is better than the movie - but only just barely.

You Dropped a Bomb on Me

Artist: The Gap Band

Released: 1982

Album: "Gap Band IV"

Ridiculous Fact: The song is played on the Dale & Holley Show on sports radio station WEEI in Boston every time they blow up a caller.

Favorite Lyric: “You turn me out, you turn me on/ You turned me loose, then you turned me wrong.”

Where Are They Now: The band still performs and many of the members have solo albums.

Stunning Insight: Believe it or not, but the Gap Band has 19 albums – the first coming in 1974 and the last one released in 2001. That’s four decades of music.

Who Let the Dogs Out?

Artist: Baha Men

Released: 2000

Album: “Who Let the Dogs Out?”

Ridiculous Fact: The song is a cover of a tune originally recorded in Trinidad in 1998.

Favorite Lyric: “Who let the dogs out (woof, woof, woof, woof).”

Where Are They Now: No one is quite sure. The Baha Men disappeared after releasing an album in 2004. It’s likely that the Bahamas-based band disbanded.

Stunning Insight: The song was released on the Rugrats movies soundtrack as well, but has found a real home in sports stadiums around the United States.

Jump Around

Artist: House of Pain (see video below)

Released: 1992

Album: “House of Pain”

Ridiculous Fact: The song is featured in the movie “Mrs. Doubtfire.”

Favorite Lyric: “I’ll serve your ass like John MacEnroe/ If your steps up, I’m smacking the ho.”

Where Are They Now: The band broke up (I know, I know, it breaks me up as well). One member founded an art company and DJ Lethal actually joined Lim Bizkit.

Stunning Insight: This song is oddly addictive, yet the House of Pain never could capture magic in bottle again and they remain famous for being one of those one-hit wonder groups.

Bust A Move