Bradley's Buzz

Weekend Madness

Labels: Life In La La Land, The Who, Tommy, Trunks

posted by swivek @ 12:01 PM 0 comments

Brad On Wheels

Labels: Cher, Free download, Hell On Wheels, Jim Bray, Roller Boogie, Swivek

posted by swivek @ 10:02 AM 0 comments

Clap Clap Xanadu Clap Clap

The brand new Xanadu DVD I talked about yesterday comes with the added bonus of having the soundtrack on CD - but alas it still isn't the Xanadu soundtrack that needs to be released. Where is "Fool Country"? Where is "Drum Dreams" with all those Xanadu claps and roller skating stomps? Oh I know - they're on a blast from the bubbatunes past - So let's revisit my ultimate Xanadu soundtrack - The Mount Olympus Special Edition!


bub33R Xanadu Soundtrack - The Mount Olympus Special Edition (1980; June 12, 2007)

Way back years ago, around the time of bub33, our 33rd CD, I decided I wanted a special version of the Xanadu Soundtrack. The original album is available on CD and in fact it was even remastered in a special import edition, however neither of those releases contained the songs that weren't included in the original soundtrack. Most highly missed was Olivia Newton-John's "Fool Country" a rock/country hybrid that she sings at the end of the flick, the song was released as a B-side to the single "Magic" in the US and the single "Xanadu" in the UK and it finally made it onto a remastered Olivia collection a few years ago but it's never been offered on the Xanadu soundtrack. So I added it back in 2004 when I did the original bubbatunes version, also on that version were too completely lame remixes of the title track sung not by Olivia but by some wanna be disco diva.

Then something surprising happened, actually two surprising things happened. 1. They, they being the powers that be decided to turn the great cheez fest known as Xanadu the film into a Broadway play and 2. One of the all time Xanadu fans on a my space group I belong to made his version of the Ultimate Xanadu Soundtrack which not only included "Fool Country" but also included "Drum Dreams" by ELO which is the song that has all the hand claps and the "Xanadu" chants in it, he also found a different version of ELO tracks "Don't Walk Away" and "The Fall" and a Jeff Lynne sung version of the title track.

He also included dialogue from the film into his soundtrack. The most impressive thing he did was take the whole 11 minute segment from the end of the film and put it on the soundtrack - that segment begins with the 'drum dreams' before breaking into "Xanadu" then a tap dance by Olivia, which moves into "Fool Country" then another rousing ending version of "Xanadu" before Olivia as Kira the Muse disappears into a neon glow back up into the Heavens. It's awesome and I wanted it. So I went to his limited download sight and got the songs I didn't have including another Olivia song that never made it to the soundtrack, her version of "You Made Me Love You" which she sings in a flashback part the Danny (Gene Kelly) character is having.

I decided to put together my own version of an ultimate Xanadu soundtrack using cues from this big fan. I included those rare songs that weren't included, put together my own version of the Xanadu Montage (by using the remastered versions of the original songs rather than the somewhat sketchy sound from the film) and voila! we came up with the new edition of the Xanadu soundtrack. To make it even more appealing, I took the songs that are put together with dialogue and the Xanadu Montage and put them in their original individual parts as bonus tracks, plus the whole thing actually goes in order as the movie presents them so by the ending credits (Closing Fanfare) you feel like you just watched the flcik. So with all that crap in your head and under your roller skates, I give you the track list to bub33R Xanadu - The Mount Olympus Special Edition.

Xanadu Soundtrack - The Mount Olympus Special Edition (bub33R)
Track List: 01. Opening Fanfare/I'm Alive (Barry DeVorzon/ELO) 02. dialogue - 'hey it's that crazy girl' 03. Magic (Olivia) 04. dialogue - 'hey clarinet' 05. You Made Me Love You (Olivia)06. Whenever You're Away From Me (Gene Kelly & Olivia) 07. Suddenly (Cliff Richard & Olivia) 08. Dancin' (Olivia & The Tubes) 09. dialogue - 'a little pizzazz' 10. All Over The World (ELO) 11. Don't Walk Away (ELO) 12. dialogue - 'kissed by a muse'/ The Fall (ELO) 13. Suspended In Time (Olivia) 14. Xanadu Montage: I - dialogue 'maybe just one moment' II - Drum Dreams (ELO) III - Xanadu (Olivia & ELO) IV - Tap Dance Interlude V - Fool Country (Olivia) VI - Xanadu (Reprise) (Olivia & ELO)/ Kira's Ascent 15. dialogue - 'oh miss' / Closing Fanfare (Barry DeVorzon)
Bonus Tracks: 16. I'm Alive (ELO) 17. Don't Walk Away (Alternate) (ELO) 18. The Fall (Demo) (ELO) 19. Xanadu (Jeff Lynne) 20. Fool Country (Olivia) 21. Drum Dreams (ELO) 22. Xanadu (Olivia & ELO)

and for a limited time:

Olivia Newton-John - Fool Country
Xanadu Montage

Download Xanadu - Mount Olympus Edition here

Labels: 7 Days Of Bubbatunes, bub33R, Drum Dreams, ELO, Fool Country, Olivia Newton-John, Xanadu, Xanadu Soundtrack

posted by swivek @ 9:15 AM 3 comments

Xanatuesday

Labels: Olivia Newton-John, Retro T shirts, Xanadu

posted by swivek @ 10:34 AM 0 comments

Picassabrad

What a weekend... first I drank a bit too much on Friday night as I continued working on the Shitting Glitter song but was interrupted by my own muse and had to work on a few Swivek songs as well... then the phone calls began and the next thing you know I was on the phone with my brother, my cousin and my pal in Wisconsin until 3 o'clock in the morning...

then Saturday was our belated father's day wine gathering at the Leivas' where we drank, we ate, we talked, we drank some more... then a little bit of listening to some new CDs before trotting off to bed...

then yesterday it was hot, hot, hot! Actually it was frickin' steamin' all weekend long but Sunday had me in the house only venturing out to the garage to smoke a few times... and as the Leivas watched some movies and some TV, I decided it was high time I took out those paints, easel and canvas and began painting. I almost finished one of the most god awful things you've ever seen your life this side of a preschool class, but now I'm getting more used to the brushes and stuff and think I can come up with something a tad more to my style and liking - as in a few brush strokes of color with a wide brush that can hang in our living room to add a bit of color...

and of course in between paint strokes, I worked on mixing up the Shitting Glitter and doing some more vocal overdubs and redoing vocals for Swivek. I want the new album to be so good that I keep working on different songs and rearranging songs. This is so hard you know. I need another set of years oh and some backing vocals, looks like I'll be ringin' up those SG guy and gal soon.

and so tonight, I will be painting and mixing music and (maybe just maybe) having a cocktail or two - I have big aspirations to also crank out that Guitar For Dummies DVD and even do a sit up or two - I know, I am a go getter.

Today's walk to work was sponsored by
The Dresden Dolls - Yes Virginia

Labels: Life In La La Land, Painting, The Leivas

posted by swivek @ 11:48 AM 0 comments

Happy Happy

Labels: Life In La La Land

posted by swivek @ 10:15 AM 0 comments

BubbaTUNESday Black Rose

bub 128 Black Rose – Black Rose
(June 17, 2008)

It’s so hard to be incognito when you’re Cher – even in her times of less than stellar stardom, the girl couldn’t help but be featured on the cover of magazines for just being Cher. So perhaps she was a little naïve in thinking that she could front a rock band without anyone noticing. Such was the idea behind Black Rose in 1980.

After done her discofied Casablanca Records, Cher picked up with her boyfriend at the time Les Dudek and his pals forming a rock band – Black Rose. Of course there was press all around and the minute she headed out front during concerts people snickered. Who did she think she was? She’s Cher for Christ’s sake not Pat Benatar. But Cher had always wanted to sing rock and roll, not disco, not syrupy ballads. It’s funny that she would come back in 1987 with the rock chick persona in full and be embraced. Oh well times change I guess.

In 1980, the reaction was less than stellar and I actually don’t know why. The opening cut was the first single and is my favorite on the album “Never Should’ve Started.” It starts out slow and hits big and it’s about three minutes into the song before you even realize it’s Cher singing. This could’ve been big if people actually didn’t know Cher was on it.

There’s only 8 songs total on the Black Rose album but of those there are a few highlights to be found – “Young & Pretty” is a moody rock song about making it in La La Land, “Julie” is a complete rock balls to the wall song with Cher bitching about the bitch that is Julie – and it’s co-written by Bernie Taupin AND Mike Chapman! “We All Fly Home” is classic late 70’s rock in it’s glory.

The whole Black Rose album is actually good for Cher’s first foray into rock and roll and though it didn’t chart, didn’t sell and didn’t even launch a single, it showed that Cher could wrap that warble around real guitars instead of just gypsy music box songs, disco dangles and sugary ballads. In fact there was one person who felt Cher could rock – Meat Loaf who did a duet with her “Dead Ringer For Love” in all its Jim Steinman rockin’ glory that was released as a single in 1981 where it was a big hit in the UK proving the United Kingdom liked Cher a rocking.

Black Rose – Black Rose (bub128)
Track List:
01. Never Should’ve Started 02. Julie 03. Take It From The Boys 04. We All Fly Home 05. 88 Degrees 06. You Know It 07. Young And Pretty 08. Fast Company
Bonus Track
09. Dead Ringer For Love (with Meat Loaf)

DOWNLOAD BLACK ROSE

Labels: Black Rose, bub128, Bubbatunes, BubbaTUNESday, Cher

posted by swivek @ 11:58 AM 0 comments

BubbaTUNESday Cher - Prisoner

bub 127 Cher – Prisoner (1979; 2008)
(June 17, 2008)

It didn’t take long for our girl to hop back onto the recording stool and come up with another album for Casablanca – in fact by my calculation, it was probably only a few months for Prisoner, came out in 1979 as well.

The album didn’t do nearly as well as Take Me Home, but according to those know it alls at Wikipedia, the album did go gold though it didn’t seem to chart very high – if at all.

Regardless of the chart positions and sales, this was an album Cher apparently wanted to make. I’m sure Casablanca pressured her into another disco-fied album but our sassy gal was a little too smart to just go that route.

Inserted in between dancey disco is some rock and some pop and some of just about everything. An 8 song collection handled and mostly written by Bob Esty and Michele Aller with Cher supervising, these were all songs for Cher about Cher for Cher fans. She wanted the peeps to know what was going on in her life and how she felt, but couldn’t be bothered to write the songs herself (I kid.)

None the less, we have some interesting dips into Cher’s world – the ultimate and best track on the whole set is “Hell On Wheels” – an opus ride into roller disco with some rock edges to it. This was when Cher was actually spinning her roller skates at LA roller discos every night. It’s completely brilliant and just happened to have “Git Down (Guitar Groupie)” from Take Me Home as a B-side on the 7” making it one of the best singles to come out in the 70s.

“Holdin’ Out For Love” bee bops through a poppy keyboard and was the second single. The story of being tripped up in love before and deciding this time she’s “holding on/ holding in/ holdin out for love..” It’s actually pretty catchy.

The opening title track is an opus of sound that fills the whole first six minutes of the album and is one of the highlights of the album, but in all honesty as much as I wanted to love Prisoner as a whole album it kind of falls short.

Mirror Image and Outrageous! are classic examples into the personality of Cher – particularly how the paparazzi and people saw her. The cool keyboard lines in “Mirror Image” make it stand up a bit more than “Outrageous” but in both cases I think the lyrics kind of weight it down.

The same goes for “Boys & Girls” a full on rock song full of fire and fun, you would think. Once those lyrics start flying out it’s hard to keep concentrated. There’s just something that doesn’t work for me.

While “Shoppin’” is just something everyone has to hear. It’s about, well shoppin’ – one of Cher’s past times and as much as I would even love to love it just on sheer camp value, I think she’s too serious about it for it be just for fun; while “Holy Smoke!” is actually catchy and fun as she talks about the ills of the modern world. With a little re-write here and there it would’ve been great!

I may be acting a bit harsh on Prisoner, after all I did take all this time to put together the music, do the artwork, include lyrics and the whole shizz – but that has a lot to do with the fact the artwork and promo works for Prisoner are brillz! The best cover shot of Cher’s albums ever! Plus the whole of the album is actually a piece of Cher history and it’s definitely worth hearing and having for the big Cher fans.

A CD version was released as an import along with the Take Me Home but I think the album was remixed and the fact is it’s damn hard and expensive to find and with the ultimate brilliance of the album artwork on both Take Me Home and Prisoner, neither of which was reproduced for that CD, the Bubbatunes are really the best Cher re-releases ever – plus we have bonus tracks and bonus bonus tracks.

The 7” versions of the two singles “Hell On Wheels” and “Holdin’ Out For Love” are here as is the super cool “Bad Love” – a song she did in all Giorgio Moroder coolness for the film Foxes in 1980 (a movie which had “On The Radio” by Donna Summer as the theme song)… and thanks to Amoeba Records, I found the 12” of “Hell On Wheels” which is even longer than the album version plus it was backed with a 12” version of “Git Down (Guitar Groupie)” and though neither are mentioned in my artwork, they are here in the download just for you!... Don’t tell Cher.

Cher – Prisoner (bub126)
Track List:
01. Prisoner 02. Holdin’ Out For Love 03. Shoppin’ 04. Boys & Girls 05. Mirror Image 06. Hell On Wheels 07. Holy Smoke! 08. Outrageous
Bonus Tracks:
09. Hell On Wheels (Single Version) 10. Holdin’ Out For Love (Single Version) 11. Bad Love 12. Hell On Wheels (12” Version) 13. Git Down (Guitar Groupie) (12” Version)

DOWNLOAD CHER – PRISONER

Labels: bub127, BubbaTUNESday, Bubbtunes, Cher, Hell On Wheels, Prisoner

posted by swivek @ 11:53 AM 3 comments

Bizzie Bizzie B

Labels: Gay Wedding, Life In La La Land, Shitting Glitter, Swivek, The Leivas

posted by swivek @ 12:04 PM 1 comments

Friday Fun - Random CDs

Looks like I'm on a roll this week and actually have some posts - you know things to talk about - and since most of what I do is listen to tunes and most of what I talk about is music - here is the return of the random CDs. A little post and semi-review of what I've been bee bop buzzing around to.

CYNDI LAUPER - BRING YA TO THE BRINK (2008) It's actally kind of a clash of divas this week as some big shots came out with some new albums recently including Miss C - the deadly Cyn and her dance album Bring Ya To The Brink. I'm not the hugest fan of dance music but there are times you just want to bop, plus most of today's new dance music is just a throw back to 80's pop it seems and plus it's frickin' Cyndi and she can sing the phone book over a couple drum machines and it would probably make me happy. I say probably because on first listen this album didn't jab me the way every previous album by Cyndi has done. Opening with some guitar loops and a little thump "High & Mighty" is just too repetive but then comes the new single "Into The Nightlife" and once she hits the chorus I'm back in love, "pitter patter doesn't matter" she tells me and she's so right. Plus the great thing about Cyndi is most of her lyrics are always pretty upbeat - she wants people to feel good, particurlarly good about themselves and it comes shining through one the whole second half of the album. Cyndi never fully flies onto the dance floor like say Vadge Ciccone but Cyndi has always had more soul and to me relevance and so this little dance album just ups the ante in my eyes. Best cuts: "Into The Nightlife", the fun and bitchy "Same Ol Story", "Lay Me Down", "Set Your Heart" and just about everything else has moments of her glory - her voice is awesome.

DONNA SUMMER - CRAYONS (2008)
Where Cyndi's dance album relies heavily on synth beats and more subtle tones, our next diva declares not only in song but on the promo sheets as well "THE QUEEN IS BACK" and she ain't messin' with you. Donna Summer returned last month with her first album of new material since 1993! Crayons and its black and colored (and very much airbrushed cover photo) completely stands out and deserves to have reached #17 the week it came it out - her biggest in a long long time. Donna has a ton of collaborators on this very High NRG piece and it opens on a strong beat, practically throwing you onto the floor with "Stamp Your Feet", also highly infectious and pushy is the aforementioned "The Queen Is Back" with such clever lyrics as "so many years ago/ on the radio/ she loved to love you..." Gee who could she be talking about? Donna's voice is superb (as always) and each song is catchy as hell - my ultimate two favs are actually where she takes a break from the dance mode for a few moments - the title track is a duet with Ziggy Marley so it of course has a reggae-ish beat and the subject matter is every getting along despite color lines which makes it all that more enjoyable to me. I love it. I also love her poppy ballad "The Sand On My Feet" which could totally me my wedding song and a hit on pop radio for sure. With Crayons I think Donna has made one of her best albums yet and I can't stop frickin' listening to it. So buy it! Best cuts: "Crayons", "Sand On My Feet", "The Queen Is Back", "Stamp Your Feet"

DONNA SUMMER - ONCE UPON A TIME (1977)
Listening to Crayons got me so excited I decided it was time to bring out other classic Donna and just a few weeks ago I was at Amoeba when I stumbled across her 1977 set Once Upon A Time and luckily I bought that sucker up. I don't think anyone has ever given her enough credit.
What a complex little world Miss S lived in – “once upon a time there was a girl..” a girl and two boys actually who knew how to throw down grooves – be it pop standards, disco or electronica. Released in 1977 this was the first of four double albums released by Donna – all of which were huge hits which in itself is terribly unheard of.

Anyhoos, the whole concept and yes there is a concept here is that of a fairytale love – opening with the disco swinging title track we follow our heroine through her journey to find love only to see her stumble through life (the excellent and some what rock ish “Faster and Faster To Nowhere”), having to work the midnight shift, finding a love, losing the love and in the end having it all come around again.

It’s completely brilliant and Donna’s voice is of course amazing but it’s the whole ‘fairy tale’ concept that keeps this thing going through all these songs. Plus Donna with Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte came up with everything – there’s voice overs, there’s strings, horns, super cool electronics.

For some reason the album didn’t lend itself to singles very well as the only two singles released were “I Love You” and “Rumour Has It” – both of which are at the tale end of the album (i.e. once true love has come) but that doesn’t make this a loss at all – in fact it just makes it a stronger album.

Between Crayons and Once Upon A Time I am on a Summer kick. I just went to Amazon and got A Love Trilogy and Four Seasons Of Love – two albums with I Remember Yesterday – were the albums that preceded Once Upon A Time… I’m going to have me a fairy tale life too.

OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN - Totally Hot (1978)
After seeing Miss ONJ live in the flesh singing her songs for the very first time I swear I was beyond ecstatic - I had forgotten that I didn't even pee in the last 15 minutes and almost wet myself a little in excitement. So the following day when I had to walk to work I decided I needed a litle OnJ to kickstart my day. Luckily being the fan I am, I have them on remastered CD - thank you the land down under for your faboo imports.

Totally Hot was the first post-Grease album our girl released and she didn't pull out any stops - lookin' sizzlin' and totally hot on the album sleeve she decided to amp up the pop/rock a little bit and came out with two of her best singles, "A Little More Love" and "Deeper Than The Night" but the brilliance of that which is Olivia is everywhere. Opening with a piano/bass/almost dance song "Please Don't Keep Me Waitin'" turns into Olivia as an instrument - she is shrieking and scatting at the end and you can't tell if it's a synthesizer or her voice - it's one of the oh so many reasons I love her.

As anyone who knows our girl knows - she loves her ballads and she loves her country music so we have both in "Dancin' Round And Round" which isn't nearly as stimulating as her other two ballads - "Boats Against The Current" and my ultimate fav "Borrowed Time" which has super trouper Olivia vocal overdubs. Plus she rocks out a little (in pop style) with a cover of "Gimme Some Lovin'" and the excellant title track. You must have this you simply must. Best Tracks: "A Little More Love", "Totally Hot", "Deeper Than The Night", "Borrowed Time" - oh who am I fooling they're all great!

Next week there’ll be more and more CDs to talk about as I’ve been on another buying spree – so stay tuned because you know my opinion is oh so important in these matters and besides I know you’re itching to find out what I’m listening to.

Labels: Cyndi Lauper, Donna Summer, Olivia Newton-John, Random CDs

posted by swivek @ 1:01 PM 0 comments

It Starts With A C

I don't like to get too political - or at least not here on this little blog - but today I'm feeling a bit of an agenda - you see this morning I was listening to some news programs where a couple women were saying they were protesting all the sexism that went on during the Democratic debates of Obama and Hilary and so are thus supporting John McCain instead of the O - now I am all for protesting and the idea that sexism was involved seems important but do these women really think John McCain is less of a sexist than Obama? And do we all have to pay by having another Republican in office just cause Hilary wasn't the nominee?

Meanwhile news came out also that in some private confrontation in his home that John McCain called his wife a ... well I can't really say it... but in the words of Bette Midler, "it starts with a c ends with a t and it's 'cunt'" Now that seems a bit sexist to me... but whatever

Another meanwhile - my sister called me to inform me that our nephew is going into the Marines. My brother had told me Jared was thinking about it and I adamantly said I didn't think it was a good idea unless he really, really had a desire to be in the military - call me selfish but I'm terribly afraid they are going to ship his ass off to Iraq the minute he finishes basic training - but according to him he scored on the tests in the top 10% and the Marine dudes told him he had his choice of what he wanted to do - he wants to work on jets and planes so maybe we'll luck out. In good news about it all he will be in San Diego for training and that's only a couple hours from me - which means in even better news I practically have free passes to Fleet Week!

We are all proud of him but I can't help but be a tad scared as well though my bro insists Obama will be in office in January and the war will be over - since Jared goes in around February maybe we'll luck out.

Whew! All this politics talk got me going so for a cool down let's listen to one of MY favorite songs from one of MY favorite artists from one of MY best albums - Why it's Thursday's Swivek song - and this time we have a little sassy tune about politics from the Army Fatigue album (2005)



To download Swivek - Wasteland click here:
WASTELAND





Today's walk to work was sponsored (not by Swivek) but by:
Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Armed Forces

Labels: Elvis Costello, Marines, My Life In La La Land, Polidicks, Swivek

posted by swivek @ 11:40 AM 0 comments

Never The Bridesmaid

So there's more wedding news to be had - it seems that those bastages in the night that think I'm a second class citizen are tyring to get a vote to make California's state constitution define marriage as between a man and woman only thus the new Supreme Court status that just declared discriminating against gay marriage as unconstitutional so where does that leave homos that get married starting June 17th?





Today's walk to work is sponsored by:

Labels: Bjork, bub99 Cyndi Lauper, Gay Marriage, My Life In La La Land, The Leivas

posted by swivek @ 3:22 PM 2 comments

BubbaTUNESDAY - bub124 and bub125

That's right we have a two-fer for you - no it's not Taco Tuesday instead it's Timmy Tuesday - two lovely new Bubbatunes from the erstwhile crazed Mr. Body from my fav movie Clue, though some might know him from another little film he did a few years before -

that's right it's Tim Curry kiddies - yay!

bub124 TIM CURRY - Fearless
Sometime around 1978 Tim decided it was time he put that deep voice to vinyl and released an album called FrankNFurter sings - no, I'm just kidding, it was actually called Read My Lips and I couldn't find it anywhere. But The Leivas insisted Tim did some albums and remembered having a great version of "Summer In The City" by Tim so I started tracking down the vinyl. The first one I found didn't include "Summer.." and it wasn't Read My Lips but it is an album The Leivas also had - our first of our two-fer Fearless.

It's an interesting little combination of songs that came out in 1979 - a louder rocking song combining Tim's deep voice with his strangeness - the opening cuts "Right On The Money" and "Hide This Face" are both strangely alluring though it's the single "I Do The Rock" that really gets things rolling - "Edith Sitwell giving readings/ 14 Moscow Road/ Osbert giving champagne parties/ Sachi's got a cold/ Gertrude's hanging pictures/ Alice is making tea/ Me I do the only thing that still makes sense to me/ I do the rock..." It was his one and only hit and it's something everyone should own.

The rest of Fearless keeps up in pretty much the same vein though we do get a couple of soulful ballads (in a sense) "No Love In The Street" and "SOS" are both really good and almost as good as "I Do The Rock". While "Something Short Of Paradise" is really really cool - like I mean really really cool and probably could have been a huge hit though he may have then found himself in that strange world of Billy Joel-ish pop songs, but still he was clever enough to pump out rock and roll just as easily as this cool and dry little acoustic ballad.

The remaining songs including Joni Mitchell's "Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire" and the Cher-ish (cher circa 1979) "Charge It" which is pretty pointless but the whole thing gets a real makeover with "Paradise Garage" a song about the club that combines some disco elements with the rock sound a la "Hot Stuff" - "Baby's got a dream and she can boogie/ Daddy's got a groove that's coming clean/ Mama's got a vision of a permanet position/ Me I'm oiling up my dance machine..." with its bass line and sax it's like a cross of "Hot Stuff" and "Draw Of The Cards" by Kim Carnes. Oh yeah it's that good and it makes the album all that much more fun.

Because I couldn't find Read My Lips in its entirety I did happen to find Tim's cover of Dionne's "Anyone Who Had A Heart" which is just as bombastic as you'd think it would be and is put on Fearless as a bonus cut.

Tim Curry - Fearless bub124
(June 10, 2008)
Tracklist:
01. Right On The Money 02. Hide This Face 03. I Do The Rock 04. S.O.S. 05. Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire 06. Paradise Garage 07. No Love On The Street 08. Something Short Of Paradise 09. Charge It
Bonus Track
10. Anybody Who Had A Heart

Download Tim Curry - Fearless:
http://rapidshare.com/files/121574836/bub124_Tim_Curry_-_Fearless.zip.html






bub125 Tim Curry - Simplicity

Tim's last album Simplicity came out in 1981 and it's definitely my favorite in his trio of tunes. Opening up with the new wave-ish reggae and strangley brilliant "Working On My Tan" it only gets better from there. A super cool and excited version of "She's Not There" leads into the title ballad and more boppiness with "On A Roll" before even more new wave vibes on my favorite cut "Take Me I'm Yours."

But Simplicity keeps on pumping with another super cool cover - this time a very interesting take on an already interesting ditty, "Dancing In The Streets". The not too exciting "Betty Jean" follows but then it's "Out Of Pawn" a more rocking fare, before the aforementioned "Summer In The City" that the Leivas so was looking forward to it, and what do you know he was right - it is a great version (though I love "She's Not There" so much more)...

Simplicity ends in another intense Tim Curry moment with a jazzy and brooding (of course) version of "I Put A Spell On You" and all this great ferocity should keep you going until I finally get Read My Lips together (that's right beatches I finally found a vinyl copy!)

Tim Curry - Simplicity (bub125)
(June 10, 2008)
Track List:
01. Working On My Tan 02. She's Not There 03. Simplicity 04. On A Roll 05. Take Me I'm Yours 06. Dancing In The Streets 07. Betty Jean 08. Out Of Pawn 09. Summer In The City 10. I Put A Spell On You

Download Tim Curry - Simplicity:
http://rapidshare.com/files/121577856/bub125_Tim_Curry_-_Simplicity.zip.html

Labels: bub124, bub125, BubbaTUNESday, Fearless, Simplicity, Tim Curry

posted by swivek @ 5:50 PM 2 comments

Up and (Hung) Over

What a frickin' weekend - I am finally climbing out from the rubble that was my hang over - which was no small feat let me tell ya as I started drinking around 5:30 pm on Friday and stopped sometime around Sunday at 11.

In between I prided myself out and spent many a moment at the beer tent and saw a few shows, you know the cool of the cool - Shitting Glitter and Olivia Newton-John. Stay tuned for pictures (I know I say that all the time but I mean it)

Then it all ended with having to work yesterday - ugh! I hate that. The Leivas took the day off but it does take him a bit longer to get over drinking - as he is way way older than I am - I am but a measely trophy wife.

Our big gay life was filled last night with watching the New Now Next Awards (ugh! though Cyndi Lauper did perform) and watching Juno which I've had from Netflix since it came out on DVD sometime last year. All to which I have to say, the movie was all right but highly, highly overrated.

Tonight we will resume with another in our line of Bubbatunes for Bubbatunesday so stay tuned..

Monday's walk to work was sponsored by

Olivia Newton-John 'Totally Hot'

Labels: Drunkenest Gal in town, My Life In La La Land, Olivia Newton-John

posted by swivek @ 11:20 AM 0 comments

Eat Ur Heart Out Mike Chapman

This weekend is Gay Pride here in La La Land and I couldn't be more excited as it means two of my favorite things - drinking outside in the hot sun and listening to live music. I know, you're jealous you can't be as big of a drunk as I am, but hey I've had years of practice.

Including such exciting news as Olivia Newton frickin John playing a set, my pals in Shitting Glitter have a whole Sunday of performances, playing at the Java Joint on the corner twice plus a set in the Erotic City section - yes we have an Erotic City section - jealous still aren't you?

Anyhoos its, before I get to see my pals perform or drink in the sun, I've been approached to do a project - just like that day so many years ago when Fai Light from Korea approached me to write music and mix for him, I am producing a track for Shitting Glitter. I know! Can you even believe it. I hope they aren't as hard to work with as that bastard from Swivek.

Regardless of how difficult and how much sweat goes into the project, there's one thing for certain, I have to get my ass in gear and start working on it or I'll be fired. Shitting Glitter has a single coming out in June (shit, this month!) and I'm doing one of the B-sides so quit talking to me, I've got work to do!

Labels: Fai Light, Mike Chapman, My Life In La La Land, Shitting Glitter, Swivek

posted by swivek @ 10:30 AM 2 comments

BubbaTUNESday - bub123

We're finally back with an all new BubbaTUNESday, I know, you've missed it. Well never fear for I am here.

Today we look at a Bubbatune that miraculously showed up in downloadable ways a few weeks after I made it - go figure. But just like any great album of yore, they miss the bonus tracks and snazzy azz artwork I come up with, so we still have something talk about today, as we venture into the late 80's dance/rock/pop of EG Daily and her debut album Wild Child!




bub123 EG Daily - Wild Child

First a little background on our chanteuse, EG began as an actress under the name Elizabeth Daily where she appeared in one of my all time roles and films - as Loren in Valley Girl, then she started singing doing two synthy dance songs with Giorgio Moroder for the Scarface soundtrack (both 1983), before doing a little more acting, a little more singing ("Love in the Shadows" for 1984's Theif Of Hearts). There's a few other things to note of our girl, 1. she was married to and has children by Rick Soloman, the slutty boy who slept with Paris Hilton and then released the sex tape and 2. She does a ton of voice over work including Tommy in The Rugrats and Babe, the pig in the second Babe movie...

but we are here to talk about her eighteenth career, her singing.

After scoring the aforementioned soundtrack cuts, she finally got her own record contract with A&M and that's where we come in. The album Wild Child was released in 1986 and was produced by EG and her writing partner at the time, plus songs were also produced by Harold Faltermeyer and Jellybean "Benitez" who also wrote liner notes on the back of the album - something not really heard of in 1986.

As for the music, it's a hybrid of sounds from those producers - dance ditties in that Madonna True Blue tradition including EG's biggest hit, "Say It Say It", some poppiness and rock, and even a bit of synthiness with her cover of Donna Summer's "Sunset People" - produced by the original writer Faltermeyer.

It's probably no surprise that it's the rock/pop parts I like the best - opening with EG doing her best little girl imitation, the album starts with pounding on stairs, a knock on the door and a whisper, "Hey is anybody there?" before breaking into the opener, "Is Anybody Home?" - it's a great song, followed by the equally great "Little Toy" - "You keep pushing all the wrong buttons baby, one day this little toy is gonna break down, break down.." it's sassy and fun. The third song is my favorite of her early singles, "Love In The Shadows" - a raspy, dance/rock hybrid that is steamy and fun.

From there we get a little ballad in "Just For You" - a song she actually remade a few years ago for her more ballady album Tearing Down The Walls (though it was cut from the original album), it's dedicated to Jon Erik Hexum, who was an actor/model who committed suicide in 1984 and I do believe dated Miss Daily for awhile. It's a touching song and not too sappy considering the premise.

Though the album doesn't have any duds per se, there are a few moments that don't shine as bright as the first four - "Hey There Rocky" is a fun little dancy number with EG squealing in her Betty Boop-ish best voice but other than the fun of it, it's not much more than a filler before heading to the first single and hit (#1 on the dance charts people #1!) "Say It Say It" which totally could've been done by Miss M but it wouldn't be as good as EG ("if you want my love say it say it")

The title track comes next and again it's not all that much to get excited by, but the following track, "Don't Let Them Take The Child Away" is rocking in those oh so great 80's way, it's a poppy rock confection about something I can't quite grasp, it reminds me of Kim Wilde's "Cambodia" - yet not quite as forboding.

The moody dance rock song "Waiting" follows and it's yet another soundtrack EG did prior to recording the album, this time it's from the John Hughes great The Breakfast Club. The song is one of her best and was somehow overlooked by that other big song on the soundtrack ("Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" for those not in the 80s know)

The original Wild Child ends with her cover of Donna's "Sunset People" and though she does a great job on it, mostly by not venturing too far off from the original, she is no Donna Summer and the more poppy performance of the music takes away the cool and dark vibes of the original.

But with at least 7 of 10 songs being super cool and totally tubular, a few little not so great songs is nothing to shy from. Luckily for everyone, EG herself has taken to the web and you can now download this long out of print album on Itunes and Amazon!

But this is the Bubbatunes version so we don't stop there - no siree bob, we head into the bonus tracks with the super cool 12" versions of "Say It Say It", plus the even more cool 12" version of "Love In The Shadows", plus a glimpse into EG's endless soundtrack work.

My ultimate favorite EG song ever is the rocking Rupert Hine produced song "One Way Love (Better Off Dead)" from the 1987 film Better Off Dead. It's a great song and should've been a big hit. But what I didn't realize was EG did a second song for the soundtrack album, a more poppy song called "A Little Luck" full of overdubs and her more scratchy vocal take, it's a real gem to have.

Also included are the two songs she did for Scarface, the dancy songs "Shake It Up" and "I'm Hot Tonight" both of which are pretty good but are mostly exciting in only to have that piece of Giorgio Moroder 1983 sound - this is the same soundtrack that launced Debbie Harry's "Rush Rush".

If EG's "Say It Say It" is her most 'famous' hit, then a close second has to be "Mind Over Matter" from the Summer School soundtrack. The original was recorded by Debbie Harry (one more DH reference) and produced by Stock Aiken Waterman but had the kabush put on it when Debbie's record company Geffen wouldn't let her release it so EG got it and totally ran with it. One of the best of those late 80s dance drum machine beats. - Meanwhile A&M (EG's label) released the 12" while Chrysalis Records released the soundtrack and the 7" single version. Record companies are so strange. (EG did one more song on the Summer School soundtrack but we didn't have enough room kids)

After Wild Child, EG took a bit of time off from making an album but came back in 1989 with Lace Around The Wound - which was totally hard to find, but since finding a vinyl copy of it for $12 and a CD version of it for $5 (love Ebay!), EG has released that for download as well. I'm currently working on a Bubbatunes version with some bonuses but we'll see where it goes. Meanwhile check out EG's website and download her music - she needs some moolah to pay for her kids you know.

EG Daily - Wild Child (bub123)
Track List:
01. Is Anybody Home? 02. Little Toy 03. Love In The Shadows 04. Just For You 05. Hey There Rocky 06. Say It, Say It 07. Wild Child 08. Don't Let Them Take The Child Away 09. Waiting 10. Sunset People
Bonus Tracks
11. One Way Love (Better Off Dead) 12. A Little Luck 13. Say It Say It (Extended Version) 14. Mind Over Matter 15. Love In The Shadows (Extended Version) 16. Shake It Up 17. I'm Hot Tonight

Download:
http://rapidshare.com/files/114745224/bub123_EG_Daily_-_Wild_Child.zip

Labels: 80s dance, bub123, BubbaTUNESday, EG Daily, The Breakfast Club, Valley Girl, Wild Child

posted by swivek @ 5:43 PM 3 comments

Just Like A White Winged Drunk

It all started with a mimosa at brunch, that turned into four mimosas in all and continued with two bottles of White Merlot, endless drunk dialing and it all ended with me spinning around my room to the songs of Stevie Nicks - yes, that was my Sunday night..

and I felt I must share the story with you, for those who either didn't get a call or just wanted to read about my life today.

I've been a tad slow with the blog posts but that's cuz it was MY BIRTHDAY MONTH and I was on vacation for two weeks while my mommy, sister and genius nephew visisted me.

So stay tuned for pix and stories on that - and for now here you can also enjoy the likes of Stevie Nicks - or her tribute band Bella Donna, which we happened to see Memorial Day Weekend at the street fair in Hermosa Beach - not as good as Stevie for real, but she certainly has the moves down:
http://www.belladonna-music.com/

for the real deal, why not relive Edge Of Seventeen, it's a damn fine tune and sounds even better when I'm not twirling around in my room, slurring the words and singing ever so slightly off key.

Labels: Bella Donna, My Life In La La Land, Stevie Nicks

posted by swivek @ 12:01 PM 0 comments