Bradley's Buzz

Blondes To The Musical Rescue

ONLY 6 DAYS UNTIL MY BIRTHDAY!

As if my birthday wasn't cause enough to celebrate the impending CD releases coming up certainly are. A few of my favorite one time blondes have some stuff coming out and I can barely contain myself.

First up former Concrete Blonde singer/bassist Johnette Napolitano is releasing her first official solo album (she's had two internet CDs prior). The CD is called Scarred and it comes out May 29, 2007. You can hear some of the songs at her My Space page and check out the list of tour dates - she is probably coming to a town near you.







And you can pre-order Johnette's Scarred Cd by clicking here.

Then the gal known as Debbie Harry and her boys of Blondie have another reissue coming out but this time it's uber cool.. finally after years and years of waiting the Eat To The Beat music video (all 12 songs in video form from 1979) is finally having a release though instead of just buying the DVD you get the combo album/DVD. The album is the remastered version of the 1979 hit and probably my all time favorite Blondie album plus you get the DVD that only a few people in the world have (Bubbatunes did a DVDR version for Christmas).

Labels: Blondie, Concrete Blonde, Deborah Harry, Eat To The Beat DVD, Johnette Napolitano, Necessary Evil, New Music Releases, Scarred, Swivek

posted by swivek @ 12:13 PM 0 comments

# 65-61

It's got to be a strange twist of fate that brings us ever closer to the top as we count down the TOP 100 SINGLES OF THE 80s! Now let's go on to numbers 65-61!

65. TWIST OF FATE – Olivia Newton-John
(Kipner/Beckett)
MCA single #52284 (US)/ EMI single #5438 (UK)
Chart Debut: November 15, 1984 (US)/ November
Chart Position: #3 US / #50 UK

I don’t care how corny it may sound to some people but Olivia Newton-John is one of my all time favorite singers. I love just about everything she ever does or records. I have loved her when she was country, I loved her when she went Sandy sass, through her endless aerobic workouts, her synth pops and her sultry late 80s look. It’s Grease that really made me a Livvie lover and I’ve never looked back.

“Twist Of Fate” came out a few years after the huge success of Grease but it was with John Travolta that Liv was once again connected to when they made the 1983 film Two Of A Kind, from which this single is taken. Now the movie isn’t nearly as bad as the critics want you to believe. It’s a little tale about divine intervention where the big guy in the sky will only stop the destruction of the world should two unlikely people put aside their dastardly habits and find love in each other (our heroes).

Interestingly enough, one doesn’t have to sit through the movie to get the gist of the storyline for its all right there in the song’s lyrics – “Do we deserve a second chance/ how did we fall into this circumstance?/ we weren’t so straight and narrow/ this is much more than we deserve/ a higher voice has called the tune/ two hearts that lost their beat will now resume/ the gift of life extension/ by divine intervention…” Oh yes, thumping along over an oh so 1983 synth line Livvie tells us it must be a twist of fate telling us that Heaven can wait.. and if the song wasn't thrilling enough just look at how cool Livvie looks on the record jacket! Watch the video!

64. I DON’T WANT YOUR LOVE – Duran Duran
(LeBon/Rhodes/Taylor)
Capitol single #44237 (US)/ Parlophone single #YOUR1 (UK)
Chart Debut: October 22, 1988 (US)/ October 1, 1988 (UK)
Chart Position: #4 US / #14 UK

I always liked Duran Duran but never got on the big New Romantic phase that they were such a part of. My friends were all over the boys of Duran and my best pal Melsie swore Nick Rhodes was the hottest piece of Duran meat ever. But other than a few songs here and there after “Planet Earth” in 1981, I didn’t run out to buy the latest Duran merchandise. That is until “I Don’t Want Your Love” and its parent album Big Thing came out in 1988. At the time I was going through my teenage runaway schtick and my gal pal Ryanne would pick me up every night in her yellow and black Omni O24 and take us off to work at the Crack’d Pot Café. This song was one of the oh so many gems we would jam to as we headed through the night. For some reason all of my teenage lust and bitterness was exemplified in this Duran Duran song and the dead on sexual energy of the songs lyrics still make me feel like a teenager and when those background b-girls chime in, come on – it’s pure magic. Watch the video!

63. MICKEY – Toni Basil
(Mike Chapman/Nicky Chinn)
Chrysalis single #2638/ Radialchoice single #TIC4 (UK)
Chart Debut: October 9, 1982 (US)/ February 6, 1982 (UK)
Position: #1 US / #2 UK

Toni Basil’s album Word Of Mouth is one of the most overlooked albums in the new wave era of the early 1980s. Working with the Mothersbaugh brothers of Devo and covering two of their songs, this album has new wave all over it. But alas everyone only remembers “Mickey”, but that isn’t necessarily a crying shame because “Mickey” is one of the most fun singles to come out of the era. Since everyone knows the song I won’t go into much detail about but will instead give you some tid bits of trivia you probably will never need to know.
1. “Mickey” is a cover of a song called “Kitty” which was sung from the male perspective.
2. Toni Basil only recorded the album because she wanted to make the videos. Word Of Mouth was released as a video and an album at the same time.
3. The cheerleading stomps were not in the original “Kitty” song. Toni added them as she wanted to make the video with cheerleading choreography.
4. Toni Basil was and is a world class choreographer who has done dance numbers for films including some Elvis Presley movies and has been Bette Midler’s choreography since the early 70s.
5. Terry Ellis, the head of Chrysalis Records released “Mickey” as a single after his young daughter heard it and couldn’t stop singing it.
Check out the video!

62. HAPPY BIRTHDAY – Concrete Blonde
(Concrete Blonde)
IRS single #102096
Released: 1989
Chart Position: -

In the liner notes for the remastered version of Concrete Blonde’s Free – the album which spawned the “Happy Birthday” single – Midwest born Kevin Couch states, “Growing up in the Midwest I would often romanticize about what life would be like in Los Angeles. No one painted a more vivid picture than Concrete Blonde. This was a darker Los Angeles where one could find crippling frustration, helplessness and even loneliness on their birthday. However, behind it all there was a strong feeling of empowerment and independence.” Reading his statements, I realized the whole thing could’ve been written by me. Like Kevin, I had absolutely no dillusions about the city of angels when I moved here, and a lot of that had to do with the countless hours I listened to Concrete Blonde.

”Happy Birthday” shows the desolatation and loneliness one can feel all alone in the cold city – particularly alone on your own birthday. “Outside in the hall, there’s a cat fight/ it’s just after midnight/ I guess I’ll be all right/ I’m laid out on the floor/ drunk and poor…” The coolest part about the song is Johnette isn’t terribly bothered about her situation, she just smokes out the window, stares at her ceiling stain and wishes herself a happy birthday while a poppy little song plays behind her. One more brilliant gem from the brilliant mind of Johnette Napolitano. Watch the video!

61. LOVE IS A STRANGER - Eurythmics
(Annie Lennox/Dave A Stewart)
RCA single #13618 (US)/ #DA1 (UK)
Chart Debut: October 15, 1983 (US)/ April 9, 1983 (UK)
Chart Position: #23 US / #3 UK

Where “Happy Birthday” hides its glumness inside cheery music, Annie and Dave make no qualms in “Love Is A Stranger” about being in moody territory and they are going to suck you in whether you like or it or not. “Love is a stranger of a different kind…” so the song goes, and Annie tells us love will temp you in and tear you apart, love is like a drug that after only one taste you won’t get enough of the stuff, and of course love is the ultimate monster which leaves you walking around like a zombie. With Dave’s edgy synth sounds and Annie’s powerful pipes you’d think I would’ve paid more attention to her warnings. Watch the video here!

We've had dangerous love monsters, lust, lonely birthdays and divine intervention so come back tomorrow as we keep on moving and see what other treasures the top 100 singles has to offer us as we head to numbers 60-56!

Labels: Concrete Blonde, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Olivia Newton-John, Toni Basil, Top 100 Singles Of the 1980s

posted by swivek @ 3:58 PM 0 comments

# 80-76

and we continue our countdown with numbers 80-76!




80. FLASHDANCE…WHAT A FEELING – Irene Cara
(Cara/Forsey/Moroder)
Casablanca Single #811440Chart Debut: April 16, 1983 (US)/
June 4, 1983 (UK)
Chart Position: #1 US/ #2 UK

Flashdance was the very first R rated movie I ever got to see in a theater. My mother, bless her, took me and though there were a few breasts and some lesbian jokes, I don’t think the movie warped my little brain as some would think an R rated movie might.

As for the soundtrack, well, hello if it wasn’t one of the best soundtracks of the 80s I’d like to hear what you think were. With the likes of Donna Summer (“Romeo”), Laura Branigan (“Imagination”), Kim Carnes ("I’ll Be Here Where The Heart Is”) not to mention the “Maniac” ditty by Michael Sembello it has it all.Yes, with songs like this a welder by day/dancer by night with dreams of being a ballerina never had it so good. Plus the film gave a very hot lesson on how to eat lobster and massage a penis with your foot under the prying eyes of an ex-girlfriend. Oh, what the 80s taught me.

“Flashdance…What A Feeling” is of course the song that ushered out the movie and the soundtrack. Sung by the luminous Irene Cara – she had a deep voice with just the right amount of sassiness to it. Her biggest hits up to this point were from the Fame soundtrack including the hit title track and my boyfriend’s favorite – the ballad “Out Here On My Own.” But this is the essential Irene Cara.

Sung with gusto and a thumping dance beat, the song begins as a slightly exciting ballad until it explodes. I swear every time I hear it, I am right there with Jennifer Beals' stunt double dancing my way through life. However, now days, the horrid image of the other Jennifer with her big ass parading through my movie also comes to mind…but I just throw on the rest of the soundtrack and J. Lo is long gone by the time Kim Carnes starts crooning. See Irene singing Flashdance live.

79. LOVE’S BEEN A LITTLE BIT HARD ON ME – Juice Newton
(Gary Burr)
Capitol Single #5120
Chart Debut: May 22, 1982
Chart Position: #7 US Pop/ #30 US C&W

I would pass Juice Newton off as just a guilty pleasure if I didn’t firmly believe that she is a very talented vocalist, and whenever I hear her songs, I really am quite taken in. In fact I did a bubbatunes compilation of hers which ends up in rotation more often than I care to admit. When I was a kid, I ran out and bought her singles as they came out, I got “Angel Of The Morning” and I bought “Queen Of Hearts” and then I bought the whole album Juice that spawned the singles, since I loved the B-sides as well. But then the next album was released in 1982 and this poppy little piece of country called “Love’s Been A Little Bit Hard On Me” was thrown onto the radio. Of all her singles this is the one I love the most. You will also notice the song debuted on the chart on my birthday - I won't tell you which year I appeared but I thought it was failry interesting that it was the same month and day.

As for the song itself, it is similar to “Queen Of Hearts” but less country than that song – we find Juice singing overdubs like a regular Pat Benatar along with a synthy twinge telling the story of her ill fated romances. Plus the video was a complete riot with Juice’s boyfriend inadvertently causing much damage to Juice’s physique by clumsy mishaps, because, well love was a little bit hard on her. Watch the video!

78. TRUE COLORS – Cyndi Lauper
(Tom Kelly/Billy Steinberg)
Portrait Single #37-06247
Chart Debut: September 13, 1986 (US)/ September 20, 1986 (UK)
Chart Position: #1 US / #12 UK

Long before it became a Kodak commercial or a trite Phil Collins cover, Cyndi Lauper owned this ballad. Using the most minimal instrumentation, Cyndi relied on her strong voice to lead us through a subdued anthem about believing in one’s self. Written by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg – two boys who had begun their career by writing with or for Pat Benatar (“Fire & Ice”, “I’m Gonna Follow You” respectively) the two joined forces in 1984 and wrote “Like A Virgin” which interestingly enough was originally conceived as a ballad and for Pat Benatar. They’ve obviously since become media whores selling “True Colors” and their next Cyndi recorded song “I Drove All Night” to advertising companies but Cyndi has since reclaimed “True Colors” at least as her own – creating a special gay rights anthem - for we gay people are beautiful like a rainbow – or at least I am. Watch the video.

77. THE STROKE – Billy Squier
(Billy Squier)
Capitol Single #5005
Chart Debut: June 20, 1981 (US)/
October 3, 1981 (UK)
Chart Position: #17 US / #52 UK

Speaking of gay and beautiful, I had the hugest crush on Billy Squier as a kid. I thought he was so cute and so cool. I always thought he was singing directly to me when he would yelp his little rock songs. In 1981, when “The Stroke” came out, I was but a wee tyke addicted to buying 7” singles. Luckily, the record store sold them 3 for $5 so every time I saved enough allowance, I would beg for a ride to the store and I would get my three 45s. I remember the day I bought this single. My mother drove me to Shopko but she decided to wait in the car, as she didn’t want me wandering all day long in the store, as I had a tendency to do. So I ran into the store, searched and came out with my 3 – this time around we got “Queen Of Hearts” by Juice Newton, Pat Benatar’s “Fire & Ice” and this little oomphy number, “The Stroke.”
Interestingly enough (at least to me Billy ended up touring that summer opening for my girl Patty.)

I was way too young to really understand what Billy was implying or saying but I did know it felt dirty and I liked it. Actually to this day I’m quite surprised the song was ever played on the radio – “Stroke me, stroke! Stroke me, stroke! Say you’re a winner but boy you’re just a sinner now.” What was he saying and why did I like it so much? Apprantly, the real story is the song is about creepy music executives and the stroking of egos but I like to keep my mind more entrenched in the gutter.

As for my Billy, around 1990, I had heard he actually came out as being gay, but now I can't find any proof of it other than his performances in his videos which look a tad bit well, gay. But I really think he is gay and my gay dar is pretty damn good, and I thought he was way back then so the whole line about “make my back bone slide” and the fact I felt he was singing to me only means one thing – my gaydar was pretty intense even as a small child. Watch the performance video (and check out those jeans!) No wonder I'm gay! How many times did the word 'gay' appear in this synopsis???

76. TRUE – Concrete Blonde
(Mankey/Napolitano)
IRS Single #53053
Released: 1987
Chart Position: #42 Mainstream Rock US

Johnette Napolitano is a grunge poetess who creates interesting and believable stories in almost every song she writes. “True” is no exception to her brilliant rule, and it’s probably one of her more personal stories. To me and my best pal Lisa, this song became one of our theme songs and lines like, “When I’ve had enough/I’ll get a pick up truck and I’ll drive away/ I’ll take my last ten bucks just as far as it will go…” became something of a mantra for me. I moved to Minneapolis with $20 in my pocket and hopped a bus to LA with less than $50 and no job. But it’s also the line, “If I had a choice I’d take the voice I’ve got cause it was hard to find/I’ve come too far to wind up right back where I started,” really speaks to me. Melodically, “True” is a pop song with a simple guitar line dipping into country twang, but lyrically it’s a power house anthem that uplifts you anytime you to begin to have self doubt, for as long as you’re true those monkeys can never make a mess of you. Watch the video!

Stay true and stay tuned for tomorrow we countdown numbers 75-71!

Labels: Billy Squier, Concrete Blonde, Cyndi Lauper, Irene Cara, Juice Newton, Top singles of the 1980s

posted by swivek @ 1:42 PM 0 comments