Category: music

Sunday rewind: INXS

Ready to rewind?  As a girl who discovered music in the 80's, I'm always ready for the rewind.  That being said, I thought we'd take a look at a band I fell in love with back around 1985 and that love was cemented with their contribution to my favorite 80's movie, Pretty in Pink.

It's INXS.  As we do here on the Sunday rewind, we'll overdose on nostalgia and watch some primo videos from back in the day.  Today it's mainly from INXS' 1985 album, Listen Like Thieves, as this was my introduction to the band.   The album still holds up, it's great rock and roll fun and I think most of the songs could be released today to great fanfare.  And can I tell you how much I'm looking forward to the new album the band is recording as a tribute to their late lead singer, Michael Hutchence?  Brandon Flowers of The Killers is singing on one track.  I just hope they tackle some of their early stuff, it's just fab.

Anyway, here are a few great songs for your Sunday.  First up is "The One Thing," followed by "Shine Like it Does," and "Do Wot U Do" from Pretty in Pink.  You didn't think I would leave that one out, now did you?  Lastly is my favorite INXS song, "What You Need."  Enjoy. 




Sunday rewind: Tears For Fears and mixed tapes

Welcome to Sunday.  In running down my iTunes 80’s playlist I’m thinking who to rewind to this week.  We’ve seen The Go-Go’s, Human League, Thompson Twins, and ABC — some of my 80’s faves and after a couple of weeks off, I’m back with another superfantastic band: Tears For Fears. 

Who didn’t love Tears For Fears back in the day?  I wore out my Songs From the Big Chair tape and I don’t care who knows it.  That tape was the jam, yo.  I’m pretty sure that was the first album I appreciated as a whole, as opposed to all the mixed tapes I had. 

Can we talk about the mix tape for a second?  Is there nothing better than the mix tape?  It was the precursor to the iTunes playlist.  It was the prescursor to all those “Now, that’s what I call music” and “Rock of the 80’s” and “Soulful Hits of the 70’s” tapes and cds.   I doubt I’m the first one to say that, but isn’t it true?  I loved a good mix tape and now I get so much pleasure out of making playlists — I could be a professional playlist maker.  The best thing about it is you can make your playlist reflect whatever you want and call it whatever awesomeness you can think of.  By far my best playlist is “Kerry’s 80’s.”  And it’s my 80’s because you will not find hair bands or Michael Bolton or Tiffany.  Absolutely no (cough) Richard Marks or (gag) New Kids on the Block.   I rather enjoy titling things as well.  I remember once having a mixed tape titled Just Awesome and making a tape for a friend called Music You Need.  Those were the days. 

Back to Tears for Fears.  First up is the video that made me go for a minor in Library Science and started my love of the preppy guy look, “Head Over Heels.”  Love a cute guy in a collared sweater.  Oh, the 80’s!   And more preppiness in “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.”  I just want to go to put on some leggings, an Outback Red sweater, my Swatch watch, some Eastlands and watch Real Genius.  Lastly, enjoy “Shout” and have a great Sunday afternoon. 



Sunday rewind: ABC

It's Sunday and time to rewind.  You know how it goes, I'll tell you a little about a band from the 80's playlist on my iPod and hopefully find the original videos from YouTube.

Today it's ABC!  I love me some ABC.  Martin Fry and company are still fab in my opinion.  They're another one of my British synth bands and yes, Martin has the floppy hair I love, even if he is blond (can't hold that against him).  Martin gave singing and dancing lessons to Hugh Grant for the film Music and Lyrics, and if you watch the videos you'll see why.  And my guy could rock a tux back in the day, y'all.  And the gold tux — shut up.  So fabulous. 

Here are "When Smokey Sings," "Poison Arrow," and "The Look of Love."  Enjoy.  Next week I'll dig up something equally amazing, although I doubt the band will be as well dressed as ABC.  ABC gets my Snazzy Dressers of the 80's Award that I just made up. 



tunes you need Tuesday: Gin Blossoms

When I think of bands I could listen to no matter my mood, Gin Blossoms is right up there with Natalie Merchant, Lemonheads, and REM.  Gin Blossoms were one of the first bands to master the power pop genre and they still do it well.  I love this band for their sound and lyrics.  And how can you not love a band who takes its name from a phrase about W.C. Fields' nose?  I love a rock band with a sense of humor. 

My first experience with Gin Blossoms was their 2nd album and first major label release, New Miserable Experience in 1992.  This album is a classic in alternative power pop that debuted when Nirvana and Pearl Jam and the rest of the grunge bands were enjoying a heyday.  New Miserable Experience was a breath of fresh air to me, as I hated the grunge bands and was waiting for a band like Gin Blossoms to come along.  The album yielded some great tunes, including "Found Out About You" and "Hey Jealousy," which both went to #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart.  Many of the songs on the album deal with drinking, unrequited love, and complicated relationships.  "Mrs. Rita" is about seeing a tarot card reader for advice on love — not something you hear everyday.   I found some great footage of Gin Blossoms in Chicago from their DVD, so here's a treat: "29" and "Cheatin." "Cheatin" has a country flair and has a great line, "you can't call it cheatin', she reminds me of you."

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In 1996 they released Congratulations…I'm Sorry and the song "Follow You Down" went to #9, but the album didn't fare to well and Gin Blossoms broke up the next year.  Singer Robin Wilson and drummer Phillip Rhodes started the Gas Giants and the other members went in different directions until the end of 2001 when Gin Blossoms reformed.  Yea!   This is what Wilson had to say about reuniting, "We always said our breakup wasn't forever and right now we're all
feeling like we want to be Gin Blossoms again. We make a noise together
that we can't make otherwise. We respect and appreciate that we need
each other to create that sound. This time we hope to avoid being
swallowed by the chaos." 

Turns out the still had it.  Gin Blossoms released Major Lodge Victory in 2006 and it's a good album.  The word on the street is Gin Blossoms is working on a new album for this year and I can't wait.  If you haven't given the band a listen until now I hope you'll find them as fun as I do.  I'll leave you with "Learning the Hard Way" from Major Lodge Victory, it's a great song for a Tuesday. 

Sunday rewind: The Thompson Twins

The Thompson Twins are an must-have on your 80's iPod playlist.  As I've told you, on Sunday's we'll be running down my 80's playlist for songs you need to have and it would be a travesty to omit Thompson Twins.  You know the Twins.  They were part of our life soundtrack, Molly Ringwald kissed Jake Ryan (I still heart Jake Ryan) to "If You Were Here" sitting on the dining room table over her birthday cake in Sixteen Candles and we all sighed.  I think I need a moment.  Let's all take a moment and watch the ending of Sixteen Candles when Jake is waiting outside the church for Sam.  And yes, this video is in Spanish because I couldn't find a You Tube video  in English.  Whatev.


Divine.  Even in Spanish.  Okay, so Thompson Twins were a great synth New Wave band who were neither comprised of members who were twins, nor had the surname Thompson.  Confused yet?  Anyway, they were a great band.  Here's a few more songs, this time just their videos, in English no less. 

The first is "King For a Day," and I'm going to get my hair done like the singer's. That's freakin' awesome 80's. And I want a robot like they have too.

Here is "Lay Your Hands on Me," which includes lyrics I still love,

This old life seemed much too long

With little point in going on

I couldn't think of what to say

Words just vanished in the haze

I was feeling cold and tired

Yeah kinda sad and uninspired

But when it almost seemed too much

I see your face

And sense the grace

And feel the magic in your touch


And lastly, "Hold Me Now." This song is pretty perfect. Not just as an 80's song, not just because the lead singer has the floppy hair I love, not just because the video features almost everything great about 80's videos (including cowbell) and bad dancing, it's just a good pop song. Britney and Xtina and Beyonce couldn't make a song as good and simple as this if they tried. Not even if they got mowhawks and cowbells. Plus, if you notice, no one's half-naked in their videos. Hmm, interesting. It's just music. How old-fashioned.

tunes you need Tuesday: the cute Beatle

Today's Tunes You Need Tuesday is a sentimental favorite and since it's my blog, and I'm in a sentimental mood, I'm going to share some Paul McCartney with you.  And I'm leaving out the whole Beatles aspect because far better writers than I have discussed his contributions there.  From my earliest exposure to The Beatles, McCartney was always my favorite, and I liked his solo material as well.  I loved McCartney's voice; it was sweet and warm and felt like an old friend, not pretentious, never trying to be the coolest guy in the room.  My other reason for always being a McCartney fan was for his lyrics.  He writes honestly and sometimes painfully, and his voice matches the song. 

The song that most exemplifies what I love about McCartney's lyrics and voice is "Here Today," the song he wrote as a tribute to his friendship with John Lennon.  "Here Today" is a beautiful somber song, one I identified with a great deal once upon a time and quoted in the beginning of my yet-unpublished novel.  Anyway, here is "Here Today."

http://kerryfaler.typepad.com/files/05-here-today-1.m4a

My uncle Ron was the first to really introduce me to the early McCartney stuff and after the introduction I was smitten.  After babysitting my cousins once when I was 12, Uncle Ron sent me home with a stack of solo McCartney records and it was years before he got them back.  McCartney's first solo album, McCartney, was released in 1970 and he played all the instruments on the album.  If you were to listen to the album now you'd hear the almost raw McCartney sound you're not used to hearing.  It's quite different from what you've grown accustomed to and there are diamonds in the rough on the album, like "Maybe I'm Amazed" that was written in the midst of The Beatles break-up and the birth of Paul and Linda's first daughter.  It's a pretty perfect rock love song (not a silly love song).

http://kerryfaler.typepad.com/files/2-04-maybe-im-amazed.m4a

CD REV PAUL BOTR
1971 brought Ram, the second solo album by McCartney, then he formed the bang Wings with wife Linda, Danny Seiwell, and Denny Laine (McCartney would later add and subtract members of Wings) and they released Wild Life.  In '74 Wings hit their stride with Band on the Run.  Band on the Run is still a great rock and roll album (and the only album cover I know of to feature Count Dooku from Star Wars) that holds up great with songs like "Jet" and "Band on the Run." 

Wings went on to put out a few more albums that were decent at best, then McCartney was back to a solo act.  In '82 Tug of War brought a few great new songs like "Take it Away," "Here Today," and "Ebony and Ivory" with Stevie Wonder and "Get It" with the great Carl Perkins.

The 80's were a mixed bag for McCartney, with duets with Wonder, Perkins, Michael Jackson, and Elvis Costello.  There were hits and misses on each album and McCartney explored different avenues creatively, painting, conducting, classical music, and so on.  I really think he's back, musically.  McCartney's latest album, Memory Almost Full is good stuff, so is his Fireman effort, Electric Arguments. 

And for fun, here's Paul and company performing "That Would Be Something" on MTV Unplugged, back when MTV played music, in 1991.  Love that Paul. 

tunes you need Tuesday: The Smiths

Everyone knows I love some British post-punk.  Today we'll take a listen to Robert Smith's favorite vegetarian enemy,  Morrissey and The Smiths.  Here's a little of the Wikipedia entry on the The Smiths:

The Smiths were an English rock band formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey (vocals) and Johnny Marr (guitar), the band also included Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Critics have called them one of the most important alternative rock bands to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s,[1][2]
and the group has had major influence on subsequent artists.
Morrissey's lovelorn tales of alienation found an audience amongst
youth culture bored by the ubiquitous synthesizer-pop bands of the early 1980s, while Marr's complex melodies helped return guitar-based music to popularity.

If you haven't dusted off and old Smiths cd lately or have never gotten into them, let me tell you why you should.  The Smiths point of view is like no other band in any era.  You're not going to turn on any satellite radio station and hear another band with songs like "Vicar in a Tutu," "William, it Was Really Nothing," "Shoplifters of the World Unite," and "Girlfriend in a Coma."  That's a fact.  Morrissey's voice has an ethereal quality that complements his lyrics like no other singer's.  I've heard cover after cover of Smiths songs by everyone from Blur, Radiohead, Love Spit love, Jeff Buckley, Everclear, Oasis, and Mojo Nixon.  The only voice I can tolerate covering Morrissey is Natalie Merchant's, as her voice has a lovely melodic quality that is a divine match for some of Morrissey's best songs.  Here's "William, it Was Really Nothing" for you in all its ambiguous glory.

http://kerryfaler.typepad.com/files/06-william-it-was-really-nothing.m4p

Yes, he did really say "how can you stay with a fat girl who'll say 'would you like to marry me…'" Morrissey has some thing with the chubby girls — I don't know — he sings "Some Girls Are Bigger Than Others" and "You're the One For Me, Fatty."  Morrissey has been called many things, but "sweet" isn't one of them. 

Besides "Everyday is Like Sunday," my favorite Smiths/Morrissey song is "Girlfriend in a Coma."  It was the first Moz song I'd head and it stuck with me.  It's a perfect example of what The Smiths style is — interesting lyrics, lovely melody, and attitude.  What a lovely introduction to The Smiths: 

Girlfriend in a coma, I know
I know – its really serious

There were times when I could
Have murdered her
(but you know, I would hate
Anything to happen to her)

Could you imagine a band writing that now?  In the 80's you could sing about your girlfriend being in a coma and that you'd contemplated killing her and it made for a catchy tune.  Same with "Shoplifters of the World Unite."  Love that song, especially Marr's guitar work on that one.  

Unfortunately there hasn't been a great "greatest hits" compilation made since The Smiths broke up in 1987, and none have been given Morrissey's or Marr's blessing, so the best way to get your Smiths fix is through iTunes.  And "greatest hits" is sort of a misnomer, because in their native UK, The Smiths didn't have a single chart higher than #10 while they were still together.  Wild.  Reissues charted higher, so who knows what a greatest hit is anymore?  I'll always love The Smiths.  There will always be room for a witty band that  doesn't care about being slick and just plays the heck out of a song.  That's good stuff.  That's why I love The Smiths. 

tunes you need Tuesday: Ben Folds

Do y'all know my boy Ben Folds?  I thought everyone knew Ben, but apparently not as I've heard a few of my friends say "who?" when I've brought him up or one of his tunes has come on the iPod.  Ben Fold is my homeboy who plays a mean piano and rocks everything from his own tunes like "Brick," the song everyone my age remembers, to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" to Dr. Dre's "Bitches Ain't Sh*t."  Really.  He's a white boy from North Carolina who can SANG.  Yes, sang.

I first became a fan of Ben Folds in 1997( like everyone else) when Ben Folds Five released their second album Whatever and Ever Amen, with the songs "Brick" and "Battle of Who Could Care Less" playing on the radio every hour.  It was the year Scott and I were married and I remember singing both songs driving to work near Atlanta every day, Ben Folds Five was everywhere.  I hadn't heard a band who rocked as hard as nearly any other rock band without the use of guitars.  It was refreshing and interesting and odd all at the same time.  Along with Ben's lovely piano playing and quirky lyrics (who else references the Rockford Files show in a song?) he used expletives without fear or apology and it was certainly off the beaten path for this girl.  For instance, off Whatever, "Song For the Dumped" is something everyone's been through and maybe not verbalized, but Ben says what we've all thought in a way only he can.  Warning, I've already mentioned the expletives, so if you're at work or you have sensitive ears or children around, you may skip the listening party.

"Song For the Dumped" http://kerryfaler.typepad.com/files/04-song-for-the-dumped.m4a

If you remember, this song came on as our principal opened the door to the minivan for my daughters when I dropped them off for school after they missed the bus earlier this year.  Yes, I'm That Mom (for the record, I play the iPod in the car because my precious son put coins in my cd player and failed to put on the kids playlist that morning, which contains no cursing). 

Anycursing,the band went on to release The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner in 1999.  Here's what the Wikipedia article on the album says about the title:

The title of the album refers to a name that the band's drummer Darren Jessee used on fake IDs as a teenager. The band was unaware of the existence of the real Reinhold Messner, the first man to climb Mount Everest without the aid of an oxygen tank, until work on the album had already progressed — the band was informed of the mountainclimber's existence on February 9, 1999 during an interview with DJ Bruce Warren on WXPN radio.[2]
He is thanked in the record's liner notes for his understanding and
cooperation. Messner later contacted Ben Folds Five to let them know
that he was highly pleased with the album.


Ben-folds-e28093-the-frown-son
 As all good things come to an end, Ben Fold Five folded and Ben went solo with Rockin' the Suburbs in 2001 and lo and behold, he played almost all instruments on the album including guitar of all things!  Its a great album, go get it right now if you don't have it and you'll have a new instant favorite.  Here's the  title track, "Rockin' the Suburbs," and it has Ben screaming the F-word at one point, so don't say I didn't warn you.    

http://kerryfaler.typepad.com/files/10-rockin-the-suburbs.m4p

And because it's my favorite and this song gets me every time, here's "Annie Waits," which I think is a pretty perfect song. On second thought, I can't get the infernal thing to work, so go watch it on YouTube, it's worth it.  Really. 

Next Ben put out Songs for Silverman, and this past fall, Way to Normal.  The latter is on my everyday listening, it's pretty doggone good.  Way to Normal is full of the quirky and ecclectic Ben that I know and love, it's good stuff.  I've been listening for a while and I'm discovering something new with it all the time.  Ben Folds is a musician who likes to tuck unexpected lyrics and delightful melodies into his albums and there is usually something special in every track, with his latest being every bit of that.    Right now my favorite of the album is "You Don't Know Me" with Regina Spektor, so I'll end with that.  Y'all have a great rest of this Tunes Tuesday. http://kerryfaler.typepad.com/files/04-you-dont-know-me-feat.-regina-s.m4a

new theme song

If you're anything like me (which is possibly the most ridiculous statement I've ever made), you have a theme song. 

A personal theme song for is quite the necessary accessory for your day, your week, your life.  If you do not have a theme song, I suggest you go out an get one right this minute.  But Kerry, I don't know what my theme should be, you say — well, I'm here to help, peeps. 

Your personal theme song should reflect how you feel or how you want to feel, your attitude, or your beliefs.  Or it could be that a song with lyrics that seem like they were written just for you.  Everyone has had a moment when a song comes on the radio and you're blown away by the words.  Say, if your name is Ruby and you're cheating on your spouse who happens to be a disabled veteran — your theme song could be "Ruby Don't Take Your Love to Town," by Kenny Rogers, recently covered by The Killers.  There is no judging on the Kerry Blog, only love.  And helping others.  And sarcasm.  And maybe a a wee little bit of judging, but it's only because I care. 

Just for fun, I thought I'd share my theme song with you and all of the interwebs this weekend.  It's always been Adam Ant's "Goody Two Shoes" for me, since forever. 


I love that song.  Which reminds me, I still haven't gotten those leather leggings and gun holster of piratecowboy.com I ordered a few weeks ago.  While Adam Ant always wore more makeup and used more hair products than me, his song has played in my head through lots of moments of my life.  After all, I've been Miss Goody Two Shoes forever and wear the crown gladly.  By the way, "subtle innuendos follow, must be something inside" is the line everyone can't make out. 

It's also helpful to have theme songs for specific activities, trips, and such.  As of last night I have a new theme song for scrapbook trips courtesy of my friend Laurel who introduced me to the fabulousness that is Leslie Hall.  This is the song that Laurel listens to while she gets ready to go out, because that's what the song is about, but because of a few lines, I'm declaring it the new scrapbooking trip song.  Peeps, I give you "How We Go Out."

Simply awesome.

The lyrics I'm loving are:

On the way to the club we pass a Dairy Queen
You stop cause it you know it means so much to me
We take the back seats out of your mini van
Now we roll like a hummer or a full size sedan

obviously that would be because we have to take the back seats out of my van when we go on a trip.  And thought we don't usually stop at a Dairy Queen on the way, we do stop somewhere for goodies.

You get me hotter than a stick a hot glue
And I'm scrapbooking everything we do
Ring ring ring- that's my cell
Bring the bling when I sing of course I will

FINALLY!  A hip hop song that talks about scrapbooking!  Now my life is complete. 

You may return to your regularly scheduled weekend.