So I was doing some cleaning on this snowy Saturday afternoon, listening to my Beatles playlist on iTunes. The track "You Really Got A Hold On Me" from the Live At The BBC album came on and triggered a pop culture moment that laid deep in the recesses of my mind. I'm talking something I clearly haven't thought about in years.
Maybe I repressed this memory due to its disturbing nature? All I remember is the song, and some large red puppety thing being very clingy. A feeling of being trapped came over me. I needed air. What could this be?!
A quick consult of YouTube found the answer for me...it wasn't all just a dream.
Upon watching I thought maybe it wasn't as disturbing as I thought it was as a child. I can say maybe it's not, but it's still kind of creepy.
Showing posts with label 80s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 80s. Show all posts
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Monday, January 21, 2008
Classic Music Video of the Week
Good morning! And happy day off to teachers, bankers, and other government workers. To the rest of you, I'm sorry.
20 years ago today, the number one song on the Billboard Charts was...
Yes, that's right... "I've Got My Mind Set On You" by George Harrison. I vaguely remember two seperate versions of this video playing on VH1 back in the day, but this one is the most "popular." Those moving animals and sitting room objects get me everytime (especially the squirrel playing the "pipe"). But the dancing George stunt double is so, so cheesy.
So that's your CMVotW! Enjoy, and Happy MLK Jr. Day!
20 years ago today, the number one song on the Billboard Charts was...
Yes, that's right... "I've Got My Mind Set On You" by George Harrison. I vaguely remember two seperate versions of this video playing on VH1 back in the day, but this one is the most "popular." Those moving animals and sitting room objects get me everytime (especially the squirrel playing the "pipe"). But the dancing George stunt double is so, so cheesy.
So that's your CMVotW! Enjoy, and Happy MLK Jr. Day!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
Good morning, Pop-Pop-ers.
Sorry I've fallen off the face of the earth lately, I just went through a move! But now that the dust and items are settling, I hope to get back in the swing of things full force.
But for now I have limited time, so I'll go with an easy one for this week's Classic Music Video...
I don't know about you, but I can't hold still whenever I hear this number one hit from 1983. But what else makes this a classic? Let's see, the moonwalk, the lit-up tiles and the fact that its heavy rotation music video on MTV made him the first black artist to find stardom on the channel.
Sorry I've fallen off the face of the earth lately, I just went through a move! But now that the dust and items are settling, I hope to get back in the swing of things full force.
But for now I have limited time, so I'll go with an easy one for this week's Classic Music Video...
I don't know about you, but I can't hold still whenever I hear this number one hit from 1983. But what else makes this a classic? Let's see, the moonwalk, the lit-up tiles and the fact that its heavy rotation music video on MTV made him the first black artist to find stardom on the channel.
So friends, just remember, be careful of what you do, 'cause the lie becomes the truth.
Happy Friday.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
I love the 80s. I love them more than I probably should.
One of the things I love most about the 80s is New Wave. No, I'm not referring to the beautiful coifs people sported (although there were some sweet waves of that kind, too). I'm referring to the music that sounded like nothing before it, the music that explored the glory of the synthesizer.
I don't have much of a set-up for this video, other than the fact that I simply think it's a great song. The video creates a bit of chaos, which adds to the message of the lyrics. It almost made me wish I had grown up on the other side of town. Almost.
I can also say that Flight of the Conchords truly captures the essence of this CMVW in their song and video for "Inner City Pressure."
Since I find FOTC to be musical geniuses, I think it's a great compliment that they came as close as they could get (without copying) to this week's Classic Music Video of the Week.
Please enjoy "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys. The 80s are gone, but this song will always live in my cold, cold heart.
One of the things I love most about the 80s is New Wave. No, I'm not referring to the beautiful coifs people sported (although there were some sweet waves of that kind, too). I'm referring to the music that sounded like nothing before it, the music that explored the glory of the synthesizer.
I don't have much of a set-up for this video, other than the fact that I simply think it's a great song. The video creates a bit of chaos, which adds to the message of the lyrics. It almost made me wish I had grown up on the other side of town. Almost.
I can also say that Flight of the Conchords truly captures the essence of this CMVW in their song and video for "Inner City Pressure."
Since I find FOTC to be musical geniuses, I think it's a great compliment that they came as close as they could get (without copying) to this week's Classic Music Video of the Week.
Please enjoy "West End Girls" by Pet Shop Boys. The 80s are gone, but this song will always live in my cold, cold heart.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Rock of Ages
Since anything I've written over the past couple of months has been garbage and unworthy of this venerable blog I though
t I would ease back into posting with a good old fashioned concert review. Since I was in high school concerts were always my favorite activity. They were the one place I could go and completely release and just have a good time. During my college years, which was my concert-going peak, I was attending on average about 1 show a week. All together I would say my total concert tally is somewhere in the range of 200 to 250 shows. I always told myself that as I grew older I would continue this passion and someday take my future older children to shows as well. Sadly this has not been the case in recent years. The past few years I have seen at most probably 2 or 3 shows per year. As is the case with many enjoyable activities as you get older, a decline in disposable income, time and energy combined with the ridiculous increase in ticket prices and gas for travel greatly restricted my ability to go to shows.
Due to this decline I've had to choose what shows I do go to more carefully. I've had to take a pass and move on from some groups that I've seen 20 times or more. Over the past few months I saw two concerts. Both of which had artists I had seen previously once, but i considered well worth the time and money to see again. The first show was August 25th in Wappinger Falls, NY near Fishkill. The Counting Crows, a favorite group of mine, were embarking on a
summer tour in minor league baseball stadiums. I was fortunate enough to have seen the Counting Crows previously one year at SUNY Geneseo. With them on this current tour were two other great bands from the 90's, Live, who I also saw once previously, and Collective Soul.
I felt this would be a great way to reminisce of the glory days of 90s rock. Like many shows, the crowd itself was a very amusing mix. Surprisingly the age range was quite large. I expected the majority of people to be near my age from 25 to 35. However, there were a considerable amount of people both older and younger. I was pleasantly surprised at the younger crowd as many were unborn or newborns when these bands were in their heyday. Add to that the expensive price of the ticket and it was nice to see younger kids are still going back and immersing themselves in older music like I did as a kid with classic rock of the 60s and 70s.
Collective Soul played first and received a pretty decent overall reception. They mostly played their hits and had a decent amount of energy. Surprisingly, Live did not get as big of a crowd response as Collective Soul. Perhaps they are one of those bands that people know the songs but not who is performing them. Their set was adequate, though not as high on energy as when I previously saw them. Finally the Counting Crows ended the night with what was a fairly mellow set. Their song choices had a solid mix of hits and new material, but most were on the low key side. Although not as memorable as their set at SUNY Geneseo, I still found it very enjoyable. The drunk man behind kept screaming for Adam to pick up the pace. This strategy proved unsuccessful, but the imbecile continued his cry unrelentingly. Overall it was a solid show. It was definitely overpriced, but these days it is hard to find a good bargain when it comes to concerts. I was pleased to once again see Adam Duritz perform, who I consider a modern poetic marvel one notch below Bob Dylan.
This leads to my second show. On October 6th in Albany I was fortunate to see Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and Amos
Lee perform. I saw Dylan previously at RPI in Troy, NY in 1998, I believe. Going to see Dylan is an interesting experience. One of the main reasons to see him is to be, for one night, in the presence of music royalty. To see one of the greatest songwriters in modern music history is quite a thrill.
However, as he has aged, his voice has declined making it harder to understand what he is singing. Nevertheless, he still puts on a good show and his band are extremely talented. They have involved into more of a jam band, stretching out songs when they hit a particular groove. Although when I saw him previously he put on a tremendous show, I felt that his opening act, Natalie Merchant, brought her performance a level above his. As a result my respect for her grew tenfold. I was curious to see if this show would prove to be the same.
Amos Lee opened up first and delivered a bluesy set with his highly southern accented
voice. I was impressed by him and so was the majority of the crowd. i doubt he will find mainstream success, but he could easily attract quite a following. Next up was the artist I was most excited to see that night, Elvis Costello. He doesn't seem to hit upstate NY very often but after seeing him that night I will make a point to travel to see him if he is nearby. He came out on stage, the lone troubadour, with an acoustic guitar and immediately kicked into his set with high energy. He played a great mix of classics and new material, all of which was fantastic. Such hits as "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes", "Veronica", "Oliver's Army", "Radio Sweetheart" w/ Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" as a melody, and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?" all brought big cheers from the crowd. His new material was equally full of quality. Costello received many standing ovations and the crowd surely wouldn't have complained had he decided to extend his 45 minute set. It would be nice to see him headline a theatre tour and come to upstate cities.
Here is a good video someone took at the Albany show of Elvis performing Red Shoes:
The living legend closed the night with a rollicking set that picked up steam as it went along. You could tell that as Dylan's set wore on, he was getting more into it. It didn't seem as if he wanted it to end. Most of his classics were reworked in ways that made them almost unrecognizable yet still memorable. He played "Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright", "Simple Twist of Fate", “Highway 61 Revisited” and the new classic "Working Man Blues #2". He finished the night with an encore and unique version of "All Along The Watchtower", which brought the crowd to it's feet.
A video someone took of Dylan doing Watchtower in Albany:
Overall, they were two shows that I can't complain about. Although I feel the Dylan/Costello show is one I will remember for quite some time. I might actually see a few more shows this year. One of my favorite bands, Boy Hits Car, is touring the northeast for the first time in many years in November so I will probably go to at least a couple shows. My goal next year is to increase the concerts I attend but it still seems to get harder and harder.
Artists I have yet to see live that I desperately want to see:
Cream - I have a better chance of winning the lottery than Cream reuniting, but I hold out hope.
Doves
Radiohead
Silverchair
the Shins
Schuyler Fisk
Stevie Wonder
Pearl Jam
t I would ease back into posting with a good old fashioned concert review. Since I was in high school concerts were always my favorite activity. They were the one place I could go and completely release and just have a good time. During my college years, which was my concert-going peak, I was attending on average about 1 show a week. All together I would say my total concert tally is somewhere in the range of 200 to 250 shows. I always told myself that as I grew older I would continue this passion and someday take my future older children to shows as well. Sadly this has not been the case in recent years. The past few years I have seen at most probably 2 or 3 shows per year. As is the case with many enjoyable activities as you get older, a decline in disposable income, time and energy combined with the ridiculous increase in ticket prices and gas for travel greatly restricted my ability to go to shows.Due to this decline I've had to choose what shows I do go to more carefully. I've had to take a pass and move on from some groups that I've seen 20 times or more. Over the past few months I saw two concerts. Both of which had artists I had seen previously once, but i considered well worth the time and money to see again. The first show was August 25th in Wappinger Falls, NY near Fishkill. The Counting Crows, a favorite group of mine, were embarking on a
summer tour in minor league baseball stadiums. I was fortunate enough to have seen the Counting Crows previously one year at SUNY Geneseo. With them on this current tour were two other great bands from the 90's, Live, who I also saw once previously, and Collective Soul.I felt this would be a great way to reminisce of the glory days of 90s rock. Like many shows, the crowd itself was a very amusing mix. Surprisingly the age range was quite large. I expected the majority of people to be near my age from 25 to 35. However, there were a considerable amount of people both older and younger. I was pleasantly surprised at the younger crowd as many were unborn or newborns when these bands were in their heyday. Add to that the expensive price of the ticket and it was nice to see younger kids are still going back and immersing themselves in older music like I did as a kid with classic rock of the 60s and 70s.
Collective Soul played first and received a pretty decent overall reception. They mostly played their hits and had a decent amount of energy. Surprisingly, Live did not get as big of a crowd response as Collective Soul. Perhaps they are one of those bands that people know the songs but not who is performing them. Their set was adequate, though not as high on energy as when I previously saw them. Finally the Counting Crows ended the night with what was a fairly mellow set. Their song choices had a solid mix of hits and new material, but most were on the low key side. Although not as memorable as their set at SUNY Geneseo, I still found it very enjoyable. The drunk man behind kept screaming for Adam to pick up the pace. This strategy proved unsuccessful, but the imbecile continued his cry unrelentingly. Overall it was a solid show. It was definitely overpriced, but these days it is hard to find a good bargain when it comes to concerts. I was pleased to once again see Adam Duritz perform, who I consider a modern poetic marvel one notch below Bob Dylan.
This leads to my second show. On October 6th in Albany I was fortunate to see Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and Amos
Lee perform. I saw Dylan previously at RPI in Troy, NY in 1998, I believe. Going to see Dylan is an interesting experience. One of the main reasons to see him is to be, for one night, in the presence of music royalty. To see one of the greatest songwriters in modern music history is quite a thrill.However, as he has aged, his voice has declined making it harder to understand what he is singing. Nevertheless, he still puts on a good show and his band are extremely talented. They have involved into more of a jam band, stretching out songs when they hit a particular groove. Although when I saw him previously he put on a tremendous show, I felt that his opening act, Natalie Merchant, brought her performance a level above his. As a result my respect for her grew tenfold. I was curious to see if this show would prove to be the same.
Amos Lee opened up first and delivered a bluesy set with his highly southern accented
voice. I was impressed by him and so was the majority of the crowd. i doubt he will find mainstream success, but he could easily attract quite a following. Next up was the artist I was most excited to see that night, Elvis Costello. He doesn't seem to hit upstate NY very often but after seeing him that night I will make a point to travel to see him if he is nearby. He came out on stage, the lone troubadour, with an acoustic guitar and immediately kicked into his set with high energy. He played a great mix of classics and new material, all of which was fantastic. Such hits as "(The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes", "Veronica", "Oliver's Army", "Radio Sweetheart" w/ Van Morrison's "Jackie Wilson Said" as a melody, and "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love and Understanding?" all brought big cheers from the crowd. His new material was equally full of quality. Costello received many standing ovations and the crowd surely wouldn't have complained had he decided to extend his 45 minute set. It would be nice to see him headline a theatre tour and come to upstate cities.Here is a good video someone took at the Albany show of Elvis performing Red Shoes:
The living legend closed the night with a rollicking set that picked up steam as it went along. You could tell that as Dylan's set wore on, he was getting more into it. It didn't seem as if he wanted it to end. Most of his classics were reworked in ways that made them almost unrecognizable yet still memorable. He played "Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright", "Simple Twist of Fate", “Highway 61 Revisited” and the new classic "Working Man Blues #2". He finished the night with an encore and unique version of "All Along The Watchtower", which brought the crowd to it's feet.
A video someone took of Dylan doing Watchtower in Albany:
Overall, they were two shows that I can't complain about. Although I feel the Dylan/Costello show is one I will remember for quite some time. I might actually see a few more shows this year. One of my favorite bands, Boy Hits Car, is touring the northeast for the first time in many years in November so I will probably go to at least a couple shows. My goal next year is to increase the concerts I attend but it still seems to get harder and harder.
Artists I have yet to see live that I desperately want to see:
Cream - I have a better chance of winning the lottery than Cream reuniting, but I hold out hope.
Doves
Radiohead
Silverchair
the Shins
Schuyler Fisk
Stevie Wonder
Pearl Jam
Friday, September 28, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
It’s that time kids! This week, let’s be really cheesy about it. And mildly disturbing.
Oh Lionel, please stop stalking the blind girl who is making that creepy bust of you in sculptor class.
This is also my message to you my contributors and readers. “Hello, I've just got to let you know…'Cause I wonder where you are…"
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
Sorry, Pop-Pop-ers, looks like we've fallen a bit behind on the "of the week" part of the "Classic Music Video of the Week." That's what happens when you can't post during work hours anymore.
So hopefully this will make up for lost time. This week's video comes to you from The Talking Heads, with "Once in a Lifetime." I remember this video from TV, and the strange multiple David Byrnes dancing about. Apparently, this video is also exhibited in MoMA.
I also have the childhood recollection of Kermit the Frog's version as well.
So again, sorry for the wait. Here's this week's video. Have a good Labor Day Weekend!
So hopefully this will make up for lost time. This week's video comes to you from The Talking Heads, with "Once in a Lifetime." I remember this video from TV, and the strange multiple David Byrnes dancing about. Apparently, this video is also exhibited in MoMA.
I also have the childhood recollection of Kermit the Frog's version as well.
So again, sorry for the wait. Here's this week's video. Have a good Labor Day Weekend!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
Well, I'm a little early on this post. I intended to post on August 1st, but I can tell right now that I won't have the time to put up a new blog tomorrow, so I'm sneaking it in one hour (Eastern Standard Time) before it's the glorious first day of August.
Why does it matter when I post? Two reasons:
1) August 1st is the birthday of one of our contributors. That's right, Ms. Jill will be turning another year older and, if we're all lucky, wiser. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JILL! She is a great person who happens to share her birthday with another birth of sorts...
2) August 1, 1981 marked the beginning of music television as we used to know it. I, of course, am referring to the launch of a little station known as MTV. You've heard of it? Back in 1981, MTV did this crazy thing--they played videos. That's right, a tv station that played music videos! While MTV has recently ventured beyond the 24-hour music format for gems like "Engaged and Underage" and "The Hills," it still cannot be denied that when it began, it was a pretty big deal for music fans of that time period. VJs with big hair, "modern" music, and an overall "damn the man" attitude earned MTV the notoriety it has today. While music, videos, and music television have all changed in the past 26 years, I think it's fair to say that MTV was and is an instrumental piece of the pop culture puzzle.
Without further ado, and hopefully without being TOO cliche, let's give props to The Buggles for this week's Classic Music Video of the Week. Enjoy the very first video to air on MTV: Video Killed the Radio Star.
(And happy birthday, Jill!)
Why does it matter when I post? Two reasons:
1) August 1st is the birthday of one of our contributors. That's right, Ms. Jill will be turning another year older and, if we're all lucky, wiser. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JILL! She is a great person who happens to share her birthday with another birth of sorts...
2) August 1, 1981 marked the beginning of music television as we used to know it. I, of course, am referring to the launch of a little station known as MTV. You've heard of it? Back in 1981, MTV did this crazy thing--they played videos. That's right, a tv station that played music videos! While MTV has recently ventured beyond the 24-hour music format for gems like "Engaged and Underage" and "The Hills," it still cannot be denied that when it began, it was a pretty big deal for music fans of that time period. VJs with big hair, "modern" music, and an overall "damn the man" attitude earned MTV the notoriety it has today. While music, videos, and music television have all changed in the past 26 years, I think it's fair to say that MTV was and is an instrumental piece of the pop culture puzzle.
Without further ado, and hopefully without being TOO cliche, let's give props to The Buggles for this week's Classic Music Video of the Week. Enjoy the very first video to air on MTV: Video Killed the Radio Star.
(And happy birthday, Jill!)
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
What? Hello? Is this thing on? Oh, it’s a new week already? I’m still in holiday-mode, I’m sorry. I promise I’ll try to think of something thoughtful and meaningful soon. Pinkie-swear.
But for now, it’s the Classic Music Video of the Week.
I was at my parents’ house for dinner the other night, and started going through one of the VHS tapes of music videos I mentioned previously. Out of the numerous gems I found, I decided to pick this one:
Yes, that’s right, 1986’s Human by The Human League. Gotta love the water theme in this song about infidelity. But hey, they are “born to make mistakes.” I’m also pretty sure Philip Oakey is wearing more makeup in the video than I am currently wearing. And that spoken-word part gets me…every…time.
So enjoy the Yoda-esque lyric “of flesh and blood I’m made.” Happy Thursday.
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
*Yawn* Oh, I'm sorry. With this weird holiday week thing going on here, I've lost track of time. I guess I need to pick a music video for this week. But I don't have enough motivation or clarity to put a lot of thought into it.
Therefore, this week's pick is 1982's Safety Dance by Men Without Hats.
The girl in the video really freaks me out, with her bird's nest hair and a huge case of crazy eyes. And I'm reminded of an episode of Scrubs that referenced the song briefly.
Everybody look at your hands. And have a great, dance-filled weekend. I know I will.
Therefore, this week's pick is 1982's Safety Dance by Men Without Hats.
The girl in the video really freaks me out, with her bird's nest hair and a huge case of crazy eyes. And I'm reminded of an episode of Scrubs that referenced the song briefly.
Everybody look at your hands. And have a great, dance-filled weekend. I know I will.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
Who needs a stress-break?
Oooh! Oooh! I do!
This week's Classic Music Video of the Week, brought to you by moustaches, is 1985's Rhythm of the Night by DeBarge.
Now watch closely...whatever you do, don't lose eye contact with El DeBarge! He surely will be watching you, the viewer, intently..."underneath the electric stars"...and cue jazz hands.
Does everyone feel better? Good. I know I do.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my puffy skirt on and learn those dance moves.
Happy Tuesday.
Oooh! Oooh! I do!
This week's Classic Music Video of the Week, brought to you by moustaches, is 1985's Rhythm of the Night by DeBarge.
Now watch closely...whatever you do, don't lose eye contact with El DeBarge! He surely will be watching you, the viewer, intently..."underneath the electric stars"...and cue jazz hands.
Does everyone feel better? Good. I know I do.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go get my puffy skirt on and learn those dance moves.
Happy Tuesday.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
Yes, I know what you are thinking...TWO classic music video posts in a row?! How unoriginal! How tediously redundant! How unorganized!
Well first of all, back off. I haven't had my coffee yet. It is Sunday, so technically it's a new week. But most importantly, it's Father's Day. And in honor of my father, this week's video is Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry. Now before you start complaining about how last week's video was Journey and now this week's is from lead singer Steve Perry, let me explain.
My hilarious father and I were having one of our many ridiculous debates years and years ago. I believe I was trying to argue with him what a unique lead vocalist Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace was. This discussion sparked the classic family quote from my father of, "Steve Perry is the greatest male vocalist...of all time." He continued to add, "Remember that video, where he's sitting on those stairs? When he hits that 'Should've been gone!' that's just the best!"
So Happy Father's Day, to all the fathers and also fans of Steve Perry. Because our love holds on, holds on.
Well first of all, back off. I haven't had my coffee yet. It is Sunday, so technically it's a new week. But most importantly, it's Father's Day. And in honor of my father, this week's video is Oh Sherrie by Steve Perry. Now before you start complaining about how last week's video was Journey and now this week's is from lead singer Steve Perry, let me explain.
My hilarious father and I were having one of our many ridiculous debates years and years ago. I believe I was trying to argue with him what a unique lead vocalist Raine Maida from Our Lady Peace was. This discussion sparked the classic family quote from my father of, "Steve Perry is the greatest male vocalist...of all time." He continued to add, "Remember that video, where he's sitting on those stairs? When he hits that 'Should've been gone!' that's just the best!"
So Happy Father's Day, to all the fathers and also fans of Steve Perry. Because our love holds on, holds on.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Classic Music Video of the Week
With all the exposure Journey has been getting this week with the Sopranos series finale, I guess this week's classic music video spot goes to them.
And what better video than Separate Ways! The singing into the camera! The invisible instruments! The disgustingly tight jeans! Steve Perry's awesome hair!
Where is this leather-skirt clad woman walking to? She keeps coming in and out of frame. God, I adore her hair too!
I love the over-exaggeration of emotion when all five of them sing into the camera. Hey, isn't that picture familiar? (See sidebar of this blog.)
Journey is amazing. Happy Thursday. Enjoy.
And what better video than Separate Ways! The singing into the camera! The invisible instruments! The disgustingly tight jeans! Steve Perry's awesome hair!
Where is this leather-skirt clad woman walking to? She keeps coming in and out of frame. God, I adore her hair too!
I love the over-exaggeration of emotion when all five of them sing into the camera. Hey, isn't that picture familiar? (See sidebar of this blog.)
Journey is amazing. Happy Thursday. Enjoy.
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Pop Culture Confession
Forgive me pop culture, for I have sinned.
So there’s this movie I like. No, I don’t like it. I LOVE it.
It’s not a "classic" movie by any means, averaging a 4.3 out of 10 on IMDb. This movie was the inspiration for creating the Razzie Awards. It was nominated for six categories and won the first ever for Worst Director.
I can’t help it. I own it. I own the LP of the soundtrack.
What movie is it? Fine, I’ll confess. It’s Xanadu.
So there’s this movie I like. No, I don’t like it. I LOVE it.
It’s not a "classic" movie by any means, averaging a 4.3 out of 10 on IMDb. This movie was the inspiration for creating the Razzie Awards. It was nominated for six categories and won the first ever for Worst Director.
I can’t help it. I own it. I own the LP of the soundtrack.
What movie is it? Fine, I’ll confess. It’s Xanadu.
What’s not to love? Just think of all the movie has to offer. Olivia Newton-John! Roller skating! Gene Kelly! Greek muses! Electric Light Orchestra! That guy they reference for one second in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang! A random animated love scene!
Seriously though, this movie is pure cheese at its finest. And maybe it’s because it’s a childhood nostalgia thing. I watched this movie countless times with my Mom and sister (my Dad has the good sense to leave the room).
The reason I still cling to it has to be Side B of the LP—all ELO songs. Come on! Classics like The Fall, Don’t Walk Away (featured in the above animated clip), All Over the World, and of course Xanadu. My favorite is I’m Alive.
The reason I still cling to it has to be Side B of the LP—all ELO songs. Come on! Classics like The Fall, Don’t Walk Away (featured in the above animated clip), All Over the World, and of course Xanadu. My favorite is I’m Alive.
So go ahead, post your own pop culture sins. If you’re brave enough, that is. I promise I won’t judge you…much.
Friday, June 1, 2007
Classic Music Video of The Week
Today marks the beginning of my favorite time of year besides Christmas--our local town's Canal Days. A weekend filled with food, music, craft vendors and of course beer.
So in honor of every mullet-filled townie bar in America, here is this week's Classic Music Video of the Week.
Happy Friday. Enjoy your weekend.
So in honor of every mullet-filled townie bar in America, here is this week's Classic Music Video of the Week.
Happy Friday. Enjoy your weekend.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Classic Music Video Of The Week
Since I share my birthday with MTV, I’ve always had an interest in music videos. [Insert “remember when MTV actually played music videos” joke here.]
In the early days of MTV and VH1 we used to sit with a blank tape in the VCR and record certain music videos that we liked. Re-watching some of these tapes now at my parent’s house is very amusing.
So here’s a Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers classic for you. Enjoy.
Happy Tuesday.
In the early days of MTV and VH1 we used to sit with a blank tape in the VCR and record certain music videos that we liked. Re-watching some of these tapes now at my parent’s house is very amusing.
So here’s a Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers classic for you. Enjoy.
Happy Tuesday.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Does anyone else remember…?
In Eileen’s nostalgia post of last week she mentioned the Nickelodeon show Today’s Special, which was also one of my favorites. However, there was another Nick show which I remember from my childhood, but some people don’t seem to. It was called Pinwheel:
I remember the intro, and for some reason that my favorite episode was titled “Balloons,” and there was maybe another one on “Snowflakes” or something. I remember tuning in with my Mom in anticipation to see if they were going to show the “Balloons” episode again. My family also has documented on one of their many recorded cassette tapes me singing the Pinwheel theme song, along with "Do The Muffy" from Today's Special. (Remember recording yourself singing or doing fake “radio shows” into those old 70s and 80s tape recorders? Technology at its finest. But that’s another post.)
Supplemental fun fact: What is now Nickelodeon actually premiered as the Pinwheel Channel for 2 years, until it was renamed.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Favorite 80s Cartoons
While cartoons today are utter crap, the 80s gave us some great ones. Now, all apologies to Jill, but I was never a huge fan of Snorks. Sure I watched it, but it seemed to be too much like, "hey let's slightly modify Smurfs and throw'em under water." Like we wouldn't notice? But to be fair I actually liked Snorks better than Smurfs. Both shows kind of wore thin on me pretty quickly. Much, like Eileen I liked the action 'toons. Here's my Top 5 80s cartoons:
#5: The Littles:
#4-Hulk Hogan's Rockin' Wrestling
Hogan knows best?
#3-Danger Mouse
#2-Transformers
And of course the piece de resistance, the crown jewel of my 80s cartoon watching......-Voltron
#5: The Littles:
#4-Hulk Hogan's Rockin' Wrestling
Hogan knows best?
#3-Danger Mouse
#2-Transformers
And of course the piece de resistance, the crown jewel of my 80s cartoon watching......-Voltron
Question of the Week: Favorite 80s Cartoon
In following suit with Eileen’s 80s nostalgia post, I pose this question: What was your favorite cartoon from the 80s?
Mine would have to be Snorks:
Snorks has been knocked around a lot, being called a lesser version of The Smurfs, etc. For a time I had trouble finding people who actually remembered the show.
Mine would have to be Snorks:
Snorks has been knocked around a lot, being called a lesser version of The Smurfs, etc. For a time I had trouble finding people who actually remembered the show.
Of course I most identified with Casey, and I loved her boyfriend All-Star and his pet octopus Occy. I’ve seen online that it may come out on DVD in 2009, fingers-crossed!
Here’s some random clips:
So what was YOUR favorite cartoon in the 80s?
Monday, May 7, 2007
A Little Late-Night Nostalgia
I love 80's tv. I grew up on it and I'm sure in some way it helped shape who I am today. I don't have much to say about the subject (I don't think it needs much explanation), so here is a glimpse back in time, to only a few of the shows I have fond memories of. Just watching the opening credits makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Today's Special
You Can't Do That on Television
The Hogan Family (Oh, Jason Bateman was in this? There's a surprise that it's on my list!)
My Two Dads
The A Team
The Greatest American Hero
Charles in Charge
And even though this isn't a theme song, this clip is from a very memorable episode of Silver Spoons, one of my favorite 80's shows. It also features two boys who grew into two of the sexiest men alive.
Thanks, 80's, and goodnight.
Today's Special
You Can't Do That on Television
The Hogan Family (Oh, Jason Bateman was in this? There's a surprise that it's on my list!)
My Two Dads
The A Team
The Greatest American Hero
Charles in Charge
And even though this isn't a theme song, this clip is from a very memorable episode of Silver Spoons, one of my favorite 80's shows. It also features two boys who grew into two of the sexiest men alive.
Thanks, 80's, and goodnight.
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