Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Guns N' Roses - 'Welcome To The Jungle'

"Welcome to the jungle
We've got fun 'n' games
We got everything you want
Honey, we know the names
We are the people that can find
Whatever you may need
If you got the money, honey,
We got your disease
In the jungle
Welcome to the jungle
Watch it bring you to your
Knees, knees
I wanna watch you bleed"

I'm not sure how anyone of a certain age could possibly not love at least one Guns N' Roses song. I mean, just one. I remember the first time I saw Axl Rose slither his way across the stage in the video for "Welcome to the Jungle" and I was just gone.

Gone.

The song was absolutely everything that a good 80's rock anthem needed to be and the band? Well, GNR always looked they had all just rolled out of a dumpster still drunk from the night before. And I kind of liked that. The whole Appetite for Destruction album literally changed my life and to this day I still affiliate certain songs with different places and people.I love the grittiness of "Welcome to the Jungle" and the video takes me back to a point in time when I was starting to embrace my love of hairbands. 

Early GNR takes me back to my very first job . It was at a fast food place and after we closed at night someone would inevitably throw Axl & the boys into the boombox and crank it WAY up. Even though I was technically on the clock it was one of the best parts of my day. Music was such a hot bottom topic in my house with my parents constantly in a tug o war  over lyrics, album covers and whatever else. It was great to spend time anywhere that not only allowed but encouraged me to crank up my radio. 

Some songs just sound better loud and "Welcome to the Jungle" will always be one of them.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Eurythmics 'Here Comes The Rain Again'

Here comes the rain again
Raining in my head like a tragedy
Tearing me apart like a new emotion

I'm not sure how it is wherever you're reading this from, but it seems to be raining everywhere this week.  Not that I mind it. I actually seem to be more productive when it rains. The weather also reminded me of a favorite 80's song by the Eurythmics. "Here Comes the Rain Again" hit the charts back in 1984, you know, when synth music was in its heyday and for good reason.

I still remember the very first time that I heard this song. I was in middle school and had gone to a friend's to do homework. We were watching Entertainment Tonight and back then the show would often end with a video premiere. Truth be told, they really would only show one verse of the video but it was still kind of a big deal. One verse was plenty for me though and by the end of that same week my allowance was being spent on the 45 which I played constantly.

"Here Comes the Rain Again" easily remains one of my favorite Eurthmics songs to this day. Check out the video below and tell me, is it one of yours too? 

Currently Booming: Pink Floyd - The Story of Wish You Were Here

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Love & Rockets - 'So Alive'

"I don't know what color your eyes are, baby
But your hair is long and brown
Your legs are strong, and you're so, so long
And you don't come from this town

My head is full of magic, baby
And I can't share this with you
The feel I'm on a cross again, lately
But there's nothing to do with you

I'm alive, huh, huh, so alive
I'm alive, huh, huh so alive."

So, I'm recovering from a bad bout with the flu this week and most certainly not at my best, maybe my most grateful, but not my best. I'm not doing live radio for a few days and if you've been reading here for any length of time then you know that radio is my second home. It takes me back to childhood when my dad would take me to the station with him. I called dad yesterday to check in and I love the fact that just as I'm revisiting the 80's and 90's, so is he. Dad will discover a song that he passed over when it originally charted and his excitement is something that I can totally identify with.

So yesterday dad says that his new favorite song is Love & Rockets "So Alive". It's one that I play on my show fairly often and more importantly, it gives me another song that will remind me of him now every time that I hear it. Love & Rockets first got together in 1985 after their former group, Bauhaus, disbanded. They were an underground British group that fused pop with an old school college radio alternative vibe. "So Alive" went to number three on Billboard's Hot 100 and it spent five weeks atop the Modern Rock charts in 1989. Listen for 20 seconds and I'll bet even if the title doesn't ring a bell, the song itself will.

Daily Boom Lost Hits: The Cover Girls - 'One Night Affair'

Exclusive Interview: Foreigner's Jeff Pilson is Working on a New Side Project with Robin McAuley & Whitesnake's Reb Beach

Foreigner's bass guitarist, Jeff Pilson,  is undoubtedly one of the busiest guys in the business. Aside from traveling 200+ days a year with that classic rock powerhouse machine, he also juggles a few side projects at a time. If you think that the supergroups were a thing of the past then you need to pay closer attention because Jeff has a knack for not only combining established rockers but also bringing them to a higher musical level. Just last week THE END machine, his project with ex-Dokken bandmates George Lynch and Mick Brown, plus Warrant's Robert Mason on vocals, dropped their first song, "Alive Today" and with it came great reviews. While he is anxious for THE END Machine's full release on March 22, followed by a few tour dates, Jeff is also bursting with excitement over other things to come.

"I do have another project that I'm working on and it's almost two-thirds done already. There are some great players involved and two of them are Reb Beach (Whitesnake, Winger) and Robin McAuley (McAuley Schenker Group, Survivor). We're working on a record that is coming out unbelievably fantastic. I'm crazy about it and just so happy with the way that it's turning out. It's everything that you would hope for with this lineup and so much more. You can probably look for that either at the tail end of this year or maybe early 2020. We'll probably be done with the record soon because we're on such a roll. The writing is crazy great. Reb is actually coming here tomorrow and he'll be here for a week to finish up. It's all just really spectacular and I'm so unbelievably excited."

While Jeff is the catalyst in so many collaborative efforts, it's not lost on him that he gets to work with the very best of the best players in the rock game.

"I'm really lucky that I get to work with this level of talent because it makes it more fun and to me, there's a different vibe about music when there is fun attached, That for me, is the spark that lights the whole flame. We've been working hard and being really productive, but we're also having fun and everybody is just shining. Reb is another of those guys that don't always get the spotlight on him and so I think people may not always understand just how talented he is. You also haven't heard any new material with Robin singing for a while and his voice has actually gotten better and his writing is just amazing. The three-way writing chemistry between Reb, Robin and I has been really strong so, wait till you hear it!"

Check out the clip below to hear the entire interview with Jeff Pilson.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam -'All Cried Out'

"Don't you know the heart will cause an inferno
Romance up in flames, why should I take the blame
You were the one who left me neglected [I'm so sorry]
Apology not accepted, add me to the broken hearts you collected

Ah, I gave you all of me [gave me all of you]
How was I to know you would weaken so easily
Ah, I don't what to do
I'm all cried out [I'm all] over you [I'm cried out too]"

I was a real sucker for a good tear-jerker break up song when I was a teenager and Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam's "All Cried Out" was really one of my favorites. I can't remember if I was actually going through a break up back when it was first playing on the radio every few hours but I know it was my go-to song if I needed to conjure up a few tears. It parked itself in the 8th spot on Billboard's Hot 100 and remains one of Lisa Lisa's best remembered tunes.

While Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam is no more you can still catch lead singer Lisa Velez often popping up on Freestyle Explosion tours across the U.S., performing the catalog of hits that made her so popular all of those years ago.

Currently Booming: Van Halen - Full Concert - Oakland Coliseum Stadium (1981)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Thompson Twins- 'Doctor Doctor!'

I saw you there, just standing there

And I thought I was only dreaming, yeah

I kissed you then, then once again

You said, you would come and dance with me

Dance with me, across the sea

And we could feel the motion of a thousand dreams

                                       Doctor, doctor, can't you see, I'm burning, burning?

Oh, doctor, doctor, is this love, I'm feeling?

I often will say that 1984 was musically one of the best years of my life. In a matter of months Madonna, Michael Jackson, Prince, Cyndi Lauper and countless others were blaring from boom boxes while revolutionizing the fashion of an era. The group Thompson Twins can also quite easily be included in the mix of great music. 

Into The Gap was the group's fourth album (led by Tom Bailey and Alannah Curie) and it cranked out a few hits that landed on Billboards charts, including my favorite, "Doctor! Doctor!"  The heavy synth song did incredibly well on both the Hot 100 and Billboard's dance charts. The video itself was made at a time when technical tricks were more important than any kind of story line. Clouds, pastel lighting and ice skaters all are heavily featured in between the Thompson Twins performing their song. Check it out for yourself below. Do you still love this new wave style?

Currently Booming: 'Yah-Mo be There' -James Ingram & Michael McDonald (LIVE)

Currently Booming: NEW Queensryche- 'Dark Reverie'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Taylor Dayne - 'Tell It To My Heart'

"The passion's so complete
It's never ending
As long as I receive
This message you're sending
Body to body, soul to soul
Always feel you near
So say the words I long to hear
Tell it to my heart
Tell me I'm the only one
Is this really love or just a game
Tell it to my heart
I can feel my body rock
Every time you call my name."

If freestyle and dance music was your thing back in 1988 then you had to have worn out a Taylor Dayne tape or two. She first hit the charts in late 1987 with "Tell It To My Heart" and she followed that with three more top ten singles off of her debut album. If you were in a club, you heard Taylor, if you were in the car Taylor was on the radio. If you flipped on MTV, there she was. She was a pop staple everywhere and her big hair, red lips and bomber jackets left a lasting visual impact. Check out her very first video below. Do you still kind of love it?

Currently Booming: Falco- 'Rock Me Amadeus' on American Bandstand (1986)

An old school Saturday always included American Bandstand!

Exclusive Interview: Jeff Pilson on THE END Machine, Foreigner Reunions to Come, Plus a Project with Reb Beach & Robin Mcauley

Currently Booming: New Music- THE END machine - 'Alive Today' (Official Music Video)

Daily Boom's Freestyle Friday: Lisette Melendez- 'Together Forever'

"I've seen us come together in my dreams
And felt the kiss that makes me love you
Enough to see us through
It took some time to feel the way I feel
That's why I know I'm here forever
And you will always be there"

If you've been reading DailyBOOM for any length of time then you already know that I consider Freestyle Friday a bit of an institution. I love that Latin freestyle has been kept alive and well since it first broke through in a major way back in the '80s. Then, groups like Expose, The Cover Girls, and Sweet Sensation helped to bring freestyle music to Billboard's Hot 100. They all got serious radio play so even if you didn't know who was singing, you certainly knew the songs and I'll bet that you still do.

The late '80s brought the rise and decline of hair bands and as we rolled into the 90's grunge and alternative music reigned. Freestyle music really took a back seat to the moodier stuff but a few artists did make enough of an impact in spite of that, to do well. Lisette Melendez was one of them. She spent a few years putting together her debut album, Together Forever, and by the time it was released in 1991 people were ready to dance again.

 A few songs off of the album were huge hits in the clubs and the title track cracked the top 40 on Billboard's Hot 100. I can't think of a better way to start your Friday than to remind you of a song that will make you dance. TGIF indeed. Check out "Together Forever" below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: White Lion - 'Tell Me'

Tell me baby all through the night
That you'll never let me go
Tell me baby cause I want the world to know
Together we were one
We found the place where dreams are made
And hearts never broken
We said we'd never leave
You know we couldn't turn around
And face that we had left behind

I remember when White Lion first broke through way back in 1987. I was a junior in high school and Mike Tramp was a hit from the moment my friends and I laid eyes on him. Being almost too pretty in the late 80's equaled major hotness. While that always helps a little, White Lion's Pride album was a solid effort with several truly great tracks. "Tell Me" has always been one of my favorites. Check out the video below, do you remember it?

Currently Booming: American Top 40 on This Week in 1985 (Listen)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Foreigner - 'Waiting For A Girl Like You'

"When you love someone, when you love someone

It feels so right, so warm and true, I need to know if you feel it too

Maybe I'm wrong, won't you tell me if I'm coming on too strong?

This heart of mine has been hurt before, this time I want to be sure

I've been waiting for a girl like you to come into my life

I've been waiting for a girl like you, your loving will survive

I've been waiting for someone new to make me feel alive

Yeah, waiting for a girl like you to come into my life"

There were so many great power ballads to come out of the 80's. I love the term "power ballad" because it insinuates that the group can really rock out once this particular song ends. That idea certainly held true for Foreigner back in 1981 when they released "Waiting For A Girl Like You".  It was one of those mushy songs that got tons of airplay because of the sentimentality (wedding song material). I was really young so I didn't care about that but I did love the synth vibe to it that a then-unknown Thomas Dolby provided.

"Waiting For A Girl Like You" was the second single released off of Foreigner's 4 album and it went to number two on Billboard's Hot 100. "Urgent" was the first release and it grabbed lots of attention so fans were ready to see what was up next when Foreigner dropped their ballad. I can remember fighting to get a clear signal on my transistor radio whenever either song came on because I loved them equally.  Check out "Waiting For A Girl Like You" below. Is it one of your sentimental favorites too?

Currently Booming: VH1 News Special: Grunge

Exclusive Interview: Autograph's Steve Lynch on Touring and New Music to Come

ICYMI!

It's always fun to get to spend a few minutes with Steve Lynch, lead guitarist, and vocalist for Autograph and since it has been awhile, I thought I would check in with him. This past year has brought the band a new album, a spot on Billboard's classic rock chart, a few new videos and of course, an impressive (and ever-growing) list of tour dates. As if all of those things aren't keeping him busy enough, Lynch is also managing some of Autograph's business details. Still, he took a few minutes to connect with me and Autograph fans will be thrilled to learn that there are plenty of great things in the works!

Cate Meighan: Autograph has been really busy so far this year! How's the tour going? 

Steve Lynch: It's going great, we're still adding a lot more dates too. Our booking agent, Big Time Entertainment, is always updating stuff and as of this week, we have five more dates confirmed which is just great. We're really excited to still be out there and it's nice because we travel with just the four of us. I'm also doing the tour managing and business managing so it's so much easier when it's only the band together on the road. It would be a lot of extra money to bring people along and we're basically like weekend warriors anyway. We fly out, play and then usually return home again pretty quickly. 

CM: How much do you love playing the rock festivals now? 

SL: Oh, I just love playing the festivals because the whole energy of them is just fun. Just looking around gives me that feeling of what it was like back in the 80's and it's such a great vibe when you walk out onstage to play one of them. We're also seeing a few different generations of fans in the audience, which is cool. Some kids grew up listening to us because their parents did, and the grandkids are now getting into the music as well. The 80's were like the last generation of songs that people could really sing along with. The 90's just weren't like that. There are very few grunge songs to sing along with because they're not happy. Kids still love to be able to sing along and the 80's music is just perfect for that. I think that's one of the big reasons why the 80's, in general, have taken on a new life.  

Also, when we get to see other band members from back in the 80's out there at the festivals it's like a family reunion. It's always cool to see them still loving to play and enjoying the fans as much as we do. It feels really good.  

CM: Your new video, "Every Generation" seems to have generated some really good buzz. What kind of feedback have you received from the fans? 

SL: Well, we're excited about it and people seem to really like this video a lot. Paul Gervasi, the director, did a really great job on it. It wasn't really filmed in Juarez Mexico though because that would be a little dangerous (laughing). It was actually shot in the Superstition Mountains, a really beautiful area outside of Phoenix, Arizona.  

CM: I love the fact that your new album, Get Off Your Ass has made its' way onto Billboard's classic rock chart. What was your reaction when you first got the news? 

SL: It's surprising! My first thought was, did that really just happen (laughing)? When the 80's ended abruptly, I did some stuff that was a little more out there because I thought that was the direction that music was going to go in. The record companies just weren't listening to anything that we tried to do. If you were in an 80's band, forget it they didn't want to hear anything that you had to offer, because they had moved on to a whole new kind of style and sound.  

It was really disappointing and I eventually did release that album on my own anyway, but to come back now is amazing. I really just thought it was over, so to put out this album and to realize that there's still life in this genre of music is a very cool thing. I think I'm more appreciative now than I was back then. I mean I was always really excited about it, but it was like a whirlwind. We would be on tour sometimes for 11 months straight and writing stuff for movies or television while we were on the road. We would come into town to film something like American Bandstand or Solid Gold and then go right back out and do more shows. We were really happy that so many good things happened for us but we never really had time to sit back and enjoy it.  

Now, we're more mature and we have a different insight into it. Here I am at this age and this is all happening again and it feels incredible. We're blessed to be out there still playing live and to have people enjoy it just as they did way back then. It's just a blessing to be able to play live and to do these festivals, and also to still be able to record. I never saw myself doing it again, so to be reliving this part of my life is really gratifying.  

CM: There are so many cool things happening for Autograph right now, so what comes next? 

SL: We have something out called Get Off Your Ass Coffee, which is an Italian roast and it's really good. We're planning some more new things for our band merchandise so keep checking our official site for updates.   

Most importantly, we're are going to release another single or two off of the album because there's some really powerful stuff on there that we just can't let go to waste. So, we'll do another video or two and let people enjoy it. We are also already writing material for the next album. We're probably going to release it one single at a time until they form a compilation. A lot of newer artists are doing it one single at a time as well.  

We want to keep pushing ahead but we also want to make sure that people have time to digest the music as it comes out. Plus, if we're concentrating on just one single at a time then we can put a lot more energy and innovation into that one song and then give it a really great video too. I think at this point that's a really smart way for us to do it and as we perfect one single then the fans will really be looking forward to the next one. I want our fans to know that we're working on new stuff and new videos are also on the way from us!  I also want to thank them for the decades of support because none of this could happen for any of us without them!

Check out Autograph's official site for updates from the band, new merch and of course, TOUR DATES!