Daily Boom Lost Hit: Erin Cruise- 'Cold Shower'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Force MD's - 'Tender Love'

Longing for some of your tender Love

I'm waiting for the right moment to come
So I can thank you for all the tender love you've given to me

If you were listening to American Top 40 on your radio 30 years ago this week then one of the songs that you might have been waiting to record was the Force MD's "Tender Love". It was sitting in tenth place on Billboard's Hot 100 after becoming one of the best songs to come out of the Krush Groove soundtrack. Those are the details but if you were a teen then you knew this song because it was THE love song of the moment. "Tender Love" generated lots of dedications (remember when that was actually a thing?) from the left coast to the right and to this day it's easily recognized the minute it begins to play.

The Force MD's first connected in Staten Island back in 1981 and despite having some old school hip hop roots it was their ballads that really brought them success. The band was also considered to be very early pioneers of the New Jack Swing movement that really took off in 1990. Sadly, three of the group's original members died of various causes in the late 90's. The remaining members put out their last Force MD's album in 2000. 

Check out "Tender Love" below. I promise that you're going to remember it.

Boom Radio: Deep Dives with Patrick Hemming (Aired 7-23-21)

Listen to "Deep Dives: Hi-Tech AOR (For The Most Part) 1981-1992" on Spreaker.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Cinderella - 'Shake Me'

No pullin' teeth, she didn't want to fight, she said

Shake me, all night, she said

Shake me, shake it, don't break it baby

You already know that I've basically never encountered a hair band that I didn't eventually have a soft spot for, right? So why wouldn't I love Cinderella, still? I can't think of a single reason. Their first album Night Songs first dropped in 1986 and the boys made good use of their band name when it came to creative videos. "Shake Me", "Nobody's Fool" and "Somebody Save Me" all included a play on the Cinderella character and her evil step sisters. Back then it was a pretty clever move and all three videos were given a lot of play.

Sometimes even the best hair bands will feel just a tiny bit dated to me but never Cinderella. Tom Keifer's voice sounds as good today as it did thirty years ago. Here's their first video, "Shake Me". After you watch it then click through and watch the other two that followed it for the full effect!

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: Warrant - Live in Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo 1991 [Full Concert]

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: SWV - 'I'm So Into You'

"Boy, there you go 
You're telling me that you love me 
But boy you know 
That you belong to another girl who loves you 
You are so fine, (so fine, so fine) 
You blow my mind 
(Things you do) with the things you do to me 
(She sees) She's not blind, she's not blind 
Things you do for me, but I know 

[Chorus]
I'm so into you 
I don't know what I'm gonna do 
Boy, you got me so confused 
I don't know what I'm gonna do "

It has been awhile since I featured some classic 90's R&B so I figured maybe SWV would be a great group to feature. Sisters With Voices first got together as a gospel group in the late 80's but by 1992 they had shortened their name to SWV and since R&B and slow jams were hot, transitioning to that style was a natural progression for the ladies. Songs like "Weak" and "I'm So Into You" got tons of radio play and they were constantly popping up on MTV every few hours like clockwork.

I was definitely feeling the soul and slow jam vibe when it was hot but I'll admit that now, 2 decades later I think I appreciate it even more. Back then I'd flip on MTV and think, "Ugh, there's SWV again". Now I wish I was seeing them pop up constantly because that era of my life was a whole lot easier than being a busy adult is now!

I'm not sure what SWV song I like best but I'm going to leave you with "I'm So Into You". Check it out below! 

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Melissa Etheridge -' Like The Way I Do'

"Baby tell me does she love you like the way I love you
Does she stimulate you, attract and captivate you
Tell me does she miss you existing just to kiss you
Like the way I do
Tell me does she want you, infatuate and haunt you
Does she know just how to shock and electrify and rock you
Does she inject you, seduce you and affect you
Like the way I do
Like the way I do"

Years before Melissa Etheridge became an Indie rock darling of the 90's she made some serious moves as a rocker. When her self-titled first album was released back in 1988 it featured a song called "Like The Way I Do". It never charted well on Billboard's Hot 100 but it did really well on the modern rock charts. It also was in heavy rotation on rock stations across the U.S. In between Warrant and Kix you were quite likely to hear Etheridge's "Like The Way I Do" or "Similar Features" being played to break up the hairband predictability.

Check out the video for "Like The Way I Do" below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Ratt - 'Round And Round'

I knew right from the beginning

That you would end up winnin'

I knew right from the start

You'd put an arrow through my heart

Round and round

With love we'll find a way just give it time

Round and round

What comes around goes around

I'll tell you why, dig

My kids have a really hard time imagining what life was like back in the 80's, when patience and waiting were both the order of the day. We're all so used to YouTubing whatever video clip that we want to see when we want it that's it's almost hard to think of life before the internet. Back in 1984 our lives revolved around MTV and the fact that they seemed to repeat popular videos every 4 hours or so. Believe me when I say that my friends and I did the math and would come running inside when we thought that a favorite video was going to air.

One of the first ones that I can really remember planning my life around was Ratt's "Round and Round".  It was before hair bands and glam metal had really hit the mainstream so they were really different. Plus they weren't just playing their song onstage somewhere, there was actually a freaky storyline that included an attic dinner with real rats and Milton Berle. It was really just a taste of what was to come because a few years later hair bands like Ratt were ruling the charts.

"Round and Round", off of Ratt's debut Out of the Cellar album ended up being their most popular song. It climbed to #12 on Billboard's Hot 100 in 1984.

Currently Booming: Cutting Crew's Nick Van Eede and Nigel Crouch Debut New Podcast 'Two Lifetimes in Music'

Boom Radio: Mojo Rocks with Mojo Moomey (Aired 7-16-21)

Currently Booming: The Top Old School Beach-Themed Videos (Watch)

For many of us, life just seems a whole lot better when we're surrounded by sun, sand and of course a great big ocean. Salt life is a real thing and it has been featured in music videos almost since the very start of MTV.  Some of the most memorable visuals by music artists have featured the ocean as a backdrop. Since it's the unofficial start of summer I thought it would be fun to revisit some old MTV favorites. Each of these videos has a beach theme and really stands out in my memory (hopefully yours too). So here we go and in NO particular order...

Belinda Carlisle- "Circle In The Sand"

Sundown all around

Walking thru the summer's end

Waves crash baby, don't look back

I won't walk away again

Oh, baby, anywhere you go,

We are bound together

I begin, baby, where you end

Some things are forever!

This was released in May of 1988 with Carlisle singing as various layered beach scenes flashed behind her. This song came at a time when the former Go Go's frontwoman could do no wrong musically. She had a string of solo hits, including "Heaven Is A Place On Earth" and "Mad About You" that all charted well.

The Fat Boys- "Wipe Out"

For three years straight we toured the nation

When we get through we needed a vacation

We wanted to party and get a little rest

So we packed our things and headed out west

We got our surfboards took the beach ball out

Jumped in a limousine ready to "Wipeout"

The Fat Boys were a hip-hop trio from Brooklyn that first emerged in the early 80's. Their 1987 cover of "Wipe Out" was one of the biggest songs of the summer and this video was in heavy rotation on MTV.

Huey Lewis And The News- "Stuck With You"

Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I am happy to be stuck with you 

Yes, it's true, (yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you 
Cause I can see, (I can see) that you're happy to be stuck with me
(yes it's true) I'm so happy to be stuck with you 

I'm happy to be stuck with you

Happy to be stuck with you.

What guy wouldn't want to be stuck on a deserted island with Keely Shaye Smith circa 1986? Huey Lewis was probably thrilled to get to play in the sun and sand with the then-model for hours while filming "Stuck With You". The song itself spent 3 weeks at number one on Billboard's Hot 100 and the video was one of the biggest of the year. The desert island in this is actually about ten miles from Paradise Island in Nassau.

Duran Duran- "Rio"

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand

Just like that river twisting through a dusty land

And when she shines she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande

While Duran Duran was picking up momentum in the early 80's their second studio album, Rio didn't really click here in the states- until their flashy video for the title song. "Rio" eventually became a visual example of all of the excesses that the decade became synonymous for.  This features the band is slick suits speeding through the Caribbean on a yacht surrounded by beautiful women. Once the video was picked up by MTV then people realized what a great song this really was.

Bon Jovi- "In And Out Of Love"

Young and wired 

Set to explode in the heat 
you won't tire 
Cause baby was born with the beat 

Do you guys even remember this video from 1985? I had actually forgotten it but it has to be included here because it features the original Jersey boys playing on the boardwalk and in the sands of Seaside Heights!

David Lee Roth- "California Girls"

Well, East coast girls are hip,

I really dig those styles they wear;
And the Southern girls with the way they talk, 
They knock me out when I'm down there,
The mid-west farmers daughters
Real-ly make you feel alright,
And the northern girls with the way they kiss
They keep their boyfriends warm at night.

Not long after leaving Van Halen in 1984 David Lee Roth returned to the airwaves with 1985's Crazy From The Heat. All four songs on the EP were covers of already established hits from the past. "California Girls" was kind of a no-brainer and the video loaded with chicks in bikinis became a summer staple.

Expose`- "Seasons Change"

Seasons change feelings change

It's been so long since I found you

Yet it seems like yesterday

Seasons change people change
I'll sacrifice tomorrow
Just to have you here today

In 1987 Expose` took their Miami freestyle sound and delivered it to the masses, with great success. Hits like "Come Go With Me" and "Let Me Be The One" landed in Billboard's top ten and solidified their run as a great dance band but that wasn't all that they were capable of. Their ballad "Seasons Change" earned the girl group their first number-one single and just as the song was a bit of a departure, so was the video. Instead of being a flashy, fun live performance, "Seasons Change" was set in a beach house. The girls are seen packing up their summer house while singing and eventually a run on the beach is of course in order.

Chris Isaak- "Wicked Game"

What a wicked game you played to make me feel this way

what a wicked thing to do to let me dream of you
what a wicked thing to say you never felt this way
what a wicked thing to do to make me dream of you

Take a sultry, haunting song, a topless Helena Christensen in Isaak's arms, and film it in black and white. The result? Perfection, the kind that even 27 years after its' original release still makes you stop to watch.

Wreckx-N-Effect- "Rump Shaker"

All I wanna do is zoom-a-zoom-zoom-zoom

And a poom-poom - Just shake ya rump! 

The year was 1992 and Teddy Riley's production and guest vocals made "Rump Shaker" a club classic for Wreckz-N-Effect. The visual of a hot chick walking in the sand playing the saxophone is probably still cemented in the minds of many men out there.

Madonna- "Cherish"

Cherish the thought 

Of always having you here by my side 
(Oh baby I) cherish the joy 
You keep bringing it into my life 
(I'm always singing it) 
Cherish the strength 
You got the power to make me feel good 
(And baby I) perish the thought 
Of ever leaving 
I never would 

This was the third single off of Madonna's 1989 Like A Prayer release. After two controversial songs in a row, it was nice to see Madonna take on something as simple as love. Watching her play in the surf in "Cherish" was a nice reminder that while the diva was certainly issues-oriented, she still had a fun side.

Don Henley- "Boys Of Summer"

I can see you,

Your brown skin shining in the sun.

You got that top pulled down,

And that radio on, baby.

And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong,

After the boys of summer have gone

Can you believe that this song is 32 years old?  Well, it is and I think that "Boys Of Summer" might be one of the most timeless videos around. The black and white imagery flashes through the different stages of a man's life, from boyhood to middle age adulthood and you can feel the major flashback unfolding in front of your eyes. This is undoubtedly one of Henley's best songs, don't you think?


There is just a sampling of some of the best beach videos in old-school pop culture history. What are your favorites?

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Nayobe- 'Please Don't Go'

Please don't go, please don't go
Don't go there tonight
It just isn't right
You may not come back to me
Our future we'll never see
You're throwing our life plans away
Please don't go

While I technically live near the beach now, that feeling of driving "down the shore" as a kid never fades. It was a once a year occasion that amounted to being just about everything to me and my friends. Wildwood, Ocean City, Seaside Heights were all a possibility and I think that memory of hitting the boardwalk at night as a kid is one that I'll never forget.

Spending 4 hours in the car also meant that we were driving to where the coolest music was. In 1985 I alternated between rock and club music and I think the latter just epitomizes boardwalk fun. The songs blaring in all of the t-shirt shops on the boardwalk were ones that I would never hear on the radio at home. In 1985, Nayobe's "Please Don't Go" was hands down THE club hit of the summer and now even 30 years later it is still identified as one of those songs that remind my generation of summer beach fun.

Even if you have no clue who Nayobe is, I'm going to bet that you'll remember this song.

Boom Radio: Deep Dives with Patrick Hemming (Aired 7-17-21)

Listen to "Deep Dives AOR & Melodic Rock (1982-1991)" on Spreaker.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: The Cure- 'Why Can't I Be You?'

"You turn my head when you turn around

You turn the whole world upside down

I'm smitten I'm bitten I'm hooked I'm cooked

I'm stuck like glue

You make me, make me, make me, make me hungry for you

Everything you do is simply dreamy

Everything you do is quite delicious

So why can't I be you?"

I'll admit it, I'm not exactly a fan of The Cure. I cherry pick, carefully. For whatever reason I've always, always loved "Why Can't I Be You" and it's all about the video. Maybe it's because Robert Smith is slightly more animated than usual or because his lip liner is MIA. Maybe it's the costumes or the fact that the video features some of the most awesomely bad choreography ever. I don't know but when you put these things together it ends up looking like this (below), and I happen to love, this.

Exclusive Interview: The Doobie Brothers Tom Johnston Talks Touring with Steely Dan and New Music to Come

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

Since Covid-19 has brought gigs to a screeching halt we are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI

When I was growing up in the late seventies The Doobie Brothers were truly a staple in my house. My dad was WAY into classic rock and for two hours each night (like it or not), I was given the kind of musical education that will truly last for my entire lifetime. The older I get, the more I realize just how much I love songs like "Long Train Running" or "China Grove" and it's not just because the bands' four Grammy's and 48 million records sold tell me that I should. I genuinely appreciate the intricacies of their work.

 The Doobie Brothers are spending their summer on the road co-headling a tour with Steely Dan, a combination that sounds like nothing short of perfection to me. While their styles are technically different, they compliment each other fantastically. Somewhere between tour stops in Utah and Colorado, Tom Johnston, founding member/lead vocalist/guitarist, gave me a few minutes of his time to discuss life on the road and new music to come from The Doobies.

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

Cate Meighan: I know that you've been out on tour with Steely Dan for a while now. How is that going?

Tom Johnston:  We've been out on the road for about a month and a half now and we've got another month and a half to go. The crowds have been great and I'm happy to see that they're embracing a wide spectrum show like this. There's quite a difference in our musical styles, but somehow they seem to really compliment each other and I think it's great. We've played with Steely Dan as recently as last year, but this is the first actual tour that we've done with them in many moons (laughing). We played with them back in the 70's and now Donald (Fagen) has got something really great going on with a very large group of exceptional players and they put on a great show. The crowds have been very into it and vocal- dancing around having a great time and so it has been a lot of fun interacting with the crowd.

CM: It seems to be a great summer in general for rock tours and the fans are truly excited about the shows coming to venues near them.

TJ: I think besides being a great escape mechanism, the idea is always for people to just come out and have a great time. Forget about your troubles for a little while and just immerse yourself in the music. In this case, they know songs from both bands so it's not like their going to a show where they won't know a portion of the music. They're already familiar with it and it's already a bit of a comfort zone for them. We're very fortunate to still be on the road and doing this after so many years.

CM: Are you seeing a variety of different generations at your shows now?

TJ: We generally see people at our shows ranging from their 30's to their 60's, but we're also seeing some kids who are big fans of both bands and really into the music. That's gratifying when you realize that you've reached that many people with your music and that it means something to them. It's nice when they decide to take the time out of their busy lives to come and see a show. I think it's great when people go back and check out music from the past and the ability is definitely there, most notably by downloading it. That has become the go-to way for most people to listen to music and it has changed the way that music, be it old or new, is presented to the public.

CM: Everything changes and evolves over time so how has life on the road changed for you over the years?

TJ: In the 70's we flew, I mean early on we were in a Winnebago (laughing), but then we flew. Quite frankly that was great and I loved it. Nowadays it's all buses and it has been since we reformed back in 1989. That's basically how most people tour unless of course, you're in the top echelon because then you've got a private jet. We're not there just yet so we're on a tour bus like most everybody else.
We play an hour and a half every night and then Steely Dan comes out and I think that they play for about two hours. After that, we all head to our buses and hit the road for the next town. It's not nearly as glamorous as people often think (laughing).

CM: It's not all glamorous, so what keeps you out there on the road?

TJ: It's the playing for sure. I'll always love playing the most and then interacting with the crowd. The best moment of the night for me is always when the crowd starts responding. When they're singing the songs and they know the words. To me, that interaction is what it's all about and it makes all of the traveling worthwhile.

We're very fortunate to be able to do this because there is a demand for this show. People want to see the bands that are out on this tour and so it's a joy to get out there and play every night. I guess people look at it as a job, but we really don't see it that way because it's more of a privilege to get paid for doing what you love.

(Photo: Kelly A. Swift)

CM: I know that the band has been working on new music. Is there an update on the status of the next project?

TJ: It's really in progress and I have no idea when it's going to come out. We started working on some things last year and we've also been writing on our own. One song is semi-recorded for demo purposes. I'm not anxious to get off this tour, but when I get home I am looking forward to going back and working on the new stuff. I think it's imperative that we put out new material.

Technology has really changed how we do things too. In the old days, you had yourself and a guitar. You came up with chord changes and lyrics. Nowadays with the software that exists you can have your own studio in your house. You can lay down the track- play the drums, you can play the bass,  the keyboards. Then you can also play guitar right into the computer and you can sing into the computer as well. Back then, you would grab maybe a drummer to work with and take a song as far as you could. Then you would bring it to the studio with a producer and the whole band so that everybody could come up with parts. The producer would come up with ideas and the song would come to fruition that way. Now with all of the technology, you can walk in with a complete idea of what you have in mind. It doesn't mean that it won't get changed, but you're able to present a much more detailed version of what you're trying to do and I absolutely love it.

(Photo: Kelly A. Swift)

You still have to start with a good idea though. You need chord changes and an idea of where you want the song to go. That part of it is still the same.

The writing process is a bit different for me now though because I used to write alone. Now I'm realizing that to do it with other people that have ideas when you're stuck, is a real blessing. It moves the process along and they may have some really great ideas that I would never have thought of, so it's great. Sometimes when you're writing alone you find yourself running into a wall, for whatever reason,  that you just can't break through. Then when you get with someone else they'll break that wall right down for you which is fantastic. I'm looking forward to getting as many songs written as possible and then choosing what songs to use and getting them out. I think it's imperative for a band to keep moving forward. It doesn't matter how long you've been doing this, you still need to stay as fresh as you can. I think if you rest on your laurels you're giving up something, so moving forward helps to make it all valid for me.

CM: How far in advance do The Doobie Brothers plan their next career moves?

TJ: Well planning a few months ahead happens, like now we know that we'll be out on the road this summer with Steely Dan. Then in the fall, we have another tour and in the interim, we know that we're going to be working on new stuff. We're busy all the time, doing different things in different places but I can't imagine ever planning a whole year in advance. Life kind of handles itself sometimes and you just have to go with it.

(Photo: Andrew Macpherson)

Keep up to date on everything that The Doobie Brothers have going on by bookmarking their official site. Check out their tour dates here and grab some of the bands' merch too!

Daily Boom's 90's Nostalgia: Sade - 'No Ordinary Love'

"I gave you all the love I got
I gave you more than I could give
I gave you love
I gave you all that I have inside
And you took my love
You took my love"

So a mermaid walks into a bar...

Nope. That's not the start of a joke, but it is exactly what happens in Sade's video for "No Ordinary Love". This was the lead single off of her 1992 Love Deluxe release and it became a signature song for Sade. While she first burst on the scene in the early 80's with songs like "Smooth Operator" and "The Sweetest Taboo", Sade really hit her stride with this album. While lots of singers in the 90's were soulful, very few set a mood quite like Sade.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: The Jacksons - 'Torture'

She was up a stair to nowhere
A room forever I'll remember
She stared as though I should have known her
Tell me what's your pain or pleasure
Every little thing you find here
Is simply for the thrill you're after
Loneliness or hearts of fire
I am here to serve all masters

In 1984 the Jackson family made a comeback of sorts, thanks primarily to the insane success of Michael Jackson. His Thriller release was the biggest thing out there and so it only made sense for the rest of the family to try and ride Michael's coattails. Their Victory album sold copies based on the two singles that Michael sang on. "Torture" was one of those and while it was met with mixed reviews, I remember it getting lots of airplay in my area. 

The video for "Torture" was all glitzed out and Paula Abdul actually choreographed all of the dance moves. What's ironic is that while it was Michael's voice that prompted this song to climb the charts, his busy schedule prevented him from being in the actual video. Instead, he was replaced by a masked dancer that people knew wasn't really him. While it's not the best video around, I actually loved this song way back then and the video features all the components to make a great throwback.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Robert Palmer - 'I Didn't Mean To Turn You On'

"Now I bring you home

You told me goodnight's not enough for you
I'm sorry, baby
I didn't mean to turn you on
No, I didn't mean to turn you on
You read me wrong
I wasn't trying to lead you on
Not like you think
I didn't mean to turn you on"

I think when most people think of Robert Palmer they almost immediately picture his "Addicted to Love" video, with him looking suave as several cloned women pretend to play instruments behind him. It's a visual that, even 30+ years after the release of his Riptide album, is still etched into pop culture's history. It's classic, timeless, and back then everyone absolutely loved Palmer. While I really liked "Addicted to Love", my favorite song off of the album is actually the single that followed it.

"I Didn't Mean to Turn You On" hit the charts in early 1986 and I loved it immediately. Instead of girls with slicked-back hair, this video featured women that looked like they were runway-ready and the song itself has always felt a bit tongue-in-cheek, especially with Palmer singing it. It fit his image back then and the extended dance mix can still crush a lot of other 12" tracks out there. 

Ironically, Palmer wasn't the only one to record "I Didn't Mean to Turn You On". Cherrelle did it first and Mariah Carey had a version decades later, but it's Palmer's that is the best known of all. 

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Van Halen- 'Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Laura Branigan - 'Self Control'

Oh, the night is my world
City light painted girl
In the day nothing matters
It's the night time that flatters
In the night, no control
Through the wall something's breaking
Wearing white as you're walkin'
Down the street of my soul

Laura Branigan's career skyrocketed back in 1984, at the height of the synth era. While songs like "Gloria" and "Solitaire" were pretty straight forward, safe musical selections, Branigan drew gasps with the release of "Self Control".  By 1984 artists were beginning to really play with their videos while trying to find ways to push boundaries a bit. "Self Control" was one of the first songs to find MTV unwilling to air its' video.

The clip depicts Branigan venturing out into a seedy underground nightlife and then finding herself in what seems to be an orgy. MTV insisted on edits to the clip before they would air it and eventually she caved in so that it would get the play is deserved. "Self Control" shot to number one in six different countries and it was in heavy rotation on radio stations across the world.

Branigan spent the decade of excess cranking out music and then by the 90's her popularity had waned. She died in 2004 of an aneurism at the age of 47. 

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Kris Kross - 'Jump'

"Don't try to compare us to another bad little fad
I'm the Mac and I'm bad givin' ya something that you never had
I'll make ya rump rump wiggle and shake your rump
'Cause I'll be kicking the flavor that makes you wanna Jump
How high? Real high
Cause I'm just so fly
A young loveable, huggable type of guy
And everything is to the back with a little slack"

The early '90s seemed to have a handful of hi[p hop groups or duo's that amounted to being a flash in the pan. The music market was so flooded with them that they almost canceled each other out which was kind of sad because there was some real talent there. Kris Kross was one of the few exceptions to that situation. Chris Kelly and Chris Smith got together before they were barely teenagers and by the time 1992 rolled around they were sitting on top of Billboard's Hot 100 for 8 weeks.

"Jump" was and still is an anthem. It gets people up and moving with every spin. Not only did Kelly and Smith have mad skills but they were produced by Jermaine Dupri, which basically ensured their success. They were also unique, known for wearing their clothes backwards and when 90's kids followed their lead they became fashion trailblazers of a sort.

Kris Kross ultimately released 3 albums together and kept making moves in the music industry, often behind the scenes. Chris Kelly's struggle with drugs was pretty well known and in May of 2013 he lost that battle. Chris Smith continues to make music and produce.

Check out the video for "Jump" below. I don't remember wearing my clothes backwards but my hat was definitely tipped to the back.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Ozzy Osbourne 'Shot In The Dark'

"Out on the street, I'm stalking the night

I can hear my heavy breathing.

Paid for the kill but it doesn't seem right;

something there I can believe in .

Voices are calling from inside my head.

I can hear them, I can hear them,

vanishing memories of things that were said,

they can't try to hurt me now.

But a shot in the dark, one step away from you.

A shot in the dark, always creeping up on you"

I can remember being in high school and everyone loving Ozzy Osbourne. Black Sabbath seemed to be a group that all of my friends worshipped at the feet of and I simply just didn't get it. I couldn't exactly climb aboard the crazy train, until "Shot In The Dark" started playing on my local rock station. Yeah it was probably a little more pop-ish than most of Ozzy's stuff and maybe that's why it appealed to me. While 80% of me lived in headbanger heaven the other 20% was dancing their ass off to club hits.

Weird I know.

Even today, "Shot In The Dark" feels a bit different to me. Ozzy's hair is bigger, his clothes are a bit glitzier and he has this look on his face that tells me that in spite of the booze & the drugs, he knows exactly what he's doing. This song was intended to broaden his appeal so that his fan base would grow.

And it worked.

Check out "Shot In The Dark" below!

Boom Radio: Mojo Rocks with Mojo Moomey (Aired 7-9-21)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Culture Club - 'Time (Clock Of The Heart)'

"Don't put your head on my shoulder
Sink me in a river of tears
This could be the best place yet
But you must overcome your fears
In time we could've been so much more
But time is precious I know
In time we could've been so much more
The time has nothing to show
because
Time won't give me time
And time makes lovers feel
Like they've got something real
But you and me we know
We got nothing
but time"

When Culture Club's "Time (Clock Of The Heart)" was first released back in 1982 it was basically a stand-alone single that just so happened to really take off. It eventually hit number two on Billboard's Hot 100 and that paved the way for the London new wave group to break through in the U.S. Culture Club went to have numerous hits such as "Miss Me Blind" and "Karma Chameleon" but I think that "Time" might be the one that has held up the best. As for the group itself, Culture Club does still perform with lead singer Boy George and they are spending this summer touring the states.

Boom Radio: Deep Dives with Patrick Hemming (Aired 7-9-21)

Listen to "Deep Dives 07 09 21 80's Mix" on Spreaker.

Currently Booming: American Bandstand- Dec. 1981- (Full Episode)

Exclusive Interview: Freestyle's Soavé Martinez Celebrates Thirty Years of Live Performances While Putting the Finishing Touches on Brand New Music

(Soave Martinez- Official Facebook)

Since Covid-19 has brought gigs to a screeching halt we are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI

Some songs just stay with you no matter how many years have passed since the first time that you remember hearing them on the radio, four seconds in and you recognize it as your jam. Sure, there might be a handful of songs that you can classify that way, but when one of them starts to play it's still always YOUR jam. Soave’s “Crying Over You" has always registered as one of mine. It was just the right song at the right time for me, one that to this day leaves me dancing. It has worked that same kind of magic on a lot of people and I challenge anyone that is under the impression that freestyle music died off twenty-plus years ago, to reconsider. I say that because on any given weekend, in various locations across the U.S. you’ll find thousands of freestyle fans packing venues to embrace not only the music but also the bit of nostalgia that those dance floor classics conjure up. 

I’ve had an opportunity to get to know Jeffrey “Soave” Martinez a bit and I now really understand that in order to consistently perform nearly every week for the last three decades (as he has), it takes passion, devotion to the music and a deep gratitude for all that freestyle has brought to his life. The fans play a huge part in his ability to keep performing because without demand there is no supply, but it’s his gut-level devotion to music that has Soave now working on the biggest passion project of his life. The need to grow has led him back into the studio to create brand new music, completely on his own terms.  

In a recent interview, Soave revisited his earliest days in the music industry and brought me up to speed on all that he has in the works for this year. Check it out below. 

(Soave Martinez- Official Facebook)

Soave Martinez on his first brush with the freestyle music world: 

"My girlfriend and I had just broken up and I found out that she was going to be at the Puerto Rican Day Parade, so I figured my friend and I could go and we would run into her. I had never been to this parade before, so I had no idea just how massive it was. I was thinking it would be just a couple of blocks and I'd run into her when really it was hundreds of thousands of people (laughing). So we went and it didn't take me long to figure out that I was never going to run into her so we decided to just enjoy the moment. As we were walking my buddy was taking flyers from everyone that was handing them out. He had a stack of flyers in his hands and I looked at the last one that was handed to him and it was little pictures of about 25 different acts all in a big square. It was for a Puerto Rican Day Parade after-party at Club Broadway 96.  

I was a fan of freestyle first before I ever even considered performing it. I really liked established acts like Noel, TKA and Trilogy. They weren't on the flyer, but my father was the head of security at Club Broadway 96, so I knew that even though we were underage we would be able to get in because he would hook us up. We headed down to the club, had dinner and then we ended up backstage so I got to meet all of the artists as they were coming through. Since I was broken up with my girlfriend, I took autographed photos from each of the acts and I decided that I was going to mail them all to her on Monday, hoping that would get her back (laughing). 

I was there for hours either backstage or watching everyone from the side of the stage and by the fourth or fifth act I was thinking, 'I could do that, I could be out there'. In my college days, I wanted to go to school for both acting and singing, so I figured whichever one I got an opportunity to do first, that would be the one that I focused on. As luck would have it, I got the opportunity to sing because I was at that show that night." 

(Soave Martinez- Official Facebook)

Soave on how that one night turned into a golden opportunity: 

"Well, on Monday I did take my pile of autographs to the post office (laughing) and as the lady at the counter was wrapping it up with love, I realized I had to get something from out of the pile. The person I had spent the most time with was Johnny O and I needed to get his manager's phone number from inside that envelope. The guys' name was George Vasconez, he owned Sparkle Management and at the time, he was THE guy. So I got the number and called it a few times that day asking to speak with Johnny O. When I realized I was actually speaking with George I told him that I wanted to be a singer and he just started laughing his head off (laughing). He must have thought that I was a complete kook, but he explained that first I needed to be discovered. If I wasn't discovered then I needed a complete demo tape and I had no clue where to go to make one. All that I could think of was that booth in Macy's with the Karaoke that let you record and gave you a tape on your way out (laughing). George told me when he was going to be at the same club that I had met Johnny O at and he told me to introduce myself to him and that he would help me figure out the demo tape. 

I was so excited! I went to that club in jeans and a jean jacket with no shirt under it, I don't know what the hell I was thinking (laughing), but it was kind of the style back then. So I introduced myself to him at the club looking like this and he looked me up and down and said, 'kid, I'm going to put you on stage and the girls are going to go crazy'. I couldn't believe it! He introduced me to Judy Torres and a few other people and then basically took me under his arm. Every Wednesday night I stayed at his house in the city, because that was the night of the week that all of the artists performed. He took me to different functions and shows so that I could watch and learn how all of the other artists did things. He took me to The Palladium and Studio 54, clubs like that and everywhere that we went he was known as the manager so those velvet ropes went up. It was like school for me and I lived for those Wednesdays. It was so exciting and I really couldn't believe that this was my life. 

After seven or eight months of this, I really wanted to get started on my career. I was around all of these other artists but no one had ever heard me sing and I just wanted to sing. George told me he had gotten me an audition for a song on Micmac Records, which I thought was crazy because I still didn't have a demo tape. I asked him how I could audition without it and he reminded me of all the times I was in the car with him, singing. He thought I was talented and I had no idea that he was helping me to improve and just watching me grow for all of those months. I was really just a clueless kid (laughing)."  

Soave on that one audition that changed his life: 

"I was just dying for that audition to come and when it finally did, I was put right in the vocal booth and handed words to a poem written by someone's ex-girlfriend, called "Crying Over You". He wanted me to sing it in a very monotone style that resembled another song that was already on the radio. So, I did exactly what I was told and then after the third or fourth time I asked if I could sing it differently, the way that I would really want to sing it and he said yes. I made it my own and he said, 'all right, all right that's good, come out!', and I thought I blew it. 

 I'm thinking that I should have just kept my mouth shut rather than trying to be creative over here (laughing), and so I came out of the booth. I was expecting the worst and instead, he told me I got the song and he welcomed me to the team.

We recorded the song and back then it took forever for a song to come out. If you recorded in January it would take until October or November for them to release it because they had to master it and then do edits, which took forever. So, when it finally came out they first gave it to the record pools as kind of a test market. I remember KTU radio (in NYC) had a Hot or Not segment and my song was like 97% hot. Then it went to the test press to get a feel for how the song might do, which would help to set the release date. This song went from the test press right to the radio stations before the label had a feel for how the market was, and it went into regular rotation. I went from doing shows for free to making six or seven thousand dollars on a weekend, literally overnight. I didn't understand at the time how rare that really was. I thought it was a Micmac thing and that if your song came out on their label then you'd automatically be played on the radio. I quit my day job and two weeks later I had my first pay from singing, a check for seven thousand dollars and then a bag with another seven thousand in cash (laughing). I was scared because I had all this money and I remember trying to get home as fast as I could with it.  

I pushed them to put out another song really fast and the label insisted we ride that wave created by "Crying Over You". I actually wrote the lyrics to the next song, "If You Want Me", on the back of a vomit bag while flying back from a show, on Eastern Airlines (laughing). It was before I had any kind of recording device so I kept writing the lyrics and singing them so that I would remember them. I recorded it and it took them forever to release it, but when they finally did it actually did much better than "Crying Over You", because people were waiting for a follow-up song." 

(Soave Martinez- Official Facebook)

Soave on the importance of having full control over his new music: 

"I started this project six years ago when I was making a lot more money and had the ability to spend more money on the studio. For a few years, it was harder coming up with the funds to cover all the costs that go with recording an album, but now I'm back in the studio every week again. It's nice to actually be in control and it's probably taking longer because I am in control. It's my money now that's invested so they can't tell me what to do. It has to be perfect. I've waited so long for this chance that it just has to be perfect. I'll do an entire song and then go back over it with a fine-tooth comb looking for one sentence or one little riff that I don't like, and then I'll fix it. I'm also one of those guys that's really annoying to producers (laughing) because I actually care about how it's going to sound. They understand me though and know that I work fast, but I'll always go back and fix stuff. To me, that's how you become a good artist." 

 Soave on his musical passion project: 

"The name of the album is 'Silky Sheets and Smooth Covers' and the silky sheets are my original songs, while smooth covers are cover songs. Those are songs that I've always loved listening to or that are fun to perform. It's exciting because I just know that it's going to do well. I want to get it out by March because it's the 30th anniversary of "Crying Over You". It's so exciting and I feel like every song that I finish is better than the one that I did before.  

It's not a freestyle record, but there is one freestyle song on there that I'm having a lot of fun with. I feel like I have to throw one freestyle song in to really get the attention of my original fanbase, almost as a thank you for sticking with me. It's a way of staying true to who I was as an artist back then while also proving that I'm vocally capable of so much more now. The reason why I like this particular song so much is that I wrote it in 1992 and it just stayed with me. I never recorded it or released it, I've just kept it with me for all of these years, thinking I'd save it for when freestyle comes back and gets real radio play. I always believed that if it were to come back then I'd need to be ready and this is my song for that.  

People say that freestyle is back but I can tell you that it never really went away. I've been singing it regularly for over thirty years. Maybe we get more shows now than even ten years ago, but it never went away." 

(Soave Martinez- Official Facebook)

Soave on not having any real regrets: 

"I don't ever have regret really and here's why: If you have regret and would change something in your life, then you also couldn't have the good things that you have today. I've had different dancers and I've had different kinds of stage shows over the years, but I've never stopped performing, never. I've been very blessed. If I changed one thing then all of that would change too. I'm happy with the opportunities that I've already had and I'm happy that my life isn't over yet, so I can still make a difference in a lot of different ways." 

Check out Soave's official site for updates on everything he's doing. Also, follow him on Facebook, Twitter, & Instagram for info on upcoming gigs, new music & tour dates.