"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.
I think that most people believe that once you "make it" in the music industry you're sort of set for life if you handle your money properly. The actual truth is that the music business is at best, a harsh place to try and exist. You could be at the top of the charts and playing sold-out shows now and in six months you're back to waiting tables or washing dishes. The only solid guarantee is that every star eventually falls from the sky and then it takes talent, timing, and unshakable determination to get back up again. That's why I love to see a time-tested, old school band with a great catalog still selling out shows and Great White was doing exactly that before the world as we know it came to a screeching halt.
The band (Mark Kendall- lead guitar, Michael Lardie- rhythm guitar, multi-instrumentalist, Audie Desbrow- drums, Scott Snyder- bass, and Mitch Malloy- lead vocals) first found itself in heavy rotation on MTV back in the late-80's with songs like "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" and they never really looked back. Sure there have been some major bumps in the road. Among other things, people have come and gone (including lead singers), but Great White has not only survived, it also continues to thrive.
I had an opportunity to catch up with the Michael Lardie, the band's rhythm guitarist and multi-instrumentalist, who was in great spirits in spite of being pulled off the road due to the Covid-19 lockdown. Michael's kindness, intelligence, and positive energy flowed as we bounced through all sorts of topics. Check it out for yourself.
Photo: Ralph Arvesen
Michael Lardie on being under quarantine:
"We're closing in on six weeks inside now in California. When I'm normally at home I'm pretty low-key and usually working in my studio or something. I don't go out too much anyway unless it's to see a movie or grab dinner so it's not a really big change for me. Not having the option to do anything because of lockdown really mentally pushes you against a wall though. Every time I think of an errand to run it's followed by the thought, 'oh you can't do that or at least you shouldn't do that' so that's the primary change for me.
When being in the studio is your joy for the day, I think times like now can make you even more laser-focused. Like on a normal day I might want to work for a couple hours and maybe come up with an idea, now I'm finding myself demoing entire songs (laughing) so in that respect, it's a positive. Also, the guys and I are sending little voice notes of ideas back and forth too, just trying to stay focused on what it is that we do and part of that is writing new material. Right now I'm breathing, I'm healthy, I'm being smart and staying home. I'm finding the joy in being creative and at this point, I'll just go with it (laughing)."
Michael on Great White's plans for new music:
"Well, because of the way that people absorb music now, one of the thoughts that we've had is to put out smaller doses of music more frequently. Maybe putting out two or three songs at a time and then, in the end, we'll compile it all and make it into a product that our diehard fans can pick up. We've been in the model of making full records for our entire career so it's a little strange for us to be thinking outside of the box, but that may be how we need to do it now. One of the things that makes Great White the band that it is, is that we don't record separately and send files to each other. For us to be making music, whether it's a two or three-song EP or whatever, our best experience is always when we're in the same room actually cutting the track with all of us playing. When you're building a house the vibe is different when you're building it together rather than piecemeal and recording is the same for us.
There are five people that make a sound different from everyone else on the planet. Individually we sound a certain way but once we're all together there's this sound that is so familiar and feels so good that it inspires us to keep performing. You want to keep making that sound with that particular group of people. The vibe is always far stronger when we're all in the same room. It's going to be interesting for us to actually do that again when we're able to schedule real-life things. We're looking forward to it because the best things happen for us musically when we're together as a band."
Michael on how the band has remained successful even with three different lead singers:
"When I was first coming up older people would always say to me songs, songs, songs. That is what is most important because a band's catalog will define its longevity. In that respect, I'm very proud of the material that we've come up with over the years and that material has allowed us to continue even with different singers. We've had three very different sounding singers and no matter who you put in there it has worked because of the strength of the material. Mitch (Malloy) has worked out great for us. Sonically he is a little more like Jack (Russell) than Terry Ilous was and I think people are getting it now. Every time you make a change there's an adjustment period but as people have heard Mitch sing the songs and watched his performances I think they've started to really embrace him. We've had really great attendance before everything shut down, I think five out of our last eight shows were sold out and that just makes us really grateful. Again, it's all because of the strength of the music and the catalog of songs that we've created."
Michael on the band's writing process:
"It's interesting because back in the day we would be sitting in a rehearsal room bouncing riffs off of each other and figuring out the arrangement- that's one way that we did it. As time went on and we started to have different rigs at home we've been able to come up with parts of songs and share them, so it's kind of done in the same way from remote now. We rely on each other to remind us of how we sound at our personal best and things often come to us in pieces. "Rock Me" for example, was a guitar riff that Mark had and when we sat down and started to mess around with it before you knew it we had this great song. One of the best things about the band is how we really look forward to each others' input to make that special sound that I was talking about earlier.
So many songs have come at the last minute too, like the day before you go to the studio or the first few days that we're there. "All Over Now" is the last thing that we wrote for Once Bitten and "Mista Bone" was the last thing that we wrote for Twice Shy. There's always inspiration in the end because you're in the vibe of pre-production and running through stuff and you're playing like a band every single day. When you're playing off each other that much just jamming can turn into something so now we try to leave that space open at the very end. Good stuff comes up when you're working together day after day."
Great White
Photo: Neil Zlozower
Michael on what keeps that desire to play live burning:
"The joy of playing music with other people and making our particular sound is one of the bullet point reasons that always comes back to me. Everything for us is fly dates now which can be challenging at times and it makes you a little sleep deficient. But the upside to that is that you may leave on Thursday and then play all weekend, come back on Sunday and it gives you three or four days to have some semblance of a normal life. So I get to do the thing that I still love the most and then enjoy that normalcy.
One of the other things that I think of while playing a song is that this group of people has never been together before. This exact show has never happened even though there are fans that have come and seen us on multiple occasions over the years, at that moment that group of people has never been 100% present together. We're still playing 100% live so no matter how you feel you've got the challenge of making it sound as great as you can every single time you go out. Those things make it fresh for us in the moment.
Getting people to smile back at you when you're up there doing this thing that you love is always amazing to me. When you get that energy back it's just amazing and when you see little kids out there on their dad's or grand dad's shoulders singing along to "Rock Me" it's really something. The multigenerational thing always gets me because it's incredible to think that our music is what these parents saw fit to pass down to their kids. One of the greatest compliments that we can get as songwriters and performers is to have our music go from generation to generation. When I think back to when we were young we just hoped that what we did would somehow make some small difference that could maybe even live on. Having it be passed on from one generation to the next is the highest compliment we can get.
It still blows my mind when I'll be driving in my car and "House of Broken Love" comes on (laughing). We didn't think all that much when we were creating it but when I hear it I can still put myself in a time capsule and zap myself back to the very moment we were doing it. The very moment that I kept Mark in his seat for ten hours doing all of the soloing on that track and the fact that his fingers were bleeding by the time it was done. I can remember every aspect of that. It's amazing how you can hear a song and all of a sudden you're transported back to the beach in 1989, nothing is a better time machine than music."
Michael on other projects that have kept him busy:
"Last year I mixed a live performance of Sheryl Crow's from the Capitol Theatre in NY that was released in the fall. That kind of project would be perfect for me to have right now (laughing). It was an eight hour a day thing, 22 songs, and I had to mix it in surround so it was just awesome. I'm a fan of hers so it was like a gift, just a complete joy to do. Something like that would be perfect for right now and you never know something could come along.
In the meantime, I've been working on material of my own that someday I'll finish up and put out there. I've never really set a timeline for it I'll just know when it's the right time to share it with the world. It's also good because if I'm stuck on something for Great White I'll flip over to my own thing and find the joy in doing that, which frees my brain. Then when I look at the Great White stuff again I'll find a way around that wall that I felt like I kept hitting."
Mitch Malloy, Mark Kendall & Michael Lardie
Photo: Eric Sherman
Michael on what's next for Great White:
"So far most of May and early June dates are postponed but we're actually really lucky because we've only completely lost one show. It was part of a summer series and they weren't able to push it to another date because the whole season has already been booked but we're lucky because about thirty other shows have been rescheduled for later in the year. We're grateful because so far we're still holding on to shows and not only that but the other day we booked a new one for November. So somewhere out there at least one person is still scheduling new gigs (laughing).
We're hoping to get back out there in the late summer or early fall and be able to finish out our year safely. Having the ability to perform taken away has made me just a little more inspired, so if I was thinking even a tiny bit about maybe wrapping this all up in a few years, this time off has energized me. Now I think I'm just going to keep on doing this music thing until it doesn't make sense anymore. Knowing that we will have the opportunity to do this again after this lockdown ends is really something. When the first level of success happened when we were younger I appreciated it but now I have the intelligence and experience to really appreciate it so much more. Grateful doesn't really even begin to describe how I feel right now."
Check out Great White's Official Site for updated tour dates, news & more!
No money man can win my love It's sweetness that I'm thinking of. We always hang in a Buffalo Stance We do the dive every time we dance I'll give you love baby not romance I'll make a move nothing left to chance So don't you get fresh with me
Neneh Cherry first hit on MTV at a time when other ladies like Queen Latifah and Monie Love were blowing up. Girl groups like JJ Fad and Salt N' Pepa had already proved that women were good for a lot more than just syrupy ballads and viewers really seemed to dig this new wave of ladies. Cherry was born in the states but raised in Sweden beside an incredibly musical family. That probably explains why her talent has spanned singing, rapping and even spoken word. She's an artist that has been far more motivated by creativity than the all mighty dollar since first appearing in 1988.
"Buffalo Stance" was the first single by Cherry to find itself in heavy rotation on MTV. It was written about the group of friends that she ran with back in the day and a former boyfriend, Che' is heavily referenced. In the end she dumped him because she thought that he was too materialistic. One interesting nugget is that the spoken word portion of this song is actually ripped from a love letter that Che' wrote to Cherry before their split!
Check out "Buffalo Stance" below. Do you remember it?
Quarantine. Social distancing. Pandemic. Not exactly the terminology that any of us expected to personally identify with as we rang in the new year back in January and yet, here we are. When sheltering in place becomes a part of daily life it has a way of stripping away some of the things (career, money, etc.) that might otherwise divide people. We're all literally in the same boat and that includes rock stars like Tesla's lead singer, Jeff Keith.
The band recently put out a wonderfully crafted new live album, Five Man London Jam, and rather than celebrating on the road as expected, they are at home with their families, waiting for this initial wave of Covid-19 to be over. I caught up with Jeff the other day and while life has taken a sharp turn, his kindness and positivity remain fully intact. Check it out.
Jeff Keith on daily life while under quarantine:
"It's crazy, my wife and I are now homeschooling our nine-year-old son. He does computer work and I do all the paperwork. I'm re-learning about a lot of things like adjectives and linking verbs, I'm brushing up on all the stuff I learned so many years ago (laughing)."
Jeff on Tesla's new release, Five Man London Jam:
"We have to get a handle on the virus so we can get back out there and rock and roll. Hopefully, we'll get a chance to get out there to work this new record, Five Man London Jam. We're really excited to be able to play it for people and so hopefully we'll get the green light to go back out. We want people to listen to it now, watch the video and really enjoy it because we enjoyed recording it.
It was done at Abbey Road Studios which made it just magical. Also, in a lot of ways, it was the best sounding room that we've ever played in. The Beatles and so many other great bands have gone through there and that kind of history made it a really special experience for us. We were really fortunate that our management was able to set it up in time for the thirtieth anniversary of our Five Man Acoustical Jam. It was like a celebration for us and we were able to have it in a place that already has magic in the air."
Jeff on playing acoustic shows:
"Playing acoustically is both challenging and exciting. Songs that are like a wall of amplifiers or something normally, make us have to approach them completely different with an acoustic guitar. It's fun to take a song like "Modern Day Cowboy" and try to keep it in the same vein that it was written in, but with an acoustic spin. It's exciting to have to figure out a different approach to it.
I love doing studio records but doing anything live is my favorite, because you forget that you're recording. Everyone does because we're all just in the moment having fun and feeding off the energy of the room. So, for the room to be Abbey Road Studios, the energy was electric."
Jeff on how this acoustic show was different from previous shows for the band:
"Oh my gosh, that location was just everything. When you're in the room you really try to forget that you're recording and just live in that moment and the music of that moment. Then with it being Abbey Road Studios, you had to let go of the legacy of this room and again try to stay connected to the music. We also got to throw some songs in there that weren't a part of Five Man Acoustical Jam back in 1990, which was nice. We got to do some of the songs from our record called Shocked, that we put out last year with Phil Collen. It was exciting and both challenging and fun for us to do and we had such a great time."
Jeff on working with Phil Collen:
"Phil is such a beautiful, loving soul and he clicks really well with our band. He is such an awesome guy and Phil really is like a big brother. Def Leppard took us under their wings when we went out with them on the Hysteria tour, back in 1987-88. We spent fourteen months in the round, with the stage in the middle of the arenas, for that tour and it was fantastic. Phil working with us and producing a record for us this many years later was just as fantastic He taught us a lot of things that we weren't already familiar with and somehow still kept it all in the vein of Tesla. We were still ourselves on that record but with a little bit of a different sound. The nice thing about it was that the fans appreciated it. They knew that we were doing something a little different that still allowed us to be ourselves, just with new techniques in our writing, and they supported us doing that. If Phil would be interested in doing it, we would love to do another one with him. If we had the opportunity to work with him like that again we would jump right on it."
Jeff on Tesla's secret to longevity:
"I believe an important part of it for us is that we have always stayed true to who we are. We are a blue-collar, rock and roll, bluesy band and every record that we've ever made stays true to that, even if it wasn't the most popular thing stylistically. We made it through the grunge movement (laughing) and we've never tried to win a popularity contest. After we broke up for four years, we came back in 2004 with a record titled Into The Now, and we called it that because we felt like we had one foot back in the 80's and then the other firmly in the present. I think the fans appreciate how we've always stuck to and acknowledged our roots. One thing about Tesla is that we don't try to be something that we're not. We've always stuck to our guns even though what we're doing may not be part of the latest fad, we stick to our roots. We also love to still make records and we intend to keep making them. I think that all of those things combined keep the fans with us and we are so deeply grateful to them for sticking with us. We know who we are and we'll always be Tesla."
Jeff on adapting to life temporarily without gigs:
"I think a lot of us are just trying to figure it out as we go. Hopefully, sooner rather than later they'll find a vaccine and really learn more about how this virus works. It has just taken over everything and everything is shut down and we are hoping that they figure out how to get it under control. We can't wait to be able to get back out there and play again. We are hanging in limbo just like everyone else and we truly hope scientists figure things out so that we can all congregate again knowing that we're safe. We're dying to play live rock and roll and it's just not that simple anymore, it's not even in our hands. In order to be able to do that, the whole world really needs to come together. We need to do the right thing, which is social distancing and it really is also the toughest thing to do. Sheltering in place is so important and so is remaining hopeful that things will work out. It is going to take us all coming together as one for us to beat this thing."
What Jeff wants you to know:
"We can't wait to get back out there to play for our fans again. It's heartbreaking not to be able to do that now but once we are given the green light, Tesla will be bringing their Five Man London Jam to a city near you."
Check out Tesla's official site for updated tour dates and merch!
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...
Debbie Gibson- "Only In My Dreams"
Every time I'm telling secrets
I remember how it used to be
And I realized how much I miss you
And I realize how it feels to be free
This was actually Gibson's debut single. It was released in late 1986 but was written by the then-young star herself two years earlier. The video was shot at Asbury Park beach in New Jersey and helped to launch Gibson's career.
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 "Wipe out"
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.
Bow Wow Wow- "I Want Candy"
I know a girl who’s tough but sweet
She’s so fine, she can’t be beat She’s got everything that I desire Sets the summer sun on fire If you're going to have a one-hit-wonder then you can only hope that the video that accompanies it also leaves a lasting impression, right? Well, Bow Wow Wow managed to do just that with "I Want Candy". I think when a lot of us think of the song we instantly picture the band buried up to their necks in the sand!
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 daugh-ters 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 a 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?
Ingredients
2 muddled grapefruit slices
1 oz. blanco tequila
1 oz. mezcal joven
1 oz. grapefruit juice
1 oz. amber agave infused with jalapeno
1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
Preparation: Shake all ingredients vigorously, strain over fresh ice into a Collins glass and garnish with chili/pepper salt on rim and a fresh grapefruit slice.
*Agave Infusion: Bowl amber agave syrup with 2 full jalapeños or more (sliced) to achieve desired spice level *Chili Salt: Mix sea salt, black pepper, dash of cayenne, dash of cumin, dash of celery salt
"I walk by where you work every day Hoping you'd glance my way A smile would break out from me to you Conversation would make its way"
Sandee (Sandra Casanas) is one of those artists that made a lasting impression but then was lost way too soon. She was actually one-third of the original Expose` lineup from 1984-6 with Ale` and Laurie Miller. After the group was reformed Sandee went her own way and carved a nice solo career for herself. "Notice Me" went to number 9 on Billboard's dance chart back in 1989 and remains a club staple to this day. Sadly, Sandee was found dead in her Hollywood, Florida back in 1998 after suffering a severe seizure. The freestyle world grieved her loss together with various tributes and to this day Sandee is often discussed at freestyle events.
"All you need is your own imagination S20o use it that's what it's for (that's what it's for) Go inside, for your finest inspiration Your dreams will open the door (open up the door)
It makes no difference if you're black or white If you're a boy or a girl If the music's pumping it will give you new life You're a superstar, yes, that's what you are, you know it"
Have you ever watched Paris Is Burning? It's a documentary that focuses on the Drag Ball culture in Harlem in the 80's and even if that's generally your kind of thing, it's definitely worth watching. So much of modern day culture and our phrasology is rooted in those early competitions. Madonna first watched the documentary in the late 80's and eventually introduced it to another type of audience in early 1990, via "Vogue".
Vogueing is the popular dance style that spilled out of the underground NYC clubs and onto MTV in middle America. I mean, I know I was doing it and if you ever found yourself in a club back then you most certainly knew the choreography to the song. Madonna's song ensured that we not only knew what it meant to Vogue, but we also knew how to strike that pose.
The video itself remains one of her best (I think). Shot in stylish black and white, it honors glamorous old Hollywood while paying tribute to the queens that really inspired Madonna. Check out the classic video below.
I won't bore you with the details, baby I don't even wannna waste your time Let's just say that maybe You could help to ease my mind Baby, I ain't Mr. Right But if you're looking for fast love If that's love in your eyes, it's more than enough Had some bad love Some fast love, is all that I've got on my mind
There's something really refreshing about a person that just owns their stuff and says exactly what they mean, isn't there? You don't have to agree with or even like the message, but to have the nerve to do it is really something. So back in April of 1996 when George Michael finally put his real cards on the table I was impressed.
Of course I'm talking about "Fastlove" one of the best tracks off of Michael's Older album. Rather than wishing for love or trying to mend a broken heart, he knows exactly what he wants- a no strings attached fling. What's interesting is the way that people really embraced this song in spite of it being about a one night stand. Michael is smooth, risque and kind of at his best on this dance song, probably because of the authenticity.
What are your thoughts on 90's George Michael? Do you prefer this sexier variation or do you rather him from his days fronting Wham?
"I go about my business, I'm doing fine Besides what would I say if I had you on the line? Same old story, not much to say Hearts are broken, every day."
Jewel burst on the scene at just the right moment in the '90s. Hairbands and grunge had both died down and R&B was slipping just a little. New Jack Swing and house music were on the sidelines and we were needing something fresh so along came Indie-rock chicks.
Sarah McGlaughin, Shawn Colvin, Paula Cole...the list is endless. One after another they pinned songs designed to tug at our heartstrings as well as our wallets, and it worked. Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me" became a classic almost overnight. Especially if you were college-age and trying to fill a void left by a guy. Oy was kind of the official song for breakups that aren't mutual.
I remember watching Jewel's earliest videos and being mesmerized by the simplicity. There was nothing flashy or glitzy. Almost the exact opposite. The visuals, while stunning, were primarily about this young woman and her guitar. They told a story all on their own. One that's worth revisiting so check it out bek
Saturday, May 16th, 2020 marks the tenth anniversary of Ronnie James Dio's deathand it's a day that will not go unnoticed by the rock community. Stomach cancer may have shortened his life but Dio's vocals on tracks by Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and of course, Dio are never forgotten. In fact, he remains in permanent heavy rotation in both the rock world and on MTV Classic's Metal Mayhem.
While Covid-19 has grounded a lot of touring musicians that extra time off has paved the way for a lot of creative projects to be brought to fruition, including one by Vinny and Carmine Appice. The brothers, plus Jim Crean (vocals), James Caputo (bass), and Artie Dillon (guitar) are releasing a video for the song "Monsters & Heroes" as a tribute not only to their former bandmate but also to the man that they'll always consider a brother.
I stole a few minutes of Vinny's time ahead of the video release and he was happy to share the details on how this touching tribute came to be. Check it out.
Vinny Appice on how the idea for the tribute video came about:
"It wasn't something that we had planned for a long time, because if things were normal (before Covid-19) then I would have been out of town. I had dates scheduled with Last In Line for March and April, then I was supposed to go to Europe and South America with another project. So the idea hit about two weeks ago when I was seeing all of the virus videos that everyone was making, with all of the windows looking kind of like the Brady Bunch (laughing). I thought it was cool and the best part is that you're seeing stuff you've never seen before, like performers playing in their own living room.
I thought it would be cool to do one of these videos and when I called my brother Carmine (Appice) he thought it was a cool idea. There was a song we did a few years ago, written by Paul Shortino, called "Monsters & Heroes" that was originally on our Sinister album, and it felt like a real single. It was the best song from the album to release as a single and since Ronnie's anniversary was coming up and we actually had the time to do something special it really worked out perfectly."
Vinny on how the video was filmed during the Covid-19 quarantine:
"Luckily our guitar player, Artie Dillon, knows how to do all of the video stuff and so we started putting it together. I played first and then I'd stop so Carmine could play. We've done this song live many times so we can choreograph it pretty well. Everyone was in separate locations filming their parts and so it took about two weeks to actually piece the footage together and sync everything up. When we finally saw the finished version we really thought it came out even better than we had expected.
Paul Shortino sang this song on the album but in this video, it's Jim Crean on the vocals. We have played hundreds of shows with him over the years and then Carmine and I have both played on a few of his records, so Jim is like family. It's the same with James Caputo on bass and Artie Dillon on guitar, they're our band so we've done many shows with them live, making them also like family."
Vinny on how Ronnie James Dio is always with him:
"When I go out and play with Last In Line, we play five or six Dio songs and when I go and do my own show then it's a night of Black Sabbath music, so most of the music that I play is tied to Ronnie. He's always there with me. When I'm writing music I remember how much he taught me about creating songs that aren't so predictable and that it's good to mess with the formula a little. The music keeps him with me and we got along so well that we were like brothers. I'm lucky the music has continued and I've gotten to play with legendary musicians that created rock classics. We didn't know at the time how things would end up we just knew that we thought the music sounded good. Who knew "Holy Diver" would become such a staple (laughing), it was just a lot of fun to do. Here we are ten years after he passed and we're still tied together which is so good, it's a nice feeling."
Vinny on remembering Ronnie today:
"The video is really special and it feels good to do something for the tenth anniversary of his passing. If you listen to the lyrics it tells a great story about Ronnie and mentions a lot of the song titles that he was known for. I think seeing his silhouette and the cancer fund link at the very end is really touching. That picture blew me away when I first saw it, what a great guy Ronnie was. He really loved his fans. He would stop and get out of the limo while trying to leave a venue because there were fans in the cold waiting at the gates. He would get out and sign autographs and take pictures because he really loved his fans. We all miss him and so it's a good day to remember Ronnie. This song and video will help to bring him into people's thoughts and that's just such a good thing for this great guy."
While I love Billy Idol's rough and tumble style and his anthems like "Rebel Yell" have to rank among some of my all-time favorite 80's tunes, I loved when he took a minute in 1987 to slow things down. "Sweet Sixteen" is such a delicate song, one that took most Idol fans by surprise. It showed that this hardcore rocker had a soft side that was worth exploring.
"Like children Rarely seen and never heard Emotion Bare your soul you'll never learn But don't ask why And you won't get lied to Speak to her softly It's something you get used to You think you know her But you never really lived a life without her"
The 80's might have been the start of the synth-pop boom but the genre of music continued to expand even into the 90's. I vaguely remember a group named Cause & Effect coming along and reminding me of all the reasons why I loved groups like New Order. Cause & Effect had a very similar sound but the vibe was a bit more progressive. "You Think You Know Her" heated up the dance floors in 1990 and while it only climbed to number 38 on Billboard's club charts I always thought that it had a really great sound. This is no doubt kind of a lost hit and I'm curious just how many of you will remember it.
Do you remember when Matthew and Gunnar Nelson first hit the ground running with their debut CD, After the Rain? MTV took the title track, as well as, "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection" and propelled the brothers to reach the kind of popularity most musicians will only dream of. Sure, they are the third generation of successful performers in the Nelson family (beginning with grandparents Ozzie and Harriet Nelson, then father Ricky Nelson), but it's their own undeniable talent that made them a household name. Thirty years later, the Nelson brothers are still playing to sold-out audiences worldwide.
Imagine not just being on the road, but being in a different country when Covid-19 first inched its' way towards becoming a pandemic. Countries began mandatory lockdown, schools closed and borders were quickly shut in an attempt to keep the invisible virus from spreading. The Nelson brothers ended up playing beat the clock to get back to the states and back to what mattered most, their families before the whole world would quite literally change overnight.
I caught up with Matthew Nelson recently and he told me all about that experience and how the music industry has already changed out of necessity because of the ongoing pandemic. Check it out below.
Matthew Nelson on being on the road when lockdown first started:
"When this outbreak first started to happen Gunnar and I were up in Canada because we had eight sold-out shows that we had been looking forward to all year. I remember getting up there right when the Prime Minister's wife got sick with Covid-19 and just knowing we probably weren't going to be able to play the entire engagement. We knew we needed a plan B to get out just in case they closed the border. We figured out how to get through the border from different ways and sure enough, the border was closed four shows into our engagement. We had our bags packed and ready so they took us across the border into Buffalo, NY, and Gunnar and I rented a car, sanitized it, and then drove home to Nashville. We had to make sure that we got home to our families. That was our biggest fear and we talked about it a lot because no matter what came next we needed to make it home to our families.
The last show that we played was a retrospective for our father's life and music, which meant primarily people over the age of 70 in the audience. We had 4,000 older people in front of us at the first show, then the news stories started coming out and even though the shows were pre-sold out, the balcony was getting emptier. Then by the last show, there were about 500 people in the audience. That was 500 people that chose to come and relive their youth while knowing that this thing was targeting older people. We were doing a service to them by taking them back to their youth and then we were doing the worst possible thing by collecting them all in one spot next to each other. That was really hard because they were there to see us while this invisible thing could be putting them at risk at the same time. It was really heavy and I'm not going to forget the looks on their faces because these people were so happy to be there, but they also knew it could be the last concert that they ever went to."
Matthew on how Covid-19 will inevitably change things:
"Gunnar and I are using this experience and what we're learning from it to revamp the way that we do things. I think that by the time this is all said and done the concept of streaming virtual concerts by national acts will really have been fleshed out. That's not to say that we don't want to go back out there and do more real live shows, that's not going to be taken away, but we'll have more reach if we utilize the powers that are available to us through things like the internet. For us, there will definitely be a reengineering of how to do things and it will certainly drift away from the old '70s memo on how to be a viable artist.
We normally meet people after our shows for hours. I'm a handshake or a hug kind of guy and I like to really connect with people, but how it's done is just going to have to, unfortunately, be different for a while. There will be some good stuff that comes out of this but I sure do miss human contact."
Matthew on the good things that have spun out of being lockdown for weeks:
"It's interesting how there is almost a stronger sense of community right now in spite of the restrictions. Everyone checks in with each other more even though you can't give a handshake or a hug. I've seen a lot of really compassionate people step up during all of this.
My brother and I have had such a great run and we've been all over the world. We work so hard that we say it's like being on a treadmill because, with travel and preparation, it's like a three-day time investment for us to do just one show. We do it because to a certain degree we feel like we're ministering through music. We're elevating people for an hour and a half and that's really important, but I think the positive side of what we're all experiencing now this year is that we are able to stay home. My five-year-old asked me if I'm going to be playing shows again soon, because he said that he'll miss me when I'm gone and oh, did that hit me right in the heart. I mean my dad went through it and my grandparents went through it and they figured out how to still keep the family close together. I don't care that much about money and things, I feel far wealthier by getting to be a dad. I value family and a good thing that is coming out of this now, people know what their house looks like. Parents right now have to be schoolteachers and funmeisters, and I don't think that's a bad thing.
Maybe we really needed to be reminded of what really matters most and it was going to take something this drastic to get everyone to all stop at once. We get caught up in thinking we have to have a nicer house or a nicer car and then we've got to pay for all of that stuff. So we all keep going, we stay on that treadmill and you know what, at the end of our lives we're not going to look back thinking, 'man did I have cool stuff'. If you were on your death bed you'd be hoping that your family would be okay, you'd hope that you made a difference and that they'll still love you when you're gone. That's the stuff you're going to think about and not what kind of car is in the garage. None of those things matter now it's all back to the basics of food, shelter, water, and our health.
I think our focusing on family now is a shift that really needed to happen. It has happened in a weird way and we are barraged with all kinds of conflicting information, it's like, 'don't ever leave the house unless you have to leave the house!'. The one thing that I'm not digging is the whole controlling people through fear thing. The opposite of fear is love and at least people at home with their families are connecting with their nexus, the people that are really important. Start right there with the people that you love and then kind of reset everything else. I think we were kind of in a hurry to nowhere with everyone being so divided on politics or on what they feel. A lot of people gain from that and people are easier to control when they're angry with each other. People are realizing that they don't like being told what to think or how to feel and I'm one of those people that believes that people are inherently good. I think we're starting to remember that because we're all together now. Alone together, but we're dealing with the same things and facing a common thread which is fear."
Matthew on why he and Gunnar decided to join Cameo:
"Cameo is a site that allows us to connect directly with our fans. People will ask us to send a greeting to this person or to cheer up that person and I always have my guitar with me when I'm doing them. One person mentioned an obscure song that was done years ago and never released so I relearned the song just to be able to surprise them with it. That kind of thing is cool because it feels like a personal meet and greet just for them, but it's forever. I really dig that, being able to make our fans something special and talk to them directly. It's not the same as a meet and greet, it's a little different, but it's something that we can do to stay connected to them for now and that's really important. If you're getting me or Gunnar, or both of us singing you a song personally, that's not so bad (laughing), plus we love doing it.
It is a pay service, everything has a value and that's really how you have to look at it. People aren't spending money on shows right now and it's not like it was when Gunnar and I were just starting out when everyone would line up at the record stores. When we first started we used to give a lot of tickets away and when you actually came to see Nelson on our tour in 1991 the tickets were $18.The philosophy was that we would give away our performances, and trust me we left it all on stage always, but the goal was to sell the CD's. Now kids aren't paying anything for music, they grow up thinking it's free. I'm a songwriter, I write my own stuff and I've found that if there is no value attached to something then people either take it for granted or they think that it's worthless. Entertainment is not worthless and we still have to put food on the table."
Matthew on what the immediate future may hold for music fans:
"We're going to have to figure out how to do concerts again with social distancing and so first we have to figure out how that can even work. Gunnar and I have taken this time to really study up and there are a couple platforms online that people are using to stream shows. At my brother's house, we've built what is basically a live performance venue, a full room with pallet wood and guitars everywhere, lighting, the whole deal. We're looking into purchasing a system so that we can actually broadcast and live stream real shows and maybe have it be interactive so that we can take people's requests. We still would need to figure out the monetization of it because again, things of value must have a value. We'll figure it out, I do believe that and I believe that stuff will get better."
Check out Nelson's official site for music, merch, and rescheduled tour dates.
Reaching out for something to hold Looking for a love Where the climate is cold Manic moves and drowsy dreams Or living in the middle Between the two extremes Smoking guns hot to the touch Would cool down If we didn't use them so much We're soul alone And soul really matters to me Too much
Every time I get in the car, without fail, a Hall & Oates song comes on the radio. I think nearly everyone knows who they are and probably likes at least one song by the duo. It's kind of hard not to, right? Way back in 1984, "Out of Touch" graced the top of Billboard's charts for a two-week run at number one. When you hear this song now, more than 30 years later it doesn't sound the least bit dated which is probably part of the reason why Hall & Oates still gets a ton of airplay in spite of not having any new music out.
I was in the car driving yesterday when Ashford & Simpson's "Solid" came on the radio and boy did it take me back. I first remember seeing the video for this song from 1984 while at my grandmother's. It was back when NYC's WPIX would show videos on Saturday afternoon's and aside from loving Billy Idol and the Footloose soundtrack, they also favored R&B acts. The video features the couple ducking out of a rainstorm in what looks like Central Park. They end up singing to each other and random strangers join in. Yeah, I know. It's a bit hokey but what isn't is the relationship and career that Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson shared.
While "Solid" was their highest-charting hit this duo recorded and released a lot of music plus they also had a hand in writing and producing for acts like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles. And can we talk about the heat factor? They first got together in 1964 and stayed together until Ashford's death in 2011. Every photo out there tells the story of an extremely connected and devoted couple. That makes their lyrics in songs like "Solid" a whole lot more genuine. Check out the video below. I'm pretty sure Ashford and Simpson equal modern-day relationship goals!
I'll never forget getting in a cab a few years ago. The driver was in his 40's and had big curly headbanger hair, still frosted as if it was 1988. He was wearing an old RATT concert tee that blended in with his sleeves of tattoos. He was on the phone at first trying to figure out who was going to get the Motley Crue tickets for him and his friends once they went on sale the next day and Instantly liked him. He was like a fossil left over from the 80's but the thing was, he was the real deal. He stayed true to the music that he was raised on and had no desire to change any of that. Or it least that was my first impression. I've since learned never to think for certain that I have someone all figured out in a quick glance or three.
As the cab finally started to move he asked if I minded the radio and of course I didn't. Then he told me he didn't like what was on so he was switching over to a CD. The CD was Tevin Campbell and my jaw hit the floor. As "Can We Talk" started to play I told him I never expected to hear that in any cab, because years later most people don't seem to remember him let alone play his stuff. The driver loved him as much as I always have and we totally bonded over 3.5 songs before I got out of the cab.
Tevin first broke through in 1991 with his album T.E.V.I.N. but I wasn't hooked until he dropped I'm Ready in 1993. I think he was the artist that really convinced me to pay more attention to some of the slow jams peppering the charts, in between my Hole and Nirvana listening parties. The video for "Can We Talk" was shot in NYC's Central Park and I love it to this day. Check it out below.
I thought that when you gave me love My life would start to change Instead I saw that I was wrong My life was re-arranged
"Bad of the Heart" by George LaMond might just be one of freestyle's very best break up songs of all time. I have to wonder who helped to motivate the stinging lyrics way back in 1990. Of course I think most of us can actually think of an ex or two of our own that they apply to and that, is precisely why this song has become a freestyle anthem.
I remember seeing LaMond perform back in the early 90's and after catching his set again a few months back I have to say that he may actually sound better now! Check out the original video below and if you'd like to check LaMond out live then you're in luck because he still pops up in freestyle shows all over the country. Check out his tour dates here.
You are the sun, I am the sky Together we'll live in paradise Our hopes and dreams will come alive In paradise
Do you remember Laissez Faire? Gina, Marlo and Jennifer first got together in 1989 and eventually put out an album under Metropolitan Records. While Hands Off didn't do as well on the charts as they may have wanted, the ladies did develop a strong fan base within the freestyle community. "In Paradise" the groups' first single did do quite well on the dance charts and brought Laissez Faire enough clout to open for the then-huge Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch.
This song is Laissez Faire's signature jam and they are still performing it. The ladies recently reunited for the first time in 15 years and pop up occasionally to perform at live events.
