Daily Boom Lost Hit: Talk Talk- 'Living In Another World'

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: The System- 'Don't Disturb This Groove'

Pay attention, are you listening? You're my favorite girl
Excuse me for the moment, I'm in another world
On a mountain, by a fountain, flowers blooming everywhere
With Venus and cupid, the picture's very clear

It's strange how I can hear a song and easily remember the time of year that it first became popular. The summer of 1987 was loaded with great music and there was one little song that seemed to follow me everywhere that I went. The System's "Don't Disturb This Groove" eventually became know as the official song of that summer but that was after it followed me to the Jersey Shore, to Six Flags and it played in the background no matter what store I shopped in at the time. I affiliate "Don't Disturb This Groove" with car windows rolled down and sunshine. And maybe a bit of Sun In and my big boom box as well. 

I love when songs are kind of timeless in that you really can't tell by listening what era that are from. This is one of those so check it out below!

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Lisa Fisher- 'How Can I Ease the Pain'

All alone, on my knees I pray

For the strength to stay away

In and out, out and in you go

I feel your fire

Then I lose my self control

How can I ease the pain

When I know your coming back again

And how can I ease the pain in my heart

I have to admit, I had completely forgotten about Lisa Fisher's "How Can I Ease The Pain" until MTV Classic played it's stunning video the other day. Whatever I was doing at the time, I stopped to watch every second of it. This is easily one of the very best ballads of the '90s. When it was released back in 1991 Fisher kind of skyrocketed to success. She was the IT girl and was expected to follow "How Can I Ease The Pain" with years of equally gut-wrenching ballads. Her Grammy win for the track only reinforced that notion.

So where has Fisher been for the last 25 years? The answer is everywhere. She has toured, dueted, and provided backing vocals for Tina Turner, The Rolling Stones, Patti Labelle, Chaka Khan... you get the idea. She also does tour on her own and sounds even better live. Few songs from the '90s connect with heartbreak quite like "How Can I Ease The Pain".

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Bananarama - 'Cruel Summer'

The city is crowded 

My friends are away 

And I'm on my own

It's too hot to handle

So I got to get up and go 

It's a cruel, cruel summer 

Leaving me here on my own 

It's a cruel, 

It's a cruel cruel summer 

Now you're gone

You're not the only one

(Revisiting this one) Since Memorial Day weekend is creeping up on us, and it is, like, the unofficial start to summer, it only seems right to take a look at one of the most popular summer songs of the 1980's. I'm talking about Bananarama's "Cruel Summer".  Not only is this a popular summer track, but it's also probably one of the most easily identified songs to come out of the 80's. I say "Cruel Summer," and you instantly hear the music, don't you? It instantly brings me back to the Jersey shore in the early 80's. I remember scorching sun, the smell of Coppertone, and this song playing from someone's boom box on the beach.

That's the sign of a great song- when it transports you back in time. Where does "Cruel Summer" take you back to?

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 Lost Hits: A'Me Lorain- 'Whole Wide World'

"I always love a little mystery
But now the tensions killing me
No place left for words to hide
I never thought it could be quite so tough
Lips once sealed are splitting up
There ain't no secrets to outshine, father time."

I can remember walking into a Listening Booth store in the middle of my local mall and flipping through their one rack of 12" dance mixes of freestyle/house music and finding a copy of A'Me Lorain's "Whole Wide World". I bought that and a copy of Lisette Melendez's "Together Forever" and felt like I hit the music lottery. Back in 1990, in the middle of suburban Pennsylvania, club music was a novelty rather than a standard. I was 90 minutes from Philly, two hours from NYC and basically just far enough out for stores not to carry a whole lot of dance stuff. 

I was still glued to Dance Party USA and my friends from the series so I knew what was popping in the clubs. I found a way to get my hands on Judy Torres and Coro even if I had to order it. But A'Me Lorain was an unexpected find and I played this record into the ground. She is still around, in case you were wondering. She dropped a dance track last spring that didn't do much chart-wise, in spite of getting a bit of club play. You can check it out here.

In the meantime, revisit "Whole Wide World"!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Kiss - 'Tears Are Falling'

"Something is wrong as I hold you near
Somebody else holds your heart, yeah
You look at me with your eyes in tears
And then it's raining, feels like it's raining
Oh no, tears are falling
Oh no, tears are falling, whoo oh
Oh no, tears are falling, whoo oh
I saw you cry
And now it's raining (yeah)
Looks like it's raining (someone stole your heart)
And now it's raining, feels like it's raining."

1984 was a monstorous year for KISS. Their album Animalize spawned the hit "Heaven's On Fire" and for the first time the hard rock icons were performing and shooting videos without their infamous makeup. It was almost strange to see them all glammed up. Big hair, lipstick and colored spandex replaced their old painted face look and the MTV crowd kind of ate it up. 

By the fall of 1985 the boys were back with their 13th studio album, Asylum, which didn't do as well as its' predecessor. However, it brought with it one of my all-time favorite KISS tracks, "Tears Are Falling".  The video was filmed earlier in the year in London and for whatever reason I was kind of obsessed with it. My uber religious mother believed that anything connected to KISS was leading fans down a path of imminent destruction, so I really had to keep my love for the band on the low. 

Instead of watching MTV after school and out in the open like my friends I'd get up super early to watch it before mom crawled out of bed. There was a point in time when the  "Tears Are Falling" video played at 6:40am for about a week straight and I was up and out of bed to see it. 

Thirty-plus years later, I still love it so check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Ashford & Simpson- 'Solid'

And for love's sake, each mistake

Ah, you forgave

And soon both of us learned to trust

Not run away, it was no time to play

We build it up and build it up and build it up

And now it's solid

Solid as a rock

That's what this love is

That's what we've got

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!

Exclusive Interview: Toto's Steve Lukather on the Band Taking an Extended Break, a Second Book in the Works & Playing with Ringo Starr

Steve Lukather 

ICYMI- We are flashing back to some of DailyBOOM's most popular features. Enjoy this one!

Steve ("Luke") Lukather may be best known as a vocalist, guitarist, songwriter, producer, and founding member of the iconic band Toto, but that's just scratching the surface of what he is actually capable of. He started his career as a session musician and you'll find his work, spanning various genres, on more than 1,500 albums. Lukather has spent decades working alongside so many of the industry's best, but Toto is his main job, and cultivating the musical fruits of the bands' labor has been the centerpiece of his prolific career.

It was recently confirmed that Toto will be taking an indefinite break after their October 20th show at The Met in Philadelphia and I was lucky enough to catch up with Lukather for a chat about the band winding down, and what's next for him. Check it out below!

 Steve ("Luke") Lukather on life on the road:

"We work about five days a week and those days off cost money. Luckily I don't really need more than a day or two off once in a while. I'm out here working, it's not a vacation and I spend a lot of time in hotel rooms. They've turned into a bit of a sanctuary, to be honest with you. Especially since I'm running the business end of things too. I mean, there's a great team but I have to wake up and make all the decisions and take care of all the BS. That means that I've got to be up early and I've got to have some space to do things. I've got my guitar with me so I practice that and take care of the band business. I've got things to do and if not I can always watch films or peruse the internet or something.

I've been around the world so many times that going out to sightsee is almost laughable at this point! I've already done that so many times in the 44 years that I've been doing this, so I just kind of stay to myself. There's nothing normal about my life, but I've normalized it. I used to be a crazy party guy and so the days were spent recovering. Now I get up when I used to go to bed (laughing). I have to be sober, together and functioning to run a business on top of being an older guy on the road. I have to take care of myself now. I had my wild days and it was fun, I guess. They tell me that I had a great time (laughing), so I've got nothing left to prove in that arena. I'm really fine being an older guy out here and you have to learn to like hanging out with yourself, otherwise, you'll go mad (laughing).

It can be terribly depressing at times too. I've got little kids as well as grown kids, then my dog passed away and I was on the road when that happened. There are things that you just can't prepare for, but you've got to deal with them. I chose this job and the great thing is that the good parts are great and the things that suck, well they really suck and that makes it just like anyone else's life. My doctor has known me through every aspect of my career and I told him he should really come along and do everything that I do, eat what I eat, sleep when I sleep. Travel around with me for a month and then tell me your real thoughts on this job because in some ways it's tougher than people think."

Luke on being away from his family:

"It's very hard having little kids and being on the road, but it has always been that way. My father was in the television and movie business, so he would go on the road for six months at a time, long before cell phones, and I didn't love him any less. That gives me a little peace. My kids only know me this way, so if they only know me this way then there is nothing else to compare it to. When I come home I'm a dad and I do all the dad stuff, which I love doing."

Luke on working with his oldest son Trev:

"Ever since he could play guitar at all he has been working on my records with me. He has played songs for my solo record and he has played live with the band. He wrote Halestorm's first hit, so he has got a gold record, and he plays in this band What So Not that headlined Lollapalooza. Then he has his new band ZFG, with Mike Pocaro's kid on bass, There's a bidding war for that band, wait until you hear them! They opened for us all summer in Europe. He's my best friend so we always try and do as much as we can together. Right now it's his turn to be the artist. That's what he is focused on and I'm trying to help him with that."

Luke on Toto's music being categorized as 'yacht rock':

"The term yacht rock is kind of funny. All they did was put a label on a thing that we called, going to do session work, and we did that every day for fifteen years (laughing). They'd put a piece of paper with a bunch of cord symbols in front of us, count off the song, and then you better play something because that's what you got hired to do. All of those records have suddenly become a genre. We didn't write all that music but we did contribute to the arrangement and the performance of it. We gave a lot of ourselves. That was just the era and style of music back then, sure there's some cheesy shit in there but there's also cheesy stuff today.

They always want to put terminology on things. They can't just say, hey this is a cool band, instead it has to be called soft rock. I mean at what point did the music go from soft rock to hard rock, what is the criteria for that shift? Is the guitar louder or does it have a bigger drum sound?  Why do we need terminology? If you don't like something that's cool but in the end, an E-chord is still an E-chord. Everyone likes things in a nice tight little box and there it is, now we know what to call it (laughing). The fact of the matter is that regardless of what anyone calls it, none of us expected any of this music to last almost 45 years like it has."

Toto Official Promo Shot

Luke on Toto becoming an interesting part of pop culture:

"We were Family Guy characters the other night and how cool is that? It was absolutely hysterical, we were howling with laughter. "Africa" kind of went crazy for us these last few years, it has kind of leveled off now which is fine with me, but it was really great for our careers. Everyone always says 'Africa by Toto' which makes us part of the whole schtick and gives us free publicity (laughing). I love all of it and it's an honor for us to be a part of pop culture. You have to be able to laugh at yourself and realize that parodies and things are really an honor."

Luke on working with Ringo Starr's All-Star Band:

"The Beatles spent eight years putting together music that would not only last for 55 years, but it's still going strong! There's never going to be another Beatles and I'm just so grateful that I got a little teeny piece of that experience by getting to work with three out of four of those guys. I've been working with Ringo's band for going on eight years now and I'm very honored to do that. When I first signed up in 2012 I thought I'd be doing one summer and here I am still. We've become really great friends and I just love this guy, regardless of the fact that he's Ringo (Starr). I mean, he is 100 times cooler than you think he is, but to have him as my friend is great. I'd love him even if his name was Joe Smith because he's just the kind of guy that makes you think, 'I want that guy to be my friend' (laughing), and I cherish that. I'd do anything for him and Ringo's band is like my vacation gig (laughing)."

Luke on Toto winding down, at least for the foreseeable future:

"Toto has been my job and I've spent my whole life cultivating this. Toto has had its best year in terms of live performance and live revenue. Musically, including ticket sales and reviews and all of that, things are fantastic. Sadly, some stuff going on behind the scenes has kind of crippled us so we have to step off and see what happens next at the end of this tour. We are at the end of our 40th-year cycle, it's now actually 43 years of togetherness (laughing) and so we do need to go away for a while there's no question about that. For how long is the thing because there is definitely some darkness behind the scenes.

There is litigation from hateful people that want to tear us apart for no particular reason other than finding personal joy in doing so. None of it makes sense to anyone who is actually in the band. It's kind of insidious and messed up but it is how it is. Sometimes you're forced to do things at the time that don't really make sense but then, in the end, they really do work out for the best. It's just time for me to get out there and do some other stuff.  Out of the dust and ethers, something happens. I don't know what that is right now but I do know that change is good. Music is in my DNA and I've spent my whole life making it so I know that I can play whatever I decide that I want to play."

Luke on what's next for him:

"I am doing book number two! The first one was successful, which is surprising to me (laughing), but okay. I can't put my life into just those first 300 pages, I have a billion stories so now I can get more into the session thing and more into the goings-on behind the scenes. It's going to take me a few years to do it, just like the last one did and I've got a documentary in play too. There will never be a Toto story per se because there's a person that'll stop that. Actually, there are a couple of people now that'll stop it from happening.

So I'll write a second book, write a solo record, I'm going back out with Ringo, I've got other tours to do and I want to stay home and just be a dad. I want to watch my little kids grow up a bit, I'm hardly out of work (laughing), I haven't been out of work since I started so I'm very fortunate, but there is a price to it all. So, for now, I'll just get to stay home a little bit more and that will be really, really cool for me. This is a great time to step back because it's the end of a cycle. We never thought we would get to forty years, are you kidding me? We're going out with a bang though! Every night there's nothing but good vibes on stage, the reviews are great, the revenue is good and the audiences are loving it. We have just decided to go out there and kick ass."

Steve Lukather & Joseph Williams

Luke on the future of Toto:

"There have been eight versions of Toto, eight from the beginning lineup right up to today. People come, people go and we reconfigure. I'm the only guy that has been there for every one of them. Will there be a 9.0 version? I don't know, not the way it is now. It breaks my heart and I can't predict the future, but I'll tell you that in Philadelphia, it's the last time that you'll see this incarnation of the band."

(Sidenote- a 9.0 version of Toto does indeed exist and has been successfully touring the world.)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Sweet Sensation - 'Sincerely Yours'

"Dear I write you this letter

To show you how much your love means to me

I wish we could be together

I need you in my life oh can't you see

You promised we would be together

But you still haven't answered my letter

Oh, oh, I'm sincerely yours

The one my heart beats for, the one I adore

Oh, oh, I'm sincerely yours

The love that you gave I've never felt before."

Latin freestyle seems to go hand in hand with Friday, at least in my mind. If Friday is really the day to celebrate the weekend ahead then that means club songs, freestyle and old school house music are the very best way to kick it all off. Let me take you back to 1988 when Betty Dee and her girls stepped out from the shadow of Expose` and The Cover Girls and made their own mark in the dance world. 

Sweet Sensation had the hair, the clothes, and all the moves. But they seemed like the chicks down the street. This was the girl group that you really could have gone to school with or partied with. And their music rivaled other dance floor anthems. Songs like "Take It While It's Hot" and "Hooked On You" were featured on Open House Party and Dance Party USA, making the ladies a pretty hot commodity leading up to their number one single, "If Wishes Came True". 

Betty Dee, Jenae Colon, and Belle Ritter reunited a few years ago and on any given weekend you're likely to find Sweet Sensation hitting the stage somewhere on the east coast. "Sincerely Yours" remains one of their most popular hits. Check out the video below.

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: Dino- 'I Like It'

 

"Take me by surprise
Look into my eyes
And show me that
Your love is real"

Remember back in the day when a great club song would get stuck in your head from the first spin? Dino (AKA Dean Esposito) had one of those in 1989. "I Like It" was that track. You could dance to it and whenever it came on you ended up in a better mood by the time it ended. Dino's career as a performer only last for a few years but he has remained active in the music business by writing and producing for other artists, such as Sheena Easton.

Dino is also connected to the music industry via his wife, Caroline Jackson. If her name doesn't ring a bell the fact that she's one of the original Cover Girls should help jog your memory. She currently performs at various freestyle shows across the country with the rest of the OCG.

Anyway, back to Dino. How much do you still love this song?

Daily Boom 80's Lost Hit: Bardeux - 'When We Kiss'

"There`s a real fine line
Between love and hate
And I`m not the type
To just sit and wait
I`ve made up my mind
I can`t wait for you anymore"

Ya know that one song that you remember so well years (okay decades) later that no one else can recall? Bardeux's "When We Kiss' fits that bill for me. I have never mentioned it to another soul that has any idea what I'm talking about and if I play it for them, they still don't remember it. Bardeux was actually a dance duo from OC, Stacy "Acacia" Smith and Lisa "Jaz" Teaney (at least on this song), who released their first album, Bold As Love in 1988.

While Bardeux is often described as a one-hit-wonder, they actually had a few singles that charted on Billboard's Hot 100 and they did really well on the dance charts during their short time together. I've always loved "When We Kiss' because it's almost more of a spoken word song than anything else and that really made it stand out back in 1988. Check it out below. Do you guys remember Bardeux?

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Shai - 'If I Ever Fall In Love'

"The very first time
That I saw your brown eyes
Your lips said hello and I said hi
I knew right then you were the one
But I was caught up
In physical attraction
But to my satisfaction
Baby you were more than just a face"

Shai is one of those groups that I expected to go so much further than they actually did. The quartet first got together in the early 90's and by 1992 the title song, "If I Ever Fall In Love" , from their first album shot to number 2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart. Their first three albums produced songs that at least charted and after 1996 they dropped off the radar. If you google the group now you'll see that they do still pop up and perform here and there, but it's none of the original members. 

It's strange how sometimes a group with so much potential just kind of fizzles out with no real explanation. The original Shai was super talented, hot and marketable. Check out their video for "If I Ever Fall In Love" below!

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Cathy Dennis -'Just Another Dream'

"The stars say you're my best lover
Matched up like sugar for a cake
They say our love could conquer anything
I'd always hide my feelings
Keep them so cool and so contained
This time it's something I just can't retain
Cos you give me a good vibe don't you know baby
You give me funky love, funky love
Could this be what love's all about baby
Or is it just another dream
Is this for real or is it just another dream"

Do you remember Cathy Dennis? She was a young singer who burst out of the UK around 1990 and hit the charts with a handful of hits before seeming to disappear. I say seems to because she has never actually left the music industry. She has simply opted for a career as an award-winning songwriter and producer instead. Who better to guide others than someone who has conquered Billboard's charts themselves, right?

Just how noteworthy is Cathy? Well in 2006 she was named the UK music business's Woman Of The Year. Not too shabby.

But for today, let's kick it back to when her hair was on fire, she looked great in a catsuit and her dance moves were pretty impressive too. "Just Another Dream" found its' way to number 9 on Billboard's Hot 100 and spent a few weeks in the second spot on the dance charts. Check it out below!

Exclusive Interview: Vivian Campbell on Revisiting His Youth Via the Dio-Inspired 'Last In Line' & Enjoying the Evolution of 'Def Leppard'

Photo: Ross Halfin

We are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI

Vivian Campbell is arguably one of the busiest men on the rock landscape right now. He just wrapped up playing a string of dates with his Dio-inspired bandmates from Last in Line and he will barely have a chance to catch his breath before joining Def Leppard for the European leg of their current tour. His year is booked solid and at least for right now, the iconic guitarist would have it no other way.  It seems that he is quite content to be literally revisiting and honoring his early years with Dio while embracing younger generations of fans that show up night after night to hear the Def Leppard classics.

I caught up with Vivian the other day for a quick chat and discovered a man whose search for inner acceptance seems to have made his current joy that much more palpable.

Last In Line Promo Shot

Vivian on making the juggling of Def Leppard and Last In Line look easy:

"It's not easy I've got to say that, but I've always enjoyed my work and I think now I'm enjoying it more than ever. Over the last couple of years, and for the first time in my career, I'm happy with my guitar playing (laughing). It has always been a struggle for me because I've never really been content with what I did and finally after all of these years I realized that it's okay. We're all individuals and we all bring something to the table and while I may not be the worlds greatest guitar player, nobody sounds like me. We all have a unique voice and I'm happy with mine so I'm really enjoying my work.

I've also realized that while the Last In Line project is a side project, it's a very serious one to me. Especially in this day and age, you can't just phone it in. You really have to manifest it and do live shows to make it a real thing, so I've been committed to doing their tour. I am quite literally working all the time- I'm either working with Def Leppard or working with Last In Line. It's work that I really enjoy but it has also taught me another life lesson (laughing) and that is that I do finally see the importance of scheduling time off. I am intending to do that next year (laughing) because this year is already booked with both bands but next year I will plan a vacation."

Vivian on the differences between playing in both bands:

"I really enjoy both Last In Line and Def Leppard because they are two incredible bands filled with incredible musicians that I get to play with. I also get to exercise different muscles because, with the Leppard thing, it's the vocals that we're really known for. It's a high production show and very well oiled machine with two guitarists and Phil Collen really does all the heavy lifting. It's the vocal aspect there for me and being a rhythm guitar player, something that a lot of guitar players don't focus as much on, so I'm very proud of my ability in that. In Last In Line I'm not just the only guitar player but I'm the only melodic instrument in the band, we're not even touring with a keyboard player. That puts a lot of pressure on me as a guitarist but it's also very rewarding and it challenges me.

It brings me back to the origins of Last In Line, which goes back to the original Dio band. We took the name from Dio's second album and so this band is a great way for me to reconnect with that part of my life and that band. It's a challenge to play like that and I take pride in trying to nuance my performance night after night. Some of those guitar solos from those early Dio albums, in my mind I still haven't played right (laughing). I've played them 96 or 98 percent right but I'm still looking to get to a hundred percent. It's not even big things, it's tiny little things (laughing) but I need to challenge myself. I think that if you're not moving forward then you're standing still in life so I'm not trying to reinvent the wheel but I am always trying to make things better.

The same is true with Def Leppard. Joe (Elliott) and I talk about it some nights right when we come off stage. I really do think that sometimes it's only us guys in the band that notice the details. As professionals, we all do have that desire and goal to make things better rather than just phoning it in and taking the easy road. I think that is the difference between bands that are successful and bands that maybe aren't doing well. It's a matter of professional pride."

Vivian on the creativity that still is running through his veins:

"A lot of people ask why Def Leppard even bothers making new records in this day and age when people just want to hear hits from the '80s. It's important to us. We make them for that percentage of our fan base that is really excited about new Def Leppard music but more importantly, we do it for selfish reasons. We do it because there is a creative element to what we do. We want to get better at the songs that are decades old but at the same time we have a creative muscle that we all need to exercise and so we still strive to make great new records too.

It's a strange time because back when Def Leppard or even the old Dio band were first starting out we had the ecosystem of MTV and of FM radio that actually programmed their own music nationwide and even worldwide. The digital age is so different and even with all of the media, it's actually very difficult to get new music out there. There's a percentage of fans of any band that really want that new music but struggle to find it."

Def Leppard Promo Shot

Vivian on watching the Def Leppard audience evolve over the years:

 It's interesting and also a good situation for a band like Def Leppard that has been growing our audience for years now. There's a strong percentage of that audience that is like our children's age now and they come to the shows all excited to hear the hits of the '80s (laughing). It's so nice to reach beyond your own generation and see your audience grow. It's such an exciting thing and it has been happening for us for the last decade or so. We really feel the energy and as our audiences get younger they also are more energetic and we feed off of that and it makes our performance more energized.

Def Leppard was obviously very big in the '80s and then the '90s were rough because the musical landscape changed so much that we were playing live just for our core fans. The late '90s brought a change in the wind and more people started showing up and we noticed that a lot of them were younger. Last year we did 60 dates in North America on a co-headlining tour with Journey and probably 40% of that audience was younger. The energy that young people bring to the show is very palpable and we really feed off of that. Especially when your playing songs that are thirty years old (laughing), we are playing them for the audience and their excitement fuels us to make things even better. It's such a good thing and it makes us really happy."

Vivian on The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction:

 "It's a great honor to be in the hall of fame and I definitely think Def Leppard deserves it. I'm happy because now I get to vote and have a say from the inside (laughing), but personally, I've never put a lot of stock in the industry awards. Being the new guy in the band (laughing) and it has been 27 years for me, but as a fan first, I remember buying the Hysteria album. I wore it out on cassette and then I bought it on cd, and I can remember being amazed that this landmark rock record wasn't even nominated for a Grammy. It had seven hit singles on it! That kind of framed my whole reference point for industry awards and I just don't think that they're totally reflective of merit. I will say that the thing that resonates with us is the fact that we got the biggest ever popular vote. The fans are very loyal and they made that happen. The people who have been with Def Leppard since day one are really the ones who put us here. I believe they're the ones who brought us to the attention of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame."

Vivian on the fans:

"The audience is vital. If there's no audience then there is no band and so that means there's no show. They are like an extra member of the band and if they aren't excited about the show then we're not so excited about playing it. We're kind of like vampires now, we feed off of that energy and if they're giving us a lot when we're giving even more back. There are certain cities all around the world that I really love to play because of their energy. There's really no such thing as a bad audience it's just a matter of how excited they can get, and then in turn how the can excite us."

Check out both Def Leppard's official site and Last In Line's official site for tour dates, merch and more! Also, keep an eye on Vivian's official Facebook page for updates. 

Daily Boom 90's Nostalgia: Debbie Gibson - 'Anything Is Possible'

"Much to my surprise I felt
A warm, not cold vibe
When he looked in my eyes
(Oh yeah, it's possible)
His bad boy front not charm
Was his disguise
Oh whoa whoa
(Let me tell ya)
He read so much into me
Listened so attentively
He liked me, I rest my case
Wasn't just a pretty face."

Debbie Gibson was one of the biggest pop princesses to come out of the 80's. By the time 1990 rolled around she (and much of her audience) had grown up and it was time to prove it. "Anything Is Possible" marked the debut of a sexier Gibson. The video included black lace, leather, and sleeker dance moves. It was probably one of her better singles in terms of packaging but by 1990 the pop waves were starting to slow down. That meant fewer sales for Gibson and this ended up being her first album not to break the top ten on Billboard's chart. I think 25+ years later it still holds up as one of her best and updated songs. Check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Vinnie Vincent Invasion - 'Love Kills'

You've brought my world to an end
Love takes its victim and leaves its remains
My broken heart has died in vain
Tell me why have we forsaken the dreams we had
The pain makes it so hard to understand
You're a lifetime ago but a memory away
And I'll love you till my resurrection day
Love kills the fire's gone
Dying embers still remain
Love kills and now you're gone
Girl, I'll never be the same again

I'm going to be honest here, saying that I don't remember Vinnie Vincent Invasion's "Love Kills" is an understatement for me. It was released back in 1988 on the A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master soundtrack and pooped up in an episode of MTV Classic's Metal Mayhem this morning. Vincent started the group back in 1984, after finding fame as a member of KISS. In 1986 he hired Mark Slaughter to handle the lead vocals and the group then had a few successful tracks.

Anyway, I stumbled onto this video this morning and was struck by just how good 22-year-old Slaughter (looked) sounded here. He later went on to find success with his own band, Slaughter, into the 90's. In the years since "Love Kills" the group obviously disbanded but the guys have continued rocking out individually. Check out the video below, do you remember this one?

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Paula Abdul - 'Cold Hearted'

"It was only late last night he was out there sneakin'

Then he called you up to check that you were waiting by the phone

All the world's a candy store

He's been trick or treatin'

When it comes to true love girl with him there's no one home

He's a coldhearted snake look into his eyes

Oh, oh he's been telling lies he's a lover boy at play."

Who didn't love Paula Abdul back in 1988? The media had her pegged as a sweet, girl next door type that just so happened to dance her ass off. She was a former Laker girl that had already choreographed for Janet Jackson when her own solo album dropped. Forever Your Girl was a bonafide hit. By the time the third single, "Cold Hearted" was out, Abdul decided that it was time to sex up her image a bit.

She mixed Bob Fosse inspired choreography with moody lighting a barely-there costumes and the result, well it was magic."Cold Hearted" is one of those videos that trained dancers consider memorable. I appreciate how timeless it is. If you were to watch it for the very first time today you would never know that it's 30 years old. Abdul and her crew create frozen moments that are memorable even after a few decades. 

I also like to kick the weekend off with something fun and this sure fits the bill. Check it out below.

Exclusive Interview: Jeanette Jurado of Exposé Grateful to Share the Stage with Her 'Sisters' Thirty Five Years After 'Exposure'

We are flashing back to some of the best of the best content here at DailyBOOM.

ICYMI:

There are very few albums in my life that I've liked from start to finish Exposure, the debut effort from legendary girl group Exposé is still near the very top of my shortlist of favorites. 1987 was a year of firsts for me- the first job slinging fish in a fast-food restaurant. First summer of freedom thanks to turning sixteen and having a bestie with a car. A first taste of heartbreak courtesy of a boy that I didn't honestly even like. Exposé was there with me every step of the way. Whether they were blaring from a boombox while my friends and I laid in the sun covered in baby oil or were whispering through my Walkman headphones about seasons changing while tears rolled down my cheeks at 2am, they were there. And I was grateful.

Perhaps the best thing about the 80's being so hot right now is hearing my kids walk around the house singing the exact same songs that I was singing at their age. Why? Because the music is fun and it holds up and that's precisely the reason why you can catch acts like Exposé (Jeanette Jurado, Gioia Bruno and Ann Curless) still lighting up the stage. Over the last few years I've had a few opportunities to catch the ladies live and to connect with both Gioia and Ann, both of whom I adore.

Jeanette has been a bit more elusive. I'd liken it to catching a unicorn, you just know that if somehow you can make it happen it'll be totally worth the time and effort. This week I was finally able to chat with her one-on-one and was not disappointed. She is deeply devoted to her family, including her Exposé sisters, and has a sense of humor and a sarcastic streak that I really appreciate. Most of all, Jeanette was totally present in this interview and really dug deeper than even I expected. Check it out below. Click the links and if you have an opportunity, go and see Exposé live. I promise you'll love every minute!

Cate Meighan: It has been more than thirty years since you, Gioia Bruno and Ann Curless broke onto the music scene as Exposé, What is it that keeps you still out there performing in 2017?

Jeanette Jurado: First of all, I'm not at peace with myself or comfortable with myself unless I'm singing somewhere. If I go too long without singing my boys are like “Mom!!!” because I'm singing around the house or I'm singing in the shower full blast (laughing). I have to have some way to be able to get that out of me, it's like this built up energy and if I can't go out and sing then I'm not a happy individual. The second reason is actually getting together with Gioia and Ann. I keep joking with them about how you hear of maybe once a year girl's getting together with their friends and planning a girls' weekend. I get to see them all the time and get paid (laughing)! What's there to complain about? We go and stay at a nice hotel, enjoy dinner and catch up on what's going on in each others' lives. The third thing is the audience, of course. That moment when you first go out on stage and you just feel the audience and the energy of that room. It really is, quite addicting. It's really all of those things that keeps me out there performing regularly.

(Photo: Robert Valesco)

CM: Onstage I know that you refer to each other as “sisters”. Does it really feel like a sisterhood to you?

JJ: It's absolutely true. I have two real-life sisters, no brothers. I'm the middle of the three. There's nobody that I argue with and love more. In some ways you can kind of get away with stuff because you love them so much that you know you're going to come back and work it out. Ya know, you're sisters so you kind of have to. That's the same way that it is with Gioia and Ann and I'm glad that we feel comfortable enough to be horrible with each other sometimes (laughing). I think it's a healthy thing and whenever there is a conflict between us I do think, “Okay, they're my sisters and I know we're going to get past this just give it a little time.” and in the end, we always do.

  

CM: The group really skyrocketed quickly (seven back-to-back top ten Billboard hits) and you found yourselves on the road with your sisters. Did you enjoy that part back in the early days of Exposé?

JJ: That's a hard one. There was a time when we were in Europe together, I think we were in Scotland and I was just so young and homesick. Growing up I was never one of those kids that wanted to travel the world, I was not even interested (laughing). I thought I was going to get married and have children and stay in East LA for the rest of my life so, surprise (laughing)! I was very young and I was literally having a hard time getting out of bed. I just wanted to stay in the hotel, order room service and watch CNN because it connected me to the United States. Had it not been for Annie, who had to literally at one point go and get a key to my room and force me to come out- and she yanked me out (laughing) and made me leave. She said I'd never get this opportunity again and that I had to get out of bed because she had made reservations to go see this and that. I think I was literally crying and she would often push me to go and see things that I thought I had no interest in. Had it not been for her I probably wouldn't have enjoyed half of the places that we traveled to.

That still really sticks out in my mind. I'm so grateful and I always thank her because without Ann I wouldn't have done half the things that I did. I'm much different now, but I think then I was just so young and naive that I didn't realize the golden opportunity that was right in front of my eyes that I fell into. I just didn't get it. I just thought, oh this happens to everybody that wants to be a singer (laughing). I think back now and it's comical, I thought it would always be there and I'd always be traveling- you know, who doesn't get a tour bus (laughing)? Because when you grow up and this is what you wish for this is what happens, right? No. Now I look back and realize the amazing blessings I had. Just the record company and having Gioia and Ann and being able to travel. It was all a little miracle in itself. Now I know! You're young and you think you're just invincible until you grow a little more and realize you're not.

 

CM: Once Exposé started to conquer the charts several other girl groups like Sweet Sensation and The Cover Girls also started to break out. Did you keep your eye on the competition?

JJ: I'd have to say I was pretty secure (laughing) only because we were so busy that I probably wasn't even paying attention. The three of us discuss that quiet often, how we were so busy and just spinning in everything going on within us and around us. Everything was so new to us so to tell you the truth I was not paying attention. I was secure in a very naive way (laughing). I had enough to worry about within Exposé to waste a minute worrying about anything outside of Exposé. We were absolutely in our own bubble and I don't remember having conversations about what anyone else was doing.

CM: When the group disbanded back in 1996, were you ready to move on?

JJ: I was def ready. We were all just so miserable in that contract. I didn't think that at the time I was saying goodbye to Kelly (Moneymaker, who replaced Gioia Bruno in the early 90's) and Ann. I knew that it wouldn't be goodbye for the three of us so I was good with that. I knew that wasn't gonna go away. But we were all just so tired of waiting to be told what we could or couldn't do. We were also not as young as when we had first started and so there were other things that had become important to us. Our freedom being one of them(laughing). I was definitely ready to not be in that position any more.

 

CM: So then you fast forward a decade and you girls decided to reunite. Was that an easy transition or did it take some pushing?

JJ: It took a little pushing in the beginning. It was weird talking to the girls about coming back. I think so much of it for me was wondering if we would still have an audience, because I didn't know for sure. I had met a friend that suggested we get back out there and I called a few booking agents thinking that interest really wouldn't be there. But once I had conversations with various people that were still anxious to work with us, then I thought that maybe we were just missing out on an opportunity to still be doing this. I think some pushing came between the three of us, actually putting ourselves in that zone after we had been on our own for so long. We are three very headstrong women and getting together and making decisions can be tough. Sometimes what's great for Ann and I may not be the best thing for Gioia or vice versa and so it's always a compromise. Just like in any marriage, it's a constant compromise and so it takes a lot of putting your ego aside. Luckily, we were all ready to do that and so, here we are. Ann and I still have kids at home to worry about. The good thing is that Gioia is also a mom (her daughter is 29) so she really understands those feelings and that love and how important it is to be present. Somehow it all balances itself out. She knows that this is the real gig, here at home (laughing).

CM: I'm generally a B-side girl when it comes to music. What are some of your favorite Exposé songs that maybe weren't released as singles or haven't gotten the mainstream accolades as say, “Point Of No Return”?

JJ: A favorite of mine that didn't get as much attention. Funny enough, “In Walked Love” I love doing and I love the adult contemporary genre of our songs. I love being able to sing background (laughing). I love sitting behind Gioia or Ann and supporting them because I don't get to do it all the time. I get to sit back and really hear their voices and work on blending backgrounds and those are some of my favorite moments and songs. We rate our own performances on whether or not it was a great blend or the volume of the band. Those are all of the things I'm actually thinking of (laughing) and we need to have the full band with us to really figure out how to tweak our performances in general. We all discuss the technical part when we get off stage.

It depends on the audience that we're about to perform for how we pick our songs and how we get to perform them. When we're doing the freestyle shows and it's a bunch of people onstage then we only have a short amount of time and I know the audience is there to hear the hits. So it's like bam- bam-bam, I'll arrange the show that we're about to do to please that audience. When we have a show where we have a live band, then I know it's more relaxed and we have an opportunity to play around with our arrangements and our song choices as well. It's a much more personable audience and so we have to be more personable as well. That gives us a better chance to talk to our audience, maybe tell them a story about the songs and really just play off of each other a little bit. I think the audience expects to see that investment from us at that type of show.

CM: Expose` shows are generally on the weekend and so what does a typical weekday look like for you now?

JJ: Right now my day consists of doing things with the boys because they're out of school. When they're in school it's so much easier (laughing) because when they're here it's like “Mom can we do this, mom can we do that...” so there's a lot of planning around them and cooking three times a day rather than just once. Right now I'm also putting together another band and getting all of the music together , talking to the guys. A lot of scheduling and figuring out who is free for certain dates. There are new arrangements for the live band shows that we're doing. That's my day. I also talk to the booking agents and figure out if we want to do dates or not. So it's a little of family and work. I'm all encompassing of my family but I also get to do a little Exposé stuff  too. It's important to the three of us that we all have a responsibility in the group and so we've sliced it up in three pieces. My piece happens to be the music part of it.

I don't think that I'm any more technical than Gioia or Ann is but I have the advantage of working regularly with the band. Most of the time when we go out on the road I have a closer relationship with them because I work with them from where I live. I rehearse them and choose which band members we're going to use and so by the time we get to the stage there's already a great relationship between me and the guys. Ann and Gioia will sometimes just be working with them for that day or two and then they're off. So I keep up the relationship with phone calls so I'm kind of the link between the three of us and them.

CM: I think that our kids are about the same age. Is it as hard for you to step back and let your boys become more independent? I know I struggle with helicoptering myself.

JJ: I struggle every single second of the day. It is so difficult for me and the fact that my boys are both driving just like, drives me insane. You pray every time they get in the car and it's so difficult to let them fly on their own. I keep myself in check because I don't want to ruin them by being too over protective. It's just hard because there's no way that you can make sure they're safe once they go out the door so I have to tell myself that I've done my best. I've taught them, talked to them and then I shout things to them at least 12 times as they're walking out the door (laughing). These poor kids. It's my hardest struggle of all, letting them go.

CM: You so rarely speak on the record, what would you like to say to all of the fans that still listen toExposé and venture out to the live shows?

JJ: Oh my gosh, it's going to sound so corny but I'm just so grateful to them. I'm grateful that they have a desire to come and see us and that it's important enough to leave their homes and spend their hard earned money- whether it's for the first time or the fourth time. Sharing that time with them means so much to me, now more than ever, so I'm just really grateful. We did a show recently and it was a city-run event. The audience wasn't as big as we're used to, the advertising was a little strange and it was very hot. We performed and then after the show we actually walked around after the show and talked to the audience, which we never ever get to do. It was just the best thing talking to them was so wonderful. It's just like when I go to see a group that I admire or grew up with. When you meet them you tell them the story of why they're so important to you and what their songs remind you of. I love hearing all of that stuff and we so rarely get a chance to really do it!Even if we're signing autographs after a show it's not the same. This time we went out to talk and to connect with as many people as we could as they were leaving. It was so cool and I wish we could do that more often, have those actual

conversations when things aren't so crazy and venues aren't rushing to get people out the door.

The people were introducing us to their kids that they brought along,those Exposé babies
 (laughing)It was just so great and I wish and hope we'll maybe be able to do that more often. It's still weird to think that our songs and our music means as much to people as some of my favorites mean to me. So when we're reminded of our impact, for whatever reason, it makes me more grateful now than I've ever been. How can I not be? It just melts my heart knowing that it touches someone. 

Check out everything imaginable about Exposé HERE

Catch  live- tour dates HERE

Revisit the videos HERE

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Coming in August! Keep your eye on Exposé social media for more details!