Boom Radio: New Wave Mixtape

 

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Animotion- 'Room To Move'

It's not that I don't love you, oh no
It's just that I, I've got to have room to move
That's all I need, that's all I ask for
Room to breathe, room to move

That's all I need, that's all I ask for
Give it to me, room to move
Everybody needs, room to move

You guys remember Animotion, right? They had that hit song called "Obsession" that will now probably be stuck in your head for the rest of the day simply because I mentioned it. Well, back in 1989 they also had another hit, "Room To Move" which featured Cynthia Rhodes (ex-wife of Richard Marx) and Paul Engemann on lead vocals. It was featured in the 1988 science-fiction comedy film, My Stepmother Is an Alien and reached number 9 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Believe it or not the lineup on "Room To Move" is almost entirely different from the group that first broke through back in 1984. The original band, led by Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams, has reunited

in recent years and continues to perform. The lineup that featured Rhodes and Engemann was short lived but they did produce a great song so check it out below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: 'Til Tuesday - 'Voices Carry'

"I try so hard not to get upset
Because I know all the trouble I'll get
Oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
And something to fear-eh-eh
And I try so hard to keep it inside
So no one can hear
Hush-hush, keep it down now, voices carry"

You guys remember "Voices Carry", right?  The song by 'Til Tuesday barreled up Billboard's charts to number 8 back in 1985 and the video really did help the group to become one of MTV's early favorites. Aimee Mann's vocals about a doomed love affair are haunting and ring true for anyone that has been in a relationship with the wrong person. You feel like you can't do anything right and everything that the other person does is just plain wrong as well. At one point in time, Cyndi Lauper was hoping to record "Voices Carry" herself and ya know what, it probably would have been a hit for her too.

Instead, 'Til Tuesday did the honors and it cemented their place in new wave history.  Rather than going with the original video, I thought I'd instead post this live performance. Do the math- it's about ten days short of being 30 years old!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Culture Club - 'Miss Me Blind'

"Now there's no need to demand

Grab my golden hand

I'll teach you

And you'll never be sure

If the way that you need

Is too much like greed

Decide if you are rich or you're poor

I know you'll miss me

I know you'll miss me

I know you'll miss me blind

Bet you make the fool run

Bet you know how

To make it last forever"

I have to admit, Culture Club always kind of gets a little lost in my pile of 80's classics and I'm never really sure why. I've always been a Boy George fan and some of this groups' songs really are timeless. Then there are those that carry a personal time-stamp, like "Miss Me Blind". This takes me back to a Friday night in 1984 when it was pouring and we had just left a pizza parlor connected to our local mall. We stepped outside into the rain and a few thunderbolts later and my parents and I were taking cover inside of The Jean King- a store that was exactly like its' name implied. 

As the rain poured down on the roof above, I was surrounded by racks of Jordache, Calvin Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. It was denim heaven. I'm pretty sure if I walked into that store today I'd be amazed by how small it actually was but on this particular night, it was divine. In my mind any good store also has great music playing and "Miss Me Blind" was always my favorite Culture Club song so obviously, the fact that it was on here only makes the memory sweeter. Check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: David Bowie - 'China Girl'

"I couldn't escape this feeling with my China girl

I feel a wreck without my little China girl

I hear her heart beating loud as thunder

Saw these stars crashing

I'm a mess without my little China girl

Wake up in the morning, where's my little China girl

I hear her heart's beating loud as thunder

Saw these stars crashing down"

It has been awhile since anything by David Bowie has made its' way on to DailyBOOM, hasn't it? So let's revisit "China Girl", a song that was first recorded by Iggy Pop in the late 70's with little fanfare. He and Bowie had written it together and when Bowie remade it in 1983, it found commercial success. It's off of the Let's Dance album and the single was sandwiched between the title track and the later release of "Modern Love", so it was basically positioned for success.

The song itself has always had a bit of a double meaning. While the video depicts a romance, China is a term for heroin and girl is a term for cocaine. Bowie supposedly loved the hidden meaning of the song because he loved adding different layers to his music. 

I just remember loving the song as a kid and I still believe it's one of Bowie's best tracks to come out of the 80's. Check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: The Romantics - 'Talking in Your Sleep'

"When you close your eyes and you go to sleep
And it's down to the sound of a heartbeat
I can hear the things that you're dreaming about
When you open up your heart and the truth comes out
You tell me that you want me
You tell me that you need me
You tell me that you love me
And I know that I'm right
'Cause I hear it in the night
I hear the secrets that you keep
When you're talking in your sleep"

My first introduction to The Romantics came when a snippet of their video for "Talking Your Sleep" played back on American Top 40's top ten video countdown back in 1984.  Sure, it wasn't MTV but everyone had tapped into the music video craze and created their own version of it. The video itself was bizarre because it featured a bunch of women seemingly standing in their sleep clad either in lingerie or pajamas.

I loved the song and when my dad gave me a copy of the 45 single I can remember playing it constantly. Some synth ends up sounding really dated to me. This isn't one of those songs. "Talking In Your Sleep" still holds up as a pretty solid song. I may not go out of my way to play it nowadays, but when it comes on the radio or pops up in my work playlist I'm not shutting it off either.

Check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Culture Club - 'Miss Me Blind'

"Now there's no need to demand

Grab my golden hand

I'll teach you

And you'll never be sure

If the way that you need

Is too much like greed

Decide if you are rich or you're poor

I know you'll miss me

I know you'll miss me

I know you'll miss me blind

Bet you make the fool run

Bet you know how

To make it last forever"

I have to admit, Culture Club always kind of gets a little lost in my pile of 80's classics and I'm never really sure why. I've always been a Boy George fan and some of this groups' songs really are timeless. Then there are those that carry a personal time-stamp, like "Miss Me Blind". This takes me back to a Friday night in 1984 when it was pouring and we had just left a pizza parlor connected to our local mall. We stepped outside into the rain and a few thunderbolts later and my parents and I were taking cover inside of The Jean King- a store that was exactly like its' name implied. 

As the rain poured down on the roof above, I was surrounded by racks of Jordache, Calvin Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. It was denim heaven. I'm pretty sure if I walked into that store today I'd be amazed by how small it actually was but on this particular night, it was divine. In my mind any good store also has great music playing and "Miss Me Blind" was always my favorite Culture Club song so obviously, the fact that it was on here only makes the memory sweeter. Check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Blondie - 'Rapture'

" Fiab Five Freddie told me everybody's fly

DJ's spinning I said my, my 

Flash is fast, Flash is cool

Francois sais pas, Flashe no deux
And you don't stop, sure shot
Go out to the parking lot
And you get in your car and you drive real far
And you drive all night and then you see a light
And it comes right down and lands on the ground
And out comes a man from Mars
And you try to run but he's got a gun

And he shoots you dead and he eats your head"

I've always been a little bit Blondie obsessed. Ever since my parent's Halloween party when I was 8 I've known exactly who Debbie Harry is. That night, my dad played the extended dance mix of "Heart Of Glass" no less than 20 times and I went to bed wanting to grow up to BE Harry. Fast forward a few years and along came "Rapture" which was a total game changer.  Not only did Harry rap that legendary verse, but it was the very first rap verse to sit at the number one spot on Billboard's Hot 100.

Harry took what only guys like Grandmaster Flash and The Sugarhill Gang were doing, and made it even better. She was a game changer and "Rapture" was such a huge song. It was playing in the background of everyday life no matter where you went and I certainly wasn't complaining. The video is iconic and I still have to stop and watch it at least once a week. Check it out below!

Sunday Soundtrack: Pretty In Pink

If you leave, don't leave now
Please don't take my heart away
Promise me just one more night
Then we'll go our separate ways
With hours left time on our sides
Now it's fading fast
Every second every moment
We've got to--we've gotta make it last

Daily Boom Lost Hit: Blondie - 'Nothing Is Real But The Girl'

Exclusive Interview: Psychedelic Furs Discuss Current 'Singles' Tour & New Music

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

ICYMI

The eighties are back in such a huge way right now that it's not at all surprising to see so many acts hitting the stage again to play all of their classic hits. That said, it only makes sense that the Psychedelic Furs will be stopping at Montclair's historic Wellmont Theater on Saturday, October 7th as one of the stops of their 2017 North American "The Singles Tour." Best known for the song "Pretty in Pink", which was used in classic hit Hollywood film of the same name, the Furs was formed back in the late 70's by Richard (lead vocals) and Tim (Bass) Butler. The brothers fell in love with the music of the UK rock scene and decided to start a band that would feature their own unique sound. Success came pretty quickly as songs like "Love My Way" and "The Ghost In You" found themselves climbing Billboard's Hot 100 chart.

I had an opportunity to speak with Tim Butler recently and he was more than happy to reflect on the Furs legacy while teasing a little about their future plans.

Q: Tim, thanks so much for a few minutes of your time. I know that you and the rest of the band have been on "The Singles Tour" since March. How has it been for you this time out on the road?

We have been all over the place it seems- South America, Europe, England and now the United States. We still really enjoy getting out there and playing. Especially when we get on stage and hear people singing our songs. There's no greater thing than to hear an audience sing back to you the songs that you wrote, maybe forty years ago! It makes us feel like maybe we've done something that is a lasting contribution to pop music. 

Keep reading...

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: 'Til Tuesday - 'Voices Carry'

"I try so hard not to get upset
Because I know all the trouble I'll get
Oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
And something to fear-eh-eh
And I try so hard to keep it inside
So no one can hear
Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry"

You guys remember "Voices Carry", right?  The song by 'Til Tuesday barreled up Billboard's charts to number 8 back in 1985 and the video really did help the group to become one of MTV's early favorites. Aimee Mann's vocals about a doomed love affair are haunting and ring true for anyone that has been in a relationship with the wrong person. You feel like you can't do anything right and everything that the other person does is just plain wrong as well. At one point in time Cyndi Lauper was hoping to record "Voices Carry" herself and ya know what, it probably would have been a hit for her too.

Instead, 'Til Tuesday did the honors and it cemented their place in new wave history.  Rather than going with the original video I thought I'd instead post this live performance.

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Blondie - 'Rapture'

" Fiab Five Freddie told me everybody's fly

DJ's spinning I said my, my 

Flash is fast, Flash is cool

Francois sais pas, Flashe no deux
And you don't stop, sure shot
Go out to the parking lot
And you get in your car and you drive real far
And you drive all night and then you see a light
And it comes right down and lands on the ground
And out comes a man from Mars
And you try to run but he's got a gun

And he shoots you dead and he eats your head"

I've always been a little bit Blondie obsessed. Ever since my parent's Halloween party when I was 8 I've known exactly who Debbie Harry is. That night, my dad played the extended dance mix of "Heart Of Glass" no less than 20 times and I went to bed wanting to grow up to BE Harry. Fast forward a few years and along came "Rapture" which was a total game-changer.  Not only did Harry rap that legendary verse, but it was the very first rap verse to sit at the number one spot on Billboard's Hot 100.

Harry took what only guys like Grandmaster Flash and The Sugarhill Gang were doing, and made it even better. She was a game-changer and "Rapture" was such a huge song. It was playing in the background of everyday life no matter where you went and I certainly wasn't complaining. The video is iconic and I still have to stop and watch it at least once a week. Check it out below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: 'Til Tuesday - 'Voices Carry'

"I try so hard not to get upset
Because I know all the trouble I'll get
Oh, he tells me tears are something to hide
And something to fear-eh-eh
And I try so hard to keep it inside
So no one can hear
Hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry"

You guys remember "Voices Carry", right?  The song by 'Til Tuesday barreled up Billboard's charts to number 8 back in 1985 and the video really did help the group to become one of MTV's early favorites. Aimee Mann's vocals about a doomed love affair are haunting and ring true for anyone that has been in a relationship with the wrong person. You feel like you can't do anything right and everything that the other person does is just plain wrong as well. At one point in time Cyndi Lauper was hoping to record "Voices Carry" herself and ya know what, it probably would have been a hit for her too.

Instead, 'Til Tuesday did the honors and it cemented their place in new wave history.  Rather than going with the original video I thought I'd instead post this live performance. Do the math- it's about ten days short of being 30 years old!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'

"Sweet dreams are made of this

who am I to disagree?"

What's it like to have your very first song released in the U.S. shoot to number one? Just ask Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, otherwise known as Eurythmics. In 1983 a little ditty named "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" launched like a new wave rocket to the top of Billboard's Hot 100, making the duo a household name. They were wise enough to already understand the power of good visuals and dropped a great video with an androgynous looking Lennox sporting an orange crew cut and suit. It leaves a lasting imprint and so does the song, right? The second it starts you know exactly what you're listening to. Even if "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" isn't a favorite song I'm going to bet that find yourself singing along to it because you kind of know the words,  don't you? 

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Animotion- 'Room To Move'

It's not that I don't love you, oh no
It's just that I, I've got to have room to move
That's all I need, that's all I ask for
Room to breathe, room to move

That's all I need, that's all I ask for
Give it to me, room to move
Everybody needs, room to move

You guys remember Animotion, right? They had that hit song called "Obsession" that will now probably be stuck in your head for the rest of the day simply because I mentioned it. Well, back in 1989 they also had another hit, "Room To Move" which featured Cynthia Rhodes (ex-wife of Richard Marx) and Paul Engemann on lead vocals. It was featured in the 1988 science-fiction comedy film, My Stepmother Is an Alien and reached number 9 on Billboard's Hot 100.

Believe it or not the lineup on "Room To Move" is almost entirely different from the group that first broke through back in 1984. The original band, led by Astrid Plane and Bill Wadhams, has reunited

in recent years and continues to perform. The lineup that featured Rhodes and Engemann was short lived but they did produce a great song so check it out below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Culture Club - 'Miss Me Blind'

"Now there's no need to demand

Grab my golden hand

I'll teach you

And you'll never be sure

If the way that you need

Is too much like greed

Decide if you are rich or you're poor

I know you'll miss me

I know you'll miss me

I know you'll miss me blind

Bet you make the fool run

Bet you know how

To make it last forever"

I have to admit, Culture Club always kind of gets a little lost in my pile of 80's classics and I'm never really sure why. I've always been a Boy George fan and some of this groups' songs really are timeless. Then there are those that carry a personal time-stamp, like "Miss Me Blind". This takes me back to a Friday night in 1984 when it was pouring and we had just left a pizza parlor connected to our local mall. We stepped outside into the rain and a few thunderbolts later and my parents and I were taking cover inside of The Jean King- a store that was exactly like its' name implied. 

As the rain poured down on the roof above, I was surrounded by racks of Jordache, Calvin Klein and Gloria Vanderbilt jeans. It was denim heaven. I'm pretty sure if I walked into that store today I'd be amazed by how small it actually was but on this particular night, it was divine. In my mind any good store also has great music playing and "Miss Me Blind" was always my favorite Culture Club song so obviously, the fact that it was on here only makes the memory sweeter. Check out the video below!

Currently Booming: Thompson Twins - 'Into The Gap' - (Full Concert 1984)

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Eurythmics - 'Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)'

"Sweet dreams are made of this

who am I to disagree?"

What's it like to have your very first song released in the U.S. shoot to number one? Just ask Annie Lennox and Dave Stewart, otherwise known as Eurythmics. In 1983 a little ditty named "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" launched like a new wave rocket to the top of Billboard's Hot 100, making the duo a household name. They were wise enough to already understand the power of good visuals and dropped a great video with an androgynous looking Lennox sporting an orange crew cut and suit. It leaves a lasting imprint and so does the song, right? The second it starts you know exactly what you're listening to. Even if "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" isn't a favorite song I'm going to bet that find yourself singing along to it because you kind of know the words,  don't you? 

Currently Booming: New Music- Tom Bailey- 'Science Fiction' (Listen)