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 

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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: 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: 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

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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: 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'

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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!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Cinderella - 'Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)'

"I can't tell ya baby what went wrong

I can't make you feel what you felt so long gap

I'll let it show

I can't give you back what's been hurt

Heartaches come and go and all that's left are the words

I can't let go

If we take some time to think it over baby

Take some time, let me know

If you really want to go

Don't know what you got till it's gone

Don't know what it is I did so wrong

Now I know what I got

It's just this song."

How can you not love a good power ballad? I mean, even if you hate hair bands, how can you not love a power ballad?? Aside from tugging at the heartstrings and connecting to people on a gut punch level, they were also a brilliant marketing tool back in 1980-something. Heavy metal bands already had guys liking them but women were often a tougher sell- until the power ballad came along. Love songs appeal to women and one 4 minute song could easily sell tickets to that demographic. 

Picking a favorite is really tough because there were so many great ones. In the case of Cinderella, one of their ballads was their top charting hit of all time. "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)" seemed to speak to our teenaged generation just as much as it still speaks to a fortysomething going through a divorce now. Up until that point, the Philly-born band was firmly rooted in the hard rock scene and their videos were loaded with big hair, bright lights and a string of half-dressed chicks. This time out Tom Keifer sat down at his piano and just poured his heart out and boy did it work. The video was in heavy rotation on MTV and the song reached number 12 on Billboard's charts. 

More importantly, it's a ballad that still resonates to this day. Check out the video below!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Heart - 'Never'

"Hey baby I'm talking to you
Stop yourself and listen
Some things you can never choose
Even if you try yeah
You're bangin' your head again
Cause somebody won't let you in
One chance, one love
Your chance to let me know

We can't go on
Just running away
If we stay any longer
We will surely never get away
Anything you want, we can make it happen
Stand up and turn around
Never let them shoot us down
Never, never
Never, never run away."

During the mid-80's women really did dominate the airwaves and MTV. Pop princesses were everywhere, at times they were tricky to tell apart but two women that most definitely stood out were Ann and Nancy Wilson of Heart. They first rose to fame in the '70s and then enjoyed a pretty huge comeback in the '80s with their self-titled album. The second single off of it, "Never" remains one of my favorites.

It shot to number four on Billboard's chart in 1985, to become Heart's best-selling single thus far and the take-charge lyrics seemed to really click with listeners. At least enough for MTV to keep the video in heavy rotation for a long while. In the thirty-plus years since, the Wilson sisters have gone their separate ways to work on various projects, but seem to reunite every few years for a new Heart album.

Exclusive Interview: Great White's Michael Lardie on New Music in the Works and the Pure Joy That Still Comes from Playing Live

Great White

Photo: Neil Zlozower

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

ICYMI

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!

Daily Boom 80's Throwback: Level 42 - 'Lessons In Love'

"I'm not proud, I was wrong
And the truth is hard to take
I felt sure we had enough
But our love went overboard
Lifeboat lies lost at sea
I've been trying to reach your shore
Waves of doubt keep drowning me
All the dreams that we were building
We never fulfilled them
Could be better, should be better
For lessons in love"

We all have those songs that, for whatever reason, we just love, and "Lessons In Love" by Level 42 falls into that category for me. It wasn't the band's most successful single when it topped the charts at number 12 back in 1987 (that honor goes to "Something About You" which reached number 7 the previous year) but it has always stuck in my head. The lyrics are all about screwing up a relationship and I'm pretty sure that my 15-year-old self had done exactly the same thing at that point in time, making it pretty much "my" song. 

The thing is that "Lessons In Love" could easily have been (and probably was) a lot of peoples' songs because who hasn't been there. The best lessons are those learned the hard way and Level 42 spells it out perfectly. I've always thought it was more than a little ironic that this song's melody makes me happy while the lyrics are a bit somber. Check out the video below. Do you remember this one?