I haven't heard this song off of Moby's mainstream breakthrough album in quite some time. I may have to dig out Play this weekend and relive the summer of 99 when I listened to it non-stop. I actually saw him play a modern rock festival shortly after this record broke. He put on a killer show which was made even more fun for me because he was acting kind of surly about the frathouse mentality of the pit (it was at a college with Green Day, Disturbed and Good Charlotte playing, what did he expect?).
16 April 2013
15 April 2013
15 April 2013 - Public Enemy - He Got Game & Bring The Noise (both versions)
Heavily sampling the Buffalo Springfield classic "For What It's Worth", Chuck D and Flavor Flav bring us a song on the slow tip. From the 1998 movie of the same name, the song represented a comeback of sorts. Sure, it wasn't as angry sounding as earlier PE tunes, but lyrically, it still packed a bite.
And yes, that is Stephen Stills - of Crosby, Still & Nash (and Young), and, of course, Buffalo Springfield - reprising his vocal in this video and on the single.
In contrast, here is one of their earlier songs - "Bring The Noise" - which has a lot more energy..... and a lot of anger. This is the original version, with just Chuck D and Flavor Flav on the vocals.... mostly Chuck D, but Flav is so full of energy and amped up the volume.
A lot of people see Flavor Flav as just a goofy guy. He is far more than that. He was the energy of the group - a yin to the yang that was Chuck D's intelligent hip hop.
Of course, once Anthrax got involved, the volume went waaaaaaaaay up. This is the version most people know. It's not bad, but it isn't my favorite version. The collaboration grew out of the New York city metal and hip hop scenes, which were closer than a lot of people thought they were.... I mean, until Aerosmith met Run DMC.... but that's a story for another day.
And yes, that is Stephen Stills - of Crosby, Still & Nash (and Young), and, of course, Buffalo Springfield - reprising his vocal in this video and on the single.
In contrast, here is one of their earlier songs - "Bring The Noise" - which has a lot more energy..... and a lot of anger. This is the original version, with just Chuck D and Flavor Flav on the vocals.... mostly Chuck D, but Flav is so full of energy and amped up the volume.
A lot of people see Flavor Flav as just a goofy guy. He is far more than that. He was the energy of the group - a yin to the yang that was Chuck D's intelligent hip hop.
Of course, once Anthrax got involved, the volume went waaaaaaaaay up. This is the version most people know. It's not bad, but it isn't my favorite version. The collaboration grew out of the New York city metal and hip hop scenes, which were closer than a lot of people thought they were.... I mean, until Aerosmith met Run DMC.... but that's a story for another day.
12 April 2013
12 April 2013 - The Primitives - Crash & Rattle My Cage & Lose The Reason
In 1988, music changed for me. I had been listening to music at the fringe of mainstream for a couple of years, but that year, the year I turned 16, so many of my favorite albums of all time were released. One of these days I'll chronicle all of those - probably somewhere else, because most of them are decidedly guilt-free.
The single that defined that year for me was released by Coventy, UK band The Primitives. The lead single from their great album Lovely, it was a #5 hit there, and a #3 Modern Rock hit in the US. The band was sadly defined by its lead vocalist, Tracy Cattell (who went by Tracy Tracy at the time), mostly because of her blonde hair and its similarity to the hair color of Andrea Lewis (The Darling Buds, who released my favorite album of 1990 and who were featured here last May) and Wendy James (Transvision Vamp, who released my favorite album of 1989 and who I have planned for an epic post in the near future) - excellent bands in their own right, but unfairly lumped together.
I mean, any band with a blonde female lead vocalist and a power pop sound MUST be ripping off Debbie Harry, right? God forbid that the hair color choices (in Andrea's case, I'm pretty sure it was natural) of these women be separate from their musical influences.
In 1995, it got an awful remix for the movie Dumb and Dumber, which I did not enjoy (the movie OR the remix), featuring musicians and vocalists who were not and never were members of The Primitives. Here is the original version, in all its power pop goodness.
(edit: the original video is gone, so here's a video of the band lipsyncing to the song when it was new for a TV show in Spain)
They're even making new music! Here was their first comeback single, released in 2011. They've become a tighter band, truly embracing the power pop sound that was their strength. It has fast become one of my favorite songs...
.
....and here's their latest single. PJ Court shares the lead vocal with Tracy on this one - they never really harmonized like this in the past, although PJ took lead on some earlier songs. I hope they don't stop - they're brilliant together. And this video - very self-effacing, complete with a nice S.A.W. reference.
The single that defined that year for me was released by Coventy, UK band The Primitives. The lead single from their great album Lovely, it was a #5 hit there, and a #3 Modern Rock hit in the US. The band was sadly defined by its lead vocalist, Tracy Cattell (who went by Tracy Tracy at the time), mostly because of her blonde hair and its similarity to the hair color of Andrea Lewis (The Darling Buds, who released my favorite album of 1990 and who were featured here last May) and Wendy James (Transvision Vamp, who released my favorite album of 1989 and who I have planned for an epic post in the near future) - excellent bands in their own right, but unfairly lumped together.
I mean, any band with a blonde female lead vocalist and a power pop sound MUST be ripping off Debbie Harry, right? God forbid that the hair color choices (in Andrea's case, I'm pretty sure it was natural) of these women be separate from their musical influences.
In 1995, it got an awful remix for the movie Dumb and Dumber, which I did not enjoy (the movie OR the remix), featuring musicians and vocalists who were not and never were members of The Primitives. Here is the original version, in all its power pop goodness.
(edit: the original video is gone, so here's a video of the band lipsyncing to the song when it was new for a TV show in Spain)
(edit: 14 Jan 2021): The video is back.
Happily, The Primitives are back together. And still play this little song.
They're even making new music! Here was their first comeback single, released in 2011. They've become a tighter band, truly embracing the power pop sound that was their strength. It has fast become one of my favorite songs...
.
....and here's their latest single. PJ Court shares the lead vocal with Tracy on this one - they never really harmonized like this in the past, although PJ took lead on some earlier songs. I hope they don't stop - they're brilliant together. And this video - very self-effacing, complete with a nice S.A.W. reference.
11 April 2013
11 April 2013 - The Outfield - Your Love
I swore I posted a video by The Outfield recently for 80s Thursday. But it was The Hooters. I guess the 80s were a lot like the 00s. Lots of "The" bands that all kind of sound the same. All kidding aside, I always liked this song when I was a youngin' shooting hoops in the driveway. What? You expected me to say playing baseball. Yeah, just when you think I'm gonna zig, I zag.
10 April 2013
10 April 2013 - Matthew Sweet - Girlfriend
I cannot believe it took us this long to post this.
Matthew Sweet's biggest commercial hit was this 1991 pop/rock wonder, featuring a video with scenes from the anime film Space Adventure Cobra. It's instantly catchy, and you'll be singing it to yourself for the rest of the day. You're welcome.
Matthew Sweet's biggest commercial hit was this 1991 pop/rock wonder, featuring a video with scenes from the anime film Space Adventure Cobra. It's instantly catchy, and you'll be singing it to yourself for the rest of the day. You're welcome.
09 April 2013
9 April 2013 - Paramore - That's What You Get
Well, well, well . . . It seems Paramore (what's left of them) have a new self-titled record out today. I'm sure I'll get it soon as I've been into them since I first heard their 2005 debut All We Know Is Falling. And while I could easily post their latest video, I thought I'd go with an old favorite of mine from 2007's Riot -- plus I can save the new video for Your New Favorite Song.
As a special bonus, go to Totally Covered to hear Paramore playing my favorite Jimmy Eat World song.
As a special bonus, go to Totally Covered to hear Paramore playing my favorite Jimmy Eat World song.
08 April 2013
8 April 2013 - Queens of the Stone Age - 3's and 7's
I never thought a video game would introduce me to a song, let alone one that would become a fast favorite. But that's exactly what Guitar Hero did.
I was familiar with, and even liked, Queens of the Stone Age prior to owning Guitar Hero. Somehow, I had missed out on this song. And there it was, in the game. The song is a fantastic straight-ahead driving rock song - a little bit of a throwback to an older era, but still with a modern sound.
What pushes this song over the top into Wicked Guilty Pleasure is this video, an homage - parody? - of 70's grindhouse chicksploitation movies. Brilliantly done, complete with the guy with a hook for a hand! Oh, and the buckets of fake blood.
And yes, I checked. The actors seem to be properly credited in the video.
By the way, an uncensored version of this video exists. I didn't post it, because I could not embed it, but here it is, if you want to see it.
I was familiar with, and even liked, Queens of the Stone Age prior to owning Guitar Hero. Somehow, I had missed out on this song. And there it was, in the game. The song is a fantastic straight-ahead driving rock song - a little bit of a throwback to an older era, but still with a modern sound.
What pushes this song over the top into Wicked Guilty Pleasure is this video, an homage - parody? - of 70's grindhouse chicksploitation movies. Brilliantly done, complete with the guy with a hook for a hand! Oh, and the buckets of fake blood.
And yes, I checked. The actors seem to be properly credited in the video.
By the way, an uncensored version of this video exists. I didn't post it, because I could not embed it, but here it is, if you want to see it.
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