Thursday, October 31, 2019
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Hikaru Shida vs Shanna
Here's the match video of Hikaru Shida vs Shanna from last night's AEW show. Hikaru finally moved to the US a few days ago. So I expect that we will see her more frequently on AEW TV. Shanna is from France. Her wrestling experience is mostly in Europe though she also worked for Stardom a few years ago. My big problem with her is at 37 years old, she's more suspect than prospect. The match was probably too long. I would have preferred a squash especially if AEW is planning to build Hikaru up. Shanna got in way too much offense and her offense isn't very good. Hikaru looked good at times. AEW hasn't really given her a defined role yet. But now that she's in the US, they should be able to do that. This match was to reintroduce Hikaru to the audience. Enjoy the video!
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Kabuki Warriors vs Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai
Here's the match video of the Kabuki Warriors defending the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships vs Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai. Mauro Ranallo compares the Kabuki Warriors the The Beauty Pair or The Jumping Bomb Angels. But I would compare them to The Black Pair or Dump Matsumoto and Bull Nakano. All Asuka needs is a fork to stab her opponents. Asuka and Kairi dominate for the most part focusing on Dakota's knee. They tear her apart for most of the match. Then when Dakota finally makes the tag, they go after Tegan's knee. So they aren't messing around. The end comes when Kairi distracts the ref. Asuka sprays Dakota with the mist and Kairi hit the Insane Elbow for the win. Afterwards, Shayna Baszler and company come down to add insult to injury. This leads to a schmazel with Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair and Candice LeRae and William Regal's announcement of a women's War Games. I expect Mia Yim to be added to this match. Enjoy the video and I have included the post match video.
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Io Shirai vs Candice LeRae
Here's the match video of Io Shirai vs Candice LeRae from last night's episode of NXT. This led off the show starting with Poppy performing Io's theme live during Io's entrance. That should get your attention. I don't think it's as good as their Takeover match. This is a lot shorter than that match. And also they block each other's moves because Candice knows what Io will do and vice versa. But it's still really good. Among other things, Io sells Candice's tornado DDT like she was really injured. Candice is bleeding from the nose and at one point Io smears the blood. So the match is very much a chess match. The end comes when Io grabs a chair from beneath the ring. The ref stops her from using it. But it's still in the ring. Candice attempts a quebrada from the middle rope. Io moves and Candice hits the chair face first. That's it. Another big win for Io Shirai. Io continues to attack Candice. And just as she's about to hit her with the chair, Rhea Ripley makes the save. Io powders. As you will see, this will continue later and William Regal will announce the very first women's War Games match. More on this shortly. Enjoy the video!
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Nina Sky
Song:Move Ya Body
Album:Nina Sky
Twin sisters Nicole and Natalie Albino are known as Nina Sky. Move Ya Body was a top five hit in 2004. They are still around but I don't see them having another hit single. They were born Mar. 13, 1984 in Puerto Rico but they grew up in Astoria, Queens, NY. Their parents divorced when they were young. Their stepfather was a DJ and that got them into music. In 2003 they auditioned for the production company The Jettsonz Inc. They got them a deal with Next Plateau and introduced them to DJ, MTV VJ and comedian Luis "Cipha Sounds" Diaz. He produced the 2004 album Nina Sky. Move Ya Body was the first single and it reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Diaz suggested the Albino twins base a song on the Jamaican Dance Hall "Coolie Dance" rhythm. They wrote and produced with Diaz, The Jettsonz (Elijah Wells and Lionel Bermingham) and producer Cordel Burrell. The album was certified Gold. Jabba is the rapper on this song. It seems to be his only credit. There is a remix featuring Vybz Kartel. Though Nina Sky released a mixtape in 2005, it appears they had record company problems. The music video was pulled which is why it's hard to find and in poor quality. While working on a second album, they left Next Plateau for Sony's Polo Grounds label. After a couple of unsuccessful singles were released, Polo Grounds cancelled the album and Nina Sky left. They finally released an album independently in 2012. Nina Sky signed with Warner's Tommy Boy label in 2016. Supposedly an album is on the way. Meanwhile they continue to tour and release mixtapes. I could label them as a one hit wonder but I don't think the Albino twins are ready to accept that. Here's the video for Move Ya Body by Nina Sky featuring Jabba.
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Sleater-Kinney
Song:Dig Me Out
Album:Dig Me Out
Sleater-Kinney were at the forefront of the late 90s post punk scene. They are mainly an album and touring band. Dig Me Out is one of their signature songs. They were formed in 1994 in Olympia, WA by lead singer Corin Tucker and guitarist Carrie Brownstein. The name was the location of their practice space. They were in other bands so Sleater-Kinney started as a side project. But when their other bands split up, Sleater-Kinney became their main focus. They went through several drummers until Janet Weiss joined in 1996 and she was in the band for most of their run. Dig Me Out was their third album in 1997. It was their first album the label Kill Rock Stars. Producer John Goodmanson has produced similar bands like Bikini Kill. The album made Sleater-Kinney critic's darlings. They never had a hit single. They didn't need one. They were constantly on tour and it becomes a grind. They moved to Sub Pop for the 2005 album The Woods. And after touring, they went on hiatus. Corin released a couple of solo albums. Carrie formed Wild Flag with Janet. They released one album. Carrie also starred in the IFC TV series Portlandia which ran from 2011 to 2018. Sleater-Kinney reformed and released a new album in 2015. They just released a new album in August. Janet has left and Angie Boylan has replaced her. Sleater-Kinney is currently on tour. Here's Sleater-Kinney performing Dig Me Out on NPR Music Front Row 2015. You can watch the entire concert on Youtube.
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Becky Lynch vs Kairi Sane
Here's the match video of Becky Lynch vs Kairi Sane from last night's episode of Raw. This opened the show. Paige came out and introduced the Kabuki Warriors. Paige has been away having neck surgery. I guess no one told her about their heel turn. Both are wearing new gear. Kairi is dressed in black. And instead of her pirate stuff, she is carrying a parasol. Asuka seems to be wearing black gear that she wore a few years ago. She probably has all her old outfits in storage at home. So Asuka gets tired of Paige yakking and she sprays her with the mist. And then Becky comes out and the match is started after the commercial. This is the best match Becky has had in months. This was Kairi's first opportunity on the main roster to have enough time to show what she can do. It's a great competitive match so be sure you watch it. As I said on Sunday's podcast, the finish doesn't matter much. They could have even done a non finish. After Becky took out Asuka on the floor, Kairi hit a spinning back fist for a near fall and Becky turned it into her armbar finisher. It wasn't a squash so the loss doesn't hurt Kairi at all. Fans already want to see more of her. And a performance like this should get her more TV time. Eventually this should lead to a Becky vs Asuka program hopefully for several months. Meanwhile the Kabuki Warriors will defend the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships vs Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai on this week's episode of NXT. Until then, enjoy the video.
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-MercyMe
Song:I Can Only Imagine
Album:Playlist: The Very Best of MercyMe
The popular CCM band MercyMe crossed over to pop with the 2001 single I Can Only Imagine. The band is still very successful and the song was even turned into a movie. MercyMe are from Edmond, OK. Lead singer and songwriter Bart Millard met pianist James Bryson at a ministry in Lakeland, FL. They met guitarist Michael John Scheuchzer and they all moved to Oklahoma. They formed in 1994 and moved to Nashville in 1997 to try to get a record deal. When that didn't work out, they moved to Dallas and recorded several albums independently. Bassist Nathan Cochran and drummer Robby Shaffer joined. They signed with INO Records in 2001. They still record for them. INO was sold to Sony in 2011 and are now called Fair Trade Services. Almost There was MercyMe's first major label album in 2001 and I Can Only Imagine was the second single. It topped the Christian charts. Apparently it's the most played song in the history of Christian radio. In 2003, Dallas radio station 100.3 Wild FM played it as a joke for a staffer. But the song was heavily requested. Curb Records released it to pop radio. It reached #71 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #5 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Millard wrote the song about his late father. MercyMe won two Dove awards. I Can Only Imagine was turned into a film in 2018 starring Broadway actor J. Michael Finley as Millard. The film can be streamed on Amazon and Hulu. MercyMe are still very successful. A second guitarist Barry Graul joined in 2003. James Bryson left MercyMe to spend more time with his family. He has not been replaced. MercyMe still records for Fair Trade. Their latest CD Lifer was released in 2017. They are currently on tour. Here's the video for I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe.
Monday, October 28, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elk City
Song:Cherries In The Snow
Album:New Believers
Elk City is an indie band that might remind fans of other bands. They started out as a spinoff of another band. They are from New York City. In the 90s, lead singer Renee LoBue and drummer Ray Ketchem were in the band Melting Hopefuls. They released an album in 1995. They were auditioning new members. After guitarist Peter Langland-Hassan auditioned, the two decided to form a new trio with him. Elk City is a small town in West Virginia. Ketchem is from that area and he drove by Elk City and thought it would make a good name for a band. Renee took up the bass so the band could play live. After a 1999 EP, Elk City released two albums on the French label Talitres and Hidden Agenda in the US. They toured the US and Europe and the two albums were critically acclaimed. Renee sounds a lot like Chrissie Hynde. Langland-Hassan left in 2003. Ketchem and Renee started to work on a new album. They brought in former Luna guitarist Sean Eden, former The Lovelies bassist Barbara Endes and keyboard player Carl Baggaley for the 2007 album New Believers on Friendly Fire Records. They produced a video for the song Cherries In The Snow. For the most part, Renee writes all the songs and Ketchem handles the production. They released the album House of Tongues in 2010 and didn't release another album until 2018's Everybody's Insecure in Bar/None Records. They moved their website to Bandcamp. And they just released a new EP. Martin Olson is now the bassist. I recommend Elk City to fans of 80s pop. Here's the video for Cherries In The Snow by Elk City.
Sunday, October 27, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lisa Stansfield
Song:All Around The World
Album:Biography: The Greatest Hits
The 1989 single All Around The World was a global smash hit for blue eyed soul singer Lisa Stansfield. She's still successful in her native England but most fans will know the one song. She was born Apr. 11, 1966 in Manchester, England. Her main influence is Barry White. She released a single after winning a 1980 singing competition. Then she signed with Polydor. She released an album that went nowhere. In 1984 Lisa formed Blue Zone with schoolmates Ian Devaney and Andy Morris. They signed with Rockin' Horse Records which was sold to Arista. They recorded an album in 1986. But Arista kept delaying the release. Big Thing was finally released in 1988. The single Jackie reached #54 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then Lisa sang lead on the Coldcut single People Hold On. When that became a dance hit, Arista signed Lisa to a solo deal. She was still working with Devaney and Morris. It's just that now they concentrated on Lisa as a solo artist. The single All Around The World was a worldwide chart topper and it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 1989 album Affection was certified Platinum. Though Lisa continued to have success in England and on the dance charts, All Around The World is her only big hit and signature song. Lisa recorded a duet of All Around The World with Barry White in 1992. That and the original version are on this budget comp. Lisa recorded five albums for Arista but she was never able to repeat the success of All Around The World. She still records and tours. She and Devaney got married in 1998 so they still work together. She is currently signed to the German label Edel and her 2018 CD Deeper was released on their earMUSIC label. Here's the video for All Around The World by Lisa Stansfield.
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Loma Lookboonmee vs Aleksandra Albu
Here's the match video of Loma Lookboonmee vs Aleksandra Albu from today's UFC show in Singapore. Loma is the very first fighter from Thailand in the UFC. She's 23 years old and she's been fighting Muay Thai since she was eight years old. She fought in Invicta and her Muay Thai is great but she is inexperienced in everything else. Aleksandra is a Russian who is more model than fighter. Her Instagram is very popular. What she needed to do in this fight is take Loma out of her comfort zone. But she didn't do that and that's why she lost the fight. What Aleksandra kept trying to do was grab Loma's shirt in round one. The ref warned her but she kept doing it. Taking a point away would have stopped that. Loma took off the shirt between rounds. Considering that, I thought Loma did pretty good. She controlled the fight with her Muay Thai and Aleksandra didn't do anything to counter that. So I scored it 30-27 for Loma. The judges gave Loma a split decision win. I could see Loma having problems with better fighters. We know what she is good at. But we don't know if she has improved in other areas. And she's an Atomweight trying to fight at Strawweight. So I'm not sold on her yet. Enjoy the video!
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Randa Markos vs Ashley Yoder
Here's the match video of Randa Markos vs Ashley Yoder from today's UFC show in Singapore. Neither fighter has been very successful in the UFC. When I first saw Randa on TUF 20, it was obvious that she was a good wrestler. So she has the physical tools. I just think she overthinks things and it ends up costing her fights. Ashley isn't any better and one would think that the loser could get cut. Round one was very close but I thought Ashley was able to control things on the ground so I scored it 10-9 for Ashley. Randa was better in round two especially her striking and I scored the round 10-9 for Randa. Round three was also close. I scored it 10-9 for Randa and the fight 29-28 for Randa. That Randa won by split decision didn't surprise me. It was a close fight. Randa has alternated wins and losses in the UFC. I didn't see anything from her to make me think she could change that. This was a close but uneventful fight. Enjoy the video!
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jody Watley
Song:Real Love
Album:20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Jody Watley
After she left Shalamar, Jody Watley had solo success in the late 80s. She had six top ten pop hits with Real Love and Lookin' For A New Love almost tied as the biggest hit. She was born Jan. 30, 1959 in Chicago and she grew up in Los Angeles. Jackie Wilson was her godfather and at the age of eight she appeared on stage with him. She was a Soul Train dancer at age 14. Jody was one of the most popular dancers on the show. Ebony wrote about her in 1977. When Soul Train creator and host Don Cornelius started Solar Records with Dick Griffey, Jody and fellow Soul Train dancer Jeffrey Daniel were made part of the trio Shalamar. Howard Hewett was lead singer. After some success, Jody left Shalamar in 1983 mostly over money. But I also think Jody wanted to be more than a backup singer. She moved to England and recorded with Musical Youth, Art of Noise and she released a couple of singles on Phonogram as Jody. She also appeared on Bob Geldof's charity single Do They Know It's Christmas?. She returned to the US in 1986 and signed with MCA Records. And it was around this time that she met and married Andre Cymone. Cymone is from Minneapolis and he toured with Prince before recording three unsuccessful solo albums for Columbia in the early 80s. He turned to producing acts like Evelyn "Champagne" King and James Ingram. But he had his greatest success writing and producing with Jody. The first single Lookin' For A New Love reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 1987 album Jody Watley was certified Platinum. Real Love was the first single from the 1988 album Larger Than Life. It also reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lookin' For A New Love did better internationally so it's marginally a bigger hit. Jody and Cymone wrote and produced both albums. He plays the piano solo on Real Love. Jody won the 1988 Best New Artist Grammy. The two wrote and produced all four of Jody's MCA albums. This comp covers those years. Jody left MCA in 1995 and the marriage went sour. Cymone always wanted the marriage to be secret so he could have girlfriends on the side. Since then Jody has recorded mostly for her own label. In 2014 she formed Shalamar Reloaded which is now called Jody Watley & SRL to avoid confusion. They have released a couple of singles and they tour. But in the late 80s, Jody Watley and Andre Cymone were a hot ticket. Here's the video for Real Love by Jody Watley.
Friday, October 25, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Kungs
Song:This Girl
Album:Layers
French DJ Valentin "Kungs" Brunel scored a worldwide hit with this 2016 remix of This Girl by the Australian group Cookin' on 3 Burners. He was born Dec. 17, 1996 in Toulon, France. The name Kungs is Latvian for gentleman. He got into electronic music as a teen and he started posting remixes to SoundCloud and Youtube in 2014. Bootleg remixes of Bob Marley's Jammin' and Lana Del Rey's West Coast got millions of Youtube views. And this led to a record deal with Universal France's House of Barclay label. He's on Republic in the US. The single This Girl was released Feb. 2016. It reached #26 on the Billboard Hot 100 and it was a worldwide dance hit. It was very successful in France and other European countries including the UK. It's a remix of a 2009 song by the Australian group Cookin' on 3 Burners. They are from Melbourne, Australia with Jake Mason on Hammond organ, Lance Ferguson on guitar and Ivan Khatchoyan on drums. This Girl is from their 2009 album Soul Messin'. The singer is Kylie Auldist of The Bamboos. Cookin' on 3 Burners are an instrumental group but they use guest singers. The main change Brunel made was he sped up the song and added horns. It looks like the record really caught on after it was used in an ad campaign for the British department store Littlewoods. Fans Shazamed it and then bought it on iTunes. The album Layers was released Nov. 2016. The album has done well in Europe. Brunel was on tour. He's released three singles over the last couple of years. It looks like he is finishing a new album for 2020 release. Here's the video for This Girl by Kungs featuring Cookin' on 3 Burners. The actors in the video are Louis Rault and Irina Martyenko.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Kaytranada
Song:Glowed Up
Album:99.9%
Louis Kevin Celestin is known as Kaytranada. He started out as a DJ but he is now a producer. He does a lot of remixes. Glowed Up was the first single from his 2016 album 99.9%. It did well in the dance market. He was born Aug. 25, 1992 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti but he grew up in Montreal. He got into DJing as a teen and then his brother showed him FL Studio software and he got into production. He started releasing mixtapes as Kaytradamus in 2010. He changed his name to Kaytranada in 2012. A lot of this was uploaded to the internet. He signed with XL Recordings and the album 99.9% was released in 2016. Glowed Up featuring rapper Anderson .Paak was the first single. The album did well on the dance chart. Other guests include Craig David, Vic Mensa and Phonte. Celestin won a Juno and a Polaris Music Prize. He has done many remixes with everyone from Rihanna to a remix album last year called The ArtScience Remixes with jazz musician Robert Glasper. He is currently on tour. I'm sure we will hear plenty from Celestin in the future. Here's the video for Glowed Up by Kaytranada featuring Anderson .Paak.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Gladys Knight & The Pips
Song:Every Beat Of My Heart
Album:Essential Collection
Most music fans are familiar with Gladys Knight & The Pips hits like Midnight Train To Georgia. But you may not know that they scored a top ten hit with Every Beat Of My Heart in 1961. It was their very first chart single and back then they were called The Pips. The Pips were a family group from Atlanta. Gladys Knight was seven years old when she won Ted Mack's Original Amateur Hour in 1952. With her mother egging her on, Gladys formed The Pips with brother Merald "Bubba" Knight, sister Brenda Knight and cousins Eleanor and William Guest. Pip was the nickname of cousin James Woods. After a couple of unsuccessful singles for Brunswick, Brenda and Eleanor left to start families. They were replaced by another cousin Edward Patten and his friend Langston George who had been in a group together. In 1961, they recorded a cover of the Johnny Otis song Every Beat Of My Heart for the small Huntom label who sold it to Vee-Jay and it reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Pips moved to New York. They were still looking for a record deal. After an audition, Bobby Robinson signed them to his Fury label and had them re-record Every Beat Of My Heart because The Pips weren't making any money from the Vee-Jay release. it also charted but not as high as the first recording. The group name was changed to Gladys Knight & The Pips. They recorded four singles for Fury. Letter Full Of Tears was a top 20 hit. George left The Pips and Gladys started a family with husband Jimmy Newman. He became the group's musical director. After recording for labels like Maxx, Enjoy and Columbia, Gladys Knight & The Pips signed with Motown's Soul label in 1966 with the help of legendary choreographer Cholly Atkins. At first Gladys thought they would be overlooked by Motown. But they had some success until leaving for Buddah in 1972. This Hip-O comp covers the entire career of Gladys Knight & The Pips including Every Beat Of My Heart. Here's Gladys Knight & The Pips performing Every Beat Of My Heart on The Old Grey Whistle Test 1972.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-DJ Snake
Song:Let Me Love You
Album:Encore
William "DJ Snake" Grigahcine is a French producer who has had chart success with a couple of his own albums. Let Me Love You was a top five hit in 2016. He was born June 13, 1986 in Paris, France. He started out as a graffiti artist and his ability to evade the police earned him the nickname Snake. He started DJing as a teen and then he got into remixing and producing. His first success as a producer was with the 2009 Pitbull single Shut It Down. Then he got a Grammy nomination as one of the producers om the 2011 Lady Gaga album Born This Way. He co-produced the song Government Hooker. Grigahcine continued to do remixes. He scored one of his three big hits with the 2013 single Turn Down For What featuring rapper Lil Jon. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. That was on Columbia but Grigahcine subsequently signed with Interscope. The 2015 single Lean On with Major Lazer and featuring the Swedish singer MO reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Grigahcine released his debut album Encore Aug. 2016. Of course he doesn't sing so there's a guest singer on every track. Let Me Love You was the third single and it reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's probably Grigahcine's biggest hit to date because of Justin Bieber. Encore was certified Platinum. His 2019 album Carte Blanche featured the single Taki Taki featuring Selena Gomez. It reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. That album hasn't been as successful as Encore. But Grigahcine has started his own label Premiere Classe where he plans to build his own roster of artists. He has also formed Pardon My French with DJs Tchami, Mercer and Malaa. They are touring China next week. So even if Grigahcine never has another hit single, he will have plenty of success producing other artists. Here's the video for Let Me Love You by DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber.
Monday, October 21, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jellybean
Song:The Mexican
Album:Jellybean Rocks The House
John "Jellybean" Benitez is a remix pioneer. He's had plenty of success producing and remixing. And he's worked on plenty of films and TV shows. But he also had success as a recording artist in the late 80s. The Mexican wasn't his biggest hit but it was his first hit. He was born Nov. 7, 1957 in The Bronx, NY. His parents were from Puerto Rico. His sister gave him the nickname Jellybean from the expression "Know What I Mean, Jellybean?". Like many DJs, yours truly included, Benitez was a cratedigger haunting record stores. He started DJing in New York clubs in 1975. He was the resident DJ at Funhouse and he hosted a radio show. He started doing remixes with Stephen Bray of Breakfast Club. And that's when he met Madonna. He had a two year romance with her and he also worked on her 1983 debut album. He produced the single Holiday. That got Benitez plenty of remix work. And he signed a record deal with EMI's Chrysalis label. The Mexican topped the dance charts in 1984. It's a song by the 70s British group Babe Ruth. Benitez keeps Babe Ruth lead singer Jenny Haan's vocals and guitarist Alan Shacklock's guitar riff. Benitez and Bray remixed the song with session musicians Jack Waldman on synthesizer, Ira Siegel on guitar, Marcus Miller on bass and Bashiri Johnson on percussion. The Mexican appeared on the 1984 album Wotupski!?!. After Benitez became more successful, The Mexican was added to the 1988 album Jellybean Rocks The House. For the next few years, Benitez had success mostly on the dance charts. Sidewalk Talk and Who Found Who were top 20 pop hits. His final album was released in 1990 and he got into film and TV work. Today Benitez continues to tour as a DJ. He was inducted into the Dance Hall of Fame in 2005. He has a show on SiriusXM. He released an album in 2010. But mostly he loves to DJ live. Here's the video of The Mexican by Jellybean featuring Jenny Haan.
Sunday, October 20, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bing Crosby and David Bowie
Song:Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy
Album:Christmas Classics
Most music fans probably remember seeing this on TV. Later on it was released as a single and it was a top five hit in England. This appeared on the 1977 TV special Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas. It was Crosby's final TV appearance. He died on Oct. 14, 1977 and the TV show aired on CBS on Nov. 30, 1977. The story is that Crosby goes with his wife Kathryn and their three kids to a house in England supposedly owned by his family. The servants are played by Ron Moody and Stanley Baxter. The guest stars are Twiggy and David Bowie. The original plan was for Crosby and Bowie to sing Little Drummer Boy but Bowie was not happy with the song. He said it didn't suit his voice. Writer Buz Kohan along with musical directors Ian Fraser and Larry Grossman came up with Peace On Earth and Crosby and Bowie sang it as a duet. Bowie sang Peace On Earth at a higher register and Crosby sang Little Drummer Boy. Fraser, who worked frequently with Anthony Newley and was Oscar nominated for the 1970 film Scrooge, wrote the arrangement. Of course this has become a Christmas classic. But it was never released on an album. RCA released it as a single in 1982 and it reached #3 on the British singles chart. You can get it on this CD released by Capitol in 2006. The recording of White Christmas is not the original but a re-recording arranged by Nelson Riddle. The rest of the CD is the 1962 album I Wish You A Merry Christmas released on Crosby's own label and distributed by Warner Bros. Bob Thompson, Peter Matz and Jack Halloran produced and arranged that album. Bowie said later that he only appeared on the show because his mom was a big Crosby fan. Kohan says he didn't know if Crosby was familiar with Bowie. But Fraser says that Crosby was not an idiot and his kids would have known about Bowie even if he didn't. Crosby was very pleased with Bowie's performance afterwards. Here's Bing Crosby and David Bowie performing Peace On Earth/Little Drummer Boy on the 1977 TV special Bing Crosby's Merrie Olde Christmas.
Saturday, October 19, 2019
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Molly McCann vs Diana Belbita
Here's the match video of Molly McCann vs Diana Belbita from last night's UFC show in Boston. Molly is a puncher from Liverpool, England. She's very popular there and that's why she's in the UFC. At best, she's a midcard fighter. Diana is a UFC newcomer from Romania. She's supposed to be a pretty good kickboxer. But she's unproven in MMA. Even Molly is a big step up in competition. In round one, I thought Diana landed more punches. Molly took her down at the end of the round and pounded her. Some might have Molly steal the round. But I don't usually do that so I scored it 10-9 for Diana. Molly was more aggressive in round two. And then Diana had a point deducted for fence grabbing. I think that unnerved her. It also made me wonder how experienced she was in a cage as some European companies use a ring. Molly dominated the rest of the round. I didn't think it was a 10-8 round so I scored it 10-9 reduced to 10-8 with the point deducted. Either way Diana needed a finish. But I guess she was tired and Molly easily won round three 10-9. So I scored the fight 29-27 for Molly. All three judges scored it 30-26 for Molly. They need to have Molly face someone half decent. Enjoy the video!
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Maycee Barber vs Gillian Robertson
Here's the match video of Maycee Barber vs Gillian Robertson from last night's UFC show in Boston. This is a fight between two promising young fighters. The thing about MMA fans is they overreact negatively to everything. So when Maycee got off to a slow start in her last fight against JJ Aldrich, that's what MMA fans wanted to focus on. Let's forget that Maycee made adjustments in round two and won by TKO. And also she had just started at Roufusport in Milwaukee. She did what Duke Roufus told her to do and what will she be like after a full camp at Roufusport. Gillian's main hope to win this fight was to take Maycee down. Her submission skills are very slick. So when Gillian failed to take Maycee down in round one, I figured it wouldn't take long for Maycee to catch up to her. And sure enough, Maycee hammered Gillian until the ref stopped it. That should move Maycee up the rankings. Maycee has been calling out Paige VanZant. Paige has one fight left on her contract. She claims she makes more money from Instagram than fighting. Her husband Austin Vanderford fights for Bellator so I expect her to go there. She's more celebrity than fighter anyway and with the way the UFC's ESPN deal is structured, they don't need her to draw casual fans. Obviously Maycee wants to teach her a lesson. But I doubt Paige will agree to fight her. Besides, a win over Paige will only feed Maycee's ego. If she wants to get to the title, Maycee should face the winner of Jessica Eye vs Viviane Araujo. If Viviane wins as I expect, Maycee vs Viviane could main event a Brazil show. Enjoy the video!
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Annie Major-Matte
Song:Feu de Paille
Album:Dissidence
Singer, songwriter and actress Annie Major-Matte was on her way to being a big star in Quebec when she seemed to disappear. She is currently on the comeback trail. Feu de Paille was a big hit in Quebec in 2003. She was born in 1979 in Laval, QC. She started performing as a child with the encouragement of her uncle singer songwriter Pierre Dumont. She appeared on TV in shows like In Homme au Foyer (1987), Les Club des 100 Watts (1988) and Les Filles des Caleb (1990). Her most memorable appearance was in the 1996 soap opera mini series Marguerite Volant. After hosting the kids TV show Les Frimousses for two years, she signed with Guy Cloutier who was best known for launching the career of Quebec superstar singer Rene Simard. The album Dissidence was released in 2003. The single and video for Feu de Paille did very well. Annie wrote and produced the album with Tino Izzo who had produced Nancy Martinez. Columbia picked up distribution of Feu de Paille and they had big plans for Annie. But it all came crashing down when in 2004 Guy Cloutier pled guilty to sexual assault, indecent exposure and sex with a minor. He was sentenced to 42 months in prison. One of his victims was singer Nathalie Simard who was under contract to Cloutier. Annie disappeared at that point. When she returned with the 2017 album Major Black Matte, Le Journal de Montreal did a Where Are They Now? feature about Annie. The Cloutier scandal was a big shock. She says she recorded for his label but didn't know him well. But Nathalie Simard was her idol. She hadn't made much money from Dissidence. So she decided to move away from the spotlight. Though she occasionally did background vocals, for the most part Annie worked minimum wage jobs. Two years ago she suffered from depression. After therapy helped her recover, Annie worked at a friend's restaurant. Then she released her album in 2017 on her own label. Though Annie probably won't be a star, at least she is recording again. Here's the video for Feu de Paille by Annie Major-Matte. Special thanks to Le Journal de Montreal.
Friday, October 18, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lil Suzy
Song:Take Me in Your Arms
Album:Love Can't Wait
Suzanne "Lil Suzy" Casale was twelve years old when Take Me In Your Arms was a dance club hit in 1991. It turned out to be her biggest hit. She was born Mar. 1, 1979 in Brooklyn, NY. She was five years old when an agent spotted her singing covers at a club in Manhattan Beach, CA. She opened shows for Thelma Houston and The Village People. She appeared on Star Search in 1987 and then released the single Randy on Fever Records in 1988. Then she signed with Tony Garcia's High Power label with Warlock Records distribution. Garcia started out as a street DJ in New York in the late 70s. He started his own label in 1986. He released his own music and produced other Freestyle artists until he worked with Lil Suzy. Garcia wrote and produced most of Lil Suzy's 1991 album I Can't Wait including Take Me In Your Arms. It was a big dance floor hit and it reached #67 on the Billboard Hot 100. Lil Suzy recorded the 1994 album Back To Dance with Garcia. But when it wasn't a success, she left and started her own label. I Can't Wait is available on CD. Beware of any Lil Suzy Greatest Hits comps as they are re-recorded versions. Lil Suzy released two albums on her own label distributed by Metropolitan Records. She charted on the dance charts with the 1994 single Promise Me, the 1997 single Can't Get You Out Of My Mind and the 1998 single I Still Love You. Though Lil Suzy still performs and records occasionally, she has owned a hair salon in Staten Island since 2000. Here's the video of Take Me In Your Arms by Lil Suzy.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Ji Yeon Kim vs Sabina Mazo added to Dec. 21 UFC show
Ji Yeon Kim vs Sabina Mazo was one of two fights added to UFC on ESPN+ 23 Dec. 21 at Sajik Arena in Busan, South Korea. This match is at Flyweight. Ji is 29 years old from Incheon, South Korea. Her record is 9-2-2 and 3-2 in the UFC. After beating Nadia Kassem by TKO at UFC 243, she said she wanted to be on the Korea show. Ji started her career at Bantamweight and she dropped to Flyweight after losing her first UFC fight. But she has missed weight twice in a row. She really needs to make weight this time. Like many Korean fighters, she started as a kickboxer and got into MMA in Japan. Sabina is 22 years old from Colombia but she trains at Kings MMA in Huntington Beach, CA. She's 7-1 and 1-1 in the UFC. She's a former LFA Flyweight Champion. She dominated in her win over Shana Dobson. Both are at a level where a win could move them into the rankings. So I expect this fight to be competitive.
Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Oct. 17, 2019
Kabuki Warriors, Io Shirai, UFC on ESPN 6 preview and my exclusive take on the Stardom sale.
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Io Shirai vs Kayden Carter
Here's the match video of Io Shirai vs Kayden Carter from last night's episode of NXT. Kayden was formerly known as Lacey Lane. She is billed as from the Philippines but she trained at Team 3D in Florida. She has talent but she's very green. Io's entrance was the best thing about the match. I don't know why they are giving Kayden so much offense in a squash match. It does nothing for Io. Afterwards, Rhea Ripley comes down. Io smiles at her and then yells at her in Japanese while leaving. Next week Rhea will face Bianca Belair. I expect Io to interfere. We will see other developments in the title picture regarding Tegan Nox. I don't know what the end result will be. Enjoy the video!
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash
Song:Jackson
Album:Duets
Most fans know that Johnny Cash was married for many years to June Carter. Johnny was a music legend. June was part of a legendary country music family. Though they toured together for many years, they didn't record together frequently. They only recorded two albums. Jackson was a top five country hit in 1967. June performed with sisters Helen and Anita and their mom as Mother Maybelle and the Carter Sisters. Like her sisters, June could have been a huge star but she preferred performing with her family. She first met Johnny Cash when the acts were on tour. By 1961 the Carters were a permanent part of his show. June wrote Ring of Fire about their relationship. In the 60s, Johnny should have died from his drug addiction. June cleaned him up. The first time they recorded together was the Bob Dylan song It Ain't Me Babe on the 1965 album Orange Blossom Special. It reached #4 on the Country Singles chart. Columbia Nashville A&R head Don Law wanted them to record an album together. And we got the 1967 album Carryin' On with Johnny Cash and June Carter. Jackson reached #2 on the Country Singles chart. The song was written by singer songwriter Billy Edd Wheeler and Gaby Rodgers which was a pseudonym for legendary songwriter Jerry Lieber. Wheeler recorded it on his 1963 album A New Bag of Songs produced by Lieber and partner Mike Stoller which is where Cash heard it. The song was a top twenty pop hit for Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazelwood. Johnny and June's 1969 recording of Tim Hardin's If I Were A Carpenter also reached #2 on the Country singles chart. That was on the 1970 album Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. They recorded one other album as a duo. That was the 1973 album Johnny Cash and his Woman. Most of the singles they recorded as a duo were scattered on various Johnny Cash albums. So I recommend this budget comp which has all their duet singles. Jackson was a big enough hit that it appears on several Johnny Cash comps. They continued to tour together until they both died in 2003. Here's Johnny Cash & June Carter performing Jackson on The Ralph Emery Show 1967.
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jerry Wallace
Song:Primrose Lane
Album:Primrose Lane: The Very Best Of Jerry Wallace
Smooth singing Jerry Wallace scored a top ten pop hit with Primrose Lane in 1959. He was known as Mr. Smooth. The song is very memorable but most music fans have no idea who sings it. He was born Dec. 15, 1928 in Guilford, MO. His father owned a grocery store. After a stint in the US Navy, Wallace moved to Los Angeles. After recording singles for Allied and Mercury, Wallace signed with Gene Autry's Challenge label. His first chart single was How The Time Flies which reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1958. Then Primrose Lane reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was recorded with the legendary Los Angeles studio musician collective The Wrecking Crew. Wayne Shanklin produced and wrote the song with jazz bassist Red Callender. The sax solo is by Plas Johnson. Shanklin wrote plenty of hits including Jezebel by Frankie Laine and The Big Hurt by Toni Fisher. Primrose Lane got a big boost when it was used as the theme for the 70s ABC sitcom The Smith Family. Some of Wallace's other singles charted but he was unable to repeat the success of Primrose Lane. He left Challenge in 1964. This CD covers those years. Wallace switched to country first for Liberty and then Decca. He topped the country charts with the 1972 single If You Leave Me Tonight I'll Cry. This record appeared on an episode of the popular NBC TV series Night Gallery. That record was produced in Nashville by recording engineer Joe Johnson and arranged by Bill Justis. After some other country hits, Wallace left Decca in 1974 and recorded for United Artists, Mercury, MGM and smaller labels. Apparently Wallace had legal problems with his management. Though he last recorded in 1980, Wallace continued to perform occasionally until he died on May 5, 2008 at age 79. Wallace lived his final years in Victorville, CA. Here's a video for Primrose Lane by Jerry Wallace.
Tuesday, October 15, 2019
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Kabuki Warriors vs Natalya and Lacey Evans
Here's the match video of the Kabuki Warriors vs Natalya and Lacey Evans from last night's episode of RAW.The setup for this had Natalya and a mystery partner. I think most fans were disappointed when the partner turned out to be Lacey. She sucks and we don't want to see her. The most notable thing about this match Asuka and Kairi compensated for the plodding ring style of Nattie and Lacey. They had a tough time making them look good. They are both too slow. So the match wasn't very good. The end came when Kairi made a blind tag and Lacey hit her with her punch finisher. Asuka rolled Lacey up for the win. Kairi's selling of the punch was hilarious. The Kabuki Warriors are now on RAW but they will defend the titles on all three brands. After last night's draft, most of the women are on RAW. Sasha Banks and Bayley are on Smackdown but it's slim pickings after that. Enjoy the video!
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-George Bruns
Song:Aurora's Return/Maleficent's Evil Spell
Album:Sleeping Beauty: Original Soundtrack: The Legacy Collection
George Bruns composed scores for Walt Disney films in the 60s. He was nominated for an Oscar for the 1959 film Sleeping Beauty. He was born July 3, 1914 in Sandy, OR. which is at the foothills of the Cascade Mountains. After graduating from Oregon State University, Bruns played trombone in Portland bands. Then he moved to Los Angeles and played in Dixieland bands like Castle Jazz Band, Turk Murphy's Jazz Band and Firehouse Five Plus Two. Then he got into studio work. Disney hired him as an arranger in 1953. Bruns wrote The Ballad of Davy Crockett with Thomas W. Blackburn for the Davy Crockett TV series starring Fess Parker. Bill Hayes' recording of The Ballad of Davy Crockett topped the charts in 1955. Bruns composed the scores for two Davy Crockett films, Westward Ho The Wagons! and Johnny Tremain. So he was doing a lot of westerns. The original plan for Sleeping Beauty was for Jack Lawrence and Sammy Fain to write songs and compose the score. But Disney decided not to make a musical and instead base the score on Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty ballet. The Lawrence/Fain song Once Upon A Dream played in the opening credits. Walter Schumann (Dragnet theme) was hired to score Sleeping Beauty. But he butted heads with Disney and left the project. Disney animator Ward Kimball suggested Bruns. He was nominated for an Oscar. From there, Bruns composed scores for most Disney films of the 60s. He was also nominated for Oscars for the 1961 film Babes In Toyland and the 1963 film The Sword in the Stone. The Sleeping Beauty soundtrack is available on 2CDs as part of Disney's Legacy Collection. Bruns continued to perform Dixieland with his own Wonderland Jazz Band and Firehouse Five Plus Two. You can hear the Dixieland influences in his scores. Bruns retired from Disney in 1976. He moved back to his home town in Oregon and taught at Lewis & Clark College. He performed in local Dixieland bands until his death on May 23, 1983 at age 68. Here's a video for Aurora's Return/Maleficent's Evil Spell from the 1959 film Sleeping Beauty.
Monday, October 14, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dion
Song:Ruby Baby
Album:Greatest Hits
Dion DiMucci has been around since the 50s, first as lead singer of Dion & The Belmonts, then he topped the charts in 1960 with Runaround Sue. He signed with Columbia in 1962 and Ruby Baby was a top five hit. After a couple more hits, Dion disappeared until the late 60s. Believe it or not, Dion was the first rock artist to sign with Columbia Records. It's well known that Columbia A&R head Mitch Miller hated rock music. When he signed Aretha Franklin, he refused to produce her music in a contemporary style and she would eventually leave for Atlantic. Miller passed on Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly and The Beatles. Dion was assigned to Columbia house producer Robert Mersey. Ruby Baby was the first Columbia single. It reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Jerry Lieber and Mike Stoller and first recorded by The Drifters. Mersey was an arranger for Lieber and Stoller at the time. Dion's other big hit at Columbia was Donna The Prima Donna in 1963. Then things went off the rails. The British Invasion arrived and Dion's heroin addiction became a problem. And he learned about the blues from Columbia producer John Hammond. He recorded a 1965 album with Bob Dylan's producer Tom Wilson and pianist Al Kooper. When the singles stiffed, the album was not released. But it is said that it was influential in Wilson and Kooper convincing Dylan to go electric. Dion's album was recently released by Norton Records. Dion left Columbia in 1966. It looked like his career was over until he kicked his heroin habit and became a Christian. And this led to his 1968 comeback hit Abraham, Martin and John and to Christian music in the 70s. This Dion & The Belmonts comp from the British label Repertoire also includes Dion's solo recordings with Laurie and Columbia. Dion is currently working on a stage musical about his life called The Wanderer. Dion occasionally posts about the progress of The Wanderer on Instagram. Dion was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1989. Here's Dion performing Ruby Baby in the 60s in Europe.
Sunday, October 13, 2019
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-JJ Aldrich vs Lauren Mueller
Here's the match video of JJ Aldrich vs Lauren Mueller from last night's UFC show in Tampa, FL. JJ is a points fighter who uses the "keep away' strategy. The way to beat her is aggression. Lauren didn't do that. And she needed a win because she's on a two fight losing streak. I think she's better than JJ. But she just couldn't pull the trigger. Round one was awful. It was five minutes of nothing. But that is typical of when JJ's strategy works. It neutralizes her opponent. So I scored round one 10-9 for JJ. She was marginally more effective. Lauren was better in round two so I scored that round 10-9 for Lauren. So she needed to continue that in round three. And her coach Eric Del Fierro repeatedly told her that before round three. She just didn't do it. JJ actually hurt her a couple of times. So I scored the round 10-9 for JJ and I scored the fight 29-28 for JJ. Two of the judges scored it that way and the third judge scored it 30-27 for JJ. I give JJ a lot of credit. She was aggressive when she needed to be aggressive. That's atypical of her. And Lauren beat herself by lacking aggression. Enjoy the video!
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Amanda Ribas vs Mackenzie Dern
Here's the match video of Amanda Ribas vs Mackenzie Dern from last night's UFC show in Tampa, FL. This fight is at Strawweight. These two have a lot in common. Both are Brazilian Jiu Jitsu champs who are daughters of BJJ champs. Mackenzie's father Megaton Dias was in her corner. And And Amanda's dad Marcelo Ribas was in her corner. One would think that much of this match would happen on the ground. But Amanda said before the fight that she wanted to keep it standing. And that's because Mackenzue's striking is subpar. That turned out to be excellent strategy. Amanda dominated with strikes. She was simply much quicker. I scored it 30-27 for Amanda and so did all three judges. That's how you win fights. You exploit weaknesses. And Mackenzie really needs to work on her striking. Because decent striking will set up her ground game. Enjoy the video!
Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs Michelle Waterson
Here's the match video of Joanna Jedrzejczyk vs Michelle Waterson from last night's UFC show in Tampa, FL. The winner of this match may be in line for a title shot. Joanna is a former Strawweight champ looking to get back into the title picture. Michelle is an Atomweight fighting at Strawweight. So she's giving up a lot of size. Before the fight, there was talk about Joanna possibly not making weight. That turned out to be Joanna playing mind games. It was much ado about nothing. I believe Joanna has become a points fighter over the last couple of years. I expected her to win this fight but I wanted a finish. It went about as expected. Joanna dominated in the clinch. I think she pitched a shutout 50-45. Two of the judges scored it the same and the third scored it 49-46. Other than a couple of times where Michelle climbed onto Joanna's back, Michelle had nothing for her. In pro wrestling, we call those hope spots. Michelle was never going to finish her like that. I'm not happy that Joanna didn't finish the fight. But she broke her right foot during the fight and she may have been taking it easy for the last couple of rounds. Afterwards, Joanna was talking about challenging Weili Zhang in a soccer stadium in Poland. But the broken foot complicates things. If she's going to be out for any length of time, the UFC won't wait for her. The other top challenger Tatiana Suarez suffered a neck injury in her last fight. Maybe give Jessica Andrade a rematch in Brazil. It's slim pickings after that. Though she is still ranked, I keep hearing that Rose Namajunas is retired. Nina Ansaroff is taking a year off to have a child. Claudia Gadelha vs Cynthia Calvillo is coming up and there's also Carla Esparza who recently got a big win. So it ain't that simple. Enjoy the video!
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Charts
Song:Deserie
Album:History of Rock: The Doo Wop Era Part 1
The 1957 single Deserie was a top five R&B hit and the only chart single for The Charts. Like many doo wop groups, The Charts sang in the streets of Harlem. At first they were called The Thrilltones with Joe Grier (lead), Stephen Brown (first tenor), Glenmore Jackson (second tenor), Leroy Binns (baritone) and Ross Buford (bass). They went to high school together. Les Cooper, a former member of The Empires, became their manager. He liked them but he didn't like the group name. He changed it to The Charts. Cooper took them to Danny Robinson who owned an electronics store in Harlem. He was the brother of record store and label owner Bobby Robinson. So of course Danny wanted to start his own label Everlast. Deserie was the first single. It reached #3 on the R&B Singles chart. Though Grier claims he wrote the song, it was credited to Cooper and Robinson's partner Clarence Johnson. The Charts went on tour and released a few more singles. But Deserie was their only chart hit. You can get it on this Collectables various artists budget comp. After Grier was drafted into the military in 1958, Brown and Binns kept The Charts going. They performed regularly and released occasional singles until they disbanded in 1970. Like many doo wop groups, The Charts reformed to tour the oldies circuit in the 80s. Grier returned to lead them in 1985. They appeared on the 2002 PBS special Red, White and Rock. Here's a video for Deserie by The Charts.
Saturday, October 12, 2019
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Split Enz
Song:History Never Repeats
Album:History Never Repeats: The Best of Split Enz: 30th Anniversary Edition
Split Enz are legends in their native New Zealand and Australia. They have a following elsewhere. But they were never able to get that big hit single in the US and England. Most of their success was in the early 80s. Tim Finn and Phil Judd were in university together. Finn played piano. Judd played guitar. They both wrote songs. One problem was Judd didn't like performing live. He continued to write songs but he was mostly off the road. By the time they signed with Mushroom Records in 1975, other members were Eddie Rayner on keyboards, Wally Wilkinson on guitar, Mike Chunn on bass, Emlyn Crother on drums and Noel Crombie on percussion. Wilkinson was soon replaced by Tim Finn's brother Neil Finn. They toured with Roxy Music and Phil Manzanera offered to produce their next album. So they moved to England to record the 1976 album Second Thoughts. Chrysalis released it as Mental Notes in England and the US. They toured to support it. Crowther was replaced by Malcolm Green. After the tour, Chunn moved back to New Zealand and was replaced by Nigel Griggs. And Judd left the road for good. Split Enz' music was becoming more influenced by the developing New Wave scene. They got a new US deal with A&M. For the 1980 album True Colours, Split Enz worked with producer David Tickle who would go on to produce several 80s New Wave bands. I Got You topped the charts in New Zealand and Australia and charted in England and the US. They had similar success with singles like History Never Repeats from the 1981 album Waiata. They continued to record but tensions in the band and with A&M prompted Tim Finn to leave Split Enz in 1984. This comp was first released in 1987 but a 30th anniversary edition with bonus tracks was released in 2003. The remaining members tried to continue but Split Enz disbanded in late 1984. Neil Finn went on to have great success with Crowded House and the Finn Brothers released a couple of albums. Tim Finn has released several solo albums. Split Enz have reunited occasionally including for a 2006 tour. They are revered in New Zealand. Here's the video for History Never Repeats by Split Enz.
Friday, October 11, 2019
Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Oct. 11, 2019
The Kabuki Warriors, UFC ob ESPN+ 19 preview, Invicta FC 38 analysis and new fight announcement.
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Marty Stuart
Song:Burn Me Down
Album:20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Marty Stuart
I would describe Marty Stuart as a country music neo traditionalist. He puts a contemporary spin on country music traditions. He had his greatest commercial success in the 90s with top ten country hits like Burn Me Down in 1991. He was born Sept. 30, 1958 in Philadelphia, MS. He taught himself to play guitar and mandolin. By age 12 Stuart was performing with the bluegrass group The Sullivan Family. He met Lester Flatt's mandolinist Roland White. So at age 14 Stuart was a member of Flatt's band Nashville Grass. He remained until Flatt retired in 1978 due to his health. Flatt died in 1979. In 1980 Stuart joined Johnny Cash's band. He also released a couple of bluegrass albums. Stuart married Cash's daughter Cindy in 1983. They divorced in 1988. After appearing on the 1985 album Class of '55 with Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison and Jerry Lee Lewis, Stuart signed a solo contract with Columbia. He scored a top 20 country hit with Arlene in 1986. He recorded a second album. But after a heated argument over Columbia dropping Johnny Cash from the roster, he left and joined MCA. He got together with house producer Tony Brown and guitarist Richard Bennett. He scored his first top ten country hit with Hillbilly Rock in 1989. The album was certified Gold. Burn Me Down was the third top ten country hit from the 1991 album Tempted. It reached #7 on the Country Singles chart. The album was certified Gold. Burn Me Down was written by veteran songwriter Eddie Miller (Release Me) in the 60s. But it was never a hit. Miller died in 1977. Songwriter Don Sessions (Thanks A Lot) was hired to update it. Stuart also had success recording with Travis Tritt. Though Stuart didn't have much commercial success after that, he remained with MCA until 1999. He also married veteran singer Connie Smith in 1998. You can get all his hits on this comp. Stuart continues to record and tour. His latest album Way Out West was released on his own label in 2017. He tours with his band The Fabulous Superlatives. He hosted The Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV. And he has a large memorabilia collection currently exhibiting at the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa. And he appeared in the recent PBS documentary series Country Music. Here's Marty Stuart performing Burn Me Down at FamAid in Ames, IA Apr. 25, 1993.
Thursday, October 10, 2019
Ketlen Vieira vs Irene Aldana added to Dec. 14 UFC show
CC Legaspi of Milenio in Mexico reported today that Ketlen Vieira vs Irene Aldana has been added to UFC 245 Dec. 14 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. This fight could be for the next Bantamweight title shot. Ketlen us 28 years old from Brazil. Her record is 10-0 and 4-0 in the UFC. She trains at Nova Uniao. The last time we saw her she beat Cat Zingano by split decision on Mar. 3, 2018. Then she had reconstructive knee surgery. We'll see what she is like. But if she's as good as new, she's an elite fighter. Irene is 31 years old from Mexico. She trains with Alexa Grasso at Lobo. Her record is 11-5 and 4-3 in the UFC. She's a points fighter. This is a big step up in competition level for Irene. She hasn't beaten anyone who is anywhere near as good as Ketlen. So if Ketlen is as good as she was before her surgery, she shouldn't have much trouble with Irene. And remember if something goes wrong with the Bantamweight Championship match, one of these two could fill in.EXCLUSIVA: @IreneAldana_ enfrentará a la clasificada número dos del peso gallo de @UFCEspanol , la brasileña @ketlenvieiraufc en #UFC245 https://t.co/aYDvwaVL8d pic.twitter.com/sdKx1xFfva
— C. Contreras Legaspi (@CCLegaspi) October 10, 2019
Invicta FC 38 analysis
AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ruth B.
Song:Lost Boy
Album:Safe Haven
Canadian singer songwriter Ruth Berhe scored a top 30 pop hit with Lost Boy in 2015. It all started with a six second clip on Vine. It remains to be seen if she can sustain a music career. She was born July 2, 1995 in Edmonton, AB. While working at a clothing store, she began to post videos on Vine. She chose Vine because it was quicker to post six second clips than trying to post longer clips on Youtube. Most of these clips were covers of popular songs. In Nov. 2014, she posted an original clip inspired by the ABC TV series Once Upon A Time. When the clip got 84,000 Likes and comments urged Ruth to turn it into a full song, Lost Boy was posted on Youtube Jan. 2015 and on iTunes. At high school, she became known as "the Vine chick". Soon after Columbia Records came calling and Ruth released the EP The Intro Nov. 2015. Lost Boy reached #14 in Canada and # 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Ruth self produced the single. This was followed by the 2017 album Safe Haven mostly produced by Lorde's producer Joel Little. The album did OK in Canada and Ruth won a Breakthrough Artist of the Year Juno award. She also performed on Today and Good Morning America. The EP Maybe I'll Find You Again was released Mar. 2019. The single Slow Fade was produced by the British duo Oh Wonder (Anthony West, Josephine Vander Gucht) who started out posting music to Soundcloud. Janet Jackson producer Dernst "D'Mile" Emile II also produced. That single didn't chart. She has a new album coming mostly produced by D'Mile. And then she tours to promote the album. The results should tell us if her career has any legs. Who would have thought that a chart single could result from a Vine post. Here's the video for Lost Boy by Ruth B.
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