AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Grapes Of Wrath

Artist:The Grapes Of Wrath
Song:You May Be Right
Album;These Days





The 1991 single You May Be Right was the biggest hit for The Grapes Of Wrath. They were successful in their native Canada but were unable to break through in the US. The Grapes Of Wrath are from Kelowna, BC. They were formed in 1983 by Chris Hooper, his brother Tom Hooper and Kevin Kane. They were all members of the band Kill Pigs. You might think they are John Steinbeck fans. But they got the name from a movie guide. None of them had read the book or seen the 1940 film. They signed with Nettwerk Records and released an EP in 1984. They were on Capitol in the US. They charted in Canada with the 1987 single Peace Of Mind. Keyboard player Vincent Jones was added for the 1989 album Now and Then. The single All The Things I Wasn't was a top twenty hit in Canada. The 1991 album These Days went in a hard rock direction. The album was produced by British producer John Leckie who had recent success with The Stone Roses. The single You May Be Right reached #7 on the Canadian Singles chart. The album was certified Platinum. Then they split up. The Hoopers continued to record together as Ginger. Tom Hooper and Kane reformed The Grapes Of Wrath and released an album in 2000. Chris Hooper joined them in 2010 and an album was released in 2013. The Grapes Of Wrath continue to tour Canada. Here's the video for You May Be Right by The Grapes Of Wrath.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chumbawamba

Artist:Chambawamba
Song:Tubthumping
Album:Now Dance '97





Tubthumping was a top ten hit in 1997. It was the only big hit for the British group Chumbawamba. MTV played the crap out of the video. Though they were a one hit wonder in the US, Chumbawamba had been around since the early 80s. They were formed in 1982 in Burnley, Lancashire, England out of the ashes of the band Chimp Eats Banana. The two founding members were Allan "Boff" Whalley and Danbert Nobacon (real name-Nigel Hunter). Both guys played guitar. They soon added keyboard player Louise "Lou" Watts, percussionist Alice Nutter, singer and guitarist Dunstan Bruce, trumpeter  Mave Dillon and drummer Harry "Daz" Hamer. They added bassist Paul Greco in 1992 and Jude Abbott replaced Dillon in 1996. Other than that, that was the band for their entire history. Chumbawamba were a punk influenced dance group. They released albums on their own label from 1986 to 1992. They had success in England on One Little Indian Records with London Records distribution. In 1997, Chumbawamba signed with EMI in Europe hoping to reach a wider audience. After Tubthumping was a hit in England, Universal's Republic label picked up the album Tubthumper in the US. The video for Tubthumping was played constantly on MTV and it reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified 3XPlatinum. In case you hadn't noticed, the song is about getting drunk. They filmed the video at their favorite pub. I'll say this for Tubthumping. It has a great chorus. Of course the success didn't last. They released one more album on EMI/Republic and then left. They got what they wanted. They made a lot of money and then started their own label in 2002. You can get Tubthumping on this 2CD various artists budget comp. They continued to record and tour until disbanding in 2012. Bruce and Hamer formed Interrobang?! and have released one album. Here's the video for Tubthumping by Chumbawamba.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Village People

Artist:Village People
Song:Y.M.C.A.
Album:The Best of Village People





Y.M.C.A. was the biggest hit for Village People in 1978. I think most fans remember that they all wore costumes. The man behind Village People was French producer Jacques Morali. In 1975. Morali and partner Henri Belolo opened an office in Philadelphia and produced The Ritchie Family hit Brazil. When Morali went to a gay disco in Greenwich Village in New York, he found that everyone was in costume. He thought that he could form a music group in costumes and aim it at the gay market. The other key figure was lead singer Victor Willis. A native of Dallas, Willis grew up singing in his father's church. He moved to New York and was a member of the theater group Negro Ensemble Company and he appeared in the Broadway musical The Wiz. After hearing his demo, Morali hired Willis to perform all the vocals on the 1977 album Village People. All the songs were written by Phil Hurtt and Peter Whitehead who wrote songs for The Ritchie Family. When the single San Francisco topped the dance charts, Morali hired dancers and put them all in costumes so Village People could tour. Macho Man was their second big hit. By this time, Willis was writing the songs with Morali. Y.M.C.A. reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Apparently Willis had to explain to Morali about the Y.M.C.A. Willis says he didn't intend to write a gay anthem. The song was about all the fun activities. The follow up single In The Navy reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Village People appeared on TV and toured military bases with Bob Hope. Things went south when Morali signed to do the film Can't Stop The Music. Willis left Village People and was replaced by Ray Simpson (Valerie Simpson's brother). After the film bombed and disco faded, early 80s albums did not do well and Morali ended Village People in 1985. You can get all their hits on this comp. The group is still around. Willis has returned in recent years and they performed Y.M.C.A. on Fox's New Year's Eve with Steve Harvey. They are a nostalgia act. Here's the video for Y.M.C.A. by Village People.

Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Jan. 28, 2020

UFC, Bellator and Royal Rumble reviews and new fight announcements.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Charlotte Flair vs Asuka

Here's the match video of Charlotte Flair vs Asuka from last night's episode of RAW. After Charlotte won the Royal Rumble, she was supposed to announce which title she was going to challenge for at Wrestlemania. When she didn't announce anything, the Kabuki Warriors came out and the match started during commercial. The match was very good. It may have been better than Asuka's match on Sunday. It ended in a DQ when Kairi Sane broke up Charlotte's figure eight with her Insane Elbow. It was reported this morning that Charlotte will appear on NXT and challenge Rhea Ripley for her NXT belt. I'm not sure what show that will be on but we'll see how it is handled. Enjoy the video!

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Becky Lynch vs Asuka

Here's the match video of Becky Lynch vs Asuka from the Royal Rumble. It took a couple of days to find a decent copy of this. The complete match is here minus the entrances. My usual sources came up empty. The match is a very good back and forth match with Asuka doing most of the heavy lifting.  She took most of the major bumps. The one thing I did not like was after Asuka kicked Becky in the head, the ref physically restrained Asuka so that Becky could recover. The refs aren't supposed to do that. They are are supposed to treat it like it's real. And in real life, that's a pinfall for Asuka. After watching the match again, it was a planned spot. I know what they are trying to do with Becky but that was a BS spot. Once they did that, there's no way Becky was losing. Of course they ended it with the mist backfiring on Asuka. I just thought that that one spot really hurt the match. There are other ways to accomplish what they wanted. So now Becky is going around like she is the GOAT. There are already fans annoyed with her. I wonder if live crowds will start booing her if she keeps this up. Reports indicate that Becky will face Shayna Baszler at Wrestlemania. We'll see how that is handled. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Keyshia Cole

Artist:Keyshia Cole
Song:I Remember
Album:Just Like You





Keyshia Cole has had success mostly on the R&B charts. I Remember is one of her three R&B #1 hits. At the time she had a successful reality show on BET. She was born Oct. 15, 1981 in Oakland, CA. She met MC Hammer at age 12 and then she became friends with Tupac Shakur. He was planning to help her with her singing career when he died. She moved to Los Angeles and her big break came when she was introduced to Ron Fair of A&M Records and he signed her in 2002. Her debut album The Way It Is was released in 2005. Her singles I Should Have Cheated and Love were top five R&B hits. Her reality show Keyshia Cole: The Way It Is aired on BET in 2006. After A&M was absorbed by Universal, Keyshia was moved to Geffen Records for the 2007 CD Just Like You. Ron Fair was still there and he was producing her albums with outside producers. Let It Go featuring Lil Kim and Missy Elliott was Keyshia's first #1 R&B hit and it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. This has turned out to be her biggest hit. I Remember also topped the R&B charts and so did Heaven Sent. Just Like You was certified Platinum. It's her most successful album to date and it's available as a budget CD. Keyshia usually wrote all the songs with the producer of the song. I Remember was co-written and produced by Greg Curtis who has worked with Chris Brown among others. As I said, Fair supervised and brought in Missy Elliott and Rodney Jerkins among others. Keyshia's success continued with the 2008 album A Different Me. And then she faded mostly because Fair stopped working with her. Keyshia moved to Epic for the 2017 album 11:11 Reset. It didn't do well so she is now host of One on One with Keyshia Cole on Foxsoul TV. And she produced more reality TV for BET. Maybe her singing days are over. Here's the video for I Remember by Keyshia Cole.

Mackenzie Dern vs Ariane Carnelossi added to Apr. 25 UFC show

Mackenzie Dern volta ao octógono para enfrentar Ariane Sorriso no UFC Lincoln | combate | Globoesporte https://t.co/F1cclIgUfe

— Raphael Marinho (@raphamarinho) January 27, 2020

Raphael Marinho of Combate reported today that Mackenzie Dern vs Ariane Carnelossi has been added to UFC on ESPN+ 31 Apr. 25 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE. This fight will be at Strawweight. Mackenzie is 26 years old. She trains at Black House in Los Angeles. She is a well known BJJ whiz. On her recent return from pregnancy, things didn't go well for Mackenzie as she lost to Amanda Ribas. Ariane is 27 years old from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her record is 12-2. She was supposed to make her UFC debut in Aug. but both fighters pulled out. She fought Angela Hill in Sept. on short notice and lost by TKO. Like a lot of Brazilian fighters. Ariane is easy to hit because she goes forward and didn't make any adjustments to change that. We'll see what happens if Mackenzie tries to twist her in knots.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Redbone

Artist:Redbone
Song:Come and Get Your Love
Album:The Very Best of Redbone





Come and Get Your Love was a top five hit in 1974. It was the biggest hit for the Native American band Redbone. You probably heard the song in the hit film Guardians of the Galaxy. Redbone was led by brothers Patrick and Candido Vasquez. They called themselves Pat and Lolly Vegas. Pat played bass and Lolly played guitar. Both wrote songs and sang. Originally from the Fresno area, they moved to Los Angeles in 1959 and played in clubs and on recording sessions. They started out as The Avantis opening for The Beach Boys. They released the album Pat and Lolly Vegas at the Haunted House on Mercury in 1965. They were also regulars on Shindig!. Pat Vegas says that Jimi Hendrix, who was part Cherokee, suggested the Vegas brothers form a Native American rock band. Redbone signed with Epic Records and released their debut album Redbone in 1970. Other members were Tony Bellamy on guitar and Peter DePoe on drums. You'll notice in the video that they did Native American dances on stage. They charted with the 1970 single Maggie and the 1971 single The Witch Queen of New Orleans. But they scored their biggest hit when Come and Get Your Love reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1974. Redbone faded after that and disbanded in 1977. You can get all their hits on this budget comp. Like I said, Come and Get Your Love was used in the film Guardians of the Galaxy which renewed interest in Redbone. Redbone reformed in 1997. Tony Bellamy died in 2009 and Lolly Vegas died in 2010. Pat Vegas still leads Redbone and they tour the oldies circuit. Redbone was inducted into the Native American Music Association Hall of Fame in 2008 and Pat Vegas was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award by the Indigenous Music Awards in 2018. To learn more about Native American rockers, check out the 2017 doc Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World. Here's Redbone performing Come and Get Your Love on The Midnight Special 1974.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Cris Cyborg vs Julia Budd

Here's the match video of Cris Cyborg vs Julia Budd from last night's Bellator show in Los Angeles. I didn't watch this live as at $20/mo., DAZN is too expensive for me. This fight went as expected. Other than Amanda Nunes, I don't think there are any Featherweights who can handle Cris. In round one, Julia tries to use the clinch. And commentator Josh Thomson thinks that it's a good idea. I don't think it would be effective for five rounds. Julia is mainly a kickboxer and I don't think she has the tools to slow Cris down. You will notice that between rounds, Julia's husband and trainer Lance Gibson is trying to fire her up. But he doesn't have to go out there and fight. Cris won the first three rounds easily. And then she wins by TKO early in round four. I wasn't surprised Julia lasted that long. I think Cris was being patient. And she almost finished her at the end of round three. Like I said, it's what I expected. Keep in mind that Julia was the Bellator champ for several years. So there is no one in Bellator who could give Cris a decent fight. I suppose Cat Zingano could challenge her but Scott Coker says that won't happen in the near future. I don't think Cat could beat Cris anyway. Cris has always wanted to box so that wouldn't surprise me. And I'm sure she will want to fight in Japan. But it doesn't change that there are a few decent Featherweights but most of them aren't any good. Enjoy the video!

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Sara McMann vs Lina Lansberg

Here's the match video of Sara McMann vs Lina Lansberg from last night's UFC show in Raleigh, NC. Sara is returning from two years off due to pregnancy and knee surgery. She won a silver medal in wrestling at the 2004 Olympics. I have never liked her as an MMA fighter as she has made poor decisions that have cost her fights. Sara is from Marion, NC but she now trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. Urijah Faber was in her corner. Lina is from Sweden. She trains with former UFC fighter Akira Corassani. So this is wrestler vs kickboxer. Sara took Lina down early and stayed on top of her for the whole fight. I scored it 30-27 for Sara. Obviously I would like to see her face someone better in her next fight. Enjoy the video!

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Justine Kish vs Lucie Pudilova

Here's the match video of Justine Kish vs Lucie Pudilova from last night's UFC show in Raleigh, NC. Justine lives in Los Angeles but she grew up in North Carolina. She is returning from her fourth knee surgery. Lucie is from the Czech Republic. She's on a two fight losing streak. She is ineffective. This fight is at Flyweight but Lucie was a Bantamweight and is much bigger than Justine who moved up from Strawweight. One would think with that size advantage, Lucie would use that. No such luck. They dance around for three rounds and don't do much of anything. The fight was awful. Commentary tries to figure out what these two are trying to accomplish and they don't know. Justine won the fight 30-27 but she wasn't dominant. She squeaked out a win over someone who doesn't belong in the UFC. Check it out for yourself.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Angela Hill vs Hannah Cifers

Here's the match video of Angela Hill vs Hannah Cifers from last night's UFC show in Raleigh, NC. This is the third straight fight that Angela has come in on short notice. Hannah is from Wake Forest, NC. In regional MMA she was known for knockout power. We haven't seen that from her in the UFC. And we don't see that from her in this fight. She lacks aggression and I know she is mainly a striker. So if her power is gone, I don't think she has anything else. Angela wins round one easily. And then on round two she takes Hannah down and pounds her for the TKO win. Afterwards, Angela jokes about coming in again on short notice. But that's a good way for her to remain in the UFC. It's just at some point she has to face someone decent. I don't think Hannah belongs in the UFC. I guess they might give her one more chance before releasing her. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Venice Is Sinking

Artist:Venice is Sinking
Song:Ryan's Song
Album:AZAR




Fans of dream pop may want to check out the indie band Venice Is Sinking. Daniel Lawson started Venice Is Sinking as a home recording project in his hometown of Peachtree City, GA. He released an album on cassette in 1997. In 2003 Lawson moved to Athens and decided to turn Venice Is Sinking into a band. The key addition was viola player and singer Karolyn Troupe. And the best thing about Venice Is Sinking is Lawson and Karolyn's harmonies. The two soon became a romantic couple. Other members were Alex Thibadoux on keyboards, Stephen Miller on bass and Lucas Jensen on drums. They signed with One Percent Press and after a 2005 EP, the album Sorry About The Flowers was released in 2006. Lawson and Karolyn split up but kept the band together. Thibadoux was replaced by James Sewell. Ryan's Song is from Venice Is Sinking's 2009 album AZAR. They also released a live album in 2010. Most of the band's modest success was through MySpace and live gigs. And when MySpace closed, they moved to Tumblr. And it was on Tumblr that Venice is Sinking announced their demise in 2014. It looks like Daniel Lawson quit the music business for landscape architecture. AZAR is available as a budget CD. Here's the video for Ryan's Song by Venice Is Sinking.

Antonina Shevchenko vs Cynthia Calvillo added to Apr. 25 UFC show

My next fight 👊🏻 April 25th #UFCLincoln
Мой следующий бой 👊🏻 25 апреля Линкольн, Небраска.

Repost @UFCEspanol
・・・
Pelea de locura para #UFCLincoln 🔥🔥🔥 @antoninapantera VS @cynthia.calvillo pic.twitter.com/fBrXXCX45L

— Antonina Shevchenko (@AntoninaPantera) January 25, 2020

Yesterday the UFC announced that UFC on ESPN+ 31 will be Apr. 25 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, NE. Several matches were announced including Antonina Shevchenko vs Cynthia Calvillo at Flyweight. Antonina is 35 years and of course she is the older sister of UFC Flyweight Champion Valentina Shevchenko. She does the same things as her sister but not as well. So Antonina is mainly a kickboxer. She's 2-1 in the UFC and she won her last fight over Lucie Pudilova. Cynthia is a big step up in competition for her but there is a catch. Cynthia is 32 years old from Sacramento. Fans will recall that she trained with Justin Buchholtz at Team Alpha Male. She went with him when he left and he has now opened his own gym MFI. This will be Cynthia's first fight at Flyweight. She was fighting at Strawweight but missed weight for her last fight. Though I think she is a more accomplished fighter than Antonina, we don't know what Cynthia will be like at Flyweight. Antonina has a big size advantage. She's 5'8". Cynthia is 5'4". That's the catch. We'll find out on Apr. 25.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Louie Bellson and his Jazz Orchestra

Artist:Louie Bellson and his Jazz Orchestra
Song:Caravan
Album:Louie Bellson and his Jazz Orchestra





Drummer Louie Bellson will remind you of Gene Krupa or Buddy Rich. I think Bellson's solos were even longer than those guys. He is probably best known for his long marriage to the popular entertainer Pearl Bailey before mixed race marriages were acceptable. He led her touring band. He was born Luigi Balassoni July 6, 1924 in Rock Falls, IL. His father owned a music store in Moline. He invented the use of two bass drums at the same time while he was in high school. Bellson won the Slingerland National Gene Krupa contest at age 17. He played with Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey and Harry James. Bellson was in Duke Ellington's Orchestra until he married Pearl Bailey in 1952 and became her musical director. He recorded for Verve in the 50s and toured with Jazz at the Philharmonic. Bellson said his big influences were Chick Webb, Big Sid Catlett but especially Count Basie's longtime drummer Jo Jones. Bellson recorded with Basie in the 60s. Bellson recorded mostly for Verve, Roulette, Pablo and Concord. This recording of Duke Ellington's Caravan is from the 1986 album Louie Bellson and his Jazz Orchestra released by MusicMasters. There are two bands on this album, a large band and a small band. Caravan is by the small band with Ted Nash on sax, Glenn Drewes on trumpet. Derek Smith on piano, Remo Palmier on guitar and Jay Leonhart on bass. Along with constant touring, Bellson conducted drum clinics at high schools and colleges nationwide. And he was an executive for the drum company Remo. He was inducted into the Drummer Hall of Fame in 1985 and he was awarded the NEA Jazz Masters in 1994. Louie Bellson died on Feb. 14, 2009 at age 84. Here's Louie Bellson and his Jazz Orchestra performing Caravan at the North Sea Jazz Festival in The Netherlands July 16, 1992.

Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Jan. 24, 2020

Kairi Sane, Io Shirai, Royal Rumble and UFC on ESPN+ 24 previews and new fight announcements.

Sijara Eubanks vs Sarah Moras added to Apr. 18 UFC show

Nothing like some New York Cheesecake!

🇨🇦@sarahcheesecake heads to Brooklyn for #UFC249!! pic.twitter.com/6A7Vb1Iyul

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) January 24, 2020

Ryan Gerbosi of Newsday reported last night that Sijara Eubanks vs Sarah Moras has been added to UFC 249 Apr. 18 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. This fight is at Bantamweight. Sijara is 34 years old from Baltimore. She trains with Mark Henry in New Jersey. She came to the UFC on TUF 26 for Flyweights. When she couldn't make weight, she moved back up to Bantamweight. Having seen her as a Bantamweight in Invicta, she's not good enough to be in the UFC. She has lost her last two fights. In her loss to Bethe Correia, she started out OK but she ran out of gas because of the altitude in Mexico City. Sarah is 31 years old from Kelowna, BC but she trains at the UFC PI in Las Vegas. Her record is 6-5 and 3-4 in the UFC. Her win over Liana Jojua in Abu Dhabi broke a three fight losing streak. Sarah has lost to fighters she should beat. She makes too many mistakes. I don't know who will win this fight but the loser might get cut.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bobby Broom

Artist:Bobby Broom
Song:Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
Album:Bobby Broom Plays for Monk





Guitarist Bobby Broom has been recording as a leader since the 80s. He should remind you of guys like Wes Montgomery and Grant Green. He was born Jan. 16, 1961 in New York City. He got into jazz by listening to organist Charles Earland. As a teen he played local clubs and Sonny Rollins invited him to join his band. But after graduating high school, Broom studied at Berklee in Boston. Broom was in trumpeter Tom Browne's band when he scored the hit single Funkin' For Jamaica. He also toured with Dave Grusin and Broom recorded his 1981 debut album Clean Sweep for Grusin's GRP label. He also recorded for Arista in 1984 and he toured with Rollins for five years. Broom moved to Chicago in 1984 and he has been a mainstay of the jazz scene since then. He got to record with Charles Earland. And he got into teaching which he still does today at North Park University and through a community outreach program, he teaches guitar to kids. Broom recorded several albums for Origin Records. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes is from the 2009 album Bobby Broom Plays for Monk. Of course the album is a tribute to Thelonious Monk. Even the album cover is a tribute to the cover of Monk's Music. Broom mostly covers Monk compositions but Monk recorded Smoke Gets In Your Eyes in 1953. The musicians are Dennis Carroll on bass and Kobie Watkins on drums. They have been on several Broom albums. Broom recorded four albums with the Deep Blue Organ Trio until they disbanded in 2013. His new band is called The Organi-sation. His latest album Soul Fingers was released in 2018 on his own label with Watkins on drums and Ben Paterson on organ. Here's Bobby Broom performing Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. It looks like he's in his kitchen. Broom has his own Youtube channel. I wish more jazz musicians did this.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Io Shirai vs Toni Storm

Here's the match video of Io Shirai vs Toni Storm from last night's episode of NXT. Of course these two have wrestled each other many times in Japan. But I think this is the first time Toni has wrestled a heel Io. One thing fans may not know is Toni has moved to Florida so she is moving permanently to NXT. And she is challenging Rhea Ripley for the NXT Women's Championship on this Saturday's When Worlds Collide. Of course Io thinks she should get a title shot. And Bianca Belair earned a title shot on last week's battle royal. So I was not surprised this match ended in a non finish when Bianca attacked Toni and then Rhea made the save. Until that point, the match was as competitive as one would expect from two wrestlers who know each other very well. After the finish, Io hits Rhea with a springboard dropkick followed by a moonsault to the floor on Rhea and Bianca. Toni follows with a suicide dive on Io. the segment ends with Toni holding the belt. I expect we will see a four way match for the title at some point. What about former champ Shayna Baszler? Don't be surprised if she wins this Sunday's Royal Rumble and moves to the main roster. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio

Artist:Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio
Song:Detour Ahead
Album:Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio





When Oscar Peterson led the house band at Verve Records, he proved he could play anything with anybody. So it's not surprising that Verve owner Norman Granz brought in his star sax player Stan Getz to record this 1957 album with the Peterson trio. At the time Getz was living in Sweden. Granz set up recording sessions when Getz toured the US. Getz had previously recorded with the Peterson trio on the 1954 album Diz and Getz with trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie and drummer Max Roach. And they also appeared on Jazz Giants '58 with Harry "Sweets" Edison on trumpet, Gerry Mulligan on baritone sax and Louis Bellson on drums. But this 1957 album is the only time Getz recorded with just the trio of Peterson, guitarist Herb Ellis and bassist Ray Brown. This album was released on CD in 1989 with bonus tracks including Detour Ahead written by Ellis when he was part of The Soft Winds in the late 40s. Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald and Bill Evans are among those who recorded Detour Ahead. This is available as a budget CD. Getz and the Peterson trio also appeared on the 1957 album Stan Getz and J.J. Johnson at the Opera House. It doesn't look like Getz and Peterson recorded together after that. So this album is a must for fans of both guys. Here's a video for Detour Ahead by Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio.

Ketlen Vieira vs Marion Reneau added to May 9 UFC show

Ketlen Viera vs. Marion Reneau targeted for #UFC250 in Sao Paulo (via @MMAjunkieJohn) https://t.co/G7pZQuKsCx

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) January 22, 2020

John Morgan of MMA Junkie reported yesterday that Ketlen Vieira vs Marion Reneau has been added to UFC 250 May 9 at Ginasio do Ibirapuera in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This fight is at Bantamweight. A funny thing happen on Ketlen's way to a Bantamweight title shot. She was knocked out by Irene Aldana. So now we have to see how she bounces back from that. Before that, Ketlen was off for two years with a knee injury. She is 28 years old and she trains at Nova Uniao in Brazil. Marion is 42 years old from Visalia, CA. Her record is 9-5-1 and she opened her own gym recently. She has had mixed results in the UFC. She is currently on a two fight losing streak. She is inconsistent. She was supposed to fight Irene Aldana in Sept. but she pulled out. And these two were supposed to fight a couple of years ago but that was around the time Ketlen had knee surgery so it was never announced. I favor Ketlen because fighting at home should motivate her. And after that loss she will want to make a statement.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Adrian Lester

Artist:Adrian Lester
Song:Side By Side/What Would We Do Without You?
Album:Company: 1996 London Cast Recording





Adrian Lester won an Olivier award for playing Bobby in the 1996 London production of Stephen Sondheim's musical Company. The most interesting thing about this is that Lester is black. He is mostly a TV and film actor. This is his only appearance in a musical. He was born Anthony Harvey Aug. 14, 1968 in Birmingham, England. His parents are Jamaican immigrants. There is a British director named Anthony Harvey so Lester changed his name to avoid confusion. He started performing as a teen at the Birmingham Youth Theatre. And he studied for three years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. He won a Time Out award for his performance in the 1991 production of As You Like It. He also appeared in a 1993 production of Sweeney Todd. Sam Mendes directed the 1996 production of Company at the Donmar Warehouse in London. It ran for about six months and Lester won an Olivier award for his performance as Bobby. The show was broadcast on BBC and the entire show can be seen on Youtube. Though Lester has returned to the stage occasionally, he hasn't appeared in any other musicals. In England, he is best known for playing Michael "Mickey Bricks" Stone on the BBC series Hustle. He also appeared in the UPN sitcom Girlfriends in 2002 and the 1998 film Primary Colors. His recent TV appearances include the 2016 BBC series Undercover, the 2017 Sky Atlantic series Riviera, the 2018 ITV mini series Trauma, the 2019 Starz mini series The Rook and the 2019 BBC One mini series Life. Here's Adrian Lester performing Side By Side/What Would We Do Without You? from the 1997 BBC broadcast of Company.

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. Of course the idea is to set up Becky's match vs Asuka at this Sunday's Royal Rumble. This begins with Becky's promo claiming that Asuka spraying her with the green mist last week has made her see more clearly. Of course Asuka has other plans as Becky may be kidding herself. The match is fine but when we return from commercial, Asuka is perched on the top turnbuckle. Asuka doesn't do anything but Becky still has to watch her. Becky wins the match after she knocks Asuka to the floor. And then Asuka attacks Becky post match with a Shining Wizard, Asuka Lock and a head kick. That got fans to boo Asuka. I guess they could have done a DQ finish. The whole point was to show that Asuka doesn't care what Becky thinks. I don't know what the result will be on Sunday. This program could be extended until Wrestlemania. So a non finish would not surprise me. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Frank Turner

Artist:Frank Turner
Song:Recovery
Album:Songbook





Singer songwriter Frank Turner has had success in his native England. The 2013 single Recovery is his best known song in North America. He was born Dec. 28, 1981 in Manama, Bahrain where his father worked as an investment banker. When his family returned to England, they settled in Meonstoke, Hampshire and Turner attended the Summer Fields boys school. He earned a scholarship to Eton where Prince Andrew was a classmate. And he studied at the London School of Economics. It's likely that Turner was going to be a banker like his father and grandfather. But instead Turner formed the band Kneejerk while in school. They released a couple of albums. Turner's main influence was Iron Maiden. In 2001 he joined the post hardcore band Million Dead. They recorded two albums for Xtra Mile. They had some chart success but they split up in 2005. After listening to Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, Turner decided to perform solo as a folksinger. He released a couple of EPs and two albums on Xtra Mile. He toured and recorded with guitarist Ben Lloyd and his band Dive Dive with Matt Nasir on keyboards, Tarrant Anderson on bass and Nigel Powell on drums. They still tour with Turner as The Sleeping Souls. For the 2013 album Tape Deck Heart, Turner signed in the US with Interscope. The album was recorded in Los Angeles produced by Rich Costey. He produced the Scottish band Biffy Clyro who are friends with Turner. The single Recovery got airplay in the US on alternative radio. Tape Deck Heart is Turner's most successful album to date. His latest album No Man's Land was released in 2019 featuring the song Sister Rosetta, a tribute to legendary guitar wizard Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Turner is currently on tour in Europe opening for Dropkick Murphys. This 2CD comp is a good intro to his music. Here's the video for Recovery by Frank Turner.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Priscilla Lopez

Artist:Priscilla Lopez
Song:What I Did For Love
Album:A Chorus Line: Original Broadway Cast Recording: 40th Anniversary Celebration




Priscilla Lopez is a Broadway performer best known for her Tony nominated performance as Diana Morales in the 1976 production of A Chorus Line. She's performing on Broadway right now. She was born Feb. 26, 1948 in The Bronx, NY. Her parents were from Puerto Rico. After graduating from the High School of Performing Arts, Priscilla was supposed to make her Broadway debut in the 1966 musical of the 1961 film Breakfast At Tiffany's. But there were so many problems with the show including constant rewrites that producer David Merrick placed a full page ad in The New York Times to announce that the show wasn't opening. The stars were supposed to be Mary Tyler Moore, Richard Chamberlain and Sally Kellerman. After she had success as a replacement in the musicals Company and Pippin, Michael Bennett invited her to the workshops that became A Chorus Line. What I Did For Love is Priscilla's big number. She was nominated for a Tony and she won an Obie. The cast album was re-released in 2015 with bonus tracks, Marvin Hamlisch demos. Priscilla won a Tony for her performance in the 1980 musical A Day in Hollywood, A Night in the Ukraine. She has also appeared in Nine, In The Heights and a revival of Pippin. She is opening a six week Broadway run this week in a new play Grand Horizons. She does a lot of TV guest shots and some films. She played Jennifer Lopez's mother in the 2002 film Maid in Manhattan. Priscilla was awarded the 2002 Rita Moreno HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors. Here's Priscilla Lopez performing What I Did For Love from the 1981 Tony Awards broadcast.

Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Jan. 19, 2020

UFC 246 review.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Sabina Mazo vs JJ Aldrich

Here's the match video of Sabina Mazo vs JJ Aldrich from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight went as I expected. In the LFA, Sabina was known for head kicks. So far in the UFC, she has been a slow starter. JJ tends to win round one and then fade. So in round one, JJ landed more punches and won 10-9. By the end of round two, the worm turned and Sabina took over. I thought JJ did enough in the first half of the round to win it 10-9. But two judges scored it 10-9 for Sabina. Sabina won round three 10-9 mostly with knees in the clinch. I scored the fight 29-28 for JJ. But the judges gave the win to Sabina by split decision. Round two was very close and it could have gone either way. Afterwards, Sabina admitted she gets off to slow starts. This is something she and coach Rafael Cordeiro need to improve as she won't get away with it against some of the better Flyweight fighters. I'd like to see her against a ranked fighter next time. Enjoy the video!

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Roxanne Modafferi vs Maycee Barber

Here's the match video of Roxanne Modafferi vs Maycee Barber from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. I watched round one of this fight again to see if I could tell when Maycee hurt her knee. You'll notice that she grabs her left knee right after the takedown. The rest of the round was on the ground so it wasn't detected. But at the start of round two, Roxanne dropped Maycee with a punch. But her left knee actually buckled. The punch was nothing. So Maycee knew she was hurt. And more importantly, so did her coach Duke Roufus. Between round two and three, ref Jason Herzog brought a doctor in to examine Maycee. Of course it should have been stopped then. It's part of the doctor's job and the coach's job to protect fighters from themselves. They both failed. There was no good reason for Maycee to continue. My guess is Maycee will need surgery. We probably won't see her for a while. It's too bad because she has potential. The only interesting thing is anyone who bet on Roxy made a lot of money because she was a heavy underdog. But that's the fight game. Shit happens. I just think the fight should have been stopped. Check out the video for yourself.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Holly Holm vs Raquel Pennington

Here's the match video of Holly Holm vs Raquel Pennington from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. I said on my preview of this fight that I would like to see both fighters retire. I still think that. This was the co-main event because of Holly's popularity. And fans are cheering as she comes to the cage. But they're booing by the end because the fight was terrible. Holly is a counterpuncher. She's never been an aggressive fighter as her offense is a reaction to her opponent's offense. Raquel hasn't been the same since that ATV crash a couple of years ago. She's not very good anymore. So most of this fight has Holly controlling the clinch on the fence. It's boring so fans start booing. And despite Joe Rogan's yammering that he doesn't want refs breaking up fights, there are times when it's necessary because Holly will continue this if the ref allows it. And that's why ref Jason Herzog needed to break it up just to get Holly to knock it off. Refs have warned her in the past. I think she would have won anyway because Raquel had nothing for her. After Holly won by unanimous decision, she apologized for her lack of aggression. She says she still wants a title. But I don't think this performance is good enough to get her a title shot. Like I said, the fight isn't very good but check out the video for yourself.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Keith Green

Artist:Keith Green
Song:You Put This Love In My Heart
Album:The Greatest Hits





Keith Green was a pioneer of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM) who sadly died in a 1982 plane crash. You Put This Love In My Heart is one of his better known songs. He was born Oct. 21, 1953 in Sheepshead Bay, NY but he grew up in Los Angeles. Green was eight years old when he appeared in a local production of the play The Time of the Cuckoo. The Los Angeles Times gave him a rave review. In 1965, Green and his dad signed with Decca Records and released three singles produced by surf music producer Gary Usher. Green appeared on The Jack Benny Program, The Steve Allen Show and I've Got A Secret. Green wrote some of his own songs. But Decca's attempt to turn Green into a teen idol failed. He ran away from home and started smoking weed. He met his future wife Melody Steiner and she helped him convert to Christianity. They started writing songs together at CBS Records and they started Last Days Ministries. After Green's songs were recorded by Phil Keaggy and 2nd Chapter of Acts, he signed with Sparrow Records. Green's 1977 album For Him Who Has Ears To Hear was produced by CCM pioneer Bill Maxwell. You Put This Love In My Heart was the first single. Green left Sparrow after two albums and he sold the 1980 album So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt by mail order. It sold 200,000 copies because Bob Dylan played harmonica on the record. After two more albums, Green and two of his children died in a plane crash on July 28, 1982. Green was 28. They were doing an aerial tour of the ministry and there were too many people on the plane. Melody Green still runs the ministry and she has released several posthumous albums. This comp CD is a good intro to Green's music. You can watch the 2013 doc The Keith Green Story on Youtube. Melody Green has been trying to develop a Keith Green biopic since 2010. It does not seem to be an active project right now. Here's Keith Green performing You Put This Love In My Heart 1977. Excuse the amateur video production techniques.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Living End

Artist:The Living End
Song:Who's Gonna Save Us?
Album:Modern Artillery





The Living End has been successful in their native Australia since the late 90s. Who's Gonna Save Us? is their best known song in North America and they have toured successfully. Lead singer, guitarist and main songwriter Chris Cheney and bassist Scott Owen were primary school classmates in Melbourne, Australia. They started performing together as The Runaway Boys in 1991 while still in high school. The Stray Cats were their main influence which is why Owen plays a double bass. They started out as a rockabilly cover band. When Cheney started writing in 1994, the group name was changed to The Living End. That's a reference to the 1956 film Rock Around The Clock. Then drummer Joe Piripitzi was added to the band. A demo got them an opening slot on Green Day's 1995 Australian tour. They released a couple of EPs and the 1997 single Second Solution was certified 2XPlatinum in Australia. Piripitzi was replaced by Travis Demsey. For the 1998 album The Living End, they signed with Modular in Australia and Reprise in the rest of the world. They toured the US and appeared on Conan O'Brien and David Letterman to promote the 2000 album Roll On. They moved to EMI in Australia. Demsey left as he hated touring and Andy Strachan replaced him. They played some gigs as The Longnecks to test material for the 2004 album Modern Artillery. That album was produced by Blink-182 producer Mark Trombino. That was their most successful album to date. Not only was it a big hit in Australia but it did well on the Modern Rock chart in the US. This Japanese edition of Modern Artillery was released with bonus tracks. The Living End hasn't been as successful since then. They have switched labels a couple of times. Their 2018 album Wunderbar was released on Rise Records distributed by BMG. They tour mostly in Australia. Here's the video for Who's Gonna Save Us? by The Living End.

Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Jan. 17, 2020

Io Shirai, Hikaru Shida, UFC 246 preview and new fight announcement.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Kris Statlander And Hikaru Shida vs Brandi Rhodes and Mel

Here's the match video of Kris Statlander and Hikaru Shida vs Brandi Rhodes and Mel from this week's episode of AEW Dynamite. Awesome Kong was supposed to be in this match. As I said when AK was first brought in to AEW, her back is so bad I don't know if she can wrestle anymore. For that reason, it is ill advised to make her a major part of any angle. Fan concerns about Brandi becoming a major part of the AEW women's division are because she can't wrestle. She has trained but she isn't any good. And that's why the crowd is dead during this match. No one wants to see Brandi wrestle. Melanie Cruise hasn't been given a personality. Fans won't care about her until she gets one. So that's the setup and this match is fifteen minutes long. Hikaru and Kris try hard to elevate this match. But it's too much to expect them to do that much when their opponents are this bad. And that's been the problem with the AEW women's division. The booking has been awful. There doesn't seem to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Check out the match video for yourself.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Damn Yankees

Artist:Damn Yankees
Song:High Enough
Album:The Essentials





The shortlived supergroup Damn Yankees scored a top five hit in 1990 with High Enough. They only released two albums so it's weird that Warner Bros. has released a comp CD. It's also odd to see guitar legend Ted Nugent in a pedestrian hard rock group. But in 1988, Nugent hadn't had a hit in a decade. Tommy Shaw had left Styx and his solo career wasn't going anywhere. Bassist Jack Blades had just left Night Ranger and he hadn't decided what he wanted to do. Geffen Records A&R exec John Kalodner had dinner with Shaw and Blades and he knew Nugent wasn't doing anything. So he assembled Damn Yankees. Geffen passed on them so he signed them to Warner Bros. Drummer Michael Cartellone was in Shaw's touring band. The 1990 album Damn Yankees was produced by recording engineer Ron Nevison. The band wrote all the songs. High Enough reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified 2XPlatinum. The 1992 album Don't Tread didn't do as well. Where You Goin' Now was a top 20 hit. Damn Yankees started a third album but then they split up. It looks like there may have been some conflict between Nugent and Blades that caused the split. Nugent returned to his solo career. Shaw Blades recorded an album for Warner Bros. in 1995. But hard rock wasn't popular at the time so it was unsuccessful. This comp covers both Damn Yankees albums. Shaw returned to Styx and Blades returned to Night Ranger. Damn Yankees reformed in 1999 to record but they were unhappy with the album and it was shelved. Damn Yankees have reunited occasionally. They haven't ruled out recording again. But it doesn't seem like Nugent is interested. Here's the video for High Enough by Damn Yankees. Thanks to Ultimate Classic Rock for some of the Damn Yankees details.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-NXT Women's Battle Royal

Here's the match video of the women's battle royal from last night's episode of NXT. The winner gets a title shot after Rhea Ripley vs Toni Storm after When Worlds Collide. The main thing is this picks up towards the end. The first part is blah. They have Shayna Baszler and Mercedes Martinez face off which may be a tease for an upcoming program. The final four seem to be Tegan Nox, Io Shirai, Bianca Belair and Shayna. Tegan runs wild and Shotzi Blackheart was hiding. She was never eliminated. She throws Shayna out and then gets thrown out herself. Dakota Kai comes out and eliminates Tegan. The closing stretch with Io and Bianca is really good and it makes me want to see a match between them. Bianca wins with her finisher so she gets the title shot. Like I said, the ending is pretty good so check it out.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Twisted Sister

Artist:Twisted Sister
Song:I Wanna Rock
Song:The Best of the Atlantic Years





Most music fans should remember Twisted Sister from the videos for I Wanna Rock and We're Not Gonna Take It that played constantly on MTV. They never had a big radio hit. When guitarist John "Jay Jay French" Segall formed what became Twisted Sister in 1972, they were the New Jersey version of the New York Dolls. So they were a glam rock band. This changed when Danny "Dee" Snider became the new lead singer in 1976. Snider preferred a more hard rock direction and he wrote songs. Twisted Sister played locally and they tried to get a record deal. They signed with the British label Secret Records. By this time the lineup was Snider, Segall, Eddie "Fingers" Ojeda on guitar, Mark "The Animal" Mendoza on bass and A.J. Pero on drums. They released an EP and the 1982 album Under The Blade and then Secret closed. But part of the deal was an appearance on the British TV show The Tube. Atlantic Records saw them and signed them. Their 1983 Atlantic debut album You Can't Stop Rock 'n' Roll did well enough that Atlantic thought Twisted Sister could do really well. They brought in veteran hard rock producer Tom Werman for the 1984 album Stay Hungry. We're Not Gonna Take It and I Wanna Rock were the single. The videos featured Mark Metcalf from the 1978 film Animal House playing a screaming authority figure who gets clobbered. Kids loved that when it played on MTV. Stay Hungry was certified 3XPlatinum without a big hit single. This showed how important MTV had become. The 1985 album Come Out and Play didn't do nearly as well. Snider recorded a solo album but Atlantic would only release Love Is for Suckers as a Twisted Sister album. They split up in 1988. This CD has all their Atlantic hits. Twisted Sister reformed occasionally. And after the 2015 death of A.J. Pero, they did a retirement tour in 2016. Here's the video for I Wanna Rock by Twisted Sister.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Michael Jackson

Artist:Michael Jackson
Song:Thriller
Album:Thriller





Michael Jackson was already a huge star when Thriller made him an even bigger star. But the most important thing about Thriller was the significance of the music video and how it increased the power of MTV. Jackson's 1979 album Off The Wall was successful enough that he was already at Elvis Presley levels of stardom. He was called the King of Pop. He planned to record with Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury but Mercury's drug abuse and Jackson bringing his llama to the recording studio ended that. Jackson also worked on The Jacksons 1984 album Victory and he contributed a song to Steven Speilberg's 1982 film E.T. Jackson didn't think Off The Wall was a big enough success. So he wanted Thriller to be much bigger. That was his mindset when he entered the studio with producer Quincy Jones and the usual gaggle of studio musicians. Rod Temperton wrote Thriller because he knew Jackson loved horror movies. Temperton, Brian Banks, Greg Phillinganes and Anthony Marinelli all played keyboards on Thriller with David Williams on guitar and Jerry Hey of Seawind arranged the horns. Jones brought in Vincent Price to narrate. He knew Jackson would love that. Jackson wanted the video to be like the transformation scene in An American Werewolf in London. He hired that film's director John Landis to direct the video. The two wrote the script based on the 1957 film I Was A Teenage Werewolf. Jackson and Michael Peters choreographed. Jackson's girlfriend was played by Ola Ray. Rick Baker did the makeup effects as he had done on An American Werewolf on London. This was the first music video that was produced like a major film. And that was why it was so successful. There was even a documentary about the making of the video. As big as Thriller was for Jackson, it was bigger for MTV as it established them as a force in pop music. And record companies had to improve the production of music videos. Up to that point, music videos were pretty cheesy. Thriller is available as a budget CD and a 25th anniversary edition is also available. Here's the full version of the video for thriller by Michael Jackson.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-David Bowie

Artist:David Bowie
Song:Young Americans
Album:Nothing Has Changed





David Bowie was always known as a musical chameleon able to reinvent himself on a regular basis. The first time he did this was with the 1975 album Young Americans. Bowie's interpretation of soul was a big shock to fans who knew him as Ziggy Stardust. While Bowie was touring to promote the 1974 album Diamond Dogs, he moved to Los Angeles and made plans to record at Sigma Sound in Philadelphia, the home of Philly Soul. He wanted the music to be authentic so he wanted to work with real musicians. The key figure was guitarist Carlos Alomar. He plays the guitar solo in the video. Alomar was a session musician. At the time, he was touring with Roy Ayers and The Main Ingredient. He met Bowie for the first time at the Young Americans sessions. And he remained with Bowie's band for twenty years. Other musicians were Mike Garson on piano, David Sanborn on sax, Earl Slick on guitar, Willie Weeks on bass and Andy Newmark on drums. Luther Vandross led the backup singers and arranged the vocals. Only Slick was a member of Bowie's band. The rest were session musicians. Young Americans was a success. It was certified Gold. The single Young Americans reached #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Fame topped the charts. For the 1976 album Station To Station, Bowie created The Thin White Duke and recorded soul. After that, he moved to Germany and created his Berlin phase. Though Bowie's soul phase was short lived, it set up fan acceptance for future changes. The 2014 comp Nothing Has Changed is available in 3CD or 2CD versions. The 2CD version is available as a budget CD. Here's David Bowie performing Young Americans on The Dick Cavett Show Dec. 4, 1974.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Londonbeat

Artist:Londonbeat
Song:I've Been Thinking About You
Album:In The Blood





I've Been Thinking About You topped the charts internationally in 1990. I think most music fans remember the song but know nothing about Londonbeat. They only had a couple of hits from In The Blood and subsequent albums did poorly. They are still around. Jimmy Helms, Jimmy Chambers and George Chandler all had singing careers before Londonbeat was formed in 1988. Chandler was born in Atlanta but he moved to England in 1973. He was lead singer of Gonzalez and a member of Central Line and Olympic Runners. Helms is from Florida and he moved to England when he was in the Army. He scored a top ten hit in England in 1973 with Gonna Make You An Offer You Can't Refuse. Then he became a jingle singer. Chambers was in Central Line. They met songwriter and producer William "Willy M" Henshall and Londonbeat was formed. One of their demos got the attention of Dave Stewart of The Eurythmics and he signed them to his Anxious label with RCA distribution. When I've Been Thinking About You became a hit in England, MCA picked it up in the US and it topped the Billboard Hot 100. After one more chart single, subsequent albums did poorly. In The Blood is available as a budget CD. Londonbeat usually wrote their own songs and Henshall produced though Swing Out Sister producer Martyn Phillips produced I've Been Thinking About You. Londonbeat split up in 1994. Helms and Chambers reformed Londonbeat in 2003 and with Charles Pierre, they still perform and record occasionally. Well, you know what I always say. One big hit is better than none. Here's the video for I've Been Thinking About You by Londonbeat.

Julianna Pena vs Aspen Ladd added to Mar. 28 UFC show

Let’s run it @ufc #MMAGOLD https://t.co/TsjJ3d6qU1

— Aspen Ladd (@AspenLaddMMA) January 11, 2020

Brett Okamoto of ESPN reported last night that Julianna Pena vs Aspen Ladd has been added to UFC on ESPN 8 Mar. 28 at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. Aspen confirmed this on Twitter. This is a pivotal match in the UFC Bantamweight division. Julianna is 30 years old from Spokane, WA. She now lives in Chicago but she returns home to train for fights at Sikjitsu. Her record is 9-3 and 5-1 in the UFC. Julianna won TUF 18 and was on her way to a Bantamweight title shot when she lost to Valentina Shevchenko. She was winning that fight and she screwed up. Then she got married and took a two year pregnancy break. Julianna returned to action with a win over Nicco Montano July 2019. Aspen is 24 years old. She trains at MMA Gold in El Dorado Hills, CA. with Jim West who is also her boyfriend. Her record is 9-1. After a loss to Germaine De Randamie, Aspen beat Yana Kunitskaya in Dec. with a third round TKO. This was after West yelled at her between rounds. Aspen is ranked #2. Julianna is ranked #4. I think it's fair to say that the winner of this fight should get the next title shot. And both are exciting fighters so I am looking forward to this one.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Gyedu-Blay Ambolley

Artist:Gyedu-Blay Ambolley
Song:This Hustling World
Album:Simigwa




Gyedu-Blay Ambolley is a pioneer in what became known as Highlife music. It mixes African rhythms with funk and jazz. Ambolley plays sax and sings. He was born in Sekwondi, Western Ghana in 1947. After teaching himself to play the flute, Ambolley learned the basics from another Ghanaian music legend Ebo Taylor. He was also influenced by R&B and jazz. This Hustling World is from Ambolley's 1975 debut album Simigwa. His band is called Gyedu-Blay Ambolley and his Creations. Ebo Taylor produced the album. It has been reissued on CD by Mr. Bongo. In the 80s Ambolley was one of the leading lights of what was called Highlife music. I remember hearing this term at the time and I came to the conclusion that it was a marketing term. When I listen to a guy like Ambolley, he has his Ghanaian music base influenced by funk and jazz. It's fun to listen to. Ambolley moved to New York in 1988 and he has lived in the US ever since. He currently lives in Los Angeles and records for his own label. His latest CD 11th Street, Sekondi was released in 2019 on the German label Agogo. Here's Gyedu-Blay Ambolley with Juicebox performing This Hustling World at the 2010 Haarlem Jazz in The Netherlands.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dottie West

Artist:Dottie West
Song:Country Sunshine
Album:Country Sunshine: The RCA Hit Singles 1963-1974




The 1974 single Country Sunshine was the biggest hit in the long career if Country Music Hall of Fame member Dottie West mostly because it was used in a Coke commercial. It also came at a time when she was trying to project a sexier image which was very controversial at the time. She was born Oct. 11, 1932 in Smithville, TN the oldest of ten children. Dottie helped her mom run a restaurant. Dottie's father was an alcoholic who beat and sexually abused her. She was 17 when she had him charged. She testified against him and he was sentenced to 40 years. Dottie earned a music scholarship at Tennessee Tech where she met her first husband steel guitarist Bill West. After graduating, she moved to Cleveland and appeared on the TV show Landmark Jamboree as one half of The Kay-Dots with Kathy Dee. After a few singles for Starday, Dottie moved to Nashville in 1961 and hung out with Willie Nelson and other songwriters. She invited them for dinner and they helped her with her songwriting. She also became close with Patsy Cline and husband Charlie Dick. Dottie toured with Patsy until her 1963 death in a plane crash. After Jim Reeves scored a hit with one of Dottie's songs Is This Me, he took her to Chet Atkins and she signed with RCA. Her biggest hits in those early days were Would You Hold It Against Me in 1966 and Paper Mansions in 1968. She also recorded hits with Don Gibson. Dottie divorced Bill West in 1971 and married drummer Byron Metcalf in 1972. Meanwhile Coca-Cola hired Dottie to write a jingle based on her single Country Girl. They liked it so much Billy Davis of McCann-Erickson Advertising hired her to write Country Sunshine. Davis worked for Motown and Chess before he joined McCann-Erickson. The commercial was so popular that RCA released it as a single and it reached #2 on the Country Singles chart. It turned out to be her biggest hit. She soon left RCA for United Artists. This CD has all her RCA hits. That change also signified Dottie leaving behind the traditional gingham dresses for a more glamorous image. She had her greatest success at UA recording duets with Kenny Rogers like What Are We Doin' In Love. Dottie faded after that and by 1985 she lost her record deal. Dottie continued to perform until injuries suffered in an Aug. 30, 1991 car crash led to her death on Sept. 4, 1991 at age 58. Dottie West was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018. Here's Dottie West performing Country Sunshine in 1976 I think. There are also videos of her performing the song in a gingham dress before she left RCA.

Frank Pozen's Big Bad Podcast Jan. 9, 2020

Io Shirai, Invicta FC 39 analysis and new fight announcements.

Rose Namajunas vs Jessica Andrade added to Apr. 18 UFC show

Running it 🔙 in Brooklyn (via @arielhelwani) pic.twitter.com/bzRIw1fUso

— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) January 9, 2020

A bunch of guys reported this afternoon that Rose Namajunas vs Jessica Andrade has been added to UFC 249 Apt. 18 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY. Of course this is a rematch from when Jessica won the UFC Strawweight Championship. And then Weili Zhang beat Jessica for the title. It was a strange match because Rose was winning until Jessica KOd her with a power bomb. After that it seemed like Rose pondered retirement. We all know Rose has the physical skills and a great coach in Trevor Wittman. But is her head in the game? That will determine if she wins this match. Jessica is coming off of a big loss. I think she would want to make a statement with a win. Whoever wins may get the next title shot.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Rhea Ripley, Candice LeRae and Toni Storm vs Io Shirai, Kay Lee Ray and Bianca Belair

Here's the match video of Rhea Ripley, Candice Le Rae and Toni Storm vs Io Shirai, Kay Lee Ray and Bianca Belair from last night's episode of NXT. This begins with a Rhea Ripley promo and everyone comes out to challenge her. They start brawling and it turns into a six woman match. Candice is getting clobbered for the first part of the match. The end has Io about to moonsault when Bianca tags herself in. That pisses Io off and she hits Bianca with a springboard dropkick. Rhea tags in and wins the match with the Rip Tide. Next week a battle royal will determine the next challenger for the NXT Women's Championship. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Mutual Benefit

Artist:Mutual Benefit
Song:Strong River
Album:Love's Crushing Diamond





Mutual Benefit started out as a home recording project. By the 2013 album Love's Crushing Diamond it became a band and they have had some indie success. The guy behind Mutual Benefit is Columbus, OH native Jordan Lee. He started writing in high school influenced by Elliott Smith. After graduating from high school, Lee moved to Texas and then Boston where he started working on Mutual Benefit in earnest. After posting music on Bandcamp, Lee moved to St. Louis to work on Love's Crushing Diamond. That's when he turned it into a band. The personnel is fluid but violinist Jake Falby and drummer Dillon Zahner appeared on the album and still are part of Mutual Benefit. Lee released Love's Crushing Diamond on limited edition vinyl on his own label. After it got rave reviews from critics, Lee signed with Fat Possum's Other label and it was released as a digital download. This was never released on CD. I would describe Lee's music as neo psychedelic electronic folk. Lee has released a total of four albums as Mutual Benefit. His latest album Thunder Follows The Light was released in 2018 on Transgressive Records. Mutual Benefit toured last fall. Lee may be working in new music. Here's Mutual Benefit performing Strong River on KEXP in Seattle Jan. 22, 2014.

Loma Lookboonmee vs Hannah Goldy added to Feb. 22 UFC show

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See you soon New Zealand! #ufcaukland

A post shared by Hannah Goldy (@hannahgoldy) on Jan 8, 2020 at 10:37am PST

The New Zealand Herald reported today that Loma Lookboonmee vs Hannah Goldy has been added to UFC on ESPN+ 26 Feb. 22 at the Spark Arena in Auckland, New Zealand. This fight will be at Strawweight. Loma is 23 years old from Thailand. She trains with George Hickman at Tiger Muay Thai. Her record is 4-1. She's an experienced Muay Thai fighter attempting to cross over to MMA. I think she's green at MMA and she's an Atomweight trying to fight at Strawweight. She won her UFC debut when Aleksandra Albu didn't take her out of her comfort zone. I have doubts about Hannah doing that too. She's 27 years old from Tampa. Her record is 5-1. After failing to win a UFC contract on Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series, she lost in her UFC debut to Miranda Granger. Hannah lacked aggression. She needs to improve in that area to stay in the UFC.