Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Viktoriya Dudakova vs Maria Silva

Here's the fight video of Viktoriya Dudakova vs Maria Silva from last night's Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series (DWTNCS). This fight is at Strawweight. Viktoriya is 23 years old from Volgograd, Russia. Her record is 6-0. As you will see, she came into this fight with a knee injury. Maria is 28 years old from Fortaleza, Brazil. She was in DWTNCS last year. She won the fight but didn't get a contract. Viktoriya won the first and third round. Maria won round two. I didn't think either of them did enough to get a contract. But Viktoriya did get a contract. I'm sure her looks were a big factor. And of course she fought through a knee injury. So check out the fight for yourself. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Brand New

Artist:Brand New

Song:The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows

Album:Deja Entendu

Brand New was a post punk band who had success mostly through MTV playing their videos. They came along at the tail end of the punk emo movement so they needed to adjust their sound for longevity. Brand New is from Levittown, Long Island, NY. Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Jesse Lacey was a founding member of Taking Back Sunday. He formed Rookie Lot with bassist Garrett Tierney and drummer Brian Lane. Though that band didn't last long, the three continued to rehearse together until they added guitarist Vincent Accardi from the band One Last Goodbye. Brand New started playing locally. And a demo got them a deal with Triple Crown Records for the 2001 album Your Favorite Weapon. The album did well enough that Razor & Tie picked up the 2003 album Deja Entendu for national distribution. The album was certified Gold. The video for The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows was in heavy rotation on MTV and that resulted in modest chart success and a new record deal with DreamWorks who were soon taken over by Interscope. BTW, the girl in the video is Alison Haslip of Attack of the Show! and The Voice. There were certainly high expectations at Interscope and I guess Brand New didn't meet them as they were dropped after two albums. After plenty of uncertainty, Brand New released a 2017 album on their own label. Then they split up after Lacey was accused of past sexual misconduct. He seems to be in hiding. Here's the video for The Quiet Things That No One Ever Knows by Brand New.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez vs Iyo Sky and Dakota kai

Here's the match video of Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez vs Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai from last night's episode of RAW. This is the final of the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. The finish of this match was completely botched. And the other thing I really hate is Aliyah disappearing for most of the match . They did this on Friday too. I understand they are trying to sell Raquel as a monster. This is the wrong approach. I don't give a damn who they think Raquel is. She should not kick out of Iyo's moonsault. Some finishers should be protected. Then there was this overbooked nonsense of Bianca Belair, Asuka and Alexa Bliss heading off Bayley's interference. That feeds into this Saturday's match. Then the botched finish where Aliyah tags in, disappears again and emerges to roll up Dakota for the win. Except Iyo was the legal person at the time. BTW, the ref will get fined for the botched finish. Some fans are rationalizing this nonsense with the expectation that Sasha Banks and Naomi will return soon. I won't do that. The finish was garbage. Check it out for yourself. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jessie Hill

Artist:Jessie Hill

Song:Ooh Poo Pah Doo

Album:Walkin' to New Orleans

The 1960 single Ooh Poo Pah Doo was a top 30 pop hit and a top five R&B hit. It was the only big hit for Jessie Hill. One of his other songs charted so he is not technically a one hit wonder. He was born Dec. 9, 1932 in New Orleans. Hill started out as drummer for Professor Longhair and Huey "Piano" Smith. But by 1958 he started his own band so he could concentrate on singing. Ooh Poo Pah Doo was performed by a local pianist known as Big Four. Hill wrote down the lyrics and worked on the song with New Orleans music legend Dave Bartholomew. The single was produced by Allen Toussaint for Minit Records. Ooh Poo Pah Doo became a Mardi Gras favorite. It reached #3 on the R&B Singles chart and #28 on the Billboard Hot 100. Hill's second single Whip It On Me charted briefly but that was about it for Hill. He also recorded for Downey, Chess and Pulsar with no success. He moved to California in the late 60s to write songs for producer Harold Battiste. He wrote songs with Dr. John and Willie Nelson. After an unsuccessful 1972 album for Blue Thumb Records, Hill returned to New Orleans where a drinking problem led to health problems. He drove a cab for a while. But things got worse until Hill died on Sept. 17, 1996 at age 63. You can get Ooh Poo Pah Doo on this various artists budget comp from the Beach Music label Ripete. Ooh Poo Pah Doo has been covered by many artists including Hill's grandson Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews who performed it on an episode of the HBO series Treme. Here's a video for Ooh Poo Pah Doo by Jessie Hill.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-James Arthur

Artist:James Arthur

Song:Say You Won't Let Go

Album:Back from the Edge

Since winning the 2012 season of X Factor, singer songwriter James Arthur has been very successful in his native England. To date, the 2016 single Say You Won't Let Go is his only US chart single. He was born Mar. 2, 1988 in Middlesboriugh, North Yorkshire, England. After his parents divorce, he lived with each of them at different times. He lived in Bahrain with his mother and stepfather for four years. Arthur was in several unsuccessful bands before he released recordings as The James Arthur Project in 2011. Then he auditioned for X Factor and won that season. He signed with Simon Cowell's Syco label and the single Impossible topped the British charts. The album James Arthur was released in 2013 and it was certified Platinum. There was controversy regarding violent lyrics of a song called Follow the Leader. This was on a mixtape. Cowell was unhappy and this led to Arthur leaving Syco for Columbia for the 2016 album Back from the Edge. I guess Columbia wanted to break Arthur in the US. Say You Won't Let Go topped the British charts and reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is his only US chart single. Arthur wrote it with songwriters Neil Ormondy and Steve Solomon. The Script took legal action in 2018 claiming the song sounded too much like one of their songs. They got a songwriting credit. Most of Back from the Edge was produced by recording engineers Alex Beitzke and Bradley Spence. Arthur has since released two albums with diminishing returns in England. His current record deal is with Columbia in England and Germany concentrating on Europe. I just find that he sounds too much like other similar singers like Ed Sheeran for example. If he doesn't win X Factor, I doubt he gets a record deal. He's not distinctive enough. Here's the video for Say You Won't Let Go by James Arthur. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Scott Amendola Band

Artist:Scott Amendola Band

Song:Smarty Pants

Album:Believe

Drummer Scott Amendola is mainly a sideman but he has recorded a few albums as a leader including this 2005 album Believe. He was born Feb. 6, 1969 in Tenafly, NJ. He started playing drums at age nine. At first he was interested in rock. But then his guitarist grandfather Tony Gottuso introduced him to jazz. The album that got him into avant garde jazz was the 1986 album Song X by Ornette Coleman and Pat Metheny especially when he saw them live. So Amendola attended Berklee where he was classmates with Kurt Rosenwinkel. After graduating in 1992, Amendola moved to San Francisco where he met guitarist Charlie Hunter and was in his bands T.J. Kirk and then the Charlie Hunter Quartet. Amendola made his recording debut as a leader in 1999. He recorded three albums for Cryptogramophone Records. He was also a member of The Nels Cline Singers. By the time the 2005 album Believe was released, the band had expanded and there was crossover from Cline's band including Cline himself along with Jeff Parker on guitar. Other musicians were Jenny Scheinman on violin and John Shiflett on bass. Amendola still records occasionally as a leader on his own label. But he has recorded as a duet with organist Wil Blades and he is in several Bay area bands. Here's Scott Amendola with Jeff Parker and John Shifflett performing Smarty Pants at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, CA Oct. 28, 2010. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra

Artist:Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra f/Tonya Boyd-Cannon

Song:Jazz Party

Album:Jazz Party

Of course Delfeayo Marsalis is a member of a famous jazz family. He plays trombone. Though he records occasionally on his own label, he also appears as a sideman and with his brothers. He was born July 28, 1965 in New Orleans. His father was jazz pianist Ellis Marsalis Jr. His brothers are Wynton Marsalis (trumpet), Branford Marsalis (sax) and Jason Marsalis (drums). He started playing trombone in sixth grade. He studied at Berklee and holds a master's degree in jazz performance from the University of Louisville and has a doctorate from New England College. Marsalis toured with Ray Charles, Art Blakey and Abdullah Ibrahim. Then he got into producing albums for his brother Branford, Harry Connick Jr. and Marcus Roberts. Marsalis made his debut as a leader in 1992 on RCA's Novus label. He continues to record as a sideman with Branford, Elvin Jones and others. Marsalis has recorded on his own Troubador Jass label since 2006. Jazz Party is his latest album released in 2020. Marsalis is obviously going for a New Orleans party vibe. As it says in the video, guest singer Tonya Boyd-Cannon was a semi-finalist on The Voice. Also, he still produces and plays on albums by Wynton and Branford. Here's the video for Jazz Party by Delfeayo Marsalis and the Uptown Jazz Orchestra featuring Tonya Boyd-Cannon. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Seth Ennis

Artist:Seth Ennis

Song:Woke Up in Nashville

EP:Mabelle

Singer songwriter Seth Ennis charted with his 2016 debut single Woke Up in Nashville. Then he seemed to fall off the face of the earth. So what happened? Stay tuned. He was born Nov. 30, 1992 in Dothan, AL. He was in a military family so they moved a lot. He calls Valdosta, GA home. He learned to play piano as a child and as a teen he was writing songs. He moved to Nashville and signed with Arista Nashville in 2016. Woke Up in Nashville was his debut single. It reached #45 on the Country Singles chart. The producer was Corey Crowder who also produces Chris Young. Arista released the EP Mabelle which is available as a digital download. After a couple more singles, Arista dropped Ennis and that was the end of it. There was never an album. In a 2021 interview with People, Ennis doesn't seem to know why Arista dropped him. He was on tour at the time. But I'll take a guess that when subsequent singles didn't chart, Arista decided that Woke Up in Nashville was a fluke. It certainly doesn't sound like a typical country song. Ennis continued to write songs for Lauren Alaina and Dylan Scott among others. But he wasn't sure if he wanted to continue as a performer. His manager showed him that listeners were still streaming his music though he hadn't released anything for years. So Ennis has released a couple of singles on his own label. It remains to be seen where things go from there. Here's the video for Woke Up in Nashville by Seth Ennis.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Yvonne De Carlo

Artist:Yvonne De Carlo

Song:I'm Still Here

Album:Follies: Original Broadway Cast

Yvonne De Carlo had a long and storied film and TV career when she made her Broadway debut in the 1970 musical Follies. Though her appearance was memorable, it was Yvonne's only Broadway appearance. She was born Margaret Yvonne Middleton Sept. 1, 1922 in Vancouver. She didn't remember her father as he didn't stay very long. After he left, Yvonne took her mother's maiden name De Carlo. Her mother made sure she got singing and dancing lessons and by 1940 they made their way to Los Angeles. Eventually she signed with Paramount but she wasn't getting any of Dorothy Lamour's parts. So they either loaned her out to other studios or gave her bit parts. Her big break came when producer Walter Wanger screen tested her for the 1945 film Salome, Where She Danced and Universal signed her to a contract. When that film was a success, that set Yvonne's career in motion. She was still a backup to Maria Montez. But Yvonne made the most of her opportunities especially in the 1947 film Song of Scheherazade. She played a femme fatale in Mark Hellinger's 1949 film Criss Cross starring Burt Lancaster. She wanted more of that but Universal put her back in costume films. After leaving Universal, Yvonne continued to make occasional films. Starting in 1951, she appeared regularly at the Hollywood Bowl in among other things the opera Die Fledermaus conducted by film composer Franz Waxman. Mostly she appeared in B movies with the obvious exception of The Ten Commandments. When her film roles dried up, Yvonne started a nightclub act and recorded a couple of albums. She also started doing TV. And of course that led to her most famous role as Lili Munster in the popular sitcom The Munsters. She then made her Broadway debut as Carlotta Campion in Stephen Sondhem's Broadway musical Follies. I'm Still Here was her big song. It was her only Broadway appearance. Yvonne continued to appear in films, TV and on stage until her death on Jan. 8, 2007 at age 84. Here's Yvonne De Carlo performing I'm Still Here on the 1972 Tony Awards broadcast. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Denise Gomes vs Rayanne Amanda

Here's the fight video of Denise Gomes vs Rayanne Amanda from last night's Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series (DWTNCS). This fight is at Strawweight. Both are Brazilian. Denise trains at PRVT in Las Vegas. Rayanne trains at Marajo Brothers. Denise hit her hard enough that it should have knocked her out. Denise is very similar to Jessica Andrade and other PRVT fighters. So it was predictable and she got a UFC contract. The fight was OK. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Home Free

Artist:Home Free

Song:Crazy Life

Album:Crazy Life

After winning a record contract on a 2013 TV talent contest, Home Free has had success in country music. They are technically a cappella but they use drum machines in the studio. Home Free is from Mankato, MN led by brothers Chris and Adam Rupp. Adam Rupp is the only original member still in the group. Home Free started out as a hobby. But by 2007 the Rupps and Matt Atwood decided to pursue music full time. They self released five albums and toured. It looks like they did a lot of cruises. Atwood left when the tour schedule became too much for his family and he took over his family's real estate business. That's when Home Free entered the 2013 season of NBC's talent contest show The Sing-Off. They won which got them a record deal with Columbia. Crazy Life was their first album on Columbia. They decided to market themselves to the country market though there is nothing country about them. They released five albums on Columbia. Chris Rupp left to go solo in 2016. Since then Home Free has returned to self releasing albums, most recently in 2021. They are currently on tour. Here's the video for Crazy Life by Home Free. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai vs Alexa Bliss and Asuka

Here's the match video of Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai vs Alexa Bliss and Asuka from last night's episode of RAW. This was a semi final WWE Women's Tag Team Championship Tournament. This was a pretty good match marred only by Alexa's awful offense. I really liked some of Iyo's sneaky heel tactics. Plus she bust out her springboard dropkick. And she won with a distraction finish that I didn't like at first. But when I watched it again I thought it worked well within the concept of Iyo as chickenshit heel. It doesn't matter what others are doing in this tournament. Iyo and Dakota are winning. Enjoy the video! 

.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Weeknd

Artist:The Weeknd f/Daft Punk

Song:Starboy

Album:The Highlights

Abel "The Weeknd" Tesfaye ls one of today's top R&B artists. He has scored six #1 pop hits. The 2016 single Starboy is his second biggest hit. His latest album hasn't sold as well as previous albums. That could drive him to acting. He was born Feb. 16, 1990 in Toronto. His parents are Ethiopian immigrants. After his parents divorced, he was raised by his mother and grandmother. He didn't see much of his father. Tesfaye dropped out of school at age 17 and moved in with friends. there was a lot of drug abuse. He started posting music anonymously to YouTube in 2009. He met producer Jeremy Rose who produced three songs which he posted on YouTube. He says the name The Weeknd is about how he left home. The "e" was omitted to avoid trademark issues with the rock band The Weekend. Tesfaye started his own label in 2011 and released his first mixtape. He worked on Drake's 2011 album Take Care. He signed with Republic Records in 2012 and released his debut album Kiss Land in 2013. The album did OK but there were no hit singles. That changed when The Hills from the 2015 album Beauty Behind the Madness topped the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified 4XPlatinum. This continued with the 2016 album Starboy. The single Starboy topped the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified 4XPlatinum. Tesfaye went to Paris to record with Daft Punk. Obviously he was happy with the results. Since then Tesfaye's album sales have decreased. For one thing, there was an over three year gap between Starboy and the 2020 album After Hours. And It doesn't matter who we are talking about. That is too long a gap. Music fans have short memories. His 2022 album Dawn FM did even worse. The other thing I noticed is Tesfaye worked with different producers on each album. Starboy was produced mostly by Doc McKinney. But on the two recent albums, Tesfaye worked extensively with Swedish producer Max Martin. I dunno. The decrease in sales should concern him. There is talk he is looking to do more acting. Here's the video for Starboy by The Weeknd featuring Daft Punk. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day- Nick Gilder

Artist:Nick Gilder

Song:Hot Child in the City

Album:I Love Rock & Roll: Hits of the 70's Vol. 3

Hot Child in the City topped the charts in 1978. It was the biggest hit for Nick Gilder. He has also had success as a songwriter. He was born Dec.21, 1951 in London, England but he grew up in Vancouver. By the time his band Sweeney Todd scored a number one hit in Canada with the 1976 single Roxy Roller, Gilder and guitarist and songwriting partner James McCulloch had left Sweeney Todd. Gilder signed a solo record deal with Chrysalis Records. The 1978 single Hot Child in the City is from Gilder's second solo album City Nights. The album was produced by veteran British producer Mike Chapman. Gilder and McCulloch wrote all the songs including Hot Child in the City. It topped the Billboard Hot 100. The sexy music video was probably a big help. Gilder says the song is based on child prostitution he witnessed in Los Angeles. A couple of Gilder's other singles charted but he never had another big hit. You can get Hot Child in the City on this various artists budget comp from PolyGram's Priority label. Gilder recorded three albums for Chrysalis, two for Casablanca and a 1985 album for RCA. He tried to reform Sweeney Todd in the late 90s and has attempted recording solo with no success. He still performs live. Gilder has had success as a songwriter. He co-wrote with Holly Knight The Warrior which topped the charts in 1984 for Scandal featuring Patty Smyth. Here's the video for Hot Child in the City by Nick Gilder.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater- Lucie Pudilova vs Wu Yanan

Here's The match video of Lucie Pudilova vs Wu Yanan from last night's UFC show in Salt Lake City. This fight is at Bantamweight. This fight was moved to the main card a few days ago. It should have been on the prelims. This marks Lucie's return to the UFC. She was released in 2020 after going 2-5. Since then she has fought in her home country of Czech Republic. And she is now training with John Kavanaugh at SBG Ireland. He's Conor McGregor's coach. I'm sure that got her back in the UFC. Lucie is mostly a kickboxer. Yanan has gone 1-5 in the UFC. She's on a four fight losing streak. She trains with Mike Winkeljohn at Jackson Wink in New Mexico. Yanan is attractive and she has charisma. But she's a terrible fighter. And I didn't see anything from her in this fight to make me think she should be in the UFC. Lucie won round one and then finished in round two with elbows. Obviously I need to see her against better competition. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Chemical Brothers

Artist:The Chemical Brothers

Song:Block Rockin' Beats

Album:Singles 93-03

The Chemical Brothers were one of several Electronic Dance Music (EDM) acts who came to the forefront in the late 90s. The 1997 single Block Rockin' Beats was one of two singles to top the British charts. The Chemical Brothers are from Manchester, England. Ed Simons and Tom Rowlands met in 1989 while both were attending the University of Manchester. Rowlands already was in the band Ariel and he was attending school mainly so he could go to clubs. After releasing a few disappointing singles, Ariel split up. Simons and Rowlands started DJing at a local club calling themselves The Dust Brothers as a tribute. When they ran out of records, they started making their own using a sampler and a keyboard. They released a couple of singles and started doing remixes. They were one of several EDM acts to establish the "Big Beat" sound typified by the single Chemical Beats. They toured in 1995 and they changed their name to Chemical Brothers so they wouldn't get sued. After releasing the 1995 album Exit Planet Dust, The Chemical Brothers signed with Virgin Records for the 1997 album Dig Your Own Hole. The singles Setting Sun featuring Noel Gallagher and Block Rockin' Beats both topped the British Singles chart. The main sample on Block Rockin' Beats was from the 1989 Schoolly D record Gucci Again. There were other samples but that is the only one to get a credit. The Chemical Brothers continued to have chart success in England. They are still around but they aren't as successful. Their latest album was released in 2019. This budget comp covers their early recordings. A 2CD 25th anniversary edition of Dig Your Own Hole was released a couple of months ago. Here's the video for Block Rockin' Beats by The Chemical Brothers. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ultimate Painting

Artist:Ultimate Painting

Song:Monday Morning, Somewhere Central

Album:Dusk

The British duo Ultimate Painting came about when Jack Cooper's band Mazes was opening for James Hoare's band Veronica Falls in 2013. The two guitarists decided to team up and make 60s influenced acoustic music. The first song they recorded was Ultimate Painting named after a 60s art commune. The music was just the two of them in the studio. They hired musicians for touring. They signed with the indie label Trouble In Mind and released the 2014 album Ultimate Painting. They went on a world tour. Monday Morning, Somewhere Central is from the 2016 album Dusk. This was their third album. They signed with the British label Bella Union and were working on a new album when Cooper announced that Ultimate Painting was splitting up and the album was cancelled. Cooper has formed a new band with Jeff Tobias called Modern Nature that seems to be jazz influenced and improvisational. They have released four albums on Bella Union. Hoare has joined The Proper Ornaments and appeared on their last couple of albums. So it looks like Cooper's change in musical direction caused the Ultimate Painting split. Fans of of neo psychedelia should check them out. Here's the video for Monday Morning, Somewhere Central by Ultimate Painting.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The New Pornographers

Artist:The New Pornographers

Song:Brill Bruisers

Album:Brill Bruisers

The New Pornographers are a successful indie band from Vancouver. All the various members are involved in other projects so they like to come across as a loose collective. The leader of The New Pornographers is Carl Newman. He writes most of the songs and is the main lead singer. He was in the bands Superconductor and Zumpano. He also records solo as A.C. Newman. The other members at the beginning were guitarist Dan Bejar and bassist John Collins from Destroyer, singer Neko Case and drummer Blaine Thurier. The uncertainty started when Neko left Vancouver and started her solo career. So when she has been unavailable, Newman's niece Kathryn Calder filled in for her. Another example is Dan Bejar was unavailable for the 2017 album Whiteout Conditions as he was recording a Destroyers album. But he's still in the band. Brill Bruisers was the first single for the 2014 album Brill Bruisers. It was The New Pornographers final album for Matador Records. They now record on their own label distributed by Concord. Their latest album In the Morse Code of Brake Lights was released in 2019. The New Pornographers are probably due for a new album but they are currently on tour. Check them out if they are coming your way. Here's The New Pornographers performing Brill Bruisers on Late Night with David Letterman Sept. 4, 2014. 

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Todd Galberth

Artist:Todd Galberth

Song:Lord You Are Good

Album:Decrease

Gospel artist Todd Galberth had released a couple of albums when his 2016 single Lord You Are Good came out of nowhere to top Billboard's Gospel Digital Song chart. Galberth has had success as a songwriter but I'm sure he was surprised by the song's success. He was born Dec. 18,1981 in Raeford, NC. As a teen, he was the youth worship leader at his church and he also appeared in some gospel plays that he wrote. Then he decided to get serious about music. He released the 2006 album Private Chambers on his own label. Then he released the 2014 album Live Through It on eOne's Light label. He appeared on albums by James Fortune & FIYA. Galberth became pastor at Redemption in Greenville, SC. And that's When Lord You Are Good became a hit. It has that anthemic feel that gospel songs need to catch on these days. Decrease is Galberth's latest album. He continues to have success as a songwriter with Fortune, Isaac Carree and especially Tasha Cobbs Leonard. And writing for others may be where Galberth's future lies. Here's the video for Lord You Are Good by Todd Galberth.

 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Hailey Cowan vs Claudia Leite

Here's the match video of Hailey Cowan vs Claudia Leite from last night's Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series (DWTNCS). This fight is at Bantamweight. Hailey is one of those fighters who looks good. But can she fight?. She's 30 years old from Waco, TX. She trains at Blitz MMA. Her coach Jake Brennan is also her boyfriend. She won in Invicta in January. Claudia is 25 years old from Santa Catarina, Brazil. She trains at Astra Fight Team. It's similar to last week in that Claudia has no experience outside Brazil. So obviously the setup is Hailey is supposed to win. And fortunately she performed well enough to win that UFC contract. Afterwards, Dana White said she has the "it" factor. We'll see how she does against better competition. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-All Time Low

Artist:All Time Low

Song:Weightless

Album:Nothing Personal

Fans of bands like Blink-182 will want to check out All Time Low. The big difference is All Time Low has never had that big hit single though they are a successful album and touring band. All Time Low are from Townson, MD. They went to high school together. The lineup is Alex Gaskarth on vocals and guitar, Jack Barakat on guitar, Zack Merrick on bass and Rian Dawson on drums. After releasing an EP and an album, they performed a showcase for Fueled by Ramen owner John Janick. He liked them but couldn't sign them at the time for financial reasons. So they signed with Hopeless Records. They released the 2007 album So Wrong, It's Right and toured to support it. They were featured on MTV and appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. They were named Band of the Year by Alternative Press and appeared on the cover of the Jan. 2009 issue. The momentum continued with the 2009 album Nothing Personal and the single Weightless. The album was certified Gold. All Time Low writes their own songs usually with a producer. Weightless was produced by Matt Squire. Other producers on the album were Butch Walker, S*A*M and Sluggo and David Bendeth. All Time Low's only problem is they have never been able to get that big hit single to launch them into a different stratosphere. They are still successful. But I'm sure they would like to be bigger. All Time Low is currently signed to Fueled by Ramen and their latest album Wake Up, Sunshine was released in 2020. At this point, they are self producing. All Time Low is currently on tour. Here's the video for Weightless by All Time Low. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Asuka and Alexa Bliss vs Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop

Here's the match video of Asuka and Alexa Bliss vs Nikki A.S.H. and Doudrop from last night's episode of RAW. This was from the first round of the WWE Women's Tag Team Tournament. Not surprisingly, Asuka carried the match. A few fans asked me why Alexa was barely in this match. And the correct answer is she isn't much of a wrestler. Plus she's concussion prone. So this match should tell you how Alexa will be used in the future. This match went about as expected. I was glad that Asuka didn't do all the work and then Alexa gets the fall. They will face Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai in the next round who I expect will win the whole thing. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ryan Cohan

Artist:Ryan Cohan

Song:Joshua

Album:Another Look

Jazz pianist Ryan Cohan made his debut as a leader in 1996. Before that he had success as a sideman, composer and arranger. He was born June 6, 1971 in Chicago. Cohan's mother was a music teacher. The first thing she did was teach him to read sheet music. Cohan took violin lessons and switched to piano in high school. He earned a Bachelor in Music in jazz performance at DePaul University and he attended Skidmore College in Sarasota Springs, NY. Cohan worked as a sideman with Ramsey Lewis, Freddie Hubbard, Milt Hinton and Jon Faddis. Cohan signed with Motema Music in 2007. Joshua is from his 2010 album Another Look. Though Cohan wrote most of the songs on the album, Joshua was written by vibraphonist Victor Feldman for the Miles Davis album Seven Steps to Heaven. Musicians on this album are Joe Locke on vibraphone, Geof Bradfield on sax and clarinet, Lorin Cohen on bass, Kobie Watkins on drums and Steve Kroon on percussion. Cohan recorded three albums for Motema. His 2020 album Originations is on Origins Records. Bradfield also records for Origins. They continue to work a lot together. Here's Ryan Cohan with Steve Wilson and John Ellis on sax, Alex Sipiagin on trumpet, Lorin Cohen on bass and Donald Edwards on drums performing Joshua at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City Sept. 16, 2015. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rick Price

Artist:Rick Price

Song:Heaven Knows

Album:Heaven Knows

Not to be confused with The Move and ELO bassist Rick Price, this Rick Price had chart success in his native Australia in the early 90s. The 1992 single Heaven Knows was one of two top ten hits. He was born July 6, 1961 in Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia. As a child he toured with his family band Union Beau. They played local bush dances. At age 18 Price moved to Sydney where he became a session bassist and an in demand background singer. He joined Tommy Emmanuel's band in 1988. Then he sang Celebration for a Nation with Karen Minshull for the Australian Bicentenary. Price decided to launch a solo career. He started writing songs and he signed with Columbia in 1991. He recorded his debut album Heaven Knows in Los Angeles with veteran recording engineer and producer Chris Lord-Alge. Price's debut single Not a Day Goes By reached #5 on the Australian chart and Heaven Knows reached #6. The album was certified Platinum. Price wrote most of the songs with co-writers. Heaven Knows was written with background singer Heather Field. Columbia attempted to market Price outside Australia but he sounds too much like Richard Marx to get anywhere. He continued to chart in Australia. After three albums for Columbia, Price recorded for his own label until he recorded an album with the popular Aussie singer Jack Jones. That got him a new deal with Sony Australia. Price's latest album Soulville is an album of 60s covers. Here's the video for Heaven Knows by Rick Price. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Nina Nunes vs Cynthia Calvillo

Here's the match video of Nina Nunes vs Cynthia Calvillo from last night's UFC show in San Diego. This fight is at Flyweight. Of course Nina is married to champ champ Amanda Nunes. She's an OK but not great fighter. Cynthia is on a three fight losing streak. So she could be on the chopping block. These days she trains at AKA in San Jose. With that in mind, Cynthia should have come out guns a blazing trying to get a win. But she didn't. There was no urgency. Nina won the fight by split decision but I scored it in her favor 30-27. And then Nina retired. She says she wants to have more kids. Maybe Cynthia inadvertently retired too. She looked awful. Enjoy the video!

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Priscila Cachoeira vs Ariane Lipski

Here's the match video of Priscila Cachoeira vs Ariane Lipski from last night's UFC show in San Diego. This fight was supposed to be at Flyweight last week. But Ariane missed weight and then got sick. So the UFC moved it and made it at Bantamweight. Priscila is a teammate of Jessica Andrade at PRVT. They are all from Brazil but train in Las Vegas. Ariane is a Brazilian best known for her KSW days. She has been a disappointment in the UFC. These days she trains at ATT. The fight didn't last long. Priscila is a hard puncher and all she has to do is land one good shot and it's over. I was not surprised. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Angela Hill vs Loopy Godinez

Here's the fight video of Angela Hill vs Loopy Godinez from last night's UFC show in San Diego. This was at a 120lb catchweight. The fight was scheduled for October and moved when a couple of other fights dropped off the card. Angela trains at Alliance in San Diego. Loopy was born in Mexico but lives in Vancouver. Both fighters are midcard low level fighters. But I think if Loopy watches the video, she will kick herself all the way home to Vancouver. She started out OK and won round one. But then she took her foot off the gas and lost a fight that she should have won. Of course Angela's corner read her the riot act after round one and asked her if she wanted to lose again by not doing enough. So she squeaked out a win. Since neither fighter will ever be a title contender, it means nothing in the big picture. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Yazmin Jauregui vs Iasmin Lucindo

Here's the fight video of Yazmin Jauregui vs Iasmin Lucindo from last night's UFC show in San Diego. This fight is at Strawweight. Both fighters are making their UFC debuts. Yazmin is from Mexico. She trains at Entram which is the biggest gym in Mexico. Last year she won a one night tournament in Combate Global. Iasmin is 20 years old from Bahia, Brazil. She is a teammate of Virna Jandiroba at Academia Fight House. She has fought in the regional Brazilian scene. This fight was set up so the Mexican would win near the border. Yazmin had fought a higher calibre of fighter so she had better poise and won fairly easily. Iasmin can take a lot of abuse. And keep in mind she was a short notice replacement. So Yazmin looked really good but I would like to see how she does against better competition. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-David Tomlinson

Artist:David Tomlinson f/Dick Van Dyke

Song:Let's Go Fly a Kite

Album:Walt Disney's Mary Poppins Special Edition

David Tomlinson was a British character actor known for appearances in a couple of Walt Disney films. He was so memorable in these films that he was named a Disney Legend in 2002. He was born May 7, 1917 in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England. His father was a respected solicitor. Tomlinson started out in amateur stage productions. He made his film debut in Quiet Wedding in 1940. Tomlinson was a Flight Lieutenant in the RAF during WWII. And he continued to fly post war. His film career was fairly anonymous until he appeared as George Banks in the 1964 film Mary Poppins. I'm pretty sure that's Tomlinson's most memorable role. He also appeared in the 1968 film The Love Bug and the 1971 film Bedknobs and Broomsticks. Tomlinson retired from acting after the 1980 film The Fiendish Plot of Dr. Fu Mamchu. He died on June 24, 2000 at age 83. The Mary Poppins soundtrack is available in this 2004 2CD Special Edition. The second CD has demos and interviews with The Sherman Brothers. It's available as a budget CD. Here's David Tomlinson featuring Dick Van Dyke performing Let's Go Fly a Kite in the 1964 film Mary Poppins. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Nik Kershaw

Artist:Nik Kershaw

Song:Wouldn't It Be Good

Album:Anthology

When Nik Kershaw had success with his 1984 debut album Human Racing and the single Wouldn't It Be Good, he seemed to have star potential. When he faded in the late 80s, he continued to have success as a songwriter. Most of Kershaw's success has been in his native England. He was born Mar. 1, 1958 in Bristol, England. His father played flute and his mother sang opera. Kershaw taught himself to play guitar. He was in the jazz funk band Fusion. When they split up in 1982, an ad in Melody Maker got him manager Mickey Modern and Modern got him a record deal with MCA. When Kershaw's 1983 single I Won't Let the Sun Go Down on Me charted in England and Europe, MCA thought they had something. Kershaw's debut album Human Racing was produced by Peter Collins who would soon move to Canada and have great success with Rush. Wouldn't It Be Good reached #4 on the British Singles chart and #46 on the Billboard Hot 100. But as I said, most of Kershaw's success was in England. He scored five top ten hits. He performed on Live Aid in 1985. But by his 1989 album The Works, Kershaw faded and he left MCA after four albums. Kershaw's song The One and Only appeared in the film Buddy's Song and it was a number one hit in England for the film's star Chesney Hawkes. Kershaw worked on Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks' 1991 album Still, Elton John's 1993 album Duets and a couple of albums by CCM artist Michael W. Smith. Kershaw released a couple of albums on Eagle Rock and a couple on his own label. His 2020 album Oxymoron is on eOne's Audio Network label. This budget comp covers Kershaw's MCA albums. Here's the video for Wouldn't It Be Good by Nik Kershaw.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Caravelles

Artist:The Caravelles

Song:You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry

Album:The Best of the Girl Groups Vol. 2

You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry was a top five hit in 1963. It was the only big hit for the British girl group The Caravelles. One other song charted so they were not technically a one hit wonder. Lois Wilkinson and Andrea Simpson were co-workers who entertained at office parties. Encouraged by co-workers, they cut a demo of You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry which they found on the B side of the Tennessee Ernie Ford classic Sixteen Tons. They called themselves The Caravelles after the French airplane. B.P.R. Records owner Harry Robinson liked the demo enough to record it professionally. Robinson was an arranger who worked with Tommy Steele among others. He sold it to Decca's Ritz label and it reached #6 on the British Singles chart. Decca sold it to Smash Records for the US and it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry was written by veteran songwriters Bob Merrill and Terry Shand and first recorded by Moon Mullican in 1950. Ernest Tubb scored a top ten country hit with the song. The Caravelles released an album but subsequent singles went nowhere. After several unsuccessful singles for Polydor, The Caravelles split up. Lois renamed herself Lois Lane and released an unsuccessful 1968 album for Mercury. Andrea took on a new partner and continued to perform as The Caravelles for many years. You can get You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry on this Rhino various artists budget comp. Here's The Caravelles performing You Don't Have To Be a Baby To Cry on French TV 1968.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Carl Dobkins Jr.

Artist:Carl Dobkins Jr. 

Song:My Heart Is An Open Book

Album:Teenage Crush

My Heart Is An Open Book reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1959. It was the only big hit for Carl Dobkins Jr. but some of his other songs charted so he's not a one hit wonder. I think most fans have heard this song on oldies radio but know nothing about Dobkins. He was born Jan. 13, 1941 in Cincinnati. His parents were amateur musicians from the Appalachians who moved to the big city for a better life. Dobkins learned to play ukulele and then guitar. He started to write songs as a teen and led a band called The Seniors. Dobkins cut a demo and local DJ Gil Sheppard offered to manage Dobkins. After false starts with Fraternity and King, Sheppard sold the masters to Decca. After If You Don't Want My Lovin' was a regional hit, Decca sent Dobkins to Nashville to work with Patsy Cline's producer Owen Bradley. My Heart Is An Open Book was the first single and it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was written by Hal David and Lee Pockriss. David would go on to great success writing with Burt Bacharach. Pockriss wrote the Perry Como hit Catch a Falling Star. Though a few of Dobkins' singles charted, he was never able to repeat the success of My Heart Is An Open Book. Though Jasmine released a Carl Dobkins Jr. comp last year, you can get My Heart Is An Open Book on this Ace Records various artists budget comp. Dobkins also recorded for Atco and Colpix and he toured the oldies circuit until his death on Apr. 8, 2020 at age 79. Here's a video for My Heart Is An Open Book by Carl Dobkins Jr. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Karolina Wojcik vs Sandra Lavado

Here's the match video of Karolina Wojcik vs Sandra Lavado from last night's Dana White Tuesday Night Contender Series (DWTNCS). This fight is at Strawweight. Karolina is 27 years old from Krakow, Poland. Her record is 9-2 mostly in KSW. Sandra is 28 years old from Lima, Peru. Her record is 10-3. She has fought mostly in Mexico. To earn a UFC contract, one of these two had to finish. And after looking at their records, neither of them are finishers. When the fight started and they started tentatively pawing at each other, I wondered what these two were doing on DWTNCS. Though Karolina won easily by unanimous decision, she did not earn a contract. Check it out for yourself. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ian O'Brien

Artist:Ian O'Brien

Song:Monkey Jazz

Album:The Rebirth of Cool Vol. 7

Ian O'Brien is a music scholar who liked Techno enough to start making his own jazz influenced music that was successful in London dance clubs in the late 90s. He was born in 1973 in Southend, Essex, England. He started out doing remixes with Asad Rizvi as Memory Tree. Then he recorded the 1997 album Desert Scores which included singles like Monkey Jazz. For fans of Techno, this is considered a landmark release. O'Brien released three albums from 1996-2001. He went back to doing remixes and producing acts like Lisa Stansfield. Later he moved to Tokyo and released the 2013 album Understanding is Everything which is improvised keyboard jazz. O'Brien is still doing occasional remixes. But there's still a nostalgiac fondness for tracks like Monkey Jazz which you can get on this various artists budget comp. Here's a video for Monkey Jazz by Ian O'Brien.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai vs Dana Brooke and Tamina

Here's the match video of Iyo Sky and Dakota Kai vs Dana Brooke and Tamina from last night's episode of RAW. This is the first round of the WWE Women's Tag Team Tournament. They announced this last night and the teams were thrown together with the exception of Iyo and Dakota. They are obvious favorites to win. And they looked great. The match was semi competitive. Tamina probably got in more offense than she deserved. Iyo is tremendous and she finishes things off with the moonsault. I think they will win the tournament. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-One eskimO

Artist:One eskimO

Song:Kandi

Album:One eskimO

British singer songwriter Kristian Leontiou was having success as a solo artist when after a split with his record company, he decided to turn it into the band One eskimO and release a 2009 album on his own label. Despite the success of the single Kandi, One eskimO have not released a second album and their future is unclear. Leontiou was born Feb. 1982 in London. He worked day jobs while working on his music. He signed with Polydor and his 2004 debut single Story of My Life reached #9 on the British Singles chart. Some media outlets were calling Leontiou "the new Dido". So you can imagine what Polydor is thinking. The 2005 album Some Day Soon was certified Gold in England. After a meeting in the US with Island Def Jam chairman LA Reid, Leontiou decided to split with Polydor. He must have thought his music was too commercial. It appears the original plan was to record solo on his own label. But then he decided to form One eskimO with Pete Rinaldi on guitar, Jamie Sefton on bass and Adam Falkner on drums. After the 2007 single Hometime was used in a Toyota commercial, the 2009 album One eskimO was released. The single Kandi is a tribute to the 1971 Candi Staton single He Called Me Baby. It did OK but to date this is the only One eskimO album. They continued to play live until 2020 which is the last time they posted on Facebook. To me it looks like One eskimO is through and Leontiou may have quit the music business. Here's the video for Kandi by One eskimO. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Switch

Artist:Switch

Song:Perfection

Album:Better View: Deluxe Edition

So this group called Switch is a CCM group and a spinoff of Life.Church in Edmond, OK. Craig Groeschel is the senior pastor. Life.Church started a music ministry in 2008 on their own Dream label with Universal distribution. They have released four albums. Four members of this group decided to start Switch in 2018. The lead singer is Cassidy Estevez along with husband Rob Estevez, Ashten Wellmen and Luke Guevera. Billboard named Switch the Top New Christian Artist in 2019. This was followed by the 2020 album Symphony. Of course this zoomed to the top of the CCM chart. Perfection is from their new album Better View. So this is where I get annoyed with these people. First Perfection was released as a single. Then Better View was released as a two part EP. Then in May the two were combined in a deluxe edition available as a digital download. It just seems like a cash grab to me. They know the faithful are going mindlessly lap everything up. As for the music, Switch is supposed to be a more mature sound than usual. I'm probably the wrong guy to ask as all these P&W groups sound the same to me. Switch is certainly getting plenty of CCM radio play. Here's the video for Perfection by Switch. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Mayra Bueno Silva vs Stephanie Egger

Here's the match video of Mayra Bueno Silva vs Stephanie Egger from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Bantamweight. Mayra is from Sao Paulo, Brazil. She's a pretty good fighter. Stephanie is from Switzerland. She has an armbar but not much else. So they are on the ground and suddenly Mayra screams that Stephanie tapped. But ref Chris Tognoni didn't see it. So they go to video replay. When there doesn't seem to be a decent camera angle, the judges are polled. Ron McCarthy says he saw Stephanie tap and Herb Dean confirms this. So Mayra wins the fight. The procedure is the fight can't be restarted. it's either a win for Mayra or a no contest. Needless to say, very unusual but it shouldn't surprise you that I knew the video replay procedure. I have to keep on top of this stuff.   

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Cory McKenna vs Miranda Grainger

Here's the match video for Cory McKenna vs Miranda Grainger from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Strawweight. Cory is from Wales but she trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. Her big problem is she should be fighting at Atomweight. That's why she lost her last fight. Miranda probably shouldn't be in the UFC. So this is a way to get Cory a win. And win she does with a second round Von Flue choke that she got through Miranda's ineptitude. It doesn't make me think that Cory can beat a ranked Strawweight. Enjoy the video! 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Juliana Miller vs Brogan Walker

Here's the fight video of Juliana Miller vs Brogan Walker from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This is the Flyweight final of TUF 30. For the most part, the fighters on the show were not very good. Juliana is 28 years old. She trains at 10th Planet in San Diego with Liz Carmouche etc. Manny Hernandez is head coach. Brogan is older and more experienced but not very good. I've seen her in Invicta. She's from Guam. Juliana gets top position in round one but does nothing with it. Fortunately, Keith Peterson is the ref so he won't stand them up. Juliana wins round one 10-9. She also wins round two. In round three, Juliana gets top control as she did in round one. Except this time she gets a ground and pound finish. I guess she thought she already won the fight. She might as well get the cherry on top with a finish. She could have done that in round one but fighters don't want to risk anything these days. So I didn't think much of the fight or the finish. Stop playing it safe. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rascal Flatts

Artist:Rascal Flatts

Song:Life Is a Highway

Album:Twenty Years of Rascal Flatts: The Greatest Hits

Rascal Flatts scored a top ten pop hit with this 2006 cover of Tom Cochrane's Life Is a Highway. It's unusual for a couple of reasons. As far as I can tell, they rarely recorded covers. It's also the only time they recorded a song for a film. So that makes it a discography orphan though it's easy to find. I think it was a surprise hit single for Disney. Rascal Flatts were on Disney owned Lyric Street Records at the time. They were asked to record a song for the 2006 film Cars. Randy Newman composed the score. John Mayer recorded a cover of Route 66 for the film. Disney shot a video for Life Is a Highway and released it as a single. The record did so many digital downloads that it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100. I guess it was a big windfall for Cochrane too. Though the record was never released to country radio, it still reached #18 on the Country Singles chart. Disney was forced to add it as a bonus track to later pressings of the 2006 Rascal Flatts album Me and My Gang. It also won Favorite Song from a Movie at The People's Choice Awards. Life Is a Highway appeared on the 2008 CD Greatest Hits though I recommend the 2020 CD Twenty Years of Rascal Flatts as it more up to date. I just think the record's success was a big surprise and that makes it a discography orphan. Here's the video for Life Is a Highway by Rascal Flatts.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dreezy

Artist:Dreezy f/Jeremih

Song:Body

Album:No Hard Feelings

Rapper and singer Seandrea "Dreezy" Sledge scored a top ten R&B hit with the 2016 single Body. After two albums for Interscope, she left to start her own label. I'm not sure that was a good idea. She was born Mar. 28, 1994 in Chicago. She got into singing and writing as a child and then rapping as a teen. J. Cole is her main influence. After making guest appearances with rappers Sasha Go Hard and Lil Durk, Seandrea released a couple of mixtapes. After Vice Magazine named her Princess of Chicago Rap and Interscope signed her Dec. 2014. After releasing a couple of 2015 EPs, Seandrea's debut album No Hard Feelings was released in 2016. The single Body featuring rapper Jeremih reached #62 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #8 on the R&B Singles chart. It was certified Platinum. Jeremih is featured prominently on the record so it makes me think his fans were a lot of the audience for this record. Seandrea wrote all the songs on the album with various producers. Body was produced and co-written by Michael "BloodPop" Tucker. He has worked with Madonna, Justin Bieber and especially Lady Gaga. Of course Jeremih got a songwriting credit and so did Brittany "Starrah" Hazzard who has written hits for Rihanna among others. Other guests on the album include Gucci Mane, Wale and T-Pain. This album is available as a digital download. When Seandrea's 2019 album Big Dreez didn't do as well as the first album, she left Interscope to start her own label. She is now working exclusively with producer Hit-Boy and the album Hitgirl was released May 2022. Though it's not clear why Seandrea left Interscope, there may have been management changes there and the new regime may have not been happy with her creative direction. Just guessing but that happens at big record companies. I think she will have a tough time promoting herself. She could write and produce for others. Here's the video for Body by Dreezy featuring Jeremih.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Norah Jones

Artist:Norah Jones

Song:Don't Know Why

Album:Come Away With Me/Feels Like Home

When Norah Jones' 2002 debut album Come Away with Me sold 27 million copies worldwide, it was one of the most unlikely success stories in recent memory. Though Norah is on a jazz label, I don't think she is a jazz artist. Her music is similar to Carole King and other 70s singer songwriters. She was born Mar. 30, 1979 in New York City. She is the daughter of Indian music legend Ravi Shankar. After her parents split up, she grew up with her mom in Grapevine, TX. She grew up singing in church and took piano and voice lessons. Billie Holiday was a big influence. Norah attended the University of North Texas where she majored in jazz piano. It's also where she met Jesse Harris. She formed a band with him after she moved to New York in 1999. After she recorded with Wax Poetic, Peter Malick and Charlie Hunter, Norah was performing with the JC Hopkins Biggish Band. Hopkins' wife worked for EMI Publishing. She gave Norah's demo to Blue Note Records president Bruce Lundvall and they signed her. They had misgivings about her because she's more pop vocal than jazz. But they thought veteran producers Jay Newland and Arif Mardin could draw the jazz out of her. They didn't really do that but that was probably for the best as the album wouldn't have done as well. And that was the major criticism of Come Away with Me. It wasn't jazz. Don't Know Why was the hit single from the album. It reached #30 on the Billboard Hot 100. Jesse Harris wrote it and recorded it on his 1999 album Jesse Harris & the Ferdinandos. Norah recorded a couple of his other songs. The bottom line is the album was very successful and Norah won several Grammys. Norah's 2004 album Feels Like Home was not surprisingly very similar to the first album. It was also produced by Arif Mardin. It sold 12M copies. And Norah's album sales have steadily decreased ever since. Blue Note has released a 20th anniversary edition of Come Away with Me. They have not released a Norah Jones comp. But you can get this twofer of Come Away with Me and Feels Like Home at a budget price. Norah's latest album was a 2021 Christmas album. She is currently on a Come Away with Me 20th Anniversary tour. Here's the video for Don't Know Why by Norah Jones.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Niall Horan

Artist:Niall Horan

Song:This Town

Album:Flicker

Niall Horan was a member of the boy band One Direction. After they went on hiatus in 2016, Horan had success with his 2017 solo debut album Flicker. He was born Sept. 13, 1993 in Mullingar, Westmeath, Ireland. After his parents divorced, Horan and his brother were raised by their father. After learning to play guitar, Horan auditioned for X Factor at age 16. He made it through to bootcamp. But after failing to qualify as a solo act, Horan was put into the group that became One Direction. They finished in third place. After the show ended, Simon Cowell signed them to his Syco label. After recording three very successful albums, One Direction went on hiatus in 2016. Horan started his own management company that mainly represents golfers. But he also signed a record deal with Capitol Records. Horan's debut single This Town was released Sept. 2016 and after two more singles, the album Flicker was released Oct. 2017. This Town reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #9 on the British Singles chart. The second single Slow Hands did moderately better but I thought they waited too long to release the album as the third single didn't do as well. The album was certified Platinum in the US, 2XPlatinum in Ireland and Gold in England. Horan worked with three producers on Flicker; Julian Bunetta, Greg Kurstin and Jacquire King. Kurstin produced This Town. He has worked with Adele and Kelly Clarkson among others. Horan wrote all the songs with co-writers. Jamie Scott, Mike Needle and Daniel Bryer wrote This Town. They wrote songs for One Direction. Horan released a second album Heartbreak Weather in 2019. It did not do as well as the first album. Horan has been compared with Ed Sheeran. I don't think he is distinctive enough to have longevity. And I don't expect One Direction to reunite as all of them have solo careers now and that is what they wanted in the first place. Here is Niall Horan performing This Town at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles 2017.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Sorority Noise

Artist:Sorority Noise

Song:No Halo

Album:You're Not as _____ as You Think

Sorority Noise is a spinoff of the band Old Gray. I would describe both as indie punk emo bands. When band leader Cameron Boucher had trouble juggling the bands, he put Old Gray on hiatus. Sorority Noise is from Hartford, CT. Old Gray was formed in 2011. In 2013, Old Gray's Boucher and Charlie Singer formed Sorority Noise with Ryan McKenna of Prawn. They had a third band Small Circle and Adam Ackerman was brought in from that band. Sorority Noise released a 2014 album. Prawn, Old Gray and Sorority Noise played shows together. As Sorority Noise became more popular, Boucher seemed to put Old Gray on hiatus after the 2016 album Slow Burn. Sorority Noise signed with Triple Crown Records and went on their first headlining tour in 2016. After the release of the 2017 album You're Not as _____ as You Think and the single No Halo was released, Sorority Noise seemed to be getting somewhere. It all came to a screeching halt in Mar. 2018 when Boucher was accused of sexual assault. He denied the allegations and by the end of 2018 those allegations were proven to be false. But none of Boucher's bands seem to be active. It looks like he quit the music business. Here's the video for No Halo by Sorority Noise.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Bianca Belair vs Iyo Sky

Here's the match video of Bianca Belair vs Iyo Sky from last night's episode of RAW. Needless to say, I was very happy to see Iyo on RAW especially after Dave Meltzer's BS reports about her possibly leaving the WWE. I knew it was nonsense. Like the other match on this show, this had a predictable non finish. But you get a taste of what Iyo can do. They are using the same entrance music but she has different gear. If it leaves fans wanting more, the match served its purpose. So check it out and see for yourself.