AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Barbara Mason

Artist:Barbara Mason

Song:Shackin' Up

Album:The Best of the Buddah Years

Most music fans should be familiar with Barbara Mason's 1965 smash hit Yes I'm Ready. She never had another hit that big. But she did have success on the R&B charts with singles like Shackin' Up in 1975. Barbara recorded Yes, I'm Ready for Arctic Records which was owned by her manager Jimmy Bishop who also produced the record. They were distributed by Jamie Records. That was always going to be tough sledding. Barbara recorded two albums for Arctic and Bishop closed the label. He took his business to National General Cinemas (NCG). They owned movie theaters and briefly and unsuccessfully tried to get into producing films and music. Barbara recorded one 1970 album and they got out of the music business. Fortunately, they were distributed by Buddah Records and they picked up Barbara's contract. Motown veteran Don Davis was in charge of the R&B roster. By this time, singers like Millie Jackson were writing and singing more mature songs. Barbara recorded four albums for Buddah including the 1975 album Love's the Thing. Shackin' Up was the second single and it reached #9 on the R&B Singles chart. The song was written by Jackie Avery who had modest success on the R&B charts. Most of Barbara's Buddah albums were recorded in Philladelphia. But this one was recorded in Detroit featuring Motown guys like Earl Van Dyke on keyboards, Robert White on guitar and Richard "Pistol" Allen on drums. Bishop was producer on all four albums. This comp is available as a digital download. This has original recordings. Beware of off labels as Barbara rerecorded these songs. Barbara moved to Curtis Mayfield's Curtom label and recorded the 1977 album Locked in This Position with Bunny Sigler who also produced. That and albums for Prelude and WMOT didn't sell. Barbara has rarely recorded in recent years. But she still performs live and she was inducted into the Soul Hall of Fame in 2016. Here's Barbara Mason performing Shackin' Up on Soul Train 1975. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Michael Jackson

Artist:Michael Jackson

Song:You Are Not Alone

Album:The Essential Michael Jackson

The 1995 single You Are Not Alone was Michael Jackson's final #1 hit before his 2000 death. It is from the 1995 album HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book 1 which is not a normal album. It has two CDs. The first CD is a collection of Jackson's greatest hits on Epic. There are no Motown hits. The second CD is all new songs. Five singles were released. You Are Not Alone was the biggest hit. Why was it released this way? Things were getting really bad between Jackson and the press after he was accused of child sexual abuse in 1993. Jackson's behavior was already strange so that just made things worse. Jackson took painkillers to try and handle the stress. So he decided to record a new album. But he wanted the album to deal with his complete HIStory hence the album title. The first CD is subtitled HIStory Begins and it contains Jackson's greatest hits on Epic. The second CD is subtitled HIStory Continues and contains new recordings that mostly address Jackson's feelings of paranoia and Jackson believing he was mistreated by the press. Jackson wrote and produced all the new songs with the exception of You Are Not Alone. That was written by R. Kelly. Jackson had called Kelly to see if he had any songs for him. He sent a demo and Jackson wanted to record it. But he insisted on producing the record himself as he wanted to add a choir and other things. You Are Not Alone topped the charts. And as I said, it was his his final #1 hit. Jackson wrote all the songs and produced with Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Completists would probably want this album for the new songs on the second CD. The album release was a compromise. Sony wanted a greatest hits album. Jackson wanted to make new music. I think it's pretentious but not surprising coming from Jackson. For casual fans who only want You Are Not Alone, I recommend this 2CD comp that includes Motown recordings. Here's the video for You Are Not Alone by Michael Jackson. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Tin Tin

Artist:Tin Tin

Song:Toast and Marmalade for Tea

Album:Hard to Find 45s on CD Vol. 12: 60s & 70s Pop Classics

The 1970 single Toast and Marmalade for Tea was a top 20 hit. It was the only big hit for the Australian duo Tin Tin. They had one other chart single so they are not technically a one hit wonder. But this is the only song most will remember. They only recorded two albums. Lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Steve Groves formed The Kinetics in Melbourne, Australia in 1966. They split up after a couple of unsuccessful singles. Groves got together with Steve and the Board leader Steve Kipner and formed Steve and Stevie. John Vallins of The Kinetics was added and the band name was changed to Rombo's World. Then Groves and Kipner moved to England in 1969 similar to what the Bee Gees did. Kipner knew the Gibbs when he led Steve and the Board. They recorded an unsuccessful Steve and Stevie album. Then one day Kipner ran into Barry Gibb and the two signed with Bee Gees manager Robert Stigwood. They were renamed Tin Tin after the comic strip and Maurice Gibb produced the 1970 album Tin Tin. Stigwood signed them to Polydor in England and ATCO in the US. Toast and Marmalade for Tea was the second single and it reached #20 on the Billboard Hot 100. Listeners probably thought it was a new Bee Gees single. Soundalike records are hits all the time. Groves and Kipner wrote all the songs and played all the instruments. Kipner wrote Toast and Marmalade for Tea. You can get it on this Eric Records various artists comp. Tin Tin recorded a second album Astral Taxi in 1971. When that was unsuccessful, they split up. It looks like Groves returned to Australia and opened a recording studio. Kipner has had a long and successful career as a producer for Olivia Newton-John, Chicago and Christina Aguilera and others. Olivia Newton-John's Physical was his biggest hit. Here's the video for Toast and Marmalade for Tea by Tin Tin. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Buck Owens

Artist:Buck Owens

Song:I've Got a Tiger by the Tail

Album:21 #1 Hits: The Ultimate Collection

Act Naturally is Buck Owens' best known song because The Beatles covered it for the 1965 film Help! with Ringo Starr singing lead. But the 1965 single I've Got a Tiger by the Tail crossed over to pop. So it's his biggest hit. Of course today Owens is best known for hosting the long running TV variety show Hee Haw!. But does he even get that opportunity without hits like I've Got a Tiger By the Tail? Remember Owens was not part of the Nashville scene. He was born Alvis Edgar Owens Jr. Aug. 12, 1929 in Sherman, TX. Buck was a donkey on the family farm. One day Owens walked into the house and announced that his name is Buck too. The family moved to Mesa, AZ. in 1937. Owens didn't like school much. But he liked performing. So he taught himself to play guitar and quit school in ninth grade to work on his dad's farm and pursue a music career. He hosted a 1945 radio show with Theryl Ray Britten called Buck and Britt and they also performed in clubs. Owens started driving a truck in the San Joaquin Valley. He really liked Bakersfield and he and his wife moved there in 1951. He started working as a session musician  for Capitol Records in Los Angeles. He was living in Tacoma, WA. when he met Don Rich in 1958. They started working together and after a couple of singles made the country charts, Capitol wanted them to move back to Bakersfield. The band was called Buck Owens and the Buckaroos. This was the beginning of The Bakersfield Sound. The 1963 single Act Naturally was Owens' first #1 country hit. At first Owens didn't like the song. But Rich did like it and convinced Owens to record it. This was followed by a string of #1 country hits including I've Got a Tiger by the Tail. The big difference was that I've Got a Tiger by the Tail crossed over to pop and reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was the only song to do this and Owens' hot streak continued to the end of the 60s and helped get him on Hee Haw! and other variety shows. Owens wrote I've Got a Tiger by the Tail with veteran Nashville songwriter Harlan Howard. Owens got the idea for the song when he was at an Esso gas station and saw their slogan "Put a tiger in your tank." The song wrote itself. The record was produced by Capitol country A&R head Ken Nelson in Los Angeles. Owens' band at the time was Don Rich on guitar, Doyle Holly on bass, Tom Brumley on pedal steel guitar and Willie Cantu on drums. I recommend this Rhino comp which has all of Owens' #1 hits. Owens continued to have success in the early 70s with a series of duets with Susan Raye. But Doyle Holly left the band in 1971. And the big blow was when Don Rich died from a motorcycle crash on July 17, 1974 at age 32. Things weren't the same for Owens after that. Owens left Capitol for Warner Bros. in 1976. He only recorded two albums for Warners. Owens bought a bunch of radio stations to keep busy. He wouldn't record again until Dwight Yoakam brought him back in 1988 and revived Owens' career. Owens returned to Capitol. Owens continued to tour until he died on Mar. 25, 2006 at age 76. Here's Buck Owens and Don Rich performing I've Got a Tiger by the Tail on the Buck Owens Ranch Show Mar. 15, 1966. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Smoother

Artist:Smoother

Song:East Side

Album:Chasing the Dragon

Smoother was a Canadian band that had chart success with the 2001 single East Side and the album Chasing the Dragon. They were even nominated for a Juno. They had potential but they split up after the album was released. Smoother was from Hamilton, ON. led by lead singer, guitarist and songwriter Andrew Franey. Other members were Todd Knight on guitar, James Flemings-Strange on keyboards, Beau Cook on bass and Adam Benning on drums. They were called Sponge when they started out in the early 90s. They signed with the Hamilton based indie label Sonic Unyon and released the 1993 album Trendbender on cassette. When it was discovered that there was already a band called Sponge, the band name was changed to Smoother. BTW, I hate that name. What is it supposed to mean? They released two more albums on Sonic Unyon and for the 2001 album Chasing the Dragon, they got a distribution deal with EMI Canada and Nettwerk in the US. The single East Side reached #11 on the Canada Airplay chart and #12 on the Sept. 2001 MuchMusic Countdown. Keep in mind there are Canadian Content regulations on radio and TV so success can be artificial. Franey wrote all the songs. Dave Hodge produced and engineered the album at his recording studio. This album is available on CD. East Side was featured in the 2002 Canadian film Men with Brooms. That was a comedy about curling. And Smoother was nominated for a 2002 Best New Group Juno award. The problem was EMI Canada was disappointed with album sales. I think they were going to drop Smoother but they split up anyway. Franey was the only member of Smoother who remained in the music business. He started his own label in 2015 and released a couple of albums. I don't know if he's still active as he last posted on Facebook in 2022. Here's the video for East Side by Smoother. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Myles Smith

Artist:Myles Smith

Song:Stargazing

Album:A Minute, A Moment

British singer songwriter Myles Smith has had success mostly at home. The 2024 single Stargazing was not only a top five hit in England but it charted across Europe and was a top 20 hit in the US. He was born June 3,1998 in Luton, England. His parents are Jamaican. Smith bought a guitar and learned to play. He started performing covers at parties and open mic nights. Then he started posting videos on TikTok in 2022. That got him a manager. They decided to release a few singles and post videos hoping to land a record deal. That record deal was with RCA and that led to two 2024 EPs. Stargazing was on the second EP A Minute... Stargazing reached #4 on the British Singles chart and reached #19 on the Billboard Hot 100. And it charted worldwide. Smith wrote the song with Jesse Fink and Peter Fenn and Fenn produced. The song has a hook with a refrain that people like to sing along. The hook is what was previewed on TikTok So that sold the song. Smith and Fenn wrote all the songs on the EP. This appears to be Fenn's breakthrough as a producer. RCA took the two EPs and turned them into the album A Minute, A Moment. So that means Smith has yet to release an album. So far, his success has been based on TikTok. Is he a fluke or can he sustain a career? I guess we will find out. Here's the video for Stargazing by Myles Smith.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jupiter & Okwess

Artist:Jupiter & Okwess f/Marcelo D2

Song:Telejayi

Album:Na Kazonga

Jupiter Bokondji is a Congolese percussionist who mixes traditional Congolese rhythms with Afrobeat and funk. It's high energy music so you don't have to be a fan of African music to enjoy it. He was born Dec. 16, 1963 in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. His father was a diplomat. His grandmother was a traditional healer and is the one who got him into music. When his father was posted to the German embassy, Bokondji's family moved with him. He started his first band while there. It combined Mongo music with European progressive rock. Bokondji's family moved back to Kinshasa in the 80s and he formed Okwess in 1990. After Bokondji met French filmmakers Renaud Barret and Florent de la Tullaye in 2004, they made the 2006 documentary Jupiter's Dance. This led to international tours and a record deal with the French label Zamora. Telejayi is from the 2017 album Na Kazonga. The band writes and produces everything. Guitarist Richard Kabanga wrote Telejayi. The guest rapper is Brazilian Marcelo D2. Other band members include Eric Malu-Malu on guitar. Money Mark on keyboards. Yende Balamba on bass, Montana Kinunu on drums and Botondji and Blaise Sewika on percussion. This album is available on CD. Jupiter & Okwess just released a new album Ekoya on the French label Airfono. They just finished touring. I'm sure they will be back on the road in 2026. Here's the video for Telejayi by Jupiter & Okwess featuring Marcelo D2.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Rhea Ripley vs Asuka

Here's the match video of Rhea Ripley vs Asuka from last night's episode of RAW. This was the main event of the show. Of course the big news was we finally got Asuka's heel turn. And it was the cherry on top of the sundae as the match was great. I liked it a lot better than the Wrestlepalooza match because that match lacked heat because it had two babyfaces. We all knew Asuka would turn heel so that gave this match nuclear heat. Plus Rhea and Asuka hit hard and both enjoy that kind of match. So that's much different than IYO SKY's high flying but just as good. It was very competitive. They beat the crap out of each other. The finish centered around Asuka trying to get Kairi Sane to help her. It got messed up and Rhea won with a small package. Considering the hard hitting nature of the match, I thought the finish was hilarious. Asuka immediately misted Rhea and beat the crap out of her. IYO came down to try and stop Asuka. But Asuka attacked her and even got Kairi to attack both Rhea and IYO. I think it was very well executed and I look forward to Asuka's heel behavior. Happy birthday to Kairi and Asuka who both celebrate birthdays this week. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Juan Magan

Artist:Juan Magan f/Pitbull & El Cata

Song:Bailando Por El Mundo

Album:The King of Dance

Juan Magan is a Spanish DJ who is successful mostly at home. The 2012 single Bailando Por El Mundo topped topped the US Latin chart probably because Pitbull appears on it. He does a lot of remixes so I don't think he cares about chart success. He was born Sept. 30, 1978 in Barcelona, Spain. Magan started going to local dance clubs in 1994. He saw how electronics was being used to create music so he got a computer, a sampler and an analog synthesizer. He started his own company in 2004. He has been distributed by Sony and Universal. He formed the duo Magan & Rodriguez with Marcos Rodriguez in 2007. They released an album and a couple of EPs. They had success locally. Since then, Magan has been doing his own thing. He has been successful mostly in Spain. The 2012 single Bailando Por El Mundo is Magan's best known song. It appears on the album The King of Dance which is available as a digital download. The record topped the Billboard Hot Latin Songs chart. Obviously that was because Pitbull appeared on it along with Dominican singer El Cata. Magan wrote and produced with DJ Buddha. Most of the songs on the album have guest singers. Magan released his latest album in 2019. But he turns up on plenty of remixes. So he could turn up anywhere. Here's the video for Bailando Por El Mundo by Juan Magan featuring Pitbull and El Cata. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Artist:The Brian Jonestown Massacre

Song:Anemone

Album:The Singles Collection 1992-2011

The Brian Jonestown Massacre got attention in their early days mostly because the band name was controversial. Normally it's not a name I would recommend. But they were never supposed to be commercially successful. They just wanted to be around for a long time. It's likely that if they had a generic name, they wouldn't have lasted. Anton Newcombe formed The Brian Jonestown Massacre in 1990 when he lived in San Francisco. He's the lead singer, main songwriter and guitarist. He's also the only original member of the band. Everyone else is disposable. He's a control freak which is not unusual in bands like this. The band name is supposed to be a lexicon. It's a tribute to Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones mixed with the 1978 Jonestown Massacre. Well, it got the band noticed. There's nothing unusual about the band's sound. They are similar to other bands of the era like My Bloody Valentine. Anemone is from the 1996 album Their Satanic Majesties Second Request. Newcombe wrote and produced everything. These days he records for his own label. They recorded one album for a major label in 1998 and it didn't go well. Their deal was supposed to be for multiple albums and after disappointing sales, it was cancelled. This 2CD comp has all their singles up until 2011. The Brian Jonestown Massacre released their latest album in 2023 and they tour regularly. So they are a successful indie band which may be all Newcombe wanted in the first place. Here's The Brian Jonestown Massacre performing Anemone at the 2025 Glastonbury festival. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rude Boys

Artist:Rude Boys f/Gerald Levert

Song:Written All Over Your Face

Album:Rude Awakening

The 1990 single Written All Over Your Face topped the R&B charts and crossed over to the pop top twenty. It was the only big hit for the R&B band Rude Boys. They were from Cleveland and formed in 1987. Members were Larry Marcus, Melvin Sephus and brothers Edward Lee "Buddy" Banks and Joe Little III. They were discovered by Gerald Levert and he got them a record deal with Atlantic Records. Of course Levert was a Cleveland native and son of Eddie Levert of The O'Jays. Not only was he a successful recording artist but he had an eye for talent and liked to develop new artists. Rude Boys debut album Rude Awakening was released in 1990. Written All Over Your Face was the second single and it topped the R&B Singles chart and reached #18 on the Billboard Hot 100. The next single Are You Lonely for Me also topped the R&B charts. Billboard named Written All Over Your Face the top R&B single of 1990. Larry Marcus wrote and produced Written All Over Your Face and played guitar. Banks and Little sang lead. Levert made a guest appearance to give the song a boost. Marcus wrote half the songs on the album. That didn't seem to sit too well with Little. So for the 1992 album Rude House, he wrote more of the songs. But the album wasn't successful and Little left Rude Boys and released a solo album on Atlantic in 1994. Atlantic dropped Rude Boys but they released an album on the British label Warlock in 1997. And that was the end for Rude Boys. Here's the video for Written All Over Your Face by Rude Boys. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Tossers

Artist:The Tossers

Song:No Loot, No Booze, No Fun

Album:The Valley of the Shadow of Death

The Tossers is a Celtic punk band from Chicago. They call themselves The World/s Loudest Folk Band. They have been around since the early 90s. The leader of The Tossers is lead singer, songwriter and mandolinist Anthony "T" Duggins. He had been playing Irish folk songs in Chicago pubs since he was a teen. But he was a big fan of The Pogues and he started the similar band The Tossers in 1993 with his brother Aaron Duggins who plays tin whistle and accordion. Guitarist Brian Dwyer suggested the band name The Tossers which is Irish slang for a worthless person. After self releasing a couple of albums, they signed with the Chicago based indie label Thick Records. They were on that label from 2000-05. Then they switched to another Chicago based indie label Victory Records. No Loot, No Booze, No Fun is from the 2005 album The Valley of the Shadow of Death. It was their first album on Victory. The band membership is fluid. But the core members are the Duggins brothers and guitarist Mike Pawula. T. Duggins writes all the songs. The other members on this album were Rebecca on fiddle, Clay Hansen on banjo, Dan Shaw on bass and Anthony "Bones" Broderick on drums. The producer is Andy Gerber who is a guitarist and owns a recording studio. He has produced several Tossers albums. This album is available as a budget CD. The Tossers have toured with Murphy's Law, The Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly. And they even got to open for The Pogues on St. Patrick's Day in New York 2007. The Tossers last released new music in 2017. They still have a Facebook page. And Anthony Duggins has a new band called The Banshees. They just released a new album and played Chicago's Riotfest festival. So I guess The Tossers are no more. Here's the video for No Loot, No Booze, No Fun by The Tossers.  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Ravyns

Artist:The Ravyns

Song:Raised on the Radio

Album:Fast Times at Ridgemont High: Music from the Motion Picture

Most folks should remember the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High as it was very successful. So was the soundtrack album. One of the singles from the album was Raised on the Radio by The Ravyns. You don't remember them? You shouldn't as that song was their most significant recording. They don't even have a Wikipedia page. The Ravyns were from Baltimore formed in 1979 by singer and guitarist Rob Fahey and keyboardist and singer Kyf Brewer. Both guys wrote songs. Fahey was in the band Hollis Ferry and they released an album in 1977. Brewer led the band Climbadonkey. They recorded an album but it wasn't released. The other members of Climbadonkey were Bobby Hird on guitar, Lee Townsend on bass and John Tracey on drums. So The Ravyns were Climbadonkey with a new lead singer. By the time The Ravyns released a 1981 EP, Vince Crist replaced Tracey. Then they split up. But Fahey, Brewer and Townsend reformed The Ravyns with David Bell on guitar and Tim Steele on drums. And that's the lineup that recorded Raised on the Radio. A demo landed in the hands of Full Moon Records owner Irving Azoff. And he liked the song enough to put it on the Fast Times at Ridgemont High soundtrack. It was the third single released and it did well enough that The Ravyns signed with MCA Records. They released an album in 1985 which contained Raised on the Radio. But the album didn't sell and MCA dropped The Ravyns. Fahey's attempts to reform The Ravyns over the years have gone nowhere. They last released an album in 2014. Brewer was a member of Company of Wolves in the 90s. These days he leads the band Barleyjuice which is rock with an Irish twist. Here's the video for Raised on the Radio by The Ravyns. Thanks to 4AD Wiki for The Ravyns bio. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Bobby Edwards

Artist:Bobby Edwards

Song:You're the Reason

Album:20 Greatest Country Hits 1961

Bobby Edwards scored a top five country hit with the 1961 single You're the Reason. It crossed over and was a top 20 pop hit. Edwards had one other chart single so he is not technically a one hit wonder. He was born Robert Edward Moncrief Jan. 18, 1926 in Anniston, AL. His father was a preacher. As Bobby Moncrief, he recorded Long Gone Daddy for Pappy Daly's D Records in 1958. Then he covered Tex Ritter's 1945 hit Jealous Heart for Bluebonnet Records. Then Edwards went to Los Angeles to try and get a record deal. He met songwriter Terry Fell who got him a deal with Crest Records. They were owned by Gary Walker and Slim Williamson. Williamson was a musician so he produced the music. Edwards wrote You're the Reason with Fell. Fell wrote the Red Steagall classic Truck Drivin' Man. Then Edwards got together with Darrell Colton, Gib Guilbeau and Ernie Williams. They called themselves Darrel, Gib & Ernie. Once Wayne Moore was added, they backed up Edwards on You're the Reason and they were billed as Bobby Edwards & the Four Young Men. You're the Reason reached #4 on the Country Singles chart. Then it crossed over to pop and it reached #11 on the Billboard Hot 100. You can get You're the Reason on this various artists budget comp. In those days, when small labels scored a hit, they usually sold the contract to a major label. Crest sold Edwards' contract to Capitol Records. They chose to release the soundalike record What's the Reason and it reached #71 on the Billboard Hot 100. Edwards had no success after that. Edwards went home to Anniston and opened a recording studio. He recorded a couple of gospel albums in the 70s. Edwards moved to Smyrna, TN. in 2000 and he died on July 31, 2012 at age 86. Here's a video for You're the Reason by Bobby Edwards.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Marvelettes

Artist:The Marvelettes

Song:Please Mr. Postman

Album:Deliver: The Singles 1961-1971

The Marvelettes topped the charts with the 1961 single Please Mr. Postman. This was also Motown's very first number one hit. So it's unfortunate that The Marvelettes became an afterthought once The Supremes became popular. But that's because Motown owner Berry Gordy had a thing for Diana Ross. Everyone else got the leftovers. Well, Gordy was the boss. He could do what he wanted. The Marvelettes were formed in 1960 at Inkster High School in the Detroit suburb of Inkster, MI by Gladys Horton. She formed the group with fellow glee club members Katherine Anderson, Geoergeanna Tillman, Juanita Cowart and high school graduate Georgia Dobbins. They called themselves The Marvels. And after finishing fourth in a local talent show, they auditioned for Motown. After the first audition for Brian Holland and Robert Bateman, they auditioned for Gordy and Smokey Robinson. Gordy asked them to come up with a song. Georgia contacted local songwriter William Garrett. He wrote a blues song called Please Mr. Postman. He told Georgia she could use the song as long as he got credit if it was a hit. She turned it into a song appropriate for teens. Then Georgia left the group under pressure from her father. That left Gladys in charge and Wanda Young was brought in to replace Georgia. They signed with Motown but Gordy changed the group name to The Marvelettes so people would know they are a girl group. Holland, Bateman and Motown songwriter Freddie Morgan reworked Please Mr. Postman. Holland and Bateman produced the record and it topped the charts. As I said, this was Motown's first number one single. The Marvelettes had mixed success after that. The 1962 single Playboy was a top ten hit. But they weren't all that successful other than that. Plus they were always on tour doing The Motortown Revue. Juanita Cowart left in 1963 and Georgeanna Tillman left in 1964. So now they are down to a trio. In 1965, The Marvelettes made a comeback with the top ten hit Don't Mess with Bill written and produced by Smokey Robinson. That was their final hit and The Marvelettes disbanded in 1970. This 2CD budget comp has all their singles. Juanita Cowart is the only surviving member of The Marvelettes. Georgeanna Tillman died in 1980. Gladys Horton died in 2011. Georgia Dobbins died in 2020. Wanda Young died in 2021. Katherine Anderson died in 2023. Here's The Marvelettes performing Please Mr. Postman. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Stephanie Vaquer vs Kairi Sane

Here's the match video of Stephanie Vaquer vs Kairi Sane from last night's episode of RAW. This began with the contract signing of the WWE Women's Championship match with Stephanie vs IYO SKY on this Saturday's Wrestlepalooza. Asuka interjects and volunteers Kairi vs Stephanie later in the show. Well, obviously Stephanie won't lose before this weekend but Kairi got her offense in. Asuka got involved too. The match was very good and Stephanie won with the Devil's Kiss followed by the SVB. Afterwards, Asuka confronted Stephanie and IYO came down to separate them. I don't know who will win on Saturday. But I expect Asuka to get involved what happens afterwards should be very interesting. So far, Asuka's heel work has been excellent. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Wadsworth Mansion

Artist:Wadsworth Mansion

Song:Sweet Mary

Album:AM Gold: Early '70s Classics

Sweet Mary Was a top ten hit in 1971. It was the only chart single for Wadsworth Mansion. So it is a one hit wonder. They only recorded one album. I think it's one of those songs that folks remember but they know nothing about the band. Wadsworth Mansion was from Providence, RI led by Steve Jablecki on guitar, keyboards, lead vocals and he wrote Sweet Mary. His brother Mike Jablecki played drums. Other member were Wayne Gagnon on guitar and John Poole on bass. Wadsworth Mansion is in Connecticut. They signed with Sussex Records which was owned by Clarence Avant. Bill Withers was the best known artist on Sussex and he successfully sued Avant for royalties. There's a documentary about Avant on Netflix. Sweet Mary was the first single and it reached #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 in Feb. 1971. You can get it on this Time Life various artists comp. This was followed by the album Wadsworth Mansion. Jablecki wrote most of the songs on the album including Sweet Mary. The album was produced by Jim Calvert and Norm Marzano. It doesn't like either produced anything else of note. Subsequent singles failed to chart. Wayne Gagnon was replaced by Howie McDonald in Jan. 1972. They recorded four songs for the next album when Mike Jablecki was replaced by Charlie Flannery. After a brief tour, Wadsworth Mansion split up in Aug. 1972. Steve Jablecki and Howie McDonald moved to Los Angeles to reform Wadsworth Mansion. A producer asked them to change the name to Slingshot but the band never recorded. Other than that, the members of Wadsworth Mansion left the music business. Here's a video for Sweet Mary by Wadsworth Mansion.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jon Gomm

Artist:Jon Gomm

Song:Ain't Nobody

Album:Secrets Nobody Keeps: Passionflower 10th Anniversary Edition

British guitarist Jon Gomm is popular with what I call guitar geeks. These are music fans who are concerned with guitar technique. The music is secondary. It's a significant secondary music market because these guitar geeks are pretty rabid. And it's not only for albums but videos and guitar tabs because many guitar geeks are aspiring guitarists. This 2013 cover of the Chaka Khan hit Ain't Nobody is probably Gomm's best known recording. He was born July 11, 1977 in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. His father is a music critic. Gomm started taking guitar lessons at age four. He played electric guitar as a teen. After graduating from high school, Gomm attended the Guitar Institute in London. While there, he played in jazz clubs, played sessions and played line dance clubs. Then he studied Jazz at the Leeds College of Music. And that's when he started experimenting with making drum and bass sounds on his guitar. He's unique enough to interest guitar geeks. He tours but he usually plays small clubs. And he plays guitar festivals. Gomm has recorded since 2003 mostly for his own label. This cover of Ain't Nobody is from his 2013 album Secrets Nobody Keeps. This is probably his best known album because it was crowdfunded. Gomm wrote and produced except for two covers. For his 2020 album The Faintest Idea, Gomm signed with Snapper Music's Kscope label. He actually sings on this album. Kscope released a 10th anniversary edition of Secrets Nobody Keeps. It has a bonus track and new cover art. Gomm does his own covers. That's the version that is available on CD. Gomm will do a couple of shows in Europe this weekend. Here's Jon Gomm performing Ain't Nobody at the Northern Film School in Leeds, England. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Krystal Meyers

Artist:Krystal Meyers

Song:My Savior

Album:Krystal Meyers

At first glance, you may mistake Krystal Meyers for Avril Lavigne. But Krystal is a CCM singer songwriter who not only resembles Avril Lavigne but she also had a rock sound that could have gone mainstream. Unfortunately, she only recorded three albums and seemed to disappear. I have some details about that. She was born July 27, 1988 in Denver and she grew up in Orange Country, CA. She sang in church as a child, started writing songs at age ten and was playing guitar by age 13. She must have been singing publicly because Robert Beeson of Sony's CCM label Essential heard about her and signed her to a record deal. I'm sure by that time she had turned down several secular labels including Sony's Columbia label. Krystal's debut album Krystal Meyers was released in 2005. She was 16 years old. She wrote all the songs including My Savior with producer Ian Eskelin of the band All Star United. The production duo of Wizardz of Oz (Andrew Bojanic, Elizabeth Hooper) worked on a few songs. Not surprisingly, the comparisons to Avril Lavigne began immediately. Sony encouraged this as they wanted Krystal to cross over to mainstream pop. It didn't happen. She did well on the Christian chart and also in Japan. Krystal recorded three albums for Essential. The last one was released in 2008. Then she disappeared. I think with time she could have crossed over to pop. But some CCM artists don't want to. What happened to her? After doing some modeling in Japan, I understand that Krystal was having problems with a stalker. She quit the music business. She married her guitarist and I assume they have kids. She decided that fame is not worth it. Here's Krystal Meyers performing My Savior on the Logan Sekulow Show 2005. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Don Omar

Artist:Don Omar f/Lucenzo

Song:Danza Kuduro

Album:Meet the Orphans

Don Omar is known as The King of Reggaeton. In case you didn't know, reggaeton is Latin hip hop. Needless to say, this is what they listen to in Latin America. And it occasionally crosses over to mainstream. Omar hasn't done that but he's been successful in Latin America. He was born William Omar Landron Rivera Feb.10, 1979 in Santurce, Puerto Rico. As a child, he was a rap fan and he was active in the Protestant church. He started performing in clubs as a teen. Omar signed with Universal's Machete label and his 2003 debut album The Last Don was a big success. It was certified Platinum and Omar won Billboard Latin Music awards and he was nominated for a Latin Grammy. In 2010, Omar started his own label Orlanato Music Group still distributed by Universal. The idea behind the album Meet the Orphans was for Omar to feature artists that have signed with his label. But the big surprise was when the single Danza Kuduro not only topped the Latin American charts but was a hit in Europe. It is his biggest hit to date. A possible reason for this is Danza Kuduro features French singer Lucenzo  and he wrote and produced the song. In addition, Danza Kuduro appears on the soundtrack of the 2011 film Fast Five. Omar has appeared in several films of that series. Omar co-wrote all the album songs Among the producers are Eliel and the duo of A&X. Both work frequently with Omar. This album is available as a digital download. Since then, Omar hasn't been as successful. But he still does OK on the Latin charts. For the 2023 album Forever King, Omar signed a distribution deal with Saban Music Group. We'll see how that works out for him. Here's the video for Danza Kuduro by Don Omar featuring Lucenzo. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Sturgill Simpson

Artist:Sturgill Simpson

Song:Turtles All the Way Down

Album:Metamodern Sounds in Country Music

In today's marketplace, country singer songwriter Sturgill Simpson's music is Alt Country. He has been favorably compared to the Outlaw Country of the 70s. This has led to critical acclaim and even Grammy awards. But he hasn't been able to cross over to mainstream country music which would boost record sales. In frustration, Simpson is now calling himself Johnny Blue Skies. He was born June 8, 1978 in Jackson, KY. His father was a Kentucky State Police trooper. After graduating from high school, Simpson was in the US Navy for three years. After returning home, he formed the country rock band Sunday Valley in 2004. They moved to Nashville. But when that didn't work out, Simpson moved to Salt Lake City to work for the Union Pacific Railroad. His wife convinced him to return to music. After Sunday Valley released an album, they split up and Simpson moved to Nashville. He released his 2013 album High Top Mountain on his own label with Thirty Tigers distribution. This was followed by the 2014 album Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. Both albums were produced by Dave Cobb who had previously worked with Shooter Jennings and Jason Isbell. Simpson wrote all the songs including Turtles All the Way Down which has a neo psychedelic vibe and drug references. Critics raved about both albums comparing Simpson's music to Outlaw Country and mentioning the psychedelic references. Simpson appeared on all the late night talk shows. Metamodern Sounds in Country Music sold very well for an indie release. The album is available on CD. Simpson soon signed with Atlantic Records. The question is can his music cross over to mainstream country. His first album for Atlantic was A Sailor's Guide to Earth. Simpson wrote and produced and brought in The Dap-Kings from New York to back him up. Simpson appeared on Saturday Night Live. And he won a Grammy for Best Country Album and was nominated for Album of the Year. Despite all of that and the critical acclaim, not only did the album not cross over to mainstream country but it sold less than Metamodern Sounds in Country Music. So I'm sure Atlantic was disappointed. For the 2019 album Sound & Fury, Simpson decided to make a "sleazy, steamy rock & roll record". He was moved to Elektra Records. This did not go well. The album didn't sell plus Simpson started criticizing the record business including claims that his Grammy nominations were a scheme to help Atlantic recoup their investment in him. Not surprisingly, Simpson returned to his own label. For his 2024 album Passage du Desir, Simpson announced that he would release all future albums under the name Johnny Blue Skies, a nickname he was given in Kentucky. He also toured under that name. Simpson appeared in the 2023 film Killers of the Flower Moon and was a regular on the 2023 season of the HBO series The Righteous Gemstones. If he thinks the record business is bad, wait until he gets a load of the movie business. Here's the video for Turtles All the Way Down by Sturgill Simpson.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Ismail Miranda

Artist:Ismael Miranda

Song:Asi Se Compone Un Son

Album:Greatest Hits

Ismael Miranda is known as El Nino Bonita de la Salsa which translates to The Pretty Boy of Salsa. He's been around since the 60s first as lead singer of Orchestra Harlow, then as a mainstay of The Fania All Stars and as a solo artist since 1973. And as you will see in the video, he is still going strong today. He was born Feb. 20, 1950 in Aguada, Puerto Rico and he grew up in New York City. Miranda always wanted to be a musician. He was lead singer and conga player of his own band at 11 years old and they appeared on Jerry Lewis' Muscular Dystrophy Telethon. Then he played in bands led by percussionist Orlando "Q" Rodriguez and pianist Mark Dimond. Miranda first recorded in 1967 with Joey Pastrana & his Orchestra. Then pianist Larry Harlow hired him as lead singer of Orchestra Harlow. Most salsa fans know that Harlow was an integral part of the Fania Records roster. So when the Fania All Stars was formed in 1969, Miranda was one of the main singers and Harlow played piano and led the band. In 1973, Miranda started his own band Orquesta Revelacion and released the album Asi Se Compone Un Son. Miranda wrote that song and it was his first big hit. However, Harlow was still in charge of the band. So he may have decided to rename the band because he thought it was more marketable with the youthful Miranda in the foreground. Harlow always seemed to prefer being behind the scenes anyway. This budget comp is a good intro to his music. Miranda recorded for Fania until label owner Jerry Masucci died in 1997. The Fania recordings are now owned by Concord. Since then Miranda has recorded for several labels. He last released an album in 2014 on his own label. But he still performs regularly and Miranda's Fania recordings are worth checking out. Here's Ismail Miranda performing Asi Se Compone Un Son 2022.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Cure

Artist:The Cure

Song:Hello Goodbye

Album:The Art of McCartney

Tribute albums can be a good source of discography orphans except sometimes the producers of those albums don't do a music video. This 2014 tribute to Paul McCartney features a music video by the British band The Cure featuring McCartney's son James McCartney on keyboards. The guy behind this album is producer Ralph Sall. He has also produced tribute albums to The Grateful Dead, Eagles and The Doors. He's mostly a music supervisor on films and he was working with McCartney on music for the 2003 film The In-Laws when he got the idea to do a McCartney tribute album. Sall got the word out and Brian Wilson was the first to contribute with a cover of Wanderlust. It's a 2CD set so it took twenty years to compile it and it was released in 2014. Sony is the distributor. The video of Hello Goodbye by The Cure was released before the album release. As I said, McCartney's son James McCartney appears in the video. Others appearing on the album are Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Heart, Steve Miller, Yusuf Islam, Harry Connick Jr., Brian Wilson, Corinne Bailey Rae, Willie Nelson, Jeff Lynne, Barry Gibb, Jamie Cullum, Kiss, Paul Rodgers, Roger Daltrey, Def Leppard, Chrissie Hynde, Cheap Trick, Owl City, Perry Farrell, Dion Allen Toussaint, Dr. John Smokey Robinson, The Airborne Toxic Event, Alice Cooper, Toots Hibbert with Sly & Robbie, B.B. King and Sammy Hagar. The album is also available in various box sets and bonus editions if you are so inclined. My guess is Beatles fans would be interested in this album. Here's the video for Hello Goodbye by The Cure. 

 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Asuka vs Nikki Bella

Here's the match video of Asuka vs Nikki Bella from last night's episode of RAW. Look, I understand why the WWE brings back someone like Nikki Bella. I just wish she had spent some time upgrading her ring skills instead of flapping her gums on her podcast. Last night she looked awful just like she looked awful in Paris. They set up this match with a backstage segment featuring heel Asuka. She tries her best to try to make Nikki look halfway decent. But that's always going to be a losing battle as Nikki can't keep up. My only concern was the WWE would have Nikki beat Asuka like they did with Jade Cargill. Thankfully, Asuka won the match with the Asuka Lock. Afterwards, there was a segment with Nikki still flapping her gums and them Rhea Ripley stuck her nose in. So I guess that sets up a tag team match. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Don Rickles

Artist:Don Rickles

Album:Hello Dummy!

When I was a kid, I loved comedy albums. Some of them were big sellers back in the 60s by guys like Bob Newhart. Today it seems that Comedy Central is the only one to produce comedy albums. There's no demand for them. This 1968 album by insult comic Don Rickles may be the funniest comedy album ever released. It is a full unedited concert at the Sahara Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Rickles didn't write his routines in advance. He usually riffed off the audience. Rickles only recorded two albums so I guess this didn't sell. Rickles was born May 8, 1926 in New York City. His parents were European Jewish immigrants. After graduating from high school, Rickles enlisted in the US Navy and served during WWII. After his discharge, Rickles studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and played a few bit parts on TV. He started to perform comedy in clubs and became known for insulting hecklers. The audience seemed to enjoy his insults better than his prepared material. Rickles became famous while performing in Miami. One night Frank Sinatra was in the audience and Rickles insulted him. Sinatra enjoyed him so much that he brought Rickles to Las Vegas. So that was his main stage for most of his career. Of course Rickles also wanted to be a serious actor. But comedy was his main calling card. The 1968 album Hello Dummy! was the first of two albums Rickles recorded for Warner Bros. Sinatra got him a record deal. Your enjoyment of this album will depend on if you like Rickles' comedy in the first place. I first heard it back then and I think it's still funny today. And it's available as a budget CD. Warner Bros. released the 1969 album Don Rickles Speaks!. I haven't heard it but it's not a live album and it flopped and Rickles never recorded again. Of course Rickles continued to appear in films and TV for years. But his bread and butter was always Las Vegas. And he continued to perform until his death on Apr. 6, 2017 at age 90. Here's a video of Hello Dummy by Don Rickles. This show was never filmed so there is no video footage from the show. But this video is the entire album. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Nicki Minaj

Artist:Nicki Minaj

Song:Super Freaky Girl

Album:Queen Radio Volume 1

Nicki Minaj is one of today's most popular rappers. She is known as The Queen of Rap. The 2022 single Super Freaky Girl topped the charts and is one of her biggest hits. She's an excellent self promoter as she is always on social media. I guess my main criticism of her is she sure releases a lot of music and I'd like her to be more selective about what she puts out there. She was born Onika Tanya Maraj Dec. 8, 1982 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Her parents were both part time gospel singers. Her father was alcoholic, a cocaine addict and was abusive. He set fire to their house in 1987. So Nicki was raised by her grandmother until her mother could get her green card and move to The Bronx, NY. After attending college, She moved her family to the US. Nicki attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts and appeared in the 2001 off Broadway play In Case You Forget. She was fired from jobs for being discourteous to customers. Her beginnings in music was in the group Hoodstars. Rapper Lou$tar was in that group. He's the son of Bowlegged Lou of Full Force and Lou  liked Nicki's rapping. Hoodstars wrote and performed the theme for WWE wrestler Victoria in 2004. But they weren't able to get a record deal. They tried to get Nicki a record deal but she wanted to write her own music. After uploading songs to MySpace, she signed with Dirty Money Entertainment and her name was changed to Nicki Minaj. She released a 2007 mixtape and a video for Click Clack. The video got the attention of rapper Lil Wayne and she signed with his new label Cash Money. She released the 2010 album Pink Friday. The single Super Bass reached #3 on the billboard Hot 100. Her biggest hit in those early days was the 2014 single Anaconda which reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. The 2022 single Super Freaky Girl topped the charts. The release schedule is a little confusing. It was the first single from the 2023 album Pink Friday 2. But the album wasn't scheduled for release until late 2023. So they needed Super Freaky Girl to be on an album. Fortunately, the 2CD comp Queen Radio was scheduled for release in Aug. 2022. So Super Freaky Girl was put on that album which is the one to buy anyway. Of course Super Freaky Girl is based on the 1981 Rick James classic Super Freak. I think it's too easy to recognize the original but I'm sure that made the record a big hit. The record was produced by Dr. Luke. Though Nicki has released singles since then, she is currently working on a new album. She has done movies and TV. But I think she prefers to stick to music. Here's the video for Super Freaky Girl by Nicki Minaj. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Saint Etienne

Artist:Saint Etienne

Song:Nothing Can Stop Us

Album:Smash the System: Singles and More

Saint Etienne is a British band that had success in the early 90s in England and on the dance charts. The 1991 single Nothing Can Stop Us topped the dance charts. They recently released their final album as they have already split up. Bob Stanley and Pete Wiggs are childhood friends from the London borough of Croydon. They were music journalists and had a fanzine called Caff. They decided to turn it into a record company called Saint Etienne after the French soccer team. The plan was to make electronic dance music with 60s influence. The British band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was a big influence. They planned to feature several vocalists on the 1991 album Foxbase Alpha. The first single was a cover of Neil Young's Only Love Can Break Your Heart featuring Moira Lambert on Heavenly Records. When that topped the dance chart. they got a US record deal with Warner Bros. The singer on Nothing Can Stop Us was Sarah Cracknell. When that single also topped the dance chart, they decided to make her a permanent member of Saint Etienne and she helped with the songwriting. The main sample is Dusty Springfield's 1967 recording I Can't Wait to See My Baby's Face. Saint Etienne continued to have success on the British charts in the 90s. This 2CD comp is a good intro to their music. Saint Etienne has continued to release albums. After releasing the album The Night in Dec. 2024, they released another album International in May 2025. They have since announced that Saint Etienne is disbanding and that would be their final album. Here's the video for Nothing Can Stop Us by Saint Etienne. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Tom Clay

Artist:Tom Clay

Song:What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John

Album:Tamla Motown: Big Hits & Hard to Find Classics Volumes 1-3

This record was a top ten hit in 1971. It combines the popular songs What the World Needs Now Is Love and Abraham, Martin and John with audio news clips preaching tolerance and civil rights. The guy behind it was DJ Tom Clay. He tried to turn this record into a new career but as a veteran DJ, he should know when a record is a one hit wonder. He was born Thomas Clague Aug. 20, 1929 in New York City. He started out in the 50s on Detroit radio station WJBK. He was known for doing stunts and on air comic characterizations. For example, he was working for Buffalo radio station WWOL in 1955 when he conducted a stunt where he played Rock Around the Clock repeatedly from atop a billboard in Buffalo's Shelton Square. He was fired and arrested. Then he admitted that he accepted payola. Like many DJs, he bounced around a lot until he landed at Windsor, ON radio station CKLW. With the rise of Beatlemania, CKLW became Detroit's most popular radio station. He was fired for his Beatles Booster Club scheme where listeners sent a dollar to join a phony fan club. Clay was working at Los Angeles radio station KGBS when he decided to put together this six minute mix of What the World Needs Now Is Love and Abraham, Martin and John interspersed with sound bites and excerpts of speeches by John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. It's not known where Clay got the idea to make this record but he convinced Motown owner Berry Gordy to release the record on his Mowest label and it reached #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. The vocals are by Motown background singers The Blackberries led by Clydie King. It was arranged by Gene Page. Clay recorded an album. But a concept like this wears thin over the length of an album so it flopped. Motown dropped Clay. He self released a second album but it went nowhere. You can get get this single on this 3CD various artists comp from Motown's British label Spectrum. Clay went on to do voiceover work until he died on Nov. 22, 1995 at age 66. Here's a video of What the World Needs Now Is Love/Abraham, Martin and John by Tom Clay. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The dB's

Artist:The dB's

Song:Big Brown Eyes

Album:Best of the I.R.S. Years

The dB's was a early 80s band that was a cross between power pop and what would become new wave. Though they were critically acclaimed, The dB's never had the commercial success they probably deserved. I guess they are similar to Big Star but even more obscure. The dB's were from Winston Salem, NC. Peter Holsapple and Chris Stanley played guitar, sang lead and wrote all the songs. Gene Holder played bass and Will Rigby played drums. Stanley moved to New York and in 1977 he played with Alex Chilton of Big Star and Richard Lloyd of Television. The other three moved to New York and The dB's were formed. After releasing a couple of singles, they signed with the British label Albion Records and released the 1981 album Stands for Decibels in 1981. It was released in the US by Miles Copeland's I.R.S. Records. The album was produced by Alan Betrock. He was a music critic who started his own label Shake Records and The dB's was his first signing. Holsapple and Stanley wrote all the songs. They didn't usually write together and the lead singer was whoever wrote the song. Holsapple wrote Big Brown Eyes and sang lead. The album was critically acclaimed with reviews comparing The dB's favorably with early Beatles and Big Star. But the album didn't sell. If I had to guess, I would say that the band needed to be on a larger label willing to spend money to promote them. That's the same reason Big Star was never commercially successful. The dB's released two albums on Albion and then Stanley left to go solo. He released an album on A&M in 1987. Meanwhile The dB's released albums on Bearsville and I.R.S. that went nowhere. This comp is available as a digital download. The dB's split up in 1987 and Holsapple worked as a backup musician first for R.E.M. and then Hootie and the Blowfish. I think he still works for them. At least he's getting paid. Stanley has recorded several solo albums mostly for the indie label Yep Roc. The dB's have reunited occasionally including for the 2012 album Falling Off the Sky. Here's The dB's performing Big Brown Eyes in London 1981.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Loch Lomond

Artist:Loch Lomond

Song:Wax & Wire

Album:Night Bats/White Dresses

With a name like Loch Lomond, you might think this band is from Scotland. But it's not even a band. It's another case of a solo artist using a band name to retain his anonymity. I see this a lot with indie bands. Ritchie Young is from Portland, OR. He was in some other bands, most notably The Standard. In 2003, he decided to start his own band. He was going to call the band The Mountains. But he decided that name was too common. He had ordered some reel to reel tapes from eBay. The box had a sticker on it that said Loch Lomond. So he decided to go with that. With the help of recording engineer Rob Oberdorfer, Young recorded the 2004 Loch Lomond album When We Were Mountains with Ryan Cross and Kate O'Brien. When Young performed in the area, sometimes it was with a band and sometimes he would perform solo. So there is no band. Young is a solo artist who sometimes performs with a band. Wax & Wire is from the 2009 EP Night Bats. It's on the Portland based indie label Hush Records. In 2018, Young released Night Bats and the 2012 EP White Dresses on one album. It's available as a digital download. Loch Lomond released their latest album The Young in 2022. They don't have a website but you can see where they are playing on Facebook. They were in Europe earlier this year. Here's Loch Lomond performing Wax & Wire in somebody's living room. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Pat Martino

Artist:Pat Martino

Song:Impressions

Album:Timeless

When I wrote about jazz guitarist Pat Martino. it was from one of his Blue Note albums from the 90s. I first heard of Martino when he recorded for Muse Records in the 70s. So I wanted to recommend a comp from that period so you can check out those recordings. Of course Martino suffered a seizure in 1980. Brain surgery left him with amnesia and he had to learn to play guitar all over again. And against all odds, he was successful and recorded and toured until his 2018 retirement. At age 15, Martino moved to New York and started playing in clubs and recording with guys like tenor saxophonists Willis Jackson and Eric Kloss and organists like Brother Jack McDuff and Don Patterson. What those guys had in common was they all recorded for Prestige Records. Martino signed with Prestige in 1967. He recorded five albums for them. Then they were sold to Fantasy Records. Those recordings are now owned by Concord. Prestige GM Joe Fields started a new label Cobblestone in 1972 with producer Don Schlitten who had worked at Prestige. They were owned by Buddah Records. Martino recorded one album for Cobblestone. Things didn't work out at Buddah and Fields started a new label Muse Records. Martino also moved to Muse. And that's when I first heard of Martino. I probably found one of his albums in a used record store. Cratedigging was how I discovered new music in those days. Impressions is from Martino's 1975 album Consciousness. Impressions was written by John Coltrane and first appeared on his 1962 album Coltrane. It's now a jazz standard. Veteran producer Michael Cuscuna produced a lot of the Muse recordings. Musicians are Eddie Green on electric piano, Tyrone Brown on bass and Sherman Ferguson on drums. All were members of the jazz fusion band Catalyst who were also on Muse. Martino left Muse for Warner Bros. in 1976. After his recovery and he was ready to record again, Martino returned to Muse in 1987 and recorded for them until they were sold in 1995. The recordings are now owned by Savoy Jazz and they released this comp. Martino went on to record for Blue Note and HighNote. He retired in 2018 due to a respiratory disorder and died on Nov. 1, 2021. Here's Pat Martino with Pat Bianchi on organ and Carmen Intorre Jr. on drums performing Impressions at Moods Jazz Club in Zurich, Switzerland Apr. 2018. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Kabuki Warriors vs Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez

Here's the match video of the Kabuki Warriors vs Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez from yesterday's episode of RAW. Obviously they are setting up Asuka's heel turn. The match was OK. Raquel and Roxanne were in control for a lot of the match. But at the end, Kairi Sane nailed Raquel with the Insane Elbow to the floor and Asuka won over Roxanne with the Asuka Lock. Afterwards, RAW GM Adam Pierce announced that it will be IYO SKY vs Stephanie Vaquer at Wrestlepalooza for the WWE Women's Championship. I expect that match to be a banger. And I also expect Asuka to continue to conflict with Rhea Ripley and eventually IYO. I love Asuka as a heel. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dena DeRose

Artist:Dena DeRose

Song:Detour Ahead

Album:Live at Jazz Standard Volume Two

Dena DeRose is a jazz singer and pianist who has performed in New York City clubs since the late 90s. She was born Feb. 15, 1966 in Binghamton, NY. Her dad was a construction worker and her mom performed in the Ice Capades. She started playing piano at age three and became a jazz fan. She played piano in school bands. As a teen, she would drive to New York City to watch jazz pianists like Hank Jones and Mulgrew Miller. She attended Binghamton University. Dena played electric piano in a local cover band. Then she was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis. She was forced to stop playing the piano. This led to depression and drug and alcohol abuse. One night she was in a bar listening to Doug Beardsley's trio when someone suggested she get up and sing. She joined his trio. Then she had surgery on her hand which allowed her to play piano again. Dena moved back to New York City in 1991. She made her recording debut in 1995 on her own label. Then she signed with the jazz label Sharp Nine. After four albums, she moved to MAXJAZZ. Detour Ahead is from the 2008 album Live at Jazz Standard Volume 2 recorded live at the famed New York City club. Musicians are Martin Wind on bass and Matt Wilson on drums. They have been her regular studio band for a while. Detour Ahead was written in 1948 by pianist Lou Carter, violinist John Frigo and guitarist Herb Ellis when they performed as The Soft Winds. Ella Fitzgerald later recorded Detour Ahead and it became a jazz standard. Dena records all jazz standards on this album. This album is available on CD. After four albums for MAXJAZZ, Dena has recorded four albums for the jazz label HighNote. She released a new album High Tones in July. Dena still plays New York clubs but she will tour Germany in November. Here's Dena DeRose performing Detour Ahead at The Hideaway in London, England. The musicians are not identified.