AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Laufey

Artist:Laufey

Song:I Wish You Love

Album:A Night at the Symphony

Laufey is an Icelandic singer songwriter who is having success today as a 40s style pop singer. She's had success mostly in Europe. But she's making inroads in the US. She is on tour now. She has had success on the Jazz chart but her music is not jazz. Her music is aimed at an older audience who don't listen to current music. She was born Laufey Lin Bing Jonsdottir Apr. 23, 1989 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Her father is from Iceland and her mother is Chinese and comes from a musical family. Her twin sister is her creative director. Laufey learned piano and cello as a child. She graduated from the Reykjavik College of Music in 2018. She was playing cello for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra when she participated in the 2014 edition of what we will call Iceland's Got Talent and she was a semi finalist on the 2015 edition of The Voice Iceland. You guys know how much I love those shows. Excuse the sarcasm. Laufey was supposed to study economics. But instead she studied at Berklee School of Music in Boston with cellist Mike Block. She graduated in 2021 and now lives in Los Angeles. Laufey released a single in 2020 and then an EP in 2021. That's when she first recorded the song I Wish You Love written and originally performed by French singer Charles Trenet. That EP Typical of Me was listed as an album of the year by American Songwriter magazine. Posting jazz standards on TikTok got her more attention and a record deal from AWAL which stands for Artists Without A Label. Kobalt Music founded AWAL and it's supposed to be like Shanachie and similar labels where the artist owns the recordings. The tradeoff is those labels don't spend money on promotion. The problem is Kobalt sold AWAL to Sony. Supposedly AWAL still operates the same way. The difference is the artist has access to the Sony machine. This deal likely would not have gone through if Sony tried to change too much. Then Laufey signed a publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music. A good introduction to Laufey's music is this 2023 live album A Night at the Symphony with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. It's kind of a greatest hits album available as a digital download. Laufey has done well on Jazz and Classical charts. Her 2025 album A Matter of Time reached #4 on the Billboard 200. Producers Spencer Stewart and Aaron Dessner of The National moved the emphasis from jazz to singer songwriter. There were no hit singles so some adjustments may be necessary. It remains to be seen how far Laufey will go to be a mainstream success. Here's Laufey performing I Wish You Love with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra 2023.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Wisin & Yandel

Artist:Wisin & Yandel f/Romeo Santos

Song:Aullando

Album:Los Campeones Del Pueblo-The Big Leagues

Wisin & Yandel are probably the most popular Reggaeton act over the last twenty years. After going on hiatus in 2013, they returned with the 2018 album Los Campeones Del Pueblo and the hit single Aullando. It sold over 15 million records. Then they split up after a final 2023 tour. Wisin & Yandel are from the same hometown in Puerto Rico. They started working together in 1998 after both appeared on the albums No Fear 3 and La Mision Vol. 1. The record label Fresh Productions thought they should record together and produced their 2000 debut album Los Reyes del Nuevo Milenio. After the success of a couple of albums, they started their own label with Universal distribution. The success continued until they went on hiatus in 2013. They said at the time they were not disbanding. After each recorded a couple of solo albums, they reunited for the 2018 album Los Campeones Del Pueblo. The album was a big success. It was certified 4xPlatinum. The single Aullando was certified 22xPlatinum but it only reached #10 on the Latin chart. There was likely a viral element as at the time, Billboard did not count anything viral. Romeo Santos was one of several guest singers on the album. Wisin & Yandel wrote and produced everything with several producers. Aullando was written and produced with Chris Jedi who has worked with several Reggaeton artists. Much of the album was produced by the team known as Los Legendarios. This album was only released as a digital download. After they toured, they announced in 2022 that after a final album and tour, Wisin & Yandel would disband permanently. And that's what they did. They said the split was amicable. They just wanted to work on different projects. We'll see how long that lasts. Here's the video for aullando by Wisin & Yandel featuring Romeo Santos. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Five

Artist:Five

Song:When the Lights Go Out

Album:Greatest Hits

The British boy band Five scored a top ten hit in the US with the 1998 single When the Lights Go Out. It was their only big hit in the US. They were much more successful at home. This was at the tail end of the boy band craze. of the 90s. The guys behind this group were Bob and Chris Herbert of Heart Management who also created The Spice Girls. They placed an ad in the performing arts newspaper The Stage. After 3,000 auditions, They narrowed it down to fourteen and then five. They were Ritchie Neville, Scott Robinson, Sean Conlon, Jason "J" Brown and Richard Breen. Breen took on the name Abz Love so no one would confuse the two Richards. They were named Five or sometimes 5ive. They are called Five on all the album covers. They signed a six album record deal with Simon Cowell and RCA. When the Lights Go Out was the second single from the 1998 album Five. It reached #4 on the British Singles chart and #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. That may have been a surprise to the group's management as early 90s British boy band Take That never charted in the US. Why was the song a hit in the US? My guess is fans thought it was a new Backstreet Boys single. I think they were supposed to be a soundalike act. The record was produced by Eliot Kennedy, Mike Percy and Tim Lever. Kennedy produced Take That. Percy and Lever are from the band Dead or Alive. Those three wrote the song with Westlife songwriter John McLaughlin. Five co-wrote several songs on the album. Five released three albums. They continued to have success in England. But When the Lights Go Out was their only US hit. My guess is when the target audience figured out they were fooled, they rejected Five as imitators of real boy bands. After the 2001 album Kingsize, Five split up. You can get all their hits on this comp. They reunited in 2006 and released an album in 2022. They will tour again in May. Here's the video for When the Lights Go Out by Five.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dave Brubeck

Artist:Dave Brubeck

Song:Blue Rondo a la Turk

Album:Ken Burns Jazz

This is another in my jazz for beginners series complete with a performance video and a comp CD appropriate for beginners. Pianist Dave Brubeck was a great musician. But more importantly, he was very important in widening the audience for jazz. The 1959 album Time Out and the singles Take Five and Blue Rondo a la Turk opened the door for other jazz artists. And we are still seeing that in the success of Smooth Jazz. So Brubeck's music is important in the history of jazz. He was born Dec. 6, 1920 in Concord, CA but grew up in Ione, CA. His father was a cattle rancher. His mother studied piano and wanted to be a concert pianist. She taught piano to earn extra money and she taught her sons too. Brubeck attended Colege of the Pacific in Stockton, CA. to study veterinary science. One of his teachers urged him to switch his major to music. There was concern that Brubeck couldn't read music. But he was allowed to graduate as long as he promised never to teach. After his 1942 graduation, Brubeck was drafted into the US Army and served in Europe in the Third Army. After playing piano on a Red Cross show, Brubeck was taken off combat duty. He started the band The Wolfpack and met Paul Desmond in 1944. After WWII, Brubeck studied with composer Darius Milhaud at Mills College in Oakland. Brubeck first recorded in 1949 with Coronet Records. But they were having money problems and they were taken over by Fantasy Records. That's when Brubeck formed his first quartet with Desmond. They took up residency at San Francisco's Black Hawk nightclub and successfully toured college campuses. Brubeck thought that he had an ownership stake in Fantasy. And he brought other jazz artists like Gerry Mulligan and Chet Baker to Fantasy. But he was lied to and Brubeck left Fantasy for Columbia. The 1954 album Jazz Goes to College was his first album for Columbia. The musicians were Desmond, Bob Bates on bass and Joe Dodge on drums. After the album was a success, Brubeck appeared on the cover of Time Magazine. Brubeck was embarrassed by this as he thought Duke Ellington should have been on the cover. Brubeck and Desmond continued ton play with various musicians until drummer Joe Morello was hired in 1956. He was playing with pianist Marian McPartland. Them bassist Eugene Wright joined the band for Brubeck's 1958 Department of State tour of Europe and Asia. At the time, a racially integrated band was unusual. But he cancelled shows when promoters objected to Wright. He cancelled a TV appearance when the show producers wanted to keep Wright off camera. Then Brubeck recorded the 1959 album Time Out. The album was West Coast jazz but with unconventional time signatures. All the songs were written by Brubeck except for Take Five written by Desmond. Columbia president Goddard Lieberson agreed to this as long as Brubeck also recorded a standards album in case Time Out was a failure. Teo Macero produced the album. The big surprise was when Take Five got radio play and was a top 40 hit. Time Out was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. Rondo a la Turk was based on Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 mixed with rhythms Brubeck heard in Turkey. It was Brubeck's most successful album. But most importantly, it helped other jazz artists by introducing jazz to a new audience. So that's Brubeck's legacy. This budget comp is a great intro to Brubeck's music. He recorded for Columbia until 1968 and also recorded for Decca and Atlantic and other labels. He continued to tour and record until he died on Dec. 5, 2012, a day before Brubeck's 92nd birthday. He was going to a doctor's appointment. Here's Dave Brubeck with Paul Desmond, Eugene Wright and Joe Morello performing Rondo a la Turk on a 1959 episode of Playboy After Dark. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elton John

Artist:Elton John f/George Michael

Song:Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me

Album:Duets

This duet version of Elton John's Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me topped the charts in 1991 and then John decided to record an album of Duets. The original recording of Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me was on John's 1974 album Caribou and it reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. Then it appeared on his 1986 album Live in Australia. John said in his 2019 autobiography that he planned to retire the song as he soon having throat surgery. But he didn't retire it and after performing an acoustic version on MTV Unplugged in 1990, John first performed Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me with George Michael at Live Aid 1985. Michael performed the song regularly on his shows. Then at his Mar. 23, 1991 Wembley Arena concert, Michael brought out John as a surprise guest and they filmed it later at the Rosemont Horizon in Chicago. The record was a worldwide smash at a time when John needed a hit. It got a couple of Grammy nominations. At first the record was only going to be released as a single. But it was decided to record an album of duets. That decision was probably made by MCA's Steve Brown who worked a lot with John. Michael produced the record with studio musicians. The Duets album was released in 1993. Artists include k.d. lang, P.M. Dawn, Little Richard, Don Henley, Kiki Dee, Chris Rea, Tammy Wynette, Nik Kershaw, Gladys Knight, RuPaul, Marcy Levy, Paul Young Bonnie Raitt and Leonard Cohen. The production coordinator was Elton John's percussionist Ray Cooper. This album is available as a budget CD. But George Michael fans can get the song on the comp Ladies & Gentlemen: The Best of George Michael. The album was certified Platinum. But I assume album sales were affected negatively by the two year time lag. Listeners have short memories. Here's the video for Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me by Elton John featuring George Michael. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Chuck Willis

Artist:Chuck Willis

Song: C.C. Rider

Album:Complete Singles As & Bs 1951-59

The 1957 single C.C. Rider was one of two R&B chart toppers for singer songwriter and pianist Chuck Willis. He's mostly forgotten today because he died in 1958. He was born Harold Willis Jan. 31, 1926 in Atlanta. Chuck Willis was a stage name. He got his musical training at YMCA sponsored Teenage Canteens and played with a couple of local bands. Atlanta DJ Zenas "Daddy" Sears became Willis' manager and got him a record deal with Columbia's race label Okeh. He scored a top five R&B hit with the 1952 single My Story. He scored four other top ten R&B hits. Despite this success, Willis left Okeh for Atlantic because He wanted to cross over to pop and Atlantic had shown a willingness to promote black artists to white audiences. Willis got the results he wanted when the 1957 single C.C. Rider topped the R&B chart and reached #12 on the pop chart. For the most part, Willis wrote all his own songs. Much to producer Jerry Wexler's surprise, Willis decided to record the traditional song C.C. Rider which was popularized by Ma Rainey. After Dick Clark played C.C. Rider on American Bandstand, it was discovered to be a great song for kids to do the popular dance The Stroll. Willis appeared on the show and demonstrated the dance. Willis was dubbed King of the Stroll. Then Screamin' Jay Hawkins told Willis he should start wearing a turban. This got him his own Saturday night TV show on Atlanta TV. Then Willis died on Apr. 10, 1958 at age 32 while having surgery for stomach ulcers. Upon his death, What Am I Living For topped the R&B charts. You can get all of Willis' singles on this 2CD comp from the British label Acrobat. Some of Willis' songs are still recorded. But for the most part, he is forgotten. Here's a video of C.C. Rider by Chuck Willis. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Smashing Pumpkins

Artist:The Smashing Pumpkins

Song:Eye

Album:Greatest Hits

After The Smashing Pumpkins became stars with the 1995 album Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness followed by a tour, they almost self destructed and split up in 2000 after the album Adore was a commercial disappointment. Smashing Pumpkins leader Billy Corgan must have had time on his hands because he contributed two songs to film soundtracks. Eye is from the 1997 David Lynch film Lost Highway. It was never released on a Smashing Pumpkins album so it is a discography orphan. As usual, the score for Lost Highway was composed by Angelo Badalamenti. A friend suggested that Lynch hire Trent Raznor of Nine Inch Nails to produce the soundtrack album. Reznor decided that the album should appeal to Lynch fans who hate pop music and also be accessible to Smashing Pumpkins fans. The album was released on Reznor's Nothing label with Interscope distribution. The reason Reznor mentioned The Smashing Pumpkins is Lynch had already asked Corgan to contribute a new song to Lost Highway. Corgan's music publisher suggested that Corgan get some music out there to fill the gap between Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Adore. Corgan sent the song Tear to Lynch but he rejected it. The song appeared on Adore. But Lynch loved Eye and it was used in the film. That track sold the soundtrack album and it was certified Gold. That album is available. But you can get Eye on this Smashing Pumpkins comp. Most of the other songs on the soundtrack album were previously released. With the death of his mother and his divorce, this was a rough time for Corgan. And he announced The Smashing Pumpkins split in 2000. They reformed in 2005 and are still going strong today. Here's The Smashing Pumpkins performing Eve at the 1997 Les Eurockeennes festival in Belfort, France.  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Adolescent's Orquestra

Artist:Adolescent's Orquestra

Song:Persona Ideal

Album:La Historia...Los Exitos

Salsa music fans are going to want to check out this band from Venezuela as they have been very successful in Latin America since the early 90s. For most of Adolescent's Orquestra's history, Porfi Baloa has been the leader. He plays piano, keyboards and bass and writes and produces all the songs. His partner Luis Francisco Mendoza is the band manager. So he wasn't in the band but he handled finances and everything that was not music. Baloa started the band in 1994 and hired young musicians so he wouldn't have to pay them much money. Of course the problem with that is they leave. So band membership was a revolving door. Baloa's main responsibility was to maintain the music quality through that. There were twelve members in the original band. They signed with the local label Korta with Sony distribution. Korta switched to Universal in 1999. With their 1994 debut album Reclamando Nuestro Espacio, they were a hit in Venezuela. But the 1996 single Persona Ideal was bigger than that. Suddenly, they were a big deal all over Latin America. Baloa wrote, produced and arranged everything. And the band was like that for twenty years. This comp is available as a digital download. Things continued this way until Mendoza and Baloa butted heads and Baloa left in 2010 to start a new band on his own label with distribution by the local label Sonografica. Adolescent's Orquestra last released an album in 2015. They still perform live. But it isn't the same and Mendoza has to end the revolving door or they won't survive. I don't know if he can do that. Here's the video for Persona Ideal by Adolescent's Orquestra.  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Elizabeth Allen

Artist:Elizabeth Allen

Song:Do I Hear a Waltz?

Album:Do I Hear a Waltz?: Original Broadway Cast

Actress Elizabeth Allen started out in the mid 50s and was active mostly on TV until her 1996 retirement. But the highlight of her career was her Tony nominations for the musicals The Gay Life (1962) and Do I Hear a Waltz? (1965). She was born Elizabeth Gillease Jan. 25, 1929 in Jersey City, NJ. She started out as a Ford Agency model. She was spotted by a talent scout who cast her as The Away We Go Girl on The Jackie Gleason Show in 1957. She was working on a production for Helen Hayes Equity when Helen Hayes spotted her and advised her to pursue an acting career. Her first serious role was in the 1957 show Romanoff and Juliet written by and starring Peter Ustinov. Then she appeared in the TV shows The Twilight Zone and Tales of Wells Fargo. Her next big break was in the 1962 Broadway musical The Gay Life starring with Barbara Cook and Jules Munshin. Elizabeth was nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Tony award. That led to two John Ford films, Donovan's Reef (1963) and Cheyenne Autumn (1964). Then she won the lead for the 1965 musical Do I Hear a Waltz?. Arthur Laurents based it on his 1952 play The Time of the Cuckoo which had previously been turned into the 1955 film Summertime starring Katherine Hepburn. The songs were written by Richard Rodgers and Stephen Sondheim. Elizabeth starred with Sergio Franchi. The main criticism of Elizabeth was that she was too young for the role. The show ran for six months. Laurents hated the casting. He thought Elizabeth was too young and Franchi couldn't act. But he overlooked this to get the play produced. It was nominated for three Tonys including one for Elizabeth. I guess this show is now forgotten, But the original cast album is available on CD. After that Elizabeth appeared regularly on TV mostly in guest shots on shows like Dr. Kildare, The Fugitive and Mannix. She was a regular on Bracken's World, The Paul Lynde Show and C.P.O. Sharkey. But none of those shows lasted. She continued to appear in films and TV but nothing major. In the 80s she appeared on the daytime soap Texas and a 1986 film revival of the musical 42nd Street. Elizabeth retired in 1995 and died on Sept. 19, 2006 at age 77. Here's Elizabeth Allen performing Do I Hear a Waltz on the Mar. 28, 1965 episode of The Ed Sullivan Show. Sergio Franchi appears in the clip but does not sing. 

AccuRadio S ong Of The Day-Real Boston Richey

Artist:Real Boston Richey

Song:Help Me

Album:Richey Rich

Rapper Real Boston Richey has been recording since 2021 and scored his first chart single Help Me in 2024. It's too soon to tell if he will have long term success. Right now it seems like a fluke hit. He was born Jalen Foster Feb. 4, 1997 in Tallahassee, FL. Foster's cousin Slugg taught him to rap in the Trap style. But he didn't consider rapping until Slugg was murdered in 2015. One of Foster's friends persuaded him to visit a recording studio in 2021. A couple of singles got him a record deal with the label Freebandz owned by the rapper Future with Epic distribution. His 2023 debut album Welcome to Bubba Land reached #42 on the Hip Hop chart. But there was no hit single. These days, the best way to do that is to post videos on TikTok and the song will spread virally. At that time, viral videos didn't count towards chart position. But Billboard has changed that. So after it was posted on TikTok, the 2024 single Help Me got enough radio play to reach #9 on the R&B Singles chart and #47 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was first released as a single and then added to the 2024 album Richey Rich. The album reached #48 on the Billboard 200. The song details Foster's personal problems. It probably would have been a bigger hit without all the profanity as many radio stations won't play anything with profanity. In Freebandz defense, they probably didn't think the song would be that big a hit. So if Foster wants to be a bigger deal, he will have to ditch the profanity. Of course, it may not have spread virally without the profanity. His music is available as a digital download. Also, Foster was arrested in Apr. 2025 for domestic assault on his girlfriend. If found guilty, his career is over before it gets started. Here's the video for Help Me by Real Boston Richey. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-John Cullum

Artist:John Cullum

Song:On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

Album:The Only Other Broadway CD You'll Ever Need

Actor John Cullum is best known for playing tavern owner Holling Vincoeur on the 90s TV series Northern Exposure. He was nominated for an Emmy. But he started out on Broadway and was Tony nominated for playing Dr. Mark Bruckner in the 1966 musical On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. And he sang the title song. He was not a singer but he appeared in a few musicals. He was born Mar. 2, 1930 in Knoxville, TN. He attended Knoxville High School and the University of Tennessee. He majored in speech and played on the tennis team. And he also appeared in over 30 theater productions in school. He married in 1959 and his son JD Cullum is an actor mostly on TV. He made his Broadway debut in the 1960 musical Camelot as King Arthur's son Mordred after Roddy McDowell left the show. Of course Richard Burton played King Arthur and Cullum also appeared in Burton's 1964 Broadway production of Hamlet and the film version. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is based on  the 1926 play Berkeley Square. The songs were written by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane. Lerner wrote several shows with Frederick Loewe including Camelot. But Loewe retired in 1960. Lane wrote Finian's Rainbow. French actor Louis Jourdan was supposed to star in the show. He was having trouble with the role during Boston previews and Cullum replaced him. It was quite a risk as a complete unknown was replacing an established star. But the show was a hit and Cullum was nominated for a Tony. The original cast album is available as a digital download. But if you only want Cullum's performance, it's on this various artists CD. Cullum's other successful Broadway shows include 1776, Shenandoah and On the Twentieth Century. On a Clear Day You Can See Forever was turned into a 1970 film starring Barbra Streisand and Yves Montand. Of course on TV Cullum is best known for the 90s series Northern Exposure. Other significant TV appearances include as Dr. Mark Greene's father in ER and as a judge in several episodes of Law & Order: Special Victim's Unit. Notable films include the 1966 film Hawaii and the 1972 film of the Broadway musical 1776. He's been more active on TV. Cullum was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame in 2007. Cullum has recently had health problems. But he is not retired. He appeared on TV in 2021. Here's John Cullum performing On a Clear Day You Can See Forever on the 1982 TV special Broadway Plays Washington on Kennedy Center Tonight.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Blanca

Artist:Blanca f/Tauren Wells

Song:Something Better

Album:The Heartbreak and the Healing: Deluxe Edition

Bianca Reyes was a member of the successful Christian Hip Hop group Group 1 Crew from 2003-13. She left to go solo and has had success in CCM. Something Better is one of several singles that made the Christian charts. She was born Feb. 10, 1986 in Puerto Rico but she grew up in Orlando, FL. Her father struggled with drug and alcohol addiction until he found God and brought his family with him. She joined Group 1 Crew in 2013. They were successful for a few years. Blanca married drummer John Callahan and got pregnant and left to go solo in 2013. Group 1 Crew split up in 2017. Blanca signed with Curb/Word Records. Mike Curb bought Word in 2016. Blanca has released four albums and has had success on the Christian charts. Something Better is from the 2022 album The Heartbreak and the Healing. Blanca divorced Callahan in 2020 and that's the main topic of the album. She wrote all the songs with the Swedish husband and wife team of Anton Goransson and Isabella Sjostrand. They have had success as songwriters and this is their first album as producers. The guest singer Tauren Wells was lead singer of the CCM band Royal Tailor. They split up in 2015 and he now records solo. The Deluxe Edition of The Heartbreak and the Healing has several bonus tracks. Bianca released the album Full Bloom Oct. 2025 and then she released a Christmas EP. She has pop crossover potential and she is interested in the Latin market. Here's the video for Something Better by Blanca featuring Tauren Wells. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lillo Thomas

Artist:Lillo Thomas

Song:Wanna Make Love (All Night Long)

Album:Greatest Hits

R&B crooner Lillo Thomas released three albums for Capitol Records in the 80s. He had success mostly on the R&B charts. He was born July 9, 1961 in Brooklyn, NY. He was a sprinter growing up and at age sixteen, he set a world record in the 200 meters. He was preparing for the 1984 Olympics when a car accident in Brazil ended his athletic career. Thomas' father was a preacher and he sang in church as a child. So he decided to get into studio work and maybe get a record deal. He became very good friends with Melba Moore and her producer Paul Laurence. Laurence was childhood friends with Freddie Jackson and wrote and produced his Capitol hits. They got Thomas a record deal at Capitol. Laurence produced all three of Thomas' albums. His success was mostly on the R&B charts. Wanna Make Love is from the 1987 album Lillo. It reached #7 on the R&B Singles chart. Laurence wrote and produced the song. Thomas also wrote and produced several tracks. He sang a duet with Melba Moore. That was his final album for Capitol. It's not clear why Thomas left Capitol. But it looks like he wanted to start his own label with Laurence. That would have been fine if they had immediate results. Instead Laurence launched his own singing career on Capitol but was unsuccessful. Thomas wouldn't record again until 2010 on his own label. This comp is on his own label. Thomas went to art school and has an online art gallery. He has released occasional music. But he's more active as an artist. Here's the video of Wanna Make Love (All Night Long) by Lillo Thomas. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Pseudo Echo

Artist:Pseudo Echo

Song:Funky Town

Album:Best Adventures

This 1986 cover of the 1980 Lipps Inc. hit Funky Town was a top ten hit. It was the only big hit by the Australian band Pseudo Echo. They have been very successful at home and they are still around. Pseudo Echo was formed in Melbourne, Australia in 1982 by Brian Canham on lead vocals, guitar and keyboards and Pierre Gigliotti on bass and keyboards. Keyboardist Tony Lugton joined. They were friends in high school. The band name is a keyboard sound. They were influenced by bands like Duran Duran and Spandau Ballet. At first they used a drum machine but drummer Anthony Argiro joined in 1983. TV host Molly Meldrum saw them live and played a demo on his show Countdown. The demo got them a record deal with EMI and the song Lightning was released as a single and was a hit in Australia. The 1984 album Autumnal Park was released. Lugton was replaced by James Leigh and his brother Vince Leigh replaced drummer Argiro. Canham and James Leigh wrote all the songs for the 1986 album Love an Adventure and Canham produced with sax player James Valentine. He used the name Mark Berry. The album did OK but Canham wanted to record Funky Town. He was a big fan of the song as a teen. When Pseudo Echo performed Funky Town live, they got a great reaction. So Canham wanted to release it as a single and see how it does. EON FM Radio head Lee Simon got a bootleg of Funky Town and told Canham that he couldn't wait for the release of the single. So finally EMI agreed to release it. After Funky Town topped the Australian chart, EMI re-released Love an Adventure worldwide with Funky Town added as a bonus track. It was a big worldwide success including reaching #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Pseudo Echo's only US chart appearance. But they continued to have success at home. This comp is available on CD. They split up after the 1988 album Race. Canham got into production and produced the band Chocolate Starfish. Canham reformed Psuedo Echo in 1998. He's the only original member and he has released three albums on his own label, most recently in 2025. I guess they would be a nostalgia act in Australia at this point. Here's the video for Funky Town by Pseudo Echo. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Black Lips

Artist:Black Lips

Song:Can't Hold On

Album:Satan's Graffiti or God's Art

The band Black Lips is a mix of garage rock, psychedelia and punk. If that's what you like, this could be for you. Certainly, it's not commercial music. They are from the Atlanta suburb of Dunwoody, GA. They were formed in 1999 after guitarist Cole Alexander and bassist Jared Swilley left the band The Renegades and guitarist Ben Eberbaugh left The Reruns. Alexander and Swilley were known for crude antics on stage and in school to the point where both were expelled from school. College student and drummer Joe Bradley joined a few months later. They self released a 2002 album produced by Eric Gagnon, bassist for The El Caminos. Then Eberbaugh was killed in a Dec. 2002 car accident. They signed with the indie label BOMP Records and released a 2003 album of previously recorded songs as a tribute to Eberbaugh. Jack Hines joined as the new bassist. He appeared on the 2004 album We Did Not Know the Forest Spirit Made the Flowers Grow. He didn't want to tour so he soon left and was replaced by Ian St. Pe, a music major at the University of Memphis. He dropped out of school to join the band. They released a couple singles and an album. They signed with Vice Records for the 2007 album Good Bad Not Evil. Yes, this a division of the TV network Vice. Black Lips recorded for Vice for ten years until Vice had financial problems. Can't Hold On is from the 2017 album Satan's Graffiti or God's Art.  This was Black Lips' final album for Vice. This album was produced by Sean Lennon at his studio in Los Angles. His mom Yoko Ono made a guest appearance. The album is available on CD. By this time, Alexander and Swilley were the only original members. Black Lips signed with the British label Fire Records. An album was released in 2025. Here's the video for Can't Hold On by Black Lips. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Eddie & The Hot Rods

Artist:Eddie & the Hot Rods

Song:Do Anything You Wanna Do

Album:The Singles 1976-85

The British band Eddie & the Hot Rods were a bridge from the Pub Rock sound of the 70s and when Punk became popular in the late 70s. The 1977 single Do Anything You Wanna Do was a top ten hit in England. That was their one big hit. I heard of them at the time but their music never crossed the pond. If you are a British rock fan, they are worth checking out. They were formed in 1975 in Essex, England with lead singer Barrie Masters, guitarist Dave Higgs, bassist Rob Steele and drummer Steve Nicol. There was no Eddie. Eddie was a dummy that the band brought to early gigs as a gag and it was soon discarded. Guitarist Pete Wall was added and Ed Hollis became their manager and wrote lyrics. His brother is Mark Hollis of Talk Talk. After performing regularly in London clubs, they signed with Island Records. Paul Gray replaced Steele and Lew Lewis joined on Harmonica. The Sex Pistols opened for them at London's Marquee Club and proceeded to destroy Eddie & the Hot Rods' gear. That got press attention and I'm sure it influenced Eddie & the Hot Rods' transition to punk. They also played gigs with AC/DC which was also crazy. The single Teenage Depression charted. It was on the EP Live at the Marquee. While promoting the EP Live at the Speed of Sound, former Kursaal Flyers guitarist Graeme Douglas joined them on stage. He eventually joined Eddie and the Hot Rods and helped give them a more commercial sound. On the 1977 album Life on the Line, Douglas wrote a lot of the songs with Hollis and Hollis produced the album. They wrote Do Anything You Wanna Do which reached #9 on the British Singles chart. The album reached #27 on the British Album chart. This turned out to be their greatest success. Eddie and the Hot Rods toured the US to support the album. They opened for The Ramones and Talking Heads but it didn't help. They recorded three albums for Island then split up in 1981. This 2CD comp has all their singles and is available on CD. They reformed in 1984 and a version of the band still tours, There are no original members. Masters usually led these bands until his 2019 death. Here's Eddie & the Hot Rods performing Do Anything You Wanna Do on Top of the Pops 1977.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Tom Jones

Artist:Tom Jones

Song:She's a Lady

Album:Gold

I think most music fans are familiar with Welsh singer Tom Jones especially his very first hit It's Not Unusual in 1966. It topped the British charts and was a top ten hit in the US. He continued to have success in England in the 60s but he never topped the US charts. His biggest hit was the 1971 single She's a Lady and it was his final big hit. By the mid-70s, he wasn't charting anymore. Of course the key figure in Jones' career was his manager and record producer Gordon Mills. Mills started out as a songwriter in the 50s and then he saw Tom Woodward performing in a club. Woodward already had a manager and a record deal with Decca. But Mills wanted complete control so he bought his contract and changed his name to Tom Jones. The main thing Mills did with Jones was turn him into a crooner. And that paid off when It's Not Unusual was an international hit in 1965. Mills co-wrote the song. His other big hits were the themes from the films Thunderball and What's New Pussycat?. Jones won the Best New Artist Grammy award. Jones faded after that. Mills' response was to book him in Las Vegas and give him his own TV show. Jones became more of an album and touring act. Mills was still hoping to return Jones to the top of the charts. He started to have success when the 1968 single Delilah reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. This was Jones' first top 20 hit since the 1966 single Green, Green Grass of Home. Then following Delilah, Jones scored a top ten hit with the 1969 single Without Love (I Have Nothing).So Jones was having success on the comeback trail. The high point was when the 1971 single She's a Lady reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. It's from the album She's a Lady. Paul Anka wrote the song and recorded it in 1970. That was Jones' final big hit and by 1975, he wasn't charting anymore. This 2CD comp covers Jones' career until 1975. With the exception of a couple of guest appearances, Jones hasn't charted since the 70s. He even tried country music in the 80s. Jones is still around. He still performs live and last released an album in 2021. He's been more visible in England as a judge on The Voice UK. But for the most part, Tom Jones is now a nostalgia act. Here's the video for She's a Lady by Tom Jones. 

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Fendermen

Artist:The Fendermen

Song:Mule Skunner Blues

Album:Rockabilly Revolution

The 1960 single Mule Skinner Blues was a top five hit. It was the only chart hit for the rockabilly duo The Fendermen. So they are a one hir wonder. This was a real fluke that came out of nowhere. And though The Fendermen were a bluegrass act, they messed around in the recording studio and turned this country music standard into a novelty record. Of course Mule Skinner Blues was written by country music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers and he recorded it in 1930. The alternate title is Blue Yodel #8. The song has been covered by many country artists. Dolly Parton topped the country charts with Mule Skinner Blues in 1973. James Sundquist and Phil Humphrey were students at The University of Wisconsin-Madison. Both were born on Nov. 26, 1937. Both were aspiring country music guitarists. They played local clubs and Mule Skinner Blues was a crowd favorite. They called themselves The Fendermen as both played Fender guitars. Local music store owner William Dreger asked them to record the song the way they perform it on stage with all the hollering. When the local polka record label CUCA got hold of it, a LaCrosse DJ started playing it. It was not unusual in those days for a small label like CUCA to sell a record with potential to a larger label with national distribution. CUCA sold Mule Skinner Blues to Minneapolis based record distributor Soma Records and they distributed it nationally. Mule Skinner Blues reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The Fendermen recorded an album and released two more  singles. But it's always tough to follow up a novelty record. Many listeners probably thought it was a Stan Freberg record. The original album has been released with bonus tracks by the reissue label Jasmine. But I think most will only want Mule Skinner Blues and you can get it on this 3CD Bluegrass comp. The Fendermen continued to perform in midwest clubs for years. Sundquist died in 2013 and Humphrey died in 2016. Here's a video for Mule Skinner Blues by The Fendermen.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rachel York

Artist:Rachel York

Song:Chicago, Illinois

Album:Victor/Victoria: Original Broadway Cast Recording

You may recall the 1982 film Victor/Victoria based on a 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria. Julie Andrews starred as a cross dressing actress. Her husband Blake Edwards wrote, produced and directed. The film was very successful. Then Edwards decided to turn it into a Broadway musical. It premiered on Broadway in 1995. Historically it usually goes the other way around. The Broadway show comes first and is adapted into a film. Edwards said he always wanted to direct a Broadway show and Victor/Victoria could be easily adapted. And Julie as star could guarantee success. Edwards wrote the book for the show. Henry Mancini and Leslie Bricusse wrote the songs. Mancini wrote the music for the film. Bricusse is usually Anthony Newley's songwriting partner. Sadly, Mancini died before he was finished with the show and Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde) was brought in. Along with Julie Andrews, the cast included Tony Roberts, Michael Nouri and Rachel York. Rachel played Norma Cassidy and Chicago, Illinois is her big song in the show. She was new to Broadway at the time but she's still there. She was born Rachel Lemanski Aug. 7,1968 ni Orlando, FL. Her family moved to Boulder, CO when she was nine. She started out in local dinner theater and earned a scholarship at the American Center for Music Theater in Los Angeles. Her coach Aaron Speiser suggested she move to New York. She made her Broadway debut in the 1989 musical City of Angels. Victor/Victoria was her second show. She was critically acclaimed for both shows and continues to perform on Broadway today. Most recently she appeared in the 2018 musical Head Over Heels and a 2021 revival of Anything Goes at London's West End. She also does regional theater. She hasn't done much film but she has done some TV. Broadway is still recovering from the pandemic so we'll see her there in the future. Here's Rachel York performing Chicago, Illinois from a Japanese TV production of Victor/Victoria 1995. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Dwele

Artist:Dwele

Song:Find a Way

Album:Dwele

Andwele "Dwele" Gardner is probably best known for appearing on a couple of Kanye West hits. He's had modest success as a solo artist. The 2003 single Find a Way is his biggest hit to date. He last released an album in 2012. Dwele is still around. But his brand of Neo Soul hasn't been marketable for a while. He was born Feb. 14, 1978 in Detroit. He started playing piano at age six. After his father was murdered outside his home when he was age ten, Dwele got deeper into music using it as therapy. Dwele's influences include Stevie Wonder, Roy Ayers and A Tribe Called Quest. He recorded a demo in his bedroom and sold it out of his car. It got the attention of producer J Dilla, leader of the hip hop group Slum Village. Dwele sang the hook on the 2002 Slum Village single Tainted. Then he appeared with Bahamadia and Lucy Pearl. Then Dwele signed with Virgin Records and released the 2003 album Subject. The single Find a Way reached #42 on the R&B Singles chart. The album did OK. Dwele wrote and produced the album. Find a Way was written and produced with George "G-One" Archie who has worked with DJ Quik. This album is available on CD. Virgin released the 2005 album Some Kinda.... Dwele wrote and produced again. Dwele left Virgin after that. Then he appeared on Kanye West's 2007 single Flashing Lights and it was a top 30 hit. But Dwele had no illusions about his own music. Since leaving Virgin, he has recorded for small labels like eOne and he owns the masters. His brand was never going to appeal to a mass audience so he might as well own the recordings. Dwele last released an album in 2012. He still appears as a guest artist on a couple of Big Sean albums. He also DJs in Detroit clubs and performs life. Neo Soul was never a big market anyway. Here's the video for Find a Way by Dwele.

  

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Case

Artist:Case

Song:Happily Ever After

Album:Personal Conversations

Case Woodard is an R&B singer songwriter who had success in the late 90s on DefJam. He scored four big hits. And then he kind of disappeared for a few years and he now records for smaller labels so he can own his own music. So he's not a big star anymore but maybe he's happier. He was born Oct. 4,1971 in New York City. His father was in the funk band Cameo. His family tried to discourage him from becoming a musician. So he left home as a teen and lived in the streets. He started out in music in the R&B group Future and got studio work singing backup for Usher and Al B. Sure. He was spotted by DefJam Records owner Russell Simmons who signed him to a record deal. Woodard recorded three albums for DefJam. The 1999 single Happily Ever After is from the second album Personal Conversations. It reached #15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #3 on the R&B Singles chart. The album was certified Gold. Woodard wrote most of the songs on the album with various songwriters and producers. For Happily Ever After, Woodard wrote the song with Christopher "Deep" Henderson and he produced. He's had his greatest success with Jamie Foxx. There is supposed to be a comp available but I couldn't find it. Personal Conversations is available on CD. For the 2001 album Open Letter, Woodard was moved to DefJam's new label So So Def. The album did even better and the single Missing You was a top five pop hit. But then he disappeared and wouldn't record again until 2009. In a 2014 interview, Woodard said that he left DefJam because of internal label politics. He actually did record an album but he got it back from DefJam and released it himself. Since then he has recorded for labels that are too small to promote artists. But he does own the masters. He last recorded in 2018. Yes, record label politics suck. But most artists need that big promotional machine of a label like DefJam to get anywhere. So they live with the negative part to get positive results. Knowing this, most artists would not have left DefJam. Here's the video for Happily Ever After by Case. And yes, that is Beyonce in the video. She was 17 years old. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Shelters

Artist:The Shelters

Song:Rebel Heart

Album:The Shelters

The Shelters were a band that looked to have potential. Tom Petty liked them and got them a record deal with Warner Bros. But after Petty's 2017 death, Warners lost interest in The Shelters and that led to the 2021 split. The Shelters were formed in Los Angeles in 2014 by guitarist Chase Simpson, bassist Josh Jove and drummer Sebastian Harris. They were all in the band Automatik Slim. Petty saw them and invited them to record at his home studio. They were very excited because recording studio time is expensive. Petty got them a record deal with his label Warner Bros. He also used them as his backup band on Petty's 2014 album Hypnotic Eye and on tour. They also appeared on the 2016 album Mudcrutch 2. Finally The Shelters released their 2016 self titled album. Simpson and Jove wrote all the songs including Rebel Heart. The band also produced the album with Petty and recording engineer Ryan Ulyate. The album was favorably reviewed so the future looked bright. The album is available as a digital download. Sadly, Petty died in 2017. The Shelters released the 2019 album Jupiter Sidecar. Again, they wrote all the songs and produced with recording engineer Joe Chiccarelli.  But after Petty's death, Warners lost interest in The Shelters and the band was unhappy with the promotion of the record. They decided to leave Warners and ultimately decided to split up in 2021. Jove has already started his own band and the other two should resurface at some point. It's too bad because The Shelters had potential Here's the video by Rebel Heart by The Shelters.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Showers

Artisr:The Showers

Song:Immediately

Album:Family Group: Deluxe Edition

Families have always been a big part of gospel music. And The Showers are a pretty big family. There's ten of them in this group. They are from Hammond, LA and they all grew up in their father's church. The ringleader of this group is Titus Showers Sr. He's the lead singer of Immediately. The other family members write the occasional song. But Titus seems to be the main guy. They released an album in 2009 and it did well enough that Myron Butler and Deon Kipping decided to help them. Of course Butler is known for his days with Kirk Franklin and Kipping has written songs for the choir Youthful Praise. The third producer on the 2014 album Family Group was guitarist Bruce Robinson who wrote songs for the album. The album got gospel radio play and they got a Stellar award nomination. And they appeared on BET's Bobby Jones Gospel. The Deluxe Edition of Family Group has a bonus track and it's available on CD. Unfortunately, The Showers is no longer around. It looks like a 2017 house fire sent them in all directions. Titus Showers released in EP in 2019. He's still working with Kipping along with guitarist Lucius B. Hoskins, bassist Nicholas Baker and keyboardist Tyrone Belle. He's still on his own label. A record deal is probably an uphill climb. Here's the video for Immediately by The Showers. I should warn you that this should have been labelled as an electronic press kit but I used it anyway. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Niteflyte

Artist:Niteflyte

Song:If You Want It

Album:Too Slow To Disco 2

The 1979 single If You Want It was a top 40 pop hit and top 30 R&B hit. It was the only chart single for Niteflyte. They only released two albums before splitting up. They are not to be confused with the 90s British band Nite Flyte. Niteflyte was from Miami. Santiago "Sandy" Torano is a guitarist for hire and producer who also writes songs and sings. As a songwriter, he is credited as Sandy. As a guitarist and producer, he is credited as Santiago. Most guys don't separate the two. As a producer, he worked with Phyllis Hyman and The Commodres. And he played guitar with The Brecker Bros. and jazz organist Larry Young. But he was looking for a singer he could start a band with. Howard Johnson was looking for the same thing. He was performing in Miami clubs. Torano came into the club one night. And after hearing Johnson sing, they formed Niteflyte. They signed with the German label Ariola Records with RCA distribution. They released the 1979 album Niteflyte and the single If You Want It reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #21 on the R&B Singles chart. Torono and Johnson share the lead vocal and also wrote If You Want It together. Torono produced with recording engineer Barry Mraz. Guests include The Brecker Brothers and David Sanborn, Hamish Stuart of Average White Band on guitar and Phyllis Hyman. Niteflyte released Niteflyte 2 in 1981. But it appears that Johnson didn't like the album and he decided to go solo. And that was the end of Niteflyte. The album Nightflyte is available as a digital download. But I think that most will only want If You Want It and you can get it on this various artists CD of Yacht Rock. Never heard of Yacht Rock? It's supposed to be music that you listen to on your yacht. You think I'm joking? This is part of a series of CDa and HBO has produced a Yacht Rock documentary. I haven't watched it yet. Johnson signed with A&M Records and topped the Dance chart with the 1982 single So Fine. Torano has done studio work but nothing notable. Here's the video for If You Want It by Niteflyte. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Michael Damian

Artist:Michael Damian

Song:Rock On

Album:Where Do We Go From Here

Michael Damian is an actor best known as Danny Romanelli on the daytime soap The Young and the Restless since the 80s. The character is an aspiring singer. So it's not surprising that Damian wanted to record. Besides, his whole family are musicians. He topped the charts with his cover of the David Essex classic Rock On from the 1989 teen film Dream a Little Dream. Other than that, he has had very little success as a singer. He was born Michael Damian Weir Apr. 26, 1962 in Bonsall, CA. near San Diego. His brothers Larry and Tom Weir started out in the 70s leading the family band The Weirz. They produce Damian's albums. Damian started out in The Weirz and then self released a couple of albums. After appearing on American Bandstand to promote the 1981 single She Did It, he won the role on The Young and the Restless. He's appeared on that show ever since. Meanwhile, Damian continued to try and launch a music career. He recorded two albums for Columbia that went nowhere. He signed with Cypress Records with A&M Records distribution and released the 1989 album Where Do We Go From Here. His cover of the David Essex classic Rock On appeared on the soundtrack of the 1989 film Dream a Little Dream. You don't remember that film? It was aimed at a teen audience starring Corey Haim and Corey Feldman. The film was written and directed by Marc Rocco. It was a low budget film that grossed $5M. The film was produced by Vestron, a video company that scored a big success with the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. Things went south after that and they closed in 1993. They produced a video for Rock On. The soundtrack album sold OK but it didn't help Damian's solo album. And guess who produced the album? His brothers Larry and Tom Weir who also played the instruments. Cypress closed in 1991 and A&M released one more Damian album. The Dream a Little Dream soundtrack is out of print but Where Do We Go From Here is available on CD. Since then, Damian records with his brothers on small labels, acted mostly on TV and directed direct to video family films. He recently appeared on The Young and the Restless from 2022-25. Here's the video for Rock On by Michael Damian.

 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Manic Street Preachers

Artist:Manic Street Preachers

Song:A Design for Life

Album:National Treasures:The Complete Singles

The 1996 single A Design for Life was one of several British hits for the Welsh band Manic Street Preachers (MSP). They were in their prime in the 90s. But they still record and tour. They just never broke through to a larger audience. Manic Street Preachers were formed in 1986 at Oakdale Comprehensive School in Blackwood, South Wales by lead singer and guitarist James Dean Bradfield, guitarist Nicky Wire, bassist Miles "Flicker" Woodward and drummer Sean Moore Bradfield. The Bradfields are cousins and Sean moved in with James' family after his parents divorced. They shared a bedroom. James was a teenage busker and that's where he got the band name. They started out as a punk band and changed to an alternative rock sound to reach a wider audience. Woodward left in 1988 as he preferred the punk sound. Wire switched to bass and they continued as a trio. They released a single that was favorably reviewed by New Musical Express (NME). MSP's road manager Richey James Edwards joined the band as rhythm guitarist and wrote lyrics with Wire. He also designed album covers. After releasing a 1990 EP, MSP signed with the indie label Heavenly Records and the 1991 single Motown Junk was their first chart single. MSP had a glam rock image at the time. During an interview with NME's Steve Lemacq, Edwards carved the phrase "4Real" into his arm with a razor blade to prove his sincerity. He was taken to the hospital and got seventeen stitches. NME gave the incident a full page. This stunt got MSP a lot of publicity in England and a record deal with Columbia/Epic. MSP released their debut album Generation Terrorists in 1992. Their next couple of albums did OK. They became known for their political lyrics. But Edwards was having health problems. And he was admitted into a mental hospital in 1994. This led to Edwards' disappearance in Feb. 1995. His body was never found. But his car was and it is presumed that Edwards jumped off the Severn Bridge and died. MSP continued with the blessing of Edwards' family. The 1996 album Everything Must Go was MSP's first album after Edwards' death. A Design for Life was the first single. It reached #2 on the British Singles chart. The band wrote and produced Everything Must Go with recording engineer Mike Hedges credited as producer. The album was certified 3XPlatinum in England. The 1998 album This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours got similar results. You can get all of MSP's singles on this 2CD comp. Did Edwards' death help MSP? Of course it did. In the music business, there's no such thing as bad publicity. MSP has faded over the years. But they released an album last year and still tour. They toured in the US occasionally but their albums didn't sell. One possible reason is their politics which made them successful in England was not relatable in foreign lands. There were other British bands of that era that were also unsuccessful in the US. Here's the video for A Design for Life by Manic Street Preachers.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Pinback

Artist:Pinback

Song:Penelope

Album:Blue Screen Life

Pinback is an indie band that had modest success twenty years ago. And though they last released an album in 2012, Pinback is still around and will play live shows in 2026. Pinback was formed in 1998 in San Diego by Armistead Burwell Smith IV and Rob Crow. Both guys play multiple instruments and write and produce. They usually hire drummers for touring. The name Pinback is a character in the 1974 cult film Dark Star. Smith was in the band Three Mile Pilot. They signed with Geffen Records. Geffen convinced Smith to leave that band. He formed Pinback with his roommate Crow. Pinback signed with the indie label Ace Fu Records. Penelope is from their 2001 album Blue Screen Life. It was their second album on Ace Fu. As I said, they write all the songs and self produce. So touring is how indie bands sell records as most indie label don't do promotion. Blue Screen Life is available as a digital download. Pinback has released five albums and several EPs. They last released an album in 2012. Smith has recorded solo using the name Systems Officer. He released an album in 2025 on his own label. Crow has released several solo albums on the indie label Temporary Residence, most recently in 2021. He has also played in several short lived bands. Though they haven't recorded recently, Pinback still plays live shows. And they announced recently on their website that they will begin touring in a couple of weeks. They even teased a possible album. If you're a Pinback fan, don't hold your breath for a new album. Here's Pinback performing Penelope at Webster Hall in New York City 2023. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Monster Magnet

Artist:Monster Magnet

Song:Spine of God

Album:Spine of God

Fans of hard rock should enjoy the band Monster Magnet. The music is a mix of hard rock and psychedelia called Stoner Rock. Other Stoner Rock bands are Masters of Reality and Kyuss. Monster Magnet was formed in 1989 in Red Bank, NJ by by Dave Wyndorf. He's the lead singer and only original member. Wyndorf is lead singer and he writes and produces everything. The other original members were John McBain on guitar and Tim Cronin on drums. The name Monster Magnet came from a Wham-O toy that Wyndorf liked as a child. Monster Magnet started out in 1989 with the release of a demo cassette. For the second demo cassette, Cronin switched to bass and drummer Tom Dielo joined. They signed with the German label Glitterhouse Records and released the EP Monster Magnet. The British label Caroline Records liked it enough to sign Monster Magnet when the EP was expanded to the 1991 album Spine of God. By the time the album was released, Joe Calandra replaced Cronin and Jon Kleiman replaced Diello. The album was released in the US by the French label Go Get Organized. Monster Magnet toured and the album got enough critical acclaim to get the band a record deal with A&M Records. A remastered edition of Spine of God was released in 2016 by the Austrian label Napalm Records. Monster Magnet recorded four albums on A&M. The albums did OK. But I think both A&M and Wyndorf expected better sales because Minster Magnet opened for bands like Aerosmith and Metallica. The end result was Monster Magnet left A&M in 2002. Why did A&M sign Monster Magnet? They saw them as similar to Soundgarden. But Soundgarden rode the wave of 90s Seattle bands. That wasn't going to help Monster Magnet. Since then Monster Magnet has recorded for several labels, most notably the Austrian label Napalm. They last released an album in 2021. They don't seem to be on tour right no so they may be recording new music. Here's Monster Magnet performing Spine of God at the Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia Sept. 6, 2009 via Moshcam.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Kraftwerk

Artist:Kraftwerk

Song:Autobahn

Album:Autobahn

Today electronic keyboards are as common as guitar, bass and drums. They started appearing on albums in the 60s like Walter Carlos' Switched On Bach and especially Ron Grainer's music for the British TV show Doctor Who. But we didn't see it much on the pop charts until the 70s. It started in Europe especially in Germany. But Kraftwerk was the first serious electronic music act to make an impact on pop music with the 1974 single Autobahn. I'm not including novelty songs that used synthesizers. This was mostly due to Philips Records promotion guys convincing radio stations to play Autobahn. Kraftwerk was formed in 1970 in Dusseldorf, Germany by Florian Schneider and Ralf Hutter. They were students at Dusseldorf's Robert Schumann Hochschule. They wanted to make experimental music. They were in the band Organisation who released the 1970 album Tone Float on RCA in Germany. The album didn't sell but Schneider and Hutter decided to ditch the band and record as the duo Kraftwerk. They both played synthesizers. They sometimes played other instruments and additional instruments. It took them a few years to figure things out. I knew about this kind of music already as there was a store in the Cumberland Center in Toronto that sold German electronic music bands like Can and I bought albums there. I got to listen to them in the store. Someone needed to figure out how to commercialize this music. And that brings me to Autobahn. First, the album Autobahn was more pop than their early albums. It was the first album to be released in the US by Philips. The big problem was the title song was 22 minutes long. They worked up a three minute single and sent it to radio station. They even produced a video. The strategy worked as Autobahn reached #11 on the British Singles chart and #25 on the Billboard Hot 100. It charted worldwide. The success of Autobahn was very influential in that it  showed that electronic music could sell if marketed properly. This album is available in a remastered version. It was Kraftwerk's biggest hit. They still record and tour. Henning Schmitz replaced Schneider in 2008.  Schneider died in 2020. In 2025, Kraftwerk did a multimedia tour with skateboarder Tony Hawk. They will tour Asia in the spring. Though Kraftwerk last released new music in 2003, they released a live album in 2017. Whether or not you like Kraftwerk, they certainly changed the perception of electronic music. Here's the video for Autobahn by Kraftwerk.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Mondo Cozmo

Artist:Mondo Cozmo

Song:Shine

Album:Plastic Soul

Singer songwriter Josh Ostrander was in a couple of bands before he launched his solo career as Mondo Cozmo. I would describe his music as indie folk rock. The 2017 single Shine is his biggest hit to date. He was born Apr. 8, 1979 in Philadelphia. He formed the band Laguardia in 2000 with Greg Lyons. They were childhood friends. They released the 2003 album Welcome to the Middle on Republic Universal. Ostrander and Lyons decided to end that band and started the band Eastern Conference Champions (ECC) in 2005. They released a 2006 EP and signed with Geffen's Suretone label for the 2007 album Ameritown. Geffen placed songs in TV shows like Friday Night Lights and Gossip Girl and a song in the the 2010 film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. At the time, this was a strategy labels used to boost album sales. The songs do get downloaded from iTunes but it didn't help album sales. ECC left Geffen and released an album on the indie label The Organization. They split up in 2015. By this time, Ostrander had moved to Los Angeles because he wanted to get into production. He also decided to record solo as Mondo Cozmo. He signed with Universal Republic for the 2017 album Plastic Soul. The single Shine topped the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. Ostrander does everything himself in the studio. He hires musicians for touring. He has released three albums for the Canadian indie label Last Gang Records, most recently in 2024. He has also produced a couple of bands. So Ostrander may have to decide if he wants to continue the band or be a full time producer. Here's the video for Shine by Mondo Cozmo.