Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Josiane Nunes

Here's the match video of Josiane Nunes vs Ramona Pascual from Saturday's UFC show in Las Vegas. Jennifer Gonzalez was supposed to be Josiane's opponent. But she had a dispute with a USADA tester in Chile. He may have been a little impatient with her. Ramona is from Hong Kong but she trains at Syndicate in Las Vegas. We saw her in Invicta last month. Josaiane is 28 years old from Curitiba, Brazil. She trains at Striker's House, This fight was at Featherweight because of the short notice. But at 5'2", Josiane is short for Bantamweight. But she sure can punch. Round one was close. But once Josiane found her range, Josiane won easily by unanimous decision. I guess we'll need to see how she does against a ranked Bantamweight. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Rage Against The Machine

Artist:Rage Against The Machine

Song:Testify

Album:The Battle of Los Angeles

Though they never had a big hit single, Rage Against The Machine (RATM) were a very successful album and touring band mostly because of politically charged lyrics. The 1999 single Testify was typical of this. They are from Los Angeles. After the 1991 split of his band Lock Up, guitarist Tom Morello started jamming with bassist Tim Commerford and singer songwriter Zach de la Rocha who had been friends since fifth grade. Morello brought in drummer Brad Wilk who had auditioned for Lock Up. The band name Rage Against The Machine was a song de la Rocha had written for his previous band Inside Out. They made a cassette which was sent to record companies. They signed with Epic mainly because RATM maintained creative control. Their 1992 debut album Rage Against The Machine was certified 3XPlatinum driven by heavy radio play of the single Killing in the Name. As I said, RATM never had a big hit single. Some radio stations refused to play them because they were too controversial. But that controversy drove their success. The 1996 album Evil Empire was just as successful. RATM donated all tour profits to liberal support organizations. And in some cities, police tried to cancel RATM concerts due to the band's "violent and anti law enforcement philosophies". I'm sure that helped record sales. Testify is from the 1999 album Battle of Los Angeles. It was also successful. And I'm sure RATM could have continued. But Commerford's behavior at the 2000 MTV Music Video Awards led to de la Rocha's departure. After the 2000 album of covers Renegades, RATM split up. Morello said they were squabbling over everything. Though de la Rocha worked on a couple of solo albums, neither was released. Morello and the others formed Audioslave with Soundgarden frontman Chris Cornell. Morello released a solo album in 2007. RATM first reunited in 2007 and they continue to tour. But they have not released new music Morello is not interested in recording new music. RATM have not released a comp. But Battle of Los Angeles is available as a budget CD. Here's the video for Testify by Rage Against The Machine. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jim Reeves & Patsy Cline

Artist:Jim Reeves & Patsy Cline

Song:Have You Ever Been Lonely

Album:Greatest Hits

I was listening to this today and I was wondering when country music legends Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline recorded together. Of course both died in plane crashes in the 60s. They didn't record together. This duet album was produced in 1981 using previously recorded versions. Believe it or not, Have You Ever Been Lonely was a top five country hit. The story is that Jim Reeves' widow Mary Reeves Davis approached producer Owen Bradley with the idea of producing an album of Jim Reeves and Patsy Cline duets. Mary already had the approval of the Patsy Cline Estate and RCA and MCA. Among the songs that both recorded were He'll Have To Go, Crazy, Sweet Dreams and I Fall To Pieces. Bradley mixed the vocals and engineers remixed them so they sounded decent. Then he added new orchestrations and the album was finished. Have You Ever Been Lonely reached #5 on the Country Singles chart. That was written by Peter DeRose and Billy Hill and popularized by Ernest Tubb in 1949. Neither artist had a hit with the song. Fans may have thought it was newly discovered. Of course similar technology had Natalie Cole singing with her father Nat King Cole. This album is available on CD. Here's a video for Have You Ever Been Lonely by Jim Reeves & Patsy Cline.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Carly Simon

Artist:Carly Simon f/James Taylor

Song:Mockingbird

Album:Reflections: Carly Simon's Greatest Hits

Carly Simon scored one of her biggest hits with this 1974 cover of the classic Mockingbird with then husband James Taylor. Carly was riding high at the time especially after the massive success of You're So Vain. Carly was pregnant when she recorded the 1974 album Hotcakes with producer Richard Perry. Recording an album is like giving birth anyway. As I'm sure most fans are aware, Carly married James Taylor on Nov. 3, 1972. At the time she was pregnant with their daughter Sarah. It was Taylor's idea to record Mockingbird which was a hit for Charlie & Inez Fox in 1963. He saw them perform it at the Apollo in 1965 and he used to sing it with his sister Kate when they were teens. Dr. John played electric piano. Robbie Robertson played guitar and the sax solo is by Mike Brecker. Mockingbird was the lead single from Hotcakes. It reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100. According to a website that gives point values to chart position, Mockingbird is the third biggest hit in Carly's career. You can get it on this Arista budget comp which has hits from Carly's entire career. Mockingbird does not appear on a James Taylor album. The two performed it together during Taylor's 1975 tour and then on film for the 1979 No Nukes concert. Taylor still performs Mockingbird with their daughter Sally and Carly performs it with their son Ben. And Carly sang it with Stephen Colbert on a 2015 episode of his talk show. Here's Carly Simon featuring James Taylor performing Mockingbird at the 1979 No Nukes concert at Madison Square Garden in New York. And that is Mike Brecker on sax. He was in Paul Simon's band at the time.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Waterboys

Artist:The Waterboys

Song:The Whole of the Moon

Album:The Whole of the Moon: The Music of Mike Scott and The Waterboys

The Waterboys were successful in the 80s mostly as an album and touring band. The Whole of the Moon is their signature song. And it wasn't a hit in England until it was rereleased in 1991. Mike Scott is the leader of The Waterboys and the only remaining original member. He's the lead singer and he writes all the songs. At first Scott recorded solo in the early 80s while he was a member of Another Pretty Face. He formed The Red and the Black with sax player Anthony Thistlethwaite and drummer Kevin Wilkinson. Scott's recordings were supposed to be for a solo recording for his label Ensign. But instead he called the band The Waterboys after the Lou Reed song The Kids. The album The Waterboys was released in 1983. By this time keyboard player Karl Wallinger joined the band. They appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test and toured. The other members of The Waterboys were Roddy Lorimer on trumpet, Martyn Swain on bass, John Caldwell on guitar and Eddi Reader on backup vocals. With the 1984 album A Pagan Place and the album's first single The Big Music, that term was used to describe The Waterboys sound. For the 1985 album This Is the Sea, the original members were Scott, Thistlethwaite and Wallinger. And Wallinger was soon to leave to form World Party. Violinist Steve Wickham joined. The Whole of the Moon reached #26 on the British Singles chart. After Scott moved to Ireland in 1986, The Waterboys had a revolving door of members. The Irish influence is notable in late 80s albums. Disagreements within the band led to the end of The Waterboys in 1991. Chrysalis released a Best of and that's when The Whole of the Moon reached #3 on the British Singles chart. I recommend this US comp because it's longer. Scott reformed The Waterboys in 2000 and they still tour and record. Scott is the only original member. Here's the video for The Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys. 

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Craig Morgan

Artist:Craig Morgan

Song:That's What I Love About Sunday

Album:My Kind of Livin'

The 2004 single That's What I Love About Sunday was the only #1 country hit for singer songwriter Craig Morgan. He has had a total of six top ten hits. The most recent was in 2009. He was born July 17, 1964 in Kingston Springs, TN. His father was a session bassist so he grew up in the music business. After working as an EMT, Morgan served in the US Army for ten years. He got a job as a demo singer and that led to a contract with Atlantic and his 2000 debut album Craig Morgan. When the album didn't sell, Morgan left Atlantic for Broken Bow. Atlantic closed their Nashville office in 2001. Morgan had better luck when his 2002 single Almost Home reached #6 on the Country Singles chart. And then he had his big breakthrough when That's What I Love About Sunday topped the Country Singles chart for four weeks. It was also Broken Bow's first #1 single. The album My Kind of Livin' was certified Gold. The album was produced by session guitarist Phil O'Donnell. Though Morgan co-wrote most of the songs on the album, That's What I Love About Sunday by Mark Narmore and Adam Dorsey. Narmore is a veteran songwriter who has written hits for Shenandoah and Blackhawk. Dorsey is a baptist minister. Narmore says the the song is about their families. The religious overtones certainly helped the record become a hit. The violin on the record is by session musician Larry Franklin. Morgan's 2006 album Little Bit of Life was also certified Gold. The singles Little Bit of Life and International Harvester were top ten hits. Morgan then signed with Sony's BNA label. He had two more top ten hits. But something went wrong as he left after one album and signed with the much smaller Black River Entertainment. He released his latest album in 2016. I don't think he has a record deal right now. But he still performs. Here's the video for That's What I Love About Sunday.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray vs Amari Miller and Lash Legend

Here's the match video of Io Shirai and Kay Lee Ray vs Amari Miller and Lash Legend from last night's episode of NXT. This was in the first round of the women's Dusty Classic. There are eight teams in this tournament. Io and KLR were just put together last week. Both are accomplished veterans so they should work well together. Amari Miller is from Kansas City which is where she trained. Her real name is Camron Clay. Lash Legend is not ring ready. Her real name is Ariel Howard. She played for the Seattle Storm of the WNBA. She signed with the WWE Sept. 2021. They gave her a talk show which was awful. Now they are trying to turn her into a wrestler when she is clearly not ready. The match was a squash as it should be. The finish was KLR and Io both landed moonsaults. It looks like Lash may have hurt her knee as I don't think she was properly positioned. Again, she shouldn't be wrestling on TV. Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro won their first round match. Io and KLR will face them next. Hopefully they are given enough time so they can do some crazy things. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Godchildren of Soul

Artist:Godchildren of Soul f/General Johnson and Joey Ramone

Song:Rockaway Beach

Album:Anyone Can Join

Here's a 1994 one off album that appears to be a tribute to classic soul. It's not clear if this was supposed to be a one off. It looks like there may have been record company problems. This cover of The Ramones classic Rockaway Beach was released as a single and there was even a video. The guy behind this album was veteran record executive Steve Greenberg. He is currently the owner of S-Curve Records. But in 1994 he was an executive at Columbia Records. He is also an expert on vintage soul. He has won Grammys for his liner notes for Stax Records collections. So it's not surprising that Greenberg would produce a soul tribute. Greenberg produced most of the album with Ben Wolff and Andy Dean. They are remix guys known as Boilerhouse. They produced this cover of Rockaway Beach featuring Joey Ramone and Chairmen of the Board leader General Johnson. Other artists appearing include Rufus Thomas, Sam Moore, The Sugarhill Gang, Swamp Dogg and The Klezmatics. This is  available as a budget CD. It looks like what might have happened is Greenberg owned the masters. So when he left Columbia, he took it to Rhino and it is on Rhino's Forward label. Here's the video for Rockaway Beach by Godchildren of Soul featuring General Johnson and Joey Ramone. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Andrew Bird

Artist:Andrew Bird

Song:Nomenclature

Album:Noble Beast

Andrew Bird started out as a jazz musician. Then he became a singer songwriter. He's versatile so he is difficult to categorize. I would describe him as a critically acclaimed indie darling. He was born July 11, 1973 in the Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, IL. He learned to play violin as a child. He graduated from Northwestern University with a degree in violin studies in 1996. Bird self released his debut album. Then he was a member of Squirrel Nut Zippers. After he left that band in 1998, Bird signed with Rykodisc and formed Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire. He was also a member of Kevin O'Connell's Quality Six. Both of these bands were influenced by gypsy jazz of the 30s with folk elements. After three albums, Bird disbanded Bowl of Fire and started performing solo. He started experimenting with tape looping so he could perform solo and sound like a full band. This led to a deal with Fat Possum which is where Bird has had his greatest success. Nomenclature is from the 2009 album Noble Beast. This is his biggest selling album to date. His performance in the video is typical of what Bird was doing at the time. Since then Bird has recorded for Mom + Pop Music, Wegawam Music and currently Universal's Loma Vista label. His latest album My Finest Work Yet was released in 2019. He has also worked on film soundtracks. You may have heard him whistling in the 2011 film The Muppets. And he appeared in the TV series Fargo. Here's Andrew Bird performing Nomenclature for Pitchfork. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Kramers

Artist:The Kramers

Song:All the Way to the Gates

Album:The Hope of All Tomorrows

Typically Southern Gospel groups are family groups. And The Kramers are two generations of family. If you are not familiar with Southern Gospel, it's a style of music that has a rich tradition. But unlike other kinds of gospel music, Southern Gospel hasn't changed much over the years. It's aimed at an older audience who don't listen to anything else. The Kramers are from Peoria, IL. D. Scott Kramer and wife Rachel West Kramer have performed at their local church since the 90s. They both sing and Scott plays guitar. They also host the RiverLife Gospel Music Cruises aboard the Spirit of Peoria riverboat. Rachel recorded a couple of albums but The Kramers didn't record until they added 18 year old daughter Maria in 2016. The Kramers released an album. It got the attention of StowTown Records owner Wayne Haun and he signed The Kramers. Meanwhile Maria married Ben Wolfe and  he joined the group. The album The Hope of All Tomorrows was released in 2020. Wolfe sings lead on All the Way to the Gates. There is a market for Southern Gospel. And since Haun left Ernie Haase and Signature Sound in 2015, he has created a cottage industry. The faithful love the music. I think all these groups sound the same so I don't like it. Here's the video for All the Way to the Gates by The Kramers.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Gloria De Paula vs Diana Belbita

Here's the match video of Gloria De Paula vs Diana Belbita from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Strawweight. Gloria and her girlfriend Mayra Buena Silva are from Sao Paulo, Brazil. They used to train at Chute Boxe but now they own their own gym. Gloria is 0-2 in the UFC. she looked awful in her last fight. Diana is from Romania but she trains at House of Champions in Stoney Creek, ON. She's 1-2 in the UFC. Neither of them is very effective. So I expected a close fight. And sure enough I scored it a draw. I scored round one 10-9 for Diana. I scored round two 9-9. And I scored round three 10-9 for Gloria. Of course the judges are not encouraged to score tie rounds so they all scored round two for Gloria. So she won by unanimous decision. I just didn't think either fighter did enough to win the fight. Check out the video for yourself. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Stephanie Egger vs Jessica-Rose Clark

Here's the match video of Stephanie Egger vs Jessica-Rose "Jessy Jess" Clark from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight was at Bantamweight. Stephanie is from Switzerland. She is 1-1 in the UFC. Her striking is terrible but her judo is good. Jessy Jess is from Australia but she trains at Combat Sports Academy in California. She's really a Flyweight but problems with weight cutting have forced her to Bantamweight. Plus she has been slowed by injuries. Stephanie is much bigger. But Jessy Jess makes a huge mistake by immediately clinching on the fence. That led to Stephanie taking her down and finish her with an armbar. That got Stephanie a $50,000 bonus. I don't know why Jessy Jess did that. Stephanie admitted in her post match interview that she expected Jessy Jess to use her striking. Dumb, dumb, dumb. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Love and Kisses

Artist:Love and Kisses

Song:I Found Love (Now That I Found You)

Album:Disco Box 1: Boogie Nights

The single I Found Love topped the dance chart in 1977. It's a standard piece of Euro Disco. And typical of that kind of music, it's a studio production led by Alec Costandinos. He was born in Egypt and grew up in Australia. Then he moved to France and after having success with Cerrone's 1976 single Love in C Minor, Costandinos signed a deal with Barclay Records to record his own music. That became Love and Kisses. For some reason Costandinos thought if the songs were longer, that would make them epic. So the 1977 album Love and Kisses had two songs. The album version of I Found You was 17 minutes long. Obviously radio stations would not play it. So Barclay released a five minute radio edit. Once the song got airplay in Europe, Casablanca Records released it in the US and it topped the dance charts. The music is by studio musicians. The lead singer is not credited but I think it's Costandinos himself. You can get the radio edit of I Found Love on this Rhino various artists budget comp. Costandinos released three albums as Love and Kisses and he also wrote and produced the theme for the 1979 film Thank God It's Friday which was produced by Casablanca. With the decline of disco and Casablanca's financial problems, Costandinos recorded a few concept albums with symphony orchestras like The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Romeo and Juliet. Again I guess he thought bigger was better. When that didn't work out, that was the last we heard of Alec Costadinos. Here's a video for I Found Love (Now That I've Found You) by Love and Kisses. This is the radio edit. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Warren Haynes

Artist:Warren Haynes

Song:Fire in the Kitchen

Album:Tales of Ordinary Madness

Guitarist Warren Haynes is best known as a member of the Allman Brothers Band and the leader of Gov't Mule. But he also tours and records as Warren Haynes. He was born Apr. 6, 1960 in Asheville, NC. He started playing guitar at age 12. Though Haynes says that Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton are influences, his biggest influence is Duane Allman. Haynes started out playing with David Allan Coe and then The Nighthawks. Then he got the call to do backup vocals on a 1987 Dickey Betts album. Betts hired Haynes for his band. Then when the Allman Brothers Band reformed in 1989, Haynes was brought in for that. Fire in the Kitchen is from Haynes' 1993 debut album Tales of Ordinary Madness. The album was produced by Allman Brothers Band keyboard player Chuck Leavell. Leavell played keyboards on the album. Other musicians were Lincoln Schliefer of The Levon Helm Band on bass, Steve Holley of Wings on drums and Marc Quinones of the Allman Brothers Band on percussion. This album is available as a budget CD. Since then Haynes has released mostly live albums. Of course he formed Gov't. Mule in 1994 and he has also toured with The Grateful Dead alumni band The Dead. Haynes continues to tour with his own band. Here's Warren Haynes performing Fire in the Kitchen at The Moody Theater in Austin, TX. from the 2012 live DVD. The entire concert can be streamed on YouTube. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Nanci Griffith

Artist:Nanci Griffith w/John Prine

Song:Speed of the Sound of Loneliness

Album:Other Voices, Other Rooms

Nanci Griffith was a country singer who had great success as a songwriter. So it's ironic that this 1993 album of covers was her most successful. It won a Grammy and she recorded a 1998 sequel. She was born July 6, 1953 in Seguin, TX but she grew up in Austin. Her father was a graphic artist and barbershop quartet singer. Nanci started singing in local coffeehouses at age 12. Her father introduced her to folksinger Carolyn Hester and took her to see Townes Van Zandt. He was her biggest influence. After graduating from the University of Texas with a degree in education, Nanci took a job as a kindergarten teacher. She continued singing in clubs. After winning the 1978 New Folk Competition, she signed with the folk label Philo. Though her early albums were critically acclaimed, it was not until Kathy Mattea scored a major hit with Nanci's song Love at the Five and Dime got Nashville's attention and she signed with MCA. She recorded four albums for MCA. She was still critically acclaimed but she never had that big hit. So in 1993 Nanci moved to Elektra where there would be less pressure for commercial  success. Other Voices, Other Rooms was her first Elektra album. It's an album of covers. Nanci's recording of John Prine's Speed of the Sound of Loneliness was the first single. Though Prine appears in the video, it's not a duet. Prine sings a harmony vocal. Special guests include Emmylou Harris, Arlo Guthrie, Carolyn Hester, Guy Clark and Iris DeMent. Bob Dylan plays harmonica on Nanci's cover of Boots of Spanish Leather. And Chet Atkins plays guitar on a couple of songs. The album won a Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album. This album is available as a budget CD. The 1998 album Other Voices, Too was a sequel. Nanci left Elektra in 2001 after six albums. She didn't record much after that as she suffered from writer's block for several years. She also suffered from a disease which made it difficult for her to play guitar. After touring to support the 2012 album Intersection, Nanci retired from music. She died on Aug. 13, 2021 at age 68. Here's the video of Speed of the Sound of Loneliness by Nanci Griffith with John Prine.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview and an objective look at the career of Roxanne Modafferi. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Richie Furay Band

Artist:The Richie Furay Band

Song:I've Got a Reason

Album:I've Got a Reason

Richie Furay is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Buffalo Springfield. Then he was in Poco. After attempts to launch a solo career didn't pan out, Furay moved to Colorado and became a minister. He was born May 9, 1944 in Yellow Springs, OH. He started out performing in the Au Go Go Singers with Stephen Stills. They formed Buffalo Springfield after meeting Neil Young. Though that band was very successful, they only recorded three albums before splitting up in 1968. By that time, Jim Messina had replaced Bruce Palmer. Furay and Messina formed Poco with steel guitarist Rusty Young. After several albums, Furay left Poco to go solo in 1973. The band was not as successful as Furay had hoped. Asylum Records owner David Geffen asked Furay to form a band with J.D. Souther and Chris Hillman. Though the Souther Hillman Furay Band only recorded two albums, steel guitarist Al Perkins converted Furay to Christianity. His marriage was failing at the time. After he moved to Sugarloaf Mountain near Boulder, CO, he formed The Richie Furay Band. Though the 1976 album I've Got a Reason reflected his new beliefs, Furay promised Geffen he wouldn't preach. The album was produced by Michael Omartian, a born again Christian who also produced secular acts. After Furay's three Asylum albums didn't sell, he retired and became pastor at Calvary Chapel in Broomfield, CO. Though Furay occasionally recorded and performed, he remained pastor until his 2017 retirement. Furay continues to tour. He released a live album last year. He will tour again this year. Here's The Richie Furay Band performing I've Got a Reason at Roosevelt Stadium in Jersey City, NJ Aug. 28, 1976. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Crowder

Artist:Crowder

Song:Good God Almighty

Album:Milk & Honey

After 25 years in the music business, David Crowder scored his first #1 CCM hit with the 2021 single Good God Almighty. He was born Nov. 29, 1971 in Texarkana, TX. While attending Baylor University, Crowder was surprised that many students didn't attend church. So he became the church worship leader. He formed David Crowder Band to attract young people. This band recorded and toured from 1996 to 2012. They were very successful but I guess Crowder thought the band had run its course. He ended the band and started recording as Crowder. He is still on Sparrow's sixstepsrecords. Crowder has recorded four albums. He's a staple on the CCM charts and he has won three Dove awards. But Good God Almighty is Crowder's first #1 CCM hit. It's from his 2021 album Milk & Honey produced by veteran producer Ben Glover. It has that anthemic sound that is typical of current CCM. Crowder describes the song as "good old fashioned group singing". I think the CCM faithful will eat it up. Don't know about anyone else. Here's the video for Good God Almighty by Crowder. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Primitive Radio Gods

Artist:Primitive Radio Gods

Song:Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand

Album:Rocket

This record was a top ten hit in 1996. The video was popular on MTV. And then Primitive Radio Gods went nowhere. So yes, Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand is a one hit wonder. Chris O'Connor is the lead singer and songwriter. He is from Oxnard, CA. His previous band The I-Rails released four albums in the late 80s. After they split up, O'Connor recorded demos as Primitive Radio Gods. When no one was interested, he retired from the music business. One day while housecleaning, he found a forgotten box of demo tapes. In a final act of desperation, O'Connor sent them to all the record labels. Jonathan Daniel in the New York office of the British label Fiction Records was interested in Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand which heavily sampled BB King's How Blue Can You Get. Daniel signed O'Connor to a publishing deal and got him a record deal with Columbia when he went to work there. the song appeared in the 1996 film The Cable Guy. It reached #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album Rocket was certified Gold. O'Connor turned Primitive Radio Gods inro a band with I-Rails bandmates Jeff Sparks on guitar and Tim Lauterio on drums. He also added Luke McAuliffe on guitar. They toured. Before O'Connor could begin working on the next album, Columbia dropped them probably because Daniel left. He got them a deal with Sire. Corporate restructuring caused the 1999 album Mellotron On! to be delayed. When it finally was released, it had a different title and went nowhere. O'Connor continues to release albums as Primitive Radio Gods. It is unlikely that he will be able to repeat his commercial success. Here's the video for Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand by Primitive Radio Gods.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Treacherous Orchestra

Artist:Treacherous Orchestra

Song:Superfly: Sheepskins Beeswax/Taybank Shenanigans/Superfly

Album:Origins

A while back I featured a band called The Red Hot Chili Pipers that mixes takes Celtic music and gives it a rock backbeat. Treacherous Orchestra is similar but they haven't recorded as frequently. They describe themselves as a folk big band. They were formed in Glasgow in 2007 and played locally until Origins was released in 2012. These guys are all experienced musicians but Ali Hutton, Barry Reid and Duncan Lyall are credited as producers. Hutton plays guitar and bagpipes. He is a member of Old Blind Dogs. Reid plays electric guitar. He is a member of The MacCollective led by fiddler Lauren MacColl. Lyall is a session bassist. Other members are Kevin O'Neill and Bo Jingham on flute. Ross Ainslie on bagpipes, Adam Sutherland and Innes Watson on fiddle, John Somerville on accordion, Eamonn Coyne on banjo, Martin O'Neill on bodhran and Fraser Stone on drums. The music is mostly original songs. Superfly is a medley of three songs. Sheepskins Beeswax is traditional, Ainslie wrote Taybank Shenanigans, Kevin O'Neil wrote Superfly. The album was released on Proper's Navigator label. A second album Grind was released in 2015 on Reveal Records. It says on their website that they are returning in 2022. That probably means a new album and tour. Here's Treacherous Orchestra performing Superfly at the 2014 festival de Ortigueira in Spain.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Casey O'Neill vs Roxanne Modafferi

Here's the match video of Casey O'Neill vs Roxanne Modafferi from last night's UFC show in Houston. This fight is at Flyweight. As you probably heard, this was Roxanne's retirement fight. I didn't think there was any way she could win this fight. So far Casey has been a wrecking machine in her three UFC wins. And she trains with Eric Nicksick at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. I thought Casey won the fight easily 30-27. But Roxanne could have folded and didn't. But the fight was never in doubt except for the one judge who scored it 29-28 for Roxanne. So what happened? Whenever the UFC goes to Texas, the commission appoints some local judges who have questionable qualifications. This guy Robert Alexander judged four fights on last night's prelims. He messed up two of them. Aaron Bronsteter of TSN posted his bio on Twitter. Alexander is an aerospace engineer who is on the appeals commission of the Texas commission. In other words, he isn't qualified to judge anything, never mind a UFC show. So that's it for Roxanne. We will discuss her career in more detail on this week's podcast. I would like to see Casey mix in some body shots with her already formidable arsenal. If she had done that in this fight, she might have got that finish she wanted. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Lucius

Artist:Lucius

Song:Turn It Around

Album:Wildewoman

Lucius is an intriguing indie band who have had success in the Adult Alternative market. This 2013 album is their biggest seller to date. Lucius is led by Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig. These two women were students at Berklee College of Music in Boston. They moved to Brooklyn in 2007. They formed Lucius in 2009 with guitarist Pete Lalish and drummer Dan Molad. Both guys were members of Elizabeth & The Catapult. Jess and Holly write and produce all the songs with Molad's help. He used to be married to Jess. Jess and Holly not only both sing lead but as you will see in the video, they wear marching outfits. After self releasing a 2009 album, Jess and Holly formed Lucius and released an EP in 2012. This got them a record deal with the indie label Mom + Pop Music. The 2013 album Wildewoman was their debut album. The album was praised by Paste, Rolling Stone and NPR. Lucius appeared on NPR's Tiny Desk Concerts. So the album did well for an indie band. Lucius moved to Los Angeles in 2015 to record the 2016 album Good Grief with producer Shawn Everett. Also, Jess and Holly wanted to do studio work and there are more opportunities for that in LA. They have become in demand backup singers, most notably when they toured with Roger Waters in 2017. Lucius will have a new album Second Nature coming out on Apr. 8. They will tour to support it. Here's the video gor Turn It Around by Lucius. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Jade Jackson

Artist:Jade Jackson

Song:Finish Line

Album:Gilded

Jade Jackson is a singer songwriter who straddles the line between country and rock. Her 2017 debut album was critically acclaimed. It looks to me like she is still trying to figure out who she is musically. Jade was born in 1992 in Santa Margarita, CA, a small town near San Luis Obispo. She wasn't allowed to watch TV or go online. But her parents had a pretty good record collection. Then she went to a Social Distortion concert. And that inspired her to start writing songs. While attending California Institute of the Arts in 2000, she broke her back in a fall from a rope swing. This led to an addiction to painkillers and depression. She used songwriting to cope with that. When she returned to performing, she was spotted by a friend of her mother Christine Ness. Her husband is Social Distortion leader Mike Ness. He got her a record deal with roots music label ANTI- and he agreed to produce Jade's 2017 album Gilded. Jade wrote all the songs. Guests include fiddler Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek. The album was critically acclaimed. Ness also produced Jade's 2019 album Wilderness which is more of a rock album. She has also formed Jackson+Sellers with singer songwriter Aubrey Sellers and they released an album last year. Aubrey is the daughter of country singers Jason Sellers and Lee Ann Womack. She had recorded two albums for ANTI-. The album was recorded with Aubrey's band. So maybe that is Jade's future. Time will tell. Here's the video for Finish Lune by Jade Jackson.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Against Me!

Artist:Against Me!

Song:Thrash Unreal

Album:New Wave: CD/DVD

Against Me! is a pop punk band led by transgender singer songwriter Laura Jane Grace. They have had success mostly on the Alternative Rock chart. The 2007 CD New Wave was their major label debut. Tom Gabel was born Nov. 8, 1980 in Fort Benning, GA. His father was a Major in the US Army. So the family moved around a lot. After his parents divorced, Gabel and his brother moved to Naples, FL. with their mother. Gabel had problems with drugs and depression as a teen. Then he got into punk music and started Against Me! in 1997. At first it was supposed to be a solo project. But Gabel's friend James Bowman convinced him to turn it into a band.  They released three albums on small labels before signing with Sire Records for the 2007 album New Wave. The album was produced by Butch Vig of Garbage. It was probably more pop and less punk than previous albums. And though that may have alienated some of their fans, it opened Against Me! to a larger fanbase. The album is available as a budget CD with a bonus DVD. After the 2009 album White Crosses, Against Me! left Sire and appeared to disband. But they returned and have released a couple of albums on their own label. Gabel came out as transgender in 2012 and is known as Laura Jane Grace. She released a couple of solo albums and is currently on tour. But she says Against Me! is still a band and will return. Here's the video for Thrash Unreal by Against Me!. 

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Birds of Tokyo

Artist:Birds of Tokyo

Song:Lanterns

Album:March Fires

Birds of Tokyo have been very successful in their native Australia. The 2013 single Lanterns is their biggest hit to date. They are from Perth, Australia. In 2004, Ian Kenny was lead singer of Kamivool. Tragic Delicate guitarist Adam Spark asked Kenny to sing demos for songs he planned to sell. The results were so good, they decided to form a band. Other members were Miki Cee on guitar, Anthony Jackson on bass and Adam Weston on drums. The group name came from an article about no birds in Tokyo's business district due to high density. After releasing an EP, Birds of Tokyo signed with Aussie label MGM for the 2006 album Day One. Their first two albums were successful enough that they signed with EMI for the 2010 album Birds of Tokyo. This was their most successful album to date. The single Plans reached #11 on the Australian Singles chart. By this time Cee and Jackson were replaced by Glenn Sarangapany and Ian Berney. The 2013 album March Fires was even more successful. It topped the Australian charts. Lanterns reached #3 on the Australian Singles chart. Since then they have released two albums. Superglue was released last year. They moved to Los Angeles in 2014 and toured the US. But that was temporary and they are back in Australia. Here's the video for Lanterns by Birds of Tokyo. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Sarray vs Dakota Kai

Here's the match video of Sarray vs Dakota Kai from last night's episode of NXT. This week Sarray came out wearing a new robe. So they are still making adjustments to her character. Some I like, some I don't. Of course Dakota is much stiffer competition than last week. The match was competitive but Sarray won with her dropkick and suplex. It's a big win. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Marianne Faithfull

Artist:Marianne Faithfull

Song:As Tears Go By

Album:20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best of Marianne Faithfull

Marianne Faithfull scored her biggest hit with this 1965 cover of The Rolling Stones song As Tears Go By. This was her only US hit. She was a much bigger deal in England. She was born Dec. 29, 1946 in Hampstead, London, England. Her father was a British Intelligence officer. Her mother is from Hungarian nobility. She was a ballerina for Max Reinhardt. Marianne started out singing in coffeehouses. She attended a 1964 Rolling Stones launch party and their manager Andrew Loog Oldham signed her to Decca. As Tears Go By reached #9 on the British Singles chart and #22 on the Billboard Hot 100. She had three more top ten hits in England. But by the late 60s she was through because of a cocaine addiction. She was in a relationship with Mick Jagger from 1965-70. Despite a big music comeback with the 1979 album Broken English, she continued to have problems until she kicked the habit in 1986. Marianne continues to record today though she has done a lot of TV in England. This budget CD has all her chart singles. Here's Marianne Faithfull performing As Tears Go By 1965. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Fighter

Artist:Fighter

Song:Look Me in the Eye

Album:The Waiting

Fighter was a hard rock CCM band looking to mine the same territory as Petra. They had potential but were ultimately unsuccessful. The 1991 album The Waiting was the first of two albums. Fighter was from Cedar Rapids, IA. Amy Wolter was lead singer and she wrote most of the songs with drummer Sean Murphy. Amy's husband Jim Wolter played bass. Other members were Mark Pence on keyboards and Billy Heller on guitar. They signed with Word's Wonderland label for the 1991 album The Waiting. The album was produced by Wonderland house producer Caesat Kalinowski. There was a video for Look Me in the Eye. Fighter's sound is similar to secular bands like REO Speedwagon. But Word wasn't good at promoting outside the Christian market. Fighter was through after two albums. Amy recorded a 1994 album for another Word label WAL. For years The Waiting was a hot item on the collector's market. But Fighter released both albums in 2019 along with an album of demos. I think they were doing shows. But Sean Murphy died recently. I don't know if they will continue. Here's the video for Look Me in the Eye by Fighter. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Laissez Faire

Artist:Laissez Faire

Song:In Paradise

Album:The Best Freestyle Album in the Universe Vol. 1

Laissez Faire was a Freestyle girl group that should remind you of Expose. Maybe you have heard the 1992 single In Paradise and think it's a lost Expose song. But like Expose, Laissez Faire were from the Freestyle hotbed of Miami. In 1989, Metropolitan Records owner Joey Gold was looking for a girl group as the one he had on his roster split up. Jennifer Castle brought a friend from high school and she brought a friend. They were only identified as Jennifer, Marlo and Gina. In Paradise was their second single. And after it reached #65 on the Billboard Hot 100, Gold produced the album Hands Off. I suspect the song charted because it came with a sexy video and listeners may have thought it was a new Expose song. After subsequent singles went nowhere, that was the end of Laissez Faire. The album Hands Off is only available as a digital download. In Paradise is available on several various artists CDs. Jennifer went on to a modelling career. Laissez Faire reunited for Freestyle nostalgia shows. I don't think they are currently active. Here's the video for In Paradise by Laissez Faire. 

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Alexis Davis vs Julija Stoliarenko

Here's the match video of Alexis Davis vs Julija Stoliarenko from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. This fight is at Bantamweight. Alexis is a veteran fighter from Port Colborne, ON. She trains at Cesar Gracie in Lodi, CA  coached by her husband. She's a former title contender. But she's 37 years old and has gone 1-1 since returning from pregnancy. Julija is 28 years old from Lithuania. She was on TUF 28 but the UFC didn't sign her until she won a big fight in Invicta. She's 0-2 in the UFC. As you will see in this fight, other than fishing for armbars, she's useless. Alexis got top position in round one. Julija was fishing for armbars. Alexis defended well and won the round 10-9. That's how all three judges scored it. Round two was a lot closer. It could have gone either way but I scored it 10-9 for Julija. Two of the judges scored it that way and the third scored it 10-9 for Alexis. Alexis took Julija back to the ground in round three and pounded her enough to get a 10-8. Two of the judges scored it the same and the third scored it 10-9. Alexis wins by unanimous decision. I scored it 29-27. Two of the judges scored it the same and the third scored it 30-27 for Alexis. It doesn't make me think Alexis can beat anyone decent. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-SLAVE to the SQUAREwave

Artist:SLAVE to the SQUAREwave

Song:Sinner of Saint Avenue

Album:Big Change

SLAVE to the SQUAREwave will be of interest to those who like their pop music mixed with electronic music. They are from Toronto led by keyboard player, songwriter and producer Rob Stuart. In the 90s he led Electronic Dream Factory. Stuart met lead singer Colin Troy at a rave. They were in different bands. They decided to work together. SLAVE to the SQUAREWAVE have released five albums since 2000. Sinner of Saint Avenue is from their 2007 CD Big Change. It may be their best known song to date as there is a video. The album was released on Sparks Records so it is available at traditional outlets. Stuart usually releases music on Bandcamp. His latest project is a collaboration with Brian Dickson of Colony Three. It is called The Bootes Void. I don't know if SLAVE to the SQUAREwave is still a band. But it was always Stuart's baby anyway. Here's the video for Sinner of Saint Avenue by SLAVE to the SQUAREwave.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Helen Forrest

Artist:Helen Forrest

Song:Time Waits For No One

Album:Hits Collection 1938-1944

During WWII, Helen Forrest was known as The Voice of the Name Bands singing with Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman and Harry James. She wasn't as successful when she went solo in 1944. She was born Helen Fogel Apr. 12, 1917 in Atlantic City. Her father died from influenza when Helen was an infant, Her mother blamed Helen because she wanted a daughter so badly. Helen had three older brothers. After the family moved to Brooklyn, Helen's mother remarried. He turned the family home into a brothel. Then he tried to rape Helen and she stabbed him. Helen went to live with her piano teacher Honey Silverman who suggested Helen concentrate on singing. Helen at first sang with her brother's band. She eventually got a job singing on New York radio station WNEW And then in the Madrillion club in Washington. And that's where Artie Shaw saw her in 1938 right after Billie Holiday left the band. Helen recorded 38 singles with Shaw including They Say and All the Things You Are. After Shaw split up the band in 1939, Helen joined Benny Goodman's band. The Man I Love was probably her biggest hit with Goodman. But she didn't like working for him and she left in 1941 for Harry James. She was much happier with James as he built arrangements around her voice. Hits included I Had the Craziest Dream and I Don't Want to Walk Without You. Helen appeared in the 1942 film Springtime in the Rockies. After leaving James in 1943, Helen signed a record deal with Decca. Time Waits for No One was her first single as a solo artist in 1944. It reached #2 on the Hit Parade. The song was written by Cliff Friend and George Tobias for the 1944 film Shine On, Harvest Moon. Ann Sheridan performed it in the film. She was dubbed by Lynn Martin. The record was produced by Tutti Camarata. He was lead trumpeter for Jimmy Dorsey and he had just started a house producer job with Decca. Helen joined the Dick Haymes radio show on CBS. The show was successful and ten songs recorded by this duo charted. Helen continued to record solo but none of her songs were hits. Helen left the show in 1947. She also left Decca for MGM. After two years with little success, she seemed to retire. Helen recorded in 1955 with Harry James and also recorded her first solo album for Bell Records. Of course she couldn't compete with Rock 'N' Roll. Helen continued to perform in clubs. And she did big band nostalgia tours in the 70s. Helen Forrest died on July 11, 1999 at age 82. This 2CD comp from Acrobat has all her hits. Here's a video for Time Waits for No One by Helen Forrest.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Power Station

Artist:The Power Station

Song:Get It On (Bang a Gong)

Album:The Power Station

This 1985 cover of the T Rex classic Get It On was one of two top ten hits by the short lived supergroup The Power Station. After several years on tour, the members of Duran Duran decided to go on hiatus. At the time, bassist John Taylor was dating model Bebe Buell. She wanted to record a cover of Get It On. Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor were eager to record harder edged music than Duran Duran. They asked Chic's Bernard Edwards for help. He agreed to produce and he brought in drummer Tony Thompson. At first Bebe was supposed to sing. But she and Taylor split up. Then they were going to bring in different singers. But after Robert Palmer sang the song Communication, They decided to record the whole album with him. The Power Station signed with Capitol Records. They performed Some Like It Hot and Get It On on Saturday Night Live. Some Like It Hot reached #6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and Get It On reached #9. When it was time to tour, Palmer decided to bail and return to his solo career. He was replaced by Michael Des Barres. The Power Station toured and then split up as Duran Duran was reforming. The Power Station reformed in 1996. John Taylor was replaced by Bernard Edwards. Edwards died before the album Living in Fear was released. The band toured with replacement bassist Guy Pratt. Here's the video for Get It On (Bang A Gong) by The Power Station.

The Big Topic in WMMA

UFC review and preview. 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Beth Howland,Teri Ralston, Steve Elmore

Artist:Beth Howland, Teri Ralston, Steve Elmore

Song:Getting Married Today

Album:Company: Original Cast Recording

Getting Married Today is known as the snappy patter song from Stephen Sondheim's 1970 musical Company. Beth Howland delivers the snappy patter. She is the best known of these three performers. She was born May 28, 1939 in Brighton, MA. She is best known for playing Vera in the 70s sitcom Alice. After appearing in Company, Beth moved to Los Angeles and did mostly TV guest shots. Alice was her only regular role. She died on Dec. 31, 2015 at age 76. Teri Ralston was born Feb. 16, 1943 in Holyoke, CO. In addition to Company, she appeared in the 1973 Broadway show A Little Night Music. Lots of touring shows and regional theater. She did a lot of TV guest shots including a 1993 two part episode of Frasier. That was her most recent credit so I assume she retired. Steve Elmore was born July 12, 1936 in Niangua, MO. Along with Company, he appeared in the 1980 show 42nd Street and the 1987 show Anything Goes. Elmore performed regularly in New York clubs. He didn't do much TV or movies. Elmore died on Nov. 6, 2017 at age 84. The cast album is available as a budget CD. The clip is from D.A. Pennebaker's doc of the cast recording. Here's Beth Howland, Teri Ralston and Steve Elmore performing Getting Married Today in the 1971 doc Original Cast Album: Company.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Sarray vs Kayla Inlay

Here is the match video of Sarray vs Kayla Inlay from last night's episode of NXT. This was Sarray's first match since she went home to visit her family for Christmas. The story is she was inspired by a necklace that belonged to her grandmother. She comes out in a schoolgirl uniform and morphs into the Sarray character. The music is the same but there are changes to her hair, makeup and costume. I don't think they are finished messing around with her character. Her opponent Kayla Inlay is making her TV debut. It looks like she signed with the WWE last summer. She wrestled in Florida indies as Xtina Kay. Fortunately, Sarray still wrestles the same way. They are trying to get her to be more expressive in the ring. The match is a semi-squash. Sarray wins with the basement dropkick and a suplex. She looked good but as I said, her character is a work in progress. Enjoy the video! 

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Michael C. Hall

Artist:Michael C. Hall

Song:Lazarus

Album:Lazarus: Original Broadway Cast

Most fans should be familiar with actor Michael C. Hall from the Showtime series Dexter and the HBO series Six Feet Under. But he also leads the band Princess Goes to the Butterfly Museum. And he appears in Broadway musicals. The 2015 show Lazarus was one of David Bowie's final projects. He was born Feb. 1, 1971 in Raleigh, NC. His father died when he was 11. Hall performed in musicals in high school. He graduated from New York University in 1996. Hall's first big role was as the Emcee in a 1999 revival of Cabaret. Director Sam Mendes recommended him when Alan Ball was casting Six Feet Under. Of course that show was very successful. Hall was Emmy nominated. After that show ended, Hall was cast in Dexter which was even more successful. It ran from 2006-13. He also stars in the sequel series Dexter: New Blood. Hall has done other TV shows and movies. But he returned to Broadway in the 2015 show Lazarus. Hall played the lead character of alcoholic alien Thomas Jerome Newton who is trying to return to his home planet. The show was written by Enda Walsh featuring David Bowie classics. Lazarus was a new song. Unlike most jukebox musicals, Lazarus has a story. The show did well in a limited Broadway run. Hall also appeared in the London cast. The Broadway cast album is available as a budget CD. Hall currently starring in the Showtime series Dexter: New Blood. Here's Michael C. Hall performing Lazarus at The Arts Club in New York City.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Yellowcard

Artist:Yellowcard

Song:Ocean Avenue

Album:Ocean Avenue

Yellowcard was a pop punk band who had their success in the early 00s. The 2003 single Ocean Avenue was their biggest hit. The members of Yellowcard went to high school together in Jacksonville, FL. They formed in 1997 and moved to Los Angeles in 2000. Ryan Key wasn't an original member but he took over as lead singer when the original guy left. Key was lead singer of Modern Amusement. This was after Yellowcard recorded an EP and an album. Other members were Sean Macklin on violin, Ben Harper on guitar, Alex Lewis on bass and Longineu W. Parsons III on drums. They signed with Lobster Records and released an EP. Then they moved to Camarillo, CA and released an album. Yellowcard signed with Capitol Records in 2003. Ocean Avenue was their major label debut. It was produced by Neal Avron. Ocean Avenue was the second single. It reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100. The main thing was MTV put the video in heavy rotation. It premiered on Total Request Live. The album was certified Platinum. It is available on CD. Sales decreased on subsequent albums. They left Capitol in 2007 and went on hiatus in 2008. Yellowcard announced in 2010 that they were recording a new album. They signed with Hopeless Records and released the 2011 album When You're Through Thinking, Say Yes. They continued to tour and record until they split up for good in 2017. Here's the video for Ocean Avenue by Yellowcard.