AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Black Eyed Peas

Artist:The Black Eyed Peas
Song:I Gotta Feeling
Album:The E.N.D.





The Black Eyed Peas had one of the best runs in recent memory. I Gotta Feeling was a huge hit in 2009. Right now they are coming back from a long hiatus. We'll see if they can return successfully. William "will.i.am" Adams and Allan "apl.de.ap" Pineda were in eighth grade in a Los Angeles high school in 1988 when they started rapping with the breakdance group Tribal Nation. When that split up, they formed the trio Atban Klann with Dante Santiago. They recorded an album for Eazy-E's Ruthless Records. But Eazy-E died in 1995 and the album was never released. The group name was changed to The Black Eyed Peas. Santiago was replaced by Jaime "Taboo" Gomez and singer Kim Hill was brought in. They signed with Interscope and released the 1998 album Behind The Front. A second singer Sierra Swan was brought in. But both singers left in 2000. Kim signed a solo deal with Interscope. Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson joined for the 2003 album Elephunk. She was in the group Wild Orchid. She brought a mainstream pop sound to The Black Eyed Peas. Also, Justin Timberlake appeared on their first top ten hit Where Is The Love?. Elephunk was certified 2XPlatinum. The 2005 album Monkey Business was certified 3XPlatinum. Don't Phunk With My Heart and My Humps were top five hits. After touring, they took a break. In the meantime, Fergie released a successful solo album. The 2009 album The E.N.D. turned out to be their most successful album. Boom Boom Pow was their first number one hit and it was immediately followed by I Gotta Feeling. So The Black Eyed Peas topped the charts for the whole summer. They went on hiatus after the 2010 album The Beginning. Adams released a solo album in 2013. The Black Eyed Peas released a new single yesterday with a new album coming. The big thing is Fergie has just released a solo album. So she is not on the new Black Eyed Peas album. They have not had success without her. Also, no matter how big a group gets, music fans have very short memories. We'll see if The Black Eyed Peas can be successful again. I have my doubts. Here's the video for I Gotta Feeling by The Black Eyed Peas.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Connie

Artist:Connie
Song:Funky Little Beat
Album:The Best Of Connie: Funky Little Beat





Consuelo Piriz had brief success with the 1985 club hit Funky Little Beat. Today it is considered to be a big influence on what became known as Freestyle dance music. Connie was born July 30, 1964 in Miami. Her father was from Cuba and her mother was from Ecuador. Her big break came when she met dance music pioneer Henry Stone. Stone owned TK Records and was the man behind Betty Wright, George McCrae and KC & The Sunshine Band. He sold TK to Roulette Records and started Sunnyview Records in 1982. He signed Connie and released the album Connie in 1986. Funky Little Beat caught on in dance clubs. It did chart in Hip Hop and R&B but it didn't cross over to pop. Stone wrote the song with his wife and producer Amos Larkins II. Larkins was hired as a Sunnyview house producer. Connie was the one artist he had success with. Larkins quit the music business in 1987. But he returned in the 90s and he has worked with Connie in recent years. She left the music business to start a family and returned with the 1995 album No Tears. This Best Of Connie CD is the 1986 album Connie with three bonus remixes of Funky Little Beat. Even the cover is the same as the original album. Connie still performs. She does these Best Of Freestyle shows with other similar acts from the past. Here's the video for Funky Little Beat by Connie.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-The Jud Conlon Chorus

Artist:The Jud Conlon Chorus w/The Mellomen f/Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Paul Collins, Tommy Luske
Song:You Can Fly!
Album:Walt Disney's Peter Pan



This 1953 film was a big hit when it first came out. I guess it's still one of Walt Disney's classics that we all watched when we were kids. It's based on JM Barrie's play. Disney produced it right after he finished Alice In Wonderland so many of the same people worked on both films. Production on Peter Pan and Alice In Wonderland was interrupted by WWII. They worked on character development and Frank Churchill had written some songs before his death. Disney resumed production of Peter Pan after Alice In Wonderland was finished. Oliver Wallace composed the score for Peter Pan as he did for Alice In Wonderland. Sammy Cahn and Sammy Fain wrote most of the songs including You Can Fly!. Child actor Bobby Driscoll was already a Disney veteran when he did the voice of Peter Pan. He was in Song Of The South and Treasure Island. Outside of Disney, you should check out the 1949 film The Window. Kathryn Beaumont was the voice of Wendy. She also played Alice in Alice In Wonderland. The Mellomen featuring Thurl Ravenscroft and Bill Lee were Disney regulars and Jud Conlon worked on Alice In Wonderland. Of course the film was a big hit and is considered a classic today. The soundtrack is available on CD with some bonus tracks. Here's The Jud Conlon Chorus with The Mellomen featuring Bobby Driscoll, Kathryn Beaumont, Pail Collins and Tommy Luske performing You Can Fly! from the 1953 film Peter Pan.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Incognito

Artist:Incognito f/Jocelyn Brown
Song:Always There
Album:20th Century Masters: The Millennium Collection: The Best Of Incognito




If you are a fan of R&B and funk, Incognito may be the best band you never heard of. They have been successful mostly in their native England. Always There was their breakthrough hit in 1991. Incognito leader Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick and Paul "Tubbs" Williams were members of the 70s band Light of the World. They had success in England especially with their 1980 cover of I Shot The Sherriff. The band split and Maunick and Williams recorded an album as Incognito in 1981. For the rest of the 80s, Maunick concentrated on producing, most significantly Maxi Priest. In 1990, he decides to restart Incognito. This is around the time Acid Jazz was beginning in London clubs. DJ Gilles Peterson started Talkin' Loud Records with Polygram distribution. Incognito was one of his first signings. Inside Life was their first album in 1991. Maunick is the main producer. Many musicians have gone through Incognito. He also uses a lot of guest singers. The guest singer on Always There is veteran session singer Jocelyn Brown. She started out as lead singer of Musique (In The Bush-1978). But she does a lot of guest shots for Inner Life, Cerrone and many others. Jocelyn is from North Carolina but she has lived in England since 1980. Always There was written and first recorded in 1975 by sax player and smooth jazz pioneer Ronnie Laws and Side Effect scored a dance hit with their 1976 cover. Incognito's cover was a dance hit across Europe. Since then, Incognito has released many albums with plenty of guest singers, most significantly Maysa Leak. This budget comp is a good intro to Incognito's music. Incognito's latest CD In Search Of Better Days was released in 2016 on the German label Ear Music and on Shanachie in the US. They are always on tour so check them out if they are coming your way. Here's the video for Always There by Incognito featuring Jocelyn Brown.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Porno For Pyros

Artist:Porno For Pyros
Song:Tahitian Moon
Album:Good God's Urge





Perry Farrell formed Porno For Pyros after Jane's Addiction split up. The band could have been successful but they only recorded two albums and then Jane's Addiction reformed in 1997. After Jane's Addiction disbanded in 1991, lead singer Perry Farrell and drummer Stephen Perkins formed Porno For Pyros. Farrell named the band after seeing a fireworks ad in a porno mag. The other members were guitarist Peter DiStefano and bassist Martyn LeNoble of Thelonious Monster. They signed with Warner Bros. which was Jane's Addiction's label. They toured before the 1993 album Porno For Pyros was released. So there was demand for the album. It was certified Gold and the video for Pets was in heavy rotation on MTV. Tahitian Urge is from the 1996 album Good God's Urge. There were problems during the recording of the album. LeNoble left and he was replaced by several bassists. Mike Watt was to be his full time replacement. While planning a tour, DiStefano was diagnosed with cancer. Farrell was considering reforming Jane's Addiction anyway. So when they did reunite in 1997, that was the end for Porno For Pyros. Farrell has teased a Porno For Pyros reunion occasionally. The last time he did this was in 2013. But he's busy with Jane's Addiction and other projects. It doesn't seem to be in the cards. Here's the video for Tahitian Moon by Porno For Pyros.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Eliane Elias

Artist:Eliane Elias
Song:Chega De Saudade
Album:Bossa Nova Stories





Singer, songwriter and pianist Eliane Elias mixes traditional Brazilian music with contemporary jazz. She grew up in Brazil but she has lived in the US since 1981. She was born Mar. 19, 1960 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Her mother was a classical pianist and jazz fan. Eliane studied classical piano as a child. She started composing and performed in local clubs as a teen. At age 17, she toured with the popular duo Toquinho e Vinicius de Moraes. She met bassist Eddie Gomez while on Tour in Europe. He brought her to New York to study at Juilliard and she was a member of Steps Ahead. She married trumpeter Randy Brecker and they recorded the 1984 album Amanda. Eliane signed with Blue Note in 1987. She has recorded many albums and seems to always be on tour. I saw her live a few years ago. Not surprisingly, Eliane records many Brazilian standards. Chega de Saudade was written by Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes and made famous by Joao Gilberto. Eliane first recorded it on the 1996 album The Three Americas. She recorded it a second time on the 2008 album Bossa Nova Stories. Eliane recorded the album as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of bossa nova. Musicians are Eliane's husband Marc Johnson on bass, Oscar Castro Neves on guitar and Paulo Braga on drums. Toots Thielemans and Ivan Lins make guest appearances on the album. Eliane moved to Concord Records in 2011. Her latest CD Dance Of Time was released in Mar. 2017. She recorded it in Brazil with guests like Toquinho, Joao Bosco, Randy Brecker and Mike Mainieri. She normally tours the summer jazz festival circuit. Check her out if she's coming your way. You might see her daughter Amanda Brecker who is a jazz singer. She sometimes tours with her mom. I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Here's Eliane Elias performing Chega de Saudade at Avo Session in Basel, Switzerland 2010.

Sara McMann vs Yana Kunitskaya added to Feb. 24 UFC show

Yana Kunitskaya announced on Instagram that she will make her UFC debut against Sara McMann on UFC on FOX 28 Feb. 24 at the Amway Center in Orlando, FL. Of course Sara's claim to fame is she won a silver medal in wrestling at the 2004 Olympics. She has an 11-4 record with a 5-4 UFC record. In her last fight, she lost to Ketlen Vieira by first round rear naked choke. She really needs to rebound. She's 37 years old now and the clock is ticking. I've never liked her much. Obviously she has wrestling skills. But I don't think she is aggressive enough in MMA. And that has cost her fights. One change she did make before her last fight is she moved to Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. We'll see what they can do with her. Though Yana is new to the UFC, she won the Invicta Bantamweight Championship in August. Yana is 28 years old from Saint Petersburg, Russia. Her record is 11-3 mostly in Europe. She was 1-1-1NC in Invicta. I saw her several years ago in Europe. She lost to Tonya Evinger in Invicta and I think Sara is at a similar competition level. In addition, both fighters have fought at 145 and the UFC might be interested in both of them to fight at Welterweight. I think it's an important fight for both fighters but for different reasons. Sara is trying to prevent a slide and Yana wants to make a good first impression against a ranked opponent.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-A Forest Mighty Black

Artist:A Forest Mighty Black
Song:Fresh In My Mind
Album:Mellowdramatic





Fans of Acid Jazz and Trip Hop might be familiar with this record that was popular in British clubs in 1997. Unlike most Acid Jazz which is British, A Forest Mighty Black is led by German producer Bernd Kunz. He does mostly remixes for the German label Compost Records. So most songs by A Forest Mighty Black turn up on various artists CDs. The exception was when he recorded the album Mellowdramatic in 1997. Candyfloss and Fresh In My Mind were released as a single and it became popular in British clubs. The interesting thing about Kunz is he likes to sample jazz and Brazilian music. On Fresh In My Mind, he's obviously sampling jazz piano. So who is it? It's an obscure Brazilian pianist named Francisco Tenorio Jr. I have never heard of him. He recorded in the 60s and then he died mysteriously in 1976. His body was never found. He is presumed dead. The vocals are by Karin "Kitty K" Weckermann. Mellowdramatic is available as a budget CD. Acid Jazz fans should check it out. Kunz released another A Forest Mighty Black album in 2014. But mostly he still produces remixes for Compost. Here's a video for Fresh In My Mind by A Forest Mighty Black.

Sarah Moras vs Lucie Pudilova added to Feb. 18 UFC show

Last week it was reported in Germany that Sarah Moras vs Lucie Pudilova has been added to UFC Fight Night 126 Feb. 18 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, TX. This match was confirmed by Lucie's Twitter. Sarah is 29 years old from Kelowna, BC. She was on TUF 18. Her record is 5-2 and 1-1 in the UFC. We haven't seen much of her because she was out with injuries. She was forced to return to her job at Canada Post to make ends meet. She raised money with Go Fund Me to pay for training. Her return was successful when she best Ashlee Evans-Smith with a first round armlock in September. So hopefully she is back. I think she's a pretty good fighter. Lucie is 23 years old from the Czech Republic. Her record is 7-2 and 1-1 in the UFC. In her last fight, she won over Ji Yeon Kim by unanimous decision in June. This will be Lucie's first fight in the US. I think Sarah is a higher level of competition than her previous opponents. She came to the UFC as a late replacement so I don't know if she belongs in the UFC. This fight should tell us.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Asuka vs Alexa Bliss

Here's the match video of Asuka vs Alexa Bliss from this week's episode of RAW. Last week, Asuka announced her entry into the Royal Rumble and then she kicked Alexa in the head. The match on Monday's show was not for the title. Alexa tried to talk GM Kurt Angle out of booking the match. he told her she's lucky he didn't make it for the title...yet. Then she tried to get her pal Nia Jax to come to the ring with her. But Nia wanted to take chicken soup to the flu ridden Enzo Amore. The problem I saw with this match is Alexa got to be champ mostly with her mouth. She lacks wrestling experience. It was going to be a challenge for Asuka to get a good match out of her. They never wrestled on NXT TV but they did on house shows. The start of the match was mostly Alexa stalling. But when they returned from commercial, Alexa had Asuka in a body scissors. They showed what happened in a replay but it needed to be live. They didn't do Alexa any favors. Commentary tried to sell that Asuka suffered a rib injury. But the body scissors was not very convincing and she was in the hold for way too long. And that was the biggest problem with this match. There was plenty of filler on this episode of RAW and this match was way too long. Asuka tried to sell Alexa's terrible offense. But there is only so much Asuka can do. Obviously there will be a title match in the future. Asuka has to figure out how to make it a PPV quality match. That could be Asuka's most difficult task. Right now Alexa's offense isn't convincing enough. I'm sure Asuka is already thinking about what she will need to do. Check out the match for yourself.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Patti Page

Artist:Patti Page
Song:Old Cape Cod
Album:The Complete US Hits 1948-62





Patti Page was one of the most popular singers of the 50s. She was also very durable and continued to have hits after the rise of Rock 'N' Roll. Old Cape Cod was a top five hit in 1957. And then in the 60s, she turned to country music. She was born Clara Ann Fowler Nov. 8, 1927 in Claremore, OK. After graduating high school, she sang with Al Clauser and his Oklahoma Outlaws on Tulsa radio station KTUL. Then she got her own show and the sponsor the Page Milk Company renamed her Patti Page. Jimmy Joy Band sax player and manager Jack Rael heard her on the radio and asked her to join the band. When Patti left the band to sing with Benny Goodman, he became her manager. Her time with Goodman got her a contract with Mercury Records. Patti had her first number one hit with All My Love (Bolero) in 1950. Her second number one hit was Tennessee Waltz which most would agree was her signature song. Her other number one hits were I Went To Your Wedding and (How Much Is That) Doggie In The Window in 1952. By the mid-50s, Rock 'N' Roll started to take hold. Patti began to fade but she still charted in the top ten. Vic Schoen became her producer in 1955. He worked at Decca for many years. He got Patti back in the top five with Allegheny Moon and then Old Cape Cod. Old Cape Cod reached #3 on the pop charts. And though it wasn't Patti's biggest hit, it is well remembered by her fans. The song was written by Boston housewife Claire Rothrock who gave it to Patti in a Boston nightclub. Patti loved the song and it made her an icon there. The song was not on an album. If you're looking for a Patti Page comp, she re-recorded her hits over the years. This 3CD box set from Acrobat is all original versions of her hits. Patti hosted her own TV show on CBS. And then she left Mercury for Columbia in 1963. In the 60s, she had success in Adult Contemporary and country. And she continued to perform until her 2012 retirement. Patti Page died on Jan. 1, 2013 at age 85. Here's Patti Page performing Old Cape Cod 2004.

AccuRadio Song Of the Day-Jon Bon Jovi

Artist:Jon Bon Jovi
Song:Blaze Of Glory
Album:Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection: Deluxe Edition




Of course Jon Bon Jovi is best known as lead singer of Bon Jovi. They have had plenty of hits. But Bon Jovi topped the charts with the 1990 solo single Blaze Of Glory. He wrote it for the film Young Guns II. He recorded it after the band went on hiatus after touring to support the 1988 album Slippery When Wet. At the time it wasn't known if they would stay together. Emilio Estevez approached Bon Jovi about using Wanted Dead Or Alive in Young Guns II. With the band on hiatus, Bon Jovi suggested recording new songs for the film. Apparently he wrote Blaze Of Glory while he was on the Young Guns II set in New Mexico. And then he wrote the rest of the songs inspired by his experience there. The single topped the charts in 1990. Of course fans may not have realized that it was a solo recording. But the band wasn't involved in the album. And the tone of the songs was more serious than Bon Jovi's usual music. Blaze Of Glory was produced by veteran producer Danny Korchmar. The band was Jeff Beck on guitar, Aldo Nova on keyboards, Benmont Tench of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers on organ, Randy Jackson on bass and Kenny Aronoff of John Mellencamp's band on drums. The Blaze Of Glory album is available as a budget CD. but you can get the single on this 2CD deluxe edition Bon Jovi comp. At the time, Bon Jovi didn't know if the band would get back together. So he started his own label and produced an Aldo Nova album. Then he started his own management company after firing his manager and got Bon Jovi back together for the 1992 album Keep The Faith. When the band took a second hiatus in 1995, Bon Jovi got into acting on films like Moonlight and Valentino. He released the 1997 album Destination Anywhere. That's the last time he recorded solo. Unlike the first hiatus, the 1995 hiatus was planned. And of course Bon Jovi is still active. But in 1990 there was uncertainty. So Blaze Of Glory could have resulted in a Jon Bon Jovi solo career. Here's the video for Blaze Of Glory by Jon Bon Jovi.

Mackenzie Dern vs Ashley Yoder added to Mar. 3 UFC show

This morning Ariel Helwani of MMA Fighting reported that Mackenzie Dern vs Ashley Yoder has been added to UFC 222 Mar. 3 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Mackenzie is one of the most eagerly anticipated UFC signings in some time. Matchmaker Sean Shelby announced her signing on Saturday. So what's the big deal? Mackenzie is 24 years old from Phoenix. The big deal is she was a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu champ before turning pro. Her dad was a BJJ whiz too. She trains at MMA Lab in Phoenix which is owned by Bellator's Benson Henderson. John Crouch is her coach. Her record is 5-0. I just saw her dominate her opponent a couple of weeks ago in Invicta. Her striking looks to be much improved. It was just a matter of time before she signed with the UFC. The one question about her is can she make 115lb or should she fight at 125. She's big for a Strawweight so Mackenzie could dominate the division if she can make weight. And she has the looks to cross over to the mainstream and attract casual fans. She should ditch that phony Brazilian accent. Her opponent Ashley Yoder is not a UFC caliber fighter. She's 30 years old and trains at Team Quest in California. Her record is 5-3 and 0-2 in the UFC, She didn't look good in either of her UFC fights. I guess Mackenzie has to start somewhere.

The 2017 Big Bad Blog Personality Of The Year-Asuka

For the last few years, I have done a women's MMA fighter of the year. I was thinking about a couple of possibilities. But they all seemed more likely for 2018 depending on how things go. For 2017, no one has had the year that Asuka has had. And she is likely to surpass what she has already done in 2018. I have covered Asuka's entire career. And the changes she made after she worked for Battlearts in 2009 followed by a complete makeover and a main event position at SMASH are still evident today. All credit to SMASH manager Yoshihiro Tajiri who believed in Asuka. That's the Asuka that HHH watched on video and he made it clear to her that's who he wanted. The whole thing has turned out much better than any Kana fans would have thought. But remember if she hadn't come to the WWE, I'm pretty sure Asuka would have retired Oct. 2015. That's what she told Tokyo Sports. She wasn't making any money wrestling in Japan. Her graphic design business was how she made her living. Asuka was the NXT Women's Champion until she left to go to the main roster. She brings her winning streak with her. And don't forget Bill Goldberg gave her the streak. So it's inevitable that in 2018, Asuka will become the RAW Women's Champion probably at Wrestlemania. And to think of all the remarkable things she has already done. Last night I watched what I think was Asuka's best 2017 match. And that's her Last Woman Standing match vs Nikki Cross. This match was inspired by a backstage brawl the two did on an episode of NXT. That went so well that a Last Woman Standing match was suggested. I doubt that Asuka knew what that was because that kind of match isn't done in Japan. Considering that, Asuka and Nikki planned one hell of a match with plenty of drama and cliffhangers. Don't be surprised if these two cross paths sometime in 2018. They have great chemistry. Asuka is probably the best wrestler in the world right now. But I don't expect that she will ever credit for that because there is plenty of misogyny out there that won't give women credit for anything. Most wrestlers know how great she is and many of them say so. Plenty of Japanese wrestlers go to her hair salon in Yokohama. So the wrestling business gives her credit. Of course I have written about her for years. I'm just glad things in the WWE have gone well for her. And as I said, it's only going to get better in 2018.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Kanna Asakura vs RENA

Here's the match video of Kanna Asakura vs RENA from yesterday's RIZIN show at Saitama Super Arena. It was the final of the Atomweight tournament. RENA was the favorite but lately Kanna has improved and she's only 20 years old. For two years, I have said that RENA needs to quit Shoot Boxing and concentrate on MMA full time. Up until this fight, she hadn't faced anyone who could compete with her. Kanna is improving mainly because she isn't training with her dad anymore. You'll notice they showed him in the audience. He used to be in her corner. There's not much to the fight as they were feeling each other out. Kanna started going for takedowns. They bounced off the ropes and Kanna landed on top and then took RENA's back. RENA was unable to defend and she was asleep in moments. If she is able to defend, RENA probably gets through round one. That's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes. An opportunity to finish landed in Kanna's lap and she took advantage of it. Plenty of fighters would have messed that up. So she deserves a lot of credit. I'm not sure where RIZIN wants to go with Kanna. She doesn't have RENA's star power but she could be a better fighter. The Japanese promoter habit of bringing in anonymous gaijin fighters doesn't do the Japanese fighters any favors. The other question is what will RENA do? She has the talent to be a good fighter. But is she willing to make sacrifices to get to that place? Stay tuned and we'll find out. Enjoy the video!

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Antonio Banderas

Artist:Antonio Banderas
Song:Guido's Song
Album:Nine The Musical: The New Broadway Cast Recording




Antonio Banderas is mainly known as a film star. But he has done musicals. Nine was his only time on Broadway and it was very successful. He was nominated for a Tony. Then he returned to films. He was born Jose Antonio Dominguez Bandera Aug. 19, 1960 in Malaga, Spain. He was in the Spanish National Theater until he was spotted by director Pedro Almodovar. And it's his work in Almodovar's films especially Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! that got Hollywood's attention. Banderas' first big film was The Mambo Kings in 1992 followed by Philadelphia. We found out he could sing in the film version of the musical Evita. And that's what got him to Broadway. Nine was written by Maury Yeston based on the Federico Fellini film 8 1/2. It was first produced on Broadway starring Raul Julia in 1982. The 2003 revival was very successful. It won two Tonys and Banderas was nominated. It was also turned into a 2009 film starring Daniel Day-Lewis. Banderas plays the lead character based on Fellini. There is a cast album available on CD. Banderas returned to films. His most significant role since then was as Puss In Boots in the Shrek films and the Puss In Boots spinoff. He also reunited with Almodovar in the 2011 film The Skin I Live In. These days he stars in genre films that could best be described as B movies. So I think Banderas' days as a big star are over. He was a star when he did Nine. Here's Antonio Banderas performing Guido's Song from Nine on the 2003 Tony Awards broadcast.

Big Bad Blog Video Theater-Carla Esparza vs Cynthia Calvillo

Here's the match video of Carla Esparza vs Cynthia Calvillo from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. Cynthia is considered a bright prospect who with a win would get a big boost into the title picture. Carla is a former champ possibly on the way to Palookaville. I thought the only way Cynthia losses this fight is if she does something stupid. And that's exactly what she did. Cynthia looked great in round one. She took Carla down and stayed on top. Carla attempted a couple of armbars but Cynthia won the round 10-9. I don't know why she didn't do this for the other two rounds. I don't know what kind of strategy leads to losing a striking contest to Carla Esparza. But that's what happened. I don't understand her strategy. If she's winning, why change? I scored round two and three 10-9 for Carla and the judges all scored the fight 29-28 for Carla. The funniest part was Cynthia was shocked. She thought she was robbed. The fight wasn't very good anyway and Cynthia's strategy made no sense. Check out the video for yourself.

Big Bad blog Video Theater-Cris Cyborg vs Holly Holm

Here's the match video of Cris Cyborg vs Holly Holm from last night's UFC show in Las Vegas. I thought that if Cyborg fights the way she normally does, the result was going to be very similar to the Tonya Evinger fight, a third round finish. But Cyborg's trainer Jason Parillo has convinced Cyborg to be more patient. And that patience could have cost Cyborg this fight. I scored the fight 50-45 for Cyborg. Round two was close but I thought Cyborg pitched a shutout. The problem was Holly was winning after two rounds. Two of the three judges scored round one 10-9 for Holly. And they all scored round two for Holly. What did Holly do in round one to get that scoring? She did a lot of clinching on the fence but I thought that was a stalling tactic so I can't explain what they saw to give her that round. And if you look at the fight stats, Holly's main problem is she didn't land enough strikes. Cyborg outstruck her in each round by a significant margin. This didn't surprise me because Holly doesn't fight aggressively. She's looking for an opening to land a big shot. That never came in this fight. I guess Cyborg underperformed. This was the first Cyborg fight to go the distance since she beat Yoko Takahashi for EliteXC in 2008. Reasons for this atypical performance could be that she had trouble breathing through a bloody nose, something that was a first. It also looks like she may have broken her right hand. But I think Cyborg and Parillo need to rethink this patience strategy because it could have cost her this fight against a more active opponent. This got a Fight of the Night bonus. All of the fights that went the distance on last night's show were blah so I didn't think there should be a FOTN bonus. Afterwards, Cyborg talked about facing Megan Anderson in her native Australia. She needs an xray on her hand first. So I guess I like the old version of Cyborg better than this patient version. Check out the fight for yourself.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Janet Jackson

Artist:Janet Jackson
Song:What Have You Done For Me Lately
Album:Icon: Number Ones





We all know who Janet Jackson is. I think it might surprise folks that she wasn't an overnight success in pop music. What Have You Done For Me Lately was her first hit single but it was on her third album. It's not her biggest hit but it certainly paved the way for success. She was born May 16, 1966 in Gary, IN. She was the youngest of the ten Jackson children. As a child, she appeared in the sitcoms Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes. At age 16, her dad and manager Joe Jackson got her a record deal with A&M Records. Her 1982 album Janet Jackson and 1984 album Dream Street didn't sell. There were no hit singles. Critics panned them as bland. Her dad supervised and hired producers to work with Janet. Soon after, Janet split with her dad and married James DeBarge. The marriage was annulled but Janet got a new manager. A&M A&R exec John McClain took over. He saw Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis when they were in The Time. They produced The SOS Band and worked with Prince. McClain introduced them to Janet and they wrote and produced most of the songs on the 1986 album Control. They were producing an album for former Atlantic Starr singer Sharon Bryant. Those songs were given to Janet and rewritten to suit her. What Have You Done For Me Lately was rewritten to reflect Janet's failed marriage. It reached #4 on the Billboard Hot 100. Subsequent singles did even better and the album Control was certified 5XPlatinum. Of course Janet became an even bigger star with the 1989 album Rhythm Nation 1814. And it was all because Janet took control of her music career. This budget comp is a good intro to her music. Her partnership with Jam and Lewis is one of the longest and most successful in pop music history. They produced all her albums for twenty years. Janet is still around. Her latest album was released in 2015. Of course she has faded. But she had a longer run than most artists. And I think Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis deserve a lot of credit for that run. Here's the video for What Have You Done For Me Lately by Janet Jackson.

AccuRadio Song Of The Day-Francoise Hardy

Artist:Francoise Hardy
Song:Et Meme
Album:The Vogue Years





Francoise Hardy was one of France's most successful pop singers in the 60s. She was also successful in films and modelling. Attempts to have her sing in English and sell her in the US didn't work. But she had success in England. Et Meme charted in England. She was born Jan. 17, 1944 in Paris. Her parents were divorced and she was raised by her mom. Her musical influences included french stars like Charles Trenet and Anglophones like Cliff Richard and Marty Wilde who were popular in Europe. In 1962, she answered a newspaper ad looking for singers and she signed with Vogue. Her very first single Tout Les Garcons et Les Filles topped the French charts. It's her signature song though Francoise hated the record because she didn't enjoy recording it. It set her up for the rest of the decade as all her songs were hits in France. Et Meme is from the 1964 album Mon Amie La Rose. It was released in the US in 1966 as Maid In Paris. It reached #11 in France and it charted in England. Francoise wrote Et Meme as she wrote most of her songs. It was produced by Vogue house producer Jacques Wolfsohn and arranged and conducted by Charles Blackwell. These guys worked on all of Francoise's 60s recordings. You can get them all on this 2CD comp. Francoise did plenty of modelling at the time. She also appeared in films mostly in France. But you may have seen her in the 1966 film Grand Prix. She recorded in several languages including English. That was successful in Europe but not in the US. As the 60s ended, Francoise changed her music to more of a folk music style. Francoise has lived with singer Jacques Dutronc since 1973. They married in 1981. Health problems have slowed her down in recent years. I would say she is semi-retired. She's a living legend in France. Here's Francoise Hardy performing Et Meme Apr. 1965.