Popdose: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 29 | Popdose
jack
· 1 year ago
I like Rick(y) Nelson's version of "Almost Saturday Night." There are actually two versions, one the record label released with rerecorded music after his death, but to be honest I can't remember which is which, so maybe I prefer the one the record company did!
WHarrisBullzEye
· 1 year ago
I have to say, this is probably my single favorite week of "Bottom Feeders" to date, if only because I have such a love for so many of the inclusions.
A few random comments:
* If anyone has a demo of Paul McCartney actually singing "On the Wings of a Nightingale," I'd love to hear it. It's a great song for the brothers Everly, but it definitely screams, "Written by Macca."
* Believe it or not, the "Porky's Revenge" soundtrack is FANTASTIC. If there's an award to be given to the Most Underrated Motion Picture Soundtrack, that's gotta be the winner.
* “In It For Love” makes me wistful for the days when every other song you heard on the radio could've worked as the theme to a sitcom.
* As cheesy as the synths on "Touch and Go" sound, I still love the song. I actually knew ELP as "Emerson Lake & Powell" before I knew anything about Carl Palmer. (Can you tell I didn't really discover classic rock 'til after '86?)
* I actually just listened to my Eighth Wonder CD the other day. So, what, was "I'm Not Scared" actually a top-40 hit? Surely it was released as a single, given that it was written by the Pet Shop Boys...
* That Eye to Eye song sounds like it could've been taken from an Any Trouble album...and that's high praise.
* The Rubinoos do a really nice cover of "Thorn in My Side."
* Fuck the hairspray and day-glo colors of the video. Enuff Z'nuff are a great power pop / rock 'n' roll band.
Malchus
· 1 year ago
There is a second song on "ELPowell" that is pretty good: "Love Blind."
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
The bonus track "Vacant Possession" is pretty good too. In fact, I think they could have pulled off a Yes-like comeback if they had focused more on just tackling songs.
I feel an ELP fit coming on.
steed
· 1 year ago
I've listened to these songs - all of them - three times at work today. This IS a really good set of songs. The more I listen to it, the more i like "Kiss You (When It's Dangerous) " too. I think this becomes my favorite week.
breadalbane
· 1 year ago
Let me second the thumbs-up for the Porky's Revenge soundtrack. I know what you're thinking -- that we're being all ironic or tongue-in-cheek or something. Nope. This soundtrack not only wins the "Most Underrated Motion Picture Soundtrack" award, but is also a prime contender for the coveted "Best Soundtrack From A Really Terribly Embarrassingly Bad Motion Picture" prize.
With regards to Walter Egan's claim, "Full Moon Fire" peaked at #38 nationally on the Cashbox charts in May, 1983.
WHarrisBullzEye
· 1 year ago
I had to delve back into the archives to find this review I wrote for another Pop site - PopMatters - back in the day, but if you're interested...
I'd forgotten that I'd described the amount of talent on the soundtrack to a "Porky's" sequel as being "like taking a film from Troma Studios and having Bruce Springsteen do the score." Damn, that was a good line...
jefito
· 1 year ago
Holy shit, I just read your review. You and Kelly need to collaborate on a Soundtrack Saturday for this thing, pronto!
drcastrato
· 1 year ago
Chip Z'nuff was a guest judge at my high school battle of the bands in like '95. He looked about the same as he does in that video, and was a total joke to those of us in the bands. He was pretty gross, kept hitting on the high school girls, and after my band won the battle, repeatedly offered to take us out back to smoke some weed. We declined.
JohnHughes
· 1 year ago
You passed on the chance to get high on a new thing with Chip Z'nuff? Philistine!
WHarrisBullzEye
· 1 year ago
Apparently, Mr. Z'nuff did not change his habits dramatically in the next half decade or so, since Jenn and I were invited onto the band's tour bus when they were touring with Warrant, Quiet Riot, and Poison, and we also were invited to partake (and also declined).
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
Reminds me of that anti-marijuana commercial with the guy constantly going back to smoking his joint why the world passes him by.
JohnHughes
· 1 year ago
"Jackie English" sounds like it could be the name of a character from SNL's "Deep House Dish."
The two singles from the 1984 soundtrack, "Sexcrime" and "Julia", are still two of my favorite songs from Eurythmics. Interesting to learn they could have possibly gone unreleased due to not being used.
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
"The first being the title of the song, which seems like nothing now, but in 1984, saying “Sexcrime” on the radio wasn’t welcome in many places."
What would they have done with Notorious B.I.G.'s "F****** You Tonight"?
Malchus
· 1 year ago
Thanks to Popdose and Jeff Giles, I can now, at long last, listen to Emerson Lake and Powell and "3" back to back!
AWE-some!
Bring on the GTR!!!
DwDunphy
· 1 year ago
Sure you want to go there? An album of ten songs and only four of them are good, and two of those are instrumental. Nah, I'd rather revisit ABWH.
David_E
· 1 year ago
Eh, I'll take those four (and I'm assuming The Hunter is among them) in place of the noodle-y masturbation of ABWH any day. Only a couple of good tracks there.
What is more interesting, now, is how GTR and 3 almost folded into the same band together, and how Howe claims there are some lost GTR tracks, prepped for a second album and co-written by the boys in 3, that would have blown "When The Heart Rules The Mind" out of the water.
Lo, they would have out-Asia'd Asia!
jefito
· 1 year ago
Sessions were held for a GTR 2 -- I used to sell CD copies of them during my bootleg-selling days. Never listened to them, so I can't vouch for their quality, but I do know they were legit, because the drummer who played on some of the sessions got in touch with me for a copy at one point.
Flaregun
· 1 year ago
Wowzers! one of the best ass-ends to date - especially liked both Kiss You (When It’s Dangerous) and It’s Alright (Baby’s Coming Back) - parenthetically speaking. (Insert Patsy Kensit comment here). Thanks.
Cary
· 1 year ago
Martika also recorded the Eighth Wonder song “Cross My Heart” on her debut album.
twostepcub
· 1 year ago
Great piece - as always, Dave. I always had a love for both the "1984" and "Savage" Eurythmics albums. (Especially on Savage's "I Need You" with its bad-cabaret backdrop)... It took me a trip to New York to get 1984 on CD.
Yeah I thought "Cross My Heart" was familiar, cuz I have the Martika album as well.. Though it's driving me crazy somehow I can't download this one (and half the ones this week) here. Danged DSL!
I do have to defend Ms. Etheridge, since I have loved her music from the start (I had seen her back before her first album and still have the signed promo, what a dork I am...) She did veer into Bryan-Adams land frequently but I felt "yeah, she's REALLY different that the other women out there"...little did I know..
And only in the 80's could EUROPE have happened.
Lastly, M People from Britain do a pretty respectable version of "Don't Look Any Further" as well...Not as classic as Edwards', but top notch..
Cheers, Ernie 2sc
Marie Carnes
· 1 year ago
I like the Everly Brothers. I love Dave Edmunds. And I can tolerate Paul McCartney, who I had no idea wrote that song. Thanks for such a great blog and for such an intelligent community.
ElCartero
· 1 year ago
About that Europe-not-Johnny Hates Jazz CD of yours... it's rare, but it happens. I bought a Killing Joke album once at a used-CD store, then took it home, pressed play and discovered WHY it was dumped at a used-CD store :-P (I did get my money back.)
Also, I'm surprised nobody's brought up THE notorious Chip Z'Nuff story. It involved Chip, Madonna and... I ain't even getting into it here. Just Google "Chip Z'Nuff", Madonna and "Howard Stern". You have been warned.
ElCartero
· 1 year ago
I have to concur with you, Flaregun and WHarris: killer selection this week. Especially the Eurythmics and Everlys tracks. The Eye to Eye wasn't bad, but it SO makes me wish Julian Marshall's previous duo, Marshall Hain, had released "Dancing in the City" a couple of years later than they did. It still may not have gotten any higher than #43, but it would have been great (eventually) hearing it here.
All Comments
A few random comments:
* If anyone has a demo of Paul McCartney actually singing "On the Wings of a Nightingale," I'd love to hear it. It's a great song for the brothers Everly, but it definitely screams, "Written by Macca."
* Believe it or not, the "Porky's Revenge" soundtrack is FANTASTIC. If there's an award to be given to the Most Underrated Motion Picture Soundtrack, that's gotta be the winner.
* “In It For Love” makes me wistful for the days when every other song you heard on the radio could've worked as the theme to a sitcom.
* As cheesy as the synths on "Touch and Go" sound, I still love the song. I actually knew ELP as "Emerson Lake & Powell" before I knew anything about Carl Palmer. (Can you tell I didn't really discover classic rock 'til after '86?)
* I actually just listened to my Eighth Wonder CD the other day. So, what, was "I'm Not Scared" actually a top-40 hit? Surely it was released as a single, given that it was written by the Pet Shop Boys...
* That Eye to Eye song sounds like it could've been taken from an Any Trouble album...and that's high praise.
* The Rubinoos do a really nice cover of "Thorn in My Side."
* Fuck the hairspray and day-glo colors of the video. Enuff Z'nuff are a great power pop / rock 'n' roll band.
I feel an ELP fit coming on.
With regards to Walter Egan's claim, "Full Moon Fire" peaked at #38 nationally on the Cashbox charts in May, 1983.
http://www.popmatters.com/music/reviews/soundtr...
I'd forgotten that I'd described the amount of talent on the soundtrack to a "Porky's" sequel as being "like taking a film from Troma Studios and having Bruce Springsteen do the score." Damn, that was a good line...
What would they have done with Notorious B.I.G.'s "F****** You Tonight"?
AWE-some!
Bring on the GTR!!!
What is more interesting, now, is how GTR and 3 almost folded into the same band together, and how Howe claims there are some lost GTR tracks, prepped for a second album and co-written by the boys in 3, that would have blown "When The Heart Rules The Mind" out of the water.
Lo, they would have out-Asia'd Asia!
Yeah I thought "Cross My Heart" was familiar, cuz I have the Martika album as well.. Though it's driving me crazy somehow I can't download this one (and half the ones this week) here. Danged DSL!
I do have to defend Ms. Etheridge, since I have loved her music from the start (I had seen her back before her first album and still have the signed promo, what a dork I am...) She did veer into Bryan-Adams land frequently but I felt "yeah, she's REALLY different that the other women out there"...little did I know..
And only in the 80's could EUROPE have happened.
Lastly, M People from Britain do a pretty respectable version of "Don't Look Any Further" as well...Not as classic as Edwards', but top notch..
Cheers,
Ernie
2sc
Also, I'm surprised nobody's brought up THE notorious Chip Z'Nuff story. It involved Chip, Madonna and... I ain't even getting into it here. Just Google "Chip Z'Nuff", Madonna and "Howard Stern". You have been warned.