Popdose - Latest Comments in Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

rwcass — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:49:49 -0000

I'd never heard "Hurry Up and Wait" before. I wouldn't say it's uninspired -- if anything, its smooth soft-rock sound is a welcome change compared to other Isley Brothers songs from the early '80s, like "Inside You." And speaking of smooth soft rock, which Isley is imitating Michael McDonald on "Kiss and Tell"? That's a memorable song as well. Thanks for those two, Dave!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

tdolbyfan — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:21:55 -0000

Hey Steed, great post 2 weeks, anyways I'm ready for the letter J. I was wondering 2 things 1. do you plan on posting all of the 41-100 songs except for that 1 song. (How the hell did that 1 chart anyways?) and 2. Can you please post heartache all over the world by elton john and I'm Not Perfect (But I'm Perfect for You) by Grace Jones? thanks. btw: do you have an email or aim? and what is it?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

steed — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 10:49:10 -0000

Haha!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Keith — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 11:05:07 -0000

As I mentioned at the end of last week's comments, Donnie Iris is my favorite recording artist. I'm pretty sure that his record label has to take the majority of the blame for him not being more successful on the charts. Of course, he doesn't look like the prototypical pop star either, and his early music videos are kinda cheesy (but weren't almost all of them back then?).
Even his album cuts are filled with killer hooks, and of course there is that trademark scream, which he still pulls off live today even into his sixties. He still performs a handful of shows every year, in the Pittsburgh-Cleveland area, and never disappoints.
I'm actually kinda happy he wasn't a bigger deal, it makes me feel like I have some kind of ownership. It's always cool to belong to something that you know the masses are missing out on. Having said that, if anybody is so inclined, I advise checking out his unofficial fan run website, at this address: parallel-time.com.
Next week I'll go back to evaluating the bottom feeders in an unbiased manner...

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

matt — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 21:02:39 -0000

Singing "Love is like a Rock" in the shower, eh?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Chris X — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:34:24 -0000

ah, and another Jackson (no relation!) He's the man!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Old_Davy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 22:15:42 -0000

Donnie Iris issued a whole slew of great albums in the 80's and "King Cool" (which features Sweet Marilee) is just plain terrific.

For my money, "Listen Like Thieves" is the best INXS album. It's consistently good and the album has great sequencing. It also helps that I think "What You Need" is one of the greatest album openers ever.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

DwDunphy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:16:54 -0000

And you can't get what you want t'il you know what you want, Chris.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

DwDunphy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:08:32 -0000

What exactly was the drug of choice during the Jackson reign, because whatever it was was flowin'.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Chris X — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:03:46 -0000

I beg your pardon?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Chris X — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:44 -0000

yikes, what a weak week. INXS being the only thing here that captures my interest. "Dont Change" is the best song they ever wrote, and it's a shame they hadn't yet hit it big when it came out; I firmly believe that had it been on Kick, it would have been a massive hit a la "Need You Tonight" and "Devil Inside"

"Good Times" is a favorite of mine, possibly because it just reminds me of The Lost Boys.

Next Week: Hojo and a bunch of kids named Jackson?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

steed — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:42:23 -0000

Oh, she did.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

DwDunphy — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:42:45 -0000

Oh my good God... LaToya didn't actually chart, did she?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Kordian aka Falsestuff — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:03:23 -0000

"Thanks for mentioned the Housemartins version - it's actually quite good" - is this a pun on the title of the Housemartins' final Greatest Hits Collection that was actually a pun on the title of the popular series of complilations?;)

I didn't care much about these INXS songs as long as my friend told me that the lyrics are about Michael. Now I find them more moving than before. Before I treated "Afterglow"purely an attempt to sound like U2 and I thought "God's Top Ten" mostly as sharing its beginning with the song "Anything" by Polish singer Edyta Gorniak. Check for yourself;)

I will try to comment as often as possible. Maybe I will even comment on some older posts if I find better connection than this.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

steed — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:42:55 -0000

Long way to Kon Kan - but it will be there!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

steed — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:42:10 -0000

Awesome! Poland in the house. Thanks for mentioned the Housemartins version - it's actually quite good.

Switch was popular here in the US but only for a short period of time. Nothing like how well they did in other places - like Poland. I actually enjoy the record....but I heard some of the songs the were working on for a follow up and they were terrible. Probably good to just part ways now.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

steed — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:37:54 -0000

"The One Thing" missed me by a bit - went to #30. "Kiss the Dirt" is a great track - never cracked the Hot 100 though. Did get into the 20's on the Mod Rock charts though.

breadalbane is correct - Centipede is above my range - but I might have something in the works...I mean how can Rebbie be the only one not included?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

D-Pete — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:13:17 -0000

Is it too early to request that "Puss 'n' Boots/These Boots Are Made For Walkin'" by Kon Kan be part of the "K" edition of Bottom Feeders?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Kordian aka Falsestuff — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:03:43 -0000

I didn't notice 'cause I wasn't a fan (or rather I didn't get to their legacy already, I'm only 23 after all), but thanks for the info anyway! Now I see what was the reason to issue their Greatest Hits not so long ago.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

breadalbane — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:05:54 -0000

"Centipede" charted all right -- even above Bottom Feeders territory.

Kordian, The Beautiful South are no more. They broke up about a year ago, citing "musical similarities".

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

The Flyin Hawaiian UK — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:58:08 -0000

I'm surprised INXS didn't recruit Barnes as their post-Hutchence singer, it seems like a natural fit. Who knew a reality show would fail to turn up a satisfactory replacement?

I'm too lazy to check: Did "The One Thing" go Top 40 or not chart at all? I thought "Kiss the Dirt" charted; that was my favorite song from Listen Like Thieves.

"Do You Compute?" is the best Faux Wave song of the decade (second place: Device's "Hanging On a Heart Attack.") That Kraftwerk breakdown is full of win.

Next week I guess we find out whether or not Rebbie Jackson's "Centipede" charted. You should write about it (or, at least, find an excuse to link to the video) whether it did or not.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

JonCummings — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:49:16 -0000

I must have seen them a couple weeks after you did, at a small-college basketball arena in Radford, Virginia. It was a Thursday night, and Hutchence announced that in the issue of Billboard due to come out the next morning, "Need You Tonight" was listed as the new #1 song in the U.S.--their first. The band, needless to say, was in a good mood that night.

As I think about it now, I imagine the Jimmy Fallon character from "Almost Famous" invading their dressing room after the show and saying, "Clearly, respectfully," it was time to stop playing Radford, Virginia and get on a plane to play Madison Square Garden the next night.

I'm with Rob on INXS' live chops--they were tremendous, and I'll always be glad I got to see them at the top of their game while standing 10 feet from the stage. By the next time I saw them, on the "X" tour in '91, I was in the nosebleed seats at the Spectrum in Philly and they were already seeming kinda tired.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

Rob — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:53:37 -0000

I loved the two songs off of "Shabooh Shoobah," but "The Swing" was a much better album – In fact, it is my favorite INXS album.
Everybody at Atco was expecting a big hit from it, but the first single "Original Sin" became a victim of the same black/white controversy that dogged so many songs during the days of segregated radio. So they lost all the momentum that "The One Thing" and "Don't Change" gave the group. That's OK. All of us in college radio were more than happy to play the album,

I agree with Jeff. During these years, INXS was a kicka** live band – one of the best I've ever seen. Hutchence was positively Jaggeresque, the band was incredibly tight and it didn't hurt that they were playing smaller nightclubs, compared to auditoriums and arenas later on.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

DavidMedsker — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:48:34 -0000

"Good Times" is a flat-out jam. I'm surprised to see that "Kiss the Dirt" never charted. I thought that would have at least gotten into the 90s.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 43

David_E — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:42:33 -0000

Donnie Iris is such a great yeller. He tore up the 'C' entry of your Ass End series, back in the collaboration with Cellarful of Noise. Just awesome.