Popdose - Latest Comments in Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Landon Kemp — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 22:20:07 -0000

To be honest, your reasons for hating Steve Miller's 80s career make absolutely no sense to me. I love the Steve Miller band, although I personally think "The Joker" is a vastly overrated and overplayed piece of crap (even though it was somewhat tolerable), but I digress. Anyways, I love this band, a lot of their stuff in the 70s was awesome, and I personally like a lot of his 80s works as well, so it may be your opinion, but I still don't understand it.

The main reason I don't understand your views is this: I've read over a lot of this series, and I'm aware that, outside of certain artists, you don't usually pay attention to music made before the 80s. If that's the case, then HOW THE FUCK DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THE STEVE MILLER BAND'S STUFF FROM THE 70s?!!? Could you, perhaps, explain to me why?

Also, I don't know how ANYBODY could stand listening through Lou Reed's Metal Machine Music all the way through.

Ah well, I honestly hope you don't have anything major against his only album of the 90s, Wide River. I actually think that one is pretty good, although I think that might be the title track.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:02:11 -0000

Same here. I actually pretty much love all American pop from the 1950s onward. My collection gets larger with each decade (until the 1990s, at least) but I have a wide variety of '50s and '60s hits too. (I could school Dave if he could sit through it.) :)

Here's a random '60s bottom feeder hit that I love - do you know "Stop! - Get A Ticket" by the Lavender Clefs? If not, I'll send it to you.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

kingofgrief — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:55:51 -0000

It's a bit generic, but I've always loved the Walkers' rendition, and I was psyched to hear it remade for the clubs. I remember asking the DJ who it was, and he was impressed I was familiar with the Walkers' version. My love for 60s pop and 80s club blossomed almost simultaneously.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:50:53 -0000

Interesting... I've never heard of Quantize or this cover (although you apparently mentioned it in an early Bottom Feeders post). I've always liked the power of the Walker Brothers' original. This sounds a bit like generic Italo disco to me, but then again, I might just need to listen to it a few times for it to sink in. I like dance music a lot. Thanks for posting this!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

kingofgrief — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:23:25 -0000

Here's why I picked it up (the version on the CD is 8:30 total): http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:13:25 -0000

This friend of yours actually TELLS people that he loves Barbra? Wow, he is also a very brave man. I'm glad to know that one actually exists so the stereotype is broken at least once. :)

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

steed — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 21:07:11 -0000

I have a straight male friend that is a huge lover of Babs...that's pretty close, right?

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:14:26 -0000

I saw the playlist from that special and it looked great. :)

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:12:43 -0000

In addition to being a gifted writer, you are also a daredevil, I see. ;) And I can't imagine why that CD would raise any eyebrows. LOL And why exactly did you buy that? The only song I know on there is "(The Best Part Of) Breakin' Up" by Roni Griffith.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

kingofgrief — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:48:02 -0000

I'm going to start archiving my shows again starting this week (had to buy a compact flash card to do so). I'll let you know when and where I post it...I guess you should also hear my Bottom Feeders A-M special from August!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 12:36:12 -0000

Am I only able to listen in real time? I'm at work during your shift, I think, but I'd love to hear it.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

kingofgrief — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:49:23 -0000

I once bought a Bette T-shirt from our neighborhood supermarket for 3 bucks, and I'm a happily married man. Of course, if there's anything in my collection that would raise any uptight eyebrows, it's this (which I got dirt cheap for the Quantize track).

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

kingofgrief — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 01:43:45 -0000

You'll hear "Heaven (Must Be There)", along with a tune I refer to in an above comment, if you tune in to my radio show this week (which you can do online):

http://myspace.com/soundawa...

(stream found at http://kpft.org)

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

jefito — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 06:28:03 -0000

Yep, it's really me. Thanks for the kind words!

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:26:57 -0000

Oh, how can I explain Bette Midler? Perhaps the best way is to say that she is camp. And gentlemen, straight men don't get camp. And they all pretty much hate it too. Bette amuses me to no end, and the "No Frills" CDs is one of my favorite albums from that period. I like how she broke out of her shell and tried some different things on it, and because of that CD I was introduced to "Don't Know Much" (or "All I Need To Know") and "Favorite Waste Of Time". One really needs to see her in concert to fully appreciate her talents, and I know that there isn't a straight man in America who'd do that unless he was dragged there by his wife. :)

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:23:04 -0000

Writing these comments months after the originals were posted is probably like spitting into the wind, yet I feel compelled to respond. :) I am with you on all of this! I don't have Steve Miller's '80s output, although I did once have the "Abracadabra" CD and I sold it back because the second and third singles were so lame. (And it has appeared that I like everything - so now you know that isn't true.) And thanks for backing me up on "Heaven (Must Be There)" That song is a classic! I don't get Dave's disdain for it.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:15:23 -0000

Yes, I know the Owen Paul version, and Jeff's is definitely better than that. :)

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Frank — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:14:38 -0000

Okay, this is REALLY cool. This is really you? It does sound awesome. I have three versions of this song, and Bette's is my favorite. But seriously, yours might now be my favorite. Something was always slightly off in the other three versions. Congrats on a killer track. :)

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

Flaregun — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:22:38 -0000

I Want to Make the World Turn Around has some great guitar and is an overlooked gem from the catalogue, I Like by Men Without Hats, however, is the opposite of awesome.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

DavidMedsker — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 22:46:48 -0000

I need help. I can't stop watching the "Bongo Bongo" video. God, I love those big-haired '80s girls.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

DwDunphy — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:24:54 -0000

I have to revisit Earth and Sun and Moon one of these days. I first heard it shortly after it came out and I borrowed it from the local library. I heard the flip of the Madchester-style drums, thought "them funky poseur bastards" and returned the disc.

Now, this should speak volumes about my inability to accept change in those days.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

rob — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:37:02 -0000

Like I said, I'm mostly down on his 80s work, with the possible exception of his blues covers on the second side of "Living in the 20th Century."

Check that. I'm a fan of his only album where he was just "Steve Miller." Reuniting Steve with former 60s bandmate and musical savant Ben Sidran, "Born 2 Blue" in 1988 featured Steve playing classic jazz covers such as "Willow Weep for Me," "God Bless the Child" and "When Sunny Gets Blue" with the likes of saxophonist Phil Woods and the Modern Jazz Quartet's inimitable vibraphonist, Milt Jackson.

Let's not forget. Les Paul is Steve's godfather and actually taught him his first guitar chord.

The convincing will come. Paul McCartney. Nicky Hopkins. Boz Scaggs. Paul Butterfield. These are just a few significant figures that were part of Steve Miller's early musical history.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

steed — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:22:20 -0000

I actually worked for TV Guide at one point which owns "Jump the Shark". Rob is correct - it's the moment where you realize that nothing past that point is going to be able to match the classic period. The peak doesn't even have to be right before - it can be anytime.

Before Jump the Shark = good.
Jump the Shark and after = bad

That's the way I understood it at the day job.

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

steed — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 14:19:08 -0000

I actually prefer Earth and Sun and Moon over Blue Sky Mining. "Truganini" is a brilliant song

Re: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 59

steed — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 13:57:49 -0000

No, "Slow Jam" was never a single....though every quiet storm station played it to death.