Popdose: Bottom Feeders: The Ass End of the ’80s, Part 65
rob
· 3 months ago
From Wikipedia:
The Other Ones was a band that consisted mainly of Australians, but was based in Berlin in the late 1980s. Their song "Holiday" (1987) became a hit worldwide.
The band's line-up consisted of Alf Klimek (vocals), Jayney Klimek (vocals), Johnny Klimek (bass), Andreas Schwarz-Ruszczynski (guitars), Stephan Gottwald (keyboards) and Uwe Hoffmann (drums).
Johnny Klimek has collaborated with the German filmmaker Tom Tykwer and fellow composer Reinhold Heil on the soundtracks for Tykwer’s films Wintersleepers and Run Lola Run. He has also composed music for the HBO TV series Deadwood, John From Cincinnati and the motion picture One Hour Photo.
My two cents: Didn't care much for that bottom feeder track, but "Holiday" was always one of my favorite singalong tracks from the 80s. Had a certain goofiness to it a la "Safety Dance" and "Tubthumping."
I'm assuming the Robert Ellis Orrall track was "I Couldn't Say No" even though "Walking Through Landmines" deserved massive chart success. And how can we forgive the American public for giving Billy Ocean 11 (count 'em, 11) top 40 singles?
Rebecca
· 3 months ago
Another Klimek note, Jayney was one third of the trio Bankstatement, a 1989 side project of Genesis keyboardist Tony Banks. Alistair Gordon does most of the vocals, with Klimek on three songs and good ol' Tony (....oh, Tony...) on one track. The songs with Klimek have a very distinct 'Til Tuesday kind of sound.
Not Tony's best solo project -- Jack Hues and Nik Kershaw were better vocal/writing matches -- but I quite like it. A few tracks are pretty spectacular, I think.
jack
· 3 months ago
"The man" telling you to turn it down... how "Footloose!" Now you have to force the town to let you dance!
The Man I Used To Be
· 3 months ago
I have been looking for that Other Ones tune for ages. Thanks for the find.
Steve
· 3 months ago
I too spent a very long time searching for Rick Pinette's "King Of The Hill" (just sent you a long email about it). Oak is actually OAK, an acronym for "One of A Kind." Pinette fronted a cover band in New England in the late 70's before not-really-bursting onto the national scene at the turn of the decade. In the 90's he and his wife became motivational speakers (mainly for children in schools) based in Florida.
steed
· 3 months ago
You have taught me something new sir - I didn't know OAK actually was an acronym. This is why I love doing this series!
thefxc
· 3 months ago
Props for the "Top 40 Only" section. I've already learned that Ben Orr's followup to "Stay the Night" failed to chart at all. I can't remember the title and for some reason it isn't on my iPod. Orr's solo work never sounded as Cars-y as Ocasek, but I'm not a big Cars fan so I may be wrong.
Alexander O'Neal is someone I'd completely forgotten about. I remember "Criticize" being played more than "Fake" so that's something of a Meltie for me. Viva le funk!
My impression is that a significant number of metal fans share Mr. Steed's opinion of Ozzy to the extent that they prefer the Dio-era Black Sabbath. Early Sabbath is groundbreaking, yes, but Dio was a skilled musician whereas Ozzy was a drugged-out loon who had a knack for surrounding himself with skilled musicians. Myself, I prefer the "featuring Toni Iommi" Sabbath 'cause I like trainwrecks.
Is there a term for a band who earned their greatest chart success for their weakest material? If not, I suggest we use "OMD." In a just world "Secrets" would be the hit and "If You Leave" the Bottom Feeder. In a truly just world, OMD would have toured stadiums with U2 and REM as their opening acts after Dazzle Ships produced five top 40 singles and changed the course of popular music forever.
Thanks again for the great column.
PS: The Other Ones' first album is brilliant, and "We Are What We Are" may be my favorite song of this entire series. It had a lovely video too. But "Holiday" was the hit, which kinda makes them an OMD...
Um, Dave. I think there's a chance that DeGrassi might have named their episode "Secret" after Madonna's song of that title, which was a #1 hit in Canada in 1994, and not the OMD song, which peaked at #31 on the Canadian charts.
steed
· 3 months ago
Son of a bitch - that's what I get for using Wikipedia as my fact checker. I had been told this recently by someone who knew the song was coming up and Wikipedia confirmed it. Damn the guy on his couch editing the Degrassi page.
DavidMedsker
· 3 months ago
Sorry, but "American Made" is waaaaaay worse than "So Fine."
I have a huge soft spot for that first Other Ones album. I know it's not great, but there's something about it that I just love. Their guitarist was quite the shredder, kind of like the guy in Dead or Alive ripping monster solos over Stock Aitken Waterman beats.
That OAK song is so quaint. Ditto the Orion the Hunter song.
Never cared much for the Outfield, but I like "Everytime You Cry." And that "Cutie Pie" song is a jam.
Nasty G
· 3 months ago
One To One were also responsible for Alanis' pre-Jagged Little Pill incarnation as Canada's answer to Debbie Gibson, and you can hear even from their song here how much Alanis later copied Louise's vocal affectation.
And Criticize and Walking On Thin Ice are two of the best songs of the decade!
BTW, I totally adore this column!
kingofgrief
· 3 months ago
"We're gonna set the might on fire We're gonna burn it down...with DESIRE!"
And the 15th letter limps out of the gate...
"So Fine": the opening piano lick mirrors that of the theme to the 90s sitcom, Blossom., but I've heard it at the start of other tunes ("Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" for one). As for the rest of the tune, it's just "Elvira" warmed over. Get the Fiestas version, and stick with it.
I'll allow Elfman & co. the Meltie, but it does surprise me that "American Made" didn't get any higher than #72. Another case of our Top 40 stations acting like Southerners, I guess.
I'm thinking of bestowing another occasional (and more personal) award: the Gigolo, which honors(?) those songs I'd completely forgotten about until hearing them again through Bottom Feeders. I can't remember the last time I heard that O'Bryan track, but I guarantee it was before I could vote or purchase cigarettes. This is getting a Club Hour spin in the near future.
The O'Jays are one of my favorite soul groups of the '70s. And after hearing this tune, they remain one of my favorite soul groups of the '70s.
Lenore O'Malley gets lyric-of-the-week honors: "If you want to impress/Be the opposite sex". This must have been a hit with the drag queens.
"Walking on Thin Ice" was chosen by Blender magazine in '05 as one of the 500 greatest songs released in the previous twenty-five years. I wouldn't go that far, but I like the tune. There was a remix single issued in '03 that has some nice Pet Shop Boys retoolings.
"Secret": if I can get flowery for a moment...one of the most giddily romantic tunes of the era. And a perfect title for the album as well. For their occasional arty pretensions, they gave us some great singles (and album cuts) in their prime. (Coincidentally, "Enola Gay" was featured in yesterday's Club Hour.)
"So You Ran": Basically, Boston minus all the Tom Scholz I-hate-synthesizers arrogance, with a dollop of Jefferson Starship thrown in. I rescued Goudreau's '80 solo album from the clearance bin at work recently; it's currently in the get-around-to pile.
"We Are What We Are": meh. "Holiday" was the winner out of that catalog.
O also stands for "Okay, I'll shut up now".
steed
· 3 months ago
Blossom. Jesus, I've been trying for a least a week and a half to figure that out. Thanks. Now I can sleep again instead of trying to locate the theme to Small Wonder.
I don't get the draw of "Walking On Thin Ice" at all. Probably never will either.
And if you think this limped out of the gate, wait a few more weeks - there's a week coming up that might be the worst of the series. (That's great hype for it, ain't it)
drcastrato
· 3 months ago
Agreed. Not sure how Walking on Thin Ice could be on anybody's list of greatest anythings.
ElCartero
· 3 months ago
I think the main thing it had going for it was the historical/sentimental value of the fact that it was the last piece of music Lennon ever worked on -- the day he was shot, he and Yoko were in the studio remixing it.
The Man I Used To Be
· 3 months ago
David,
You just said in the same post "I never got into the Beatles" and "Donny Osmond’s 1988 self-titled comeback album is actually pretty damn good." I think these are two of the seven signs of the apocalypse. Really, time to buy the entire Beatles catalog my man.
steed
· 3 months ago
Ha. When you put them together like that...well, you might be right. And don't think I haven't thought about buying the catalog. Thought about it is as far as I've gone though.
kingofgrief
· 3 months ago
If you move beyond the thinking-about phase, wait until September 9, when the remasters hit the shelves. That's what most of my mad money is being reserved for (including the box-set-only mono issues). I'd start with Revolver and Abbey Road, followed by A Hard Day's Night for the best of the early period.
steed
· 3 months ago
I do own the White Album. Just to clarify.
maxx40
· 3 months ago
Janet Jackson wrote "Black Cat" all by herself but she learned from the best, Jam and Lewis.
steed
· 3 months ago
Eh, bad example then but the point still makes sense. :)
Ray
· 3 months ago
Off Broadway were HUGE in the Chicago area back in 1980. Their album "On" was a top 5 LP locally, then became impossible to find a year or so later when it went out of print (the few record stores that had copies, new OR used, would have you cough up at least $50 if you were lucky enough to find one!!!). Needless to say I was quite happy when Atlantic reissued it on CD in 1997. Some other tracks from the album got quite a bit of airplay in Chicago as well, most notably "Full Moon Turn My Head Around" (the b-side to "Stay In Time").
The O'Bryan track also got lots of airplay on the R&B stations of the day. Ironically Motown great Mary Wells also had a comeback single called "Gigolo" at roughly the same time, and the first time I heard the O'Bryan song (especially the falsetto parts) I had to listen closely to be absoultely sure it WASN'T Mary Wells.
Russ
· 3 months ago
Back in '97 I stopped in Tower Records on the way home from work. A band was setting up for an in-store - full band, too, no acoustic-only show. As usual I didn't pay much attention. 20 minutes later they finally start playing... it's Off Broadway! Holy Shit! They re-formed!
The cool thing about "Stay In Time" is that the flip side "Full Moon Turn My Head Around" got just as much airplay in Chicago back in the day. Double-A-Sides are awesome.
Jlowry24
· 3 months ago
I definitely agree that the Outfield are underrated - I wouldn't be surprised if most people remember them as one-hit wonders. Although to their credit, Galaxie (the CBC's TV music service in Canada) plays "Voices of Babylon" once in a while.
Random fact about "Angel in my Pocket" (which also came up on Galaxie this afternoon) - in the original version of the song, the angel is a "she". I always wondered if they had to change it to make it more acceptable for mainstream radio. I think the guitar solo is different too.
My hmphs
· 3 months ago
Honestly, Dave, I don't think you couldn't have summed up Yoko's music any better.
steed
· 3 months ago
I honestly thought I'd take some heat for that one - good to know (at least for the most part) that it isn't just me.
magø
· 3 months ago
Personally, I think that Oingo Boingo's debut, "Only A Lad", is an absolute gem...
I would also propose that the quality of OMD records probably peaked with 1984's "Junk Culture". While I am a fan of the final two albums featuring their original core line-up ("Crush" and "The Pacific Age"), I don't think either one is as listenable from start to finish as their previous 4 LPs.
Just my 2¢
steed
· 3 months ago
I'll have to go back and listen to the debut again and see if I'm missing something then.
kingofgrief
· 3 months ago
The title cut is my favorite Boingo song. Try and track down their 10" EP from '80 for the best version.
On a related note, I found out yesterday that Elfman provided the score for Taking Woodstock, which I might be catching a sneak preview of next week. Whoda thunkit?
magø
· 3 months ago
You might not be! :) I just happen to think that Onigo Boingo's first three LPs on A&M were are all pretty great.
Beats the heck out of their MCA output...
Old_Davy
· 3 months ago
Off Broadway was the first rock band I ever saw in concert, as they opened for Toto in 1980. Thanks for the track, it's a keeper!
Don Karnage
· 3 months ago
I was listening to a rebroadcast of American Top 40 on Sirius radio a couple weeks back, and it ended up being one of those select weeks when "King of the Hill" by Rick Pinette & Oak/OAK was in the chart. According to Mr Kasum, Mr Pinette had contacted them to claim that they were the first artist ever from Maine to have a top 40 single. Casey said this factoid "seemed to check out", which obviously left him some wiggle room if, say, the Carefrees prove to be a Bangor collective. Still, it's a useless (and utterly difficult) factoid to toss around.
Doug
· 3 months ago
Wow. Billy Ocean had 11 top 40 hits in the 80's. I definitely cannot name them. I can go about as far as Caribbean Queen and Get Out of My Dreams, Get Into My Car.
steed
· 3 months ago
He had 1 in 1976 too. His first three albums in the '80s (City Limits, Nights (Feel Like Getting Down) and Inner Feelings) all are quite good and have a different vibe then when he went all commercial. Of the 11, I'd bet you that you'd know at least 7 of them...
Caribbean Queen, Loverboy, Suddenly, Mystery Lady, When the Going Gets Tough..., They'll Be Sad Songs, Love Zone, Love is Forever, Get Outta my Dreams, Colour Of Love, License to Chill.
Eric S.
· 3 months ago
Nobody has mentioned that the first Off Broadway album, including "Stay in Time" was produced by Popdose contributor, Tom Werman. He hasn't mentioned them in his series, which I don't understand because that album is great power pop all the way through.
By the way, One to One, Sal’s Birdland and Artificial Joy Club might be the three worst band names I've ever heard. No wonder those guys never went anywhere.
SteveA
· 3 months ago
I saw the Outfield twice in concert - they rocked! Live they are an amazing band and they are also great musicians - they really surprised me live that I had to see them again. I always play My Paradise in the gym - it's my workout track for either biceps or chest. Glad to see this was "best song". Also I love the drumming in Everytime You Cry!
Chris X
· 3 months ago
Ric Ocasek - why even bother putting out solo records if they sound just like your fulltime band? Both of these songs, and pretty much all of his solo material, are great, so whatever, keep' em comin, Ric.
I too share a dislike of the Oak Ridge Boys. Man, pop-country sucked 25 years ago too. All I really know of them is beards, that dude with the unnaturally deep voice, and "Elvira" and man, Cassandra Peterson must be PISSED about that one. I just remember my aunts and my grandmom liking them when I was really little and me, even in my formative years, just being like "dude, seriously?"
OMD is so goddamn great, and so criminally underrated. They only really get love and/or airplay these days for "If You Leave" and while that's a great, if not slightly unrepresentative of their real sound, song, I'm sure we only have John Hughes (RIP) and his wonderful soundtracks to thank for that. I will even go to bat for their entire catalog, even their 90's material (I thought "Stand Above Me" was a pretty good single back then)
I share you view on Oingo Boingo. Some great stuff ("Weird Science" tops the list, though quite possibly only for the John Hughes soundtrack phenomenon described above) but overall, I'm indifferent. I'm always kinda "aw maaaan" when someone requests "Dead Man's Party" at my gigs. I always honor the request, but somewhat begrudgingly. I kinda like it, but it's just sort of a moodkiller for me when I'm spinning, I don't know why.
As far as Ozzy goes, it's hard to imagine him as either the man fronting the incomparable Black Fucking Sabbath, or as the dude who put out those first 5 most excellent solo records without thinking of him either as pop rock dreck or the half crippled, bumbling, mind-too-fried-to-function, "SHAROOOOOONNN!!!" yelling puppet most of the world knows him as these days. Oh and dude, all those names you listed as carrying him goes and no shout out to Randy Rhoads? Dude. You listed ZAKK WYLDE and his bellbottoms and annoying squealing harmonics over Randy Rhoads? That, sir, is criminal.
steed, I am going to close this week's comment out by asking a question of you that (surprisingly) nobody else has asked here. Why in the Seven Hells do you know the names of episodes of Degrassi:The Next Generation?
steed
· 3 months ago
See, this is a question I must answer. I work in TV sir. I work in TV. I swear to you, I've never seen an episode.
You have a good point there about Randy Rhoads but I could have named almost everyone he's worked with. I was listening to BLS at the time, so Zakk was at the top of my mind. I almost mentioned Mike Bordin over Castillo too before realizing the err of my ways.
I don't think we've ever been quite so on the same page in a given week.
kingofgrief
· 3 months ago
My respect for Ozzy dwindled after his back catalog was reissued with newly-recorded rhythm tracks in order not to pay his old bassist and drummer any royalties. I know this in all likelihood was Mrs. Osbourne's doing, but didn't he have the balls to intervene? And don't get me started on the you-can't-call-it-Sabbath-unless-Ozzy's-involved-and-he-never-will-be-again bullshit.
EricL
· 3 months ago
One of the most underrated talents in music is the ability to find backing artists that complement your stlye while letting them be themselves, then bringing out the best in them. How many solo artists, especially solo metal artists, have been able to get backing bands that are true artists in their own right? This isn't a cut on all the wonderful sessions musicians out there - they are the unsung heroes of the music industry - I'm just pointing out that Ozzy attracts and brings out the best in the people he works with and deserves credit for that.
steed
· 3 months ago
I don't disagree here and I think your comments play into my point...Ozzy (and probably quite a bit of Sharon) is a good judge of talent. He brings the right people on board to suit his style and theirs and he has such a reputation that people want to work him him, no doubt about that. But it's all the other people surrounding him that make his records worth listening to. If you take those backing bands you mention for other metal artists and put them with Ozzy - who knows if those records would be listenable at all. But I'd bet you that you put those artists with a better singer and they might be. Either way, don't get me wrong - I'm happy to put on Ozzy record whenever I can.
Chris X
· 3 months ago
agree. Total dick move. When I heard about that re-recording nonsense, I was completely disgusted. I'm happy with my original (cassette, even) version, thank you very much.
As far as "Heaven and Hell" goes...another dick move. Sabbath was putting out Ozzy-less records for well over 15 years, is this really a big deal suddenly? Well, I guess when Ozzy's band has to tune down several steps to match his horridly dwindling vocal capacities, and near-70 Ronnie James Dio can still belt 'em out with the power of the dragon he would so unmercifully slay if given the chance, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to keep the competetion from overshadowing you? Like Ozzy needs any help further tarnishing his formerly formidable reputation...
steed
· 3 months ago
It's a dick move no doubt - but those original Ozzy solo records are recorded like shit. They are just so muddy that they could use a really good re-master. And a better re-master than what's out there. Everyone always talks about Ozzy's dick move but what about the other artists. Yes, they need to make money too - but I wonder what reputation Mike Bordin got for doing this. Is he going to get blackballed by the metal community because of his dick move? I've never really heard that side of it.
It's funny when you look at the Dio output with Sabbath - I mean, those first few are good - but the first reunion yielding Dehumanizer...I mean, if you really give that a listen - it's a damn fine record. "Computer God" shuffled on my iPod this morning on the way to work. Great track and at a time where most had considered them dead (following up on TYR which really isn't as bad as the one star reviews would lead you to believe)
Chris X
· 3 months ago
no joke, I love Mob Rules and Heaven and Hell, but Dehumanizer is my favorite, and one of the most criminally underrated metal records that flew too far under the radar (see also Fight's War of Words) "Computer God", "TV Crimes" ...and the looming, ominous, apocalyptic doom intro/riff of "After All"..."What do you say to the deeeeeeaaaaaaaad"...goddamn, so badass.
Chris X
· 3 months ago
haha, I know, right? This can only mean that we will be at complete opposite ends next week.
Well wait...please tell me you don't hate the Pet Shop Boys?
There would have been nothing wrong with mentioning Mike Bordin in general. As far as body of work with Ozzy goes, yeah, Castillo obviously wins, and nothing Bordin has done is worth a mention, but Faith No More! Angel Dust is one of my top 5 records of all time.
steed
· 3 months ago
No, no - I don't hate the Pet Shop Boys. But you're jumping ahead of yourself - Pet Shop Boys isn't even in next week's post.
Personally, I prefer King For A Day... - but Angel Dust does rock.
Chris X
· 3 months ago
King for a Day has it's moments and is overall a pretty righteous record, but I think is suffering from a lack of Jim Martin.
ok, so um..you don't hate The Payola$, do you?
breadalbane
· 3 months ago
Not to worry, Payola$ never charted in the US Hot 100.
Mind you, Paul Hyde & The Payolas charted (which has already been covered), and Rock and Hyde charted (which will presumably be covered in a few weeks)....
anniezaleski
· 3 months ago
St. Louis has a club called Off Broadway (it's, um, off a street called..Broadway). But the band totally exemplifies the Midwest power-pop stuff of that time, so influenced by Cheap Trick and the like. For whatever reason, I know Off Broadway as Off Broadway USA. Makes 'em easier to find on Google.
If you can track down the 4-CD Yellow PIlls compilations -- curated by a St. Louis guy named Jordan Oakes -- you'll be in Midwest power-pop heaven. They're super out of print, but full of gems like this.
Unrelated: Chromeo covered O'Bryan's "Tenderoni" in recent years.
steed
· 3 months ago
I just listened to that cover - really good. In fact, I've never listened to anything from Chromeo - but I'm thinking I might have to now.
I'll try to hunt down that comp - sounds interesting. THanks for the info.
steed
· 3 months ago
Is that really a cover though? I don't have the O'Bryan song on me...but those lyrics don't seem to match up at all.
Deiter
· 3 months ago
Ass End of the 80s, indeed! Nothing much here to suit my tastes here, although, it did make me rejoice in the fact that the 80s are long over. Britney Spears sounds down right ingenious compared to this lot. Barry Goudreau had quite a range and instrument, didn't he? And yet he sounds like just another (good) American Idol contender here. He and Mickey Thomas (of Fooled Around & Fell in Love and Starship fame) are completely interchangeable. Nevertheless, thanks for posting.
Eric S.
· 3 months ago
That's not Goudreau on lead vocals. He used a guy named Fran Cosmo who sounds a lot like Boston's original singer, the late Brad Delp. Cosmo eventually joined Boston for some of their later albums. When I saw Boston tour four or five years ago, they were both part of the band.
All Comments
The Other Ones was a band that consisted mainly of Australians, but was based in Berlin in the late 1980s. Their song "Holiday" (1987) became a hit worldwide.
The band's line-up consisted of Alf Klimek (vocals), Jayney Klimek (vocals), Johnny Klimek (bass), Andreas Schwarz-Ruszczynski (guitars), Stephan Gottwald (keyboards) and Uwe Hoffmann (drums).
Johnny Klimek has collaborated with the German filmmaker Tom Tykwer and fellow composer Reinhold Heil on the soundtracks for Tykwer’s films Wintersleepers and Run Lola Run. He has also composed music for the HBO TV series Deadwood, John From Cincinnati and the motion picture One Hour Photo.
My two cents: Didn't care much for that bottom feeder track, but "Holiday" was always one of my favorite singalong tracks from the 80s. Had a certain goofiness to it a la "Safety Dance" and "Tubthumping."
I'm assuming the Robert Ellis Orrall track was "I Couldn't Say No" even though "Walking Through Landmines" deserved massive chart success. And how can we forgive the American public for giving Billy Ocean 11 (count 'em, 11) top 40 singles?
Not Tony's best solo project -- Jack Hues and Nik Kershaw were better vocal/writing matches -- but I quite like it. A few tracks are pretty spectacular, I think.
Alexander O'Neal is someone I'd completely forgotten about. I remember "Criticize" being played more than "Fake" so that's something of a Meltie for me. Viva le funk!
My impression is that a significant number of metal fans share Mr. Steed's opinion of Ozzy to the extent that they prefer the Dio-era Black Sabbath. Early Sabbath is groundbreaking, yes, but Dio was a skilled musician whereas Ozzy was a drugged-out loon who had a knack for surrounding himself with skilled musicians. Myself, I prefer the "featuring Toni Iommi" Sabbath 'cause I like trainwrecks.
Is there a term for a band who earned their greatest chart success for their weakest material? If not, I suggest we use "OMD." In a just world "Secrets" would be the hit and "If You Leave" the Bottom Feeder. In a truly just world, OMD would have toured stadiums with U2 and REM as their opening acts after Dazzle Ships produced five top 40 singles and changed the course of popular music forever.
Thanks again for the great column.
PS: The Other Ones' first album is brilliant, and "We Are What We Are" may be my favorite song of this entire series. It had a lovely video too. But "Holiday" was the hit, which kinda makes them an OMD...
http://lostinthe80s.blogspot.com/2009/06/lost-c...
I have a huge soft spot for that first Other Ones album. I know it's not great, but there's something about it that I just love. Their guitarist was quite the shredder, kind of like the guy in Dead or Alive ripping monster solos over Stock Aitken Waterman beats.
That OAK song is so quaint. Ditto the Orion the Hunter song.
Never cared much for the Outfield, but I like "Everytime You Cry." And that "Cutie Pie" song is a jam.
And Criticize and Walking On Thin Ice are two of the best songs of the decade!
BTW, I totally adore this column!
We're gonna burn it down...with DESIRE!"
And the 15th letter limps out of the gate...
"So Fine": the opening piano lick mirrors that of the theme to the 90s sitcom, Blossom., but I've heard it at the start of other tunes ("Rockin' Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu" for one). As for the rest of the tune, it's just "Elvira" warmed over. Get the Fiestas version, and stick with it.
I'll allow Elfman & co. the Meltie, but it does surprise me that "American Made" didn't get any higher than #72. Another case of our Top 40 stations acting like Southerners, I guess.
I'm thinking of bestowing another occasional (and more personal) award: the Gigolo, which honors(?) those songs I'd completely forgotten about until hearing them again through Bottom Feeders. I can't remember the last time I heard that O'Bryan track, but I guarantee it was before I could vote or purchase cigarettes. This is getting a Club Hour spin in the near future.
The O'Jays are one of my favorite soul groups of the '70s. And after hearing this tune, they remain one of my favorite soul groups of the '70s.
Lenore O'Malley gets lyric-of-the-week honors: "If you want to impress/Be the opposite sex". This must have been a hit with the drag queens.
"Walking on Thin Ice" was chosen by Blender magazine in '05 as one of the 500 greatest songs released in the previous twenty-five years. I wouldn't go that far, but I like the tune. There was a remix single issued in '03 that has some nice Pet Shop Boys retoolings.
"Secret": if I can get flowery for a moment...one of the most giddily romantic tunes of the era. And a perfect title for the album as well. For their occasional arty pretensions, they gave us some great singles (and album cuts) in their prime. (Coincidentally, "Enola Gay" was featured in yesterday's Club Hour.)
"So You Ran": Basically, Boston minus all the Tom Scholz I-hate-synthesizers arrogance, with a dollop of Jefferson Starship thrown in. I rescued Goudreau's '80 solo album from the clearance bin at work recently; it's currently in the get-around-to pile.
"We Are What We Are": meh. "Holiday" was the winner out of that catalog.
O also stands for "Okay, I'll shut up now".
I don't get the draw of "Walking On Thin Ice" at all. Probably never will either.
And if you think this limped out of the gate, wait a few more weeks - there's a week coming up that might be the worst of the series. (That's great hype for it, ain't it)
You just said in the same post "I never got into the Beatles" and "Donny Osmond’s 1988 self-titled comeback album is actually pretty damn good." I think these are two of the seven signs of the apocalypse. Really, time to buy the entire Beatles catalog my man.
The O'Bryan track also got lots of airplay on the R&B stations of the day. Ironically Motown great Mary Wells also had a comeback single called "Gigolo" at roughly the same time, and the first time I heard the O'Bryan song (especially the falsetto parts) I had to listen closely to be absoultely sure it WASN'T Mary Wells.
The cool thing about "Stay In Time" is that the flip side "Full Moon Turn My Head Around" got just as much airplay in Chicago back in the day. Double-A-Sides are awesome.
Random fact about "Angel in my Pocket" (which also came up on Galaxie this afternoon) - in the original version of the song, the angel is a "she". I always wondered if they had to change it to make it more acceptable for mainstream radio. I think the guitar solo is different too.
I would also propose that the quality of OMD records probably peaked with 1984's "Junk Culture".
While I am a fan of the final two albums featuring their original core line-up ("Crush" and "The Pacific Age"), I don't think either one is as listenable from start to finish as their previous 4 LPs.
Just my 2¢
On a related note, I found out yesterday that Elfman provided the score for Taking Woodstock, which I might be catching a sneak preview of next week. Whoda thunkit?
I just happen to think that Onigo Boingo's first three LPs on A&M were are all pretty great.
Beats the heck out of their MCA output...
Caribbean Queen, Loverboy, Suddenly, Mystery Lady, When the Going Gets Tough..., They'll Be Sad Songs, Love Zone, Love is Forever, Get Outta my Dreams, Colour Of Love, License to Chill.
By the way, One to One, Sal’s Birdland and Artificial Joy Club might be the three worst band names I've ever heard. No wonder those guys never went anywhere.
I too share a dislike of the Oak Ridge Boys. Man, pop-country sucked 25 years ago too. All I really know of them is beards, that dude with the unnaturally deep voice, and "Elvira" and man, Cassandra Peterson must be PISSED about that one. I just remember my aunts and my grandmom liking them when I was really little and me, even in my formative years, just being like "dude, seriously?"
OMD is so goddamn great, and so criminally underrated. They only really get love and/or airplay these days for "If You Leave" and while that's a great, if not slightly unrepresentative of their real sound, song, I'm sure we only have John Hughes (RIP) and his wonderful soundtracks to thank for that. I will even go to bat for their entire catalog, even their 90's material (I thought "Stand Above Me" was a pretty good single back then)
I share you view on Oingo Boingo. Some great stuff ("Weird Science" tops the list, though quite possibly only for the John Hughes soundtrack phenomenon described above) but overall, I'm indifferent. I'm always kinda "aw maaaan" when someone requests "Dead Man's Party" at my gigs. I always honor the request, but somewhat begrudgingly. I kinda like it, but it's just sort of a moodkiller for me when I'm spinning, I don't know why.
As far as Ozzy goes, it's hard to imagine him as either the man fronting the incomparable Black Fucking Sabbath, or as the dude who put out those first 5 most excellent solo records without thinking of him either as pop rock dreck or the half crippled, bumbling, mind-too-fried-to-function,
"SHAROOOOOONNN!!!" yelling puppet most of the world knows him as these days. Oh and dude, all those names you listed as carrying him goes and no shout out to Randy Rhoads? Dude. You listed ZAKK WYLDE and his bellbottoms and annoying squealing harmonics over Randy Rhoads? That, sir, is criminal.
steed, I am going to close this week's comment out by asking a question of you that (surprisingly) nobody else has asked here. Why in the Seven Hells do you know the names of episodes of Degrassi:The Next Generation?
You have a good point there about Randy Rhoads but I could have named almost everyone he's worked with. I was listening to BLS at the time, so Zakk was at the top of my mind. I almost mentioned Mike Bordin over Castillo too before realizing the err of my ways.
I don't think we've ever been quite so on the same page in a given week.
As far as "Heaven and Hell" goes...another dick move. Sabbath was putting out Ozzy-less records for well over 15 years, is this really a big deal suddenly? Well, I guess when Ozzy's band has to tune down several steps to match his horridly dwindling vocal capacities, and near-70 Ronnie James Dio can still belt 'em out with the power of the dragon he would so unmercifully slay if given the chance, I guess you gotta do what you gotta do to keep the competetion from overshadowing you? Like Ozzy needs any help further tarnishing his formerly formidable reputation...
It's funny when you look at the Dio output with Sabbath - I mean, those first few are good - but the first reunion yielding Dehumanizer...I mean, if you really give that a listen - it's a damn fine record. "Computer God" shuffled on my iPod this morning on the way to work. Great track and at a time where most had considered them dead (following up on TYR which really isn't as bad as the one star reviews would lead you to believe)
Well wait...please tell me you don't hate the Pet Shop Boys?
There would have been nothing wrong with mentioning Mike Bordin in general. As far as body of work with Ozzy goes, yeah, Castillo obviously wins, and nothing Bordin has done is worth a mention, but Faith No More! Angel Dust is one of my top 5 records of all time.
Personally, I prefer King For A Day... - but Angel Dust does rock.
ok, so um..you don't hate The Payola$, do you?
Mind you, Paul Hyde & The Payolas charted (which has already been covered), and Rock and Hyde charted (which will presumably be covered in a few weeks)....
Also, they apparently reunited sometime recently:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXT5N9H7sFk
If you can track down the 4-CD Yellow PIlls compilations -- curated by a St. Louis guy named Jordan Oakes -- you'll be in Midwest power-pop heaven. They're super out of print, but full of gems like this.
Unrelated: Chromeo covered O'Bryan's "Tenderoni" in recent years.
I'll try to hunt down that comp - sounds interesting. THanks for the info.