Popdose - Latest Comments in Chartburn: 2/29/08

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Willie — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 15:00:16 -0000

I saw INXS at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison in the mid-80's. It was festival seating and my friend, who was a big INXS fan, insisted we get there early. We were front-and-center and I became an INXS fan that night. Too bad the opening act, The Elvis Brothers, fell off the radar after that tour.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Leon — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 14:36:55 -0000

ahahahaha the last ten seconds of the LB video is ridiculous

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

dslifton — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 23:30:18 -0000

I still can't hear of Teddy Pendergrass without thinking of Meldrick's black velvet painting of him on "Homicide: Life On The Street." I so wanted to own that.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Beau — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 15:19:18 -0000

"Not Enough Time" is one of those songs I associate with the alt-pop-rock heyday of WHFS in Washington. Just a wonderfully classy song.

"Don't Change" was one of my early MTV favorites.

"Suicide Blonde" was a guitar riff and two words from which only so many permutations could arise.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

JonCummings — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:07:53 -0000

Your first paragraph isn't really fair--they were HUGE in Australia by 1981-82, and they had a slow-but-sure build here, from "The One Thing" (big on MTV) and the incredible "Don't Change" through to "What You Need," their first Top 10 hit in '86.

I saw them three times. The first, when they toured behind "Original Sin," you could tell it was only a matter of time before they were superstars. The second was sheer luck: They decided to open their Kick tour at Radford University in Virginia, and they got there the very day that "Need You Tonight" ascended to #1. They were unbelievably psyched; it was one of the most joyous shows I've ever seen. That was also the last time they'd play a place that small for awhile; the next time I saw them was at the Spectrum in Philly on the X tour, and they were one of the biggest bands in the world at that point.

The subsequent decline was sad to watch (and then later ignore). Cut to 2005 and "Rock Star INXS," in which I couldn't help but find myself invested. It mattered to me who replaced Michael Hutchence, and it actually turned out pretty well.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Zack — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 13:06:00 -0000

I *really* liked their older stuff. And Listen Like Thieves was pretty good too.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Thierry — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:55:53 -0000

I watched that clip as well, and I'm with you - those six minutes flew by, and that drum break that ties it together is, indeed, hot,

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

JonCummings — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:49:04 -0000

I went straight from that video to this one: an audio-visual mashup of "You're No Good" with Amy Winehouse's "You Know I'm No Good":
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

It's hot. Amy's rhythm track slides quite neatly under La Ronstadt.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

jack — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:34:00 -0000

I remember reading about Celebrity Big Brother (the UK version) in which Leo demanded to be let out of the house when he was told they'd have to do their own laundry. He went on a rant about "dirty shorts." Not even the pleas of Jermaine Jackson could keep him there. Google it.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Jack Feerick — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 12:00:40 -0000

It's always great to hear about people who make it through the mill of the music business and manage to come out of it with humility intact—although, let's face it, Leo Sayer has plenty to be humble about...

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

el bandito — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:35:13 -0000

As Jason point out - Leo really is a good guy. I worked with him on a PBS show and he was the most professional and willing to do anything for the show. He could still hit the notes and was just the nicest guy. I actually met him checking into my hotel and recognized him and just said "Leo, "You Make Me Feel Like Dancing" is an awesome song" He looked over and said "Thanks - it was fun to make and I love to sing it." Really down to earth. Now Denny Tarrio and Barry Williams...those guys are dicks! And Taste of Honey are really horrible people. But Leo was cool and could sing great still!

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Mfudgester — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:34:27 -0000

INXS were a funny old band weren't they? I mean they kick around for years and nobody cares, then Kick and X come out and they're playing stadiums and then a year later everyone goes back to not caring again.

A forgotten band I reckon. And for the most part desersevedly so. The second half of their career seemed to consist of them taking inspiration from Mick Jagger solo albums.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Thierry — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:33:53 -0000

Amazingly, Gold played almost all the instruments on the studio version of that Linda Ronstadt track - it's almost enough to forget "Thank You For Being A Friend".

And if anything, his solo on this version of "You're No Good" is even hotter:
http://www.youtube.com/watc...

That's a fine outfit to be wearing for a prison concert, isn't it?

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Jack Feerick — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:11:58 -0000

I remember digging "Suicide Blonde" when it came out, because I'd only ever heard that expression among my immediate family, and thought it was an inside joke.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

Jack Feerick — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 10:06:43 -0000

I think the point of the comment is not that the song sounds contemporary, but that it sounds timeless—like it could be a hit if it were released in any era; there's nothing about the performance or the song structure or the production style that ties it to any specific time period.

As a f'rinstance: "There She Goes," by the La's, fits in with the gentle indie guitar rock side of things; in its day, it was part of the Britpop wave. But it would have sopunded good on the radio in 1978, too, among the power-pop of the day—or in 1968, on the tail end of the British Invasion; maybe even in '58. Quality is quality, in any era.

But then, all my favorite songs sound like they were recorded tomorrow.

Re: Chartburn: 2/29/08

DwDunphy — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 09:43:26 -0000

Why is it that no matter how old a person's favorite song is, they justify their enjoyment by saying it "sounds like it was recorded yesterday?"

NO. It sounds time appropriate. Check that - it sounds older than it should, and why? Because you're old! If it sounds like Lauryn Hill and not Alicia Keys, guess what? Old! I'm going straight to YouTube to voice my complaint about that comment, consarn it! See if I don't!

(On the way, I might pick up some salve and Unguintine... It's good for what ails you, dagnabbit)