SUNDAY MORNING TUNEAGE
P.M. DAWN - A WATCHER'S POINT OF VIEW. It's the first single that I heard of Prince B and Doc G. in 1991. They would blow up quickly after this with "Set Adrift On Memory Bliss" but I had this one on a compilation and it was enough to know that there was something very interesting about this group. The song samples one of my favorite Doobie Brothers songs that not many people remember - "Feelin' Down Farther". I may even like this more than "Set Adrift" and "Looking Through Patient Eyes". Solid single to get my morning started.
JOHN WILLIAMS - HARRY'S WONDEROUS WORLD. It doesn't have the cultural significance of "Hedwig's Theme". But I'm a huge fan of this piece from HARRY POTTER AND THE SORCERER'S STONE. But it was a tough year to be nominated for Oscar for movie scores as he lost to Howard Shore for LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP. I need to fill in the iTunes gaps in my Potter scores. But this is one that always brings back the best memories.
ZZ TOP - SHARP DRESSED MAN. This used to just be one of those 1983 songs that I enjoyed for what it was - a decent video and alright guitar riff. And now it dominates again as the theme from "Duck Dynasty". I guess it's meant to represent men with long beards. I liked many other songs on their "Eliminator" album better than this. But you can't deny the catchy lyrics and guitars. Simple song but doesn't fit this morning's other tunes very well.
SOMETHING RANDOM . . . So Ann Coulter got booed during a debate with John Stossel. Insulting Libertarians and making crazy statements about gay marriage.
DEADLIGHTS OF 2013. . . Jerry Buss was the majority owner of the Lakers going back to the Showtime days. Always respected the way the man ran his team even if I wanted the Pistons to beat them every time. I also loved the trivia that he lived in Mary Pickford's old mansion . . . Elspet Gray was a British TV actress that you'd recognize if you like the best shows that the BBC has to offer. She was in "Fawlty Towers", "Blackadder" and "Catweazle" . . . Damon Harris joined the Temptations in the early 1970s and you know his voice on "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Superstar" . . . Mindy McCready took the cowards way out. I liked some of the songs off her first couple albums but drugs and alcohol seemed to rob from her voice the past couple years . . . Tony Sheridan was one of the early Beatles and has an interesting story. He was responsible for much of the rockabilly sound of the early Beatles. This isn't the first time he's died - he was reported dead during the Vietnam War too. But this one seems more final. . . Lou Myers was Mr Gaines on "A Different World", other than that I only remember him as Clint in TIN CUP. . . "What do you want on your Tombstone" was a great ad campaign in the 80s and with the death this week of Pep Simek who created the cardboard thin frozen pizza. . . .
DEADLIGHTS OF 2013. . . Jerry Buss was the majority owner of the Lakers going back to the Showtime days. Always respected the way the man ran his team even if I wanted the Pistons to beat them every time. I also loved the trivia that he lived in Mary Pickford's old mansion . . . Elspet Gray was a British TV actress that you'd recognize if you like the best shows that the BBC has to offer. She was in "Fawlty Towers", "Blackadder" and "Catweazle" . . . Damon Harris joined the Temptations in the early 1970s and you know his voice on "Papa Was A Rolling Stone" and "Superstar" . . . Mindy McCready took the cowards way out. I liked some of the songs off her first couple albums but drugs and alcohol seemed to rob from her voice the past couple years . . . Tony Sheridan was one of the early Beatles and has an interesting story. He was responsible for much of the rockabilly sound of the early Beatles. This isn't the first time he's died - he was reported dead during the Vietnam War too. But this one seems more final. . . Lou Myers was Mr Gaines on "A Different World", other than that I only remember him as Clint in TIN CUP. . . "What do you want on your Tombstone" was a great ad campaign in the 80s and with the death this week of Pep Simek who created the cardboard thin frozen pizza. . . .
QUICK LIST (a random, uninformed list off the top of Shawn's head)
WORST GRAMMY MISTAKES OF ALL-TIME
10. STEELY DAN - TWO AGAINST NATURE (Best Album 2001). C'mon, Grammys. This won over Radiohead - OK Computer and Eminem's The Marshall Mathers LP. True it would have been going out on a cool limb to award either. But Steely Dan is two decades too late.
9. MILLI VANILLI (Best New Artist 1990) Because this was later revoked it doesn't rank higher than #9. But even if they weren't faking it - you pick them over Neneh Cherry, Indigo Girls, Soul II Soul and Tone Loc???
8. HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH (Best New Artist 1996). Just ignore the huge new release from Alanis Morissette in 1996. And nothing will ever happen for that Shania Twain.
7. A TASTE OF HONEY (Best New Artist 1979). Sure I like me some "Boogie, Oogie, Oogie" but as disco was starting a three year death knell, these ladies won over Elvis Costello and The Cars.
6. JETHRO TULL - CREST OF A KNAVE (Best Hard Rock / Metal 1989) And Metallica with their "And Justice For All" album release sat there with mouths agape as Jethro Tull walked up to accept the award for a category I don't think they even knew they qualified for.
5. CREED - WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN (Best Rock Song 2001) I don't know that there were many other good choices in a year full of some crappy rock. But certainly it wasn't this one. I would have gone Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication" or even Lenny Kravitz "Again". But Creed???
4. ERIC CLAPTON - LAYLA (UNPLUGGED) (Best Rock Song 1992) An unplugged version of a song that was mostly famous because of it's electric guitars. And it beat out maybe the most important song of the decade - Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"!!! Kurt just couldn't take it . . .
3. YOUNG MC - BUST A MOVE (Best Rap Performance 1990) Sure it was catchy. But first you might look to Tone Loc's "Funky Cold Medina" and the big change brought on by De La Soul's "Me, Myself and I". But even if that doesn't do it for you - how about the ground breaking Public Enemy "Fight The Power". What a mistake.
2. CHRISTOPHER CROSS - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (Album Of The Year 1981) I love this album, I won't deny. But look around and you see Billy Joel "Glass Houses" and Pink Floyd "The Wall" just to mention a couple albums that should have beat it out.
1. NEW VAUDEVILLE BAND - WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL (Best Rock and Roll Recording 1967). Sure you've never heard the song. And it beat out Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" and Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" and two albums full of new Jimi Hendrix songs. I could have lived with Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville" or Mamas and the Papas "Monday Monday" winning.
9. MILLI VANILLI (Best New Artist 1990) Because this was later revoked it doesn't rank higher than #9. But even if they weren't faking it - you pick them over Neneh Cherry, Indigo Girls, Soul II Soul and Tone Loc???
8. HOOTIE AND THE BLOWFISH (Best New Artist 1996). Just ignore the huge new release from Alanis Morissette in 1996. And nothing will ever happen for that Shania Twain.
7. A TASTE OF HONEY (Best New Artist 1979). Sure I like me some "Boogie, Oogie, Oogie" but as disco was starting a three year death knell, these ladies won over Elvis Costello and The Cars.
6. JETHRO TULL - CREST OF A KNAVE (Best Hard Rock / Metal 1989) And Metallica with their "And Justice For All" album release sat there with mouths agape as Jethro Tull walked up to accept the award for a category I don't think they even knew they qualified for.
5. CREED - WITH ARMS WIDE OPEN (Best Rock Song 2001) I don't know that there were many other good choices in a year full of some crappy rock. But certainly it wasn't this one. I would have gone Red Hot Chili Peppers "Californication" or even Lenny Kravitz "Again". But Creed???
4. ERIC CLAPTON - LAYLA (UNPLUGGED) (Best Rock Song 1992) An unplugged version of a song that was mostly famous because of it's electric guitars. And it beat out maybe the most important song of the decade - Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit"!!! Kurt just couldn't take it . . .
3. YOUNG MC - BUST A MOVE (Best Rap Performance 1990) Sure it was catchy. But first you might look to Tone Loc's "Funky Cold Medina" and the big change brought on by De La Soul's "Me, Myself and I". But even if that doesn't do it for you - how about the ground breaking Public Enemy "Fight The Power". What a mistake.
2. CHRISTOPHER CROSS - CHRISTOPHER CROSS (Album Of The Year 1981) I love this album, I won't deny. But look around and you see Billy Joel "Glass Houses" and Pink Floyd "The Wall" just to mention a couple albums that should have beat it out.
1. NEW VAUDEVILLE BAND - WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL (Best Rock and Roll Recording 1967). Sure you've never heard the song. And it beat out Beach Boys "Good Vibrations" and Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" and two albums full of new Jimi Hendrix songs. I could have lived with Monkees "Last Train To Clarksville" or Mamas and the Papas "Monday Monday" winning.
Not that I generally expect the Grammys to be the measure of what great music is - much like the Academy Awards don't represent the "best" movies of any year. This list is just a way to show some frustration when common sense seems to fly out the door. I don't have a Best Grammy mistakes. Generally I think they do a good job capturing a decent pick with Best Album and Best Song these days. It's still interesting to see the terrible track record for Best New Artist and some of the genre categories. Saw part of this years and it grades out to a big meh in general.
NETFLIX PLAY NOW OF THE WEEK . . . Some good ESPN docs have shown up this week - GOING BIG is the man chosen in the NBA draft ahead of Michael Jordan. Sam Bowie is usually the butt of jokes but this puts him in perspective . . . BENJI is about the boy who appeared he would go on to be the next Michael Jordan when he was in High School in Chicago but was the victim of a tragic shooting. Good details on a story that I only barely remember . . . MAKE ME SUPERHUMAN is a fun Nat Geo special that explores exoskeletons and other add-ons that can help give us mere humans superhero like powers.
Shawn's fave movies according to FLICKCHART
#223 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
#985 - Sleepy Hollow
#1056 - Titan A.E.
#223 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
#985 - Sleepy Hollow
#1056 - Titan A.E.
RANDOM PROJECT UPDATE - The BREAKING BAD project. I've been off of this show for too long. I was a couple episodes in when I took a break. I picked it back up this week and finished Season One. I'm to the point where Walter has shaved his head and the drama over distributing the Meth has gone to another level. I can see where through just 7 episodes that we are building a Universe with multiple levels that will be able to go another 50 episodes and build upon what happened here to start. I'm excited about the series and want to rush through it and at the same time I want to savor it. The 13 episode arc of Season Two is calling me. The power of Netflix? There are three times as many people watching the show now as back in 2009 when this was airing.
SHAWN'S TOP ALBUMS OF ALL-TIME (a tribute to the art of the album)
#47 Billy Joel - The Stranger (1977)
Weeks ago I raved about "52nd Street". But before Billy released that excellent album, he hit his stride with this masterpiece, "The Stranger". I wasn't too aware of him at the time of this release but by 1980 I would discover all these songs. It's merely nine songs but they all have a linked feel. Joel took to telling a story with each song. And it is a revelation. I'll say this here that will apply quite a bit to the next 46 weeks but there isn't a bad song on this album. Songs like "The Stranger" and "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" show off Joel's unique vision of New York and the suffering he did trying to pursue his music. And he's at his most romantic with "She's Always A Woman" and "Just The Way You Are".
"Well we all fall in love / But we disregard the danger" tells me all I need to know.
Weeks ago I raved about "52nd Street". But before Billy released that excellent album, he hit his stride with this masterpiece, "The Stranger". I wasn't too aware of him at the time of this release but by 1980 I would discover all these songs. It's merely nine songs but they all have a linked feel. Joel took to telling a story with each song. And it is a revelation. I'll say this here that will apply quite a bit to the next 46 weeks but there isn't a bad song on this album. Songs like "The Stranger" and "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" show off Joel's unique vision of New York and the suffering he did trying to pursue his music. And he's at his most romantic with "She's Always A Woman" and "Just The Way You Are".
"Well we all fall in love / But we disregard the danger" tells me all I need to know.
Previous Rankings
#48 - Dr. Dre - The Chronic (1992)
#49 - Beastie Boys - Licensed To Ill (1986)
#50 - Funkadelic - One Nation Under A Groove (1978)
#51 - Steely Dan - Aja (1977)
#51 - Steely Dan - Aja (1977)
#52 - Prince - Dirty Mind (1980)
THIS WEEK IN TELEVISION
MONDAY
CASTLE (ABC) Despite what I say - I keep going forward with it. A little by little. Only anxious for this week so we can meet Castle's dad - James Brolin.
THE BIGGEST LOSER (NBC) I understand the theory of a weight loss show addressing the idea of fears. But are we stretching just a little bit by bringing in sharks? NBC, I am starting to understand why you are the 5th highest rated network.
TUESDAY
PARADE'S END (HBO) This has lots of keywords that intrigue me - World War I, miniseries, and Benedict Cumberbatch from "Sherlock". I love that it's described as challenging to the viewer. I'm willing to pay attention to this UK based story.
ROBOT COMBAT LEAGUE (SYFY) There are a cadre of crazy shows on this network. I'm fascinated by robots - those living regular lives, those working, homeless ones and even these fighting Transformers.
WEDNESDAY
DUCK DYNASTY (A&E) Season 3 starts tonight!!! Need I say more. It's one of those shows that no one seems to admit watching and yet when I slyly reference a line from the show I get knowing smiles.
ARROW (CW) Deadshot is back. This season is starting to wear me out - seems that the 2nd half has started to repeat itself. But I'm down for Season 2 to see where it goes in the DC Universe.
THURSDAY
PARKS AND RECREATION (NBC) While NBC goes down the toilet - is it too early for me to ask for a Andy and April spinoff?
ARCHER (FX) Been a decent season, some disappointing moments but still worthy of laughs. Looking forward to this week's guest appearance by Anthony Bourdain.
FRIDAY
SHARK TANK (ABC) Home tattoo removal device? Eww or "let me fix this quickly" device?
PORTLANDIA (IFC) The 11 episode 3rd season comes to an end with a blackout in Portland. And my crush on Carrie Brownstein since the Sleater Kinney days will have to take a break until next season.
SATURDAY
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (TCM) This comedy is epic. And award winning. If you don't know David Niven and Shirley MacLaine as comedic actors - you gotta see this. And a late appearance by Buster Keaton and Marlene Dietrich.
STORAGE WARS (A&E) With so many shows on Sunday night - why the hell is there nothing on Saturday nights? Except the "Ripper Street" I'm recording but not watching yet. At least there's always the fallback of a marathon of bidding on crappy storage units.
SUNDAY
ALL-STAR CELEBRITY APPRENTICE (NBC) The new season starts and as much as I will hate myself - I'll be watching mainly for Gary Busey and Rodman. Ugh. Not proud of myself.
VIKINGS (HIST) I slept on "Hatfields and McCoys" but I'm a pretty big fan of Vikings in general - just not the Minnesota brand. But this is a series not just a mini-series. Not sure I can commit to anything else on Sunday nights.
CASTLE (ABC) Despite what I say - I keep going forward with it. A little by little. Only anxious for this week so we can meet Castle's dad - James Brolin.
THE BIGGEST LOSER (NBC) I understand the theory of a weight loss show addressing the idea of fears. But are we stretching just a little bit by bringing in sharks? NBC, I am starting to understand why you are the 5th highest rated network.
TUESDAY
PARADE'S END (HBO) This has lots of keywords that intrigue me - World War I, miniseries, and Benedict Cumberbatch from "Sherlock". I love that it's described as challenging to the viewer. I'm willing to pay attention to this UK based story.
ROBOT COMBAT LEAGUE (SYFY) There are a cadre of crazy shows on this network. I'm fascinated by robots - those living regular lives, those working, homeless ones and even these fighting Transformers.
WEDNESDAY
DUCK DYNASTY (A&E) Season 3 starts tonight!!! Need I say more. It's one of those shows that no one seems to admit watching and yet when I slyly reference a line from the show I get knowing smiles.
ARROW (CW) Deadshot is back. This season is starting to wear me out - seems that the 2nd half has started to repeat itself. But I'm down for Season 2 to see where it goes in the DC Universe.
THURSDAY
PARKS AND RECREATION (NBC) While NBC goes down the toilet - is it too early for me to ask for a Andy and April spinoff?
ARCHER (FX) Been a decent season, some disappointing moments but still worthy of laughs. Looking forward to this week's guest appearance by Anthony Bourdain.
FRIDAY
SHARK TANK (ABC) Home tattoo removal device? Eww or "let me fix this quickly" device?
PORTLANDIA (IFC) The 11 episode 3rd season comes to an end with a blackout in Portland. And my crush on Carrie Brownstein since the Sleater Kinney days will have to take a break until next season.
SATURDAY
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (TCM) This comedy is epic. And award winning. If you don't know David Niven and Shirley MacLaine as comedic actors - you gotta see this. And a late appearance by Buster Keaton and Marlene Dietrich.
STORAGE WARS (A&E) With so many shows on Sunday night - why the hell is there nothing on Saturday nights? Except the "Ripper Street" I'm recording but not watching yet. At least there's always the fallback of a marathon of bidding on crappy storage units.
SUNDAY
ALL-STAR CELEBRITY APPRENTICE (NBC) The new season starts and as much as I will hate myself - I'll be watching mainly for Gary Busey and Rodman. Ugh. Not proud of myself.
VIKINGS (HIST) I slept on "Hatfields and McCoys" but I'm a pretty big fan of Vikings in general - just not the Minnesota brand. But this is a series not just a mini-series. Not sure I can commit to anything else on Sunday nights.
AND NOW A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR . . . Nike takes a different tack and I just don't know. Kobe as the Black Mamba is something that they just don't want to give up on. And his shoes are like snakes???
I love vampires. And they each fruit crunchy granola bars?
"I need to know that you will always be
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you" - Billy Joel
The same old someone that I knew
What will it take till you believe in me
The way that I believe in you" - Billy Joel
Someone loves you just the way you are. Stay hard.
sb
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