Friday Flashback: Live

Nostalgia reigns supreme. I saw 'This is it' today. All I can say is: Wow! More on that later. Suffice to say this has put me in a reflective mood. Don't worry, I'm not going to throw a bunch of MJ at you, even I realize that wouldn't be prudent ... save it for another day. Instead, I figured we should focus on live performances. So much of what we as fans of music love is the intimacy of the live show... no matter how many people are in the bar, arena or stadium, every person believes they are the one being sung to.

One of my favorite groups, The Clash. Here's a live performance of 'London Calling' in Paris from 1980.

Those of us who remember the great show Midnight Special (specifically Wolfman Jack) also know that strength of the show was the incredible performances. It took years for those shows to get released on DVD but they did back in 2006. I was but a wee lad but my mother let me stay up on Friday nights to watch. Before there were videos there was Midnight Special.

Here's the great George Benson with the classic, 'This Masquerade'



How could I have gone three months with this blog and not ever posted a Radiohead clip? Geez! They are the standard barriers for challenging the status quo for what passes as the music industry ... risk taking at its best and most raw. People who don't like Radiohead misunderstand those of us who do. We don't like them because they are perfect or even accessible, because they aren't. In fact, they are at there best when they are imperfect, flawed ... sonically rough. With them its really about the journey. Radiohead doesn't reinvent themselves to meet what others feel is excellent, they more or less reinvent the standard for what excellence should be. Flaws and all. Creativity in its most honest form is fearlessness. They are fearless.

A live performance of 'Idioteque'. I love this song.



Scotty Moorhead was just a kid who loved music yet never wanted live in his famous father's shadow. Fate being what it tends to be from time to time, he would ultimately meet his prematurely ... like his father. You may not know him by that name but perhaps if I told you that his father was Tim Buckley then maybe a light in your brain might flicker...no? You know him as the guy who sang (and made famous) the Leonard Cohen classic 'Hallelujah', but to many he was so much more than this ... Jeff Buckley. Jeff is my Elvis. I really can't explain it except to say the void that appeared since his death in '97 has yet to be filled. He was truly a genius. One of Jeff's greatest recordings in his limited catalogue is from his live performance at Sin-e. This was the performance that essentially broke him into the big time. The following performances are from the aforementioned Sin-e (The Nina Simone classic 'If You Knew') performance and the great Chicago (Eternal Life) recording from 95.





A little band from York, PA has been making music together for over two decades. Live is a band that many people know, however, those same people are hard pressed to admit they like this band. I've seen these guys in concert many times and they have always delivered. Now, you can certainly argue with the obtuse writing of Ed Kowalczyk or the strength of their recent offerings but what you can't argue is their energy. As excellent and impactful as the album Throwing Copper was, its near inconceivable that it would be the peak of their success. That said, they are performers ... Ed certainly loves the stage (favorite song from Throwing Copper).

Here is my second favorite song from TC ... 'I Alone'



Last, but not least is a band who arguably is so much better live than they are in the studio. My like for them has wavered over the years as I felt they tended to be more commercial than sticking to their college circuit roots. I understand that bands do evolve, but why do they have to make such a pronounced shift from a formula that works? Now, I know I can't knock them for the very thing I celebrate in others, like Radiohead ... perhaps its the execution that bugs me. Before These Crowded Streets (Everyday was aight) was the turning point as was the much boot-legged Lillywhite Sessions which would be re-recorded and become Busted Stuff. You could easily see the evolution and the experimentation but a lot of it just didn't work. Seriously, go back to Under the Table and Dreaming or Crash and compare, lyrically and musically these were not on par with the early work. That said, I was encouraged by Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King as it seemed to get the band back on track (albeit without LeRoi Moore...RIP).

'Recently' is a song that always gets the crowd going.

Friday Flashback: The 80's - Tears For Fears

Perhaps long overdue. This week, I've chosen to focus on some of my favorite groups from the era of greed and excess. The 80's. This one goes out to all the children who were raised on a steady diet of MTV, BET and VH1 back when they played videos. Do you remember Alan Hunter? Donny Simpson? Nina Blackwood? Back when the word "video" meant something. Happier times.

Let's go...

This week we will focus on Tears for Fears. Okay, let me be clear. I love this group. Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith are really the unsung heroes of the era. Their music was, in a lot of ways, ahead of its time. The knock on these guy is that they tended to get too deep in the lyrics department but alas sometimes you have to overachieve to make a point.

These two have been friends since they were teenagers in Bath, England. They would begin their recording career as part of the group Neon. After the demise of that group Roland and Curt would join the group Graduate while the other two members of Neon would go on to become Naked Eyes (Promises, Promises anyone?) Their first album The Hurting produced the haunting classic "Mad World" along great tunes like "Pale Shelter" and "Suffer the Children". They would achieve worldwide fame with the smash "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" from their classic follow up album Songs From the Big Chair. Of course, you geeks will remember that song as the track at the end of the Val Kilmer ode to rebelious nerds everywhere, Real Genius.

Don't ask me why the brothas are dancing in front of a gas station, videos really didn't make sense back then ... here's "Everybody Wants to Rule the World"

So these guys hit big with a classic song which in some ways would go on to become an anthem for the time ... one hit wonder, right? Wrong, my friends, way wrong. The album Songs From the Big Chair would churn out several hits. "Shout" being easily one of my favorites of all time. The song very clearly states its intent, we are pissed about how screwed up the world is and we are going shout, damnit!!! Okay, so perhaps it didn't quite mobilize a revolution but it made for great thought provoking music. If you can get past Roland's coat and mullet the song is awesome.

"Shout"

Next up is a lesser known track from the album which is my favorite of the entire disc. "The Working Hour" is a song about the values of toiling away in your day to day with little to show for it... always hoping for more. Who among us hasn't?



The follow up to Songs From the Big Chair was Seeds of Love which was interesting because of its slight departure from its predecessors. The sounds still had the Tears signature elements like the synth and the powerful bassline but the instrumentation was richer and they would add an additional vocalist ... Kansas City's own Oleta Adams. The legend is that Tears discovered Oleta singing in a jazz bar and would later invite her to perform on their next album not to mention also guiding her debut (remember this?).

This next track is the powerful "Woman in Chains" ... this song is about empowerment and building inner strength to move beyond those who would hold you down. Oleta's voice is angelic and the perfect counter balance to Roland's. On a sidenote, Phil Collins plays drums on this song...

"Woman in Chains" (feat. Oleta Adams)



Wow...

After this album, unfortunately Curt and Roland would break up for nearly 15 years due to artistic differences. Roland would carry the Tears for Fears banner for two more albums (Elemental and Raoul and the Kings of Spain) while Curt would do a solo project and create a new band called Mayfield (I'll spare you). Mayfield was on the other side of the spectrum musically from the Tears material ... it seemed to be rooted in the mellow flow versus trying to push the envelope. Roland would do just that. Elemental was a beef album if there is such a thing in pop music. He calls out Curt in the track, "Fish Out of Water". The lyric "We use to sit and talk about primal scream..." refers to the theory which would inspire the duos name. He seems to feel abandoned, reflective ("The Goodnight Song") and yet determined to prove that Curt would fail in his quest while he would go on in spite of the slight. Whereas these are not classics by any stretch as some songs tend to get way too abstract lyrically for their own good (particularly on Raoul). That said, some of the individual songs from these two albums were some of the best of their discography...

"Elemental" (from the album Elemental)



The lamenting and sentimental track "The Goodnight Song"...



The truly dark "Sketches of Pain" - Raoul and the Kings of Spain)



Roland would produce a truly incredible solo album in 2001 using his proper name... risky to be sure but the results were strong. Tomcats Screaming Outside is a diverse mosaic of Orzabal's various influences but he blends them in a way that is accessible and in many ways revealing.

"Maybe Our Days are Numbered"



Happily in 2004, the duo would put their differences aside and record together again on the aptly named Everybody Loves a Happy Ending. Title track here. While this album leans heavily to their Beatles-esque tendencies with mixed results, overall its a welcomed return by a group who's impact will be felt for years to come.

Friday Flashback: Blue-eyed Soul Pt. 1

As I look at possible topics for Friday Flashback, in keeping with the theme, I always reach back to my past for inspiration. One of the things I've always been intrigued by over the years is blue-eyed soul which is a much more palatable way of saying a white boy sang it. There have been so many artist in the last century that have had impact on the music industry... some with a measure of controversy (Elvis). I will try to avoid the polarizing figures as their stories have been told ... multiple times. Here are some of my favs...

When talking blue-eyed soul you really have to begin with the man who started it all. Francis Albert Sinatra. Frank is the truth. Pop music would mean nothing without Frank. He was the first true pop star this country ever had. Ole' blue eyes broke out of the swing era of the 40's and brought in a smoothness with music that was in so many ways transcendent. Very soulful. His voice was like Red Velvet cake with chocolate ice cream on top. The man reinvented himself several times over. The first pop star to act and subsequently win an Oscar. Will Smith hasn't done it. Frank became a movement in bringing the cool to a whole new level with a bunch of hard chargin', 40 (and 50)-somethings in the Rat Pack. Pop culture mainstays like George Clooney, Will Smith, Harry Connick, Jr., and Diddy, like so many others, have been following that template ever since. Frank can't be replaced ... he was the original.

"Under My Skin"

When Wham! released Make It Big, the world was introduced to Andrew Ridgeley, of course many promptly forgot him because George Michael was obviously way more talented. So after Wham! broke up and Andrew became that 'other guy', George went on to become a superstar. George was a mainstay on not only the pop chart but also the R&B charts. I don't see George as being controversial as he universally regarded as a talented guy, that really wasn't his problem. George couldn't shake the addictions that ruled him. To bad, because the guy can sing...

Perhaps his last great hit. For him a very telling song... "Fast Love"

Next up is Steve Winwood. Steve has been around for years. Go all the way back to his Blind Faith days with the great Eric Clapton to Traffic to his successful solo career in the 80's. Back in the High Life was intricately crafted album with great music that any fan could appreciate. A great duet with Chaka Khan in "Higher Love" ... y'all know how I feel about her. One of my favorites is the song "The Finer Things", a song about truly appreciating all that life has to offer and not taking love for granted. "I will live while I can, I will have my ever after." We should all be so lucky.

A man and his keyboard. "The Finer Things"

So, I have to go here. My mother first exposed me to Daryl Hall and John Oates at the tender age of 5. Before they became the 80's hit machine, they had a string of songs that made people sit up and take notice. "Sara Smile" is an great track with all the marks of a great love song. Tell her to go, knowing she wants to stay. Tell her she's your personal heater ... that always work for me. Hall & Oates take it on the chin for some of their music (and John's mustache) but wrongfully so, these guys were very talented. Their string of consecutive hits from the last seventies through the 80's is something to be marveled.

"Sara Smile" live... don't stare at the 'stache.



One of my all time favorite songs of yesteryear is a little track by Paul Young. Paul was, in my mind, the poster child of blue-eyed soul. He was the guy that you got into arguments about because no one could believe he wasn't black... then came the video. Uh... damn, Paul, I mean dude looked like your accountant or maybe a car salesman on a really nice lot. Nevertheless, he made a career remaking a lot of R&B groups music and very well I might add. How ironic that his greatest hit was a track written by another blue-eyed soul artist ... yep, that's right: Daryl Hall.

To further connect the dots, I thought it would be cool to post a rare duet from Live Aid with BES luminary, George Michael ... here's Paul (and friend) with his hit "Everytime You Go Away".



Last, but not least is probably the least rock star looking guy ever. But, man, could he sing. Robert Palmer. The man's voice was incredibly smooth. And then came the videos... I think there is something genius in the blatant sexuality on display in a self-aware wink to the crowd. Palmer used this approach a number of times. It was his trademark (sorry Tone Loc). It became an iconic image of the 80's and a key moment in the video era. Many would point to this as the sum total of his impact but they would be wrong. His stint with Power Station is viewed as another example of his constant need to reinvent himself. The rocker (Doctor, Doctor), the lover man (I Didn't Mean to Turn You On), the pop star (Addicted to Love) and the super band frontman (Get It On (Bang a Gong))... Palmer was a chameleon. Later in his career he would, until his untimely death in 2003, make a final shift to blues man. A truly gifted artist.

I leave you with his strong remake of the Marvin Gaye classics "Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You"

Silly me, I forgot a good one. The quitessential blue-eyed soul one hit wonder. Dan Hartman. Dan's voice was very deceptive. Most people had no idea what he looked like or who even sang his big hit "I Can Dream About You" from the soundtrack of one my great guilty pleasures Streets of Fire. Michael Pare, Willem Dafoe, Diane Lane, Bill Paxton, Rick Moranis, Amy Madigan and the Sorels (Robert Townsend, Stoney Jackson, Mykelti Williamson and Grand L. Bush), go rent it! The Sorels sang the song in the movie ... well not really ... Winston Ford did but Stoney looked like he did. If fact, he was so convincing they used the Sorels' footage for the video with Dan's vocals. Then the song took off and became a big hit. Dan got no buzz. He would later sing the track "Fletch, Get out of Town" from everyone's favorite quotable movie, Fletch and release an album or two. Dan would die in '94, sadly. This is his tribute...

Friday Flashback: Native Tongues

This week is we are going flip the wax back to the street with a little hip hop history lesson. I got a request from a friend of mine that I should focus on more Tribe and De la... which got me thinking, why not go all out? I should tribute my favorite hip hop collective. Lord knows, there were plenty to choose from, but none, in my mind, featured the talents that the Native Tongues Posse did. The Tongues were comprised of A Tribe Called Quest, Jungle Brothers, De La Soul, Black Sheep, Queen Latifah (yes her), Monie Love and eventually Common, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. So, what's the scenario?

It begins with the Zulu Nation. You can't talk about Native Tongues without mentioning about where the concept sprung from. Zulu Nation was more than a hip hop movement. It layered religious ideology with political activism and put it all under an umbrella of vicious beats and afro-centric pride. The Universal Zulu Nation was created by the legendary DJ, Afrika Bambaataa as a way to take youth headed down a violent and dark path in crime and gang life and turn them into positive community activists. Many of these individuals were immersed in hip hop culture, they were MC's, break-dancers, graffiti artist. Through his influence, many artist from all over the five boroughs became disciples including the collective that would become known as the Native Tongues.

The regal Afrika Bambaataa (with Soul Sonic Force) performs the classic Planet Rock...

The turning point in the creation of the Natives Tongues came when DJ Red Alert brought together the group that would become A Tribe Called Quest, along with the Jungle Brothers and De La Soul they would form a like-minded collective focused on raising the consciousness of the hip hop community to higher level. These groups were the masters of crate digging... mining the endless vinyl archives for beats that would leverage a rich history that many youths of the day were out of touch with. The Jungle Brothers would introduce the world to Q-Tip on the track "Black is Black" from their first album Straight Out the Jungle which would also be the where the name A Tribe Called Quest would be coined. This is regarded as the first Native Tongues album.

Collabo number 1, "Doin' Our Own Dang" from the Jungle Brothers with NT proper... De La Soul, Tribe, Monie Love and Queen Latifah.



Many people forget that Queen Latifah was a rapper before she went mainstream. She was one of the best female MC's of the time and a formidable music force in her own right. The Queen tackled topics many of her male counterparts couldn't handle, however, she could throw a party jam together as well.

I have to hit you with "Ladies First" as its another collabo with Monie Love, plus it was one of hottest tracks from '89.



So then comes the De La. De La Soul did more to inspire many of the backpackers and indy rappers of today that potentially any other group for the exception of Tribe. De La is unique in so many ways than I could possibly cover in this post. They chose unique groups to sample from (The Turtles, Hall & Oates etc.), the wordplay in their songs tended to challenge the listener beyond going for the obvious metaphor or rhyme. Their flow was always mellow with a hint of self-deprecating humor.

The obvious pick here would be "Me, Myself and I" but again, I try not to be that obvious... instead I go with another classic from the immortal 3 Feet High and Rising the NT collabo "Buddy".



Next up is one of my favorites and yes it is the obvious pick but who cares it IS a classic. Black Sheep and "The Choice is Yours". The true illness of this song can only be appreciated if you have ever been with a group of friends on the dance floor when Dres hits the memorable line: "Engine, engine number 9 on the New York transit line, if my train falls off the track. Pick it up, pick it up, pick it up!!!!" The move is sufficiently busted, the sh#t has been dropped and it is most certainly on. Shut up and listen...



Last but not least is a little ditty by my favorite group of the Native Tongues crew. A Tribe Called Quest has done sooooo much for hip hop music. To say they are under appreciated would be an understatement. Q Tip, Phife, Ali Shaheed Muhammed (and Jarobi) have etched a permanent place in the minds of New School hip hop fans that can never be erased. Please buy, download or borrow the CD The Low End Theory, it will change your thoughts on hip hop if you aren't a fan. If you are a fan, go listen to the damn thing again because there is likely something you missed or forgot. There are so many songs I could choose so I'm giving you two ... because its my blog and I can do that.

First is "Jazz (We've Got)/Buggin Out" ...


Last is the instant classic that put Busta Rhymes on the map. Leaders of the New School was a Native Tongues affiliate but this was by all manners that count Busta's coming out party while cementing Tribe as one of the most innovative hip hop groups. The was a watershed moment for Native Tongues as they would become a source of inspiration for many groups and would later spin into yet another collative at the tail end of 90's - the Soulquarians. Several members of NT would join the Roots, D'Angelo, Bilal and Erykah Badu. We'll save this story for another day... now here we go, yo...



Parting thought: I know I have not likely done these artist justice, which I can accept because that is a daunting task and I'm only one blogger. Whether you listen to the albums these song came from or download these specific tracks then I feel like I have succeeded. I also understand that many of you are aware of these groups, which means this post was an excuse for you to enjoy some tracks you haven't heard in awhile. Others of you may have been familiar but not well versed, which I hope you got something out of this.

To those who are in the latter camp, I will recommend like-minded groups or artists that are out and available today: Little Brother, J-Live, Murs, The Foreign Exchange, Talib Kweli, the immortal J-Dilla (he will be covered on this blog), Rhymefest, Strange Fruit Project, The Unspoken Heard, the Kidz in the Hall and more...

If you listen then your ears will thank you...

First Quarter Report

The first quarter of the Football season is over and what have we learned? Well I guess the depends on the teams you follow. For me, its been a mixed bag. Let's review, shall we...

College

Michigan - The good is definately Tate Forcier. He is the real deal and let there be no doubt. Tate has shown poise beyond his years. In the "year of the freshman", he may just be the best of the crop. He put the team on his back and played his heart out to try to win the Michigan State game last week. Rich Rod has proven that he is a stellar recruiter and evaluator of talent, however, this doesn't seem to extend to his coaching staff.

Bottom line: Greg Robinson is evil. He continues to perpetuate his ellaborate scam as a defensive coordinator yet again...you would think his resume would speak for itself. Guy gets fired because he was a horrible head coach (Syracuse) and terrible coordinator (Chiefs). Say what you want, but the song remains the same. The Michigan State game was lost due in large part to GR "creative" schemes which puts players in unwinnable match ups and hopelessly out of position to make plays. Poor tackling seems to be a trademark as well, almost as equal as forcing turnovers. The big play is a double-edged sword with a GR-led defense. If the Wolverines have any hope of making a mark in the Big Ten this year, GR will have to teach his squad how to stop someone.

The Big 12 - Tonight the nation will get a look at two of the best the Big 12 North has to offer. Missouri and Nebraska go head to head as conference play enters week number 2. Nebraska has a better running game and argubly a better defense, yet, Missouri has strong parameter weapons and Blaine Gabbert. Gabbert is awesome. He has areas to improve in but hey, its the dude first year as a starter... are you 4 - 0?

UPDATE: So, Mizzou is now 4 -1. Gabbert didn't play very well... he was bound to have one of those games. The Tigers desperately need a running game or Gabbert may have more games like this. By the way, I hope Scott Pioli was paying attention since he was at the game because Ndamukong Suh is quite possible the best looking future Chief ever. The plus is that he would shore up the middle of the D-line, the negative is that no Chiefs fan will ever be able to pronounce his name. Be that as it may, he totally dominated this game. Let's start the campaign today...

Kansas is still the cream of the North. Mangino has his guys ready to play. If the Jayhawks remain poised and stop fighting with the basketball team, they might win the North. K-State is not ready for primetime. Iowa State is better but likely a year away from competing. Colorado will not realistically compete until Dan Hawkins that his son is not the answer.

The South is the Longhorns' to lose. The Sooners have lost way too much to be a contender both in games and in key players. Although, Landry Jones is getting valuable service time and will be a solid starter next year. Bradford needs to preserve his shoulder and sit out this season. Yea, I said it. Dude is a first round pick, guaranteed. Another hit like that and he could be doing analyst work on the Sooner Radio Network versus playing on Sunday. Texas Tech, I'm not sold and A&M isn't very good (which will be revealed when they play OSU this weekend). OSU is a contender in the South if Gundy can keep them focused. Losing Dez Bryant will make it an uphill climb, for sure (dang Deion, why?). And Baylor is better but can they contend? Not quite yet.

Pros

AFC West - The Kansas City Chiefs are horrible. That is not a revelation. Sadly, my hopes for a dramatic turnaround seems to have been kidnapped and sent to Denver. The Broncos are good folks. Sorry Keitzman, but they are. Coach Josh has gotten these guys to believe in something, not sure what but they are buying it. All Kyle Orton has done is Dilfered his way through the season thus far by managing games and not commiting turnovers. All Mike Nolan has done is taken an underperforming defense and made them more than respectable, he's made them one of the best in the league so far this year (Clancy, please call this man).

The Raiders have the talent is key areas except the one the matters most ... quarterback. JaMarcus Russell sucks in ways that the word suck really wasn't meant to convey. The dagger hurts even more knowing this tool drove downfield in a once in a lifetime, come from behind, game-winning drive against my damn Chiefs. Man, I hate him. Starting to not like LSU or at least draftees from LSU ... but I digress.

The Chargers were the favorite to win the AFC West which is not a difficult feat. But the power of the Norv is rearing his ugly head. Norv Turner will never coach a winner. It can't be done. LT is no longer LT. Darren Sproles is one hit away from being a "I remember when I was in the league ..." story and Shawne Merriman has become comically irrelevant. Rivers keeps putting great stats become it seems to only matter in Fantasy Football (I have him in one of my leagues).

And then there is Kansas City ... uh ... er, well ... moving on.

The Rest of the League - In a nutshell, Favre got his revenge, Braylon is going get his chance to prove he can be a top flight receiver, Adrian Peterson IS that good, New Orleans will win the NFC South, the Jets just got better, though mathematically and metaphysically impossible, St. Louis might lose in their bye week, TO's meltdown clock started five minutes ago, Cleveland just got worse, Romo will be benched and Wade Phillips will be working concessions at Jerry's shiny new stadium, Peyton is Peyton, the Giants are damn good, Detroit really doesn't want to be the worse team in the NFL, Tom Brady is a baby and not just the father of one, the 49ers will win the NFC West because they have a good D, Fitzgerald's brother needs to keep his ass off Twitter, Tyler Thigpen will keep the string of ex-Chiefs finding success in other markets alive and last but not least ... damn you, Carl Peterson, Brad Cottam, Jamaal Charles and Brandon Albert do not make up for Jared Allen. Or his mullet.

Fantasy Football

I'm 2-2 in two leagues and 3-1 in one. Waiver wire is my friend this year. Eddie Royal sucks. DeAngelo Williams is just getting warmed up. 49ers and Saints DST kicks ass! I need receivers... wanna trade?

Friday Flashback: Soundtracks

I'm trying hard to get out of the 90's mood. Its been hard because I'm constantly reminded of great music from the era. That said, we will press pause and instead today I thought it might be cool to focus on great soundtracks. Of course, this will be yet another subjective view of music from a guy who is alone on an island regarding his tastes. I will note, the movies have special importance for me which is perhaps why I chose the songs to share with you. These will be selections from various genres and eras as I tend to be eclectic. I also will warn you, this will be the first of many posts on the topic.

When looking at soundtracks you have to really think about the songs and why they, in some cases, transcend the movies that featured them. Yes, I could easily pick songs like "My Heart Will Go On" or "Walking On Sunshine", but why the hell would I do that? You should know by now, I love the hidden gems.

So, I start with a classic. In 1944, a 19 year-old Lauren Bacall saunters into our hearts in To Have and Have Not and captivates the audience. I have the Life Magazine which features Ms. Bacall on the cover as part of the promotion for the movie on my wall in my basement. She is that great to me. The following clip features Ms. Bacall singing (though many believed for years that her "voice" was dubbed Andy Williams) with the great Hoagy Carmichael on "How Little We Know". She sang several songs in the film but this was by far the most engaging. The movie is a classic which has been dismissed by some as a knock off of Casablanca ... the formula is certainly there, but the chemistry between Bogart and Bacall is what makes this film stand out. There will never be a "movie" couple who will capture their magic ... let me stop here.

Next up is another classic. The movie is Imitation of Life (1959). I first watched this movie with my mother and the haunting vocals of one Mahalia Jackson ("Trouble of the World") at Annie's funeral still brings me to tears no matter how many times I see it. Douglas Sirk maybe doesn't get enough credit for making a powerful film about "passing" in late 50s America but, man, does it hit you. Yes, it is a remake. And yes perhaps many people just simply see this as a Lana Turner vehicle but its really so much more. You have to see the movie to truly appreciate how important this scene is ... but, again Ms. Mahalia brings it home like no other.



So, as I'm sittin here, in this chair... wait, that sounds like a song lyric. A great one at that. Car Wash (1976) is a movie that I hold in great reverence. It was a movie I was likely way too young to see, but I do know it was one of the first movies I saw when we moved to Kansas City (drive-in) and for that, it is a favorite. Rose Royce had, what was at the time, an unheard of feat ... three hits off a soundtrack album???? Wow. The songs perfectly set the mood for the film. This was a studio film designed to capitalize on the Blaxploitation genre, but what makes this a great movie wasn't the necessarily the performances (a young and roguish Bill Duke or funny Frankie Ajaye or pre-Huggy Bear Antonio Fargas or Daddy Rich himself, Richard Pryor) or the plot (a day in the life of car wash workers) it was really the simplicity of it all. The movie was just a straight forward comedy with some bite to it. But the soundtrack (specifically the title song) is what people remember. Mary J did do a great remake of "I'm Going Down" but the song that does it for me is "I Wanna Get Next to You". Just listen.



Next is a favorite on every level. Now, I know folks out there love Wizard of Oz, hey, so do I, but The Wiz (1980)... SMH ... man, I love this movie. It shares much with the Car Wash, a cameo from Richard Pryor and a pre-"Gee, how can I screw up the Batman movies" Joel Schumacher (who wrote the screenplay of The Wiz and Car Wash) and both were regarded as commercial failures. Be that as it may, my love for both is undeterred. The Wiz showcased a warchest of talent: Michael Jackson, Diana Ross, Nipsey Russell, the incredible Mabel King, the beautiful Lena Horne and the songwriting talent of Ashford & Simpson ("Solid") and Quincy Jones to oversee the music. How could it go wrong? Well, who knows? Again, my love for the film is never ending. Felt only right to include it as the Anniversary Edition of Wizard of Oz was released this week. Here is Michael singing to the crows...



Last up is a couple of favorites from a movie that gets hardly any run. School Daze (1988). This movie is my favorite Spike Lee film, hands down. He got it right. The story is great, the characters are spot on and the cast ... oh the cast... Larry (when he was still Larry) Fishburne, Kadeem Hardison (pre-Dwayne Wayne), Darryl Bell, Tisha Campbell, Giancarlo Esposito, Jasmine Guy (pre-Whitley) and a unknown Sam Jackson. This was the movie that in many ways made the show A Different World relevent, especially when you consider the cast. Sadly, this movie is forgotten by almost everyone. This was a pivotal film in my development from a teenager to a young man. As a black man of light complexion, the struggle within the community regarding identity and confidence came to a head for me with this movie. There are two scenes in particular... "Good and Bad Hair" (identity) and the desperate love song, "Be Alone Tonight" (confidence). This movie should be in your Netflix queue because it does give you so much to think about. By the way, yes, it did give us the go go classic "Da Butt" by EU, however, I prefer not to go there.





See ya next week!!

P.S. I give you a bonus because the new Fame sucks and the original can't be touched... the movie or the show. Ladies and gentleman, Ms. Irene Cara ... the original Coco.

Tech Thursday: Zune HD

Note: This Zune HD review brought you by my bro: J-RO

My brother asked me to write this review knowing I’d be completely biased while doing so. You see, this has been one of my most anticipated devices in a long time.* So, with none of the long lines and fanfare of other device launches, I picked up my shiny new black box (if that’s at all possible.) on my lunch break on launch day.

I opened that box, to find one of the sexiest devices I had ever seen. Yep, that’s “sexy”, if any device ever deserved that adjective, it’s this one.

Let’s start with the hardware itself first. The device is slightly larger than the last generation’s 8/16 Gig Zune devices, but still smaller than the iPod touch. The screen makes up most of the device, as would be expected with a touch screen device. This device feels lighter than the previous Zune devices, and about as thin. As a point of reference, the device is still slightly thicker than the iPod Touch.

The device has a 3.3 inch OLED color, capacitive touch screen.** The device has just 3 buttons: a power button at the top of the screen, a button that brings up volume and track controls on the left side of the device, and a home button of sorts below the screen. The bottom of the device has room for the traditional Zune connector, and a headphone jack. The device also has an accelerometer for changing between landscape and portrait mode, by rotating the device.

Now that the hardware is out of the way, we can get to the software, and this is where the magic happens. Everything about the software from the transitions between menu items, to the screen saver that pops up when playing a track, screams “class” (or “sexy” as previously mentioned.) This new device has a new menu that runs parallel with the existing old style menu. So, to start you have the original list, Music, Videos, Pictures, etc. Swiping to the right will bring up the new menu, which has four listed categories of its own. There is a current track section that displays the track that is playing or paused.

Also on this menu is a “pins” section that now allows the users to “pin” favorites to this list for quick, convenient access. Next, up is the “History” section, which does exactly what you think it does, the caveat however, is that it is the history of EVERYTHING, from music and video, to games and websites will show up in this quick list. The last section in this menu is the “New” section, which displays all of the new items that have been recently added to the device.

Now, I’ve previously mentioned the old style menu for the Zune, but there are some interesting additions to that interface. You now have Music, Video, Pictures, Radio, Marketplace, Social, Internet, and Settings. A few more settings to be sure, Internet being the most important, since this is now the first time that a Zune has had some type of an Internet browser. While this isn’t “proper” internet, (It is mobile internet…) it still allows Zune owners to surf wherever there is a hotspot. All searches are powered by Microsoft’s Bing, *** and as of now there is no flash support, but if Microsoft could figure it out, it would be one of the first music devices that could actually run Pandora, directly from a device.


The music section has made some interesting changes, though mostly aesthetic. However, it’s nice to see the transitioning used here, as well as selected artists displaying full screen pictures when their albums are selected. The graphics chip and OLED screen are in full use with this device. Video has one of the bigger changes for the device, as the device now supports HD output up to 720p via the optional A/V dock. This means anything you get from the marketplace, or add to the device yourself can be potentially output in HD to your television.

The ZuneHD also supports HD radio now. While older Zune models have supported FM radio, it’s definitely an upgrade that gives users the ability to have more and clearer radio channels. Pictures, Marketplace, Social, and Settings still perform the way they did before, with social still allowing fellow Zune users to share music directly.

As long as that was, this review is still just a snap shot of what the Zune can do, this post could potentially go on forever. In the end this is a very nice device, it is unique simply for its display alone, never mind the features that just aren’t offered anywhere else like HD Radio. For the full effect, you’ve got to see the thing live; pictures just don’t do it justice. I know mostly everyone has an iPod, but for those that don’t this device is a worthy alternative.


*Full disclosure, I hate almost everything about Apple, so those devices would have never crossed my mind. It’s also been a very long time since a video game console released…

**For those who don’t know, “capacitive touch” means a finger is required, no stylus will work, just like the current-gen iPod’s.

***They really are pushing this search engine aren’t they?