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February 1, 2008 Earworm

And so we begin the month of love. Like the summer of love but with more deodorant and better gifts. Chocolate, cards, and other minutiae are the norm but, if you're lucky, jewelry, vacations and cars could be coming your way. I usually get a grunt and surly peck on the cheek. Just the way I like it, actually.

I can't think of a better song to start the Valentine's Dance then the clunky Imperial debut 45 by Cher; "Dream Baby". Actually, that would be Cherilyn, should you find a copy and scan the label. Sonny wouldn't stray far from his Spector run backyard when creating the setting for his little jewel - the whole "Wrecking Crew" was employed, Gold Star Studios provided the echo, and there is even a sax solo that was already out of date in 1964. The shy little Cher(ilyn) holds her own and Sonny double tracks that power house voice for extra value. It's absolutely delightful Although it starts to lose some steam after the mandatory almost fake ending, when the bells jump in to remind us that we've heard most of this before.

"Dream Baby" went nowhere but it took Cher from the back row of Phil's choir and put her on the road to icon status and all its obligatory tabloid fodder.

"Dream Baby" is available on the excellent, if pricey, "One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost And Found"

January 31, 2008 Earworm

Shelby Lynne hollers and snorts her way through the retro-spectacular "Your Lies" as she makes her list of all the wrongs to which she's been subjected. There's no doubt that she's pissed and there's no doubt about what's been missed. Just listen to that final "alone"; as much a question as a statement.

Check out "Your Lies" and the rest of the excellent "I am Shelby Lynne". Shelby's tribute to Dusty streets Tuesday, February 5th. Pick it up on your way to the Soundtrack To Nothing exhibition at The Opal Gallery.

January 30, 2008 Earworm

Since Hump Day is never as exciting as its name suggests, maybe you, too, need a little push at this point. With that in mind, I think we should take a clue to various movies and create a feel good moment with a song. Think "Build Me Up, Buttercup" in "There's Something About Mary" or "I Say A Little Prayer For You" from "My Best Friend's Wedding".

Play your tune at work, or just start humming it. Make sure that it has an upbeat quality and is familiar but stay away from... well, Eminem comes to mind. Lyrics like "I'm a kill you..." will only alarm the co-workers.

My feel good moment song is Tommy James & The Shondells' "I Think We're Alone Now". It's familiar to all, beautifully arranged, and has enough of those little hooks to get the crowd clapping or snapping.

Hey, it survived Tiffany...

Good luck with your feel good moment and remember, one feel good moment usually leads to another. We might actually get Hump Day to live up to its name.

January 29, 2008 Earworm

As The House of Love was moving out, Martin Rossiter was being drafted as the singer of what was left of Spin. Renaming themselves Gene, they became the darlings of the press - fed by a supporting spot for the re-awakening Pulp - while taking a lot of flack for Rossiter's obvious adoration of Morrissey. Nicknamed the "Rozzster", Martin's wobbling croon and the lushly intricate production of Gene's 1995 debut album, "Olympian", sounded like a logical progression from The Smiths' "Strangeways Here We Come" album. The strength of their b-sides also contributed to the Smiths comparisons and their very own version of "Hatful of Hollow", "To See The Lights", would be released and would be almost as successful as their first album.

"Fighting Fit" was released at the end of '96 as teaser for the upcoming album, "Drawn To The Deep End", and it seldom left my stereo. Muscular, flexed, and in a hurry, "Fighting Fit" was the moment that Gene began to depend less on the influence of Morrissey, and focus on being Gene.
All these years later, I still get a rush from those opening chords and, it's that rush I need today, which is why it's todays earworm.


All the Gene studio albums released on Polydor are now out of print in the US but the "As Good As It Gets" compilation includes many of the bands best moments.

January 28, 2007 Earworm

In 1989, after releasing a quartet of singles and an album that made indie kids swoon, The House of Love left Creation Records for major label Fontana and an advance just shy of half a million pounds. Everyone was sure that they would be the band that would prove that Alan McGee was right about everything, with the UK music press suggesting that they would be the stadium band to rival U2.

Less than a year later, the chart performance of their first two Fontana singles, "Never" and "I Don't Know Why I Love You", suggested that guitar pop could cut into dance musics bleeping and thumping hold on the singles charts, but not the top forty. Going back to the beginning, the band re-recorded their Creation debut, "Shine On", and as it cracked the top twenty, hopes were high for the follow up, "The Beatles and The Stones" but it couldn't move higher than #36.

Two years later, it was apparent to everyone that it wasn't going to happen. With their third studio album jumping into the top ten of the album chart and then disappearing completely just two weeks later, it looked as though Alan McGee was wrong or, perhaps, too late. The indie kids who had fallen in love with the band in a beehive pop of "Christine" had moved on to Madchester and those who coulddn't dance were staring across the pond toward the flannel revolution. Fontana pulled the gorgeously depresssed "Crush Me" as the fourth single from the "Babe Rainbow" album, and its low chart position during its brief run confirmed that the foundation was crumbling. "Crush Me", somewhat fittingly, would be their last charting single but at least they went out on a high note; still singing the slightly hopeful baah-bopp-bopp-baah's that reminded everyone of the early days.

The House of Love would release one more album, "Audience With The Mind", that pretty much confirmed that band leader Guy Chadwick had lost his and prompted one reviewer to write, "I don't know why I loved you. I don't know why I cared". What was left of the band that had been started after Chadwick attended a Jesus and Mary Chain show, that was thought of as the band that would take up the indie-pop fight for mainstream success that the Mary Chain had started, called it quits, and another Alan McGee dream was dashed just as the seeds of Brit-pop were being sown.

The House of Love studio albums are all out of print at the moment but The Fontana Years collects some of the highlights and offers plenty of rarities.

Would someone please shoot John Gibson in the face? : WTF? special edition

Yes.
I know.
It's not nice.

It's mongering hate.
It's vicious.
And it's rude.

But, hey, why sit idle on the sidelines, observing the crass action when you, yourself, can get in on the fun. Aren't you tired of being "above it"? Well, then... shoot John Gibson in the face. Why not? What else have you got to do right now? The laundry will wait.

I am your coach, baby, and I am putting you in the game.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I believe that free speech should work only one way. No, I believe that everyone, regardless of their opinion, has the right to say what they want. Hell, I even defend the little-wienie'd neo-nazis' right to call for whatever atrocities they wish upon blacks, jews, and gay boys like me. I mean, isn't it better to know what they are really thinking? Now you know who you should not be having over for dinner or for a little back alley nnyick nnyick. Plus, you get to waste a few moments wondering why, if they are so supreme in their whiteness, should they be so concerned over the insignificant sub-humans that they are constantly whining about. Like John's comments on religions other than his own: "I would think if somebody is going to be -- have to answer for following the wrong religion, they're not going to have to answer to me. We know who they're going to have to answer to."
No,Jim, who? Ted Haggert?

I guess it's tough having all those Jews and Muslims camping out in his church of choice - oh, excuse me, what choice? There is but only one. That matters, that is. Damn all those people who don't believe in exactly what John believes; distracting him from his prayers to a blue eyed, blond haired, white washed Disney-Jesus.

Oh, poor John. It's hard out there for a cracker.


But really, the reason that I think someone should shoot John Gibson in the face is because of his face. Look at it. Take a good long look...
There!
See it?
Yup. I do, too. It's that look in his taxidermy upgrade eyes. He needs our help. He needs relief.

You know... he probably touches children. Inappropriately. That would explain his little rant on the population growth: "Do your duty. Make more babies... half of the kids in this country under five years old are minorities. By far the greatest number are Hispanic. You know what that means? Twenty-five years and the majority of the population is Hispanic. Why is that? Well, the Hispanics are having more kids than others. Notably the ones Hispanics call gabachos, white people, are having fewer." I bet he thinks the white ones taste better. The way peanut butter tastes better when spread all over white bread.

Vanilla, baby; let's not get too exotic. Too uppity, too diverse. Things go wrong when we do that. Look at Neopolitan, for chrissake? I mean, what flavor is it really?

I heard that he keeps the lopped-off foot of a homeless man in the back of his freezer. He pulls it out every now and then to suck on one of the toes, maybe. After he's enjoyed a hearty bowl of kitten stew...

This may stem from a traumatic childhood experience. Maybe he invited the boy from the poor family over to spend the night so that he could play with his pee-pee. Poor people are all stupid, right? Why else would they be poor? Stupid people will do what they are told because they are used to taking orders from people - they will keep a secret. But, maybe the poor boy laughed at John's pee-pee. Maybe it's really thin with a weird bend to the right (or worse - to da left, to da left), an over-sized head with, oh, I don't know... a purple spot on it. The boy laughed at how ugly and small it was when compared to his own long, thick horse like pee-pee. It was like a black man's pee-pee, of course. The poor are just like the blacks - closer to animals than better off, white Disney-Jesus worshiping decent folks.

John cried. He never forgot.

Maybe this explains his need to ridicule "Brokeback Mountain" and the death of Heath Ledger. Every time that he drifts off to that fantasy of taking Heath Ledger's long, thick, horse like cowpoker up his ass, writhing and bucking against Heath's taut and smooth young stomach, legs thrown over Heath's strong and broad shoulders, well... he just can't cum.

He remembers that poor little boy making fun of his bruised and askew little unit and it makes him sad. A sad John Gibson can't cum. And that makes him angry.

It can't be easy being John Gibson. Hell, his Fox bio doesn't even mention any schools he attended or any awards he may have won for his in-depth journalism. There are no accolades for any insightful observations. Nope, none of that. Just "John Gibson joined FOX News Channel (FNC) in September of 2000 and currently serves as the co-host of "The Big Story with John Gibson & Heather Nauert" (Weekdays/5-6 p.m. ET). The show examines all facets of the major news stories of the day and presents viewers with compelling interviews and discussions on breaking news events. Gibson also hosts "The John Gibson Show," a nationally syndicated radio program that provides top news coverage and features interviews with leading newsmakers.

Prior to joining FNC, Gibson was at MSNBC hosting the network's news talk programs, including "Newschat" and "Internight." He also served as substitute anchor for CNBC’s "Rivera Live." Preceding the existence of MSNBC, Gibson hosted a news program for "America's Talking."

Before his stint at "America's Talking," Gibson was a West Coast correspondent for NBC News Channel, where he supplied NBC affiliates with live reports on various breaking news events. Gibson also served as an NBC News correspondent based in California, where he provided extensive coverage of key news events, including the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, America's involvement in Mogadishu, Somalia and the invasion of the Branch Davidian Compound in Waco, Texas.

Gibson is also the author of The New York Times bestseller "Hating America" and "The War on Christmas.""

The only noteworthy achievements they bothered to describe are his New York Times bestsellers. And they had to go and mention the fucking commie New York Times.

No. It's not easy being John Gibson. No respect. No respect at all. So, let's shoot John Gibson in the face. With this black-people-welfare funding, fag-loving, Jew-run, white folk persecuting, non-Disney-Jesus worshiping nation causing him so much pain, he'd be better off. He'd be in a better place. Like that farm your parents sent your dog to.

And then he could be a martyr for the cause! Think of the bumper stickers! The bracelettes! "What Would John Gibson Do?"

"But, Pres", you may be thinking, "If we shoot John Gibson in the face, who will entertain us?" Well, don't you worry about that, my little rootin' tootin' shootin' (gay?) cowfolk. As long as Rupert Murdoch has an anus, there will always be more like John Gibson coming along. And the next one might even be nuttier!

We should do this for him. Really, it's for the best. So, if you see him, shoot John Gibson in the face. But remember, if you are not an honest to God hip-hopper, be sure that you don't shoot yourself after you shoot John Gibson in the face. Keep in mind that, following the 2007 SuccessTech Academy shooting, John said, "I knew the shooter was white. I knew he would have shot himself. Hip-hoppers don't do that. They shoot and move on to shoot again. And I could tell right away because he killed himself. Black shooters don't do that. They shoot and move on."

Feel free to use anything that you have handy to shoot John Gibson in the face - eggs; paper clips; snow globes; rubber bands; spit balls; your load.... anything at all. Just make sure that your aim is true and that you shoot John Gibson in the face.

Please. Do not pass up this opportunity because, to paraphrase John Gibson, there is no point in passing up a good joke.

Reissued: Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret - Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing

Dancing on the underbelly:
The most comprehensive collection of Soft Cell's 1981-82 creative and commercial peak.
Scheduled release date: March 04, 2008
BUMPED TO JULY 1, 2008

Disc One Frustration Tainted Love Seedy Films Youth Sex Dwarf Entertain Me Chips on My Shoulder Bedsitter Secret Life Say Hello, Wave Goodbye Persuasion A Man Could Get Lost Where Did Our Love Go Memorabilia Facility Girls Fun City Torch Insecure Me What? ...So Disc Two Memorabilia (non stop ecstatic dancing version) Where Did Our Love Go (non stop ecstatic dancing version) What? (non stop ecstatic dancing version) A Man Could Get Lost (non stop ecstatic dancing version) Chips On My Shoulder (non stop ecstatic dancing version) Sex Dwarf (non stop ecstatic dancing version) Tainted Love / Where Did Our Love Go? (extended version) Memorabilia (extended version) What (extended version/non stop ecstatic dancing edit) ...So (extended version) Torch (extended version) Insecure Me (extended version) Tainted Dub/Where Did Our Love Go Bedsitter (extended version) Facility Girls (12" single extended version) Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (instrumental) Say Hello, Wave Goodbye (extended version)

Order yours from The Ideal Copy

Reissued: Quick Step and Sidekick

Scheduled for release March 04, 2008.
WOOHOO!

Disc One
1. Love on Your Side 3:36
2. Lies 3:14
3. If You Were Here 3:00
4. Judy Do 3:51
5. Tears 5:05
6. Watching 4:01
7. We Are Detective 3:06
8. Kamikaze 3:59
9. Love Lies Bleeding 2:52
10. All Fall Out 5:31
    
    Bonus Tracks: The Cassette Remixes
11. Love Lies Fierce [Loves Lies Bleeding] 6:45
12. Long Beach Culture [Instrumental] 6:48
13. No Talkin’ – Dub [Lies] 6:18
14. Rap Boy Rap [Love On Your Side] 7:22
15. Frozen In Time [Kamikaze] 6:28
16. Fallen Out [All Fall Out] 3:30

Disc Two:
B-Sides & 12" Mixes
1. Lies [Single remix] 3:15
2. Love On Your Back 4:06
3. Lucky Day 3.52
4. Dancersaurus 4:40
5. Lies (Bigger And Better) [12" version] 6:35
6. Beach Culture 3:55
7. Love On Your Side (No Talkin') [12" version] 5:48
8. We Are Detective (More Clues) [12" version] 6:00
9. Lucky Day (Space Mix) 6:58
10. Watching (You Watching Me) [12" version] 5:48
11. Dancersaurus (Even Large Reptiles Have Emotional Problems) [12" version] 5:50

Order yours from The Ideal Copy
Check out Peter's Thompson Twins Page

"Into The Gap"
Also coming

To watch

Sex! Cliffhangers! Double Entrendres! Dorothy Parker References!
A young Bruce Campbell is a hottie Bruce Campbell and Kelly Rutherford makes your mouth water.


Take twenty hours and have an adventure. It's good for the soul, "just under over the top", and very fancy.
Just don't touch Pete's piece.