Retro Feedback

A look back at the artists, music and culture that was a major influence on my early life. I will dive deep in the New Wave, Post Punk music scene of the late 70s and into the 80s. There will be a strong focus of the lesser known artists and their music of that era.

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Stop pretending you are offended by our unjust society.

It is 100% a question of your moral character. I am done watching my "liberal" friends bemoan on this forum all the systems that hold people down. These systems have been in place longer than Trump, and have been reinforced by every president and congress we have had for my entire life. You keep sharing posts and news stories showing everyone how bad things are and how disgusted you are that they are happening yet so many of you have used flimsy, childish even, reasons to dismiss progressives who are working the hardest to end that system. You claim vote blue no matter who, yet put no real thought into that "who". When candidates are trashed for how they look, how they dress, how they talk - while praising other candidates for those same superficial reasons boggles my mind. I thought I was your friend, but I sat quiet as you unknowingly belittled me based upon a sensationalized and manipulated picture painted FOR you by those who do not care about you and wish to keep the status quo. You poke fun at real humanitarian efforts to attempt to make this world a better place for our generations and all of those after us. Yet you accept the excuses that we can't have better and not question it, at all. I am disgusted by kids being ripped from their parents, being placed in cages, people being tormented because they don't share a skin color or religion as others. I am also disgusted that we have people dying because they cannot afford medication, families are suffering under the weight of a system that keeps their wages down (if they can even get a job) and their cost of living escalates. How many children are we hurting because of these systems? How many families are being torn apart over these matters. Facts are there - money issues break up homes, increases violence in the home, substance abuse and crime. Put in there all the -isms that exist that further divide us and you get millions of people screaming from the weight of the society we built - and we allowed people to fuel it by not paying attention to the issues and voting for name recognition and high school popularity criteria. We have let each other down. You can't be upset about a pipeline through Native People's land while supporting a candidate that is friends with the oil industry. You can't get angry at a biased, sexist, and racist judicial system, when the person you support helped build it. If you did not know that, shame on you! As a nation we have the money to fix these problems. Economists agree as well as many reliable institutions that study these matters. We are wasting money, throwing it at endless war, corporate greed and allowing a guy in a suit telling us lies we keep eating up. We should be fully operational again. We will continue to monitor for further errors.

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Another year, another best of year music list

2019 has been a very good year for music, IMO. I am not sticking to a numbering system, just sharing my cream of the crop. My rules: Had to be release in 2019, and not be a greatest hits, live or full re-issue. Anthologies of unreleased works and original remixes are OK Here goes:

EDITORS The Blanck Mass Sessions. A collection of reworked pieces from their previous release along with a couple new tracks. Editors also released a Best Of with new tracks that is noteworthy

THE NATIONAL I Am Easy to Find. A surprise gem. With the addition of guest musicians and vocalist this was a lovely fresh approach for them.

THE NEW PORNOGRAPHERS In the Morse Code of Brake Lights. Some of their best work with amazing layers of voices and instruments. Stand out lyrics as usual.

OF MONSTER AND MEN Fever Dream A more aggressive sound that does not alienate or overly change their style. A much needed breath of fresh air from OMAM.

ORVILLE PECK Pony Hands down one of my favorite albums of this year and all time. Tied with another entry on this list as my Number 1 picks. Old style country with deeply emotional lyrics. True story telling at its finest! Orville’s voice captures the classic country greats adds a touch of sadness and noire.

YOLA Walk Through Fire My other tie for first. Country meets classic R&B soul. Like Peck, Yola tells deeply emotional stories that are genuine and heartfelt - and most of all, relatable.

Sadly, it was another year of overproduced schlock rock, pseudo punk and generic pop. Too many are trying to fresh hip-hop alternative and just sound like a tone deaf lounge singer with a Casio. Many music acts are letting committees mold them, who wipe away what talent they have as an artist to turn them into a cash machine that relies upon 12 year olds to feed. With streaming being the “what’s popular” indicator, those with unrefined pallets are dictating what is consider art and what is worthy of being recognized. The true music artists are buried, not promoted and hard to find. The fact that the streaming services refuse the call them out or feature them tells you all you need to know. There is a TON of great original music that goes unheard, drowned out by all the clones that rely upon a pre-manufactured “sound” over composition.

As a lover of food and cuisine as well, I can explain this in culinary terms. Today’s “pop” music is like fast food and frozen dinners. Food that is distilled down to be sustenance with a mere suggestion of flavor. Then critics tell you all about the 5Star chef that uses the finest ingredients from around the world, who’s restaurant has a 6 month waiting list and your meal is more than you make in a week. You risk it, try the place and find out it’s good, but not awesome, especially for the price. Meanwhile there is the ability to have a well prepared flavor-rich meal that is inexpensive and nutritious, but you have to know someone that will tell you about it and willing to tell you where it is before you can taste it.

The artists I listed here stand out most because they are truly original in their own style. They may use some formulaic pieces to accent their style, but overall they have the ability to create something familiar (when compared to their own output) and yet different.

While Orville and Yola are new artists, they have a long history of working and performing across many genres. They are able to pull in all they know, while learning more, to bring to us some of the finest music that has been recorded in decades. They are both getting a lot of attention, but still not as much as they deserve. I have faith that in future releases, they will continue to show us how amazing they are and be as well respected by all as they deserve.

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Top 10 releases, IMO, for 2018

Here I go being all opinionated and stuff. This was an odd year for music and I am sure that like times in the past, it has to deal with the current political and social issues that have consumed us since 2016. As usual my list is narrow and focused on full albums I felt compelled to purchase. If I didn’t feel like buying it then there is no chance I would add it to this list.

No particular order is applied.

INTERPOL - Marauder

EDITORS - Violence

SUEDE - The Blue Hour

FLORENCE & THE MACHINE - High As Hope

NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE NIGHT SWEATS - Tearing at the Seams

SNOW PATROL - Wildness

BELLY - Dove

YOUNG THE GIANT - Mirror Master

JAMES - Living in Extraordinary Times

METRIC - Art of Doubt

Yeah, I struggled to even come up with these. I have looked at some of the media’s Top lists and I’m not seeing much variety; especially in Alternative Rock.

The years’ biggest disappointments:

WILD NOTHING - Indigo

TWIN SHADOW - Caer

FRANZ FERDINAND - Always Ascending

None of these are “bad” but like last year’s list, they don’t fare well when put up against the rest of the artists’ catalog. When you look at what their contemporaries have done in the last couple years you also see they are not marking new territory either. Wild Nothing’s “Indigo” seems as they phoned it in. Even the album artwork is meh. “Caer” by Twin Shadow is rather good but at its best it is like listening to a collection of non-single album cuts. For Franz Ferdinand, keeping to their ‘tried and true’ formula just didn’t feel all that fun.

Overall I would say that 2018 was a bland year for music. Still being inundated with too many artists trying that offer nothing in the way of song writing or any level of individuality. Pop music has become full of “dance pop rap” or whiny soulless love songs. The producers are back in control and the “singer” is essentially an automaton spewing out vocals that are so processed and coached that not one of the new slate of female pop vocalists stands out. As long as a “sound” keep selling the producers will keep throwing a body in front of a microphone like a car on an assembly line. These producers are focused on one thing, filling up their bank accounts. They think they are the artist but they offer no more to art than a Thomas Kinkade painting. An artist that became so formulaic that he hired others to paint his paintings in a factory like format; who is still producing new paintings that sell well despite having been dead for 6 years. Like Kinkade’s paintings, each pop song is different but it is far too eerily similar to every other song that they lose any artistic value.

Off my soapbox...

Let’s hope for an amazing new year for music!

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Top 10 releases, IMO, for 2017

My guidance is: 1. I had to have purchased it. 2. I must have listened to it a few times. 3. Solely based upon the feels of when I listened to it.

I do not place these in any particular order. That is asking quite a bit much.

Haim - Something to Tell You

Lorde - Melodrama

New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions

The National - Sleep Well Beasts

Stars - There Is No Love in Fluorescent Light

Spoon - Hot Thoughts

Walk the Moon - What If Nothing?

St Vincent - Masseduction

Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark - Punishment of Luxury

Future Islands - The Far Field

Noticeably absent, and for sound reasons:

U2 - Songs of Experience; just not that awesome when compared to the above AND their catalog. It’s enjoyable, just not top 10 worthy. And since I am not a paid music critic I can freely say this as I do not need to kiss ass. Granted, U2 is one of my favorite bands and I really only have 1 album of theirs I really dislike as a whole - Pop. Although it has a couple really good tracks the rest fizzles or outright stinks. Most critics bash No Line On the Horizon, but honestly I find so much beauty in the music and the production is near flawless. SOE has spotty production with tracks sounding like parts were done by completely different produces in different studios and spliced together. Bono’s lyrics are his weakest ever - the band carries this album. Yes, there are some strong points here and there but the sum of the points just don’t add up to being a huge win. Many critics have places this high on their lists, calling it a return to form after a couple low spots. Their last 2 outings were far better than this, making this seem like a lost tracks compilation and not a well crafted work that took years to perfect. Maybe, they are are taking too much time and over thinking things.

A few other records this year let me down. New releases by Washed Out and Phoenix just did not hold up. Trying to create new sounds and style for themselves backfired. Some of it was a good listen and make great radio tracks but sometimes artists need to learn WHY they are appreciated. There is a reason why some artists work under other names; allowing them to chart different paths for their talents. Some very special artists are able to create a winding path for their output yet it still is THEM. A path still exists that links it all together - Bowie and U2. I consider these masterful artists that know how to tell varying stories and still hold their listener’s interest through every chapter and every book. Even when they have a weak moment it does not destroy the continuity. Their weak moments are often better than the best moments or many others.

Artists have a tough balancing act if they wish to last a long time and be respected for their work. We tear down one artist for sticking to a style and sound while we praise another for never altering their formula. I don’t hold back an artist for doing their best to keep it interesting. That does not mean I have to fully appreciate the output. If they stray too much from what I find enjoyable, I stop following them as closely. Foster the People is an act that may fall off my radar. I LOVED their debut, the sophomore effort was nice but their newest takes them in a direction to where they sound like they are trying to hard to be a band they are not. There are a number of “blue-eyed soul/funk/R&B” artists out there who do it well, VERY WELL. Foster the People just don’t seem to translate it well. The high points of their debut show a great songwriter and talented band. Now they sound like any disposable pop act that will not leave a mark on music history. If release #4 does not wow folks, I am sure they will fade away quickly.

I am greatly looking forward to what 2018 has to offer. There are already a few hints at some works I am excited to hear. Overall, 2017 was another Meh year for music. I am happy that there were a few phenomenal records that will be dear to me for years to come.

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Apologies

I fully intended for this to be a place for me to exercise my creative juices and express my love of recorded music.

I had left my job of 9 years to be unemployed. To take the time to find a new path that satisfied my soul and my place in life. Always being held back from doing my best by the egos and whims of others while working in a retail environment for 25 years.

An avenue was much needed for me to work through ideas and passions without constant judgement but with some feedback from others. Being encouraged by my partner to do this after often talking about the artists and songs I love that he was less familiar with.

My follow through was poor. I found it hard to be a creative writer. While I can see the beauty and art in the writings of others, words for me were merely a means to express the most basic if details as plainly as possible. I felt that I was sounding more like an instruction manual than a person who loves art. To me, it appeared as if my heart was not in my efforts here. So I posted less and less.

After a few months I found myself employed again. Working very long days and totally exhausted after my week. Finding little time to be creative or to even rest. It was a temporary gig and I soon had found myself unemployed.

This is when I had one of those “A-HA!” moments. Within days after leaving that job I stumbled into something that stimulated all my creative juices and pulled together all my skills and talents. Within a few weeks I launched my own business. It was meant to be a means to give me a little income while I wasn’t working and supplement it when I found work again. After about 9 months it showed promise of being something bigger.

I did end up going back to work again. With the same employer I was with last. What started out extremely promising and allowed me to still grow my own business, turned sour after 6 months of dedicated performance and hard work. Just after losing my father I came back to a very hostile work environment and within 3 weeks was fired for reporting harassment.

This completely crushed me. I was treated in such a vile hateful manner by a woman who is battling her own demons. I was violated by her in so many ways. I risked physical and emotional abuse in her presence and when I reported her behaviors she fabricated a list of issues that led to my immediate dismissal.

I was broken. What trust I had in people was destroyed. Also during this time I had someone who I cared for greatly and had grown to mean so much to me lie to me and turned his back on me. This then set forth a ripple of other friends to turn away from me. One of them claiming that I blame him for what happened when I did not.

So here I was unemployed and unwanted. Or so I felt. My business received most of my attention and we soon grew bigger. This offset some of my sadness but did not completely remove it. My depression was solidified too much to be whisked away so easily. I put on that brave face and pushed forward with my chosen work and it became all I cared about. The only way you saw me happy and excited is when I talked about my business.

There were setbacks. There were times I was about to throw in the towel, say it was a good run and move forward. Yet, every time that happened - that I was set to move on then something wonderful would happen. I received little messages to keep going, that what I am doing is wanted and matters to others.

Wrapped up in all of these things, this little avenue was ignored. I don’t know if I will ever get back to it in the manner I wanted to do it.

My biggest goal was to tell stories about the artists, their music and the business that many don’t get to hear unless you are the die hard fan of that artist. My core focus was to be all the New Wave and Post Punk artists that only had a brief moment in the sun but influenced others and moved people like myself.

With “Pop” music being so evasive, so accessible that these artists were mainly ignored by the masses. Mostly from lack of real exposure; but from being so different than what was already being funneled into our ears at the time. Some folks cannot handle different at first listen, but years later so many of these artists were inspirations of mainstream artists of today. It is so blatant when you listen to their music, you can hear the spirit of all these lesser know yet amazing talents everywhere today.

I want to get back to this, but I feel I cannot do it justice just yet. If or when I do, I hope that I can tell these stories in my own way and not sound like a journalist but passionate lover of the music and artists.

There are still my own demons to overcome to where I will feel unburdened enough to truly let my own spirit soar. In the meantime I will chug away at my business to make it the best it can be and enjoy the people that are closest in my life in my free time. Do note, that my love of music is undying.

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Retro Feedback turned 4 today!

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Where do you begin to express how you feel when a hero and idol passes? Not only was he a hero and idol to me but to nearly every other artist (music and otherwise) you admire.

The news of David Bowie’s passing is hitting me harder that even the passing of my father. Partly because my dad’s passing was written on the wall and I had years to process it, but also because during very formative years in my life my dad was not a hero or an idol for me - he was the antagonist and the core reason I needed to look elsewhere for heroes.

Music was my savior from living in a household that was on the verge of a nuclear meltdown any second. Any quiet and still moment could erupt into a war between anyone in the household. To save my sanity I would hide in my room with a soundtrack that I could call mine. From the earliest days of having a little AM transistor radio to acquiring a boombox tape player I had the tools I needed to fill my ears and my head with music of the past and the future.

From my earliest memories I had enjoyed David Bowie’s music. Thankfully he was one artist I really loved that I could hear on the radio in my backwards hillbilly city in the rust belt of America. As I grew older and exposed to more artists, more sounds I gravitated to those with a certain voice. Those artists that were trying to create something different in music. Where most of the music had become disposable profit machines for corporations, there were talented folks making genuine art with sound. David Bowie was at the head of the class.

I do have more than one music “god”. Along with Mr Bowie, I hold Peter Gabriel, Bryan Ferry, Brian Eno and Midge Ure in the highest regard. They ooze talent and even a level of class and style. Most of them are also very outwardly concerned with the world around them. All my other favorite artists often cite at least 1 of them as a major inspiration to their creative work. Even some that won’t say it, display it openly with their works.

Bowie touched me deeply. His music alone was meticulously crafted to evoke emotions and coupled with poetic lyrics that spoke and many levels. Simple songs of love were elevated to near spiritual hymns. He carved anthems that empowered generations to make their voices heard and to be seen by previous generations as the people that can pave our way to a brighter future.

I was lucky enough to see David Bowie live a few times. First on his SOUND + VISION tour and when he toured with Nine Inch Nails in support of 1. Outside. I was also able to see him as part of Tin Machine. Each and every performance was an experience to not be missed.

You lose touch with mortality of others. I was not one to even fathom the thought of Bowie being immortal. It may sound sweet to say that you thought he was immune to death but to me it would be delusional to even joke with such a comment. I will always have his art. Often your idols die young and leave you with only a few scraps of what they created and a longing for hearing what could have been. With Mr Bowie we have 50+ years of music, 25 studio albums, countless alternate takes, unreleased tracks, live performances as well as his movies, TV appearances and collaborations with other artists.

Not many artists can build such treasure chest of pure gold. Even the other highly revered artists pale in comparison - either they did not write their own music or they comparatively produced less material, and possible a greater amount of lesser quality material. Every artist has weak spots, it’s necessary.

As sad as I am at this moment I am overjoyed by what he left us behind. He left a trail of glittering nuggets to marvel over and look at from every angle and under different lights. We look as his journey and find new wonders at all the curves in his path. You can drive the same street every day and then one day you notice something different that had been there all along. You focused so much on the signs and traffic that you overlooked the awning over a doorway or a tree with a crooked trunk.

As I move through my life going forward I will be traveling Bowie’s musical highway to bask in the beauty of what is familiar and to see how many of those unnoticed gems I may find. I will also continue to find and enjoy his influences within other artists.

But please Mr Gabriel, make sure you are in good health as I don’t think I could take losing another of my heroes for a long time to come.

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Not over hyped, but over loved

I am a huge fan of music at the heart of it. It's not the sales or critics that determine what is enjoyable or quality. In most cases I feel that critics and sales are something a artist should shy away from when deciding their creative path. Many genuine artists avoid those channels when creating, some play right to them.

Then there are those that are in the middle. They are talented and creative people who produce very valuable content and deserve attention and praise for their work. Unfortunately their fans become the distraction to their talent.

Perfect example for me is Janelle Monae. She burst onto the scene in 2007 with an EP that few even recall. A full three years later she dropped her first full length album. It was her full length ArchAndroid that ushered into the spotlight and gained her success, so it makes sense that it is what is often referenced as her debut. She writes songs that are peppy and borrow heavily from old style big band soul and R&B as well as Hip Hop smarts. Sadly, because she is lumped strictly into the Hip Hop genre which limits here broader exposure as Hip Hop seems to have a cap on how many current artists are allowed to be popular.

Many Gay man latched onto her as an icon as she speaks about equality and diversity in society. She also toys with the press about her own sexual identity which only gains her a more loyal LGBT following. Those gay men worship at her alter and define her as THE artist of the moment that we all need to praise. That she embodies everything we need to hold tighly as gay men. They gush over her like they do Beyoncé and Lady GaGa, who are obviously much bigger household names. Gay men did the same thing with Erasure, Pet Shop Boys and Scissor Sisters. Go on and on about how super wonderful everything they do is and squash you like a bug for dare saying anything counter to their opinion.

I think Janelle is very talented and I love her modern take on true Soul music but I don't see her as a Goddess nor do I find her to be extremely impactful with her talents. She doesn't wow, though she does entertain very well. I can find numerous other artists that deserve attention for the same reasons - their voice and their talent - that are overlooked and get little praise. Maybe it's marketing or the critics that create this conundrum but I am sick of the lavish attention given to such an artist. It annoys me more than the attention give to the real overhyped manufactured pop stars like Beyoncé. Don't get me going on about songs written by committees.

Fans can be closed minded.. well I feel the term close minded is often used to label someone who just disagrees. They don't want to hear that their Goddess isn't the most honored and revered person by everyone. I refuse to be dictated to on who needs to be respected and cherished as a talented and creative force.

Janelle, I will continue to enjoy your craft but you're not as "all that" as your fans will lead us to believe.

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My best of 2013.

This is a tough year for me as I found so much good music to enjoy. My list is never a detailed top 10 in order of their enjoyment impact or comment on their quality. It may not be limited to 10 or any established number.

Bastille - Bad Blood

Remarkable debut. Took a little while to reach the states with the lead single "Pompeii" but they are making their mark.

Capital Cities - In a Tidal Wave of Mystery

Major label debut release containing all the songs from their indie released EP of 2012 containing the same lead single "Safe and Sound".

Fitz & the Tantrums - More Than Just a Dream

Follow up to their debut full length. This release sees them stepping ever so slightly away from the strong R&B/Soul sound to mix in a little more Rock & Roll. Wonderful live act too!

The Naked and Famous - In Rolling Waves

This is the one release I was most anticipating and unlike the highly anticipated albums of the year, it did not disappoint. The lead single, "Hearts Like Ours" was a great prelude to the album. From the opening track to the last note it is an exceptional album with emotion and style that never compromises the musical skill of the band.

ONANON - Give In

As Indie as it can get. This album uses some studio flourishes to give a different sound and aural scape to the music. From vocal effects to guitar effects it helps build a sound that is reminiscent of The Breeders but with much more smartly written tunes and lyrics. 'The Hunter" and "War Is Gone" are stand out tracks.

David Bowie - The Next Day

One of his BEST albums and a great surprise from such a great talent. After his last 3 releases being critically well received, though not genuinely that great, he releases an album full of great craftsmanship that is reminiscent of his late 70s works. This was in heavy rotation upon release.

Orchestral Manoeuvers in the Dark - English Electric

What a great comeback to form for one of the pioneers in synth pop with soul and style. This is the second release after the reunion of McCluskey and Humphreys along with original band members. It sounds like old OMD while still sound current and fresh. Something hard to do for many 80s bands.

Suede - Bloodsports

After 14 years from their last release comes an album that sounds like they never took a break. It is filled with the same style and swagger of their latter albums making it perfect music for an intimate evening or relaxing on a Sunday afternoon.

White Lies - Big TV

Very mainstream American sound out of a British band. This is the sound the Killers could have put out but veered away from. There are flourishes of great indie acts like "Interpol" and "Editors" but they also have a smart mainstream poprock sound. This is a band that if they become superstars everyone will be sick of but secretly enjoy. Thankfully they are not superstars at this time so I can genuinely enjoy their sound without everyone trashing them.

Youngblood Hawke - Wake Up

Debut full length of a band that takes that Grouplove sound and marries it with a bigger band sound so not only do you get the harmony vocals but you get the whole band in your ears. Some of their style evokes Rusted Root but with less "World Music"

The National - Trouble Will Find Me

Another strong release from The National. There seems to be no other band that can mix such personal intimate emotions into a sound that makes you feel all the depths of those emotions. You easily get pulled in a understand every tear, frustration, joy or heartbreak. Not everything is a negative as you are often left feeling warm and satisfied.  This is handedly one of my favorite bands of the day.

  So I also have a turkey list. Those releases by bands that were heavily hyped and full of promise that fell flat.

Depeche Mode - Delta Machine

I don't get it... I just don't. There is little positive I can say about this album and I can't believe such a band would tarnish their history with this release. Even their weakest albums in the past were stronger and showed more talent than this. This was an album by a band that has given up it seems. This is the album a band tired from touring, drugs and alcohol would have put out in the 70s. It lacks depth and passion. If they wanted to tour, you don't need an album of new material to do so.

Daft Punk - Random Access Memories

Outside of a couple good pop songs worthy of being singles, the rest of the album falls apart and captures little of the Daft Punk sound. The worst track is the over indulgent track "Giorgio by Moroder". At best this is a single B-Side. Too much of this album seemed like an attempt to recapture the sound of 70s Disco and I have to say they failed. Stick to your own style guys, and you don't need to collaborate with a who's who of hip hop to prove your talent. Although you are making them sound better.

The Airborne Toxic Event - Such Hot Blood

Not a bad album but nowhere near as strong as their previous 2. The lead single was awesome but the rest of the album struggles. Maybe in time with a new approach I will enjoy it more but I feel let down.

So that is my list. There were so many other really good EPs and full lengths but I can't list them all.

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Silence...

Last night I saw an amazing show put on by a newer act.

The Naked and Famous at The Riviera Theater, Chicago, IL

Due to work, I missed the first couple songs by opening act, The Colourists. What I did catch was quite a surprise. Recently it seems that headliner acts have been trying to make statements about music with their opener choices, so to see an act that compliments the headliner was refreshing and enjoyable. There was a familiar song played as a closer and I know I will be picking up their material soon.

The Naked and Famous took the stage by opening with "Silence" followed by "Hearts Like Ours", their current single. Right away I knew it was going to be a solidly performed enjoyable show. I wasn't even bothered as much by the guy holding his arm in front of my view to record the show.

I am not hear to review this show but to touch on a subject that boggles my mind. Currently the music industry is still in a tailspin. With the new technology out there around how we can enjoy music, we are more and more limited on who we can hear without digging under rocks to find good new music.

Last night's show demonstrated what is wrong. Here is a band with very talented and musicians and led by a beautiful female vocalist (who also adds to the music being played) as well as a harmonizing male vocalist. It is very clear they know how to play their instruments and are very capable of writing emotional and impactful lyrics. Yet, this band is not topping the charts in this country. They are not getting big press or any hype.

Recently People Magazine featured Capital Cities as a band to watch out for. They released their major label debut album in June, almost a year after the lead single was first released on an indie label. They were already getting airplay and have built a following but it took winning MTV Video Music Awards to have People notice them and then say they may be something big one day...

Meanwhile the Music Media has been more tabloid focused. We are spoon fed stories of rivalries between stars and the personal details of their daily lives. While we focus on who's slutty, how they may be stealing their manufactured image from other artists, the cosmetic modeling contract they signed or what rapper they are dating we don't get well written and crafted music out of them.

It is true that some of these current pop stars can sing and even put their voice to some epic song of personal growth or empowerment they had little to do with the writing or making of the music, and even their image. The public goes crazy over hearing of their big tour where they pull out a huge light shows and feel the need to do numerous costume changes and aerial stunts to entertain the audience. You end up paying huge money for them to essentially prance around to a live performance enhanced by pre-recorded or programmed music.

There is excitement over their new album being released after it was already "leaked" in the internet. An album of songs where the liner notes read like a Pixar film's credits. Songs written by a collective of people who already well established music producers. Maybe the actual artist contributed some as well, but usually only lyrically.

The point is, these overhyped top selling artists are not giving us the money's worth. As we are hanging for their next epic release we ignore all the artists out there they are making great "pop" music that has more realness to it and can still evoke all the same feelings, if not more. They make music you can dance to while waving your arms in the air or make that morning commute drive more fun. Yet they don't even get a chance to be heard or seen. Meanwhile pop tarts are pumped at us and we are forced to deal with their overhyped, overwritten, overproduced and overexposed image and music.

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Well now,

It has been a great spring for music in my eyes, or ears. Some great stuff has hit the airwaves. First I want to call out OMD's English Electric. What a great album! To those other 80s bands that are trying to keep it going, this is how you do it! It has all the character and charms of all their earlier output yet still sounds fresh and new - and different.

Depeche Mode... sorry guys. I love ya and all but Delta Machine misses the mark. I'd like to see you on tour though but I'm not paying that kind of money to see you. This new release is like it's full of the weak album cuts from your last few releases. I know die hard fans will want to lynch me for saying this but it's true. Still love y'all but maybe you guys need to have a little more fun or gusto when you head into the studio.

Suede... WONDERFUL!!! Bloodsport is a great addition to your library of music. It has the soul and swagger that you brought to us before. It sounds as if there was no hiatus from your last album. For a solid week I played this non stop and told everyone that I could to give it a listen. I think I added a few new Suede fans to the fold in the process.

Now on to the more modern stuff:

The National, Trouble Will Find Me - It emotionally picks up right where High Violet left off. It has been in constant queue since it's release. If you like your emo matured, heartfelt and delivered with sincerity and experience then this is the album/band for you. 

Daft Punk, Random Access Memories -  I'm sorry guys but this is not worth the hype. It's good and all but NOT WORTH THE HYPE! This had to be one of the most promoted and marketed releases of the past decade. There are some good tracks that I will enjoy listening to but for the most part I would rather listen to my 70s disco collections than this seemingly homage to the era. Nile Rodgers was a great addition but maybe you boys needed to be at the helm more and bring out your distinct sound more.

Fitz & the Tantrums, More than Just a Dream -Excellent! Superb! This makes me want to tap my feet and sing along. Hell, I even want to dance or at least hop around a lot. This band captures so much of what I like about 80s music acts such as The Jam, Specials, The Beat and many others into a well crafted modern take on their stylized sounds. Fully worth a listen and I can't wait to see them live.

The Airborne Toxic, Event Such Hot Blood  - a solid album that may break this guys bigger. Another band I really want to see live but always seems to play in the area when I'm out of town or have an important event to attend. Nothing really stands out as exceptional but everything is comfortable and familiar to those who enjoy this band; who will appreciate the new tracks most.

Phoenix, Entertainment - Another well hyped releases but the difference here is that this is actually a great album. They guys crafted an entire album of great tracks that vary in style yet captures their overall sound well. In fact I would say that this release advances their sound quite a bit. Where their previous work had some weak spots this is far more cohesive from start to finish. 

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My Fantasy All Girl Band

Today we take female artists more seriously. Seeing all female band is still a rarity but no longer a novelty. In the early days of Rock, girls were relegated to being sweet sounding harmonizing vocal groups. The Supremes changed that slightly by being a little less sweet as they progressed their style through the turbulent 1960s.

The late 1960s brought us Grace Slick and Janis Joplin and other powerful and energized female voices to Rock. Although they were the voice of an all male band, their strength of image is what was at the forefront of the bands.

In the 1970s and into 1980s we had Punk and Disco. Two distinct genres that both permitted woman to take the front seat. Disco was lead with powerful singers with anthems empowering women to take charge. With Punk, women were taking charge. They were aggressive, fierce and took a strong, sometimes feminist, approach to Rock.  They came in to take control and share their angst. We had The Runaways, Slits, Go-Gos and many other less popular bands. We also had Pat Benatar and Blondie, led by Deborah Harry, that although they were with all male bands it was obvious they were in charge.

Through the 1980s the girls groups branched out into all forms of Pop, Dance, Rock and New Wave. In the 1990s it continued. Although grunge was not really kind to the advancement of women in Rock, we still had bands like Babes in Toyland, L7, Hole, Breeders...

So, I have my female Rock/music idols and some of them I think would make one hell of a kick ass band if they were all together on a stage. Kind of like one of those Supergroups of the 1980s. Here is who I'd pick:

Toni Halliday (from the band Curve) Vocals and guitar. She has a sexy style and swagger to her voice but also can bring out a gut punching hit as well.

Melissa Auf der Maur (Hole, Smashing Pumpkins) She ROCKS! One kick-ass bass player.

Sharleen Spiteri (Texas) Although more known for her suave and buttery voice she is also a good guitarist. I think she would have great harmony vocals with Toni and take on some additional lead singing too.

Milla Jovovich (solo musician) Very talented multi-instrumentalist. She would be very crafty in the studio with the right producer/mixer. I can see her switching between keyboards and guitars live as well as adding in other instruments as needed.

Patty Schemel (Hole) Solid drummer and would play well with Melissa, providing a solid rhythm section.

In my head this line-up would sound like a more polished Garbage with more pop hooks but still able to kick out some hard edged jams. I can also see them being a bit of a jam band, playing extended instrumental passages. This would be a band to be seen live but would produce some awesome studio material. At least as I see it in my head.

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Focus

I know it has been a long period of dead air. I have been working on a bunch of personal stuff and taking time to enjoy my family and friends. I have also suffered a lack of direction for what I want to do here. Although I enjoy the more detailed articles they can take a bit of time to research and format. I try my best to not offer the same Point of View as every other article one would find but I also want to be thorough as can be to the information I present. It would be too easy to just link to Wiki sites and YouTube and leave it at that but why bother with that. If I can do it, so can you!

Ideally I want to present by first person PoV to the music. Share the excitement I had for it when I first heard it 30 or more years ago. I also wish to point out it's relevance to today; to show the timelessness of the music that was considered disposable by critics and music listeners back then.

So, as I get over this block I will attempt to post something/anything to keep this fresh. First up will be a tiny fantasy piece I have had sitting around in my head for some time. I hope you all enjoy it.

Thanks for sticking around, if you are.

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Beating a dead horse: What happened to MTV

Back in 1981 a very innovative channel launched back in the early days of cable TV. Initially Cable was just a means to improve reception quality of broadcast TV. Before cable you had to deal with antennas towering over your home or dealt with fuzzy distorted viewing. I grew up in an area where the concept of cable television was being tested and developed so I don't remember a time before cable TV. It was cool growing up having a more global perspective as we had access to local Detroit stations as well as Canadian TV.

So, MTV launched as a specialized "narrow cast" channel of what was to be predominantly Rock & Roll music centered around "music videos". These videos were originally produced in the early days of Rock to promote artists often using European TV appearances as the source. Later as music became more visual the artists started producing conceptual pieces to support the music. We already had news, sports, movie and other niche channels so why not music?

Their programming was basically a radio format. A day was broken into hosted blocks of roughly 5 hours each. The hosts were called VJs for Video Jockey. Each hour was then broken down with a news segment or 2. Every hour was led into by an animated rocket launch where the VJ was call out a couple songs to expect to hear within the hour. Generally there were 10 to 12 videos played every hour. There was no breakdown of genre's or styles. You would hear punk, metal, new wave, synth, pop rock all mixed up. Once or twice per hour there would be a "Closet Classic" where a video by a classic rock artist was played, often something from the 60s or early 70s.

Around 1983 is where I see things starting to fall apart. They shift went from new music acts as more established artists jumped on the video production bandwagon. Although a staple of the channel, Styx and other very popular acts started making expensive stylized videos. Little by little the new wave and punk acts were replaced by the mainstream pop acts. Then there was the attack on MTV for "refusing" to play black artists. MTV defending themselves by stating clearly they were a ROCK format and not Top 40 or "pop". There were tons of black artists to be found on MTV but not too many R&B, disco or soul acts. Michael Jackson was shoved onto the network with Beat It - the reasoning was that Eddie VanHalen played guitar on it so it was more of a rock track. That broke the door open for the rest of his dance soul music and then every pop act like him. By 1984 MTV was no the darling of the record industry because it was a cheap way to break a new pop artist. All they had to do was make a flashy video and push it into heavy rotation.

By the end of the 80s MTV had broken down and created blocks of specific music styles and pushed the new music off into late night periods. During the day you had to tolerate the same music you heard on the radio as well as saw their videos on other channels that started to play videos to get in on the action. MTV also started to include more and more no music programming. Game Shows, pseudo-reality shows and more attention on VJs and shows that showed off New York culture. What was 10 to 12 videos and hour went to 8.

Come the 90s MTV was just a whore for the music industry and pop culture machine. Their focus went to more style and image and less about music. Their programming became centered around a manufactured youth culture where early teen kids were allowed to play out their high school dramas on the air and turn the channel into a TV version of Tiger Beat magazine.

To handle the decrease of music programming and appeal to the masses that were demanding the music the owners of MTV launched MTV2 and later with expanded cable they launched VH1 Classic and other channels to emulate the original MTV programming. But, just like MTV, they swiftly kicked the music programming aside as the channels became more popular. In fact MTV2 no longer plays music at all, VH1 Classic plays all the same non-music programming as MTV did in the 80s and introduced non-music shows that cater to the primarily the metal audience.

As all this was happening, radio was going through an upheaval as 2 major players in the industry took over more and more local radio and cut back in music programming and focused on "On Air Talent". By the end of the millennium we were left with little hope on means to hear and or see new music. The internet became the only place to you find new artists and even then you had to dig to find them or have a friend turn you on to them.

MTV now is a joke. A tasteless unfunny joke. It remains focused on establishing a New York point of view to teen culture and using that as a means to market a limited amount of music that is predetermined by the record companies as something the kids want. Sadly, most of the music they do offer up is low quality over produced R&B/Hip-Hop or Pop - no rock! MTV2, VH1 and all their other channels just narrow the focus onto the same bland lifestyle that MTV is pumping out.

Even with the huge demand out there for more music and variety in that music, with the decline of the music industry machine and the record companies, MTV has yet to try to re-invent itself. It's ratings have continued to drop with each new non-music program but with Viacom at the helm there is little hope. Even Much Music/Fuse has gone the same route...

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Getting back into the groove of things. Post holiday recap.

I took a long pause after the new year started to take care of some other matters and to simply enjoy the time with friends and family. I was also stymied by what to write about next. This holiday season was very good to me as I acquired on CD lots of stuff that I had in other formats years ago as well as albums that I only had singles from.

Tops on my list was rounding out my The English Beat collection with the wonderful and comprehensive The Complete Beat 5 CD set. When I was younger I couldn't buy everything and often it wasn't available for me to buy in my area of northwest Ohio. Special Beat Service was always on my wishlist but I simply never bought it. I had a best of collection that covered most their hits but I am one for album cuts as they often mark the true quality of the performers and song writing ability. If you enjoyed the Two Tone sound or even solid British pop this is something to have!

I beefed up my Squeeze collection with 3 of their earliest recordings that were remastered a couple years ago. Still have some gaps with them to fill, but these were great to hear again. Cool For Cats, Sweets From a Stranger and East Side Storyare well worth the revisit. East Side Story was clearly their first big hit in the US but the praise came much later when the single "Tempted" became a staple of retro radio stations. Although, it was played heavily on MTV during it's initial release.

Always a favorite of mine and a bad that I still keep finding more depth within, Modern English, were also under represented in my collection. Stop Start & Ricochet Dayswere always much loved but forever missing and were extremely rare to find on CD. Previously I had picked up their 2010 release, Soundtrack, and was sparked to seek out their earlier releases I did not have. After the Snow is one of my favorite albums for it's haunting beauty which cannot be characterized by the hit single "I Melt With You".

I rounded out my retro collection with a couple birthday gifts from a close friend. Feargal Sharkey's solo debut and Simple Minds' Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Callfrom 1981 - well before they broke huge with their hit "Don't You (Forget About Me)". For those unfamiliar with the band prior to their chart topping success are missing out on a very solid ROCK band. Despite their great rhythm and danceable beats at their core was a strong guitar rock sound that was diluted by later pop success. Feargal Sharkey, formerly of The Undertones, recorded a solo effort which was produced by David A Stewart, of Eurythmics. Stewart also co-wrote some of the tracks on the album, but it was Feargal's covers that made the best use of his talents. The lead single was a track written by Maria McKee (Lone Justice), "A Good Heart" which showcased his falsetto voice quite well. The album closes with a cover of Bobby Womack's "It's All Over Now" and there is also a cover of "Made to Measure" written by Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) and Benmont Tench (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) penned "You Little Thief", written about his affair with Maria McKee and follows her track on the album. The album is very poppy and seemingly target to a more mature audience over appealing to the fanbase of The Undertones. It's not a stellar album, but the lead tracks are well worth giving a listen.

As you may see I had lots to keep me busy. There were also a few other gems in there too, Peter Gabriel's So re-issue and new music from Washed Out, Wild Nothing and Tanlines. I have been a very happy music junkie!

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Best of the Year - 1982

1982 Was a HUGE year for me personally. I guess it was a bit of an enlightenment period for me. I was just coming out of 7th grade and going into 8th. It was also the summer that I had become exposed to a ton of great new music thanks to radio and MTV.

With the usual 6 month delay between UK releases and US releases it took some time for so much of the great music from 1981 to make it over to here.

One of my favorite albums by one of my favorite artists was released that year, Ultravox's Quartet.Produced by George Martin, most famous for all the work he did with The Beatles.

Peter Gabriel released his fourth 4th self titled album, Titled Securityfor the US. It contained the track "Shock the Monkey". I was already familiar with his first album but this was all new to me!

Idols to many of the new bands of the day,Roxy Musicreleased their final albumAvalon.A beautiful masterpiece and a perfect farewell from such an extremely talented band.

Thomas Dolby came on to the scene with his Golden Age of Wireless,A great pioneer in music recording and brought us a solid masterwork of soundscapes, pop hits and also broke the barrier into traditional Rock Radio. A Flock of Seagulls were also able to manage the same cross format success with their debut. The trend continued that year withShuttered Room by The Fixx, Combat Rockby The Clash and in some markets you were beginning to hear Depeche Mode and The Psychedelic Furs played between Led Zeppelin and Ac/DC.

XTCreleased the double album English Settlement.A wonderful work of masterful pop songs with messages about politics, social issues and relationships."Sense Working Overtime"became a modern rock standard and was heard every where.

The Beat released Special Beat Servicecontaining the hit singles "Save it For Later" and "I Confess".  New Order released the EP "1981 - 1982" containing some of their most seminal tracks fully written by the band after the demise of Joy Division.INXSexploded onto the scene withShabooh Shoobahand it's massive Rock radio friendly and seductive"The One Thing".The same was done with"I Melt With You"byModern English off their sophomore releaseAfter the Snow.

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A Post Punk Christmas

I wanted to call out some of my favorite Christmas Songs from the era. The Holiday Season, just like everything else in our world, has had it's impact on every genre of music. Lust like the Rock & Rollers, the Post Punk bands wanted to have fun with their carols just as much as other's took a more serious approach.

My favorite Christmas song is still The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping". It's fun, funky and very much keeps to the jingle bell sounds a Christmas classic should have. It became a radio staple long after it was first released, which is a HUGE shame.

Loathed by Hipsters and most later generations, Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas" is still close to my heart. The sentiment today is lost to people who are overly self indulgent and fail to be able to place music into it's relevant place in time. The lyrics may be focused to a set point, but the overall message is still very valid. It was written by Midge Ure and Bob Geldof in a rush and recorded in even a more hurried manner but it is still a wonderful piece of music with powerful lyrics. It would be nice if it was revisited and lyrically revised to have a more universal approach to encourage all mankind to care more for those in need, and if we can only get that done for a short time through a cheesy holiday song then that is better that what we are currently doing.

The Ramones had a great punk approach to Christmas with "Merry Christmas (I Don't Want to Fight)". They take their usual simple chord structure to convey a story of peace within a relationship for the Holidays.

The Payolas released "Christmas Is Coming" in the mid 1980s. It had a musical feel similar to The Kinks' "Father Christmas" but told the familiar story of missing a loved one at Christmas. It's a rarity to find but worth seeking out.

The Pretenders recorded an unplanned Holiday standard with "2000 Miles". It was recorded for their Learning to Crawlalbum. Considered to be a song of two loves separated at the Holidays it is actually a lament for founding Pretenders guitarist James Honeyman-Scott. Although it clearly references Christmas it was more about the emotions of loss. Released as a single in the UK in December it secured it as a Christmas song. It was picked by the Salvation Army as their official Christmas song.

Cocteau Twins recorded two classic holiday songs "Winter Wonderland" and "Frosty the Snowman". Frosty appeared on the firstA Very Special Christmasalbum that raised funds for the Red Hot organization for AIDS research. Both tracks were released as an extremely limited edition EP in 1993. Both songs are faithfully covered and are beautiful examples of how such songs can become more contemporary. I feel it takes such highly talented artists as Cocteau Twins to accomplish such a feat.

Squeeze recorded a song that was in line with their typical story telling style of song writing. "Christmas Day" failed to make a mark back in 1979 when it was released but is often included in later retro Christmas compilations. It's not one of their better songs, but the effort should be recognized.

XTCalso recorded a couple great modern BritPop holiday tracks,"Thanks for Christmas"and"Countdown to Christmas Party Time". Both were released under the band name The Three Wisemen as a two sided single in 1983.

Many other artists of the day through their hats in for one off holiday singles. Often these were meant mainly for radio only but in the 80s many became fan club only or used for charity fund raisers. This is by no means a complete list and in fact such a list is hard to come by. Some of the songs are wonderful rare gems to find, others are only worth it for the novelty aspect or fan completist.

Happy Holidays to everyone!