Girls In Those 80's Videos

I don't link to many articles here.  If you are on Facebook or Twitter or have sites you go to on a daily basis, most of the good stuff gets linked elsewhere.  But sometimes I find something too interesting to pass up.  Like the one below:

Girls in 80's Videos

Writer Marc Tyler Nobleman has decided to track down those girls you remember from the Night Ranger, Huey Lewis, Outfield, etc. videos that you and I loved in the 80's.

The first article's link is near the bottom of his page and starts with Huey Lewis. This would actually make a good book or article for some kind of nostalgic magazine, music or otherwise.  But for now it's on his own blog.
And, yes, this is something someone posted on Facebook.  Which I am now passing on.

Mix Tape

The other day I found a stray cassette mix tape.  I used to make tons of CD's/cassette mix tapes back in the 80's/early 00's.  But then along came the Ipod and friends didn't need them anymore.
So, I ended up giving them away.  I still have one friend who every year asks me to make him something.  But the days of staring at my music collection and trying to come up with a decent run of songs has gone.

This particular tape was a Soul mix from 2000.  Hearing it for the first time in 13 years brought back a flood of memories.  This wasn't a tape of obscure songs.  Mostly stuff for road trips.  It appears to be the only tape that has survived.  I think I'll keep it around.

Best/Worst Lists

So what's easier to put together, a Best of list or a Worst of list?  I've often said the latter, and the reason I write about this is because I've seen more of these since the dawn of the Internet.

It's a lot easier to make fun of bad albums or artists than it is to praise them.  But I find myself skipping these worst of's, and there's a simple reason.  Most of these lists all list the same names.  I want to be surprised, but in 2013 there's few worst of lists that surprise me.

Best of's are a different story.  Usually someone will go throw in a name or album that I wouldn't think they would touch.

I don't think I've ever done a worst list on this blog.  Always found that looking for the good stuff was tougher.

Playlist for 7/21

Mayer Hawthorne -Where Does This Door Go
Let Us In Americana Paul McCartney Tribute
Housemartins - London 0 Hull 4
Beautiful South - Gold Diggas,  Head Nodders
Thompson Twins - Into The Gap
Black Lillies - Runaway Freeway Blues

Greatest Clash Tracks Poll

Another Poll, and this one was worth doing because it gave me a chance to hear deep catalog titles by a band I admire quite a bit.  One of my favorite bands.  Started out doing Punk then shifted their sound and added Reggae, Rock and even Pop music.  

1.  London Calling

2.  (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais

3.  Rock The Casbah

4.  Train In Vain

5.  Complete Control 

6.  Clampdown

7.  This Is Radio Clash

8.  Lost in the Supermarket

9.  Should I Stay or Should I Go

10.  Career Opportunities

11.  Magnificent Seven

12.  Police On My Back

13.  Rudie Can't Fail

14.  Janie Jones

15.  Police & Thieves

16.  This Is England

17.  Guns of Brixton

18.  Tommy Gun

19.  I Fought The Law

20.  White Riot

21.  Bank Robber

22.  Clash City Rockers

23.  Stay Free

24.  Know Your Rights

25.  Spanish Bombs

26.  Straight To Hell

27.  Safe European Home

28.  Death or Glory

29.  What's My Name

30.  I'm So Bored With The USA 

Top Albums

1.  London Calling

2.  The Clash UK

3.  Give 'Em Enough Rope

4.  Black Market Clash

5.  Sandinista

6.  Combat Rock

Playlist for 7/14

Patty Griffin -American Kid
Mavis Staples - One True Vine
Lonely Island - Wack Album
Fantasia -Side Effects of You
Kanye West - Yeezus
Hanson - Anthem
Black Sabbath - 13 & Sabotage

Vinyl Talk

All this talk about the return of vinyl makes me wish I'd save mine.  Years ago in order to make space, I gave most of 'em away and the badly scratched up ones got junked.  But my opening line is mostly sarcastic.  Vinyl will never be completely back, no matter how much audiophiles love its sound over CD's.  The niche market might be there, but people are into space saving nowadays.  The kids are streaming and downloading.  The next generation, like me, is holding on to the hopes that CD's last.  But a generation older than me might still be into vinyl.  But unless they held on to their old records, will they be able to find what they want?  Yes, there are a bunch of used LP stores out there.  But are they near where you live.  You can order used LP's online, but do you trust the condition that's listed?

2013 has become the year that vinyl starts getting headlines.  But I'm not ready to go buy another turntable just yet.  My memories of playing vinyl singles and albums is still there.  I just don't think many, like me, who turned their back on it, are ever going that route again.

Playlist for 8/8

Townes Van Zandt - Late Great & High Low
Guy Clark - My Favorite Picture of You
Vince Gill - Bakersfield
Black Lillies - Runaway Freeway Blues
Kermit Ruffins -We Partyin Traditional Style

Playlist for 7/7

Disclosure - Settle
Queens of the Stone Age - Like Clockwork
George Benson - Inspiration
Jason Isbell - Southeastern
Gretchen Wilson -Under the Covers
LeAnn Rimes - Spitfire

Philly Soul Update

Motown will always be #1, but Philly International Records is right behind them.  Back in May, the big 3 architects of the Philly Sound had a reunion to map out next years 50th anniversary celebration.  There's talk of a book by Gamble/Huff/Thom Bell.  A Broadway play and hopefully many more.  I'd like to see a definitive documentary.  While the PIR music has been reissued many times, I'm hoping that there will be a renewed effort to publicize the albums of those artists more and not just the Greatest Hits ones.

And while Thom Bell is in the Songwriters Hall of Fame (along with Linda Creed), he belongs in the Rock Hall.  Why not induct him with Motown's other great genius, Norman Whitfield?

Anyway, here's 2 links about what the trio have planned:
Gamble/Huff/Bell

More on Gamble/Huff/Bell reunion

Top Motown Songs

Talk about impossible.  Another poll, this time on Top 50 Motown tracks.  This was tough, and as always, I should say if I did this same poll in a few months the order could change.  And I could have went to 100 very easily.  But for now, this is as good a Motown mix tape as I could hope

1. Temptations - My Girl
2.  Marvin Gaye - I Heard It Through The Grapevine
3.  Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
4.  Four Tops - Reach Out I'll Be There
5.  Miracles - Tracks of My Tears
6.  Supremes - Stop In The Name Of Love
7.  Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell - Ain't No Mountain High Enough
8.  Contours - Do You Love Me
9.  Stevie Wonder - Superstitious
10. Jr. Walker & The Allstars - Shotgun
11. Jimmy Ruffin - What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
12. Miracles - Ooh Baby Baby
13. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
14.  Marvelettes - Please Mr. Postman
15.  Edwin Starr - War
16.  Martha & The Vandellas - Dancing In The Street
17.  Stevie Wonder - Signed, Sealed, Delivered
18.  Mary Wells - My Guy
19.  Thelma Houston - Don't Leave Me This Way
20.  Jackson 5 - I'll Be There
21.  Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces Sometimes
22.  Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On
23.  Barrett Strong - Money
24.   Miracles - Tears of A Clown
25.  Temptations - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone
26.  Commodores- Easy
27.   Stevie Wonder -I Was Made To Love Her
28.  Temptations - Ain't Too Proud To Beg
29.  Miracles - I Second That Emotion
30. Four Tops - Baby I Need Your Loving
31. Supremes - You Can't Hurry Love
32. Stevie Wonder - My Cherie Amour
33.Temptations & Supremes - I'm Gonna Make You Love Me
34. Smokey Robinson - Cruisin'
35. Jackson 5 - ABC
36. Stevie Wonder - Uptight
37. Rick James - Super Freak
38. Temptations - Just My Imagination
39. Isley Brothers - This Old Heart Of Mine
40. Miracles - Shop Around
41. Four Tops - I Can't Help Myself
42. Commodores - Brick House
43. Diana Ross - Love Hangover
44. Martha & The Vandellas - Heat Wave
45. Teena Marie - Square Biz
46. Marvin Gaye & Kim Weston - It Takes Two
47. Debarge - I Like It
48. David Ruffin - Walk Away From Love
49. Four Tops - Bernadette
50. Commodores - Nightshift

Sub Polls:
Top Motown Artists:
1. Stevie Wonder 2.  Marvin Gaye 3.  Temptations 4.  Miracles 5. Supremes

Top 5 Motown Cover Versions (also very tough to pick just 5)
1. Aretha Franklin - Until You Come Back To Me
2. Rod Stewart - (I Know) I'm Losing You
3. Gloria Gaynor - Never Can Say Goodbye
4. Linda Ronstadt - Ooh Baby Baby
5. James Taylor - How Sweet It Is

Worst 2 Motown Label Songs:  (there are probably worst ones in the Motown catalog, but these were hits)
1.  Bruce Willis - Respect Yourself
2.  Charlene - I've Never Been To Me