Life in Grand Rapids- Radio Void Vol.II

Why I have a crappy undergrad GPA:
1. Too much time at the radio station
2. Popov Vodka

Popov Vodka and I have grown apart over the years, but we used to be close friends. I used to hang out with him every weekend at Calvin College. He was clear and would mix right into my beverage and the RA couldn't tell we were drinking him. I went to a Christian college and I was not supposed to be friends with Popov. He wasn't supposed to visit me in my room and I wasn't supposed to invite him to parties. But, of course, I did.

My friend Dwayne worked at the Plainfield Gas and Grocery and would bring Popov over after work. We weren't old enough to be hanging around with Popov, but Dwayne would sneak him over. Then we would party with Popov in our dorm room. After that, it was anybody's guess as to what would happen next.

My favorite memory of Popov was when we went to a park together at about 2 a.m.. We decided that riding on the merry-go-round in the park was a swell idea. Popov had convinced us of that. Round and round we went. Faster and faster. Then, I realized, I'd had enough of Popov. Over to the bushes I ran to get away from him. Well, I don't remember the rest. I don't think Popov had my best interests at heart.

The next day I had to get up at 6:30 to go babysit three boys for the day. Popov was still with me, making my head hurt and my stomach ache. I wanted him to go away. Even Alka Seltzer wouldn't make him go away. Those three boys had no mercy for me and my problems with Popov. That was the day that I realized I would never allow myself to be a soccer mom. Let's just say that Popov and three soccer games are a bad combo.

Popov had many adventures with us. Some of them at the previously mentioned Club 67. Some of them at parties. Some of them in our room. Sometimes I miss Popov and all the fun we had together and how he made me laugh. But I think my life is better without him, little GPA wrecker.

Songs From the Confessional Vol. IV

Deep breath, I am outting myself in this volume. Much like Echo, I berate myself for liking such trash, but I smile the second I hear it and sing along. I know better, but I am weak. God damn you, Daryl and John! God damn you to hell!

Jim Babjak is the Man

THE SMITHEREENS-Blues Before and After

Wow, that Jim Babjak sure can play. If I ever met him, I'd certainly give him the praise he's due. I mean, you'd have to be a total tool to just stand there while he's playing. I hear the guy really holds a grudge, too.

Everybody Needs a Little Silly

I tend to sway between angry and pensive to silly and goofy with very few stops in between. Luckily, Love and Rockets appear to have the same sway. Sometimes the Bubblemen need to dance into your life, antennas waving in the breeze. I needed them today. Take them with you in your head and the world becomes a better place.

Life in Grand Rapids-Radio Void Vol. I

Going to college in Grand Rapids, Michigan was an interesting experience. Grand Rapids is a mid-sized town. Large enough to have malls and other conveniences, but small enough that entertainment is limited. Most obvious was the lack of a nightlife to speak of. It's not a "college town" even though it has at least three colleges in it that I can think of. No student occupied bars, no clubs, not much to do.

So what do you do when there is no mainstream offering and you're only 18? You hang at the local gay bar, that's what. From the first time our motley crew entered, it oddly felt like home. It had a small dance floor, loud music, and was a friendly scene. And the big bonus, they would serve us even though we were clearly under age.

As a female, it was great! I could hang out with my friends and never had to worry about the slobbering drunken idiots that plague you as the night wears on. The only possible negative side effect was that I know far too many disco anthems. I will happily dance and sing along with "It's Raining Men." I also own all the Culture Club albums. I suppose I could call this my private shame, but at this point it's become a fond memory.

Pandora's Box

For many, listening to music is a form of escape. But what happens when that same music turns into a prison. A little invisible prison, inside your head that no one else knows exists, until you start humming. I am trapped in that little prison today. The prison of "The Adjective Song." Keeps...playing...can't...stop...it. Only really old songs have this sort of power. They are hardwired into your neural network. Just pray to god the switch to turn it off is working.

Like a Palate Cleansing Sorbet

NICK LOWE-Cruel to be Kind

I've got to get rid of that nasty taste left in my mouth. Well, except for the taste of sweet victory!

Hi. My name is Tenacious S and I am a blogaholic.

OK, I knew it was a disease and that I was out of control when I neared my home after work today and my heart actually skipped a beat when I thought, "Oooooo, I can check my blog when I get home." I've admitted the problem. Now what?

Round Four-BAM!!!!

LIONEL RITCHIE-Hello

Give up and go home. Come back when you are a worthy opponent.

Ding! Round Three, the Tenacious One is Not Even Breaking a Sweat

EDDIE MURPHY-Party All the Time

I have never seen anyone look so uncomfortable in his own skin.

Round Two....Ding!

BILLY SQUIER-Rock Me Tonite

Bring it on!!!! I'm just getting started!!!!

It's a Throwdown!

PAT BENATAR-Love is a Battlefield

Young misunderstood woman wins by smacking fate down with a boobalicious dance. What?

Songs From the Confessional Vol. III

LAURA BRANIGAN-Gloria

I love Sundays!!! Outing embarassing musical indulgences is such fun. Three guesses who this one belongs to(no blabbing, CP).

Virtual Night Out

DETHOLZ!-Kiss Me in Space

Well, I wanted to go see these guys tonight in all their spastic gloriousness, but it ain't gonna happen. Here's a virtual performance clip. I am old and lame.

40 Rocks!!!!!

ALTERED IMAGES-Happy Birthday

Mindy, hope you are having a great weekend. I recommend a nap to bolster your stamina for serious hard partying. We old folks need our rest if we're going rage. Happy Birthday!

For Anonymous

BLOC PARTY-Banquet

I love them. 80's retro fun repackaged for now.

Friday Night in Hell

SCANDAL-The Warrior

I agree with Echo that this may possibly be one of the worst videos ever. I think when you are in hell they make you drink Boone's Farm until you puke and watch this video. Oh, and a little Jaegermeister for some hair of the dog the next day.

Hang the DJ

If you don't like it, hang the DJ. But remember kids, I have matches.

Hot or Not

There has been discussion about "lists" and who's on them and who's hot and who's not. So, here you go. You tell me, hot or not.

Tomorrow is the Day

THE THE-This is the Day

Tomorrow all of my paperwork for graduate school (again) is due. I have dragged my feet as long as I could and now can no longer avoid the inevitable. I know I have to do it. I'm a little scared and a little excited.

Back on Earth

THE JAM-That's Entertainment

After flying through the blogosphere at the speed of sound yesterday, I'm a little more grounded today. So, hope you enjoyed the show. I wish I could say it was a bad reaction to Starbucks, but I've got no real excuse.

Manic Monday

NINE INCH NAILS-Closer

Not quite The Bangles. My manic Mondays tend more towards the "what kind of deviant trouble is brewing in my brain?" I think I may be having Theraflu withdrawal, but I am not sure. One thing I can tell you is that I am afraid/excited to go to sleep tonight, because the dreams are still a bit untamed. So, enjoy the videographic and sanitized version of my brain.

Manic Panic

Yeah, so I've done a little soul searching again. Something I should probably avoid, because it never leads to anything interesting or fun. I've been evaluating, again, some of my behavior, or at least rewound the tape of my thought process lately. It basically goes like this.
1. Turn it up.
2. No, louder.
3. That doesn't seem angry enough.
4. When is the next show?
5. What can I mix with Theraflu?
6. Why don't we open that other bottle.
7. Ooo, another smartass comment to read.
8. I need to check the blogs again.
9. I need to check the blogs again.
10. I'm bored again.

I know from past experience that I have a bit of a tendency for manic depression. Not anything that is clinically, like, "Oh my god, you need meds!" But enough so that I recognize when I start a cycle like this one of stuff just never being enough and me constantly seeking more of everything, I'm headed for trouble. I know I am an adult, but I really am up for a weekend of poor behavior. Of course, I have enough control to keep myself in check, but I feel like a caged tiger right now. Just don't open the door.

Our Dinner Guest

Meet our dinner guest. Every summer my kids enjoy catching cicadas in their beetle-type form and watching them morph into the adult winged form. They come out of the ground around dusk. We bring them inside and have a special container to keep them in. They usually pop out of their shell around 10 at night, so the kids stay up late to watch the show. Tonight, Lulu was over and we ate a bit late. So as not to miss a moment, our cicada became the table ornament. Lulu was not very appreciative, but kindly allowed it. I'm happy to say it is safely unfolding its wings now. We'll let it fly away tomorrow. Am I weird? I think this is one of the coolest things on earth.

Welcome to the Time Warp

BUZZCOCKS-What Do I Get?

OK, wow. First of all, you need to know that this show was one of the hotteset shows I've ever been to. Like it was about 100 degrees inside the Double Door last night. The show was sold out, so it was also packed. Packed full of people who came to worship the scrappy start of honest to God punk rock. While the Buzzcocks may be celebrating their 30 year anniversary this month, they did not sound worn out or tired.

What we (Lulu and I) witnessed last night was a mighty roar from a band that is owed so much. I can't count the number of bands that claim the Buzzcocks as a major influence. Certainly many of the bands I listen to fall into that category. In fact , the bratty opening band from LA, The Adored, clearly ripped their act from the Buzzcocks book. Snotty, prancy little prats they were. And tinny when compared to the roar of sound that eminated from the speakers later in the evening.

So, unless I am wrong, I think the Buzzcocks are now basically Pete Shelley and Steve Diggle. Pete still delivers his vocals as if he didn't give a shit. Steve Diggle, however, appeared to be having the time of his life. Both of them looked and acted like they do in the video above, just with a bit of middle age pudge and some "character lines." To be kind, I think about 80% of the audience could be described in the same manner.

They played every song you wanted them to play. I can't think of one that was missing. If they had a flaw, it was that every once in awhile Steve Diggle would get a little too exhuberant and get a bit ahead of the rest of the band. Bravo to his youthful performance. I never once felt that they were bored or tired. I didn't feel that they were only there to make money. They seemed to be having as much fun as everyone in the crowd and were at least twice as sweaty as the rest of us. The sweat didn't stop them from playing and it didn't stop me from dancing. Although the crazy dance award of the night goes to some young lads a couple of rows in front of us who pogoed their way through most of the show. Yeah, I would've been carted off in an ambulance had I done that.

Almost as entertaining as the show, was the scene outside when the show was over. Imagine if you will a mass of sweaty middle aged people propped up against the side of the building and spilled out into a neighborhood whose typical demographic is mid-20's hipster. The young ones would walk past us with confused looks on their faces. Prize number two of the night goes to camoflauge kilt guy. This guy was awesome! Beer belly and all, he proudly wore his very cool kilt with some Doc Martins. Apparently, his wife refuses to be seen with him when he wears this. Hats off!

We briefly chatted with people on the way out about the old days at "The Metro" and Exit and Neo. I felt all night as if I knew many people in the room from some former life. I still go to many shows, but I did feel a true kindred spirit with those there last night. Definitely one of the best shows I have ever been to.

Songs From the Confessional Vol. II

HUEY LEWIS AND THE NEWS-Hip To Be Square

Secret shame wears many faces. Some of them in extreme close-up singing about how they've settled down and cut their hair. Oh, Huey, I don't recall a day when you were anything but square.

The Key

LOVE AND ROCKETS-Yin and Yang the Flowerpot Man

'nuff said. The key to my heart.

No Looky

LIVE-I Alone

I happen to love this song, but until today had never seen the video. Holy crap! I wish I had never seen it. Now these horrible images are burned into my brain. This is one of the worst videos I have ever had the displeasure of viewing. So, I am now calling out for references for other videos, ones made by respectable bands with unfortunate videos. Geez, was this guy on crack, acid, or meth?

Gettin' My Goth On

BAUHAUS-She's in Parties

Perhaps there's something about being sick in the summer that is making me feel morose today. Anyhow, the goth gods of Bauhaus seem the appropriate choice today. Behold their majesty, I mean pretentiousness, I mean overacting, ................. And I still love them from the cobweb covered corners of my heart.

Summer Bummer

I know this is not an intellectual or titillating topic, but there really is not much worse than being sick in the middle of the summer. I've had people say to me, "Gosh, I don't know anyone who is sick right now." Gee, thanks. You know me and I'm sick and I'm standing right in front of you and I'm at work. It's as if you are some sort of mutant species who dares to be sick in the summer. Basically, it blows.

Worse, I constantly am in the line of fire at my job. I work with small children in their homes. This apparently means that I am willing to expose myself to dread illnesses simply because I work in a home. "Well, you came here!" You know, if I knew that junior had a fever of 102, I probably wouldn't be here. People take liberties with my health all of the time. I literally got puked on once before the mom told me the kid was feeling a bit "under the weather." I happen to know that this particular disease I have is from Switzerland. I feel somehow exotic, yet still completely crappy.

A Little 'XRT, A Little Lulu

THE POLECATS-Make a Circuit With Me

Some of my favorite moments have been spent driving around with Lulu listening to WXRT. You never know what they'll play. Most of it is predictable, sort of, but every once in awhile they play a jem like this. Lulu begged me immediately to post this today. Of course, Lulu. Anything for you!

Swedes with a Cowbell

THE SOUNDS-Song With a Mission

What does rock need these days? Why, more Scandanavians and of course, more cowbell. I actually really like this band. I heard them for the first time a few years ago on JBTV (a really small time local video show that I can never remember when it is on). I'm hoping to catch them on the Warped Tour.

Songs From the Confessional Vol. I

Sunday shall now be Songs From the Confessional. Here I will trot out for all to view the guilty pleasures of our little blogosphere. Some may cringe, some may cry. Some may just wonder WTF?!? We all have our dirty little secrets. Let the public humiliation begin. You know who you are......

Crossing Over

There definitely was a moment when I crossed over from listening to the same crap everyone else did, to being more adventurous. Before our neighborhood got MTV, there was this great little video show called MV3. I rushed home from high school each afternoon to watch it. While it does explain my penchant for New Wave, it also exposed me to some really great stuff. I remember seeing X on the show and thinking how cool they were. I knew then that nothing would be the same again. And it wasn't . Thank God.

Wild on Woodfield

OK GO- A Million Ways

My daughter became a quivering 12 year old in Woodfield Mall today. We went on what we thought was just an ordinary shopping trip with a friend and her little girl. As we walked out of Hot Topic (where else would we be?) we heard some music start to play. Emma and I quickly realized it was live and that it was Emma's current favorite band, OK Go. I thought the kid was going to FREAK OUT! She was grinning from ear to ear and bouncing and sort of squealing. She is not the kind of girl to do this, so I was a bit shocked when this all started.

Then what was already a very cool thing went nuclear. They announced that the band would be signing autographs. I remembered that we had the CD in the car, and like the dutiful mother that I am, I RAN out to the car to fetch it. Emma waited in line and paced and got all nervous the closer we got. When she finally got up there she was breathing erratically and sweating profusely. I think she actually held her breath as all four of them signed it.

If you ever wondered about hysterical fans and who they are, I'll tell you. They are 12 year old girls. Emma is a pretty cool customer most of the time, but when faced with her idols, she dissolved into what she actually is, a giddy little girl. She, of course, had to call her best friend and rub it in her face almost immediately after it was over. Where would the joy be if she couldn't make someone jealous with her incredible fortune?

Just for the record, I really like them, too. They are goofy and dorky and the best part of all was after they finished playing they did the dance from the video for us. Who knew you coud have so much fun at the mall?

Stalking '80's Style

YAZ- Don't Go

Kic-kihn it '80's style! Some creepy yet fashionable stalking from the fabulous Alison Moyet. Voices like that don't come around often. Echo, this one is dedicated to you.

Housemartins or The Wiggles?

THE HOUSEMARTINS-Happy Hour

You know, I wouldn't have wondered that back in the '80's because The Wiggles gratefully didn't exist then. I love the Housemartins. God bless 'em.

Hey, Baby, it's the Fourth of July

4TH OF JULY (X)

Video Code provided by VideoCodeZone.Com

X- Fourth of July

I've had this song in my head all day. Happy 4th of July everyone!

Funk to Funky

DAVID BOWIE-Ashes to Ashes

If you know me, you know that if I was stranded on a desert island and could only bring one album/CD, I'd have to go with Bowie. I could happily forsake all else and live my days listening to his voice croon about odd and interesting places I've never been on this planet or in my mind. Basically, I never get bored.

Sunday Night=The Young Ones

MOTORHEAD-Ace of Spades

Many many years ago, in a land far far away (Grand Rapids, MI) we all would gather around the TV on Sunday night to watch The Young Ones on MTV. The fabulous part about this show was not only was it completely goofy, but they often featured a pretty cool band. This particular clip was one of my favorites. Sadly, The Young Ones didn't last long on MTV. Gosh, now you can watch My Super Sweet Sixteen instead. No wonder this generation of kids is screwed up. More Lemmy less spoiled princesses. That's what the world needs.

Wheeeee!

THE METHADONES-Say Goodbye to Your Generation

I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed seeing these guys live. They are everything that is fun about music. I get to see them on the 5th and I'm totally geeked. If you live in Chicago, they are playing the early show at the Beat Kitchen. Big fun!