Saturday Rocked in 1984

Clockwise: Billy Squier; The Kinks; Bon Jovi; and John Cafferty.

I don't know why, exactly, I decided to celebrate Saturday night with four of my favorite rock songs of 1984. Well, I do know why - I was listening to some Billy Squier, and wanted to use his song as a basis for the post. That put me in 1984, and the rest just followed. That year, I was living in New York City, and spent much of the year living with Bill on the outskirts of Spanish Harlem, at 109th and Amsterdam Avenue, in a fifth floor walk-up. Although we had designs on moving to the West Village, in the fall we moved out to Park Slope, Brooklyn, where we could afford an apartment. We were both working at The Circle Repertory Theatre, the off-Broadway home of Lanford Wilson, Marshall Mason, and so many incredibly talented people. Bill was an aspiring playwright working in the Literary Department, while I was doing just what I wanted, working in the Production Department as the Master Carpenter. Neither of us were making very good money. Since we were poor, we didn't go out very much. I remember staying in and watching this intriguing station, U68. It was a UHF station (yes, I know they don't have them anymore) out of Ling Island City, and spent much of the time televising Music Videos. I loved watching that station, and got to see the videos I posted here on that station.

The first time I saw Billy Squier's Rock Me Tonight, I was an instant fan of the song. I was already a fan of the man, the hot rocker who already grabbed my attention with songs like Everybody Wants You and The Stroke. Well, I thought (and still do) Squier was so very sexy. I can't help it, I had a thing for long-haired rockers...



In 1983, a mediocre movie hit the theaters to luke warm to bad reviews. Eddie and The Cruisers was a beautifully photographed movie about a sexy rocker, with iffy writing and acting skills. After it disappeared from the theaters, something surprising happened. The soundtrack album was released, and suddenly started making some noise on the Billboard charts. The music was written by a man with some celebrity in his native Rhode Island, who suddenly was discovered by the nation. John Cafferty & the Beaver Brown Band scored a Top 10 Pop hit with On The Dark Side.



I remember watching U68, and on came a video from an unknown band from New Jersey, with big hair and good looks. I was fascinated, and thought video, with the rockers hitting the Jersey shore, was a great one. It was Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and Tico Torres, singing Runaway. Sadly, I remember a very different video than this one I found on their official YouTube channel, but the song remained the same. And the boys, they were so very hot!



There was along list of people who were part of the The Kinks since it first was established in the early 1960s. But for many, the nucleus of the band was the remarkably talented Ray Davies. The band had their first hit in 1964, with You Really Got Me. Twenty years later, they were still on top of the charts with wonderful songs like Do It Again.



Hope you enjoyed the music!

A Very Special Christmas

The album was released in 1987, and had some of the biggest performers of the day contributing their talents to raise money for the Special Olympics. There were 15 cuts on the album, and few had an official video produced. However, I managed to find a video of each one, from 'official' to to live to fan-made, and will share them all with you tonight. I would imagine this post is going to be way too long, but I just couldn't really leave anyone out. So here are all 15 tracks from the album, in order.

The Pointer Sisters - Santa Claus Is Coming To Town



The Eurythmics - Winter Wonderland



Whitney Houston - Do You Hear What I Hear?



Bruce Springsteen - Merry Christmas Baby



The Pretenders
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas



John Cougar Mellencamp
I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus



Sting - Gabriel's Message



Run-DMC - Christmas In Hollis



U2 - Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)



Madonna - Santa Baby



Bob Seeger & the Silver Bullet Band
The Little Drummer Boy



Bryan Adams - Run Rudolph Run



Bon Jovi - Back Door Santa



Alison Moyet - Coventry Carol



Stevie Nicks - Silent Night



Merry Christmas!

GLEE Redux - Never Been Kissed

Clockwise from Top Left: Bob Marley,Katy Perry, Rolling Stones, En Vogue, Supremes, and Bon Jovi.

I suspect everyone watching GLEE tonight will have seen the kids performing the songs, so I thought I would include the original artists with the songs, to show everyone where this great music came from. For clips of the kids performing the songs, you can check out my friend Rickey's blog here. This weeks episode opens with Puck's return from the home for wayward boys, tough as ever. Kurt is being roughed up and bullied in the halls by a big, beefy football player, and it seems to be breaking his spirit. As part of Puck's deal to return to McKinley High, he must do community service. He decides to help Artie, and the first thing they do is busk for money outside the school, singing Bob Marley's One Love.



When Kurt is tossed into the lockers yet again, he yells at the bruiser, show comes back to threaten him. In the choral room, Mr. Shue announces the next assignment, pitting the boys against the girls. There are a few comments about which team Kurt would join, as well as innuendos about one of the teams they will be facing at regionals. Mr. Shue chats with Kurt, asking him about the bullying. Kurt admits it is an issue, but he will deal with it. Mr. Shue changes the challenge, and makes the teams push themselves, and sing music of the opposite sex. At a brainstorming session, the boys dismiss Kurt, even suggesting he go to the other boys school. Hurt, he decides to do just that. He meets Blaine, a handsome and friendly boy who seems to be a leader for the glee club, and he and his club sing Katy Perry's Teenage Dream.



Kurt is truly smitten with Blaine - I can't blame him, the dark-haired boy is so very handsome, and quite flirty. While talking to Kurt, he tells him he too is gay, and understands what Kurt is going through. He suggests not running away, like he himself had done, but rather to stay and stand up for himself. We also discover that the boys have been using an unusual device to help them avoid becoming overly excited while making out with the girls. They think about 'The Beiste', the football coach, in lingerie. Sue discovers this, and tries to use it to get rid of the coach to regain her budget. When Mr. Shue finds out what is going on, he is not impressed, and tells the boys what he thinks. Once Kurt returned to school, he is once again shoved into his locker. He follows the jock into the locker room, trying to figure out what is up. He finds out, when the boys kisses him full on the mouth. He is stunned. As was I, as this is on prime time television! When Coach Beiste approaches Shue to figure out what is going on, he tells her, and she is crushed.



Kurt has called up Blaine, and he comes to help him confront the jock. He does not handle this intervention well, and runs off. That is when we discover it was Kurt's first kiss. It is time for the competition to begin, and the girls are up first. They mash up two songs that are performed by male rock icons, Rolling Stones and Bon Jovi. The girls sing it with a strong bravado, incorporating both bravura and machismo, as well as a dose of feminine sexuality. They start it off with the Stones' Start Me Up.



The bulk of the performance is Bon Jovi Livin' On A Prayer. This is old school Bon Jovi, quite fun.



Before the boys have their time to shine, it is learned that Beiste intends to quit. Shue talks to her, only to discover she, too, has not been kissed, and has never felt desirable or pretty. Shue tells her she is beautiful, inside and out, and kisses her. He also invites her to see the boys perform. Dresses all in sequins tuxedos, the boys tell Beiste they are sorry, and they have learned she is not just hardened on the outside, but soft and warm on the inside as well. They dedicate their performance to her. The boys are definitely less frenetic, more of an homage to some of the Motown groups with the choreography, especially with The Supremes' Stop, In The Name Of Love.



The other part of the mash-up is the incredible song by En Vogue, Free Your Mind. I thought Artie carried the lion's share of this part, and was pretty good.



Coach Beiste accepted their apology, and there is a big group hug. And so the show ends.

Bon Jovi Valentines

This weekend, I decided to dedicate the blog entries to the spirit of love, which can be fantastic, or might not be as pretty as we'd like. There are two sides of that coin, aren't there? Last night, I began with my beloved Pansy Division. Now I will offer up three songs by the oh-so-hot Bon Jovi. First I will start off with the classic You Give Love A Bad Name, when Jon still sported his mane of hair, and had not discovered body-waxing...



In 1994, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora worked on a cut from the Glory of Gershwin record. They decided on the classic How Long Has This Been Going On, a bittersweet look at love.



This song is from the bands fourth album, 1988's New Jersey. Love For Sale was part rockabilly, part bluegrass, and focuses on that never ending search.

Universal Auction Benefits City of Hope

Universal Music Group is participating in a holiday auction to benefit City of Hope, and excellent medical facility located in Los Angeles, California. 100% of the proceeds of the auction will be going to City of Hope.

City of Hope
Certified for eBay Giving Works since 2004. MissionFish nonprofit ID 4214.

City of Hope, an innovative biomedical research, treatment and educational institution, is dedicated to the prevention and cure of cancer and other life-threatening diseases, guided by a compassionate patient-centered philosophy, and supported by a national foundation of humanitarian philanthropy.

Universal Music Group and seven top artists have graciously donated items to be purchased. There are items from Eve, Elton John, James Brown, Jadakiss, The Fray, Bon Jovi and Sugarland.



The auction ends on Monday, so if you see something you like, be sure to get you bid in. Three of the more interesting items are as follows:


The Fray's Signed Schoenhut My First Piano
Bid to own this Schoenhut My First Piano signed by The Fray! It has been customized with the band's logo on the side. The piano has a crack on the side, as seen in one of the photos. It comes with a songbook and color band for the keys. A Letter of Authenticity from Universal Music is included.


Elton John Live at Madison Square Garden Signed DVD
Bid to own the DVD "Live at Madison Square Garden"! It has been signed by Elton John. The DVD is sealed, the winner will receive a separate insert that Elton signed. A letter of authenticity will be included from Universal Music.


Guitar Pickguard Signed by Bon Jovi
Bid to own this guitar pickguard, signed by all 4 members of Bon Jovi - Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan, and Tico Torres. The pickguard has not been used. A letter of authenticity will be included from Universal Music.

100% of the proceeds benefit City of Hope. Universal Music Group has an outstanding rating on eBay, so if any of these items appeal to you, I say go for it!

Christmas Music - Bon Jovi

Good Lord, Jon Bon Jovi is gorgeous. He is also a good-hearted man, working with many charities, especially when it comes to children. In fact, all the boys in Bon Jovi show up for the charity work, especially when they are rocking out for it. Here you will find some songs they did for the holidays, some of which had the money made going to children. Please Come Home For Christmas, I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas, Blue Christmas and Back Door Santa.

GLEE TV - Vitamin D (Ep 6) Preview

This Wednesday there is a new episode of GLEE, and I am not sure it could be hotter. Boys versus the girls!



It is an all-boy effort on a Bon Jovi song - can you smell the testosterone?



I found the boys clip on Pop-Eater, click here, a fabulous site, via a Tweet.