Worth Another Listen - Dwight Yoakam

My taste in music can get a bit eclectic, and some country certainly figures in to the mix of my collection. One strong part is Dwight Yoakam, in my mind just an amazing musician. In 1993, he released my favorite album of his, This Time. The entire sound of the album is amazing, with a blend of classic country built on a rock foundation. The entire thing is sexy but sweet, an amazing balancing act. In keeping with the award season, I will start with the video for Ain't That Lonely Yet, which won the Grammy for Best Male Country Vocal Performance. The song reached #2 on the US Country chart.



A Thousand Miles From Nowhere was the second single, and I can't believe it didn't hit the top of the chart, also settling for #2. Smart and smooth, the country/rock mixture takes the content of lost love and elevates it to a romantic adventure.



Fast As You was the third single to claim the second spot on the US Country chart. Dwight kicked up the rock quotient, bringing a rockabilly feel, even channeling a bit of Elvis in the song.



But one of my favorite songs off This Time is Pocket of a Clown, which has an old-time country thing going on, like a Honky Tonk tune Hank Williams would deliver. It was released in 1994, and only made it to #22 on the chart.

Get More: Pocket Of A Clown, Dwight Yoakam, Dwight Yoakam Videos

This Time was certified triple platinum in the US, and double platinum in Canada. It is still in the rotation in my iTunes. Dwight had many a great song before and after, but never was an album as perfect as this one. For more on Dwight Yoakam, check out his official website here.

New Video - Jedward

OK, if you weren't keeping up with Simon Cowell's UK series X-Factor, you have no idea what Jedward is. And there is every possibility after watching this video, you might wish you still didn't. Jedward is the mashed up name of Irish twins John & Edward Grimes, cute and fun-loving blond boys with lots of moxie, who took most of the oxygen out of the show when they were sent home. I mean, once they left, and people figured out Danyl Johnson was all about the audition, and then petered out. Sure, they might not be the best singers in the world, or even close, but the boys know how to entertain, and have the relentless energy and joy only a teenager can bring. Sure, they might have more mousse in their hair than vocal chops, but for the moment, I am on board. I am telling you, I think their joi de vivre is contagious, and I got infected.



So, they released their first single on Sunday, a mash-up of Under Pressure and Ice, Ice, Baby and the video came out today. Well, aside from the boys making giggle cause they are acting like total twinks at a party, the inclusion of Vanilla Ice was a brilliant stroke by producers. Because just in case you think you are taking them a bit too seriously, enter Vanilla Ice to give them noogies on camera. The more I watch, the more I laugh. That, my friends, is entertainment. LOL



I am telling you, the tongue in cheek nature of the whole think makes this effort 1000 times better than the original in my book, and I can't wait to see what comes next for the boys. If you are so inclined - and I obviously am myself - you can find out more about the boys at their website - PlanetJedward - here. You can also follow them on Twitter, as their Tweets have been amusing me for weeks. Special thanks for ElectroQueer for the tip on the video - visit his site, it is very good.

News from John Barrowman

It has been a while since Mr. Barrowman has been on this blog, and I do need my JB fix from time to time. However, there is actual news about the man, so I will lead with that. It seems John has been cast for a role on Desperate Housewives, playing a potential bad guy. You can read about it here. Might be nice for after spending a few years saving the world on Torchwood and Doctor Who.



In other news, Barrowman finished second behind Neil Patrick Harris as the biggest gay of the decade or some such title in polling on AfterElton.com. You can read more about it here. And having an additional paragraph break gave me the opportunity to run another picture! But to prove he is more than just a stunningly handsome face, here is a clip of him singing What About Us? live on a talk show in the UK.



For more on John Barrowman, you can visit his official website here. You can find his Twitter account here, for those who's like to follow this incredibly talented out gay man.

Worth Another Listen - Haircut 100

There was a request made for this band, who were already on my list to cover, so, with all the craziness at the moment, I decided to jump them up and here they are. Nick Heyward, Les Nemes and Graham Jones were joined by Blair Cunningham, Phil Smith and Mark Fox made up the band for the first album, Pelican West. To put forth a brief history is a must, since in reality, there is scant history to be reported. The band came together in 1980, Heyward, Nemes and Jones being school buddies putting together a band. Two others were around, but did not last. They signed with Arista an got to work on the first album. First, however, was their first single, Favourite Shirt (Boy Meets Girl), which soared up the UK charts to #4 in October of 1981.



As the school chums worked on the debut album, they brought in Cunningham, Smith and Fox, making for quite the eclectic mix. Heyward, the lead vocalist and the creative force behind the group, had a strong rock/New Wave feel, drummer Cunningham, born in Memphis, had a soulful sound, sax player Smith added a cool jazz spice, guitarist Jones loved the punk sound of the Clash, and bassist had an affinity for the 60s California pop bands. Together, they made Haircut 100 a new and different sound, one that resonated with listeners. They completed Pelican West and set it free on the world in 1982. The next single released was Love Plus One, which hit the US Top 40, Top 20 on the Modern Rock chart, and even Top 10 in the club play chart.



In April of 1982, the band released Fantastic Day, a song written by Heyward when he was just 15, a pop tune elevated to something special by the collaborative efforts of the band.



Soon it was time to start working on the sophomore album, at the end of nearly a solid year of touring for the band, with fans following them everywhere. Heyward started having some issues, and attended the rehearsal and recording sessions irregularly. At the sound check for a gig they were playing, Heyward was said to have dropped his guitar and walked off, saying he couldn't do it any more. Soon Fox was recording the lead vocals. While the band thought he had left, the studio was keeping quiet the fact Nick was having a breakdown, some thought due to mental exhaustion, others attributed to the fast rise to stardom. But no matter, for Nick left the band in the beginning of 1983, leaving them to complete the second release. 1984's Paint And Paint did not fair well with either the critics nor the fans of the band, and was seen as a failure. I didn't think it was a bad album, just different without the influence of Heyward. I couldn't find an actual video for my favorite song, So Tired, so I include this clip.



Shortly thereafter, the members went their separate ways. Heyward went on to a successful solo career [which I hope to address in a future post], and several others stayed in the music business in some form or another. They have reunited a couple of times in the past 5 years, and there is always a buzz in the fanworld they might reunite with new music, but that has yet to happen. Until that happens, you can check out Nick Heyward at his official website here, or on MySpace here.

Dark Monday - Jekell & Hyde

In 1997, a musical based on a Robert Louis Stevenson novella made it to the Broadway stage. The much anticipated Jekyll & Hyde took to the boards, amidst tons of hype and publicity. With Music by Frank Wildhorn, Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse, Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden and Book by Leslie Bricusse, the project was long in development. Ten years prior, there was a concept album to start raising the money, and a first production in Houston, Texas in 1990. The story, of course, is an old one, utilized in many a horror film. A doctor muses on why man can be both good and evil, and tries to medicate the way to make all people good. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work out that way, and the hard-working Dr. Jekyll comes out with his 'alter-ego,' Mr. Hyde. Murder and mayhem ensue.



In this version, Dr. Jekyll ponders how his father, a good man, can be overtaken by his evil side and end up in an insane asylum. As he ponders this, he goes out with a friend and meets a waitress/hooker, who immediately becomes his muse, and experimentation begins. And we all know where that leads. The slight curve ball is the love triangle, with Jekyll/Hyde, the fiancee and the hooker. But it wouldn't be a musical without it, you know?



The show ran for almost 1,600 performances on Broadway, just shy of 4 years. Linda Eder was the original Lucy, the hooker who falls in love. The role of Jekyll/Hyde was played by several 'star' castings, from Jack Wagner to David Hasselhoff to Sebastian Bach [of metal hair band Skid Row fame]. Here are a few commercials for the run on Broadway.



We are first introduced to Lucy, played here by Coleen Sexton, as she reports for work in the bar. The song is No One Knows Who I Am.



As Dr. Jekyll tries experimenting in his laboratory, he sings This Is The Moment, a song that has been covered by many, and most likely very recognizable. I chose to use this version by Sebastian Bach, who sounds surprisingly good, and looks adorable.



Hooker with a heart of gold Lucy goes to see Dr. Jekyll after being battered by crazy dude Mr. Hyde for some treatment. Jekyll starts to realize it was in fact he who did this, and leaves Lucy there to sing about her love for Jekyll. This is the amazingly talented Linda Eder singing the role of Lucy on Someone Like You.



With both Lucy, the hooker, and Emma, the good-girl fiancee, in love with him, Jekyll is in a quandary when he figures out his experiments have made him into Hyde. But that doesn't stop the girls from singing a duet, In His Eyes, about what they love about the mass murderer. The following clip is Coleen Sexton as Lucy and Andrea Rivette as Emma.



Despite the long run, the show is rumored to have lost almost $1.5 million when it closed. In truth, the reviews for the show were mixed, and none overly praising the show. Sure, they might have had good things to say about some of the performers, but not enough to outweigh the complaints about the story and some of the music. But the song This Is The Moment came out of the show, and was heard by more people in 1992 when it was used for the figure skating performance by American Paul Wylie who came out of nowhere to claim the Olympic silver medal. He used the Colm Wilkinson from the concept album, and it was something special. The following is when he skated to it at the Professional Championships for the Technical Program, now referred to as the Short Program.



Yes, I realize that was an odd tidbit to relate, but with the Winter Olympics coming up, I thought to myself, "Why not?"

The Dragulator

I couldn't resist no matter how hard I tried. Good friend David Dust tipped me off on his blog about the Dragulator, and I tried to stay away. But sooner or later, I was bound to give it a shot, and so I did. I figured I would giggle at the results, and at best send it over to David to give him a laugh - like it would end there with a blogger. I even came up with the drag name, Anita Refill. Yarite. The headshot ended up on his blog, and I knew at some point I would be posting something here. Indeed, here it is. Tonight at 9PM EST, RuPaul's Drag Race debut's with season 2 on the LOGO network.

Welcome Back RuPaul's Drag Race

Tonight at 9PM EST on LOGO, RuPaul's Drag Race returns to television with season two of the reality program. I have a fondness for the show, on many levels. For one thing, how can anyone have anything but love for RuPaul? And then there is the fading memory I have that gives me a tie to the show.


Randy Barbato, and Randy with Santino Rice.

Way back when, in the late 80s, I was working in New York City. I had given up working in the theater because I had bills to pay, and that wasn't getting done. I started working with a sound designer I had known, doing corporate gigs as a line producer or whatever was needed. We often worked with Public Relations firms in the city, and at one of those firms I met a young and handsome guy named Randy Barbato. While working on one of the many unmemorable projects I had at that point, I remember Randy and his talking about needing to leave a bit early to go catch a client of his, a drag queen, at an event downtown - I don't know, it might have been Wigstock or something. He would invite some of us to go, but we always seem to be working. Well, I kinda had a crush on Randy, but found out he had a boyfriend, so I just moved on, and really thought he was a great guy. He didn't want to be doing PR, he wanted to direct movies, and we would talk about it. Soon, the project was over, and I we really never worked together again. A few years later, I purchased RuPaul's Supermodel of the World, and I read Randy Barbato listed as one of the Producers. I thought the name rang a bell, and then I remembered sweet, pretty Randy. He has done much since, but has been with RuPaul for a very long time. That is my big connection with the show - a little tenuous, I know, but mine.




Anyway, to welcome RuPaul and company back, I thought I would revisit some of Ru's music videos, which are certainly worth another visit. In 1992, she had her first hit on the charts when Supermodel (You'd Better Work) moved up the Club Play chart to #2 and #45 on the Pop chart.



The 1996 release Foxy Lady also had a hit song, Snapshot. It was #4 on the Club chart, and in the Top 100 on the Pop chart.



In 2004, there was Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous from the Red Hot album. It secured the #2 spot on the Club chart.



In 2006 RuPaul released a cover of the Depeche Mode song People Are People, from the soundtrack of the movie Zombie Prom



To check out what is coming on season 2 of RuPaul's Drag Race, click here. To find RuPaul's official website, click here.