Blog: Hallway Of Memories

I know it's been a while and I haven't posted anything in over a year...but today I put together a post like i used to....and for some reason I'm getting error messages when I try to embed MP3's into this like I used to. too much trouble..........sorry people...

First signed to the Secret Records label in 1982, Combo Audio (John Kellogg and Rick Neuhus) began what some thought would be a long and illustrious career in the burgeoning New Wave market. It didn't happen but EMI-America had high hopes for the group and they toured with TALKING HEADS, U2, BLONDIE and many others. The 4 song EP was the only thing to be released in America though as their record label pushed the group to create a more "radio friendly" sound. Then after years of litigation, before they even put out a debut album, in 1985 [...]

What a fantastic start. Right out of the gate.... In 1985. The debut single from Mick Jones' post-Clash project had everything we could have all hoped for. Great guitar, wonderful chorus, Hip/Hop beats and samples......it was ....just...."Cool". Strange how things would go downhill from here, but for a few minutes in early 1985, We all didn't know what to think of Joe Strummer kicking Mick out of the Clash. Then the Clash put out "Cut The Crap" and Mick and Co. put out THIS. Who could argue otherwise that Joe had made a terrible mistake. Of coarse later [...]

#11 MEAT BEAT MANIFESTO - Satyricon" (1992) It was the dawn of the 90's and in addition to working my days away at Soundtraks records I was also now a working Disc Jockey. Both at the clubs (Voodoo) and at radio (WUSB 90.1 in Stonybrook). I remember getting an advance tape from Mute records of the new Meat Beat Manifesto album almost a year before the CD came out. I made many copies for my friends and played the tracks on the radio for my weekly show "Night-Trips". For a while there I thought the album would never [...]

It's time to face the music........1985. What a crazy year for me......absolutely crazy. I touched upon that a bit in part 2, so with all that craziness, is it any wonder that 1986 was a much better year for me. At least it was more fun...I had my own apartment now, I hung out with my friends, we went to concerts in the city..... [...]

...... And now we skip a few years. When we last left our hero he was stuck in December 1980. John Lennon had just been killed and he became Obsessed with all thing Beatle related (an obsession that continues to this day). As the 80's dawned I was kind of stuck between two worlds.......I was still listening to classic rock radio, but there was this New Wave thing happening that caught my attention. It wasn't until I finally got Cable TV (and MTV was constantly on) that I [...]

Part one of a 5 part post: Music.......it's been my life. From the second I emerged from the womb I have had a love for music. Music is constantly playing around me at all times....when I go to sleep (or when I am alone in my thoughts) it is ALWAYS playing in my head. There is never a second that I am not hearing music in one form or another. From the very first 45RPM single I purchased when I was 5 years old ("Band On The Run" by WINGS [...]

It's that time again kiddies....it's Halloween. Yay.....whooo....big whoop. The best thing about Halloween has always been the music, so here's a couple of treats for ya From Ska masters BAD MANNERS comes their version of an old 50's novelty song. "I'm A Mummy" made me laugh the first second I heard it. This should replace Monster Mash as the most popular Halloween song ever....but it won't I posted this classic SCREAMING TRIBESMEN song last year, but [...]

OK......this entry has absolutely NOTHING to do with the Balloon Boy hoax, but I didn't want to let a good headline go to waste. Instead, let's talk about one of the greatest songs of the 90's. Perhaps one of the greatest of all time. How do I KNOW this? Well, personal opinion, for one thing. and also THIS fact: For a song that was released in 1997, it sure has a growing number of cover versions. The Beatles' "Yesterday" is the most covered song in history, having been recorded by over 3,700 [...]

I was recently browsing through the $1 section (the floor, actually) of one of the last remaining "record" stores left on this island. I sometimes find great lost treasures. 12-inch singles I used to (or never got around to) owning, a full length album from a long lost New Wave Band, or......and this always makes me happy....Re-purchasing something I used to own that I had to give up (or sell on EBAY) years ago...and now I want it BACK. That is the category THE WBAB HOMEGROWN ALBUM fits into. [...]

Rap.......Hip/Hop......Crunk.. ......Junk.....whatever you want to call it, it is a form of "music" that I have been waiting to go away now for over 30 years. Funny how time has softened me on the early years of Rap and I now have a bit of a soft spot for the "old school" late 70's brand, but that just means I don't want to stab someone when I hear "Rapper's Delight" and I can appreciate the campiness of that period in history. Don't get me started on anything recorded after 1988 though, because all that stuff makes me want to gouge my [...]

...OK, so I have gotten SOOO many requests to put up the B-sides of that ALONE AGAIN OR 12-inch, so here they are ALONE AGAIN OR - " Smarter Than The Average Bear " ALONE AGAIN OR - " Drum The Beat (Shall We Dance)" And while we're at it, let's just add 1 more "A" band. APB - " When I Feel This Way " APB - " She's The Girl "

OK....I know, I know. I've been busy. Haven't posted anything in a real long time. So, now what to do? Since I'm going through all my records (with the goal of selling them all on EBAY) and putting them on disc (to upload to my Itunes) I'm thinking very alphabetically at the moment. So let's put up a few forgotten classic with artists that begin with "A" : ALPHAVILLE - BIG IN JAPAN (EXTENDED MIX) This one isn't so forgotten, but if you are the average American you probably haven't heard this [...]

I have been slowly but surely fixing some of these bad links, starting with the ones you have left comments about...please re-check. Thank you all for your interest in this blog

The other night I had a dream. One of many that night, but at the end of it I could hear Coldplay performing a version of the Smiths " Asleep " ...and it sounded amazing. I woke with this song in my head ....a song that has actually, to my knowledge, never taken . This wasn't the first time my mind created a perfect blend of artists voice and style with a well known song by another artist. In 1987 I could hear, as clear as day inside another dream, Suzanne Vega performing a version of Jim Croce's [...]

I KNOW...I KNOW....I haven't written in over 6 weeks...been busy at the 'ol day job and sleepy at night....but I have a couple of minutes so here goes another post. Since I can't think of any particular thing to write about I think I'll just take the IPOD, hit SHUFFLE SONGS, and write about whatever comes up.......OK..here we go: WEEN - "EVEN IF YOU DON'T"......... Wow.....great first track. This is from Ween's White Pepper album, one of the better Ween albums. This track is SOOOOO 10CC I'm surprised they haven't tried to [...]

I fixed the links of my original stuff....you know...the very first post of this blog...all the way on the bottom

There are covers .....and then there are COVERS. In this day and age we forget that not every artist writes their own material. MOST do....but then again...a lot DO NOT. So.....it is left to the artist to put their unique spin on songs composed by others. Frank Sinatra made a whole career out of his unique interpretation of classic standards......and then there are THESE people: Jack Klugman and Tony Randall. Such a classic comedy team. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the Odd Couple when it was re-run [...]

Talking About an artist's big hit is BORING.....what always fascinated me was what they did for a follow-up. Usually the next single after a hit would have been a hit as well, or at least be remembered as the decades rolled on...but that's not always the case, and that's what we're here to talk about today. Let's start with those red leather-clad dudes the Romantics In 1984, The Romantics shot up to Number 3 with their hit "Talking In Your Sleep" (here's the 12-inch remix) . So.....what [...]

In 1981, Way Of The West released their debut single, " Don't Say That's Just For White Boys ". The B side was "Prove It". The English new wave band released five singles by 1984 but disappeared before releasing an album. It's too bad cause this is a fantastic slice of post punk attitude. Here's the 12-inch version. it DOES go on a bit too long, but 12-inch singles DID that in the early 80's......all that coke keeping the club goers dancing while the DJ take a pee break. in 1984 they had a GREAT single that didn't chart but [...]