October, 2011

Video Classics: ‘Highway to…

What Goes On: Hear The…

What Goes On: Lots And…

Forgotten Favorites

Forgotten Favorites: Peter Murphy’s “Cuts You Up”

Peter Murphy in His "Cuts You Up" Video (YouTube)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

While sitting in an uber-hip Portland coffee shop writing this morning's Forgotten Favorite about Mandrill, another FF came bleeding through my headphones. Let's Go Back to 1990 Read more »

What Goes On

What Goes On: Dave Stewart With The Roots WILL NOT BE On Kimmel This Week

Dave Stewart Performs in Germany Earlier This Month (Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

[Writer's Note: We wrongly reported Dave Stewart will be on Kimmel tomorrow night. If fact, it's the Fallon show where Stewart will be appearing. Kimmel will have Chris Isaak. We regret the error and, while we're at it, confess we always confuse… Read more »

Rock Flashback

Rock Flashback: “The Boiler”

It's Halloween. What scares you the most? (Getty Images/Tim Boyle)

By J.A. Bartlett | October 31, 2011

Halloween horrors come in all flavors -- mutants, monsters, guys in goalie masks, etc. But the horror that people inflict on one another can be the most terrible of all. Exhibit A: "The Boiler" by Rhoda Dakar and the Specials. … Read more »

Top 10

Top 10 Mystery Songs

A Mystery Drummer (YouTube)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

Yes, today is Halloween. But it's also Sherlock Holmes' anniversary. … Read more »

Three Best Songs

Three Best Modern Rock Number One’s From ’91

The Eye of Alternative Rock, 1991 (YouTube)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

Much has been made of some rock and roll anniversaries that are happening (have happened) this year, specifically the 20th anniversaries of U2's Achtung Baby and Nirvana's Nevermind, both of which yielded Number 1 songs on the "Modern Rock" charts. … Read more »

One Hit Wonders

One-Hit Wonders: Sandford Townsend Band

The Sanford/Townsend Band Hit the Midnight Special Stage in 1977 (YouTube)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

A great pair of songwriters, Eddie Sanford and Johnny Townsend penned themselves a Top-40 hit in the late 1970's. Where There's Smoke There's a Hit Read more »

Best Sellers From The 80's

Best Sellers From The ’80′s: Anita Baker’s “Rapture”

Anita Baker - Rapture (Elektra, 1986)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

Anita Baker's second album, Rapture, spawned four hit singles, won her two Grammys and catapulted her to international fame. It didn't do too badly at the cash registers, either. Let's Review Read more »

Forgotten Favorites

Forgotten Favorites: Mandrill’s “Just Outside Of Town’

Mandrill - Just Outside of Town (Polydor, 1973)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

Where I went to high school in New York, there were two distinct music families hanging around the practice rooms that split the choir and band areas. And I hung with them both. Do Tell Read more »

Awesome Album Covers

Awesome Album Covers: The Faust Tapes

Faust - The Faust Tapes (Virgin UK, 1973)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

When Faust's 1972 sophomore album, Faust So Far, sold poorly, Polydor Germany gladly released them to sign with Virgin London. Covered with Bridget Riley's hypnotic artwork, their next album, The Faust Tapes, sold over 50,000 copies when it was… Read more »

Founding Fathers

Founding Fathers: Keith Barrow

Single Sleeve From Keith Barrow's "You Know You Wanna Be Loved" (Columbia, 1978)

By Michael Verity | October 31, 2011

Employing a delicate falsetto particularly suited to late-'70's soul and dance music, Keith Barrow was a Founding Father of slow jam R&B who turned out a small but admirable catalog of records during his career. Tell Me His Story Read more »