As we prepare for our Fourth of July holiday, let's take a moment to remember the greatest American family vacation movie of all time, National Lampoon's Vacation, which opened 31 years ago this month, July 23, 1983. What did the Billboard Top 40 look like back then? Slip on your Capezios, hop in my DeLorean, and let's find out together. I can promise some Cold War paranoia, some stalking, and so, so many vests.40. "Fake Friends," Joan Jett & the BlackheartsThough anyone who was 21 or older in 1983 will furiously deny it, the advent of MTV did some really interesting things for pop music: Suddenly, the charts were full of weird British kids with refreshing hairdos. One unfortunate result was that it halted the the ascent of the kind of New Wave–y power-pop that would have been the dominant sound of the time if the Producers, Any Trouble, and Graham Parker...
- 7/3/2014
- by Dave Holmes
- Vulture
Nick Lowe Lincoln Center, NYC 10 August 2013
A couple months ago, I noticed that Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze and Nick Lowe would both be performing at the Boulton Center in Bay Shore, New York, in August. I can’t go to every show that comes down the pike and some times I have to make tough decisions. Having seen Nick a couple years ago at Town Hall and not having seen Tilbrook (or Squeeze) in five or six years, I suggested to my wife Linda that we opt for the Tilbrook show -- very reluctantly passing on Nick. It wasn’t long before something began to gnaw at me. I had to see Nick again. I noticed that he had a few other gigs lined up in the area and we decided that we would catch him at the Out of Doors at Lincoln Center series on August 10. A schedule of...
A couple months ago, I noticed that Glen Tilbrook of Squeeze and Nick Lowe would both be performing at the Boulton Center in Bay Shore, New York, in August. I can’t go to every show that comes down the pike and some times I have to make tough decisions. Having seen Nick a couple years ago at Town Hall and not having seen Tilbrook (or Squeeze) in five or six years, I suggested to my wife Linda that we opt for the Tilbrook show -- very reluctantly passing on Nick. It wasn’t long before something began to gnaw at me. I had to see Nick again. I noticed that he had a few other gigs lined up in the area and we decided that we would catch him at the Out of Doors at Lincoln Center series on August 10. A schedule of...
- 8/12/2013
- by Jon Geffner
- www.culturecatch.com
5) Spectrals “A Heartbeat Behind”
Directed by Ozzie Pullin
Although this isn’t the most exciting music video, it’s most definitely the best video Spectrals have produced. It’s made of mid-shots of the location and the band – if it wasn’t for the colour it wouldn’t really be that engaging. It’s shot on Canvey Island which is beloved location of such legends as Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Graham Parker who are all Spectrals influences.
4) A-Trak “Jumbo”
Directed by Jason Miller
Ever since watching the impressive, time-consuming video for A-Trak’s “Tuna Melt“, I’ve wanted to check out more of his stuff. This week he released, a less impressive but still cool, trippy video for track “Jumbo” that features producer Galantis as a one-man basketball team. It’s a cool concept; I wish I had the patience to make something as cool as this.
3) Cloud Control...
Directed by Ozzie Pullin
Although this isn’t the most exciting music video, it’s most definitely the best video Spectrals have produced. It’s made of mid-shots of the location and the band – if it wasn’t for the colour it wouldn’t really be that engaging. It’s shot on Canvey Island which is beloved location of such legends as Nick Lowe, Elvis Costello and Graham Parker who are all Spectrals influences.
4) A-Trak “Jumbo”
Directed by Jason Miller
Ever since watching the impressive, time-consuming video for A-Trak’s “Tuna Melt“, I’ve wanted to check out more of his stuff. This week he released, a less impressive but still cool, trippy video for track “Jumbo” that features producer Galantis as a one-man basketball team. It’s a cool concept; I wish I had the patience to make something as cool as this.
3) Cloud Control...
- 6/14/2013
- by Catstello
- SoundOnSight
One year ago, Major Crimes premiered as a spinoff to the uber-popular The Closer, with fans wondering whether it would maintain the same audience levels and as its predecessor.
With the answer now a strong affirmative, I stopped by the show's set in Los Angeles recently to see what we’ll discover on Major Crimes Season 2, which includes 19 episodes, a significant boost from last year's 10 and a clear show of confidence by TNT.
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Mary McDonnell: The biggest thorn in Captain Sharon Raydor’s side this season looks to be her long-absent husband, Jack (played by Tom Berenger), who reappears later this summer. “This marriage is not typical,” the Academy Award and Emmy-nominated actress explained with a smile between shooting scenes. “She’s been married to him forever. She’s been separated for, perhaps, decades…and they won’t divorce. What the heck is going on there?”
And, like the relationship itself,...
With the answer now a strong affirmative, I stopped by the show's set in Los Angeles recently to see what we’ll discover on Major Crimes Season 2, which includes 19 episodes, a significant boost from last year's 10 and a clear show of confidence by TNT.
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Mary McDonnell: The biggest thorn in Captain Sharon Raydor’s side this season looks to be her long-absent husband, Jack (played by Tom Berenger), who reappears later this summer. “This marriage is not typical,” the Academy Award and Emmy-nominated actress explained with a smile between shooting scenes. “She’s been married to him forever. She’s been separated for, perhaps, decades…and they won’t divorce. What the heck is going on there?”
And, like the relationship itself,...
- 6/10/2013
- by jimhalterman@gmail.com (Jim Halterman)
- TVfanatic
I am not a girl, nor have I ever been one. But let the record show I've always been a fan of girls. Hell, I even married one. So in honor of my new favorite show Girls on HBO -- brought to you by an extremely talented team including Lena Dunham, who is a girl, and Judd Apatow, who is not -- here is my loving, cross-gender playlist in support of Girls. As always, please add your own examples of musical Girls power below.
It's Different For Girls - Joe Jackson
My Girls - Animal Collective
Some Girls - The Rolling Stones
Volcano Girls - Veruca Salt
Beautiful Girls - Van Halen
Girls In Their Summer Clothes - Bruce Springsteen
Local Girls - Graham Parker
Bad Girls - Donna Summer
Good Girls - Amy Rigby
Drunk Girls - LCD Soundsystem
The Girls In My Life (Part 1) - Randy Newman
Rock...
It's Different For Girls - Joe Jackson
My Girls - Animal Collective
Some Girls - The Rolling Stones
Volcano Girls - Veruca Salt
Beautiful Girls - Van Halen
Girls In Their Summer Clothes - Bruce Springsteen
Local Girls - Graham Parker
Bad Girls - Donna Summer
Good Girls - Amy Rigby
Drunk Girls - LCD Soundsystem
The Girls In My Life (Part 1) - Randy Newman
Rock...
- 4/16/2012
- by David Wild
- Aol TV.
Getty Nick Lowe in 2008
Nick Lowe’s set at Portland, Ore.’s Aladdin Theater Wednesday night segued between old tracks and new, songs dating back to his earliest days as a recording artist (the 1960s pub-rock band Brinsley Schwartz) to tunes from his latest CD.
With barely a break to take a sip of bottled water, the singer/songwriter/arranger/producer and raconteur barreled through almost two dozen numbers, alone on stage with an acoustic guitar, never stopping even once...
Nick Lowe’s set at Portland, Ore.’s Aladdin Theater Wednesday night segued between old tracks and new, songs dating back to his earliest days as a recording artist (the 1960s pub-rock band Brinsley Schwartz) to tunes from his latest CD.
With barely a break to take a sip of bottled water, the singer/songwriter/arranger/producer and raconteur barreled through almost two dozen numbers, alone on stage with an acoustic guitar, never stopping even once...
- 10/13/2011
- by Joel Millman
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
HollywoodNews.com: Arista Records is over. The new management at Sony’s RCA division have put the venerable label started by Clive Davis to sleep at age 36. Arista had drifted since 2000 when BMG, which owned it then, let then overall chief Michael Dornemann oversee the ousting of Davis. By the time that was over, Dornemann was gone and Davis was back with his own label, J Records. Arista went to L.A. Reid, who ran it for a few years before leaving for Island DefJam at Universal Music.
Now, of course, Reid is with Sony, half the people from Sony and Universal have traded jobs. In this latest scuffle, Arista has quietly been put out of business. It’s a shame really. Arista has enormous legacy with dozens of huge acts and famous albums to its credit. From Whitney Houston’s catalog–including “The Bodyguard” soundtrack– to Carlos Santana’s amazing...
Now, of course, Reid is with Sony, half the people from Sony and Universal have traded jobs. In this latest scuffle, Arista has quietly been put out of business. It’s a shame really. Arista has enormous legacy with dozens of huge acts and famous albums to its credit. From Whitney Houston’s catalog–including “The Bodyguard” soundtrack– to Carlos Santana’s amazing...
- 10/7/2011
- by Roger Friedman
- Hollywoodnews.com
Artist, and pal to Gordon and the Whale, Derek Gabryszak gave us a heads up on one of his latest cinematic creations. You may remember Derek’s too-cool-for-school True Romance-inspired pieces, which we featured on the site earlier this year.
Read more on Cinematic Swag: Artist Derek Gabryszak’s poster for Graham Parker doc Don’T Ask Me Questions…...
Read more on Cinematic Swag: Artist Derek Gabryszak’s poster for Graham Parker doc Don’T Ask Me Questions…...
- 11/10/2010
- by James Wallace
- GordonandtheWhale
The Multiverse Theory has nothing to do with lengthy poetry. Also known as "eternal inflation" -- a concept to which all payers of college tuition can relate -- it suggests that our universe is but a nano-particle in an infinitely vast megacosm. If this is correct, then somewhere out there may be an Amerika identical to ours except for one thing: Great records that never made the pop charts on our shores -- whether due to a twist of fate or a lack of payola -- comprise the smash hits and timeless classics in that far-off realm. In Part 1, we traveled to a galaxy in which Judee Sill, Graham Parker, Jackie Deshannon and Bessie Banks were the brightest stars. In another corner of space-time, these are the golden oldies: 1. Jesse Winchester, Sham-a-Ling-Dong-Ding If you're looking for an echo, you can't beat...
- 7/14/2010
- by Michael Sigman
- Huffington Post
Our universe may be but one of perhaps infinitely many universes in an inconceivably vast multiverse. -- Cosmologist Bernard Carr The best job I ever had was reviewing singles for the trade magazine Record World in the early '70s. It was a thrill when a record I picked became a smash and disappointing when a track stiffed after I predicted it was heading for the Top 10. When a record I loved didn't make it for reasons having nothing to do with its quality -- say the band disbanded or the label's promo man was tardy with the payola -- I'd imagine a parallel universe in which it soared to No. 1 with a bullet and sold a million copies. It's fun to conjure a world in which Graham Parker has had Bruce Springsteen's career; Jesse Winchester, Paul Siebel or Eric Andersen was...
- 7/6/2010
- by Michael Sigman
- Huffington Post
A man from Hampshire has solved the Rubik's Cube puzzle after playing with the toy for 26 years. Graham Parker, 45, purchased the cube in 1983 but struggled to solve it, despite two decades of trying. "I cannot tell you what a relief it was to finally solve it," he told Metro. "It has driven me mad over the years - it felt like it had taken over my life. "I have missed important events to stay in and solve it and I would lie awake at night thinking about (more)...
- 1/12/2009
- by By Alex Fletcher
- Digital Spy
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