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Pop Rock Nation

Category: News

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  • Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Happy Valentine’s Day!

    Just popping in to Pop Rock Nation to wish everyone a Happy Valentine’s Day!


    John Paul Young sings “Love Is In The Air”.

    There was a time when I routinely wore black on Valentine’s Day, but now that I have a loving husband who makes me eggs benedict and buys me chocolate and roses, I don’t mind it so much anymore. Last year at this time, I got into a ridiculous online spat with some woman from Canada who was upset because I posted this photo on Facebook.

    She said I had shamed all the single people on Valentine’s Day, who were lonely on the big made up greeting card “holiday”. In the interest of not hurting peoples’ feelings on Valentine’s Day, I didn’t share that photo on Facebook this year. However, I did share this one.

    In all seriousness, over the years, there have been some nice songs about Valentine’s Day. One that immediately pops into my head was done by James Taylor in 1988.


    This song really shows off James Taylor’s love of word play. Now that I have someone to celebrate Valentine’s Day with, I appreciate it more.

    But those who don’t have a Valentine might relate more to this classic James Taylor song…


    “Don’t Let Me Be Lonely Tonight” by Lizz Wright with David Sanborn on saxophone.

    As much as I love James Taylor’s original version of this song, I gotta give props to Lizz Wright and David Sanborn for this smoking hot and sensual cover. I also like an updated version James Taylor sang with the late Michael Brecker on sax. Check this out.


    I love this jazzy makeover with JT singing his old hit and joined by Brecker’s soulful sax.

    I hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine’s Day, or if you’re not enjoying V.D. this year, I hope your weekend is at least fun. Here in Texas, the weather is fine, but I know many of my friends are snowed in right now. That could lead to some serious Valentine’s lovemaking! Since my husband is home today, I’m going to cut today’s post a bit short so I can enjoy my V.D. too.

  • Why the Sochi Winter Olympics reminds me of Eurovision…

    Why the Sochi Winter Olympics reminds me of Eurovision…

    Today’s post is all about why the Sochi Winter Olympics reminds me of Eurovision…

    My friend Dave is now living in Ukraine’s capital city, Kiev. I met Dave in 1995, when I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia and he was a newly returned Peace Corps Volunteer who had served in Russia. Dave had a job at a non-profit aid organization and, since there were few Americans in Armenia in the 90s, we ended up meeting. Years later, Facebook has brought us together again and I have been watching him post many disturbing articles, photos, and videos of the current political unrest going on in Ukraine. Much of what he’s posted has been scary and sobering, but Dave is not above showing off his generous sense of humor. Yesterday, he posted an article from The New Yorker that said people were being “grossed out” because they were being forced to look at half naked photos of Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in their hotel rooms.

    Many people actually believed the article instead of recognizing it as satire. Vladimir Putin is not known for his humility and cuddly personality, after all. The author of the article, Andy Borowitz, cleverly noted in a “quote” supposedly by Putin, “These people who are complaining about what is on their walls should be grateful… At least they got one of the rooms with walls.” Not long after I read this article from The New Yorker, I found a very funny and telling gallery of photos that supposedly show what conditions are like in Sochi right now.

    Having once lived not too far from Sochi, I can attest that these photos are probably pretty accurate.

    Reading about Putin supposedly forcing hapless hotel guests to look at his topless photos in their rooms made me think of an incident that occurred just before the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest. At the time, my husband Bill and I were living in Germany and we made a point of watching Eurovision when it came on television in May. Months before the 2009 contest, there was a controversy involving the song entered by the Republic of Georgia. At the time, the Republic of Georgia was reeling from a political incident that occurred in August 2008 known as the Russia-Georgia war. Georgia was also dealing with political pressure from Putin, who was concerned about Georgia’s desire to join the European Union and increase its dealings with the United States. Bill actually went to Georgia just after the brief war and told me stories of how the Georgians seemed to like Americans a lot more than Russians.

    The Eurovision Song Contest is supposed to be about fostering goodwill among nations in Europe. In that regard, it’s not unlike the Olympic Games. Song entries are not supposed to be political in nature. But I’m guessing that Georgia’s Stephane and 3G couldn’t resist the urge to write a song that really said something. They wrote and performed a song called “We Don’t Want To Put In”. Though the song was eventually deemed too political, Georgia elected to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest rather than change the lyrics or replace the song.


    The very catchy disco styled song, “We Don’t Want To Put In” by Stephane and 3G. I can’t help but think it sounds a lot like Disco Inferno by The Trampps.

    When Dave posted that hilarious satirical article about Putin’s shirtless photos, I was immediately reminded of this hilarious and very ballsy entry by the Georgians for the Eurovision Song Contest in 2009. I’m sure as the Winter Olympic Games continue and more things come to light about the state of things in Sochi, the Winter Olympics may remind me even more of Eurovision. On another note, I’ve checked out more of Stephane and 3G’s music and I like it. I even went on iTunes and downloaded the many different versions of “We Don’t Want To Put In”. I guess in a way, the Sochi Winter Olympics is promoting something besides good sportsmanship and goodwill.

  • Children of rock stars…

    Sometimes I think being one of the children of rock stars must be a double edged sword…

    Last week, I was deathly ill with the latest strain of swine flu. As I could barely stand to be out of bed, I turned on the TV and flipped channels, finally settling on Showtime Extreme, which was showing The History of the Eagles. Having been born in the 70s and raised in the 80s, I have always loved The Eagles’ music and I enjoy a good documentary/tell all. I had read Don Felder’s Heaven or Hell: My Life In The Eagles (1974-2001) and enjoyed it, even though it really made Don Henley and Glenn Frey out to be jerks.

    I was curious about what Don Felder was up to lately, so I did some Googling and learned that his daughter, Leah, married Bruce Jenner’s and Linda Thompson’s son, Brandon Jenner, in Hawaii. I also learned that Brandon and Leah are musicians. I had not heard their song, “Vaselene” before I got curious about what Don Felder’s daughter was up to. But hell, they even have a video! Brandon and Leah and smoking hot together, but though this song has been out awhile, I just found it.


    Brandon & Leah perform “Vaselene” in a nifty video.

    I’ve been curious about the children of rock stars for a long time. Back in the 80s, I remember being astonished when I heard Julian Lennon, elder son of John Lennon and his first wife, Cynthia, since a short string of hits. Though I would say Julian’s music was not that much like his father’s, his voice was very similar. And he sure looked a lot like him, too. Julian had a few good songs in the mid 80s, but my personal favorite song by him is “Saltwater”, which he released in 1991. I discovered it when I was a disc jockey at my college. Sadly, as talented as he is, he hasn’t achieved the success his father enjoyed.


    Julian Lennon’s beautiful song, “Saltwater”.

    James Taylor and Carly Simon famously married in the 70s and produced two very talented children in daughter Sally and son Ben. Both have released albums of their own and have contributed to their parents’ work. Ben Taylor seems to have enjoyed more success than Sally has, though they are both blessed with fine voices and guitar skills. I particularly enjoy Ben Taylor’s music, since his voice is like an interesting hybrid of James Taylor’s, Livingston Taylor’s and Carly Simon’s, yet he’s also developed his own alternative style.


    Ben Taylor sings a live acoustic rendition of his song, “Nothing I Can Do”.


    Sally Taylor singing “Unsung Dance”.

    Alexa Ray Joel is another of the more famous children of rock stars. She has launched her own career, following in the footsteps of her famous dad, Billy Joel. She has a nice voice and plays piano. Though her voice doesn’t really remind me of his, it’s definitely strong and capable.


    Alexa Ray Joel sings her dad’s famous “Just The Way You Are” on Katie.

    Lucy Walsh is the very talented daughter of Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh. I remember hearing Joe Walsh once say that he’d never encourage his children to be rock stars or help them break into the business. Looks like Lucy didn’t need his help too much.


    I think I might need to download this…

    Willie Nelson and Arlo Guthrie each have musical daughters who have teamed up in Folk Uke, which is one of my favorite duos due to their irreverent sense of humor and penchant for swearing. Amy Nelson and Cathy Guthrie sing original songs and play guitar and ukelele with smashing results. These two seem to be gaining in popularity for good reason. I know Willie has joined his daughter on stage more than a few times, too.


    I like “Shit Makes The Flowers Grow”. It feels like a metaphor for my life.

    And here’s Olivia Newton-John’s daughter, Chloe Lattanzi, singing on Rock The Cradle. She has a very unusual voice. I think I’d rather listen to her mother sing, though I think I can understand why some people think she’s brilliant.

    I am myself the daughter of musical parents, so I understand how the apple often doesn’t fall far from the tree when it comes to musical talent. Though I have often dreamt of being a musician for a living, I’m too camera shy to consider it. Plus, I’m too damn old. But it is fun to make music and it’s good for the soul, even if I’ll never be a headliner or even a church choir soloist like my dad was. Still, I can say with honesty that musical genes are hard to wash away or hide. It must be tough to be the child of a rock star and really talented in your own right, yet constantly compared to your parents.

    My mother plays piano and organ brilliantly and was often employed by churches to play for services, weddings, and funerals. My dad was a singer with a good tenor voice who often sang in local groups and choirs. I didn’t sing until I was 18 years old and was taking a voice class in college. I had tried my hand at several musical instruments when I was growing up, but none of them stuck until I found out I was a singer. I remember the first time I sang a solo as my mom played organ. Some woman approached my mom afterwards and asked, “That was your daughter who sang?” My mom said I was hers and my dad’s daughter. And the woman quipped, “Wow! She didn’t get her voice from her father, did she?” I have to admit, that comment made me laugh.

    Yes, it’s true that genes can be powerful motivators. I’m glad I took a few minutes to listen to the children of rock stars this morning. I think I may have started the new year off exposed to some new musical blood.