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Pop Rock Nation

Category: People

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  • Remembering Marvin

    marvinToday would have been Marvin Gaye’s 70th birthday.

    Yesterday marked 25 years since the soul legend’s murder at the hands of his own father.

    Although I was only 7, I distinctly remember sitting at home on April 1st, 1984, when the news came on the radio that Marvin had been killed. Up until that point, I only really knew “Sexual Healing”, and at the time I was more confused about why someone would kill their own son than I was lamenting the death of one of the greatest soul singers of our time.

    With a quarter-century’s perspective, obviously things have changed. While I still can’t fathom a father killing his own child, I’ve long since discovered Marvin’s music, from the anguished, socio-political “What’s Going On” to the bittersweet divorce drama “Here, My Dear” (my personal favorite-you guys should check out the 2-disc reissue of it that came out last year). I hate to resort to cliche, but damn if I wouldn’t sit down and listen to Marvin sing the phone book. The man was certainly one of the most consistent artists of the Seventies. Every album he released during that decade is a keeper, and although he lost a step in the Eighties, “In Our Lifetime” and “Midnight Love” are worthy additions to any R&B fans catalog.

    In addition, the man sang about sex more passionately than any singer before or since (with the possible exception of pre-Jehovah era Prince). Unlike singers like R. Kelly (who unjustly gets compared to Marvin when he doesn’t have a tenth of MArvin’s talent), he doesn’t make it sound crass or one-sided. You can tell from his delivery that it’s just as important for the other party (or parties, given that Marvin was kind of a freak) to be satisfied as it is for him to be satisfied.

    Listening to Marvin Gaye sing brings you back to a time when singers could articulate emotions. The man could do anguish, festive, contemplative, horny…no matter what he was feeling, it was expressed through his music. It’s another cliche, but they just don’t make ’em like that anymore.

    Anyway, I’ll leave you with video of the man singing our national anthem. If you haven’t heard this one before, be prepared to be blown away.

    Happy birthday, Marvin. Hope you’re relaxing (and freaking) in paradise.

  • American Idol Season 8 – Who Is Headed Home Sweet Home?

    Why is Jason Castro sitting next to Alexis Grace in the audience? I didn’t think I’d have to see those dread locks again until the end of this season.

    Why is Lady GaGa on this show tonight? I know she’s hot on the charts, but I don’t know anyone who has the album.

    Why hasn’t Kara DioGuardi returned my phone calls yet?

    Ok, just kidding on that last question. (She returned them.) But the first two are real questions. Someone please answer them for me.

    The top 9 are singing Don’t Stop Believing. Scott is rockin’ out on the keyboard and if you didn’t know this was pre-taped and then lip synced, you know now. Scott was singing but was nowhere near the microphone. Someone should’ve held it for him. It was actually a pretty good version of the song.

    Megan is wearing a dress that resembles red overalls. I don’t think it’s made by Osh Kosh B’Gosh.

    For five minutes, Ryno had some of the contestants do impersonations of each other. None of them were all that good, but at least they were having a good time. Ryno also mentioned that this group of Idol contestants get along better than any others in history. You mean Ruben and Clay weren’t really brothers from another mother? Really?

    Ryno tells Megan, Matt, and Kris to stand up and makes them walk toward the left side of the stage.

    He tells Adam, Allison, and Lil Rounds to walk toward the center of the stage.

    And the final three have to walk toward the right side of the stage. It looks like one of the three groups is the bottom three.

    David Cook is on stage performing Come Back To Me. I’ve added the actual video to the song below.

    They also presented him with his platinum album.

    Ryno just told Kris to sit down.

    Matt was told to sit down, but thought he was in the bottom three. He April Fools’d himself.

    Megan is in the bottom three and for some reason squawked like a bird and flapped her arms.

    Lil Rounds is safe.

    Allison is in the bottom three as well. She doesn’t deserve to be there. But Megan does.

    Adam is safe and they showed a shot of his friends. One guy had a wickedly bad mohawk.

    Danny is safe.

    It’s down to Scott and Anoop.

    Randall says judging on last night, Anoop deserves to be in the bottom three. Anoop agrees for some reason. Anoop predicted correctly. He’s in the bottom three.

    Lady GaGa is performing Poker Face. Nope, I don’t get her just yet. Here’s her actual video to this song.

    Allison was sent back with the rest of the group. She’s safe. So it’s either Anoop Doggy Dogg or Megan who will go home.

    It’s hasta la bye bye to Megan. Simon says they won’t even bother watching her sing before telling her they won’t save her. For some reason, she’s actually loose while performing. Still goofy, but at least she’s looser. I’m not sure she can necessarily feel the rhythm. But it’s ok. She’s going to be cute for at least another 15 years. She can live off that.

    She tells her son that she’s coming home. Carrie Underwood sings her home sweet home.

    Goodbye Megan Joy!

  • FORTY-FIVE REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE #29: Pump Up The Valium

    THEM's classic single, "Gloria"

    THEM  “Gloria” b/w “Baby, Please Don’t Go” (Parrot Records #9727,  1964-65)

    I’m pressed for time, so this installment will have to be brief, but this record doesn’t need a whole lot of words anyway.  We are gathered here today, my friends, to celebrate one of the hands-down greatest, purest rock ‘n’ roll singles of all time:  “Gloria” (also known as “G-L-O-R-I-A!”) by early-’60’s Irish rockers Them.  Written by the band’s singer, a then-unknown young upstart named Van Morrison, this track was actually the B-side of this release, but my Parrot pressing (whether it’s original or not I’m unsure) doesn’t make that distinction.  No matter, let’s just rock.

    Play GLORIA by THEM

    The single hit the Top 100 in ’64 and again in ’65, but it was Chicago garage-rock group The Shadows Of Knight who would bring it into the Top 10 in April of ’66.  Since then it’s become the quintessential rock classic, covered by everyone in the universe.  Learn to play the E, D & A chords on the guitar, and you can cover it too.

    Play BABY, PLEASE DON\’T GO by THEM

    The B-side, which is really the A-side, is Them’s blistering take on Joe Williams’ blues classic, “Baby, Please Don’t Go.”  Also revered as a rock staple and also covered zillions of times, always using Them’s arrangement.  B’cause, as the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke — don’t fix it.

    Them released a handful of great singles and albums, and had a couple brilliant Top 40 hits stateside with “Here Comes The Night” and “Mystic Eyes.”  After Morrison left to pursue a solo career in ’66, the band attempted to soldier on without him, to no avail.  And, as everyone knows, Van Morrison’s solo career never amounted to much.

    NEXT WEEK: Ho ho!  Ha-haa!  He-hee!