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  • Just Who Is Mark Ronson?

    Years ago my buddy Money Mike gave me a new CD by Mark Ronson. I loved it, and Mike’s instincts were right on the, err, money again.

    Now this is going to be tough so follow along:

    Mark is a Gen X guitarist , DJ and *amazing* producer. He produced most of Amy Winehouse’s “Back to Black” album. He signed Wale to his label. He’s produced Adele and the Kaiser Chiefs, Christina Aguilera and Ghostface Killah. Mark is a genius producer who has worked with some of pop music’s best names and produced songs you’ve heard on the radio.

    Years ago, there was another genius named Ronson: Mick Ronson. MIck was an even better guitarist. He was at David Bowie’s side for eight albums, including the Spiders from Mars phase. He played with Dylan and The Who. Mick Ronson is rock music royalty.

    But Mick Ronson and Mark Ronson are NOT related. Mark, the guy born in the ’70s, is the stepson of another music legend: Mick Jones.  Now Mick Jones of The Clash is music royalty too, with a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But before you scream, “Oh, I love The Clash” or “London Calling is my favorite album”, there were two British guys named Mick Jones playing lead guitar in famous bands. There’s Mick Jones of The Clash and Mick Jones of Foreigner. It’s the latter guy, Mick Jones of Foreigner, who is Mark Ronson’s step-father.  And darn if Foreigner wasn’t  a whole lot more successful than you might remember.

    So let’s review:

    • Mick Ronson is an original guitar hero.
    • Mark Ronson is not his son.
    • Mick Jones is Mark Ronson’s step-father.
    • But not Mick Jones of The Clash.
    • Mick Jones of Foreigner is Mark Ronson’s step-father.

    If  you’ve got all that straight, or even if you didn’t, here is the hottest single in multiple countries: Mark Ronson’s Uptown Funk, featuring Bruno Mars, a name that’s about as original as they come. Because you see, Bruno’s real name is Peter  Hernandez, and no one would want to confuse him with one hit wonder Patrick Hernandez, who had a worldwide hit in 1979 with “Born to be Alive”.

     

     

  • Morning Tunes

    Morning Tunes

    Here in Germany, it’s cold and dark in the morning until after 8:00am during the winter months. Sometimes morning tunes are the only way to get my eyes to open.

    So what are my favorite morning tunes? I’d say it depends on my mood. Some mornings, I prefer something energetic and loud. For instance, this morning I’ve got Earth, Wind, & Fire’s classic 1981 album Raise! playing on my computer. There’s something about Philip Bailey’s soaring falsetto and heavy electric guitars that was on my mind this morning. So the first song I decided to play was “Evolution Orange”, which is a song that is kind of special to me. Back in the mid 90s, I was still somewhat interested in trying to be fit and used to jog to this album. “Evolution Orange” is a great song for running. Sadly, I can’t find a video for it on YouTube. Just so you know, finding videos in Germany is harder than it is in the United States because Germany is a lot stricter about content sharing and copyright enforcement.


    I did, however, find a video of “Let’s Groove”, which is from the same album.

    Some mornings, I’m in a more low key mood and prefer something less energetic. I especially prefer these calmer songs when I’m working on something that requires intense thought. When that happens, there’s no telling what I’ll end up playing. A little Phil Coulter when I need to think is a good thing…


    Phil Coulter’s version of “Going Home”…

    When I worked as a technical writer in South Carolina, I used to listen to a lot of Eden’s Bridge in the morning. Eden’s Bridge is a Christian band from Ireland. I am not particularly religious; I just really like good music. Eden’s Bridge is comprised of very talented musicians and they play beautiful and often original Celtic style music. I found it easy to think and create when listening to them play, so I’d often wear a pair of headphones while writing passages about how certain chronic diseases were trending in the state of South Carolina.


    I probably would have chosen an original tune to post here, but again, it’s hard to do that in Germany! Besides, I do like Eden Bridge’s spiritual rendition of “Awesome God”. It’s not cheesy… it’s Celtic!

    If I’m feeling more secular and need something good for thinking, I might choose something by Zero 7 or Dead Can Dance. They’re also great choices for when I need “evening tunes”.


    Zero 7’s “In the Waiting Line”. This song is both sexy and sort of clinical. It’s great for thinking.


    Dead Can Dance never gets old, though “The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove” has been around since 1993.

    And then there are the mornings when I’m feeling both soulful and energetic. I may reach for Ray Charles… or Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint.


    I miss Ray Charles. He was just brilliant. At least I can listen to him sing “Oh What A Beautiful Morning”.

    Seriously… I wasn’t even thinking of Ray Charles before I started writing this post and watching the above video just put a big smile on my face. Ray Charles was just an amazing entertainer and musician.


    Elvis Costello and Allen Touissant are a winning pair, especially in the morning.

    And finally, there’s Lenny Kravitz and his Led Zeppelinesque “Are You Gonna Go My Way”…


    This song never fails to get the blood pumping.

    I think there’s definitely a good reason why morning news shows play rock songs during their broadcasts. They are a great way to get going in the morning. On a totally unrelated note, once again I’m realizing how eclectic my musical tastes are. You never know whats going to be playing at my house.

  • Cash-N-Go

    Cash-N-Go

    Yesterday, I discovered a great German a capella group called Cash-N-Go!

    YouTube strikes again! An online friend of mine from Germany recently sent me some adorable cartoons featuring Swabish characters Äffle & Pferdle. One of the videos was of the characters on a train dancing to a song called “Auf der schwäbsche Eisebahne”.


    I played this for my husband, Bill, and he said he recognized the tune…

    I went looking for more examples of the song “Auf der schwäbsche Eisebahne” and found a couple more examples, including one from a group called Cash-N-Go. I had no idea who these folks were until I found their video of them performing “Auf der schwäbsche Eisebahne”.


    It’s worth listening to them when they get cranked up on this…

    One thing led to another and I kept searching for more by this very impressive group. I found them singing old Bee Gees songs…


    This is a very enjoyable performance, especially if you remember when these songs were popular.

    And ABBA songs, too…


    They get very intricate with their acapella renditions of ABBA’s best known songs.

    As a singer myself, I know how hard it can be for a group to stay on pitch and maintain rhythm accurately. Cash-N-Go manages to do that and be very entertaining. This is a group with a great sense of humor and healthy appreciation for crowd pleasing classic songs. I think my favorite of all the songs I found yesterday is “Gute Laune kommt nicht von ungefähr”.


    Yes, this song is about boozing… and it includes a funny video, too.

    Most impressively, they take on Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody”, too…


    I think they do a fine job with a classic Queen song…

    I wouldn’t say I’m usually a big fan of a capella music, but I really think this group is entertaining. I’d like to catch one of their shows if the opportunity presents itself. If we stay in Germany, I have a feeling it will! In the meantime, I will keep watching cute Äffle & Pferdle cartoons and looking for other great German acts. I haven’t found any Cash-N-Go music on Amazon yet, but I bet it’s coming. Stay tuned!