Ghanaian Funk Under Neon: "Let's Go Funky Town" by Sidiku Buari and His Jam Busters (1983)

Instrumental Funk Under Neon: "The Chicken" by Jaco Pastorius (1983)

Under Neon Movie Reviews: "Highlander III: The Sorcerer" (1983)

Movie: Highlander III: The Sorcerer (Highlander: The Final Dimension)
Year: 1983
Rating: 2/5 Stars **

Wow, so this is another of those part 3 movies that says "we acknowledge that the second movie was a complete steaming pile so just pretend it never happened." And so it goes that this 3rd part actually is to take up just a few years after the original and Mccleod has to fight a long lost immortal who was buried in a mountain for 400 years. It really is irritating to me how they totally screwed up the sequels and in my opinion they should have just stuck with the original 1st Highlander and left it at that. This one was definitely better than the 2nd movie, but is the same formula as #1 and pales in comparison. Watch it if you are a big fan and try not to be too disappointed.

Under Neon Movie Review: 'Videodrome' (1983)

Movie: Videodrome
Year: 1983
Our Rating: 6/10 Stars ******

Wow! Kind of a crazy movie, but really not far from the truth, and I wouldn't be surprised if the various spy agencies haven't tried/even achieved programming people to be killers/drones like all those conspiracy-theorists believe...maybe even unintentionally. The special effects in this movie are dated, but still worth watching once, though they may creep some out, as the whole premise of the movie is a bit strange and twisted. James Woods was so young in this that you might not recognize him, but that was the early 80s. This one is probably considered a b-movie sci-fi horror classic by now, so if you are into that then check it out.

A Brief Movie Review for Lianna (1983)

Movie = Lianna (1983)

Director = John Sayles

Rating = 2.5/5 Stars **'

Lianna (1983) is one of director John Sayles's first movies, and it is about a middle-aged married woman with two kids who falls in love with one of her female professors and realizes that she too is actually a lesbian. The story deals with her leaving her husband (who is also a college professor) and the difficulties she has with trying to fit back in to a society that looks down on her and her sexual identity. This one is worth watching at least once, although the quality of acting is not too great, but the social issues and how people deal with them makes the story watchable. Youtube doesn't seem to have the movie trailer so head over to imdb.com HERE for more info and movie reviews.

Brief Movie Review for 'Baby It's You' (1983)

 Baby It's You (1983)

4/5 Stars ****

This movie is more than just your standard formula 80's teen movie. It really is a social commentary film about class and opportunity in America. The young-hot-shot guy who is filled with the confidence of youth, but comes from a poor family and neighborhood (with no real support network) goes for the pretty jewish girl, who's father is a successful Doctor, and who has a family that supports her emotionally and financially. This movie is more honest in my opinion about the two different worlds that these two come from and how that in the end, ultimately reveals how they ultimately never had a chance to begin with. Nuff said, check this one out.

#34 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: "Rebel Yell" by Billy Idol (1983)

Now presenting #34 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown, and the song is...Rebel Yell by a true British-punk-rocker and legend Billy Idol. Now, this is the second Billy Idol song to appear on the Top 100 Countdown, and like I said before, it may not be the last one. And, from my previous post:  Idol's real name is William Michael Albert Broad, and he was born on  November 30th, 1955 in Stanmore, Middlesex, England, which makes the  Brit rocker 54 this year! Idol bounced around a bit in his earlier  years, and in fact was first a member of the punk-rock band Siouxsie and the Banshees in 1976, but before they were actually called Siouxsie and the Banshees. In 1977 he moved on to join Chelsea, and then with bandmate Tony James he quit and co-founded the band Generation X,  at which point he switched from guitar to lead vocals. In 1981 Idol  moved to New York and started up his successful solo career. Rebel Yell was released in 1983 as Idol's 2nd studio album, which produced 4 singles that appeared on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. The album itself peaked at #6 on that year's Billboard Hot 200 albums chart. MTV featured 3 of the hit videos off of this album for the songs Flesh for Fantasy, Eyes Without a Face, and Rebel Yell. This past Summer I was shocked to hear that Idol has since started doing small time gigs for Summer-fairs in relatively random and rural US cities?? Now, the reason why I was shocked, is because you look at some other bands from the 80's who are still charging over $500.00/ticket at their shows and yet Idol is playing these smalltime gigs, and he really is one of my favorite 80's artists, I guess them's the breaks, or something like that...Anyways, onwards to #33!

#37 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown: "All Night Long (All Night)" by Lionel Richie (1983)

#37 of the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown is....All Night Long (All Night), by R&B-Soul Giant and American singer-songwriter-record producer Lionel Richie! Now I can admit that I am not that well versed in Lionel Richie's works, but I do know a couple of his songs, and I also knew I had to include this one on the dance hits countdown! Lionel Richie was born June 20th, 1949 in Tuskegee, Alabama USA. Now some of you may already know that Richie joined up as a member/ singer/saxophonist for the classic Motown Records soul-funk group the Commodores in 1968. Over time he would write some hit songs for Kenny Rogers, Diana Ross, and latin jazz composer La Palabra. It wasn't until 1982 that he took his solo career with the release of his self-titled debut album which produced 3 hit singles including the #1 Billboard Hot 100 hit Truly. His second album, titled Can't Slow Down, included All Night Long (All Night), which would reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, R&B, Pop, and Adult Contemporary Charts, whilst the album itself would sell around 20 million copies and win 2 Grammy Awards, including Grammy for Album of the Year in 1985. All Night Long (All Night) is a classic 80's dance hit, which is known for its caribbean/latin flavor, of which a few other 80's icons (such as Gloria Estefan or Exposé) were also doing at that time. And according to wikipedia the song also contains an old Jamaican chant. Richie has made quite a few major performances over the years, including the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Norway, Australian Idol in 2007, and American Idol in 2009. We hope to see more from Lionel Richie in the years to come! That all said, I am in the process of brewing up a top 20 or 25 80's Christmas songs, but I have yet to put that together, so for now, start gearing up and watching your 80's Christmas favorites, I know I will be (Scrooged, Christmas Vacation, Die Hard, just to name a few), and then next up we are already going to be on #36!

#44 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Peter Schilling: Major Tom (Coming Home) (1983)

Here is #44! And the song is...Major Tom (Coming Home)," by 80's German synth-pop artist Peter Schilling. Peter Schilling was born on January 28, 1956 in Stuttgart, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, and he began his music career back in the 1970's. His songs were known for featuring sci-fi sorts of themes, such as astronauts, aliens, holocausts, and other dark sorts of post-apocalyptic imagery. Major Tom (Coming Home) is considered to be his one international hit song and was featured on his 1983 album titled Error in the System. According to wikipedia, it was intended as a re-telling of the 1969 David Bowie song Space Oddity. There isn't a whole heap more of information out there on Schilling, other than he had a few other single releases worth mentioning and checking out including The Different Story (1986) and Terra Titanic (1984). I included this track on the Countdown I spent many a night dancing to it at a local 80's night and the DJ used to always play this song, and obviously the chorus is the sweetest part. It is a bit hard to locate the English version of the song as Itunes and Amazon seem to only carry the German language version, which is annoying, but as they say 'seek and ye shall find.' Enjoy, and we are already on to rest of the countdown!

#55 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!: "The Reflex" by Duran Duran (1983)

Welcome back to the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Today is Friday, September 17th, 2010 and we are at #55, and the song is....The Reflex, by the all-to-famous, (and not to mention my favourite band of all time) English synth-pop-rock band Duran Duran. The Reflex appeared on their Novemeber of 1983 release album Seven and the Ragged Tiger, it was their 3rd full length release studio album. A direct quote from wikipedia states the following:

"Simon Le Bon said the album "is an adventure story about a little commando team. 'The Seven' is for us — the five band members and the two managers — and 'the Ragged Tiger' is success. Seven people running after success. It's ambition. That's what it's about."

The Reflex was later released as a remixed single in April of 1984, and it would become Duran Duran's most successful single, which I find surprising as they had so many other songs I would have guessed to have been bigger hits. In fact, it would prove to be their last UK #1 hit, and it was their first single to peak at #1 on the US Billboard Hot 100. All of that said, this has been the second Duran Duran song to appear on this countdown and be forewarned, there will be more to come....Don't miss them live if you get the chance to see them whilst on tour.

#77 of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!

Welcome back everybody! I am here today to present #77 of the Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown. You know, I keep coming across songs that I forgot about or that I haven't heard in awhile thinking that I should have made this countdown an even Top 200 or something, but I suppose I can just post my own professional recommendations following the countdown, and in the meantime lets just get on with it!! Ok, so number 77 is....Burning Up, by the Queen of Pop herself Madonna! Now like I mentioned in the (#80) MJ post Madonna, Prince, and MJ all turned 50 last year, making them all 51 this year of 2010. The Queen of Pop was born on August 16, 1958 in Bay City, Michigan, and it was back in 1977 when she moved to the Big Apple to pursue a career in modern dance, which inevitably led her to the music business and the amazingly prolific success she has had there over the past 31 years or so. Madonna has sold over 250 millions records over the years and is considered the best-selling female artist of the 20th century (according to wikipedia). She has also graced the silver-screen winning both a Golden Globe Award and an Oscar in 1996 for her starring role as Eva Perón in the 1996 movie Evita. There could be entire books written about the controversies, implications, and details of Madonna's life, career, and impact on global culture; in fact as the Queen of Pop she has no doubt been one of the most influential female icons in the past 30 years. Go buy a book or look her up elsewhere if you want more than what I've said here. Burning up was the 3rd track on Madonna's first studio-released and self-titled album. It was a not a big hit relative to her various other hits, I mean seriously, can you find another highly prolific artist outside of Michael Jackson with the same consistent number of mega-hits as Madonna?? That is why she is the Queen of Pop. Madonna was released in March of 1983, and Burning Up was the second single released following Physical Attraction of that first album. Well, that's all I got for you here, like a said books probably have been written and she is still producing hit albums so no need to go into depth here. Enjoy the Queen of Pop!

#93: of VJ Samsonite's Top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown!

Welcome back to VJ Samsonite's top 100 80's Dance Hits Countdown! Today we are presenting #93 of the top 100 countdown!And the song is....Maniac, by American songwriter, guitarist, and singer Michael Sembello. Now, most of you will know this song from one of the famous dancing scenes (starring Jennifer Beals) in which she is doing some fancy cathartic footwork in her 80's Jane-Fonda workout outfit. Now it might be just about impossible to leave out songs from Flashdance (1983), seeing that it was such an iconic 80's dance movie, did I hear rumors that they are remaking Flashdance (amongst other 80's classics like Footloose and Ghostbusters).. blasphemy!! Although, they basically remake everything that sees a hint of success so it is probably just one of those inevitability's. Did you know that the idea for Flashdance was inspired during a trip to a Toronto strip club?? Thanks IMDB! Now, getting back to a little bit on the artist and the song. Michael Sembello comes out of Philadelphia, and started his career primarily as a studio-guitarist for big-timers such as Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross, The Temptations, and more. Sembello's first solo album titled Bossa Nova Hotel, which included the song Maniac, reached #80 on the Billboard 200, and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September of 1983. Anyways, enough data and facts, just go out and watch yourself some Flashdance, revisit memory lane before Hollywood remakes it and ruins it all...just kidding..I hope ;-( Go Tommy Boy!