#83 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 #83 of the top 100 countdown! And the song is...I Can't Wait, by American duo Nu Shooz. Nu Shooz were a husband and wife duo consisting of John Smith and Valerie Day and were based out of Portland, Oregon USA (my hometown metro-area!). Nu Shooz released 3 studio albums during the 80's, of which the album Poolside was the most lucrative. I Can't Wait was released on this album in February of 1986, which hit #2 on the R&B charts, and #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 in June of 1986, and 15 weeks in the top 40. It also hit #1 on the Hot Club Dance Play chart. They had another hit single off of Poolside titled Point of No Return, of which I was previously unaware (and no that is not to be confused with the Expose 80's hit). This song is a dance-floor filler, as we call them, maybe not to the point that #84 was, but it sure is close. They had further releases and hits on the charts but this song, I Can't Wait, is by far the most well known of their hits. So they surpass the label of being just a one-hit-wonder, as they also had Point of No Return. I would also recommend you check out some of the remixes, which change of the originals of the songs quite well. Enjoy this 80's classic, and remember to shut up and dance!

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Tighten Up, by American blues-rock group the Black Keys. The Black Keys have been around for awhile now, they formed in Akron, Ohio back in 2001 and have released 8 studio albums a 2 EP's in that time. That is including the collaboration album they did just recently with several R&B and hip hop artists titled Blakroc, which I would highly recommend checking out if you haven't already. Also, the Black Keys are a duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. Tighten Up comes off of their latest album release Brothers, which hit the scene in May 2010, so is still fairly fresh and new. *Note, I am going to start using all wikimedia images for the bands I post as I am certain they are considered public domain, so there, and enjoy the song.

June 11, 2010

Well, so here we are, World Cup has started today, and the Celtics have tied once again the NBA finals, making them a bit more interesting. Lots of attractions and distractions, but I wonder, how long will people fall for the same old same old, and I am not talking about the sports, but more about the trend of being fickle towards world events. Life goes on, I suppose that is one thing I have learned with experience, no matter how big some event or thing or period of life seems to be, ultimately it will pass, and life always moves onwards, ever onwards as they say. I am still thinking of a period 4 years ago, during the last FIFA World Cup, back in 2006, doesn't seem like that long ago, but it has been. Anyone else found the whole 7-year cycle thing to operate in their lives? If so, that would mean I still have about 3 more years in my present cycle, unless I don't. I do remember having a conversation that struck out at me at that time though, and it was about how change just happens, even when its change we want or not, when its time it just happens of its accord. Reminds me a bit of the natural world, and how one can try all they like to make a flower bloom when they want it to (and who knows, maybe their are chemicals that cause that) but in reality the flowers bloom in due season. They bloom when conditions are ripe, and that is how it is. I think its important to remember that, rather than trying to rush everything and to have to have everything exactly how the mind says it is "supposed to be" right now. Not to say that that can't work in some cases, but it just tends to carry not so healthy and energy along with it, kind of like a pre-mature birth or something.  Now, as for the sports, I naturally would like to see the USA team do well and would be pleasantly surprise if they won even one match, but I would like to see Portugal and Spain do well, I like  Cristiano Ronaldo and I just visited Spain, so there. Well, that may be it for my daily thoughts, and I don't know why, I just thought the Goonies might cheer somebody up, it always does me ;-)  So now for the music post.
-Doc Evil

June 10th, 2010

Ahoy there! You know, I have been at this vlog/blog for a few months now and I have made it essentially a music post site. Now, I am going to keep up with that, but I also am going to start doing these whenever I remember to, that is daily posts of my thoughts and ideas or whatever. Really, since its my blog/vlog I will be writing about all sorts of stuff. I've been keeping up with my astrologer's site a bit, his name is Steve Judd and his site is here, and I have found his daily blog and monthly posts to be quite accurate and good. Steve doesn't spend a lot of time trying to predict doom and gloom, but he talks more about the energies, alignments, and what kinds of basic effects these have on individuals and collective groups of people and the planet as a whole. The reason I bring it up at all is that May-Sept. of 2010 is what Steve has referred to as a time of "Accelerated Change," for humanity and individuals, and the alignments of the planets from May to September this year are in such a way that only occurs once every 70,000 years, so it is no doubt an interesting time. I might say that your beliefs create your reality, and that believing that stuff leads one to see world events and things (many of which are always happening anyway, we are just usually not paying much attention) in a particular light. So, I would like to recommend his blog for all y'all who have time enough on your hands to ponder what it all means. I just started reading a great fiction book that my brother recommended called "The Traveller," by super-secret underground author and possibly and inter-dimensional being going by the alias of John Twelve Hawks (bravo), which is sort of like Underworld or the Matrix- where there is a secret society of warriors that "stay off the grid" and fight another secret society that really controls everything, good escapist stuff, and if its realistic, than cool enough to make a good movie series out of I suppose. I would like to add that I was stoked to see Rafael Nadal win the French Open, and we have the NBA Finals going as well as the World Cup happening, lots of games to distract and entertain us all brilliantly. Also, don't be shy in commenting, I don't bite.
-Doc Evil

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...ATX, by New York based rock group Alberta Cross. Alberta Cross was formed by Petter Ericson Stakee (vocals, guitar) & Terry Wolfers (bass), both artists are originally from UK, but now based in America. ATX comes off of their Broken Side of Time album, released in January 2010. The first time I heard this song, I thought it was Oasis, or someone who sounded a bit like them. Check wikipedia or allmusic for more info.

#84 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 #84 of the top 100 countdown! And the song is the all-time classic smash hit...Jessie's Girl, by Australian songwriter, rock musician, and actor, Rick Springfield. Now the 80's hits don't get much more legendary or classic then Jessie's Girl, which always draws a crowd to the dance-floor and gets people going in a sing-along. Rick Springfield, originally from Sydney Australia hit #1 on the charts with Jessie's Girl back in 1981, which also went on to win a Grammy Award and is to this day considered to be one of the major pop-rock hits of the emerging music video age. It doesn't get much bigger than this song, but then again it does. Stay tuned for # 83, and see how it happens!

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Dawn of the Dead, by British electronica band Does It Offend You, Yeah? Does It Offend You, Yeah? are based in Reading, England. According to wikipedia Does It Offend You, Yeah? were the ninth most listened to new band of 2008 on last.fm and were included in the best alternative music list of 2008 on iTunes. They were announced as a Rolling Stone breaking Artist in 2008, and they often work with big-time DJ's, such as Justice, Peaches, MSTRKRFT, Simian Mobile Disco, etc.. Dawn of the Dead is a single release, which debuted in 2008, so not really that new, but who bloody cares, the term newish, applies here. Enjoy!

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Two Weeks, by American folk-rock group Grizzly Bear. Grizzly Bear are based out of Brooklyn, New York and consist of Edward Droste (vocals, guitar, omnichord, keyboard), Daniel Rossen (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Chris Taylor (bass, backing vocals, various instruments, producer) and Christopher Bear (drums, backing vocals). Two Weeks is a single, and was released in May 2009. I've been randomly selecting songs from my playlist so hopefully you are all enjoying some of this stuff and getting some stuff you may not have otherwise heard. I have been making the little bio's (which are just summaries from Wikipedia really) shorter and shorter as I really don't find the details all that interesting, so I might just start doing the very basics like I did on this post. All though I will try to add a bit more info for the 80's posts, as they are tend to have a bit more history to them by nature. Enjoy!

#85 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 #85 of the top 100 countdown! And the song is the new wave classic...Kids In America, by English pop-singer, author, and television presenter, ya sabes, Kim Wilde. Kids In America was her first big time hit (and will always be ranked highly in the classic new wave 80's genre) which rocketed to #2 on the UK Singles charts upon its release in 1981. The song did not debut in the USA (ironically) until 1982 when it became a Top 30 Hit. According to wikipedia the song was originally written by Ricky and Marty Wilde, and then sent to Kim who made it big. Their was also a 1994 re-release version of the song produced for Kim's Singles Collection released that year. Saludos.

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Put It On Wax, by Aussie hip-hop artist Ozi Batla. Ozi Batla is also known as a member of Aussie hip-hop group The Herd (of whom I have posted a song for in the last few months). I don't have too much info on Ozi, but he is from Sydney and this song is pretty good, it was released in April 2010. Check out his myspace page here for more info. I just watched this video for the first time and realised that it was filmed in Carlton Gardens, right through the area I used to walk to work every morning, strange, its a small world I guess. Enjoy!

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Shadow People, by US indie rock band Dr Dog. Dr Dog are based out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and consists of Toby Leaman (bass), Scott McMicken (lead guitar), Frank McElroy (rhythm guitar), Zach Miller (keyboard), and Eric Slick (drums). Shadow People comes off of their Shame Shame album, which was just released in April, 2010. I don't have too much to say about them as I don't really know that much, so as always look them up on wikipedia or allmusic or one of the those internet databases. All though I would point out something rather obvious and that is that I reckon that they just took Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg and combined their names to get Dr Dog (but just one "g" as opposed to two). Oh, and yipee to me for actually posting a US band, note that I do have others in mind but just haven't posted them yet, so perhaps I should, but I reckon a mix of new artists from different locales is best. Keep it real peeps!

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Don't Be on With Her, by by Aussie electro-pop group Miami Horror. Miami Horror are based in Melbourne Australia, and Don't Be on With Her comes off of their Bravado EP. I have made a previous post of another song of theirs so look to it for further info, or try wikipedia. Also, note how well they have captured the 80's feel, they even got the film style down to the 80's/70's visual themes and styles, not to mention the synth. Enjoy!

And the "Hot New Music" song of the day is....

...Sticks 'N' Stones, by English indie-post-punk-revival singer/songwriter Jamie T. His full name is Jamie Alexander Treays (Jamie T for short), and he's from Wimbledon, South London, England. He has worked with the Ordinary Boys and in 2007 he won Best Solo Artist at the 2007 Shockwave NME Awards, apparently beating out Thom Yorke (of Radiohead) and Jarvis Cocker (of Pulp). Sticks N Stones appeared on his Kings and Queens album, reaching #15 on the UK Singles Charts. It was originally released in June of 2009. Now, like so many other music videos Youtube has disabled the music video from being embedded into other web pages, so go to youtube to see the actual music video. Cheers!