Ok, So Blog Post Numbah 3! Dinner For Two

So, I spent a lovely day with Taffy and Babaloo all over Florida (You'll hear about that on a future episode of the podcast), but a good chunk of it was spent eating small bites...and a couple of big ones, too).  This got me thinking, there has to be a few people, living or dead, real or not, you would want to have a meal with, get to know, learn about more from their life experience.  And, I think I know who I would want that first dinner to be with.....

As a small gay boy in southern New Jersey, I was OBSESSED with Tina Turner.  The two gay teens next door (there must have been something in the water) LOVED the Private Dancer record, and would play it all the time on their record player and/or cassette deck.  I remember watching the "What's Love Got To Do With It?" video for the first time and thinking that this woman was COMPLETELY different from all the other women on MTV at the time.  She was older, black, soulful and looked like she couldn't give less of a shit what you thought about her.  The video quickly became one of my favorites, but then when her second single came out, it was all over.  I was completely enamored with this power house.  

Those of us from a certain time cannot NOT sing along to this song, I am sorry.

I begged for the album for Christmas that year and got the cassette.  "Private Dancer" is a classic album that, in my opinion, holds up to this day.  Yes, some of the synthesizers and backing vocals are dated, but the passion, the rock and roll, the real emotion behind the song.  While I was not a huge fan of her cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together," I realize now that I was just emotionally ready at  the age of 11 to appreciate the maturity of that song.  I asked for her autobiogrpahy "I, Tina" for my birthday and read it cover to cover.  (This would PROBABLY be a warning sign for the inevitable  coming out process for my parents years later - proverbial bread crumbs, so to speak.)  The pain and perseverance that she went through, the highs and the lows.... it was something that I couldn't fathom something a person could go through and come back from. 

Tina Turner released albums over the next 15 years, some of which I loved ("Break Every Rule") and wasn't thrilled about ("Twenty Four Seven"), but I always have the utmost respect for a person who stays true to herself and does so with grace, beauty, perseverance and soul.  If I could have dinner with Tina Turner, I would want it to be a meal where I could learn about where her strength comes from, what it takes to get back up after being knocked down, and what the fruits of that labor must be like now.

I would like to make this a regular segment on the blog this month, and hope that, while the people I would like to have dinner with won't all be on this level (I can think of one personality off the top of my head that would definitely be a more fun dinner), I hope this makes you think...who would YOU want to have dinner with?  I'd love to know - leave me a comment!

Ok, So 6 Things About..... Beyonce's Video for 1+1

1.) Open your eyes.  Looking sexy only works if you don't look like you need a nippa-nap.
2.) Am I the only one who, when she says, "I don't know much about algebra..." thinks of "U + Me = US" by 2ge+her?
3.) The whole mirror screen thing?  Very Prince, circa 1984
4.) The song itself?  Very Tina Turner, circa 1984
5.) Are her parents still her managers?  Do they watch these videos of her yell-singing "Make love to me!" and think, "Good!  Just the image we want to project!"  Do you think her parent's get freaky to her music?  (Actually, forget I asked that...I don't want to know..)
6.) I kinda like this song.

Ok, So But Is There Any Kenny G?!?

A list that I am sure will keep Taffy and Tank arguing for hours...and by arguing I mean having meaningful deep philisophical discussions while he is, in fact, balls deep inside her....

Ok, So Icehouse

Taffy and I were talking on the way back from the Fringe Festival the other night about videos from when we were kids, and one that used to scare the hell out of me (I was 9, I think) was the video for the song "Icehouse" by the band Icehouse from their album...you guessed it...Icehouse. I found the video online. It's cheesy now, but this video was the reason my father said we couldn't watch MTV anymore. Granted, that declaration lasted about a week, but still.

Ironcially, Icehouse came back in the late 80s with one of my FAVORITE songs from High School, Crazy. Nice Mullet.

Ok, So Otherwise Known As A Wednesday Night At Casa Huffington

So is this video an homage to Madonna (with a little George Michael thrown in for good measure) or what??!? She gets a little Britney-esque (read: trashy) with the shock value a couple of times, but given this is the girl who sang "Candyman," I can forgive it :)

Ok, So It's On, Huffington....

So, while Babaloo and I enjoyed a lovely dinner with the Huffingtons (that, surprisingly to most of our listeners, didn't involve the words Kingdom or Mouse), Taffy made an off the cuff comment that left me a little speechless.

"Parade is a much better album that Purple Rain."

Um, what?!?

Let's table this discussion until our next episode. Rodan will be lost, but, let's face it, he usually is (and it's not like he'll see this).

Ok, So A Great Song Made Better, In My Humble Opinion....

Ok, So, Um...You Know You're Not 23 Anymore, Right?

The song isn't bad, but isn't this music video that looks like an ad for Target a little young for you, Mrs. Cannon? Oh, and Taffy, there's a treat for you at the end!!!

And who's the scary spice looking mf-er next to her?

Ok, So It Makes Me Feel Old, But It's A Great Article....

I can't believe Tina Turner's classic almbum Private Dancer is 25 years old this year! And Tina just turned 70 yesterday. Here is a great article talking about how Tina came back from having only 36 cents and a Mobil credit card to a Grammy award winning singer and the true Queen of Rock and Roll.

Ok, Boring Video, Beautiful Song

I found this song on my iPod last night via shuffle - it must have been a free download a while back. Anyway, it is a great song that reminds me of the end of all those coming of age movies in the 80s. It fits my mood today, so I thought I would share it with you.

Ok, So Ask (during a conversation at lunch), Taffy, and Ye Shall Recieve

If THIS is coming, can a tour be far behind?

Ok, So Yes, Please!

Finally, Vanessa Williams has a new album coming out!
Love her! Love the song! It's very "Me and Mrs Huffington, we got a thing goin' on!"

Ok, So Taffy Wants To Make A Lip Synch Video...

a forgotten classic from my iTunes library - I loved this song back in the day....

Ok, So Who Knew Bill Paxton Had Anything To Do With This?

This video was discussed today in the car on the way to lunch, proving that we Taffy and I may actually be getting close to running out of things to talk about.

The first two minutes and 20 seconds of this are kinda torture, and I don't remember it when it was shown on MTV.

Barnes & Barnes |MTV Music

Ok, So When We Do The Inevitable Top Songs Episode of PiMC

The Pretenders |MTV Music

...this one would have to be a contender...

Ok, So I LOVE That This Song Was Played In The First 24 Hours Of MTV'S Existence....

Andrew Gold |MTV Music

I also love that, according to the playlist that MTV.com has posted, that apparently a song by Carly Simon was followed by a song by Iron Maiden. Of course it was.

Ok, So I Talked About This Song On The Latest Show....

Ok, So Two of Taffy's Favorites Come Together....

(AP)NEW YORK – Prince is coming to a Target near you.
The superstar is releasing a three-disc CD through the retailer at the end of this month. The set will include two new albums as well as one by his new artist, Bria Valente, for the price of $11.98.
Prince is just the latest music legend to release new music exclusively through a major retailer. AC/DC and the Eagles were among the acts who sold millions of CDs through their partnership with Wal-Mart.
The CD set will be on sale at Target and its Web site on March 29.

Ok, So Let's Hear It For Guilty Pleasures!

Yes, it was WAY overpriced, but I ponied up on my amazon.com wish list and bought myself the import 5 Star: Legends, their 3 disc retrospective...and it came in the mail today! Woo hoo!

For those of you that, you know, care, 5 Star was a band in the mid to late 80's that consisted of three sisters and two brothers from England. While they never went mainstream here, they were apparently the shit in England. Some of their songs include "If I Say Yes," "R.S.V.P" and "All Fall Down." They had a few albums in the early 90s (one of which, Shine, is one of my favorite albums) and then they kinda faded away. Two of them are still trying to keep the name going or something, releasing remixes of their old songs. They're videos are ridiculous and all over the YouTubes.

Anyway, their music is mindless bubblegum pop that reminds me of happy times in middle and high school. I own most of the songs already, but this set helps me to complete my digital collection of 5 Star music.

What are YOUR guilty pleasures?

Ok, So This Just Bums Me Out

I have been a huge fan of BNL for at least a decade, and now I find out this. Talk about sucky!