...The Quick And Easy Way...

...leads to the Dark Side of The Force. I wanted to make a quick post so I'm just gonna go on about whatever comes up in shuffle mode on my IPOD. It's a popular blog gimmick and I love it so here it goes!

1. Aerosmith "Rag Doll" (live)

My Ipod has been Aerosmith crazy lately, almost like it could sense a tremor in The Force. How has this year gone for the Beantown boys? Guitarist Brad Whitford got hurt, then I think drummer Joey Kramer got hurt, then I think bassist Tom Hamilton had an operation, then Steven Tyler fell off a stage-and all that before the recent drama. Tyler's revolving door answers to if he's in or out of Aerosmith gives me a headache. I'm so glad I got to see them live a few years ago, even with them playing a truncated set and Hamilton being absent (I believe he was battling Cancer at the time) they were great. "Seasons Of Wither" was awesome in that show.

2. White Stripes "Conquest"

One of my favorite White Stripes songs, unique with that Spanish sound added to the heavy drums / guitar combo that is their trademark. Jack White's vocal has a playful absurd tone to it which is very funny. I often skipped to this song on the CD during my commute to work a few years back, it got me pumped up like I was bull fighting or something.

3. Arcade Fire "Intervention"

Not since the glory days of Rick Wakeman can I recall this much church organ in a song. Off the excellent Neon Bible album, I like the downtrodden mood and cynicism balanced with longing for a way out in this track.

4. Led Zeppelin "Stairway To Heaven"

And she's buy-yuy-ying a sta-hair-way...to he-avennn. Well, I'm going to have some time to do some typing now won't I? For the first five years or so of my buying and listening to rock music, I did not hear this song. Heard it about it, yes, but actually heard it, no. Once I did hear it, I thought "Is that it?". Years later in college I had a tv production class where the assignment was to create a production about a poem. I asked if song lyrics counted (because I don't know poetry from jack) and was told yes, so my production was me reading the lyrics to this song while we did slow camera movements on pics taken from a Best Photos From Life Magazine issue. After reading the lyrics over and over from this assignment I came to appreciate the song more. While they didn't invent the soft to loud song pace, their influence is unmistakable on other rock bands that copy this structure. The best rip off? Whitesnake's "Sailing Ships" from the Slip Of The Tongue disc. Guitarist Steve Vai tears it up while Coverdale wails, blasphemous as it is I like "Sailing Ships" better than "Stairway".

5. Courtney Jaye "I Need Love"

This is off one of the Paste Magazine samplers, this is my first listen of it. Hmmm...pleasant Country rock with a sort of George Harrison slide guitar lick and clip cloppy percussion. A sort of updated 70's feel. Stuff like this is what I like about Paste samplers, it gives me exposure to new music that fits my style. Twangy female vocal is good. Nice song, it's growing on me.

6. Jake Shimabukuro "3rd Stream"

Another Paste Magazine track, very intricate acoustic guitar here. Sort of Hawaiian mixed with some Spanish guitar it sounds like. I like acoustic guitar solos where it's very complex with all these neato nimble finger moves you can hear. This is even better than the last song, good stuff. Makes me want to go to Starbucks and order a Mocha Latte. I think the free Itunes download I got from Starbucks for Roberto Y Gabriela is in the same vein. Impressive...most impressive. (An update, now that I've looked this up on You Tube dude is playing a ukelale. Wow)

7. The Beatles "Here Comes The Sun"

In my book, George Harrison is the best Beatle. For me, that is. Lennon's avant garde touches could get a little too "out there" for me, while McCartney's melodicism could get a bit wimpy. Harrison had a direct approach that balanced melody and guitars in a way that appealed to me...that is except for hippy trippy stuff like "Within You Without You" of course. When Harrison died, this song was featured in just about every televised tribute to the man and with good reason, its a great song. So breezy and hopeful without being slight. Awesome.

8. Boston "What's Your Name"

I have a ton of Boston on my Ipod, which would mean something except they only have like five albums. This came from the Walk On Cd aka the one where they started using synthesizers. Seemed totally wrong for Boston, who proudly advertised on their record jackets that they didn't use synthesizers, would turn around and use them. It's not like it saved them time in recording, the gap between Walk On in 1994 and the prior album Third Stage in 1986 was eight freakin' years. Oh, back to the song. I love the guitar solo part of "What's Your Name", where the multitracked guitars solo in unison while another guitar in the background makes this descending sound like a spaceship landing.

9. Tommy TuTone "867-5309 Jenny"

A classic of arena sized power pop, it instantly takes me back to 1982. All those news stories of people dialing this phone number, a number that belonged to real people, was funny or what we in '82 liked to call "gnarly". Too bad Tommy TuTone couldn't come up with another humdinger of a pop hit like "Jenny". This song still fires me up and has me dreaming of the numerous county fairs this song must be played at annually. I want me some corn dogs!

10. Mary J Blige "Real Love"

Mary Mary, why you buggin? Sorry, couldn't resist that. You know, as big a hit as this song was in the early 90's it was some tv commercial a year back that got me into this song. Was it a phone commercial? Probably. I like the occasional R&B song and Blige has come up with a winner on occasion, she had some song that sampled part of a soap opera theme (Young and the Restless?) for an aptly titled tune "No More Drama" that I liked too. Didn't care as much for her duet with U2 on "One" though, a little over the top on that one. Anyway, I like the groove here with the slow heavy bass and antsy piano figure on top while Mary soulfully wails away.

All right, that was painless - for me that is. Not as painful as being cut off at the legs with a light saber or anything. And now Lord Vader...rise!

Mr Mike's High School Record Collection: Duran Duran - Seven And The Ragged Tiger (1984)

I guess I'm never going to get around to writing about Emerson, Lake and Powell because I keep thinking of other albums to write about. While in a Barnes and Noble bookstore today viewing the plethora of Twilight New Moon books, games, picture books, etc it struck me that no one has remade Duran Duran's "New Moon On Monday". With all the 80's songs getting remade by newer acts to tie in with a movie or tv show, this seemed an obvious choice. It appears to not be though, leaving me with my memories of the Duranie's third album. The British quintet were at the height of their popularity, regularly appearing on MTV and teen girls walls all over the Western world. This was one of the last records I taped off my buddy Mike, who was really into Duran Duran for a week and then turned completely Metal the next. No longer interested in the musical qualifications of Duran squared, he derisively (and very un Pc by todays standards) declared this album Seven and the F*ggot Tiger. And I would point out to him that it was he who bought this record. And he would claim that was before he realized they sucked. Proving that teenagers can't argue with other teenager's logic, because there is none.

1. The Reflex

I don't know if it happens as much now, back in the day it was common for singles to be remixed for radio - which meant if you spent your $7.99 for the record by the time the tune hit the airwaves it didn't match what you had bought. Instead, it sounded better leaving me wondering what the hell I just spent my money on. Though I didn't spend money on this one, still I felt ripped off. And so it goes with "The Reflex", one of Duran Duran's greatest hits. On record "The Reflex" dragged a little though that lumbering bass line, prancing keyboards and Le Bon's riddle filled lyrics were intact. It was OK but once the 45 came out with the remixed "Sha la la la"s and tightened song length "The Reflex" became audio awesomeness. The breakdown with Roger Taylor's fancy drumwork and John Taylor's bass shone brighter in the remix adding more dynamics to this jam. Still one of their most enduring hits, a segment of one of the American Pie sequels had its funniest bit with the jock dude dancing to this. Oh, the video clip for this song was one of the best live footage style promos I've seen, great editing and camera work. Because Simon Le Bon's lyrics are obtuse, I wondered: Is "The Reflex" him singing about, er, "Turning Japanese"? If you know the rumored story behind that song you know what I mean. It's the same subject matter that was tackled in Def Leppard's "Let It Go" and Foo Fighters "All My Life" for those in need of a bigger hint.

2. New Moon On Monday

You have frosted moussed hair, guyliner, pouty expressions...c'mon say it: Duran Duran. Before Vampires were cool, before the Wall was torn down, five English pretty boy musicians railed for an abstract rebellion in the super cool video for "New Moon On Monday". Because if you're going to rebel, why not base it on a lunar calendar? In a case where a video overtakes the song its for, the meaning of "New Moon" for me is that video so I didn't bother to try deciphering the lyrics. I wanted to join a vague European underground movement so I could send coded messages with matchboxes and wave burning torches at people. Saw this video often after coming home from school and tuning into the California Music Channel. Still floored that no one has remade this song. Please please tell me now if it ever does get remade. (A note, the link with the song title is the original video and below is an alternate version)

3. (I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement

A filler track for sure, it wasn't their best by a long shot. Just mediocre pop, quite a comedown after a strong debut and the near faultless Rio records. They were the shizzle, the bees knees, the living end in '84 due to good music and their photogenic looks. Thanks to the increased demand the group was a little "ragged" at this point and I think choked a touch trying to follow up on their massive success. Duran Duran would never be as strong musically as the first two records, what would follow would be decent albums with a few highpoints each time out. At least guitarist Andy Taylor gets to cut loose a little here on the solo, something he would later leave the group to get more of. A few years later I saw Taylor perform live at a concert, he tried hard but was bor-ing! I would fast forward this song when I would play back this album on my trusty Maxell 90 minute tape.

4. I Take The Dice

Duran took the dice because they owned the game at this point. Girls on the bus would go on and on loudly about how hot they thought John or Roger Taylor was and trade teen mags about the group. At the time this seemed obnoxious, but looking back when was the last time a boy band played their own instruments or wrote their own distinct style of music? We had it pretty good to have a teen pop group with some musical talent that extends beyond choreography. Now, is it me or does Simon Le Bon's voice could get kinda whiny? Remember when he was in that boat race and his boat flipped over? Did you know he nearly drowned filming the video for "Wild Boys"? Why am I spouting random Simon Le Bon trivia?? I have no freakin' clue.

5. Of Crime And Passion

Ending side one is this fast paced ditty, it doesn't go very far though. The beat is quick, Nick Rhodes' shiny keyboards provide a decent fanfare and the chorus has that exclamatory "look here" or "look away" that Le Bon loves. It reminds me that I really liked the song at the end of side one of Rio called "Hold Back The Rain". There was this girl on the school bus who loved Duran Duran that I thought was kinda attractive, it was a cloudy day so getting off the bus I sarcastically said to her "Hold Back The Rain". When the bus doors shut behind me, I looked back to see her stand up and mouth "F*ck you!" at me through the bus window. Ah, teen romance. So mature of me to provoke her like that.

6. Union Of The Snake

Okay, if "The Reflex" isn't about sex then surely "Union Of The Snake" is? Nick Rhodes serves up a killer keyboard riff and the appropriately slinky groove works. One of my favorite song hooks, "The Union (Bam!) Of The Snake is on the clliiimmmbbbb" is forever stuck in my head. This video was huge news and played nonstop on all video programs when this was released. The fact that this promo clip made no sense was all the better, I mean what is going on in this video? Something about being like Indiana Jones and elevators or some crap? Man, I miss ridiculously expensive high concept videos where it only makes sense halfway, honestly I do. I dunno, more random trivia did you know Nick Rhodes produced Kajagoogoo? Yeah, he had a hand in "Too Shy". Small world. Although I don't think Rhodes had anything to do with that group shooting themselves in the foot by firing Limahl and shortening their moniker to Kaja. And regarding the world, below is the band's appearance at Live Aid performing this song!

7. Shadows On Your Side

Duran Duran was all about faux sophistication, capturing that feeling of getting all gussied up for a school dance. You know that feeling, you got your pleated pants, Izod shirt and Members Only jacket on to impress the ladies with your bad self. Because when you put on a Members Only jacket, something happens. I wish, nothing ever happened to me wearing that dumb jacket! Alright, maybe that was just me. In any event, this song is fast and forgettable yet makes me feel like James Bond listening to it. Which is a good fit, since their theme song was the best part of A View To A Kill.

8. Tiger Tiger

Speaking of James Bond, there was this character in You Only Live Twice named Tiger Tanaka that was pretty cool. And Mary Jane calls Peter Parker "Tiger". But Duran Duran, making a thing out of repeating a word twice twice, have this pleasant instrumental called "Tiger Tiger". This is one of the most listenable tracks on the record, full of cool atmospherics. Produced by Alex Sadkin, a guy that had a firm grasp on echoey sound effects who would later turn in outstanding work on Foreigner's Agent Provacateur album.

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9. Seventh Stranger

When they were on, Duran Duran could get a bit exotic and mysterious. While I guess I could compare this style to Roxy Music, they could be a little haunting. They nail that mood here, the closing track. Any vampire would be happy to stalk his prey listening to this dark, slow tune. This would be the last album the original lineup (Le Bon, Rhodes and the three Taylors) would record together until the 21st Century. After the side projects of Arcadia and The Power Station, Duran Duran would be cut down to a three piece of Le Bon, Rhodes and John Taylor for many years to come.

Duran Duran, the last of the teeny bopper bands to have any musical cred (though I guess Hanson comes close for playing their own instruments as well). They rode the New Romantic vibe and flashy music videos to success creating a sound that succeeded in putting style over substance.

Welcome To The Occupation

Rating:

I finished watching a BBC miniseries called Occupation, a daring drama looking at three fictional British soldiers who fight in the second Iraq war. After the war, the soldiers find themselves returning to Iraq during the reconstruction for both mercenary and personal reasons. It's a sobering look at the Iraq war and its aftermath.

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Shot in a documentary style with handheld cameras complete with the jittery closeups and swish pans that go with it, Occupation has an undeniable tension and edge throughout. The viewpoint of the piece that I got out of it was of how greed under the guise of emancipation has led to the West mucking about in an area it can never understand, only exploit at a high body count. And it illustrates its points with some strong storytelling.

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The storylines follow three guys, the first being a sargeant who makes headlines for his rescue of a young Iraqi girl during combat. Sgt. Mike becomes a national hero, but he falls in love with the Iraqi doctor who worked on the girl which leads to personal and cultural turmoil for everyone involved. Meanwhile, the more brutish Danny hooks up with an American ex-soldier after the war to become fly by night "security contractors" raking in big bucks with no credentials other than a brief case and guns. The third guy "Hibbsy" starts out as an innocent idealist wanting to build a better Iraq who becomes increasingly disillusioned as the series progresses.

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Since this is a British program, Americans are presented as more cold hearted cynics than the heavy hearted Englishmen shown which is interesting to see when you're used to American television like me. Ironically, the real stand out performance in Occupation to me was the main American character Lester played by British actor Nonso Anozie. Anozie is so convincing as the pragmatic profit minded American that I didn't think he was British until I looked it up online. A very impressive and commanding presence with great skill.

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That isn't to say Occupation is perfect, like anything in tv or film that shoots for realism but still wants to moralize by stringing together running characters by "coincidence" (like the "coincidence" crazy Academy Award winning Crash from a few years ago) it reminds you that you are watching a piece of fiction. Ditto a love scene between the British Sargeant and the Iraqi doctor that seemed to shoot for some unneeded shock value, or at least unsubtle symbolism. These little things took me out of the story at key moments in the second half of the series.

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Occupation is a good miniseries packed with drama and some thought provoking moments. In a sad way, it's actually a bit haunting as well. It may not be easy to find here (I found it on the BBC America channel by accident) but well worth seeking out.