Category Archives: Music

Music Video of the Day: So Alive by Love and Rockets (1989, directed by Howard Greenhalgh)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Love and Rockets was an English alternative band, made up of all of the members of Bauhaus who were not named Peter Murphy.  From 1985 to 1998, before breaking up to pursue other projects, Love and Rockets released 7 studio albums.  Though Love and Rockets always struggled to escape the shadow of Bauhaus, the band was still responsible for some of the best music of the late 80s and 90s.

Their best known song was So Alive, which was a number one hit in both the United States and Canada.  The video is highly regarded by aficionados of long legs and backlighting everywhere.

The song was written by the song’s lead vocalist, Daniel Ash.  As Ash explained in an interview with Xsnozie:

“I’d gone to a party on Saturday night, and I was married at the time, and I saw this woman over the other side of the room, and I was completely transfixed which is very odd because I was freshly married.  It was very weird, but I was completely infatuated by her and so much so that I couldn’t go near her to even speak to her, it was just this overwhelming thing. I can’t explain it to this day. That’s why the first line is, ‘I don’t know what color your eyes are.’ Because I didn’t get that close, I just saw this person in the distance.”

The video was the first to be directed by Howard Greenhalgh, who would later direct the video for Soundgarden’s Black Hole Sun.

And yes, Love and Rockets did take their name from the comic book series by the Hernandez Brothers.

Music Video of the Day: Tarzan & Jane by Toy-Box (1998, directed by ????)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Lisa tells me that today is Tarzan Day so, in honor of the Lord of the Jungle, today’s music video of the day is Toy-Box’s Tarzan and Jane.

106 years ago, Tarzan made his debut in an issue of The All-Story.  Created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Tarzan was actually John Clayton, Viscount Greystoke.  Born to British nobility, Tarzan was raised in the jungle by a tribe of apes.  Tarzan’s great love was an American named Jane Porter.  After marrying Jane, Tarzan would divide his time between England and Africa, always returning to the jungle whenever the hypocrisy of civilization became too much for him to deal with.

The character of Tarzan would go on to star in numerous films and television shows.  He’s been played by everyone from Johnny Weissmuller to Buster Crabbe to Ron Ely.  In the music video for Toy-Box’s Tarzan and Jane, he’s played by Amir El-Falaki.  El-Falaki was one half of Toy-Box.  The other half, Anila Mirza, plays Jane.

Toy-Box was a Danish pop group.  They never achieved much fame in the United States but they were briefly big in Scandinavia.  Tarzan and Jane was their biggest hit, especially after it was re-released in 1999 to coincide with the release of Disney’s animated Tarzan.  Tarzan was not anything special but it will always be remembered for unleashing the Phil Collins ballad, You’ll Be In My Heart, on an unsuspecting world.

Four years after the release of Tarzan and Jane, Toy-Box broke up but they have recently reunited and performed for a series of 90s concerts.

Music Video of the Day: Miss Independent by Kelly Clarkson (2003, dir by Liz Friedlander)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

Hearing this song transports me back to 2003, when life seemed so simple and the future seemed limitless… actually, that’s the way things still seem to me in 2018.  I guess I’m a born optimist!

Anyway, I always think of this as being a song of liberation but that’s mostly just because of the title.  The lyrics are actually about an independent woman finding the courage to let people into her life.  But, ultimately, what matters is how a song — any song — makes you feel.

As for the video, I would say it features just about the safest house party that I’ve ever seen.  Compare it to the video for Fiona Apple’s Criminal.

Enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: You Don’t Get Me High Anymore by Phantogram (2016, dir by Grant Singer)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

This video from Phantogram (who are like one of my favorite musical duos of all time) puts me in the mood for apocalypse.  The starkness of the interiors reminds me of David Lynch.  The crashing waves reminds me of Jeff Nichols’s Take Shelter.  And then, of course, you’ve got the whole Ex Machina thing going on as well.

This video was directed by Grant Singer, who has directed videos for pretty much everyone.  Well, maybe not everyone by he has worked with Taylor Swift, which is just as good.  He’s also done videos for Lorde, The Weeknd, Ariel Pink, Sleigh Bells, and Skrillex.

(Also, to all of our readers and to my fellow collaborators here at the Shattered Lens, rest assured that all of you still get me high.)

Enjoy!

Song of the Day: Penthouse Pauper by Creedence Clearwater Revival

Posted on by Arleigh

CCR

I sure do miss sharing some of my favorite songs and music with y’all.

As part of my return to the site I’d like to share one of my current favorite songs (well, it’s an all-time favorite but have been listening to it a lot of late). It’s a song I first heard as a wee lad of no more than probably 7 or 8. Time becomes quite hazy in my advancing years.

My dad was a huge Creedence Clearwater Revival fan and he would constantly play their albums, especially his favorite tracks, during road trips and just driving around the area. One day it would be CCR the next another band he liked.

“Penthouse Pauper” came back to my radar after it was featured prominently in last year’s Marvels Netflix series The Punisher. The moment the song began to play in the background it brought back good memories and it has since returned to my constant playing and listening of this classic blues-rock song.

Penthouse Pauper

“Now, if I was a bricklayer,
I wouldn’t build just anything;
And if I was a ball player,
I wouldn’t play no second string.
And if I were some jew’lry, baby;
Lord, I’d have to be a diamond ring.
If I were a secret, Lord, I never would be told.
If I were a jug of wine, Lord, my flavor would be old.
I could be most anything,
But it got to be twenty-four karat solid gold, oh.
If I were a gambler, you know I’d never lose,
And if I were a guitar player,
Lord, I’d have to play the blues.
If I was a hacksaw, my blade would be razor sharp.
If I were a politician, I could prove that monkeys talk.
You can find the tallest building,
Lord, I’d have me the house on top.
Oh, let’s go!
All right, keep goin’!
I’m the penthouse pauper;
I got nothin’ to my name.
I’m the penthouse pauper; baby,
I got nothing to my name.
I can be most anything,
‘Cause when you got nothin’ it’s all the same.
Oh, let’s move to this song!
Lord, look at my penthouse.”

One Hit Wonders #19: “Hot Smoke & Sasafrass” by The Bubble Puppy (International Artists Records 1969)

Posted on by gary loggins

gary loggins's avatarcracked rear viewer

San Antonio, Texas rockers The Bubble Puppy rocketed to #14 on the charts with the psychedelic hard rocking “Hot Smoke & Sasafrass”:

The band pioneered the dual lead guitar sound, with Rod Prince and Todd Potter riffing their way to an appearance on Dick Clark’s AMERICAN BANDSTAND. Soon groups like The Allman Brothers and Thin Lizzy took the concept to new rocking heights, but The Bubble Puppy (also featuring Roy Cox on bass and “Fuzzy” Fore on drums) were there first. The song, which has been covered by MGMT and The Mooche, remains an early example of the heavy metal genre.

Though The Bubble Puppy released only one album (“A Gathering of Promises”) before disbanding in 1970, it’s members all continued working in the music industry. Prince and Fore are currently gigging in the Texas area in a reformed version of The Bubble Puppy with new members Mark Miller (guitar)…

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Music Video of the Day: Don’t Leave Me Alone by David Guetta, featuring Anne-Marie (2018, dir by Hannah Lux Davis)

Posted on by Lisa Marie Bowman

This video reminds me of … well, almost every recent futuristic dystopia movie that I’ve ever seen.  You’ve got the large but kinda messy apartment.  You’ve got the virtual reality.  And you’ve got the really, really bright sun.

Seriously, have you ever noticed that?  Futuristic dystopias are always either extremely dark and rainy or extremely bright.  It’s like, in the future, people aren’t allowed to close the curtains or pull down the shades on a sunny day.  I don’t know if I’d be able to handle that.  Hopefully, the robots won’t take over anytime soon.

Anyway, enjoy!

Music Video of the Day: Keep Good Time by Tommy Tucker and the Supernaturals (2009, directed by ????)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Today’s video is Keep Good Time by Tommy Tucker and the Supernaturals.

Like the two previous music videos of the day, this video was filmed in Baltimore’s red light district, the infamous Block.  As Tommy dances down the street, be sure to keep an eye open for The Hustler Club.  The Larry Flynt-owned establishment is often credited with revitalizing the Block.

For me, the best part of this video is the nonchalant reaction that the people on the streets have to Tommy’s dancing.

Music Video of the Day: Tainted by Neal Coty (1997, directed by ????)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

Like yesterday’s selection, today’s music video of the day was filmed on the Block, Baltimore’s notorious red light district.

Neal Coty, who hails from Thurmont, Maryland, makes good use of The Block in this video for his song, Tainted.  Among the clubs highlighted are two mainstays of the Block,  the Circus Bar and the 2 O’Clock Club.

Back in the day, both establishments were considered to be upscale gentlemen’s clubs.  Blaze Starr got her starts dancing at the 2 O’Clock Club.  Meanwhile, in 1961, the Circus Bar was featured in an episode of Route 66.  Though both clubs have gone through several changes in management over the past few years, both the Circus and 2 O’Clock remain open to this day.

As for Neal Coty, he’s also still active.  Along with performing his own music, Coty has also co-written songs for  Mark Chesnutt , James Wesley, Craig Morgan, Blake Shelton, Flynnville Train, and Heartland.

Music Video of the Day: Hold On To The Night by Bootcamp (1981, directed by ????)

Posted on by Jedadiah Leland

They may be largely forgotten today but Baltimore’s own Bootcamp was one of the first bands to appear on MTV.  Their video for Hold On To The Night was the 42nd video to ever be shown on MTV and appropriately it was filmed in Baltimore’s version of 42nd Street, The Block.

As you can see in this video, The Block was Baltimore’s red light district.  In the 1940s, it was famous for its burlesque houses and, during World War II, many a soldier spent his last night before shipping out visiting the Block.  It was here that Blaze Starr got her start.  By the 1950s, The Block’s burlesque houses had been replaced by sex shops and strip clubs.  The fact that Baltimore’s Police Headquarters sat at the east end of The Block didn’t keep it from becoming notorious as a center of prostitution, drug dealing, and general seediness.  The story  was that the police, realizing they could never stop either the drug or the sex trade, instead just tried to contain them to one section of the city.  While that may or may not have been true, I always wondered if the Hamsterdam storyline in the 3rd season of The Wire was inspired by The Block.

Over the years, the Block has shrunk.  Now, it’s only two blocks long and it’s best known for being home to a few strip clubs.  The Gayety Theater, which is heavily featured in this video, burned down in 2010.  Arson is suspected.

As for Bootcamp, they were briefly popular in the early 80s, playing with bands like The Tubes, Squeeze, The B-52’s and Split Enz, before breaking up in 1984.