The obit girl gets down with her bad self
Apparently, Mandy the obit girl has the screaming thigh sweats for Justin Timberlake. Wait, isn’t Timberlake a woman?
From Mandy:
I am not a snob when it comes to popular culture, but my tastes have always turned towards the eclectic. Growing up, my idea of a “boy band” was the Cure and while my classmates were listening to New Kids on the Block, I was enjoying Depeche Mode, Bauhaus and the Cocteau Twins. And while I still love Madonna despite her never-ending attempts to “find herself” and believe to this day the “Airplane” and “Naked Gun” films are pure genius, I also have a deep abiding passion for the films of David Lynch, Peter Greenaway and Akira Kurosawa, as well as the shows the X-Files, the Prisoner and Iron Chef.
However, I am definitely not above a guilty pleasure, whether it is one of VH-1’s “I Love the’80” marathons or the E! network’s “True Hollywood Story,” but my latest guilty pleasure surprised even me. Yes, I am a fan of Justin Timberlake’s “FutureSex/LoveSounds,” especially the lead single, “Sexyback.”
I first heard “Sexyback” when trying to find something to review for our paper’s Music Quarterly issue. On occasion I try to review an artist I’m completely unfamiliar with so I avoid falling into the trap of always writing positive reviews because I’m writing about something that, nine times out of ten, I know I’m going to like. While I was beaten to the review by a co-worker, I couldn’t get the song out of my head. As the weeks passed, it became a siren’s long, luring me to radio stations I wouldn’t typically listen to, just for the opportunity to hear it one more time. The pull of the song was so strong that I broke down and bought the whole damn album today while out shopping for Christmas gifts. You know what, it’s really quite good, and I never thought I’d ever say that.
So with that in mind, what are your current guilty pleasures? Come on, you know you have them, and you want to share.
Nadine said,
December 13, 2006 at 3:03 am
Wow Mandy! DM, Bauhaus, THE CURE!! We are music kindred spirits!!!
But…I also love current “pop”:
Jay-Z
Gwen Stefani
Eminem
Janet Jackson
and
The DoodleBops
The Wiggles
I am also addicted to reality TV (The Surreal Life and Breaking Bonaduce are my faves now that Flavor of Love is done). But I’ll watch ANY reality show (well, aside from American Idol and Dances with the Stars). I even like Hogan knows Best and The Biggest Loser!
Ok, I’ll admit it, I also tape The Young and The Restless *hangs head* — damn my honesty! LOL
And I miss Pop-Up-Video!! I’m addicted to VH1 in general I guess!
Lance said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:06 am
You could always claim temporary insanity.
Richie said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:26 am
Mandy and Nadine
Wow ! You guys sound like my daughter ! Makin’ me feel old, here.
I do confess a love for New Wave though. None of that light, pop stuff either; more like Midge Ure, Spandau Ballet, OMD etc etc. Throw in some Clash; oh yah; good stuff !
Merry Christmas to you all ! Now HERE’s a good tune !
http://www.thenoseonyourface.com/the_nose_on_your_face/2006/12/islamic_rage_bo.html
Linda said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:51 am
Richie same here. I remember one year of listening to the Cocteau Twins endlessly but it was mainly because my son was their biggest fan.
The Clash though — that was all me.
Mandy, the obit writer said,
December 13, 2006 at 10:21 am
Speaking of the Clash, there is a rather amusing ad for a cell phone company which involves two guys mangling the lyrics to “Rock the Cashbah.” As funny as the ad is, I can’t help but imagine Joe Strummer is turning over in his grave because of the commercial use of the Clash’s music.
AO said,
December 13, 2006 at 10:23 am
That commercial always cracks me up. What is it they say? Something about a catbox.
Nadine said,
December 13, 2006 at 10:36 am
Lance, you are right about the insanity…only it’s not temporary, heh!
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 12:01 pm
Ah, the Clash. I had the “London Calling” double album in junior high. Now I have the CD. Great road tunes. My baby drove up in a brand new Cadillac.
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 12:14 pm
I suppose these days there are a lot of people who secretly like pop sensations like Timberlake. I’m not one of them, for the record. But back in my day, I had my share of musical secrets. REO Speedwagon, Journey… Hell, it turned out that most of us liked them, but pretended we didn’t. Delicate is the young male ego.
Crystal said,
December 13, 2006 at 1:00 pm
Pretty much any pop/candy song from the late 80’s
Baby got back- Sir Mix a Lot
I touch myself- Divinyls
Electric Youth- Debbie Gibson
Just a friend- Biz Markie
Hate everything about you- Ugly kid Joe
Cherry Pie- Warrant
Pretty much anything by Bon Jovi, Cinderella, Poison, and other hair bands.
I LOVE Vh1!! Unfortunately I don’t have cable. I miss Pop up video and the 100 greatest… and I love the 80’s.
Also for TV, It would have to be Americas next top model, American idol, and Rock Star…
Richie said,
December 13, 2006 at 1:25 pm
Hair Bands / Glam rock; that sort of stuff, falls into the general category of Easy Listening Rock. I mean, driving to work or to the Mall and one of those old tunes comes on, who can resist singing / humming along or tapping your foot in time to the music. It’s interesting to see the impact that video had on all of this; how some tunes are all the more memorable BECAUSE there was a video to go along with the song.
How many songs / groups were successful only becasue of having a video ? Everyone knows the first MTV vid was “Video killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles; but has anyone heard of their follow-up song ? Nope. One Hit wonders; entirely probably BECAUSE of the video (IMHO).
When was the last time anyone remembers MTV playing music videos ? Probably years ago. Like so many cliched fads, music vids came and went. I believe that video was the direct cause of the success of the glam tock phenom and that without video, glam rock would have been just common run-of-the-mill music; no more memorable than, say, the 1910 Fruitgum Company.
Richie said,
December 13, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Crystal
Throw in: (probably more mid- than late-80’s)
“It’s My Perogative” - Bobby Brown
“Funky Cold Medina” and “Wild Thing” - Tone Loc
“Heart of Glass” - Blondie
etc etc etc !!
Mandy, the obit writer said,
December 13, 2006 at 1:45 pm
Corey Hart’s “Sunglasses at Night” is another guilty pleasure that comes to mind. So does “Mr. Roboto” by Styx.
AO said,
December 13, 2006 at 3:19 pm
How can anybody NOT like Jon Bon Jovi? I mean, just look at him!
Bobbie said,
December 13, 2006 at 3:59 pm
hello!
AO said,
December 13, 2006 at 4:44 pm
Hello, Bobbie!
Mandy, the obit writer said,
December 13, 2006 at 5:07 pm
I don’t think we should overlook the musical genius of Hall and Oates.
AO said,
December 13, 2006 at 5:21 pm
They had that good song: Sarah Smile.
Nadine said,
December 13, 2006 at 7:02 pm
TOTALLY NOT FAIR EVERYONE!!! Mandy clearly said CURRENT guilty pleasures.
Now I gotta add mine from back in the day….but wait! That’s an easy one — anything on Casey Kasem’s top 40 list from 1978-1986 or so (yeah, that’s when I got cool, ‘86, lol).
I used to make my own mix tapes off that radio program!!
And, now for our long-distance dedication…a sad story…(blah, blah), ok, number 10 on the list “Everybody dance now!” nice segue Casey, nice. You see the YouTube where he freaked out cursin and shit?? It’s worth a view. I’d link it, but gotta go….
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 7:10 pm
Casey Casem. Ha! He was a looker, too. Though he’s no Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi is a beautiful woman.
Linda said,
December 13, 2006 at 7:28 pm
I know Mandy said current. But I’ll sleep better tonight if I confess that in the 80’s I would sometimes neglect my children, lie on the floor with one of those puffy headsets, and crank The Fixx, Culture Club, the Eurythmics, Prince, The Cure, FYC, Dire Straits, Bob Marley (you know which one i mean) and my darling boys, the Steve Miller Band.
The good news? My sons grew up really appreciating music. I guess it could have gone the other way, what with all the neglect.
Martha said,
December 13, 2006 at 7:43 pm
WOW.. am I EVER out of my league tonight..
A good many of these I’ve never heard of, let alone listened to. I can’t think of any, so far mentioned that I’d choose to listen to. Am I a fuddy duddy or what? Give me the oldies… or classical. I absolutely love Handel’s Messiah this time of year.. Oh, I do have a Best of the Moody Blues I listen to on a fairly regular basis.. does that redeem me?
Mandy, the obit writer said,
December 13, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Yes and I now have “The Voice” stuck in my head.
AO said,
December 13, 2006 at 8:04 pm
Jon Bon Jovi…a beautiful WOMAN?? Ha…that man makes me weak in the knees! Okay, guess I’ve given up my guilty pleasure. And, I don’t even know any of his music! I just like the way he looks. But, okay, one of my other guilty pleasures is the song Pour Some Sugar On Me…who the fluck sings that anyway? I LOVE that song.
Martha said,
December 13, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Mark,
May I send my pictures to you? I don’t know anyway to post them so others can link to them.
Linda said,
December 13, 2006 at 8:29 pm
We’ve covered a lot of 1980s music. what about other guilty pleasures? anyone for a beer and a double bypass burger? Sheesh!
http://www.heartattackgrill.com/
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 8:38 pm
That would be Def Leppard, AO. After the drummer lost his arm.
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 8:38 pm
Pics, Martha? Why, sure. Send them along and I’ll throw them in the Evidence Room.
AO said,
December 13, 2006 at 8:57 pm
Def Leppard. Love that song. Don’t know any of their other stuff or, do I?
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:01 pm
Of course you do.
Pyromania
Rock of Ages
Fooling
Love Bites, Love Bleeds
Etc. al
Dave said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:02 pm
I graduated in ‘80, and absolutely hated the “popular” music of the time. The Bee Gees, and all the other disco crap. Yes, I retreated, and listened to the Clash (Sandanista was my favorite album of theirs), Elvis Costella, and went further back and listened to the Stones, Dead, Beatles, etc.
The best show I saw during the 80’s was a Talking Heads show in Portland. David Byrne came out with a boom box on stage and did Psycho Chicken, and, then, for every song, another performer came out on stage. Wicked cool.
Anybody else see the Dead at the old Lewiston Racetrack?
LaFlamme said,
December 13, 2006 at 9:06 pm
My brother saw that show. Said a group of people in wheelchairs suddenly got up and started dancing. That’s a dead show for ya. And Flamette lived right on the edge of the field. Said it was a good scavenger hunt the day after.
Mainetarr said,
December 13, 2006 at 10:22 pm
My first concert was KISS, I was 11 and my much older cousins took me. I was supposed to be at a Brownie (mini girl scout) meeting. My paretns would have crapped if they had known, but I was singing Donnie and Marie tunes by day, jamming to KISS at night. I LOVE VH1 and I love the 80’s. I listen to the 80’s on SIrius radio all the time. I remember the first time I saw Motley Crue in concert. They were playing at the ballpark in OOB and Tommy Lee flashed the crowd. And I once dated a guy who grew up with Bon Jovi-I have pictures of them together to prove it. He (Bon Jovi) is the hottest. I was in love with Jani Lane, Kip Winger, David Coverdale, Brett Michaels, all the big hair band boys. I remember sitting out by Lake Auburn jamming to Cinderella, but also loving .38 Special, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon. I ALWAYS loved the Eagles, too. But Poison, Motley Crue, Slaughter, Warrent, Whitesnake, Warrent, Quiet Riot……..they rocked!!
My guilty pleasure of today…that would be tv. I think music today sucks for the most part, but tv, well, I am hooked on friggen That’s So Raven.
Martha said,
December 13, 2006 at 10:59 pm
Mark.. you got mail
LaFlamme said,
December 14, 2006 at 1:05 am
Martha, I think this has happened before. No mail. Are you sending to mlaflamme@sunjournal.com?
Nadine said,
December 14, 2006 at 1:29 am
Holy crap Linda, with that list you are sure in for a treat!!
As for my musical “experiences”, the first concert I ever went to was Jane’s Addiction (”been caught stealing” — anyone?).
I also went to Woodstock 1994 — the real reunion, not the one that happened in 1999 where people started fires and tipped over port-o-pottys and ruined everything, etc. Saw NIN for the first time there, metallica, bob dylan, red hot chili peppers, aerosmith, green day, — and gosh, so much more , but peter gabriel ended the whole thing and absolutely stole the show (and this coming from a hard-core NIN fan says a LOT!). While I was there, I had my mom tape the pay-per-view of it. I have 5 6hr tapes! I also took many pics and lots of panoramics too, I’ll have to scan ‘em and post them here so you can see just how massive it was — over 250,000 people!
Yep, a big highlight for me.
Nadine said,
December 14, 2006 at 2:01 am
My favorite popsicle flavor is grape
Bobbie said,
December 14, 2006 at 5:47 pm
Mine is blue raspberry.
Hi right back at ya, AO!
Martha said,
December 14, 2006 at 6:48 pm
Mark, yes I sent them to the above address from my aol account.. the sn is thinkinslow
Martha said,
December 14, 2006 at 6:49 pm
I’ll have to try again when I get home tonigh if I can remember
Linda said,
December 14, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Yes try again Martha — we want to see those pics! Show and tell!
LaFlamme said,
December 14, 2006 at 7:07 pm
Try sending mail without attachments at first to see if it gets here.
Martha said,
December 14, 2006 at 8:46 pm
Mark, I don’t send them as attachments.. I insert them into the email.
LaFlamme said,
December 14, 2006 at 9:48 pm
Huh. Well try sending me just a blank mail. mlaflamme@sunjournal.com