Ringo + Limahl

It’s Limahl’s Birthday And I Need To Dance!

Ringo + Limahl
Young Chris Hamill was not popular at school. Expelled for disrupting class, the teen boy transferred to a new school, where the kids pointed out his effeminacy. Always the last one picked in sports, Hamill’s confidence level dropped. Discovering he was gay didn’t help. Unhappy at school, he became a loner, escaping into his music.

After leaving school Hamill pursued acting. He landed a few roles, but music was where his passion truly lied. Hamill reinvented himself. He rearranged the letters of his last name and became Limahl, the cutieface pop singer. He was recruited by a band named Art Nouveau. With Limahl on board, the group changed their name to KajaGooGoo.

While working as a waiter at London’s Embassy Club, Limahl met Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran. He gave Rhodes the group’s demo tape. Rhodes took it to his record label, EMI, who signed them.

In January 1983, EMI released the group’s Rhodes-produced debut single, “Too Shy.” It went to #1 in the UK and reached #5 in the US. At this time, Limahl kept his sexual orientation secret. “I wasn’t embarrassed about being gay, but my role as Limahl, my pop star role, had to be more enigmatic. I didn’t want to start talking about gay sex and gays in 1983 when most of our following was teenage girls.”

While “Too Shy” was on the US charts, the band completed a successful tour playing to 40,000 people in Finland. The following day, Limahl was fired from the group by its other members. About Limahl, KajaGooGoo guitarist Steve Askew said “His lifestyle is so different from ours. We’re very normal people whereas Limahl likes the bright lights.” Limahl, shocked by his dismissal, felt he was let go for being too cute and turning the group into a pop band solely for teens.

Following his sacking from KajaGooGoo, Limahl had a solo hit in 1985 with the theme from the film The NeverEnding Story. That song will kick off the dance playlist for today, Limahl’s 56th birthday.

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Winston + Keef

Keith Richards Is An A@@hole

Winston + Keef
Keith Richards is an a@@hole. I came to that conclusion after reading the book Life, by Keith Richards.

His autobiography is a good read, especially if you’re a Rolling Stones fan, as I am. Most of the songs have held up well decades later, and learning how they came to be grabbed my interest.

However, the constant referring to women as bitches and the reference to Studio 54 as “a room full of faggots in boxer shorts” (and your beef is what, exactly?) reduced my regard for the guitar legend.

Worst of all is the complaining about Mick Jagger. Richards resents Jagger’s controlling the band, especially as the eighties began, but Richards spent the seventies as a junkie. Someone with a clearer mind had to take care of group. Richards didn’t want The Rolling Stones to indulge Jagger’s desire to create more dance-influenced music, and then he became incensed that Jagger records a solo album where he can do that music. Mick shouldn’t be allowed to create his art as he sees fit? And he’s the controlling one?

While Keith’s book put me firmly on Team Mick (should I have to choose sides), the truth is the two need each other. Neither Mick’s albums or Keith’s albums away from the Stones are must-haves. Together, they’ve created classics.

Keith Richards is an a@@hole. Fine. I won’t hang out with him. I’ll still enjoy his music.

Today Keith turns 71 years old. Today’s playlist consists of twenty great Stones tracks.

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The Dancing Queen

“I always try to dance when this song comes on because I am the Queen and I like to dance.” – Queen Elizabeth on ABBA’s “Dancing Queen,” as quoted by BBC Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans

I don’t know if Queen Elizabeth actually said that, but that woman does love to dance. I should know. I went with her to The Roxy one time.

It was in 1992, I think. I had plans to go the The Roxy one Saturday night with my friend Frank, who got us on the guest list. At around 9 PM we met up with some of Frank’s friends at someone’s apartment. I was introduced to Steve, Byron, Fallopia, Rich, Tom, Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II, and Katie, who were all sitting around the living room chatting. Someone came out of the kitchen with something called Special K, which theretofore I thought was a breakfast cereal. Turns out it’s a horse tranquilizer that some folks used before heading off to the dance club. I don’t understand the thought process behind taking such a drug. “Before I dance, I need to take something that would sedate a 1000-pound animal.” I don’t think so.

I said “No thank you” to the drug, as did Her Royal Highness Queen Elizabeth II. She and I slipped out of the living room into a bedroom, where we sat on the hard wood floor and had a long, deep conversation about our lives at that moment. She said “I know we just met, but I feel I can be honest with you. I’m having a shitty year. Andy and Sarah split up. Anne and Mark divorced. Music has always been my refuge, but I’m bored by the scene these days. I like some of that rave music, but I am over Simply Red. Move on already! And those Erasure covers of ABBA are fun, but they don’t hold a candle to the original versions. Did you know ABBA wrote ‘Dancing Queen’ about me? I am the dancing queen!” Then she started singing “I can dance, I can jive.”

I started to tell her we were in agreement about everything she said. “Your royal highness Queen Elizabeth II, I –“, but she cut me off.

“There is no need to be so formal. Call me Lizzy.”

Fallopia came in the room and told us it was time to get going. We got to The Roxy and went up to the doorman. He checked off my name from his list; however, Her Royal High-, I mean, Lizzy didn’t have any ID on her. I argued with the doorman. “Of course this is the real Elizabeth II! How many other people in a gown and wearing a tiara do you see here??” He motioned for me to look around. Sure enough, there were at least a dozen men dressed in gowns wearing tiaras. I loaned Lizzy $15 to get in after finally convincing the doorman that she was over 21.

When we got inside Lizzy said to me “Ah, The Roxy. I heard this is where all the dancing queens go. Tee hee!” She was so amused by her joke. I thought it was hack material.

The night we were there CeCe Peniston was scheduled to perform. “If she sings ‘Finally’ I’m going to lose my shit!,” the Queen said to me.

“Lizzy – she’s going to sing ‘Finally.’ She’s CeCe Peniston. What else would she sing? ‘In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida?’”

Sure enough, when CeCe started singing “Meeting Mr. Right, the man of my dreams…,” Lizzy went bananas. She screamed and threw her crown in the air. A bunch of shirtless muscular guys carried her around the club, while she screamed “Ooh ooh, party over here! Ooh ooh, party over there!”

After CeCe’s twenty-minute set Lizzy yelled to the DJ “Oi! Play ‘Dancing Queen!’” I told her they don’t play songs like that on the main floor and led her to a small room at the end of the club.

“Here you may hear Abba.”

“I love me some Abba,” she said. “I especially like the songs where they repeat words. ‘Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!,’ ‘On and On and On,”‘Honey Honey,’ ‘I Do I Do I Do I Do I Do,’ ‘Money Money Money.’” She started singing the latter very loud. “If I had a little money, it’s a rich man’s world.” She ran around the room singing this, annoying the people who were trying to enjoy dancing to a Grease medley. A guy said to me “Hey – you better control your woman!”

I took the Queen by the hand and led her from the club. “Okay, Lizzy. We have to get you into a taxi.”

The cabs were lined up outside the club. I put her in one while she kept singing “I work all night, I work all day, to pay the bills I have to pay / Ain’t it sad / And still there never seems to be a single penny left for me / That’s too bad.”

“Where to?,” asked the driver. I realized I didn’t know where the Queen was staying while in New York.

“Lizzy! Stop singing for a moment and tell the driver where to take you!”

“Oh, I’m staying at a youth hostel somewhere on 14th Street. Just drive and I’ll point it out when I see it. In my dreams I have a plan. If I got me a wealthy man…I wouldn’t have to work at all, I’d fool around and have a ball.”

Months later I received a postcard. “My dearest Glenn – Chuck and Di split up. Can’t say I’m surprised. It’s the perfect ending to this annus horribilis. (That means horrible year, not something gay! Tee hee!) Still, I keep twirling! I’ll catch you in the new year! xoxo, Lizzy ♥ ♥ ♥”

********************************************************************
Today is the birthday of one of the members of ABBA who isn’t female, Benny Andersson. Here are twenty of the group’s best.

(For Lizzy, who still owes me $15.)

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It Never Rains In Southern California

As you may have heard, our sleepy little hamlet of Los Angeles got some rain over the past week. I assume you heard this because Los Angeles is the center of the world and our weather is likely reported everywhere, especially when we get rain, which lesser cities take for granted. More rain is forecast for this week.

If you were near a radio in the United States in 1972, you heard Albert Hammond’s hit single “It Never Rains in Southern California,” and learned that while in L.A. it never rains, it pours. Man, it pours.

Today’s playlist consists of songs with word rain or some variation thereof in the title. It includes Albert Hammond’s “It Never Rains in Southern California,” one of two top forty singles Hammond had as an artist. (The other was 1974’s “I’m a Train.” Remember that one? Didn’t think so.) As a songwriter, Hammond’s hits include The Hollies’ “The Air That I Breathe,” Leo Sayer’s “When I Need You,” Starship’s “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us Now,” Whitney Houston’s “One Moment in Time,” Chicago’s “I Don’t Wanna Live Without Your Love,” Ace of Base’s “Don’t Turn Around,” Julio Iglesias and Willie Nelson’s “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before” and The Pipkins’ “Gimme Dat Ding.” His son is a founding member of The Strokes.

Back to the weather. Get your umbrella and enjoy today’s playlist while the sun is still shining.

Ringo + Sheila E

It’s Sheila E’s Birthday And I Need To Dance!

Prince wrote the song “The Glamorous Life” for the Apollonia 6 album. According to Apollonia, he wrote the song about her. Per Nilsen, who has written a couple of book about Prince, quotes Apollonia as saying “He used to make all these stupid jokes, ‘You’re the kind of chick who would wear a mink coat in the summertime.’ To this day I don’t have my own mink coat!”

Prince ended up giving the song to Sheila E. for her debut solo album. Prior to meeting Prince Sheila worked with Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Herbie Hancock, George Duke, Billy Cobham, Jeffrey Osborne, Con Funk Shun, and her dad, Pete Escovedo.

In 1984 “The Glamorous Life” hit #7 on the pop chart, #9 on the r&b chart, and #1 on the dance chart.

Ringo + Sheila E
Today Sheila E. turns 57 years old. We kick off our weekly dance party with her first hit single.

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Winston + Brenda Lee

Old Time Rock & Roll Xmas, With Jews!

In 1958, 13-year-old Brenda Mae Tarpley went into a recording studio with famed producer Owen Bradley and cut “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree,” written by Johnny Marks (Jew!). Released as a single for that year’s holiday season, it bombed. That really isn’t surprising. Tarpley, better known by her stage name, Brenda Lee, was virtually unknown at the time.

In 1959, her record label reissued the single. It bombed. That really isn’t surprising. Lee hadn’t dented Billboard’s Hot 100 all year.

In 1960, her record company released it yet again. Third time lucky. Coming off two #1 singles, “I’m Sorry” and “I Want to Be Wanted,” plus two other top ten hits, “Sweet Nothin’s” and “That’s All You Gotta Do,” Lee’s Christmas record peaked at #14.

Winston + Brenda Lee
For years the hits kept coming for Lee. She placed 55 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100, including twelve top tens. These days she is perhaps best-remembered for “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree,” a holiday staple.

Johnny Marks, the Jew who wrote the song, also wrote “Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” “Holly Jolly Christmas,” and “Run Rudolph Run.”

He’s not the only Jew to have written Christmas standards. Also written by chosen people? “White Christmas,” “Silver Bells,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Santa Baby,” “Sleigh Ride,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” Let It Snow Let It Snow Let It Snow,” “The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire),” “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” and “Give the Jew Girl Toys.” Oy gevalt!

Today Brenda Lee turns 70 years old. Our playlist today includes her classic version of “Rockin’ around the Christmas Tree” as well as nineteen other holiday tunes from the early days of rock and roll, before The Beatles took over the United States in 1964. Some were written by Jews, some were not. Some get a lot of radio airplay this time of year, some deserve more (specifically “Christmas in Jail” and “Trim Your Tree.”). All put me in the mood to rock around my menorah.

More holiday music can be found here, here, here, here, and here.

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Ringo + Joan A

Discovering Joan Armatrading

Ringo + Joan A
The first Joan Armatrading record I heard was 1983’s “Drop the Pilot.” It was her only single to make the US Hot 100. The follow-up single, “(I Love It When You) Call Me Names,” got some radio play in Boston, where I was attending school at the time. I picked up her album The Key, from which these two tracks were taken, at a local used record shop.

Many years later I learned about Armatrading’s song “Rosie,” about a cross-dressing guy who loves to flirtingly tease the other boys. I bought it from iTunes. It’s a fun number with a reggae rhythm.

Enjoying these three songs, I should have dived deeper into the Armatrading catalogue, but I didn’t do that until yesterday. I saw that today is her birthday, so I took that as my cue to discover other tracks from her.

Today’s playlist was compiled from tracks suggested by music writers and her fans. If anyone reading this is a Joan Armatrading fan, let us know if there are other tracks of hers you think are essential listening.

Besides the music discovery, the other thing I learned about Armatrading from my web research yesterday is that she married her girlfriend in 2011. A belated congrats to them!

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Ringo + Sinead

Labeling Sinéad O’Connor

Ringo + Sinead
Is she or isn’t she? Sinéad O’Connor in her own words:

“I would say that I’m a lesbian. Although I haven’t been very open about that and throughout most of my life I’ve gone out with blokes because I haven’t necessarily been terribly comfortable about being a lesbian. But I actually am a lesbian.” (2000, in Curve magazine)

“That I have explored my sexuality is accurate and I have no shame about that and would, if I fell in love with a woman, have as few qualms about expressing it as if I were a man. I have only ever been in love with one woman. One other, years ago when I was 20, I simply slept with selfishly for sexual exploratory purposes. Though of course I loved her, I was not, as they say, ‘in love’ with her. The one I was in love with was a brief relationship conducted more recently with a lovely American woman who was an angel to me and saved my life in many ways and to whom I owe a very great debt of love and gratitude. And whom I still adore. Although we are no longer a couple, I love her deeply. These are the only homosexual experiences I have had so far. Of perhaps thirty people I’ve been with since eleven years of age, two have been women, the rest men. I am rarely attracted to women but loved making love with the women I loved. I believe it was overcompensating of me to declare myself a lesbian. It was not a publicity stunt. I was trying to make someone else feel better. And have subsequently caused pain for myself. I am not in a box of any description.” (a little later in 2000, in The Independent newspaper)

“I’m three-quarters heterosexual, a quarter gay.” (2005, in Entertainment Weekly magazine)

“Any man I contemplate has to be into anal sex.…I’ve had reasonable complaints from lesbians that they have been excluded. This was terribly remiss of me and I would now like to make it clear that women will also be very much considered.” (2011, on her blog)

“In my youth, I did some exploring of bisexuality. And perhaps I said things, put labels on things, and put measurements on things that actually you can’t put measurements on. I wouldn’t put labels of either gay or fucking straight or any other thing. I do believe people often explore their sexuality….I was brought up to believe sex was a shame, so I was determined I was going to fuck my way beyond that. I was going to explore my sexuality. So there was maybe three occasions where I had sex with women that I fancied….I always believed that whatever kind of sex, as long as it’s consensual and no one is getting hurt…is a sacred thing. No matter how filthy or sweet it might be.” (2013, on SheWired.com)

“If I fall in love with someone, I wouldn’t give a shit if they were a man or a woman.” (2014, on PrideSource.com)

Eleven years of age???

Today Sinéad O’Connor turns 48 years old. Here are twenty of her best.

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A Star-Spangled Night for Rights

On September 18, 1977, Aaron Russo, Bette Midler’s manager, produced “A Star-Spangled Night for Rights” at the Hollywood Bowl. The focus of the four and a half hour concert was gay rights. Performers included Midler, War, Richard Pryor, Helen Reddy, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits and Tanya Tucker. Among the approximately 17,000 people in the audience was Paul Newman, Olivia Newton-John, Valerie Harper and Robert Blake.

It had been a rough year for gay rights. In June, Anita Bryant’s “Save Our Children” campaign proved successful when Dade County, Florida voters repealed the gay rights ordinance they had just passed in January. In Arkansas, the state legislature reinstated the sodomy laws it repealed two years earlier.

As a result of these setbacks, gay rights marches appeared around the country, official Gay Pride parades drew their highest number of participants to date, and Russo organized the concert to benefit the Save Our Human Rights Foundation.

California Senator John Briggs threatened to blacklist every Hollywood performer or politician who supported or attended the show. The following year Briggs sponsored a proposition to remove all gay or lesbian employees and their supporters from California schools. The measure was defeated due in large part to the efforts of San Francisco city supervisor Harvey Milk. On September 18, 1977, Milk had yet to be elected to that position.

The concert went well for its first few performances, but took an ugly turn when comedian Pryor took the stage. Among the things he said: “Motherfuck women’s rights!” “Fags are prejudiced.” “I’m sick of y’all and your faggoty-ass bullshit. What were you doing during the Watts riots – sucking each other’s dicks? Fuck you and everything you stand for, I’m getting the fuck out of here.” And the finale, “You Hollywood faggots can kiss my happy rich black ass!” It wasn’t his best material. And yes, if given the choice between arson, destruction, looting, beatdowns and fellatio, my selection is a no-brainer.

Next on the concert bill…Tom Waits! It reminds me of that episode of The Simpsons where Homer was to perform a comedy set at Mr. Burns’ birthday party. Mr. Smithers gets on stage and announces “I have some sad news to report. A small puppy, not unlike Lassie, was just run over in the parking lot. And now it’s time for the comedy stylings of Homer Simpson!”

Waits was invited to perform at the event by his close friend Bette Midler, who he met three years earlier at The Bottom Line in New York. Subsequently, Midler recorded Waits’ “Shiver Me Timbers” in 1976 and they did a duet on Waits’ Foreign Affairs album released the year of the Hollywood Bowl show.

Before Waits took the stage Aaron Russo came out to apologize for Pryor’s outburst. “I’m terribly embarrassed and don’t know what to say about what just happened, but I do think this show tonight started out and will end up on a positive note.” However, the audience was agitated. Waits gave up after two songs.

The crowd wanted the headliner. Bette Midler bounded on stage and asked the crowd “Is there anyone here tonight who wants to kiss this rich white ass?” The crowd cheered and she closed the show.

Today Tom Waits turns 65. Aside from Milder, his compositions have been recorded by Rod Stewart, Bruce Springsteen and The Ramones, among others. Here are twenty career highlights.

Grammy Nominees Were Announced And I Need To Dance!

This year’s Grammy nominations were announced this morning. Here they are:

Record of the Year
Iggy Azalea ft. Charli XCX – “Fancy”
Sia – “Chandelier”
Sam Smith – “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)”
Taylor Swift – “Shake It Off”
Meghan Trainor – “All About That Bass”

Song of the Year
Same as Record of the Year, except instead of “Fancy” you’ve got Hozier’s “Take Me to Church”

Album of the Year
They plan on announcing the nominees in this category tonight during the A Very Grammy Christmas television special. Ariana Grande, Maroon 5 and Album of the Year nominations? Cancel your Friday night plans!

Best New Artist
Bastille
Iggy Azalea
Haim
Sam Smith
Some lady I’ve never heard of

Best Pop Vocal Album
Coldplay – Zzzzz
Miley Cyrus – Zzzzz
Ariana Grande – Zzzzz
Katy Perry – Zzzzz
Ed Sheeran – Zzzzz
Sam Smith – Zzzzz

Best Rock Album
Beck – Morning Phase
Ryan Adams – Ryan Adams
The Black Keys – Turn Blue
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers – Hypnotic Eye
U2 – Are You Fucking Kidding Me?!?!

Best Urban Contemporary Album
Jhené Aiko – How Do You Pronounce That?
Beyoncé – I’m Now The Most Nominated Woman In Grammy History, So Bow Down Bitches
Chris Brown – Undeserved
Mali Music – Who?
Pharrell Williams – Gurl!

Best Country Album
Miranda Lambert – Platinum
+ four others

Best Spoken Word Album (a/k/a Best Audiobook)
Forget the titles; look at this list of nominated performers – James Franco, John Waters, Joan Rivers, Gloria Gaynor, Elizabeth Warren and Jimmy Carter! They better present this one on the telecast! Gurl!

Best Rock Song
Paramore – “Ain’t It Fun”
Beck – “Blue Moon”
The Black Keys – “Jack White Better Not Be Nominated”
Ryan Adams – “Gimme Something Good”
Jack White – “The Black Keys Better Not Be Nominated”

Best R&B Song
Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z – “Drunk In Love”
Usher – “I’m Going to Lose to Beyoncé”
Chris Brown featuring Usher and Rick Ross – “I Don’t Deserve a Nomination and I’m Going to Lose to Beyoncé”
Luke James featuring Rick Ross – “You Never Heard of Me and I’m Going to Lose to Beyoncé”
Jhené Aiko – “Though I Also Have an Accent over the Second E in My First Name I’m Going to Lose to Beyoncé”

Best Country Song
Miranda Lambert – “Automatic”
+ four others

Best Dance Recording
Seriously, there is a category for the best audiobook. The Grammy Awards’ tag-line is “Music’s Biggest Night.” Unless Elizabeth Warren sang her memoirs this category should not exist.

This post doesn’t cover all nominations. In total, the Grammy Awards have nominees in 12,623 categories, three of which are presented on the air. Tune in sometime in January or February to see who wins as well as a rare live television appearance from the reclusive Taylor Swift!

As for now, it’s Friday, which is dance day on Tunes du Jour. As tomorrow is Ira Gershwin’s 118th birthday, we’ll kick off this week’s dance party with Donna Summer, who by now may have dined with the famed lyricist.

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