Crossing The T's--Part I

SAME AS IT EVER WAS…It took the Talking Heads years to really grow on me, and I still think they are way overrated overall, but they did have their moments now and then.  David Byrne is a rather strange duck, as evidenced by his videos, but at least he doesn’t take himself too seriously.  I’m not convinced that this band deserves to be in the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, though.

My All-Time Talking Heads Top 5:
1) “Life During Wartime” (Live-1984)
2) “Love For Sale” (1986)
3) “Take Me To The River” (1979)
4) “Once In A Lifetime” (1980)
5) “Road To Nowhere” (1985)

WELL, ISN’T THAT SPECIAL?.38 Special is one of those good-but-not-great bands that was always an opening act but not a headliner (a la Loverboy, Ratt, Warrant, etc.).  These guys weren’t bad live, but I’ve always questioned why they needed Donnie Van Zant in the band, apart from his surname.  Guitarist Don Barnes sang the lead vocals on all their big hits while Donnie jacked-off on-stage pretending to play third guitar (watch their live videos—it‘s pretty obvious he’s faking it).  Jeff Carlisi wasn’t too shabby a lead guitarist, though.

My All-Time .38 Special Top 5
1) “Chain Lightning” (1982)
2) “Rockin’ Into The Night” (1980)
3) “Teacher Teacher” (1984)
4) “Fantasy Girl” (1981)
5) “Back To Paradise” (1987)

LONESOME GEORGE DOES UNNASTAND!Sometimes one wants filet mignon for dinner, and sometimes one wants a big greasy sloppy cheeseburger.  Well, if Led Zeppelin is Rock ‘N’ Roll filet mignon, then George Thorogood & The (Delaware) Destroyers are a Town Topic double cheeseburger!  I was instantly hooked when I first heard “Move It On Over” in 1978—a welcome respite from all the disco being played at the time—and George’s takes on other people’s songs (especially Chuck Berry’s) are always wonderfully raw and once in a while he comes up with good original stuff too, like “Bad To The Bone” and “Get A Haircut”.  His longtime drummer Jeff Simon is a very underrated timekeeper too.  Quite possibly the best bar band ever, Lonesome George and the boys are like a runaway freight train when they kick it into gear live.  Sometimes raw and sloppy is (Thoro) good!


My All-Time George Thorogood Top 10:
1) “It Wasn’t Me” (1978)
2) “Move It On Over” (1978)
3) “(Let’s) Go Go Go” (1985)
4) “Long Gone” (1985)
5) “Bad To The Bone” (1982)
6) “You Talk Too Much” (1988)
7) “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” (1977)
8) “I Really Like Girls” (1988)
9) “Cocaine Blues” (1978)
10) “Get A Haircut” (1993)

HARD TO BE EASYThree Dog Night had one helluva chart run in the early ‘70s, and there was about a three-year stretch from 1970-72 where everything they touched turned to gold, and I clearly remember how “Joy To The World“ was just about all you heard on AM radio for three solid months in the summer of ‘71.  TDN did very little original material of their own, but they were one of those groups who were lucky enough to have great material written for them by the likes of Paul Williams (aka Little Enos Burdett), Randy Newman, B.W. Stevenson, and even John Hiatt, among others.  Too bad singer Chuck Negron pissed most of the group’s success away with his heroin addiction—by the Bicentennial they were already has-beens.

My All-Time Three Dog Night Top 10:
1) “An Old-Fashioned Love Song” (1971)
2) “Liar” (1971)
3) “Celebrate” (1970)
4) “One” (1969)
5) “Out In The Country” (1970)
6) “Shambala” (1973)
7) “Never Been To Spain” (1972)
8) “One Man Band” (1970)
9) “Family Of Man” (1972)
10) “Mama Told Me (Not To Come)” (1970)

ON SUNDAY, MAYBE MONDAY OR ‘TIL TUESDAY—ANY OL’ DAY WILL DO!Singer Aimee Mann must have had a thing for days of the week, judging by her song titles and band name.  ‘Til Tuesday is one of those bands comprised of three guys and a girl, and guess who everyone focused on!  Actually, one of the guys did look like a girl, but it was obvious from the start that Aimee Mann was the focal point, and she became a solo artist after three albums with the band.  Mann’s recent solo albums have been critically acclaimed (which probably means they suck), and she’s quick to diss the ‘Til Tuesday material now, which is a shame because that first album and about half of the second one were pretty good stuff.  The girl still has very sexy eyes, too.

My all-time ‘Til Tuesday Top 10
1) “On Sunday” (1986)
2) “No More Crying” (1985)
3) “Maybe Monday” (1985)
4) “Winning The War” (1985)
5) “Coming Up Close” (1986)
6) “Voices Carry” (1985)
7) “(Believed You Were) Lucky” (1989)
8) “What About Love” (1986)
9) “Love In A Vacuum” (1985)
10) “The Other End Of The Telescope” (1989)