[Kace Presents]The Alphanumerics Of Modern Music: The Kace Era

[Kace]

N is for the Notorious B.I.G.

In the early 1990s, there was a Revolution going on in music. It was everywhere. Rap had its own and could even be thought of as an early 1990s renaissance for Hip Hop. Whatever one wishes to call it, it would soon become war. One of the main players and victims in the crossfire would be the Notorious B.I.G.

Rapping just came naturally for Biggie. It was as natural as breathing itself, from written form to freestyle. He had it down and it was just a matter of time before he would get his break. He would wind up with Bad Boy Records, which itself was beginning to come into form in 1994, riding a wave of success from Craig Mack's "Flava In Ya Ear." The Notorious B.I.G., his sidekick Sean "Puff Daddy" Combs, the Junior MAFIA and the rest of Bad Boy would come to represent the East Coast in the almost mythologically epic East Vs. West Coastal Rap War. On the other side was Death Row Records, with Suge Knight, Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg and others. One of those others would eventually be 2Pac.

Honestly, I don't care to go into too much detail when it comes to the feud between these factions. In retrospect, it was good in terms of the music, but silly otherwise. Biggie would feel the sting of 2Pac's death in 1996 and in 1997 would wind up dead himself. Only after the death of the Notorious B.I.G. did it seem to clue people in that the rivalry had gone a bit far. The damage had been done and somewhere, 2Pac and the Notorious B.I.G. are, depending on who you ask are beings who have ascended into Hip Hop Martyrdom. Biggie would have been just fine continuing to be a father to his child and a rapper that could entertain. And entertain he did. It's a shame he was only around so briefly, but when the star was able to shine, he could shine the brightest.

"Juicy" is the music video of choice and the song that caused the world to take notice. He had some great songs and I could have just as easily gone with "Big Poppa," "One More Chance (Remix)" or "Hypnotize." "Juicy" really stands out though on a number of levels. It's the song that made people take notice of him. It helped turn Bad Boy Records into a major player. It's autobiographical in nature though the line about Robin Leach might be an exaggeration. There's also the unfortunately now out-of-context line concerning the World Trade Center (the song was released in 1994 and from what I understand, the reference was to its massive size). That last part's neither here or there. Speaking of lyrics, I always get a nice grin out of, "Super Nintendo, Sega Genesis." Talk about a flashback.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JZom_gVfuw&ob=av2n
"Juicy" by the Notorious B.I.G.

[Kace]

O is for Oasis.

Over the course of music's history, there has been the occasional infighting and turmoil. From the sex fueled melodrama of Fleetwood Mac to the mutually assured hatred between Axl Rose and the rest of Guns N' Roses. Oasis has enjoyed its own brand of chaotic turmoil in the form of the brotherly duo that made up the brunt of its identity, Noel and Liam Gallagher. The Gallagher brothers love and hate one another, sometimes all at once. They can be contentious with each other and with the rest of the world. Throughout all of that though was a fine run of success, in albums, singles and tours.

All seven of Oasis' studio albums reached #1 on the UK Albums chart. They had three different compilations which scored either #1 or #2 there. There was also a live album that scored #5. They had 8 #1's on the UK singles chart. Despite the infighting and turmoil (or perhaps, in part because of it), Oasis was very popular with the British crowd. They also amassed popularity worldwide, including the United States, where they scored a pair of #1 hits on the Modern Tracks chart. They're one of the bands that defined the 1990s and still managed relevance in the 2000s before finally calling it quits.

"Wonderwall" is the music video of choice. I remember first hearing it in late 1995 and also remember first seeing the music video a short time later. I recall my head being in someone's lap, which is a unique way to watch TV. And don't be mistaken, this isn't a token appreciation entry. I'm probably not the biggest fan, but I am a fan, nonetheless and it's an internal debate on which Oasis song I consider my favorite. There was "Live Forever" and "Wonderwall" and "All Around The World" and "Stop Crying Your Heart Out." There's also that uptempo live version of "Acquiesce" I like so much. "Wonderwall" stands out in that it will most likely be the one song Oasis can count on being remembered for.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJFurFRvs8A&feature=fvsr
"Wonderwall" by Oasis

[Kace]

O is for the Offspring.

It took a little while for the Offspring to catch on. Punk Rock for skaters wasn't exactly in style and the whole skateboarding scene itself was still viewed as this odd fad that would probably be dead soon anyway. Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzales and all these other guys would be forgotten and Gleaming The Cube would most likely be its downfall, meaning we could all go back to enjoying some Mike Oldfield or whatever it is people listen to when they want to try real hard at being different.

In the 1990s, things turned out different. Skateboarding and the resident tricks kids could do with them became more than a passing fad to be placed beside legwarmers and Atari 2600s. It became a phenomenon, helping to lead to the conception of the X Games. I remember my brother being really good at it and having some friends who also enjoyed the artform. Meanwhile, the Offspring grew with the more-than-a-fad and in 1994 became a force to be reckoned with. Since 1994, the Offspring have released great selling album after great selling album. Their Smash album had "Come Out And Play" which is where they began to garner lots of attention, followed by "Self Esteem" and "Gotta Get Away." In 1995, their Damned cover, "Smash It Up" was part of the Batman Forever Soundtrack. Ixnay On The Hombre had "All I Want," "Gone Away" and "I Choose."

Then came 1998 and suddenly they were known as that white rock band with the rap song about dorky white men, "Pretty Fly (For A White Guy)." That caused the group's popularity to rocket up a little more and suddenly they had a schtick on their hands when it came to some of their music videos. Heading into 2012, the Offspring continues as visions of kids and young adults practicing ollies and performing various tricks on the half pipe continue to be vivid.

The music video is "I Choose" and while initially an odd choice, I consider it to be the song that bridges the Offspring of the 1980s and early-to-mid 1990s with the Offspring people would come to know for their Americana album. It's also a great song and a funny music video from 1997.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yxbXsQ5yCc&ob=av2e
"I Choose" by the Offspring

[Kace]

O is for Oingo Boingo.

Those who know me well enough know already that I tend to be a bit weird and have an appreciation for weird things. In the 1980s, Oingo Boingo was such an appreciation. When they first formed in 1972, they were the Mystic Knights Of The Oingo Boingo, but that band name would eventually be shortened.

Now, it's not just enough that Oingo Boingo was this weird New Wave group that got some traction with songs like "Weird Science" and "Dead Man's Party," but that it eventually led to its leader, Danny Elfman becoming one of the better composers in Hollywood. For film and television, Danny's resume is impressive as the creator of The Simpsons theme, scoring the films Batman (1989) and its sequel, Batman Returns, The Nightmare Before Christmas, all three Men In Black films, among many others. It's an amazing and impressive balance for Danny between his composer work and his time with Oingo Boingo, who in true form closed up shop with a Halloween concert in 1995.

"Dead Man's Party" is featured as the music video and while "Weird Science" is their best known song, "Dead Man's Party" was featured in Back To School, which is one of my favorite films featuring one of the greatest comedians, Rodney Dangerfield. The video includes footage from the movie which also had Oingo Boingo make an appearance. You'll also notice pre-Iron Man Robert Downey Jr. who was part of the cast. A Triple Lindy in appreciation to both Danny Elfman and his band of misfits, Oingo Boingo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iypUpv9xelg
"Dead Man's Party" by Oingo Boingo

[Kace]

O is for OK Go.

Aldous Huxley, in a story whose title served as a shoutout to William Shakespeare once wrote tale called Brave New World. It was a tale of dystopia with masses conditioned to a future of instant gratification. It's not to say that William or Aldous were able to anticipate the Information Age, but between Aldous, George Orwell, Isaac Asimov and Phillip K. Dick...and maybe even Gardner Fox, the realization of what we now live had to be in there somewhere.

Welcome to the Brave New World of Information and such availability that is in it. A world of knowledge and entertainment is at our fingertips and we, the masses have more influence than we give ourselves credit for. Then again, that could be overstepping a bit as inevitably, those able to manipulate the masses or at least catch our collective attention will have a significant say as well. In radio and television, it's the power of advertising and understanding the audience. It's a strategy that's worked well for corporations and public relations masters interested in benefiting financially from talking people into trying or accepting something. With the advent of the World Wide Web, it's a matter of knowing how to market through viral means.

This brings us to OK Go. A Power Pop foursome in the 2000s that managed to tap into the viral market with catchy music and clever music videos to coincide them. It's possible, maybe even likely that without that cleverness, many of us wouldn't even be familiar with them. I was lucky in 2002, being a fan of their song, "Get Over It" and its corresponding (and yes, clever) music video. It would be a few years later though where OK Go would realize their greatest feat and would help make YouTube a thing. "Here It Goes Again" and its treadmill madness would captivate online audiences while being shunned in radio. Without this future for us to live in, who knows if people would even be aware of OK Go at all?

"Here It Goes Again" is indeed the music video featured and while it became OK Go's biggest hit, it also placed the group in a situation they may be stuck with until they disband. They like the idea of making fun, innovative and very choreographed videos with their songs, but now it's as if they kinda have to keep doing that, which eventually could become a new level of crazy. This may well be OK Go's Brave New World and the insatiable appetite of the masses that are always looking for entertaining savages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTAAsCNK7RA&ob=av2e
"Here It Goes Again" by OK Go

[Kace]

O is for Olivia Newton-John.

In 1978, Grease was the word. The film musical featuring Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta became a box office smash and its Soundtrack became one of the biggest selling albums ever. Make no mistake, Olivia had already established herself by then, being an English artist that was able to do well in Country Music while also scoring well in Pop and Adult Contemporary. In 1977, she had managed to compile enough hit songs to make a good Greatest Hits album. Then Grease happened and Olivia found herself with a whole new level of fandom. In 1980, another film and Soundtrack and this time it was Xanadu capturing people's attention, along with E.L.O., whom she recorded the title track to that film/soundtrack with.

Throughout the 1980s, Olivia would continue to score hits, but her biggest would be "Physical," which would be one of MTV's first controversial music videos (nevermind its third ever video, Rod Stewart's "She Won't Dance With Me" dropping a notable f-bomb). "Physical" would also set into place the 1980s appreciation of spandex and for that, so many are grateful while others, not so much.

Indeed, "Physical" just had to be the music video featured for this entry as the whole thing can be described with the following sentence that can be repeated many times throughout the viewing of it. "There's a fetish for that." I admit, part of me thinks that the Fetish Industry, even if it's on a subconscious level lends a lot of appreciation and ode to this video. It doesn't have a little bit of everything, but it does have plenty along with some suggestive moments that as a child, confused me. As an adult, I just find it hilarious and really, this whole thing is a blown up balloon away from overload. And yes. Yes, there is. I don't know if this is what Olivia cares to be remembered for, but seeing as it reached #1 in at least four different countries along with achieving Platinum status in the United States, it's kinda hard to ignore. That and I just don't feel like spotlighting anything from Grease or Xanadu, because no matter how fabulous I am...I'm still not at Grease/Xanadu level.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWz9VN40nCA&ob=av2e
"Physical" by Olivia Newton-John

[Kace]

O is for Our Lady Peace.

I'm confident that if I had compiled this list ten years ago, Our Lady Peace would have been on it and neverminding it being posted at some board somewhere, the focus would be on how Our Lady Peace was a Canadian rock band that garnered some mainstream success in the United States, giving them something of a one-up on fellow Canadian band, Sloan. I could talk about their band name originating from a Mark Van Doren poem or how they were able to utilize the acting talents of a young Katherine Moennig in one of their music videos. I could throw in something about having music videos directed by Matt Mahurin, my favorite of the directors. I could even throw in a quick blurb about how they added new life to a Jim Johnston composition for World Wrestling Entertainment, "Whatever" and how it would be used as the new theme song for one of their wrestlers...and maybe even go on a tangent about how bad I feel about not being able to include Jim Johnston on this list, because Jim has represented the sound of the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment for years and any good recognition he gets is well deserved.

Things happened in the last ten years. Specifically there was a fateful weekend that had nothing to do with Our Lady Peace, but would forever tab them into the Infamy file by circumstance association. The wrestler that Our Lady Peace's "Whatever" was based on was a guy named Chris Benoit. As a quick refresher for any non-rasslin' fans reading this, Chris was a World Champion in WWE. His greatest moment as a performer was WWE WrestleMania XX, defeating Triple H and Shawn Michaels in the Main Event of the promotion's marquee card of the year. Being presented with the Championship belt, Our Lady Peace's "Whatever" blared out in Madison Square Garden. It was kind of a big deal is what I'm trying to say.

A few years later, Chris's mind started to turn into some sort of mush and on a fateful weekend at home, his wife and child would be murdered and Benoit himself would be found dead, with the ordeal eventually labeled a murder-suicide. Once that was determined, Vince McMahon and WWE began going out of its way to deny Chris Benoit's existence. Benoit became an infamous figure for the early 21st Century and Our Lady Peace would become known as that band with the theme song for said infamous wrestler. It's a little unfair for that to be part of Our Lady Peace's fate so I can understand people hoping that they can eventually remember them for "Superman's Dead" or "Somewhere Out There" instead. But you know..."Whatever."

The music video is "Clumsy" and was directed by Matt Mahurin. In case this was overlooked in some of the other entries on this list, Matt's always been my favorite when it comes to the artistic nature of a concept music video. It's what caused me to take notice of Our Lady Peace in the first place as they were getting airplay on MuchMusic, back when that channel was still around on DirecTV.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8urXx--I6M
"Clumsy" by Our Lady Peace

[Kace]

O is for Ozzy Osbourne.

Wrapping up the letter O is Ozzy Osbourne. In 1977, Ozzy was still known as, "that guy from Black Sabbath." Soon enough, that would change and nowadays, Ozzy is known for being Ozzy. From moments of dietary madness to failed attempts at retirement to a reality TV show, Ozzy Osbourne has run the gauntlet of strange punchlines. It could even be argued currently that he's known primarily as the husband of one of the America's Got Talent judges. Nevermind all that. In case anybody forgot or there was some sort of confusion, Ozzy Osbourne's had a career that rocked.

Once he was able to get things going in the 1980s, Ozzy became one of the standard bearers for Metal and Hard Rock. He's had songs that became anthems like "Crazy Train," which has become one of those songs that's overplayed at sporting events. But there's also "Shot In The Dark," and his duet with Lita Ford, "Close My Eyes Forever." There are the No More Tears and Ozzmosis albums that defined his sound for the 1990s. There's "Dreamer," one of his songs of reflection. There are the OzzFests, those popular multi-band tours with Ozzy headlining. Over the years, he has continually built a legion of worldwide fandom and all of the offstage silliness and punchline worthy moments aside, when it becomes clear that Mr. Osbourne's no longer around, the world is going to rock just a little less than it used to.

Originally I wanted "I Just Want You" to be the music video of choice, but "See You On The Other Side" works, too. I like the finality of it and seems there are so many people I know who just love that song. Really, the whole Ozzmosis album is worth checking out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjaIx079MQo
"See You On The Other Side" by Ozzy Osbourne

[Kace]

P is for Pantera.

Kicking off the letter P, the letter that the Rentals suggest we be friends with (so we may be friends with them) is Pantera. Pantera is proof that a band can reinvent itself for the better.

Pantera is a tale of two decades and what were basically two different bands with the same name and membership. In the 1980s, Pantera had more of a KISS influence and appeared to be embracing the Motley Crue revolution of 1980s Rock. The problem is that it just wasn't working out. They were able to release a few albums, but outside of a core audience it's hard to tell if anybody cared to notice.

The old style was dead in 1990 and thus emerged the Cowboys From Hell, the Pantera audiences would come to know and love in the 1990s. Over the course of the next decade, Pantera would rise to prominence among Metal fans and along with big selling albums and concert tours, they also started promoting singles. They became part of Extreme Championship Wrestling lore with their song, "Walk," which would be used by Rob Van Dam.

Eventually, Pantera would split with members going their separate ways. One of the offshoot bands that would form from this split would be Damageplan. Unfortunately, Damageplan would become linked with a travesty as Dimebag Darrell, who had also been part of Pantera would be killed on stage. It was one of those moments that along with Great White's fire disaster sent shockwaves through the music world and caused much of the media to go into a feeding frenzy of sadness and angst exploitation. I remember being reminded of one of my favorite quotes from the film, Seven when Morgan Freeman's Detective Somerset says, "Ernest Hemingway once wrote, 'The world is a fine place and worth fighting for.' I agree with the second part."

"Cowboys From Hell" is the music video featured and is the song that kicked off Pantera's new direction for the 1990s. It put the Heavy Metal world on notice that Pantera was going to be a serious player now. I also blame my brother for getting me hooked on it back in the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i97OkCXwotE&ob=av2e
"Cowboys From Hell" by Pantera

[Kace]

P is for Pat Benatar.

Someone had to be the first. Someone had to be chosen. August 1st, 1981, just a few minutes after Midnight and mere moments after premiering with a Moon landing and the Buggles' "Video Killed The Radio Star," MTV played its second ever music video and it would be the first featuring a female lead vocalist. MTV chose Pat Benatar. From that moment on, Pat was a big part of MTV's early rise to fame. As MTV's audience grew, so did Pat's. As their tastes expanded, so did Pat's. Pat Benatar provided for one of the more iconic music videos of those early years, the ever so cheesy yet addicting "Love Is A Battlefield." There was also "We Belong" and "Shadows Of The Night." There was "All Fired Up" in the event anybody doubted her ability to still rock.

Pat Benatar has solidified her spot in popular music history and it certainly doesn't hurt that she was second on MTV and first among the ladies on that channel as it was launching the music video craze and the MTV Generation.

The music video is "You Better Run" which, yes was that historic video in the early moments of MTV's launch. Consider all the great stuff that rocked with female lead singers at that time like Heart, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Toronto, Blondie, etc. Pat would be the one to get the nod. Good choice. There's a reason why I mention MTV so much in these entries and it's because of that first decade. In that first decade, MTV established itself as a channel for an emerging youthful Generation X. MTV was in the thick of the molding of my age group along with video games and ESPN. Their cooperative effort with the World Wrestling Federation (with Cyndi Lauper acting as a catalyst) furthered the popularity of both respective brands. They introduced new concepts like genre specific music video shows like Headbangers Ball, Yo! MTV Raps and 120 Minutes. They even had a game show that would help launch Adam Sandler's career. And it all started with those first several minutes of the channel, the Buggles and then Pat Benatar.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvSbQB6-UdY&ob=av2e
"You Better Run" by Pat Benatar

[Kace]

P is for Patti LaBelle.

Prior to 1977, there were the Ordettes and the Blue Belles, which would eventually be LaBelle and also had Nona Hendryx (she had that "Transformation" song) as part of the lineup. Then came 1977 and it was Patti striking out on her own.

In terms of singing, Patti is one of those blessed with the ability to make it seem so easy. She can belt out a soulful blast of vocal beauty, be it uptempo or slower. Throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s and 1990s, Patti could usually be found in the Billboard Rhythm & Blues Top 40. She even managed to score some hits on that chart in the 2000s, arguably past her peak run as a performer. It doesn't matter, though because as long as she still has a voice, chances are it's still going to sound better than most.

The music video is "New Attitude" which reminds me of different things all at once. One is of a time during Summer Day Camp at the Sapp Center as a child. They had us do aerobics and I remember "New Attitude" being part of the mixtape that we exercised to. I'm guessing quite a few people at some point did aerobics to that song...and probably even sported some leg warmers while doing so. One is from Saturday afternoons when I would watch various pro wrestling shows as a kid. One of them was the all-female GLOW: Gorgeous Ladies Of Wrestling that I was a big fan of and in their Pilot episode used "New Attitude" as their opening theme. Honestly, I tend to think of GLOW first when it comes to this song and at the risk of coming off as a dork (as if I haven't already), I do think it's cool that years later I've managed to friend some of the ladies from GLOW on Facebook. And there was also that time I board-opped that Dr. Laura radio show and she would use the song as her top of the hour theme. Board-Op work is such a timing thing and I would pride myself on being able to time things out just right with the breaks, including the cues and all that other radio mumbo jumbo.

By the way, "New Attitude" was also part of one of the better film soundtracks, Beverly Hills Cop. Despite not liking the film all that much, even though it's one of those things I guess I was supposed to like...that soundtrack was great. "New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle, "Neutron Dance" by the Pointer Sisters, "The Heat Is On" by Glenn Frey, just really good stuff on there. And very 1980s.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWfZ5SZZ4xE
"New Attitude" by Patti LaBelle

[Kace]

P is for Paul McCartney.

Paul McCartney makes the list for the second time, his other entry as being part of the Beatles. And while the Beatles were able to reach out to new generations thanks to re-releases and (kinda) new material in the mid-1990s, Paul himself was already past all that by the time the Beatles Anthology project came about. When the Beatles split, all four members took off for their solo projects. Ringo Starr did his thing. George Harrison did his thing. John Lennon, along with Yoko Ono did stuff and became famous in their own right. And there was Paul who took his own set of Wings into flight.

By 1977, Paul McCartney & Wings were already well established as one of the top 1970s groups. The late 1970s would see continued success, but also Paul getting more into solo stuff away from Wings (at least officially). In the 1980s, he would score duets with Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. He would make a cameo in Tracy Ullman's music video for "They Don't Know." He would also record "Spies Like Us," the title track for the movie with Dan Aykroyd and Chevy Chase. I'm not afraid to say I love that film and the song's quite cool, too. There would be continued success into the 1990s and even in the 2000s in the United Kingdom. Even in the 2010s, Sir Paul continues to record if for no other reason than it's just natural for him to do so.

"Wonderful Christmastime" is the music video and at first glance, this might seem an odd choice. I mean, yes I could have gone with "Spies Like Us" or "Hope Of Deliverance," but this video was chosen for a reason, not the least of which involves Paul having a fun time with his Wings bandmates, including the late Linda McCartney.

I wanted to spotlight at least one Christmas music video for this list. I realize Christmas music is kind of a seasonal thing. Something that's played ad nauseum between Thanksgiving and Christmas Night. I realize it can be an acquired taste and I even realize that there are those who will break out their little bottles of Haterade when the subject of Christmas music comes up. I'm not one of those people. Sometimes, during the month of May or July I will find myself in the mood to listen to some of it. Songs of an immaculate birth and other songs of mythical beings that could once capture the imaginations of youth. It's all commercialized and I get that. Still...there's this, perhaps halcyon, but a feeling nonetheless of those youthful times for me.

"Wonderful Christmastime" is great, but it's just one example. When I was a kid, every Christmas Eve we would take the car ride to my maternal Grandmother's. Johnny Mathis, Andy Williams, Bing Crosby and all the old school crooners singing the various carols on the radio. There was Paul McCartney's contribution of course, as well as Elton John, Ray Stevens and in the more demented sense, Weird Al Yankovic. I would enjoy "The Chipmunk Song" no matter how many times I heard it.

Christmas was pretty simple back then. It all started with school letting out for the 2 Week break. We would wish our classmates a Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Hannukah, New Year's, all of it. We were happy. We would sing "Frosty The Snowman" until it got on some adult's nerves. In retrospect, there was a certain magic to it. Sure, there were the toys and all that, but there was just this feeling. On Christmas Eve, we'd hang out with Mom's side of the family. Later on in the evening, we'd get home, get to open one gift under the tree, sleep, wake up early the next morning and then my brother and I would plot out what to do with the new array of action figures and toy cars. Later on for Christmas Day we'd hang out with Dad's side of the family where me, my brother and our cousins would proceed to cause much mayhem for our own amusement. Fun times!

Times got older, we got older and somewhere along the way, Christmas went from being magical to being a couple of days of getting out the house and saying hi to relatives. Then something funny happened. My brother and some of my cousins helped bring about another generation and suddenly there was almost this vicarious joy of seeing children light up at their gifts and remembering that feeling, back when it was innocent and something to believe in. I find myself at a time in my life where it's just as good to remember past feelings of past Christmases without worrying so much about the next one.

I know my routine now for Christmas is a little different from childhood. Christmas Eve, we hang out with Mom's side of the family. I enjoy an awesome serving of macaroni & cheese, we laugh, poke fun at one another and then shoot hoops outside with no veritable skill. We go home, I watch the Hawaii Bowl and then A Christmas Story, which at times I can darn near recite from memory. I hope to run across National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and Scrooged. We exchange gifts at home and then it's off to bed at some point. The next day, it's Christmas and we hang out with Dad's side of the family. Christmas 2011, I changed it up a little bit and actually attended church. Truth be told, I'm not a very religious person and most of the time, I'll probably be at odds at some point with someone who is, be they one specific group or another. Yet I still believe in this basic concept of Christmas. I still believe in being able to sing along to "Wonderful Christmastime" and "Step Into Christmas" and so on. For some crazy reason, there's some part of me that makes it clear with a scream through the subconscious that this still means something. I see my nephew and niece enjoying Christmas morning. I see people actually pausing their angst, even if it's momentarily just to feel good...or in some cases at least give the idea a try. I still believe in that crazy stuff. I still believe in the ideal of simply having a Wonderful Christmastime. Maybe that makes me a little sappy. I can live with that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9BZDpni56Y
"Wonderful Christmastime" by Paul McCartney

[Kace]

P is for Paula Abdul.

It's kinda funny how life works out sometimes. Heading into the 1990s, Paula Abdul looked set to become the decade's Female Pop Music Leader. Her Forever Your Girl album had provided radio with several hit songs, her wave of popularity was riding right into the next decade with another album full of hits. Then suddenly, almost out of nowhere, that was it. Seriously, between 1988 and 1992, Paula was a main figure in music. 1993 rolls around and suddenly she's vanished, as if that whole thing never happened.

Of course, music was changing during that time and it's possible that Paula somehow got caught up on the wrong side of it. She did return in 1995 and there was that "Crazy Cool" song, but the singing career never really took off after that. It seemed she was doomed to past tense status, though she still had her dance choreographer gig going strong, helping out with various productions. Then this show called American Idol came into existence and she was one of its judges. Almost as suddenly as she had disappeared, she once again was current in pop culture. Now I can only wonder how History will remember Paula Abdul. Will she be remembered more for her string of hit songs or for her judging prowess on TV shows I don't care to watch? I prefer the former. On a cynical note, it'll probably be the latter.

"Straight Up" is not just the music video, but it's the song that launched her into the national consciousness in late 1988 and early 1989. I was in 6th Grade at the time, leaving a middle school back home that I loathed for another in Indiana where it was always cold and full of ice. At least the music was good. Def Leppard's "Armageddon It" was being played a lot, which always made me happy. There was still the parade of good Hair Metal stuff, entertaining Rap songs by guys like Tone Loc and Young MC. Phil Collins had some good solo stuff out, Madonna was showing the world how to get out of a Pepsi contract. That's just a taste of how things were and in the midst of all this came Paula and her tap dancing. It should be noted that this particular copy of the music video has Arsenio Hall blurred out for whatever reason. Kinda makes me go, "Hmmm."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=El1kgCqD7Xk&ob=av2e
"Straight Up" by Paula Abdul

[Kace]

P is for Peaches.

I admit, when it comes to Peaches, I'm just tempted to simply type the words, "Sex," and, "Peaches," and be done with it. Trying to describe Peaches in a way that would make sense to normal people is kind of a lost cause. Musically, she's an acquired taste. Visually and in terms of personality, she's an enigma. I credit her appearance on The L Word as my introduction to her and her music. From "I U She" to "Rock The Shocker" to "F*** The Pain Away," Peaches hasn't exactly been shy about the aim of her content. One of her albums was called ImPeach My Bush. When asked about politics during a radio interview, she showed little to no interest, veering back to sex. Peaches is our own little sexual rebel for the 21st Century, who makes her own rules just to break them for fun.

And no...she is not to be confused with Peaches & Herb who are not on this list. So there.

"Boys Wanna Be Her" is Peaches at her apex for rock and taboo. It's not for the easily squeamish as she and her band bleed for their art. I probably could be grossed out, but I once watched Magnum TA stab Tully Blanchard in the eye during a cage match, so I'm good.

Peaches.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4JRwVoKs_nU
"Boys Wanna Be Her" by Peaches

[Kace]

P is for Pearl Jam.

Somewhere in an alternate universe, this could be listed as M is for Mookie Blaylock. At one point, Eddie Vedder's appreciation for Seattle SuperSonics basketball looked like it would lead to one of the 1990s' most prominent bands having an amusing NBA All-Star name. Epic Records didn't like that, so the name was shelved and thus, Mookie Blaylock...the band, not the athlete became Pearl Jam. I suppose in another alternate universe, there is no Pearl Jam entry and instead it's about the awesome that was Mother Love Bone.

When I was in high school, it seemed like Pearl Jam was the go-to band for, "look at me, I'm different," students. That's not to be critical since after all, we've all gotta figure out our own way. Heck, I remember a few taking the notion a step further and being into Bad Brains. It happens. Saying that though almost appears to serve as a distraction from what Pearl Jam's been able to accomplish in its time as they have garnered one of the fiercest loyal audiences of any rock band in existence. All nine of their studio albums have scored either #1 or #2 on the Billboard 200. They've had successful live albums, an EP, numerous singles and their concert tours continue to be a hot ticket. They've also had a few music videos, but for a while didn't really care for them.

The featured music video may be confusing initially. Yes, it's "Jeremy," but it's not the more familiar version directed by Mark Pellington. This is the original, directed by a guy named Chris Cuffaro. "Jeremy" would also serve as a catalyst for Pearl Jam starting to fall out of love with the concept music video. Previously, they had concert version music videos for "Alive" and "Even Flow," but with "Jeremy" there was an attempt to craft together a story. Cuffaro gave it a shot, but it was dismissed by the suits. So Pellington got the nod and somewhere along the way, confusion set in as to what the the resolution of the story (a young student commits suicide via pistol in front of his classmates) was. The whole ordeal left Pearl Jam a bit disillusioned with music videos and MTV and that's when Pearl Jam discovered something about themselves. They didn't really need to make music videos in order to garner or keep an audience. With the exception of "Oceans," Pearl Jam wouldn't bother with another music video until 1998 when Todd MacFarlane and Kevin Altieri would team up to give "Do The Evolution" an animated apocalypse. So, featured here is the original intended version of "Jeremy" which I tend to prefer over the more commercialized successful version. And it's very Pearl Jam.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNO6pAJBCs4
"Jeremy (Original Video)" by Pearl Jam
WARNING: Unedited f-bomb uttered

[Kace]

P is for Peter Cetera.

The original idea was for Peter Cetera to become an American version of Phil Collins. By that, Peter was going to build on a solo career while splitting time with the band he had been part of for years, Chicago. He made his solo debut in 1981 then went back to Chicago to launch what would become Chicago's signature sound for that decade.

Phil Collins had an arrangement with Genesis that basically went like this. There would be time set aside for Genesis and there would time set aside for the individual members to take care of other projects. Peter wanted to do the same with Chicago, but unlike between Genesis and Phil, Chicago and Peter just couldn't work it out. In July of 1985, Peter would embark on his solo career, leaving Chicago to add Jason Scheff in Peter's position (vocals, bass). Almost immediately, it turned out to be a great move for Mr. Cetera as he scored two Billboard Hot 100 #1's with "Glory Of Love" and "The Next Time I Fall," the latter of which was a duet with a young up-and-coming Amy Grant. Peter had a penchant for duets, also performing with Cher, Chaka Khan, Crystal Bernard and Agnetha Faltsong. He also assisted Az Yet in their cover of Chicago's "Hard To Say I'm Sorry," though sadly they would neglect the "Get Away" portion of that medley. Oh well. He had a total of 4 Adult Contemporary #1's including the above mentioned Billboard #1's and also "One Good Woman" and "Restless Heart." In retrospect, it appears Peter has been placed into that Retro-Cheese category and I do recall a TV ad from recent years that put forth the idea that, "if you love the ladies, then by default...you like Peter Cetera."

"One Good Woman" is the featured music video and it was the song that proved that Peter Cetera could score a big hit without being part of Chicago or having to sing for a Soundtrack of some awful film or by relying on a duet. This was all Peter and it was a success that would repeat a few years later with "Restless Heart."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ok2Jyjtm698
"One Good Woman" by Peter Cetera

[Kace]

P is for Peter Gabriel.

1976 was the end of the beginning for Peter Gabriel. He finished up with Genesis and in 1977 ventured out into what's become a notable solo career. In Peter's own way of being a bit different, his first four albums were all self titled, causing them to be situated by nickname and year released. He had modest success during those years in the United States while being a hit in the UK. His first single, "Solsbury Hill" has become something of a retroactive hit as it seems to be more popular now than it was initially in 1977.

There were songs like "Biko" and "Shock The Monkey" that have also become part of 1980s musical lore, especially "Shock The Monkey" for the New Wave fans. In 1986, his album So was released and suddenly, Peter Gabriel became the man for a bit. He had 5 singles from that album and all were a big hit on one chart or another. "Sledgehammer" was not only huge on radio, but also on Billboard with the #1 spot on the Hot 100. It also sported one of the biggest music video hits ever on MTV. To this day, an All Time Music Video List cannot be complete without "Sledgehammer" being on it and a similar argument could be made for "Big Time." "In Your Eyes" is one of those songs that has grown more and more on audiences over the years while "Red Rain" is a personal favorite. His duet with Kate Bush, "Don't Give Up" was also well received.

He had a compilation album, Shaking The Tree to pass the time between So and his next masterpiece, Us. Us would be released in 1992 and would have notable songs like "Digging In The Dirt," "Steam" and "Kiss That Frog." Since then, Peter's continued to record and tour, but for me a lot of the appeal has been So and Us and considering how awesome So and Us were, that's good enough for me. There's also the Genesis connection and a brief reunion as he and the rest of the classic lineup (Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford & Tony Banks) where they recorded a 1999 version of "The Carpet Crawlers" for a Genesis compilation album.

"Red Rain" is the music video of choice instead of "Sledgehammer" or "Big Time" or even "Steam." "Red Rain" was one of Matt Mahurin's early music video efforts behind the camera and I always liked Matt's artistic primitive style, which also made for a great alternate version of U2's "With Or Without You." And I really like the song a lot.

"Let the Rain fall on your skin."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkLTwX0duY4
"Red Rain" by Peter Gabriel

[Kace]

P is for Peter Murphy.

Whether remembered as part of the band, Bauhaus or as a solo act, Peter Murphy has kept himself part of a scene that would have him dubbed the, "Godfather Of Goth," since 1978. Granted, Peter usually has been able to garner more chart succ
ess in the UK while in the United States he, be it with or without Bauhaus was more of an acquired taste. While I never got as much into Bauhaus, I really dug his solo work in the 1980s and early 1990s. He did achieve a chart milestone in 1990, getting to the #1 spot on the Billboard Modern Rock singles with "Cuts You Up." Other songs like "All Night Long" and "The Scarlet Thing In You" also became cult favorites among fans. I have my own favorite, but I'll talk more about that momentarily. In recent years, Peter has released some covers of other famous songs like John Lennon's "Instant Karma!" and Johnny Cash's "Hurt" that was originally done by Nine Inch Nails. And when Peter's not recording or touring, he can be found in Turkey, enjoying the Turkish lifestyle. Which I can only guess may involve some weird form of wrestling.

The music video featured is "Hit Song" which I'm guessing was Peter going for intentional irony since it was not designed for that kind of success, even in the early 1990s, a time when everything was changing in music. I love the song and the Matt Mahurin directed video which accentuates a beautiful man with a haunting voice. Peter always liked going for some serious artistic touch in his music videos and having worked with Mr. Mahurin numerous times, it seems Peter and Matt were able to work well together. Especially here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrUM2BMkqhA
"Hit Song" by Peter Murphy

[Kace]

P is for Phil Collins.

It started with Genesis, which figures since the word itself is usually associated with starting points. It had been up to Phil to figure out who was going to replace Peter Gabriel as the lead singer of the group, only for it to be determined by Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks that it would be Phil himself. He had a good voice and already knew all the words. And Then There Were Three.

Phil had so much in him, musically that he wanted to let out that eventually he would take time away from Genesis to record what would be his Face Value album. It was personal, artistic and groundbreaking. "In The Air Tonight" introduced the concept of the epic Phil Collins percussion sound. When Genesis decided that it wasn't a bad idea for everyone to occasionally break away and work on their own projects, that left Phil to go from solo to group and back and forth on a schedule.

In the early days of MTV, Phil was one of its Pop leaders. "You Can't Hurry Love," a Supremes cover was an early favorite. "Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)" showed how a song and music video could fit nicely within the realm of showcasing a film. Throughout the 1980s, Phil's innovative music videos kept him at the forefront in the ever changing world of Popular Music. There was also that video for "Two Hearts" with the Ultimate Warrior, but they can't all be winners. And that was just a one-off for a TV special.

"I Wish It Would Rain Down" was great and had a twist ending and while he may not have scored as big in the 1990s in the United States, he was still a big hit in the UK. And there was still Genesis, at least until he left and they replaced him with Ray Wilson for a few minutes. In 1999, he had "You'll Be In My Heart" for the Disney modification of Tarzan. I also remember years later, I wound up singing a bad karaoke version of that for the Relay For Life crowd. I like singing. I'm not very good at it, but it's fun.

In the 2000s, Phil recorded some more material and continued to maintain a presence on the German chart. And now, I will pause to picture a bunch of Germans in a bar singing "Sussudio."

*pause*

...That's awesome.

By the way, it should also be noted that Phil helped out on drums for Band Aid's "Do They Know It's Christmas?" which is the song that introduced the concept of getting a bunch of singers together to sing for charity. What actual good Band Aid accomplished I'll leave to the experts to decide. They made a great song, though! I will also now note that Phil also played drums for Martin Page's "In The House Of Stone And Light." I love that song and it just makes Phil all the more awesome.

There were so many great options for which music video to feature that I knew I'd pick the wrong one in the eyes of whoever's reading this. I decided to go with "Take Me Home." Not just because he helped out some rappers years later with it and not just because it was used as the closing credits theme for the WWF's Saturday Night's Main Event in its early years. "Take Me Home" is kinda special in that people don't truly get the dark nature of the song.

The music video is Phil making use of a World Tour, taking a break at different stops to sing to the camera. London, Paris, New York City, Hollywood, Sydney, Tokyo and others are all seen and it looks like Phil's having the time of his life. I imagine this video would unofficially still be the most expensive ever, considering it was attached to a tour and whatever that cost.

As for the song itself, the video almost serves as a dark metaphor of irony. It's all in his head, because in the context of the song itself, the protagonist is alone in a cell. One of the mental rehabilitation places with a padded room and straightjacket. The entire song is a protagonist slowly but surely going mad at the plight of being locked away from the outside world due to his overt difference of personality. He's a little too out there for the world to comprehend. I can relate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRY1NG1P_kw
"Take Me Home" by Phil Collins

[Kace]

P is for Pink.

My name is Kace and I once underestimated the power of Pink. True story.

The problem initially was Robyn. In the late 1990s, Robyn had burst onto the R&B scene and when Pink arrived, I just saw another Robyn. Since then, without really knowing it Pink has gone out of her way to make sure I feel foolish about that initial thought forever. And it serves me right, because really I should have known better. The first time I actually thought Pink was someone I could like musically, it was when she helped out on Christina Aguilera's "Lady Marmalade" LaBelle cover. In 2001, I had started working at a radio station I had always wanted to be at and it was playing "Get The Party Started," every other hour. So I got to think that the song was both nice and annoying, simultaneously. I remember it was "Don't Let Me Get Me" where I started to become more of a fan.

There was "Just Like A Pill" and "Family Portrait" and as Pink continued ascending the ladder of success, it became apparent that for her, there may have been some therapeutic to the music she was recording. Pink hasn't been afraid to wear her heart on her sleeve, or on a tree she's chainsawing down. From "Who Knew" to "F***in' Perfect," Pink continues to astound and she's become one of those shining examples of where I'm glad I was wrong. So Raise Your Glass to her Pinkness, my favorite crayon.

"So What" is the featured music video with above mentioned chainsawing. It's a basis for art embracing life as Pink's attitude over a breakup plays out for the world's entertainment and even includes the subject of the breakup there with her in the music video. It's not the genius or insanity of the video, especially considering that her ex at the time hadn't even heard the song before the video shoot according to Pink herself. It's not just all that, but "So What" is a song that takes me back to my Second Life days. The days where Kace Box and his epic pink hat DJ'd at various virtual clubs. Among them was the Rainbow Moon and the wonderful people involved there. During my weekly gigs there, "So What" became the Midnight (9 PM SLT) anthem along with Sister Sledge's "We Are Family." I'll still drop in to SL every once in a while, though not to DJ. I still have some friends there and it's always fun to drop in with a random hello from time to time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJfFZqTlWrQ
"So What" by Pink

[Kace]

P is for Pink Floyd.

1994 was the end of Progress. Whatever has happened in Rock since then is always up for interpretation, but once the Division Bell rung there was only reflection for the entity known as Prog Rock. Pink Floyd was a driving force for the genre and by 1977, they were already top of the Progressive chain, thanks mainly to the success of The Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here. They took the idea of the Concept Story album put forth by bands like Nirvana (Original UK recipe from the 1960s), the Moody Blues and the Pretty Things and made it into their own artform. In 1977, there was Animals, followed by The Wall. Then came The Final Cut with Roger Waters departing. David Gilmour and Nick Mason would continue Pink Floyd by releasing A Momentary Lapse Of Reason and then finally in 1994, there was Richard Wright back with the group for The Division Bell. Between 1977 and the end in 1994, there were five albums (not counting compilations or live efforts) and all five scored in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200. The Wall and The Division Bell would hit #1.

Among the singles released during the period covered in these entries were classics like "Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)," "Run Like Hell," "Comfortably Numb," "Learning To Fly," "Take It Back" and "High Hopes." "Another Brick In The Wall (Part II)" was a monster hit, scoring #1 on not just the Billboard Hot 100, but all over Europe (save the Netherlands...only #3 there), Canada and Australia.

Pink Floyd continues to inspire listeners, though in some unusual ways like the Dark Side Of The Rainbow crowd. Basically one can take any Pink Floyd album, play it while watching whatever movie on mute and it'll be a mind blowing experience. This seems to be especially true with the Wizard Of Oz (1939 film) and practically any old Disney animated film. And yes, I'm guilty of being one of those people at times as I have my own version of Dark Side Of The Rainbow. First part is The Dark Side Of The Moon (of course) starting at just the right time then finishing it off with The Fat Of The Land by the Prodigy. Yeah, I'm a bit different like that, I guess. I remember there was a website that would have all these synchs for albums/films and I even tried some of them before striking out to make my own, including Kacestasia. I don't know if that's the legacy Pink Floyd had in mind back in 1967, but there it is.

Speaking of Kacestasia, which is Disney's Fantasia with my own soundtrack of songs from my mp3 collection, "High Hopes" is the music video of choice and is the final song in my little experiment that most likely will never be seen publicly. Having the song at the end makes sense with the bells ringing, scaring off Chernobog and showing the parade of monks marching toward their holy ground. Aside from my personal experiment nonsense though, "High Hopes" really was the end. It was the last song for Pink Floyd, summarizing in its own way the history of its existence.

It also strikes a chord with me on a personal note. I remember the Summer of 1994. It was the last Summer break for me as a student as I'd soon be starting Senior Year. I had this feeling that, "The grass was greener," was going to be the line that stuck out with my age advancing. Being the stubborn somebody I am, I've done a fairly decent job of repressing that emotion. At least for the most part. At some point, we're all faced with looking back at that time where we felt to have the most potential before showing it to the world. Not everybody's able to get there. That's why the song is "High Hopes," because we all have them before venturing out into Reality. When Graduation Night came a year later, the bell rang loud and clear. Much like Pink Floyd and Progressive Rock, all that is in the past.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OTBK5HBx3M
"High Hopes" by Pink Floyd

[Kace]

P is for the Pixies.

In the late 1980s, Alternative was still forming an identity. Boston, a city who had also provided this list with New Edition and New Kids On The Block were also, in an effort to balance things out and provide its own definition of Alternative Music gave the world the Pixies.

The Pixies were true Alternative pioneers though whether they were really interested in that is anybody's guess. Songs like "Where Is My Mind?" "Here Comes Your Man" and "Velouria" either became Modern Rock hits or anthems for a young generation as it grew to adulthood. I have my own memories of "Where Is My Mind?" but it would involve name dropping and yelling, "Thank God I'm Me!!!" really loud.

One of the Pixies, Kim Deal would form another group, the Breeders, best remembered for "Cannonball" and "Divine Hammer." Kim would also inspire a song named in her honor, "Cool As Kim Deal" by the Dandy Warhols. The inspiration and impact of the Pixies doesn't end there. When the Revolution was launched and decreed in 1991, the song providing it was Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit." Kurt Cobain would reveal in an interview with Rolling Stone the following.

"I was trying to write the ultimate pop song. I was basically trying to rip off the Pixies."

Yes, the song that launched a rebellion against 1980s Rock was inspired, at least in part by Kurt's longing to be like the Pixies. Not bad. Not bad at all.

"Here Comes Your Man" is the music video of choice and shows the Pixies' general attitude about music videos. They go through the motions while Black Francis simply opens his mouth and keeps it open when it's time to lip synch the vocals. Kim, lipping the background vocals does the same. It's just funny to watch and the contempt they have for the concept provides the kind of quality entertainment other bands at the time could only hope to achieve while synchronizing kicks and drumstick twirls. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvi4iA3PnKE
"Here Comes Your Man" by the Pixies

[Kace]

P is for the Pointer Sisters.

Somewhere in my childhood are memories of just music. Just listening to the radio for hours on end. Memories of listening to various Pop music by flipping back and forth between Q98 and B-100, digging that electric Rhythm & Blues dance beat of a Post-Disco society. Playing a large part in that were the Pointer Sisters.

The Pointers had been around since at least the early 1970s. From 1977 onward, the Sisters would have some great songs like "Fire," "He's So Shy," "I'm So Excited" and my personal favorite, "Neutron Dance." They've had their songs covered by a range of artists like Conway Twitty, Ultra Nate and Le Tigre. Indeed, Conway's cover of "Slow Hand" is something to behold. The Pointer Sisters were able to cross over from R&B and Disco of the 1970s to Electric Pop of the 1980s and into the New Jack Swing of the early 1990s. They were part of both USA For Africa's "We Are The World" and that Voices That Care project nobody remembers anymore. I just prefer to think of the early years of my childhood though. I'm pretty sure at some point I was jamming out to "I'm So Excited" while playing Congo Bongo.

"Jump (For My Love)" is the music video of choice which features some sports highlights and among them, Dr. J Erving and Magic Johnson. And yes, they're jumping. It was a pretty big hit in 1984, the same year Van Halen gave us their own "Jump." Come to think of it, the word, "jump," has come in handy for great music. "Jump To It" by Aretha Franklin, "Jump" by Kris Kross, "Jump Around" by House Of Pain. "Jump In The Fire" by Metallica. I'm beginning to wonder if, "jump," is a magic word musicians use so they can be awesome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfvFm...eature=related
"Jump (For My Love)" by the Pointer Sisters

[Jane Craig]

A gift for you -- the Pointer Sisters before they went disco. This is simply immaculate. Their early stuff is amazing too!

And let's not forget Hugh Grant in Love Actually as the PM, grooving to "Jump."

Yeah, I like these ladies.

[Kace]

Jane