The Current Music Blog: September 14, 2009 Archive

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Today In Music History: Quadrophenia, The Film

Posted at 6:17 AM on September 14, 2009 by Steve Seel
Filed under: Music History

Birthdays:

Singer Morten Harket of A-ha is 50.
Rapper Nas (Nasir Jones) is 36.
Amy Winehouse is 26.

Today in:

1955 - Little Richard recorded "Tutti Frutti."
1968 - Pete Townshend of The Who announced his plans to write a rock opera called "Tommy" about a "deaf, dumb and blind boy."
1984 - The first MTV Video Music Awards were held in New York. Herbie Hancock was the big winner, winning five awards for his "Rockit" video. However, Madonna stole the show with her performance of "Like A Virgin" in which she rolled around on the stage in a wedding dress.
1989 - Sting made his stage debut in "The Three Penny Opera" in Washington. He was pummeled by critics, including one who wrote "prepare to be stung."

Today in 1979, a film premiered that did feature a dramatic success for Sting - The Who's Quadrophenia, based on their 1973 album about social life in 1960s London and Brighton telling the story of two opposing gangs, the Mods and the Rockers. The '79 release of the film sparked a renewed excitement about the original album; this morning we played one of the album's highlight's, "5:15."

Monday Coffee Break: That 80s Drum Sound

Posted at 8:54 AM on September 14, 2009 by Steve Seel (10 Comments)
Filed under: 9:30 Coffee Break

(updated below)

You know it, you love it. It's ridiculous. The sound of 80s electronic drums, and specifically, those tom fills. Think every other song from the Top Gun soundtrack.

Well that cheesy percussive sound is what we're celebrating today on the 9:30 Coffee Break. Do-da-doom-doom-doom ...

Update: Today's set wound up being by no means a definitive set. But the tracks we played, culled from your requests:

1) Datarock, "Give It Up" (an example of a new song with that 80s drum sound)
2) Orchestral Maneuvers In the Dark, "Tesla Girls"
3) Jan Hammer, "Miami Vice Theme"
4) Cocteau Twins, "Lorelei"

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The Biggest Beatles Controversy

Posted at 9:26 AM on September 14, 2009 by Michael Wells (8 Comments)
Filed under: Meet the Beatles (Again)

For all of their successes, The Beatles were not without their fair share of controversy. Secret messages in their songs, unorthodox press events, and ...well, Yoko. What do you think the biggest controversy was for the Fab Four?

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They're still not afraid of you...

Posted at 10:52 AM on September 14, 2009 by Barb Abney

It seems like it was just yesterday when Yo La Tengo dropped by for an in-studio performance...

Popular Songs, their 12th studio album was released last week. In celebration, you can grab the tune "Periodically Double or Triple" for free on our Song Of The Day podcast!

If you're a new subscriber, you'll also receive new music from Red Pens, Wild Beasts, Sondre Hope Sandoval and Lerche. Later this week we'll be featuring new music from Mason Jennings, Jay Reatard, Hockey and new local music from James Buckley Trio.

Yo La Tengo will be returning to town on Wednesday, October, 7th for a show at First Avenue along with Cheap Time.

bust a move with these 3 songs...

Posted at 12:17 PM on September 14, 2009 by Barb Abney
Filed under: My Three Songs

Jennie Berndt from Woodbury, MN picked today's My 3 Songs set because...

"All songs with the word dance or dancing in the titles. Each one makes me want to get up and bust a move when I hear them."

TV On The Radio - "Dancing Choose"
Nouvelle Vague - "Dancing With Myself"
Van Morrison - "Moondance"

Make your "My 3 Songs" requests here.

Tunes On The Telly Tonight: (09/14/09)

Posted at 1:26 PM on September 14, 2009 by Barb Abney

Dave Matthews on Tavis Smiley

Punk Poet Jim Carroll dies

Posted at 7:11 PM on September 14, 2009 by Bill DeVille

Jim Carroll, the writer of Basketball Diaries about a teenage basketball sensation with a serious drug problem and maker of the classic album, Catholic Boy, which featured his punk anthem, "People Who Died," has died of a heart attack at age 60. He was found dead in his Manhattan apartment on September 11th.

Jim Carroll was also known as one of the greatest poets of his generation. Carroll was befriended by people like Andy Warhol, Bob Dylan, Patti Smith & even Kieth Richards, who helped get him his record deal.

I have fond memories of attending one of his rare shows at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis back in the early 80's when he opened for the Boomtown Rats.

RIP Jim Carroll

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