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Singin' the Blues/The Blues by BB King
Singin' the Blues/The Blues by BB King
1992 | Rock
(0 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"I was very fortunate. My dad was a musician, he would take me around to recording studios in Houston. I got to hear some really rippin’ stuff at a very young age. There were all of these rambunctious country artists and guys playing this hod-rod hillbilly music. It blew my mind, as you can imagine. Well, one day we to went ACA Studios, and I got to see BB King play. I must’ve been about seven years old. What a trip! “Needless to say, he made a big impression, and later on, I got ahold of this record, which has always been one of my favorites. Something about it just resonates. The lead lines that BB plays are chilling. Although it’s called ‘Singin’ The Blues,’ on this album I think the guitar really comes to the fore as a strident solo instrument. “It’s often been said that Billy could do more with one note than most guitarists can do with 100, and I think it might have started right here. He had developed his technique so fully - it was so unique and elegant – that he was able to play these ‘blue’ notes on songs that even had almost cha-cha beats. This is a record I never have to rediscover because it never went away"

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Nicky Wire recommended What's Going On by Marvin Gaye in Music (curated)

 
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
What's Going On by Marvin Gaye
1971 | Rhythm And Blues
8.2 (5 Ratings)
Album Favorite

"Me and James were obsessed with the NME ‘100 Best Albums Of All Time’ in the mid 80s, so we started buying as many as we could - Marquee Moon, Blonde On Blonde, The Clash... some of them we had anyway, but then there were things like Pet Sounds, which was really high, and when you’re 14 you think of the Beach Boys as fucking idiots going “doo wop”, don’t you? We both got What’s Going On and I think it’s the first time I realised, in an exotic way, that politics could translate. Through colour, through country - you could still feel the desperation of someone else even though it was your first exposure to music like that. Obviously my Mum and Dad had tons of records, but the intimacy of playing that in your bedroom and being transported to another world of the same anger you were feeling, but then in such a graceful way. ‘Inner City Blues’, the title track, ‘Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)’. There’s lot’s of brackets - lot’s of songs with brackets. I love that idea of brackets. I love the cover. You can still put it on today, and obviously in the studio we have lots of vinyl and a record player - you put that one in particular and it drifts, it seduces you but it also stimulates."

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Here Comes the Boom (2012)
Here Comes the Boom (2012)
2012 | Action, Comedy
In Here Comes the Boom, Kevin James takes on an all-too-familiar role, once again capitalizing on his fame as a fat funnyman. This new comedy succeeds at being heartwarming and entertaining, but not much else.

The film starts out by introducing our hero, Scott Voss (James), as a former high school wrestler who settled into a career as a high school Biology teacher. It’s clear he was once a highly motivated, recognized, and celebrated teacher, based on the awards he received, and the way he talks about the old days.

As the story unfolds, we find out the music teacher, Marty Streb (played by Henry Winkler), is in danger of losing his job. There are financial cutbacks at the school, and of course the music department is the first to go.

In an effort to gather the funds needed to save his mentor, Voss decides to get into UFC-style cage fighting, because even the losers get paid ten grand! The story continues in a very predictable and formulaic fashion. From the sexy and supportive single nurse (played by Salma Hayek), to the hard-assed principle (Greg Germann), the movie is filled with archetypal roles played by recognizable actors.

Here Comes the Boom is done well enough to get a good laugh out of you, and it has a few heartwarming moments, but don’t expect anything special. The cinematography is done well. The dialog (co-written by Kevin James) is clever enough to generate a few chuckles, but it won’t inspire awe.

The threat of music and art programs being cut from a school’s curriculum over budget concerns is a familiar issue across the country. This movie comes at a good time, benefiting from the debate currently happening in so many places.

I would watch anything with Henry Winkler in it, as I have a love-affair-from-afar with that man, and he definitely adds to the ensemble. However, the film smacks of UFC product placement. I suspect many of you will reach the same conclusion I did: that the UFC was clearly bankrolling this in some fashion. Even Joe Rogan makes a noteworthy appearance.

The film is not without its positive aspects. I was impressed at how well the humor and drama blended together. All the right things in all the right places. Here Comes the Boom is a good movie for a few chuckles, and for briefly melting a some of the ice surrounding your bitter, frozen heart.
  
    Ukulele Karaoke Ukeoke

    Ukulele Karaoke Ukeoke

    Music and Education

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

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    Ukulele Karaoke Ukeoke is the fastest way to learn new songs! Easy-to-play versions for 1700+ hit...