Weird Al Yankovic – Eat It

Posted on September 23, 2013 by Kneeknee

Weird Al Yankovic – Eat It

Weird Al Yankovic - Eat It

A musical parodist in the broad, juvenile yet clever tradition of Mad magazine, “Weird Al” Yankovic is known for adding his own gently satirical lyrics to current hit songs. His shaggy, hangdog appearance, affection for slapstick, and amiable willingness to do seemingly anything for a laugh made him a natural for videos. His burlesques of the form and its artistes — especially of Michael Jackson in “Eat It” (from “Beat It”) (#12, 1983) and “Fat” (from “Bad”) (#99, 1988) — became MTV staples. His medleys of rock tunes given the polka treatment inspired rumors —untrue — that Yankovic was a member of the singing Yankovic family, who made polka and Western swing records in the 1940s. Regardless of his heritage, Yankovic is undoubtedly the most successful comedy recording artist, with more than 11 million albums sold.

Yankovic, a high school valedictorian and architecture student, got his start I 1979, when he sent his “My Bologna” — a parody of the Knack’s “My Sharona” — to Dr. Demento, a syndicated radio host specializing in novelty songs and curiosities. Recorded in a bathroom across the hall from his college radio station with only his accordion and vocal, the song was popular enough with Demento’s audience for Capitol (the Knack’s label) to release it as a single. His next parody, “Another One Rides the Bus” (based on Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”), became the most requested song in the first decade of the Dr. Demento show.

Yankovic signed with Rock ‘n’ Roll Records (a CBS subsidiary), which not only gave him access to better recording facilities and the production expertise of Rick Derringer but the financial backing for the video of “Ricky” (#63, 1983). A combination parody of Toni Basil’s hit single and video “Mickey” and homage to TV’s I Love Lucy, “Ricky” was the first of a string of videos that skewered the music, its creators, and its audience, not to mention pop culture in general. While often hilariously hamfisted, Yankovic’s takeoffs — such as “I Lost on Jeopardy” (#81, 1984) from “Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D (#81, 1984), which rewrote Greg Kihn’s “Jeopardy”; “Like a Surgeon” (#47, 1985), which tackled Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” from Dare to Be Stupid (#50, 1985) — made their creator and star as much a rock celebrity as his targets. In fact, the longevity of Yankovic’s career has surpassed several of the artists’ whose songs he has parodied. Nearly half the songs on any of his albums were comedic originals, although only his biggest fans seemed to be aware of “Weird Al” the songwriter. But his lyric rewriting earned him eight Grammy nominations, including two wins.

In 1985 Yankovic released a video collection of his parodies, The Compleat Al. That same year MTV produced an occasional series starring Yankovic as the host of Al TV, wherein he spoofed current videos. In 1989 he wrote and starred in the movie UHF; costarring a pre-Seinfeld Michael Richards, UHF did poorly in the theater but later found new life as a cultish video hit.

Polka Party! (#177, 1986), which relied more on music than on videos, stiffed. Even Worse (#27, 1988) marked Al’s return to rock video, and Michael Jackson. For “Fat,” a grossly, literally overinflated Yankovic donned a leather outfit that copied Jackson’s on the cover and video of Bad down to the last buckle. Jackson not only gave his approval for Yankovic’s versions, he lent the subway set used in “Bad” for the “Fat” video.

In 1988 Yankovic collaborated with avant-garde synthesizer artist Wendy Carlos on recorded versions of the classical pieces Peter and the Wolf and Carnival of the Animals Part II. In 1992 Yankovic turned his eye to another musical trend, grunge, specifically Nirvana. “Smells Like Nirvana” (#35, 1992) took on the Seattle band’s image and garbled lyrics, with the accompanying video again using the original set, this time adding cows and Dick Van Patten, wile the cover of Off the Deep End (#17, 1992) had Yankovic replacing the swimming baby picture on Nevermind, his gaze focused not on a dollar bill but a donut. He also mocked the traveling summer tour Lollapalooza with his 1993 album, Alapalooza (#46), which featured “Bedrock Anthem,” a combination takeoff of the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ “Under the Bridge” and “Give it Away” as well as the classical cartoon series The Flintstones. In 1996 he wrote the theme song for the movie satire Spy Hard, as well as designed the opening credits and appeared as himself in the film.

The same year, Yankovic released Bad Hair Day, which rose to #14 thanks to the success of its first single and video, “Amish Paradise,” a takeoff on rapper Coolio’s Gangsta’s Paradise” (itself a rewrite of Stevie Wonder’s “Pastime Paradise”). The album cover even mimicked the rapper’s hairstyle. While Yankovic always prided himself on getting permission to parody, this time there was a miscommunication between the artists’ record companies’ Yankovic was told Coolio was fine with the idea, but when the album was released, Coolio claimed he never consented. Yankovic sent a letter of apology and vowed not to accept agreement from anyone but the artists themselves.

After being the subject of the Disney Channel mockumentary special “Weird Al” Yankovic: There’s No Going Home in 1996, the entertainer hosted the Pee-wee’s Playhouse-esque Weird Al Show on CBS’ Saturday-morning lineup in 1997 and 1998. He was frustrated by the network’s lack of support for his tongue-in-cheek humor, and the show was canceled after one season. Yankovic seemingly disappeared for a time in 1998; when he re-emerged without his trademark mustache and glasses — besides shaving, he’d gotten laser eye surgery — he was unrecognizable. His 1999 release, Running with Scissors, peaked at #16, due to the well-timed single “The Saga Begins,” a rundown of the current Star Wars movie The Phantom Menace sung to the tune of Don McLean’s “American Pie.” Even the official Star Wars Web site plugged Yankovic’s album, whose release was also timed to the premiere of his Behind the Music episode on VH1. In 2000 Yankovic contributed the original “Polkamon” to the soundtrack of the kids’ flick Pokémon 2000: The Movie.

While Yankovic and his band (bassist Steve Jay, drummer Jon “Bermuda” Schwartz, guitarist Jim West, and keyboardist Ruben Valtierra) are often not taken seriously, they are able to play the original songs they parody note-for-note, both in the studio and on tour, making them a great cover band, Yankovic has also tried his hand at directing music videos, both his own and for other artists, including country comedian Jeff Foxworthy, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Hanson, and the Black Crowes.

Bio source…..www.rollingstone.com

Picture source…..mikesbloggityblog.com

Got a request?
Want a song dedicated to you?
Please Contact Us with the song and artist you like, the name you want published and we will do our best to find it.
Nicknames are fine but nothing rude, please.

Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines – A feminist parody

Posted on September 22, 2013 by Kneeknee

Robin Thicke – Blurred Lines – A feminist parody

Robin Thicke - Blurred Lines - A feminist parody

The spoof by three Auckland University law students titled “Defined Lines” satirises Thicke’s song with a music video that uses bare-chested males in submissive poses, instead of the topless female models featured in the original version.

The clip posted by the Auckland Law Review has racked up almost 600,000 hits on YouTube and with reposts from other users is approaching the one million mark.

The number of views has almost doubled since the video was pulled from the website on Monday for “sexually inappropriate content”, then allowed back up less than 24 hours later after YouTube admitted it had made a mistake.

Thicke’s song contains the refrain “I hate these blurred lines/ I know you want it” and has been condemned by critics who say the lyrics refer to the issue of sexual consent.

It gained further notoriety when Miley Cyrus sang it with Thicke at last week’s MTV awards, accompanied by gyrating “twerking” dance moves from the former Disney child star.

The New Zealand parody takes aim at pop videos that objectify women, with students Zoe Ellwood, Olivia Lubbock and Adelaide Dunn singing: “What you see on TV/ Doesn’t speak equality/ It’s straight up misogyny.”

Rather than playing up to the air-headed female stereotypes often seen in music videos, the trio proudly declare “We are scholastic/ Smart and sarcastic” and urge listeners to “resist chauvinism”.

“The message really is just that we think that women should be treated equally, and as part of that, we’re trying to address the culture of objectifying women in music videos,” Lubbock told New Zealand Newswire.

She said she was surprised when the video was taken down.

Thicke’s video, complete with topless cavorting models, remains on the website and has more than 17 million hits, with users needing to sign in to verify their age before viewing it.

“It’s just funny that the response has been so negative when you flip it around and objectify males,” Lubbock said.

She was not the only one nonplussed at the decision to remove the video, with British author Caitlin Moran pointing out the inconsistency of banning it for alleged indecency while leaving Thicke’s video online.

Info and picture source…..www.sbs.com.au

Take a Coffee break at Pasgroup for more Funnies

Kings Of Leon – Sex on Fire

Posted on September 18, 2013 by Kneeknee

Kings Of Leon – Sex on Fire

Kings Of Leon - Sex on Fire

Kings of Leon have a backstory so steeped in rock mythology that it almost sounds made up. The Followill brothers — Nathan, Caleb and Jared — are sons of a preacher man who were raised on the road throughout the South, traveling from one Pentecostal church to the next. After being shattered by a divorce, the brothers were transformed by illicit substances and the stoner music of Led Zeppelin. Soon, they were a rough and ready band, enjoying the pleasures of the road while playing grinding, garage-y jams tinged with Southern rock and gothic lyrics. By the end of the 2000s, they were famous.

The Followills grew up watching their father Leon, a Pentecostal minister, instill the fear of God in parishioners across the South. Forbidden to listen to secular music, they spent their early childhoods being home-schooled, watching church choirs and occasionally banging on drums during services. The boys’ fates as followers of fundamentalist Christianity seemed sealed until 1997, when Leon Followill resigned from the church and divorced his wife. The divorce rocked the Followills’ world, and afterwards, the Nathan and Caleb moved to Nashville, hoping to break into the music business. They quickly ran into Nashville songwriter and former new waver Angelo Petraglia, who turned the brothers on to the secular music of the Rolling Stones and Johnny Cash.

Kings of Leon, named for their father, were born in 2000 when youngest brother Jared and a cousin, Matthew Followill, joined Nathan and Caleb in Nashville. Jared, who had briefly attended public school, had learned about the music of the Pixies and Velvet Underground. The boys began woodshedding, and by 2002 Kings of Leon had interest from nine labels. A bidding war ensued, and the band ultimately signed with RCA Records.

The group’s debut EP, Holy Roller Novocaine, and LP, Youth and Young Manhood (Number 113), both produced by Petraglia and Ethan Johns (son of Led Zeppelin and Who producer Glyn Johns), were released in 2003. The band’s retro-chic look and blend of Southern boogie and gritty garage rock inspired comparisons to both Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Strokes. The British press hailed the Kings as the second coming of rock & roll; according to The Guardian, they were “the kind of authentic, hairy rebels the Rolling Stones longed to be.” But the band failed to make much of an impact in the United States, where reviews were generally lukewarm and the modern rock audience generally disinterested. In the U.S., their debut sold only 100,000 copies, compared with the 750,000 copies it moved abroad.

The group’s highly anticipated second album, Aha Shake Heartbreak (Number 55, 2005), released in November 2004 in the UK, debuted at Number Three on the British charts. Kings added more newer sounds, including an angular guitar attack that recalled British art-punk band Wire, to their raw Southern aesthetic. A tour supporting U2 upped the band’s profile in the U.S., and in late 2006, just before the release of Kings’ third album, the band opened for Bob Dylan at a handful of shows. Because of the Times (Number 25), released in April 2007, found the Kings moving even further away from their short songs with immediate hooks, but the general sound and substance remained the same, with lyrics about pregnant girlfriends and black Camaros. The British love affair with the band continued, and the album debuted at Number One in the UK. In 2008 Caleb Followill admitted to struggling with anorexia.

Also in 2008, the Kings released Only by the Night (Number Four). With a slicker pop sound, the album drew mixed reviews but y cracked the Top Ten in the U.S. and topped the British charts for the second time in as many years. The band also found success on the U.S. singles chart when the album’s second single, “Use Somebody,” a plaintive ballad that showed off Caleb Followill’s increasingly ragged croon, reached Number Four. They picked up their first Grammy for Only by the Night‘s first single, “Sex on Fire,” in 2009.

Bio and picture source…..www.rollingstone.com

N.E.R.D. – She Wants to Move

Posted on September 16, 2013 by Kneeknee

N.E.R.D. – She Wants to Move

N.E.R.D. - She Wants to Move

N.E.R.D (short for ‘No-one Ever Really Dies’, stylized as N*E*R*D) is an American rock, funk and hip hop band. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were signed by Teddy Riley to Virgin Records as a duo, The Neptunes. After producing songs for several artists throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the production duo formed the band with Shay Haley as a side project of The Neptunes in 2001.

N.E.R.D’s debut album, ”In Search Of…”, sold 603,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The album debuted at number 61 on the Billboard 200 and peaked at number 56. It was also awarded the second annual Shortlist Music Prize. The album’s lead single, “Lapdance”, peaked at number 36 of the Hot Rap Tracks chart and number 85 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. The second single, “Rock Star”, peaked at number 36 on the Billboard Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart.

The band’s second album, ”Fly or Die”, sold 412,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold by the RIAA. The album debuted at number six on the Billboard 200. The first single, “She Wants to Move”, has gone top 5 in the United Kingdom, top 20 in Norway, Ireland, and Denmark, and top 40 in Australia and the Netherlands.

In 2005, N.E.R.D ended their contract with Virgin and disbanded. Three years later, the band reunited under Star Trak Entertainment, a subsidiary of Interscope Records established by Williams and Hugo.

The band’s third album, ”Seeing Sounds”, sold 80,000 copies in its first week. The album debuted at number seven on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart, selling 80,000 in its first week. It peaked in the top 20 in Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, while also charting in the several other countries.

N.E.R.D released their fourth studio album entitled “Nothing” on November 2nd, 2010. The album debuted at number twenty one on the US Billboard 200 chart, with first-week sales of 20,000 copies. The first single from the album, “Hot N’ Fun” featuring Canadian recording artist Nelly Furtado, was released on May 18, 2010. “Hypnotize U” the second single off the album was produced by Daft Punk.

Bio source…..www.starpulse.com

Picture source…..www.demeterclarc.com

Mungo Jerry – In The Summertime

Posted on September 15, 2013 by Kneeknee

Mungo Jerry – In The Summertime

Mungo Jerry - In The Summertime

Mungo Jerry – Ray Dorset (Raymond Edward Dorset, 21 March 1946, Ashford, Middlesex, England; vocals/guitar), Colin Earl (b. 6 May 1942, Hampton Court, Middlesex, England; piano/vocals), Paul King (banjo, jug, guitar, vocals) and Mike Cole (b. Michael Maurice Cole, 19 March 1943, Perivale, Middlesex, England; bass) – was a little-known skiffle-cum-jug band that achieved instant fame following a sensational appearance at 1970’s Hollywood Pop Festival, in Staffordshire, England, wherein they proved more popular than headliners the Grateful Dead, Traffic and Free. The band’s performance coincided with the release of their debut single, ‘In The Summertime’, and the attendant publicity, combined with the song’s nagging commerciality, resulted in a runaway smash. It topped the UK chart and, by the end of that year alone, global sales had totalled six million.

Despite an eight-month gap between releases, Mungo Jerry’s second single, ‘Baby Jump’, also reached number 1. By this time Mike Cole had been replaced by John Godfrey and their jug band sound had grown appreciably heavier. A third hit, in 1971, ‘Lady Rose’, showed a continued grasp of melody (the maxi-single also included the controversial ‘Have A Whiff On Me’ which was banned by the BBC). This successful year concluded with another Top 20 release, ‘You Don’t Have To Be In The Army To Fight In The War’.

Paul King and Colin Earl left the band in 1972 and together with percussionist Joe Rush (b. Joseph Rush, December 1940, England), an early member of Mungo Jerry, formed the King Earl Boogie Band. Dorset released a solo album, Cold Blue Excursions, prior to convening a new line-up with John Godfrey, Jon Pope (piano) and Tim Reeves (drums). The new line-up had another Top 3 hit in 1973 with ‘Alright Alright Alright’ (a reinterpretation of Jacques Dutronc’s ‘Et Moi, Et Moi, Et Moi’), but the following year the overtly sexist ‘Longlegged Woman Dressed In Black’ became the band’s final chart entry.

Dorset continued to work with various versions of his creation into the new millennium, but was never able to regain the band’s early profile. A short-lived collaboration with Peter Green and Vincent Crane under the name Katmundu resulted in the disappointing A Case For The Blues (1986), but Dorset did achieve further success when he produced ‘Feels Like I’m In Love’ for singer Kelly Marie. This former Mungo b-side became a UK number 1 in August 1980. Bio and picture source…..www.oldies.com

Daft Punk – Get Lucky ft. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

Posted on September 12, 2013 by Kneeknee

Daft Punk – Get Lucky ft. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

Daft Punk - Get Lucky ft. Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers

Daft Punk is an electronic music duo consisting of French musicians Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo (born 8 February 1974) and Thomas Bangalter (born 3 January 1975). Daft Punk reached significant popularity in the late 1990s house movement in France and met with continued success in the years following, combining elements of house with synthpop. The duo is credited with producing songs that are considered essential in the French house scene. It was managed from 1996 to 2008 by Pedro Winter (Busy P), the head of Ed Banger Records. Early in the group’s career, the band members were strongly influenced by groups such as the Beach Boys and the Rolling Stones.

Bangalter and de Homem-Christo were originally in a band called Darlin’, which disbanded after a short period of time, leaving the two to experiment musically on their own. The duo became Daft Punk, releasing its critically acclaimed debut album Homework in 1997. The 2001 release of Discovery was even more successful, driven by the club singles “One More Time”, “Digital Love”, and “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger”.

In March 2005, the duo released the album Human After All to mixed reviews. However, the singles “Robot Rock” and “Technologic” achieved success in the United Kingdom. Daft Punk toured throughout 2006 and 2007 and released the live album Alive 2007, which won a Grammy award for Best Electronic/Dance Album. The duo composed the score of the film Tron: Legacy and in 2010 released the soundtrack album of the film. In January 2013, Daft Punk left EMI Records for Sony Music Entertainment’s subsidiary label Columbia to release its next album.

Daft Punk is noted for its elaborate live shows, in which visual elements and effects are incorporated with the music. The group is known for its emphasis on visual and story components associated with their musical productions. Daft Punk is also known for its use of disguises, particularly the ornate robot costumes, while in public and/or performing.

Bio source…..en.wikipedia.org

Picture source…..images.freshnessmag.com

Got a request?
Want a song dedicated to you?
Please Contact Us with the song and artist you like, the name you want published and we will do our best to find it.
Nicknames are fine but nothing rude, please.

UB40 – Can’t Help Falling in Love

Posted on September 10, 2013 by Kneeknee

UB40 – Can’t Help Falling in Love

UB40 - Can't Help Falling in Love

UB40 are a British reggae/pop band formed in 1978 in Birmingham, England. The band has placed more than 50 singles in the UK Singles Chart, and has also achieved considerable international success. The band has been nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album four times, and in 1984, they were nominated for the Brit Award for Best British Group. One of the world’s best-selling music artists, UB40 have sold over 70 million records. Their hit singles include their debut “Food for Thought” and two U.S. Billboard Hot 100 number ones with “Red Red Wine” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. Both of these also topped the UK Singles Chart, as did the band’s version of “I Got You Babe”.

The story of UB40, and how this group of young friends from Birmingham transcended their working-class origins to become the world’s most successful reggae band is not the stuff of fairytales as might be imagined. The group’s led a charmed life in many respects it’s true, but it’s been a long haul since the days they’d meet up in the bars and clubs around Moseley, and some of them had to scrape by on less than £8 a week unemployment benefit. The choice was simple if you’d left school early. You could either work in one of the local factories, like Robin Campbell did, or scuffle along aimlessly whilst waiting for something else to happen.

By the summer of 1978, something else did happen, and the nucleus of UB40 began rehearsing in a local basement. Robin’s younger brother Ali, Earl Falconer, Brian Travers and James Brown all knew each other from Moseley School of Art, whilst Norman Hassan had been a friend of Ali’s since school. Initially, they thought of themselves as a “jazz-dub-reggae” band, but by the time Robin was persuaded to join and they’d recruited Michael Virtue and Astro – who’d learnt his craft with Birmingham sound-system Duke Alloy – the group had already aligned themselves to left-wing political ideals and forged their own identity, separate from the many punk and Two Tone outfits around at that time. The group had nailed their colours to the mast by naming themselves after an unemployment benefit form. Their political convictions hadn’t been gleaned secondhand either, but cemented in place whilst attending marches protesting against the National Front, or rallies organised by Rock Against Racism.

Read More…..www.ub40.co.uk

Picture Source…..samcoley.com

Dragon – Still In Love With You

Posted on September 7, 2013 by Kneeknee

Dragon – Still In Love With You

Dragon - Are You Old Enough

Dragon formed in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1972, with a line-up that featured Todd Hunter, guitarist Ray Goodwin, drummer Neil Reynolds and singer Graeme Collins; by 1974 several personnel changes had occurred including the introduction of Todd’s brother Marc Hunter on vocals and Neil Storey on drums.

The band recorded two progressive rock albums in New Zealand, Universal Radio and Scented Gardens for the Blind, the second with an added guitar element from Robert Taylor. Paul Hewson also joined the band on keyboards and from this point Dragon’s music took on a pop-flavoured AOR feel.

Dragon eventually landed a contract in Australia with CBS Records and relocated to Sydney in 1975.

Always a lightning rod for controversy, the band was rocked by the heroin overdose death of drummer Neil Storey only weeks after arriving in Australia and their original manager was also deported back to New Zealand on drugs charges. By then, founding member Ray Goodwin had left the group.

Storey was replaced by Kerry Jacobson and, between 1975 and 1979, Dragon scored a string of major hits on the Australasian pop charts with songs including “April Sun in Cuba,” “Are You Old Enough” and “Still in Love With You” and with the albums Sunshine and O Zambezi, making them one of the region’s most popular rock acts.

Marc Hunter left Dragon in 1979 due to health problems which were, by then, seriously affecting his performances. New singer Richard Lee was recruited and the group recorded the Powerplay LP before breaking up in 1979.

Dragon was forced to reform in 1982 to pay off outstanding debts, but they stayed together and decided to have another shot at success. The band’s second comeback single “Rain” proved to be a massive hit, but Kerry Jacobson left the band for health reasons and was replaced by British drummer Terry Chambers, formerly from the band XTC. American keyboard player and producer Alan Mansfield also joined the band at this point.

The group’s 1984 album Body and the Beat became one of the biggest-selling albums in Australia and New Zealand and the band was restored to something close to its late 70s glory. Their public profile was further raised at this time by the Marc Hunter solo album Communication. Its title track became a moderate hit in Australia.

Paul Hewson left Dragon and tragically died of a drug overdose in New Zealand in January 1985, with Terry Chambers and Robert Taylor leaving Dragon some time after. American drummer Doanne Perry replaced Chambers, and Taylor was eventually succeeded by local Sydney guitar ace Tommy Emmanuel.

This line-up recorded the Todd Rundgren-produced Dreams of Ordinary Men album and toured Europe under the name Hunter in 1987, where they were somewhat misrepresented as a heavy metal band in some markets.

Dragon again split up in 1988 although a year later Todd and Marc Hunter and Alan Mansfield reconvened once again with guitarist Randall Waller and drummer Barton Price (ex-Models and The Choirboys) for the 1989 Bondi Road album, which actually featured Tommy Emmanuel’s guitar playing.

Dragon continued to record and tour with varying line-ups centered around the Hunter brothers and Mansfield until 1997, although Todd Hunter had largely retired from the band to do soundtrack work.

In 1998, Marc Hunter was diagnosed with severe throat cancer and died later that year. The compilation CD Forever Young, released on Raven Records, captures many of the highlight tracks of his tumultuous career.

Bio source…..www.last.fm

Picture source…..www.thestarfish.com.au

Daddy Cool – Eagle Rock

Posted on September 6, 2013 by Kneeknee

Daddy Cool – Eagle Rock

Daddy Cool - Eagle Rock

Daddy Cool is an Australian rock band formed in Melbourne in 1970 with the original line-up of Wayne Duncan (bass, Vocals), Ross Hannaford (lead guitar, bass, vocals), Ross Wilson (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica) and Gary Young (drums, vocals) . Their debut single “Eagle Rock” was released in May 1971 and stayed at number 1 on the Australian singles chart for ten weeks. Their debut July 1971 LPDaddy Who? Daddy Cool also reached number 1 and became the first Australian album to sell more than 100,000 copies. Their name comes from the 1957 song “Daddy Cool” by US rock group The Rays, Daddy Cool included their version on Daddy Who? Daddy Cool.

Daddy Cool’s music featured 1950s Doo-wop style rock cover versions and originals which were mostly written by Wilson. On stage they provided a danceable sound which was accessible and fun. Their second album was Sex, Dope, Rock’n’Roll: Teenage Heaven from January 1972 and reached the Top Ten. Breaking up in August 1972, Daddy Cool briefly reformed during 1974-1975 before disbanding again, they reformed with the band’s original line-up in 2005. Their iconic status was confirmed when they were inducted into the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) Hall of Fame on 16 August 2006.

History
1964-1970: Previous bands
Main articles: The Pink Finks and Sons of the Vegetal Mother

Ross Hannaford (guitar, bass, vocals) and Ross Wilson (guitar, vocals, harmonica) formed pop / R&B Melbourne-based group The Pink Finks in 1964 while they were still attending highschool in the south eastern Melbourne suburb of Beaumaris, they later attended the senior campus of Sandringham College. They recorded a version of Richard Berry’s “Louie Louie” in 1965 which led to a recording contract and three more singles. In 1967 they formed The Party Machine, which had a more radical sound (influenced by Frank Zappa and Howlin’ Wolf), the band included Mike Rudd (later in Spectrum) on bass guitar. They released a single “You’ve All Gotta Go” in 1969; their printed songbooks were confiscated and burned by the Victorian Vice Squad for being obscene and seditious. Wilson disbanded The Party Machine after receiving an invitation to travel to London to join expatriate Australian band Procession during 1969, after they released Procession on Festival Records Wilson returned to Australia.

Wayne Duncan (bass, vocals) and Gary Young (drums, vocals) were the rhythm section of many bands particularly instrumentals since the 1950s. One of these was The Rondells which were also the backing band for Bobby & Laurie a popular singing duo with their number 1 hit “Hitch Hiker” from 1966.

Young and Wilson met in 1969 whilst both were working in a book warehouse, each had previous band mates who were interested in forming a new group. Wilson, Hannaford, Young and Duncan formed Sons of the Vegetal Mother later that year, this band had a more experimental Progressive rock sound. Other members included: Rudd (bass), Trevor Griffin (piano), Jeremy Kellock (Jeremy Noone) (tenor sax), Tim Partridge (bass), Ian Wallace (alto sax), Simon Wettenhall (trumpet) and Bruce Woodcock (tenor sax).

Minnie the Moocher – Cab Calloway

Posted on September 5, 2013 by Kneeknee

Minnie the Moocher – Cab Calloway

Minnie the Moocher - Cab Calloway

Born Cabell Calloway on December 25th, 1907, in Rochester, New York. He died November 8th of 1994 in Cokebury Village, Delaware.

Involved in show business from an early age, vocalist Calloway was an occasional drummer and MC, working mostly in Baltimore, where he was raised, and Chicago, where he relocated in the late 20s. He worked with his sister Blanche, and then, in 1929, he became frontman for the Alabamians. Engagements with this band took him to New York; in the same year he fronted the Missourians, a band for which he had briefly worked a year earlier.

The Missourians were hired for New York’s Savoy Ballroom; although the band consisted of proficient musicians, there is no doubt that it was Calloway’s flamboyant leadership that attracted most attention. Dressing outlandishly in an eye-catching “Zoot Suit” – knee-length drape jacket, voluminous trousers, huge wide-brimmed hat and a floor-trailing watch chain – he was the centre of attraction. His speech was peppered with hip phraseology and his catch phrase, “Hi-De-Hi”, echoed by the fans, became a permanent part of the language.

The popularity of the band and of its leader led to changes. Renamed as Cab Calloway And His Orchestra, the band moved into the Cotton Club in 1931 as replacement for Duke Ellington, allegedly at the insistence of the club’s Mafia-connected owners. The radio exposure this brought helped to establish Calloway as a national figure.

As a singer Calloway proved difficult for jazz fans to swallow. His eccentricities of dress extended into his vocal style, which carried echoes of the blues, crass sentimentality and cantorial religiosity. At his best, however, as on “Geechy Joe” and “Sunday In Savannah”, which he sang in the 1943 film Stormy Weather, he could be highly effective. His greatest popular hits were a succession of songs, the lyrics of which were replete with veiled references to drugs that, presumably, the record company executives failed to recognize. “Minnie The Moocher” was the first of these, recorded in March 1931 with “Kickin’ The Gong Around”, an expression that means smoking opium, released in October the same year. Other hits, about sexual prowess, were Fats Waller’s “Six Or Seven Times” and the Harold Arlen -Ted Koehler song “Triggeration.”

For the more perceptive jazz fans who were patient enough to sit through the razzmatazz, and what one of his sidemen referred to as “all that hooping and hollering’, Calloway’s chief contribution to the music came through the extraordinary calibre of the musicians he hired. In the earlier band he had the remarkable cornetist Reuben Reeves, trombonist Ed Swayzee, Doc Cheatham and Bennie Payne. As his popularity increased, Calloway began hiring the best men he could find, paying excellent salaries and allowing plenty of solo space, even though the records were usually heavily orientated towards his singing. By the early 40s the band included outstanding players such as Chu Berry, Hilton Jefferson, Milt Hinton, Cozy Cole, and Jonah Jones. Further musicians included Ben Webster, Shad Collins , Garvin Bushell , Mario Bauza , Walter “Foots” Thomas , Tyree Glenn , J.C. Heard and Dizzy Gillespie, making the Calloway band a force with which to be reckoned and one of the outstanding big bands of the swing era.

In later years he worked on the stage in Porgy And Bess and Hello, Dolly!, and took acting roles in films such as The Blues Brothers (1980). His other films over the years included The Big Broadcast (1932), International House (1933), The Singing Kid (1936), Manhattan Merry Go Round (1938), Sensations Of 1945 (1944), St. Louis Blues (1958), The Cincinnati Kid (1965) , and A Man Called Adam (1966). Calloway enjoyed a considerable resurgence of popularity in the 70s with a Broadway appearance in Bubbling Brown Sugar. In the 80s he was seen and heard on stages and television screens in the USA and UK, sometimes as star, sometimes as support but always as the centre of attention. In 1993 he appeared at London’s Barbican Centre, and in the same year celebrated his honorary doctorate in fine arts at the University of Rochester in New York State by leading the 9,000 graduates and guests in a singalong to “Minnie The Moocher”. Calloway died the following year. Bio and picture source…..biography.just-the-swing.com

Got a request?
Want a song dedicated to you?
Please Contact Us at Pasgroup with the song and artist you like, the name you want published and we will do our best to find it.
Nicknames are fine but nothing rude, please.

Our Awesome Blog

Come flog our awesome blog

Category Archives: Funky Music Tunes

Weird Al Yankovic – Eat It