Saturday, January 31, 2009

፨ BEATLES, Love Me Do


"Four lads who shook the world", taken from a sign outside the Matthew Street Cavern, Liverpool. 'Love Me Do' is their very first single released in Britain on 05 Oct 1962 on Parlophone label. In 1964 Beatlemania swept the whole of UK and spread like wild fire across U.S cities a year later in 1965.

፨ BEATLES, You Gotta Love The Beatles

A tribute to the Beatles during the Beatle Week 2008 together with images and places of Liverpool, the birth place of the Fab Four. Song writing and images by Alan Millen & Recording by Beatlemaniacs.

፨ BEATLES, Rooftop Concert 3/3 1969

That's it, this concluded the Fab Four's final live appearance captured on camera in the movie - 'Let It Be' and that would be also the Beatles final release.

፨ BEATLES, Rooftop Concert 2/3 1969

፨ BEATLES, Rooftop Concert 1/3 1969

፨ BEATLES, Let It Be

Watched the movie "Let It Be" a few times in Penang and the one time in Selangor was my most memorable experience which was in 'State' Theatre, New Town Petaling Jaya in early 70s. The crowd in the cinema were lovely and all were so sporting and groovy to sing-along with each song in the movie. Oh what a feeling! Made my hairs stand on end with goose bumps all over, it was awesome. What a coincidence those who went to this movie with me has got their first name starting with 'R', Richard , Rickson and Ronnie, this song is for you. "There will be no sorrow, let it beeeeeeeeeee..."

Friday, January 30, 2009

፨ BAY CITY ROLLERS , Saturday Night

A Scottish bubblegum boy band from the 1970s with their distinctive tartan outfits. Started of as 'The Saxons' in 1967 and later changed to Bay City Rollers, who dominated the UK charts and the Rollers reached #1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 with 'Saturday Night' in 1976. They enjoyed a relatively short period of 'Rollermania' and their popularity in US could not sustain for more than two years. The Rollers faced deep trouble with rolling financial disputes and personal legal problems and got themselves rolled over and in 1981 the group was dissolved.

፨ BARBRA STREISAND, The Way We Were|Evergreen|Memory

Barbra Streisand (born Barbara Joan Streisand, April 24, 1942) Streisand was born in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York is an American singer and film and theatre actress. She has also achieved note as a composer, political activist, film producer and director. She has won Academy Awards for Best Actress and Best Original Song as well as multiple Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and Golden Globe Awards. She is one of the most commercially and critically successful female entertainers in modern entertainment history and one of the best selling solo recording artists in the US, with RIAA-certified shipments of over 71 million albums. She is the highest ranking female artist on the Recording Industry Association of America's (RIAA) Top ESelling Artists list.



Streisand is a member of the short list of entertainers with the distinction of having won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony award (albeit with certain qualifications put in place). She has been named a Kennedy Center Honoree for 2008.

A collection of performances culled from different stops on this tour, Live in Concert 2006, debuted at #7 on the Billboard 200, making it Streisand's 29th Top 10 album. In the summer of 2007, Streisand gave concerts for the first time in continental Europe. Tickets for the London dates cost between GB£100.00 and GB£1,500.00 and for the Ireland date between €118.00 and €500.00. The tour included a 58-piece orchestra.



In February 2008, Forbes Magazine listed Streisand as the #2 top-earning female musician, between June 2006 and June 2007, with earnings of about US$60 million. Although Streisand's range has changed with time and her voice has become deeper over the years, her vocal prowess has remained remarkably secure for a singer whose career has endured for nearly half a century. [wikipedia]

፨ BANGLES, Manic Monday|Walk Like An Egyptian|Eternal Flame|

The Bangles are an American all-female band that originated in the early 1980s, scoring several hit singles through much of the decade. When Susanna Hoffs joined the sisters Vicki Peterson and Debbi Peterson to form a band in Los Angeles in the waning days of December, 1980, the trio briefly christened itself 'The Colours,' shortly renamed itself 'The Supersonic Bangs,' but soon morphed its name to 'The Bangs'. A legal issue forced the band to change their name at the last minute so they dropped the "The" from their name and added the letters "les" to the end to become Bangles.





All this went some way to attracting the attention of Prince, who later wrote "Manic Monday" for the group. "Manic Monday" went on to become a #2 hit in the US, the UK and Germany, outsold at the time only by another Prince composition, his own "Kiss". The band's second album Different Light (1986) was more polished than its predecessor and, with the help of the worldwide #1 hit "Walk Like an Egyptian", saw the band firmly in the mainstream as radio and MTV stalwart.



1988's Everything was another multi-platinum smash and included their biggest-selling single, the soft ballad "Eternal Flame". Co-writer Billy Steinberg came up with the title after Susanna Hoffs told him about the band's visit to Graceland, Elvis Presley's former estate in Memphis, Tennessee. An "Eternal Flame" in memoriam to Presley is maintained on the site, but on the day the band visited, the flame had gone out and its clear-plastic enclosure was flooded. When they asked what was in the box, they were told, "That's the eternal flame." The single became another worldwide hit.
[wikipedia]

፨ BANANARAMA, Love In the First Degree|Venus|I Heard A Rumour|I Can't Help It|Trick Of The Night

Bananarama are an English girl group who have had success on the pop and dance charts since 1982. Although there have been line-up changes during the years, the group enjoyed its most popular success as a trio, made up of lifelong friends Siobhan Fahey, Keren Woodward andSara Dallin.The group was founded in London in September 1979 by Fahey, Woodward and Dallin. Dallin and Woodward had been childhood friends in Bristol since the age of 4 and attended St. George's School for Girls together. The pair became a trio when Dallin met Fahey while studying fashion journalism.








"I Heard a Rumour" was their strongest performing international hit from this album. In the US the song was featured in the motion picture Disorderlies starring The Fat Boys and Ralph Bellamy. "Love in the First Degree" was one of their biggest UK hitsand the disco-oriented "I Can't Help It" (which boasted a semi-controversial video featuring the group in a milk bath filled with fruit and half-naked men) was a minor hit.



፨ BAD COMPANY, Bad Company|Ready For Love


Bad Company are an English hard rock super group founded in 1973, consisting band members Paul Rodgers, Simon Kirke, Mick Ralphs and Boz Burrell. Bad Company was managed by Peter Grant, who had also guided Led Zeppelin to massive success. Please do not be misguided by the band's name they ain't 'Bad' after all. It was Paul Rodgers who chose the band's name after being so captivated by the film 'Bad Company'.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

፨ BACKSTREET BOYS, Live In LA|Live On Rosie O'Donnel|Super Bowl 2002|Live In Orlando|Get Down|Unbreakable London Tour|

Whoa I love the dancing part in "Live in LA" MV and the rest are just great...My special BSB dedication to my dearest daughter Nikki, have fun, get connected and dance to the beat yeah ...I Luv Ya...DaD

















፨ BACKSTREET BOYS, Audition Video|Lover Boy|Get Ready|I'll Never Break Your Heart|As Long As You Love Me|Quit Playing Games|2000 Grammys|At Pro-Bowl

Backstreet Boys are a Grammy-nominated American boy band. They were the first group launched by fallen boy band mogul Lou Pearlman. They have had 13 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold close to 200 million records including over 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the best selling boy bands of all time; they were number 1 in concert and album sales from 1997-2005 (when they earned $533.1 million).





Lou Pearlman was inspired by New Kids on the Block in the 1980s to create his own clean-cut boy band. In the summer of 1992 producer Lou Pearlman advertised in an Orlando, Florida newspaper for male singers for a New Kids On the Block style group. A.J. McLean and Tony Donetti (aka Howie Dorough) were the first to successfully audition. Nick Carter was hired at the young age of 12, and the final pieces were Kevin Richardson and his cousin Brian Littrell who joined in 1993 replacing two other young men who were initially hired. The name Backstreet Boys comes from the Backstreet Flea Market in Orlando, Florida. Pearlman had spent around $3 million of fraudulently obtained money (he has been convicted of operating a Ponzi scheme during this time frame) on his search to form the group, and then spent more to launch their career.





Pearlman called on his friend Bob Curiano to be the first to write and produce for the Backstreet Boys. Their first two songs ever recorded were "Lover Boy", written and produced by Curiano, and "Get Ready", a cover tune. The hit, 'Lover Boy' was inspired by Ana Legen, Bob Curiano's, first teenage crush, later Ana came back into the picture when she became a short term girlfriend to Howie in 1995. Their first concert, on July 8, 1993, was performed for 3,000 teenagers at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Pearlman later booked them at grade-school assemblies and shopping malls, and assigned management duties to Johnny Wright and Donna Wright, who had worked with New Kids on the Block. Wright is often credited by industry insiders for being the man who actually made the Boys famous.



European popularity grew, and the Backstreet Boys kicked off 1996 being voted the No. 1 international group by TV viewers in Germany - "I'll Never Break Your Heart" went gold there and hit No. 1 in Austria. The group earned their first platinum record in Germany and toured Asia and Canada. They became one of the most successful debut artists in the world.






By 1997, pop music was returning to the forefront in United States with the likes of the Spice Girls and Hanson. Jive Records and Pearlman decided to bring the boys back to their home country. They began recording their second album in January 1997, Backstreet's Back, releasing "Quit Playing Games With My Heart" in June. They also recorded the song, If You Stay, for the Booty Call soundtrack in January 1997. Coinciding with the release of their second international album, the band released a self-titled album in the US which collected songs from both international albums. They hit big on the U.S. Charts and debuted at No .1 in Germany, Norway, Switzerland, Finland and Austria. The two albums sold more than 2.8 million copies worldwide (1 million copies in the U.S.)





In all, the group has sold more than 75 million albums worldwide. Their first two U.S. Releases both received the Diamond Award for sales of more than 10 million: “Backstreet Boys” in 1997 and quintessential “Millennium” in 1999, which reached No. 1 in 25 countries. They have scored a dozen top 40 hits, including top 5 smashes “Quit Playing Games (with My Heart),” “As Long As You Love Me,” Everybody (Backstreet’s Back)” and “All I Have To Give.” [wikipedia]

፨ ALLEYCATS, Jika Kau Bercinta Lagi

The Alleycats, formed in 1969 hails from Penang, and most Penangites (to be more specific the Baby Boomers) would certainly agree they were the hottest and grooviest band way back in the early 70s and until today after 4 decades can be considered as one of the legendary in music entertainment. They often performed in Carmen's Inn, a basement NiteClub in a hotel which also had a revolving restaurant on the top floor (take a guess, the hotel's name starts with 'M'). Those days Discos and DJs were unheard of, not until John Trovalta 'infected' the world with the contagious 'Saturday Nite Fever'. We had live bands to entertain us and Niteclubs were not many, can roughly think of 'The Den', 'Skyroom' and 'Latin Quarters'. Can still remember vividly Alleycats would never missed singing Deep Purple's 'Smoke On The Water, Highway Star' and Santana's 'Black Magic Woman' during those days in Carmen's Inn and they sang purr-fectly. In 1978 they signed up with Polygram as record artistes and has 29 albums to their credit. Very sad that they have lost a prominent lead singer, who also played the flute and co-founder of the group, Loganathan Arumugam better known as Loga, in year 2007 after suffering from lung cancer. Here's a tribute to Loga and all the very best 'meows' to Alleycats, you guys are great.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

፨ AIR SUPPLY, All Out Of Love

Air Supply are a soft rock duo who started in May 1975 and since then had a succession of hits worldwide through the late 1970s and early 1980s. It consists of a British lead guitarist and vocalist and a lead vocalist from Down Under of which they have something in common with their names. The former being Graham Russell (left) and the latter Russell Hitchcock (right). Todate they are still very active and in year 2008, Air Supply was named as the number 83 best musical act of all time in the Billboard Hot 100's 50 year anniversary edition.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

፨ ANIMALS, House of the Rising Sun 2005

Wow 40 over years later, their image sure have to change without much choice whatsoever, with longer locks of hair and the body grown sideways particularly for Eric Burdon. They have changed the tempo, added in some latest musical gadgets and lastly twisted the lyrics a bit trying to be naughty which goes like this:

"Oh Mama tell your favorite children
Don't be a fool like me no no no,
Spend your lives in a traveling rock & roll band,
Traveling from hotels! motels! yeah yeah yeah....
There is a house in New Orleans,
They call the Rising Sun..."

(The Original)
Oh mother tell your children
Not to do what I have done
Spend your lives in sin and misery
In the House of the Rising Sun
Well, there is a house in New Orleans
They call the Rising Sun...


፨ ANIMALS, House of the Rising Sun 1964

This is the original version of the song in 1964 as compared to Year 2005. What a hit, those were the days when we used to strum the guitar, especially the intro at the starting but would always struggle in catching up with Eric Burdon, the lead singer with his all-time great blues/rock solid voice. I am not sure about the rest but I always learned something from song lyrics just like this song at the least I know New Orleans existed then and I do have a few hand written song books which helped me quite a lot in my spelling.

Thursday, January 8, 2009

፨ ARCHIES, Sugar Sugar

"Sugar, Sugar" was the number one single of the year, according to ‘Billboard’, a feat yet to be duplicated by any other fictional band. It spent four weeks at the top of the ‘Billboard Hot 100’ from September 20, 1969 and eight weeks at the top of the ‘UK singles chart’ . The Archies, originally released on the album 'Everything's Archie' and later re-named "Sugar Sugar", however, it was only available on an 8-track tape. The album is the product of a group of studio musicians managed by Don Kirshner. Produced by Jeff Barry and written by Barry and Andy Kim, "Sugar, Sugar" is considered the canonical example of the bubblegum pop musical genre. Rumors have circulated that the song was earlier offered to and recorded by The Monkees with Davy Jones providing all the vocals, but never released.
The song listed at #63 on 'Billboard's Greatest Songs' of all time.
(from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


Wednesday, January 7, 2009

፨ ABBA, Mamma Mia The Musical

You have seen & heard the original Swedish pop group ABBA with their Mamma Mia, then Mamma Mia the Movie with the Reunion and now how about Mamma Mia Musical? 'It had been seen by over ten million people worldwide as of July 2003. Estimates of 2007, is that 30 million have seen Mamma Mia!. Since its opening in 1999, the production has grossed US$2.0 billion in earnings'. (adapted from Wikipedia).

Mamma mia, here I go again
My my, how can I resist you?
Mamma mia, does it show again?
My my, just how much I've missed you..


፨ ABBA, Mamma Mia The Reunion 2008

፨ ABBA, Mamma Mia 1976

ABBA was a pop music group. The band consisted of Benny Andersson (Sweden), Björn Ulvaeus (Sweden), Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Sweden, of Norwegian-German origin) and Agnetha Fältskog (Sweden). They topped the charts worldwide from the mid-1970s to the early 1980s. The name "ABBA" is an acronym formed from the first letters of each of the group member's given name (Agnetha, Björn, Benny, Anni-Frid).

ABBA gained immense international popularity employing catchy song hooks, simple lyrics, and a Wall of Sound achieved by overdubbing the female singers' voices in multiple harmonies. At the height of their popularity, however, both marriages of the band members (Benny with Frida, and Björn with Agnetha) failed, and the relationship changes were reflected in their music, as they produced more thoughtful lyrics with different compositions.

They remain a fixture of radio playlists and are one of the world's best selling bands, having sold over 370 million records world wide; they still sell two to four million records a year. ABBA was also the first pop group from mainland Europe to enjoy consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Their enormous popularity subsequently opened the doors for other Continental European acts.

The music of ABBA has been re-arranged into the successful musical Mamma Mia! that has toured worldwide and had a movie version released in July 2008. All four of the former members of ABBA were present at the Stockholm premieres of both the musical (2005) and the film (2008). The film première took place at the Benny Andersson-owned Rival Theatre at Mariatorget, Stockholm on 4 July 2008. A new museum devoted entirely to the pop supergroup was scheduled to open in Stockholm in 2009, but the project was postponed indefinitely as of September 2008.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

፨ AALIYAH, Age Ain't Nothing But A Num..|Back & Forth|We Need A Resol..|More Than A..|One In A Mil..|If Your Girl..|Rock The Boat|Miss You|I Care..|

Aaliyah Dana Haughton (January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001), born in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, who performed under the mononym Aaliyah, was an American recording artist and actress. Her first name means "highest, most exalted one" in Swahili. Introduced to audiences by R&B singer R. Kelly, Aaliyah became famous during the mid-1990s with several hit records from the songwriting-production team of Missy Elliott and Timbaland. She found success with her debut album 'Age Ain't Nothing But a Number', while introducing a "street but sweet" style which would become her trademark throughout her career followed by two more albums, 'One In a Million' and the eponymous 'Aaliyah'.





As the newcomer's first outing, the first single "Back and Forth" reached gold status. The song subsequently scored Aaliyah her first number one hit on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, where it remained three weeks atop.






"We Need a Resolution", the first single from Aaliyah's third studio album, was released in April 2001. The eponymous 'Aaliyah' was released in July 2001. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, selling 187,000 copies in its first week. The album was a critical success, introducing a darker and edgier side to Aaliyah's music, and was noted as having showcased her growth as an artist. In the Summer 2001, Aaliyah filmed the video for Aaliyah's intended second single, "More Than a Woman".





In 1996, Aaliyah found a new hometeam which included rapper and producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley and Missy Elliott. The upcoming producers contribute to Aaliyah's second studio album, One in a Million, which was released on August 27, 1996 internationally. Elliott and Mosley co-wrote and produced majority of the album which yielded her second number-one song on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100, "If Your Girl Only Knew,". The single spent two weeks on top of the Billboard charts, and eventually garnered the pair a World Music Award for "World's Best Selling Female R&B Artist".



On August 25, 2001, at 6:45 PM (EST), Aaliyah and various members of her record company boarded a twin engine Cessna 402B (N8097W) at Marsh Harbour, Abaco Island, Bahamas to travel to Opa-locka Airport near Miami, Florida after they finished filming the music video to "Rock the Boat". The crew had a flight scheduled the next day, but since the video wrapped early, Aaliyah and her entourage were eager to return to the United States. Aaliyah's entourage was in a rush to get back to New York so they demanded that their heavy equipment from the shoot be on the plane rather than leave it behind which resulted in the aircraft being well beyond the standard weight and balance tolerance provided by Cessna.



The plane crashed shortly after takeoff about 200 feet (60 m) from the runway. Aaliyah, pilot Luis Morales III and the seven other passengers, including her hair stylist Eric Forman, Anthony Dodd, her security guard Scott Gallin, Douglas Kratz (a director of video production for Virgin Records), stylist Christopher Maldonado, Keith Wallace and Gina Smith (both employees of the Blackground label) died.

"Rock the Boat" went on to become a posthumous hit on radio (reaching number two on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles charts, number 14 on the Hot 100, and number 12 in the UK) and video channels, and the news of Aaliyah's death gave her album a notable sales boost, pushing it to number one on the Billboard 200. The album produced two other singles: "More than a Woman" reached number seven on Billboard's Hot R&B singles chart, number 25 on Hot 100, and number 1 in the UK, and at number 11 on BET's "Notarized" Top 100 videos of 2002. "I Care 4 U" reached number three on Billboard's Hot R&B singles chart and number sixteen on the Hot 100, the latter attaining success even without the promotional push of a music video. The Aaliyah album has gone on to sell over 12 million copies worldwide.




Aaliyah was voted one of "The Top 40 Women of the Video Era" in VH1's The Greatest, also ranked number 36 on their list of the 100 Sexiest Artists. Aaliyah also made E!'S list on the 101 Most Shocking Moments in Entertainment, Juiciest Hollywood Hookups, and Best Kept Hollywood Secrets. Aaliyah recently ranked at number 18 on BET's "Top 25 Dancers of All Time" and ranked at number four on BET's "Top 25 Sexiest Women of all Time". [wikipedia]

፨ Everly Brothers , All I Have To Do Is Dream

Sian Pheng as requested, one of my fave as well. Wishing you all the very best for 2009 and may all your dreams come true this bullish ox year.

"All I Have To Do Is Dream" is a popular song made famous by Everly Brothers, written by the legendary husband and wife songwriting team Felice & Boudleaux Byrant and published in 1958. The song ranked #141 on the Rolling Stone magazine's list of 'The 500 Greatest Songs of All Times'.
(from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

፨ Slim Whitman, Indian Love Call

Hi AL Saw your request coming up, may this be another a great New 2009 Year for a bullish love call..

Born Ottis Dewey Whitman Jr. he is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in country music history and yet at the same time is one of the most unrecognized by the American at large. Growing up, Whitman liked the country music of Jimmie Rodgers that he was hearing on the radio but did not embark on a musical career until the end of World War II after he had served in the South Pacific with the United States Navy. Whitman is a self taught left-handed guitarist. Whitman is right handed, but he lost almost all of the second finger on his left hand in an accident. Ottis Whitman worked in a shipyard in Tampa while developing a musical career, eventually performing with a band known as the "Variety Rhythm Boys". Whitman's first big break came when agent Colonel Tom Parker heard him singing on radio and offered to represent him. Signed with RCA records, he was billed as the cowboy singer "Slim Whitman"and released his first single in 1948. (from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)


Sunday, January 4, 2009

፨ For old time's sake?

This is too funny to be dirty thanks to Doris Chen for her email - enjoy!

The husband leans over and asks his wife, 'Do you remember the first time we had sex together over sixty years ago? We went behind the village tavern where you leaned against the back fence and I made love to you.'
Yes, she says, 'I remember it well.'
OK,' he says, 'How about taking a stroll around there again and we can do it for old time's sake?'
Oh Jim, you old devil, that sounds like a crazy, but good idea!'
A police officer sitting in the next booth heard their conversation and, having a chuckle to himself, he thinks to himself, I've got to see these two old-timers having sex against a fence. I'll just keep an eye on them so there's no trouble. So he follows them.
The elderly couple walks haltingly along, leaning on each other for support aided by walking sticks. Finally, they get to the back of the tavern and make their way to the fence.
The old lady lifts her skirt and the old man drops his trousers. As she leans against the fence, the old man moves in..
Then suddenly they erupt into the most furious sex that the policeman has ever seen. This goes on for about ten minutes while both are making loud noises and moaning and screaming.
Finally, they both collapse, panting on the ground.

The policeman is amazed. He thinks he has learned something about life and old age that he didn't know.
After about half an hour of lying on the ground recovering, the old couple struggle to their feet and put their clothes back on. The policeman, is still watching and thinks to himself, this is truly amazing, I've got to ask them what their secret is.
So, as the couple passes, he says to them, 'Excuse me, but that was something else. You must've had a fantastic sex life together. Is there some sort of secret to this?'

Shaking, the old man is barely able to reply, 'Sixty years ago that wasn't an electric fence.'