Month: August 2009

Slippery When Wet

The third time was the charm for New Jersey band Bon Jovi, as their third (and most successful) album was released on this date in 1986. It sold 12 million copies in the U.S. and over 28 million worldwide. It was also named the top selling album of 1987 by Billboard and went 12 times platinum in U.S. sales. Hits include “You Give Love a Bad Name” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1986 and “Livin’ on a Prayer” which was #1 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Tracks chart in 1987. Other hits that didn’t quite reach number one include “Wanted Dead or Alive” and “Never Say Goodbye”. To commemorate this event, here’s a video of “You Give Love a Bad Name” (embedding was disabled for this one so have to settle for a link).

I was lucky enough to get to see this band perform live at the opening of Prudential Center. While I was unable to get video myself, others in the audience were more fortunate than I. Here is an example of what you missed if you weren’t there.

This was probably one of the top ten concerts I ever had a privilege to attend. It was truly an experience, one that I will remember for years to come. Jon opened by saying “I am the Jersey Devil and this is my new home,” a reference to his Jersey roots. His band is one reason I can say I am proud to be from New Jersey. With 10 studio albums and more to come, it is safe to say that this band will be one for the record books.

Edit: In doing some research I found out Bon Jovi actually has a new album coming out later this year. Here is a sample to pique your interest plus another song mentioned in this blog:

Follow the Yellow Brick Road… with The Beatles

Today in history we celebrate a fictional girl from Kansas and a group of musicians from across the pond. In 1939 “The Wizard of Oz” made its New york premiere in theaters. Also this date in 1960, The Beatles started their first engagement outside of England as they arrived in Hamburg, West Germany. This was the first time they played under the name “The Beatles”. As a tribute I thought I’d lead you to this video I found on YouTube.

“The Wizard of Oz” and the Beatles are both legends in their respective fields. Not only has “Oz” been voted one of the greatest soundtracks of all time, it also had an interesting mix of black & white and color sequences. When reviewing the history of color in movies, The Wizard of Oz always makes the list right next to another movie that came out that year (and beat it for Best Picture) “Gone With the Wind”.

When it comes to music history there is no one like The Beatles. They are one of the most influential bands of all time, as most musicians today either directly or indirectly draw inspiration from this remarkable band. They have made the Billboard 200 Albums of the Year chart countless times between 1964-2007 as well as the Hot 100 Songs of the Year chart between 1964-1976. It is hard to summarize a band with that long a history with just a few words.

Suggested activity of the day:
In celebration of our two events in history, why not drive over to a friend’s house with your Beatles records and copy of Wizard of Oz and follow the yellow brick road down memory lane? Just be careful of those flying monkeys!

Mother Nature Sings the Blues

This summer has been a good one in terms of musical events but it would seem mother nature is not a fan. Everyone was excited to hear No Doubt would be going on tour, but New Jersey may have been disappointed by the lack of sun for their PNC date in June. A similar complaint could also be shared for those who attended All Points West (or tried to anyway). Hopefully Blink 182 will be able to break this cycle with their August 26th performance at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. My ticket has been sitting in a safe spot all summer, just waiting for the opportunity to make the day of this self-proclaimed music junkie. While I am hoping for the best, I can’t ignore Jersey’s track record so far with outdoor events. That is why I am thinking of contracting someone to start building me an ark. You know what they say, “Better safe than sorry.”

A Proclamation

Here ye, here ye!

Where it has been decided that I should become more involved in promotions and the music business,

and where it has been recognized that the author is much too random to stick to one topic,

a proclamation has been made that this blog be created so as to bring you the latest news in all subjects the author deems worthy of mention. This may include anything from upcoming movies to what’s happening in the world of politics, but mostly it will focus on the music scene. So tune in for upcoming dates and news on all your, well my, favorite bands.

Get ready now, because this is the News on Shuffle.