Valley Girl (soundtrack)

Welcome to another edition of Soundtrack Sunday. It is also the kick off of a Ladies Week on the blog when it comes to music.

In 1982, the California valley craze was sweeping the nation. Thanks to Frank Zappa’s song “Valley Girl”, which featured his fourteen year old daughter Moon Unit on vocals, everyone was sprinkling the vall-speak into their conversations. Phrases like “ohmyGod”, “barf out”, “gag me with a spoon” and way too many uses of the word “like” could be heard all across the country.

Van Halen - Van Halen

Welcome to another edition of Seventies Saturday.

On February 10th of 1978, the California based rock quartet Van Halen released the self-titled studio debut album Van Halen. The record was a huge seller (over 10 million copies) and it went to number 19 on the US Billboard Album charts, number 18 in Canada, number 24 in the UK and number 5 in Germany. Rolling Stone magazine ranked the album at number 415 on its list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All-Time.

TV: Charlie's Angels (2011, ep. 2)

Week two of the new Charlie’s Angels series with an episode entitled “Runway Angels”. Yes, it didn’t take the show long to set up an episode involving murder at a fashion show. I mean, seriously, three attractive leads and elegant clothes - it’s a complete no-brainer.

Okay, maybe that sounded a little too harsh.

TV: Thursday CBS Comedies (9/29/11)

Thursday night - just one more work day to get to the weekend. So, I certainly love to unwind with my favorite the Big Bang Theory. And this week we have the added bonus of the series premiere of How To Be a Gentleman.

Let's get to the episode reviews (***spoilers*** to come)...

Ready For the World - Ready For the World

Founded by Melvin Riley (lead vocals, keyboardist) and Gordon Stozier (lead guitar), the R&B group Ready For the World came out of Flint, Michigan, in the middle of the 1980's. Their June 1985 self-titled debut Ready For the World did very well, reaching number 17 on the US Billboard Album chart (with a forty-eight week run) and number 3 on the US Billboard R&B charts. It achieved Platinum sales status. While they would release two more albums in the late 80's and one in the 90's, this debut was their best selling record to date thanks to a number of hit singles on the pop and R&B charts.

Being from Michigan, Ready For the World found a way to pick up that Minneapolis sound made popular by Prince, the Time, Alexander O'Neal and more, and merge it into their own compositions. There are many times listening to this album that some uninformed could confuse these songs for ones done by Prince as they share similar music elements and a penchant for sexually suggestive lyrics.

TV: Survivor South Pacific (ep. 3)

Week three of the new season of Survivor and things are definitely heating up in the South Pacific. Redemption Island comes into play with a duel plus people can't seem to keep their big mouths shut.

Let's take a look at the details.

INXS - Kick

The sixth studio album and final release in the 1980’s for the Australian band INXS was 1987’s Kick. It was the second album from the band to go to number 1 in their native Australia. In the US the album went to number 3 and in the UK it went to number 9; in both countries it was certified Platinum a number of times over.

Side one starts with the funk and grunts of “Guns in the Sky”. The percussion by Jon Farriss is a simple but effective pattern.