Veronica Martian says....

2006-12-04T08:36:00.001-06:00

2006-12-04T08:36:00.000-06:00

2006-11-26T19:28:00.000-06:00

INXSToLookAtYouExtendedVersion.mp3

RobbieWilliamsRudebox13KissMe1.mp3

BAH!!!!

2006-11-26T18:52:00.000-06:00

I hate hate hate EZ ARCHIVE. They have made trying to put songs on here a miserable experience. I have deleted them and reuploaded them and same problem. I wish I had never heard the name easy archive. And blogger.com you are no better. Just try linking to a youtube video. Make me post each little individual portion in Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. I'm mad at the world and over this. I'm gonna go watch the Simpsons. I'll try again tomorrow.

2006-11-26T18:43:00.000-06:00

INXSToLookAtYouExtendedVersion.mp33

2006-11-25T18:05:00.000-06:00

2006-11-24T10:06:00.000-06:00

I am having problems getting the Robbie Williams song and the INXS songs to work. I will go back in this evening and delete them and redo it from scratch. Sorry.

The whitest boy alive

2006-11-24T09:39:00.000-06:00

Just found this on Emusic and I like it a lot. The whitest boy alive is a German band with a Swedish lead singer that also belongs to The kings of Convenience. This suprised me because on first listen I would have thought they were from Austin or wherever Phish are from. This album is 10 years too late. It would have gotten airplay in the 90's.

TheWhitestBoyAliveDreams01Burning.mp3

TheWhitestBoyAliveDreams02GoldenCage.mp3

These songs are available on Emusic or Itunes.

songs about what you will use most today

2006-11-23T14:25:00.000-06:00

I couldn't really find many songs I like about food. I did have plenty of songs about the mouth which most of us will use plenty today. I promise I will not post songs about the body part you will use most tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving from Veronica Martian

RobbieWilliamsRudebox13KissMe1.mp31
Robbie Williams off his new album Rudebox. Great 80's feel to the song. Seemed instantly recognizable to me. I did a lyrics search because I thought it might be a cover of something but couldn't find it. Original that sounds like a cover? Sounds like a future blog post to me.

MerrilBainbridgeMouth.mp3
Merrill Bainbridge Mouth- Good song and haven't heard it in a long time.

ParadiseLostMouth.mp3
Paradise Lost - Harder than the stuff I usually post but if the truth be told I like a lot of harder music. Mostly for driving or working out.

All of these songs are available on Itunes.

A request

2006-11-22T08:03:00.000-06:00

I spent a this past weekend in Minneapolis. It was alright. I went to the famous mall but really enjoyed Ikea and they have White Castles all over town!

I had a request to repost INXS To look at you (extended mix)

Here you go, Enjoy.

INXSToLookAtYouExtendedVersion.mp32

BAH! I can't get the player to work. EazyArchive SUCKS! Just click on it and it should play on your computer with whatever music listening program you use.

The sad sad tale of Judee and Karen

2006-11-16T00:17:00.000-06:00

2006 has brought some attention to two barely known and forgotten ladies who deserve to be heard.

Judee Sill was on the early David Geffen label and part of the Laurel Canyon scene. She is considered to be an influence on many musicians. Jackson Brown called her the most talented musician he's ever known. Andy Partridge from XTC says every time he writes a song he thinks about how Judee would sing it. Sadly she had a huge heroin habit that she supported as a prostitute and died alone of an overdose.

Karen Dalton worked the NYC folk club scene in the 60's counting Bob Dylan and The Band as fans. She only recorded 2 albums. Karen died homeless in the 90's on the streets of New York.Katie Cruel is the type of song you might hope to find in the recordings at the library of congress. Even though it was 1969 when the album came out you can imagine this in the 1800's, an apalachian shack, a banjo, fiddle and an otherworldly voice floating to you through the hollows.

karendaltonkatiecruel.mp3

http://www.myspace.com/karendaltonspace Explore more Karen here.

JudeeSillTheresARuggedRoad.mp3

http://www.myspace.com/judeesill Probably Judee's best known song is on this site

Finally

2006-11-15T16:57:00.000-06:00

After weeks of fighting with EZ archive and busy doing job stuff I finally got it to work. Of course everything I put on in the past is gone now. Sigh.
I feel like a neanderthal sometimes. Everytime something updates it takes me forever to figure out what they did and how to work it. I can't wait to be old and set in my ways yelling at children for walking on my grass and not worrying about technology.
Anyways here's a treat for you.
I have been in a funk mood lately and discovered this little gem.

JimmyCastorBunchItsJustBegun.mp3

It was instantly familiar. Took me a couple of days to place it. They used it in the breakdance scene in Flashdance where Jennifer Beals and her friend are watching some guys dance in an alleyway.

Let me know if there's something you desperately want to hear and I will repost it.

stupid EZ archive

2006-10-27T14:27:00.000-05:00

I apologize for not posting anything for a few days... they are upgrading EZ archive where I store the songs for you to sample. It's supposed to be up by this weekend.

In the meantime make sure you go over to Mars Needs Guitars and check out Brazil here is a link to the post http://www.marsneedsguitars.com/2006/10/brazil-philosophy-of-velocity.html what a great find! Gene Loves Jezebel meets Echo and the Bunnymen. You will love it! Candles is amazing

Ok finally got it

2006-10-24T00:48:00.000-05:00

I posted about this last week but it was confused with my good news. Someone named MrBear1970 graciously sent me the MP3. I forget where I first encountered this song. I found it instantly likeable and addictive. Much more chipper than the music I usually listen to. Everyone I have sent this to, shakes thier fist at me because it just sticks with you for days.You have been warned so enjoy and sing it to every Mike you meet.

Jay Spears I Like Mike.mp3

Italians for beginners

2006-10-22T11:05:00.000-05:00

Nek and Eros Ramazzotti are artists from Italy. HUGE in europe, nada in the US. I can forgive you for missing them.
Here are some songs, check it out. If you like them, paruse more of thier albums! Introduce your friends... we shouldn't let the Europeans have all the Italian goodness (thinking that Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra are all there is to Italian music).

Eros Ramazotti+Tina Turner-Cose Della Vita.mp3 I love the James Bond feel of this song

Eros Ramasoti-Fuego en el fuego.MP3

Nek-Laura Non Ce.mp3

Nek and Eros are both available on Itunes and Amazon.com

while we are on the topic.....

2006-10-22T08:51:00.000-05:00

Let's just exhaust all the other good Alice songs from my collection

Alice-Joan Armatrading.mp3 I'm sure this one is about the little girl up above... all the others.. no idea

Quasi-AliceTheGoon.mp3 the first minute and 40 seconds of this song are off key and unlistenable but then it finds it's groove and becomes a cool little song

Cocteau Twins-Alice.mp3 This song is beautiful!

Mylene Farmer-Alice.mp3
This one is not on Itunes but it is on Amazon.com. It's just on an odd little european compilation I have. Tricky's influence is all over this one.

Most of these songs except Myl'ene Farmer are available on Itunes or Amazon.com

Who the F*ck is Alice?

2006-10-21T12:11:00.000-05:00

I lived in Germany from 97-2000.
I liked the little local pubs. They were smoke filled, friendly and loud. There was always a jukebox hanging on the wall. The jukebox included german drinking favorites, pop music, Italian favorites, and for some reason the only classic rock song the Germans liked was Sweet Home Alabama?!?
Occasionally someone would play a song called Living next door to Alice by Smokie. You could feel the excitement in the air when this song came on.It sounds like any other FM standard from the 70's. I don't think it ever made it in America. At least I don't remember it.When they would get to certain parts in the song, all the Germans would yell in english "ALICE... WHO THE FUCK IS ALICE". I don't know how this started but they did it in K-Town and Koln and Hamburg. It's a decent little song in it's own right but shouting out to the song with a bunch of Germans has just become a part I can't imagine without it.

smokie-who the fuck is alice.mp3

Now let's try and figure out which Alice the song may be about

Alice the Hermit
Alice Nelson

Alice B. Toklas

Alice Cooper

Alice from American McGees Alice game Linda Lavin from the tv show Alice, loosely based on the song Alice's restaruant by Woody Guthrie
Alice B. Toklas again becuase it's just fun to say

I'm sure it's not about any of these Alices> I have to admit it was fun posting a bunch of pictures of Alices though

Smokie-Living Next Door To Alice.mp3 Here's the original without the swearing

This song is available on Itunes and Amazon.com

A milestone

2006-10-20T19:32:00.000-05:00

Hey I got added to someone's blog! It's my first one as far as I know of... i'm so excited! John over at Lost in the 80's has seen fit to add me. I love his blog and am honored.

Here is an impossible to find tune from the 80's in his honor.

Softcell-Little Rough Rhinestone.mp3

This is from the 1984 album This last night in Sodom. As a miserable teenager I used to listen to this song over and over. It's my favorite Soft Cell tune.

Make sure you have a spare 15 minutes for this one

2006-10-18T22:56:00.000-05:00

This is Fela Kuti, a Nigerian musician. This picture would suggest that he likes to wear swimsuits, smoke big spliffs and wear inexpensive jewelry.
There is a lot more to him though.
I have several of his albums and I never get tired of them. Some of them have songs that go on for 15 minutes. The selection I have picked for you is Shakara lady. 13 minutes of great music.
If you like it I highly recommend you explore more Fela Kuti.

Fela Kuti-Shakara.mp3 This song has everything in it jazz, world, funk, rock and an interesting message

You can find Fela on Itunes and at Amazon.com

I kind of get it; but not really

2006-10-18T17:48:00.000-05:00

Last year I was down in Orlando for a visit. The song and video for Flashdance by Deep Dish was inescapable. It was driving me nuts because I knew the song was from the Flashdance soundtrack but it was called Flashdance and the only one I could remember was Flashdance (what a feeling) by Irene Cara.
I got home and looked it up.
Ok confusing as it may be... they took the song He's a dream by Shandi, modernized it and called it Flashdance because they are from Iran and the details are lost in translation. That's the best I can figure.

Shandi He's a Dream.mp3 This song holds up well, don't you think? Better than Maniac or What a feeling anyways.

Deep Dish-Flashdance.mp3

3 things inseperable in my mind

2006-10-16T21:11:00.000-05:00

"In the Hills, the Cities" by Clive Barker is my favorite story from his books of blood series. Clive was the new horror writer with all the buzz in the 80's. Weaveworld is by far his best book and would easily make a movie trilogy as good as the Lord of the rings or Star Wars if done right. I highly recommend Weaveworld. The books of blood are certainly not for everyone. In the hills, the cities is less horror than the rest.Here is a small synopsis of the story...

Popolac and Podujevo are two rival sister cities, and for years the citizens have come together in a contest unlike any other known to humankind. Popolac and Podejevo go to war, the people strapping themselves together to create towering abominations. Into the hills the Cities go. In the hills they wage an ancient and ceremonial battle.

I had the album Sunburst and Snowblind by the Cocteau Twins. Some months later I was listening to it and kept going back to the song When Momma was Moth. I realized the beggining of the song reminded me of the sound one of the giants from In the hills the cities would have made when walking. The rest of the song stays perfectly in tune with the story.

Cocteau Twins When Mama Was Moth.mp3

A few years later I was at the Prado in Madrid. Most of Goya's paintings are there. I saw this and it finalized the mental trilogy for me.

You can buy the Books of Blood and the Cocteau twins at Amazon.com, You can book a flight to Madrid on Orbitz.com

Hey hey!

2006-10-15T23:13:00.000-05:00

Let's sing
Let's shout
Shake our bodies down to the ground

I did it!!! I'm now promotable to the next grade! My job is safe and the cats and I will not be homeless. Thank you for all the well wishes. I believe it was all your positive kindness that put me over.

Here is a song I find ridiculously catchy. I warn you - WARNING WARNING- you will be singing this all day. If you are a man it could get you in to trouble. I absolutely could not find an MP3 of this for you. Here is a link to the page and listen to song number 5. I like Mike.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/jayspears02 Click on song number 5

Thanks Todd

2006-10-12T10:02:00.000-05:00

This is not me and I don't know these people either. Just an idea of what I will go through tomorrow.

Tomorrow I go to the promotion board. Please send some positive thoughts my way to help me pass. This is generally a miserable experience. Dressed in uncomfortable clothes you have to sit in front of 6 scowling, higher ranking soldiers who would rather be doing something else than asking you questions, inspecting your uniform and making sure you have long paragraphs memorized.

Anyway, here's some new good music for you to check out....

My buddy Todd in Aspen, Colorado turned me onto Ray Lamontagne a few weeks ago and I really appreciate it. This is a great album. I would consider this quiet and essential music. You could easily throw this on before or after a Cowboy Junkies record. Here are a few tracks for you to check out and enjoy.This is his 3rd album if you really like it please check out his other stuff.

ray Lamontagne-Empty.mp3

Ray Lamontagne-be here now.mp3

Ray Lamontagne-You Can Bring Me Flowers.mp3

Dead on impressions

2006-10-08T07:46:00.000-05:00

I don't know exactly what to call these songs. They aren't cover versions because they are originals but they sound amazingly like other artists.

Patti Smith-Gloria.mp3

PJ Harvey-Good Fortune.mp3 I say you go PJ Harvey, Patti Smith isn't using this sound anymore. Only thing is, who is going to use the sound you created?

David Bowie-This is not America.mp3 The next two songs fooled me into thinking Bowie had new songs out when I first heard them.

Icehouse-No Promises.mp3

Edwyn Collins-a girl like you.mp3

The Pretenders-Talk Of The Town.mp3

Garbage-Special.mp3 Shirley Manson does a dead on impression of Chrissie Hynde (pretenders) at the end of this song.

All of these songs are available at Amazon.com

Retro radio

2006-10-06T08:08:00.000-05:00

I'm really enjoying this retro sound that's around lately. It seems to make a comeback every 10 years or so.
In the 90's Texas had thier biggest selling album white on blonde featuring them doing a tribute to the motown sound.
Even though these songs feature retro music they talk about things like devil worship, addiction and use the f word. They may have hinted at these things in the 50's-60's, I guess we just say them out loud now.

Persephone's Bee's - This song is already featured on a commercial. I have high hopes for them.

persephone's bees-nice day.mp3

Amy Winehouse - She is tearing up the brittish charts.

Amy Winehouse-Rehab.mp3

Lily Allen - Daughter of some famous Brit that I've never heard of. I like the song though.

Lily Allen-Everythings Just Wonderful.mp3

74-75

2006-10-05T22:22:00.000-05:00

Thinking about that VHS tape series. Here is another song that I really liked.
The video made me sad. It's worth a look.
I bought the album and have to say I didn't really care for the rest of it. I never followed up on any of their other stuff. If I remember right they were from the same town and jumped on the Hootie and the blowfish bandwagon.
This song is worth a listen, and the video should send you scrambling to Ebay to buy up every copy of any yearbook you may be in.

http://www.ezarchive.com/spang242/AlbumSpace/2AK2W0EP0G/_zid-2094732

This song is available on Itunes and at Amazon.com

Hobo humpin slobo babe

2006-10-01T14:12:00.000-05:00

In the early 90's you could get these vhs tapes every month that had "alternative" videos on them. Bjork, Tori Amos were usually staples. These tapes, I forget the company and how much they cost, introduced me to quite a few songs I might not have heard of otherwise (pre internet).
One of my favorite videos was Hobo Humpin Slobo Babe by a swedish band called Whale. This song is almost always on my workout mixes. Hard rock with silly vocals, right up my alley. I think this song is a classic.
Please check out the video if girls with big eyes and braces giving lolllipop spankings to swedish guys in dresses and tinfoil bathing suits doing Chili Pepper antics is your thing. I believe I have your full attention now, LOL, I think it's worth watching at least once.
I always wanted to use this to insult someone and keep forgetting. I might make that a goal this week."Hey you, yeah you, the hobo humpin......"

Whale-Hobo Humpin slobo Babe.mp3

Oh Happy October and this song is available on Itunes.

Busy week

2006-09-30T01:21:00.000-05:00

These are a few of the songs that have kept me going this week.

T-Model Ford Cut You Loose.mp3

T-Model Ford She Asked Me So I Told Her.mp3

Junior Kimbrough Release Me.mp3

Chick A Boom Boom Boom.mp3
This one's from the Deep Throat soundtrack-suprisingly good!

All of these songs are available at Amazon.com and Emusic

Big black bird on my balcony

2006-09-27T07:33:00.000-05:00

This morning when I got out of the shower. My cats were having a fit in the living room. I walked around the corner and they were hissing and growling at a big black crow on my balcony picking at thier food dish. He wasn't bothered by me or the cats. I took it as a good sign. Here are some of my favorite songs involving black birds.

Michael Frank-When Blackbirds Fly.mp3

Jamiroquai-Black Crow.mp3

Tori Amos-Black Dove.mp3

Sarah Mclachlan-Black Bird.mp3

Judy Henske-Bye Bye Blackbird.mp3

All these songs are available on Itunes or Amazon.com

I need to slow things down for a bit

2006-09-24T11:09:00.000-05:00

On October 13th I have a board that I need to study for. Right now passing this board means I get to keep my job. Nothing is more important to me right now. I need to slow this down until then. I will try and post a couple of things a week.
Let me leave you with a wonderful singer from the 30's Patsy Montana. I really enjoy her. She was the cowboy queen of the Yodel. She seems like someone who would have been welcome on Pee Wee's Playhouse. Mucho fun to sing along with in your car (hopefully you are driving alone).

www.patsymontana.net/ Read more about Patsy here.

Patsy Montana-He Taught Me How To Yodel.mp3 Little Richard is always claiming how he created rock and roll. I think this song might lay claim that Patsy did. Listen to that Guitar. You can't tell me that Bill Haley wasn't influenced by this song.

Patsy Montana-Yodel Blues.mp3

Patsy Montana-I Want To Be a Cowboys Sweetheart.mp3

Sorry about yesterdays post, Boy was it ugly lol. I can't figure out how to put more than one video on there
Keep me in your prayers that I do well on the 13th. (fingers crossed)

around the world in crazy rock girls

2006-09-23T00:12:00.000-05:00

There is Diva crazy, there is directly under the influence of Bobby Brown crazy and then there are just some gals that are just plain off the charts with bad behavior.

courtney love (US) - Too many things to list but it's widely accepted. On the last Hole album she dedicated it to all the stolen water of Los Angeles ?!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=RXakzz1rmjQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF08lCpMje8 Good solo song by Courtney and she plays football in a dress

Grace Jones (Jamaica)- Grace the original paris Hilton without the Heiress thing. Model, Actress, Singer, porno and 2 scoops of crazy.

watch an increadible video of Grace here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXp6E5nHGLEI love her version of this song, and the army of Grace Jones's cracks me up. Amazing Video!

Watch Grace Jones behaving badly here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oS13qm9-gw

Bjork (Iceland)- Did you ever see the video where she beats the hell out of that reporter in Singapore?
watch her beat up reporter here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlQMqDZx4jk

v=nlQMqDZx4jkhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2xGD3Q5b3c Really great live performance with lots of giant animals

Lena Lovitch (Yugoslavia) - I don't have any proof of crazy behavior. She just looks crazy. And she did a song with Nina Hagen (posted yesterday). Guilty by association?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvErh74r-5Q Great song

Nina Hagen(Germany) - Escaped communist east germany. Former Opera singer. Infatuated with punk, unnatural hair colors and severe make up. In her 30s Marries a 17 year old boy from South africa with a Mohawk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWVES3NAF0I&mode=related&search= Nina at her best

mu (Japan)- I don't actually have any proof that's she's poorly behaved or crazy. But I think her rants on the albums are enough of a clueMU_Tell You Something.mp3

I searched and searched and couldn't come up with anything for Australia or New Zealand. Suprising considering the whole Island of criminals past and all.

Weak boy... did you see the cow?

2006-09-22T15:10:00.000-05:00

I spent today at a place where live cows walk in and are turned into your dinner. I was there for training and saw the entire process. I'm not allowed to discuss it but I can tell you I will make a concerted effort to eat less meat and will be much more appreciative of what I do.

I was going to do a post with songs about rain. It stopped raining. I felt instead I should do songs about the cows. Meat is Murder by the smiths would be completely appropriate but I refuse to put any song on here that I find unlistenable. Meat is murder has a vallid point but It's much too depressing. Here are some songs involving cows that I do like. In thier honor.

Tanita Tikaram-poor cow.mp3 I think this is an anti meat song?

Earlimart-Burning The Cow.mp3 I have no idea what they are talking about but I like the music.

Gene Loves Jezebel-Cow.mp3 I have had this song for over 20 years and always thought it was one of GLJ's best. What's it about- couldn't tell you. I love the vocals and sitar like guitar.

/dont_kill_the_animals.mp3 This is an Anti Vivesection song by two crazy girls, Nina Hagen and Lene Lovitch. From the PETA album Animal Liberation. I believe thier heart is in the wrong place but PETA is a bit radical for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXXzyUPOREw Here is the video for Don't kill the animals. Warning - It's difficult to watch. They show animal torture.

All of these songs are available on Itunes or Amazon.com

one of the greatest albums you've never heard of

2006-09-21T17:18:00.000-05:00

Back in Denver 1986 there was a show on sunday mornings called Teletunes. They showed alternative videos. One particular morning they showed videos by the Woodentops, Simple Minds and Joan Armatrading.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjqzzsEYUTY Joan Armitrading video- Kind words and a real good heart. (to bring you back to the moment with me)I liked the video a lot. I had some birthday money and headed to the sound warehouse. I bought the single for The Damned - Eloise and Catching up with Depeche Mode. They didn't have the Joan Armatrading album with Kind words on it but in the cut out (cheap) bin they had an old old Joan album Whatever's for us for us. It was 2 or 3 dollars so I bought it.Well I wore out Eloise and Depeche Mode but couldn't really get into the Joan Album (I was 18).

A couple of years later I was driving to work and KTCL (denver radio station) played a song Fast Cars. I thought WOW Joan has a new album out and I really like that song. I went to Wax Trax record store looking for the new Joan album. The clerk told me fast cars was by Tracy Chapman. I bought the album and loved it but couldn't help thinking how much she sounded like Joan. I pulled out whatevers for us and gave it a listen. I was a little older now and ready for it.

A few years back they released a remastered cd. Man I love this album. When I listen to Elton John, Tori Amos, The Indigo girls and of course Tracy Chapman I hear Joan.

I won't put her whole bio here see link below for all that. Evidently she was running around London performing in Hair the Musical. She met another artsy type woman named Pam Nestor and they decided to write songs together. This woman was a poet and Joan put music to her words.

I'm so glad they didn't have the album I was looking for that day in 86. If they did, I don't think I would have gone back to any of her earlier stuff. I strongly recommend you adding this album to your collection. This and a best of Joan Armitrading should do really well. If you find you really love it, by all means explore more of her large body of work.

http://www.joanarmatrading.com/index.asp?m=misc&n=bio&p=1

all the kings gardens-The guitar on this song is amazing. Hands down my favorite song on the album. And that bass player...MAN!All The Kings Gardens-Joan Armatrading.mp3

Mister Remember Me-Joan Armatrading.mp3 This song breaks my heart

Lonely+Lady+-+Joan+Armatrading.mp3 Early Funk, great use of horns, a little Jethro tull flute thrown in and listen to that bass player working his tushie off.

It was so hard to pick just 3 tracks. This album is uncomplicated, honest and joyful. I really wanted to share the whole thing. Please run out and get it.

Music for hypnosis

2006-09-20T12:59:00.000-05:00

I mentioned the Knife a couple of days ago and said there are 2 songs from last year I think influenced Silent Shout/ No Hits and Too much love. See what you think.

Black Mountain-No Hits.mp3

LCD Soundsystem-Too Much Love.mp3

I don't really care for most of Caribou's stuff but this song it great!
Caribou-Hello Hammerheads.mp3

Fade into you- I believe if you play this song enough times, you can turn back time.
Mazzy Star-Fade into you.mp3

All of these songs are available at Amazon.com or Itunes

My Joel is better than your...whoever you get your stuff from

2006-09-19T08:18:00.000-05:00

My buddy Joel in Seattle is AMAZING! I tell him i'm looking for such and such and within 2 days he will write me and he's got all of it. I don't care how obscure. This guy can find anything.
Last week I did a post or actually a link to Lost in the 80's because he posted about a song To look at you by INXS that was on my list of things to blog about. John does a great job over there and he mentioned that he wanted the Extended remix to that song. Well John here you go, thanks to my good buddy Joel.

INXS-To Look At You Extended Version.mp3

Feeling gravitys pull

2006-09-18T12:38:00.000-05:00

This song is the opening track from 1985s Fables of the Reconstruction. I love a lot of REM's music, but this song more than any other, has captivated me for over 20 years. It includes everything I like about them especially the atmosphere they could create. This song never got as much notice as it should have.

REM-Feeling Gravitys Pull.mp3

what the hell happened?

2006-09-17T10:35:00.000-05:00

I seem to have lost my archive- I paid to have a place to post the songs that everyone could listen to and now it's gone. Let me try and find out what happened. Please check back.
If the songs work for you today let me know, maybe it's just my puter. send me an email at veronica_martian@yahoo.com and let me know the songs are working

cursed like the red shoes

2006-09-17T00:58:00.000-05:00

The knife, everyone who's anyone is talking about them. I'm no different.
I read about them in Paste Magazine and flew to my keyboard. I'm sure this album will make most everyones best of 06 list.
The remarkable Silent Shout kept my full attention.
I can break this song down to 2 of last years best. Black Mountains-No hits and LCD Soundsystems-Too much love. The keyboards are the part that really interest me.
The Fingers seem posessed by the curse of the red shoes, once they start, they seem as if they can't stop. Dancing fingers compelled across the keyboard up and down, up and down making suprising choices. The highest notes have a Ping simialar to the steel drum.

If you don't know the tale of the red shoes, it's a good one and shorthttp://hca.gilead.org.il/red_shoe.html

The Knife-Silent Shout.mp3

A few more songs where the keyboards really made an impression

Duran Duran-The Chauffermp3

Tears For Fears-Change.mp3

Ministry-Just Like You.mp3

All of these songs are available on Itunes and Amazon.com

stop throwing that around

2006-09-16T08:59:00.000-05:00

/Gary Numan-Cars.mp3

One hit wonders - I see lists all over the place. Itunes, VH1 and compilation CDs. I always just kind of accepted them.I was at my friend Seans house in England around 1999. He had 6 Madness albums. I looked at him and said "but they only had one hit, Our House". He rolled his eyes and asked if I was crazy. Evidently Madness had tons of hits in Europe. I saw he had 5 Simply Red albums... same thing, huge over there. UB40 and so on...I borrowed a few of the best of's and was suprised at how many good songs (Simply Red in particular) were on these discs.
I look down these lists now with suspicion - Murray Head - one night in Bangkok, yep I agree. Safety Dance by Men without hats, No I actually like the Pop goes the world album. I melt with you by Modern English - I probably agree with that one. Falco- Rock me Amadeus, they seem to forget Der Komisar. Vanilla Ice - Definately.
Gary Numan is always on the list. Cars. Gary put out a lot of music. He did some really interesting stuff with the Tubeway Army. Does that count? Here is why Cars is so hard for me to dismiss as a one hit wonder. It keeps popping up! Paticularly the last few years. I am hearing the feel from Cars in other songs. A lot of songs, from different bands. And one band seems to have based thier entire sound on that one song- Ladytron - everything they do sounds like cars to me and I love it.

My question is can you really dismiss this song as a one hit wonder if it had such a huge effect on other peoples music?

ladytron-weekend.mp3

Ladytron-Destroy Everything You Touch.mp3

Beck-Heaven Hammer.mp3This is a remix by Air

Covenant-Dead Stars.mp3This song actually deserves it's own post, it knocked my socks off! It's what would have happened if Front 242 had Gary and Kraftwerk producing. The review of it on Itunes made me furious btw.

an open letter to Vanessa

2006-09-15T00:54:00.000-05:00

Dear Vanessa Carlton,

Back in 2002 when I first heard your song A thousand miles on the radio, I liked it, but got you confused with Michelle Branch and several other young, dark haired singers all coming out at the same time. I wrote you off as a Fiona Apple wannabe. I do that a lot. I thought Fiona was a Tori Amos wannabe and Tori as a wannabe Kate Bush. Everything stops at Kate because she is a goddess.
Recently on one of my internet music casts they played a few songs off your second album Harmonium. I looked to see who these wonderful songs were by. It was you! I am so impressed with your second album. You have grown immensly and Half a week before the winter is one of the best songs I have heard this decade! I really hope it sold enough for you to make a 3rd and I'm so sorry for missing this when it came out.

Best Wishes,

Veronica Martian

Vanessa Carlton-A Thousand Miles.mp3 Where I first heard you.

Vanessa Carlton-Half a Week Before the Winter.mp3 Hey Vanessa, if you can talk your record company into a really large budget; I have an idea for an amazing video. Call me!

/Vanessa Carlton-Annie.mp3 Love this it is pure joy.

/Harmonium-Vanessa-Carlton/Buy Vanessa here

Famous for a huge gothic cathedral, the teddy bar and now Klee

2006-09-14T08:51:00.000-05:00

When I lived in Germany I used to go the the christmas markets every year. Koln was about 2 hours away and had a huge market right next to the Cathedral. The cathedral is enormous, black and imposing. The rest of the city is rather industrial and ugly. We would usually make a day of it and walk around the shopping disctict. There was a place called the Teddy bar which I thought was very clever. And now Klee! Klee means clover in geman and they named themselves after the german painter. A trio from Koln with heavy influence from the 80's, I love thier sound and hope to hear a lot more of them in the future.

http://www.trouserpress.com/ - Learn more about Klee here

klee_gold.mp3- I loved this one on the first listen

Klee this is for everyone.mp3 I think Robbie Williams would be amazing doing this song

Klee-Die Stadt.mp3

http://www.amazon.com/- Buy Klee here

Sad news...while I was uploading this I read that former govenor of Texas, Anne Richards has died. I thought she was an amazing woman and an absolute pleasure to share the planet with. I voted for her and will miss her.

Weird Wednesday

2006-09-13T11:37:00.000-05:00

I've been in a weird mood all week. Time to pull out some of my stranger files

The Real Tuesday Weld- Bathtime In Clerkenwell.mp3Taken from the album I lucifer, I find this song fascinating and hope it's not like a ouija board letting evil into my house everytime I listen to it.

rosin murphy-Ramalama Bang Bang .mp3The former lead singer of Moloko out on her own. Thanks to Tim in Omaha for introducing me to this one!

triplettes of bellville.mp3Taken from the Belgian cartoon movie The Triplettes of Belleville

Beef Jerky.MP3
John Lennons kid running around with a couple of japanese girls. This song cracks me up because the words are put together so randomly

Remora time

2006-09-12T09:44:00.000-05:00

To look at you by INXS was on my list of things to post about.I always thought it was one of thier best songs. Lost in the 80's coincedently posted about it last week. Not one to reinvent the wheel... here's the post

lostinthe80s.blogspot.com/

2006-09-11T09:47:00.000-05:00

Thanks Greg!

2006-09-10T08:49:00.000-05:00

My new friend Greg from Wisconsin has turned me on to a band. The Bellrays. This album was released in May of this year. Completely snuck by me.Most of the reviewsI'm reading say things like If Tina Turner hooked up with the Stooges or if Janis Joplin hooked up with MC5... basically a woman with a big voice backed by a punk band and they aren't far off. Bellrays, you have found a new champion in Veronica Martian.Take a listen and I think you will see they are noteworthy and have lots of potential... the album sounds great!
And everyone says they are amazing live!!

The Bellrays-Tell The Lie.mp3 I know if this song had been out at the time it would have been on the Jackie Brown soundtrack

The Bellrays_Maniac Blues.mp3 They rock!

The Bellrays_Third Time's the Charm.mp3

Buy the bellrays here - -(BellRays

Bear interpretations of other peoples songs

2006-09-09T11:09:00.000-05:00

Ok so he doesn't actually cover the song. But it is an interpretation. I love this song and the fact that Fiona actually seems to be having fun. I like the unpredictability of the song, the time changes and there is a certain disneylike qaulity to the music I can't put my finger on.

Fiona+Apple-Not About Love.mp3 (Extraordinary-Machine-Fiona-Apple/)

more bear interpretations of other peoples songs

2006-09-08T07:22:00.000-05:00

This is Cake doing I will survive. Cake does a lot of covers and usually do a really good job.

Bear interpretations of other peoples songs

2006-09-07T19:42:00.000-05:00

Okay, this was supposed to be all one post but I can't figure out how to get 3 videos on here. Sigh. I'm going to have to spread this over a few days.
The Urban dictionary defines a "bear" as a man who is hairy, has facial hair, and an unsculpted body.
A friend of mine sent me this video of Matt Weddle of a band called Obediah Parker doing an interesting cover of Hey Ya by Outcast. I may like it better than the original song.

Matt Weddle-heyya.mp3

Misogyny making a welcome comeback

2006-09-06T07:59:00.000-05:00

Now let me just say that Veronica Martian does not approve of treating women poorly. There are things in Art that are not okay in life. And people should be allowed to express themselves. In the 70's you could say whatever. In the 90's we were too PC. When I was doing a little research for this topic all I could find were articles on Rap and misogyny, and one essay by Camille Paglia. I never really understand what she's saying. Just enjoy the songs for what they are.. please don't go treat anyone badly.

Cody Chesnutt Bitch I'm Broke.mp3Iif you hang with Rap people what did you expect, really. I think this is more an ode to greedy girls.

Nickelback Figured You Out.mp3Just rockstar swagger playing the kind of game you can stand up, shower and head off to dinner hand in hand thinking that was fun. A couple of steps away from the Who's a bad or dirty girl game.

Louis XIV Finding Out True Love Is Blind.mp3I'm fine, until he gets to carrot juice... they missed an opportunity to make a great video here.

Vast-Pretty When You Cry.mp3This song is dark and beautiful. This girl will need years of therapy. This is a messed up game!

princess Tam-tam

2006-09-05T07:09:00.000-05:00

Josephine Baker was famous for the banana dance, being an Ex-patriot, famous nude photos and generally causing scandal. I think her life was fascinating and well worth your time to read her biography. Her Music is not nearly as well known as her dancing. It should be. I found a double album of her songs on Emusic. There are many many lovely songs on it. Here are a couple of samples.

Josephine Baker-where'd you get those eyes

Josephine Baker-Partir sur un Bateau tout Blanc
I wonder if this song was the inspiration for Disneys Snow Whites singing style.

Did you know she owned a Cheetah? That America officially declared her a persona-non-grata? Did you know she was part of the French resistance in WWII, Learn more about her -

http://www.cmgww.com/stars/baker/index.php

lost gem

2006-09-04T10:39:00.000-05:00

I saw the video for Big Pig - Breakaway back in the late 80's and ran to the store to buy the cassingle. I loved the full sound. They were 7 or 8 drummers, a Keyboard player, a girl lead singer and were from Australia. Thier gimmick was wearing rubber slaughter house aprons?!?
The song came, I bought it and I never heard from them again. I can find almost nothing about them on the internet.

Big Pig-Breakaway (Bonk-Big-Pig)/

and here's the video if you are interested. It's kind of Prince's Kiss- meets NIN Wish

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qydWWFO-kaw

While I was waiting for this to upload.... I learned that Steve Irwin has died from a stingray.
I always appreciated his enthusiasm and enjoyed yelling at the TV "put that thing down".
This makes me sad. I will miss him.

Hey, who added a pizza

2006-09-03T10:32:00.000-05:00

Prince - one night alone live! If you had asked me before I heard this, I would have said Eh.

Prince-The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker.mp3 (One-Nite-Alone-Live-Prince/)

I was listening to my Pandora player. http://www.pandora.com/ and Dorothy Parker from Prince One night alone Live!! came on. WOW is all I have to say. WOW!

It starts off normal enough, nothing special, except when Prince stops singing to give the audience a chance to sing a Joni Mitchell line and they fail him.

It's the Bongos turn and they take over. I'm not sure how many opportunities they get on this 3 disc set but he makes you take notice.

The piano sees where the bongos are taking this song and announce that they want in with a bum bum bum bum. They pause for a second and make sure the bongos are done and then take off with a latin flare.

The ghost of Ray Charles wanders on to the stage.... finds the keyboards and seems to say "I see where you are going with this, and I like it, but lets take this song back to the funk".

The piano tries once more but relents and gives in.

The horns wake up and join in.

At this moment the band, Prince, the audience and now you, are one. Like snapping synapses during a test. Using everything you have. The song finishes and I am lying on the floor happily exhausted by the jam.

Here is the original from Sign of the times- It's ok. Sounds dated.

Prince-The Ballad of Dorothy Parker.mp3 /(Sign o the times)

and a different Jazz version just because I happen to have it.

Bob Belden And Tim Hagans-The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker.mp3 (Bluenote plays Prince).

Good - Now I don't have to

2006-09-02T07:59:00.000-05:00

The Lightning Seeds were on my list of things to talk about.
When I lived in Germany- you would hear the lightning seeds all the time. On the radio, in the bar, on the overhead at the store. I picked up Like you do ........ best of the lightning seeds over there. I will never understand why they never made it in the states.
Plague of Angels, (another favorite blog), put up a post this week about the Lightning Seeds. Now I don't have to! Please visit this wonderful blog and check out some of the songs there
http://plagueofangels.blogspot.com/2006/08/lightning-seeds.html

Great news- well almost

2006-09-01T17:49:00.000-05:00

I was flipping through my usual haunts and read that Veruca Salt has a new album coming on 12 September. I misread it and thought Nina Gordon was back with them! It's untrue. This was also news. Nina released an album in August.

It kind of has that same feeling like when I saw Peter Murphy and Love and Rockets in concert the same week. Almost like Bauhaus, but not really.

Veruca Salt-So Weird.mp3 http://www.verucasalt.com/
I liked this song right off. Something seemed familiar to me. Bing- 2nd listen! It's the guitar line from Quiet by the Smashing Pumpkins. New song still rocks.

Watch Volcano Girls and remember why you loved them//QesmAX8

Nina Gordon Suffragette.mp3

Nina Gordon Now I Can Die.mp3 (ninagordon)/

More Nina http://indoorfireworks.blogspot.com/2006/08/i-want-to-write-song-that-will-break.html

Ole Dirty Nina

New Country Album Ready Nina

and just to prove my point ~that is the same guitar line, don't you think?

Smashing Pumpkins Quiet mp3 (Smashing Pumpkins)l

The German invasion that never happened

2006-08-31T18:43:00.000-05:00

A clever pun and a lot of fun.
I was fooling around on Emusic and stumbled across this album. What a find!Who knew the Germans were so good at making Austin Powers music?

http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/artist/album/0,,3457541,00.html

Here are a few of my favorites from the album~

The In-Kraut~Molotow Cocktail Party.mp3
30 years before Barbi Girl-I think I found what the bald guy was doing. I wonder if this or Spinning Wheel from Blood, sweat and tears was written first?

The In-Kraut~Wie A Glock.mp3

The In-Kraut~Jungle Soul.mp3

The In-Kraut~From Here On It Got Rough.mp3
I really enjoy this one!

Wonky wings

2006-08-30T08:22:00.000-05:00

Mars Needs Guitars indeed. And the universe needs more people like Merz, the man behind MNG. Merz patiently walked me through all the basic blog building skills. I started with zero. I can now put music on that plays and link to other great sites. MNG will always be my first link.Merz has given me the knowledge, patted me on the ass and told me I'm ready to fly.

Here are a few mars themed songs as a thanks to Merz.

David+Bowie+-+Life+On+Mars.mp3

I have always felt that half the songs from the Rocky Horror Picture Show can be traced back to this song. Did you know that Barbara Striesand covered this? Isn't that weird?

angry+red+planet+-+sun+goes+down.mp3

Misfits+I+Turned+Into+A+Martian.mp3

two of my favorite punk bands

Blondie+-+Rapture.mp3

C'mon it stars the man from mars

Brownsville+Station+-+The+Martian+Boogie.mp3

Sounds like someone trying to do George Thorogood with a touch of Boston thrown in.

Marrs+-+Pump+Up+the+Volume.mp3

ok I know it's stretching the limits of the theme but I haven't heard it in a long time and I think it aged pretty well. Makes me want to dust off a 2 unlimited album. Magic Friend anyone?

My next projects on this blog will be to get rid of that weird grey space to the left so you don't have to scroll so much and put pictures in the space to the right. That can wait for a while. Let's see how all this goes first.

Just a little sidenote. When I was researching interesting songs about mars/martians/red planet/god of war etc... I came across a suprising amount of songs involving mars by Ska bands!?! Electronic/dance and new age, fair enough, but SKA? Where is that connection?

making the call

2006-08-29T00:43:00.000-05:00

As we get close to the 9th month i'm going to step out on a limb and call Midlake's, Tales of Van Occupanther the album of the year.I hope there are other great releases on the way, but this album knocked my socks off. I picked up a copy of Uncut(a great music magazine from England) and Roscoe was on the free CD included with the magazine.I was instantly on board. For 3 weeks now Roscoe has been in constant rotation.

Midlake+-+Roscoe.mp3

Midlake+-+Young+Bride.mp3

midlake-we_gathered_in_spring.mp3

I think this album is timeless and well worth your money. If we could send it back to 1972, my parents would have owned it.

Let's hang with William Orbit

2006-08-28T09:07:00.000-05:00

Merz over at Mars Needs Guitars (one of my favorite blogs)http://www.marsneedsguitars.com/ has been very kind to this martian. Answering endless emails from me, begging for blog advice. I can now put up playable songs. They are ugly but they work. Once I get them cleaned up and find out how to add all the little cool stuff on the sides I think we will be set.
Today I can put some examples of mr Orbits work. I think these songs give a fair sample of his sound. Different artists but distinctly William Orbit.

All+Saints+-+Black+Coffee.mp3

Beth+Orten+-+Yesterday's+Gone.mp3

Madonna-+Amazing.mp3

I don't have a good copy of Feel good time so here's the video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sImKh2iIpm0

Something fun while I ride the learning curve

2006-08-27T13:38:00.000-05:00

William Orbit is one of 4 music producers that I can name off the top of my head. The others being Phil Spector, Butch Vig and Billy Corgan. Mr. Orbit has a style instantly recognizable; anything he touches turns to aural gold for me. His own music is interesting but production is where this man shines.
I never had much use for Madonna until she brilliantly decided to use him for the Ray of Light album. She turned from personality into artist. If anyone has come closer to finding the actual sound to the pulse of life, ( song Ray of Light), I haven't discovered it. Hands down his (and her) finest moment.

I enjoyed the songs he did with Pink and All Saints but, his other career highlight was producing the amazing (and impossible to find) Superpinkymandy by Beth Orton. I would love to get my hands on this. AOL has it up, but it's only a tease. You can't actually buy it. Someone somewhere has it. I demand that Superpinkymandy be released for sale!

To hear Beth working with William go to his website. William invites you to fiddle around some of his songs. With an easy download you can pretend to be the guy in the sound-booth moving around all those buttons. I recommend Water from a vine leaf and Surrender. Have fun!

http://www.williamorbit.com/

Getting closer

2006-08-27T11:24:00.000-05:00

this is just an experiment

nice+day.mp3

Earlimart excitement

2006-08-26T14:34:00.000-05:00

Well, I still can't figure out how to post music.

I can point you to something wonderful though.
Earlimart has a new album coming out. If you haven't yet discovered Earlimart-
I highly recommend them. I found out about them on a best of 2004 list in one of the music magazines I subscribe to.
Here is a link to one of my favorite music blogs with all the details-
http://www.marsneedsguitars.com/2006/08/earlimart-new-exclusive-track.html

If you would like to listen to more Earlimart, please go to this link- They Hype machine is a wonderful tool to discover new music and search for songs by artists. If you really like the song, I recommend hitting the read post button. It will take you to the blog post about the song. You may find a kindrid spirit with more musical nuggets to share.

http://hype.non-standard.net/search/earlimart/1/

Dissapointment.. beaten already?

2006-08-24T23:59:00.000-05:00

I sent several e-mails to other bloggers asking how you add songs to the blog. Not a single reply?
Hard to do a music blog if I can't add music.

It's all so exciting.. my first blog!

2006-08-23T17:58:00.000-05:00

It's all so exciting.. my first blog. High hopes and dreams of the blog of the year award are drifting through my head. A chance for me to share music that I love.
First I need to figure this thing out. I see how to post a picture but not a song.
Ahh there's my girl, Miss Veronica Martian, slumming it in Creys Folly. Veronica was the 2nd toon I created. I took the Veronica Mars idea and went a little further with it. She is a level 48 Illusion/Forcefield Controller. I promised that I would write her Bio before she turned level 50. I need to get on that.
Well I will write to another music blogger this evening and get advice for posting songs.