Vinyl Exam- The Dream Academy (1985)

This cold weather often brings memories of certain albums. The Dream Academy's 1985 self-titled release is one of them. Released in the Fall/into Winter of late 1985 and co-produced by Pink Floyd's David Gilmour. Gilmour had a pretty good track record of helping young talent. He was an early supporter of Kate Bush and bands like Unicorn.

The album is one of those rare ones I enjoy start to finish. It is a quintessential 80's yet some of it's acoustic/folky elements make it it seem timeless.

10 great Todd Rundgren songs

I confess I was never a Rundgren fan until the mid-to-late 80's. Tall and gangly, he never really seemed cool; his fashion sense was often questionable (and sometimes still is...sorry Todd..)

I never really liked songs the songs I knew by him like "Can We Still Be Friends" and "Hello it's Me". I thought they were wimpy. ..Sounded like a guy begging. As a guy, you want to try to avoid being a beggar. The women might think it's pathetic.
 Of course this was all before I had really experienced and romantic angst and longing...lol
 
In '85 I did really like "Something to Fall Back on" and in the late 80's a dude I worked with turned me on to a bunch of good Rundgren stuff as well as Utopia stuff. I finally "got it". I also learned of all the great production work he had done.
I would never claim to be a Rundgren expert like some of his dedicated fans are but here are some of his tunes I really dig.

8 great Dire Straits songs..

I remember really being drawn to Dire Straits when their first album came out. Loved "Sultans of Swing" and then "Down to the Waterline". I remember seeing a video playing at Musicland record store at Golden Ring Mall. They had something called a Video Juke box I think that played promo videos. this was a couple of years before Mtv.

Don Johnson in the new Rolling Stone

Don Johnson? 2013? .
Apparently Don is on a little bit of a roll. 
I'm a fan of "Eastbound and Down" where Don has done a pretty decent job of playing Kenny Powers no good, scheming father.
 He is also in the new movie "Django Unchained".

If you know who he is at all, you remember him as an 80's icon who starred in "Miami Vice", and some b-movies. Maybe you remember his music career (not as bad as you think)..
In the 90's he was actually kind of entertaining in "Nash Bridges".

I was never a "Miami Vice" fan. I had a very active social life at the time was not much of a TV watcher. I always thought Johnson seemed too smug and cocky. Apparently he was. But eventually, people do grow up some. 

The interview with Don Johnson in the latest Rolling Stone is very good and surprisingly deep at times.

In it, he pretty much spouts one of the secret's of life and self-actualization... Examining the search for happiness, self-esteem and more.

Don Felder-Rams Head OnStage. Annapolis,Md

Ex- Eagles guitarist Don Felder brought his current tour to the Rams Head on Stage in Annapolis, Md. 

Vinyl Exam- Big Bam Boo "Fun Faith and Fairplay"

One of the benefits of working at a record store or a record distributor was getting free albums (or in this case , cassettes).

Big Bam Boo's "Fun Faith and Fairplay" was one such item I procured.

Released in 1989, an era when Crowded House had just hit it big; & The Proclaimers were starting to make some noise. These two guys are in that vein. They probably deserved a better fate...

                                        "Fell off a Mountain"

                                       "Shooting From My Heart"

                               
                                                  "if You Could See Me Now"

                               This one reminds me of Adrian Belew (and the Bears)
                                   "what's bigger than Life"

http://open.spotify.com/album/26g0M2blWx50WodXB7fVSj



The guys appear to be still be involved with music

"Shark" does an interesting, cool version of
 Peter Gabriel's "Don't Give Up"

Looks like he's stayed busy : 

http://www.sharkandco.com/Recordings.html




Simon Tedd is now "Simon Scardanelli" (his given name maybe?)

http://www.scardanelli.com/

I plan to try and catch up on the work of these guys.

5 good Roger Daltrey solo songs

Roger always seemed the most aggressive and macho member of the WHO, so it would seem a little strange that his early solo career started with him covering Leo Sayer songs..
 Having said that, Roger has done some underrated solo albums over the years.

Here's 5 good tunes from him