U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position No. 35 (Released in December of '86, charted in '87)
Backstory: This Australian New Wave/funk/pop band was formed in 1982 by Paul Gray. In 1986, they released their self titled debut album on CBS Records and Epic Records in America, which included this No. 35 hit single. It was their only Top 40 hit here in the States, thus making them an American one hit wonder. Their other single from the same album, "Stimulation", peaked at just No. 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. They released two more albums, including a remix album in 1987, before disbanding in 1989. Sadly, Gray died from multiple myeloma, a form of cancer on April 24th, 2018.
The Review: I've always really liked this upbeat and fun synth pop tune with a funky beat to it. It's nothing outstanding, but it's a fine and fun listen. Even though it's from 1986, it does kind of have a 90's boy band sound and persona with it.
Final Rating: 7/10
And as always, don't forget to comment down your opinion on this tune below.
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Peak Position No. 82 (Recorded in '82, wasn't released until sometime in later in early to mid 1983)
Backstory: Born in Frankfurt, Germany on September 4th, 1956, Christian Frede Kruzinski, better known as Cee Farrow, moved to America and landed in the Los Angeles-Hollywood area. Before he became a singer, he was a model. This single, off of his one and only album, Red and Blue, was his only single to ever chart. Despite being a pretty minor hit, the song got quite a bit of radio airplay on Southern California and New Wave style radio stations. It was even a minor success on the R&B Charts, peaking at No. 91. However, his singing career failed because of these very interesting and unfortunate consequences: You see, Farrow was signed to a Anaheim based record label called Rocshire Records which was founded by the husband and wife duo team of Rocky and Shirley Davis. In 1985, they were arrested and charged with embezzling more than 12 MILLION DOLLARS from a Hughes Aircraft Co. employee medical benefit plan to help manage their label. Some of the assets of the label and Farrow's music were seized by the U.S. Federal Marshals in 1984, and to this day, many of Farrow's recordings and many other recordings on the Rocshire Records label are held by the U.S. Federal Marshals in a secret so-called "vault in a certain place and area". It's unknown where these master tapes and recordings are to this very day. Therefore, the album and every release on Rocshire Records have been out of print, making them VERY special 80's music collector's items. Very interesting, huh?
Farrow would release two more singles off of his one and only album, "Don't Ask Why" and "Wildlife Romance", but none of them ever charted. He would release one more single in 1991 called "Imagination" which also never charted.
Farrow was gay, but because of the fact that he wasn't too open about it, he married a woman by the name of April M. Gabrielle in Nevada in 1984 rather than having a life partner or gay companion. During the mid to late 80's and early 90's, Farrow ran two nightclubs in the Los Angeles area, The Apartment Club, The Bitter End, and Maxx. Sadly, in 1993, Farrow passed away from reportedly a brain disease caused by AIDS in West Hollywood at the really young age of just 36. He was cremated and his funeral was held at Greystone Manor in Los Angeles.
The Review: Holy shit do I absolutely LOVE this song! Its fun and upbeat synth pop and synthesizer beat along with Farrow's very smooth, attractive, and sexy voice are just truly badass. It's a very sad shame what happened to him along with his music career. DEFINITELY should've been a Top 10 hit. The extended version (above in the video) is goddamn brilliant and an absolute BLAST to listen to. I'm really glad I chose to review this following song and Mr. Farrow. May he rest in peace.
Final rating:10/10
And as always, don't forget to comment down your opinion on this tune below.
Backstory: This American power pop/pop rock group from Wichita, Kansas consists of Gerald Graves, Jerry Sumner, Lance Threet, and Steve Swaim. They only released one studios album, a self titled debut, on the short lived record label Boulevard Records in 1982, which included this minor hit single. The song was also a modest success on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Charts where it peaked at No. 47. The music video also got quite a bit of airplay on MTV. It was their only ever hit. They would also release a compilation album called The Black Box in 2004 on the independent record label Zip Records. The band also used to tour quite often and were quite popular in their hometown of Wichita.
The Review: I have absolutely always loved this song. It's a perfectly crafted, well produced, and performed power pop/pop rock tune that sounds a lot like The Cars. Great guitar work and vocals as well. Should've been a Top 10 hit to me, don't know why it stalled so low on the charts.
Final Rating:10/10
And as always, don't forget to comment down your opinion on this tune below.
Backstory: This Canadian rock band from (obviously) Toronto was formed in 1979 and consists of vocalist Annie "Holly" Woods, Brian Allen, Sharon Alton, Nick Costello, Jimmy Fox, and Scott Kreyer. Their first album, Lookin' For Trouble, was released in 1980 and included a single which was a cover of the Rascals 1966 classic, "You Better Bun", which Pat Benatar actually covered in the same year and had a modest success with, with her version peaking at No. 42 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their version was a modest success in Canada, but Bubbled Under the Hot 100 at No. 104 in the States. This single, off of their 3rd album, Get It on Credit, was their only ever U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Chart entry, peaking at just No. 77, but was a huge success in their native Canada, peaking at No. 5 on the Canadian Singles Chart. A cut that wasn't on the original release of the album, "What About Love", later became a huge comeback hit for Heart in 1985. The band split up in 1984, but reformed in 2007 and tour often.
The Review: This is a really nice and decent power pop/pop rock tune that has loud guitars but is still nice on the ears. Woods is a great vocalist. Should've been a Top 40 hit.
Final Rating:8/10
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The 2001 Tom Green film "Freddy Got Fingered" is often considered to be one of the worst movies ever made by film critics. That being said, like many other "bad" movies, it has a pretty big cult following.
The humor in the movie is crass, crude, bizarre, stupid, immature, and all in all just so damn crazy, but that's what makes it a "masterpiece". The bizarre and inappropriate sexual jokes, the woman in the wheelchair, the institute for children who were abused, I mean, my God, this is something that literally only Green could make.
This film is a unique kind of bad in the sense that it knows it is so damn stupid, but keeps on going and going with it. Bloody scenes, a horse with balls, elephant jizz, and other crap, along with an interesting ending and story about a crazed and dumb as hell cartoonist is as original as you could get, even in a terrible way.
This isn't "The Emoji Movie" or "Jem and the Holograms" big screen adaptation. Or "Movie 43" or "Max Steel" either.
So, Mr. Tom Green, I applaud you for being brave enough to make this artistic comedy muh muh muh muh MASTERPIECE!
U.S. Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 Peak Position No. 104
Backstory: Australian singer and journalist Wilson was born on June 11th, 1948. Wilson wrote for Go-Set, a 1960's and 1970's pop music based newspaper under the pen name "Mummy Cool" from 1971 until 1972. In 1983, she released this song which was written by her then husband, Ross Wilson of the bands Daddy Cool and Mondo Rock. It was a huge success in her native Australia, peaking at No. 2 on the Australian Singles Chart and No. 28 in South Africa. However, the single wasn't promoted by Warner Bros. in the U.S., and so, despite the fact that the song did achieve occasional radio airplay here in the States, the single unfortunately Bubbled Under the Hot 100 at No. 104. The music video for the song includes the first ever on screen appearance of Nicole Kidman at the age of 15.
The Review: I love this song. It's catchy and has a positive beat, along with Wilson's great singing voice makes this tune an overlooked New Wave power pop classic here in the States. Great guitar work and instrument work as well. Should've easily been a Top 30 hit here in the States. Wilson is like an Australian Cyndi Lauper, except without the crazy hair colors and "unusualness" about her.
Final Rating:10/10
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