wannabedjs

[wannabedjs]

1983

Epic year for my music .A number of releases this year that set the format for “college radio”. You got REM, violent femmes, U2, new order, X, Billy idol, tears for fears, eurythmics, talking heads

A banner year for Pop music. Thriller got released late 1982, so that was a mainstay,then in 83’ a 24 y/o New Yorker named Madonna released her self titled debut album, Lionel Richie with a record that had five top 10 hits, Billy Joel- his top record-innocent man, U2, journey

Rock ‘n’ roll was more 60s rockin than 80s synth rock. x, quiet riot, ZZ Top, David Bowie, the police, Genesis, U2, Rolling Stones, motley Crew, and Def Leppard starting the hair metal bands.

And got some hard ass punk rock with acts like Bad Brains & Suicidal Tendencies…ALL I WANTED IS A PEPSI!!!!

Still fresh 40 years later

- [ ] Violent Femmes - ROY..recall being a freshman(1988) in high school and hearing Blister in the Sun for the 1st time. One of those music memories that easily outduels Alzheimer’s Disease

- [ ] Talking heads- their seminal release Speaking In Tongues

- [ ] Madonna - self titled. This record changed pop music . You got thriller released late 82 & then madonna in summer of 83 with 4-5 sure 🔥 hits.

- [ ] REM: Murmur. Debut which may be one of my fav REM records. 80s REM>>>90s REM

- [ ] John mellencamp- uh huh!! Has 4-5 classic American songs. Jackie O is a subtle highlight

- [ ] Bowie- let’s dance. Post Berlin trio, it’s Bowie crossing to middle America with songs like Let’s Dance and Modern Love..Stevie ray vaughn and Niles Rogers on guitars

- [ ] ZZ Top - eliminator. Straight up blues Texas rock.

- [ ] U2: War - full on rock n roll masterpiece with guitar driven politically charged songs.

- [ ] U2: Under the Bloody Red Sky- introduced Red Rocks to the world outside of CO. A truly majestic place that hosted the greatest over the decades. More on red rocks during 2013 year in review

- [ ] Genesis - genesis. Departing the DnD world of prog rock I believe made them better artists. Def richer ($$$) ones. Mama, illegal alien, That’s All…HITS!

- [ ] The Police: Synchronicity (A&M). Don’t know if ever listened to it cover to cover . The 4 hits off the record are all back to back midway through the record. Murder By Numbers a great last song.

Revisits and new finds

- [ ] ESG- come away with ESG. Damn! This sounds like a 2024 Z-ster release that would get a 8.5+ on pitchfork. 80s club music (find of the year)

- [ ] Cure - Japanese Whispers. An early-ish release w a couple solid goth/synth tracks

- [ ] Liquid liquid - tremendous! Funk, punk, hip hop. Contains the “Cavern” the original white lines

- [ ] Replacements -hootennanny. Lots of noise between a few good tracks. Sounds like they just recorded everything they did and put it out in this record

- [ ] Keith Jarrett - standards Vol 1. Trio s dejenette and Peacok. Got bias here. I’m a big Keith Jarrett fan & this is one have the best trios of all time and jazz, in my opinion.

- [ ] Def leopard - pyromaniac ..gotta give it props for 3 solid rocking songs (foolin, Rock of Ages, Photograph

- [ ] Lionel Richie- can’t deny the power of his pop R&B. 5/8 songs were top 10 hits

Random and Wierd shit!!!

- [ ] Lou reed. Finding out he just explains his daily life in NYC ..in song fashion. He’s got 30+ records over 30ish years. High Quantity will even lead to a low to moderate sum of quality.

- [ ] Daniel Johnston - hi how are you. Like WTF?!?!

- [ ] Rolling Stones - undercover. One of the stones worst albums. Though I’m not a stones fan. Title track only one worth a dime

- [ ] Billy Joel- innocent man. Pop stuff is good, doo wap 50s stuff is 💩 doo doo

Didn’t get to:

- [ ] X: More Fun in the New World (Elektra)

- [ ] Richard Thompson: Hand of Kindness (Hannibal)

- [ ] Eurythmics

- [ ] Billy idol- renal yell

- [ ] Yazoo- you me

- [ ] Bad brains - rock for light

- [ ] Quiet riot - mental health

- [ ] Tears for fears

- [ ] The fall-

- [ ] Omd

- [ ] Earth wind fire -electric universe

#1983 #best in music #year end review

[wannabedjs]

2003 was an eventful year...Went on a reality tv show ("Anything for Love") which never aired, studies abroad in Guadalajara Mexico, visted Mexico City, and Cuba . A key new chapter in my life. Fairly quickly after starting my job at UCH in 1998 it became quite evident that there was a disconnect between the providers/staff who only spoke English and the sizable patient population that only spoke Spanish. The sole translator was Dr. Michel Choncol, a renal fellow from Venezuela. I've always felt that the monolingual culture of the USA was a disadvantage. Having only taken a couple Spanish classes in high school, I had near zero Spanish skills. I decided to start the process to learn spanish. Taking classes a couple times a week at Colorado Free University and then enrolling at CU Denver into classess for no credit. Over a period of 3-4 years I advanced my spanish vocabulary to hold simple conversations. I knew if I wanted to accelerate my learning I needed to have a dedicated period of immersion. I'd been talking about this plan for a number of months, so when I proposed the idea of taking a 2 month immersive 'sabbatical' in Mexico to my boss and coworker, it was received with support. As a student at CU Denver I was able to enroll in an study abroad program down to Guadalajara, Mexico. Guadalajara is the LA of Mexico (Mexico city being the NYC) and is located in the state of Jalisco (home of tequila, puerto vallarta, mariachi music, and dozens of large scale murals). I lived with a family that had 2 other 'renters" in their central Gudalajara home. One of the other renters was a Japanese guy who didn't speak English and worked as a sushi chef and was a lucha libre on the side.

Wonderful experience as I learned more in 6 weeks of class than I did in the previous 3-4 years of classroom studies in Denver. (The key was not hanging out with the other native English speakers, most of whom were from England. The movie, Y tu mama tambien, had a sizable impact on most of them wanting to learn Spanish). I regularly hung out with the family's young 20ish old daughter and her boyfriend, Diego, who I was pretty sure was part of the cartel. He owned a couple "bars" which were just fields of land where they served cheap beer and had hip hop music. He even had a young dog named "Sixty" (for 69..yep. no lie).

Weekend trips included a memorable evening in a cemetery in Michoacan for noche de muertos. Straight out of Coco.

I had 2 weeks at the end open for travel and full immersion traveling to Spanish speaking cities. Half way thru my time in Guadalajara, I started planning an excursion to Mexico City then Cuba. Mexico City was as lively as advertised and my prep for Cuba seemed rather simple. No US banks in Cuba and they accepted cold hard cash from the USA.

So entering Havana with enough cash to make it for a week vacation in Havana and the beach town Varadero. Loved Havana and a highlight was walking up to the Interior Ministry government building thinking it was maybe some fancy hotel. It has a massive Che Guevera face on the outside with the tag line "Hasta Victoria Siempre." Now I should have researched the area where I was at, but looking over at the building I thought it said "Hotel Victoria Siempre.'....common mistake...one that you realize quickly as you begin walking toward it and fully armed military guards start walking towards you telling you to leave. I was like "Bet!" and high tailed it for some mojitos and grub far away from the plaza.

Varadero is the old Copa Cabana area. Like Vegas, but frozen in the 1960s. Massive hotels (previously casinos) just vacant. I was staying at an all inclusive type hotel with beautiful beaches with many european tourists. Most were topless which made it very difficult to read on the beach. One of the nights the hotel arranged for everyone to go to a nightclub which was all you can drink (For like 20 bucks) and had a full on cuban band with dancers. Kind of like an old supper club, but without food. It was fantastic, the 10+ piece band threw down cuban salsa/conga for hours. Towards the end of the show they invited the crown onto the large stage to dance. So here we are just getting down on the stage (the Italian gals with tops on just didn't look the same..hahaha) and they show ends at like 10ish. Within minutes of them stopping the place goes straight US hip hop club. With the 1st song being "In Da Club"...a very current song at the time.

If that wasn't memorable enough, I had everything planned. for the last 24 hours of my trip. Bus trip to the airport in Havana was scheduled and and I decided to spend the rest of the cash I had on gifts. Cigars, t shirts, foods, random wooden statues, etc. So I get to the airport and check in my bags with plenty of time before take off. As I approach the customs check point, I see that there is a $25 departure fee to leave the country. Again cash only. Problem was I only had like 5 bucks. Now I like to believe I'm relatively calm and collected when it comes to stressful situations. I find it rare that you end up in situation without a solution. Well, this was one of those situations . I had a moment where I was like "Fuck, I don't have a clue how I can make this work?" Then the master plan hit. The Cuban embargo that has kept the country frozen in time circa 1960 also has kept technology away. Common electronics are extremely expensive. SOOOO. I take out my yellow sony-disc man and walk around the airport waving it saying "se vende! Se Vende!" It took a good 30 min, but a dude came up with $20 and I sold him the discman...which got me out of the country. I still have the flight ticket with the PAGO $25 stamp on it.

2003 - peak meet me in the basement rock n roll

The comeback after the post grunge rock-rap (see Woodstock 99) boy band era. Was it all post 9/11?

Elefante, white stripes, broken social scene, strokes, TV on the radio

But also an electro-rock-punk scene w the rapture

No need to listen to- GREATS

OutKast: Speakerboxxx/The Love Below (Arista)

The White Stripes: Elephant (V2)

Radiohead: Hail to the Thief (Capitol) - saw at red rocks

BSS- you forgot it in people

Basement Jaxx: Kish Kash

Postal service- give up

Yo la tango

Belle and sebastian -dear catastrophe

RH factor - hard groove

Erykah badu - world wide

50 cent - get rich or die trying

Sandra Collins - march essential mix w pete tong from Miami winter music fest

Revisits and new finds

Four tet - rounds

- his debut (?) and maybe my fav. Less Asian/Indian influenced

Caribou- up In Flames.

early release with few great tracks.

Elefante - loved them back it 03 and still solid 2000 era rock n roll

Strokes - room on fire. Just the same music as this is it..but who cares? It’s great!

Rapture- Echos. an early release of the budding electro-punk-rock-dance scene (mainly from NYC). 2-3 banging tracks

Tv on the radio- young liars EP 1st

Audio bullys- ego war. Can’t believe this didn’t get on best of lists. A blend of house, punk, British hip hop, and beats. We Don’t Care is one of best tracks of the year.

Decemberists - her majesty. Still catchy and an enjoyable listen. Very 03-y

M83 - really out there with full synths, but a couple tracks which lead to his take off w “Dreaming” almost a decade later

Pernice brothers- these guys! Discovery of the week. Indie/folk/country rocky with a coolness and sincerity . Lyrically stellar

Massive attack 100th window

Death cab- transatlanticism

- was a late comer to DCFC and really didn’t listen to this record til 08ish. Can see why they have a large loyal fan base. My question, ya think they’ve made more money off tv shows and movies that have their music than off their records? Last song end like the 1st begins . So can start anywhere and the album flows if on repeat

New Pornographers: Electric Version (Matador)- catchy pop-indie rock. I probably would have been really into them had I given this record a couple listens back in 03

Massive attack - 100th Window. The OGs of trip hop! F/u to mezzanine from 98’. That alone made this a must listen to. Still their signature sound that resonates through me the same as in 03’. A truly night record. Not many of those in 03

Randomness

Wrens - pitchfork #1. Not good

Jeff Buckley - live at sin e rerelease as 2 CD set. He will always be a part of my musical journey. Maybe the largest part w regards to memories over years and stories

- NYC house of neon(?) during interview for job at montefore

- house sitting for Bud Carlsen (a subconscious influence to me going to CO). and making late night pancakes listening to his music

- late night music!

- heading to Memphis to search for his body with Angela Angstman and Allison

Lots of great music I didn’t get to…

Bad plus

Arab stap

Mad lib invaded blue note

British sea power

Cursive

Ted Leo and pharmacists

Jay z black album

The neptunes - clones

Constantine’s

Memomena

My morning jacket

Kings of Leon

Mogwai- happy songs for happy peeps

Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Fever to Tell (Interscope)

The Shins: Chutes Too Narrow (Sub Pop)

Lefty deceiver

PK

#year in music #pkpickles #2003