Oh my word it is so so very windy in england this very day. My hair is not of pop star quality any more. It is all over the "shop" as they allegedly say. Which I do not like. I do not like my windy hair. I do like my new underwear. I do not like the noise wind makes. I eat too many carrot cake. I do not like my torn umbrella. I like to smooch with my fine fella. Well, I think you get my drift. It's quite windy and the wind brings out the crazy in me. And the moody. While yodelling along to Take That's Shine (on repeat) on the way to work today, I reflected on the things that bug me. Like those annoying little sticker things over the top of cd cases in America that means it takes you even longer to get to the music you want. Or the feeling of anything sticky on my fingers like tape drives me nuts. And I'm not overly chuffed when TV shows get cancelled or worse – put on hiatus only 3 episodes into a promising season. And I was not happy this morning when my alarm clock went off and I rolled over for some morning loving and then remembered Darren is in Gran Canaria so had to do without. The rudeness. Still, things like planning NYC are fun and I'm actually looking forward to my new job which starts on Feb 5th. And the Easter Sunday thing is coming along nicely. And I got an email from a boyband member last night about a new song they recorded and can I just say it sounds freaking amazing. As unreleased songs go it is right up there with one called Resist on my anticipatormometer!! But I have droned on long enough (wait til my podcasts start!!) – on with the post ;)
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THE MISSED IDOL:
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THE MISSED IDOL:
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Poor Diana DeGarmo. I loved her the most ergo she was never going to win season 3 of American Idol (see I told you I would be cutting edge today!) It was all about Fantasia who was as critically revered and hyped as Leona is today. There is definitely a lesson to be had in there somewhere…Anyway I kind of lost interest in Idol after that, and I had X-Factor to keep me annoyed/entertained. So somehow my fixation on Diana (and PenBoy – both were adorable) meant that I missed Jennifer Hudson completely. And I get the impression that I definitely would have liked her. Facing national rejection at age 22 can't be easy, but would prove to be the ideal preparation for a role in the smash DreamGirls (take that failed auditionee Fantasia!). I haven't seen the movie but heard a song from it last night and was utterly blown away. Jennifer takes all the hurt and humiliation one most feel when being voted off the nation's biggest talent search and channels it all into a genuinely breathtaking, showstopping performance of "And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going". Not an easy song to sing (I tried in the shower this morning – it was either the pipes banging or the neighbours on the wall), Jennifer gives a primal and powerful vocal that is already generating best song Oscar buzz (according to my adored Entertainment Weekly). And, thanks to my friend P#1, a storming remix has hit my ears that takes the song to a whole new level with creative beats and tribal infusion that will whip up a frenzy of pulsating bodies on the dancefloor. Suddenly winning Idol doesn't seem so important….
LINK: Purchase DreamGirls the album
MP3: And I'm Telling You I'm Not Going
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THE DEBORAH GIBSON REVERSE RETROSPECTIVE DAY FOUR:
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If Deborah was Kylie, then MYOB would have been her Light Years – the most out and out glorious pop record of her career. Prior to that however, was one of the most accomplished releases of her career. Finding herself without a record contract, Ms Gibson went all Ms Independent and released her album Deborah (called Moonchild in some territories) which, while not as "pop" as her next project, was certainly an accomplished set of adult contemporary tunes that was the perfect stepping stone between the ballad heavy Think With Your Heart project and the more up to date pop sensibilities of MYOB. Lead off single Only Words was one of several perky pop tunes that reminded us all of the 80s before it was trendy to be reminded of the 80s. Mid tempo grooves like Moonchild and Nobody's You actually dripped with pop quality goodness and again ballads were her strong point with gorgeous tracks like the understated Naturally and the "same script different cast" of the pop world Cry Tonight - which if duetted with a man would make a great gay anthem! The album had different bonus tracks depending on where in the world you bought it. In the US it was storming dance remakes of Only Words and a remix for the 10th anniversary (!) of Only In My Dreams that got a little bit of club chart action. However, Japan got the real goodies - two tracks from Funny Girl. People and a totally popped up Rain On My Parade which I am still convinced says "Don't tell me not to live, I'm Harry Potter..." And naturally there are a couple of b-sides and demos floating around from this era including the fun and sassy My Girlfriend's Boyfriend and the utterly stunning Until You're All Mine which was one of our singles recommendations of the week. All in all a great body of work showcasing a clear knowledge of what makes pop work and a songwriting triumph. Tomorrow - Debs first post Atlantic work....
LINK: Purchase Deborah
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THE MAROON 5 RETROSPECTICUS PART FOUR:
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It's fair to say that Maroon 5 toured the shit out Songs About Jane. In fact they were pretty much on the road from 2002 - 2006 and by the end of that time, the cracks were showing. I saw them several times live and each time they were AMAZING, but the final time at V Festival 05, Adam was ill and the band seemed exhausted. However, as the bands success grew, and fans were eager for anything from their new fave boys, 2 live releases were unleashed on the public. First up was a 7 track EP from before fame cracked them in the goolies and was a pleasant if brief idea of what the band sounded like live. And in late 2005, fans were rewarded with a live cd/dvd set of their work entitled Friday the 13th. Much more representative of the boys live, it shows just how much energy they actually put into their live shows and how thrilling the tunes sound in a larger arena. Meanwhile, unreleased tracks were being leaked on the net like crazy - from the electric guitar funkiness of Take What You Want, through to the piano loveliness of Ragdoll, which is a tale of love and regret ("my heart won't be your rag doll anymore...") that became one of my fave M5 tunes. As did If You Only Knew - what a feisty little number this is :) Miss You Love You could have easily been one of their jaunty popfunkrock singles if lifted out of the demo stage and they performed live at Live 8 covering Free World and giving it their own inimitable spin. Live covers are a fave of the boys at shows and you were never quite sure what they would do next (thank god as far as I know they haven't done Crazy...). Check out some of the best below (all brief snippets interspersed between other songs in the show)! Tomorrow - compilations and what Adam did next...
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MP3: Man In The Mirror (bootleg)
MP3: Bad Boys For Life (Higher Quality bootleg)
MP3: Frontin'
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QUICK BITZ/BLOG WATCH
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~ my jakeypoos on the front of the new GQ? Cut to me buying it immediately!
~ My new chart is up at the side on the right for you, but i forgot to mention it! And check out some all new holiday diaries from the archives!
~ And apart from any excuse to post a pic of Stewart Mac, if you click on that very picture you will be taken to a site where you can buy tickets for a mini show he is doing at Hard Rock Cafe on Weds 24th Jan. Its only a fiver so if you are in London go and check it out!! I may well be there!
~ I haven't mentioned Michel or his glamorous world for a while, but todays post is a doozy. Not only does he have some pics of David and Victoria that I am ashamed to say I find amazing, he has some great shots of the DSquared fashion show, hot new model Chad White and something that I am totally downloading as a surprise for Dazpants!
~ check out my latest underpants. Umm, yes that is someone else's head on my body!
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THEZAPPING COMPETITION: I have a whole bunch of boyband cds to give away that i bought at work on ebay while i was bored (and didn't sell on ebay!) Japanese releases of D-Side, some C21, a bit of Take That, some Mercury4 and maybe some more if i have a bit of a scrounge round. You can win all these cds, posted anywhere in the world, if you email me either here or via myspace and show me proof of some creative way that you have promoted thezapping blog :) Oooo what fun! Closing date Jan 31st 2007!!
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Coming friday - the last part of retrospecticki, some new acts (finally or possibly), some new songs i quite like, Christmas revisited and the usual guff! Plus!! It's my last day at work!!!!!!
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Thanks for the Maroon 5 songs--though I really, really like their album, I wasn't an intense enough fan to follow all the stuff that leaked or their live stuff, so this is a great catch up :) So the leaked tracks were demos for Songs About Jane?
Jennifer did not deserve to get kicked off AI when she did--I still remember it: her, Latoya (LaToya?) London, and Fantasia--often judged to be the three best singers in the competition--were all in the bottom 3 last night. I was backing Latoya at the time, so I think I was relieved to not see her go, but it definitely wasn't Jessica's turn.
Veronica! I remember when those 3 were the bottom 3... wasn't there an outcry that American Idol was racist, even though it's the public that votes!!! Anyway, i'm looking forward to stewart mac. Lee Ryan is there too and someone else who i am featuring tonight.
can anyone else see my header or is it just me its disappeared for!!