brookcaylen

[nine-frames]

Die Hard 2: Die Harder, 1990.

Dir. Renny Harlin | Writ. Steven E. de Souza & Doug Richardson | DOP Oliver Wood

[abs0luteb4stard]

WATCHING

I never cared about the "debate" about Die Hard Christmas movies. And everyone can discuss it however they like. It's got jingley Music cues and Xmas decorations on scenes/sets and takes place on the holidays.

And they're just good fun any time of the year. I can't tell you how many times I've watched the Die Hard trilogy on a weekend in March. 🤣

It makes me miss my dad, though. I've been missing him anyhow with him dying during the winter and seasonal depression... it's a fucked up combination.

My mom and I are having a good old time watching together today. I'm getting offset my depression with this kind of togetherness.🥹

[retropopcult]

Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)

[adamwatchesmovies]

Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)

“How can the same shit happen to the same guy twice?”

You’re right, John McClane, Die Hard 2 is improbable. When the results are this entertaining, who are we to complain? It’s got the hero we love back in full form, big action set pieces that’ll knock your socks off and a worthy adversary of a villain. It's a sequel that satisfies.

Two years after the incident at the Nakatomi Plaza, LA police officer John McClane (Bruce Willis) is waiting for his wife Holly (Bonnie Bedelia) to arrive at the airport. As her flight approaches, former U.S. Special Forces Colonel William Stuart (William Sadler) and his men hack into the airport’s traffic control system, take over all communication and hold the flights above hostage. They demand General Ramon Esperanza (Franco Nero), recently arrested and on his way to the United States, be delivered to them - or else.

I often see Die Hard listed as “the best Christmas movie”, which I'm almost certain is a gag answer. It’s not really about the spirit of the holidays; it’s merely set during the season. The same applies to this underrated sequel. McClane is back. This time, he feels less vulnerable than he did before but that’s ok. He’s once again out of his element and forced to use his wits to outgun and outmaneuver opponents who outnumber him about 12-to-1. Like before, his wife is being incidentally held hostage. Throughout the film, you’re always worried the villains will find out and that she’ll be used against our hero. You believe Stuart would sink that low. He’s as ruthless as he is good at the whole bad guy thing. The stakes feel even higher than they did last time. We’re not talking about a couple dozen hostages. It’s entire planes full of innocents who don’t even know they’re in danger.

The situation's intensity is cranked way up because of the villains’ plan. They’re not in the airport itself, but they have to be close. While navigating the corridors of red tape put up by the bewildered and panicked airport security, McClane has a mystery to solve. A mystery with a time limit. For now, the planes are circling above but their fuel won't last forever. The stakes and time limit keep the plot moving from one big action scene to the next. The stunts and special effects dwarf everything we saw previously. That’s the right way to go about it. If you can’t be as smart and tense as Die Hard, double-down on the spectacle. It adds up to the same results.

There’s just the right amount of one-liners and jokes to ease the tension before director Renny Harlin puts you through the wringer again. The side characters - played by Dennis Franz, John Amos, Art Evans - are memorable. Their little arcs add a lot of life to this twisty thriller. Just when you think McClane’s gotten a break, some new obstacle pops up. When he does manage to overcome one, the big set pieces will have you pumping your fists and cheering. You just hate those baddies so much that seeing them get riddled with holes, blown up or otherwise taken down makes it feel like a proper Christmas wish come true.

While you might raise an eyebrow at Die Hard 2 initially, in no time at all, it’ll have you nervously stuffing your face with popcorn, wondering how our hero will make it out of this dire situation alive. Here's an idea. In the same way that you should occasionally swap out Home Alone from your holiday roster with Home Alone 2 to keep things fresh, why not do the same with Die Hard and Die Hard 2? (On Blu-ray, February 7, 2020)

[claudia1829things]

Top Favorite Aviation Movies

Below is a list of my favorite movies themed around aviation:

TOP FAVORITE AVIATION MOVIES

1. "Airport" (1970) - Burt Lancaster and Dean Martin starred in this adaptation of Arthur Hailey's 1968 novel about the discovery of a bomber aboard a Chicago-to-Rome flight. George Seaton directed.

2. "Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines" (1965) - Ken Annakin wrote and directed this all-star comedy about a 1910 air race from London to Paris. Stuart Whitman, Sarah Miles and James Fox starred.

3. "Apollo 13 (1995) - Ron Howard directed this adaptation of "Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13", Jim Lovell and Jeffrey Kluger's 1994 book about NASA's ill-fated fifth mission to the moon. Tom Hanks, Gary Sinese and Kathleen Quinlan starred.

4. "The Rocketeer" (1991) - Bill Campbell starred in this adaptation of Dave Steven's comic book about a stunt pilot-turned-costumed hero battling Nazi agents in 1938 Los Angeles. Directed by Joe Johnston, Alan Arkin, Timothy Dalton and Jennifer Connelly co-starred.

5. "The Right Stuff" (1983) - Philip Kaufman directed this adaptation of Tom Wolfe's 1979 book about Project Mercury, NASA's first program of test pilots-turned-astronauts. Ed Harris, Dennis Quaid, Fred Ward and Scott Glenn starred.

6. "The Aviator" (2004) - Martin Scorsese directed this adaptation of "Howard Hughes: The Secret Life", the 1993 book about Howard Hughes' life as an aviator and film producer between 1927 and 1947. Leonardo DiCaprio starred.

7. "Death in the Clouds" (1992) - David Suchet starred as Hercule Poirot in this television adaptation of Agatha Christie's 1935 novel. Stephen Whittaker directed.

8. "Pearl Harbor" (2001) - Michael Bay directed this fictionalized account of the December 1941 attack upon the Pearl Harbor Naval Base. The movie starred Ben Affleck, Kate Beckinsale and Josh Harnett.

9. "Flight" (2012) - Denzel Washington starred in this movie about an alcoholic airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mechanical failure. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, Don Cheadle and Kelly Reilly co-starred.

10. "Die Hard 2: Die Harder" (1990) - Bruce Willis starred as John McClane in this adaptation of Walter Wager's 1987 novel and sequel to the 1988 movie, "Die Hard". Renny Harlin directed.

[mmoviejournal]

2022

Don’t look up (2021)

Notting Hill (1999)

F9 (2021)

Das perfekte Geheimnis (2019)

Dara iz Jasenovca (2020)

Encanto (2021)

The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021)

Carlston za Ognjenku (2008)

Eternals (2021)

Bruised (2020)

Presumed Innocent (1990)

Guess who’s coming to Dinner (1967)

Hypnotic (2021)

Shang Chi and the Legend of the Ten RIngs (2021)

The Night House (2020)

Snake Eyes: GI Joe Origins (2021)

Giant (1956)

Criss Cross (1949)

Ella Enchanted (2004)

Passing (2021)

The Guilty (2021)

The Fallout (2021)

The Incredibles 2 (2018)

Branio sam Mladu Bosnu (2014)

Mississippi Masala (1991)

What ever happened to baby Jane? (1962)

Malcolm & Marie (2021)

The Harder they Fall (2021)

Shiva Baby (2020)

Gunpowder Milkshake (2021)

A Raisin in the Sun (1961)

The Lost Daughter (2021)

A Perfect Murder (1998)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022)

Mulan (2020)

West Side Story (2021)

Prelude to a Kiss (1992)

The Weekend Away (2022)

Tick Tick ..Boom (2021)

Babel (2006)

King Richard (2021)

Arme of Thieves (2021)

The Adam Project (2022)

Turning Red (2022)

House of Bodies (2016)

Empire Records (1995)

Silent Night (2021)

The Big Short (2015)

Custody (2016)

Just Mercy (2019)

Cruella (2021)

Luca (2021)

Sophie’s choice (1982)

Monkey Business (1931)

The Call (2013)

The Suicide Squad (2021)

The Hustle (2019)

Die Hard: With a Vengeance (1995)

Mystery Date (1991)

What lies beneath (2000)

Brother Bear (2003)

Something of Value (1957)

Uncharted (2022)

Saturday Night Fever (1977)

The Little Things (2021)

A fall from Grace (2020)

Message in a Bottle (1999)

Cars 3 (2017)

Tickle me (1965)

Mission Impossible (1996)

Dumbo (1941)

Cars (2006)

Umma (2022)

Fifty Shades of Black (2016)

Monkey Business (1952)

Sweet Girl (2021)

Heat (1995)

The Sum of all Fears (2002)

Cars 2 (2011)

The Cold Light of Day (2012)

The Lost City (2022)

Slumdog Millionair (2008)

The Normal Heart (2014)

Without Remorse (2021)

The Forgotten (2004)

Village of the Damned (1960)

Dream House (2011)

Bilo jednom u Srbiji (2022)

The Emperor's new Groove (2000)

Tenet (2020)

All my Sons (1948)

Voyagers (2021)

Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022)

Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)

Monsieur Claude 2 (2019)

Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (2009)

The Gray Man (2022)

Ferdinand (2017)

Day Shift (2022)

News of the World (2020)

Goodfellas (1990)

Scarface (1983)

The Deep End of the Ocean (1999)

Intrusion (2021)

Executive Decision (1996)

Hush (1998)

Bullet Train (2022)

Me Time (2022)

Secret Window (2004)

Coach Carter (2005)

Berlin Syndrome (2017)

17 Again (2009)

The Gentlemen (2019)

Yes day (2021)

End of the Road (2022)

Unlocked (2017)

Rebecca (2020)

All the bright Places (2020)

Hannibal (2001)

Along came a spider (2001)

La nouvelle guerre des boutons (2011)

Ticket to Paradise (2022)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Airheads (1994)

Dolemite is my Name (2019)

Assassin’s Creed (2016)

Enola Holmes 2 (2022)

RocknRolla (2008)

Gilda (1946)

Soapdish (1991)

Falling for Christmas (2022)

Love Potion No. 9 (1992)

Post Cards from the Edge (1990)

Midnight Cowboy (1969)

Collateral (2004)

The School for Good and Evil (2022)

Dunkirk (2017)

Komedija na tri Sprata (2022)

The Woman King (2022)

I am Mother (2019)

US Marshals (1998)

Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015)

Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018)

The Cider House Rules (1999)

Glass Onion: A Knives out Mystery (2022)

Rurouni Kenshin (2012)

Love Hard (2021)

9 Bullets (2022)

Lou (2022)

Rear Window (1954)

The Usual Suspects (1995)

The Cabin in the Cotton (1932)

Cry Freedom (1987)

Cape Fear (1991)

The Invisible Man (1933)

School Ties (1992)

It’s a wonderful Life (1946)

The Bodyguard (1992)

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

[socaprince]

SOCA THERAPY - OCTOBER 20, 2024

Soca Therapy Playlist

Sunday October 20th 2024

Making You Wine from 6-9pm on Flow 98.7fm Toronto

Rev D Engine (Dr. Jay Plate) - General Grant

Everytime - Machel Montano

Soca Trend - Skinny Fabulous

Break A Branch - Motto x Bunji Garlin

Horn Me - Marlo

Bequia - OG Park

Dutty Dancing - Hypa 4000

High Influence - Lavaman

Front Yard Wet - Skinny Banton

Pampalam (Dr. Jay Plate) - Faith Callendar

Starta Pack (Dr. Jay Plate) - Tionne Hernandez

Pop It (Remix) - Yozo x Bozo x Messi x Blackboy

Carnival Contract (Dr. Jay Plate) - Bunji Garlin

Clock Out - Imran Nerdy

Soca Therapy - Lil Rick x King Bubba

For Allyuh - Ricardo Drue

Best In A While - Nadia Batson

Weakness For Soca - Pumpa

Blessing Me - Jimmy October x Coutain

Bless Me - GBM Nutron

On Fire - Nessa Preppy

Party And Fun - Problem Child

Blessings - Hey Choppi

Spirit Waist - DJ Private Ryan x Mela Caribe x Olatunji

Wassy - Full Blown

Pray - Voice

Push & Go Through - Marvay

Conch Shell - WCK

Balance Batty - WCK

Salay - Kassav

TOP 7 COUNTDOWN - Powered By The Soca Source

Top Songs in Dominica on all Streaming Platforms (Oct 4-10th)

7. Take Me As I Am - Trilla-G

6. Math Not Mathing (Clean) - Signal Band x Trilla-G

5. Kay Ka Fete (Clean) - Quan

4. Someone Else (Radio) - Litleboy x Quan x Trilla-G

3. Yes Baby - Signal Band feat. Shelly

2. Passing - Signal Band feat. Shelly

1. My Cake - Signal Band feat. Shelly

Blind - Hey Choppi

Banga - Kes

Slip Away - Zan

My Love Will Never Die - Da Bhaan

Roll It - Alison Hinds

One Piece - GBM Nutron x Tano

Aye Gyal - Hey Choppi x Chalmer John

Sprung - Jimmy October x Mical Teja

Calypso - V'ghn

D Soca Band - GBM Nutron

Choose One - Farmer Nappy

Whole Day - Machel Montano

D Soca Band - GBM Nutron

Own It - Imani

Feting Family - Shal Marshall

In A Mess - Problem Child

Is Mas - Patrice Roberts

PAN MOMENTS

Steelpan Covers of Carry On & Play Harder by Joshua Regrello

TANTY TUNE

(1990) No No We Eh Going Home - Charlie's Roots feat. Tambu

Inventor (Izaman) - Olatunji

Soca Eden - Destra

Search Party (Ryan Sayeed's Find My Intro) - Preedy

Life After Fete - Kerwin Du Bois

Everytime - Nadia Batson

Disco - Lucrativ x Lord Nelson

Rude - The Fatha x Trinidad Killa

Throwback - Viking Ding Dong x System 32

Single - Orlando Octave

Single - Problem Child x Imani Ray

Single (Zess Freestyle) - travelwithzoe x Aaron Duncan

Ring Finger (Radio Edit) - Lady Lava

The A List - Pumpa 

Slip In - Geo

Eating Cat (Meow Meow Meow) - Suhrawh x Rawsheid

Kitty Cat (Trump Intro) - Patrice Roberts

Heart of Carnival (Jap x Smooch Intro) - V'ghn

Professional (DJ Crown Prince Intro) - Ricardo Drue

Rum Sweet - Problem Child

Prescription - Taller Dan

Dr. Cassandra (Ryan Sayeed's PHD Intro) - College Boy Jesse x Yung Bredda

Boogie Woogie - Rae feat. Roy Cape

NORTHERN PRESCRIPTION

Horn Man - Farm P

Hard Fete - Bunji Garlin

Follow Dr. Jay @socaprince​ and @socatherapy

“Like” Dr. Jay on http://facebook.com/DrJayOnline

[duranduratulsa]

Up next on my 90's Fest Movie 🎬 🎞 🎥 🎦 📽 marathon...Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990) on glorious vintage VHS 📼! #Movie #movies #actionadventure #diehard #DieHard2 #diehard2dieharder #brucewillis #bonniebedalia #Williamatherton #williamsadler #reginaldveljohnson #franconero #dennisfranz #johnamos #freddaltonthompson #ripfreddaltonthompson #JohnLeguizamo #RobertPatrick #SheilaMcCarthy #robertcostanzo #ColmMeaney #markboonejunior #VondieCurtisHall #CateBlanchett #vintage #VHS #90s #90sfest #durandurantulsas4thannual90sfest

[healthiswealthagiftofgod]

Busy Colon Cancer Specialist Shares 3 Simple Things He's Doing to Prevent the Disease That's Killing More Young People

Busy Colon Cancer Specialist Shares 3 Simple Things He's Doing to Prevent the Disease That's Killing More Young People

Humanity Lover March 23, 2024

Colon disease is currently the leading cause of malignancy in men under the age of 50 and the second leading cause of death for women of a similar age. The rate of the disease has been increasing since the 1990s in younger individuals, according to the American Malignant growth Society. The total clinical cost of colorectal malignant growth care in the US was $24.3 billion from each year in 2020, according to Habitats for Infection Prevention and Prediction.

While specialists don't really know exactly what's behind the rise in cases, and certain variables, such as genetics, are beyond our control, there are certain lifestyle choices that could reduce the risk of developing colon disease. Dr. Michael Shusterman, a gastrointestinal clinical oncologist at NYU Langone's Perlmutter Disease Center on Long Island, shared some insights with Business Insider.

Lifestyle Factors in Colon Cancer Prevention

 

Being corpulent, having type 2 diabetes, and smoking are all associated with a more serious risk of colon malignancy. Still, "they don't essentially cause colon disease indirectly," Shusterman said. Nonetheless, he routinely suggests that patients quit smoking, limit alcohol intake, exercise regularly, eat more fiber and less red meat, and stay away from super-manipulated food sources as much as can reasonably be expected.

Small Changes, Big Impact

Making huge lifestyle changes can be difficult, especially for busy professionals. Dr. Shusterman acknowledges this and focuses on small, manageable adjustments. "It's hard to do when you're a busy professional, and given that's the situation, it's imperative to get the opportunity, but it's a struggle for me," he said.

Here are three simple changes Dr. Shusterman made to help prevent malignant colon growth:

1. Eat Less Red Meat

 

There are major areas of strength between malignant colon growth and a diet high in red meat, such as hamburger, liver, pork, and deli meats, Shusterman says. Cooking meat at high temperatures or in direct contact with fire or a hot surface, such as grilling, appears to increase the risk by providing more cancer-causing synthetic compounds, according to the World Wellbeing Association.

Despite his love for red meat, Shusterman decided to cut back for his health. He rarely buys red meat now and only eats it on special occasions. "It's a lot harder to go out and sort out four times a week than it is to cut down on red meat in a lot of ways," he said. Try to make it a treat as opposed to a regular diet and replace it with something else, like chicken or fish.

2. Eat More Nuts

There is evidence to suggest that eating tree nuts such as cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, and hazelnuts can reduce the risk of developing colon disease. A huge study found that individuals with stage 3 colon disease who ate at least two 1-ounce servings of nuts per week were less likely to develop further malignancy or die than people who didn't. Yet, a review survey that looked at research on this point found problematic results.

Despite the mixed data, Shusterman added more nuts to his diet. "It's not harmful as long as it basically has no contraindications," he said. However, it's important to note that this is only a connection that could be driven by various variables, such as mostly healthy tendencies among individuals who eat nuts.

Read more by clicking here.

[furcafe]

Holiday #memorymonday with 1990’s “Die Hard 2: Die Harder”, the DMV installment of the franchise. #diehard2 #dieharder #bonniebedelia #acreativedc #exposedDC

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[yodaprod]

[nexility-sims]

𝗢𝗨𝗧𝗧𝗔𝗞𝗘𝗦 𝗳𝘁. 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗬𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧

you can find the playlist here, which is essentially the songs that either remind me of what jered would’ve been producing (or are songs i’ve decided to just ... borrow ... in this universe; shoutout to @ladybugsimblr for the inspiration) ! 

breakdown of the choices which no one asked for can be found below the cut :^)

STAGE 1: DUFFLE BAG

for the better part of the 1990s, jered was part of duffle bag, whose music i’m encapsulating in toploader's "dancing in the moonlight," black kids' "i'm not going to teach your boyfriend how to dance with you," and harvey danger's "flagpole sitta." duffle bag died when jered and tiffany accidentally had their twins, monica and orson. like, there were other reason but ... you know. duffle bag was formed by a music producer—or, would have been if the four hadn’t started talking in the waiting room during auditions and struck out on their own. 

STAGE 2: JERED AND TIFFANY 

in the spirit of Making A Bad Thing Work Despite Everyone’s Advice, jered and tiffany formed a duo for all of one album. it was popular because the general public believed they were indeed making it work. needless to say, they did not make it work for long asdklfgfdh song selections include "someday we'll know" from the notebook by mandy moore and jonathan foreman as well as jason mraz and colbie caillat's "lucky."

STAGE 3: SOLO ACT, PART I

after crashing and burning with tiffany, jered took some time to be a single dad before returning to the music scene. this begins the long trend of tiffany inspiring his musical choices—fittingly, consider "cry me a river" by justin timberlake. after this detour, jered established himself with alt and indie rock which was probably his interest all along. selections include cake's "short skirt/long jacket," franz ferdinand's "no you girls," and the hives' "won't be long." 

STAGE 4: SOLO ACT, PART II

personal tragedy and new friends pushed jered into more of a hard rock direction. i feel like this was his real songwriting period, and the sound was his way of expressing those feelings most authentically. it played well with the public, too. some songs: foo fighters' "the pretender," audioslave's "doesn't remind me," and also their "getaway car." 

STAGE 5: THE SO-N-SO’S, PART I

the so-n-so's are basically maroon 5. accordingly, they started with more of a rock direction: "harder to breathe," "this love," "if i never see your face again," "makes me wonder." jered’s just happy to be able to dance across the stage again and reunite with troy (from duffle bag). he’s a good frontman, although his bandmates have followings (and deserve their own post...)

STAGE 6: THE SO-N-SO’S, PART II

new direction, make it more pop ! in terms of songwriting, things get more lovey-dovey on account of francesca looming very large. songs include: "stutter," "give a little more," "one more night," "sugar," and "this summer." i didn't include "moves like jagger," but i feel like this is the era where they finally start doing features as well. jered likes to say musicians have to evolve or die, and he’ll retire when he’s dead.

[sergeant-angels-trashcan]

how many 90s movies have you seen

via @halolalassurveys

[1990]

Home Alone Ghost Dances With Wolves Pretty Woman Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles The Hunt For Red October Total Recall Die Hard 2: Die Harder Dick Tracy Kindergarten Cop Back to the Future III Presumed Innocent Days of Thunder Another 48 HRS. Three Men and A Little Lady

[1991]

Terminator 2: Judgement Day Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Beauty and the Beast The Silence of the Lambs City Slickers Hook The Addams Family Sleeping With the Enemy Father of the Bride The Naked Gun 2 ½: The Smell of Fear Fried Green Tomatoes Cape Fear Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II Backdraft Star Trek IV: The Undiscovered Country

[1992]

Aladdin Home Alone 2: Lost In New York Batman Returns Lethal Weapon 3 A Few Good Men Sister Act The Bodyguard Wayne’s World Basic Instinct A League of Their Own Unforgiven The Hand That Rocks the Cradle Under Siege Patriot Games Bram Stoker’s Dracula

[1993]

Jurassic Park Mrs. Doubtfire The Fugitive The Firm Sleepless In Seattle Indecent Proposal In the Line of Fire The Pelican Brief Schindler’s List Cliffhanger Free Willy Philadelphia Groundhog Day Grumpy Old Men Cool Runnings

[1994]

Forrest Gump The Lion King True Lies The Santa Clause The Flintstones Dumb and Dumber Clear and Present Danger Speed The Mask Pulp Fiction Interview With the Vampire Maverick The Client Disclosure Star Trek: Generations

[1995]

Toy Story Batman Forever Apollo 13 Pocahontas Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls Goldeneye Jumanji Casper Seven Die Hard: With A Vengeance Crimson Tide Waterworld Dangerous Minds Mr. Holland’s Opus While You Were Sleeping

[1996]

Independence Day Twister Mission Impossible Jerry Maguire Ransom 101 Dalmatians The Rock The Nutty Professor The Birdcage A Time To Kill The First Wives Club Phenomenon Scream Eraser The Hunchback of Notre Dame

[1997]

Titanic Men In Black Jurassic Park: The Lost World Liar Liar Air Force One As Good As It Gets Good Will Hunting My Best Friend’s Wedding Tomorrow Never Dies Face/Off Batman and Robin George of the Jungle Scream 2 Con Air Contact

[1998]

Saving Private Ryan Armageddon There’s Something About Mary A Bug’s Life The Waterboy Doctor Dolittle Rush Hour Deep Impact Godzilla Patch Adams Lethal Weapon 4 The Truman Show Mulan You’ve Got Mail Enemy of the State

[1999]

Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace The Sixth Sense Toy Story 2 Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me The Matrix Tarzan Big Daddy The Mummy Runaway Bride The Blair Witch Project Stuart Little The Green Mile American Beauty The World Is Not Enough Double Jeopardy

[daggerzine]

Celebrity Mixtape Party #1 with Steve Michener (Volcano Suns, Dumptruck, Big Dipper) Part 1

Steve (far left with Big Dipper) 

Mixtapes. They're back! Or maybe they never went away? What happens when you make a mixtape for someone who MAKES music? And then they talk about that mixtape? Well, dear reader, let's find out in..

Okay!  First song. Side A. So I'll give my impressions and then we can talk about the song. Okay? Then the reveal, when appropriate.

Sexy

Thanks for this tape, Matthew, I've really been enjoying it.  However, I gotta say the first song is my least favorite.

What is it pray tell

I don't know but I usually love that style of song.  Very Love/Byrds-y but there was something cloying about that hook of 'Let's Get Together'

Oh yes. Justin Trouble.

Can't tell if it's authentic 60's pop or revival

Early '80s. He was friends with Johnny Thunders.New York City area guy

Never heard of him but I'm not inspired to search him up. Too many words.

Aw man he's just riffing

Anything you wanna say in his defense?

I mean I could. I think that song and the whole record is genius. To me it's the very essence of rock and roll.

Okay, maybe that's just one song that I wouldn't like. I'll check it out. I know you love your 60s stuff  but to me it's just too twee. But if you were using this as a "courtship tape", the relationship is over.

Since we can't "get together" on that song?

Courtship tape. I think they were called love mixes back in the day my friend.

I'm older than you. We used to bring them and play them in the parlor. So this second song is right up my Alley. Great guitar sound, great drummer.  I love that it's poppy but it takes a minor key/dissonant turn when he sings the tagline 'Solid Gold'. Kind of a Fall vibe to that hook.

So what is that second song?

Boston band....Real Kids...1974 demo...EARLY REAL KIDS

I knew you'd get a Real Kids song on there but that is very 'Unreal' real kids.  Sounds like they were way ahead of their time

Yeah. That song is unhinged. Nothing twee about it.

Amazing band.  I would have maybe guessed that but that chorus is so left field.  If I knew about that song back then, I would have had the band cover it. Real Kids sounding like the Fall. They should have been as big as the Ramones.  Worse drug and ego problems I guess.

To me it sounds like The Dolls. A little bit of Glam in there.

I saw them a few times at the Rat.  Always a reliable live band. I hear the 60's thing in there but that turnaround into the chorus is at least 5 years ahead of its time. I need to hear more of those demos.

It's on vinyl.

Next song- One thing that I know about you is that you love your 60s stuff.  This sounds like an authentic acid rock band. Roky?

I don't have the tracklist

Ah, okay.  It's by Girl Trouble-"Storm Warning'. Don't know them but I love the song.

The pride of Bellingham

Kind of like the Seeds meet Nick Cave. What year?

1993 on Empty

Love the sax and guitar interplay at the end.  Wow. I would have placed that in 1965

Yeah except for the production. I think he's one of the Great rock and roll vocalists of the '90s

Yeah, great singer.  Are they still around or mutate into something else?

Kurt Kendall. No, I don't think they really play around much anymore. There was a reunion show not too long ago but I missed it.

Great stuff, I'll check it out. Next song? Okay, this one I knew from the first note--the great NRBQ. The greatest rock and roll band ever, at least in this incarnation.

Green Lights?

Yes.

I saw them around this time with the WW Horns, opening for Thorogood.

Another great vocalist

I didn't appreciate them back then cuz I was too into the alternative scene (tho still loved GT) but when I saw them in the 80's I was amazed.

This is a band that should have played the bar band in every '80s movie ever made

Exactly.  they were my template for 'a band'

That's Joey singing that one? favorite bass player ever, favorite drummer ever.

I'm not entirely sure what that guitar is in the solo. Sounds almost like a pedal steel or something.

Big Al could make anything sound like anything.  Genius band. Shoulda been huge.

The YouTube comments say Joey.

Yeah, Joey wrote the hits. Like most bass players.

Lol. The album is called nrbq at Yankee stadium and it's funny because the picture shows an empty Yankee stadium with them far away in the bleachers...a play on words...clever

I see.

I'll explain humor to you another time.

Make me a 'humor' mixtape

Okay next song

The 5th song on side A is called Buried Alive.  A 3 chord slab of brilliance.  Sounds like another Boston Band.  More Real Kids?

Hmmm

Should I peek?

It could be Avenged Sevenfold. Yes peek.

Oh no, it's the Nervous Eaters!  Born to Die.  I thought he was singing Buried Alive.

Ahhh!!

I knew it was Boston, can't believe I missed the Eaters.  Loved that band.

Another Boston band you didn't ID! You are 0 for 2

I wrote down it was "the Lyres without keyboards" so I get half credit.

Okay so one of the cool things about this band is it had one of the Paley Brothers. Who never did anything this "heavy" outside of this band?

I had their singles and saw them live a few times.  They were great. Just Head is a classic.

The major label debut was a bit of a disaster:  slick production, terrible cover art. I swore that I'd never let that happen to any band that I was in.

This song for some reason reminds me of Judas Priest.

I thought Saints at first but Priest would work

Next song?

Ok

This is one that I will probably miss too. Sounds VERY familiar and my first guess is Rockpile/Brinsley Schwarz.  "I'll have another drink and then I tried to crawl out the door.."

"I never did know a thing about it." It's got that Nick Lowe/Dave Edmunds vibe.

Take a peek

Status Quo-Lies

Ah yes

Wow, I don't think of SQ sounding like this. This is pub rock, I thought they were harder

Very boogie

Don't you get the Rockpile thing tho?

Oh absolutely

Great song.  I'd cover this. Was it a hit?

That status quo song is from 1980. I think so. They did it on Top of the Pops

Good. I'd be depressed if a song that great didn't get an audience.

Agreed

Next?

Yes

I also don't know this and I'm not sure what the hook is but it sounds like what I imagine the Muffs sound like. Be my baby.?  Sneering female vocals, 3 chords, loud guitars.

Fastbacks - Read my Letters

Yeah, another band I completely missed out on.  From the PNW?

Seattle

I've seen them quite a few times and they were always amazing. Big fan.

I'm sorry I missed them live. I don't care much for this song but I'll bet it sounded good in a sweaty club.

Ok

Did you like the Muffs?

Not really. I mean I respect them a lot but they never resonated with me. I think Kurt Bloch is a great lyricist. And I love that he didn't sing his own lyrics.

Wait, that was a guy singing?

No. The guitar player Kurt wrote the lyrics for most of their songs.

Got it.  So he left them to join YFF?

He did both simultaneously. Kim Warnick is the singer and bass player.

Too talented.

Definitely.

I saw the Fellows quite a few times also.

They opened for us in Seattle in 1990. I loved them but, as an east coaster, had never seen them.

Also amazing one of my favorites. During that time that both the Fastbacks and the Young Fresh Fellows were active it made me envy Seattle because Portland didn't have bands like those bands.

This is a different convo, but Seattle is a much more rockin town than Portland.

Full disclosure in the '90s I was not a fan of Portland's music scene. But I did like Hazel.

They were so cute!

Alright, let's not get distracted!   Next song I recognized easily , though I may not have a few years ago.  This is Sparks - Something For The Girl Who Has Everything. Brilliant band but one that I missed out on until recently

You know I never introduced you at the beginning of all this. Dear readers, I am discussing a mixtape with our esteemed guest Steve Michener from Skid Row.

Skid Row UK, legally. Not to be confused with those dorks from Hollyweird. Michael Cudahy was my roommate back in the day and he was way into them. I could never get past the vocals.Recently though, I have come to appreciate them and now I am a big fan.

I love the vocals. It's its own thing. Who is this Michael you speak of?

Michael was in Christmas at the time and then started Combustible Edison.  Now he does movie soundtracks.

Have you ever seen the video of Ron Mael singing karaoke to a Sparks song?

No, I'll google it.

Next song?

Ok

Well, I didn't recognize the song itself but it's hard to miss the unique guitar sound of The Wedding Present-The Boy Can Wait

Fastest wrist in the west

Trademark double strum. They're one of those bands that I just love the sound of but never bought any records.

That's a Peel session by the way.

They were around last year but I failed to attend.

I like the lyrics. They're clever. Kind of misanthropic but not in a Morrissey way. More humorous.

I'm not a lyric guy but I do love a good Morrisey couplet

The dude could pen a tune

Stephen I mean

Moz

The Moz

Himself.

He should pull a Prince and just change his name to Himself

Next song is one that you would never get past me, tho I'm 0-2 with Boston bands before this.  Heading into a Boston binge here.

Ok. Just another band out of Boston

I was the world's biggest Peter Dayton fan for years.  I moved to Boston the week that LaPeste broke up so I never got to see them.  So I made up for that by seeing every PD gig for years. 'She's a Girl' by LaPeste, probably one of the best bands out of Boston ever.

I like how evil La Peste sound. They sound like they carried shivs.

It means "the pest"

Perfect

"la" is "the" in french

Waow

I don't know if you knew that. Anyway, this must have been an Ocasek demo?  Sounds like they were trying to go pop. I had a live tape of them from the rock and roll rumble in 1979 that I wore out. Just a great pop punk band. Next song is also LaPeste- Die in My Sleep.Ric got involved with them later in their career and produced some demos.  Or maybe it was Greg Hawkes.  But Ocasek worked with him solo for a few years.  Dayton's EP, which came out the same time as Panorama by the Cars. It's a fun record.Better off Dead is an amazing single.

I'll check out solo Dayton.

Jim Janota on bass. I think he was in some of those early boston punk bands

But Ric was the producer guy then . Alan Vega etc

Yeah, Ocasek was cool.  He had Dayton's band open for The Cars at the Boston Garden.  Big supporter of smaller bands.

Next two songs had me stumped. I just wrote 'Sex Pistols'.

I would never put a sex pistols song on anything ever. But I do love a lot of things that Cook and Jones were on later

This just has a Pistols energy and sneer. Hey Hey! Hey Hey!

Hmm

3 chords, English. Fall-like but harder.

Not ringing any bells

Ha! I looked at the list--Naked Raygun-Roller Queen.

Yes

"trying" to be british

Nooo

I tuned this band out early.  Not my cup of tea.

I love the Raygun. Midwest thing

Just like Soul Asylum.  I was (and remain) a judgemental asshole when it comes to music.

Hard. Arty. Humorous.

I lump them together.  Prejudice.  But this is why I like the idea of listening to the tape blind.

Throb Throb is fantastic

It can blow up my preconceived notions  or reinforce them. I know they were hugely popular in the scene and it's probably my loss that I didn't explore their stuff. I was probably reacting negatively to the Big Black thing.  Lots of competition and jealousy-fuelled listening bias.

Eh no biggy. I never really liked Big Black. To me they were great in theory but not in practice.

I prefer Shellac

Great band

But i think BD covered 'Bazooka Joe'. Not my idea.

There was another Chicago band from that time that I like a lot called Breaking Circus.

Yes, I liked Breaking Circus.  We played with them.

Yay

Next song. 60s sounding psychedelia

Ok

Didn't recognize it, but liked it. reverby guitar,

Hmm

La Luz- I Want to Be Alone. Cool sound.  What's their story?

Ah. Seattle. Then moved to LA. 4 women. On Hardly Art (label). Started in 2012. They have three lps. Saw them at The Aladdin.

Short but sweet. I'll check them out.

Very very good band

I like good bands

No bad songs. They were VERY GOOD live. Jealous of the drummer's speed and dexterity. They play with a lot of feeling.

If we ever get to see live music again, I'll check them out.

You need to.

Next song is a classic Boston number called 'No Place Like Home' by The Neighborhoods. Such a great power pop song. B-side to Prettiest Girl, which was probably the biggest indie single of the time in Boston.  That and Academy Fight Song. Both on Ace of Hearts records

Oh really? Nice that I got airplay in Boston. I mean it. I didn't get any airplay in Boston

Yes, it was huge! (sorry about your lack of airplay)  top song on WBCN, the local rock station. They should have been huge-they had it all.  Cute guys, great songs, amazing live show. I woulda bet on them

Despite looking like a reggae album I've read good reviews with their first LP. The thing with a lot of these bands is they're from a time when there were regional scenes period and if they didn't make the jump to Major label then a lot of what they were about might have been lost on people outside of their scene

Honestly, I don't remember that LP at all.  Maybe I had dropped them and moved onto hipper stuff. They were kind of a high school crush for me. They got progressively more hard rock as time went on. Yes, probably a common theme with local bands. Some focused on getting a 'deal' and making it big.  Thank god for labels like Homestead, who gave smaller bands a chance to make mistakes and grow

If you had any anecdotes about any of these guys share away.

Anecdotes? I do

'dote away

Dave and Lee worked at Harrington's Liquor, the biggest booze shop in Allston and were always in there when I went to buy cheap vodka. Then, one day, they were fired. Word was that they tried to lift some expensive champagne from the shop to celebrate a record release party or something.  They were both dating members of Salem 66 at the time and Dave married Judy.  They were very nice guys.

Lee?

Lee Harrington, Beth's brother was their bassist in the late 80's. Beth Harrington was in Jonathan's band.

That's a good anecdote.

Jonathan?

Richman

Oh I thought I recognized her voice from Jonathan Richmond records. She was a backup singer. She had kind of a classically trained sounding voice

Yes, her and Ellie Marshall. Beth married my old roommate, whose girlfriend when I knew him, left him for Steve Forbert.

Ellie Marshall was related to who?

Something related to Paley Bros. It'll come to me.  Barry Marshall.

The next song is the Office Supply song. Swivel Chair. I don't recognize the song but it's gotta be something like Fountains of Wayne or Weezer.

Nothing Painted Blue

Oops. Hope they aren't insulted!  I kinda knew of NPB but obviously didn't get into their stuff.  Sounds like a certain pop band from Boston in the late 80s. Where were they from?

Franklin Bruno. Great songwriter in my opinion. Great band. LA

Oh, I know Franklin.  Of course.  I confuse them with that band from Boise

Franklin bears a slight passing resemblance to Bill? Cool that you know Franklin.

Well, on FB at least.  Very nice guy.  He's probably gonna unfriend me if he reads this.

I can edit it out. Celebrity mixtapes is about bringing people together, not about fighting.

No, it's fine.  It's part of the process. I'll take my lumps.

Ok

I just thought it was a little bit of a novelty song.

I just think it's adorably nebbishy

Not that we didn't veer close to that sometimes. It's a risk when you are trying to write songs that have humor in them.

Singing about office supplies. One of my favorite things about Big Dipper is you guys never crossed over into parody even though you were slyly funny.

Yeah, it def sounds like something I would write. I was an office supply nerd.

Maybe I sensed that. Dilbert Rock

Thanks. It's a fine line between clever and stupid, as the Tap says. Anyway, super catchy but maybe a little too clever for me.

NEXT!

Next song has to be Scrawl. Apple of his Eye.

Nope

Very Gang of Four with female vocals.

I did like Scrawl back in the day though. Bratmobile-Queenie.

Ah, well they should write a check to Sue and Marcy. Sounds like early Scrawl. Catchy song but a little derivative to my ears.

Yeah Scrawl predates the Bratmobile.By a few years.

You could steal from worse.

True

Scrawl were an amazing band.

Pride of Columbus

Really had the goods live and on record.

Never saw them live unfortunately.I always thought they were on Homestead but it turns out no.

You had your Homestead goggles on.

"I like everything that comes out on Homestead..."

Well that was me back then too

Last song on side A.  Permanent Wave.  No idea who it is, a short, catchy, new wave song.  Mo-dettes?

I do like the Mo-Dettes but no.

Oh Ok. From Athens

Ah!  i had their single, was this on it?

Michael Stipe's sister

Sister of Stipe

Matthew Sweet was in the band for a minute too, later on.

I bought it, I think, cuz I thought I could resell it when rem got famous. Retirement investment

I think the single and the lp are both amazing

Kind of twee, to revisit a theme

The lp is not as twee

That song sounds a little thin

I like the production. it sounds live.

I see that. Okay, I've gotta run.  This was fun.

Ok. Thanks for doing it.

https://www.mixcloud.com/matthewkenneth9/steve-michener-mix-pt-1/?fbclid=IwAR2hhMS8KXo51QjlpJ__ANfdmKY3Ux7vRyIqHHOxGfY_UK4H6tz6vIXyaxE

[amindinmotion09]

alias: nicole  discord: nicole#8814 age: 29  timezone: cst (gmt -6)  pronouns: she / her  ethnicity (optional): caucasian  favorite marvel characters: logan howlett (wolverine), natasha romanoff (black widow), tony stark (iron man), melissa gold (songbird), carol danvers (captain america), thor, aqauria neptunia (namora), wanda maximoff (scarlet witch), groot, and rocket  favorite faces: haha, i’ll list my top five -- penelope cruz, mary elizabeth winstead, yvonne strahovski, and oona chaplin  favorite writing tropes: opposites attract, angsty romances, frenemies, jack of all trades, action girl, strong girl / smart guy,  master of all, being the black sheep, a tough person that’s a softie, female power, and final girl. i’m a sucker for drama.                                                                                                              what 80s song best describes you (and why?): uhhh. this is a lot harder than i would’ve thought. there’s a lot of 80′s songs i like...but after some searching, i think under pressure by david bowe & queen describes me on a fair basis.      favorite 80s sci-fi/horror/fantasy/action movie:  back to the future, little shop of horrors, the return of the jedi, the empire strikes back, nausicaa of the valley of the wind, and tron.  favorite movie from 1990-1991: die hard 2, total recall, tremors (one of my many guilty pleasure movies), the rescuers down under,  and hook.  favorite song from 1990-1991: groove is in the heart by deee-lite what are you most looking forward to on SUNDRY: right now, the site previews / aesthetics. on the site, a friendly environment, world building, and fun subplots, along with some events.   a gif or image of the gen x (80s/90s) pop culture icon that is your spirit animal:

[badmovieihave]

Bad movie I have Die Hard The Ultimate Collection It has Die Hard 1988, Die Hard 2: Die Harder 1990 and Die Hard with a Vengeance 1995