Black Box - 'Fantasy' (1990)

Black Box - 'Fantasy' (1990)

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COVER NERD!

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Black Box - 'Fantasy' (1990)

I had a few crushes on pop stars back in the 90's a few of which I've mentioned in previous posts. This particular one however was a little different from my normal ones. Katrin Quinol was the 'singer' on Black Box's hits such as 'Ride On Time', 'Everybody Everybody' & 'I Don't Know Anybody Else' and whilst I bought the singles and the album 'Dreamland' I hadn't take much notice of her. That was until the video for the 4th single 'Fantasy' was released. As soon as the camera focused on her face I was as smitten as I'd been, she had the most amazingly sexy blue eyes. The image of her brown skin, with these blue eyes did something to me.

The eyes have it...

Nowadays when something like that happens that I can't explain I'd probably get my phone out and Google it. But back in 1990 I just took it for granted that she had blue eyes and that was that. The concept of coloured contact lenses wasn't something that I considered as I didn't know such a thing existed.
I've since discovered that she didn't sing on any of the bands songs and that she was a French-Caribbean model that was paid to be the face of the band and lip-synced all their videos and performances. Like Milli Vanilli it didn't bother me cos I like the songs regardless of who sung them. Albeit I didn't ever fancy the lads from Milli Vanill !!!

I remember the original by 'Earth Wind & Fire' from back in 1978.

NERD ALERT -The actual singer on nearly all of the Black Box songs was an American singer by the name of Martha Wash, who just so happens to be one half of 'The Weather Girls'

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sfw Pada 22:00 1 Komentar

Madonna - 'I Want You'

Madonna - 'I Want You'

Cover Nerd Crush Madonna Marvin Gaye Massive Attack Neal

COVER NERD!

I've slept with a pop star...

If you have as well tell us who it was by clicking here

Madonna (with Massive Attack)- 'I Want You' (1995)

Now that I've got your attention I'll explain myself... When Madonna first came to my attention with 'Like A Virgin' and 'Material Girl' I wasn't impressed. My older brother however was a big fan and bought the album and both singles if memory serves me. I finally saw sense when she released her follow up album 'True Blue' and overnight I became the worlds biggest Madonna fan. Or at least Feltham's I'm sure. I managed to persuade my Mum to buy me the duvet set of the True Blue album sleeve... And give or a take a few nights when it was being washed I slept with Madonna for pretty much 5 or six years. I bought everything she released, tapes, then CD's. Video's then DVD's. I bought all of her films, even the really bad quality naff porno she made before hitting it big. And I'm here to admit that I really enjoyed the 'Who's That Girl' film. Sod it, I even liked 'Shanghai Surprise' !!! It feels good to say that out loud, as I've been holding it in for too many years. I bought her book 'Sex' from that most rock and roll of places... WH Smith's in Hounslow. I've seen her live at Wembley Stadium twice also. I wonder how much money I've devoted to my obsession with Ms Ciccone over the years ??? Quite a bit, and yet my favourite item wasn't bought by me... Thanks Mum.

Similar to mine, but Mum always ironed it !!

I love this version of the classic 'Marvin Gaye' song which featured on her 1995 compilation album 'Something To Remember' the collaboration with 'Massive Attack' is haunting and sexy all at the same time.
I've decided to add my favourite track from 'True Blue' as a bonus for you, it was the song that probably wore out the rewind mechanism on my walkman back in the day after I would listen over and over under the duvet (in case my mum saw I wasn't sleeping and would have a go). 'Where's The Party' was never released as a single but there was a great remix of it on her 'You Can Dance' compilation album. That's the version here... Enjoy like I did and still do

NERD ALERT! - On Madonna's first world tour, she was supported by 'The Beastie Boys'

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For all of you that like the original's here is Marvin Gaye's from 1976

sfw Pada 21:33 1 Komentar

Blondie - 'The Tide Is High'

Blondie - 'The Tide Is High'

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COVER NERD! meets THURSDAY I'M IN LOVE


After the relative success of my encroachment onto Old Pa's territory a few weeks back, I thought I would now step on Flycasual's toes and share with you a cover of a classic track that brings back childhood memories. What song takes you back to your childhood ??

Click here and let us read all about it and share with the world.

Do you remember your first crush ??? I do, her name was Trisha Yates and she was Tucker Jenkins arch-nemisis in Grange Hill.... Tucker was my hero cos of his cheeky grin and backchat to the teachers. Everyone wanted to be like him... And yet the girl that never took any crap from him was the girl of my dreams... I should have hated her but I couldn't. She wasn't a classic beauty but as an 8 year old boy I wasn't into looks... She was famous and I dreamed of being her boyfriend, I knew it could work... It didn't.

When I realised that this romance would never happen I went quickly onto my next crush, surely I'd have more luck with this one. Debbie Harry was sexy, even though I didn't really know what sexy meant. I read it somewhere and so she became the object of my affections. At the time we were living on an Army camp in Hounslow and my Mum worked in the NAAFI bar on the camp, during the school holidays my brother and I would hang out there playing Space Invaders and listening to the jukebox. One of my Dad's many responsibilities (he was the storeman for his regiment) was that of restocking the jukebox in the NAAFI bar. Every now and then he would bring home some of the records that had been removed from the jukebox and my brother and I would fight over them. This one particular day my Dad brought a few 7 inches home and I took a sneaky peek before he offered them to us. Usually my brother would get first dibs as he was older by 3 years, but this occasion I asked him if I could choose first. Obviously he said no, so I begged him and said he could have all the records if I could choose the first one. Thinking he was onto a winner he agreed... Haha sucker !!! I got my way and chose this particular track, I don't remember what he got but who cares. I got a Blondie record, even now 30 plus years later I can still picture the blue and white label on the vinyl with a small butterfly at the bottom. If I'd had a Top 20 of the year like I do now, that would have been in the Top 1 no doubt.

Blondie - 'The Tide Is High' (1980)

Last week, Shellhunter and I were at the French/Caribbean restaurant in our hotel here in Montego Bay, Jamaica and a band started playing a few reggae style instrumentals. They played a few classics and some Boney M songs too !!! Then they played The Tide is High... It took me back to 1980 again and Debbie Harry, then to Trisha Yates..

NERD ALERT - Trisha Yates came back in the very last episode of Tucker's Luck.... and went on a date with Tucker himself !!

And here is the original from 1967

The Paragons - The Tide Is High

Please find below my Spotify playlist

sfw Pada 22:00 4 Komentar

COVER NERD! meets DYLAN COVERS - Transvison Vamp - 'Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window'

COVER NERD! meets DYLAN COVERS - Transvison Vamp - 'Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window'

Cover Nerd Crush Dylan Covers Neal Transvision Vamp

This week I've decided to encroach on Old Pa's territory and share with you a cover of a Bob Dylan classic. Do you have a favourite cover you want to share, Dylan or otherwise.
If so click here and let us read all about it and share with the world.

Apparently there were other band members too....

Transvision Vamp - Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window (1991)

Wendy James...... Phwooooaaarrr !!!! Just thought I'd get that out of the way. Back in the late 80's early 90's I was heavily into my music, however I also was heavily into female pop stars being plastered the walls of my bedroom. In amongst the Madonna and Kylie posters I'd taken from Smash Hits my pride of place had been a 24 by 18 inches (although as an 18 year old lad, my perception of size may have been exaggerated) poster of Transvision Vamp's singer, Wendy James. The poster was, is and always will be stored in a corner of my mind..... It made my Mum tut every time she came into my room, but I bloody loved it.

Don't look now Mum

I bought everything they released and I even bought a record store promo of their 3rd album, 'Little Magnets Versus The Bubble Of Babble' which their label MCA deemed not worthy of a UK release. It did get released in the US and Australia though. That's the album that this song featured on. At the time I didn't know who Old Pa was and therefore hadn't been introduced to the ways of the Dylan. I loved the song and only recently realised that it was a cover, shame on me I know.

After the band split up, Wendy released a solo album called 'Now Ain't The Time For Your Tears', all the songs were wtitten by Elvis Costello, I liked it but sadly the British public didn't and she was dropped by MCA. She surfaced earlier this century fronting a band called Racine (no me neither to be honest) they had two albums out, which I recently listened to on Spotify and they will take a few more plays. In 2010, Wendy resurfaced with a second solo project, but this time all her own work called 'I Came Here To Blow Minds' and as you can see, she still has the trademark platinum blonde hair. In 2012 she released her version of 'It's Alright Ma'

NERD ALERT - At the height of the band's fame, I remember Wendy had a bet with the then editor of the Bizarre column in The Sun, Piers Morgan. She bet him that she would win an Oscar before the end of the century....... She didn't and he has since gone on to world domination.

To take a peak at my other Cover Nerd! posts, click here and for Dylan Covers, click here

Sadly this cover isn't yet on Spotify, but you can listen and subscribe to my Cover Nerd! playlist below

As a bonus, please find a version of the track by Bob Dylan himself

sfw Pada 22:00 5 Komentar