When I was in high school, cruising around in my Buick Skylark blaring my cassette of The Real Thing at full volume through my aftermarket Sanyo stereo, I don’t think my teenage self would have thought that my thirties self would ever be at the point where they’d be watching and listening to a live performance of Faith No More from his cubicle over this thing we call the internet. I don’t think any of us had any idea in 1993 that the internet would happen.

I can say this though. This reunion situation that is happening with Faith No More is fucking awesome! They’re on tour all summer but no dates are scheduled in the U.S. as of yet. Here are live videos from their June 12th performance at London’s Download Festival 2009.

It starts with a sometimes terrible but sometimes hilarious cover of Reunited (And It Feels So Good) by Peaches & Herb.

Concert continues after the jump… (more…)

Tags: buick skylark, concert, download, faith no more, high school, london, mike patton, reunion, the real thing, U.K.

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My wife Kristen and I saw this commercial for GE Locomotive while watching the Today Show on NBC this morning.  It features employees at the GE Locomotive plant in Erie, Pennsylvania performing their version of Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away”.

It also features an all too rare appearance of the keytar.

On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame
Turning and returning to some secret place inside

Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say

Take my breath away
My love

Take my breath away

Tags: berlin, erie, ge, GE Locomotive, keytar, locomotive, nbc, pa, pennsylvania, take my breath away, today show

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Given all the death and despair lately, I think it’s time to get back to songspeak basics. Which is why I’ve decided to tell y’all about an old songstory courtesy of our friend Kevin. You may remember his misheard No Doubt lyrics. Anyway, Kevin is a big classic rock fan, and him and I spent many a night listening to the Dazed and Confused soundtracks in his jeep as we drove around. Kevin also liked the Steve Miller Band, and had many alternate lyrics to various Steve Miller songs. One particular one that I remember was his alternate lyrics for Swingtown. The song starts, “Come on and dance, come on and dance, let’s make some romance…”, but whenever Kevin would hear it, without fail he would sing, “Take off your pants, take off your pants, let’s make some romance…”. Personally, I think Kevin’s lyrics are much more fitting than the original ones. And so should you.

Tags: 70s music, 90s movies, classic rock, come on and dance, dazed and confused, death and despair, kevin, let's make some romance, no doubt, steve miller, steve miller band, swingtown, take off your pants

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Forget Michael Jackson. A true icon passed away yesterday. And that icon is Billy Mays. He was also 50 years old. Not a good week for pop culture. With his unmistakable voice and jet black beard, Billy Mays tried to sell us all kinds of ridiculously wonderful products. And, to the best of my knowledge, he never beat the shit out of any hookers. Probably best known for pitching Oxi Clean and Orange Glo on TV, one of my personal favorites was the Simoniz Fix It scratch remover. He really made me believe in the magic of this product, even though I never bought it. Somehow I don’t think any other products will seem quite so exciting from this point on…

R.I.P. Billy. You will truly be missed.

Tags: 00s tv commercials, beats up prostitute, billy mays, billy mays dead, icon, jet black beard, michael jackson, orange glo, oxi clean, pop culture icon, scratch remover, simoniz fix it, vince schlomi

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Michael Jackson, perhaps the biggest pop icon of our time, died suddenly yesterday in Los Angeles. The King Of Pop’s career and personal life took odd and controversial twists and turns in later years, but albums like Thriller absolutely defined our generation. He was a truly electrifying performer.

Tags: cardiac arrest, dead, died, heart attack, king of pop, los angeles, michael jackson, sudden death, thriller

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This UK ad for the Nokia 5800 ExpressMusic Phone makes a variety of classic album covers come alive by featuring an amusing conversation entirely in Songspeak. Titled ‘Under The Covers’, it stars Matt T and features album covers by Michael Jackson, The Doors, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Kanye West, David Bowie, and others.

The ad is by The 7th Chamber in London.

Tags: 5800 expressmusic, 7th chamber, album covers, cell, david bowie, elton john, guns n roses, kanye west, london, matt t, michael jackson, nokia, phone, pink floyd, stevie wonder, the beatles, the doors, under the covers

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It saddens us here at Songspeak to hear news of the second celebrity death of the week, Farrah Fawcett, who died today. Former Charlie’s Angel, poster girl, and incoherent rambler, Fawcett passed away after a long struggle with cancer.

You were hot before my time, and I still don’t quite understand feathered hair, but R.I.P. Farrah.

Tags: 70s tv, actresses, cancer, charlie's angels, farrah fawcett, farrah fawcett death, feathered hair, incoherent rambling, poster girl

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I used to love Mystery Science Theater 3000 back in the day. It’s been off the air for years, but oddly enough, it’s come up for me twice this week.

The first time was on Monday, when I was playing poker at the VFW. For some godforsaken reason, they had Two and a Half Men on the TV (and man that show is awful). I wasn’t paying attention, but apparently Emilio Estevez had a cameo, and there was talk of him and Charlie Sheen being brothers. An epic discussion then broke out at our table about them having different last names and Martin Sheen being there dad. One of the guys didn’t realize they were brothers because they have different last names, and I said that I thought Estevez was their real last name and Sheen was the stage name. I then asked if anyone ever watched MST3K, and oddly enough, most of the younger guys were fans. I asked if any of them watched it in the later years when it was on the SciFi channel, because in one of the later episodes, they watched a movie called Soultaker Joe Estevez, Martin Sheen’s brother. That was one of my favorite MST3K episodes. I think they may have watched another movie with Joe Estevez in it at some point, which isn’t surprising, given his lengthy film resume according to IMDB. I get the impression that most of them are stinkers, if Soultaker is any indication.

Anywho, there was also a theatrical MST3K movie in which Mike Nelson and the robots watched This Island Earth. Matt and I rented it once years ago (on VHS, before DVD’s and Netflix), and there was one little part that we still reference to this day. I’m reminded of it, because it was on HBO Family last night and I watched part of it. The hunky scientist lead character receives this thing from outer space, and there’s a book in it. His little nerdy assistant wearing glasses was looking at it with him, and as the hunky dude is turning the pages, he says, “This isn’t paper, this is some sort of metal” and Tom Servo, imitating the nerdy guy, says, “No, it’s paper” after he touches the pages. It’s a lot funnier if you’re watching it, believe me.

Well, that’s my moviespeak story. Matt and I still crack out the “it’s paper” nerdy voice every now and then. Why, I don’t know. Stop badgering me!

Tags: 00s tv, 80s tv, 90s tv, charlie sheen, crow, DVD, emilio estevez, HBO family, IMDB, joe estevex, martin sheen, mike nelson, mst3k, mystery science theater 3000, netflix, poker, SciFi channel, soultaker, this island earth, tom servo, two and a half men, vfw, VHS

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Ed McMahon passed away today at the age of 86. He had health issues for a number of years. Known as Johnny Carson’s sidekick on the Tonight Show, he also was the spokesperson for Publisher’s Clearing House, delivering giant checks to winners everywhere. But his most recent accomplishment are the rap commercials he did for FreeCreditReport.com. And as we wish you R.I.P. Ed McMahon, we enjoy your sense of humor.

Ed McGansta part I:

Ed McGansta part II:

Tags: ed mcmahon, freecreditreport.com, johnny carson, nbc, sidekick, tonight show

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Who doesn’t like Bryan Adams?

Well, everyone, as far as I can tell. But that doesn’t stop them from playing his songs on the radio. It’s one of those unfortunate facts of life. The song that I tend to hear the most by him on mix 93.1 during the workday is Heaven.

When I hear it, I recall a songspeak moment from Matt’s and my past when we shared an office. We were diligently working, as usual, and Heaven came on the radio. And the chorus begins:

Baby you’re all that I want
When you’re lyin’ here in my arms
I’m findin’ it hard to believe
We’re in heaven

"Yeah, you like that?"

But as the song was playing, I sang along, “I’m findin’ it hard to believe, you’re just seven”. I was amused by the thought of Bryan Adams having a torrid affair with a child and writing a song about it. I mean, after all, he’s Canadian. It wouldn’t be that surprising.

I still think of that whenever I hear the song. And the next time you hear it, just replace the words “we’re in heaven” with “you’re just seven”, and every other instance of the word “heaven” with “seven”. The song will take on a whole new meaning, I promise you.

Screw you Bryan Adams, you pedophile.

Tags: 80s music, bryan adams, facts of life, heaven, mix 93.1, pedophile, seven, we're in heaven, you're just seven

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