Weekend Retro Rewind | Huey Lewis & The News

Every child from the 1980s, at some point, rocked out to Huey Lewis & The News. Don't even try to deny this.  Some of my favorite Huey Lewis tunes included: "Heart & Soul", "If This Is It", "Power of Love", "Stuck with You" and "Hip To Be Square."  Before you can ask, I was somewhat offended when Christian Bale went nuts in American Psycho discussing and listening to Huey Lewis while wielding an ax at Jared Leto's character.

Real Name: Hugh Anthony Cregg III
Stage Names: Huey Harp, Huey Louis and Huey Lewis from 1979 on
Birthday: July 5, 1950

Things I Didn't Know About Huey Lewis:

• He was raised in California.
• He graduated from the prestigious Lawrenceville School in New Jersey in 1967 (Disney's Michael Eisner was also alumni!).
• He scored a perfect 800 on his Math SAT. 

Retro Weekend Rewind | Tears For Fears

Between the ages of 12 and 13 I was "head over heels" (sorry I couldn't resist) for this British band, Tears for Fears. Before you can comment that you don't remember them, it's most likely because you were born after 1985.

• Tears for Fears was started by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith in the early 1980s. 
• Singer Curt Smith tweets, follow him here!
• Tears for Fears albums I loved were: The Hurting, Songs from the Big Chair and The Seeds of Love
• Micheal Andrews and Gary Jules did an acoustic cover of "Mad World" which was included on the Donnie Darko soundtrack. 
• Tears for Fears are currently touring, I'd love to catch them at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair, New Jersey but decent seats are pricey and being unemployed, I just can't justify it. I miss the days of writing concert reviews and getting free tickets, backstage access and promotional CDs.
  

Weekend Retro Rewind | Men At Work

Men At Work Video For Be Good Johnny & Land Down Under

In 1982 I was 10. In 1982 I loved Top 40 music and Men At Work were one of those Top 40 bands. Men At Work are an Australian band got their name from the "Men At Work" sign when stuck on what to call themselves. With hits such as "Be Good Johnny", "Land Down Under", "Overkill" and "Who Can It Be Now?" Men at Work still sorta wow me today.

Wiki states that Men At Work are the only Australian band to ever have a #1 album (Business as Usual) and single ("Down Under") on the US charts at the same time. They were also a hit in the UK during that time period with a #1 single and album. This Aussie band took home the 1983 Grammy award for Best New Artist and have sold over 30 million albums worldwide. Pretty impressive if you ask me.

Lead singer Colin Hay has a solo career today and has appeared on several episodes of Scrubs. I have a theory that hottie, Zach Braff is a big fan of his seeing as Colin Hay was also featured on the Garden State movie soundtrack. The Garden State soundtrack is one of my favorite movie soundtracks next to Rushmore, ET and Karate Kid (first one).

Below are two of my favorite Men At Work songs from the old days, enjoy!

Music, You're Still My BFF Part II

Yesterday I started a blog post detailing the music I've listened to and loved from birth until today.

I left off here:

1989-1991: Same as above, but now including: The Pixies (of course), EMF, Jane's Addiction, Ned's Atomic Dustbin (loved these guys!) Elvis Costello, Jesus and Mary Chain, Lightening Seeds, The Ocean Blue (these guys from PA are heavenly! At 16, I begged a LI bar/club-007 for entry to their 21 and over show. Even with my dad as an escort, they said no. I cried. If I was a sitcom character, I would have gotten fake ID), Front 242, Ministry, Revolting Cocks, Lush, The Sugarcubes, Charlatans UK, Stone Roses, Nirvana, Screaming Trees, Nitzer Ebb and the list goes on and on and I still love these groups today!   

1992-1994: Same as above, but now including some bands I forgot to add above such as: Beastie Boys, The Jam, The Sundays, Nine Inch Nails, Alice in Chains, Primus, Beck, Dinosaur Jr., Breeders, Helmet, Smashing Pumpkins, Teenage Fanclub, Porno for Pyros, The Specials, Fugazi, Blur - can't believe I forgot my most beloved band ever! 

Around this time I was really into techno and raving. I never really collected much of that music though and I only listened to it at the clubs or when we visited our friend Joey's garage. He'd spin records for us while we smoked and hung out.  
 
1995-1996: Same as above, but now include Weezer, Superchunk, Oasis, Chemical Brothers, Hum, Hole and so many I'm sure I'm forgetting.

1997-1998  Same as above, but now include Quicksand, Bush, Cranberries, The Crystal Method, Filter, Fatboy Slim, The Who (random right?) Chemical Brothers, Ben Folds Five, Beth Orton, Moby and so many I'm sure I'm forgetting.

1999-2000: Ah, 2000, the year I finally got my own place! OK, same as above, but now include: Pulp, Ash, Supergrass, The Faint, Dandy Warhols, Thursday, Jimmy Eat World, The Anniversary, Graham Coxon, Ian Brown and so many I'm sure I'm forgetting.

2001-2002: I met my husband around this time so some of these bands were his influence... Still loved all of the bands you see above now add on: The Strokes, Go Sailor, Dressy Bessy, The Muffs, Ben Lee, Idlewild, Sparta, Saves The Day, Built to Spill, Modest Mouse, Sunny Day Real Estate, Elliott Smith, Hey Mercedes, Belle & Sebastian, Death Cab For Cutie, The Dismemberment Plan and so many I'm sure I'm forgetting. 
2003-2004:  Same as above, but now include The Shins and I can't think of any others :(


2005 - 2010: Same as above, but now include Peter Bjorn & John, Band of Horses, Fleet Foxes, The Weepies and I can't think of anymore.