Mon 3/28/05

[RGMike]

I'm "Peak"-ing for a while,

http://www.1071thepeak.com

then maybe some CG.

[RGMike]

and lo & behold, The Peak's playing Crowded House: "Fall At Your Feet", not one you normally hear.

[princessofcairo]

andy peebles is interviewing mike mcdonald on smoothfm at noon. unfort, i think jonatha brooke is playing at the bedford in london, and they have a live webcast, so i'll be watching that...suppose i could hop back and forth, though.

[princessofcairo]

tuned into smooth just in time for my favorite mcdonald song, "sweet freedom." i think i like it because it sounds like he's singing, "we'll keep the spirit alive, hall & oates!"

[RGMike]

tuned into smooth just in time for my favorite mcdonald song, "sweet freedom." i think i like it because it sounds like he's singing, "we'll keep the spirit alive, hall & oates!"

There are no coincidences: the other nite a car on Valencia St was blasting "Sweet Freedom" and I was trying to think what SF radio station would be playing it.

Some months back I heard Gil Scott Heron, "The Bottle" coming from some car and I KNEW no SF radio station was playing it.

[princessofcairo]

There are no coincidences: the other nite a car on Valencia St was blasting "Sweet Freedom" and I was trying to think what SF radio station would be playing it.

Some months back I heard Gil Scott Heron, "The Bottle" coming from some car and I KNEW no SF radio station was playing it.

KEZR & KPOO?

[Gazoo]

tuned into smooth just in time for my favorite mcdonald song, "sweet freedom." i think i like it because it sounds like he's singing, "we'll keep the spirit alive, hall & oates!"

While listening to Standing in the Shadows of Motown (the Funk Brothers celebration) on my way back from Boston last night, I concluded that Michael McDonald is our generation's Pat Boone.

[princessofcairo]

While listening to Standing in the Shadows of Motown (the Funk Brothers celebration) on my way back from Boston last night, I concluded that Michael McDonald is our generation's Pat Boone.

please elaborate.

[RGMike]

While listening to Standing in the Shadows of Motown (the Funk Brothers celebration) on my way back from Boston last night, I concluded that Michael McDonald is our generation's Pat Boone.

please elaborate.

Because he's a white guy singing black folks' hits?  Unlike Boone, he's doing it after the fact. Those people have (a) already gotten paid and (b) stand to make more money from his cover versions. (Unlike Boone, whose presence on the airwaves prevented the originals from getting played in the first place.)

Of course, if you're suggesting that he drains all the soul out of the tunes, well, I'm sure poc will scratch your eyes out when next you meet
There are worse white guys for a black artist to be covered by, IMHO.

[RGMike]

OK, I've "Peak"-ed for today. They are a very nice KFOG clone -- I heard maybe one song that KFOG has never had in rotation, an old Squeeze track from Argybargy, "If I Didn't Love You".  

Over to CG now. CG, BTW, has posted that list of the greatest #2 songs of all time at

http://www.capitalgold.com/Article.asp?id=74527

[RGMike]

on CG: Bread's "Sweet Surrender". Love the reference to '70s feminism:

You'll keep your rights
I'll take your nights

LOL! I once saw Steve & Eydie do a cover of this on Merv Griffin!

[Gazoo]

Michael McDonald is our generation's Pat Boone.

please elaborate.

Because he's a white guy singing black folks' hits?  Unlike Boone, he's doing it after the fact. Those people have (a) already gotten paid and (b) stand to make more money from his cover versions. (Unlike Boone, whose presence on the airwaves prevented the originals from getting played in the first place.)

Of course, if you're suggesting that he drains all the soul out of the tunes, well, I'm sure poc will scratch your eyes out when next you meet
There are worse white guys for a black artist to be covered by, IMHO.

Well, mainly the soul-draining part: his voice is certainly good enough, but the arrangements were so damned by-the-numbers that yes, I think he's preventing the originals getting played on AC stations.

It's kind of like when Gloria Esefan remade "Turn the Beat Around" for some movie soundtrack: Vicki Sue Robinson was *pissed* at her because there was no audible distinction between the records and if not for Gloria, it'd have been Vicki Sue reaping those royalties for her identical performance.  (If she was financially unstable at the time of her death then I'm all the more sympathetic to her stance.)

[RGMike]

Michael McDonald is our generation's Pat Boone.

please elaborate.

Because he's a white guy singing black folks' hits?  Unlike Boone, he's doing it after the fact. Those people have (a) already gotten paid and (b) stand to make more money from his cover versions. (Unlike Boone, whose presence on the airwaves prevented the originals from getting played in the first place.)

Of course, if you're suggesting that he drains all the soul out of the tunes, well, I'm sure poc will scratch your eyes out when next you meet
There are worse white guys for a black artist to be covered by, IMHO.

Well, mainly the soul-draining part: his voice is certainly good enough, but the arrangements were so damned by-the-numbers that yes, I think he's preventing the originals getting played on AC stations.

It's kind of like when Gloria Esefan remade "Turn the Beat Around" for some movie soundtrack: Vicki Sue Robinson was *pissed* at her because there was no audible distinction between the records and if not for Gloria, it'd have been Vicki Sue reaping those royalties for her identical performance.  (If she was financially unstable at the time of her death then I'm all the more sympathetic to her stance.)

Well, I certainly feel for poor Vickie Sue; sad situation.  It's a sad fact of radio and records that remakes of familiar tunes get airplay.  And it's cheaper to do a remake than to license the original (so don't blame Gloria, blame the producers of whatever movie it was). You could argue that AC is a unique case  -- indeed, oldies stations wouldn't've played the remake, but its existence might've actually spurred them to bring Vickie Sue out of mothballs, at least temporarily.

OMG! 10cc, "The Dean and I" on CG!

[princessofcairo]

And it's cheaper to do a remake than to license the original (so don't blame Gloria, blame the producers of whatever movie it was). You could argue that AC is a unique case  -- indeed, oldies stations wouldn't've played the remake, but its existence might've actually spurred them to bring Vickie Sue out of mothballs, at least temporarily.

i don't understand how it could be cheaper to produce a remake than to license an original. you still have to pay licensing fees to re-record the tune. once you tack on the studio and promotion fees, i don't see how they're saving a bundle.

i think it should cost MORE to make a remake.  then we'd have less crap remakes floating around.

[ggould]

tuned into smooth just in time for my favorite mcdonald song, "sweet freedom." i think i like it because it sounds like he's singing, "we'll keep the spirit alive, hall & oates!"

While listening to Standing in the Shadows of Motown (the Funk Brothers celebration) on my way back from Boston last night, I concluded that Michael McDonald is our generation's Pat Boone.

I'm not a huge Michael McDonald fan (alright, I AM huge, but not a fan!0 but I think in the old days of Pat Boone's era, the music was essentially co-opted, without much attribution.  I think MM's approach is certainly one of respect for the music, whether or not you like him.