Music Wed - Some More Tool Tunes with Player, Wings, FGTH And Van Halen

Music Wed - I was all set to do something else this week when I heard an old fave "tool tune" which made me go down a totally different path. So, covering multiple decades and genres, and with no common theme, here are some more of my tool tunes which I love even though I may not always want to admit to others that I always sing along with these when I hear them. First is Player, with "Baby Come Back" (http://youtu.be/DDYBin9QZJc) - super cheesy? Sure. But that is part of its late '70s charm.  Next is Wings and one of Paul's many "silly love songs" (another tool tune!) for Linda - "My Love."  I crank it every time I hear it, and here is a great live version (http://youtu.be/qGStwcniqyI). Wings is way overlooked for memorable '70s bands. Denny Laine was a perfect partner for Paul and helped fill the void of no Beatles. I want to jump forward to the '80s with two songs I love to catch on Pandora or any other streaming service because I never get tired of them - Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher" (http://youtu.be/UXQYcNSNIb8) - gotta love a song that features great opportunities for both an air drum solo AND an air guitar solo! - and Frankie Goes To Hollywood and "Relax" (http://youtu.be/y64T-kYQ2B8). "Frankie Says" this song is irrestible. Good stuff when you are riding around and catch one of these oldies, but goodies. Enjoy!

Japanese Mechanical Dance Music and J-Pop Metal Thrashers - wild stuff that you won't want to miss!

Music Wed - I have been in weird moods lately as I have composed these posts, and today will be on exception. But, I say this - if you have skipped checking the songs from my last couple of posts because they just don't fit your preferences, please check out what I have here because I am sure you have NEVER seen anything like this.  I find Japanese culture very strange and fascinating, and the Japanese people are absolutely unique in their societal bonds and the lengths they go to protect, strengthen and preserve their communal society. But, with all the conformity, Japanese artists are wildly individualistic, and I have two shining examples which show their unique creative and ground breaking/genre changing artistry. First is from the group World Order who mock and comment on the highly organized, mechanized and ritualized aspects of Japanese society by playing the roles of the ultimate conforming businessmen - long a mainstay of the Japanese economy and an expression of the Japanese approach to business and societal norms.  I absolutely love these guys and their cool mechanical songs expressed with their mind blowing choreography, and "Welcome to Tokyo" is a great example of the beauty and somewhat subversive commentary on Japanese society (http://youtu.be/IDAlZ7PDMDU) - I can assure you that watching them will be enjoyable, but their song also will worm its way into your mind and you will be thinking about it the rest of the day. Next is a recent phenomenon which defies any conventional description. What would happen if you mixed preteen J-Pop with hard core metal music? The answer is the hottest band in Japan right now, Babymetal.  I defy you to say you have seen anything like this group of hard core shredders for musicians combined with the perfectly cutely adorable J-Pop princesses who dance and sing in front of their ghoulish band. Too wild to really describe in words, so please watch "Gimme Chocolate" (http://youtu.be/WIKqgE4BwAY) and "Catch Me If You Can" (http://youtu.be/g2c3MM3zf0Y). Too wild; so fun; and, to me, irresistible. Check this out - you will not be sorry, and you might even become a fan of one or both. I love them for their differences and similarities in terms of what they're trying to express, so Enjoy!