Music Trivia Thread

[Attyla]

I have been putting this in other threads, but am afraid I am just cluttering up those threads, so I will stop doing that and just do stuff in this one. Care to join in? I am all about learning more about music. So here we go.

Here are five artists from the UK who are really well known, and they had hits on both sides of the Atlantic, but had a lot more success in the US than in their home countries. There may be more and if you know one, feel free to join in.

First, we start with Ringo Starr of the Beatles. He had a lot of success as a solo artist in the US with a number of top 40 singles, far more in the US than in the UK. Songs like Photograph did quite well in the US, but not so much over seas

Second, Sheena Easton, she did well on both sides, but had a lot more success in the US with songs like Sugar Walls

Third, the Alan Parson's Project. They did OK in the UK but had a lot of success in the US, with songs like Games People Play

Next we have Steve Winwood who was quite successful as a solo artist, but much more so in the US

And finally, we have George Harrison, another Beatle. Had a lot of success as a solo artist in the US and was also a part of the Traveling Wilbury's.

[raider_kin]

Wilbury's are the greatest super group that no one talks about. The Highway Men are up there too

The Highwaymen: Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson? Who am I missing here?

[Hellbound]

The Highwaymen: Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson? Who am I missing here?

Kris Kristofferman

[raider_kin]

Kris Kristofferman

Nice, thanks.

[chucker]

Kris Kristofferman

Kristofferson

[Hellbound]

Kristofferson

Yep Im stupid

[Attyla]

1977 was a year of sappy love songs and the beginning of the end of the disco era. But one song that was a hit broke that mold. And it had a power riff to it that resonated and also propelled the group to super stardom. Here is the story.

They were pretty unknown and touring with a pretty big band in Europe. Nazareth was a pretty heavy band in the vein of Led Zeppelin and they were touring in support of their latest album. The openers, a throw in band out of Canada would watch them play their set after opening for them. Nazareth had a minor hit with a cover of a Joni Mitchell tune called This Flight Tonight and it had a driving riff in 4/4 time. The unknown band had a guitar player who also wrote music and began working on her own riff based off that performance. Yes, I gave it away. Nancy Wilson began work on what would become Barracuda and the rest is history. Heart would climb the charts and have a career in three acts.

I kind of exaggerated their "unknown" status as their first album did spawn three commercially successful songs. But their second album failed to do much. Barracuda, off their third album, seemed like the beginning of the end for the band and the next few albums really failed to catch on. But it was the second act that propelled them to eternal fame in 1985 with the release of their self titled Album which contained five huge hits and the success did not stop. That is until the 90's when musical tastes changed. Now in their third act they have taken the course many bands from the 70s and 80s have done and are touring as an oldies band helping their generation relive the big hair years of their lives. Heart still tours today and the sisters have reunited after a rift for a couple years. And yes, in December they visit Music City USA and while I will not be near the stage, I finally get to see a band I admired back in the day. Should be a fun show at the new music venue The Pinnacle which I have been waiting to visit.

Oh and as for Nazareth? They were really pissed at Heart for lifting their riff, changing it up a bit and scoring that huge hit.

[Attyla]

Fan of 80's movies? If you are, there is an iconic scene in one of them that you may remember for a vivid image. But more on that in a second.

The first time director and his leading man were both fans of Fishbone. Never heard of them? You would not be alone. I think my musical range is pretty good and I had no idea who they are. But back to the story. Both the guys wanted to use their music in the project so that is what they did. And the song? "Bonin' In The Boneyard." Classy. So they filmed the "gotcha" scene with the song blaring. But when the director looked at the dailies he knew it would not work. The song just screamed "creepy" so he went to work trying to find another song. He even engaged a couple groups to find an original, but nothing was working. That was when he got his wedding cassette out and plugged it into his car radio. He was cruising along when he heard the song that was destined to be overdubbed onto the film to complete a scene every 80's movie junky knows all too well. And that is how Cameron Crowe's vision for his film, "Say Anything" was born. All John Cusack had to do was raise that boom box wearing that iconic trench coat to the subtle sounds of "In Your Eyes" by Peter Gabriel to flesh it out. I am sure "Bonin' In The Boneyard" is a fine song, but the message would have been entirely different had it stayed in the movie. Love me some Cusack but that film never did it for me. I much prefer the likes of Grosse Pointe Blank. Trivia time, the car he drives in the movie is an '86 Ford Thunderbird Super Coupe in the iconic scene.

[Oaktown Superman]

The Highwaymen: Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson? Who am I missing here?

Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson. Merle Haggard wasn’t a member, unless he replaced Jennings after he died?

[Oaktown Superman]

I'll never get tired of listening to Roy. I never really listened to him much back in the day but Chris Isaak has a tremendous voice too

Mom once told me Roy Orbison was the one guy Elvis had his guys keep an eye on while he was making movies. Sounds like he was the one person Elvis feared.

[raider_kin]

Paul Rodgers famously arrived on the music scene with his band Free, and their hit "All Right Now." He then formed one of the first, if not the first "Supergroups", Bad Company.

Who were the Bads, and what bands did they come from?

PS Saw em at the Inglewood Forum (saw a LOT of shows there)

[raider_kin]

So Weird Al does a parody of Coolio's "Gangster's Paradise." Al and his team received consent from Coolio and/or his team, and they sent him royalty checks as well. When Coolio was asked about the parody he said "I ain't wit dat." (not being racist, that's how he said it, exactly). Odd for him to complain (he later recanted) because "Gangsters Paradise" was an "interpolation" according to the web, of a previous song by a huge star.

What song, what artist?

[Hellbound]

So Weird Al does a parody of Coolio's "Gangster's Paradise." Al and his team received consent from Coolio and/or his team, and they sent him royalty checks as well. When Coolio was asked about the parody he said "I ain't wit dat." (not being racist, that's how he said it, exactly). Odd for him to complain (he later recanted) because "Gangsters Paradise" was an "interpolation" according to the web, of a previous song by a huge star.

What song, what artist?

Stevie Wonder past time paradise

[raider_kin]

Stevie Wonder past time paradise

Very nice, I didn't know that until last week

[Attyla]

Well, it is scary season so let's wander down a frightening street story. And this one even includes forbidden fruit at the end. Here's the story.

The studio was about to put out one of what would become a seemingly endless series of sequels to a slasher movie. That probably gave it away right there. They had lined up some big talent to do a song for the movie and that had actually also been completed. But the deal fell through, so the artist put the song on their next album and then the studio stepped in with a lawsuit. In the end, the artist was forced to add this disclaimer: "[This song] is not part of the soundtrack...and is not authorized, licensed, or affiliated with the Nightmare on Elm Street films." to the album cover and the single. And they forced the artist to remove the music video from MTV and other music video stations. The video had too many references in it that were too closely associated with the movie. The song survives and actually did quite well. The lawsuit was settled out of court with some money changing hands and that video was supposed to be destroyed. But that did not quite happen. Their was one copy of the video that survived. And like most things, it made its way to the internet. And of course Youtube now has it available for if you want to watch it. New Line Cinema, who owns the Nightmare franchise, has never bothered to force it taken down. As a matter of fact, New Line is often referred to as the House Freddie built. And the artist? None other than Will Smith, at the time referred to as Fresh Prince, along side his long time partner Dj Jazzy Jeff. I was never a fan of either of them, nor Freddie but it is Halloween, so take a listen if you like, after all, you are not supposed to see it.

[raider_kin]

Well, it is scary season so let's wander down a frightening street story. And this one even includes forbidden fruit at the end. Here's the story.

The studio was about to put out one of what would become a seemingly endless series of sequels to a slasher movie. That probably gave it away right there. They had lined up some big talent to do a song for the movie and that had actually also been completed. But the deal fell through, so the artist put the song on their next album and then the studio stepped in with a lawsuit. In the end, the artist was forced to add this disclaimer: "[This song] is not part of the soundtrack...and is not authorized, licensed, or affiliated with the Nightmare on Elm Street films." to the album cover and the single. And they forced the artist to remove the music video from MTV and other music video stations. The video had too many references in it that were too closely associated with the movie. The song survives and actually did quite well. The lawsuit was settled out of court with some money changing hands and that video was supposed to be destroyed. But that did not quite happen. Their was one copy of the video that survived. And like most things, it made its way to the internet. And of course Youtube now has it available for if you want to watch it. New Line Cinema, who owns the Nightmare franchise, has never bothered to force it taken down. As a matter of fact, New Line is often referred to as the House Freddie built. And the artist? None other than Will Smith, at the time referred to as Fresh Prince, along side his long time partner Dj Jazzy Jeff. I was never a fan of either of them, nor Freddie but it is Halloween, so take a listen if you like, after all, you are not supposed to see it.

Love feeling naughty