Richard Anthony Hewson (born 17 November 1943, Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside)[1] is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who is best recognized for his studio group The RAH Band.
Sunday, 21 November 2010
The RAH Band - Clouds Across The Moon
One of the most underrated band of the 80s, which is deserving of a spot, beside the big names of the 80s.
Richard Anthony Hewson (born 17 November 1943, Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside)[1] is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who is best recognized for his studio group The RAH Band.
Richard Anthony Hewson (born 17 November 1943, Stockton-on-Tees, Teesside)[1] is an English producer, arranger, conductor and multi-instrumentalist, who is best recognized for his studio group The RAH Band.
Saturday, 3 July 2010
Boyz II Men - It's So Hard To Say Goodbye
This song covered by Boyz II Men in the 90s, is an R&B song written by Motown husband-and-wife songwriting team Freddie Perren and Christine Yarian for the 1975 film Cooley High, performed by G.C. Cameron.
I would like to dedicate this song to my grandmother, who passed away recently. May the Lord take care of her in Heaven.
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and complex, intricate a cappella harmonies. Based on record sales, Boyz II Men is the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.[1] In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but currently the group is a trio signed to Decca Records, with members Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman. The group won four Grammy Awards in the 1990s, and the trio was nominated for two Grammies in 2009.[2]
Boyz II Men formed at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts in 1988 as a quintet. Michael McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues, and original member Marc Nelson left the group before its first studio recording to pursue a solo career. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men gained international celebrity behind unprecedented success on the pop charts. The group's first single to reach number 1, 1992's "End of the Road", a phenomenal hit, reached the top of charts across the globe.[3] "End of the Road" would set a new record for longevity, staying at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks, breaking a decades-old record held by Elvis Presley.
Boyz II Men would exceed even that record later in the decade with hits "I'll Make Love to You" and "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey), which each exceeded records for the longest period of time a single remained at number 1. As of 2010, "One Sweet Day" still holds the all-time record with sixteen weeks at the top of the Hot 100. Although "On Bended Knee" did not exceed any records, it was still a very popular song that reached number 1 and made Boyz II Men the third artist (the other two are The Beatles and Elvis[4]) to replace themselves at the number one rating of the Billboard Hot 100. These achievements were enough to earn Boyz II Men recognition as Billboard Magazine's most successful musical group of the 1990s.[5]
Sung by Jacky Cheung too!
I would like to dedicate this song to my grandmother, who passed away recently. May the Lord take care of her in Heaven.
Boyz II Men is an American R&B vocal group best known for emotional ballads and complex, intricate a cappella harmonies. Based on record sales, Boyz II Men is the most successful R&B group of all time, having sold more than 60 million albums worldwide.[1] In the 1990s, Boyz II Men found fame on Motown Records as a quartet, but currently the group is a trio signed to Decca Records, with members Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris, and Shawn Stockman. The group won four Grammy Awards in the 1990s, and the trio was nominated for two Grammies in 2009.[2]
Boyz II Men formed at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts in 1988 as a quintet. Michael McCary left the group in 2003 due to health issues, and original member Marc Nelson left the group before its first studio recording to pursue a solo career. In the 1990s, Boyz II Men gained international celebrity behind unprecedented success on the pop charts. The group's first single to reach number 1, 1992's "End of the Road", a phenomenal hit, reached the top of charts across the globe.[3] "End of the Road" would set a new record for longevity, staying at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks, breaking a decades-old record held by Elvis Presley.
Boyz II Men would exceed even that record later in the decade with hits "I'll Make Love to You" and "One Sweet Day" (with Mariah Carey), which each exceeded records for the longest period of time a single remained at number 1. As of 2010, "One Sweet Day" still holds the all-time record with sixteen weeks at the top of the Hot 100. Although "On Bended Knee" did not exceed any records, it was still a very popular song that reached number 1 and made Boyz II Men the third artist (the other two are The Beatles and Elvis[4]) to replace themselves at the number one rating of the Billboard Hot 100. These achievements were enough to earn Boyz II Men recognition as Billboard Magazine's most successful musical group of the 1990s.[5]
Sung by Jacky Cheung too!
Monday, 21 June 2010
Spandau Ballet - True
Although Spandau Ballet's True is played often, I still do not find it cheesy.. if you get what I mean.
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles and four Top Ten albums in the UK between 1980 and 1990. The band split acrimoniously in 1990 but announced their reunion in March 2009, complete with a tour that began in October 2009.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
So true.......
Funny how it seems.....
Always in time, but never in line for dreams.
Head over heels, when toe to toe,
This is the sound of my soul. (This is the sound)
I bought a ticket to the world,
But now I've come back again.
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
When I want the truth to be said.......
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
With a thrill in my head and a pill on my tongue,
Dissolve the nerves that have just begun.
Listening to Marvin all night long.
This is the sound of my soul. (This is the sound)
Always slipping from my hands,
Sand's a time of it's own.
Take your seaside arms and write the next line,
Oh, I want the truth to be known.......
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
*break*
I bought a ticket to the world,
But now I've come back again.
Why do I find it hard to write the next line?
When I want the truth to be said.......
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
Ah Ah Ah Ah Ah
I know this much is true.
I know this much is........
I know this much is.......
True.
I know this much is......
I know this much is.......
True.
I know this much is......
I know this much is.......
True.
I know this much is......
I know this much is.......
True.
Spandau Ballet are a British band formed in London in the late 1970s. Initially inspired by the New Romantic fashion, their music has featured a mixture of funk, jazz, soul and synthpop. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s, achieving ten Top Ten singles and four Top Ten albums in the UK between 1980 and 1990. The band split acrimoniously in 1990 but announced their reunion in March 2009, complete with a tour that began in October 2009.
Saturday, 20 March 2010
Blondie - Heart of Glass
How hot can a woman be without all those plastic surgery? And furthermore, with THIS beautiful voice? Debby Harry ftw! And my favourite band in the 70s-80s.
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.[1] The band was a pioneer in the early American new wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s. Their first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although successful in the United Kingdom and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next three years, the band achieved several hit singles[2] and became noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles incorporating elements of disco, pop, rap, and reggae, while retaining a basic style as a new wave band.[3]
Blondie broke up after the release of their sixth studio album The Hunter in 1982. Debbie Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for partner Chris Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin.[4]
The band reformed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with "Maria" in 1999. The group toured and performed throughout the world[5] during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.[6] Blondie has sold 40 million records worldwide[7] and is still active today, with a new album, Panic of Girls, planned for release in 2011.[8]
Blondie is an American rock band, founded by singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein.[1] The band was a pioneer in the early American new wave and punk scenes of the mid-1970s. Their first two albums contained strong elements of these genres, and although successful in the United Kingdom and Australia, Blondie was regarded as an underground band in the United States until the release of Parallel Lines in 1978. Over the next three years, the band achieved several hit singles[2] and became noted for its eclectic mix of musical styles incorporating elements of disco, pop, rap, and reggae, while retaining a basic style as a new wave band.[3]
Blondie broke up after the release of their sixth studio album The Hunter in 1982. Debbie Harry continued to pursue a solo career with varied results after taking a few years off to care for partner Chris Stein, who was diagnosed with pemphigus, a rare autoimmune disease of the skin.[4]
The band reformed in 1997, achieving renewed success and a number one single in the United Kingdom with "Maria" in 1999. The group toured and performed throughout the world[5] during the following years, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2006.[6] Blondie has sold 40 million records worldwide[7] and is still active today, with a new album, Panic of Girls, planned for release in 2011.[8]
Tuesday, 2 March 2010
The Wallflowers - One Headlight
I know it is weird that after all the 80s music, I posted something from the 90s. I do like the 90s too, which is saw the growth of singers and bands such as Blur, The Verve, Verve Pipe, Oasis, Smashing Pumpkins, Alanis Morrisette, Pulp... ah, too many to mention. The 20th century was certainly the best decade for music. <3
The Wallflowers is a rock band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Jakob Dylan. Formed in 1989 and originally known as The Apples, the ensemble has gone through numerous personnel changes with Dylan the only constant.
They have released five studio albums, one compilation album and have had various songs on television and movie soundtracks. They have won two Grammy awards for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song for their song "One Headlight" in 1998.
The Wallflowers is a rock band from Los Angeles, California, fronted by Jakob Dylan. Formed in 1989 and originally known as The Apples, the ensemble has gone through numerous personnel changes with Dylan the only constant.
They have released five studio albums, one compilation album and have had various songs on television and movie soundtracks. They have won two Grammy awards for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal and Best Rock Song for their song "One Headlight" in 1998.
Monday, 1 March 2010
Pretenders - Don't Get Me Wrong
Chrissie Hynde is still one of my favourite woman. Not only does she sing great, she is an animal activist and vegetarian. Triple points up!
The Pretenders are an English-American rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). The band has experienced drug-related deaths of the members, and numerous subsequent personnel changes have taken place over the years, with Hynde as the sole continual member.[1]
Isn't Chrissie Hynde still beautiful?
The Pretenders are an English-American rock band formed in Hereford, England in March 1978. The original band consisted of initiator and main songwriter Chrissie Hynde (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), James Honeyman-Scott (lead guitar, backing vocals, keyboards), Pete Farndon (bass guitar, backing vocals), and Martin Chambers (drums, backing vocals, percussion). The band has experienced drug-related deaths of the members, and numerous subsequent personnel changes have taken place over the years, with Hynde as the sole continual member.[1]
Isn't Chrissie Hynde still beautiful?
Saturday, 27 February 2010
Stevie Wonder - Sir Duke
What is more inspiring than a blind man singing and playing the piano? Mr. Stevie Wonder himself! Not only can you feel the passion in Stevie's voice when he sings them, but even when he is playing the piano! You can't help but feel swooned by his charm and voice.
Stevland Hardaway Judkins (born May 13, 1950), name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris,[1] known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist.[2] Blind since shortly after birth,[3] Wonder signed with Motown Records' Tamla label at the age of eleven,[2] and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day.
Some of Wonder's best known works include singles such as "Superstition", "Sir Duke", "I Wish" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You". Well known albums also include Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life.[2] He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist.[4] Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a holiday in the United States.[5] In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.[6] In 2008, BillboardHot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Wonder at number five. magazine released a list of the
Stevland Hardaway Judkins (born May 13, 1950), name later changed to Stevland Hardaway Morris,[1] known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist.[2] Blind since shortly after birth,[3] Wonder signed with Motown Records' Tamla label at the age of eleven,[2] and continues to perform and record for Motown to this day.
Some of Wonder's best known works include singles such as "Superstition", "Sir Duke", "I Wish" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You". Well known albums also include Talking Book, Innervisions and Songs in the Key of Life.[2] He has recorded more than thirty U.S. top ten hits and received twenty-two Grammy Awards, the most ever awarded to a male solo artist.[4] Wonder is also noted for his work as an activist for political causes, including his 1980 campaign to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday a holiday in the United States.[5] In 2009, Wonder was named a United Nations Messenger of Peace.[6] In 2008, BillboardHot 100 All-Time Top Artists to celebrate the US singles chart's fiftieth anniversary, with Wonder at number five. magazine released a list of the
Thursday, 25 February 2010
David Bowie - China Girl
How can anyone not know David Bowie, the legend?! What I heard is that David Bowie used to date the Chinese girl in the video. Whether it is true or not, I do not know.
David Bowie (pronounced /ˈboʊ.iː/ BOH-ee;[1] born David Robert Jones, 8 January 1947) is an English rock musician who has also worked as an actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for five decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s, and is known for his distinctive voice and the intellectual depth of his work.
Although he released an album (David Bowie) and several singles earlier, Bowie first caught the eye and ear of the public in July 1969, when the song "Space Oddity" reached the top five of the UK Singles Chart. After a three-year period of experimentation he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with the flamboyant, androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust, spearheaded by the hit single "Starman" and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie's impact at that time, as described by biographer David Buckley, "challenged the core belief of the rock music of its day" and "created perhaps the biggest cult in popular culture."[2] The relatively short-lived Ziggy persona proved merely one facet of a career marked by continual reinvention, musical innovation and striking visual presentation.
In 1975, Bowie achieved his first major American crossover success with the number-one single "Fame", co-written with John Lennon, and the hit album Young Americans, which the singer characterised as "plastic soul". The sound constituted a radical shift in style that initially alienated many of his UK devotees. He then confounded the expectations of both his record label and his American audiences by recording the minimalist album Low (1977)—the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno over the next two years. The so-called "Berlin Trilogy" albums all reached the UK top five and garnered lasting critical praise.
After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes" and its parent album, Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). He paired with Queen for the 1981 UK chart-topping single "Under Pressure", then reached a new commercial peak in 1983 with the album Let's Dance, which yielded the hit singles "Let's Dance", "China Girl", and "Modern Love". Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including blue-eyed soul, industrial, adult contemporary, and jungle. His last recorded album was Reality (2003), which was supported by the 2003–2004 Reality Tour.
Biographer David Buckley says of Bowie: "His influence has been unique in popular culture—he has permeated and altered more lives than any comparable figure."[2] In the BBC's 2002 poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, Bowie was placed at number 29. Throughout his career, he has sold an estimated 136 million albums. In the United Kingdom, he has been awarded 9 Platinum album certifications, 11 Gold and 8 Silver, and in the United States, 5 Platinum and 7 Gold certifications. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him 39th on their list of the "100 Greatest Rock Artists of All Time", and 23rd on their list of the best singers of all-time.
David Bowie (pronounced /ˈboʊ.iː/ BOH-ee;[1] born David Robert Jones, 8 January 1947) is an English rock musician who has also worked as an actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for five decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s, and is known for his distinctive voice and the intellectual depth of his work.
Although he released an album (David Bowie) and several singles earlier, Bowie first caught the eye and ear of the public in July 1969, when the song "Space Oddity" reached the top five of the UK Singles Chart. After a three-year period of experimentation he re-emerged in 1972 during the glam rock era with the flamboyant, androgynous alter ego Ziggy Stardust, spearheaded by the hit single "Starman" and the album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Bowie's impact at that time, as described by biographer David Buckley, "challenged the core belief of the rock music of its day" and "created perhaps the biggest cult in popular culture."[2] The relatively short-lived Ziggy persona proved merely one facet of a career marked by continual reinvention, musical innovation and striking visual presentation.
In 1975, Bowie achieved his first major American crossover success with the number-one single "Fame", co-written with John Lennon, and the hit album Young Americans, which the singer characterised as "plastic soul". The sound constituted a radical shift in style that initially alienated many of his UK devotees. He then confounded the expectations of both his record label and his American audiences by recording the minimalist album Low (1977)—the first of three collaborations with Brian Eno over the next two years. The so-called "Berlin Trilogy" albums all reached the UK top five and garnered lasting critical praise.
After uneven commercial success in the late 1970s, Bowie had UK number ones with the 1980 single "Ashes to Ashes" and its parent album, Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps). He paired with Queen for the 1981 UK chart-topping single "Under Pressure", then reached a new commercial peak in 1983 with the album Let's Dance, which yielded the hit singles "Let's Dance", "China Girl", and "Modern Love". Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Bowie continued to experiment with musical styles, including blue-eyed soul, industrial, adult contemporary, and jungle. His last recorded album was Reality (2003), which was supported by the 2003–2004 Reality Tour.
Biographer David Buckley says of Bowie: "His influence has been unique in popular culture—he has permeated and altered more lives than any comparable figure."[2] In the BBC's 2002 poll of the 100 Greatest Britons, Bowie was placed at number 29. Throughout his career, he has sold an estimated 136 million albums. In the United Kingdom, he has been awarded 9 Platinum album certifications, 11 Gold and 8 Silver, and in the United States, 5 Platinum and 7 Gold certifications. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked him 39th on their list of the "100 Greatest Rock Artists of All Time", and 23rd on their list of the best singers of all-time.
Monday, 22 February 2010
The Smiths - This Charming Man
As a lover of 80s music, I was quite surprised when I have not heard of The Smiths in my home country. But when I went to Britian early this year, a friend introduced me to The Smiths, and I have fallen in love with Morrissey's charming and unique voice. Don't you think it is great too?
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey (vocals) and Johnny Marr (guitar), the band also included Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Critics have called them the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s.[1][2] The group were signed to the independent record label Rough Trade Records, for whom they released four studio albums and several compilations, as well as numerous non-LP singles. Although they had limited commercial success outside the UK while they were still together, and never released a single that charted higher than number 10 in their home country, The Smiths won a growing following, and remain cult and commercial favourites. The band broke up in 1987 amid disagreements between Morrissey and Marr and have turned down several offers to reunite since then.
The Smiths were an English alternative rock band, formed in Manchester in 1982. Based on the songwriting partnership of Morrissey (vocals) and Johnny Marr (guitar), the band also included Andy Rourke (bass) and Mike Joyce (drums). Critics have called them the most important alternative rock band to emerge from the British independent music scene of the 1980s.[1][2] The group were signed to the independent record label Rough Trade Records, for whom they released four studio albums and several compilations, as well as numerous non-LP singles. Although they had limited commercial success outside the UK while they were still together, and never released a single that charted higher than number 10 in their home country, The Smiths won a growing following, and remain cult and commercial favourites. The band broke up in 1987 amid disagreements between Morrissey and Marr and have turned down several offers to reunite since then.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Music we loved
The reason why I set up this blog is to show the younger generation what awesome music there was before the 21st century. Some of the 21st century songs are even sampled from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s. Well, they say, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. So lets hear some old music, shall we?
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