R.I.P: Annette Funicello "Jamaica Ska"

"Do You Know How To Jamaica Ska"?

This quite urgent question was posed by Annette Funicello in the 80's revamp of her 1960's Beach Party Movies with Frankie Avalon, "Back to the Beach".

While too young for the originals, I was not too young for their repeated showings on weekend TV, the Beach Party Movies were something both my parents enjoyed and liked watching together.

Thus I was Beach Party Movie adjacent. I also was exposed to Ms. Funicello via old "Mickey Mouse Club" reruns, she was truly the most beautiful Mouseketeer and the one who, uh filled out quite nicely.

However my very personal memory of Annette will always remain "Back to the Beach" - My college friend Jenny DiMartino of the groovy band The Drews and myself decided to head out and see it one afternoon on a lark.

Settling into the theatre we hoped for the best. What a wonderful tongue in cheek treat we got, with a very game and fun loving Annette and her Co-Star Frankie.

My favorite musical Annette moment will always be her deadpan delivery of the line: "Do you girls know how to Jamaica Ska"? Like it was the most important thing anyone on earth could know, or say...

Now it's time to say goodbye....thanks for the memories my lovely Annette....xoxo

WebTV: In Bed With Joan

Sarah Silverman & Joan Rivers

While watching the reality show "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best" on WE tv Joan, while performing her duties as a Guest Star on a radio talk show gets inspired by the DJ's who encourage her to start her own Internet Talk Show, because first and foremost she can do and say what she wants, without having to answer to Network Executives - You guys had Joan hooked from "doing anything she wants"...

Thus "In Bed With Joan" was born, to all you Rivers fans, of which I am one, this is brilliant news from the First Lady of Comedy.

Luckily for us, the first Guest who Melissa Rivers, Joan's daughter and Executive Producer booked, the notorious Kato Kaelin bailed. He seemed to think shooting a show on a bed and coming out of the closet as Joan's Guest Star was beneath him.

Uh, really Kato? That cheap bleach job you get must be seeping through your skull and giving you brain damage, I mean who are you really anymore and WTF else are you doing that this irreverent and entertaining show is "beneath you", loser?

So who ends up being the first Guest Star? None other than the amaze balls Sarah Silverman, thank you very much, take that Kaelin.

While sometimes I find Joan Rivers downright offensive, when she hits the nail on the head there is no one funnier! But that is what is appealing about her too she is not afraid to "go there" at the risk of offending or failing with a joke.

Ms. Rivers is a machine at the ripe old age of 80! I for one want to have her stamina and energy, but not her face lift, when I reach that age.

As a fan of her reality show - "In Bed With Joan" is a welcome return to The Talk Show format for The Queen of Gab.

Soon to be a Internet sensation (it's well on it's way) check out the latest episode of "In Bed With Joan" with "Entertain Me" friend and staple Margaret Cho.... Hey Joan, "Can We Talk"?

Get your gab on, and crawl into Joan's bed at: http://www.youtube.com/user/inbedwithjoan

Tom Goss + Macklemore & Ryan Lewis = "Can't Hold Us"

Tom Goss

Performer/Songwriter/Musician Tom Goss is back! After causing quite the stir with a strategically placed clock in the video for his last song "Make Believe"

Jump to that here! http://mshinafelt.blogspot.com/2012/11/make-believe-with-tom-goss.html

Tom brings us an acoustic cover of the red hot Macklemore and Ryan Lewis's "Can't Hold Us".

Being someone who is just becoming aware of their popularity and music, I asked Tom to expand on his love of them...Go for it Tom!

"I've found a new artistic lifeblood in watching Marcklemore & Ryan Lewis work. I have always loved hip-hop music but I have always been disappointed that rappers weren't using their influence to promote positive social change. In fact, I'm pretty disappointed with the whole industry in that regard. That's a big reason that I write music.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are more true to their artistic expression then any artist I have ever seen. Because of that, they are able to put everything they have into creating something authentic and wholly their own. As a result, they take the artistry to a new level entirely.

Watching them, and their success, has reinforced my own artistic drive. I understand that in order for me to be the best artist I can be, I need to be uncompromising, in my message, approach and execution.

Watching Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' "Otherside." It will change the way you see hip-hop and music videos. Hopefully, someday I can create something as beautiful."

Well Tom judging by your take on "Can't Hold Us" I think you just did...

Grab Hold of Some Tom at: https://www.facebook.com/tomgossmusic

R.I.P: Roger Ebert - My Memories of Him & The Screening We Both Attended

When I was a kid one of my favorite programs was a movie review show called "Sneak Previews" on public access. It featured Gene Siskel and Pulitzer Prize winner for criticism, Roger Ebert....

I sat glued to the TV set every time it was on, well the show eventually evolved into the nationally syndicated network television hit "At The Movies" when Siskel passed away he was replaced with Richard Roeper, Ebert remained with it from the beginning until the end of it's run.

Roger Ebert's criticisms were some of my favorites, I always liked him more than Siskel, but sometimes Roeper gave him more a run for his money in my opinion.

Also I do have a personal story about Roger Ebert to share. I went to a screening of a movie titled: "White Sands" at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, CA. starring, get this, Willem Dafoe, Mickey Rourke and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

When the movie ended and the lights went up, I saw Roger Ebert get up and try to walk down the aisle. Little did I realize how much sitting in a chair could hide just how overweight you are. Yep, Ebert's stomach was so huge he could not see his own feet let alone the ground, and he missed one of the stairs in the aisle, he stumbled, but did not fall. I laughed not out of any maliciousness, more about the absurdity of the situation.

Gene Siskel & Roger Ebert

He looked at no one in particular and said something about how he could not see the stairs. Well, uh....

Ebert was a class act who did not mince words in his reviews or in life, and he will always be a fond memory for me, he was part of the reason I love movies, his reviews not only criticized they would educate about the art of film.

TV Watch: Norman, Is That You? "Bates Motel"

Being a hardcore Alfred Hitchcock fan and having yet another spin-off made of my favorite Hitchcock film "Psycho" as usual, my curiosity was piqued, yet my dread was building...let's face it, no other Hitchcock masterpiece has been ripped off, paid homage to or had as many sequels or related projects made based on it than the king "Psycho".

With pretty much all of it being disastrous! OK all of it with the exception, of "Psycho 3" with the late great Anthony Perkins, which was genuinely disturbing and had religious imagery that Mr. Hitchcock would have been proud to call his own.

Now, what to say about "Bates Motel" a prequel of Norman Bate's formative years BKMC (before killing Marion Crane) - the fact that it is set in modern times, for me is a little distracting, but the essence of the story and characters are there, so I will give that part a pass.

Also on the plus side we should all be grateful Gus Van Sant has no part in this (the biggest and most horrible blemish on his resume a shot by shot remake of "Psycho") which as a huge fan I went to out of morbid curiosity...it was awful and really should have killed the careers of the the two leads (which seem finally dead now) being void of talent and charisma Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche.

Freddie Highmore & Vera Farmiga

That can not be said for this multiple take on Norman Bates and his Mother Norma...Freddie Highmore as Norman and Vera Farmiga as Norma are very talented, capable actors with charisma to burn. Oedipus didn't see his mother coming either...FYI.

Of course this is the central relationship to the story, and Norman seems like a fairly well adjusted young man despite his Mother's overbearing, control freak ways...until around episode three, yep we are starting to see the cracks in Norman's veneer...the more his Mother uses and abuses him and the more things in their world become unraveled, the more young Norman does too.

It does not help that our youthful Norman has some help pushing him, other than his "psycho" Mother, in the form of an equally unbalanced half brother named Dylan expertly played by Max Theiriot.

What do I think of the show overall? Other than the distraction of having it set in modern times, I am intrigued from week to week, the show plays to fans of the great film that was "Psycho" and is a stand alone for the uninitiated. Hey, it's been keeping me interested....and is the best use of the source material since the original and third sequel, let's face it no one will ever be Alfred Hitchcock, but they can at least do an honorable homage and not crap all over a classic like Gus Van Sant....

"Bates Motel' airs on A&E at 10pm on Mondays

Ponyboy Likes "Dick, Dick, Dick"

Lawrence, Kansas based trash rockers & "Entertain Me" favorites Ponyboy are unzipping their latest "Dick, Dick, Dick" a homage about their love of Dick Cheney on April 9th....NOT! April Fools, only the part about Dick Cheney.

Yes, the boys are releasing the abovementioned CD on April the 9th but it's about the fun kind of dick, not the jerk kind...

Here to tell us about it are Ponyboy themselves, Charles McVey and David Zey!

MS: You guys just got done rehearsing are you all hot and sweaty?

DZ: Yes Sir!

MS: This must be David, how are you boy?

DZ: Good Sir!

MS: That's my boy! It's interesting how with this CD you guys are back to where you started with your insightful, satirical social commentary of your first CD "Little Dick Demo" after venturing into really dark territory with your sophomore CD about serial killer Luka Magnotta "Pussy Killer".

CMcV: The songs from "Little Dick Demo" and "Dick, Dick, Dick" were written at the same time, within the first year of us being a band. That's why they have that familiarity to it. This album is a lot more representative of what we sound like live, I think, where "Pussy Killer" had a lot of bells and whistles in it.

This Shit is Bananas: Charles McVey and David Zey

MS: "Pussy Killer" was really brilliant, but very dark, I think you guys music goes above most people's heads.

CMcV: Sometimes we do piss people off, because they are not looking deeper into what our music is saying. That's OK with me, I was always interested in artists who had some sort of depth to them, we usually  have two layers of ideas involved in our songs. Whether it be satirical or with some kind of homo angst all kind of wrapped together, very tongue in cheek.

MS: It was interesting to me that you are back to the basic origin of your musical themes and you took a unexpected detour as soon as you did, with "Pussy Killer" - It still jelled with your identity as a band, but...

CMcV: Well, the "Dick, Dick, Dick" record was already in production when we did "Pussy Killer". "Pussy Killer" really would have been a later release, but we wanted to release it on Luka Magnotta's 30th Birthday. Therefore there was a time factor involved.

MS: You guys are influenced by a lot of classic imagery, it reminds me of classic Madonna when she would take older references and make them her own.

CMcV: Definitely! I like Madonna a lot! I don't really keep up with contemporary pop music but I like her better than Brittney Spears.

MS: You guys really push buttons, like Ms. M, what line wouldn't you cross?

DZ: No shit and no blood!

MS: Rumor has it Grumpy Cat hates Ponyboy.

DZ: Oh yeah, I saw that. Someone made a Grumpy Cat hating us. Was that you?

MS: Uh, no I saw it and laughed. Being hated by Grumpy Cat is very special actually.

CMcV: I think so too.

MS: What do you think of freeballing?

CMcV: I'm a fan!

MS: David?

DZ: I prefer it, generally speaking. I don't like underwear, it's just extra bullshit you have to wear.

MS: Unless I am going out to a function or something, I freeball the other day when I looked in the mirror I noticed I tent out. (laughs)

DZ: No one would see the ridge of my dick if I didn't do it otherwise. (laughs)

MS: Exactly! That's important. (laughs) One last question, how did you guys meet?

DZ: On Craigslist. My Ex-Boyfriend like to hook up with dudes off of Craigslist. I was never really into that it felt really awkward to me. Anyway my X was into that bullshit, and he came across an ad in the men for men section - it was an ad looking for other gay musicians in the area. He hollered to me: "Honey, look at this Craigslist ad that I found". I'm like, Fuck no seriously I'm not into it. He's like: "It's different, this one's different, it's asking for musicians". So, I just responded: "I am gay I like metal, hardcore and rock-n-roll...I play drums, guitar, etc"...We got together jammed a few times and it all worked out.

MS: Very cool. It's a good marriage, don't you think?

Both: Yes!

"Dick, Dick, Dick" releases April 9th.

Ride Ponyboy at:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ponyboy/143896842344210

http://www.youtube.com/ponyboymusicltd

 http://ponyboymusicltd.bandcamp.com/

I Have An "Alien Ant Farm" In Africa

Ei ei ooooooooooooo.....

Multi-Platinum Alt-Rockers ALIEN ANT FARM

Post Sneak Preview of New Song

Multi platinum rockers Alien Ant Farm have shared a sneak peak of one of their new songs "Let Em Know"....

About Alien Ant Farm:

Since the formation of Alien Ant Farm in 1995, the quartet has enjoyed worldwide success. Over the course of their four studio albums, cumulative sales surpass five million units a Grammy nomination and 4 top 10 singles. The band built a massive following on the road early in their career via high profile 2001 runs with Linkin Park, Papa Roach, Warped, and as the headliner on an MTV presented Fall Tour. In 2002, fame spread across the world, bringing Alien Ant Farm to the major European festivals, Australia's Big Day Out and a headline run in Japan. The following year they returned to Europe with Metallica, and to this day the band has steadily delivered audiences in territories across the globe. 

From the beginning, the clever humor of vocalist Dryden Mitchell and guitarist Terry Corso has delivered visual imagery that made the band vanguards in the realm of music video. All of the singles released received heavy rotation on MTV and MTV2, with "Smooth Criminal" was voted the #2 video of 2001 on MTV's countdown. They appeared on the channel's programs Celebrity Dismissed, MTV Cribs, and hosted House of Style. Alongside the massive support from cable, Alien Ant Farm were darlings of broadcast television with multiple appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and support from Carson Daly, Extra, CNN, Access Hollywood and Mad-TV amongst many more. With all the notoriety also came a 2001 Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock Performance in 2001.

The early history of the band began when the name came from a daydream Terry Corso had while employed at a day job. The concept revolves around the human species being cultivated by alien intelligence, and the colony forming much like it does in a traditional children's toy. In 1999, Alien Ant Farm self-released their debut titled Greatest Hits, which went on to win Best Independent Album at the L.A. Music Awards. In 2000, they signed to DreamWorks SKG, and went on to release Anthology. The following year, a cover of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" became a massive hit overseas, rising to #1 in Australia and New Zealand, and on the U.S. Modern Rock charts. It also rose to #3 in the U.K. To set the record straight on the inspiration behind choosing this song amongst the millions of copyrights, Corso shares, "When we were a young local band in SoCal, we'd play a different cover song by a different artist every show we would do. Wild unexpected stuff and sometimes not even songs we were that into. Just whatever was going on around us on the radio or whatever fit in with our inside jokes at that minute, from Ileah to Gary Glitter to The Police, we had a lot of fun with it. One week we had been throwing the idea of Michael Jackson's "Smooth Criminal" around the jam room, I believe someone had just watched Moonwalker again. The very next sow we played, we hadn't learned the whole song yet but decided to klunk the main riff out for fun, the crowd loved it and went a little crazy. After that we learned the entire song and super charged it. The rest is pretty much history." To this day, the cover is a crowd pleaser. This past October 8th, the band was asked to appear alongside Cee Lo Green, Smokey Robinson and The Jackson Family at the Michael Jackson Forever Tribute Concert in Cardiff, Wales.

In 2003, the Alien Ant Farm entered the studio with Stone Temple Pilots' Robert and Dean DeLeo and cut Truant. Unfortunately, they ran in to unforeseen adversity with the closure of their record label, offering an insurmountable obstacle to continue building on the band's successes. Still under contract to Universal, Geffen green-lit the opportunity for Alien Ant Farm to return to the studio. In 2005, they recorded with Jim Wirt, but that album was not released as scheduled. Alien Ant Farm chose to share it with with fans via a bootlegged version, which has affectionately been re-named 3rd Draft by the public. Looking back on the adversity the band went through, alongside the massive fame Mitchell reflects, "This Alien Ant Farm 'Wave' is a bigger, longer wave than I could have hoped for. All these years later, we are still intact. From friends to foes to friends again, this band is something special, and nothing short of tight and explosive." 

The next year in 2006 Up In The Attic was issued, and for the next several years the members went their separate ways reconvening in 2009 for performances in Kansas City, the Sonisphere Festival in Knebworth, UK and at the WARPED Tour in memory of Michael Jackson. They were back, and come 2010 began to rebuild a legacy that grows with each passing month. The band staged a very successful tour over the Summer and Fall, where they road tested new material in front of the live audience. In the New Year, they'll release the new recordings. Mitchell shares, "The First batch of these new songs are pretty to the point and pissed. Angry, but not negative. That is possible in this non tangible, musical and lyrical world. Unfortunately not possible in the real world, and that's why I love music. I can get this all out without hurting anyone."

Come 2013 Alien Ant Farm will return, and the path for the future will unfold one day at a time. The band is hard at work on their new record "Always And Forever" (AAF) which will be release in the summer of 2013, guitarist Corso shares, "We are pretty excited for the year to come. We just came off of a three-month tour in the U.S. that made us realize that with the original line-up back together, we have fire and hunger again. With a fresh new collection, we hope to get our core fans excited, as well as turn some brand new listeners on to the ALIEN ANT FARM sound and show the world we have a lot more to offer than the average rock band.” Having the original members back in the line-up will give the fans what they have been waiting for." In summation, bassist Zamora offers, "Although we spent a couple of years apart and wrote our last record with only three original members, there is no denying the chemistry of the original four piece. The band, the show, and the songs are just better with all of the original members doing what they were born to do, being Alien Ant Farm." Drummer Cosgrove echoes, "It's good to have the original core back together." With strong repertoire, great attitudes, and a fan base that has been there every step of the way, the future is lining up nicely for Alien Ant Farm.

Go Meryl Streep and have an "Alien Ant Farm" in Africa - Ei ei oooooooooooo:

http://www.alienantfarm.com/