Friday, May 14, 2021

"Cover Boy"

Stewart Taylor


 STEWART TAYLOR IS TAILOR-MADE IN “COVER BOY”

HIS NEW SINGLE AND MUSIC VIDEO

Stewart Taylor’s “Cover Boy” is a modern pop track with a seventies’ throwback vibe about falling in love, knowing your self-worth in a relationship, and not playing mind games along the way. Produced by DWhit and co-written by Taylor with his longtime collaborator Benjamin Samama, the song also draws inspiration from bold men who take chances with their style and aren't afraid to be both masculine and feminine, glamorous and rough around the edges.  “James Dean, Marlon Brando, Harry Styles, and Timothée Chalamet are by far my favorite cover boys,” says Stewart Taylor.   “I've always had a soft spot for the old school, brooding, classic Hollywood types.”  Stewart Taylor’s “Cover Boy” is being distributed independently and is available on Apple Music, Spotify, and all digital platforms.  Its video is available on YouTube.

“I was inspired to write ‘Cover Boy’ after landing my first magazine cover for my last single, ‘Mess Your Hair Up’,” Stewart Taylor continues from his Los Angeles home.  “I had just started dating someone new and the idea came to me when I felt like he wasn’t making enough of an effort to take things to the next level. I wanted to be his cover boy. I wanted to be front and center; the starring role in his life. The relationship didn't end up working out but it was a great premise for a song!”

“Cover Boy” expands both sonically and vocally from Taylor’s previous release, “Mess Your Hair Up”.   “I've evolved a lot as an artist over the years. I’ve tried on different sounds and outfits, stripped those things away, started over, and have rebuilt and rebranded myself into what I feel is the most authentic me in the moment.  I've come into my own with my music, dance, and fashion and everything I do now is a lot more influenced by funk and R&B while still staying very pop.”

Stewart Taylor sings in a sexier, lower tone on “Cover Boy,” reminiscent of early Robin Thicke.

The music video reflects his evolution as an artist.  Directed by Brad Hammer and styled by Kiki Xtravaganza and Kályd Odeh, the video is vintage, stylish, flirty and joyful.   Taylor turns out many different looks from Guess, Versace, and Chanel; surrounding himself with old vintage magazines, Polaroids, and a stereo from 1982.  He even dons a triangle jacket that pays homage to Madonna and the movie Desperately Seeking Susan

“I love bringing little moments from the past and carrying them into the future like that in videos. Hopefully some of the hardcore Madonna fans will get the reference!” 

Stewart Taylor is an LA-based singer, songwriter, dancer, and MMG model. He grew up in a small town outside of New York City, where he began writing songs and performing in local talent shows and Lower East Side clubs. Since graduating from Berklee College of Music in Boston, he's collaborated with Grammy-nominated songwriters and producers Charlie Puth, (Wiz Khalifa) Kara DioGuardi, (P!nk, Katy Perry) Jayson DeZuzio, (Imagine Dragons) and David Pramik (Selena Gomez).

In addition to writing for himself, Stewart Taylor has penned songs for Romanian pop star Antonia and American Idol's David Hernandez.   He is an active voice in the LGBTQ+ community and his coming out story was featured in the New York Times bestselling book, It Gets Better: Coming Out, Overcoming Bullying, and Creating A Life Worth Living.

“I struggled through this last year of pandemic,” he reveals, “but I'm coming out of it wiser and more driven to succeed than ever before.  I’m not waiting in the wing for the industry to shine its stage light on me.  Nor am I going to wait on the side while some guy decides whether or not he wants a real relationship.  My time is valuable and I’m not wasting another second.”

Stewart Taylor’s “Cover Boy ” is available on Apple Music, Spotify and all digital platforms.   Its video is on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=numGLNO6B7c.  Visit www.stewarttaylorofficial.com.  Follow on Instagram @  Stewarttaylormusic   

Thursday, May 13, 2021

Michael's Musings

"Dun Dun"
Michael Shinafelt 

Tonight is another Law & Order; SVU crossover with Law & Order: Organized Crime, "Yes!!!" Can you tell how excited I am?! Of course you can, hence the Law & Order themed image...thus I hereby decree that this weeks column has an unofficial theme, one guess as to what that is, moving forward, never sideways...PS feeling my Stabler impression???

Don't walk through the door and make fun of my muffin, the more you know

Calm down Cheese Whiskers

I would like to thank you for the meltdown

Can't wait for twice the Christopher Meloni tonight, anyone with a pulse knows why!

When you have a list of names written with red underlines...

Fact of the Day: Barbarians invented pants

Mariska Hargitay truly inhabits the role of Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU

What do you do when there is a vibrator in your chicken? 

Woman Crush of the Week - Kelli Giddish as Detective Amanda Rollins on Law & Order: SVU She nails it every episode!

Embrace your originality 

Liz Cheney was cancelled for speaking the truth, pass it on

How about that Dylan McDermott as Richard Wheatley Mafia Boss on Law & Order: Organized Crime? Is it wrong to find a Mafia Boss sexy? Asking for a friend.

Ice-T as Fin Tutuola = Perfection

You know what I'll be watching tonight, for sure!

Find out where I will be watching it here:

https://www.instagram.com/michaelshinafelt/?hl=en

https://twitter.com/MShinafelt 

Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Hump Day & Chill

Anthony Perkins

While Mother's Day has come and gone I came across this quite enticing post focusing on Anthony Perkins and Psycho for said day, naturally on Tye Briggs Favorite Hunks & Other Things yesterday. 

Thus today we are going to Hump Day & Chill to the late, great Mr. Perkins a guy who I admittedly had a crush on after my first viewing of, well, Psycho. What's that you say? How could I crush on Norman Bates? Well I was crushing on Perkins, hey he was one handsome dude, not to mention he imbued Norman with mega watt charm. How else could Norman get away with what he did for so long? I ask you, not sure why I did because I know you will not answer.

Apparently Tye dug up the only nude scene Anthony did (unfortunately it was only a booty shot) in a film called Ten Days Wonder. However there is some VPL in the piece that shows Mr. Perkins sporting a barely there bathing suit.

So here we are with another edition of Hump Day & Chill, you know you want to, so click on the link below and get to it Minions!!!

https://favoritehunks.blogspot.com/2021/05/mother-oh-god-mother.html

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Tunesday - Coloursound



COLOURSØUND [Billy Duffy x Mike Peters]

Reveal Video for "Paradise (Free People) HERE


COLOURSØUND II Set For July 16th 2021 


COLOURSØUND, the alt-rock songwriting project created by Billy Duffy of The Cult and Mike Peters of The Alarm is set to release their brand new album COLOURSØUND II on July 16th 2021.  The album's lead track & video "Paradise (Free People) has premiered via Classic Rock magazine HERE

 

Closing a gap of twenty years between their first record and now, the Coloursøund partnership of Billy Duffy and Mike Peters was originally forged in 1997 when neither were aligned to the groups they are equally synonymous with. By the time they had written and released their first album COLOURSØUND back in 1999, both Billy and Mike had returned to fly their banners with The Cult and The Alarm respectively.

 

"You could say that our songwriting partnership was born outside of wedlock”, says Peters. “When we first started working together in the late 1990’s we had no allegiance to either The Cult or The Alarm. We were drawn to write instinctively together, Billy drove the music from a guitar perspective and I would add lyrics and vocals affected by being in the presence of someone who had followed a similar life journey and affected as I had, by the turbulence of the rock and roll existence."

 

The original Coloursøund album was released in 1999 HERE and over the two decades since, grew a reputation all of its own forever linking Billy Duffy and Mike Peters, who have often played together since, performing their Coloursøund songs at every opportunity. 

 

Fast forward to 2019 - Billy Duffy sent Mike Peters a guitar riff via email that immediately triggered a choral response. Within weeks, the pair had located to a beach cottage in a remote part of the North Wales coastline to write again. By the raging winter sea shore, that first moment of creativity became Paradise [Free People] the opening song of COLOURSØUND II .

COLOURSØUND II is a record of raw power, utilizing rock’s essential components of guitar,vox, bass and drums. Simple,but effective.  

 

Coloursound
Photo:
Jules Jones Peters


Free people is who we are now,” says Billy. “We have a lot more understanding of how life works and the original Coloursøund phase taught us both so much about ourselves, that we were able to return, survive and thrive in the bands that we made our reputations with. Ever since we first started working together, we have both retained and hung on to elements of that newly found artistic freedom we experienced through the Coloursøund project. By hiking together with Love Hope Strength, playing together in Dead Men Walking or producing records with other musicians. 2019 felt like the right time to do something together as Coloursound. What neither of us saw coming was the pandemic and how this music would help us both through the challenges of Lockdown”.

 

COLOURSØUND II was recorded between the lockdowns at the Chapel Studio in Lincolnshire with bass player George Williams and Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros drummer Smiley making up the rhythm section.

 

“I had this vision to create a really simple, direct rock record” continues Billy. “A record that allowed both Mike and I to do what we do best and be heard for who we are. Almost like we were playing live without overdubs. I had a belief that a record recorded and delivered in this manner, would cut through and sound as contemporary as anything out there. We have gathered so much experience between us, that I felt we could be totally honest in our musicianship and deliver a record that captured the essence of our relationship.”

 

Produced by George Williams (who also played bass), COLOURSØUND II is dominated by Billy Duffy’s lighting strike guitar passages channeled through the pure expression and emotive vox of Mike Peters.

 

"As soon as I opened Billy’s email and heard that first classic riff of his, I knew the calling of Colousround had to be answered." says Mike Peters. "No one plays guitar like Billy, he’s the master of his art and more, and to create music and sing with him is a privilege.This is not The Cult, nor is it The Alarm. This is Coloursøund - alive because it exists. Here and now because we have made It so, and this is the time to set it free.”

 

COLOURSOUND II will be released on July 16th 2021. The release will be available digitally as well as on CD and a Studio Edition Limited Colour Vinyl.

The album is available to pre-order at http://bit.ly/Coloursound_Store

The debut album for Coloursound is now available for streaming and download HERE  


Monday, May 10, 2021

Hey, It's National Shrimp Day...Woot!

See George Eat Shrimp, Eat George, Eat!
George Costanza 
(Jason Alexander)

There's got to be a morning after..."Yes" it's the morning after Mother's Day, as I am getting ready to embark on yet another week of various endeavors I happened to notice today is also National Shrimp Day!

Well now, isn't this special, isn't it? I'm asking a question, whatever moving on. I personally like to buy pre-cooked, pre-packaged shrimp at the store and use it in a salad. That's the way I imbibe it, uh-huh.

Here we have the Entertain Me National Shrimp Day Mascot, George Costanza (Jason Alexander) from Seinfeld inhaling a big bowl of said seafood along with, I am guessing some shrimp cocktail sauce.

While I don't suggest eat shrimp like he does, I do suggest you be like George and celebrate today by chowing down on some in your favorite way. That is unless you are allergic.

May the shrimp be with you today!

National Shrimp Day on the WWW -

https://nationaldaycalendar.com/days-2/national-shrimp-day-may-10/

Sunday, May 9, 2021

Original Vision



Overtone Industries Premieres

the Maiden Voyage of its Opera-Theater

Development Workshop Series

Original Vision

With Three New Works by Diverse Librettist/Composer Teams

Saturday, May 29, 2021 via YouTube 

Featuring Original Mythic Short Films

Steeped in Diverse Human Experiences

by 

Lily Min Ren & Livia Reiner (“Azure’s Hands”), Molly Pease & Divya Maus (“Hysteria”), and Jason V. Barabba & June Carryl (“Untitled Aunt Jemima Project”)

Overtone Industries, the multifaceted opera-theater company known for authentic storytelling, is excited to announce the maiden voyage of Original Vision, its new developmental workshop series of innovative works by diverse librettist/composer teams. In this inaugural offering on Saturday, May 29, 2021, Overtone Industries will introduce three powerful pieces that address imposed identity, racism, the untamed nature of women, and inner freedom. Original Vision offers art enthusiasts, music lovers, and theater aficionados a unique evening of opera-theater at home via YouTube from 7:00pm to 8:00pm PDT. Tickets are available on a donation basis, starting at $10. For a $100 sponsorship donation, a VIP ticket will include a post-show meet-and-greet with the artists via Zoom. O-Lan Jones, a long-time innovator of 21st-century opera, award-winning composer, sound designer, writer, and actress, and founder of Overtone Industries, leads the production with her trusted colleague, composer/conductor Fahad Siadat, as music director. To learn more and purchase tickets please visit https://www.overtoneindustries.org/original_vision.

Saturday, May 8, 2021

Pamela Anderson Vibes

Lily, Pam, Lily, Pam!
Lily James

Recognize this pic of Pamela Anderson circa the Barb Wire era? Well, wait for it, this is actually Lily James from the upcoming Hulu limited series Pam & Tommy. The story is set to revolve around her and Tommy Lee's (Sebastian Stan)  whirlwind romance and sex tape scandal.

When I initially heard of this project I was like meh. But then I found out that the eight episode series is being directed by Craig Gillespie of I, Tonya fame. Now I am excited as I, Tonya took the bio-pic format and gave it a triple axel.

If the end result of Pam & Tommy is anywhere near as entertaining, well we the audience are in for a real treat!

BTW - while Lily James bears an at a glance resemblance to Anderson, she sure is giving Pamela Anderson Vibes in the stills I have seen thus far. "Yes" I have interviewed Ms. Anderson so I do have something other than media impressions to base this on.

Enjoy your day!

Pam & Tommy on Wikipedia -