Retro Spins: Eurythmics - In The Garden

 

My first foray into Eurythmics way back in 2018, which was my first year of starting Retro Spins. It was there that I played through their breakthrough album, 1983's Sweet Dream (Are Made Of This). At the time, it didn't blow me away.

In October of 2022, I finally got back around the to group, this time moving into their follow-up, Touch, also released in 1983. My review was short, and to the point. I dug the hits, and the rest was a hard pass. I ultimately finished the post by saying that I didn't see myself becoming a fan of Eurythmics.

This in and of itself was a problem because at that point, I had already obtained the majority of their 80's catalog. Mainly because of the hits which were sporadically spread across them all. As such, I still need to make my way through several albums. Since I'm a glutton for punishment, a decided before tackling this that I'd go ahead and pick up the only release from the 80's which I didn't have, their 1981 debit, In The Garden. It felt appropriate to go ahead and cross it off the list, and add it to the collection.

To get a full picture of Eurythmics foundation, one first need to go back to folk band, Longdancer, which featured Peet Coombes, and Dave Stewart. The two would move to London, where they would meet Annie Lennox, and in 1976 formed the band, The Catch. They would pick up members Eddie Chin, and Jim Toomey, while changing their name to The Tourists. As The Tourist, they released three albums, 1979's The Tourists, and Reality Check, and 1980's Luminous Basement. The band broke up shortly after a tour that year.

Stewart and Lennox had become a couple, and while staying in a hotel in Wagga Wagga, Australia, decided to work as the duo, Eurythmics, promising to remain the only two members, and only utilizing other players when needed. They also broke up as a couple shortly thereafter. Having already been signed to RCA as The Tourists, the two once again turned to them as Eurythmics, and were signed again. They would remain with the label for their entire studio discography, 1981 - 1999.

They released their debut, In The Garden, on October 16, 1981, relevant to me for being the day and month my brother was born. However, unlike my brother, the album didn't go far. It was met with critics and listeners not understanding its unique sound of psychedelia, punk and synth pop.

As I played through it, the song Belinda is where I started hearing those ghostly resonating notes that Lennox would make part of her sound in later songs, and it was with Take Me To Your Heart that I finally conceded that what I was hearing so far was actually pretty good. 

She's Invisible Now gave me a bit of that synth pop sound that would become a mainstay for the duo. Meanwhile, Caveman Head took me back to what I felt, presumably, was the remnants of the punk band The Tourists. Despite being in French, Sing-Sing was also an intriguing tune.

Essentially, it became ironic at what critics and listeners panned In The Garden for because that's ultimately what ended up appealing to me. It's unique, different, and was a pretty solid debut, as far as I'm concerned. I liked the heavy bass, and mixture of guitar sounds, and it's kind of disappointing in retrospect that Eurythmics would lean so heavily into synthesizers and drum machines for future albums.

As noted above, Eurythmics broke through with their 1983 released Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This), and from there, somewhat dominated the 80's with their catchy stylistic music. I always found it particularly interesting how their biggest hits were those which had rinse and repeat lyrics from start to finish, such as the title track to Sweet Dreams, and Here Comes The Rain Again. They always felt (to me) like a minimal effort artist as a result.

After releasing their second and third albums, the duo would set to work on the soundtrack to the film, 1984, released the same year as its namesake. However, Stewart and Lennox would later come to find out that their involvement was against the wishes of the film's writer / director, Michael Radford. He would go on to say that their music was forced upon him by the studio. Meanwhile, Eurythmics would say that they were misled by the producers, and ultimately wouldn't have provided any music if they knew their contribution wasn't wanted by the filmmaker.

We'll pause here, and pick up tomorrow with their 1985 album, Be Yourself Tonight.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 30, 1982

 

Comics Corner: The Avengers 237

   

Title: The Avengers
Issue Number: 237
Release Date: November 1983

Highlights

  • The camaraderie of Electro, Moonstone, Blackout, and Rhino is falling apart before it's even started
  • Electro doesn't want to go up against the Avengers and Spider-Man, fearing they are far outnumbered
  • Rhino accuses Blackout of siding with the Avengers
  • Spider-Man is again offered the opportunity to become an Avenger trainee
  • Starfox realizes that him hiding his special powers from the Avengers could become problematic in the future, and ponders if he should keep it a secret indefinitely
  • The Avengers ask the government for approval to sign on Spider-Man as a trainee, and are told no
Low Points
  • Spider-Man seems to only be interested in joining the Avengers for the $1,000.00 paycheck - other than that, he has no interest in being part of the team
Oddities
  • TBD
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Elton John - Reg Strikes Back

 

Regrouping, Elton John planned a comeback album. One which would not only put him back on top, but also serve as fighting back against the bad press surrounding him. It would serve its purpose by going platinum, but didn't spawn too many hits. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That, subsequently the song I purchased the album for, would peak at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. The only other to chart would be A Word In Spanish would , which peaked at nineteen, and would be a hit I had long forgotten about.

With exception of a fun fact about the cover, there's not much to say about the album's conception. That fact being that it featured a selection of wardrobe which John would put up for auction. So, if you wanted a piece of clothing from John's personal collection, you had your opportunity.

Well, enough blah, blah, blah on that stuff. Let's dive in.

Town Of Plenty sets a solid tone for things, and being followed up with A Word In Spanish was a nice bit of icing on the cake so far. It was very obvious that the days of guitars and pianos were kind of done for Elton. In its place were a mix of R&B and synth pop, which I'm not sad about.

Mona Lisa And Mad Hatters (Part 2), has a funky horn driven sound to it, which I kind of can only equate to something you'd hear from Prince out of the Minneapolis scene. I dug it. In hindsight, I kind of wish Prince sung it. Following this was the hit, I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That.

Goodbye Marlon Brando, Heavy Traffic, and Holy Cow, were decent tracks, but overall things kind of tanked overall for the album. Nothing really grabbed my attention in a must hear way. I think, personally, I was just in Elton John fatigue at that point. Even with taking sporadic breaks, I honestly just didn't want to listen to him anymore.

Elton John went on to release another 10,000 albums do date, none of which I'm going to spend any time listening to, with exception of maybe one. Regimental Sgt. Zippo, released in 2021, was initially planned as his debut album. However, it was cancelled when his publisher didn't approve of the musical style. I might check that one out. But, before that, I'm off to more 80's stuff.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 29, 1983
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 29, 1988


Comics Corner: The Avengers

   

Title: The Avengers
Issue Number: 236
Release Date: October 1983

Highlights

  • Spider-Man breaks into Avenger's headquarters, and tells them he's there to join up
  • The Avengers decline his offer, telling him he's missed their recruitment period, and have a six "man" team limit
  • The Avengers do offer him an opportunity to join the trainee program as a potential backup - Spider-Man declines, almost arogantly
  • Reference is made to The Avengers 5, 221, The Amazing Spider-Man 243, Marvel Two-In-One 42, Captain America Annual 7, Marvel Team-Up Annual 5, Iron Man 109, and Nova 19
  • The alarm goes off at the Avenger's headquarters, and despite offering to help, Spider-Man is sent on his way
  • Spider-Man hitches a ride, unknowingly by the team, to the bottom of their Quinjet as it takes off
  • The Avengers aren't happy when they find out Spider-Man tagged along to Project Pegasus, and Captain America informs him he's breached a high security facility by doing so
  • Spider-Man doesn't follow Captain America's orders, causing a bigger issue by using his webbing on the lava men, instead of making barriers as instructed - Cap chastises him for not following orders, and reminds him as a team everyone needs to do as they're told
  • As the scientists of Project Pegasus continue to analyze the Croit Stabilizer, they inadvertently free Blackout from it
  • Blackout releases Moonstone from her prison at Project Pegasus, and in turn the two free Rhino and Electro
  • The lava men call Captain Marvel the lady of light, and bow down to her
  • The lava men tell Captain Marvel that when the Earth people drilled into their home that they saw it as an attack, and were retaliating
  • The four villains decide to take over the nuclear reactor of the facility to extract their revenge for being imprisoned there
Low Points
  • Generic lava men are the villains of the story
  • Spider-Man really doesn't feel necessary to the story, and just comes off as arrogant
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Elton John - Leather Jackets

 

Back and forth, back and forth. Elton John keeps getting deviated from to focus on other things, and frankly, it's his fault. If he didn't release 5,000 albums between 1980 and 1989, it'd be a little easier to get through them all. This time, I'm making my final push. There's two more albums I need to get through, and I'm going to focus, focus, focus these next two days on doing that.

We start off with 1986's Leather Jackets. Heavy into cocaine, Elton John entered the studio to create what he would later call his least favorite album. Critically, it was negatively received, siting it as a bunch of throw away songs, poor production, and a general lack of quality. It's considered such a bad album, that to date, it's not been remastered or reissued on CD since the 90's. Though, it is available for digital download.

Well, that's an incredibly low bar. This one should be fun.

Starting it up, I get the vibe of Queen's Hot Space. Something incredibly different, and not in a good way. It set the tone that it belonged in a certain type of bar, if you know what I mean.

Still, I won't pan it for its different sound, or lackluster production. Instead, I'll point out that there are decent songs here. Especially if you're into drum machines and heavy synthesizer, both which work for me. I dug Hoop Of Fire, Don't Trust That Woman, and Go It Alone.

Where Leather Jackets falters, and ultimately fails, for me, is its the heavy use of ballads to fill space. I don't mind the occasional one here and there, but an abundance of them, I don't need. Candidly, I tuned out the second half of the album as a result.

I guess my overall consensus of this one is that it's frankly just boring. Too many ballads, not enough hits, nothing to really tap your toes to. Is it the worst Elton John has every produced? I don't know. Maybe. I haven't heard much from him outside of the 80's, so I don't think it would be fair for me to say.

While he'd release two more albums in the 80's, 1988's Reg Strikes Back, and 1989's Sleeping With The Past, I've already played through the latter, so for me, there's just one more to check off. I'll be making it a point to do so tomorrow so that I can finally cross Elton off my "to do" list.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 28, 1989

 

Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 246

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 246
Release Date: November 1983

Highlights

  • Watcher opens the story talking about the dreams of people, foreshadowing the story
  • Spider-Man comes to Felicia in the hospital, bringing her Black Cat costume for a night out in the city
  • Black Cat and Spider-Man are paid $500,000.00 for helping steal a set of foreign documents
  • Spider-Man reveals himself to Black Cat, showing that he's really Cary Grant
  • Spider-Man antagonizes J. Jonah Jameson, saying that the Daily Bugle wouldn't even exist if it weren't for him giving them news to write about
  • J. Jonah Jameson beats the tar out of Spider-Man until he concedes that The Bugle, and free press give more to the city than he, Spider-Man, ever could
  • The entire Bugle staff cheers as Jonah knocks Spider-Man out, all while Peter Parker takes the photos
  • Mary Jane Watson is headed for a show with a date, only to find it's her name on the marquee advertising her story as a show coming soon
  • People are waiting in line six months in advance to get tickets
  • Mary Jane decides to play herself in the play, only to be approached by her sister, saddled with two kids, reminding her not to forget to have a role for her since acting is what she always wanted to do
  • Reference is made to The Avengers 236. and 237
  • Spider-Man sees J. Jonah Jameson being by everyone from his rogues gallery, all at once, and swings into action
  • Before fighting, Spider-Man throws his small camera, which transformers into a massive 35mm camera with an extended lense and tripod
  • J. Jonah Jameson watches in awe as Spider-Man fights everyone despite him being such a jerk to the hero
  • Jameson literally kisses Spider-Man's feet, swearing he'll make a public apology for all he's said, which he then does
  • Peter Parker wins the Pulitzer Prize for his photos of Jameson kissing his feet
  • Dr. Sloan brusts in on the award ceremony and tells Peter the university is granting him an automatic doctorate degree because the experiment he left behind when quitting school is curing "everything"
  • Spider-Man is given the key to the city, and multiple heroes are there to see it happen
  • Spider-Man is made a full fledged Avenger, but Thing tells Iron Man to forget it because they want him in the Fantastic Four
  • Spider-Man provides a compromise that he'll be an Avenger Monday through Wednesday, and part of the Fantastic Four Thursday through Saturday, taking Sunday for himself
  • All of the above, if you haven't caught on, were the daydreams of all those involved
  • After being jarred from his daydream, Spider-Man sees a skinny "nerd" being bullied by some kids who take his glasses, and knock his books on the ground
  • Spider-Man scares the bullies off, gives the kid some advice to enjoy reading, but not forget about the real world
  • The kid, seeing Spider-Man goes into his own daydream of being Spider-Man
  • The story is its own fun "What If"
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Just Doodling - Chip 'N Dale Rescue Rangers


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Retro Spins: Ozzy Osbourne - No Rest For The Wicked

 

Today, I finish up my 80's journey through Ozzy Osbourne. If there's one thing that baffles me, it's that despite having their contributions negated, and a loss of credit and royalties as a result, several artists continued to come back to the Osbourne well.

Guitarist Jake E. Lee, who for some reason came back after 1983's Bark At The Moon to be part of 1986's The Ultimate Sin, was replaced by Zakk Wylde for No Rest For The Wicked. Bassist Bob Daisley, who came and went throughout Ozzy's earlier albums, sometimes being fired, would return for the album, but then be fired again. He'd be replaced by Black Sabbath bassist, Geezer Butler for subsequent touring.

While I dig a lot of tracks on No Rest For The Wicked, what particularly stands out for me is the groundwork it lays for the forthcoming No More Tears. Despite being three years out, there's a lot of familiarity in the sound.

With that said, I'd be remis to not mention the standout tracks here. For me, those encompass Miracle Man, Crazy Babies, Breaking All The Rules, and Fire In The Sky, the latter possibly being my favorite from the album. It changes based on my mood. However, that's not to say the rest isn't enjoyable. Devil's Daughter, Bloodbath In Paradise, Demon Alcohol, Tattooed Dancer are all decent tracks. I guess I would go so far as to say that No Rest For The Wicked might be a good one to have on vinyl.

CD and cassette releases got the bonus track, Hero, which isn't bad. If you managed to pick up the Japanese version, you'd net yourself an additional song, Liar. It's a decent bonus, but not necessarily one I would say is worth tracking a Japanese version down for.

This wraps up my Ozzy journey. I mean, I guess I could say you should listen to No More Tears (1991). That's an amazing album. Despite being touted as his retirement tour, before he came back for another thirty years, I'd even recommend 1993's Live & Loud. Things past that I can't say much about. I do own 1995's Ozzmosis, and think it's okay, but I've not heard anything past that. I'm considering checking them out though.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 27, 1984

 

Comics Corner: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 83

   

Title: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man
Issue Number: 83
Release Date: October 1983

Highlights

  • Black Cat sneaks out of her hospital again, and in doing so finds and helps a white cat that she keeps
  • Captain DeWolff lets Spider-Man tag along and help bust up a counterfeit credit card operation
  • After telling Spider-Man it's close to visiting hours at the hospital, Captain DeWolff thinks to herself that if Black Cat ever dumps Spider-Man that he should give her a call
  • Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 245
  • Black Cat tells Spider-Man that when she's all better that she wants to work side by side with him
  • Spider-Man leaves to go think about it, clearly not a fan of the idea - Mainly because of the danger it poses to Black Cat
  • Punisher is coming up for his first court hearing since being recaptured
  • A brief telling of how Frank Castle became the Punisher
  • J. Jonah Jameson explains that Punisher used to be a good guy, but then went total vigilante, and expresses his concern if Spider-Man should do the same - We finally understand why Jameson hates Spider-Man - He's afraid he too will go rogue
  • Peter Parker is sent to get photos of Punisher's trial, and Ben Urich is sent to get the story
  • Punisher is deemed insane, and therefore won't stand trial - Instead, he'll be sent to a mental hospital
  • Peter Parker worries if he'll one day snap mentally
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • Everyone, including the court keeps referring to him as "Punisher", and not by his name, Frank Castle, which he's been known as since his debut in The Amazing Spider-Man 129
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Ozzy Osbourne - Bark At The Moon


Picking up in my own personal Ozzfest, I come to 1983's Bark At The Moon. It's an album that as a teenager I remember no liking very much. As such, when it came time for this review, I felt it appropriate to listen to it again before putting my final thoughts down.

The album sees a change in musical styles for Ozzy with the inclusion of synthesizers. It adds a more synth-pop sound to the mix of the once straight up hard rock / heavy metal sound, but it works in moderation. It's also the first to feature guitarist Jake E. Lee, and drummer Tommy Aldridge. Oddly, recently fired bassist, Bob Daisley, would also return to the album.

Depending on the version you picked up, European, or USA, would determine what tracks you got, as well as the order they appeared. Slow Down, which was included on the USA release, was replaced by Spiders for the European edition. Additionally, Centre Of Eternity was renamed to Forever on the European release. Interestingly, when Ozzy refers to the song in concerts, he called it Forever. So, I'm going to lean to that being the actual title.

Bark At The Moon, much like its predecessor isn't exempt from drama, and also like it seems to be the result of Sharon Osbourne. Guitarist Jake E. Lee has stated in interviews how he was robbed of royalties after being presented a contract upon completion of the album by Sharon. She allegedly stated that the guitarist needed to sign the contract, forego all his credit on the album, and in return he'd be allowed to continue working with Ozzy. Without it, his work would be stripped from the album, and his parts re-recorded. Lee states he signed it because he had no legal representation, and felt that he'd be fired if he didn't comply.

Daisley's lyrics for Now You See It (Now You Don't), were a jab directly at Sharon, and the bassist has stated his surprise that it was included on the album. The opening lyrics, "Overbearing woman makin' it so hard for me," set the whole tone, and Daisley doesn't hold back.

Playing through Bark At The Moon is more favorable now than it's been in the past. While back in my teen years, I would have told you the only salvageable tracks were the title song, Slow Down, and on occasion, So Tired, I now have a better appreciation for it as a whole. It makes me wonder if the overly used synthesizers were perhaps a hang up for me during my more hard rock / metal days.

Its not a perfect album. There's songs I prefer over others. In fact, it's still the title track and Slow Down, but the rest aren't as bad as I remembered them. I do think this album would have gotten more playtime with me back in the day if I had the perspective I have now.

There's more going on my shuffle list as of today, You're No Different, Now You See It (Now You Don't), and Waiting For Darkness. Whether or not they will become among the skippable is yet to be determined.

From there, I close the book on Bark At The Moon, and will finish everything up tomorrow with 1988's No Rest For The Wicked. Stop by if you're feeling like it.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 26, 1985


Comics Corner: Marvel Team-Up 135

   

Title: Marvel Team-Up
Issue Number: 135
Release Date: November 1983

Highlights

  • First appearance of Strigor, and Edward
  • Spider-Man is knocked unconscious while trying to stop a robbery on the subway which leads to two trains colliding
  • The Morlocks carry an unconscious Spider-Man away
  • Kitty Pryde is babysitting two kids, Jeff and Edward, who are playing Sewers & Serpents
  • The two kids sneak out after Kitty is asleep to play a real life game of Serwers & Serpents
  • Edward is taken by the Morlocks, and when Jeff gets Kitty in an attempt to help, he too is taken
  • Reference is made to The Uncanny X-Men 170
  • The Morlocks say they're going to eat the two kids
  • Jeff and Edward free Spider-Man from his electricity charged prison
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Ozzy Osbourne - Diary Of A Madman


Upon hearing of the death of Ozzy Osbourne I found myself admittedly sadder than I thought I would be. While I hadn't kept up with him since his 1995 Ozzmossis album, nor really paid much attention to his prior albums in quite some time, I still felt the impact of a world that would no longer have Ozzy in it.

This prompted me to go back through my albums, and in doing so, I realized that despite having listened to them numerous times, I'd never done a Retro Spin for the majority of them. I started back in 2021 with his 1980 debut, Blizzard Of Ozz, and then again in 2022 with 1986's The Ultimate Sin, and then simply moved on to other things. Well, over the next few days, I thought it would be appropriate to rectify that. So, if you'll excuse me while I deviate from Elton John (again), and dive into some of the Oz Man.

1981's Diary Of A Madman would be the beginning of numerous behind the scenes issues, all commencing with the coming of Sharon Osbourne as Ozzy's new manager. His wife took the position once held by her brother, and with it came a slew of problems and turmoil. While the most talked about was the death of guitarist Randy Rhoads on March 19, 1982, this was just the tip of the iceberg.

One such often uncited incident was with bassist Bob Daisley, and drummer, Lee Kerslake, who contributed to the majority of the music development and writing of the lyrics, even going so far as to produce their own demos, which were then utilized by Osbourne. However, the two were originally given no credit for their contributions, and were ultimately fired from the band shortly after the album's release. The two would later sue, and win royalties and be given noted credit in future releases.

Kerslake has also stated that during the recording of the album that band members were given no money to live off of. This prompted him and Daisely to complain to management, which is suspected as being the reason they were let go. While members were away on holiday, suddenly new drummer, Tommy Aldridge and bassist, Rudy Sarzo, and shortly thereafter, headed off to America.

Sharon was apparently so bitter with the two, that in 2002 she would see to the commission and re-release of Diary Of A Madman which removed the two's original contributions, and re-recorded them. This was met by fan outrage, and eventually a sticker was added to the cover to denote that the music was not the original format. Ozzy himself stated in his 2009 autobiography that he had nothing to do with the decisions made by Sharon to do this.

When the 30th anniversary edition was released in 2011, the original bass and drums were restored to the album. So clearer heads would prevail in the end.

As for my own personal opinions on the album, it's definitely solid. I'd say it probably ranks number three in my top three Ozzy albums from the 80's. First being The Ultimate Sin, and second being Blizzard Of Ozz.

Songs, Over The Mountain, Flying High Again, You Can't Kill Rock And Roll, Tonight, SATO, and Diary Of A Madman, are awesome, and frankly encompass all but two of the songs on the album. They're also staples on my shuffle list.

However, I'd be lying if I didn't admit that Ozzy has kind of run his course with me. Don't get me wrong. I like the music. It was a major part of my high school years. But, these days, it's simply not a go to anymore. Partly because it's been overplayed for me, and partly because I've moved on. Ozzy was a phase for me. One that dissipated rapidly when he became a television personality.

Regardless, I'm not going to diminish his contributions to music, and frankly if I'd seen him on the street I'd have still been like, "Wow! That's Ozzy Osbourne!" He had presence, he had the music, and he was one of the leaders of heavy metal way back when with Black Sabbath. His career spanned over fifty years, and he went out doing what he loved. Performing for the fans. What more of a legacy could you ask for?

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 25, 1980
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 25, 1986


Comics Corner: Marvel Team-Up 134

   

Title: Marvel Team-Up
Issue Number: 134
Release Date: October 1983

Highlights

  • The Jack Of Hearts escapes his imprisonment from his own home, kept their by S.H.I.E.L.D., and controlled by a neutro-mist
  • Peter cleans out his locker, and leaves E.S.U.
  • Jack Hart returns to E.S.U. looking for Marcy Kane, giving readers the story about when the two were there together, and fell in love, only for Jack to have to suddenly leave
  • The Jack of Hearts' power is unstable, killing him in the process, and S.H.I.E.L.D. was trying to contain it by keeping him subdued with mist
  • The Jack of Hearts concedes that S.H.I.E.L.D. needs to contain him, but Marcy Kane says she wants to try to help him
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Retro Spins: Elton John - Ice On Fire


I debated taking a break from Elton John to dive into something a bit more obscure today. However, as I perused the short list of albums I'd written down to select from, the task just felt daunting, a bit like work. So, instead, I turned my attention back to John. Specifically, his 1985 released, Ice On Fire.

As he set to work on what would become his nineteenth studio album, John felt a desire to change his sound. This led to him firing the rhythm section of Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson, both of whom had performed on the preceding two albums. He turned his attention to multiple lineups consisting of session musicians, including Fred Mandel, David Paton, and Charlie Morgan, as well as guest appearances by Nik Kershaw, Sister Sledge, George Michael, and members of Queen, John Deacon and Roger Taylor.

The album marked a departure from pop rock, instead focusing on elements of soul and rhythm and blues music, while also exhibiting a contemporary 1980s sound, emphasizing synthesizers and electronic percussion. Lyrically, it focuses on themes of war, economic decline in working-class communities, and personal themes to both Bernie Taupin and Elton John.

Depending on the version you picked up, you may or may not have gotten a bonus track. While the LP contained ten tracks, both the cassette and CD versions included the Millie Jackson duet, Act Of War. Additionally, if you picked up the re-issue of the CD, the track, Satellite, has a runtime of 4:37, versus the original 3:57 version.

Okay, so with all the details out of the way, let's actually hit the play button, and be on our way through Ice On Fire.

This Town is a good start, but as a whole, thing taper off pretty quick for me. It's not that the album is bad, not by any means. It just lacks any real sound that made me as invested as I was in prior works.

Candidly, while Nikita may be a top ten Billboard hit, it's not one of my favorites. This is a bit ironic, because it's the song I initially bought the album for. However, this was more so to check a box, versus necessarily wanting it.

In review of the production credits, I think part of the problem may be too many people in the room. By this I mean, too many contributors. Between other established artists and session musicians, there were over thirty individuals contributing to the recording of songs. It would be difficult to have consistency in that environment. Especially if its your first time working with those individuals, or creative egos clash.

I don't particularly see someone like Roger Taylor coming into a studio, and simply playing drums. He strikes me as the type of person who would want creative control over what he was doing. Mind you, that's not a knock against the guy. He's certainly established himself as an artist who knows what he's doing, especially when it comes to writing and recording hits. I just don't see him taking that stance that he was there to work "for" Elton John.

Of course, all of those theories are just speculation on my part. Maybe the recording sessions went smoothly, and the final result was all Taupin's and John's creative vision. Regardless, the end result, for me, is that Ice On Fire falls a bit flat. By the time I reached the second to last track, I had kind of had enough, and skipped it midway. The final track started off slow, and I immediately lost interest, and turned it off.

Admittedly, I don't have high hopes for his next release, 1986's Leather Jackets. Though, that's not because of how I felt about Ice On Fire. Rather, it's from John himself stating he feels its his worst release in his entire career. From what I've read up on it already, critics were none to pleased with it either. That doesn't exactly scream, "must hear record" to me.

Well, I guess we'll see. I've favored albums before that people (including the artists) considered the worst. Who knows. Maybe it will be a pleasant surprise.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 24, 1981
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 24, 1987


Comics Corner: Marvel Team-Up Annual 6

   

Title: Marvel Team-Up Annual
Issue Number: 6
Release Date: October 1983

Highlights

  • First appearance of the Holy Ghost Church
  • Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 64
  • Cannonball, Psyche, Sunspot, and Wolfsbane, AKA the New Mutants, make their way to the city to enjoy the broadway show, Cats
  • While visiting an arcade, the Mutants are attacked by random thugs
  • Sunspot and Wolfsbane not only get wounded during the fight, but then are kidnapped by the people who created Cloak and Dagger
  • The two captives are injected with the drug that made Cloak and Dagger, and it amplifies their mutant powers beyond their control
  • Cloak and Dagger save Sunspot and Wolfsbane, absorbing the drugs from their bodies
  • The New Mutants offer Cloak and Dagger an opportunity to come live with them at Xavier's mansion, but they decline
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)



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Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 245

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 245
Release Date: October 1983

Highlights

  • First appearance of Ms. Smithers, and NYPD officer McReady
  • Death of Lefty Donovan, who is disguised as Hobgoblin
  • First appearance of the Mercy Medical Center location
  • Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 238, 239, 244, and The Avengers 235
  • Lefty Donovan is severely burned in a chemical accident while mixing Green Goblin's old formula
  • The burns leave Donovan unidentifiable, unable to speak, and lying in a hospital bed
  • Peter and Betty see J. Jonah Jameson leaving with a gym bag, and are both baffled by his desire for physical fitness - It becomes relevant a few issues down the line
  • Betty tricks Peter into having dinner with her, Ned, and Mary Jane, and Peter is none too happy about the latter being there
  • Peter spends three weeks honing his photographer skills, and searching for Lefty Donovan
  • Lefty escapes the hospital, and makes his way back to where the accident occurred to take up the mantle as Hobgoblin
  • Spider-Man realizes that Lefty is just a pawn, and not the real Hobgoblin
  • The real Hobgoblin locks Lefty's fee to the glider, and sends him exploding into the side of a building where he'll never be able to talk again
  • Hobgoblin reveals he was only using Lefty to create the formula so that he could study him, the effects, and recreate the formula without the explosive side effects
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Elton John - Breaking Hearts


Off we go with our continued journey through Elton John's 1980's discography. Yesterday, I went on a very enjoyable trip through 1982's Jump Up!. Skipping over 1983's Too Low For Zero, because I've already played through it, I move on to 1984's Breaking Hearts.

Changes were either already taking effect, or just on the horizon when the album was put together. Gone were the string and horn sections on any track, as was long time unofficial member, Ray Cooper, who did not contribute at all.

Additionally, Breaking Hearts would be the last to feature all core members of the classic Elton John Band lineup. It was also the last recorded album in which John played both piano and keyboards in the studio by himself.

Restless launches the album off, and while it's okay, it certainly didn't draw me in as much as the opening track for Jump Up! Things did pick up a bit more though, with track two's Slow Down Georgie (She's Poison), Who Wears These Shoes.

However, the brakes got slammed pretty hard for the title track, Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used To Be). It's a dull piano led ballad that frankly brings the momentum which had been built to a sudden halt. Personally, if I were mixing this album, I would have either closed out side two with this track, or put it as the final track. It just doesn't work where its placed.

Fortunately, this isn't how the remainder of the album plays out, as the tempo immediately picks up with Li'l Frigerator, though its a rather forgettable tune. Passengers fairs a bit better for its more unique sound, but is by far anything I'd call lyrically genius.

Things get dull a bit from there, but oddly pick up with the peppy, but sadistic, Did He Shoot Her? before finishing off with the classic hit, Sad Songs (Say So Much). Overall, Breaking Hearts, while good, didn't hit the high notes that Jump Up! did.

With that, I'm off to my next Retro Spin. Maybe it will be the next of three remaining Elton John albums. Maybe I'll go on to something else. I guess we'll see tomorrow.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 27, 1982

 

Comics Corner: The Amazing Spider-Man 244

   

Title: The Amazing Spider-Man
Issue Number: 244
Release Date: September 1983

Highlights

  • First appearance of Lefty Donovan, and Dean Krenshaw
  • Liz (Allen) Osborn suggests to Mary Jane that she get married, and even goes so far as to tell her that she thought her and Peter made a cute couple
  • Harry Osborn and his wife return to the office to find all the staff tied up and gagged
  • Reference is made to The Amazing Spider-Man 239
  • The name Lefty Donovan is dropped, and Spider-Man thinks it's the identity of Hobgoblin, but he's wrong
  • Mary Jane is out on a date with "Jeff", and unconvincingly shrugs off being serious for a moment when she sees that the Osborn's office being hit as the headline on the Daily Bugle - Is she finally maturing?
Low Points
  • None
Oddities
  • None
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Elton John - Jump Up!


I left Elton John back in June, taking a break from his 80's era run for bit. So far I'd played through four of his nine entries, and while I'd like to say they where in chronological order, that's not the case. I've checked off 1980's 21 At 23, 1981's The Fox, 1983's Too Low For Zero, and 1989's Sleeping With The Past. Today, I'm diving in to 1982's Jump Up!

With the storied history of John, it would be difficult for someone like me to fill in a lot of the gaps that weren't already provided on his various Wiki pages. Truth be told, I don't think I even knew about the guy until the multi-artist duet for Dionne Warwick's That's What Friends Are For.

Digging through his Wiki for the album, I did learn a couple things, such as, this would be the first album where John would adopt a deeper tone to his vocal style. Personally, I don't hear it, but again, I'm no aficionado of his music. Jump Up! is also noteworthy for the John Lennon tribute track, Empty Garden (Hey Hey Johnny). The final footnote would be that it's the last studio album to feature James Newton Howard on keyboards. Howard left to pursue a career in film scoring, and while I recognize some of the titles, I wouldn't say he's done anything spectacular. Alas, this post isn't about Hoard though, so let's move on.

Things kick off with Dear John, which is followed by, Spiteful Child. Both hooked me immediately, and I was really digging things. Then came Ball & Chain, which kind of has a Queen Of Hearts (Juice Newton) vibe. A little more country than one would expect from Elton, but solid nonetheless.

Ironic to me is that in a 2010 Sirius radio special, John's lyricist, Bernie Taupin called it, "One of our worst albums." He added, "It's a terrible, awful, disposable album, but it had 'Empty Garden' on it, so it's worth it for that one song." Respectfully, I disagree. By track four, Legal Boys, I was wondering where this album had been all my life.

At this point, I could go track by track saying something positive about everything, but I think I can summarize it pretty well by saying I enjoyed my listening session, and frankly, this is the Elton John I need more of in my life. Solid songs, great vocals, and sure, even Billboard hits. Whereas his first two entries into the 80's left me struggling to press on through his remaining discography of the era, Jump Up! excites me for what's to come.

I'll be skipping over his next chronological release, 1983's Too Low For Zero, because again, I've already played through that one. So next up is 1984's Breaking Hearts. I'm hoping for the continued greatness.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 22, 1983
 
THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 22, 1988


Comics Corner: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 82

   

Title: Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man
Issue Number: 82
Release Date: September 1983

Highlights

  • Punisher takes his "job" against crime to the ultimate degree, opening fire on litterers, and then a cab driver who runs a light because he panics when he hears said gunfire
  • Reference is made to Peter Parker, The Spectacular Spider-Man 69, 70, and 76
  • Black Cat costumes up, and sneaks out of her hospital room into the night
  • Punisher goes up against Kingpin
  • Cloak, Dagger, and Spider-Man find an unconscious Punisher, and Kingpin is gone
Low Points
  • Why is Spider-Man always trying to stop Cloak and Dagger from their mission to stop criminals?
  • Spider-Man always finds himself fighting against Cloak and Dagger in an attempt to stop them from killing Kingpin
Oddities
  • Editors Day Off: Vanessa Fisk enters the room where Kingpin and Punisher are battling, and calls her husband, "Wilbur" instead of Wilson - That's a massive goof for Marvel
  • In the last issue, Cloak was remarking how Spider-Man was the only person who could always find himself out of the man's darkness, he's also done so multiple times, yet this time when he's enveloped in the shroud, Spider-Man does nothing but talk about how he can't find his way out
  • All the setup of Punisher grabbing Vanessa as a hostage, just for him to be defeated by Kingpin off panel
Rating (based on a 1 through 5 Stans grading system)

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Retro Spins: Kiss Hot In The Shade

 

Kiss entered the CD era of music, a period stuffed full of over bloated albums for no other reason than to take advantage of the formats length capacity, with their longest album released up to that time, the fifty-eight minute thirty-nine second, Hot In The Shade. Despite its length, cost savings were the name of the game, which resulted in Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons opting to use overdub methods on their previously recorded demo tracks, versus re-recording them.

Please with Eric Carr's rendition of the Peter Criss penned Beth on their previously released greatest hits album, the band also allowed the drummer to take on the vocals of the song, Little Caesar. It would be his only other lead vocal opportunity.

With the release of Hot In The Shade, Kiss ushered in their highest charting non-make-up era hit, Forever. The tune was a powerful rock ballad penned by both Stanley and Michael Bolton. By April 1990, it would peak at number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Future bandmate, Tommy Thayer, would also contribute in writing tracks for the album.

Continuing to embrace the MTV era, Kiss released three music videos for the album. These included, Forever, Rise To It, and Hide Your Heart. Forever would go on to be voted number one on the show, Dial MTV, and reach number forty-seven on MTV's top 100 videos for 1990.

Despite these receptions, at the time, Hot In The Shade would be the first Kiss album since 1982's Creatures Of The Night to not reach platinum status, stalling at gold. Sales of their albums have since fluctuated, with some eventually reaching platinum status. However, despite this, one thing is for sure. Overall, sales for Kiss was on a steady decline. While some of their future albums managed to reach gold status, the majority didn't receive any sales accreditations.

Okay, I can still work with this. I'm not too keen on the overall running time of the album, but it sounds like the record has potential. So, let's dive in.

Things kick off with the heavy tongue in check, Rise To It. Not only was the song not very good from its heavy innuendoes, but for some reason midway through the guitar solo, the lead guitar seems to get softer and softer, as if improperly mixed.

Fortunately, things did pick up from there, and I found some good tunes to add to my shuffle list. These included, Betrayed, Hide Your Heart, Forever, King Of Hearts, You Love Me To Hate You, and Somewhere Between Heaven And Hell. However, I couldn't help this nagging feeling in my head.

Between 1987 and 1989, several big names were working with Desmond Child. These included Alice Cooper, Bon Jovi, Aerosmith, and so on. Under his tutelage, they were churning out massive hits, and decade defining records. However, this wasn't the same case with Kiss, who also worked with him. It's both odd and disappointing at the same time.

Overall, Hot In The Shade was decent, but it carries on the tradition of Kiss, which frankly is consistent mediocrity. It's neither a ceremonious bookend to the 80's, nor a noteworthy footnote in their storied career. It still leaves me asking the question, "How did Kiss get so popular?"

There's so much more history within the period of 1990 through today, and to go into would be a massive undertaking. With that said, there are definitely key points worth noting, such as the unfortunate and untimely death of Eric Carr in 1991, the reuniting of all four original members for the 1996 MTV Unplugged episode, the long awaited reunion tour of said classic members between 1996 and 1997, which also included the bands return to make-up. Then there was the departure of Frehley and Criss again, the hiring of Tommy Thayer and Eric Singer, a farewell concert, and eventual selling of the entire Kiss legacy to Pophouse Entertainment Group in 2024. Mind you, all of this is just the very tip of the iceberg.

In hindsight, it amazes me that between 1974 and 1989 that Kiss released thirteen studio albums, seventeen if you count the four solo efforts under the bands banner. Yet between 1992 and 2012, they only released five more records before embarking on their over extended farewell tour which ended in 2023. Despite retiring, and selling their legacy, believe it or not, Kiss continue to make appearances and perform shows.

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THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS
October 21, 1989