I've got a quick post - backward looking, rather than forward, I'm afraid.  On CBC radio this morning, the DJ referred to "the late Robert Plant", and I started thinking maybe I'd missed his passing.  I came into the office and looked it up, and he appears to still be alive.  It was a bit of a coincidence because although I don't listen to much Led Zeppelin anymore, my son gave me, "The Song Remains the Same" on DVD for Christmas, and I got around to watching it on Friday night.  It was actually much better than I remembered it - at least the live music part.  I had remembered Jimmy Page as being particularly sloppy, but upon re-watching it, it was a good performance.  Not without mistakes here and there, but very listenable.  What struck me about the band as I listened to it was how good they were at putting together cool musical riffs and interludes based on very simple instrumentation - 1 guitar with bass and drums, or 1 guitar with keyboard and drums.  Sure, there were lots of self-indulgent jams (guitar with violin bow, the extended drum solo, etc), but the songs are very well written and arranged.  I've significantly upgraded my opinion of that film.  Except the goofy vignettes.  They're pretty terrible. 

There's a noticeable lack of posts on the blog gents.  No musical thoughts to share?  No new listens upon which to expound?  I'm skeptical.   What's everyone's favourite 2012 release?

To complete that thought, the "match-up" view:

Stuart 2 vs Marc 10
Stuart 6 vs Derek 6
Jeff 6 vs Kyle 6
Marc 4 vs Brian 8
Jeff 5 vs Marc 7
Stuart 8 vs Brian 4
Derek 6 vs Kyle 6
Kyle 7 vs Brian 5
Derek 7 vs Marc 5
Stuart 6 vs Kyle 6
Jeff 6 vs Derek 7 (odd, that)
Jeff 4 vs Brian 7 (that too)
Brian 8 vs Derek 4
Stuart 7 vs Jeff 5
Marc 5 vs Kyle 7

ouch...Marc beat me 10 points to 2 on our combined matches.....
otherwise remarkably close battles by all

Final 80s Night Results

Round 1


Stuart - Steve Earle - Copperhead Road - 2

Derek - The Jam - That's Entertainment - 4


Jeff - The Clash - Somebody Got Murdered - 3

Kyle - New Order - Age of Consent - 3


Marc - Michelle Shocked - Fogtown - 1

Brian - Steve Kilbey - Pretty Ugly, Pretty Sad - 5


Round 2

Jeff - The Housemartins - Flag Day - 2

Marc - The Waterboys - Don't Bang the Drum - 4


Stuart - Roxy Music - Same Old Scene - 3

Brian - Psychedelic Furs - Love My Way - 3


Derek - The Smiths - Death of a Disco Dancer - 3

Kyle - The Pixies - Where is My Mind - 3


Round 3

Derek - The Cure - A Night Like This - 2

Stuart - Bronski Beat - Smalltown Boy - 4


Kyle - Echo and the Bunnymen - Killing Moon - 4

Brian - Sonic Youth - Expressway to Yr. Skull - 2


Marc - REM - I Believe - 3

Jeff - REM - South Central Rain - 3


Round 4

Kyle - Depeche Mode - Never Let Me Down Again - 3

Jeff - Beastie Boys - No Sleep Til Brooklyn - 3


Brian - The Rain Parade - Prisoners - 1

Stuart - Billy Bragg - Milkman of Human Kindness - 5


Marc - U2 - In God's Country - 2

Derek - House of Love - Christine - 4


Round 5

Stuart - The Replacements - Unsatisfied - 3

Kyle - Violent Femmes - Blister in the Sun - 3


Jeff - Pop Will Eat Itself - Wise Up Sucker - 4

Derek - Lloyd Cole - Perfect Skin - 3


Brian - Hoodoo Gurus - Bittersweet - 3

Marc - Lou Reed - Romeo had Juliette - 3


Round 6

Stuart - The Pogues - Fairytale of New York - 1

Marc - Sinnead O'Connor - Jackie - 5


Jeff - Stone Roses - I am the Resurrection - 2

Brian - Mike Oldfield - To France - 3


Kyle - The Smiths - Panic - 3

Derek - Elvis Costello - Beyond Belief - 3


Round 7

Brian - Dumptruck - Going Nowhere - 3

Derek - Tears for Fears - Head over Heels - 3


Kyle - The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary - 3

Marc - Daniel Lanois - Where the Hawkwind Kills - 3


Stuart - Simple Minds - Someone, Somewhere in Summertime - 4

Jeff - Rolling Stones - Waiting on a Friend - 2


Round 8

Marc - Pete Townshend - Give Blood - 2

Kyle - Love and Rockets - Haunted When the Minutes Drag - 4


Jeff - XTC - Grass - 3

Stuart - Bob Marley - Redemption Song - 3


Derek - Kate Bush - Suspended in Gaffa - 1

Brian - The Feelies - It's Only Life - 5


Round 9

Derek - Orange Juice - Blue Boy - 4

Jeff - Tom Waits - Downtown Train - 2


Brian - Fleshtones - The Dreg - 3

Kyle - Split Enz - I Got You - 3


Marc - Nirvana - About a Girl - 5

Stuart Neil Young - No More - 1


Round 10

Kyle - Prince - Kiss - 3

Stuart – Robbie Robertson - Showdown at Big Sky - 3


Brian - That Petrol Emotion - Cellophane - 4

Jeff - The Chameleons - Swamp Thing - 2


Derek - New Order - Temptation - 3

Marc - Violent Femmes - Add it Up – 3





Final Points Tally:

Brian, Kyle – 32

Marc – 31

Derek – 30

Stuart – 29

Jeff – 26



Not quite sure how Jeff ended up with 4 points in Round 5 with him and I sharing 7 votes for the round and then he and Brian sharing only 5 votes in Round 6. I did a recount of ballots cast yesterday afternoon and this was the case. Still worked out to 180 votes in total.

metaBeats

Verboten songs for this evening

Sad to see this. RIP Levon.

Pshaw Mercer you have an 80's song in your head right now.  Don't deny it.    Everything Counts?  Wrapped Around Your Finger?  Shout?

Re your comfort, good strategy.   Two thoughts: one is you're probably still chuffed from your win at the last smackdown, and/or have realized how unimportant winning actually is, given thet it confers, um. nothing, or two, you've forgotten the cautionary tale of the man who knew a decade cold (let's say, the 90's) and believed he could show up with a list of 200 great songs and dominate by choosing as he went. 

5pm works for me. How does it suit the rest of you?

Can't say I've put in nearly as many hours poring over the music this time as I did for the 90s or the 1979/2004 combo. Don't know if it is complacency or I figure I should know this period in music inside/out (good 80s song by the way) so suffice to say my head is actually not stuck on a perpetual 80s groove and it's a good thing. (another great 80s number). Perhaps I'm fooling myself.

OK gents it's a week and a day until the big 80's showdown.   I have too many songs (surprise!).  

The question for Friday morning is, which 80's song is playing in your head today, likely from too much "research"?  And of course, by disclosing this song it pretty much rules out playing it.   Prepared to anty up?   Mine is "The Unguarded Moment".  

Derek - How about 5 o'clock?  I'll be at Oliver's ball hockey until 4:00 or so.

The posting of the 1980s tracks played by Brian on that fateful evening can be found on the blog in a post by myself dated January 11, 2012. Not that it needs repeating but for those who don't listen the first time around none of the tracks played in previous contests can be played again on the 21st.

Stuart if you feel the need to play Bach, Bix Beiderbecke, Bieber, Blur or anything else not released in the 1980s feel free to amuse yourself as you usually do with your selections anyway and rule yourself out of the "competition" before it begins. At least you'll have a stress free evening.

Speaking of which when would you gents like to kick this thing off next weekend? I'm very flexible on the start time.

It's heartening to note that you recall that decisive ass-kicking as well as I do M. Watson.  

I can probably piece together my track list, but I thought Derek had already posted them sometime in the last couple of months.  Looked and didn't find them, mind you.  If I'm right and they are posted, someone please take over......otherwise I'll figure it out.

Brian what 80's picks did you use to bludgeon Dereks head to a bloody pulpy mess?
I plan to either use them all if allowed....


also......

How many non 80's songs can we use?

As we build our lists for the pending smackdown on the 21st, some more amusing lists to contemplate, including:

• Death Metal Act or Hardy Boys Novel
  
• Hip Hop Act or Entry on US Government Watch List
  
• Rapper or Toiletry

Just so we're all clear on this:

Timeframe - January 1, 1980-December 31, 1989

ie no London Calling by the Clash and no Nevermind by Nirvana

15 songs by the Smiths, New Order and Depeche Mode should see you through Stu. That and some good bottles of wine.

sorry Brian, do you mean we are only playing music from the 80's?

Stu, there are three key rules as I understand it:

(1) Just 80's
(2) Only 80's
(3) Exclusively 80's

I would prefer to not read through all the emails re the upcoming cd club......I am not expecting to fare well in this 80's event , (so i shall bring good wine)....in short, if i bring 15 or so bad 80's tracks...is that all i need to get through this....Or do i need a smattering of songs from other eras...(please I donrt need all the rules , here)
thanks
s