Thursday, February 24, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 35 - Men at Work (Down Under)
Monday, February 21, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 34 - Visage (Fade to Grey)
It was released in 1980 and reached number 8 in the UK Charts.
Such a great song, and great memories from a time long gone.
Sunday, January 23, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 31 - Pet Shop Boys (Heart)
Having said that, I always had a fondness for Heart. Released in 1988, it entered the charts in March at number 30 before rightfully reaching the number one spot the following month where it stayed for a few weeks.
Pop Quiz - When not being Gandalf, what famous actor played Nosferatu in the Heart music video?
The answer.... Well, I didn't realise until only recently that it was none other than Sir Ian McKellen.
Ahhhhhh... I was just 11 years old at the time. Life was so much easier (and less stressful) back then.
Friday, January 14, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 28 - Edelweiss (Raumschiff Edelweiss)
I'm feeling a bit down at the moment and while going through my vast library of songs on my hard drive, I was trying to find some tunes to cheer me up and put a smile on my face. After a bit of searching, I found and remembered this one...
... So... My next favourite track is a rarity from the Austrian dance group Edelweiss which never actually made it into the UK charts. It was released in 1992 but I didn't get to hear it until early 1995 during a Star Trek documentary on MTV to coincide with the then imminent release of the movie Star Trek Generations.
The song in question is... "Raumschiff Edelweiss", or in English, Starship Edelweiss.
Edeweiss were a popular eurodance/pop group in Europe during the late 80's and early 90s. I don't suppose many readers of my blog will know who they were and you might be surprised to hear that their hit song Bring Me Edelweiss actually reached number 5 in the UK charts back in May, 1989, beating the likes of The Bangles (Eterna Flame), Queen (I Want It All) and many others. Now, I'm no expert on the group, and as far as I can tell they only ever released one album - but what an album!
Raumschiff Edelweiss is a Star Trek-inspired spoof song (which in my opinion is miles better than The Firm's Star Trekkin') and features the original Star Trek theme, mixed with plenty of yodeling (which Edelweiss are well known for), a dance track, and a music video with some whacky visuals that could only have been made with the use of certain recreational drugs and high levels of alcohol consumption.
Have a listen, and give it a chance.... It's not all that bad!
AND if you liked that... The song had a follow up - called Planet Edelweiss (featured below) which I swear sounds like something that could have been 'tracked' on a Commodore Amiga! That’s a good thing by the way.
Yes they're cheesy, but I'm proud to admit I actually have this album in my music collection, and it always makes me smile. It's also the only place you will ever get to see a Klingon rapping and singing reggae!
Thursday, January 13, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 27 - Men Without Hats (The Safety Dance)
The music video alone is pure 80's cheese but in my opinion, is better and more creative than anything produced today. The song is quite catchy too! If only they still made stuff like this! I'd buy it.
I love this song so much, I'm even going to post a video from the Status Quo cover. A damn good version from a band I'm not particularly keen on.
AND FINALLY..... I even have to admit that I quite like this version from Glee too! Sad or what!ARRRGGGGHHHHHH!
Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 26 - Ace of Base (The Sign)
"The Sign" came out in November that same year, and will forever be imprinted in my memory due to the constant air time it had on the local radio station (Essex FM) when I was doing my work experience at the Evening Echo newspaper during my brief time at Basildon College in 1994.
The song was a big hit for Ace of Base, reaching a very impressive number 2 in the UK charts, and an even more impressive number 1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 singles. It stayed in the charts for 16 weeks.
Anyway, on a separate note - I do really hope to update my blog with more posts over the next couple of weeks (and not just music and game covers). Work has been considerably busy and stressful and has pretty much taken over my life. I'm literally living and breathing servers, and computers to the point where I'm even losing sleep! Yes I know it's not healthy, but what can I do.... It pays the bills!!!
Onwards and upwards, and don't forget you can check out my other favourite songs by clicking here.
Monday, January 10, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 25 - Nik Kershaw (Wouldn't It Be Good)
Sunday, January 09, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 24 - Mental as Anything (Live it Up)
Saturday, January 08, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 23 - Genesis (The Brazilian)
Name a Genesis song from the mid-1980s and most people will probably say Invisible Touch or Land of Confusion, but ask them if they've heard of The Brazillian and they will just look at you with a confused look. Yes, Genesis also did some amazing experimental instrumental work too.
As great as their more familiar songs are, I've always had a soft spot for this track, but then I think it's because I've always preferred instrumentals to songs with vocals in. This is just great, especially Mike Rutherford's guitar finale. A perfect excuse to turn the volume up to maximum, and let those goosebumps appear.
The track was featured in an episode of Magnum, P.I, used extensively by the BBC during their TV coverage of the 1987 World Athletics Championships, and in 1987 it had a Grammy Award nomination for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, but lost out to Harold Faltermeyer and Steve Stevens with the "Top Gun" anthem. Sorry Top Gun fans, but I prefer this!
Big thanks to my sister Stephanie for introducing me to this song all those years ago. Enjoy.
Friday, January 07, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 22 - Kermit The Frog (The Rainbow Connection)
Thursday, January 06, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 21 - Doctor Doctor (Thompson Twins)
There are a few songs/groups which I think are the epitome of the New Wave/New Romantic scene of the 1980's. Groups such as Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, ABC define the popular music (and the look) of this decade, and whether you like them or not, their impact on my generation was massive and will forever be remembered.
Doctor Doctor, by the Thompson Twins is another example of this. The simple 4 note electronic intro sets the mood for a fantastic bit of 80s nostalgia. Released in February 1983 and reaching number 4 in the UK charts (back in a time when listening to the UK charts was actually an enjoyable experience), Have a listen to this... and enjoy.
Tuesday, January 04, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 20 - Sun Street (Katrina and the Waves)
Released back in 1986, it reached number 22 in the UK charts between 8th June to 30th August. A very underrated classic from the 80s.
Enjoy...
Sunday, January 02, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 18 - Zoolook (Jean-Michel Jarre)
This song is one of my favourites, from the album "Zoolook" from 1984. Strangely, it conjures up many memories of watching demos on the Commodore 64 and Amiga, with sampled Jarre songs mixed with fancy graphics and spinning vector polygons!
Saturday, January 01, 2022
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 17 - Do You Want To Be A Hero (Jon Anderson)
Thursday, December 30, 2021
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 16 - Taurus II (Mike Oldfield)
Thursday, December 23, 2021
Now That's What I Call Stuart's Favourite Music 15 - Action Biker (Rob Hubbard)
One song in particular which always conjures up fond memories from when I was little is from a classic computer game called Action Biker.
I was first introduced to this game back in late 1985. My friend, Steve Ready had it on his Atari 800XL, and the theme song got stuck in my head ever since.
At the time, our family only had a Commodore Plus 4 and I was extremely jealous because Action Biker was not available for that machine. A few years later I managed to get it when I was lucky enough to receive a Commodore 64 for Christmas in 1987.
Sunday, September 08, 2019
Musical Kayleigh
Sunday, January 13, 2019
Songs that remind me of my childhood Number 45 - Heaven In My Hands (Level 42)
My first STRMOMC for 2019 is this classic from Level 42, called Heaven In My Hands, and was appropriately chosen because I finally reached my own personal Level 42 yesterday. Yes, I've reached 42 years old, and another year closer to getting my pension. Woohoo!
Sunday, June 01, 2014
Songs that remind me of my childhood Number 26 - The Sign (Ace of Base)
I've always said that my childhood pretty much ended the day I walked out of my secondary school on Friday, June the 25th 1993 but I'm going to stretch it a little here because this song came out in October of that same year, and will forever be imprinted in my memory due to the constant air time it had on the local radio station (Essex FM) when I was doing my work experience at the Echo newspaper during my brief time at Basildon College in 1994.
Now for me, the 90's wasn't really a great decade. Sure, it had a few good things going for it, but for me music wasn't one of them. During the early 90s, my interest in music was pretty much non-existent apart from listening to Erasure, Jean Michel Jarre and Mike Oldfield. I suppose this song, and The Beloved's Sweet Harmony are the two songs that really define my musical tastes from those early years of a decade that to me will always be fondly remembered by me for playing my Amiga 500, getting my head around playing Magic (some card game) with my friend Dan, ogling over Terry Farrell (Jadzia Dax in Star Trek Deep Space Nine) and watching Noel's House Party on a Saturday evening.
Anyway, on a separate note - I do really hope to update my blog with more posts over the next couple of weeks. Work has been considerably busy and stressful and has pretty much taken over my life. I'm literally living and breathing servers, and computers to the point where I'm even losing sleep! Yes I know it's not healthy, but what can I do.... It pays the bills!!! The good news is that this time of year is usually a quiet time for us in the IT department at EHS (most of the students are either on study leave for their exams, or have left), so hopefully things will calm down for me so that I can get myself sorted again in time for the mass of work we'll be doing to the school network over the summer holiday.
Onwards and upwards, and don't forget you can check out my other "Songs that remind me of my childhood" by clicking here.