You Tube Turns 5 Years Old

On May 17 2005, the site which gave birth to the slogan "Broadcast yourself" was launched. Although it wasn't the 3rd of September, the day I accidentally discovered You Tube is one I'll always remember. While doing prep for my radio show on a Saturday afternoon back in 2005, I did an Internet search for the UK group The Housemartins. Since one of the songs on my playlist that day was their a

Happy Birthday To Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones of The Monkees

Wednesday Dec. 30th marks the birthdays of both Mike Nesmith and Davy Jones of the Monkees (they turn 67 and 64, respectively). As some of you may know, the Monkees' 4th album Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Jones, Ltd. got its name from the astrological sign of each band member. Since Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn, & Capricorn, Ltd. would have been redundant, they tacked on Jones' name at the

Happy Birthday Dick Clark!

Dick Clark turned 80 years old today. When I think of Dick Clark, lots of sounds and images come to mind. As I type this, "Bandstand Boogie" is playing on a continuous loop in my head... and that's a good thing because it's got a good beat and... well, you know the rest.Below is a clip of the "Oldest Living Teenager" encountering The Dynamic Duo:

Happy 60th Birthday Sigourney Weaver

Yes, believe it or not, Ellen Ripley has reached the 6-0 milestone.  That rare mix of talent, smarts, sex appeal and badassosity*, it's those qualities that are why Sigourney has been able to stay in demand during her 30-plus year acting career. Last year, Sigourney mentioned that she may be starring in an Alien spinoff film that would focus on Ellen Ripley instead of the Aliens.  Don't laugh. 

Little House On the Prairie Turns 35

On this day back in 1974, one of TV's most enduring dramas (Little House On the Prairie) premiered on NBC. During its primetime run, I foolishly dismissed Little House On the Prairie as a bunch of pioneer B.S.  I used to say  to myself, "How is this show relevant to me?"My feelings about the show changed several years later when TBS aired back-to-back episodes during its weekday morning lineup in

Happy Birthday David Byrne

On Thursday May 14th, multi-hyphenate David Byrne turns 57 years old. In addition to being the founding member and main songwriter of Talking Heads, Byrne is a visual artist, a sometime actor, and an author. Plus, he rocks an oversized suit like no one else!Because I'm a listomaniac, here are my top 5 Talking Heads tunes:1. Nothing But Flowers2. Life During Wartime (This Ain't No Party... This

Thursday Thirteen #71: Reasons Why I Love Turner Classic Movies

This month, Turner Classic Movies is celebrating its 15th anniversary. If I had to get rid of all my cable channels but one, TCM would be the keeper. I can get my news, sports, and many of the scripted series that I watch online. However, TCM is the only place on the dial that pays tribute to classic film dating back to the silent era all the way up to the 21st century. While many channels

Please Take A Moment To Vote In the Current R.E.M. Poll... Thank You

Since I was struggling to come up with an idea for my next poll, I checked the book Chase's Calendar of Events for inspiration. When I found out that Michael Stipe turned 49 on January 4th, my dilemma was solved. Instead of doing a birthday post for the lead singer of R.E.M., I decided to ask you to choose your favorite song(s) from their catalog. Since deciding on a favorite song by an

Motown Turns 50

Today marks the 50th anniversary of arguably the most influential record company in pop music history, Motown (founded by Berry Gordy in Detroit back in 1959). Some of my fondest childhood musical memories are hearing songs like The Temptations’ My Girl (whose opening bass line, in terms of recognizability, is the R&B equivalent of the first four notes of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5) , You’re A

Elvis, the Actor: A Reevaluation

In honor of what would have been Elvis Presley's 74th birthday, TCM is showing a marathon of his movies on Thursday, January 8th. One of the common misconceptions about Elvis is that he was a lousy actor. Sure, many of his films were a waste of his talent; if Elvis were alive today, he'd probably own up to the fact that Harum Scarum wasn't Citizen Kane. However, it's asking a lot when you

Happy 60th Birthday To Daryl Hall

On October 11th, one of my favorite vocalists is blowing out the birthday candles... Daryl Hall. One of the things I like about Hall and Oates is that their music has touched on a variety of elements and influences. Along with soul music, they've also delved into such genres as new wave (You Make My Dreams) and arena rock (Head Above Water).If you're a fan and haven't seen Hall and Oates live,