If the forecasts for my area are to be believed I’m not going anywhere tomorrow and for most of Wednesday, so I might be posting a bit more than usual to past the time between attempts at getting work done and playing Prey for the Xbox360.
Prince
Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Re-Mix)
Erotic City (Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive)
If you happened to watch the Super Bowl this year and didn’t run off to get food or use the can during the halftime show then you got to see Prince perform the bet halftime show of all-time. People forget that for all his insane name-changing, sexual ambiguity, and challenging creative detours – Prince still FUCKING ROCKS. This extended version of ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ is a good one, but the real gem here is the B-side. Erotic City is most likely the greatest B-side of all-time by anyone ever. Featuring backup vocals by Shelia E., this isn’t a song as much as it is an erection with a bass line. This version of ‘Erotic City’ is the full seven and half minute version and will blow your damn mind if you haven’t heard it before. If it sounds vaguely familiar but are certain you haven’t heard it before then you’ve probably seen PCU, George Clinton covers it during the concert scene.
Bruce Springsteen
Tougher Than The Rest (Live)
Be True (Live)
Roulette
Incident On 57th Street (Live)
People my age (late 20s/early 30s) and younger often don’t give Bruce the credit nor the attention that he so richly deserves. Like me, many of them grew up hearing ‘Dancing In The Dark’ and ‘Born In The USA’, slowly getting sick of them as the 80s progressed. By the time they were getting into music, their early teens, Bruce was entering his quiet, introspective, not-so-good phase and they passed him over. Of course, Bruce has really had a second coming as of late, delivering three great albums in a row and touring like a man on a mission. The golden age of Bruce will always be the late 70s to early 80s though, when he was with the E Street Band and performing some of the most energetic and exciting concerts of the decade. These live versions, taken from various EPs, showcase his amazing energy and musical skill during this time, and the B-side ‘Roulette’ proves that when Bruce is at his prime even his rejected tracks are great.
Cheap Trick
Saturday At Midnight (Super New Dance Re-Mix)
Saturday At Midnight (Super Dub Mix)
Another band unjustly left behind and forgotten over time, Cheap Trick is responsible for some of the best power pop ever unleashed unto this planet. Their first four studio albums are undeniable classics, and their seminal Live At Budokan still stands to this day as one of the greatest live records ever made. While they admittedly sunk pretty damn low in the 80s, they are still putting out some great records and still touring across the country. I saw them live once in the mid-90s opening for STP and they really blew me away. These guys play every show like their lives depend on it. These remixes of ‘Saturday At Midnight’ were taken off a 12” promo single. The song originally appeared on their 1982 LP One By One, which spawned the hit ‘She’s Tight.’