SPARK*RETRO is closing. The retro will be moving back to SPARK*POP. DJ RyRy is now a SPARK*POP contributer as well! Splitting the music up is wearing too thin and is VERY limiting for BOTH blogs. I think its for the better.

Thank you for your understanding.

-Aaryn

Savage Garden - "To The Moon and Back" (Almighty Fired Up Mix)

Pat Benatar - "We Belong" (White Label Mix)

Savage Garden - "I Want You 98" (Sash! radio edit)

Laura Branigan - "Gloria" (S.A.D. Radio edit)

Oh yes I did. These two tacky men to the left are none other than german pop sensation Milli Vanilli! They had a really dull career and no one has really ever heard of them.

Yeah.


Truth is, I LOVE ME SOME MILLI VANILLI! The guys in the picture didnt sing the songs... but neither did C&C Music Factory. I could really give two shits either way but the "Milli Vanilli" songs are TOO ace to be ignored. I know you probably know all of these songs but I also know you havent heard them in a long time, so give em a listen!

Baby Dont Forget My Number

Blame It on the Rain

Girl You Know Its True

This week we got a winner!

The follow up to Meat Loaf's classic album was essentially dead on arrival... it was called "Dead Ringer" and featured the right elements... Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman... but the album wasn't a success...

maybe it was because they added Cher into the mix?

from 1983, here's Meat Loaf Featuring Cher with "Dead Ringer for Love"

Meatloaf Featuring Cher- Dead Ringer For Love

What the Fuck!?

Enjoy!
~DJ RyRy

Today we are gonna post the ORIGINAL versions of random covers and remakes out there recently!


Miami Sound Machine - "Dr Beat"
Mylo recently covered Miami Sound Machines "Dr Beat". Threw down a few extra beats and vocals, sped it up and renamed it "Doctor Pressure". Such an artist.

Duran Duran - "Serious"
Ferry Corsten sampled this Duran tune without copying damn near the entire thing like "Doctor Pressure" so I have a little more respect for Corstens "Fire".

Talk Talk - "Talk Talk"

Sheena Easton - "Sugar Walls"





Kim Wilde - "You Keep Me Hangin On"

Aretha Franklin - "Whos Zoomin Who?"

Thats right! We are giving away a BRAND NEW VHS copy of "SPICE GIRLS: ONE HOUR OF GIRL POWER" *in its original packaging*!

What do you have to do to get this almost useless piece of pop history?
Simple.
eMail your name to SPARKPOP@GMAIL.COM with "GIRL POWER" in the subject line.

THATS IT.

A winner will be drawn at random on FRIDAY APRIL 28th and announced sometime that weekend.

I couldn't think of a good theme, so Aaryn suggested I do the ole SPARK*SHUFFLE ... so I chose the first 2 80s songs and the first 2 90s songs that came up... so y'all get 4 for the price of 2 this week!

THE 1980s

First up... The B-52's! with a hit off their 2nd album, "Wild Planet" here is "Private Idaho"

The B-52's- Private Idaho

2nd on Shuffle was "Native Love (Step By Step)" By Divine... yes, the drag queen of John Waters films fame. She had a huge disco/dance career in Europe in the early 1980s and worked with people such as Stock, Aitken and Waterman as well as Bobby Orlando. My band actually covered this song last year. This selection excited me, I hope it excites you hahaha.

Divine- Native Love (Step By Step)

and now... The 1990s! *hits Shuffle*

First up... Pet Shop Boys! (no shock there lol) with "Shameless" which was a B-Side to "Go West", another one of my music projects just covered this song. It's one of my favorite PSB songs and it was rearranged for their musical, "Closer to Heaven".

Pet Shop Boys- Shameless (1993)

*keeps hitting "Next"... damn 80s songs!

ah here we go... a dance CLASSIC! this one takes me back to high school dances... AMBER with This Is Your Night... so many fond memories! I can picture the video in my head!

Amber- This Is Your Night

and now you can picture the video in your head too!



Enjoy!
~DJ RyRy

Bonnie Tyler - "Holding Out for A Hero" FOOTLOOSE

Tina Turner - "We Dont Need Another Hero" MAD MAX BEYOND THUNDERDOME

Irene Cara - "Breakdance" BREAKIN 2

Gloria Loring - The Facts of Life Theme
(Alan Thicke actully wrote this song...)


PS - Please pardon our dust! Doing some work on the blog tonite!

sorry for the lack of update, I've been a tad busy... I hate when life gets in the way of my fun!!!

It's Wednesday, well at least it is where I am in MA...

so this is What the Fuck!? Wednesday... this isn't a weekly thing, it'll only happen when i come across a song and think "what the fuck!?"

and this one song made me say that this week, so i couldn't wait to post it...

1983... Music Magic was to be made... we take James Ingram... and then we throw in ex Doobie Brothers member, Michael McDonald... and we get Quincy Jones to produce... wow talk about a dream team!

Ladies and Gentleman, may I present to you... "Yah Mo B There"

and.. What the Fuck does that even mean!?

1983- James Ingram, Featuring Michael McDonald - Yah Mo B There

and another thing about Michael... he doesn't ENUNCIATE... I don't know what the fuck he's saying! I'm gonna share with you the 1978 hit "What a Fool Believes"... without looking up the lyrics, try to decipher it!

1978- Michael McDonald (Doobie Brothers) - What A Fool Believes

Michael McDonalds voice is a one of a kind... I'm obsessed with him, but more because it's funny than that I actually like him hahaha... and I'm not the only one who thinks so...



And that's your FIRST "What the Fuck!?" Wednesday!

~DJ "Yah Mo B There" RyRy

So today's theme?... unusual song mashups... 2 songs that you would never expect to hear mixed together... Technically they weren't made in the 80's and 90s, probably made in the past few years, I've had them for at least 4 years now, and now I share them with you... It seems a shame to bump Liza down, but I held off all day and kept her on top long as I could (links still active), but I had to put out a new 2Play!

What do you get when you Take "Closer" by Nine Inch Nails and Mix it with "Wannabe" by Spice Girls?

you get.... CLOSER TO SPICE!

Now let's take one of my favorite rap songs... "Push It" by Salt N Pepa and mix it up with "My Favourite Game" by The Cardigans...

you get... MY FAVOURITE PUSH!

Enjoy... mashing... it's not just for potatoes anymore!

~DJ RyRy

So this weekend saw the reairing of the 1972 Classic Liza Minnelli TV Special, "Liza with a Z" on Showtime for the first time in 34 years. It was remastered and enhanced. Liza was everywhere on TV and in Magazines here in the US to promote it. To celebrate Liza being all over the place, I wanted to share with you a landmark album of her career...

in 1988, she headed into the studio with Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe, yes, Pet Shop Boys. They were to produce this album for her, "Results" which was released in 1989. She scored many number 1 hits off this album, Liza was back!... and doing POP!... She covered 2 Pet Shop Boys songs (made into orchestrated masterpieces), "Tonight is Forever" (off their Debut album, "Please") and "Rent" which was on their second album, "Actually"... she also covered the Sondheim song "Losing My Mind"... The song "Twist in My sobriety" is a cover song, and the beginning rap is stolen from "Liza With A Z"...

So Ladies and Gentleman, I give to you, "Results", all the tracks complete, in order... I also give you the Pet Shop Boys versions of the songs she covered (they went on and covered some songs from this album, but I don't have them to share)... and while I'm at it... I'll give you 3 bonus dance remixes!

The Links for these tracks will only be active for a limited amount of time... I suggest buying the album, it's worth it. I have put a * next to the tracks that I feel are the best...

Enjoy!

Liza Minnelli- RESULTS (1989)

1. I Want You Now*
2. Losing My Mind*
3. If There Was Love
4. So Sorry, I Said
5. Don't Drop Bombs*
6. Twist in My Sobriety*
7. Rent
8. Love Pains
9. Tonight Is Forever*
10. I Can't Say Goodbye

Liza Minnelli- RESULTS Bonus Dance Remixes (1989)

Losing My Mind- Extended Mix
Don't Drop Bombs- Extended Mix
Love Pains- Steve Silk Hurley's Remix

Pet Shop Boys

Rent- From the album "Actually" (1987)
Tonight Is Forever- From the album "Please" (1986)

ENJOY!

~DJ RyRy With A Z

no, I'm not gonna post that Duran Duran song, sillyheads, though it is a good one...

so, we don't get many comments here on SPARK*RETRO... so I was wondering who was out there lurking? a lot of the songs have been downloaded, so I know SOMEONE is out there reading this stuff...

soooo... let's get more interactive around here, everyone... speak up in the comments section of each post, tell us what you like, what you don't like, that way we have a better understanding of who our audience is and will make sure we're posting stuff you want to hear. i like to sneak in some rare stuff, I'd like to know if you like it, or should I stick to mainstream? I've really just been posting tracks I come across on my computer that are from the 80's and 90's that I think (hope) you'll all enjoy. I'm trying to fit in all sorts of stuff...

so, don't be shy, everyone, speak your mind on these tracks we post for y'all, we'd really like to hear it... I have a lot of material to work with to keep this place going for a long time... so go ahead, speak up!

any ideas or suggestions? email me at durancureboy@yahoo.com

thanks, everyone!

~DJ RyRy

Today's theme: Both songs have the word "burn" in it "or burnin'" or "burning" if you will... it's odd, I was thinking of this theme for a few days and since I thought of it a friend of mine had a fire in his apartment and has 2nd degree burns... that's scary.

First up, we have The Pointer Sisters... they're just burnin' doin' the Neutron Dance! This gem comes off thier hit record Break Out which I have on vinyl and I treasure, "I'm so Excited" came from the same album

and then there's Madonna who's burnin' up for your love! from her self-titled debut album.

Pointer Sisters- Neutron Dance

Madonna- Burning Up (1983)

and that's your Tuesday 2Play!

~DJ RyRy

so for some reason I can't get photos to upload, I was going to do a whole post about the Village People's contribution to the 1980s starting with the beginning of the end of disco in 1980 and their film "Can't Stop The Music" but without the visual elements, it seems pointless. (I'll save that gem for a later date)

so... disco has been dead for 5 years now at least. It's 1985, you're the Village People... what do you do? revert to the old saying "sex sells" and release a song about phone sex...

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, Sex Over The Phone (from the album of the same title).

Village People- Sex Over The Phone (1985)

Does it get much worse than this? maybe...

Tuesday 2Play Tomorrow! (no I'm not posting bad songs tomorrow, that wasn't some kind of hint lol)

~DJ RyRy

Left-wing punk-gone-pop UK band released "PERFECT WAY" in 1985.

DJ RyRy posted a song with PERFECT in it so I decided to as well. Thats the only reason its here right now... :P>

oh.. and its a damn fine song!

Scritti Politti - "Perfect Way"

So Bronski Beat, they came out in the 80s with their groundbreaking album 'Age of Consent', brilliant album with such hits as "Smalltown Boy", "Why?", etc. It was controversial in nature as the packaging listed the ages of consent for people to engage in sexual activity in particular places in the UK where it was first released. We all knew the sound of Jimmy Sommerville's falsetto... but he left the group to form The Communards... what was to come of Bronski Beat? Well they replaced Jimmy and released Truthdare Doubledare. It's an impossible album to find today for some reason, but it had one song I really liked... 'Hit that Perfect Beat'. It featured Jon John (or was it John Jon?) on vocals.

for your listening enjoyment, I have included the 12 inch remix of that very song I loved....

Bronski Beat- Hit That Perfect Beat (12 inch remix)

Maybe someday I'll post some Jimmy Sommerville era Bronski... but because I've had this song in my head all day, I wanted to share it with all of you.

~DJ RyRy

That LUSTY gal you see to my left is none other than the screeching, piano-humping, Tori Amos! In 1988 she released one album with her band "Y KANT TORI READ". They got their name because Tori cant read sheet music.

Long story short, 2 singles released, both bombed, band disbanded and Tori went solo.

The one album that WAS released was filled was 80s GEMS that you wouldnt expect Tori to have anything to do with. She has since demanded this album never see re-release and has gone to great lengths to see that it doesnt happen.

Tori is one of those people.. either you get her or you dont. You either like her... or you dont. No in between. Well, Y KANT TORI READ is QUITE different. Its A LOT more commercial sounding and radio friendly. Its a full band. The pianos you here are mostly all synths. Very listener friendly. Check it out!

"The Big Picture" the first single
"On The Boundry"

"Pirates"

I suppose I should have given y'all an introduction post before I just go crazy posting all my retro favorites.

First off, my name is Ryan (or DJ RyRy when I used to DJ) I'm 25 years old (single gay male in case you were curious) I live about 45 minutes West of Boston, Massachusetts, I myself, am a musician of sorts. I studied music for 2 years (vocal major) at Franklin Pierce College in New Hampshire... I would have completed my BA had I been able to get more financial aid... blah. I've performed a lot of Classical pieces, The Messiah, Handel's Theodora, Mozarts Requiem, Faure's Requiem... I was in 2 Operas... so singing and recording Pop/Rock/Electro type of music is a whole other ballgame for me, it's challenging me to rediscover my voice, I just got layed off from my job, which is one reason I've been able to finally get myself posting here.

Aaryn asked me to be a contributor because he knows my love for all the Best (and worst) Retro tunes... the pop, rock, new wave, punk, rap, etc etc. Among my favorite artists... Duran Duran, The Cure, ABBA, Pet Shop Boys, Scissor Sisters, Kylie Minogue (I like her sister, Dannii too), Goldfrapp, Fischerspooner, Adam Ant, Ace of Base, Alcazar (I love those swedes!) Erasure (as well as solo Andy Bell), Depeche Mode, The Beatles, Barry Manilow, Donna Summer, Diana Ross (supremes and disco era), Berlin, Billy Idol, Blondie, Bronski Beat, David Bowie, Divine (the drag queen from John Waters films, not the girl group lol), Elton John, The Doors, Human League, Michael Jackson, Johnny Mathis, Ladytron, Madison Avenue, Madonna, Mamas & The Papas, Missing Persons, Meat Loaf, No Doubt, Pretenders, Poison, Motly Crue, Queen, Poe, Pointer Sisters, Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Cher, Steve Miller Band, Taylor Dayne, Thompson Twins, Tom Jones, Trina, Village People, Ritchie Family, Bee Gees (early stuff AND the disco stuff).... I love lots of like 70's disco music... I have a wide range of tastes, this is a small example, I just got tired of typing lol.

So I have a lot of material to work with to keep me posting here for awhile.

It's great to be here... if you're on myspace, feel free to look me up there at www.myspace.com/durancureboy and my music projects are both in my top 8 if you're interested in those.

Ok, enough about me, you all probably don't care haha.

I now return you to your regularly schedule Retro tunes....

~DJ RyRy

Suddenly I'm just feeling SPELLBOUND all around...

who could forget this classic hit? one of my guilty pleasures, I admit. Buy the album or listen to the track and get off your ass and dance to the "horny horns!"

Paula Abdul- Vibeology (album version) (1991)

Enjoy!

~DJ "I'm in a funky way" RyRy

Introducing Tuesday 2Play... Each Tuesday we will post 2 songs that are somehow related to one another... they could be 2 by the same artist, same compilation album, same soundtrack, artist's solo work vs their group work, or same central theme...

This week, I'm pulling a real ace out of my sleeve and starting with George Michael. He started out in the UK with That Other Guy (Andrew Ridgely) and formed WHAM! (my vinyl edition of this first album has them listed as WHAM! UK). Their first album was FANTASTIC! That's not a review, that's the album title. Released originally in 1983 it was relatively unknown here in the US... they really didn't make it big until, well, they released Make it Big in 1984.

So I present to you, a track from that first album, my personal Favorite...
Wham Rap! (enjoy what you do)

Georgie went solo soon after, and sometime in the early 90's, though I can't give you an exact date, released this gem of a song....

Too Funky

I can see the video in my head everytime I hear it...

That's your Tuesday 2Play this week, kids!

~DJ RyRy

ABBA was Sweden's #1 export in the 1970s. They made more money than Volvo or so the story goes. They jumped to fame when they won the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest... usually the winners are never heard from again, but not ABBA. They rocketed to fame. Sold millions of albums, survived 2 divorces, recorded 8 albums and had started on the 9th, which they ultimately never finished. ABBA was the first 2 guy/2 girl pop import from Sweden, groups like Ace of Base and Alcazar were to follow and were also very successful. So they had 2 complete albums in the 80s, "Super Trouper" and "The Visitors" I want to share with you a few tracks from each, and a track that was completed for that never finished 9th album.

first up we have some Super Trouper action, this album was released in November of 1980. It contains my personal favorite, "The Winner Takes it All" as well as other gems that never quite made it as hits here in the good ole USA.

ABBA - "On and On and On"
catchy, poppy, tells a story, lots of synth... pop perfection

ABBA- "Super Trouper"
I HAD to share the title track... 'facing 20,000 of your fans, how could anyone be so lonely?"

ABBA- "The Winner Takes It All"
Agnetha's finest performance.

ABBA- "Lay All Your Love On Me
I don't have much to say about this one, it's always been a favorite of mine.

Let's move on to "The Visitors" it was released in November 1981 and shows a more Mature ABBA than we're used to. This ultimately was some of their best work, and unfortunately for the fans, the final album.

ABBA- "The Visitors"
the opening, title track is filled with fear and paranoia... but of what? this was still the Cold War era...

ABBA- "Two For The Price of One"
fun with personal ads... "if you dream of the girl for you, then call us and get two for the price of one!"

ABBA- "When All Is Said and Done"
I think this song speaks for itself...

ABBA- "Slipping Through My Fingers"
getting a tad sappy on y'all for a second, Agnetha reflects on watching her daughter grow...

and finally, let's end The Visitors on a better note... the single "Head Over Heels" the video has Frida runnin' around town buying clothes and shopping while Bjorn plays her tired husband, Agnetha sings us this story while wearing an awful pantsuit.

ABBA- "Head Over Heels"

They started recording a 9th studio album... it ultimately never worked out, but a few songs have surfaced... both these tracks were recorded sometime in 1982...

ABBA- "You Owe Me One" (previously unreleased)
based on this song alone, it makes me wish that album was completed... brilliant.

ABBA- "I Am The City (previously unreleased)"
this song is totally ABBA meets the 80s....

I Hope you enjoyed these songs... the best way to see how ABBA has evolved musically is to buy ABBA- The Complete Studio Recordings it contains all 8 albums, bonus tracks, 2 dvds, 2 books... well worth the money. But for a nice collection a lot cheaper, might I suggest The Definitive Collection.

and one more before I go... Erasure loved ABBA and we all know about ABBA-esque but they covered some ABBA songs... including one of my very favorites...

for your listening pleasure.... Erasure- "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!"

Hope you all enjoyed my first entry... I had to get all this ABBA out of my system... I have ideas for some other entries, but I shan't post them all now or i'll have nothing to share later!

~DJ RyRy

SPARK*RETRO Hiatus is OVER!

hang on people, I'm working on some stuff for you right now!

Due to significant time restraints, SPARK*RETRO will be taking a break for an unspecified amount of time.

Dont worry! We still have your retro at SPARK*POP

I will be out of town for the next week so this blog wont be updated much.

I will be back by the 10th!

Until then, keep checking out SPARK*POP (it will continue to be upated)

Ive neglected the 90s since the launch of the page but lets put a STOP to that! Its 90s week! All 90s, All week!



Linear - "Sending All my Love" (Radio Edit)
1990

"Every move you make,
day by day I pray for you
When I close my eyes,
tear drops starts to fall for you
im Sending all my love.......
Sending all my love to you
Sending all my love.......
Sending all my love to you"




Erasure - "In My Arms"
1998

This song was released as the first single off of the Cowboy album. Im not a fan of anything of Erasure since the 80s... except for this song. Its a smooth pop song... not a gay dance diva-fest like a lot of their music.



The KLF f/ Tammy Wynette - "Justified and Ancient"
1991
Click here for THE KLF bio! (interesting stuff!)

"They're Justified, and they're Ancient,
I hope you understand.
(to the bridge, to the bridge, to the bridge now)
They called me up in Tennessee
They said "Tammy, stand by the JAMs"
But if you don't like what they're going to do,
You better not stop them 'cause they're coming through
(bring the beat back)"

In 1985, Duran Duran underwent a big change. John and Andy Taylor went off to form Power Station with Robert Palmer and Simon, Nick and Roger stayed to release an album under the name Arcadia. Nick and Simon have both been quoted saying that Arcadia is different from their previous albums with the full group and that it is nothing they could have released as Duran Duran not just because of individual differences but also because of the kind of pressure they were under and the risk of recreating the same type of stuff unless they branched out--- just as Power Station was something that stood alone as well.

Arcadia - "Election Day"

Power Station - "Some Like it Hot"


and what Duran Duran post would be complete without some ACTUAL Duran?

Duran Duran - "My Own Way"

Duran Duran - "Hold Back the Rain" (remix)

Duran Duran - "New Religion"



and if we could flash forward a bit to 2005. Duran Duran reformed with all 5 original members using a lot of the old producers. My fave off the album is either the Jason Nevins remix of "(Reach Up For the) Sunrise" or the upbeat "Want You More!" with a throwback to their older song "Serious" included!

Duran Duran - "Want You More!"

So I dropped the cash and bought a new PC. Update coming tonite. PROMISE! :D>

-Aaryn