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So, I caught the news about how 90s dance diva/pop singer, Cathy Dennis, is still making a living in the music business - not as a performer, but as a music writer. She's responsible for huge hits for Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, S Club Juniors, and Janet Jackson, just to name a few. I'm happy to see her doing so well!
Anyway, this news caused me to flashback of my high school youth. I had seen her beautiful 60s haircut and neon green album cover and fell in love with her. I got her debut album, Move to This through my primary way of purchasing semi-cheap CDs: BMG Music Club (which I'm still currently a member).
I think at the time, she had "Just Another Dream" as a hit single, a dancey number with that catchy line "is it for real or is it just another dream (just a dream)", followed by "Touch Me (All Night Long)" which shows off her dancing skills on MTV.
Once I had the album, I was drawn to her sweet lullaby love song, "Too Many Walls". This song, complete with the violin parts, did really well on the Billboard charts.... and I believe it was the last time we heard from her in the States.
I don't know what happened really, she disappeared as quickly as she appeared on pop radio.
Looking at her discography, I can tell you that she did release two other albums, and a greatest hits, but as far as I know, they were only a blimp on the radar in the US. I'm sure she fared far better in her home country.
As luck would have it, Discopop reported a brand new Cathy Dennis album called Sexcassettes should be out in 2008:
Her manager, Spice Girls svengali Simon Fuller, adds that the album has “a real contemporary guitar feeling” - which is less encouraging.
I don't know about 'less encouraging', but it should be interesting to hear her new original songs.
Dennis, from the recent Yahoo article, adds more details:
Actually, yes. I've been working for the last year-and-a-half with a band I put together called Sexcassettes. We're shooting a video for the first single, "Killer Love," this month, and I hope to have it out by the end of the year. It's more of a band sound than produced pop. As usual, I have no idea what to expect.
YO and Chillen
Everytime I hear these two words I just wanna strangle somthing because they are so annoying. (to me) so yes if your talking to me please don't say "yo" before every sentance (I won't treat you different, but if you do it just might make me cry) and if I ask you what your doing and you choose say "Chillen" or "Nothing" don't expect me to reply back. Thank you for listening and good day.
EbonyDoll
Once , a young orphan girl, despondent and lonely, walked through a meadow and saw a small butterfly caught in a thorn bush. the more the butterfly struggled to free itself, the deeper the thorns cut into it's fragile body.
Filled with compassion, the girl released the butterfly. But, instead of flying away, the butterfly transformed into an angel and said gently, "To reward you for your kindness, I will do whatever you like."
The girl thought for a moment, then replied, "I want to be happy!"
"Very well," the angel said. Then the heavenly creature leaned close to the girl and whispered something in her ear.
Many years later, as the orphan lay on her deathbed after a full and happy life, her friends gathered around her. "Won't you tell us your secret now," they pleaded. With a labored smile, the woman answered,"An angel told me that no matter where I went in life, I would find people who needed me-- people rich or poor, young or old, meek or self assured-- and meeting those needs would bring me happiness and satisfaction."
Somewhere in your life there is someone who needs you. Are you willing to be an angel and meet that need?
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.-- Romans, 12:10 NIV
from eighteen seconds before sunrise
"last weekend at the benicassim festival appearance in spain, orri’s fantastic crown went missing. if you have any information that would lead to the crown being returned to the band then please contact us. a reward is offered to whomever helps get it back."
Such a shame, too. It's so much more colorful than those crap ones from Burger King.
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07/23/08 Ramkota Exhibit Hall Souix Falls, South Dakota
07/24/08 Grandmas Sports Garden Duluth, Minnesota 07/25/08 Riverside Ballroom Green Bay, Wisconsin 07/26/08 Streeters Traverse City, Michigan 07/29/08 Vans Warped Tour: Pittsburgh, PA 07/30/08 Vans Warped Tour: Riverbend Music Center OH 07/31/08 Vans Warped Tour: Verizon Wireless Music, IN 08/01/08 Vans Warped Tour: Marcus Amphitheater WI 08/02/08 Vans Warped Tour: First Midwest Bank IL 08/03/08 Vans Warped Tour: Canterbury Park ,MN 08/05/08 Vans Warped Tour: Credit Union Centre SK 08/06/08 Vans Warped Tour: Race City Speedway AB 08/08/08 Vans Warped Tour: Idaho Center Amp, ID 08/09/08 Vans Warped Tour: Gorge Amphitheatre WA 08/10/08 Vans Warped Tour: Columbia Meadows OR 08/13/08 Vans Warped Tour: Save Mart Center CA 08/14/08 Vans Warped Tour: Coors Amphitheater CA 08/15/08 Vans Warped Tour: Shoreline Ampitheatre CA 08/16/08 Vans Warped Tour: Sleep Train Ampitheatre CA 08/17/08 Vans Warped Tour: The Home Depot Center CA 09/04/08 MSU Auditorium East Lansing, Michigan 09/06/08 Crocodile Rock Cafe Allentown, Pennsylvania 09/07/08 House of Blues Atlantic City, New Jersey 09/08/08 Recher Theatre Towson, Maryland 09/10/08 The Orange Peel Asheville, North Carolina 09/11/08 The Music Farm Charleston, South Carolina 09/12/08 40 Watt Club Athens, Georgia 09/13/08 Real Big Deal Festival Gainesville, Florida 09/15/08 House of Blues New Orleans, Louisiana 09/17/08 Canopy Club Urbana, Illinois 09/18/08 The Blue Note Columbia, Missouri 09/19/08 Liberty Hall Lawrence, Kansas 09/22/08 Club Oasis Louisville, Kentucky 09/23/08 Newport Music Hall Columbus, Ohio 09/25/08 Magic City Music Hall Johnson City, New York 09/26/08 Northern Lights Clifton Park, New York 09/27/08 Lupo’s Heartbreak Hotel Providence, RI 09/28/08 Toad’s Place New Haven, Connecticut 09/30/08 The National Richmond, Virginia 10/01/08 Lincoln Theatre Raleigh, North Carolina 10/02/08 Rocketown Nashville, Tennessee |
I'm always excited about acoustic releases. I generally prefer them since they strip away the flashiness and give you the raw talent of the band. Motion City Soundtrack's Acoustic EP is no different. The EP features five tracks from their 2007 album "Even If It Kills Me". For those who don't know Motion City Soundtrack is an increasingly popular indie rock/alternative rock/pop group formed in Minneapolis. The band has released three albums under Epitaph Records.
As with most acoustic releases, the songs all sound much more earnest and heartfelt. The versions of "Fell In Love Without You" and "It Had To Be You" should go down in love-song history for their incredible emotion-evoking sound. Unlike some acoustic albums, Motion City Soundtrack delivers complete studio quality throughout the entire EP. There are not only acoustic guitars, but chimes, drums, piano, bass-- the whole nine yards.
This wasn't just a sit-down in the basement; it was crafted with much precision. The vocals may not have been as smooth as in "Even If It Kills Me" but they are strong and hit all their marks (which is no small feat with all of Motion City Soundtrack's high octaves). Even if you've already purchased "Even If It Kills Me" I highly recommend you pick this EP up. The quality and effort put into the Acoustic EP is easy to recognize, and it's a whole new take on all of the songs.
Links:
motioncitysoundtrack.com
myspace.com/motioncitysoundtrack
epitaph.com
My husband’s family is really big. He is the youngest of 11 kids. Four of them are his father’s kids from his first marriage and Todd really doesn’t have a relationship with them, save one. But Todd only talks to him once or twice a month.
So on Todd’s mother’s side of his family he has 6 siblings, 13 nieces and nephews, and 10 great nieces
and nephews (with #11 on the way – due around the end of August). My MIL has two brothers and one sister. They each have three children and nine grandchildren, and I am not sure how many great grand children. This is not including the various husbands, wives, or ex’s – as it is a firm belief in this family that you may have divorced the person but you don’t divorce the family. This is a total of 76+ people that all spawned from my husband’s grandmother (RIP). What is amazing about the size of this family is that fact that they all mainly live just north of Seattle, and they all stay very close to each other. Birthdays, anniversaries, bridal, baby showers are no small affair in the family.
With all that said, they have never had an official “Family Reunion”; which would make you think that they really don’t need one as they are always together... but they had the 1st Danner reunion this past weekend. We made the 300 mile trek to the homelands. We had a blast. We moved away almost 10 years ago. It was the best thing we could have done for our marriage – but it also means we are not as in touch as the rest of the family.
I saw my great niece Hayley for the 1st time – she was two weeks and 2 days – and as adorable as they
get. Todd and I also saw Aiden (great nephew) for the first time – he is 5 months old. I was holding Aiden and he was just happy as could be... then Todd walked by talking and Aiden reached over to him. Todd picked him up... and through the whole weekend... every time Todd put him down he cried. He just loved something about Todd. It really broke Todd’s heart on Sunday when we had to leave. He handed Aiden back to his sister (Aiden’s grandma) and Aiden started crying. Todd took him back and just loved on him but it made Todd cry. Todd is not a very emotional person and that was the 4th time in 10 years that I have ever seen him cry.
On a lighter note… arrived at the family lakeside property at 11:00 at night. We had to setup our tent and the kids’ tent in the dark, on sloped ground that was not really all that cleared. There were sticks and rocks all around and clearing it in the pitch dark is not the easiest thing to do. Kevin and Jessica (BIL & SIL) had gotten before us and set their tent up on what seemed like the only even spot. Their tent was only 10 feet away from ours.
Around 4 am Jessica and I decided to go to bed. So while I was snuggled up in my tent, nice and warm in my blankets and Kevin decides to go to bed. While I am trying to fall asleep, as the sky keeps getting lighter and lighter… I hear them in the other tent… noises of sex. I can feel the blood rushing to my
face. I hear “Kevin, Kevin, Oh Kevin..” and it goes quiet………………………………. Kevin whispers, “Baby, Baby.. Are you sleeping?” A little louder, “Jess.”
Jessica says, “Huh? Oh Kev I’m sorry. Are you mad at me?”
Kevin mumbles, “No, I’m not mad.”
It took everything inside of me to not hysterically laugh out loud. I snickered and fell asleep with a huge smile on my face.
Saturday night there are a bunch of us hanging around the camp fire, Kevin, Jessica, myself, Todd, Cassie (niece) and her BF, Tessy (cousin) and her BF, Steve (cousin) and Corie (2nd cousin). Cassie starts talking and brings up the night before and how the noises startled her. Then she tells Kevin and Jess that she heard them and she blushes. I totally opened my big mouth and told everyone around the fire about Jessica falling asleep. Jessica was embarrassed but laughed, Kevin laughed so hard that he fell out of his camp chair onto the ground. I laughed so hard my side ached.
It was awesome!!!
On Sunday, the big picnic happened with everyone showing up. There was about 60 people that showed up. We all ate, talked, visited, exploded Diet Coke with Mentos..
Todd’s daughter, Kaylee, came to the reunion. It’s a long story for another post but she lives with her maternal great aunt. She is 12 and absolutely beautiful. She has lived with the great aunt since she was 3 months old. We keep in contact with her and support her. She has blossomed into a wonderful, talented, shy girl.
It was a great weekend filled with laughs, smiles, and a tearful good bye. We feared that there would be too many people not getting along because some of then are like oil and water and just don’t mix well… but it was a pleasant surprise at how well things went. Maybe they are growing up and have learned how to put differences aside, even if it is just for a weekend.
Love
of
beauty
is
Taste
.
The
creation
of
beauty
is
Art.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
Just beyond the sunset, Someone waits for me, Just beyond the sunset, Lies my destiny.
- David Harris
The heat of the spring sun, warms blades of grass, woven by breaths of wind...above, endless blue sky, reminiscent of azure seas sweeping a white sand beach - a cove, scattered with scarred pieces of driftwood, each furrow a story of a thousand tales.
Bright
splashes of colour, dappled by the lazy sunlight, draw detail to the
eye. Purples in riot, vivid oranges and yellows...all the colours of
the kaleidescope in every variety and hue...
Blossoms fall from above, sunlit, scattering on the earth like flakes of snow, grace from heaven, inherent with evanescent beauty... falling like motes of dust suspended in a ray of light.
White petals drench the earth, windswept, cast adrift by dictatorial threads of fate. The earth reaches and claims its own, a vast, subterranean wisdom older than the ages, older than thought, transcendent; grounding.
A petal becomes a blossom, thousands spread as an ethereal carpet, becomes a moment, a thousand such moments...an eternity of pattern and repetition. The only constancy finding itself in the vastness of that earth.
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