To 100.3 FM LA..Don't Break Our Hearts

Mike Doughty and his song 27 Jennifers is in the rotation On Los Angeles's New Album Alternative Station 100.3 The Sound

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

I have to admit if I'm flipping through the radio dial and I hear Royal Scam from Steely Dan...you got my attention. That's a song you don't hear on FM radio very often.

Yes, AAA radio is back again in Los Angeles as of last week and it has taken over long time R&B station V100's spot on the dial. For the uninformed AAA stands for Adult Album Alternative and what it is basically is you take established and well-liked artists like John Mayer, Sheryl Crowe, Elton John, Smashing Pumpkins, Rolling Stones, etc. and you play their stuff that doesn't get a lot of air play. Mix that in with new songs like 27 Jennifers and some classic and woo-lah you got yourself a radio format.

Everything was going well for the AAA station in LA back in the 90's. KSCA was holding it's own in the ratings but the most important hidden number of all is how it did among people with disposable income. Even though the ratings overall were not the best...KCSA was never in the top 20...it led among people that have lots of money to spend. Advertisers like that. What killed KSCA was the fact that a Spanish-speaking radio conglomerate was gobbling up a lot of radio stations because Spanish-speaking radio is big business in Los Angeles. And KSCA became a Latin music station.

I'm not sure how 100.3 FM The Sound is going to do. I'm definitely rooting for them. But it's sort of like not having a NFL team in Los Angeles. You make due by watching a a lot of out of market stuff. In this case, when I was listening to radio, and not CD's or my I-pod...I got real good about creating my own Adult Alternative station. A Little Jack FM...mixed in with some KCRW....a dash of KLOS and just a hint of 98.7 FM and KROQ. Well you get the point.

The other thing I'm afraid of in this market is that the AAA format and similar formats may be reaching critical mass. We already had the heady music of public station KCRW. Recently 98.7 FM became more alternative. Then we have Indie 103.1 which sounds like KROQ was in the early 80's. And KROQ is still there along with College Radio's KUCI. Mix in some great internet stations like Killradio.org and the great satellite stations as well. So one more alternative station may not be good for a format that doesn't get a lot of listeners to begin with.

For the rest of the county The Sound streams at www.thesoundla.com and let me throw in one more in the mix. Bosco Radio: The Music Channel has links to the best music shows. Be sure to find Bosco Radio: The Music Channel in the sidebar.

Robyn: 80's Madonna Meets The Teddy Bears

Robyn, the Techno-Pop Diva from Sweden, hits the stores today in America with her latest Album, Robyn. Klas Ahlund from Teddy Bears lends a hand

Robyn
Robyn
Konichiwa Records
4 teaspoons of Bosco

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

One of the great things about doing this magazine is that a lot of new music comes across my desk for perusal and review. Sometimes it seems like it's a constant stream of bad music. But every once in a while something grabs my attention.

I was listening to the latest from Swedish Techno Pop artist Robyn when I noticed something familiar. Well actually two things familiar. First of all, before I get into that.... if you are expecting ABBA put to Techno pop here...forget it. This petite dynamo of a Swede has blonde hair and blue eyes all right but that's where that similarity ends. She rocks and she rocks hard. No, the first thing I noticed was the music and the beat...it sounded familiar. That's when I realized it is heavily influenced from that other techno pop sensation from Sweden, the Teddy Bears. In fact Klas Ahlund from Teddy Bears co-writes and produces several tracks on this album including their own Cobrastyle (you know the song from the beer commercial). That being aside, in that aspect, the Teddy Bears, for whatever reason sound better on their own albums...they seem not to be quite at the same level as usual which means Robyn was probably calling the shots here and took away part of their, dare I say, masculinity.

The other think I found familiar...and it's not a bad thing actually...is Robyn's vocals. She reminds me a lot of Madonna when she first got started. That sweet and innocent sounding young voice which belies what is coming out of it. This album does carry a parental warning label. But it's also fun, has great beats and is very danceable.

Aside from Cobrastyle, other listenable tracks on this album which hits the stores in America today are Konichiwa Bitches, Handle Me, Who's That Girl?, and Crash and Burn Girl. This album was released in Europe last year.

Photo Credit: www.robyn.com

Democrat Strategists On Face The Nation

There's not too many people better than Bob Schieffer host of Face The Nation. The show is 35 Years Old

David Axelrod, the chief strategist for the Barack Obama campaign and Howard Wolfson, Communications Director for the Hilary Clinton campaign were the guests on CBS Face The Nation on Sunday. Also appearing on the show was Roger Mudd, the former CBS News Correspondent to talk about his new book.

Face the Nation, hosted by Bob Schieffer, is one of the oldest television news/issues programs. Now in it's 35th year, it can be seen on your local CBS television affiliate. Check listings for local time. Most markets carry the show at 7:30 AM PST/10:30 EST on Sunday. It can also be viewed on CBS.com at anytime.

If you are close to your computer, you can also listen to the audio through Bosco Radio: News and Information Channel at 1:30 PM PST/4:30 EST on Sunday afternoons. Bosco Radio: News and Information Channel links to the best in news, news as it breaks, newsmagazines, and public affairs programming. The list includes 60 Minutes, Fox News Sunday, ABC's This Week, America In The Morning, Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Nightline, Charlie Rose and much more. Check our sidebar for the schedule.

Photo Credit: CBS.com

Match Game: You Will Laugh Your Blank Off

The Match Game Live
Upright Citizens Brigade
Hollywood, California
First Friday and Saturday of Each Month
10 PM (Reservations A Must)
Rating: 5 teaspoons of Bosco (out of 5)

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

Gene Rayburn would be very proud. Comedian extraordinaire Jimmy Pardo and his buddies are doing a live sendup of the old television game show the Match Game and the results are hilarious; the funniest stuff I've seen in a long time.

The Match Game Live, is an actual game. Two contestants, one man and one woman, are picked from the audience to participate and have the chance to win up to $100 or, as was the case the night I was there, Jimmy Pardo's old leather jacket. The interaction between the Chicago-born fast talking Pardo (a regular on Comedy Central shows) and the audience, the two contestants and the all-star panel is hysterical. The show even comes equipped with the funky old Match Game music, which is worth the price of admission itself.

And the six member panel is nothing to sneeze at either. On the night I was there, Comedy Central star Paul F. Thompkins, Late Night with Conan O'Brien's ex-sidekick Andy Richter, Madmen star John Hamm were among the six on the panel. I understand the night before that Janine Garafalo was on the panel. And that's part of the attraction of the show...you never know who is going to be on the panel...and it is usually the top comedy talent.

Make it an evening by going to one of the great restaurants along Franklin Ave. in walking distance from the UCB Theatre (Partly owned by Saturday Night Live's Amy Poehler) and be sure to make on line reservations before going down to see the Match Game Live. Show starts at 10 PM on the first Friday and Saturday of each month. Next shows are on Fri. May 2and Sat. May 3.


Photo Credit: Allen Bacon

Baseball Fans...Don't Try This at Home...

The First Stop In A Tour of the Cal League was Rancho Cucamonga. It just got better from there

Article in process...come back...won't you...thank you!

Then it was on to San Bernardino for a game featuring the Inland Empire 66ers and San Jose Giants at the Arrowhead Credit Union Ballpark


The highlight of the day was the game at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore that night between the Storm and High Desert.

How Barack Obama Lost The Nomination

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

Technically, Barack Obama is still in the race for the Democratic Party's nomination for President. But in my mind he lost his edge this week and I'll tell you why.

When it comes to playing politics and getting in among you and I.... the average American citizen, nobody does it better and nobody has more mileage than the Clintons..Bill or Hillary. Take your pick.

Even though you may disagree with Hillary Clinton and maybe you won't be voting for her in November or maybe you won't even want her to get her party's nomination, when it comes to talking with the American public...face to face...one on one or in groups she and her husband are good....real good.

Remember when Bill was on the campaign trail and even after he became President all of the wonderful public forums and impromptu sessions with the American people at McDonalds, Burger King or Dunkin Donuts. Just us and the President rapping about the issues that matter. We at least felt part of the system...we felt like we had some input in the running of our government. Whether it was actually true or not is another story...but at least the forum was there.

I haven't seen too much of that with our current administration and I really miss that. Grass roots politics...taking it to the people. The Clintons are good at it.

Not to say that Mr. Obama doesn't have the capacity for this but he sure looked uncomfortable in Pennsylvania when he got out among the people in the state. Here's a little tip Mr. Obama....when somebody offers you a cup of coffee at a diner in PA...take it. When somebody offers you to take a shot of an alcoholic beveridge...do it. Hillary did it and it made her look like one of us.

Of course, I am personally waiting for the Democratic Convention when the Dems will announce this whole race was to get the issues out and oh, by the way our real nominee is Al Gore and his running mate is Bill Clinton. Think about it. Like I said a few months back, James Carville, the political mastermind, may be somewhere manipulating and orchestrating this whole thing. If you want your party to win...slam dunk...go to a Gore-Clinton ticket. Just a thought.

More Tales of Whack...Walter Becker Solos

Walter Becker
Circus Money
5 over 12 Records
Release Date: June 2008

Preview by Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

Ok, I'm going to be perfectly honest with you...Walter Becker, Donald Fagen, Steely Dan, and anything remotely related to those three names is musical genius so when I heard recently that Becker was working on a new solo album I had to write something. The album isn't even out yet. They will always get a free pass here.

This much we know: Becker's first solo album since the 1994 release 11 tales of Whack is called Circus Money and is scheduled to hit the stores June 10, 2008...or maybe it's June 2009 or June 2010...uh, you never know with the Steely Dan guys because they don't release their albums until they are totally satisfied and that could be a while.

We also know the new album is not going to be produced by Mr. Fagen who produced the last Becker Solo project. Remember, Becker produced Fagen's solo record Kamikiriad and then Donald Fagen produced 11 tales of Whack so in 1994 you had the rebirth of Steely Dan...sort of. Larry Klein the ex-husband of Joni Mitchell and producer on many of Mitchell's best albums is the producer on this album. Klein has also produced albums for Holly Cole, Herbie Hancock, Rebecca Pidgeon, and Shawn Colvin. This should be an interesting collaboration.

Becker could actually produce this album himself...he wasn't sitting around his house in Hawaii doing nothing during the Steely Dan break of the 80's afterall. He was producing great albums for the likes of Rickie Lee Jones and Rosie Vela (along with Fagen, acutally). But this work with Klein should lend a slightly different sound than the rest of his work.

The only thing I hope Becker does on this album which he did not do on the first solo album is avoid singing all the songs. You know this album is going to be musically and lyrically sound but his singing is an acquired taste. Like Tom Waits or Leon Redbone. There was a reason why Becker didn't sing solo on a Steely Dan album until 2003. But then again a lot of people don't think Donald Fagan is the greatest singer either...but we still love to hear him. I think it would be interesting if Walter Becker recruited some of his friends like Rickie Lee Jones, Rosie Vela, Joni Mitchell, and Michael McDonald to sing some of his songs...not all of his songs...just about half would be great.

On the music side, we already know that great session players like Keith Carlock (drums) and Jon Herrington (guitars) are going to be on this album. For more info as it happens go to www.walterbecker.com and sign up for his newsletter and come back here for more updates on this project.

Photo Credit: Danny Cinch www.walterbecker.com

B52's Bring The Fun Back To Pop

B52s
The Funplex
4 scoops of Bosco

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

It may be hard to believe, but it has been sixteen years since a totally new original album by the Athens, Georgia-based band B52's. Save for a couple new songs on compilation CD's, Fred Schneider, Kate Piersen, Keith Strickland, and Cindy Wilson have been pretty quiet and off doing other things in the past two decades. That is until a few weeks ago when the group released the Funplex album.

This is the second big group from Athens, GA that has emerged with a new album this year. A few weeks ago, REM released their first album in four years and their best in a couple of decades. (See Bosco review this month). Now it's the B52's turn.

As a side note, I could never understand the reason that this band was categorized as a New Wave group. New Wave, to me , refers to the wave of groups that emerged from overseas in the 80's and well, the B52's are purely an American institution down to the Fred Schneider spoken-word Southern twang.

It's hard to do a serious review of anything B52's. That's because the eleven tracks are intended to be fun and danceble and not to be taken seriously. I was too busy dancing and smiling from this album anyway to do a serious review.

The ladies of the B52's sound better than ever on this album. Piersen and Wilson seem to get better with age and this album is very reminiscent of the early 80's incarnation of the band although the sound has been updated. Produced wonderfully by Steve Osborne who has produced the likes of New Order, this album pops, weaves and bops and is a joy to listen and dance to.

April Fools Editions Are Not Cool

By Allen Bacon, Editor, The Daily Bosco

Before today gets away from me, I wanted to get a rant off on something that has been building up inside for a while. I want to address the subject of April Fools Day Editions of newspapers.

My local paper, The Fullerton Observer, has done one for a few years now. Except I forgot this year. I wasted about 15 minutes reading the front page of the newspaper and thinking how interesting all the news was when I realized I was reading a bunch of fabricated nonsense.

This morning, I was reading an online trade publication which I think is the most informative. Fifteen minutes into my read I realized that I was also reading nonsense.

I don't mind a good Aprils Fools joke. My good friend Gina emailed me an Aprils Fool joke last year that was really funny...but I also knew right off the bat it was an April Fools joke and she had the good sense to keep it short and simple and not waste my time.

April Fools jokes in newspapers, however, are another story. First of all, editors, you are not doing anything novel or rare. The April Fools edition is old news. Secondly, if you want to be taken seriously as a publication...don't do it. Even as an editor of a high school newspaper...I had good sense not to do it. It's just tacky, unnecessary and annoying.

An Appreciation: We All Knew Ollie Johnston

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco The Blog

I never personally met Ollie Johnston. But, as many others in the world, I knew Ollie Johnston.

I knew Ollie Johnston when my Aunt Doretta took my brother and I to see Bambi at the Fox Theatre in Fullerton where I cried and was heart broken when Bambi's mother was shot and killed by hunters.

I knew Ollie Johnston when I went to the theatre in Macon, Missouri and saw Jungle Book with my friends Gary Sights and Tina Tucker and laughed at the antics of Mobly and the gang.

I knew Ollie Johnston as my friends and I were amazed (and some maybe a little stoned) at the re-release of Fantasia in 1977.

I knew Ollie Johnston when my little daughter Nadia ran out of the theatre frightened from the images from Pinocchio.

Ollie Johnston died earlier this week at the age of 95. He was the last of the so-called "Nine Old Men" (who actually started while they were in their 20's) who set the standards and wrote the books for animation while working with Walt Disney at his studio.

In addition to the animated full-length features that were previously mentioned, Johnston with his eight co-animators created Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Peter Pan, Snow White, Lady and the Tramp, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, Mary Poppins, The Aristocats, Robin Hood and The Rescuers.

After Johnston and co-animator Frank Thomas, who died in 2004 at the age of 92 retired in 1978 they lectured at schools in America and Europe and co-authored several books on animation which many animators today believe are the animators bible. There was even a 1995 documentary on the two entitled Frank and Ollie.

Of course, as was Walt Disney's way, he paid the men that would give us so many hours of animated pleasure hardly anything in compensation while he and the Disney shareholders made literally millions on the underpaid talent. At one time in the 1930's the animators were paid only $17 a week for the many hours they spent.

Services for Ollie Johnston will be private.

Marilyn....Say It Ain't So

By Allen Bacon
Bosco
Editor

A news item came across the wire yesterday that made me sick to my stomach.

I realize that my idol Marilyn Monroe was far from perfect. She made some mistakes in her short life. But this was the first time that I heard that she made....how can I say this....a compromising private movie of her with another man.

This short film, which I am guessing was never supposed to be for public consumption fetched a lot of money from a private collector who said that the reason that he bought the film was to make sure that Marilyn's reputation wasn't tarnished. Which I say is rubbish. If I really didn't want her image to be tarnished I would have bought the movie, made no public announcement, and promptly destroyed it. Which is what Joe DiMaggio tried to do at one point. But the creep that originally possessed the film wouldn't sell to Gentleman Joe.

This film apparently has a history to it. Because the male's face in the film is never seen it was speculated that the man was actually John F. Kennedy. This is when that brilliant and respected head of the FBI...the guy that used to dress in women's underwear, J. Edgar Hoover, leaped into action. He put nine G-men on the case to determine who the man in the film was. They even brought in prostitutes to see if they could identify the guy's member. Nothing was ever determined. And that's what really sickens me. Another waste of our government money for something so ridiculous.

To the sick guy who bought the film...do the honorable thing and destroy the print and never mention it again. And if you respect Marilyn so much, then go by her grave and leave some flowers. Joe would have done that.

The Frequency, Kenneth: REM Rocks Again

REM
Accelerate
Warner Brothers
5 teaspoons of Bosco
(Out of 5)

Reviewed by Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

It's been over eleven years since Bill Berry amicably left REM. In those ten years, the remaining threesome have stumbled in the wilderness of mediocrity. That all ended a few weeks ago with the release of REM's fourteenth album, Accelerate.

From the opening strands of the first song, Living Well Is the Best Revenge, REM rocks and they rock hard...a far cry from the boring and bland last album Around the Sun. In fact this is not only their best in the Post-Berry era...it is their best since the salad days of Green and Out of Time of the early 90's. It is as if Buck, Stipes, and Mills set out to show why they belong in the rock and roll hall of fame.

This album is mean and lean...and in your face...and that's a good thing. They abide by the unwritten rule of pop by keeping each of the eleven new songs under four minutes. Just when the music threatens to slip into the area of tediousness as in Until the Day Is Done they rock right back with Mr. Richards.

The musicianship is tighter than the three have ever done and Michael Stipes voice is as strong as ever. Mix that in with some well-written lyrics and the hard driving rock produced by the talented JackKnife Lee and you just may have the rock album of the year.

The Stones Roll On With New Album

Rolling Stones
Shine A Light
The Album
5 scoops of Bosco (out of 5)

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

I remember sitting at a Rolling Stones concert in the 1980's and thinking that these guys as they were approaching their fifties probably didn't have a lot of Rock and roll left in them. They would gracefully retire on top and retire to their farms in England and enjoy their grandchildren.

Fast forward twenty years later and the bad boys from London are still pushing the envelope as to how old you can be to participate in rock and roll and still be viable.

Now in their mid to late 60's, the Rolling Stones in conjunction with Martin Scorcese have released a live concert film entitled Shine A Light. It may very well be the last concert film that the Stones or Scorcese for that matter will ever produce. It's like Keith Richards says between numbers, as he repeats the old Vaudeville line, "It's good to be here...It's good to be anywhere". Fitting because the Beacon Theatre, a New York institution, where this album is recorded, was an old Vaudeville house.

I have not seen the movie yet...am anxious to... but I just got done listening to the album and I am in awe.

The Rolling Stones on the "Shine A Light" album sound better than ever. From the Martin Scorcese nervous-voiced lead in on "Jumpin' Jack Flash" to the "Brown Sugar" finale, the Stones are tight and energetic and leave it all on stage at the Beacon in this live recording.

This concert album, as in another critically acclaimed Scorcese concert film, "The Last Waltz" with The Band, has some great special guests. Christina Aguillerra chimes in on "Live With Me" and the legendary Buddy Guy joins the Stones for a Muddy Water's tune "Champagne and Reefer". Jack White III lends himself to "Loving Cup".

Most interesting is a new phrasing and renditions of "Shattered" and "She Was Hot" as well as the Temptations "Just My Imagination"

Filling out the playlist on this extraordinary live album is "All Down the Line", "As Tears Go By", "Some Girls", "Faraway Eyes", "You Got the Silver", "Connection", "Sympathy for the Devil", and "Start Me Up"...all handpicked by Mick Jagger.

Political Protest Is Not An Olympic Event

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

The Olympic Torch Relay is one of the most fascinating events to me. This year, as usual, the torch relay started in the country of the Olympic's birthplace Greece and when it ends up in Beijing in the summer the torch will have traveled 85,000 miles (coincidently the same amount of miles on my car). It will also have gone through most countries.

I remember vividly the 1984 Torch Relay for the Los Angeles Olympics. The torch came down Malvern Avenue in my hometown of Fullerton, CA a half mile from my home and office. Sensing that it was something I didn't see everyday or am not likely to see too many times in my lifetime (sort of like Haley's comet or a tax refund) I picked up Nadia (yes, that Nadia...famed Hollywood comediene and entrepreneur), who was three at the time and she sat on my shoulders and looked in awe at the spectacle as we saw the runner with the torch appear in the horizon and as it approached and went by us.

Today my friends in San Francisco will get a chance to witness this spectacle...or maybe they won't this year due to the fact that the Olympics are being held in China. Today's China is responsible for some heinous crimes against humanity and supporting governments like Sudan that are also responsible for horrible attrocities. And because of this there are going to be protests against the Chinese government during this season of the Olympics. It's probably going to get ugly, because people don't like it when governments sponsor mass genocide and other attrocities. The torch relay may have to be stopped due to these protests.

We need to find other ways to protest China and have dialogue about these gross human rights violations they are perpetuating. The Olympics need to transcend all of the politics. It should be the one place where everybody from anywhere in the world can come together in a spirit of peace, brotherhood, competition holding hands and singing cumbaya.

In the final analysis, we can always find something to protest against every country in the world...even the Good ol' United States of America. My modest proposal is to return the Olympics to it's original site Greece if we can't leave politics out of it. Let the torch runners go in peace.

NCAA Basketball: The Tennessee Waltz

For the second consecutive year, the University of Tennesee rules the Women's NCAA Basketball World. Candace Parker (above) led the Lady Vols to a commanding 64-48 victory over Stanford on Tuesday night.

The NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway with four matchups on Wed. starting at 4:00 PST. Link to all the action over Bosco Radio: The Sports Channel in the sidebar.

Charleton Heston: An Appreciation

By Allen Bacon
Editor
Bosco

Charleton Heston died on Saturday at the age of 84. The actor, who played historical figures in the age of movie epics announced just two years ago he was in the beginning stages of Alzheimer's Disease. Heston's family has not disclosed the cause of death.

Heston became famous for his larger than life portrayals of such historical and religious figures as Moses , Marc Anthony, and El Cid. But he's probably best known for his Academy-Award winning performance as the Chariot Racing Ben Hur.

I personally was not a fan of Mr. Heston's acting. His over-blown portrayals in such movies as Soylent Green, Planet of the Apes or Touch of Evil left me wondering if he wasn't overrated as an actor.

But what I appreciated about his life is how he went about his business with dignity and professionalism. And although I disagreed with some of his political stances in his later years...he was always sincere. I will always appreciate his lending his celebrity status and his efforts to the Civil Rights movement of the 60's. Plus he had one of the most distinct voices of all time.

Rest In Peace Moses.

New Bosco Feature Scours The Planet For News

A new feature, introduced this week, allows Bosco Readers to look at most of the major newspapers in the world each day. The feature, found in the Sidebar, entitled Bosco: The Newsrack, links our readers to a pdf for all front pages and internet edition of all the newspapers. The service is powered by Newseum.org

Grab a cup of coffee and a bagel and check out Bosco: The Newsrack today and stay informed.

DWTS Recap: Fans Send Gutenberg Home

Priscilla Presley heats up the dance floor with her tango in Monday night's competition on Dancing With the Stars.

In somewhat of a surprise move, the fans voted off Steve Gutenberg in tonight's results session of Dancing with the Stars. Tecninally, Gutenberg wasn't the worst dancer based on the judges scores.

Earlier in the show, Gutenberg danced an April's Fools edition of the Tango with Jonathon Roberts. Gutenberg practiced with Roberts this past week due to the fact that his regular partner who is married to Roberts was sick with the flu.

All twelve of the performers had strong showings on Monday night in the competition round.

Even Adam Carolla stepped it up. Under the guidance of Juliane Hough, his tango surprisingly was good and he received a decent score of 21. Carolla's quirky humor is also coming out more each week. He made cracks about his partner's wardrobe looking like Sandy Duncan and the fact that he was being taught the tango, "a dance about prostitutes and pimps" that the best place would be to learn from a Mormon. Hough and her brother, also a coach on the show, are both Latter Day Saints.

If you missed any of the shows, watch Dancing With the Stars on www.abc.com. The next show is on Monday at 8 PM EST/8 PM PST