Vincent's Dazzling "Whatever It Takes"

If you're the type of fan who longs for those halcyon days of turning on your transistor radio and listening to songs by bands like Ambrosia and Orleans, or tunes by power pop pioneers like The Raspberries, then you need to check out the music of Kyle Vincent. He's a supremely talented musician and songwriter whose latest album, Whatever It Takes, is a wonderful collection of sunshine-drenched pop songs that's a gift to music lovers everywhere. Kyle's a veteran performer who started out in the music world at the age of eight, when he played saxophone in his school's jazz program at Berkeley, California. He later took bass lessons from none other than guitar master Joe Satriani, and went on to front the power pop band Candy. That group's lineup included Gilby Clarke, who later became a charter member of Guns 'n Roses.

Candy released one album, 1985's Whatever Happened To Fun..., which was produced by Jimmy Ienner, who'd worked with Grand Funk Railroad and the Bay City Rollers. Wally Bryson of The Raspberries was the musical director for the project. The title track received a lot of MTV airplay at the time. The band went on to open for acts like Rick Springfield and Corey Hart, and the group is still well-regarded in power pop circles. Kyle went on to release a number of excellent solo albums, and his music has been featured in a number of television shows, including MTV's The Hills and The Real World, and films such as The Other Sister. He's also fronted touring versions of the Bay City Rollers and Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods, and opened for Barry Manilow (a big supporter of Kyle's music) on his Greatest Hits & Then Some tour.

Whatever It Takes is filled with shimmering pop confections that will move you, enchant you, exhilarate you and have you singing along on repeat listens. As soon as you hear the opening track, the lovely "Dreaming of July," you'll realize that this album is something special. The ethereal song is a beautiful ode to summer love that superbly captures the longing for that special someone that lights up your life, and the memories you've shared. The heartfelt vocals, masterful work from the backing musicians, and sparkling production resonate from every track on the record. Check out "Dreaming of July" to see what I mean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE7LqGX4XkU.

Tracks like "Bubblegum Baby" and "I Feel New" radiate joy, and aptly illustrate Kyle's innate gifts as a songwriter and musician. It's something of a cliche to say "there's not a bad song on the album," but in the case of Whatever It Takes, it's true. The record features a talented lineup of musicians backing Kyle, including legendary session guitarist Louie Shelton, who has played on hits like "Last Train To Clarksville" and "Let's Get It On." Also appearing on the record are several power icons, including guitarist Tommy Dunbar of The Rubinoos, and drummer Jim Bonfanti and guitarist Wally Bryson of The Raspberries. Noted Japanese guitarist Kyoji Yamamoto plays on the title track, and Parthenon Huxley, a power pop hero in his own right, co-wrote the marvelous song "Hard To Be Happy," with Kyle.

The music on Whatever It Takes will instantly teleport you back to a simpler time, have you smiling from ear to ear, and will absolutely inspire you to check out the rest of Kyle's catalog of fantastic songs and albums. Kyle is a remarkable artist who crafts melodic, emotion-filled pop tunes that will get stuck in your head and steal your heart. Whatever It Takes is now available from Universal Music Group, and can also be found at Kyle's website, https://www.kylevincent.com, where you can learn more about Kyle and his music. I can't think of a better way to end this review than with a link to the track "A Gilbert O'Sullivan Song," which perfectly encapsulates all the best qualities of Kyle's music. If you'e ever been enthralled by the work of an artist who made a real impact on your life, you'll empathize with the feelings that Kyle shares in this tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1b3CaOi5TI.

Lon Chaney, Jr. Enters the Inner Sanctum

In the 1930s and 1940s Inner Sanctum was a print, radio and film franchise which featured tales of mystery, murder and the macabre. The Inner Sanctum imprint was initially used for a series of best-selling mystery novels from Simon & Schuster that ran from the 1930s right through to the 1960s. The title was also used for a very popular radio show that aired from 1941-1952. The show was memorable thanks to the eerie "creaking door" sound effect which opened each episode. It was inevitable that Hollywood would take advantage of the Inner Sanctum's success, and Universal Pictures signed Lon Chaney, Jr. to star in a series of films bearing the Inner Sanctum banner. Chaney had portrayed the Mummy, Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and most notably, The Wolf Man in various films, and he was eager to try something a bit different, while the studio wanted to capitalize on the success of one of their biggest horror stars.

The six movies in Universal's series of "Inner Sanctum Mysteries" are indeed mysteries, and not horror films, as they have often been misrepresented as, or misunderstood as, over the years. While some of the movies contain mild supernatural elements, these films should really be viewed as murder mysteries or suspense thrillers. The Inner Sanctum films were produced between 1943 and 1945, and they're a lot of fun to watch. These movies are prime examples of the kind of B pictures that were a staple of the classic Hollywood era, and they truly "don't make 'em like that anymore." Several of the films even have Chaney narrating the story or letting us in on his thoughts via an inner monologue, in the style common to classic tales of film noir.

The first film in the series, 1943's Calling Dr. Death, stars Chaney as Dr. Mark Steele, whose wife is murdered. Steele is a prime suspect because he can't remember where he was, or what he was doing, for several days, including the time the murder was committed. Has this memory loss occurred because he's blacked out the fact that he actually committed the crime? A police detective (a nice performance by character actor J. Carroll Naish) and Steele's dedicated secretary, played by Patricia Morison, try to help him remember, but they have quite different motives for doing so. The film is solidly directed by Reginald LeBorg, who'd go on to helm the next two movies in the series. LeBorg, would later direct such well-regarded "A" films such as San Diego, I Love You and Destiny, as well as a ton of additional B movies, including Voodoo Island, with Boris Karloff and Elisha Cook, Jr., and Diary of a Madman, which starred Vincent Price and Nancy Kovack.

Weird Woman (1944), the second film in the Inner Sanctum sextet, is based on Fritz Lieber's novel Conjure Wife, which was later adapted into the well-regarded 1962 British horror film Burn, Witch, Burn. This tale of love, jealousy and murder stars Chaney as a college professor who gets mixed up in witchcraft. The supporting cast features Evelyn Ankers, Anne Gwynne and Elisabeth Russell, all of whom are familiar faces to classic horror fans. It's an entertaining thriller that's one of the best entries in the series. The third film in the Inner Sanctum oeuvre, Dead Man's Eyes, also from 1944, features Chaney as an artist who goes blind due to a terrible accident. He receives the eyes of his fiance's father in a transplant, but only after the man is murdered. The catch is, the victim recently changed his will to bequeath his eyes to....his new son-in-law! 

The fourth film in the series, directed by Harold Young, is entitled The Frozen Ghost (1945), and stars Chaney as Gregor the Great, a hypnotist with a successful night club act. When a man dies onstage during a performance, Gregor blames himself, and retires from his hypnotism gig. But he probably should have re-thought his choice of next job; working at an eerie wax museum! This time out, the supporting players include Chaney's House of Frankenstein co-star Elena Verdugo and veteran movie villain Martin Kosleck. 1945's Strange Confession, the fifth film in the series, tells a flashback-centered story of love, betrayal and murder. Chaney portrays Jeff Carter, who works for a pharmaceutical company owned by Roger Graham (J. Carroll Naish again) a duplicitous jerk with designs on Carter's wife. The final entry, Pillow of Death (1945), is a moody tale of murder and mysticism as lawyer Wayne Fletcher (Chaney) is accused of killing his wife by her ghost, via a seance conducted by spiritualist Julian Julian, portrayed by Chaney's Son of Dracula co-star J. Edward Bromberg.

The Inner Sanctum movies all run about (or just over) an hour, so they never overstay their welcome. These films were primarily designed to play as second features, and they're well-made, enjoyable mysteries. They're atmospheric, stylishly directed and crisply paced. Lon Chaney, Jr. is often given a bad rap (and is quite under-rated) as an actor, but I think these movies suit his on-screen persona and his talents very well. He's quite effective in them, often as a man caught up in circumstances he can't control. The supporting casts are filled with terrific character actors, such as Lloyd Bridges, Mary Gordon (Mrs. Hudson from the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Homes films) and Clara Blandick, best known as Auntie Em from The Wizard of Oz. Classic film fans will have a ball seeing all of those familiar faces. These movies should resonate with, and have strong appeal for, old school mystery and horror fans. There are excellent Blu-ray releases of the complete series from Mill Creek Entertainment in the US, and the Eureka label in the UK. Some of the films are also available to view on various streaming services. Here's the trailer for the Eureka films Blu-ray release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2zj10Nc98k, and watch out for that crystal ball encased floating head (played by actor David Hoffman) that introduces the first five films in the series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LaF7VPjAM-Y.

Those Who Wish Me Dead: Fiery Action, Hired Killers and a Heroic Angelina Jolie

The action film genre is constantly trying to reinvent itself, top itself, and find new ways to thrill audiences. There are certain tropes, however, that you'll likely see play out in most iterations of this type of film. We usually see a hero haunted by a tragedy from his past, where a person or a group of people died as a result of a difficult choice made by him. The hero gets a chance to redeem himself when a new challenge comes his way. In director Taylor Sheridan's combustive thriller Those Who Wish Me Dead, the hero is actually a heroine. The story concerns Hannah Faber, a Montana-based smokejumper who can't get over the deaths of several people during an out of control forest fire her team was trying to contain. She blames herself for their deaths in the out of control conflagration.

Hannah's ex-boyfriend Ethan, a deputy sheriff, tries to get her to deal with her guilt, but she lives on the edge and is something of a loose cannon. Meanwhile, Owen Casserly, a forensic accountant, discovers that some people close to him have died in a mysterious explosion. Owen realizes the mob boss he worked for is eliminating those who could offer evidence that would put him in jail. Owen goes on the run with his son Connor. When Owen is killed by assassins sent by his former boss, Connor goes on the run, and he meets up with Hannah, who's stationed in a fire lookout tower.

Of course, Hannah ends up helping Connor evade the hit men, and Ethan lands in their crossfire as well. There's also a super-sized fire (set by the assassins as a distraction) to contend with, and Hannah has to use all her skills to save Connor and survive the deadly inferno. Those Who Wish Me Dead doesn't blaze any new trails in the action genre, but Taylor Sheridan's excellent direction helps propel the film, and keeps you interested throughout. Sheridan is perhaps best known for writing two well-received thrillers, Sicario and Hell or High Water, and for co-creating the TV series Yellowstone. He co-wrote the screenplay along with Charles Leavitt and Michael Koryta, based on Koryta's novel.

Angelina Jolie is excellent as the resourceful Hannah, and gives the character a bit more shading than usual in this type of thriller. She has good chemistry with her young co-star Fin Little, who plays Connor. The supporting players include Jon Bernthal as Ethan, and Jake Weber as Owen. Nicholas Hoult and Aidan Gillen are quite effective as the dangerous and driven hit men. Tyler Perry has a cameo as their boss. Media Senghore is very effective in her role as Ethan's wife, who gives the assassins a bigger challenge than they expected; appearances can be deceiving.

Those Who Wish Me Dead is an exciting, well-directed action film with a talented cast. The movie has a sharp and energetic visual style, courtesy of director Sheridan, cinematographer Ben Richardson and editor Chad Galster. It's the kind of fast-paced, well-made popcorn flick where you don't start asking too many questions about its believability before it ends. If you're looking for an enjoyably old-fashioned thriller that will hold your interest, but doesn't overstay it's welcome, Those Who Wish Me Dead should fit the bill.The movie is currently in theaters, and is also streaming on HBO Max until June 13. Here's a look at the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kciXOTguPCs.

Drew Pisarra's "You're Pretty Gay" is Powerful, Engaging and Insightful

Drew Pisarra is a talented author with a strong narrative voice, a sharp wit, and a unique perspective. He’s previously displayed his knack for creating fascinating and offbeat stories and poems in works such as Publick Spanking, his first book of short stories, and Infinity Standing Up, an intense and passionate sonnet cycle which boldly examines the ups and downs of a modern relationship. You’re Pretty Gay, his latest collection of short fiction, is a finely honed and keenly observed set of stories which examine the queer experience from a variety of settings and viewpoints.

Speaking in Pisarra's sardonic voice, the narrator of these absorbing tales goes from suffering the slings and arrows of a bully, dealing with questions of his sexuality, to quite literally consuming the photos of a departed family member. These superbly written vignettes deal with love, lust, loss, joy, sadness and discovering your sexual identity in a world that pretty much wants to push (and sometimes shove) you into a pre-defined category. The outstanding and well-crafted stories in You’re Pretty Gay are refreshing, challenging and unpredictable.

Pisarra’s style is engaging and accessible, and his work is insightful, poignant, funny and illuminating. His prose can be razor sharp, and he pulls no punches, but that's one of his greatest strengths as a writer.  We're able to empathize with the narrator/main character throughout these tales precisely because the emotions on display in these pages are so raw and honest. Stories such as "The Hat from Hell," "Flashes of the Future," and "Dating Games: Silver Edition," will certainly delight, inspire and (perhaps) shock you just a little bit, and you won't soon forget them.

The book will be released by Chaffinch Press on June 25. You can learn more by following this link: https://chaffinchpress.com. Drew Pisarra is an award-winning poet and playwright who has toured the country with his monologues, worked in the television industry, and has also been part of the installation art duo Saint Flashlight with Molly Gross. The powerful stories in You’re Pretty Gay will challenge your pre-conceived notions of storytelling, and open your eyes to different perspectives about life, family and sexuality. If you haven't yet explored Pisarra's work, You're Pretty Gay is a pretty fine place to start.

Jim Steinman Walks the "Streets of Fire"

Jim Steinman, who passed away recently, was the master of over the top, emotion-filled pop/rock songs. Steinman struck gold with his long-standing collaboration with Meat Loaf on albums like the unforgettable Bat Out of Hell. He also produced and penned hits for Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, and Sisters of Mercy, among others. “Too much is never enough” was always the mantra in Steinman’s musical oeuvre. One of the best showcases for his work was the movie Streets of Fire, which was released in 1984. The film was directed by Walter Hill, who also helmed The Warriors and The Long Riders. Hill had just scored a major hit with 48 Hours, which co-starred Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy, so he was a hot property in Hollywood at the time. Hill conceived a story that featured all the things he wanted to see in a movie; lots of action, car chases, motorcycles, and a damsel in distress who is saved by a tough guy anti-hero, all set to a pulsating rock soundtrack.

Originally titled The Adventures of Tom Cody, Hill and screenplay co-author Larry Gross shaped Hill’s concept into a “Rock & Roll Fable” set in “Another, Time, Another Place,” a world that entwined the look of a retro 1950s biker flick fused with the cool vibe and flashy visuals of 1980s music videos. The film tells the story of rock singer Ellen Aim, who’s kidnapped by a gang led by the villainous Raven Shaddock. Her former flame, war veteran Tom Cody, leads a ragtag group of heroes to rescue her, including Billy Fish, Ellen’s manager and current boyfriend, the tough talking female soldier of fortune McCoy, and Tom’s sister Reva. After they track Raven and his gang through the neon streets and rock and roll nights of the city, Tom manages to recue Ellen. But the vengeful Raven wants revenge. He demands a mano a mano showdown with Tom, or he and his gang will cause death and destruction across town.

 The amazing production design and kinetic visuals of the movie, courtesy of noted cinematographer Andrew Lazlo, give the film a look that was unique at the time. Streets of Fire definitely influenced subsequent movies and television shows, and its visionary style holds up well today. The cast includes Michael Pare as Cody, Diane Lane as Ellen Aim, Willem Dafoe as Raven, Rick Moranis as Billy and a fantastic supporting turn from Amy Madigan as McCoy. The part of McCoy was originally written for a man, but when Madigan tested for the part of Tom’s sister, she told director Hill she felt she could play McCoy (then called Mendez in the script), and that it would be really effective to showcase a woman in the role. Madigan turned out to be right, and her performance is one of the highlights of the film, which is an entertaining blend of genres, including Westerns, action movies, biker flicks and an MTV styled rock musical.

 

Speaking of music, Streets of Fire features tunes written by Stevie Nicks, Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers band-mate Benmont Tench, Ry Cooder and Dan Hartman, whose song “I Can Dream About You” became a big hit during the time of the film’s original release. But the songs that perfectly encapsulate what Streets of Fire is all about are a pair of tunes written by Jim Steinman. Originally, Hill wanted to use Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Fire” in the film’s finale, and a sequence was filmed with Diane Lane’s character Ellen Aim performing the song. Negotiations with Springsteen broke down, so Hill and his crew turned to Steinman, who’d written a song called “Nowhere Fast,” which was set to open the film. He composed “Tonight It Was It Means To Be Young” a typically Steinman-esque power rocker, in just two days. The song has all the things we love about Steinman’s music all rolled into a glorious seven minute, over the top, rock and roll epic. The producers loved it so much they spent additional money to re-shoot the closing sequence with Lane lip-syncing the song to vocals by the group Fire, Inc. who had also contributed to “Nowhere Fast.” Fire, Inc. wasn’t an actual band, but the studio group featured vocalists Holly Sherwood and Laurie Sargent, who contributed the vocals for Lane’s on camera performances.

 

The world of Streets of Fire, with its archetypal characters, stunning visuals, and genre-bending story, is a perfect fit for Steinman’s grandiose music, and his songs are certainly highlights of the film. It’s no surprise that two of the music videos created to promote the movie were adapted from those opening and closing sequences. While the film wasn’t a hit upon its original release, it’s turned into something of a cult favorite over the years, and has a loyal cadre of fans. Sadly, since the movie wasn’t successful at the box office, a pair of sequels planned by Walter Hill never materialized, although Road To Hell, a low-budget film directed by Albert Pyun, featuring Michael Pare reprising the role of Tom Cody, was released in 2008. Like the music of Jim Steinman, if it’s in your wheelhouse, Streets of Fire isn’t just a movie you watch it’s a movie you experience. If you’re new to the film, and are looking for something different to watch, I recommend checking it out, especially if you’re a fan of Walter Hill’s other work as a writer and director on films like Hard Times, The Driver, and The Warriors. You might find that Streets of Fire will become a new favorite, or at the very least, a guilty pleasure. I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy it and you'll dig the music, too. Here’s a look at the trailer for the film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEOvn2IaLMM.

"Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb": A Chat With Andrew Curry

Andrew Curry, that maestro and super-producer of the indie-pop tribute album, has returned with another outstanding collection of tunes. After previously saluting AM radio hits of the 1970s, British bands of the 1980s, the theme songs to the James Bond films, and the music of Paul Williams, he’s back with Higher Than a Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb. This extraordinary compilation features artists such as Lisa Mychols, Greg Pope and Coke Belda presenting their phenomenal interpretations of the music of Andy Gibb. Once you hear tracks like Pope’s terrific take on “I Just Want To Be Your Everything” and Belda’s deeply emotional version of  “Me (Without You),” I think you’ll agree that Higher Than a Mountain is an exceptional record.  Andrew was kind enough to take some time to chat with me about this latest release from Curry Cuts, his Portland based label. 

 

Q: This is your fifth tribute compilation, after Drink A Toast To Innocence: A Tribute To Lite Rock, Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion, Songs. Bond Songs: The Music Of 007 and White Lace & Promises: The Songs Of Paul Williams. You probably have the process down to a science at this point, but this time around, you had to deal with the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. Did that world-changing event present any special challenges for you when you were putting this album together?

A: The pandemic definitely impacted this project, practically from the day I started working on it. I had the idea for a tribute to Andy in the latter months of 2019, and I started recruiting musicians shortly thereafter. Anticipating a spring 2020 release date, I asked for songs to be submitted by March of 2020. Well, we all know what happened in March of last year. The world effectively closed. A few musicians were able to work from studio spaces at home, but lots of other folks – even solo musicians who do all the instruments and production work on their music – were left unable to get to their normal studio spaces. Bands who always recorded together in the same space were suddenly unable to do that. So a March 2020 deadline became an April 2020 deadline, then a Halloween 2020 deadline, then a “You know what? Just get it to me whenever you can” deadline. A few folks were able to meet that original date. Others couldn’t get their recordings started until winter of 2021. For a fifteen track compilation, I was literally receiving tracks over a thirteen month span. It was wild.

Q:  Higher Than a Mountain effectively showcases Andy’s talents as both an artist and a songwriter. People tend to forget that Andy and his brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice (The Bee Gees) were multi-talented artists, and had successful careers as writers and producers in addition to having hits of their own. The Bee Gees got unfairly labelled as “just a disco act” after the success of Saturday Night Fever, but their body of work (including the songs they worked on with Andy) really illustrates the breadth of their skills. In the liner notes for the album, you talk about being a fan of Andy and The Bee Gees when you were younger. Was there a conscious effort on your part to try and broaden people’s perceptions about Andy’s music?

A: Definitely. As I say in those same liner notes, the compilation really doubles as a tribute to Andy and his older brothers, who were all essential to Andy’s success, especially Barry, who wrote or co-wrote most of Andy’s biggest hits, and produced them as well. Barry recently released a great album called Greenfields, where he revisits old Bee Gees songs as duets with current country artists. At the end of last year, HBO released How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?, a fantastic documentary about the Bee Gees. So the Gibbs have been back in the spotlight in a way that’s led to a lot of people re-evaluating them and their contributions to the pop music landscape. I wanted Andy to get a bit of recognition as well, because he was really a prominent cog in the Gibb hit-making machine of the late ‘70s. I sometimes think that his contributions to their legacy were overlooked.

Q: The songs on Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb are an eclectic mix of well known tracks and album cuts from Andy’s brief but impressive discography. Did you choose the songs, or did the artists select the tunes they wanted to record?

A: I chose the tracks I wanted to include on the compilation, and I generally offered specific songs to the participating musicians, songs I could really hear them doing in their own personal style. I wanted to include all the hits, of course. But it was just as important that I shine the spotlight on some deeper cuts, some tracks that Andy wrote without the help of his older brothers. It gives us some sense of what kind of artist he might have become had he been able to sustain his career a few years longer.

Q: Do you have any favorites among the deep cuts that you selected for the album?

A: The fun of the projects that I do is re-visiting the source material and discovering songs that maybe I’d forgotten or hadn’t heard in years. “Time Is Time” (covered by Keith Slettedahl on the album) was a song I remembered from back when it was released, but it was never one I gave much thought to in subsequent years. I bet I listened to it 100 times or more as I began putting the record together. It’s definitely one that is worth a new listen, especially for folks who think they know Andy’s sound. It doesn’t fall into the disco/adult contemporary niche that Andy worked so well back in the day, and I think it might have been an even bigger hit had it not come out when the Gibb backlash was in full effect. 

 Q: The artists did a fantastic job making these songs their own, while staying true to the spirit of the originals. Some amped up the power, like The Test Pressings on “Why,” and Irene Pena on “Wherever You Are.” Lisa Mychols’ beautiful cover of “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away,” Minky Starshine’s darker take on “Desire” and Ken Sharp and Fernando Perdomo’s lovely rendition of “One More Look At The Night,” are all highlights of the album. Did any of these versions surprise you when you heard them for the first time?

A: Those are all terrific examples of the variety that’s on this record. Minky has been on my last several compilations, and it’s never easy to predict what his track will sound like. He did a lovely and fairly faithful version of Spandau Ballet’s “True” on Here Comes The Reign Again: The Second British Invasion, but, as you note, his version of “Desire” on this record is a significant departure from Andy’s original, with those full Bee Gees backing vocals so prominently featured. Lisa Mychols collaborates with her husband Tom Richards on her tracks, and I’m always blown away by their takes on these old songs. Her track on this record, “(Our Love) Don’t Throw It All Away,” layers harmonies on top of harmonies, and the end result just melts me.

As for “Why,” Robbie Rist (of the Test Pressings) told me years ago that he always wants the song that no one else selects. That way he can make it into his own thing. I think that’s precisely what they’ve done with “Why,” a song that was never a single, so fewer people will have an idea about what the original sounds like. They made it into a legit rock song, and I love it.

  

Q: With the success of the HBO documentary, How Can You Mend A Broken Heart? Barry’s album, and the upcoming release of your tribute to Andy, it feels like what’s occurring is a well-deserved re-assessment, and even a deeper appreciation, of the music of Andy and his brothers. Do you hope the more casual fans (and even the devoted ones) will take another look at their music after listening to Higher Than a Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb?

A: Well, that’s certainly one of the main goals of the record. I frequently make the argument that no one, not even the Bee Gees themselves, paid a higher price than Andy did for the backlash that hit the Bee Gees so hard at the start of the ‘80s. As I said in my liner notes, the Bee Gees were effectively run off the radio when the ‘80s started, but they were able to pivot to a new career as in-demand songwriters, and they wound up writing some truly enormous hits like “Woman In Love” for Barbra Streisand and “Islands In The Stream” for Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton. But Andy was never able to make a similar transition, and so he was just casually tossed aside, the victim of a misguided ”We’re done with all the Gibbs” movement on American radio. 

Climbing to such heights, only to then fall so low, it’s no wonder that his problems with addiction spiraled out of control. It’s really a sad story. I think it’s time for folks to get a new perspective on Andy and his music, the way people have been (very justifiably) re-assessing the older Gibb brothers. There’s a biography of Andy coming out in 2022 that I hope folks will read. I’m excited that Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb can be a part of the process which brings a bit more attention to some terrific music and the under-appreciated man who made it.

Thanks to Andrew Curry for chatting with me about his latest project from Curry Cuts. Higher Than A Mountain: The Songs of Andy Gibb will be released digitally on May 7, while the CD version will be be available around May 14. It's always a pleasure to talk with Andrew about his magnificent compilations. Here’s a link to the Bandcamp page for the album, where you an also preview several of the songs from the record: https://currycuts.bandcamp.com/album/higher-than-a-mountain-the-songs-of-andy-gibb.

The Tenth Anniversary of Eclectic Avenue

A long time ago, in a city not so far away, a young man declared he wanted to be a writer, in order to share his love and passion for the music, movies and books that he loved so much. It took a long time, and several almost serpentine twists and turns in life for it to happen, but here I am many years later, writing about music, movies and books here at Eclectic Avenue (since 2011) and for CultureSonar, the excellent arts and entertainment website I began writing for in 2017. Since this month marks the tenth anniversary of Eclectic Avenue, I just wanted to say a few words of thanks to all the friends and colleagues who've said kind things about my work, and supported my writing throughout the years.

I have always dabbled in writing in one way or another, starting in my high school years, and moving on through college and into my subsequent jobs in the publishing and IT worlds. As with many things in life, there were those who supported me in my endeavors, and others who thought I was crazy to pursue my dream. After several tough years on the personal side of life in the early to mid 2000s, I decided to start my own blog in 2011, and Eclectic Avenue was born. That led to me meeting a great group of writers in the blogging community. I began participating in some blogathons, which got my work noticed by a larger number of people, and gained me some new readers. I even got some sincere kudos from some of the bands I covered (thanks, Early Elton) and a lot of support from my pal and musical compadre Gilda, with whom I'd worked on the well-regarded KISS fanzine, FIRE, back in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Since Eclectic Avenue was doing well, I decided to expand my horizons. I submitted a piece to CultureSonar, a fantastic arts and entertainment website which features the work of some very talented writers penning articles celebrating the music, movies and books they care about the most. My first piece for CultureSonar, a story on Elton John's Don't Shoot Me, I'm Only The Piano Player, was published in February 2017, and I've been writing for them ever since. My work for CultureSonar has allowed me to write some great articles, and to interview Dave Mason, William Shatner and Phil Volk of Paul Revere & The Raiders, among others. I continue to write for CultureSonar, and I want to thank Al, Cindy and Drew of CultureSonar for their support of my work. It has been an honor and a privilege to be part of such a phenomenal group of writers.

The writing I do here at Eclectic Avenue, and for CultureSonar, continues to be a lot of fun for me, and never seems like work. I've been able to write about everything from classic films to a number of great albums, as well as share my reviews of some terrific live concerts, including shows by Todd Rundgren and Bruce Springsteen. In addition to being able to indulge my passion for writing, I also have a full-time job in the healthcare world, and I also share positive energy as a Reiki volunteer. I can honestly say that all of these things bring me a great deal of joy. I'm very grateful for these multi-faceted parts of my life. Eclectic Avenue has come a long way in ten years, and so have I. Thanks to all of the artists, producers and writers who've graciously allowed me to interview them over the years. A big thanks to all of my friends and colleagues for your ongoing support of my work: thanks for reading, for commenting on my pieces, and for sharing my stories with others. I look forward to sharing more of my work with you in the future.