THIS is a CLOSE-UP?

So who the hell is Nitzer Ebb , and why should you care? First, I'll let the publicity flacks tell the tale: Initially formed in Chelmsford, Essex by school friends Douglas McCarthy [lead vocals, guitar], Vaughn 'Bon' Harris [vocals, percussion, guitar] and David Gooday [percussion] in the mid 1980's, Nitzer Ebb were influenced by the harder sounds of the early electro pop scene, but also distilled elements from several other genres until they had created their own identifiable sound characterised by powerful rhythms, minimal sequencer bass and hooklines and fierce, chanted vocals. The trio caught the attention of PWL producer Phil Harding, who not only produced their 1985 debut single 'Isn't It Funny How Your Body Works?', but also helped them set up their own label, Power Of Voice Communications, on which to release it. Their impassioned techno rage was captured perfectly on three further singles: 'Warsaw Ghetto' (1985), 'Warsaw Ghetto Remixes...

Professing a love for Styx isn't going to get you any points with anyone outside of the immediate family of the members of Styx. (Even then, one is not sure.) And while I can't really say that I love 'em -- out of the 5000+ CD's I own, a Styx "Greatest Hits" is as far as I can go into their catalog -- I can say that I have warbled along with many a Styx song, especially the intricate harmonies of tracks like "Lady." And then there's "Mr. Roboto," one of the most ridiculous songs to ever hit the high end of the charts in the ridiculous year of 1983. And yet, isn't this earnest pap somewhat endearing in a naive futuristic fashion? Almost certainly, it was the song that destroyed the band, with Dennis DeYoung's off-Broadway flourishes at odds with the prog-rock-lite stream of populism that Tommy Shaw was so good at presenting. Turns out that the future DeYoung was writing about was a future without Styx. Which isn't so bad, ...

Man, I wish there was an MP3 of this.

It was such a good idea -- a collection of clothes for the big and tall (which usually means "tall and fat, but mostly fat") that actually looked decent, rather than the usual drapes and burquas that pass as garments for the normally challenged . And Colossal Clothing was that good idea, at least in the beginning, when the economy was robust (along with the waistlines of the average American). But as their parent company American Apparel saw their fortunes turn to dust, so too did Colossal Clothing, but without the sexual harassment angle. Without another collection, the first CC collection (while solid) lost sales momentum, and so too did the company. Now, as they approach the end, they're in fire sale mode, so if you're looking for good basic clothing for the taller and/or bigger gent, get what you can while you can. But be sure do to two things: [1] put FIFTY in the discount/coupon area of the billing page to get 50% off & [2] tell 'em I sent you.

When I was a fourteen-year-old in the summer of 1985, I went to a nerd camp for a few weeks. [For the record, it was at Alma College in some “gifted & talented” program based on my SAT scores, which were above average for my age.] While there are more than a few records that scream “Summer Of ‘85” at me, one of my favorites was The Power Station , a supergroup featuring Robert Palmer, two members of Duran Duran (John Taylor and Andy Taylor), and two members of Chic (Tony Thompson on drums & Bernard Edwards on production). I'm not sure if they ever played in the same studio for the sessions, and their live performances encompassed one Saturday Night Live gig, so their status as a "band" is up for debate. But it was a fave for a couple of reasons: (a) I had a super-massive super-unrequited crush on one of my fellow students, and the album closer “Still In Your Heart” spoke to my teenage emotions; & (b) I sang their version of the T. Rex song “Bang A Gong (Get ...