Retro Funk Double Shot of the Day

After a hard week of school or navigating through cubicle hell, it's nice to know you can reach back to the classics of a simpler time to get you into the right mood for the coming weekend. Allow me to create that mood for you right now.

First up, Rene & Angela's "I'll Be Good" which is the embodiment of all things good about 80's R&B. Released in 1985 by this former husband and wife duo, it peaked and number 4 on the U.S. R&B charts but remains one of my prized possessions on pristine 12" vinyl.

Next up is a classic from 1979 by the Brothers Johnson. This band was made up of a bunch of brothers and a cousin who had originally played for the likes of Billy Preston, The Supremes and were Quincy Jones main go to guys for a time.

"Stomp" was released in 1979 and shot to number 1 on both the U.S. Dance and R&B charts. The group had an on again off again relationship over the years and still perform from time to time and recently teamed up for a tour with Ray "Ghostbuster" Parker JR and Cherrelle. Interesting note, Louis Johnson played bass on Michael Jackson's Thriller album - I told you they were Quincy's go to guys didn't I?

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Royal Wedding Retro Copycats

Time and time again there is evidence that nothing is new. It's all been done before. Everything is a remix. There are very rarely new and original ideas. Need more proof ? Check out the picture below of the recent Royal wedding of Will and Kate and the other classic Royal wedding in Cinderella which was a Disney movie from 1950. Honestly, you'd think the British Royal family could come up with an original thought !!

New Site

Just a heads up, the blog has now moved to a more modern WordPress site over at https://retroguyswonderland.com Site is up and under slight construction. New posts coming soon! - Retroguy's Son (The SysOp)

R.I.P. Sir Roger Moore (1927-2017)

It's a sad day for Bond fans with the news of the passing of Sir Roger Moore at age 89 after a short battle with cancer. The charismatic actor wore the 007 mantle for seven films playing the super suave British secret agent, James Bond from 1973 to 1985, replacing Sean Connery and went on to be the longest serving Bond to date. Roger had early success on television portraying Simon Templar in the "The Saint" and that role groomed him well for taking over the 007 franchise. He did have quite the television resume before taking on films including roles in "Ivanhoe", "The Alaskans" and "Maverick" and with Tony Curtis in "The Persuaders". His big break came in 1973's "Live and Left Die" that launched Moore's Bond. Roger brought a smoother more gentlemanly vibe to the role compared to Sean's rough and tumble Bond. The mix worked well and it brought a new standard to how Bond would be played in future films....

Earth, Wind and Ozzy !!

There is no doubt that the advent of technology has produced many amazing things that most of us never saw coming or would ever think was possible. Furthest from anyone's mind would be the mashing of two polar opposite musical styles of heavy metal and funk. Not possible you say? Check out the fine work by DJ Cummerbund as he seamlessly combines the heavy metal madness of Ozzy Osbourne with the super slick, funky rhythms of Earth, Wind and Fire to produce a mashup of Crazy Train and September. Ain't technology grand??

Retro Video of the Day - Domino Dancing

I remember first spinning the original West End Girls track on a white label and thinking that this was completely fresh (how long has it been since you used that word in that context?) and probably the start of a new and prominent trend in dance music. Whether you called it Electro-Pop, Electronica, EuroBeats, or crap, it was undeniable that pop music was moving away from strictly guitars and experimenting with new electronic sounds that ushered and defined what '80s music was all about. The Pet Shop Boys have always been on the forefront of that movement and have continually put out new music over three decades. Domino Dancing, released in 1988, really helped them cross over to a wide range of audiences. It reached #5 on the U.S. Billboard Club Play listing and cracked the Top 10 of almost all the countries it was released in. Extra Retro Bonus !

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